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

[Fairynuff]

17 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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

Because you say in one of your previous comments that discrimination is the Thai way doesn’t make it right, nor does it mean it has to stay that way. Many of my Thai friends dislike the practice as much as I do. I agree that on occasion we get treated preferentially and I’m not entirely comfortable with that either. I just want to be treated equally nothing more nothing less.

[Fairynuff]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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

Those who disagree with you are moaners apparently.

[Jaxxper]

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.

[mick01827]

14 hours ago, kotsak said:

No lessons learned.. at all!

What lessons exactly?

[Derek B]

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.

[mick01827]

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 

[Neeranam]

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?

[KKr]

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.
 

[wijipa]

Most of you TV guys are unbelievable. 500bht, what the <deleted>. Obviously you spend your days looking for something to Thai bash about. I suspect none of you are in Thailand and quite possibly, you are amongst the banned Farang. 

[Fairynuff]

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 

[EricTh]

Thailand still want tourists to come in huge numbers after this dual pricing?

[Gene1960]

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?

[mick01827]

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.

[Fairynuff]

On 4/22/2021 at 12:04 PM, wijipa said:

Most of you TV guys are unbelievable. 500bht, what the <deleted>. Obviously you spend your days looking for something to Thai bash about. I suspect none of you are in Thailand and quite possibly, you are amongst the banned Farang. 

Utterly clueless

[mick01827]

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 ????????????

[Tich]

Simples - Don't go !

[Smilermike]

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.

[Excel]

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.

[fceligoj]

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.

[bullseye66]

Why is it even a news story? Charging foreigners more has been implemented and accepted across the board I Thailand for years.

[pacovl46]

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 April 22, 2021 by pacovl46

[Sydebolle]

The coffin has only nails, no more wood ....... 

[pacovl46]

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.

[KKr]

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.

[Ramdas]

One more reason no to go to that over rated rip off Phuket, now I will defiantely not go to Phuket ever again ????????‍♂️
I’ve only been there once, I didn’t like it one bit, no thank you ! I reckon,

it’s probably one of the worse Island in terms of beaches/sea and the scenery. Besides, they start to rip people off from the moment you come out of the airport !
Fyi any other parts of the world the practice of double pricing is illegal but in Thailand they find any reason to keep tourist away from coming, it’s just wrong and unfair but they don’t seem to care, shame on you ☹️

[desert dueller]

5 hours ago, heybuz said:

My sons girlfriend from Brazil has a medicare card and is scheduled to have open heart surgery in australia for free ,all people are tested for free and will be vaccinated for free for covid, discounts for medicine are pursuant on your working or family finiancial status.

She has obviously opened her heart to Australia's open-hearted attitude towards foreigners.

[Fairynuff]

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

[Ganesh108]

3 hours ago, joe jadore said:

It's not the lousy 500 baht, it's the attitude! When I namaste and speak Thai to a shop owner, the reception I get is 100% different if I spoke English only. That's great, but why?

You say you speak Thai, but you 'namaste'  the shop owner. Okaaay.

 

Btw, I'm sure any farang who enters a shop with folded hands (a.k.a. 'wai') is seen as an utter and complete fool by the shop owner. But what do I know, I've only been here a few decades.

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

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

[Harveyboy]

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