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

[rupert the bear]

ohhh dual pricing,its what it is -RACISM endda story.about time the embassies called em out. theyre quick enough to turn on their own people who have no say on who feeds off them.end to dual standards be a better idea,over to you whitehall and brussels walk the walk not more talk .not the usual -hypocrisy.time to kill those old coconut.show em what they are to the rest of the world

[0815]

Falang kee niau

[Neeranam]

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? 

 

Australia and most countries offer discounts and benefits to its citizens. 

A couple of years ago, I played golf with my brother in law at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The green fee for me being a foreigner was 5,000 baht more than another friend who was Australian. 

 

Why on earth should foreigners get free covid tests? Why on earth are some complaining about $15?

[KC 71]

44 minutes ago, raccos21 said:

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.

 

Barrow won't be happy

[Khun Roberto]

I'm here on Non O extension for retirement.

I'm totally ok with paying the THB 500.

I've never paid into the Thai Social Security system, why should I get services for free? 

[Neeranam]

4 minutes ago, rupert the bear said:

ohhh dual pricing,its what it is -RACISM endda story.about time the embassies called em out. theyre quick enough to turn on their own people who have no say on who feeds off them.end to dual standards be a better idea,over to you whitehall and brussels walk the walk not more talk .not the usual -hypocrisy.time to kill those old coconut.show em what they are to the rest of the world

It's obviously not racism when it is based on nationality, not race. My God, unbelievable, coming from probably a white entitled male. 

[KC 71]

6 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

I want to go on vacation with you.

were you going to eat caviar 

[johnarth]

wow the headline shock me, no need to complain just do not go there, and yes the truth about vaccines is starting to come out good thing the governments and the vaccine makers made it law if anything should go wrong with the vaccines they can not be held accountable when it comes to big payouts they no want

[ThailandRyan]

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Australia and most countries offer discounts and benefits to its citizens. 

A couple of years ago, I played golf with my brother in law at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The green fee for me being a foreigner was 5,000 baht more than another friend who was Australian. 

 

Why on earth should foreigners get free covid tests? Why on earth are some complaining about $15?

There is a difference here kind sir.  Membership has its privilege's, where non membership does not have any.  A person who pays taxes, works here, or worked here, paid into the tax system and the SS system is no different then a Thai who has or may have also done.  Therefore treatment should be identical.  You put in your time, paid your dues, became a permanent resident/Citizen after jumping through the hoops, would you not agree that you have paid into the system and deserve it the same and equal way?

Edited April 22, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[Neeranam]

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

[ThailandRyan]

3 minutes ago, KC 71 said:

were you going to eat caviar 

No Caviar, just Steaks, great seafood, great Thai Seafood dishes, bottles of wine, and whatever else I wanted to enjoy along with the family.  

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

500 baht cheap? Thats relative to your situation and its the principle here.

 

Take a family traveling to Phuket, a foreign husband, his Thai wife and a couple of mix heritage kids, only the husband has to pay, what message does that send to his own children? 

It tells his kids if you want to stay here everything will cost you more. And that is bad for them to see. But what  worries me more is when Thai kids travel to another country and find out the prices are all the same no matter where they come from, and they are not special any more.

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

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

When they go there on holiday or when they live there with a legal visa?

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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

Local city or county residents in Florida pay taxes to support the businesses there, while others regardless if a visitor from outside of the US or another state or county outside of the local Area do not.  Your trying to mix apples and oranges again to make lemonade, and it is not working.  All Thai's are not local to Phuket, so in saying what you just posted means that Thai's who are not local would be paying as well.

[digger70]

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

 

Great news, another nail in the tourists Coffin. They want tourists ? Nah, Only their Money.

This shows the Geed Disease is Back with avenges. 

If it's possible to make a Thb or Rip it of They Will do it No matter Who they Hurt 

 They are going to hurt themselves in the long run . It won't happen overnight but it will happen  ????

[Ginner]

12 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

The fact is when it was first announced, the charge was 300 baht for all arriving in Phuket, but then they realized this would kill all local tourism so changed it to free for Thai's and 500 for foreigners. 

 

So yes the PC brigade have every right to be up in arms over this.

I have been informed my health insurance will cover any cost for testing and receiving the vaccine.

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Ginner said:

I have been informed my health insurance will cover any cost for testing and receiving the vaccine.

 

Good for you, so you have no need to worry about the ethics of it all.

[ThailandRyan]

7 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

When they go there on holiday or when they live there with a legal visa?

Anyone who lives locally pays one price at Disney World, or Disney Land, while others outside of the local area pay a different fee regardless of tourist or in state person from a different county.  It is all based on property taxes payed by local residents which support bonds used by the local county to give Disneyland a break, and keep the company there instead of moving somewhere where they can pay cheaper taxes.  But to stay on topic, if what he is trying to say is that all Thai's are local he is on the wrong foot path as all Thais do not live in Phuket that visit.

Edited April 22, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[robsamui]

3 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

AWWWWW HECK! I live on Samui.

I'm off to Phuket to get my test done there!

[wensiensheng]

Good idea to test people on the way in, there’s no Covid in Phuket and we don’t want any. No need to test in the way out, impossible that they might catch Covid whilst here (yes, I am in Phuket and being sarcastic).

