BANGKOK, April 7 (TNA) – Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered hospitals to build up their COVID-19 vaccine doses for inoculation for elderly people and their younger relatives who will return home during the Songkran holiday and planned to propose an end to compulsory RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 after the festival.

 

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Mr Anutin who is also a deputy prime minister gave the order and revealed his plan when he presented honorary plaques to representatives of seven provinces where more than 70% of senior citizens have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The provinces are Nan, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Phuket, Maha Sarakham, Lamphun and Chai Nat.

 

Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-918813

 

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4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

planned to propose an end to compulsory RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 after the festival.

Is this an end to the Thai pass program or does this man really believe that Thailand has made PCR testing compulsory for citizens.  Last time I checked they were asking folks to test using the ATK test kits and unless sick t and needing treatment to stay at home and isolate. 

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Is this an end to the Thai pass program or does this man really believe that Thailand has made PCR testing compulsory for citizens.  Last time I checked they were asking folks to test using the ATK test kits and unless sick t and needing treatment to stay at home and isolate. 

In the original story he is proposing to change the arrival test to ATK for visitors but in MHO they need to stop the arrival testing if they want to boost tourist numbers.

19 minutes ago, Petey11 said:

In the original story he is proposing to change the arrival test to ATK for visitors but in MHO they need to stop the arrival testing if they want to boost tourist numbers.

Does it mean one night quarantine is still in place and ATK tests will be done in the hotel? 

45 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

Does it mean one night quarantine is still in place and ATK tests will be done in the hotel? 

They are saying it will be done at the airport.  That seems to imply no more T&G.  They are still just talking about it though. They have changed their minds or added more rules on numerous occasions so I will believe it when it actually happens.

Edited April 7, 20224 yr by shdmn

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Mr Anutin who is also a deputy prime minister gave the order and revealed his plan when he presented honorary plaques to representatives of seven provinces where more than 70% of senior citizens have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The provinces are Nan, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Phuket, Maha Sarakham, Lamphun and Chai Nat.

I thought this was achieved last year?

 

12 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Is this an end to the Thai pass program or does this man really believe that Thailand has made PCR testing compulsory for citizens.  Last time I checked they were asking folks to test using the ATK test kits and unless sick t and needing treatment to stay at home and isolate. 

As usual his statement is as clear as mud.

5 hours ago, shdmn said:

They are saying it will be done at the airport. 

Anyone that feels an arrival test at the airport and threat of subsequent removal to somewhere else will not be like a gun to the head to 10 minutes is lying. 

Real-time experience entering this week.  
 

My partner, who is Thai, and I arrived from Doha.  We were whisked away to our hotel with a stop at a hospital for the PCR test.  Booked into our hotel room waiting for test results.  One test required a redo at the lab using the same collected sample.  One test did not.  The one that did not require a redo, mine, eventuality came back negative. The redone test for my partner came back positive.

 

Now for the interesting part.  The hospital that was connected to our test and go hotel could not take my partner.  They had no place to put him.  No hospital room, no hospitEl room, nothing, nada.  So…..he sat in the hotel all day well into the evening.  Everyone was freaking out.  The hotel couldn’t move him out, the hospital couldn’t find a place for him…..it was a f@#@ed up mess.  Finally, my partner began working through his Thai insurance company ,and THEY found him a place to go.  He finally had a ride show up at the receiving hotel to whisk him away to a HospiTEL.  The insurance company managed to work out the details for govt tracking, etc.  and transferred everything.  He’s being seen by a doctor after a mandatory chest X-ray.  Nursing staff at the hospiTEL are keeping an eye on him..(he’s asymptomatic and has been all along) and he’s due to be released in another day.  Insurance is paying all of the costs….even though he’s asymptomatic.  His policy is one that covers getting a positive test regardless of symptoms…or no symptoms.

 

so, one wonders what would have become of him had he no alternative insurance policy and an excellent  agent to get him fixed up?

 

As for me…. This is the sad part……. I planned to stay at the hotel until my partner was cleared and released from quarantine.  The hotel staff where we had booked the test and go and arrived at, and where my partner tested positive, knocked on my door and told me I had to quarantine in my room.  Not allowed to leave the room, not allowed to have any contact with anyone, and oh ya…. go for a PCR test in three days to determine my Covid status.  Housekeeping would drop towels by the door.  No one would enter my room.  
 

