Required timing for negative Covid PCR test before departure to Thailand?

[riclag]

5 hours ago, buick said:

i used xprescheck.com for my test in the USA to get back to thailand.  they have locations in many major airports in the US.  you can make an appt in advance.  the results are available in one hour.  i did mine at SEA on monday and flew out on wednesday.  there was also a line for walk in (no appt), some people were flying that same day and doing the test as a walk in a few hrs before their flight. 

 

i got the reference on xprescheck from a thread on this site.  worked out great.

Not listed in LAX , Dallas or O'hare! They are in the top 5 busiest international airports in the US

Edited August 12, 2021 by riclag

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, riclag said:

Not listed in LAX , Dallas or O'hare! They are in the top 5 busiest international airports in the US

This particular company no, but COVID testing is available at LAX

https://abc7.com/lax-covid-19-test-covid-los-angeles-airport-la-do-i-need-a-to-travel/10534879/

 

and O'Hare

https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/coronavirus/Pages/ordtest.aspx

 

and DFW

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation/dfw-international-airport-opens-covid-testing-facility

 

Note though that airport testing usually entails a fee whereas free testing can be had in most cities. For the free tests, need to look carefully at turn around time to be sure to have results in hand before departure.

 

[riclag]

33 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

This particular company no, but COVIS+D testing is avalable at LAX

https://abc7.com/lax-covid-19-test-covid-los-angeles-airport-la-do-i-need-a-to-travel/10534879/

 

and O'Hare

https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/coronavirus/Pages/ordtest.aspx

 

and DFW

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation/dfw-international-airport-opens-covid-testing-facility

 

Note though that airport testing usually entails a fee whereas free testing can be had in most cities. For the free tests, need to look carefully at turn around time to be sure to have results in hand before departure.

 

You probably noticed by looking at this thread a few members were  confused about the turn around times.so aren't some of these free tests sites.  Personally, I would choose this method,  that you and the other guy mentioned at the airports! But thats me

[JackGats]

10 hours ago, LoVeFuN said:

So my understanding after reading the thread is if you have the test done 72 hours before your flight and no more you should have your result 24 hours after. This would be issued and dated 48 hours before your flight and would be accepted, am I correct as the thread has made me confused.

No it would be dated and timed 72 hours before. The date and time of issuance is of practical importance for your arrangements but it is not relevant for the test validity. 

 

P.S. I think Thais have no idea what "issue" means in English. I mean "issue" is thaiglish for "carried out". Surely what matters is the date and time indicated by the lab on your covid test certificate. That date and time will be the date and time they stuck the swab into your nostrils. That will be the date and time airline staff will see on your covid test certificate. I am ready to stand corrected but in the meantime I prefer to err on the side of safety.

Edited August 12, 2021 by JackGats

[alex8912]

6 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

Which part of what I wrote is "kind of wrong?"

 

As I said - most airlines go by the requirements of the destination rather than having a blanket requirement for COVID testing of their own. Certainly true of Emirates, Korean Air, Thai airlines to name a few.

 

Where there is a transit flight, requirements at the point of transit will apply as well.  Some countries require proof of negative test for transit passengers, some do not, others base it on the point of destination (for example, transit passengers who departed from the USA do not need proof of COVID test to transit through South Korea, even though test is required of everyone entering the country.)

 

Thai nationals can and do fly to Thailand without COVID testing befire hand. Whether or not the should be able to do so is another matter. But definitely they can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry. Not trying to upset you at all. But. I still don't know where this very specific info  is of what countries for example require a test for transit ( that would be helpful if it existed and why it doesn't is another question) I mean a Thai can fly from Boston to Dubai to Phuket ( transit only DXB) and NEVER have to get a covid test?  You mentioned Emirates?  You said they go by country of destination rules. So Thailand says no covid test for Thai national entering ?? Right? 
so a Thai WITH covid can leave Logan Airport ( or JFK ETC) I mean full of Covid but no temperature or cough, but full of covid. Go on 12 1/2 hour flight to Dubai. Transit Dubai several hours, full of covid. Then take 7 hour flight to Phuket , full of covid. Then arrive Phuket , full of covid and test positive in Phuket!!! 
but CNN and FOX ( I hate both ) have not even picked up on this!! 
seriously Sheryl. I'm not doubting you at all but don't you think this process I described above is ALMOST COMPLETELY UNREAL?? 
I mean this could be the most interesting thread on TVF or whatever it is , this entire year?  This is really news! I'm serious and I think you know quite a lot about this too. 
I wish when you had free time to expand on this and we all could have ( hopefully) a great discussion. 
Any airline that allows this is....

