Chonburi announces 348 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1 new death
Highlights:
348 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
803 people recovered and were released from medical care
1 new death
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 348 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 1 new death, November 5th.
This makes a total of 102,699 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 5,116 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 727 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 803 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 96,856 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
As for the one new deaths yesterday she was a 72-year-old female elder. She was a close contact from a previously confirmed case in her family according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. She had chronic health problems and was not vaccinated.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 75, Si Racha 75, Banglamung (Pattaya) 60, Panat Nikhom 14, Sattahip 17, Ban Bueang 5, Phan Thong 11, Bor Thong 7, Ko Chan 3, Nong Yai 1, Soldiers in Sattahip 57, and 23 people transferred from other provinces for medical care
The details on the cases are as follows:
Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 26 cases
Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 57 cases
Cluster, Siam Denzo Menufacturing comapny in Phan Thong, 6 cases
Cluster, work camp in Mon Nang, Panat Nikhom, 5 cases
Risky occupations meet with many people, 5 cases
6 medical personnel
Back from risky areas in Rayong, 1 case
Close contacts from previous confirmed cases in families – 111 cases, in workplaces – 59 cases and close friends – 5 cases
Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 15 cases
52 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19
Loy Krathong lanterns may get you 3-years in prison
Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang on Wednesday announced a ban on fireworks and floating lanterns on Loy Krathong Day, which falls on November 19 this year.
The governor has asked for cooperation from manufacturers, collectors, distributors of fireworks and floating lanterns, as well as the general public in the Bangkok area, not to light and release fireballs, flares, any kinds of lantern or other similar objects into the air, unless authorised by the director of the area.
Violators must be punished with imprisonment of not more than three years, or a fine of not more than 60,000 baht, or both.
The sale or use of firecrackers of all kinds and dynamites are also prohibited. Violators will face a fine of not more than 6,000 baht, or imprisonment of not more than three months, or both.
It seems Thailand has now turned into a country where threats of hefty fines and prison time for what were, until recently, traditional celebrations are issued to the people almost daily.
Permission from the local registrar is required for manufacturers, collectors and sellers of fireworks, which must strictly comply with the measures announced by the Department of Health.
Any violation will be dealt with under the law as well.
"Bangkok has established a special team from relevant departments to carry out inspections on the production, collection and distribution of fireworks in a bid to provide the highest order and safety for the people," the governor concluded.
The government will be looking more to international sources of funding in 2022 although most public borrowing will still be raised domestically as the Finance Ministry has embarked on a sustained policy of fiscal support to drive the economic recovery and domestic spending at the same time as reopening the kingdom to foreign tourism. Thailand's former flag carrier Thai Airways is reported to be in discussion with lenders for a ฿25 billion loan facility while also lobbying for ฿25 billion in state financial support as it advances its survival plan.
A top Thai finance official on Wednesday rejected a funding request from the former flag carrier Thai Airways to the Ministry of Finance for ฿25 billion to help its liquidity position as it ramps up its operation after emerging in June from a court ordered financial restructuring process. In August, the airline reported profits of ฿11.1 billion for the first six months of the year and is reported to be focusing its attention right now on developing flight links between Europe and the kingdom as part of its restructuring operations.
The Director of the Public Debt Management Office Patricia Mongkhonvanit made the comments about the request from Thai Airways as she explained the outline of the government's borrowing plans to support the economy in 2022. Thai Airways is also reported to be seeking a further ฿25 billion from several banks after it posted a profit of ฿11.1 billion for the first six months of the year following the flag carrier's record-breaking loss for last year. It comes as the airline implements its court approved restructuring plan being managed and chaired by former President Mr Piyasvasti Amranand (inset right).
The Director of the Public Debt Management Office Patricia Mongkhonvanit has rejected a reported request from Thai Airways made to the Finance Ministry for ฿25 billion in state funding or additional borrowings to help with the recovering flag carrier's efforts to transform its business.
On Wednesday, she pointed out that Thai Airways is no longer a state enterprise although she accepted that the state, through the Finance Ministry, held a significant stake in the airline which emerged from a restructuring process in June 2021 after creditors overwhelmingly backed a deal based on a moratorium on debt repayments and efficiencies as opposed to financial haircuts for creditors and debt holders.
