Phuket Sandbox woes: 2 foreign Covid-19 cases, Delta variant

[AussieBob]

37 minutes ago, BlueSphinx said:

"Children are highly infectious to each other, and to their parents, and to others."  Really? The approach in Sweden provided real-life data that school-teachers being constantly in contact with non mask-wearing children (no mask mandates) were NOT showing higher infection/hospitalization rates than other professions. 

You have not had kids? Any parent will tell you that reality.  

[marius]

 "The infected person’s details were not revealed, but it was stated they have been receiving treatment in Phuket for the past 5 days, because was not a DIRTY FARANG spreading the virus!!!"

Indeed many bars remain open very late (see in Rawai), because now are become restaurant. Then many waitresses go around the place obviously without a mask, touching the customers (none of whom have checked the temperature at the entrance) sitting next to each other without any respect for social distance (mandatory in a restaurant) and no mask, putting all efforts at risk in place to contain the virus for a beer and some bad pussy

[thai3]

1 minute ago, Zool said:

You've been brainwashed by your masters. The death rate isn't higher during covid than it was prior.

Do you mean Mr Ickes 'master' reptiles from another dimension?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

Unlike international flight passengers, those coming by land are not quarantined on arrival until they receive their first Covid-19 negative test results.
 

Where are all these healthy people being quarantined?

[BeerIsLife]

From what I have read, children under 10 are not dangerous or infectuous even if they test positive for Covid. They do not spread the disease, nor are they at significant risk even if they do catch it. .  So the kids ' test results are irrelevant.  Unvaccinated children do not spread Covid. 

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

"Children are highly infectious to each other, and to their parents, and to others."  Really? The approach in Sweden provided real-life data that school-teachers being constantly in contact with non mask-wearing children (no mask mandates) were NOT showing higher infection/hospitalization rates than other professions. 

Only if you take outdated data from over a year ago.

A more recent study from Stockholm University, published in Science dated Feb 15 this year, showed that in Sweden teachers were twice as likely to have Covid, their partners 30% more likely, and parents of children in school 17% more likely to catch Covid than those with children in remote learning.

[TobyAndrews]

7 hours ago, English said:

After struggling to get all the documentation sorted to come to the Sandbox, I finally got my CofE approved. But now I am having second thoughts. Forcing you to quarantine and pay for an ALQ hotel for 14 days even when testing negative. This is the whole point of the vaccine. It drastically lowers your chance of catching COVID. So even if you are in the same vicinity as someone with COVID, you probably won’t catch it !! It would make more sense and be much fairer to stay in your original hotel for two or three days maximum, and then take a further test to be sure. Thai officials are treating fully vaccinated tourists as if they weren’t vaccinated at all! What was the point of only allowing vaccinated tourists in if they are going to treat us in this way without a need to! I’m due to fly direct from London with Thai Airways, who emailed me today to say because of COVID restrictions there will be no in flight entertainment. Come on, really !! Why not just say that the airline is skint and cannot afford the entertainment licence. I will continue to watch the sandbox this week before I commit. 

Ask them if you can cancel and recieve a refund English. I would be interested to read the reply.

By the way you know you were taking a big risk flying on this airline. If you do fly I would like to read a report, on for instance: did they feed you on pot noodles. lol.

Are you flying back on them? if so good luck with that.

[Stonker]

20 minutes ago, BeerIsLife said:

From what I have read, children under 10 are not dangerous or infectuous even if they test positive for Covid. They do not spread the disease, nor are they at significant risk even if they do catch it. .  So the kids ' test results are irrelevant.  Unvaccinated children do not spread Covid. 

Where did you read that?

[TobyAndrews]

8 hours ago, LaughingOutLoud said:

The whole "Sandbox" scheme will fail.  This is just the start.  By end of August expect it to be cancelled.  10s of thousands of Covid cases, THOUSANDS of deaths.  And for what, to enrich the ultra rich?  The ones who own pharmaceutical companies and 5 star sea view resorts?

Been here 23 years.  Thais cannot get themselves out of a wet paper bag without foreign assistance because ALL the institutions in Thailand are greedy, corrupt and self serving.

But hey, makes for great news!  

I disagree! They Can, They CAN get themselves out of a wet paper bag without foreign assistance!

With diffilculty I accept, but they could - I think . . ..

[AussieBob]

1 hour ago, Zool said:

You've been brainwashed by your masters. The death rate isn't higher during covid than it was prior.

Masters?  I have Masters?!   Where the pharkk are they and what the pharkk are they doing??!! 

[AussieBob]

5 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Where did you read that?

Mutually Assured Destruction magazine !!

[BlueSphinx]

15 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Only if you take outdated data from over a year ago.

