News Forum - Thailand News Today | New Test & Go program draws huge criticism!

[Fundok]

This new "Test & Go"-scheme is pure madness from a risk point of view.

I mean, as a foreigner I must be fully vaccinated before even being able to obtain a "Thai pass", plus one PCR test before departure and one on arrival. That I can understand. But why the 2nd test after 5 days? If I really manage to get infected upon my arrival in TH and go unnoticed on the arrival PCR-test, this will give me 5 days of spreading the virus. Confining me in a SHA+-hotel on day 5 will not really have an effect on the damage done. But then: are there any clues how many tourists managed to bring the virus into the country eventough the arrival PCR test showed negative? I mean, sure the 2nd test in TH between day 4-6 might show positive, but this could be either because the person was (undetected) positive on the arrival or attracted the virus in TH.

I asume that the number of those "infected but not detected"-cases is extremely low, which means that by  applying a risk based approach the test on day 5 does not make much sense.

The ones responsible in TH of conceiving this sort of administative monster without achieving anything should really reconsider their approach.

 

[Stevejm]

2 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Yep - the whole program from versions 1 to 5/6 has been totally farcical.  That is why most tourist groups and agents have given up on Thailand as a destination for their customers - too unpredictable - and they have to deal with all the problems and complaints.  Wait is my advice. Or go somewhere that has kept the same rules in place  and is not likely to change them every few weeks.

I agree but is there anywhere that isn’t likely to change the rules at any time? UK changed its requirements just before I flew and caused me to waste money on an LFD test having to pay for both preflight and post arrival pcr tests which weren’t required when I booked my trip. UAE imposed 48 hour pcr tests for all transit passengers on new year’s eve which is not a great time to have to rebook a test as almost everyone is on holiday. Got it done in the end although a lot a stress involved. Hopefully the world will get sorted out this year but I would expect trouble traveling anywhere for the time being. It could be worse…Malaysia residents returning home have a choice between government quarantine or home quarantine on an electronic tag that alarms if you move 50m from home and they have to do multiple tests too! Tourists are only allowed into the Langkawi Travel Bubble and have to quarantine for 7 days 

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Stevejm
Typo

[Stonker]

26 minutes ago, Stevejm said:

I agree but is there anywhere that isn’t likely to change the rules at any time? UK changed its requirements just before I flew and caused me to waste money on an LFD test having to pay for both preflight and post arrival pcr tests which weren’t required when I booked my trip. UAE imposed 48 hour pcr tests for all transit passengers on new year’s eve which is not a great time to have to rebook a test as almost everyone is on holiday. Got it done in the end although a lot a stress involved. Hopefully the world will get sorted out this year but I would expect trouble traveling anywhere for the time being. It could be worse…Malaysia residents returning home have a choice between government quarantine or home quarantine on an electronic tag that alarms if you move 50m from home and they have to do multiple tests too! Tourists are only allowed into the Langkawi Travel Bubble and have to quarantine for 7 days 

Exactly, @Stevejm. It's a stupid, irrational system but these whinges that 'they keep changing the system' and 'it's discrimination' are even more stupid.

Kiribati just opened up and 37 of the 54 passengers on the first flight from Fiji tested positive on arrival - and that was after 14 days pre-flight quarantine on Fiji, with three PCR tests .

https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/127540485/covid19-kiribati-confirms-37-cases-makes-maskwearing-mandatory

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Fundok said:

I assume that the number of those "infected but not detected"-cases is extremely low, which means that by  applying a risk based approach the test on day 5 does not make much sense

Wrong assumption.  What's wrong isn't the test on day 5 which makes a great deal of sense, but not quarantining people until then - that's what makes no sense at all.

[AussieBob]

30 minutes ago, Stevejm said:

I agree but is there anywhere that isn’t likely to change the rules at any time? UK changed its requirements just before I flew and caused me to waste money on an LFD test having to pay for both preflight and post arrival pcr tests which weren’t required when I booked my trip. UAE imposed 48 hour pcr tests for all transit passengers on new year’s eve which is not a great time to have to rebook a test as almost everyone is on holiday. Got it done in the end although a lot a stress involved. Hopefully the world will get sorted out this year but I would expect trouble traveling anywhere for the time being. It could be worse…Malaysia residents returning home have a choice between government quarantine or home quarantine on an electronic tag that alarms if you move 50m from home and they have to do multiple tests too! Tourists are only allowed into the Langkawi Travel Bubble and have to quarantine for 7 days 

