Quarantine procedure “Tell your story” post it here !

[jasonr3255 44]

Now the first wave of those married to Thai nationals are arriving on repatriation flights, please post your experience from landing in Thailand, through immigration and onto your chosen quarantine hotel and daily experience whilst under quarantine. It would be most helpful for those thinking of taking the same route. 
Thanks

[jasonr3255 44]

Just thought I would add some info to this topic, my wife’s friend who is a Thai national has just returned from the UK and arrived in Thailand on the 20th July and has been placed under state quarantine in a hotel in Pattaya. She has been on the phone to her in tears at the treatment she has been put under from arrival in BKK to the transportation to state quarantine.

  She explained to her that she has been locked in her room with poor A/C and is not allowed to open the window for ventilation despite having a few other medical issues.
     Contact is only at meal times and basic request are all but denied. While this might be an isolated case it is worth bearing in mind that those “spouses” of a Thai nationals or even a Thai nationals as in this case, that are thinking of returning to Thailand and are currently suffering any other underlying medical conditions may reconsider as two weeks locked inside a room with possibly poor ventilation might be a very unpleasant experience.

[DrJack54 6,770]

OP, I have been awaiting replies to your thread. Thinking some first hand accounts of the whole process would be very interesting. Including the quarantine experience.

Hopefully some reports will arrive. 

14 days in a hotel room can't be too busy.

[phetchy 228]

35 minutes ago, jasonr3255 said:

Just thought I would add some info to this topic, my wife’s friend who is a Thai national has just returned from the UK and arrived in Thailand on the 20th July and has been placed under state quarantine in a hotel in Pattaya. She has been on the phone to her in tears at the treatment she has been put under from arrival in BKK to the transportation to state quarantine.

  She explained to her that she has been locked in her room with poor A/C and is not allowed to open the window for ventilation despite having a few other medical issues.
     Contact is only at meal times and basic request are all but denied. While this might be an isolated case it is worth bearing in mind that those “spouses” of a Thai nationals or even a Thai nationals as in this case, that are thinking of returning to Thailand and are currently suffering any other underlying medical conditions may reconsider as two weeks locked inside a room with possibly poor ventilation might be a very unpleasant experience.

Looks like what you see is not necessarily what you get.  The Grand Center Point looks very welcoming - but I doubt if it's any fun having 5* facilities on your doorstep but not being allowed to leave your room for a beer.  It makes State quarantine look like a bargain.  It even seems to be more "inmate" friendly.  As it's free for Thais this might be a good opportunity to test the so called abolition of "dual pricing" for Thais and Farangs using the same facility - No way Somchai. 

 

 

This is the 5* rip-off -  https://www.grandecentrepointsukhumvit55.com/bangkok/alternate-state-quarantine-package   

 

and this the freebie accommodation. 

 

 

Edited July 22 by phetchy

[ubonjoe 46,397]

1 hour ago, phetchy said:

and this the freebie accommodation. 

That video is dated "Apr 20, 2020". They are now using hotels for Thais that the government pays for.

Thais can also make reservation and use the ASQ hotels. Probably a little better than the ones that the government supplies.

 

 

[unheard 219]

6 hours ago, jasonr3255 said:

She explained to her that she has been locked in her room with poor A/C and is not allowed to open the window for ventilation despite having a few other medical issues.

Could you please elaborate in more details on what she meant under "poor A/C".

Poor temperature control?

Poor air quality? (e.g. recirculated air, smells)

Or something else?

I've seen quite a few reports on the ASQ hotels not allowing to open windows.

Sounds like a standard policy.

[BritTim 9,598]

7 hours ago, jasonr3255 said:

Just thought I would add some info to this topic, my wife’s friend who is a Thai national has just returned from the UK and arrived in Thailand on the 20th July and has been placed under state quarantine in a hotel in Pattaya. She has been on the phone to her in tears at the treatment she has been put under from arrival in BKK to the transportation to state quarantine.

  She explained to her that she has been locked in her room with poor A/C and is not allowed to open the window for ventilation despite having a few other medical issues.
     Contact is only at meal times and basic request are all but denied. While this might be an isolated case it is worth bearing in mind that those “spouses” of a Thai nationals or even a Thai nationals as in this case, that are thinking of returning to Thailand and are currently suffering any other underlying medical conditions may reconsider as two weeks locked inside a room with possibly poor ventilation might be a very unpleasant experience.

