News Forum - Thailand Omicron update: More than 500 cases, many Test & Go travellers

[TimL]

How can you get tested within three days before you leave your country and be negative and then be positive when you get to a Thailand arrival airport. 

[JamesR]

8 minutes ago, Freeduhdumb said:

Test more people, get more "cases," test less people, get less "cases." Is that cave man enough? Ok, let's call that the KISS method. Lol. Common Sense... doesn't require a degree in epidemiology. 

I agree with your comment of course re the Philippines which allows people to go around without masks due to the low cases detected which is due to very little testing. 

I use the method which is probably used in the Philippines when it comes to the virus and I have adapted it,  I do not look at my back garden and so can assume the grass is not growing, the trees do not need trimming as I have not looked at them.

[Freeduhdumb]

9 minutes ago, JamesR said:

I agree with your comment of course re the Philippines which allows people to go around without masks due to the low cases detected which is due to very little testing. 

I use the method which is probably used in the Philippines when it comes to the virus and I have adapted it,  I do not look at my back garden and so can assume the grass is not growing, the trees do not need trimming as I have not looked at them.

Define a "case" for me please. What is your understanding, your definition of a "case?"

[Freeduhdumb]

14 minutes ago, TimL said:

How can you get tested within three days before you leave your country and be negative and then be positive when you get to a Thailand arrival airport. 

Read the test disclosure... This is for PCR but still generally applies to all testing. 

[TimL]

Not sure if you are responding to my comment but I'm not addressing the number of new cases. My issue is If these countries letting people fly to Thailand are being diligent with testing three days prior to departure, how are there so many positive cases arriving in Thailand? Okay I'll give you a small few will catch Covid in the three day period after their 72 hour test prior to travel, but so many foreigners are arriving positive! Time to take a HARD look at what these countries sending positive Covid cases to Thailand are doing!!!!!! I think if other countries want to stop putting positive Covid cases on airplanes and infecting Thailand, test one day prior to travel. There are 24 hour results tests. If a country has sent positive Covid cases to Thailand, put them on a restricted test of one day prior to departure, not 3 days, or rule that any country that has sent positive Covid cases to Thailand is cut off from entering Thailand until they can prove their test methods are adequate.

[TimL]

Yes I have seen that but the numbers don't add up and if the Covid test is so "iffy". Every country has to make a choice and share knowledge. Thailand is going crazy over the Omicron variant, but US has already turned the volume down on that because it is such a mild version. One death so far from Omicron in US. An obese guy with heart condition. US already knows that the Omicron variant is not a reason to shut everything down again. I think most people would agree staving to death is much worse than catching Covid, any variant. It's here to stay thanks to the Chinese and we just have to protect ourselves, learn to live with and stop the overreacting and destroying economies. 

[TimL]

If you read the PCR disclaimer, I myself have to laugh every time I see that. It basically says don't rely on them 100%. This is just a disclaimer, false results should be very uncommon, as you said it is the same for all viruses. That still does not cover the large number of positive Covid cases arriving in Thailand from other countries.   

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

2 hours ago, samiam123 said:

I can't understand why anyone is still talking about # of cases.  It is becoming almost as meaningless as talking about how many people got the flu this week. 

The ONLY number that matters is the # of hospitalizations.  The media rarely puts that number their headlines because it's not as big and scary as the # of cases.  Also, I believe the vast majority of hospitalizations in the US are still Delta and the vast majority of those people are unvaxxed.  Like 80-90% of the people in hospitals are unvaxxed.  Of the ones that are vaxxed, they usually have pre-existing conditions.

Correct! And the new number that will not be reported with Omicron is how many of the hospitalizations are second time patients.

[kmc]

What's the difference between 500 cases of omicron and 500,000 cases of omicron?

Are we to presume that increased cases means increased death (despite the vax, and despite the decreased morbidity of omicron)

And again I say, the only virus to fear...is the media!

[Canadianonthego]

7 hours ago, samiam123 said:

That is exactly what this is.  Everyone is scared to say it's mild and not causing mass hospitalizations because nobody wants to discourage people from getting vaccinations or boosters.  So everyone is fearmongering spreading misleading info about it now trying to keep people scared.  

I don't think boosters do much.  The latest studies suggest they only give you a few more weeks of extra protection from omicron.  Two jabs seems to be enough to keep the vast majority out of the hospital and that's all that matters.

