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

[ChaiyaTH]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It isn't. It's a deliberately misleading headline, something that this site has excelled in over the past few months. The site has become tabloid in approach, no doubt for financial reasons. Either that, or the site needs different headline writers. Neither is good.

Wether it is for foreigners only or for foreigners and Thais, doesn't make it any bit better. Both cases it sucks. Imagine you were vaccinated back home a year ago, you then do a PCR test and all the paperwork to fly here, then you are pushed into ASQ and tested again. When you are finally released, you hit KSR, oh no you won't, first ANOTHER test again. After you wanna go to Samui, once again, another test.

Edited November 15, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[Bangkok Barry]

19 minutes ago, firemans35 said:

I was just thinking the same thing. I was planning on taking a trip to Thailand but I'll wait. Is it a requirement to carry your vaccination proof with you when you go out and about? How will they know when you had your vaccination? Regardless of the requirement, I'm not going there. If I know beforehand or requirements, price etc I won't go anywhere where the requirements for foreigners are different than the Thai's.

It isn't. Read the article and not just the misleading headline. Perhaps this site has an agenda to discourage foreigners/tourists coming to Thailand, as your post so vividly proves. Why, I have no idea, but it repeatedly writes headlines that make it appear only foreigners are being targeted.

[ChaiyaTH]

1 minute ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It isn't. Read the article and not just the misleading headline. Perhaps this site has an agenda to discourage foreigners/tourists coming to Thailand, as your post so vividly proves. Why, I have no idea, but it repeatedly writes headlines that make it appear only foreigners are being targeted.

Utter nonsense, almost no (potential) tourist comes on this site, they can't even keep a decent sized expat community alive on here. 

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Must have registered as restaurants as they "close" for alcohol sales at 9pm!

Whatever you say:

 

One big difference is a bar without a proper restaurant license can get a Stop Covid Plus certificate and claim to be a "restaurant", whereas bars are not on SHA. So it is a "grey area" to appease these places to open, thus Khaosan Road, etc.

[freedomnow]

...vaccines so good, you need 3 per year.

[JCP108]

10 hours 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 saw a post in a Fakebook forum by a guy saying he arrived in Chiang Mai and was told by hotel staff that he could only use the pool if he could show proof of test within the last seven days. The common folk of Thailand seem to be getting creative in coming up with ways to use the facade of public health concern to impose new restrictions on farangs. So, keep watching for something like this at your local Makro.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

4 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

It isn't. Read the article and not just the misleading headline. Perhaps this site has an agenda to discourage foreigners/tourists coming to Thailand, as your post so vividly proves. Why, I have no idea, but it repeatedly writes headlines that make it appear only foreigners are being targeted.

Utter nonsense, almost no (potential) tourist comes on this site, they can't even keep a decent sized expat community alive on here. 

Well, I have no idea how you know the readership numbers and how they interact with the site and each other. But those who do read these threads or, as in many cases with this one, only the misleading headline, they then let anyone they know who might be thinking of coming to Thailand to think again. That's how email and social media works. So the site doesn't need potential tourists to read it. Again, how do you know that they don't, when searching, doing research, before booking a flight?

 

Why this site is writing headlines to suggest that only foreigners are being targeted is interesting. But I'm sure they have their reasons.

[ChaiyaTH]

18 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Well, I have no idea how you know the readership numbers and how they interact with the site and each other. But those who do read these threads or, as in many cases with this one, only the misleading headline, they then let anyone they know who might be thinking of coming to Thailand to think again. That's how email and social media works. So the site doesn't need potential tourists to read it. Again, how do you know that they don't, when searching, doing research, before booking a flight?

 

Why this site is writing headlines to suggest that only foreigners are being targeted is interesting. But I'm sure they have their reasons.

It does not say ''foreigners only'', it only says ''Foreigners must test....'' which is logical as the target audience is foreigners.

[smudger1951]

10 hours 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"

 

Fortunately, I'm getting s booster jab now before flying back next week. It really is the thin end of the wedge and says everything about what they think of us.

[mran66]

April fools day?

 

Thai news headlines are really getting totally absurd, April fools day headlines in the west look serious compared to this

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

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

Highly unlikely. 

The consciousness directed towards the ever-present Dirty Farang. 

Should be noted. 

[KhaoYai]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

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.

The only thing this is going to inspire is the resolution of tourists never to visit Thailand again - what's the bloody point of going through all the Thailand Pass rigmarole?

[Daithi85]

8 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Highly unlikely. 

The consciousness directed towards the ever-present Dirty Farang. 

Should be noted. 

For everyone. 

[WingFat]

Ah yes, get a 100B swab from the same Khao San Road purveyors of fake visas, passports and vax certifications...

[Pj2738]

What did they do with the 50,000 Baht from the 500 tests?

[BTB1977]

They should test for STDs instead.  

[cheapcanuck]

It's getting stupider and stupider as this goes on. 

[cheapcanuck]

1 hour ago, Pj2738 said:

What did they do with the 50,000 Baht from the 500 tests?

It's in a Thai official's pocket I can guarantee you that.

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, WinterGael said:

I'm sorry... but I find most replies to this post show a marked degree of nonsense. 

Agreed - a lot of responses are just daft. 

 

Quote

Just like in my home country, shop owners and businesses are taking the necessary steps to ensure the success of reopeningand hopevthat further lichdowns will be avoided. 

Which country is that ? - Most business and shop owners are simply begging for business, they’ve been hurting for 18 months. 

 

 

Quote

These actions are not foolishness. 

They are when they are carried out in such a knee-jerk manner by an unofficial ‘consortium’ - Thailand already has the Mor Chana App and could easily have a ’Thai Pass’ system where anyone can show their vaccination status, many countries are already doing this, this is where a good track and trace app would work and identify and request people to isolate if they are traced to be of high risk (due to recent exposure).