True - there are many countries who are imposing ridiculous impositions on vaccinated tourists. Switzerland has just decided that vaccinated people do not need pre-flight or post-arrival tests - only people who are unvaccinated.    But in deference to those that have impositions, besides Thailand, they are not so dependent on tourism as Thailand is.  Thailand is desperate for tourism to help start to recover the economy - but they are just imposing ever-changing ridiculous rules.  Exactly how many tourists have arrived in Thailand and ended up in ICU and/or Died?  So their issue is tourists spreading the Covid? Then stop untested and unvaccinated Thais travelling freely around Thailand too - not just the tourists who they desperately need.  Totally unjustified - test/detain everyone who travels - or are they saying tourists have a worse Covid than local Thais? - or is it about some people making easy money from tests and quarantines? 

[AussieBob]

5 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Exactly, @Stevejm. It's a stupid, irrational system but these whinges that 'they keep changing the system' and 'it's discrimination' are even more stupid.

Kiribati just opened up and 37 of the 54 passengers on the first flight from Fiji tested positive on arrival - and that was after 14 days pre-flight quarantine on Fiji, with three PCR tests .

https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/127540485/covid19-kiribati-confirms-37-cases-makes-maskwearing-mandatory

That is why I keep saying dont travel for a short holiday to Thailand right now. The odds of testing postive are growing and growing every day - which means 10-14 days of your short holiday being in a hotel, hospitel or hospital, plus friends, family and close contacts.  

[Stevejm]

3 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Exactly, @Stevejm. It's a stupid, irrational system but these whinges that 'they keep changing the system' and 'it's discrimination' are even more stupid.

Kiribati just opened up and 37 of the 54 passengers on the first flight from Fiji tested positive on arrival - and that was after 14 days pre-flight quarantine on Fiji, with three PCR tests .

https://i.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/127540485/covid19-kiribati-confirms-37-cases-makes-maskwearing-mandatory

Interesting! It’s obviously going to take some time before any kind of “normal” international travel resumes. I think the next thing will be a requirement to have a booster as a condition of entry to various countries. UAE is already implementing a booster requirement for all arrivals.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/18/uae-abu-dhabi-makes-booster-vaccine-mandatory-for-entry

[AussieBob]

3 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Wrong assumption.  What's wrong isn't the test on day 5 which makes a great deal of sense, but not quarantining people until then - that's what makes no sense at all.

Absolutely true - and especially so when they dont test and quarantine Thais who are travelling around all over the country. Totally contradictory and just plain ridiculous - do they want lots of tourists or not.    

[Stevejm]

11 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

True - there are many countries who are imposing ridiculous impositions on vaccinated tourists. Switzerland has just decided that vaccinated people do not need pre-flight or post-arrival tests - only people who are unvaccinated.    But in deference to those that have impositions, besides Thailand, they are not so dependent on tourism as Thailand is.  Thailand is desperate for tourism to help start to recover the economy - but they are just imposing ever-changing ridiculous rules.  Exactly how many tourists have arrived in Thailand and ended up in ICU and/or Died?  So their issue is tourists spreading the Covid? Then stop untested and unvaccinated Thais travelling freely around Thailand too - not just the tourists who they desperately need.  Totally unjustified - test/detain everyone who travels - or are they saying tourists have a worse Covid than local Thais? - or is it about some people making easy money from tests and quarantines? 

I don’t think anyone is making much money out of tests and quarantine. My  T&G hotel cost less than THB 4k including pcr test, airport transfer and room and meal and the government paid for my day 5 test. In UK some government  approved testing facilities have been shown to be owned or linked to government ministers and MPs and not surprisingly those facilities have been shown to provide terrible service in many cases.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Stevejm
Update

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Fundok said:

I mean, as a foreigner (snip)

It's not just "foreigners", for crying out loud!

There's no racism or discrimination here - it's equally stupid for everyone!

If anything it's even more stupid for Thais coming home.

After spending the first day in a SHA+ hotel waiting for their PCR test result, which is reasonable, they can then go home ... but on day 5 after their PCR test they then have to go to another SHA+ hotel just to wait for the test results, then even if they're positive as long as they only have mild symptoms they can go home again !

... and you think it's bad for 'foreigners' !

