News Forum - Bangkok prepares swab hubs, rules easing for city reopening

[Thaiger]

As restrictions ease and Thailand attempts a November 1 reopening, Bangkok is hard at work preparing to welcome back international tourism to the city. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says he intends to follow along with official announcements as they are ratified in the Royal Gazette. The capital city is creating so-called swab hubs to be prepared to efficiently test mass numbers of international travellers coming back into Thailand. City Hall officials agree with the governor that the city will follow procedures and restrictions matching those the government officially approves. Things like curfew being shortened or removed will be in line […]

The story Bangkok prepares swab hubs, rules easing for city reopening as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Griff1315]

Blah Blah Blah 

Another Hub 

World leaders at Hubs....

[gummy]

Swab Hubs, now they look like a new potential tourist attractions. 

[Griff1315]

7 minutes ago, gummy said:

Swab Hubs, now they look like a new potential tourist attractions. 

The powers that be are avoiding testing too many now in fear of what they might find, so let's open up special hubs where we can charge the tourists more.

Another well thought out money making plan from a government on top form.

[AlexPTY]

"swab hubs to be prepared to efficiently test mass numbers of international travellers coming back into Thailand"

could you be more disconnected with the real world?

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

37 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says he intends to follow along with official announcements as they are ratified in the Royal Gazette.

Surely, he means IF they are ratified.

[Jason]

If there's one thing the Thai Government need to realise, it's that the rest of the world isn't lining up to come to Thailand with lots of restrictions. But if Thailand can't get it's act together, there are other places, with far less cases and less restrictions. If you want to ruin any chance of a "high season"...... surely that isn't pat of "The Plan"

[Bob20]

They should set them up outside bars and not serve you until after they swab you there then stay until the result comes back.

Swab hubs with quarantine bars

[Griff1315]

4 minutes ago, Jason said:

If there's one thing the Thai Government need to realise, it's that the rest of the world isn't lining up to come to Thailand with lots of restrictions. But if Thailand can't get it's act together, there are other places, with far less cases and less restrictions. If you want to ruin any chance of a "high season"...... surely that isn't pat of "The Plan"

I sometimes wonder Jason.

Can they really be so incompetent with their plans or is the aim to destroy any chance there is of any number of tourists returning this year... 

[Rip255]

Time to make masks optional. 

[Pi_Tim]

Negative Tests required before boarding, additional test on arrival in case of the previous one was defective, quarantine (what, 24 hours ?) while the results arrive...

Well, the vaccinates tourists will have to be damn motivated !!

And what is happening if a test on arrival is positive ?? 2 weeks quarantines at your own expenses in a 4 stars hotel ??

Looking forward to see the results ....

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Pi_Tim said:

And what is happening if a test on arrival is positive ?? 2 weeks quarantines at your own expenses in a 4 stars hotel ??

The system is unlikely to be any different to all the previous ones, which have always been 14 days quarantine in a private hospital at your / your insurer's expense since hotels have never quarantined anyone testing positive on arrival.

[Stonker]

Difficult to know how it could be more needlessly complicated and involve more people.

Instead of testing on arrival at the airport then transit to a hotel pending test result, or transit direct to the hotel for testing there, you go via a "testing hub" to be tested.

Why?

[JamesE]

4 hours ago, gummy said:

Swab Hubs, now they look like a new potential tourist attractions. 

"No, no, no. You already pay for test. Entry fee ฿50 more. Only ฿10 if Thai. No problem Grand Palace close today. Same-same here."

[JamesE]

1 hour ago, Stonker said:

Difficult to know how it could be more needlessly complicated and involve more people.

Instead of testing on arrival at the airport then transit to a hotel pending test result, or transit direct to the hotel for testing there, you go via a "testing hub" to be tested.

Why?

Spreads the load. 10,000 people a day on Nov 2 will overwhelm the airport's testing station. So spread them out and it will be harder to show the lines of jet-lagged people standing in the rain.

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

Don't forget about the possibility of "guilt by proximity" if someone on your flight tests positive. There is no value in PCR testing on arrival since it can take several days after initial exposure to test positive. Personally, I will not travel anywhere that requires testing on arrival. The unknown of what happens if positive is too much of a risk.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, JamesE said:

Spreads the load. 10,000 people a day on Nov 2 will overwhelm the airport's testing station. So spread them out and it will be harder to show the lines of jet-lagged people standing in the rain.

Ummm ..... make a bigger testing station?

Two stations?

