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

[Bkk Brian]

21 minutes ago, taxin said:

Reports are there is no testing being done at the land border. Can anyone clarify, or does anyone know someone who has entered Phuket by air in the last 24 hours who has been asked to do a test ?

 

I really believe this “news” should be clarified first before the Thai bashers take the bait. 

The officials have said that tests are only carried out at the land border if you come from a red zone, so yes there will be a few people going through with no need for testing, maybe you're referring to that?

 

At the airport they've found one case already, so a free two weeks in a field hospital for this Thai.....

 

Phuket Starts Rapid Tests, Finds 1 Case at Airport

https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-680813

[Fairynuff]

7 minutes ago, Ro54 said:

I would not expect to get it for free....I'm a guest in Thailand. If you can't afford 500........well, cheap charlie is your name...

To be a guest would mean you’d been invited. May I ask who invited you?

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Fairynuff said:

Of course you do ????????????

Bless him, he tries but fails every time.

[ThaiWai]

Fun fact it drives Thais insane if you pay for anything with any damaged bills. 

[473geo]

2 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

Of course you do ????????????

Thank you - pleased you approve keep smiling

[473geo]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

Bless him, he tries but fails every time.

I know he does best effort dismal but credit for trying

[sandhurstmolonski]

On 4/21/2021 at 1:19 PM, Smithson said:

One thing stands out, the Thai teacher talking about safety. It was just a week or two ago that a kid drowned in Kalasin during an excursion. Not the first time, also I remember kids dieing after being forgotten in mini vans and getting stuck in caves after being taken down by teachers. Then there's the unregistered motorbikes ridden to school by kids with neither helmets or licenses, which is fine as long as the hair and uniform are correct.

 

Australia is safety obsessed, the 'she'll be right mate' attitude seems a thing of the past.

 

Rape and sexual assualt of students by teachers here isn't that uncommon here, often almost tolerated. That would have been an interesting discussion with their Aussie counterparts.

 

Then there's freedom of expression...

 

17 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? 

 

It's not exactly the same at all There are tourists and there are long stay expats , if you had same in Australia , hence staying long time you would qualify for at least the blue medicare card , so it would be free .

Sure if a tourist ( well there would be none of them ) charge them the 500 .

[ThaiWai]

Do they let you go to the front of the queue at least?  Of is it like the supermarket or the bank where you and your white skin are completely invisible??

[Fairynuff]

1 minute ago, 473geo said:

Thank you - pleased you approve keep smiling

I’m smiling because your deluded utopian ideas are so cute

[BenBen23]

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. If you don't pay income taxes in Thailand why would you expect free medical care?  How can you come from a rich country and expect a poor country to provide you with free services?  Pathetic!

[Fairynuff]

1 hour ago, shy coconut said:

I don't see a problem, but then again I didn't understand the fuss about the 

ESL either.

 

Why should any country pay for non nationals? If my home country was shelling 

out for holiday makers getting free tests then farage would be all over the internet

 crying about it.

Farage is too busy selling his online birthday greetings to worry about foreigners now 

[from the home of CC]

18 hours ago, Shuya said:

And again a reason not to go there. 

the number of moronic western tourists I saw there pre covid gave me all the reasons I needed years ago..

[Bkk Brian]

4 minutes ago, 473geo said:

I know he does best effort dismal but credit for trying

There you go, I was referring to you not him, bless

[from the home of CC]

17 hours ago, RobMuir said:

 Well, the PC brigade better harden up. This is South East Asia, not Cottonwool Nannyland.

 

Expecting the Thai taxpayer to foot the bill for our Phuket holidays is a bit much.

 

If you don't like it then apply for citizenship. 

 

500 sounds fairly reasonable to me.

 

many of these posters are from countries that has wiped their chins their whole lives, I wouldn't of expected any less of a reaction than this wailing..

[Fairynuff]

5 minutes ago, BenBen23 said:

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. If you don't pay income taxes in Thailand why would you expect free medical care?  How can you come from a rich country and expect a poor country to provide you with free services?  Pathetic!

Have you looked around you recently? Mercedes, RR, Porsche.... shopping malls full of every high end brand name. World class private hospitals and condos and houses with eye watering price tags. Who do you think is driving/buying/shopping?

