Khao San Rd: Foreigners must take 100 baht swab tests if vax is old - ambulance on standby to take them away if positive

[webfact]

Khao San Road. File photo

 

Foreigners visiting a major tourism venue in Bangkok could find themselves whisked away by ambulance if they tests positive for Covid-19.

 

Thai media reported that the traders' association at Khao San Road were adopting their own measures to fulfil the requirements of the latest Covid protocols called "Thai Stop Covid Plus".

 

Association chief Sanga Reuangwattanakul said they were doing all the necessary screening and had ATK for swab tests at the ready.

 

Only Thais and foreigners who have been double-vaxxed are allowed entry.

 

All foreigners are having their documentation checked even though that condition of entry to the country has already been satisfied.

 

If foreigners have been vaccinated six months ago they will have to take a 100 baht swab test and wait.

 

An ambulance is on hand to take them away if they turn out to be positive. 

 

But the good news is that so far 500 swab tests have been done on Thais and foreign visitors and not a single one has come back posiitive. 

 

Dr Sophon Iamsirithavorn of the Department of Disease Control explained the difference between SHA (Safety and Health Administration) approved establishments and Thai Stop Covid Plus.

 

The former is to inspire confidence in visitors about the staff and establishment following all the rules while the latter is an extra level of protection for both businesses and patrons.

 

He said that the changing of the alcohol hours from 9 pm to 11 pm is a tricky issue and one that was still being discussed. 

 

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[thaibeachlovers]

Seems to me that AN has become a real laugh a minute forum. Every time I read it something even more ridiculous has been reported.

Never mind, we all need to laugh about something these gloomy days.

[JonnyF]

A swab test to visit KSR? Are they having a laugh? Even if I wanted to go there (which I don't) I'd simply turn around and spend my money elsewhere. Hopefully everyone does the same thing and they drop this nonsense pronto.

[IamNoone88]

If foreigners have been vaccinated six months ago they will have to take a 100 baht swab test and wait.

 

Nuff said......

[Gsxrnz]

So they're putting everybody through the rice mill on Khao San Road - Back to the Future!

[kotsak]

I mean, seriously?! ????

 

 

[Karma80]

Amazing Thailand. You don't disappoint with the ever more ridiculous.

If you come here as a tourist you probably do need an ambulance, but the destination should be the mental hospital.

 

[ozfarang]

Hope all the 'dirty farang' who have satisfied all the requirements to enter Thailand boycott KSR and spend their money elsewhere 

 

"the traders' association at Khao San Road were adopting their own measures to fulfil the requirements of the latest Covid protocols called "Thai Stop Covid Plus". " So these people know better than the MOPH 5555 ????

 

 

[Farmerslife]

Sorry but it just brought this back to mind;

 

They're coming to take me away,
Haha, they're coming to take me away,
Ho ho, hee hee, ha ha,
To the funny farm
Where Life is Beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see
Those Nice Young Men
In their Clean White Coats
And they're coming to take me AWAY,
HA HAAAAA

 

I'm not sure if it makes for great tourism advertising copy though

 

[matchar]

So what kind of dubious ATK test kits are they using and how many false positives will there be? I expect they will get a nice commission from the private hospitals in the event anyone tests positive.

 

There is also a nice fat profit margin from the ATK tests that probably cost them 40 baht or less.

[GeorgeCross]

so tourists only get swabbed?

 

seriously? 

 

thats going to go down well on social media ????????

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

I don't think they need to worry about the "dirty farang bagpackers", as the road had become a Thai trendy hangout place, and probably too expensive for the average bagpacker. From what I understood it was mainly Thais went there before corona.

[GeorgeCross]

4 minutes ago, matchar said:

So what kind of dubious ATK test kits are they using and how many false positives will there be? I expect they will get a nice commission from the private hospitals in the event anyone tests positive.

 

There is also a nice fat profit margin from the ATK tests that probably cost them 40 baht or less.

i'm sure they will try to deny a second test for as looooooooooong as possible.

 

just to be sure ☹️

 

 

[Dmaxdan]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

An ambulance is on hand to take them away if they turn out to be positive. 

Where to? The airport?  Bang Kwang prison?  A small, uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific?

[ThailandRyan]

The GF heard this and stated "What the hell are they thinking". "Might as well start testing at Makro, and entrance to the parks"

 

[Karma80]

3 minutes ago, matchar said:

So what kind of dubious ATK test kits are they using and how many false positives will there be? I expect they will get a nice commission from the private hospitals in the event anyone tests positive.

 

There is also a nice fat profit margin from the ATK tests that probably cost them 40 baht or less.

More to the point, how many fake positives will there be so you can "pay a premium fee" to be retested negative. TIT.

[ThailandRyan]

Next up entry tests to Nana and Soi Cowboy before you can be called Hansum.

[NativeBob]

"The traders' association at Khao San Road" on what ground this association functions? They can't stop/detain/perform tests just like that, unless they represent some authority.

Mass illiteracy of even basic laws is frightening, even adults act like village idiots.

Also SHA+ and TSC+ are another obvious way of corruption: selling licenses to venues with licenses is unbelievable!

[champers]

It isn't just Thailand. In Austria they have announced a lockdown for anyone not vaccinated and declared that this is the least of their measures. What is next sounds like it could be really scary.

[2long]

There was me thinking that it was a public road.

Silly old me!

[smedly]

why only foreigners 

[RafPinto]

Until an angry Thai turns up and pulls a knife.

[pseudorabies]

More thinking based on ignorance and prejudice.  Who is more likely to be infected - a tourist who has been fully vaccinated with an effective, Swiss-approved vaccine AND tested repeatedly OR a native Thai who might have been vaccinated and likely never tested who probably encounters migrant workers who are neither vaccinated or tested?  Sadly, it is thinking like this that the public health strategy often seems to be based on. 

Tourists are worried about catching COVID but not from other tourists.

[BangkokBoyJohnny]

 "Thai Stop Covid Plus" should be renamed  "Thai Stop Customer Plus".....

[VocalNeal]

30 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

the road had become a Thai trendy hangout place,

Which is why they will only test foreigners, as Thais are a bit paranoid about Covid.

[Daithi85]

17 minutes ago, smedly said:

why only foreigners 

 

[Lemsta69]

3 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Which is why they will only test foreigners, as Thais are a bit paranoid about Covid.

"But the good news is that so far 500 swab tests have been done on Thais and foreign visitors and not a single one has come back posiitive."

 

seems like they're testing Thais as well so back to the drawing board for you ????

[JCP108]

34 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

The GF heard this and stated "What the hell are they thinking". "Might as well start testing at Makro, and entrance to the parks"

 

Just wait a few days. Probably will happen.

[Daithi85]

19 minutes ago, smedly said:

why only foreigners 

It's not only foreigners, its for Thais too. 

[ChipButty]

Dont be giving them any ideas, this could catch on in all public places when they realise how much they could screw Farang over with another scam