Let's fill in the blanks. I think is CRAZY 
I really appreciate your work here. 

I hate texting , and if I go ?? Or THIS!, lol. Im really saying "wow " in my head. I live in Boston as I mentioned ( 1/2 the year ) and all the rich suburbs near me want me to wear a mask indoors this week ( Massachusetts has some of the lowest rates of covid as you know ) but a Thai at my local restaurant with covid can travel and transit to Thailand with no problem tomorrow and not have to get a neg test? Why can't I get my head around this? 

Thanks Sheryl
 

[alex8912]

3 hours ago, JackGats said:

No it would be dated and timed 72 hours before. The date and time of issuance is of practical importance for your arrangements but it is not relevant for the test validity. 

 

P.S. I think Thais have no idea what "issue" means in English. I mean "issue" is thaiglish for "carried out". Surely what matters is the date and time indicated by the lab on your covid test certificate. That date and time will be the date and time they stuck the swab into your nostrils. That will be the date and time airline staff will see on your covid test certificate. I am ready to stand corrected but in the meantime I prefer to err on the side of safety.

I agree!  And who the heck is doing the checking  at HKT OR BKK?? And then who is checking tomorrow ( different rules lol) then Saturday??

[alex8912]

6 hours ago, Sheryl said:

This particular company no, but COVID testing is available at LAX

https://abc7.com/lax-covid-19-test-covid-los-angeles-airport-la-do-i-need-a-to-travel/10534879/

 

and O'Hare

https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/coronavirus/Pages/ordtest.aspx

 

and DFW

https://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation/dfw-international-airport-opens-covid-testing-facility

 

Note though that airport testing usually entails a fee whereas free testing can be had in most cities. For the free tests, need to look carefully at turn around time to be sure to have results in hand before departure.

 

Right! And in USA many say 24-48 hours. So MAYBE a little more than 48?  So you fly out of USA 10:30pm Tuesday. Many places closed Sunday or Monday is too late. If Sunday you might NOT find out by Tuesday. Then what do you do?

[CANSIAM]

4 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Right! And in USA many say 24-48 hours. So MAYBE a little more than 48?  So you fly out of USA 10:30pm Tuesday. Many places closed Sunday or Monday is too late. If Sunday you might NOT find out by Tuesday. Then what do you do?

A Thursday or Friday flight is ideal, time for a test and wait results, avoid weekends. 72 hour window starts from test RESULT date. Try to book a trip with minimal transit times if possible. I had the test date ( sample collection ) and result date on my certificate

[NoshowJones]

18 hours ago, alex8912 said:

I agree. This thread is extremely confusing. Ubon Joe you even mentioned looking at a link and another link was not good. Can someone just answer the OP???  No one really has. Here is what some people don't understand. For example when you leave from Boston to Phuket on ANY airline you must stop at least once or often twice ( or more) to get to Phuket. On Qatar air you stop once in Doha ( it's a 9 hour layover) you leave Boston just after 10pm ( no other choice) for example my Thai friend will be here next week staying till Oct 5. Flight from Boston to Phuket leaves just after 10 pm and transits 9 hrs in Doha and gets yo Phuket just after 7AM on Oct 7th Phuket time. When do you get the test??  All answers are confusing on this thread. 

That's very true, but you cannot blame the thread itself, posters are getting different answers, and having different experiences, there is just no way round this at all. I don't know what I would have to do if I had to go back to the UK in an emergency, how to get PLF, getting a Cvirus cert, getting them within a certain timescale, risk of the flight getting cancelled, being left stranded in Bangkok. Different countries having different rules, it is all just one big mess.

Edited August 13, 2021 by possum1931

[LomSak27]

Bravo, you have made this a big confusing furball. Whatever phraseology they use, you need to have a test taken, then used, within a 72 hours period. If it is older than 72 hours it will NOT be accepted.

 

A friend was departing.. Test took did not get results to the evening.. Next day all day trip to airport, hotel, stays night. Next day departs. The test was now 48 hours old when he boarded the flight, it was 56 hours old when he changed planes in transit and yes they checked it at Narita when getting on his 2nd leg flight. On arrival his test was now about 66 hours old and no problems but it was looked over by the immigration person. You have a three day, 72 hour window from the date on the test showing you are covid free to complete your trip. Make it so.

[treetops]

2 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Bravo, you have made this a big confusing furball. Whatever phraseology they use, you need to have a test taken, then used, within a 72 hours period. If it is older than 72 hours it will NOT be accepted.