The manpower is clearly there to operate the testing hubs, so all that's needed is the space.

Given the capacity of the airport and the maximum numbers expected, Suvarnabhumi isn't exactly operating at full capacity with all areas fully occupied.

Alternatively, do the testing at the hotels where there's also obviously room.

This isn't exactly complicated, until it's made complicated.

[Stonker]

42 minutes ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

Don't forget about the possibility of "guilt by proximity" if someone on your flight tests positive. There is no value in PCR testing on arrival since it can take several days after initial exposure to test positive. Personally, I will not travel anywhere that requires testing on arrival. The unknown of what happens if positive is too much of a risk.

In that case you're back to quarantine and test after 7 - 14 days .....

and if you test positive you go to hospital, which the insurance covers - there's never been any suggestion that the policy has / would be changed.

[JamesE]

1 hour ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

Don't forget about the possibility of "guilt by proximity" if someone on your flight tests positive.

This, I think, has passed into the realm of myth. Since the very high-profile (and globally reported) occurrences in early July there haven't been any other reports - in media or social media - of it happening. As far as I know only the German woman, the Gang of Twelve, and the family with the kid who tested positive are the only instances.

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

41 minutes ago, JamesE said:

This, I think, has passed into the realm of myth. Since the very high-profile (and globally reported) occurrences in early July there haven't been any other reports - in media or social media - of it happening. As far as I know only the German woman, the Gang of Twelve, and the family with the kid who tested positive are the only instances.

Time plus a substantially higher volume of travelers may prove otherwise. We shall see.

[JamesE]

1 hour ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

Time plus a substantially higher volume of travelers may prove otherwise. We shall see.

They still warn about the possibility but I think the bad press was too much for further enforcement. I hope.

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

9 hours ago, Thaiger said:

As restrictions ease and Thailand attempts a November 1 reopening, Bangkok is hard at work preparing to welcome back international tourism to the city. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says he intends to follow along with official announcements as they are ratified in the Royal Gazette. The capital city is creating so-called swab hubs to be prepared to efficiently test mass numbers of international travellers coming back into Thailand. City Hall officials agree with the governor that the city will follow procedures and restrictions matching those the government officially approves. Things like curfew being shortened or removed will be in line […]

The story Bangkok prepares swab hubs, rules easing for city reopening as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

9 hours ago, Thaiger said:

As restrictions ease and Thailand attempts a November 1 reopening, Bangkok is hard at work preparing to welcome back international tourism to the city. Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang says he intends to follow along with official announcements as they are ratified in the Royal Gazette. The capital city is creating so-called swab hubs to be prepared to efficiently test mass numbers of international travellers coming back into Thailand. City Hall officials agree with the governor that the city will follow procedures and restrictions matching those the government officially approves. Things like curfew being shortened or removed will be in line […]

The story Bangkok prepares swab hubs, rules easing for city reopening as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

Is anyone aware of any other country opening to tourism that is requiring PCR tests upon arrival? Every other modern country is accepting proof of vaccination and negative PCR test prior to arrival. What is that Thailand knows that the US and Singapore don't know?

3 hours ago, JamesE said:

This, I think, has passed into the realm of myth. Since the very high-profile (and globally reported) occurrences in early July there haven't been any other reports - in media or social media - of it happening. As far as I know only the German woman, the Gang of Twelve, and the family with the kid who tested positive are the only instances.

Time plus a substantially higher volume of travelers may prove otherwise. We shall see.

[PapayaBokBok]

Ok So If I fly to CNX with a layover in BKK for a few hrs, do I have to swab and ASQ in BKK or can do in CNX?

[JamesE]

11 minutes ago, PapayaBokBok said:

Ok So If I fly to CNX with a layover in BKK for a few hrs, do I have to swab and ASQ in BKK or can do in CNX?

Nobody knows yet. They're still working on the rules.

EDIT: Not sure but in BKK the Post says: "But City Hall plans to set up swab hubs across the capital to carry out swab tests on foreign visitors. They will then be quarantined at hotels and wait for the result of RT-PCR tests, the spokesman said." (https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2198587/swab-hubs-for-arriving-tourists)

I'm still thinking this is going to be more like the Sandbox than "no quarantine".

Edited October 16, 2021 by JamesE
Extra info.

[Dedinbed]

20 hours ago, Thaiger said:

. The capital city is creating so-called swab hubs

Wish they'd put a cap on using hub all the bleeding time .. they should try those anal swab things then they could call it stick it up your a*se hub ..