I somewhat suspected the free state quarantine would be something like that. For foreigners, using the Alternative to State Quarantine, and paying from the privilege, I doubt it will be quite so awful. At least, insofar as rooms are available, you will have the option of choosing your own hotel. It would be wise for wealthy returning Thais to choose ASQ also.

[DrJack54 6,770]

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

For foreigners, using the Alternative to State Quarantine, and paying from the privilege, I doubt it will be quite so awful.

I haven't seen one report as yet. 

I would like to see report along with pics of  3 square meals per day. Yummy.

What's the going rate for bottle of sangsom to room. In Melbourne you can get more but that hasn't worked out very well.

[richard_smith237 24,878]

The following is my account of the arrival process and the ASQ hotel.

 

Previously: CoE applied for (as per the other threads on this topic). 

Notification came in from the Thai Embassy, UK that the CoE had been approved (approx 10 days before travel date. I was offered a repatriation flight from LHR to BKK (only £2500 business class available). I paid the Airline directly for the flight (bank transfer). ASQ secured (45,000 baht) Wife called around the various ASQ hotels. 

Covid-19 test taken 3 days before flight. Covid-19 Negative Certificate and Fit to Fly certificate issued less than 48 hrs after submitting the Covid-19 test (i.e. day before I flew).

 

Flight: London to Bangkok. Check-in was a slow process, we were told to get there 4 hrs before departure – Check-in counter opened 3 hrs before flight. Check-in staff made a detailed check of our documents, also asked us to download the AOT Airports App and register (track and trace?).

The flight was uneventful – I was surprised that beer and wine was served (business class anyway).

 

 

Arrival: Step by step.... 

-     Upon stepping off the aircraft on to the airbridge a throng of Immigration officers and Airline staff await (i.e. 30-40 people) – All with Signs and asking if we are ASQ (all foreigners are ASQ and a number of Thai’s who so choose). 

-     We identified ourselves and were checked off a list (Name / ASQ booking)

-     Rows of seats (all forward facing toward the terminal) were placed on the concourse (two rows each side of the travellators)

-     ASQ’s were told to sit (filling up the rear of the rows of seats), we waited about 10mins

-     All SQ’s (State Quarantinee’s / Thai’s) were directed down the travellators and filled up the rows of seats from the front. 

-     All ASQ’s had our documents individually checked and were given a yellow ASQ badge (piece of paper on a paper clip).

-     Once all the SQ’s were positioned and had filled up the rows of seats and there was no more ‘passenger traffic’ the ASQ’s were called up, followed an immigration officer down the travellator to the front. 

-     The ASQ’s were called through to a ‘desk’ where our temperature was checked and our papers checked once more and ASQ confirmed (at this stage the CoE was taken).

-     After this check the ASQ’s were individually directed to another row of seats (deeper into the terminal where the concourses meet concourse; crossroads so to speak).

-     While sat down we had our paperwork quickly checked.

-     In groups of 10 (in the order in which we’d sat down) we were called forwards to follow an Immigration Officer who led us down the travellator and up to the main Immigration Hall (the hall was empty, every booth was occupied by an immigration officer).

-     It took about 10mins to get through immigration – the officer seemed to be triple checking everything before stamping me in.

-     Once through into the baggage hall there were still lots of Airport staff and immigration officers.

-     Baggage arrived, we were guided through customs into arrivals hall and out through the doors to the outside where the hotel staff were awaiting in ‘pseudo hazmat suits and masks’, checked off our names and took us to awaiting vans. 

-     The vans had a glass partition between passenger and the Driver and ASQ Hotel Escort.

 

 

The ASQ Hotel:

-     Upon arrival to the hotel the bags were taken up to the room, I remained in the van while my temperature was checked.

-     I was then told I need to take a Covid-19 Test (at my cost ±5000 baht) because my existing Covid-19 test was older than 72 hrs (it was taken 72 hrs before departure but not 72 hrs before arrival – The ASQ booking questionnaire covered and stipulated that the Covid-19 test need to be taken 72 hrs before arrival, so I was kind of stuck without a choice) Note: the Test result came the following Day (i.e. Day 1 of Quarantine, arrival is considered Day 0)

-     I was then taken to the lift by a member of the Hotel Staff (who was also wearing a ‘pseudo hazmat suit and mask’) and told my room number. 

-     In the room there is an ‘instruction manual to read’ 

-     Instructions to log into the Line App.

