Phuket to make foreigners pay for COVID test, Thais get it for free

[bougnat]

They are doing well because those like me who passed quarantine last November paid 11,000 baht in medical costs, ie two tests at the hotel. Pigeon flies, pigeon flies, until when?

Pigeon flies, pigeon flies....until when ?

 

 

 

 

[vandeventer]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Your still stuck on Retirees here not paying their share.  Many retiree's did work here, many did pay taxes and paid into SS, just because we are a foreigner does not mean that we did not pay taxes here.  Moving to the US, had you not worked or paid taxes and had a visa and then a green card for the US in order to go there and live you would have to pay money into the system in order to obtain your visa/green card just like the retiree's who come here to retire, but if your married to a US Citizen once a Visa is obtained and then the green card you are a permanent resident unlike here.  No comparison.  For those that have spent many years here they can not get a similar treatment by being married to a Thai, or by having worked here.  To make a long story short.  It is in-equality, not well thought out and racist in nature because there are two many variable they are unwilling to look at ergo the 500 ThB charge for testing of all foreigners regardless. 

So who gets the 500 baht? does it go to the government? The hospitals? or in someone's back pocket? Corruption is all around us an a lot are in on the take.

[ThailandRyan]

21 minutes ago, charmonman said:

Applying for citizenship is easier said than done. That said 500 baht is not expensive so I’m not going to get too worked up about it. 

It is not about the 500 baht, and if you can see through that issue then you really have no clue as to how disparate it really is. 

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

You missed the point again.  You are one of only a handful they process.  Not everyone gets that opportunity, some wait many many years and even then are denied.  Show me where that's equal and I will <deleted> off and get off of my high horse.  Many on here have worked, paid Thai Taxes, paid into the SS system and even have Thai health care through their spouses who work for the government, yet because they are a foreigner with no Thai National ID card they will be treated disparately.  Does that make sense to you.

The point was that you saying racist was wrong, you meant xenophobic.

 

I know not 1 person who has been refused citizenship and highly doubt you do, because it just doesn't happen. 

 

[KKr]

4 hours ago, Jimbo53 said:

Any foreigner working in Thailand on a Work Permit will be exempt from this charge,as they pay Social Security every month in their salary.

That is my understanding also.
Nothing unusual.
Also the country where I worked before, people with a Residence Permit and/or Working Permit get Free inoculations. 

[ThailandRyan]

15 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I disagree.

If you pay tax in Thailand, you should have health insurance. 

And yet even if you do have health insurance you are a foreigner and without a Thai National ID card treated unequally.  Again, this is something I have pointed out several times but has been ignored.  Look at it from the outside in and tell me I am wrong.

[Neeranam]

Something I wrote about this topic 15 years ago. Some things have changed.

 

Whilst farang are often charged more than Thais, there are many things that work in our favour. I am let off by traffic police all the time, for example, especially with my little one in the car. I can get discount that Thais wouldn't have the nerve to ask for, and better service in shops. Bank workers go out of their way to help me. I don't lose face very easily, which enables me to get away with a lot more than my Thai brothers and sisters.

People remember me which used to be a bad thing when I was a 'naughty boy' Now it is an advantage. Thai people are not all after money(anymore than foreigners) and the longer I live out of Bangkok/tourist areas, I realise this.

I hate to hear the farang saying, "they can't do this to me, do you know what would happen in United Farangland if they did this?". Quite simply, I have started a new life in a country, which will never accept me as one of them, even if I pass a degree in Thai, become a monk, or have Toxin's daughter as a "mia noi".

I have to chill out and adjust certain ideas and attitudes. I must remember that this is not my home country, and therefore has different ways of doing things. Christ, that is one of the reasons I love it here. I used to want them to keep doing the things I liked and stop doing the things I didn't like. What a <deleted>y attitude!

Realise what I can change and what I can't. Don't let the things that you can't get on top of you, they're not worth it. Once you have done this, weigh up the pros and cons of living in a new land and decide if it is for me or not. I have not been sentenced to live in Thailand, it is my choice.

