Free COVID booster shots on offer for all at Bang Sue vaccination centre

[SooKee]

On 7/23/2022 at 11:33 AM, Pib said:

 

And besides Bang Sue I just got some crossfeed on a LINE group I'm part of it....the crossfeed is basically a poster/flyer saying on Saturday/today/23 July from 1pm to 4pm at the 69 govt health centers in Bangkok walk-in vaccinations/booster are available.  Just bring your Thai ID card or foreign passport.  

 

Lots of options to get free jabs in Bangkok although finding out where and when seems to be by social media grapevine/crossfeed.

Those looking for local vaccinations sites can download the QueQ mobile phone app and, once registered, you can select 'Vaccination Centres' and it will bring up a list of all the vax sites that are currently active, you can then register / book.  It's in Thai so folks that can't read Thai will need assistance from someone that does (not hard to find here though ????).  Easier than trawling through the various social media feeds, the CCSA/C19 page also gets updates with new sites as they open up but they too get quickly buried under the update / general info posts (and FB search is pretty erratic in terms of effectiveness). 

Edited July 28, 2022 by SooKee

[Patanawet]

On 7/24/2022 at 7:50 PM, Pib said:

"Bang Sue is not hard or that expensive to get to from within Bangkok. "
Thanks Pib for all that useful information.
The only thing I have to disagree on is the ease of getting to Bang Sue.
I've done it once by subway and once by taxi.
The taxi took close on an hour (from mid Sukhumvit, Phrom Phong) ; the subway much faster but a trek to exit the subway station and crossing the carriageway to get to the real station.

I'm resisting branching off into arguments about siting Bangkok's 'central' Station there -- that's an argument for another time.

 

Mah Boon Khrong was so convenient and efficient.

 

Thanks again for all the info.
 

 

 

[rahil627]

On 7/8/2022 at 12:34 PM, kingkenny said:

I went yesterday, no registration needed. Just turn up with passport and previous vaccine certificate if you have one.

 

Within 5 minutes of entering I was jabbed and in the 30 minute observation. 

 

Fill a form in, go to registration desk and then straight to the nurse for injection. 

 

After 30 minutes collect new vaccine certificate. 

 

Choice of Moderna and Pfizer. 

 

I would say there was probably only around 100 people there, only one entrance now rather than the 3 previously and no queues now. 

i just want to confirm kingkenny's experience as of two days ago: i walked-in with just a passport, in-n-out very quickly, waiting area was at 3/4 capacity. Choice of Phizer, Moderna, and one other (i don't remember).

 

i took a train from Ayutthaya (a nice ride full of rice paddies), got out the station, and just straight up walked toward the giant building (i honestly did not see a proper way to walk there...). The entrance is on the rear-side of that massive building. I didn't see any signs in English to inform this, but i think there's a covid info desk at train station itself.

 

i was actually shocked by the experience because it was so fast. No one has ever gave me a shot without questions or some warm-up in my life like that! Register form (extremely simple) -> choose shot / show record -> instant shot -> wait 30 minutes. It's most run by younger competent medical kids that speak English (hurray for the next generation). But remember to ask for a vaccine certificate at one of the kiosks.

 

then, back in Ayutthaya, at the general hospital, there's a room to submit the vaccine certificate to get a vaccine passport. 50 baht (and they copy the papers for you). It takes a week because an actual doctor has to sign it. This is the bottle-neck of the process.

 

the only problem is that i couldn't see that it was indeed Phizer, because, iirc, the shots are pre-loaded? I dunno. It was too fast.

 

as a person who has been in Thailand since covid started, i'd say just take the train trip. Hospitals in many non-tourist provinces are either: first-come-first-serve, not for foreigners, out-of-supply, reservation-only, and often only have Chinese vaccines or AstraZeneca at best. I've been unfortunate dwelling in less popular provinces, and i'm not the sort of person to research Facebook groups to figure out which place is giving out appointments if you download their terrible smart-phone app that doesn't work. So, if you're a walk-in kinda person, take the trip!