Status of the state's involvement in Thai Airways has become a persistent source of political speculation
The status of the state's involvement in the airline is an ongoing source of speculation with some government ministers reported to be in favour of readmitting it to the fold as a state enterprise, including Minister of Finance Arkhom Termpittayapaisith and Deputy Prime Minister and Economics czar Supattanapong Punmeechaow, while the government's official policy is to let it run its course for now as a commercial enterprise.
The statement by Ms Patricia, on Wednesday, signifies this latter approach and is reported to be supported by many senior officials within the Finance Ministry and Ministry of Transport.
Ms Patricia said that the government was precluded from processing a loan for the firm, which lost its state enterprise status before being placed into bankruptcy last year, under the terms of the Public Debt Act (2005).
Borrowing plans as the kingdom's public debt is set to rise next year to support a nascent economic recovery
She made her comment as she briefed the press on the government's ongoing borrowing plans to support the economy as it engages in what financial analysts believe will be a recovery beginning in the fourth quarter of this year.
This recovery is dependent on a new buoyancy in foreign tourist arrivals and steady fiscal support from the government to underpin domestic expenditure and demand at a grassroots level.
Ms Patricia explained that government borrowing or overall public debt will rise in the next year in the period to the end of September 2021 to September 2022 from 57.98% of GDP to 62%.
Expanded public debt and budget deficit
The government is planning to run a deficit of ฿700 billion for the year to the end of September 2022 and had pulled back on its projected borrowing requirement since September this year when it announced it was extending the public debt limit to 70% of GDP under the 2018 State Fiscal and Financial Disciplines Act.
She explained this will see a government funding requirement of ฿2.54 trillion with ฿1.1 trillion in new borrowing on top of existing borrowings of ฿1.44 trillion.
The top financial official indicated that given what is currently a tight domestic market for borrowing, the government could be looking at foreign borrowing to pursue its programme next year.
Nearly 94% of government debt in Thailand, in the recent past, has been long term and nearly all domestically sourced.
This week, Ms Patricia indicated the government may have to look at international financial institutions or the wider international market to fund the planned increase in government expenditure to support the economy.
Funds will be raised, still, predominantly from the domestic money market which is tightening
However, the main source of funding will still be domestic.
A range of financial instruments is being used by the ministry including promissory notes, government bonds and term loans.
This will require discipline to make sure that the funding is used to support government programmes to drive the economy and also for capital projects in accordance with strategic government objectives.
'Government borrowing will mainly focus on domestic borrowing. But if it is necessary to borrow money abroad, it must be considered on a per-project basis, such as the U-Tapao Airport investment project. More or not, it depends on government policy,' she said.
She highlighted the need to support infrastructure projects and the benefit of these works both to the economy and the wider public.
Wrong to look at the debt on a per capita basis
She rejected speculation by reporters about how much would be borrowed per capita as part of the government's plan to give impetus to the economy.
'Government debt should not be calculated per capita because it is not in accordance with international principles. The debt incurred by the government is to invest in infrastructure. To develop the country and allow people to use their services efficiently,' she explained.
Thai Airways request comes as it seeks a further ฿25 billion from a range of banks and institutions in talks
The request from Thai Airways established as Thailand's national airline in 1961 through a partnership with SAS Airlines, comes as it has recently indicated that it is seeking ฿25 billion in state support while it is also in negotiation for a loan facility from a range of banks for a further ฿25 billion.
The former state-owned airline had ฿410 billion in combined debt when it declared bankruptcy in May 2020. It emerged from the resulting process in June this year.
In August, the airline announced an ฿11.1 billion profit for the first six months of 2021. For 2020, however, it reported a record-breaking loss of ฿141 billion with the airline effectively grounded for an extended period because of the pandemic.
The business plan originally suggested it would cut staff from 21,300 to 14,500 by the end of 2021 but this now appears to have been extended to the end of 2022.
Less fuel-efficient aircraft put up for sale
It recently put aircraft up for sale while returning 16 aircraft held on lease reducing its fleet to 58 planes in 4 categories which it plans to use in a new focus on serving links between Europe and Thailand according to Mr Piyasvasti Amranand who is in charge of the firm's restructuring process as Chairman.