I called <deleted>.  “ No way” I said.  The govt doesn’t require me to have a follow up PCR test if I come in and get a negative PCR on arrival so…NO!  I told them I would do twice daily ATK self tests if needed but no way was I going for a second PCR test.They were not happy but they acquiesced on the test.  They still required me to stay in the room.  This is not a sleazy, 1-2star hotel.  My extended stay while waiting for my partner would have set me back a kings ransom at this five star place but I didn’t care.  My mission was to stay in town, support my partner and get him through this so we could eventually get to our home in another city.  
 

I ended up talking to a friend of mine who has a condo in BKK and organized a move in.  He’s out of town so it’s cool…plenty of room, etc.  I packed my bags and bolted.  I sent the hotel my day 5 Negative ATK test results and they forwarded it to the authorities.  My partner is due to be released tomorrow and we’re getting out of BKK asap. We won’t be leaving Thailand again until all this Thai Pass/testing/mandatory quarantine nonsense disappears.  If these regulations remain indefinitely we may just abandon everything and move back to America.

 

Let this be a lesson to anyone contemplating an entry to Thailand.  Stay away lest you get caught up in a bureaucratic quagmire likened to quicksand and bilked of a hundred thousand baht or more.

Edited April 8, 20224 yr by Tracyb

2 hours ago, Tracyb said:

Real-time experience entering this week.  
 

My partner, who is Thai, and I arrived from Doha.  We were whisked away to our hotel with a stop at a hospital for the PCR test.  Booked into our hotel room waiting for test results.  One test required a redo at the lab using the same collected sample.  One test did not.  The one that did not require a redo, mine, eventuality came back negative. The redone test for my partner came back positive.

 

Now for the interesting part.  The hospital that was connected to our test and go hotel could not take my partner.  They had no place to put him.  No hospital room, no hospitEl room, nothing, nada.  So…..he sat in the hotel all day well into the evening.  Everyone was freaking out.  The hotel couldn’t move him out, the hospital couldn’t find a place for him…..it was a f@#@ed up mess.  Finally, my partner began working through his Thai insurance company ,and THEY found him a place to go.  He finally had a ride show up at the receiving hotel to whisk him away to a HospiTEL.  The insurance company managed to work out the details for govt tracking, etc.  and transferred everything.  He’s being seen by a doctor after a mandatory chest X-ray.  Nursing staff at the hospiTEL are keeping an eye on him..(he’s asymptomatic and has been all along) and he’s due to be released in another day.  Insurance is paying all of the costs….even though he’s asymptomatic.  His policy is one that covers getting a positive test regardless of symptoms…or no symptoms.

 

so, one wonders what would have become of him had he no alternative insurance policy and an excellent  agent to get him fixed up?

 

As for me…. This is the sad part……. I planned to stay at the hotel until my partner was cleared and released from quarantine.  The hotel staff where we had booked the test and go and arrived at, and where my partner tested positive, knocked on my door and told me I had to quarantine in my room.  Not allowed to leave the room, not allowed to have any contact with anyone, and oh ya…. go for a PCR test in three days to determine my Covid status.  Housekeeping would drop towels by the door.  No one would enter my room.  
 

I called <deleted>.  “ No way” I said.  The govt doesn’t require me to have a follow up PCR test if I come in and get a negative PCR on arrival so…NO!  I told them I would do twice daily ATK self tests if needed but no way was I going for a second PCR test.They were not happy but they acquiesced on the test.  They still required me to stay in the room.  This is not a sleazy, 1-2star hotel.  My extended stay while waiting for my partner would have set me back a kings ransom at this five star place but I didn’t care.  My mission was to stay in town, support my partner and get him through this so we could eventually get to our home in another city.  
 

I ended up talking to a friend of mine who has a condo in BKK and organized a move in.  He’s out of town so it’s cool…plenty of room, etc.  I packed my bags and bolted.  I sent the hotel my day 5 Negative ATK test results and they forwarded it to the authorities.  My partner is due to be released tomorrow and we’re getting out of BKK asap. We won’t be leaving Thailand again until all this Thai Pass/testing/mandatory quarantine nonsense disappears.  If these regulations remain indefinitely we may just abandon everything and move back to America.