And you have added to the misinformation.  As posted many times above, the requirements for a non-Thai entering Thailand are for the test results to be issued within 72 hours of the departure of the traveller's first flight.  The test itself can be taken before that.

 

The safety conscious will do both within the 72 hours.

 

I recall Thailand was reportedly enforcing a test on arrival for ASQ detainees if the 72 hour limit had beeen exceeded on arrival, but not heard this for a while.

[riclag]

11 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Right! And in USA many say 24-48 hours. So MAYBE a little more than 48?  So you fly out of USA 10:30pm Tuesday. Many places closed Sunday or Monday is too late. If Sunday you might NOT find out by Tuesday. Then what do you do?

https://www.flylax.com/travelsafely#CovidTest

 A few  options ,with results the same day or within hours  but there's a fee involved

Edited August 13, 2021 by riclag

[sqwakvfr]

I would depart on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday.  I would not depart on a Monday or Tuesday.  I departed out of LAX and could not find a single Lab in Southern California that was open on Saturday or Sunday for Covid 19 RT PCR tests.  I transited through Singapore.  My specific flight departed on a Friday night at 1000 PM.  My Covid 19 Test was conducted at 1100 AM on a Wednesday and the lab result was sent to me via email on Thursday morning.  I did not have an issue at check-in or in Singapore.   I did find a lab that provided RT-PCR test result in 4 to 5 hours.  But the cost was $500.  The 24 hour RT-PCR test was $175.  This was back in February 2021.  

Edited August 13, 2021 by sqwakvfr

[TerraplaneGuy]

On 8/12/2021 at 4:51 PM, JackGats said:

No it would be dated and timed 72 hours before. The date and time of issuance is of practical importance for your arrangements but it is not relevant for the test validity. 

 

P.S. I think Thais have no idea what "issue" means in English. I mean "issue" is thaiglish for "carried out". Surely what matters is the date and time indicated by the lab on your covid test certificate. That date and time will be the date and time they stuck the swab into your nostrils. That will be the date and time airline staff will see on your covid test certificate. I am ready to stand corrected but in the meantime I prefer to err on the side of safety.

I can't agree with your interpretation.  Admittedly translating from Thai can be tricky.  But this is the official requirement in English:  "Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR test, issued within 72 hours before departure."  I think it's clear that "issued" refers to "Medical certificate", not "test".   The drafting and grammar are perfect, no ambiguity at all (note the commas around the "using RT-PCR test", which separates it from the main clause), and the way you're reading it is really twisting it.   Certainly if this language were published by an English-speaking government there could be no doubt that it's the certificate that sets the timing.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

I can't agree with your interpretation.  Admittedly translating from Thai can be tricky.  But this is the official requirement in English:  "Medical certificate with a laboratory result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected, using RT-PCR test, issued within 72 hours before departure."  I think it's clear that "issued" refers to "Medical certificate", not "test".   The drafting and grammar are perfect, no ambiguity at all (note the commas around the "using RT-PCR test", which separates it from the main clause), and the way you're reading it is really twisting it.   Certainly if this language were published by an English-speaking government there could be no doubt that it's the certificate that sets the timing.

You might be right. But do the officials, who check that certificate, know all that? Or could they possibly interpret the way they think it's right or should be.

I don't want to say that this will happen. But it is not unusual in Thailand that official interpret the rules differently from the way they are.

[TerraplaneGuy]

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

You might be right. But do the officials, who check that certificate, know all that? Or could they possibly interpret the way they think it's right or should be.

I don't want to say that this will happen. But it is not unusual in Thailand that official interpret the rules differently from the way they are.

OK guess what I just got through to Etihad Airways after 3 hours on hold, and asked them (because I'm flying from Toronto to Phuket soon with them) and they agree with you!  They say the 72 hours relates to the time of the test, not the certificate.  They said that's what they were told by the Thai government.   What exactly they got in writing I don't know but this interpretation is reflected on the Etihad website.

[ubonjoe]

39 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

OK guess what I just got through to Etihad Airways after 3 hours on hold, and asked them (because I'm flying from Toronto to Phuket soon with them) and they agree with you!  They say the 72 hours relates to the time of the test, not the certificate.  They said that's what they were told by the Thai government.   What exactly they got in writing I don't know but this interpretation is reflected on the Etihad website.

It seems they are reading the rules wrong. This from the COE application website.

 https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/regis/step?language=en

 

And this from the IATA website after clicking Thailand on the map.

 

 

Source: https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php