News Forum - Thai health officials call for PCR on arrival to be replaced with antigen test

[Thaiger]

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control wants to see PCR tests for foreign arrivals replaced with antigen testing. DDC boss Dr Opas Kankawinpong says his department is submitting the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. “The department will have a meeting on Thursday to finalise the details of the proposal before presenting it to a CCSA meeting on Friday (April 22). Furthermore, the department will propose an updated colour-coding classification of provinces based on the current Covid-19 situation, so that provincial public health offices can implement disease control measures accordingly.” The CCSA previously approved a Public Health Ministry proposal […]

The story Thai health officials call for PCR on arrival to be replaced with antigen test as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Janneman]

Replacing one type of test by another is not 'relaxing the entry measures'. A test is a test, with all possible consequences. Even worse, ATK tests are less accurate, giving more false-positive results.

 

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

Thailand’s Department of Disease Control wants to see PCR tests for foreign arrivals replaced with antigen testing.

And then BOTH PCR and ATK positive COVID19 test results should be counted ….. but I don’t see them doing that, as they don’t want to scare the tourists away. 

[Oracle]

Any post arrival test is a non-starter, and I will go out of my way to warn others not to travel to Thailand given the consequences of testing positive.  A logical government desiring to attract tourists would require a pre-departure negative PCR test and proof of vaccination, nothing more...and most reasonable people could accept this.  No intelligent bona-fide tourist wants to get on a long-haul plane with unvaccinated and untested passengers in an adjacent seat/row, putting one's plans, family, finances, etc. at great risk.  But this government just doesn't get it.

[Soidog]

13 minutes ago, Oracle said:

Any post arrival test is a non-starter, and I will go out of my way to warn others not to travel to Thailand given the consequences of testing positive.  A logical government desiring to attract tourists would require a pre-departure negative PCR test and proof of vaccination, nothing more...and most reasonable people could accept this.  No intelligent bona-fide tourist wants to get on a long-haul plane with unvaccinated and untested passengers in an adjacent seat/row, putting one's plans, family, finances, etc. at great risk.  But this government just doesn't get it.

Nailed it there for sure. I think they get it to be fair. It’s just that they have other agendas running which means keeping the associated State of Emergency is more important to them. If they open up then the justification to keep the SOE evaporates. Can you imagine having to put up with a government like this shower of sh*t? Poor sods. 

[riclag]

Lov to be a ma laaeng on the wall when the two of them (Prayut /Antunin)meet to scheme up covid policy with the unspeakable one .

Spot on @ Oracle and @ Soidog

[BjornBe]

Hey! Can anyone confirm whether the ATK test in Thailand are the same they use in Europe? I have read that the PCR tests are more conservative in Thailand (CT Value of 40 instead of 30). But are the quick tests also more conservative.

I caught covid at the beginning of the month but am already testing negative now for a week. I would not worry about passing a European ATK test but am still worried about the Thai standard :) PCR obviously had me worried as well, that is why I am hoping they change the rules starting on May 1, as I am planning on flying at the beginning of May.

[francoa]

It should be PCR before travel and after arrival, as pre-covid.

 

ATK on the airport will be horrible mess and waiting.

[SKTan]

I'm from Singapore. I prefer they require a PCR test in own country, 48Hrs before departure and do away with the Test & Go for short travel.

[Guevara]

12 minutes ago, francoa said:

It should be PCR before travel and after arrival, as pre-covid.

ATK on the airport will be horrible mess and waiting.

If every passenger and airline staff are PCR tested prior to flight, I fail to see the need for a further test on arrival. I'm not aware that PCR's were undertaken pre-covid.

[riclag]

14 minutes ago, francoa said:

It should be PCR before travel and after arrival, as pre-covid.

ATK on the airport will be horrible mess and waiting.

It shouldn’t be anything upon arrival! To many horror stories have been reported with people who have been subjected to Thai health officials whims. The world has to think endemic and live with what cant be prevented!

 

[riclag]

10 minutes ago, SKTan said:

I'm from Singapore. I prefer they require a PCR test in own country, 48Hrs before departure and do away with the Test & Go for short travel.

Spot on !  Do away with Test and Go for any travel , short or long!

[Guevara]

16 minutes ago, riclag said:

It shouldn’t be anything upon arrival! To many horror stories have been reported with people who have been subjected to Thai health officials whims. The world has to think endemic and live with what cant be prevented!

I couldn't agree more. PCR testing time is critical prior to flying from the UK. If any passenger manages to board a flight who is positive then there is incompetence at the Airport. It may be inconvenient because of the inevitable delays and queuing but far better than having one 'typhoid Mary sat on the same plane. 

[rc1]

All travel testing is rapidly being dropped all over world.
 

Switching one type of test to another is a token gesture.
 

No tests on arrival is the only way forward.

 

If Thailand keeps up the glacial pace of removing restrictions, they'll be extremely isolated in that policy within weeks to months. 

[JJJ]

5 minutes ago, rc1 said:

All travel testing is rapidly being dropped all over world.
 

Switching one type of test to another is a token gesture.
 

No tests on arrival is the only way forward.

If Thailand keeps up the glacial pace of removing restrictions, they'll be extremely isolated in that policy within weeks to months. 

They’re already isolated. Arrivals are down for April compared to last year according to some. 

And if they want ATK, why not also accept ATK 24 hours before departure? 