A more recent study from Stockholm University, published in Science dated Feb 15 this year, showed that in Sweden teachers were twice as likely to have Covid, their partners 30% more likely, and parents of children in school 17% more likely to catch Covid than those with children in remote learning.

Trying to find that article you reference, but cannot find it even when using key-words like Covid / Science / Feb 15 / Stockholm University.  Please do provide a link, so that I can check for myself.

'In God we trust, all others must bring data'

[TobyAndrews]

16 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Masters?  I have Masters?!   Where the pharkk are they and what the pharkk are they doing??!! 

They are in the pharkk playing on the pharkk  playground swings.

[TobyAndrews]

22 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Where did you read that?

It is in Dr Getridofthem's book entitiled: How to have your kids admitted to an orphanage. 

[BeerIsLife]

46 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Where did you read that?

Young children not only are at low risk for developing COVID-19 but also don’t play a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 while attending school, finds a study recently publishedTrusted Source in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).

 

 

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/study-finds-kids-under-10-unlikely-to-spread-coronavirus-at-school

[billybob]

7 hours ago, AussieBob said:

The best way to think of Thailand is to think of it like the Titanic - but unlike the Titanic the Captain and all the crew are untrained uneducated idiots who will never say anything negative about anything or anyone.

Like the Titanic, Thailand takes a long time to 'turn' and there is a huge long chain of command before any decision is ever reached. This whole Phuket scam/scheme was started when daily infections were very few and deaths totalled under a few hundred.  The decision to 'turn' was made a long time ago, and not one crew member was willing to criticise the idea or point out the obvious potential problems. Any passengers making complaints were ridiculed or sued, and labelled as farangs who do not understand Titanic.  

Like the Titanic, the Captain and all the crew think they indestructible and unsinkable and that they can go anywhere they like at full speed.  And like the Titanic there are not enough lifeboats for all the passengers. But unlike the Titanic it is the wealthy and rich that have first access to the lifeboats.

It is a fantastic place and truly magical. But you really need to plan and look ahead at all times - and when it starts to get foggy and the Captain has decided to go full steam ahead anyway, that is the time to leave or to stay away.  Right now - stay away mate.

In fact they have commanded the virus to go away or they will attack it with a submarine. That should work....

[Shark]

12 minutes ago, billybob said:

In fact they have commanded the virus to go away or they will attack it with a submarine. That should work....

You got it all wrong, this is for entertainment workers and alike to hide from covid under water.

[billybob]

30 minutes ago, Shark said:

You got it all wrong, this is for entertainment workers and alike to hide from covid under water.

It would be funny if it wasn't tragic unfortunately it's tragic. Back in 2003 I went to a bar on the hill at Prathamahk which had a huge tank behind the bar which had swimming mermaids that 'danced' underwater. Was brilliantly done I have to say. I tipped them 500 baht had a great show and they both came to the front at the tank and gave me a smiley wai . Great times. 

On as slight tangent here are there emoticons here ?

Edited July 11, 2021 by billybob

[Shark]

13 minutes ago, billybob said:

It would be funny if it wasn't tragic unfortunately it's tragic. Back in 2003 I went to a bar on the hill at Prathamahk which had a huge tank behind the bar which had swimming mermaids that 'danced' underwater. Was brilliantly done I have to say. I tipped them 500 baht had a great show and they both came to the front at the tank and gave me a smiley wai . Great times. 

On as slight tangent here are there emoticons here ?

I think it would be HMS Ping-pong-show.

There are read Kapain's latest about emoticons.

 

We even have giffies!

 

@billybob:

 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Shark
more-info-for-billybob

[Jason]

I think the fact that Thais and perhaps expats are still coming into Phuket from other parts of Thailand was something that never should've happened. I think most international arrivals booked on the basis that Phuket would only be accessible to international tourists and not Thais from outside of Phuket or expats. The concept of a sandbox is meant to be a "quarantined area". The only ones who get in, are fully vaccinated people who test negative prior to departure from their country of origin and negative again upon arrival. I could never have imagined asking Thais to keep away from part of their own country, but that's what will make it work. I also agree that the kids are potential carriers, are unvaccinated and shouldn't be allowed in at this stage, until we have evidence that there are no ill effects to them of vaccination.

[Shark]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

I think the fact that Thais and perhaps expats are still coming into Phuket from other parts of Thailand was something that never should've happened. I think most international arrivals booked on the basis that Phuket would only be accessible to international tourists and not Thais from outside of Phuket or expats. The concept of a sandbox is meant to be a "quarantined area". The only ones who get in, are fully vaccinated people who test negative prior to departure from their country of origin and negative again upon arrival. I could never have imagined asking Thais to keep away from part of their own country, but that's what will make it work. I also agree that the kids are potential carriers, are unvaccinated and shouldn't be allowed in at this stage, until we have evidence that there are no ill effects to them of vaccination.