Mr Piyasvasti is a former President of the airline.
He says the aircraft being put on the block are no longer fuel-efficient for the airline's new flight schedule and operation plan.
Before being divested of its state enterprise status and filing for bankruptcy in 2020, the government staged a dramatic about-turn in its policy towards the airline having, at one point, signalled that it was prepared to guarantee a further ฿50 billion in bank borrowings.
Chonburi provincial police warn against drinking alcohol at restaurants in Mueang Chonburi, Bangsaen, and rural Chonburi
The Chonburi Provincial Police has warned of strict enforcement as alcohol is still not allowed to be drunk at restaurants in the Chonburi area even though an overnight curfew had expired earlier this week.
A second meeting had previously been held at the Mueang Chonburi Police Station. Joining in the meeting were police and local restaurant and hotel operators.
The Mueang Chonburi Police Chief Colonel Nitat Weanpradap said at the meeting, "We want to make sure that even though curfew has ended in Chonburi that it is crystal clear that alcohol is still not allowed to be drunk in restaurants anywhere in the province. If we find anyone breaking the law we will take legal action, this includes customers who should be aware of the law after many warnings. The Chonburi governor can also order the shutdown of the restaurant for up to five years."
"We want to make sure restaurant operators understand the rule. In Mueang Chonburi, they are not in the zone of 'open cities', and vaccination rates are not as high as in other areas. Pattaya is a "BLUE" zone but even they are not allowed to sell alcohol at restaurants or open their nightlife sector for tourists yet. Our main concern in the rest of Chonburi, however, is not tourist venues but places that primarily focus on Thai residents. They must still close at the mandated time by local disease committees as well (Mostly 11:00 P.M) and 24-hour restaurants are forbidden." Colonel Nitat Weanpradap stated.
The Mueang Chonburi Administrative Chief Officer Mr. Praksit Sueksongkram added, "We are also strictly patrolling in the Sane Suk and Bangsaen area as many people are drinking alcohol inside restaurants. This area also has multiple bars and entertainment venues attempting to open for domestic tourists, we are focusing on shutting these down and warning customers that they will not be given a pass and released like before Covid-19, they will also be arrested for breaking the law."
Entertainment venues, bars, and similar places have been shuttered in Chonburi for seven months roughly as have legal alcohol sales at restaurants. The ban comes from the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, in Bangkok who claims the rules help stop the spread of Covid-19 by limiting social gatherings.
PHOTO: Thailand aims for 700,000 international travellers in 2021. (via Flickr Doug88888)
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Perhaps revising their previous goal of 1 million international tourists in the next 2 months, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is hoping to hit 700,000 international travellers total in 2021. Thailand has launched a number of schemes to bring in foreigners during the Covid-19 pandemic to various levels of success so far.
The Phuket Sandbox has been the most successful but has only brought 60,649 visitors in the 4 months between July 1 and October 31. Another 25,000 people arrived in the Samui Plus program, the 7+7 Sandbox Extension, the Special Tourist Visa, the Thailand Privilege Card, Medical Tourism plans, and others for a total of 85,845 people.
Now Thailand has launched its most ambitious project yet, with the November 1 reopening allowing 3 different schemes for tourists to enter the country again. The Test & Go scheme requires only 1-night quarantine as people arrive and test for Covid-19 and only have to stay in an approved hotel for a night while waiting for their negative test results. Living in the Blue Zone allows a 7-day soft quarantine, with tourists free to roam around one of 17 Sandbox destination provinces before being free to travel, and the Happy Quarantine scheme allows unvaccinated travellers to enter with a 10-day full quarantine.
It remains to be seen if the new plan will bring another 615,000 people in the next 2 months, but to achieve that figure an average of 10,000 people per day would need to arrive and the first 2 days of the reopening brought in a few thousand each, Thailand's main hub of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok seeing just 4,510 arrivalstotal in the first 2 days.
Before Covid-19, in 2019, Thailand saw about 40 million international travellers who generated 1.91 trillion baht. But with the 19-month near-complete shutdown of the country with Covid-19, international arrivals fell 83% to just 6.7 million people that brought in only 332 billion baht. And 2021 has seen a drop from 2019 of 99.8%.
