To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us a lot of inconvenience is perhaps the greatest underestimation: with more than 29 million cases shown in 215 countries, Totaling around 950,000 deaths, according to the latest Figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) as of September 18, 2020, the pandemic has replaced our lives by affecting our work and relationships. With foreign borders still stagnant and refusing cautiously, we can all agree that this is not the most productive time for Array. But what if he probably has to fly out of the city, will the city witness a life-changing moment?Ask Kane Ong, a long-standing Singaporean father who assembles his newborn.
Read also: Singapore, Thailand push greenway negotiations
The 39-year-old man met his wife Nattida, 34, in 2012, when they were on the same flight to London. After 4 years of meeting and getting to know each other better, the couple are married and satisfied for 4 years – with more clever news to come!
The two were expecting their first child, Kleiner, in September this year, but there is one problem: Nattida, who is Thai, was founded in Chiang Mai before flights were blocked and borders were closed with the spread of COVID-19, a wonderful impediment. for Kane, who in Singapore and desperate to meet his wife and newborn son.
Anyone who has learned that he will be a father will be filled with joy and emotion. For Kane, it was happiness and concern in one, knowing that his wife and newborn were 2,500 kilometers away at the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
He wasted no time booking the first flight to Chiang Mai, but since there were no direct flights from Singapore, he first had to transit through Bangkok. Kane also had to apply to the Embassy of Thailand for a special permit to travel to Thailand.
The government, of course, was very attentive and agitated during this period, so the application procedure proved to be a challenge for him. “Getting the documents filed was the biggest problem,” Kane said. “To begin with, the interface of the Thailand Embassy’s online page was Information on the application procedure was also constantly evolving, such as the bureaucracy of the application to be used, the flights that were had to be chartered and whether the list of hotels chosen in state quarantine (ASQ) was the maximum updated. or not. “
Frustration also reached the point of news when embassy staff told him that the documents he had submitted may not be processed. “They claimed that he had submitted documents, when the data was not well disseminated and readily available,” he said. I heard the news that some travelers had to be rejected 3 days before their flight due to the request for verification of the COVID-19 swab All those factors, as well as almost 3 months of waiting for the relevant government to respond, made the application procedure very distressing for Kane.
Fortunately, all these disorders were valuable because your VISA application was nevertheless accepted, thanks to the Embassy manager for empathizing with a long-term parent and helping speed up the application process. Kane also had to do 4 rounds of swab tests – two in Singapore and two in Thailand.
“After performing all the tests, I can with a little luck complement the quality of singapore’s medical equipment; Significantly impressive swab stick, greater flexibility and less discomfort for users,” Kane said. “From the outside, the procedure might seem rather intimidating, but the genuine feeling can be described as a nose covered with a gentle dew of water. “
We are all accustomed to the worldly view of the airport full of travelers and activities. Naturally, Kane surprised through the quiet and abandoned airport that received him on the day of his departure.
“It was definitely a whole new delight to me, with the whole airport and it’s just for me!There were also no queues at customs or duty-free shops, so it was as if all the amenities of the airport were tailor-made for me,” Kane said.
Despite the lack of travelers, the airport was already open to an essential foreign trip. As a result, Kane had to wear non-public protective devices at all times and strictly comply with individual hygiene practices. Precautionary measures even continued on boarding. where he had to trade his mask for an N95 on an almost empty plane. “It was a strange delight to me, ” added Kane.
This was also emotionally strange for Kane, on the one hand, he was extremely happy to, however, locate his wife, whom he had not noticed for six months, and meet his newborn. There was a mandatory 14-day quarantine era waiting for him in Thailand, which he did not look forward to.
In addition to the inconvenience, Kane’s was also heavy. In addition to the price of his plane ticket to Bangkok and $186 for his covid-19 swab in Singapore, Kane also had to pay S$1500 for his ASQ era in Bangkok and S$800 for COVID insurance. for politics in Thailand.
Despite his ordeal, it was worth it, as Kane controlled to succeed in his wife on time and announce baby Kleiner’s birth on August 30, 2020. La Mom and the Boy are healthy, Baby Kleiner even opened his eyes in an hour. Birth! Kane revealed that it was that special moment of the assembly with his son that motivated him and kept the vacation. Nattida’s tireless help and encouragement also made a difference in helping her succeed over her 40 years.
“She was very involved with my well-being during my 40s, both physically and mentally,” Kane said. “It constantly reminded me to take my nutrients and keep me well hydrated for the rest. “To cheer up, Nattida even ordered some of her favorite drinks and snacks at her hotel.
As with darker moments, the care and help you enjoyed is the ultimate. For this father who gathered his newborn, staying positive was the key. “When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade,” he joked, and never be bound across foreign borders. Remember that reports are meant to make it more powerful and not to rejoice or brag.
Watch Kane’s unforgettable adventure to meet his newborn baby documented entirely on his YouTube channel (Kleiner Ong).
Do you have an engaging story you’d like to share?Click here to find out how you can also be a featured traveler!
Shawn thinks traveling is a state of mind. Whether wandering through Marrakech’s bustling medinas or the morning ritual of making coffee, traveling to it is getting lost in the moment.
Find out more
Find out more