Anyone gotten a required Covid test to LEAVE Thailand?

[wasabi]

My wife and I are considering returning to the USA next month. The US like many countries currently requires a Covid test within 3 days of departure. Has anyone done this? Do you know which places and test types the airlines accept?

 

Though I think we have both already had Covid; I'm not sure what I'd do in the unlikely event one of us tested positive. Could I get an airline ticket refund? I wonder when/ if this requirement to have a test before boarding will be dropped.

[Phillip9]

There are dozens of places to get these tests in bangkok.  I used this place about a month ago.  You can book online and they provide results in 24hr.  Their prices are reasonable for Thailand.  

 

https://www.thaitravelclinic.com

 

Personally, I think preflight tests will become the norm for several years because countries are worried about new variants, but I hope I'm wrong.

 

You will have to ask the airline about the refund, every airline and ticket class is different.

[Aomelia]

Japan Airlines is having Great Deal , biggest seats in economy 800 bucks RT to SFO and back , Free Changes  to Flights , Also 

[DFPhuket]

Qatar Airways tickets purchased by the end of April are fully refundable and changeable with no fees if you fly by the end of 2021. I made a reservation earlier, cancelled when the price dropped, and had the money refunded to my credit card in 5 days. I then booked a new flight and have now changed it to leave Thailand earlier. 

 

I'm getting my Covid test at https://www.medconsultasia.com/. The cost is 2600 Baht. If you take the test before 10 AM you get the result later that afternoon. A test after 10 AM is returned the next morning. 

[PumpkinEater]

Koh Samui Bangkok Hospital 3500 THB

Test before 10, results same day late..

 

Cheers

 

[CMBob]

Check the US CDC website and it'll tell you what tests are required.  The antigen (quick one) test is allowed....and results ought to be available within hours.

As to when they'll stop requiring the tests to enter the US, not likely for a very long time.

 

Have no idea about air ticket refund policies.  

 

[wasabi]

Appreciate the replies.

[foreverlomsak]

7 hours ago, Aomelia said:

Japan Airlines is having Great Deal , biggest seats in economy 800 bucks RT to SFO and back , Free Changes  to Flights , Also 

SFO I understand to be San Francisco but where does RT refer to as it is not in IATA airport code. All codes are 3 digits, and if it's not in Thailand, what's the relevance to the original post.

[foreverlomsak]

On 4/12/2021 at 5:43 PM, Phillip9 said:

There are dozens of places to get these tests in bangkok.

My friends (3) used a place called Doctor Donna's, did the test in the morning got the answers back early evening.

[Phillip9]

14 minutes ago, CMBob said:

Check the US CDC website and it'll tell you what tests are required.  The antigen (quick one) test is allowed....and results ought to be available within hours.

 

You will also have to double check with the airline.  Some transit countries will require a pcr test even if your destination country will accept an antigen test.

 

 

[Billpro785]

Flew back to the US 2 weeks ago, used the local hospital in Kanchanaburi, and my test results back in less then 24 hours. Cost was about 3000 Baht. 

[wasabi]

8 hours ago, Billpro785 said:

Flew back to the US 2 weeks ago, used the local hospital in Kanchanaburi, and my test results back in less then 24 hours. Cost was about 3000 Baht. 

 

Did you get the rapid antigen Covid test, or the slower PCR one? Which airline did you fly?

[Kurtf]

12 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

SFO I understand to be San Francisco but where does RT refer to as it is not in IATA airport code. All codes are 3 digits, and if it's not in Thailand, what's the relevance to the original post.

RT means return. Duh.

[Aomelia]

12 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

SFO I understand to be San Francisco but where does RT refer to as it is not in IATA airport code. All codes are 3 digits, and if it's not in Thailand, what's the relevance to the original post.

RT is around trip 

[foreverlomsak]

2 hours ago, Kurtf said:

RT means return. Duh.

too many abbreviations for my poor brain to handle

[AnnieSeek]

Any updates OR further places in Bangkok ?

[Patong2021]

Be warned that the testing requirement of an airline can be different than the testing requirement of the destination country. Each country has its own requirements for certificate format.   There is no consistency or guaranteed common format. VERIFY with airline and  destination country  before departure. My friend have this problem and it took many headache and days to sort out bureaucracy.

 

Many countries have strict test requirements  For example Japan  requirement is found here:    https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2020/inter/201227/?inbound=ar

It is somewhat different than USA requirement.  https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/Global-Airline-Testing-Order-RPWSigned-Encrypted-p.pdf

USA CDC Explanation;

What types of SARS-CoV-2 test are acceptable under the USA Order?

Passengers must be tested with a viral test that could be either an antigen test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Examples of available NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 include but are not restricted to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), nicking enzyme amplification reaction (NEAR), and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The test used must be authorized for use by the relevant national authority for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the country where the test is administered. A viral test conducted for U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) personnel, including DOD contractors, dependents, and other U.S. government employees, and tested by a DOD laboratory located in a foreign country also meets the requirements of the Order.

 

Japan has test certificate format   https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page25e_000334.html

 

Two reminders:

1. Previous infection with Covid19 does not necessarily give protection against reinfection because;

i. variants  can reinfect

ii. Antibodies from previous infection may not be present 

 

Some countries are more likely to have greater exposure to variants because they service high risk zones.  IMO The Gulf state airline hubs are a high risk because they have high risk countries serviced.  Traveling international when unvaccinated is considered a high risk  activity.

 

[trevoromgh]

On 4/13/2021 at 9:38 AM, DFPhuket said:

Qatar Airways tickets purchased by the end of April are fully refundable and changeable with no fees if you fly by the end of 2021. I made a reservation earlier, cancelled when the price dropped, and had the money refunded to my credit card in 5 days. I then booked a new flight and have now changed it to leave Thailand earlier. 

 

I'm getting my Covid test at https://www.medconsultasia.com/. The cost is 2600 Baht. If you take the test before 10 AM you get the result later that afternoon. A test after 10 AM is returned the next morning. 

I presume you are not returning to the UK?   Qatar (even as a transit stop) is on the RED list of countries at the moment and would require UK citizens to stay 10 days in a special quarantine hotel and non-UK visitors from that country are not allowed to enter.

[DFPhuket]

2 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

I presume you are not returning to the UK? 

The original poster inquired about returning to the US. That's what I'm doing as well. 

[wasabi]

8 minutes ago, DFPhuket said:

 

The original poster inquired about returning to the US. That's what I'm doing as well. 

 

Correct I am returning to the US however it is enlightening to know where I transit could make a difference.

[AnnieSeek]

Basically most countries require a PCR test. 

 

So i've contacted a few companies getting quotes around 2700-3000 Baht for a test. Same day results i believe - although i went past one today and the queue outside was pretty big.

 

Anyone know of any mobile places, where i could do the test myself like in the UK?