The TAT is projecting a huge uptick next year, with both domestic and international travellers ramping up to generate a combined total of 1.58 trillion baht. They predict 818 billion baht of revenue from international travellers and another 771 billion baht from domestic tourists.
A new "Visit Thailand Year 2022" marketing campaign has been launched for the World Travel Market 2021 that took place November 1-3, and the TAT has already followed it with the "Amazing Thailand, Amazing New Chapters" program after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha urged government agencies to promote tourism and sustainability and the government's Bio-Circular-Green economy model.
They hope to project a positive image of Thailand as it struggles to recover from the economic devastation that battered the country over the last nearly 2 years.
No change to alcohol ban at restaurants, bar closures for now in Pattaya-Chonburi Provincial Police hold meeting with Pattaya business owners
Pattaya, Thailand-
The Chonburi Provincial Police held a meeting this afternoon, November 4th, 2021, with Pattaya business owners in the hotel, restaurant, bar, service, and entertainment industry to address concerns about a continued ban on alcohol sales at restaurants and the closure of bars and entertainment venues.
Entertainment venues have been closed for almost seven months straight in Pattaya due to "Covid-19" concerns, according to Chonburi Provincial Police. Prior to this, venues were closed for 4 months straight in 2020 and a month earlier this year in January, giving a grand total of a year of mandated closures. According to multiple Pattaya business owners, little to no financial aid or support has been given for these closures.
Unfortunately, for now, the decision to ban alcohol sales at restaurants in Chonburi and Pattaya stands, according to the Chonburi Provincial Police.
The police stated that all venues, however, will be allowed to open "soon" and venues should prepare for being allowed to reopen. In the meantime, Chonburi Police warned that businesses should not break the law and the rules and asked for patience. They also stated that the rules came from the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, and were centrally administered by the government. The police stated that the decision was not theirs and they were only enforcing the law, not creating the rules.
TPN media notes that no specific timeline was given for allowing Pattaya's popular nightlife industry to resume and there was no specific explanation of what "prepare" meant in terms of businesses getting ready.
This is the continuation of my special dispatches about flying into Thailand during the first week of the reopening to fully vaccinated tourists who are coming from one of 63 countries and territories. To qualify for the "Test and Go" program, you also need to be at least 21 days in one of these countries. In my case, I flew out from Thailand and only spent six days in the UK before returning. Initially they said I would have to do the 7-day Sandbox program. But then they realised that would cause problems to Thais flying out for short holidays and also businessmen. So, they have now created a new exception and I only have to stay one night. Today's edition is about the flight from London to Bangkok, going through Immigration, the transfer to the hotel, and finishing with the RT-PCR test. My final special dispatch will be sent out tomorrow and will have the news about the results and what happened next, as well as a brief summary of the process I just went through.
The day before my flight, I received the QR Code for Thailand Pass (it took 24 hours to issue) and the test results for my Day 2 RT-PCR test (that took 30 hours for them to send to me by email). This test was actually done for the UK government, but I also needed the same test for my flight to Thailand. So I was killing two birds with one stone. My Thailand Pass contains all of the information that I had submitted which included passport, hotel booking, vaccine certificate and insurance. For the latter, they accepted my digital social security card. The confirmation email I received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that I did not need to print out the QR Code and that I could just show it on my smartphone. They also said I needed to show three things in Bangkok: QR Code (either on smartphone or printed if I didn't have one), my printed negative test results, and my passport. That's it. Very much simpler compared to the COE process where you have to print out all of your documents and these then have to be checked both in London and in Thailand.
Things started to go slightly wrong once I reached the check-in counter for Thai Airways at Heathrow airport. As Thailand Pass was only just launched a couple of days ago, they have never seen the QR Code before. What was worse, they had no idea what to do with it as they didn't have a QR code reader. In Thailand, everyone has them on their phones but apparently not so in the UK. So, she insisted that I showed print-outs of every single document as if I was using the COE system. She also wanted me to print out the QR Code which kind of defeated the purpose. To be clear here, they weren't collecting the documents themselves. They were just following instructions for the old COE system where everyone must have print outs of all of their documents before boarding the flight. Luckily, I had them all apart from the QR Code of course. She wanted me to go and find somewhere to print it. Finally, I managed to persuade her that they have QR Code readers in Bangkok and there was no need to print it. Luckily I was also able to find one of the Thai Airways staff who had an iPhone and so I was able to show her how it worked.