 

personally, I would not do anything that might mean I would be subjected to a Covid test. One false (or accurate) positive result and you’re incarcerated in a “field hospital”.
Can you imagine what the latrines are like there?

Can you imagine what slop is served up as food? 

Can you imagine showering with a bunch of Thais for company?

can you imagine two weeks without aircon?

can you imagine sleeping with dozens of thai people

can you imagine etc etc etc.

 

nope, if I think I am at risk of being positive, I shall stay quietly in my own en suite air conditioned bedroom, watching tv, surfing the net, reading books, sleeping in my own bed and eating the food my wife leaves outside the door. 
 

if I get severe symptoms I will get myself taken to bangkok hospital or some other private facility, but their “field hospitals” can be shoved where the sun don’t shine. They are detention centers with no better facilities than a thai prison.

[473geo]

50 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

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.

All a matter of balance, those that see the pleasures and benefits outweighing the occasional 500 baht, and those unbalanced moaners who see something to complain about

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

There is a difference here kind sir.  Membership has its privilege's, where non membership does not have any.  A person who pays taxes, works here, or worked here, paid into the tax system and the SS system is no different then a Thai who has or may have also done.  Therefore treatment should be identical.  You put in your time, paid your dues, became a permanent resident/Citizen after jumping through the hoops, would you not agree that you have paid into the system and deserve it the same and equal way?

My Scottish friend from Perth, Australia, had become an Oz citizen, so he got cheaper much than me. He was also not a member of the club. We both paid guest fees. 

I agree that foreigners with Permanent Residency should get the discount, and those who pay tax. Last time I went to Scotland, we visited a castle on Royal Dee side and had to pay more than the locals. 

I can get the test free because I have integrated into my new society, something that many foreigners I know have no intention of doing. 

 

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, Khun Roberto said:

I'm here on Non O extension for retirement.

I'm totally ok with paying the THB 500.

I've never paid into the Thai Social Security system, why should I get services for free? 

Many Thais have not paid into it either or taxes, so using your logic how do you distinguish between who has paid into it and who has not.  Are we now down to carrying statements with us of what we have paid yearly in order to qualify, or is it just down to pure racism, Thai Vs. Foreigner.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, 473geo said:

All a matter of balance, those that see the pleasures and benefits outweighing the occasional 500 baht, and those unbalanced moaners who see something to complain about

You're perfectly welcome to leave Thailand and return to your home country if you don't want to be around those so called "unbalanced moaners." 

[wensiensheng]

19 minutes ago, rupert the bear said:

ohhh dual pricing,its what it is -RACISM endda story.about time the embassies called em out. theyre quick enough to turn on their own people who have no say on who feeds off them.end to dual standards be a better idea,over to you whitehall and brussels walk the walk not more talk .not the usual -hypocrisy.time to kill those old coconut.show em what they are to the rest of the world

I’m retired, I don’t pay thai taxes or thai health fund, I never expect anything for free.

 

I have never been disappointed in that expectation. A win win situation ????

[pentagara]

2 hours ago, Trujillo said:

"Owing to a rumor that COVID-19 Rapid Tests are being sold online and that the public can buy them and test themselves at home, the Department of Medical Sciences has clarified that the test kit is a test for antibodies only; it cannot detect the virus or indicate if the user is infected with the virus. The rapid tester should be used and the results interpreted only by specialists or medical technicians. If home users get a negative reading in the result, they might think they do not have the virus and then unintentionally spread the virus to others. So the department has warned the public not to buy the COVID-19 Rapid Test and use it themselves.
Category : NEWS ROOM
April 21, 2021"

 

(Bold added)

 

APPROVED SOURCE: 

The Government Public Relations Department

 

 

 

The statement as such is correct, that a rapid test is largely useless if administered by non-health professionals. If the rapid test is done correctly, it's actually painful and most non-health professionals will stop way before while getting the sample... Evwn then they are less reliable than PCR tests, but at least cheap and quick.

 

Nevertheless, there's probably a translation error. Rapid tests are typically antigen tests and not antibody tests. That's quite a difference.

[DavisH]

8 minutes ago, digger70 said:

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

 

Great news, another nail in the tourists Coffin. They want tourists ? Nah, Only their Money.

This shows the Geed Disease is Back with avenges. 

If it's possible to make a Thb or Rip it of They Will do it No matter Who they Hurt 

 They are going to hurt themselves in the long run . It won't happen overnight but it will happen  ????

What coffin? Tourism has been dead and buried for months. This 'event' will not make one lick of difference. 

[Neeranam]

31 minutes ago, Henryford said:

 

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

All I wasnt going to go, but might just go now ????

[Hoppyone]

13 hours ago, DavisH said:

Well, that's a surprise ????

It’s worth noting Thais no need to pay for Covid vaccine if visiting or have visa or stranded in Australia,

[taxin]

Guys, before you all turn this into a 20 page Thai bashing thread, there have been reports on another thread that may indicate this to be fake news, not the pricing but the actual test itself, some have reported that they entered Phuket yesterday and were NOT asked to do a test.

 

The Phuket authorities have in the past been guilty of threatening restrictions on entering the island, each time turning out to be false, this could be their latest attempt at what is simply deterring visitors.

 

We are only 2 days into this, let’s see if people have in fact been asked to do a test, maybe some people can report on here if they have, or know people who have.