 

 Just for you ....suggest you all watch this video if you have doubts about how effective the booster dose is an also compared to natural immunity ....... better yet watch his video and learn alot 

 

[Canadianonthego]

and here is the comparison of vaccine does inc booster to natural immunity 

 

 

[ThaiPhilExpat]

5 hours ago, ace035 said:

The reason is they are not allowing any farangs from anywhere and only allowing former Filipinos( naturalized U.S citizen like me) & any "Balikbayans" 

Not correct.

Foreigners who has filipina spouse, or is a parents to a child in the Philippines, is allowed to travel there.

Per 16 December 2021

www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration

 

Foreigners not allowed in? Per 27 december:

https://m.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration

Edited December 29, 2021 by ThaiPhilExpat
Added link

[stevenkongju]

So much doom and gloom. I flew into Thailand from South Korea on December 23. Negative pre- and post-flight covid tests. Arrived at 2:45 pm and was allowed to leave my quarantine hotel at 10:30pm the same day. They gave me a home test for free and told me to email the result a week later. Now in my condo with my Thai wife in Pattaya. Most bars and restaurants open in town, at least the ones that didn't go out of business. Tonight, we will head to an outdoor place to watch Thailand vs. Indonesia in the Suzuki Cup Final. Both of us fully vaxxed and I had my booster two weeks ago. We generally keep masked up as a precaution and so I don't contribute to the "farangs are irresponsible" thoughts of some Thais.

 

Would I have come to Thailand if my wife wasn't already here? Probably not, but now I am glad I did. Next, in the middle of January, I'll be flying to the U.S. to see other family for the first time in three years. I suppose I may pick up omicron there. 

 

Good luck all.

[Marc26]

6 minutes ago, stevenkongju said:

So much doom and gloom. I flew into Thailand from South Korea on December 23. Negative pre- and post-flight covid tests. Arrived at 2:45 pm and was allowed to leave my quarantine hotel at 10:30pm the same day. They gave me a home test for free and told me to email the result a week later. Now in my condo with my Thai wife in Pattaya. Most bars and restaurants open in town, at least the ones that didn't go out of business. Tonight, we will head to an outdoor place to watch Thailand vs. Indonesia in the Suzuki Cup Final. Both of us fully vaxxed and I had my booster two weeks ago. We generally keep masked up as a precaution and so I don't contribute to the "farangs are irresponsible" thoughts of some Thais.

Would I have come to Thailand if my wife wasn't already here? Probably not, but now I am glad I did. Next, in the middle of January, I'll be flying to the U.S. to see other family for the first time in three years. I suppose I may pick up omicron there. 

Good luck all.

Well you will soon learn Americans don't give a fcuk about Covid!

 

Even your most liberal, non-Fox news watching family and friends will be much less careful about covid than most in South Korea or Thailand!

 

No real restrictions or requirements 

[Canadianonthego]

13 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Well you will soon learn Americans don't give a fcuk about Covid!

Even your most liberal, non-Fox news watching family and friends will be much less careful about covid than most in South Korea or Thailand!

No real restrictions or requirements 

 Yes..... Americans tend to feel their own freedom is the only thing that matters . We in Canada really get tired of hearing the BS spew out of their uneducated mouths . Loud , obnoxius , ignorant are some key words that describe alot of Americans . By far the Trump supporters are the biggest pain in the butt , just the shear level of trailer park they display is crazy but makes for great entertainment for the of the world 

[mcambl61]

24 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Well you will soon learn Americans don't give a fcuk about Covid!

Even your most liberal, non-Fox news watching family and friends will be much less careful about covid than most in South Korea or Thailand!

No real restrictions or requirements 

As there should not be any more restrictions. We know the at risk groups. 

 

Open everything and stop destroying people's lives and businesses 

[Joeweb]

It spreads like the common cold. I am sure there are thousands already infected but the ones that are confirmed are mostly foreigners or people being forced to take the test. Most of the cases are asymptomatic. They need to just accept this variant as a part of life and move on. No more quarantines, self isolate until you feel better

[stevenkongju]

14 minutes ago, Canadianonthego said:

Americans tend to feel their own freedom is the only thing that matters . We in Canada really get tired of hearing the BS spew out of their uneducated mouths . Loud , obnoxius , ignorant are some key words that describe alot of Americans .