 

thanks for sharing your experience kingkenny, and to whoever started this thread! i totally forgot about this place. I imagine hospitals in Thailand don't even have the technology to store Phizer shots. xD

[rahil627]

On 7/17/2022 at 2:06 PM, Pib said:

 Plus later on I will also have it recorded in my Yellow Vaccine Passport which at the same time generates an International Vaccine Certificate. 

oh wait, the yellow "vaccine passport" is different... yeah, i was asked the choice of "certificate" or "passport" at my local hospital, but i chose passport... <deleted>? should i go back and ask for an "international certificate"? or do they give you both?

[hotandsticky]

12 minutes ago, rahil627 said:

oh wait, the yellow "vaccine passport" is different... yeah, i was asked the choice of "certificate" or "passport" at my local hospital, but i chose passport... <deleted>? should i go back and ask for an "international certificate"? or do they give you both?

 

 

Why do you want one?

 

"Evidence of vaccination" is all that is required for entry purposes etc.

[treetops]

According to Mor Phrom, the issuing of yellow books has been suspended as the electronic certificate service gets expanded.

[rahil627]

some missed details:

 

it's free (i imagine it's normally free..?)

1st or 4th jab, it doesn't matter (it was my 1st)

 

i took an ordinary southbound train early afternoon on a Tuesday (iirc), perfect journey there. However, i had to wait a long time for the next northbound train. It was quite full, with people standing up(!), so i think it was the first post-work-time train (there's a bunch at around 4-6pm, but nothing before)

 

zero lines/queues for me. Waiting post-shot was the only time i had to wait.

 

as someone said, there's really no instructions, and you just have to sorta follow the colored tape lines on the floor, and search the queue entrances for your vaccine brand. For the most part it's organized by the process (register form, info staff with a light, shot, waiting & record) but it's def understandable if you don't know where to go. I was able to intuit just fine.

Edited August 11, 2022 by rahil627

[rahil627]

35 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Why do you want one?

 

"Evidence of vaccination" is all that is required for entry purposes etc.

i just want to ensure another country accepts it, so i'm trying to get whichever thing is "international"...

[hotandsticky]

39 minutes ago, rahil627 said:

i just want to ensure another country accepts it, so i'm trying to get whichever thing is "international"...

It is just another piece of Thai paper in a yellow cover. The word international appears in there but it gives no extra validity.

 

You will have a paper certificate of vaccine and a digital copy....that is sufficient to satisfy the requirements for "evidence of vaccination".

[rahil627]

oh okay, thanks for the info! then i won't bother. i just thought the world agreed upon some sort of international document, like an international driving permit.

 

yeah, that's true, i still have the paper certificate from the vaccination center too... cool, i won't stress it then.

[Pib]

5 hours ago, rahil627 said:

oh wait, the yellow "vaccine passport" is different... yeah, i was asked the choice of "certificate" or "passport" at my local hospital, but i chose passport... <deleted>? should i go back and ask for an "international certificate"? or do they give you both?

I can't speak to what different hospitals may issues....but I'm pretty sure it varies from hospital to hospital as to what they are authorized to issue/update.  Some can update vaccine passports....others refer you to some govt hospital/agency. 

 

For the wife and I we have always used the Mor Prom app to get our yellow vaccine passport issued and/or updated......and when doing this an International Certificate/QR code is automatically issued/updated in Mor Prom.

 

Just a few weeks ago  I used Mor Prom to book an appointment on 1 Aug to have a new vaccine passport issued as I had just renewed my passport....they issued a new vaccine passport with my new passport number and also reflecting my 4th jab I had got about a month ago.  Upon getting this vaccine passport my International Certificate/QR code on Mor Prom was automatically updated.

 

And early this week the wife booked an appt for this Monday/15 Aug to get a new vaccine passport to reflect her new Thai passport and also to reflect her 4th jab she got last month.  A new International Certificate/QR code will be automatically generated in this process.

 

Since the wife and I live in Bangkok and that's the address we have loaded in our Mor Prom profiles whenever we start the process to book an appt to update our vaccine passport we are offered two locations of the Bamasnaraddura infectious Diseases Institute ( BIDI) which is a govt hospital in Nanathaburi which is the one we use for this process since it pretty easy for us to go to.....OR, the Division Communicable Diseases that use to be in the Bangrak Medical Center Building on Silom Rd in central Bangkok but the Bangrak location closed o/a 1 July.  I expect that what locations a person is offered in this booking process may vary depending the their profile in Mor Prom.