[Purdey]

It is never a surprise to hear westerners (never seen any Asians) complaining again and again. Just simply dont visit Phuket. Not calling for a mass boycott, it's a decision not to go to places that discriminate or upset you. Phuket people are always moaning about the government not allowing tourists. Perhaps they only want Asian visitors.

Just dont go.

[meshborg]

Stopped going Thailand 2 years ago.Its lost its appeal.I could write a long list but most people know  the score.

[1FinickyOne]

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

we support dual pricing !!!!  

I agree that 500 baht is not excessive and I did not come here expecting any free medical from Thai people/government...

 

But dual pricing is everywhere, at least in USA... I can give countless examples... 

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

It's not about the money, it's about the principle

500 baht isn't close to a days interest on the principle...

 

For me, the higher principle is I am not Thai and there is no need or reason for Thai people to pay for my medical... 

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, Ganesh108 said:

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.

 

 

I agree. Maybe he means he speaks Hindi?

[TimCM]

1 hour ago, taxin said:

Reports are there is no testing being done at the land border. Can anyone clarify, or does anyone know someone who has entered Phuket by air in the last 24 hours who has been asked to do a test ?

 

I really believe this “news” should be clarified first before the Thai bashers take the bait. 

Just got tested at the land border. Asked why the 60% price hike since yesterday, got told go to own country 

 

Strange my Thai wife never got any of this attitude when we lived in the US for the last 3 years 

[kwilco]

19 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

National Health Security Office (NHSO)

I suppose if you pay your national insurance, you'd expect the jab for free in line with Thai citizens

 

 

....otherwise I can't see why you should have a free jab. You have a certified income so use it.

[KhaoYai]

I am normally against dual pricing - but that's on things like entry to national parks etc.  For that reason I choose not to visit Thai national parks, even the one near my Thai home.

 

However, the headline on this subject in my e-mail notifications read: Dual Pricing DISGRACE.  Disgrace? Why should a foreigner who chooses to either live in or visit the country expect Thai taxpayers to pay for them to be tested?

 

Providing those foreigners that pay social security and income tax in Thailand are exempt from this charge, I see nothing wrong with it - 500 baht doesn't seem excessive. When I eventually return to Thailand, I will have to pay for a test when leave the UK, at least 1 test when I return to the UK - possibly 3 and they are a lot more than 500 baht each. Those charges apply to everyone leaving and entering the UK, regardless of their nationality.

[kingofthemountain]

25 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

500 baht isn't close to a days interest on the principle...

 

For me, the higher principle is I am not Thai and there is no need or reason for Thai people to pay for my medical... 

You still don't get it

it's not about the 500 bahts

 

the virus doesn't discriminate if you are Thai or not, it's why the tests and the vaccines  should be free for all the people in thailand, whatever their nationality, because if they carry the virus they can infect Thai people

 

you get it better now or still not ?

 

It's not an usual medical procedure, it's a mondial pandemic

so it's a public health problem to fight it covering all the territory and all the people on this territory

 

can you imagine a policeman or a firefighter acting only for the safety of the Thai people and farang have to pay for their intervention? It wouldn't make any sense at all

Edited April 22, 2021 by kingofthemountain

[lavender19]

18 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? 

 

Probably the many foriengners who pay tax and social security should care or what are they paying  it for. 

[kingofthemountain]

26 minutes ago, TimCM said:

Just got tested at the land border. Asked why the 60% price hike since yesterday, got told go to own country 

 

Strange my Thai wife never got any of this attitude when we lived in the US for the last 3 years 

And your wife said nothing when you had this sort of racist silly answer ?

She should have asked to the man\lady answering that to you if he\she was

ready to pay for all her expenses when you will be back to ''your'' country

[thai006]

that normal thai people get it for free , stop people to get angry 

 

 we are foreigner here we need to pay for test 

[TimCM]

1 minute ago, kingofthemountain said:

And your wife said nothing when you had this sort of racist silly answer ?

She should have asked to the man\lady answering that to you if he\she was

ready to pay for all her expenses when you will be back to ''your'' country

She is very non confrontational but was not a happy camper

 

No need for him to pay for her as I come from a civilized country where discrimination is illegal 

[mickymouse1]

Who wants to go there now anyway.it is a ghost town.

Leave it to the locals to revive the economy.

[TigerandDog]

4 hours ago, Excel said:

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.

yeah I realised that afterwards and posted a correction to your reply. Perhaps you should be the one checking before you reply also.