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Message to the Thai Authorities


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15 minutes ago, robblok said:

Sure that would be a way but then it should be available to everyone and at cost of the person who requests its.  But those tests would make the chance a lot less already. So that would certainly be acceptable. 

 

Agreed, any entry requirements should be made equally available to anyone with ties to Thailand (holders of any visa, yellow Tabien Baan house book, Pink ID card, Lease Agreement, Property ownership, those with Parental rights of Thai children of Children being schooled in Thailand etc etc)....  

 

Finding intelligent balance and acceptable risk is defiantly the way forwards rather than a ‘water tight’ approach which is too damaging to the economy and downright harsh on those who call Thailand home, particularly those who fall outside of the current entry requirements. 

 

 

 

 

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On 7/6/2020 at 8:12 AM, KhaoYai said:

I implied nothing of the sort. I normally visit every 8 weeks for 2 weeks - its now been 17. Foreigners wishing to visit their wives/familes in Thailand have to apply to their Thai Embassy for a Certificate of Entry -once approved they have to go a waiting list. They have to provide Covid 19 insurance to the tune of $100,000 US. They have to join a repatriation flight and go into quarantine for 2 weeks on arrival.  For me (and many others) that would mean taking a month off work which is not possible.

 

The total cost would be around £3000 and then what?  When would my next trip be? There are Thai's in the UK that have been waiting to go home since April. Based on that I wouldn't get back until October if I apply now. Its not even that easy for my wife to visit me here - she has to apply to go home and join the waiting list too - she has a business to run and a child to take care of. She can't come to the UK and not get home for 4 months.

 

There are commercial flights landing at Suvarnabhumi every day despite what the government says -  there is no need for any foreigners to take up seats on flights that could repatriate waiting Thai's.

 

I would be quite happy to sign up to a promise to home quarantine at peril of a big fine/imprisonment if I broke it. Thailand will not accept home quarantine but they will accept foreign businesmen without any quarantine al all.  This situation could go on for a long time - there has to be a solution.

Home quarantine is flawed. You might start it with good intentions, but you could still pass the virus to your wife or kids and then they go out for shopping further speeding the virus. You might even be tempted to have friends to come over.

What if your AC stops working, the toilet floods, a water pipe leaks, Internet stops working or there is an electrical fault?

You call a contractor and he get the virus during his visit. 

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18 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Home quarantine is flawed. You might start it with good intentions, but you could still pass the virus to your wife or kids and then they go out for shopping further speeding the virus. You might even be tempted to have friends to come over.

What if your AC stops working, the toilet floods, a water pipe leaks, Internet stops working or there is an electrical fault?

You call a contractor and he get the virus during his visit. 

What if you slip over on the floor at the airport and require medical attention?

What if your car has an accident on the way from the airport to the quarantine hotel?

What if you get food poisoning from crappy hotel food and require medical attention?

What if the ASQ hotel has ‘communal Air-conditioning ducting’ ?

What if the ASQ hotel doesn’t change the AC filters between the previous guest and you?

 

You see ExpatOilWorker...  There are 1000’s of What IF’s in this world...  we need to consider all the potentials intelligently... what are the chances of the ‘what if’s’ really happening (yes they could, happen, but the is pretty low).

 

There are of course risks, most of them mitigated by the fact that people would have taken a Covid-19 test prior to flying then again upon arrival. 

 

Many of the comments of these threads are written as if the Quarantinee is a carrier of a highly contagious airborne version of Covid-19.

 

 

Personally: I am all for quarantining at home. After an initial period of 2-3 days at a Quarantine hotel while waiting for the results of a Covid-19 test on arrival - then quarantining at home for 15 days and employing social distancing measures while allowing only essential trips outside - such as groceries and pharmacy. 

 

I think this common sense approach handles most of the issues. 

 

The hysteria as if every single arrival poses mortal danger to the whole of Thailands population is an incredibly paranoid delusion when there are already strong measures in place.