-     We are given 3 sets of surgical scrubs (the hotel will not wash our clothes, only the surgical scrubs – we have to wash our own underwear – washing materials are provided)

-     Food is delivered 3x per day – I am messaged once the food has been placed at my door. 

-     Quality of food is ok, I’ve no complaints. Its mainly rice dishes, but that’s my choice – I could have had pork steak for dinner (each meal is one of 3 offered choices – we select what we want from a printed menu and inform the hotel via the line app the day before)

-     There was a 12 pack of water in the room, we can request more. 

-     There were snacks in the room, we can buy more. We can look online at 7-11, list what we want and the staff can go and get something for us (we have to leave money for the staff to do this *this is the only flaw in the otherwise water tight system)

-     We have to take our own temperature and inform the hotel staff via the line App at 10am and 8pm.

-     I am unable to leave the room until day 5 or 6 once the results of the first Covid-19 test are known to be negative (test taken on day 4 or 5).

-     After day 5 or 6 ‘some’ of the hotel facilities can be used (outdoor area and gym (with a booking) but not the pool).

-     After day 6 the room is cleaned every 2 days, we have to wait in a waiting area while the room is cleaned. 

-     Family can bring items under strict guidance – the items are checked before being given to us (no fresh food, no alcohol).

-     After 14 nights we are no longer considered Poisonous and are free to travel to our respective homes (by our own means). 

 

Edited July 22 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237 24,878]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

I haven't seen one report as yet. 

I would like to see report along with pics of  3 square meals per day. Yummy.

What's the going rate for bottle of sangsom to room. In Melbourne you can get more but that hasn't worked out very well.

They’re very strict - I’ve been in the ASQ for 3 days - I haven’t even seen anyone since arrival !!!

That said, they didn’t check my baggage, so I could have brought in a bottle of whisky if I wanted to.

I just couldn’t be bothered with drinking on my own in a hotel room !!!  I’ll enjoy some beers with friends once all this *pointless malarkey is over. 

 

*Pointless because after a Covid-19 test on arrival, I’m already proven Covid-19 negative.

That said, its possible it could develop, but another test on day 5 will continue to prove I am Covid-19 negative - then surely thats enough and the remaining 14 days will be a farce !!!

 

At the end of all of this I will have had 4 Covid-19 tests !!! and not one Antibody test which at this stage is surely also important.

 

 

 

 

[jasonr3255 44]

39 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The following is my account of the arrival process and the ASQ hotel.

 

Previously: CoE applied for (as per the other threads on this topic). 

Notification came in from the Thai Embassy, UK that the CoE had been approved (approx 10 days before travel date. I was offered a repatriation flight from LHR to BKK (only £2500 business class available). I paid the Airline directly for the flight (bank transfer). ASQ secured (45,000 baht) Wife called around the various ASQ hotels. 

Covid-19 test taken 3 days before flight. Covid-19 Negative Certificate and Fit to Fly certificate issued less than 48 hrs after submitting the Covid-19 test (i.e. day before I flew).

 

Flight: London to Bangkok. Check-in was a slow process, we were told to get there 4 hrs before departure – Check-in counter opened 3 hrs before flight. Check-in staff made a detailed check of our documents, also asked us to download the AOT Airports App and register (track and trace?).

The flight was uneventful – I was surprised that beer and wine was served (business class anyway).

 

 

Arrival: Step by step.... 

-     Upon stepping off the aircraft on to the airbridge a throng of Immigration officers and Airline staff await (i.e. 30-40 people) – All with Signs and asking if we are ASQ (all foreigners are ASQ and a number of Thai’s who so choose). 

-     We identified ourselves and were checked off a list (Name / ASQ booking)

-     Rows of seats (all forward facing toward the terminal) were placed on the concourse (two rows each side of the travellators)

-     ASQ’s were told to sit (filling up the rear of the rows of seats), we waited about 10mins

-     All SQ’s (State Quarantinee’s / Thai’s) were directed down the travellators and filled up the rows of seats from the front. 

-     All ASQ’s had our documents individually checked and were given a yellow ASQ badge (piece of paper on a paper clip).

-     Once all the SQ’s were positioned and had filled up the rows of seats and there was no more ‘passenger traffic’ the ASQ’s were called up, followed an immigration officer down the travellator to the front. 