Some things like double pricing are the Thai way an I sometimes think I should simply respect their decision - when I do this I usually see that they have a valid reason for doing something that thought 'racist' or unfair.

It's my fear of being take advantage of that I have to address. "can't have them Thais getting the better of ME, the almighty!

I know that if I want to become a Thai citizen I can, but when I weigh up all the pros and cons, I would rather keep my British passport.

Once you've seen one temple, you've seen them all anyway.

[ThailandRyan]

14 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

However, health officials revealed that while Thai nationals will be able to take the test free of charge, foreigners must pay 500 baht if they want to take the rapid COVID-19 test prior to entering the province.

 

4 hours ago, Jimbo53 said:

Any foreigner working in Thailand on a Work Permit will be exempt from this charge,as they pay Social Security every month in their salary.

 @Jimbo53 Show me where you obtained what you posted from the article especially this section.

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

And yet even if you do have health insurance you are a foreigner and without a Thai National ID card treated unequally.  Again, this is something I have pointed out several times but has been ignored.  Look at it from the outside in and tell me I am wrong.

Why should health insurance make you a citizen?

 

Citizens in every country on Earth have more rights and benefits than foreigners. 

[Fairynuff]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

And yet even if you do have health insurance you are a foreigner and without a Thai National ID card treated unequally.  Again, this is something I have pointed out several times but has been ignored.  Look at it from the outside in and tell me I am wrong.

Those who think it’s ok to be discriminated against will never get the point that to people like you and me it’s never about the money.

[Billy Bloggs]

13 hours ago, RobMuir said:

So exactly the same as in Australia, where only locals can get a Medicare card and discounts on medicine.

 

The headline and the way it is written will stir up all the PC brigade who like to endlessly claim they are victimised "It's not fair"

 

500 baht.

Who cares? 

 

Except Perm Residents get one and those applying for PR get one

[Knobby37]

If I relied on an income from tourists there, words could not describe how I would feel. Amoeba have got more brains than who ever came up with that incredible solution to invigorate tourism

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, Fairynuff said:

Those who think it’s ok to be discriminated against will never get the point that to people like you and me it’s never about the money.

There are many more pluses than minuses being a farang here. If you are Burmese, Indian then you have a case for discrimination. 

[johnmcc6]

I will just scratch that and any other place with same restrictions and stay local. When they lose enough money MAYBE they will smarten up? I won't be taking any unknown experimental vaccine in any case.. So far the so called world experts cannot agree on anything  . Call me if they ever figure anything out for sure.

[ThailandRyan]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Why should health insurance make you a citizen?

 

Citizens in every country on Earth have more rights and benefits than foreigners. 

If you have the Governments Health insurance like a Thai National you use the same programs at the same fees they pay ergo you should as a foreigner be exempt from this 500 baht fee, but as a foreigner your not..  I never said it made you a citizen, my point was the opposite, you need to learn to read with an open mind or you miss the main points.  The following was a post I responded to earlier as well

 

"However, health officials revealed that while Thai nationals will be able to take the test free of charge, foreigners must pay 500 baht if they want to take the rapid COVID-19 test prior to entering the province."  No where does it say that a person/foreigner with a Thai Government  policy or Permanent residence will get it free.  "THAI NATIONAL's only"

 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[RobMuir]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Thais pay 2000 baht more than locals in Disney world,  USA. just saying. 

And a hell of a lot more to get a visa to enter Australia. Free for Aussies to enter Thailand.

 

Where are the PC brigade then?

 

I can't understand why all these whiners live in Thailand? 

[RobMuir]

9 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Looks like it comes down to Money, Money,  Money. 

 

If 500 baht is out of your budget I think Phuket isn't for you anyway

9 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

 

 

Dual pricing alive and well.  What did anyone really expect.  Unless you test freely people will find this a reason to not test and you will not get this under control.  

If you refuse the test then you can't enter. A very effective measure to get it under control.