 

Let this be a lesson to anyone contemplating an entry to Thailand.  Stay away lest you get caught up in a bureaucratic quagmire likened to quicksand and bilked of a hundred thousand baht or more.

An insurance company that covers asymptomatic covid  , can you share the name of the company please and the premium ?

52 minutes ago, superal said:

An insurance company that covers asymptomatic covid  , can you share the name of the company please and the premium ?

His was a policy he purchased in May of last year and is no longer offered for sale.  His policy remains in effect until early May this year.  It was a close call in terms of timing….

9 hours ago, Tracyb said:

Real-time experience entering this week.  
 

My partner, who is Thai, and I arrived from Doha.  We were whisked away to our hotel with a stop at a hospital for the PCR test.  Booked into our hotel room waiting for test results.  One test required a redo at the lab using the same collected sample.  One test did not.  The one that did not require a redo, mine, eventuality came back negative. The redone test for my partner came back positive.

 

Now for the interesting part.  The hospital that was connected to our test and go hotel could not take my partner.  They had no place to put him.  No hospital room, no hospitEl room, nothing, nada.  So…..he sat in the hotel all day well into the evening.  Everyone was freaking out.  The hotel couldn’t move him out, the hospital couldn’t find a place for him…..it was a f@#@ed up mess.  Finally, my partner began working through his Thai insurance company ,and THEY found him a place to go.  He finally had a ride show up at the receiving hotel to whisk him away to a HospiTEL.  The insurance company managed to work out the details for govt tracking, etc.  and transferred everything.  He’s being seen by a doctor after a mandatory chest X-ray.  Nursing staff at the hospiTEL are keeping an eye on him..(he’s asymptomatic and has been all along) and he’s due to be released in another day.  Insurance is paying all of the costs….even though he’s asymptomatic.  His policy is one that covers getting a positive test regardless of symptoms…or no symptoms.

 

so, one wonders what would have become of him had he no alternative insurance policy and an excellent  agent to get him fixed up?

 

As for me…. This is the sad part……. I planned to stay at the hotel until my partner was cleared and released from quarantine.  The hotel staff where we had booked the test and go and arrived at, and where my partner tested positive, knocked on my door and told me I had to quarantine in my room.  Not allowed to leave the room, not allowed to have any contact with anyone, and oh ya…. go for a PCR test in three days to determine my Covid status.  Housekeeping would drop towels by the door.  No one would enter my room.  
 

I called <deleted>.  “ No way” I said.  The govt doesn’t require me to have a follow up PCR test if I come in and get a negative PCR on arrival so…NO!  I told them I would do twice daily ATK self tests if needed but no way was I going for a second PCR test.They were not happy but they acquiesced on the test.  They still required me to stay in the room.  This is not a sleazy, 1-2star hotel.  My extended stay while waiting for my partner would have set me back a kings ransom at this five star place but I didn’t care.  My mission was to stay in town, support my partner and get him through this so we could eventually get to our home in another city.  
 

I ended up talking to a friend of mine who has a condo in BKK and organized a move in.  He’s out of town so it’s cool…plenty of room, etc.  I packed my bags and bolted.  I sent the hotel my day 5 Negative ATK test results and they forwarded it to the authorities.  My partner is due to be released tomorrow and we’re getting out of BKK asap. We won’t be leaving Thailand again until all this Thai Pass/testing/mandatory quarantine nonsense disappears.  If these regulations remain indefinitely we may just abandon everything and move back to America.

 

Let this be a lesson to anyone contemplating an entry to Thailand.  Stay away lest you get caught up in a bureaucratic quagmire likened to quicksand and bilked of a hundred thousand baht or more.

My Thai wife had a similar experience - but her positive test was the day before returning to America. The insurance she purchased (because she entered on her US Passport) didn't help because all of the hospitals they pay for were full. Fortunately, as a Thai citizen, the Thai government paid for her 11 days of quarantine in a hospiTEL her niece (a doctor) helped her find.

 

I told my wife I won't go to Thailand until all this testing is gone. Unlike her, I couldn't afford to be stuck in quarantine as long as she was and I'd probably be required to pay an exorbitant fee.