12 Sandbox travellers in quarantine request to leave Thailand

[Thaiger]

The strict rules and closed entertainment venues have discouraged many potential tourists from coming to the Phuket Sandbox just yet, but many who have arrived have expressed happiness to be enjoying the beauty of Thailand, even with the complex process and limitations on the ground. But predictably, one group of Sandboxers who have are in quarantine after one traveller tested positive for Covid-19 are ready to call it quits and are requesting to leave the Sandbox and return home. When a man was confirmed on the July 6 Emirates flight from Dubai to have Covid-19, he was immediately admitted to […]

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[Martin]

The "what happens if a tourist tests positive" question was always something of a grey area in the run up to July 1st. 

But i can't recall anyone saying the whole flight would be quarantined. That bit was conveniently left out. It's becoming clear the whole thing is designed to relieve tourists of as much money as possible, not to give them a happy holiday experience. They are probably kicking themselves it's only 12 passengers into ALQ, and not a few hundred. 

You'd be safer staying at home playing russian roulette than putting yourself at the mercy of flip flop sandbox rules.

[THETRUTH]

This should be frontpage news in every country and news outlet. Just a friendly reminder that your week-long holiday might turn into an extended ALQ prison sentence if anyone near you gets the red light. Common people, with vaccinations, wouldn't probably even care about a few covid cases here and there, but for the government it's poison. But for the common people these random ALQ kidnappings are the real deal breaker.

[ozz1]

Yes we want you now we have your money now you can go home great for tourism not

[el_khan]

Damn, imagine that you only get 2 weeks of vacation a year, choose the spend it all in Phuket, and then this happens to you a day after touching down. With this in mind, I would still be willing to use the Phuket Sandbox for as an entry path for a much longer trip to Thailand, but I would definitely think twice about a short vacation that could be completely ruined by 1 infected passenger on your flight.

[Stonker]

53 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

terms and conditions of the Phuket Sandbox dictate that all costs related to any Covid-19 measures and actions are completely the responsibility of the international traveller. So payment for the expenses of being in quarantine in an ALQ venue will be footed by the 12 Sandbox travellers. It is unclear if their required 14 days of SHA Plus hotel bookings will be refunded as well.

Are you sure of that, since that's not what's being reported elsewhere?

 

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by Stonker
typo

[AlexPTY]

Bad, bad tourists, how could you not enjoy 14 days of ALQ? And why would stuff be quarantined? Aren't they all fully vaccinated? 

[Malc-Thai]

What's wrong ? Don't they like Thailand 

[Shark]

ouch. this is bad news. tourism wise it's a blow in the face and I don't know how many the Sand Castle is able to hold.... oh oops did I just.

[Nipral]

Unsurprisingly this moronic sandbox scheme is yet another scam from this military brainless sort-of-government.

[Malc-Thai]

54 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Are you sure of that, since that's not what's being reported elsewhere?

I believe if you live here and quarantined or hospitalised then the government pays for this.. a friend was forced into 14 days quarantine recently but didn't pay anything.  but if you are a tourist through the sandbox scheme then its down to you or your insurance to pay.. I did wonder if its like most insurance companies, pay first then claim back !. But one bit of good news the hotel is supposed to pay you back any unused nights !

[EdwardV]

“13 other Sandbox passengers on his flight were transferred ” - that sure doesn’t sound like it was only people in his tour group. Sounds more like Everton the plane. Risk vs reward isn’t good. 

[Shark]

17 minutes ago, Malc-Thai said:

But one bit of good news the hotel is supposed to pay you back any unused nights !

One would say you've not been in Thailand long enough if you think you're getting money back left or right.

[DirtyoldnGrandpa]

Don’t leave the successful opening of Thailand…What did you expect from a country who is being hit by Covid.

[gazmo16]

That $100K insurance policy just took a whack. 

I would love to have been present when they all said "Thanks but can we go home now" and seen the officials faces as they scrambled to look for a positive spin on that story. 

[gazmo16]

Dooh, what am I saying those Insurance policies were with Thai Companies so they will smile and point to the small print instead

Edited July 9, 2021 by gazmo16

[Evgenii]

2 hours ago, Thaiger said:

The strict rules and closed entertainment venues have discouraged many potential tourists from coming to the Phuket Sandbox just yet, but many who have arrived have expressed happiness to be enjoying the beauty of Thailand, even with the complex process and limitations on the ground. But predictably, one group of Sandboxers who have are in quarantine after one traveller tested positive for Covid-19 are ready to call it quits and are requesting to leave the Sandbox and return home. When a man was confirmed on the July 6 Emirates flight from Dubai to have Covid-19, he was immediately admitted to […]

The post 12 Sandbox travellers in quarantine request to leave Thailand appeared first on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

And what about this well described 100,000 covid insurance? 

[TobyAndrews]

Oh this is bad very bad. This will be news around the world.

And if just one tourist suggests this was not positive test; this was a fraud to loot our insurance for the unreasonable high cost of quarantine for foreigners, well the Phuketers will lose thousands of tourists, and have to return to fishing, farming and picking up cans.

The major of Phuket could still save the situation by stating the quarantine costs will be paid by the citizens of Phuket. This would be an investment and save thousands of tourist cancelations. But will he have the sense, and go against the DNA of the Phucketeers to actually give money back to tourists!

He might lose his seat. He might be disowned by his family. He might be  booed in the Sois. His dog might bite him, but it is the smart thing to do. 

Edited July 9, 2021 by TobyAndrews
mistake

[AlexPTY]

On a serious note, i think all that forceful quarantine defeats the purpose of the vaccination. If you are vaccinated, and someone in a vicinity diagnosed with covid, shouldn't it be ok for you to go on with your life? Isn't it why they vaccinate people, so we do not have to quarantine in this situation? half of the world is not wearing masks for the same reason? No? Sorry...

[Ronron]

This is ridiculous. People go to Phuket to enjoy a vacation not to stay in a quarantine. I wonder how this traveler tested positive while he had a negative test few hours before flying. In this case, all those on board should be in quarantine. This is the worst time to travel.

[Shark]

2 minutes ago, TobyAndrews said:

Oh this is bad very bad.

It is and it will be.

[Shark]

3 minutes ago, AlexPTY said:

On a serious note, i think all that forceful quarantine defeats the purpose of the vaccination. If you are vaccinated, and someone in a vicinity diagnosed with covid, shouldn't it be ok for you to go on with your life? Isn't it why they vaccinate people, so we do not have to quarantine in this situation? half of the world is not wearing masks for the same reason? No? Sorry...

Alex go home your drunk.

[gazmo16]

Clarity and Sensible thinking are good Alex but seldom seen from the powers that be, especially here and now in Thailand.

[Paco]

In the first place I already do not understand that people going to spend money to come now in Thailand with so much vocid and everything closed, and you stuck on an island, for me just retarded

[DwizzleyMatthews]

The Sandbox is a good option for returning expats and Thais only.

Anyone wishing to come to Thailand on holiday using the Sandbox as an entry point is surely aware of the risk involved, i.e. proximity to a fellow traveler testing positive is likely to end in ASQ.

 While I do feel sorry for the positive test traveler and the others , 20 in total, caught up in this case it would appear that the “ 12 “ are real tourists, due to their appeal to be sent back to Dubai, and have shown a certain naivety in their “ this could never happen to me “ attitude.

 

Of course, having to pay for their ASQ and no refund of their SHA booking forthcoming will probably have added to their desire to go home.

 

All in all not a good review for the sandbox !!