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


Jonathan Fairfield

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3 minutes ago, Jaxxper said:

I don't think that's unreasonable. Only people that should get it for free are Thai nationals and any expats currently contributing to the SS fund through their salary deductions. Just my view.

100% agree ????, I'm not sure why expats think they should get it for free just because they're living there unless, like you say, they're making tax/NI contributions 

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3 minutes ago, Derek B said:

The issue is PUBLIC healthcare not personal healthcare..................when it comes to the common good of all people currently in Thailand testing should be readily & freely available otherwise this covid saga will never end.

No, not for selfish tourists wanting a beach holiday. They should pay for all their costs when travelling to another country.

Do you think countries like Australia are letting in Thai tourists at the moment?

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27 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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.

That neither is nor was a Thailand only problem.
couple of examples that I distinctly remember, in European countries, now EU:
Airport Coffee 1 pound; but when my local friend went 60p for two.
Ice-cream Vendor: Foreign Tourbus ice-cream 0.60 $ equivalent, for me 0.30
And in holiday destinations, street markets, even for food and other essentials (no supermarkets yet), had discounts for local language speakers.
 

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1 minute ago, KKr said:

That neither is nor was a Thailand only problem.
couple of examples that I distinctly remember, in European countries, now EU:
Airport Coffee 1 pound; but when my local friend went 60p for two.
Ice-cream Vendor: Foreign Tourbus ice-cream 0.60 $ equivalent, for me 0.30
And in holiday destinations, street markets, even for food and other essentials (no supermarkets yet), had discounts for local language speakers.
 

This thread is about Thailand 

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8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

what farang in their right mind would want to travel Phuket, risk a covid test and the extra charges a positive result 'could' bring anyway ? 

A vaccinated farang with 500 baht in his/her pocket?

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4 minutes ago, Derek B said:

The issue is PUBLIC healthcare not personal healthcare..................when it comes to the common good of all people currently in Thailand testing should be readily & freely available otherwise this covid saga will never end.

Influenza.......???????????? sorry I mean covid has been around for years so you're right, it will never end and next year thousands of people will die just like last year, keep yourself healthy, eat right, keep your weight down, don't smoother yourself with booze and chances are you'll be ok.

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35 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.

Or to get the population under control......interesting, control by fear ????.......nooooo thats just a conspiracy theory ????????????

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1 hour 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.

I wrote no such post so please before you reply perhaps you should check what it is you are talking about. I don't come from Australia and would have no idea of their medical schemes.

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Same as going to a hospital where Thais get services for free and/or may have to pay 30 baht.  I have had two consultations, one general and one specific.  the first one 350 Baht and the 2nd - 650 baht.  If I were in the US as a foreign, the fee just to see a doctor would be about 5-$ (1,500 baht) or more.

 

So, what is your point if you can get a rapid test for 500 baht (or about $10 US)?  Seems pretty cheap to me.

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I don’t see the problem to be honest, unless foreigners who live and pay taxes there have to pay, too. Thailand bought the tests for their citizens and not for the rest of the world. 

Edited by pacovl46
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9 minutes ago, Smilermike said:

If you living in Thailand already, i find it disgusting and discriminate that anyone should need to pay for test or vaccine. Imagine if our countries did that to their nationals? We would be classed as racists.

Well, if you’re living there and you pay taxes and for a health insurance then I agree with you, if not then I don’t. Why should Thailand pay for tests administered to tourists or people who live there, but don’t pay any taxes? Thailand bought these tests for their citizens.

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21 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

This thread is about Thailand 

So sorry, did not know that it is not good form to compare the, for some upsetting, "Thai Dual Pricing" practice with similar practices in Europe, and even to mention examples.
My bad, I am way to practical and like to look across the borders when forming an opinion.
Won't happen again, will confine myself to my garden and the town where I am staying,
and in the near future shall order my very own tailored horse-blinders on Shopit/Laz-all/Aladdin.

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13 minutes ago, KKr said:

So sorry, did not know that it is not good form to compare the, for some upsetting, "Thai Dual Pricing" practice with similar practices in Europe, and even to mention examples.
My bad, I am way to practical and like to look across the borders when forming an opinion.
Won't happen again, will confine myself to my garden and the town where I am staying,
and in the near future shall order my very own tailored horse-blinders on Shopit/Laz-all/Aladdin.

Perfect

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1 hour 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?

Visa for entry to countries for different nationalities is a huge subject and completely off topic

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says it all they will never change Farang have money mak mak Greed total and could be considered racist...i said this on another post only to be told im paranoid ..some of these op's on here  are living in cuckoo land if they think we are equal

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