 

 

Edited by richard_smith237
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Home quarantine is never going to be made an option, simply the government would receive to many complaints from Thai nationals asking why wasn't it a option made available to them as an alternative to state quarantine.

I am sure there are some foreigners that feel hard done by because state quarantine hasn't been made available to them as an option but can't see that going anywhere either.

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I'm not even frustrated, for sure all of those who cannot visit their families are disappointed, sometimes life throws up a conundrum where the individual must be patient and understanding until the solution arrives

For my wife and I, we will continue to build our future and look to make the time when we can be together, enjoyable, trouble free and relaxed

I am very much aware that my wife works hard every single day to hold things together, she still makes time to speak with me several times a day, because she knows I am not currently working.

The last thing I am going to do is moan at her or the Thai government for keeping my family safe, they are the most important consideration

Instead we plan for the happier times times ahead, maybe next year, but we will come through this and life will be just fine, for now my wife needs confidence, encouragement, and support, knowing that her hard work for our future will pay dividends, and that is exactly what she gets.

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2 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

Home quarantine is never going to be made an option, simply the government would receive to many complaints from Thai nationals asking why wasn't it a option made available to them as an alternative to state quarantine.

They had their chance at the start of it all. But they were out and about and boasting about being in the pub on Facebook the day they arrived back in Thailand. You'd also get all kinds of weird and entitled farang who think it doesn't apply to them, don't want to wear masks, think it's just the flu, a hoax. As you say, never going to be an option here. 

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8 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

Home quarantine is never going to be made an option, simply the government would receive to many complaints from Thai nationals asking why wasn't it a option made available to them as an alternative to state quarantine.

I am sure there are some foreigners that feel hard done by because state quarantine hasn't been made available to them as an option but can't see that going anywhere either.

 

I’m happy to conform with whichever regulations I have to if it means I can rejoin my family. I am already holding an ASQ booking. 

 

However, there are scores of Thai’s waiting to get back into Thailand, yet are held back by the bottleneck created by the availability of quarantine facilities (and flights). 

 

Offering Thai's the option of Home Quarantine (within very strict guidelines under the threat of strict penalties for breaking quarantine) would be a suitable solution to the ongoing burden of returning Thai’s to Thailand. 

 

 

If given the option I would of course prefer to isolate at home once I have confirmed with a pre-flight Covid-19 test and another on arrival that I am not carrying Covid-19. Of course, it's still possible I picked up the virus somewhere, but the chances of that are minimal and fall within what I would classify as acceptable risk. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by richard_smith237
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12 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I appreciate what you are saying but unfortunately for me and many others such as offshore workers any form of quarantine away from our wives or families won't work.

So you are out of luck and whilst i feel for your and others situation, there is simply no workable/practical solution which can be safely applied.

 

I think i and the majority whilst acknowledging that people being stuck away from families is far from ideal- Government quarantine is by far the easiest, safest and lowest cost option for the Government to continue with.

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9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

What if you slip over on the floor at the airport and require medical attention?

What if your car has an accident on the way from the airport to the quarantine hotel?

What if you get food poisoning from crappy hotel food and require medical attention?

What if the ASQ hotel has ‘communal Air-conditioning ducting’ ?

What if the ASQ hotel doesn’t change the AC filters between the previous guest and you?

 

You see ExpatOilWorker...  There are 1000’s of What IF’s in this world...  we need to consider all the potentials intelligently... what are the chances of the ‘what if’s’ really happening (yes they could, happen, but the is pretty low).

 

There are of course risks, most of them mitigated by the fact that people would have taken a Covid-19 test prior to flying then again upon arrival. 

 

Many of the comments of these threads are written as if the Quarantinee is a carrier of a highly contagious airborne version of Covid-19.

 

 

Personally: I am all for quarantining at home. After an initial period of 2-3 days at a Quarantine hotel while waiting for the results of a Covid-19 test on arrival - then quarantining at home for 15 days and employing social distancing measures while allowing only essential trips outside - such as groceries and pharmacy. 