-     The ASQ’s were called through to a ‘desk’ where our temperature was checked and our papers checked once more and ASQ confirmed (at this stage the CoE was taken).

-     After this check the ASQ’s were individually directed to another row of seats (deeper into the terminal where the concourses meet concourse; crossroads so to speak).

-     While sat down we had our paperwork quickly checked.

-     In groups of 10 (in the order in which we’d sat down) we were called forwards to follow an Immigration Officer who led us down the travellator and up to the main Immigration Hall (the hall was empty, every booth was occupied by an immigration officer).

-     It took about 10mins to get through immigration – the officer seemed to be triple checking everything before stamping me in.

-     Once through into the baggage hall there were still lots of Airport staff and immigration officers.

-     Baggage arrived, we were guided through customs into arrivals hall and out through the doors to the outside where the hotel staff were awaiting in ‘pseudo hazmat suits and masks’, checked off our names and took us to awaiting vans. 

-     The vans had a glass partition between passenger and the Driver and ASQ Hotel Escort.

 

 

The ASQ Hotel:

-     Upon arrival to the hotel the bags were taken up to the room, I remained in the van while my temperature was checked.

 

-     I was then told I need to take a Covid-19 Test (at my cost ±5000 baht) because my existing Covid-19 test was older than 72 hrs (it was taken 72 hrs before departure but not 72 hrs before arrival – The ASQ booking questionnaire covered and stipulated that the Covid-19 test need to be taken 72 hrs before arrival, so I was kind of stuck without a choice) Note: the Test result came the following Day (i.e. Day 1 of Quarantine, arrival is considered Day 0)

-     I was then taken to the lift by a member of the Hotel Staff (who was also wearing a ‘pseudo hazmat suit and mask’) and told my room number. 

-     In the room there is an ‘instruction manual to read’ 

-     Instructions to log into the Line App.

-     We are given 3 sets of surgical scrubs (the hotel will not wash our clothes, only the surgical scrubs – we have to wash our own underwear – washing materials are provided)

-     Food is delivered 3x per day – I am messaged once the food has been placed at my door. 

-     Quality of food is ok, I’ve no complaints. Its mainly rice dishes, but that’s my choice – I could have had pork steak for dinner (each meal is one of 3 offered choices – we select what we want from a printed menu and inform the hotel via the line app the day before)

-     There was a 12 pack of water in the room, we can request more. 

-     There were snacks in the room, we can buy more. We can look online at 7-11, list what we want and the staff can go and get something for us (we have to leave money for the staff to do this *this is the only flaw in the otherwise water tight system)

-     We have to take our own temperature and inform the hotel staff via the line App at 10am and 8pm.

-     I am unable to leave the room until day 5 or 6 once the results of the first Covid-19 test are known to be negative (test taken on day 4 or 5).

-     After day 5 or 6 ‘some’ of the hotel facilities can be used (outdoor area and gym (with a booking) but not the pool).

-     After day 6 the room is cleaned every 2 days, we have to wait in a waiting area while the room is cleaned. 

-     Family can bring items under strict guidance – the items are checked before being given to us (no fresh food, no alcohol).

-     After 14 nights we are no longer considered Poisonous and are free to travel to our respective homes (by our own means). 

 

Thanks for your account Richard will be very helpful for many 

[unheard 219]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I was offered a repatriation flight from LHR to BKK (only £2500 business class available). I paid the Airline directly for the flight (bank transfer).

An excellent report!

How much was the economy ticket on the same flight?

[richard_smith237 24,878]

2 hours ago, unheard said:

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I was offered a repatriation flight from LHR to BKK (only £2500 business class available). I paid the Airline directly for the flight (bank transfer).

An excellent report!

How much was the economy ticket on the same flight?

No idea... it wasn’t an option on the flights I was offered (19th or 26th). 

 

My assumption is that the Repatriation flights were first offered to Thai’s and economy class filled up.

The Surplus business class seats were taken up by those keen enough to get back.

 

 

 

Edited July 22 by richard_smith237

[Destined 3]

Useful info for people thinking of going but my word... £2500 for a flight to Thailand. I'll wait until it blows over and things are back to normal.

[DrJack54 6,770]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

They’re very strict - I’ve been in the ASQ for 3 days - I haven’t even seen anyone since arrival

First up thanks for excellent detailed report post #9. 

In Au where there is so much trouble with quarantine and slack control hence current issue with Melbourne and other places.

Reading your account shows how it should be done.