 

Now that the Bangrak Medical Center is no longer open...it closed for vaccine passport issue o/a 1 July 2022.   When the wife or I start the booking process a "popup appears which states the center is not longer available for vaccine passport due to coming automation changes/upgrades in the issues of vaccine passports. Then once you close that popup message you can look for available appointments at the BIDI in Nonthaburi and Bangrad Med Center in Bangkok....however, the Bangrad selection stopped showing any available appts o/a 1 July; however the BIDI still shows appts.  The Mor Prom app programmers should remove the Bangrad Med Center as choice since it no longer open, but for whatever reason it still offered but with no appts available.

 

In fact just before posting this response here on this 11 Aug/Thursday night I opened up Mor Prom, started a booking process and BIDI showed appts for 16 thru 31 August....they will not show September appts until all/most of the August appointment at used up.  But no appts available for the Bangrak Med Center since it closed for vaccine passport issues/update.

 

 

 

[Pib]

5 hours ago, treetops said:

According to Mor Phrom, the issuing of yellow books has been suspended as the electronic certificate service gets expanded.

No they haven't....if you base that statement on the popup message in Mor Prom that appears when starting an appt booking and getting the same popup message as me it just says the Bangrak Medical Center in central Bangkok is no longer issuing vaccine passports since 1 July due to upcoming automation changes in how vaccine passports are issued.   But when closing that popup message you continue on to the booking menu where you "can" still make an appt for BIDI hospital in Nanthaburi.   

 

Now if the address you have loaded in your Mor Prom profile is not the metro Bangkok area then you may be offered different appt booking locations.  Just a few weeks ago I booked an appt at BIDI in Nanthaburi to have a new vaccine passport issued....and last week the wife booked an appt for this coming 15 Aug for a new vaccine passport.   And I checked Mor Prom just a few minutes ago and a person can still book appt for BIDI after closing that popup message talking about the Bangrak location no longer being available due to soon to come automation changes in getting vaccine passports.

 

And if you don't want a paper vaccine passport you can book only an International Certificate/QR code issue/update which is issued on Mor Prom a day or two later...no need to travel anywhere....but that is only a Int'l Certificate update....you will not get the paper passport.   If you get a new/update paper vaccine passport then an Int'l Certificate is automatically generated also.   

 

See my post just above for more details.

 

 

[rahil627]

whoa, thanks so much for the detailed posts! brought out much clarity ????

 

i'd personally guess it's a problem of management of programmers.. Institutions are the worst, hiring contract programmers to build their terrible thoughtless designs. (a programmer's point of view ???? )

Edited August 11, 2022 by rahil627

[treetops]

23 hours ago, Pib said:

No they haven't....if you base that statement on the popup message in Mor Prom that appears when starting an appt booking and getting the same popup message as me it just says the Bangrak Medical Center in central Bangkok is no longer issuing vaccine passports since 1 July due to upcoming automation changes in how vaccine passports are issued.   But when closing that popup message you continue on to the booking menu where you "can" still make an appt for BIDI hospital in Nanthaburi.

That is what I based my comment on as I had read it as they were stopping the issue of all yellow passports, but re-reading it I can see what you mean.  The reason given is "due to renovatons in the service area" in my translation software so maybe it's a physical restructuring and will re-open once complete?

[Pib]

16 minutes ago, treetops said:

That is what I based my comment on as I had read it as they were stopping the issue of all yellow passports, but re-reading it I can see what you mean.  The reason given is "due to renovatons in the service area" in my translation software so maybe it's a physical restructuring and will re-open once complete?

Here's what my pop-up says according to Google Lens translation.  As mentioned in my earlier post it only talks the Bangrak Medical Center Building location ceasing the issue of vaccine passports temporarily and when closing that pop-up both the wife and I could book an appt at BIDI in Nanthaburi.....like my booking a few weeks ago and the wife's booking last week for her upcoming 15 Aug appt.

