Head in the Sand or Wise Thailand Lockdown?

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Viewing 15 posts - 76 through 90 (of 90 total)

  • K1ngston
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1012027][/postquote]

    Its certainly happening here in Thailand and to a lesser degree in Singapore and other countries. The fact is here in Thailand in particular they do not have the infrastructure or testing or hospital capacity for the general population which is why they are keeping their borders closed. Again Simon you are spot on this is of course to the huge detriment of the economy especially on the holiday islands of Thailand.

    The fact is the majority of the ex pats here are contributing hugely to the local economy but the Government is almost forcing people to re evaluate with swingeing immigration rules changing by the hour for those of us here, and for those unfortunately not in the country it is almost impossible to get back in, including retirees, those with Thai spouses and those whos families and kids are here and who travel for work.

    In our circle alone 10% will have packed up and left by the end of the year not to be replaced so the spiral continues……

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    K1ngston
    Participant

    Its Thursday so more nonsensical news from Thai authorities including “another amnesty” which isnt quite an amnesty and more details about the country “opening up”

    Where shall I start, ok Amnesty extended on the expiry day of the last amnesty (which to be clear was never ever going to be extended again!) which has caused absolute chaos with people who have spent the last month spending extortionate amounts to get different forms of visas and then another amnesty but its not really an amnesty as my husband was told to report to the immigration yesterday where he was informed he will have to come back next week! Seriously you cannot make this sh1t up! Onto Thailand opening its borders @Polly you undoubtedly will be interested in this!

    It was announced there are now 90 day visas being offered to people who a) need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival b) stay within the confines of their resort area for another 14 days thereafter and wait for it……. have to charter or use Private Aircraft to get here!!!! Thats really going to help the starving masses here in Phuket and beyond who need to see tourist dollars before they literally go bankrupt! @Polly speak to @Martyn if you need a private jet as he knows people! The Government is literally now playing with people both locals and Expats and those married to Thais, those retired here and many more such people, thats the news for today but “oh wait” it may well change tomorrow and probably will……

    Luckily for us we are heading back to Singapore where their rules are pretty stable and we will have to abide by them to the letter (have no issue with that) do my 14 days quarantine and then know at least where I stand from that point on….

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    Off thread but I thought interesting to some.
    A very strong rumors here in HKG that borders will be slowly opened to some Asian countries starting 15th October……..not the first of these rumors but this one looks like a Government intentional testing of the water.

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    jjlasne
    Participant

    Wow! 30 day minimum stay in Thailand? On the beach is ok?!?

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Report from France [FR] that Thailand can expect one million unemployed in the tourist sector by Q4 unless the situation changes.

    https://toutelathailande.fr/news/la-thailande-sattend-a-un-million-de-chomeurs-dans-le-secteur-du-tourisme-et-a-davantage-de-faillite-dentreprise-au-quatrieme-trimestre/

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    From today’s Bangkok Post – these are the documents required that Thailand is hoping will encourage tourists:

    “Documents required include a certificate of eligibility, proof of payment for state or hospital quarantine for 14 days, full payment for post-quarantine accommodation or ownership of accommodation, a Thai health and accident insurance policy with at least 400,000 baht inpatient coverage and 40,000 baht outpatient coverage, and a health insurance policy with at least US$100,000 (3.16 million baht) coverage for Covid-19 treatment, he said.”

    Then of course you need to apply for a seat on one of the special charter flights – all have fixed dates…..

    Probably easier to enter North Korea…..

    7 users thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    For anyone considering 14 days quarantine in Thailand at an ASQ hotel, an extremely interesting interview between Tim Newton and the GM of the Park Plaza hotel in central BKK (Sukhumvit area). It is quite long….

    Tim Newton provides daily news reports, published on You Tube and his website about the ever changing decisions regarding the Thai borders opening/remaining closed. It seems a whole new Covid industry has been created in Thailand – the hotel manager interviewed, is clearly hoping the occupancy rate will rise to a high of 50%. The protocols appear to suggest Thailand are in total fear of the country becoming a ‘leper colony’ – whether this is justified or not, I will leave it for others, more qualified to comment.

    As keen as I am to visit my office in Thailand, I do not think I could subject myself to such a strict regime. However, if the quarantine operating procedures were to relax a little, to allow for more open air time per day and some more freedom, I can see some benefits of 14 days of relaxation.

    From what I hear, the quarantine is likely to continue until mid 2021, however, Thailand is the kind of country, where things can change relatively quickly.

    What can you expect at a quarantine 'ASQ' hotel in Bangkok, Thailand?

    What can you expect at a quarantine 'ASQ' hotel in Bangkok, Thailand?The Park Plaza hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 18 provides The Thaiger with some insight into a dedicated ASQ, Alternative State Quarantine hotel. If you need to come to Thailand and seek a quarantine hotel, this is some of what you can expect. The costs? The services? The care? The things you can and can't do? Can you exercise? How often will you be allowed out of your room? Can you bring your partner or spouse? Tim Newton speaks to the general manager, Miguel Jaun.

    Posted by The Thaiger on Tuesday, October 6, 2020

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    Polly
    Participant

    Martyn

    That’s a great update, thank you. As l mentioned before, having been in touch with the designated Anatara in HKt. They claim that if you have a Negative test at day 5 you are then released to enjoy the facilities. Which would be a godsend. However, you are meant to stay in your room, Until then, thankfully with balconies, at that price, roughly £1800 for 15 nights stay! Then monitored for your subsequent 2 weeks. That’s presuming you are coming long term to stay. If you just want 30 days, l guess it’s manageable.