But that wasn't my only problem. A recent change to the rules allowed me to use my social security (SSO) instead of taking out a new insurance policy. She wanted me to print out the policy but of course, SSO doesn't have one. She said I must have a policy that says I have Covid-19 coverage up to $50,000. Which also wasn't accurate as they changed that for expats to any insurance policy. It didn't have to be specific for covid. I tried to explain to her that social security was a bit like the NHS and I get free treatment in the hospital. I was only able to persuade her in the end by saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wouldn't have issued the Thailand Pass to me if they weren't happy with the insurance. Obviously these minor problems will go away once more people start using the Thailand Pass. I was obviously the first person using social security for insurance and one of the first to use the QR Code.
Just a quick note about Heathrow Airport. All of the shops and restaurants are open as normal unlike at Suvarnbhumi airport. On flight side in Bangkok there weren't any restaurants open. Just one coffee shop and some shops selling sandwiches and snacks. Though hopefully the situation in Bangkok will start to change as more people begin to fly on international flights. But when it comes to airports, I much prefer Suvarnabhumi airport as they have more charging points for your electronic devices. Just a minor thing really.
The flight on Thai Airways went smoothly. When we flew to the UK last week, they were all wearing protective clothing including hair nets. But for the return journey, they wore their regular clothing plus masks. The flight this time had more people, though still a fraction of what it would have been pre-covid times. The flight to London had 50 people and the flight to Bangkok had 100 people. In my three-seat row, I was in the aisle seat and the other person was in the window seat. So no-one between us. Which is good because the High Risk Contact rules say that if your immediate neighbour, either to your left or to your right, tests positive, then you have to go to the hospital too for ten days. From what I could see, this pattern was repeated around the aircraft, apart from people who were obvious couples. They did make a couple of announcements saying that you couldn't change seats due to contact tracing. But once we took off, some people, including myself, moved to empty rows so we could lie down to get some sleep.
Everyone wore their masks throughout the flight. The only exception was during the two meals that they served. As I noted on the outbound flight, Boeing aircraft have HEPA filters and I was confident that the air had been scrubbed clean. My CO2 meter also told me that that there was some form of ventilation as CO2 levels were reasonably low. Certainly much lower than the taxi ride to the airport. So, I wasn't concerned about taking my mask off briefly to eat.
We landed safely shortly before 6:00 p.m. We disembarked from the airplane at 6:05am and were in the van leaving the airport at 6:49am. Which wasn't bad. But I think we were lucky as there was only our flight landing at this time and only 100 people on the aircraft. Someone sent me a picture of their arrival yesterday when four flights landed around the same time. As everyone was still using COE, there were multiple documents to be checked and it was more than three hours before he left the airport.
A short distance from the gate we came to an area where there were many chairs set up. We just kept walking to the far end as it was empty. However, if there are several flights landing at the same time, you might have to sit and wait here. But someone gave me a tip yesterday that they were only checking that you had all of the documents printed out and had them in the right order. So he suggested just keep walking if you are prepared or if you have Thailand Pass.
I reached the queue for checking COE and Thailand Pass documents at 6:07am (3 minutes after disembarking) and I was finished here by 6:12am. Very fast. At the counter, I told him I had a QR Code and handed over my negative Covid test and my passport with TM6 and boarding pass. He then asked for my vaccine certificate which was unexpected. I told him it was on the QR Code but he said he still wanted to see it. I gave him my hospital certificate. For the entire trip, I never once used the yellow vaccine passport. That was it. I was really disappointed he didn't scan my QR Code after all of the effort that went into getting it. He just took my word that I had one. It is possible they will scan this in the future once people stop arriving with COE. Or maybe their scanners weren't working today. However, he didn't ask to see my insurance or my hotel booking unlike what they were doing with the COE people.