Don't want to be a a-hole here you need to proof a PCR test to get 'into the Sandbox'.

The kids are going to be a big problem and the doctors here already seem to have made their minds that 3+ year olds need to get vaccinated.

[billybob]

12 minutes ago, Shark said:

I think it would be HMS Ping-pong-show.

There are read Kapain's latest about emoticons.

We even have giffies!

@billybob:

Yeah I saw the giffies but they're are a bit flash for my tastes. Have to concede TVF wins on that front. 

[AussieBob]

41 minutes ago, Shark said:

Don't want to be a a-hole here you need to proof a PCR test to get 'into the Sandbox'.

The kids are going to be a big problem and the doctors here already seem to have made their minds that 3+ year olds need to get vaccinated.

Same same - but I can guarantee you that the 'proof' is just a letter signed by a Doctor that a test result was negative - that would be too hard to fake.   The 'certificate' of vaccination in Thailand would be a bit harder to fake, but if all you need is a fake negative PCR Test letter, why bother?

My point is that some people will do the wrong thing, and some will get into Phuket with the virus, so they should have made it the same requirements as they imposed on the tourists. No way to stop them all, but it would have been a better plan.  Plan?  Did I just say 'plan'? In Thailand? About the Thai Authorities???  What am I saying - time to take a break for today I think - until then good folk - take care all.

[Soidog]

10 hours ago, English said:

After struggling to get all the documentation sorted to come to the Sandbox, I finally got my CofE approved. But now I am having second thoughts. Forcing you to quarantine and pay for an ALQ hotel for 14 days even when testing negative. This is the whole point of the vaccine. It drastically lowers your chance of catching COVID. So even if you are in the same vicinity as someone with COVID, you probably won’t catch it !! It would make more sense and be much fairer to stay in your original hotel for two or three days maximum, and then take a further test to be sure. Thai officials are treating fully vaccinated tourists as if they weren’t vaccinated at all! What was the point of only allowing vaccinated tourists in if they are going to treat us in this way without a need to! I’m due to fly direct from London with Thai Airways, who emailed me today to say because of COVID restrictions there will be no in flight entertainment. Come on, really !! Why not just say that the airline is skint and cannot afford the entertainment licence. I will continue to watch the sandbox this week before I commit. 

Spot on comments. If you do go and get over the initial Covid test on arrival. Make sure you stay well away from everyone. Even popping in to a coffee shop could have disaster plus consequences should one of the other customers test positive. I’d be tempted to stay in my room and order room service. I may as well do the ASQ in Bangkok. As for the Thai airways and their no in flight entertainment…. Lost for words 

[Soidog]

9 hours ago, JohninDubin said:

I understand the average monthly salary is in the region of 10k THB. I am just wondering how a local can afford to be off work for two weeks and pay 4 months salary to go into an enforced ALQ?

There is a real problem with the reporting of these stories in that the info is being received piecemeal. This is the first time I've actually read that the round-ups are including Thais. But why not the aircrew too? Were these 15 internees from the Emirates flight the entire passenger manifest of that flight? Or were there those in Biz/1sr Class who were deemed safe? Why on a plane with about 300+ economy seats were all these people seated so closely together? I understand that 13 or 14 were in a family group, but did the German lady asked to be seated next to others for the company? How did these two new Farang infections arrive? Have all their close contacts been traced and rounded up?

I can understand a lot of the strategy behind the Thai need to isolate suspects, but surely these cases can be adequately by additional tests on say day's 4 and seven. I understand that currently, all sandbox entrants are required to retest on day 7.If day 7 is good enough to absolutely clear these people, why is it not good enough to clear the other 14 close contacts?

Ireland is starting to show signs of a new wave, Today there was a new infection rate of about 1 per 8k. By comparison, Phuket looks very good at 1 per 44k today as compared to the Thai overall total of about 1 per 7500. Even that is far better than the UK at about 1 per 2100.But the overall look of Thailand in general reminds me of watching a disaster movie where a dam is showing cracks and is about to burst, and the greatest stress fracture appears to be above Phuket.

I have a flight booked to arrive on Aug 5th, Right now, I am 90% certain to cancel this. Fortunately, I don't need to make a decision now as I can cancel up to three hours prior to take off and get a full cash refund. But if I knew then, what I know now, I would not have been so swift to get the CC out.

Edit: It might also be a good idea for TH to assess whether Sinovax offers any greater protection than a chocolate fireguard and act accordingly?

You need to know the number of tests carried out before you can compare various countries. If the test rate per 100,000 is different then you need to make allowances regarding the infection rate. My feeling is the infection rate in Thailand is around 20,000-30,000 a day currently, very similar to the U.K.  I would estimate the deaths to be around 300-500 a day in Thailand