    Such a shame, asK1ngston says, the locals in hospitality really need us over there, spending, to give them a living. Dread to think of how all our local friends in Panwa village are coping let alone, surviving. Really feel for them.

    Last February we left Bali to go to Phuket for our last 2 weeks in Asia , basically because the medical facilities are better there than in Bali. So we beat it back to the UK just 2 weeks before lockdown. Are medical facilities really that bad in Phuket? I really thought they had upped their medical game on the island in recent years.

    Let’s hope the gov gets their act together ASAP.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    K1ngston
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1012961][/postquote]

    Martyn the problem of coming here for 14 days is that the rules could change 17 times in that period, the news and rule changes are just not worth the risk until they fully open the borders, you could be stuck here for ever and just think how traumatic that would be for you?? Bangkok would run out of Habiki (god forbid) 🙂

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    K1ngston
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1012975][/postquote]

    Polly the hospital facilities here for foreigners are some of the best in the region, dont forget Thailand is renowned for is Hospital Tourism so the Drs get great training and therefore if you are unfortunate enough to get injured or indeed sick then that wouldnt be a problem..

    Here in Phuket the Bangkok hospital here is one of the best in the whole of SE Asia. I have had first hand knowledge unfortunately since living here including surgery to clean up shoddy work done in Singapore (yes Singapore) and another 2 week stay when unfortunately I came off my bike and broke 4 vertebrae in my back, in my neck and eye sockets etc, I was in a right old state, the Dr and his team who operated on me (12 pins in my back) and cared for me thereafter was magnificent and I cannot praise them highly enough, the after care the concern for my recovery I have never encountered before. In fact I believe his skills saved me from living the rest of my life in a wheelchair and in fact at the end of this month I am riding 700kms in a charity for underprivileged children in Cambodia (something I do every year) totally and utterly because of his skill sets!

    The problem is of course that the hospital is only for those with money or insurance and the average Thai does not get afforded the same luxury, in fact I was taken to a local hospital after my accident by ambulance and when they x rayed me they found my dislocated fingers only and not the damage elsewhere and I endured 8 hours on a trauma board in agony…. So in short to answer your question, healthcare for those who can afford it first class for those who cant its not great…. The problem with the Thai authorities is that they know Thailand attracts back packers and people who if fall ill will bung up the normal healthcare system which is underfunded and cannot perfom like the private sector.. long answer @Polly hope it answers your questions?

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=1012975]They claim that if you have a Negative test at day 5 you are then released to enjoy the facilities.[/quote]


    @Polly
    – my understanding and perhaps K1ngston or anyone else in the know can clarify. The plan for Phuket (if it happens) was/is for quarantiners to be allowed to enjoy beach/pool facilities at the ASQ hotel after 4 clear days for an unlimited amount of time per day.

    In BKK, quarantiners are only allowed out of their rooms after day 4 or 5, for a very limited amount of time (ca. 90 minutes) and must stay within the confines of the ASQ’s ‘recreational area’ if they have them. Thereafter they are marched back to their cel… rooms.

    From what I hear from my client in quarantine in Vietnam and SteveC, quarantiners there, are NOT allowed out of their rooms at all for 14 days.


    @K1ngston
    – now on week 19… best result thus far, never had a better nights sleep for years… my target is to continue forwards until the Christmas holidays… then…

    3 users thanked author for this post.

    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    Meanwhile, here we are in sunny Spain, having extended our stay here so as to avoid the newly-imposed hotel quarantine requirement in HK for people who have visited the UK. At least in HK the rules are clear, but they are also super-strict. Test on arrival at the airport, not allowed to leave the airport until the test returns UNLESS that would take you too long into the night in which case you are bussed to a government-designated hotel for your first night. Even if you test negative, if you come from a high-risk area (including UK, as noted), 14 days hotel quarantine. Low-risk area (including Spain, bizarrely), 14 days home quarantine. Either way, NO leaving your hotel room/home, electronic tag with geolocation to ensure you comply. Oh, and if you test positive, government quarantine camp (or hospital, if appropriate).

    We fly back tomorrow. Not our usual joyous homecoming, I fear!

    And of course, although all this means an impressively low infection rate in HK, it also means zero herd immunity which, in the absence of a vaccine, is the only way life can really return to normal. Heigh-ho….

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    K1ngston
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1013027][/postquote]

    There was a report on the radio today about the “rich tourists” that were supposed to be coming to Thailand for 90 days and then arrive in Private Jets, I think I mentioned this already, apparently there was the first of such tourists en route to Thailand and the Thai Government changed its mind and the flights were turned around mid air! Now this was on local radio this morning from normally a reliable source, if this is the case then that really is a turnaround and all comments about not opening up until mid 2021 seem to be true!

    We also heard that there will be another amnesty for those trapped here, albeit with zero infections for over 120 days now is “trapped” the right word? As for us Nov 15th we have been approved to leave we have flights sorted my SHN in Singapore has been requested (waiting the answer) and we head back to some infections but not a basket case full of rules…. Watch this space!

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    TerryMcManus24
    Participant

    A new addition to Phukets list of ASQs.Private infinity pool,gourmet meals and 2 temperature checks a day.Five-star Quarantine in Phuket,where tourists can live in Luxury while obeying some of the world’s strictest anti-coronavirus measures..slightly “peng”…$$$$$$ https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1996899/private-pools-fancy-meals-in-phukets-gilded-cage-quarantine

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4_7jvF2WvQe some of you will find todays new report from Tim, interesting and useful.

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