PCR tests in Bangkok?

[World Traveller2]

I mean for foreigners who need for onward international travel. Cheap, fast, English-fluent - the list of options.

 

 Oddly, keyword searches on this forum brought nothing up, at least without scrolling through 800 results. Maybe I have to improve my search skills. This must be asked every day and I risk repitition. My apologies!

[blackcab]

Medconsult at the Racquet Club, Sukhumvit 49. About a 15 minute walk from BTS Phrom Phong.

 

It's not the easiest place to find but Dr Donna has been there years, is well known, and has been doing the covid tests since the beginning.

 

It's who I use.

[World Traveller2]

30 minutes ago, blackcab said:

Medconsult at the Racquet Club, Sukhumvit 49. About a 15 minute walk from BTS Phrom Phong.

 

It's not the easiest place to find but Dr Donna has been there years, is well known, and has been doing the covid tests since the beginning.

 

It's who I use.

Fast, cheap, or good? 'Choose one or two, three is impossible' as the saying goes. I presume public hospitals such as Chula or Siriraj involve a queue and furthermore don't service farangs?

Edited December 18, 2021 by World Traveller2

[Nelson52]

Medconsult are very good. It's who I used last month but I'm told it's a lot busier now. Make sure you register online to speed up the process 

[Nino3]

2 hours ago, blackcab said:

Medconsult at the Racquet Club, Sukhumvit 49. About a 15 minute walk from BTS Phrom Phong.

 

It's not the easiest place to find but Dr Donna has been there years, is well known, and has been doing the covid tests since the beginning.

 

It's who I use.

Agree.

[misterphil]

Last week I done 1 day Q and the hotel used Phayathai 1 hospital for my PCR test. 
 

Result all in English, no Thai at all. 
 

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by misterphil

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

MedConsult is a good option as noted above. And I was watching a YT video the other day where Dr. Donna was saying they are offering both the antigen and RT-PCR tests, and I believe she indicated they also had an express version of the RT-PCR for an added fee with results available within a few hours.

 

Starting at about the 2 min. in mark:

 

 

 

Also, happened to be at Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital the other day, and they also appeared to be running a special clinic for upcoming international travelers in need of RT-PCR tests. But I didn't get any of the particulars on that while there.

Edited December 19, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[World Traveller2]

'Good' is debatable. Depends what y mean by 'good'. Cheap certainly. Not the same thing. I haven't gone yet, but thufar (trying to contact, booking, telephone service, location, etc) are all very 'mixed' as the diplomatic word goes.

 

Firstly, the website wasn't working. Secondly, no reply temail enquiry.

Thirdly, the doctor is employing Indian/Nepali phone staff (great for English fluency). Staff does pick up, and quickly. However, there seemed to be someomprehension problems, perhaps due to #4...

Fourthly, it sounds like utter chaos there, very noisy.

Fifthly, location is not on bus route from Nana area (fom any area?)

Sixthly, you can get an original copy (included in THB2000 fee?) and with a blue stamp as required by Cambodian Immigration. But, as in Ukraine a second in&person visit is required to request and pick up.

Seventhly, online booking is possible (but I am skeptical if anyone is actually using this system - they claim so, but then why are all spots vacant?)

How long all this will take and how smoothly it goes I will report back.

 

Others willing to spend THB1000 more (or even less) I suspect can get the same more conveniently, though probably with the typical semi-fluent 'English speaker' Thai staff.

 

So, why am I going if it sounds low-grade? Cheap Charlie. That's me.

 

[World Traveller2]

Update: Got it and conclusion pending...

 

Pros

- Convenient hours

- Everyone speaks English 

- spacious, airy and well-lit

- not 'packed to the girls' with people. Nothing close
 

Cons

- cash not accepted (staff used some alternative payment extra step, so accepted my Thai banknotes)

- no elevator (33 steps up from street)

- consistent website problems. They had no record of my online appointment, so it was basically a waste of time booking electronically. Yet despite 'website crashing'and my calling two or three times the staff members (South Asians? Burmese? Indians? Nepalis?) did not advise me of this fact. And they refused to take an appointment verbally. So multiple technical foul ups. I hope they don't operate their own lab!

 

Neutrals

- If walking from Phrom Phong Station (BTS) you get to see how Japanese expats live and once their how wealthy expats spend their leisure time

- due to my 18:00 appointment results will be sent by email by 20:00 tomorrow (i.e. 26 hours) I've had both quicker and slower.

- a bit hard to find

- confusing signage (two MedConsult clinics, in different buildings)

[World Traveller2]

Off-topic incidental findings....

 

There is a UFM Fuji Super(market) very closeby. But it is closed due to staff 'being affected by COVID'.

 

There are numerous upper middle class shops in the complex (and vicinity) and mosquitos also. Perhaps this is due to there being a small stinky mini-khlong nearby

[World Traveller2]

Since there appears to be very little interest in my experience at MedConsultClinic I'll give you the brief report...

 

I got my lab results but I had to do an extra step to get it.Tjen results came within 10 minutes (but 28 hours had passed). Not happy that report reads 'not detected' instead of 'negative'.