News Forum - PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says PCR tests will remain a requirement for foreign arrivals

[Thaiger]

Thailand will continue using the RT-PCR method to screen arrivals for Covid-19 as a preventative measure to keep the Omicron variant from reaching Thai soil. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced today that the Cabinet decided to reverse the CCSA’s decision to change the testing method to the faster, yet less reliable ATK method. The Thai government says the order on PCR tests for arrivals will soon be published in the Royal Gazette. On Friday, the CCSA had decided to change the testing method for vaccinated travellers from 63 approved countries entering under the Test & Go quarantine exemption scheme. The change […]

The story PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says PCR tests will remain a requirement for foreign arrivals as seen on Thaiger News.

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[mickkotlarski]

Now why I am I not surprised?

[ThaiEyes]

Yeah the Thai Cabinet, AKA the PM flexing again

[Chatogaster]

 

Makes sense. 

Infected arrivals are likely to have been infected recently (and before the onset of symptoms). Of those, 30-50% could be expected to slip through the vetting by ATK's. Apparently (and understandably) that was deemed to be an acceptable risk, based on the variants known at the time. Now that an unknown and seemingly very different variant has just popped up, it makes sense to wait a while to gather additional information and then to reevaluate that risk.

 

[TheDirtyDurian]

Arriving on the 17th. Thought I was going to get away without the one night. But no Biggie. To be expected. A litre of DF will help.

[Rain]

1 hour ago, mickkotlarski said:

Now why I am I not surprised?

Reasonable. 

After all, it's all about squeezing as much profit as possible. 

[King Cotton]

22 minutes ago, Chatogaster said:

Makes sense. 

Infected arrivals are likely to have been infected recently (and before the onset of symptoms). Of those, 30-50% could be expected to slip through the vetting by ATK's. Apparently (and understandably) that was deemed to be an acceptable risk, based on the variants known at the time. Now that an unknown and seemingly very different variant has just popped up, it makes sense to wait a while to gather additional information and then to reevaluate that risk.

Fair comment, @Chatogaster, and your debut post, too . . . welcome to Thaiger Talk!

[Jason]

Rapid antigen on arrival was a sweet surprise, but it was a mirage after all. Who would've banked on Omicron..... oh...hang on...if I shuffle the letters if Omicron, it spells MORONIC...... yep that's the world's response to it

[mickkotlarski]

38 minutes ago, Chatogaster said:

Makes sense. 

Infected arrivals are likely to have been infected recently (and before the onset of symptoms). Of those, 30-50% could be expected to slip through the vetting by ATK's. Apparently (and understandably) that was deemed to be an acceptable risk, based on the variants known at the time. Now that an unknown and seemingly very different variant has just popped up, it makes sense to wait a while to gather additional information and then to reevaluate that risk.

Sound logic. I'm surprised that the authorities gave ATK's serious thought.

[tsh]

On one hand, this is good news. This is an acceptable stopgap between ATK and outright closure, which I think no one wants.

On the other hand, PCR tests are notoriously over-sensitive. They can detect viral particles for weeks or even months after infection, even if the person is not infectious anymore. I hope Thailand doesn't set the "cycle count" on their tests too high.

[BangkokBen]

Changing the requirements once again.  Good bye 2021-22 high season and good bye Thai tourist industry.

[Fluke]

And people who test positive to those tests are sent to a hospital and with a bill of 250 000 Baht + for a 14 day stay in quarantine 

[mickkotlarski]

1 minute ago, Fluke said:

And people who test positive to those tests are sent to a hospital and with a bill of 250 000 Baht + for a 14 day stay in quarantine 

That's where the insurance is piece of mind. So medical services don't get a pound of flesh. 

[Rain]

3 hours ago, Jason said:

Rapid antigen on arrival was a sweet surprise, but it was a mirage after all. Who would've banked on Omicron..... oh...hang on...if I shuffle the letters if Omicron, it spells MORONIC...... yep that's the world's response to it

Yeah. I had a deep hunch that this revised policy was to good to be true. 

Expected.

As the entry programs have been wishy-washy and unstable for quite some time......even the original COE/14-day quarantine was changing/modifying every week. The TP policies were created/organized badly from the get go and continue to stumble back-n-forth. 

[Pete424]

3 hours ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

Arriving on the 17th. Thought I was going to get away without the one night. But no Biggie. To be expected. A litre of DF will help.

I got my PCR result after 7 hrs. 

Choose your hotel wisely, less travel time means you can get tested earlier, result faster.

Check with your hotel, mine stated around 12 hrs, hospital stated 6-8 hrs, negative result in 7 hrs from swab. Tested 2 pm released 9pm.

[Pete424]

17 minutes ago, Fluke said:

And people who test positive to those tests are sent to a hospital and with a bill of 250 000 Baht + for a 14 day stay in quarantine 

Clearly you dont understand the criteria for entry.

Health insurance cover up yo $50,000 listing Covid specifically. You dont get in without it. Foreign or Thai insurance is good.

No health care bills for the paltry dum of $100

[Guest1]

1 hour ago, mickkotlarski said:

That's where the insurance is piece of mind. So medical services don't get a pound of flesh. 

