Rapid PCR test free for Thai ? where are these booths located around Pattaya ? why is useful information so difficult to find ?

[scoupeo]

hello,

For a Thai who gas been in contact with a positive covid case, where to test for free around Pattaya ?

it seems that when you go to Banglamung hospital you have to queue for hours ? and then they told that few days later you need to test again to be sure that you didn't get covid when queuing ? are they totally idiots ?!

 

I see photos of civid test booths everywhere, but NOWHERE somebody is smart enough to tell where they are located, and not even on this forum !

do you have any idea where to find them and do you have to queue for hours also ?

 

is the only solution to avoid queuing to go to a private hospital ? but where is the cheapest and how long to get results ?

 

Thank you for your help, it's so sad that among the BS posted everyday everywhere, the really useful information is hard to find !

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by scoupeo

[scoupeo]

so as soon as an information could be useful for most, it is not available on this forum, am I correct ?!

 

 

[scoupeo]

Maybe you know something else ?!

 

 

 

[Eindhoven]

5 hours ago, scoupeo said:

Maybe you know something else ?!

 

 

 

 

[Aforek]

I don't know for Pattaya, but I got one ( for me and my wife, free ) in the small hospital of my tambon ( subdistrict ) 

but I live upcountry, not a big city ; look at very small hospitals outside Pattaya , and ask them or town council and ask them 

[thailand49]

I run around all day here in Pattaya, like you I've not seen or heard of free except at Banglamung and that is for Thai 2 months ago  took the wife down as you noted it is a mad house the lady ask if I needed to be tested once she realize I wasn't Thai told me I had to pay.  I've not seen a booth or truck in Pattaya offering this service but out here on the Darkside at one of the market a month ago was offering testing at a market. But you can get a test quickly done with result at BPH for 3500 baht.

 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the contact tracing if the person haven't shown any sign there isn't really a need to be tested right now it is panic out here for good reason. I find it funny twice now my wife getting calls to be tested because we venture into a place just happen I was with her we sign in separate she got a call and I didn't?  Maybe it is see a farang name you got to speak English pass?????

[Aforek]

I forgot to say : yes, it's a panic here ; I got two PCR tests : first one, I had a little fever (I didn't feel anything ), but people here asked me  to have a PCR in a private  hospital : result, as I knew : negative ; I paid 3000 bahts ( refund 65 % by my insurance, I paid in fact 1050 bahts ) and received a letter, telling I am negative 

 

second time: I came with my wife from Bangkok : 14 days quarantine, after one week we were asked to have a PCR ( free, this time in the small hospital of my tambon : they didn't send a letter but didn't call, so I suppose I was negative , I am very well at the moment I write this message  ) 

 

both were exactly the same , one free and one  3000 bahts  : they make money with farangs; I can accept that analysis costs money, but not 3000 bahts 

[sandyf]

On 7/19/2021 at 11:20 PM, scoupeo said:

so as soon as an information could be useful for most, it is not available on this forum, am I correct ?!

 

 

The title is misleading, there is no such thing as a rapid PCR test, the quicker labs say results will be within 24 hours, but some are up to 48 hours.

The rapid test is an Antigen test which can give results very quickly. They have been available for some time at about half the cost of the PCR test but reliability is less. 

Getting a free test I suspect would be another Thai variable.

The rapid Antigen test was approved for home use about a week ago and should be available shortly if not already.

 

The registration of rapid antigen test kits would allow people to more easily become aware of their infection, enter isolation and receive early treatment, he said.

People would be able to buy the test kids at hospitals, government organisations and drug stores with duty pharmacists who could advise them on proper use and disposal.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/covid-home-testing-kits-approved-80708.php

[dabhand]

This recent article from Pattaya News may be of interest. But only states 'looking at'.....!!

 

https://thepattayanews.com/2021/07/21/pattaya-city-looking-at-getting-rapid-antigen-covid-19-test-kits-using-d-varee-hotel-on-jomtien-beach-as-hospitel/

[scoupeo]

13 hours ago, sandyf said:

The title is misleading, there is no such thing as a rapid PCR test, the quicker labs say results will be within 24 hours, but some are up to 48 hours.

The rapid test is an Antigen test which can give results very quickly. They have been available for some time at about half the cost of the PCR test but reliability is less. 

Getting a free test I suspect would be another Thai variable.

The rapid Antigen test was approved for home use about a week ago and should be available shortly if not already.

 

The registration of rapid antigen test kits would allow people to more easily become aware of their infection, enter isolation and receive early treatment, he said.

People would be able to buy the test kids at hospitals, government organisations and drug stores with duty pharmacists who could advise them on proper use and disposal.

https://www.thephuketnews.com/covid-home-testing-kits-approved-80708.php

 

available everywhere since a week, for 400 thb, so you can be sure that very few Thai will pay for them !

 

 

[scoupeo]

14 hours ago, Aforek said:

I forgot to say : yes, it's a panic here ; I got two PCR tests : first one, I had a little fever (I didn't feel anything ), but people here asked me  to have a PCR in a private  hospital : result, as I knew : negative ; I paid 3000 bahts ( refund 65 % by my insurance, I paid in fact 1050 bahts ) and received a letter, telling I am negative 

 

second time: I came with my wife from Bangkok : 14 days quarantine, after one week we were asked to have a PCR ( free, this time in the small hospital of my tambon : they didn't send a letter but didn't call, so I suppose I was negative , I am very well at the moment I write this message  ) 

 

both were exactly the same , one free and one  3000 bahts  : they make money with farangs; I can accept that analysis costs money, but not 3000 bahts 

 

you really have a lot of money to waste, it's so useless to test after 14 days quarantine !