The main reason for the arrival testing is to get $$$$$$$  I’m sure the arrival ATK test will be ridiculously overpriced with a in a hazmat suit causing chaos across the airport. 

Also no mention of ditching the whole Thailand Pass disaster and pointless health insurance. How many people have actually needed this insurance for an actually medicinal reason that wouldn’t otherwise have been able to cover it? (I don’t count insurance that may or may not cover the isolation scam for healthy people because that’s not medicinally needed, it’s government created expense)

The simple fact is the government sees tourists as nothing but a big fat wallet and doesn’t care if people come or not. 

[UncleFatBloke]

Firstly, Covid IS now endemic, worldwide!

So testing is doing what exactly?!

Secondly, ATK tests are MUCH less accurate compared to PCR tests!

I just found an article from a USA microbiologist who works on covid testing development:

"Antigen tests do have some drawbacks. Depending on the situation, they can be less accurate than PCR tests. When a person is symptomatic or has a lot of virus in their system, antigen tests are very accurate. However, unlike molecular PCR tests, antigen tests don’t amplify the thing they are looking for. This means there needs to be enough viral antigen in the sample for the antibodies on the test strip to generate a signal. When a person is in the early stages of infection, not a lot of virus is in the nose and throat, from which the samples are taken. So, antigen tests can miss early cases of COVID-19. It’s also during this stage that a person has no symptoms, so they are more likely to be unaware they’re infected."

 

ATK tests ARE quicker and cheaper than PCRs, but it would appear that all the newly infected and asymptomatic will not be detected!

 

[rc1]

22 minutes ago, JJJ said:

They’re already isolated. Arrivals are down for April compared to last year according to some. 

And if they want ATK, why not also accept ATK 24 hours before departure? 

The main reason for the arrival testing is to get $$$$$$$  I’m sure the arrival ATK test will be ridiculously overpriced with a in a hazmat suit causing chaos across the airport. 

Also no mention of ditching the whole Thailand Pass disaster and pointless health insurance. How many people have actually needed this insurance for an actually medicinal reason that wouldn’t otherwise have been able to cover it? (I don’t count insurance that may or may not cover the isolation scam for healthy people because that’s not medicinally needed, it’s government created expense)

The simple fact is the government sees tourists as nothing but a big fat wallet and doesn’t care if people come or not. 

Yes all true, but the fat wallet would get a lot fatter if they just let them come in!!

The spending would vastly outweigh anything currently being received from the Thai Pass / Testing revenue and Health insurance....

 

[riclag]

57 minutes ago, rc1 said:

Yes all true, but the fat wallet would get a lot fatter if they just let them come in!!

The spending would vastly outweigh anything currently being received from the Thai Pass / Testing revenue and Health insurance....

I disagree ! The money thats coming in is going toward a selected few !

Example , SHA hotels ,are selected by the regime ! 
 

All these current companies and institutions like Thai insurance, hospitals, testing kits and test facilities would stand to lose millions of covid revenue,once all the endemic gates are open !

[Fanta]

40 minutes ago, riclag said:

I disagree ! The money thats coming in is going toward a selected few !

Example , SHA hotels ,are selected by the regime ! 
 

All these current companies and institutions like Thai insurance, hospitals, testing kits and test facilities would stand to lose millions of covid revenue,once all the endemic gates are open !

As an example of lost “income”, Thai Immigration have been repeatedly accused of collecting a conservative estimate of over a million baht a day in ”gifts”. The good guys and the bad guys make a lot more money from everyone when the country is open for tourism. Claiming that the restrictions are only in place to benefit a select few denies the reality that the wedding cake has shrunk to a cupcake but the same queue is still there to take a bite.

[PapayaBokBok]

1 hour ago, Fanta said:

the wedding cake has shrunk to a cupcake

sounds like me when i get out of the pool....

[Mandy]

We're now over waiting to have friends and relatives over without all the hassles it entails and us leaving here to visit them, only to have a nightmare coming back home.

We absolutely love Mexico, equally beautiful people and country, so if anyone out there knows anything about how to sort out getting a visa from the Mexican consulate in Bangkok, any advice would be welcome, we have emailed, but haven't had a response yet, FYI, we're UK passport holders so we know we can get 6 months, but a yearly one is what we're after.

After reading all of your comments and estimations on a realistic opening of Thailand, we've decided enough is enough. 

[Guevara]

1 hour ago, Mandy said:

We're now over waiting to have friends and relatives over without all the hassles it entails and us leaving here to visit them, only to have a nightmare coming back home.

We absolutely love Mexico, equally beautiful people and country, so if anyone out there knows anything about how to sort out getting a visa from the Mexican consulate in Bangkok, any advice would be welcome, we have emailed, but haven't had a response yet, FYI, we're UK passport holders so we know we can get 6 months, but a yearly one is what we're after.

After reading all of your comments and estimations on a realistic opening of Thailand, we've decided enough is enough. 

I don't think for one minute you alone in your thinking. Dragging their heels without justification comes to mind.

[francoa]

On 4/20/2022 at 4:00 PM, riclag said:

It shouldn’t be anything upon arrival! To many horror stories have been reported with people who have been subjected to Thai health officials whims. The world has to think endemic and live with what cant be prevented!

yes, that is what i said, after arrival, same as pre covid

[HiuMak]

Just get rid of all tests and move back to normal.