 

I think this common sense approach handles most of the issues. 

 

The hysteria as if every single arrival poses mortal danger to the whole of Thailands population is an incredibly paranoid delusion when there are already strong measures in place.

 

 

Richard, when you go out during the 15 days its no longer quarantine. The lines are really fine, i know some people would obey but unfortunately many wont.

 

The tests at least would risk it but if there is home quarantine one is totally not supposed to get out. 

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2 hours ago, smutcakes said:

I just dont think it is a viable option and if/when it went wrong the authorities would be absolutely paneled for it- on here to.

What are these strict restrictions, and who is going to do and pay for all the monitoring of people who are from all over the country?

So many Thais with their living situations just dont have the option of home quarantining effectively. The Government have to take a one size fits all approach, as its simply not workable to pick and choose numerous options and effectively police all these people doing different things. Even in countries like NZ and AUS they have had mess ups on Government quarantines.

 

The only practical solution is to do Government organized quarantine and state or state run facilities- you can upgrade to hotel if you wish on your own coin, but its still state run.

 

Having some people do this, some people do that is nice in theory but in practical terms its just unworkable.

You make a good point about the enforcement and extra cost als too much deviation makes it all hard to do. I am a bit on the fence. I think Thailand should not be inviting risk and those that really want to come can have a 14 day quarantine. 

 

It would kill tourism for sure. I won't see my parents but its just how it is. 

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10 hours ago, smutcakes said:

What are these strict restrictions, and who is going to do and pay for all the monitoring of people who are from all over the country?

Each case for entry is already considered on its own merits, if an applicant cannot comply with all the conditions, they are not granted a COE. In my case, my wife tells me that the Pooyai Baan in her village would gladly monitor compliance. There are ways for other people such as staying together in a resort where the owners do the monitoring.

 

For those where they really can't be monitored, why not let the wife join them in quarantine? There are ways!

Edited by KhaoYai
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8 hours ago, robblok said:

Richard, when you go out during the 15 days its no longer quarantine. The lines are really fine, i know some people would obey but unfortunately many wont.

 

The tests at least would risk it but if there is home quarantine one is totally not supposed to get out. 

 

I get that ‘quarantine’ is lockdown, total isolation, not going out at all etc. I don’t want to get hung up on the specific meaning of the word. 

 

The point I’ve been trying to make is that with Preflight Covid-19 testing, Arrival Covid-19 testing and a few days quarantine while waiting the results of the Arrival Covid-19 test, ‘isolation’ at ones home falls within what I would consider ‘acceptable risk’. 

 

I know everyone’s acceptable risk is different, however, putting aside the debate on acceptable risk for a moment. The idea is to let people who have had two negative Covid-19 tests isolate at home, even with their family. 

 

Food can be delivered etc.... two weeks at home is cheaper, more comfortable.

 

Will people break this ’self isolation’ ? - sure, some would. But these people have already passed two separate Covid-19 tests. I would add that significant fines be put in place for anyone ‘caught' breaking their ’self isolation’ agreement. 

 

Treating the situation as if every single arrival has Covid-19 is overkill. Especially when 99.3% of the Thai population has not been tested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I get that ‘quarantine’ is lockdown, total isolation, not going out at all etc. I don’t want to get hung up on the specific meaning of the word. 

 

The point I’ve been trying to make is that with Preflight Covid-19 testing, Arrival Covid-19 testing and a few days quarantine while waiting the results of the Arrival Covid-19 test, ‘isolation’ at ones home falls within what I would consider ‘acceptable risk’. 

 

I know everyone’s acceptable risk is different, however, putting aside the debate on acceptable risk for a moment. The idea is to let people who have had two negative Covid-19 tests isolate at home, even with their family. 

 

Food can be delivered etc.... two weeks at home is cheaper, more comfortable.

