Thai company offers travel packages to the US with Covid-19 vaccine included
With the recent wave of Covid-19 hitting record highs and increasing the demand for vaccines, some Thais are looking to get inoculated overseas. There are now tour packages which include a Covid-19 vaccination.
The company Unithai Trip is now advertising trips from Thailand to the United States that include a Covid-19 vaccine. Starting at $2,300 USD, travellers can go on a 10-day organised trip to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. During their trip, travellers would be inoculated with the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine.
A few travellers have already left on their trip. The tour company’s managing director Rachphol Yamsaeng, who also went to the US for a vaccination, says hundreds have been interested, but most who call do not have a US visa.
Many have criticised the Thai government, saying the rollout of vaccinations has been too slow. Since late February, around 780,000 people in Thailand have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Thai government aims to vaccinate 50 million people by the end of the year.
Rachphol says many Thais don’t want to wait any longer for a vaccine. If they can afford to travel and get the vaccine elsewhere, they will, he says. Many travellers who have booked a Covid-19 vaccine trip through Unithai Trip are families.
Prices per person range from $2,300 USD to $3,700 USD depending on the number of people. Rachphol says “We take care of everything from start to finish” including accomodation, transport, and entry fees to attractions.
According to CNA, the US has become a popular destination for Thais who are looking to get inoculated overseas. Many states have administered Covid-19 vaccines to those who do not live in the area including New York City. The city’s government announced the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available to tourists as a “souvenir to bring home with them.”
SOURCE: CNA
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Are the vaccinated still having to quarantine 14 days upon return? What about the COE and 72 he pre-testing? Seems like a HISO shopping dodge more than anything.
“And now ladies and gentlemen you can see on your right the Universal Studios…” ZAC!
California has since day one been vaccinating anyone and everyone regardless of where you come from, residency or citizenship not required. There are also no lines or waiting to receive a vaccine (at least since the last 2-3 weeks). Come on over.
$2300???…10 days???….if legit thats not bad…now the US is doing medical tourism???
You are omitting three important info which are clearly presented in the description package of the unitahi website (why dont you do the required due diligence before publishing an article???):
1) Travellers must have, along with the appropriate visa, a Negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test 72 hrs prior to travel. More importantly, the trip may not be refunded whether the test is positive and it is not possible to travel;
2) the standard quarantine conditions apply upon return to thailand (COE, test ASQ/ALQ, etc.);
3) the vaccination is not 100% guaranteed.
If Thais could experience shame, which they are not capable of, they should feel it now when Thais have to go to a foreign country to be vaccinated.
I am going on a vaccination trip tomorrow to get my second vaccine, fifteen minutes drive from my house and all free.
Oh and if you walk into Tesco you can have a free virus test at any time between 7am and midnight.
I am waiting to go on a much longer trip from the UK to Phuket but it looks like it will stay on the yellow list due to big increase in virus cases and the incredibly slow vaccination rate, it will take a year at this rate.
“ the vaccination is not 100% guaranteed.” – that might be technically true, in reality it’s as close to a lock as you can get. In California right now, they have free walk in no appointment needed vaccinations. The state and country has a surplus of vaccine and plenty of J&J. If you show up tomorrow, you will be vaccinated. No iffs ands or buts.
Might be fun. I could make a few very interesting contacts and be very useful translating Mexican food menus. Oh, but I have to quarantine w/ my new friends upon return? No thanks!
“… why dont you do the required due diligence before publishing an article???”
Oh perleeze … are you serious?
“… Thais have to go to a foreign country to be vaccinated.”
They don’t “have to”, @toby – they can simply wait, like 95% of the world are waiting.
Gloating that “my country’s rich so we’ve bought up five or ten times more vaccines than we need and we’re keeping them because we don’t give a shit about anyone else, so look at us” isn’t any sort of surprise, but that doesn’t make it any less disappointing and unpleasant.
… particularly when it comes from the same people who are the first to complain when the tables are turned and they’re not the priority they think they’re entitled to be, or treated “the same”.
There’s seldom been a better example of the hypocrisy of “what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is ours” than some of the comments here – reflecting their countries’ attitudes, unfortunately.
@Simon Small –
Sending vaccines to Thailand would be a waste anyway due to the selfish attitude of its citizens.
Some like you want to wait for a ‘better’ vaccine as you have admitted in the past, in the mean time the virus numbers grow.
The majority of Thais are refusing to register for a vaccine as has been seen in the Thai news, people have to be offered gifts to register.
As I have stated before the two health workers I know in Thailand said it is very difficult to get people to register for the vaccine.
So yes we will gloat, we will gloat over the fact most of us volunteered to take the vaccine in places like the UK, you will continue to have a problem with that.
Ahh Karma, gotta love her.
Grab a napkin, you’ve some egg on your face. Crow Pad Thai, anyone?
Can’t blame the Thai people for avoidance of the Chinese vaccine……any country that has a record of deception like the CCP is hard to trust.