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Pib

[rahil627]

just want to update:

 

got my second shot on September 1st, and Bang Sue is still the same as before: nearly empty, no queue, about 30 people waiting for "observation".

 

as for the vaccine passport, it still exists. It takes like a week, and you should get it after you have all the doses you want on record. (I got it after the first shot, thinking they could just easily stamp the next one--nope! Must wait another week, and create a whole new passport...? (also, somehow, they screwed my first one up, showing only a 2nd dose, when it was my 1st; maybe the lady was trying to help me out?))

 

but yeah, hopefully the app is enough, i'll try it tomorrow.

 

update: can't download the app because my iOS device is too old, lol. One day i'll get a newer one... one day.

Edited September 6, 2022 by rahil627

[edwardandtubs]

Are they checking people's visa status here? I know you're supposed to have a long-term visa but do they actually check?

[Patanawet]

Would I be eligible for a fifth (2nd booster) 4 months after latest shot at Bang Sue?
79 Y.O.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 9/7/2022 at 8:49 AM, edwardandtubs said:

Are they checking people's visa status here? I know you're supposed to have a long-term visa but do they actually check?

 You always have to present your passport when getting a vaccination either from the government or a private hospital, AFAIK.

 

But I've never had any of them specifically check the status of my visa or extension of stay, AFAIK.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 9/19/2022 at 3:05 PM, Patanawet said:

Would I be eligible for a fifth (2nd booster) 4 months after latest shot at Bang Sue?
79 Y.O.

 Yes... 4 months after your last prior shot seems to be the current general rule for timing.

 

I got my 5th COVID vaccine shot earlier this month at a private hospital, after getting #s 3 and 4 at Bang Sue.

 

[lujanit]

On 9/22/2022 at 4:43 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 Yes... 4 months after your last prior shot seems to be the current general rule for timing.

 

I got my 5th COVID vaccine shot earlier this month at a private hospital, after getting #s 3 and 4 at Bang Sue.

 

I am eligible for the next booster shot since it’s been over four months since my last shot.  Now that Bang Sue has closed there is a place near Victory Monument that apparently does it on a walk in basis.

 

What private hospital did you use and what did it cost?  TIA.

[Gaccha]

The only goverment place still offering free vaccinations for walk-ins (as far as I know) in Bangkok is the Bang Rak Medical Center (sic), near BTS Saint Louis.

[lujanit]

2 hours ago, Gaccha said:

The only goverment place still offering free vaccinations for walk-ins (as far as I know) in Bangkok is the Bang Rak Medical Center (sic), near BTS Saint Louis.

Thanks.  Closed now but open 0800 Monday.  I know Saint Louis quite well as I use the ophthalmologist there.  Splitting hairs maybe but it not BTS Saint Loius but BTS Surasak.  

[Lorry]

7 hours ago, lujanit said:

Thanks.  Closed now but open 0800 Monday.  I know Saint Louis quite well as I use the ophthalmologist there.  Splitting hairs maybe but it not BTS Saint Loius but BTS Surasak.  

No.

There is a NEW BTS station between BTS Surasak and BTS  Chong Nonsi.

The name of the new station is "St Louis".

Bangrak Medical Center is very close to this station (as is St Louis Hospital).

[lujanit]

10 hours ago, Lorry said:

No.

There is a NEW BTS station between BTS Surasak and BTS  Chong Nonsi.

The name of the new station is "St Louis".

Bangrak Medical Center is very close to this station (as is St Louis Hospital).

Okay, thanks.  I’ll have to look it up.  I haven’t traveled on the BTS for some years.  The distance between Surasak and Chong Nongsi was quite vast.

 

I just looked it up.  Thanks for the heads up.  Saint Louis BTS is quite close to Bang Rak Medical Centre.  You saved me a walk from Surasak. Thanks again.

Edited November 13, 2022 by lujanit

[Gaccha]

On 11/13/2022 at 8:55 AM, lujanit said:

 I haven’t traveled on the BTS for some years.

After your response I went to re-check the map.

 

The map showed I was very right, but my experience on ThaiVisa is it is better to allow members to crash into their own mistakes than to point out their error.

 

Anyway, enjoy.