 

Will people break this ’self isolation’ ? - sure, some would. But these people have already passed two separate Covid-19 tests. I would add that significant fines be put in place for anyone ‘caught' breaking their ’self isolation’ agreement. 

 

Treating the situation as if every single arrival has Covid-19 is overkill. Especially when 99.3% of the Thai population has not been tested.

 

 

Yes but then the person has to stay home 100% if not they are breaking the rules. Heavy fines should be put on something like that. You can't have it both ways a cheaper way and more comfortable but then breaking the rules. Then the whole home quarantine should not be granted. 

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12 hours ago, smutcakes said:

I just dont think it is a viable option and if/when it went wrong the authorities would be absolutely paneled for it- on here to.

What are these strict restrictions, and who is going to do and pay for all the monitoring of people who are from all over the country?

So many Thais with their living situations just dont have the option of home quarantining effectively. The Government have to take a one size fits all approach, as its simply not workable to pick and choose numerous options and effectively police all these people doing different things. Even in countries like NZ and AUS they have had mess ups on Government quarantines.

 

The only practical solution is to do Government organized quarantine and state or state run facilities- you can upgrade to hotel if you wish on your own coin, but its still state run.

 

Having some people do this, some people do that is nice in theory but in practical terms its just unworkable.

 

Valid points. I think the ‘one size fits all’ approach is difficult to get past. 

 

Not that the UK a good model by any stretch of the imagination: However, upon arrival in the UK (in April) I rented a small cottage and self isolated for 2 weeks before moving to my sisters.

During that self isolation period I went out twice for essential supermarket items (food delivery was full). 

I wore a face mask, sanitised my hands etc - I don’t believe I was posed any risk to anyone. 

 

I still want to address the issue of how likely someone who has take two Covid-19 tests is of actually still having covid-19 and that person breaking isolation and spreading it? - Yes, there is a risk, but I think its tiny. 

 

 

The Melbourne outbreak involved security guards shagging quarantinees etc - a total mess. 

We’re those quarantinees testes for Covid-19 before boarding their flight and upon arrival ?????

 

I think the key measure is the dual test requirement effectively ensuring all arrivals are free of Covid-19 in all but the rarest of cases whereby the virus was somehow masked and wasn’t picked up on the PCR test. 

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8 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

The two new cases are males who showed no symptoms. The first one returned on 23rd June and tested positive on 5th July. The second one returned on 24th June and tested positive on 5th July

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1280727620426928128/photo/1

 

1st tested positive on Day 12 of quarantine

2nd tested positive on Day 11 of quarantine

 

Thats interesting...  there have also been reports of people testing positive at 23 days.

 

Another facet of the PCR testing is that it may pickup and magnify ’skeletal fragments’ of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and cause a positive test result. 

 

Thus, a positive test of someone who is asymptomatic may not actually mean someone has Covid-19. 

 

Further investigation is taking place: It is being reported that someone who has had Covid-19 and test positive for Antibodies could in some cases also test positive on a PCR test.

Thus, there is now a school of thought which suggests that its not possible to have an asymptomatic case of Covid-19, that there is no such thing and that those who test positive without symptoms are simply testing positive for a coronavirus (Alpha or Beta) cold they have had in the recent past, or for a case of Covid-19 they have had in the recent past. 

 

This could mean - if someone doesn’t have symptoms, they can’t have Covid-19 and there is no such thing as asymptomatic transmission. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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16 minutes ago, robblok said:

Yes but then the person has to stay home 100% if not they are breaking the rules. Heavy fines should be put on something like that. You can't have it both ways a cheaper way and more comfortable but then breaking the rules. Then the whole home quarantine should not be granted. 

Absolutely agree on ‘strong fines’ for anyone breaking a home quarantine (if there were such a thing allowed). 

 

I think ’staying home 100%’ is also perfectly acceptable. 

 

The debate then continues with whether or not an asymptomatic person can spread the virus at all (as per my post above). 

