News Forum - Koh Samui hotel, business owners call for PCR test price cut to draw in Test & Go tourists

[Thaiger]

Hoteliers and business owners on the southern island of Koh Samui are asking the Thai government to lower the costs of RT-PCR tests in an effort to draw in more foreign tourists. The calls follow the decision to reopen registration for the Test & Go entry scheme starting February 1. The quarantine exemption scheme requires tourists to isolate themselves at an approved hotel or resort while they wait for the results from their on-arrival RT-PCR Test before travelling throughout the country. Under the revised rules, travellers will now need to book a night at an approved hotel on Day 5 […]

The story Koh Samui hotel, business owners call for PCR test price cut to draw in Test & Go tourists as seen on Thaiger News.

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[MarkXXXX]

I read another article today, that said in Indonesia the PCR test is capped at a price of $28 (about THB700).

[Jason]

Here here!!! It is just another road block to tourists. Provide them at cost.

[Jason]

It is Thailand's requirement to have these tests. I have already had a PCR test 72 hours prior to departure from my home country. I have provided the evidence of the negative test upon arrival. Then a test at 5 to 6 days and another 72 hours prior to departure....

[Fundok]

Me too. Total of three tests to get to Thailand and I would have been obliged to take a 4th one 72 prior to departure if Switzerland hadn't scrapped this requirement as of last Saturday. Cost per person 7'000 THB, so we two have spent 14'000 THB just on testing, regardless the fact that both my wife have had 3 vaccinations. Not a killer from the financial aspect, but I could have spent that money for more useful purposes. If we would have been obliged to also do that test before returning to Switzerland we probably would have gotten around 20'009 THB - this is not "nothing" financially, and for me it is a waste of money. I suspect, that other potential Thailand tourists see it the same way, so I fully understand those hotel operators on Koh Samui.

[Cathat]

Very unlikely the families of government officials are not making money out of the testing regime in the background.no reason to stop this cash cow one day earlier than they have to.

[AndyCousins]

The issue is the requirement for a 2nd test after 5 days. What is the point.? If infected, or is too late to prevent further spread. The rest of the world is moving on and dealing with increased infections. Less people are seriously I'll or in hospital less deaths, just let vaccinated people in. Insist on a pre arrival negative test and get tourism started again. I have a villa booked for a month but will not come if I have to leave for a 5 day test...

[ShibaBud]

As of 2022-1-1, USA's CDC has abandoned the PCR test due to material inaccuracy...even tho they knew it months before. So why do countries use PCR still?

It was a captive cash cow that also provided the justification leading to other measures that lacked solid scientific grounding.

Govts worldwide blindly take orders from the omniscient CDC, marching in lockstep...until now. (Anyone recall governments around the world ever behaving in unison like this ?)

That's what bothers me about this pandemic - govts have done ZERO independent thinking. UK, Ireland, Norway, Germany et al now realize CDC leadership (most of whom, if not all, come from Big Pharma) are also just milking the cow.

Inclined to concur with Cathat...

[Cabra]

It's not so much the price as it is the frequency.

[Mickey69]

Why is the PCR testing free of charge if you just go to a test station at a local hospital?

But when you arrive as a tourist and need to show for authorities it costs a shit load of money.

I did a PCR test this tuesday on the local hospital and did not cost anything. If they can take the cost in that case, why not on the arrivals?

 

[LoongFred]

15 hours ago, Fundok said:

Me too. Total of three tests to get to Thailand and I would have been obliged to take a 4th one 72 prior to departure if Switzerland hadn't scrapped this requirement as of last Saturday. Cost per person 7'000 THB, so we two have spent 14'000 THB just on testing, regardless the fact that both my wife have had 3 vaccinations. Not a killer from the financial aspect, but I could have spent that money for more useful purposes. If we would have been obliged to also do that test before returning to Switzerland we probably would have gotten around 20'009 THB - this is not "nothing" financially, and for me it is a waste of money. I suspect, that other potential Thailand tourists see it the same way, so I fully understand those hotel operators on Koh Samui.

You're being protected along with the Thais you contacted, so don't  complain. 

 

[Fundok]

1 hour ago, LoongFred said:

You're being protected along with the Thais you contacted, so don't  complain. 

I was protected mainly because of my three vaccinations, because my wife and I exercised a regime to limit our exposure to potentially dangerous situations. The testing did not provide any protection at all, at least not for me.

[Leeshard]

On 1/28/2022 at 1:20 PM, LoongFred said:

You're being protected along with the Thais you contacted, so don't  complain. 

How does a PCR test ‘protect’ you? It’s not even a reliable test. My daughter paid 4,000 baht for a test prior to flying to America a few month ago which proved positive but since she wasn’t willing to abandon her trip she paid another 4,000 baht the next day which was negative. Tourists are being incarcerated in quarantine hotels at huge expense on the basis of a test which was never designed to accurately detect the presence of the covid virus in the first place.