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

[Tech65]

They only reasonable way should have been:

 

1) All Thais and all those foreigners who pay taxes in Thailand: free.

2) All the the others: pay.

 

Instead, the decision is made on the old xenophobic-like base.

 

Ok, somebody may say: 500 baht, who cares?  Ok, but if you travel with a family of 4 is 2000 thb. Who cares? Ok who cares to go to Pukhet, afterall.

 

 

 

 

[Boyblue]

no surprise there then, it is not the cost of the vaccination that annoys me, it is the principle, expats live here and spend probably more than the average Thai, so why are we charged, do Thai's living in our home countries pay for vacination or do they get it for free, as in our countries it would be classed as "racist" to charge foreigners. Welll done Phuket, you have pretty much excluded foreigners from visiting your island with our money....... 

[raccos21]

Not surprising... Besides, nothing is new about “dual pricing” in Thailand so it's all a choice for foreigners whether they want to go to Phuket or not.

 

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, 473geo said:

guests of Thailand

Oh that one again! ????????????

[zaZa9]

2 hours ago, farangroby said:

Also in Koh Samui they do the same thing, last Friday I did a swab with my Thai wife at the Nathon Public Hospital: she had for free and I paid 1,950 baht.

Wer'e foreigners and never the Thais miss an opportunity to remind us

 

Was about to suggest that 500 will turn in to 750 or 1,000 soon , when the corrupt officials realise they are answerable to nobody .

1950 baht huh ?

[whitfield]

I have to have a minor op next week.  Hospital says i must have a covid test before.  Cost 3500 baht.  I think I'll drive to Phuket for a quick test.

[Tech65]

10 minutes ago, joe jadore said:

 

I have lived in and loved Thailand for many years now, I'm a ex profiler/body reader, since January last year I have "daily" seen the visible derision, disapproval and sadly the dislike in "SOME" Thai people! Being a human mobile lie detector, means I can decipher peoples attitudes from the other side of the street. I used to love all the smiles and hello's, for me it was a huge part of the joy of living here!

 

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?

 

Sadly I belive a lot of Thais think that it was foreigners who brought this horrible pandemic into their paradise, and ruined their lives, incomes, business's and yes their health. The reality is that in all probability it was Chinese people who inadvertantly brought it in, to begin with. Nearly every country in the world has been infected  by someone from another country.

 

I'm covid negative and very healthy, I'd just like the smiles to come back and be genuine!

 

Dear Government, stop bartering over the costs, get the vaccines and put them in everybody's arms!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Not mine thanks.

I will follow once this mass experimentation will be completed.

You may offer your arm, I will appreciate it.

 

[kmj]

I already pay tax here thanks, but no problem just changed my holiday destination to Krabi they can have my money instead.

[Fairynuff]

2 hours ago, Compass Call said:

There is an easy answer to this.

If you don't like it, stop whingeing and go back to your own country!

I'm quite sure that the Thai people will be glad to see the back end of the moaning foreigners! 

At least get the sentiment right, you should be saying “You go back you country.”

[George Aylesham]

12 hours ago, DavisH said:

Well, that's a surprise ????

All in line with TAT's tourism promotion campaign.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, whitfield said:

I have to have a minor op next week.  Hospital says i must have a covid test before.  Cost 3500 baht.  I think I'll drive to Phuket for a quick test.

Wrong test, the rapid tests for entering Phuket are for detecting anti bodies, the PCR test is the one you need for Hospital, so no I wouldn't bother pursuing your idea

[Nemises]

11 hours ago, RobMuir said:

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

Medicare card discounts for medicine in Australia? Never heard of that before. Source please! 

 

 

[dave moir]

11 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? 

 

Exactly! you just have to look at other countries and you would have to pay there!

[kevin612]

With such policy, they don’t want to open the country again and build trust to the others.

[Fairynuff]

Even after all my time here it still amazes me that so many are still happy to be ripped off, overcharged and discriminated against. Perhaps I should be more sympathetic to those who have so little self respect that they think it’s ok.

[SchuetzRob]

11 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? 

 

Well, praise the Lord and send me the money. After all, it's only thb 500 - and who cares?!

[pentagara]

1 hour ago, Blot said:

In the last 6 months, and on 4 occasions, I have been charged between 4,500 and 6,000 Baht for Covid tests by Bangkok Hospital Group. 

You probably got a different test though. In Phuket they do a rapid antigen test (testkit production cost about 2USD without logistics), you probably got a PCR test (testkit production cost about 30USD, plus hospital fees to pay e.g. the hospital admin, rent and the person with safety gear that gets your sample, ... - unless state subsidized, a PCR tests costs in total 120USD or more in most countries, especially at airports and private hospitals).

 

A PCR test analysis has to be done in a lab, so it takes longer to get the result. An antigen test can be done by anyone, cheaply and quickly, no lab required, results delivered in 10 mins or less. You get what you pay for though, antigen tests are more unreliable with a higher chance that your test result is wrong (both ways). They would not be accepted for international travel to most countries.

