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Repatriation surge sees more than 1,000 Thais return in two days


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Repatriation surge sees more than 1,000 Thais return in two days

By The Nation

 

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Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin

 

More than 1,000 Thais will be repatriated on Thursday and Friday (May 21 and 22) from eight different countries after being stranded overseas during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Today, the first batch of 15 Thais landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport from Hanoi at 11.15am, to be followed by 295 from Australia and 87 from China, who will arrive at 5.20pm and 5.45pm, respectively.

 

“Meanwhile, 215 Thais from India will arrive at Don Mueang Airport at 7.25pm,” said Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

 

Friday would see a total of 400 Thais return from overseas, he added.

 

“One hundred from the United States, 80 from South Korea, and four from Tunisia will arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 10.40pm, 10pm, and 8.55am, respectively,” he said.

 

“Meanwhile, 216 Thais from Qatar will arrive at Don Mueang Airport at 7.25pm.”

 

The US has the highest incidence of Covid-19 in the world, with 1.58 million confirmed cases and almost 94,000 deaths, as of May 21.

 

Taweesin added that all returnees will be sent to state quarantine where their symptoms will be monitored for 14 days.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30388259

 

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-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-21
 
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1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Taweesin added that all returnees will be sent to state quarantine where their symptoms will be monitored for 14 days.

No point if they arent travelling alone.

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10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Taweesin added that all returnees will be sent to state quarantine where their symptoms will be monitored for 14 days.

 

8 hours ago, steven100 said:

should be quarantined for 14 days just to be sure they are not going into the public arena if infected.

It's a safety measure.

Quarantine in a dirty hotel is assured.  

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15 hours ago, BobBKK said:

I know its inconvenient but they should, and looks like they will, follow Vietnam's model of quarantine 14 days in state hotel (Vietnam has no deaths). 

We are doing the same here in Australia. When i arrived back from Thailand i was put into quarantine by our government, in a 5 star hotel for 14 days.

 

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15 hours ago, BobBKK said:

I know its inconvenient but they should, and looks like they will, follow Vietnam's model of quarantine 14 days in state hotel (Vietnam has no deaths). 

Vietnam moved  very quickly, I was supposed to go to the new F1 meeting in Hanoi 3-5th April but by the 11th march all UK passport holders were denied entry visas and even my long term one was cancelled. I must say that that the Hotels, Taxi transfer etc; refunded my money within a few days, but the despicable "AIR ASIA" are still not responding to my refund requests (no phone number, just a BOT that takes you round and round in circles), I eventually got an automated reply saying "claim from your travel agent", contacted the agent and they said "claims have to be directed to Air Asia for Co19 claims". They are now telling me Air Asia have once again moved the goal posts from 30 working days to 90 working days to review claims, (best part of 4 months), no idea how long to actually get the refund obviously going the same way as "Thai Air" down the tubes.

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15 hours ago, hotelbri said:

Surely they would have all been subjected to lockdowns in the countries they are returning from, thus already ' quarantined '..

This would become rather a long drawn out proceedure as i had to pass through 2 countries on my way back to Australia.  

 

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12 minutes ago, denis911 said:

Vietnam moved  very quickly, I was supposed to go to the new F1 meeting in Hanoi 3-5th April but by the 11th march all UK passport holders were denied entry visas and even my long term one was cancelled. I must say that that the Hotels, Taxi transfer etc; refunded my money within a few days, but the despicable "AIR ASIA" are still not responding to my refund requests (no phone number, just a BOT that takes you round and round in circles), I eventually got an automated reply saying "claim from your travel agent", contacted the agent and they said "claims have to be directed to Air Asia for Co19 claims". They are now telling me Air Asia have once again moved the goal posts from 30 working days to 90 working days to review claims, (best part of 4 months), no idea how long to actually get the refund obviously going the same way as "Thai Air" down the tubes.

I too am having trouble with Air Asia in getting anything out of two flights which they cancelled. First they gave me a proceedure to claim either a Credit  or a Refund, but after going through the proceedure twice because "incorrect replies to questions" was my answer each time, i finally realised that their intention was to allow only CREDIT. However after many applications i am still being asked to "jump through even more hoops" to get any approval, which is now PENDING.  I really think that they  are trying to wear me down, and i must be just one of  hundreds, possibly thousands.  What utter rogues are Air Asia.  I doubt if you will ever get a refund from Air Asia Denis.

Edited by Huckenfell
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15 hours ago, BobBKK said:

I know its inconvenient but they should, and looks like they will, follow Vietnam's model of quarantine 14 days in state hotel (Vietnam has no deaths). 

They have been doing so with all returnees from the very start.

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40 minutes ago, denis911 said:

but the despicable "AIR ASIA" are still not responding to my refund requests (no phone number, just a BOT that takes you round and round in circles), I

Bit harsh. AirAsia have always taken couple of months for refunds prior to Covid. Clearly now that is pushed out. You would have been better off selecting credit option or change flight option. I did change flight option for 2 trips to Saigon and was completed with AVA BOT in minutes on my cell.

I also stupidly took a refund option for flight to Osaka and that will take months.

Aside, I flew to Saigon march 13 return march 16. Obtained visa online. 

If you happen to be at Don Mueang chat with the AA assistance office. Level 2.

They are very helpful.

When at DMK next, I intend to try and change my refund request to credit or shift flight.

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32 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

They have been doing so with all returnees from the very start.

Except that "the very start" in this case was May, whereas Vietnam began mandatory quarantine of all International arrivals in mid-March.

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1 hour ago, Huckenfell said:

I too am having trouble with Air Asia in getting anything out of two flights which they cancelled.