[TigerandDog]

38 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

go back and read your own post. You used Oz an example of dual pricing and stated unequivacly that Medicare was ONLY available to locals. I was simply pointing out that your statement was incorrect. So if anyone's comment was irrelevant with regards to Phuket it was yours.

correction. Should read go back and read the post to which I replied. Oz was used as an example of dual pricing and that post stated that only locals were entitled to Medicare. Just pointing out the error of that particular post with regards to Medicare eligibility in OZ and how that particular statement was irrelevant to Phuket 

Edited April 22, 2021 by TigerandDog

[Raymonddiaz]

27 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I disagree.

If you pay tax in Thailand, you should have health insurance. 

I have an sso. I can use public hospital free of charge. 

[RobMuir]

24 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Your still stuck on Retirees here not paying their share.  Many retiree's did work here, many did pay taxes and paid into SS, just because we are a foreigner does not mean that we did not pay taxes here.  Moving to the US, had you not worked or paid taxes and had a visa and then a green card for the US in order to go there and live you would have to pay money into the system in order to obtain your visa/green card just like the retiree's who come here to retire, but if your married to a US Citizen once a Visa is obtained and then the green card you are a permanent resident unlike here.  No comparison.  For those that have spent many years here they can not get a similar treatment by being married to a Thai, or by having worked here.  To make a long story short.  It is in-equality, not well thought out and racist in nature because there are two many variable they are unwilling to look at ergo the 500 ThB charge for testing of all foreigners regardless. 

How much does a visa to the USA cost for a Thai?

 

Or does inequality only bother you when it doesn't go your way?

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

If 500 baht is out of your budget I think Phuket isn't for you anyway

If you refuse the test then you can't enter. A very effective measure to get it under control.

Again it isn't about the 500 baht, it is the principle about the inequality that it represents.  I could afford the test a million times over and then some, but again not the point.

[mike1967]

And we supply the AZ vaccine at cost. Charge them 500 baht a go!!!!

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

How much does a visa to the USA cost for a Thai?

 

Or does inequality only bother you when it doesn't go your way?

One day you may understand if you use an open mind, but until then you choose to ignore facts for here and the words written, Good day my responses have been to the point.  Ignored on.

[Neeranam]

10 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

And a hell of a lot more to get a visa to enter Australia. Free for Aussies to enter Thailand.

 

Where are the PC brigade then?

 

I can't understand why all these whiners live in Thailand? 

They want their cake and to eat it too. 'cake' could also mean 'Buriram Noi'. 

[Stevemercer]

13 hours ago, RobMuir said:

So exactly the same as in Australia, where only locals can get a Medicare card and discounts on medicine.

 

 

Not quite true. Thais on partner visas (roughly equivalent to Marriage extensions in Thailand) are covered by Medicare the day their visa application is submitted and accepted for processing. In fact they get all the benefits of Australian residents (except for voting and ability to get a passport). They can even work in any job they want and can own land in their own name.

[Fairynuff]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Again it isn't about the 500 baht, it is the principle about the inequality that it represents.  I could afford the test a million times over and then some, but again not the point.

@ThailandRyangive up, they’re never going to get it! They just think we’re penniless cheap Charlies who should go home.????????

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

One day you may understand if you use an open mind, but until then you choose to ignore facts for here and the words written, Good day my responses have been to the point.  Ignored on.

That's one way to avoid debate, if someone disagrees, ignore them ;). 

[ThailandRyan]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

That's one way to avoid debate, if someone disagrees, ignore them ;). 

I agree to disagree, my debate time is over and my tolerance for folks who think it is about the money is short.  Enjoy your day Sir.  TTFN

[Alotoftravel]

Another article has the American soldiers ( American tax payers ) help vaccinate while this article charge foreigners for the tests . Oh my . Dual ..

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

@ThailandRyangive up, they’re never going to get it! They just think we’re penniless cheap Charlies who should go home.????????

The monopoly of moaning old retirees is being threatened. Best to block all these free-thinking radicals.