 

[scoupeo]

Until now, in Thai and in English, it was impossible to find a PCR test booth.

And in Pattaya all private hospitals are fully book for PCR tests, certainly by idiots for whom it's so important to fly abroad....

The only choice to make a PCR test is Banglamung hospital with hours of queues.

Many small clinics do 2000 thb antigen tests, but these scammers do not even inform Thai that they are not reliable. They should be closed to be such dangerous idiots.

 

The west has been ridiculous for a year, but since vaccine is available, our countries have been able to manage things or at least understand them, but here, 18 months later, they are still the same perfect idiots as they were from the start.

 

[Letseng]

1 hour ago, scoupeo said:

 

available everywhere since a week, for 400 thb, so you can be sure that very few Thai will pay for them !

 

 

You mean Rapid Test (antigen) not PCR, the more reliable one usually done to conform pos. antigen test.

[Aforek]

4 hours ago, scoupeo said:

 

you really have a lot of money to waste, it's so useless to test after 14 days quarantine !

 

Read my message , please : test PCR after one  week quarantine, not 14 days, and it was free  !

[talahtnut]

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Coronavirus test kits used in Tanzania were dismissed as faulty by President John Magufuli on Sunday, because he said they had returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw.

 

REUTERS

[sandyf]

10 hours ago, scoupeo said:

 

available everywhere since a week, for 400 thb, so you can be sure that very few Thai will pay for them !

Thanks, about half the price of the UK, will get a couple before I go.

[thvima]

Anybody can find them cheaper ?!

 

[scoupeo]

17 hours ago, thvima said:

Anybody can find them cheaper ?!

 

200 thb from Korea

 

[jacko45k]

On 7/23/2021 at 4:15 AM, talahtnut said:

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Coronavirus test kits used in Tanzania were dismissed as faulty by President John Magufuli on Sunday, because he said they had returned positive results on samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw.

 

REUTERS

That was back in May 2020, perhaps add a mongoose and water melon now.

[LongTimeLurker]

On 7/23/2021 at 9:36 AM, sandyf said:

Thanks, about half the price of the UK, will get a couple before I go.

They're free in UK aren't they?

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

They're free in UK aren't they?

Yes as far as I am aware but think there is talk of coming to an end.

I would need to get someone to order for me, not much help in the first couple of weeks.

Regarding the point I responded to

"available everywhere since a week, for 400 thb, so you can be sure that very few Thai will pay for them !"

 

They are not "available everywhere", I know someone that has tried without success and guy in BKP reported a couple of days ago he struggled in Bangkok.

The government have said they don't want people doing it at home and I think pharmacies have taken that on board, online seems the more likely option.

[LongTimeLurker]

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

The government have said they don't want people doing it at home and I think pharmacies have taken that on board, online seems the more likely option.

They seem to have banned Lazada from selling them.

 

Best bet is to get someone to send you one (they come in packs of 7) from the UK.

 

One is the size of a pregnancy test.

Edited July 30, 2021 by LongTimeLurker
Added UK info

[codemonkey]

They are available in Thailand, I just tried one. Available in a two pack configuration for about 800 baht.

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, codemonkey said:

They are available in Thailand, I just tried one. Available in a two pack configuration for about 800 baht.

Not readily available. My niece, a junior doctor, went around the pharmacies in Meuang Chonburi yesterday without any success. Ended up at a clinic and had it done for 800 baht, fortunately negative.

Edited July 31, 2021 by sandyf

[codemonkey]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

Not readily available. My niece, a junior doctor, went around the pharmacies in Meuang Chonburi yesterday without any success. Ended up at a clinic and had it done for 800 baht, fortunately negative.

The doc JR needs to look in the right place, ie; begin with Fascino, they have ample supply.

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, codemonkey said:

The doc JR needs to look in the right place, ie; begin with Fascino, they have ample supply.

You would have to tell me where the Fascino is, I have never seen one here. 

[Joinaman]

On 7/21/2021 at 6:12 PM, Aforek said:

I don't know for Pattaya, but I got one ( for me and my wife, free ) in the small hospital of my tambon ( subdistrict ) 

but I live upcountry, not a big city ; look at very small hospitals outside Pattaya , and ask them or town council and ask them 

are these free forex pats or if not, how much please 

[codemonkey]

11 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You would have to tell me where the Fascino is, I have never seen one here. 

Many locations thru-out Thailand.

https://www.fascino.co.th/en/branchs/20010779

[Aforek]

3 hours ago, Joinaman said:

are these free forex pats or if not, how much please 

It was free ; they asked only  pink ID  for 

every body

 

they just asked who came from Bangkok, but the other  people where locals ( I too, but I spent 3 days in Bangkok ) 

 

When it's in a private hospital it's 2500 - 3500 bahts 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Aforek

[sandyf]

15 hours ago, codemonkey said:

Many locations thru-out Thailand.

https://www.fascino.co.th/en/branchs/20010779

Well aware thank you, the nearest is about three quarters an hour away, but maybe that could be your idea of readily available.

You obviously have no idea of Mueang Chonburi or it's size.