My Air Asia flight from Saigon back to Bangkok on March 18 was cancelled, and they haven't flown to or from Saigon since that day. Both the Air Asia rep at the airport and the airline's website said that I would get either a refund or a credit, but that I would have to claim it through the online travel agent I had used.

 

The agent's automated system wouldn't let me do that because I had a nonrefundable ticket (obviously irrelevant if there's not actually a plane to fly on), but after multiple replies on my part of "no, this issue is NOT resolved", they let me do it manually. A couple of weeks later, I received an email stating - falsely - that my claim did not meet the airline's requirements for a refund, and that I had cancelled the flight myself. At that point, I disputed the charge with my credit card company and they refunded my money.

 

(I bought a new ticket on THAI and flew back the next day.)

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well not just Air asia  Bangkok airways have the run around to  

i change twice due to no fly on the third attempt they wanted 800 baht +the seat change fee  

they say they wil fly on 1 june from lampang it is to be seen , not a great deal of money just the 

principe  

 

klm changed me also 3 times no cost  happy with that  \

 

 

now canceled Bangkok air   but must wait 60 days for refund 

we wait and see 

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31 minutes ago, khunjeff said:
50 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

They have been doing so with all returnees from the very start.

 

31 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

Except that "the very start" in this case was May, whereas Vietnam began mandatory quarantine of all International arrivals in mid-March.

Nonsense. The measure was announced by the PM on the 2nd Apr and the incident whereby returning Thais rebelled at Suvarnabhumi airport and refused to go into compulsory quarantine took place on the 3rd Apr. 

 

All returnees since then have been placed into 14 day quarantine, including the 'Swampy rebels'.

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16 hours ago, hotelbri said:

Surely they would have all been subjected to lockdowns in the countries they are returning from, thus already ' quarantined '..

A lockdown does'nt really mean quarantine as the onus is on the person / establishment in which they were staying to ensure that the person concerned was self isolating. 

How many will actually stay in one place for 2 weeks, especially when hankering ( for whatever reason ) to get back to Thailand ?    They could have been self isolated then on day 15 go out and about.

Will they have a medical certificate to show they are Covid free, will they be temperature checked before boarding the aircraft ?

When they arrive at the Thai airport will each group of arrivals be separated from other arrivals and "Go directly to quarantine" - a REAL quarantine facility ?

 

And how tight are quarantine facilities here ?

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Betrayed feel completely betrayed by this airline.
Been waiting for months for something, anything from Airasia since they canceled my flight. AVA please! What a joke around and around with absolutely no result no return contact, nothing. BIG Loyalty Program member for years? Nothing more than a farce. I've been a long time user of this airline, 24 flights alone in the past couple of years but never again, Scoot/Jetstar in future for me. Do not use this airline

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1 hour ago, Speedo1968 said:

A lockdown does'nt really mean quarantine as the onus is on the person / establishment in which they were staying to ensure that the person concerned was self isolating. 

How many will actually stay in one place for 2 weeks, especially when hankering ( for whatever reason ) to get back to Thailand ?    They could have been self isolated then on day 15 go out and about.

Will they have a medical certificate to show they are Covid free, will they be temperature checked before boarding the aircraft ?

When they arrive at the Thai airport will each group of arrivals be separated from other arrivals and "Go directly to quarantine" - a REAL quarantine facility ?

 

And how tight are quarantine facilities here ?

I noticed they are not really social distancing when they get their flight back into Thailand.    Even sitting on the bus back to the state defined hotels (all across thailand).  However, everyone gets hand gel and free masks which is mandatory to wear.  Upon landing, they get checked temperature and then checked before bordering the bus and again before entering their room in the hotel.

 

Inside a 3 hotel star hotel with 3 meals provided per day, they get 14 days quaraintine and not allowed any visitors and allowed outside the room.  Even food delivery, sheets and towels are placed outside the door on the chair for guests to collect things.   Visitors are allowed to drop off dry food to the hotel and they will disinfect the box before giving it to the guests.  Room and standard 3 meals are cost to the government, however, ticket back to thailand isnt.    Only economy class is available. 

 

Whilst in quarantine, guests have to report temperature checks 4 times a day.

 

Hope that answer your questions.  This is what i witnessed when a thai was arriving back from the USA.

 

 

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4 hours ago, Huckenfell said:

This would become rather a long drawn out proceedure as i had to pass through 2 countries on my way back to Australia.  

 

Transit is different from entering a country.

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20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Today, the first batch of 15 Thais landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport from Hanoi at 11.15am, to be followed by 295 from Australia and 87 from China, who will arrive at 5.20pm and 5.45pm, respectively.

 

“Meanwhile, 215 Thais from India will arrive at Don Mueang Airport at 7.25pm,” said Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

I just do not understand how the DDC cannot test several hundred people for Covid in one day.  Other countries are testing 1000's per day.  Test them, and let those who are uninfected go on about their lives.  

How are they planning on dealing with international tourism in July-August without testing those who enter on arrival?   

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19 hours ago, hotelbri said:

Surely they would have all been subjected to lockdowns in the countries they are returning from, thus already ' quarantined '..

 

Different countries and areas have different rules about that... Plus, just to travel home, they're gonna have been on the cramped airplane space for hours together with many other fellow repatriates, and who knows what areas each one has been in prior to the flights.

 

In the U.S., for example, despite the high and rising death toll, a lot of jurisdictions lately have lifted their stricter stay at home rules.... And AFAIK, there's no universal 14 days prior quarantine requirement in order to board the airplane... just on arrival back in Thailand. 

 

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