So good to see a Canadian who doesn't live up to the "nice and polite" stereotype. Sounds like "loud, obnoxious, ignorant" doesn't only describe a lot ("alot" isn't a word) of Americans. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by stevenkongju
spelling

[beachwalker]

11 hours ago, MrNovax said:

Of those 367 id be curious how many were from vax'd and how many from unvax'd.  The reference the test and go which would imply a fair number of these are vaccinated people.  It would be interesting to know how many travelers total came in during that time frame.  lots of key data interestingly missing from this article.  

Please see my previous post I am triple Pfizer vaccinated and caught Covid beginning of December very mild,now even with a negative departure and an NHS covid recovered pass they are holding me in the test and go hotel to check an in conclusive pcr on arrival result.

[nobusinessofurs]

12 hours ago, TV7 said:

I read in an (serious) article that this virus is seven times more contagious than the Delta and gives three times less severe symptoms than Delta. Also, two vaccines won’t do much protection, and a booster is necessary. Too make a long story short, that doesn’t look good. If with Delta 1 in 100 would end up in the hospital, now 1 in 300 would. But it’s the number 700 comparing to Delta (7 times more contagious) that will put 2,1 person into the hospital. So, the healthcare system will be under more pressure, even if it’s less fatal. Let’s hope that this new virus will be start of the end of covid and it will turn into a flu kind of illness.

Already is the flu 

[mcambl61]

45 minutes ago, Canadianonthego said:

 Yes..... Americans tend to feel their own freedom is the only thing that matters . We in Canada really get tired of hearing the BS spew out of their uneducated mouths . Loud , obnoxius , ignorant are some key words that describe alot of Americans . By far the Trump supporters are the biggest pain in the butt , just the shear level of trailer park they display is crazy but makes for great entertainment for the of the world 

What a load of drivel. 

 

Spoken like a true leftist. 

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, mcambl61 said:

As there should not be any more restrictions. We know the at risk groups. 

Open everything and stop destroying people's lives and businesses 

I live in Vancouver 

We have had mask requirements in all indoors 

We have quarantine passports

 

We have had some of the lowest covid #xs consistently throughout this pandemic

 

And I guarantee to you, that our lives here have been much less interrupted than places where they have bitched and whined

 

You can have sensible measures without lockdowns

 

But some places and people want to whine

[mcambl61]

3 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I live in Vancouver 

We have had mask requirements in all indoors 

We have quarantine passports

We have had some of the lowest covid #xs consistently throughout this pandemic

And I guarantee to you, that our lives here have been much less interrupted than places where they have bitched and whined

You can have sensible measures without lockdowns

But some places and people want to whine

Whine? 

 

Aside from the virtue signaling you just spewed, the fact is irrefutable that there will never be a time of zero covid. 

 

We know who is most at risk. We know that group should be vaccinated. 

 

End of the story, end of the ridiculous overreaction and fear mongering nonsense, end of the ineffective mask wearing mandates, end of the destructive measures, period. 

 

Get over it and deal with the realities, if you are able to. 

[MikeHunt]

2 hours ago, Canadianonthego said:

 Yes..... Americans tend to feel their own freedom is the only thing that matters . We in Canada really get tired of hearing the BS spew out of their uneducated mouths . Loud , obnoxius , ignorant are some key words that describe alot of Americans . By far the Trump supporters are the biggest pain in the butt , just the shear level of trailer park they display is crazy but makes for great entertainment for the of the world 

Canada is nothing but the hat of the USA.   No one cares about Canada.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, mcambl61 said:

Whine? 

Aside from the virtue signaling you just spewed, the fact is irrefutable that there will never be a time of zero covid. 

We know who is most at risk. We know that group should be vaccinated. 

End of the story, end of the ridiculous overreaction and fear mongering nonsense, end of the ineffective mask wearing mandates, end of the destructive measures, period. 

Get over it and deal with the realities, if you are able to. 

I agree with you that we have to live with it

 

But being ignorant about masks(and whining about them) as well as vaccines (not accusing you of that) will only prolong it

 

Hey, like I said

I guarantee you that where I live has had a hell of lot more freedom through all this by following a few simple measures than where all the morons whining and yelling about "their freedoms " live