 

To many people consider this a violation of their freedoms, but it's a viable solution for as we can see, the potential alternatives lawless approaches are more invasive. 

 

 

Quote

They are the reality of the age we live in. 

They are the reality of the age we ‘risk’ living in if we allow this silliness to happen - Intelligent measures, yes, but knee-jerk actions, no. 

 

Quote

By suggesting otherwise is showing a certain degree of selfishness on the part of tourists (tourism in and of itself right now is a selfish axt), and farang who reside here who suggest otherwise forget that this is not their country. 

Suggesting it is our country is short sighted response that does not handle the issue. Thai’s also object to such measures, what do you say to them ?

 

 

 

Quote

So it is deplorable that such comments ate made suggesting that we farangs may know better.

Some may know better than others, but many can identify a flawed idea - Nationality does not need to come into it. 

 

Quote

We don't.  Our self serving attitudes and elitist attitudes made western democracies a laughing stock, non more so than the US. 

Ask that of the poor and working classes in many countries you may consider are less self serving. 

 

Quote

THIS is Thailand, support these actions or say nothing.  Personally, I do everything in my power to abide by Thai rules, do not criticise, and slowly but surely, I'm being welcomed back into my village community. It is the only sane thing to do.

Living as part of a community, integrating and mixing is fine - accepting outright silliness is not. 

 

There is nothing wrong with anyone making both complimentary and critical observations and discussion them

with intelligent balance, your suggestion is to be blind and mute, that is no way to live at all - I kind of feel sorry for the weakness you show. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by richard_smith237

[MrJ2U]

Not many people visiting Khao San Rd.

 

The threat of getting whisked away to some hospital after a false positive result will definitely not inspire people to visit.

 

 

[Jingthing]

6 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Not many people visiting Khao San Rd.

 

The threat of getting whisked away to some hospital after a false positive result will definitely not inspire people to visit.

 

 

Hopefully people will be informed of that risk before attempting to visit.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, CG1 Blue said:

The big deal is if you test positive in Thailand you'll be whisked off in an ambulance and forced to quarantine for (insert guess of choice) days at a cost of thousands, symptoms or no symptoms. 

Not true....  I know people who have tested PCR positive at a hospital.

The went home after their test, when the positive results came out they were asked to return to hospital (they drove there), were checked over, tested again for confirmation - they had no symptoms.

 

They went home after 3 nights and have been asked to isolate for another 10 days.

 

--------

 

I don’t think the official policy is forced hospitalisation for the asymptomatic. 

However, if you have symptoms and are going out anyway, I would agree with being wisked off and forced to quarantine as you don’t care about putting others at risk. 

 

I also know people who have tested ATK positive, have mild symptoms and are keeping a low profile and isolating for a couple of weeks - it's the sensible thing to do. 

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, firemans35 said:

I was just thinking the same thing. I was planning on taking a trip to Thailand but I'll wait. Is it a requirement to carry your vaccination proof with you when you go out and about? How will they know when you had your vaccination? Regardless of the requirement, I'm not going there. If I know beforehand or requirements, price etc I won't go anywhere where the requirements for foreigners are different than the Thai's.

Most (not all) vaccine certificates have a QR code.

 

We can carry a copy of our vaccine certificate on our phone.

 

On ‘most’ vaccine certificates when the QR code is scanned the vaccine information comes up (Name of person, date and type of vaccine).

 

For some, such as the UK QR code this does not happen, perhaps through ’information privacy’ reasons. 

 

 

Ideally: We could all have an App on our phone that shows our vaccination status... i.e. Thailand Pass, Mor Chana, Thailand Plus... and Mor Prom...  Its not hard to sort out, there are plenty of countries doing exactly this,  but it seems difficult for Thailand to get organised on this and then we’ll have the grumps complaining that they don’t want to carry a smart phone - but thats irrelevant, these same folk are unlikely to want to go to area’s of high-density-footfall and if they do...well, just get a cheap smart phone !!! 

 

 

Testing people on the spot with Antigen Test Kits is a bit too much IMO... 

 

 

The government could do a lot lot better here and issue Antigen Test Kits for free and simply ask anyone to test at home... i.e. before going to a shopping mall etc... or even just take a couple of tests per week etc...

 

Those who tests positive isolate at home... it doesn’t need to be any harder than that.  Yes, people will always break the regulations etc, but it should help for the most part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by richard_smith237

[CALSinCM]

What a scam.  I tell you what.  Any actual tourist considering coming here should seriously reconsider.  There's a new money making racket.  Swoop up foreigners and force them into extremely expensive hospital confinement. 

Stay away.  Find a sane country to visit.

[CALSinCM]

14 hours ago, JonnyF said:

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.

If a Covid test is the price to enter - anywhere - I'll turn around and leave.  Just nail the coffin lids shut.  Tourism in Thailand is finished.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm…. This sort of rubbish is bound to increase tourism in a country run by idiots

[DrPhibes]

15 hours ago, Farmerslife said:

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

 

Shades of Dr Demento!

[michael888]

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

Not many people visiting Khao San Rd.

 

The threat of getting whisked away to some hospital after a false positive result will definitely not inspire people to visit.

 

 

yep, 30 % chance of false positive i think?  Thats f'in ridiculous

 

[bangon04]

17 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

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

from the OP: - "If foreigners have been vaccinated six months ago they will have to take a 100 baht swab test and wait."

[kiwikeith]

18 hours ago, JonnyF said:

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.

A lady I know has put a sign on the door off her cafe in Northland Nz , saying only double vaccinated may enter, every one stopped going there, the takeaway across the road  now makes coffee for her ex customers, now she’s trying to sell the cafe, her husband is pulling his hair out.