 

Of course, should anyone in the household develop symptoms the household needs to continue isolating for two weeks from the onset of symptoms, as any household should anyway (regardless of whether or not someone is under quarantine).

 

 

 

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37 minutes ago, 473geo said:

People who are encouraging, and pursue a rule change to suit their own personal agenda would not be at the top of my list for home quarantine

Are you suggesting that those married to Thai citizens and those with families are 'pusuing their own personal agenda'?

 

If you are, then you are correct - we are! Who's agenda do you suggest we pusue?

 

Barmy!

 

You may note that 'special exceptions' have been made for businessmen and the US military with no quarantine whatsoever! Apparently those people cannot use video conferencing like other people and governments do at the moment! Clearly their needs come way above those of families.

Edited by KhaoYai
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Just now, KhaoYai said:

Are you suggesting that those married to Thai citizens and those with families are 'pusuing their own personal agenda'?

 

If you are, then you are correct - we are! Who's agenda do you suggest we pusue?

 

Barmy!

How about the agenda of those who, while trying to be humane, are trying to protect a nation by implementing systems to prevent an imported resurgence of covid in Thailand ????

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I think it has already been discussed with the forum medical expert that incubation period for covid-19 could be up to 28 days

I suspect the government has worked out that no-one would be willing to do quarantine for 28 days and the quarantine period of 14 days will catch the majority of cases.

as previously stated I don't think home quarantine is an option it was an option in March and it was abused

people that would breach home quarantine , would already have a plan in place to distribute their assets to trusted family members so that if they were caught they could plead no assets .

If Home quarantine was an option I would suspect the take up would be 100% however if home quarantine required a 60 day quarantine payment bond of 150,000 baht payable upfront and repaid if no quarantine breaches on day 61  the take up would be much smaller

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2 minutes ago, 473geo said:

How about the agenda of those who, while trying to be humane, are trying to protect a nation by implementing systems to prevent an imported resurgence of covid in Thailand ????

Firstly - see the edit to my previous post - secondly, protecting the nation is exactly why I am proposing home quarantine!

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1 minute ago, vinny41 said:

I suspect the government has worked out that no-one would be willing to do quarantine for 28 days and the quarantine period of 14 days will catch the majority of cases.

as previously stated I don't think home quarantine is an option it was an option in March and it was abused

If that is the case, why do they allow those who are able to accept state quarantine to only do 14 days? Home quarantine, when an option was an option for Thai people - not people who could be prevented from seeing their families for a long time if they failed to comply.

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1 minute ago, KhaoYai said:

Firstly - see the edit to my previous post - secondly, protecting the nation is exactly why I am proposing home quarantine!

So you added a 'what about' whine

Protecting the nation quarantine is already in place, guys are looking for 'short stay home quarantine' because the current system does not fit their agenda, nothing to do with 'protecting the nation'

 

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On 7/4/2020 at 7:06 AM, robblok said:

This will last as long as corvid lasts. You can't blame the government for being strict, especially for people from the UK (worst hit in Europe).

 

So basically your asking Thailand to forgo its safety so you can come back. I find that quite selfish. This is not a thing the Thai goverment came up with many countries do the same. The UK does it too. So yes it sucks, but i don't see this changing. I find these requirements perfectly reasonable all countries do it. 

 

Im sorry that it is bad for you but you can't expect this to change. 

It is not selfish to want to be reunited with your family in your own home.

 

Health certificates, health checks before boarding, etc.

 

The mechanisms should be in place to keep anyone positive for Covid 19 OFF the flights.

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5 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

If Home quarantine was an option I would suspect the take up would be 100% however if home quarantine required a 60 day quarantine payment bond of 150,000 baht payable upfront and repaid if no quarantine breaches on day 61  the take up would be much smaller

I cannot speak for others but I would glady put up a bond.  But on the duration of quarantine - it could be 6 months provided I was allowed to go back to work (airport by private car) whenever I wished to leave.

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