[dallen52]

1 hour ago, StevieAus said:

Why all this outrage about non Thais having to pay for anything medical related, in the more than ten years I have lived here I have never had anything free.

There’s no welfare state for us it’s not the UK 

 it’s not Australia.

Yesterday I had the flu injection in Chiang Mai which I paid for as did my Thai wife she said it was easier and quicker than getting it free.

As for visiting Phuket far nicer places in my opinion and the last time we visited everything was about three times the price both for Thais and farangs.

Good example.

Phuket zoo.

Thai 100 baht

Farang 1500 with a free photo.

Never again.!!

[ThailandRyan]

27 minutes ago, dallen52 said:

Sounds about right.

As a bar girl said to me once.

 

Farang has, Thai has not.

Ok to take.

 

A true attitude as seen by many, spot on Sir.

[sandyf]

On 4/22/2021 at 9:16 AM, ThailandRyan said:

Not in Menudo, it is yummy.  But the BS is cleaned from the intestines unlike the BS thrown out by the Phuket testing cost of 500 baht.

There is <deleted> all around the world, you have to live with it, or in the west die from it.

Nothing to be gained from continuous whinging.

[chuang]

Can't afford a measly 500 bahts don't go...

[ThailandRyan]

On 4/22/2021 at 9:53 AM, sandyf said:

There is <deleted> all around the world, you have to live with it, or in the west die from it.

Nothing to be gained from continuous whinging.

Only brings happiness to my day when I can be described by others as a whiner and moaner and complainer, it is after all human nature, and one feels so good to get it off of ones chest instead of letting it eat at you from the inside like rotten food.  Even a hard drink of whisky never will make the bitterness of poor treatment go away.  So with that I have downed a shot of Gaviscon to stop the heartburn/acid reflux I get from all of the government promoters and self righteous hypocrites.  Enjoy your day Sandy.

[Nanaplaza666]

8 hours ago, expatjustice said:

 

Well, congratulations for you. 

But honestly I don't think Thais in Phuket care the slightest about you not going there again. And neither do I think that any of the arguments you made are any valid reasons for Thai taxpayers to pay for your trip to Phuket. In fact they're not, just because you go there and spend some money doesn't mean the state has to pay for your stuff.

 

Even then your argument becomes a fallacy. The fact that they buy a submarine which they might no need and that there are corrupt officials, doesn't mean they have to pay for foreigner's COVID tests. 

 

Or when you become sick and have to pay for your medical treatment, is it also double pricing because Thais with social security can treated way cheaper than you will?... 

 

Come on guys, learn not to be manipulated with this ridiculous headlines... 

I think you are not getting the message , the tax pqyers are not paying for his trip there(or any other faranhs trip there) it's just the covid test that is free for every Thai . The tax payers are also not paying for Thai peoples hollidays there just their test . I also think that the 500baht is not that much but that is not the point . Do or don't they want tourists to go there ?? You'r points are ridiculous . 

[Henryford]

7 minutes ago, chuang said:

Can't afford a measly 500 bahts don't go...

 

I was going to spend 25,000 + in Phuket but now i will be spending zero.

[ChrisKC]

Members on this forum take issue with the principle not the money plus, when considering the forever brouhaha about re-energising the tourist trade, the message presented is far from encouraging. 

 

The spirit of goodwill at this time from Thai officialdom - where is it? 

 

Anyway, it isn't dual pricing, it is  either free for Thais or a fee for foreigners. The only saving grace is the fee itself is little to worry about. 

[kcpattaya]

12 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Thai language news site Thansettakij sad it was “good news” that Thai people could take the test for free, while foreigners would be charged 500 baht.

Sure, why not... The ignorance keeps surprising. 

[whaleboneman]

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

You along with another poster are making a huge assumption on one of the most basic facts. Expats here are either retired or working. Those working locally such as my son pay local taxes. So why do they have to pay?

Because they are so rich. (but perhaps unkempt)

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, Henryford said:

 

I was going to spend 25,000 + in Phuket but now i will be spending zero.

My trip I had scheduled for Cape Panwa was going to put probably between 150K and 250K ThB into the local economy, Resort stay, renting a car, going to eat at the local eateries, doing some shopping to buy some pearls for my Mother back in the States, and then enjoying a boat trip out to the islands and back over a 10 day period, but alas that will not be happening either.

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, kcpattaya said:

Sure, why not... The ignorance keeps surprising. 

isn't the saying "Ignorance is Bliss"

[whaleboneman]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

My trip I had scheduled for Cape Panwa was going to put probably between 150K and 250K ThB into the local economy, Resort stay, renting a car, going to eat at the local eateries, doing some shopping to buy some pearls for my Mother back in the States, and then enjoying a boat trip out to the islands and back over a 10 day period, but alas that will not be happening either.

I want to go on vacation with you.