How hard is it to get a covid test in Thailand?

[dananderson]

Thailand says it has the ability to run 20 thousand tests a day.  By all accounts the total amount of tests administered is between 25-70K.  Roughly 0.1% of the total population. or less.   In the early stages of the outbreak here in the states it was next to impossible to get tested.  It was a real "catch-22' with doctors not wanting to see sick patients in their office's.  Criteria (have you been in contact?) had to be met so as to preserve tests.  Patients were told to wait it out, have flu tests run first etc-all wasting valuable time.  What is the process like in Thailand?

[EricTh]

If someone is hospitalised and having COVID symptoms, he will be subjected to the test by the hospital.

 

All his contacts history during the past 14 days will be traced and might be subjected to COVID test if the patient tested positive.

 

They will look for you, I don't think you have to look for them.

Edited April 7, 2020 by EricTh

[canuckamuck]

Yet the government expects foreigners to have proof of being COVID negative before granting entry (plus other requirements). People without COVID can't get tested just to get a form filled out.

[dananderson]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

If someone is hospitalised and having COVID symptoms, he will be subjected to the test by the hospital.

 

All his contacts history during the past 14 days will be traced and might be subjected to COVID test if the patient tested positive.

 

They will look for you, I don't think you have to look for them.

Prior to being hospitalized how hard is it for those who are sick with flu-like symptoms to get tested?    

[EricTh]

12 hours ago, dananderson said:

Prior to being hospitalized how hard is it for those who are sick with flu-like symptoms to get tested?    

If you have fever and dry cough, then it's easier to get tested.

 

Note that wet cough is different from dry cough. Wet cough with mucus is usually caused by bacterial infection on sore throat. They don't cause fever. I suggest you buy a strong antibiotic first, see if that clears the problem.

 

But if you don't have the symptoms, I doubt they will test on you because there is a lack of testing kits now just like masks, they are only reserved for people who really need the test and not just any Tom, Dick and Harry.

 

Just found this.

 

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by EricTh

[ThomasThBKK]

Private hospitals test you if you pay, at least that's our experience (samitivej), took 24hours to get results.

 

I would go to a private hospital, reason being is that the hospital where you make the covid test has to take you in in case you are positive, and i wouldn't want to be for weeks in the gov run hospitals here. 

[jojothai]

1 hour ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 the hospital where you make the covid test has to take you in in case you are positive

I do not recall having seen that stated anywhere. 

Can you please provide info where it is stated?

[jojothai]

16 hours ago, dananderson said:

Prior to being hospitalized how hard is it for those who are sick with flu-like symptoms to get tested?    

I think the OP is asking for actual experiences.

In theory there are a number of hospitals that are doing tests.

But what conditions apply?

[Boomer6969]

2 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

and i wouldn't want to be for weeks in the gov run hospitals here. 

That's what I keep telling my wife. 48 hours in a shared ward without air-conditioning and I'll be dead, COVID or not. 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Boomer6969

[ThomasThBKK]

27 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

That's what I keep telling my wife. 48 hours in a shared ward without air-conditioning and I'll be dead, COVID or not. 

 

It's even free of charge, the private hospitals have to treat her/you if you are infected. So really no point in doing the tests at public hospitals except for saving a bunch of money the tests costs (and well, some of them are actually pretty good like Chula). 

 

https://www.khaosod.co.th/khaosod-english/news_3908859

 

43 minutes ago, jojothai said:

I do not recall having seen that stated anywhere. 

Can you please provide info where it is stated?

 

Personal experience from someone in our condo, they just quarantined him in hospital, no way to go around hospital shopping.

[natway09]

As I said this morning to a girl who was going to a hospitak to get a paper to travel home

the most dangerous place right now woud be a hospital.

14 days in isolation,,,, good chance you are virus free so just stay that way by remaing in semi quarantine.

Why would you get a test anyway ? get one...all clear & then catch it from someone on the train

on the way home

[justin case]

hospitals are the worst place to be and to get an infection from somebody else

[PaoloR]

Krabi is sending all patients with Covid symptoms to their main hospital in Krabi town. Both private hospitals locally are refusing patients with symptoms, or who require a test and re-directing them to the Authorised Government hospital.

That may only apply in this region.

[Max69xl]

21 hours ago, dananderson said:

Prior to being hospitalized how hard is it for those who are sick with flu-like symptoms to get tested?    

Several hospitals offers coronavirus tests,both government and private. But it's not free. The price starts from about 5-6k to maybe the double depending on hospital and location.

[zaZa9]

Siriroj Hospital ( Formally International - a well run and clean , modern  Hospital ) in Phuket do the tests.

The cost is 8,000 baht.

[ThomasThBKK]

6 hours ago, justin case said:

hospitals are the worst place to be and to get an infection from somebody else

 

At Samitivej, testing facilities are outside of the hospital in parking lot, you have zero contact with other patients - it's pretty much a walk through service.

Nurse takes a nasal swap, takes 1 minute, you give them your contact info and get a call next day, done, not much risk if you don't have to use public transport to go there. 

 

Only if u want to see a doctor you have to go inside.

[offset]

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

Several hospitals offers coronavirus tests,both government and private. But it's not free. The price starts from about 5-6k to maybe the double depending on hospital and location.

Hua Hin government hospital now quoting 3500-5000 for test

[5633572526]

Piyavate hospital in bkk has drive through testing for 6500 baht.

results in 2 days. No symptoms required.