[Stevejm]

11 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

That is why I keep saying dont travel for a short holiday to Thailand right now. The odds of testing postive are growing and growing every day - which means 10-14 days of your short holiday being in a hotel, hospitel or hospital, plus friends, family and close contacts.  

I would rather come to Thailand for a holiday than UK where nobody takes any precautions. I was terrified of going to the shops there because of lack of precautions even though they were mandatory. I think my friends were glad when I left because I insisted that we sit outside the pub in single digit temperatures because I was too concerned about drinking inside with the maskless masses. I did a quick poll of my friends one night and more than 50% of 10 people had already had Covid.

 

[Stonker]

17 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Then stop untested and unvaccinated Thais travelling freely around Thailand too - not just the tourists who they desperately need.  Totally unjustified - test/detain everyone who travels - or are they saying tourists have a worse Covid than local Thais? - or is it about some people making easy money from tests and quarantines? 

Thais live here!

They don't have a choice about it, like tourists do ... and while I'm against encouraging domestic tourism, many Thais need to travel to work - tourists have a choice, but Thais don't.

 

[AussieBob]

9 minutes ago, Stevejm said:

I don’t think anyone is making much money out of tests and quarantine. My  T&G hotel cost less than THB 4k including pcr test, airport transfer and room and meal and the government paid for my day 5 test. In UK some government  approved testing facilities have been shown to be owned or linked to government ministers and MPs and not surprisingly those facilities have been shown to provide terrible service in many cases.

When did you arrive in Thailand - must have been recently if the second test was free - lucky you. Did you go to Phuket or another test and go or sandbox location?

[AussieBob]

Just now, Stonker said:

Thais live here!

They don't have a choice about it, like tourists do ... and while I'm against encouraging domestic tourism, many Thais need to travel to work - tourists have a choice, but Thais don't.

I am mainly talking about Thais going for a holiday or a visit to those test/go and sandbox locations - not Thais who travel each day to work, that I accept of course. 

[Stonker]

11 minutes ago, Stevejm said:

I don’t think anyone is making much money out of tests and quarantine. My  T&G hotel cost less than THB 4k including pcr test, airport transfer and room and meal and the government paid for my day 5 test. In UK some government  approved testing facilities have been shown to be owned or linked to government ministers and MPs and not surprisingly those facilities have been shown to provide terrible service in many cases.

Spot on again, @Stevejm.

This whole mantra about 'scams' and 'easy money' is just the same bitter trash-talking from the same bitter people.

It makes no sense at all, and doesn't hold up to any sort of rational examination, but that doesn't matter to them.

[AussieBob]

5 minutes ago, Stevejm said:

I would rather come to Thailand for a holiday than UK where nobody takes any precautions. I was terrified of going to the shops there because of lack of precautions even though they were mandatory. I think my friends were glad when I left because I insisted that we sit outside the pub in single digit temperatures because I was too concerned about drinking inside with the maskless masses. I did a quick poll of my friends one night and more than 50% of 10 people had already had Covid.

I hear you, but the vast majority of us are all going to get Covid, or have already had it, and some had it but just didnt feel well for a few days.  It makes some a little sick, but kills others - I saw a specialist presentation on Youtube that explained it all at the molecular level and why some people have serious problems due to purely genetic and other unknown reasons - and why those with 'underlying issues and illnesses' get into serious trouble. 

[Stevejm]

19 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Absolutely true - and especially so when they dont test and quarantine Thais who are travelling around all over the country. Totally contradictory and just plain ridiculous - do they want lots of tourists or not.    

What you are really suggesting is that it would be better to quarantine all arrivals isn’t it? That’s what Malaysia is doing. 7 days in a hotel or at home on a tag for vaccinated residents and 10 days if not vaccinated. No tourists apart from Langkawi travel bubble. Or you could go the other way and follow the UK model and trust people to self isolate until test results come back

[Stevejm]

1 minute ago, AussieBob said:

I hear you, but the vast majority of us are all going to get Covid, or have already had it, and some had it but just didnt feel well for a few days.  It makes some a little sick, but kills others - I saw a specialist presentation on Youtube that explained it all at the molecular level and why some people have serious problems due to purely genetic and other unknown reasons - and why those with 'underlying issues and illnesses' get into serious trouble. 

It will be good when everyone has had it because it will then be endemic like the flu. The problem at the moment seems to be unvaccinated people who are using up hospital resources when they get really sick. I think it’s just a matter of being patient and suffering some silly inconvenient rules for a while. 