Nope, the insurance is not paying, just b/c someone is testet positive and the authorities say you have to stay in a hospital.

No symtoms, no medical need for a hospital bed: no payment of insurances 

You would need an special and more expensive insurance, which would cover unreasonable hospitalisation. But: if people would get them, my guess is that that would be the starting signal for higher positive tested numbers,  on arrival:

Medical hub!

 

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by Guest1

[mickkotlarski]

3 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

Nope, the insurance is not paying, just b/c someone is testet positive and the authorities say you have to stay in a hospital.

No symtoms, no medical need for a hospital bed: no payment of insurances 

You would need an special and more expensive insurance, which would cover unreasonable hospitalisation. But: if people would get them, my guess is that that would be the starting signal for higher positive tested numbers,  on arrival:

Medical hub!

Yes. Something to be aware of.

[Marc26]

17 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

Nope, the insurance is not paying, just b/c someone is testet positive and the authorities say you have to stay in a hospital.

No symtoms, no medical need for a hospital bed: no payment of insurances 

You would need an special and more expensive insurance, which would cover unreasonable hospitalisation. But: if people would get them, my guess is that that would be the starting signal for higher positive tested numbers,  on arrival:

Medical hub!

Of course you are wrong

But why bother to actually do research on what you are replying to, better to have a moan and bitch about it than actually be right, hey?

 

 

 If I’m tested positive for COVID-19 but I don’t have any symptom. Will AXA pay for the medical expense?

Yes, AXA will cover for the medical expense incurred based on medical necessity if you’re tested positive for COVID-19 regardless of the showing of symptoms.

Q: What does Medical Necessity mean?

A: It means medical treatment which meets the following conditions:

(1) in accordance with the diagnosis and treatment for such illness or injury of the patient;

(2) in accordance with medical indication of current medical standard;

(3) not primarily for the convenience of the patient or his/her family or treatment provider solely; and

(4) in accordance with the suitable standard of patient care based on the necessity of injury or sickness of patient

In the determination of Medical Necessity, AXA also follows the guideline published by the Ministry of Public Health.

The display of symptoms is not the only indicator used by AXA in the determination of Medical Necessity. If the medical expense incurred is medically necessary, then AXA will cover even if there is no symptoms. Similarly, a COVID19 test result is not the only indicator used by AXA in the determination of Medical Necessity. If the medical expense incurred is medically necessary, then AXA will cover even if the first COVID19 test result is later determined as a false positive.

 

 

[Rangers]

This will probably change again before Christmas, once the media stops being hysterical over this new variant. 

[Marc26]

2 minutes ago, Rangers said:

This will probably change again before Christmas, once the media stops being hysterical over this new variant. 

I agree

 

My nephew getting married in US in 2 weeks, my sister worried my wife may not be able to enter US

 

She's never been banned from US because she's married to an American

So very doubtful they impose even worse restrictions than last year......

[Poolie]

4 minutes ago, Rangers said:

This will probably change again before Christmas, once the media stops being hysterical over this new variant. 

Media stop being hysterical?

In your and my dreams.......

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Marc26 said:

Of course you are wrong

But why bother to actually do research on what you are replying to, better to have a moan and bitch about it than actually be right, hey?

 If I’m tested positive for COVID-19 but I don’t have any symptom. Will AXA pay for the medical expense?

Yes, AXA will cover for the medical expense incurred based on medical necessity if you’re tested positive for COVID-19 regardless of the showing of symptoms.

Q: What does Medical Necessity mean?

A: It means medical treatment which meets the following conditions:

(1) in accordance with the diagnosis and treatment for such illness or injury of the patient;

(2) in accordance with medical indication of current medical standard;

(3) not primarily for the convenience of the patient or his/her family or treatment provider solely; and

(4) in accordance with the suitable standard of patient care based on the necessity of injury or sickness of patient

In the determination of Medical Necessity, AXA also follows the guideline published by the Ministry of Public Health.

The display of symptoms is not the only indicator used by AXA in the determination of Medical Necessity. If the medical expense incurred is medically necessary, then AXA will cover even if there is no symptoms. Similarly, a COVID19 test result is not the only indicator used by AXA in the determination of Medical Necessity. If the medical expense incurred is medically necessary, then AXA will cover even if the first COVID19 test result is later determined as a false positive.

Exactly, @Marc26. It's been covered so many times that the insurance covers this, but some still keep coming out with the same comments.

[Freeduhdumb]

Will there be an end to the ever shifting policies?

The current reality is and has been if you're in any position to be managing health policy you would know that the “variants of concern” and “variants of interest” is and have been a prominent feature of the invisible malady we call Covid. There is no end to this? Even to the casual observer one understands that we have been told to expect differing levels of mutagenesis.

Until we all stop hyperventilating and retract this extraneous global reaction, recover from our spasms and regain our rational thinking, there will be constant vacillation, confusion and chaos.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/covid-19-variants-what-happens-when-we-finish-the-greek-alphabet/

https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants/

[CharlesW]

I’m not the least worried about this new virus,according to SA doctors the symptoms are very mild. Ridiculous to

tell Thai people not to panic, it’ll only make the poor timid, superstitious little dears even more scared than they normally are. I personally know of two stupid old Thai women who haven’t left home since last March !