Next was Immigration. All of the counters were manned and there were no queues. I arrived here at 6:14 a.m. and left at 6:30 a.m. The reason it took so long for me was because the dates on my re-entry permit were stamped in the wrong place and she had to call her supervisor. Otherwise I would have gone through here in a couple of minutes. I was also surprised they didn't scan the QR Code either as I was led to believe Immigration would do this. But then, unlike the COE application, the Thailand Pass form didn't ask for my visa. I also want to add that there was talk earlier that you don't need to fill out the T6 arrival/departure card. But that is not true. They handed them out on the airplane and they asked to see it at Immigration.
Next up was baggage claim. My bag was one of the last to come out at 6:37 a.m., about half an hour after disembarking from the airplane. Which isn't bad at all. But many people actually left the airport before me due to my delay at Immigration. So for some people it was much quicker.
After Customs, there was an area set up with desks where people were waiting from various hotels. They checked my name and then called the hotel transfer van. My hotel had a choice of shared van or private limousine. The driver was dressed in protective clothing. He sprayed our luggage and we sat in the back of the van. There was a plastic partition between us and the driver. Total time from plane to van was 45 minutes.
As it was a shared van, I was a little concerned about air quality. The CO2 reading started at 559ppm but quickly rose to 2066ppm. Which meant I was breathing in air that had been in someone else's lungs. I asked the driver to turn off recirculating air. Which he did though he was confused why I would want that. The ventilation and air quality then improved quite quickly. These drivers really need to be taught about the fact covid is airborne and that ventilation and filtration is very important.
I arrived at my hotel in Bangkokat 7:31am. Check-in was done in an area outside. She asked for my passport and departure card. She also said I should download the MorChana app. But she didn't check to see if I had done it. Nor did she say what I should do with it. Next was the RT-PCR test. This was done by someone from the partner hospital. This was slightly more painful than the one I had done in London on Monday. She also gave me an ATK test kit to do by myself on day 6-7. She said I should take a picture of the result and email it back to the hotel.
I was in my room by 7:43am, 90 minutes after getting off the plane. You have to stay in your room until the results come back. She said this would be at around noon tomorrow. Which is an incredible 27 hours waiting time. I don't call that Test and Go. That is Test, be quarantined for a day or so, then go. That wasn't mentioned in the tourist brochures. The TAT were even suggesting the wait would be 6-7 hours. During my booking, the hotel actually said if I did the test before 8:00 a.m. then the results would be back by 5:00 p.m. on the same day. Meaning I could check out and go home. So, I am not really happy they changed it. Some people said they were luckier at their hotel. One guy said he had his test at 10:30am and had the results by 6:00 p.m. the same day. Even though he had paid for a night and three meals, he decided to check out straight away.
One interesting point is that they don't give you a keycard, and so you cannot leave your room. If you do for some reason, you might not be able to get back in if the door slams shut. She also said that when I check out, someone will come up to escort me down. I am not sure if that means there is a lock on the lift so people without keycards cannot use it. I will check tomorrow. Obviously you can go down the fire exit in case of an emergency.
In my hotel room, I scanned a QR Code to order my three meals that were included in the package. I had choices between Asian and Western meals. I could also choose time slots for the food to be delivered. They then knock on the door when they deliver. When I went out to collect my first meal, I saw just the food on a table in front of my room. The guy must have quickly run away.
I am going to finish this newsletter now and will write a final special dispatch tomorrow once I have received my test results. I will also do a summary. I just want to add a bit about the hotel as people keep asking me where I am staying. I don't really want to mention the name as I am not really happy with them. They were very slow about answering inquiries during the booking process and kept making mistakes. I also spotted that my room was 500 baht more expensive compared to Thai people. Mine was 5,200 baht and theirs was 4,700 baht. Everyone got the same package deal and same room. This included airport transfer, swab test by RT-PCR, three meals, and an antigen rapid kit test. On check-in I did ask about this and they said it wasn't a hotel charge. They said that the swab test is subsidised and that foreigners must pay 500 baht more for this. Other people have now confirmed with me that when they saw their itemised bill that they were also being charged 500 baht more by the hospital. So it would seem to be like that for all hospitals. Though unless you book in with a Thai person you probably won't get to see that two price policy.
Anyway, time to sign off. Thanks again for reading this far and I hope to see you next time.