[Stonker]

23 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

- do they want lots of tourists or not

No they don't!

You keep on bleating about how Thais are "desperate" for tourists, but they're not.

Over the last couple of years Thais have protested in numbers about everything from school uniforms to gay marriage, lottery tickets to education, and about a lack of government support for those affected by restrictions, but there haven't been any protests about wanting tourists back or opening the borders.

NO protests, and not even any Thai led or organised complaints or petitions. NONE.

If you were here or you read the Thai media you'd know. But you're not, and you don't.

[Stevejm]

21 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

When did you arrive in Thailand - must have been recently if the second test was free - lucky you. Did you go to Phuket or another test and go or sandbox location?

I arrived in Bangkok on 7 January under test and Go. When I made my booking the day 5 test was a home ATK but when the government changed it to pcr they also picked up the tab

[Stonker]

14 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

I am mainly talking about Thais going for a holiday or a visit to those test/go and sandbox locations - not Thais who travel each day to work, that I accept of course. 

But very few Thais do.

I live in a prime domestic tourist location - virtually no foreigners, 99%+ Thai.

It would be high season now normally, and usually I'd see at least a dozen buses an hour going past my house, every hour, 12 hours a day, November through to February.

This year so far there have been two - not two a day but two in total over a couple of months.

Some came back to see parents and children, but I don't think it's unreasonable to want to see your children and family a couple of times a year.

Even the government subsidies, paying 50% of the costs for hotels and tours, haven't been taken up.

Normally at New Year the traffic's so bad that it takes 20 hours to drive up here from Bangkok, but that never happened this year and it was taking the normal six.

I'm strongly against the stupidity of Songkran last year that sparked the current wave, but what you're saying simply isn't happening - that's not just 'my view' but you can see it from the take up of the subsidies.

[Jason]

I know there are people who will still apply for test and Go because they still feel it's the easiest way, but a word of caution. The first attempt at opening was the Phuket sandbox. Then the other sandboxes and finally Test and Go .....ok....Test and Test and Go. Then as soon as the threat of Omicron loomed, Test and Go was the first to go. I won't apply for Test and Go, not because I'm not eligible, because I know that if something major happens like a major surge in Omicron cases, Test and Go will be suspended again. I'm not going to go through all the hassle of coming to Thailand, to have the government suspend the program at a moments notice. As far as I can tell, Phuket sandbox would be the last program to be suspended. Remember when the Government said they would suspend it if the number of infections got above one hundred? It's still going. I know this doesn't suit everyone, but Test and Test and Go is too risky.

[Stevejm]

46 minutes ago, Jason said:

I know there are people who will still apply for test and Go because they still feel it's the easiest way, but a word of caution. The first attempt at opening was the Phuket sandbox. Then the other sandboxes and finally Test and Go .....ok....Test and Test and Go. Then as soon as the threat of Omicron loomed, Test and Go was the first to go. I won't apply for Test and Go, not because I'm not eligible, because I know that if something major happens like a major surge in Omicron cases, Test and Go will be suspended again. I'm not going to go through all the hassle of coming to Thailand, to have the government suspend the program at a moments notice. As far as I can tell, Phuket sandbox would be the last program to be suspended. Remember when the Government said they would suspend it if the number of infections got above one hundred? It's still going. I know this doesn't suit everyone, but Test and Test and Go is too risky.

I think any international travel at the moment is extremely risky. Any country can change entry requirements at short notice and you may even get stuck in quarantine when you get home if a new variant emerges. On top of all that pre flight test requirements may change overnight along with transit stop requirements. Meeting the requirements of preflight test timing can be almost impossible if you aren’t staying in a decent sized city with extensive testing resources.

[Thommo]

16 hours ago, satpete said:

no foreigner needs a second test, thats racism,
and it is 3rd test in about 8 days because one before arrival,

no thai resident have 2/3 PCR !!! tests in about 5/8 days

in about 6 weeks Thailand will have100.000 infections per day without foreigners

It was a condtion for when I entered Sth Korea in Nov ( with a quarentine exemption) that on the 7th day i was to have a 2nd PCR Test. Racism I doubt it, just governments doing arse covering

[RJBT]

What about my daughter who would like to come and visit

Now on day 5 she must return to a hotel. Will the local hotel in 304 Industrial do?

She has no intention of going to Bkk at all as I collect her at the airport

Crazy