Feeling big “last one standing” energy but not sure how long it will last? Everywhere sold out of test kits?
Find out if that throat tickle is just a tickle with the cheapest COVID-19 tests yet going on sale today by the government at eight Bangkok locations. The ATK test kits may not be the most reliable, but at only THB35 (U$1) a pop, who’s complaining?
Test kits are also available in boxes of 20 for THB700. As of today, each branch will open 8am and close after 1,000 people have been served. The kits will remain on sale until at least Wednesday, but won’t be sold on the weekend.
The move comes as hospital beds fill up under the explosion of new cases fueled by the Omicron variant.
New daily confirmed cases have nearly tripled since Jan. 1 to the 8,158 reported today. The real number is likely averaging around 90,000 per day, according to fresh projections last week from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
The kits are on sale now at the following GPO pharmacies. Click the links to find them.
- Downtown: Ratchathewi brach in front of Ramathibodi Hospital (0-2203-8847, 0-2203-8849)
- Downtown: Yot-se branch next to Huachiew Hospital (0-2222-5931, 0-2225-6367)
- Charan Sanitwong branch across the river in Bangkok Noi (0-2412-9377)
- Pathum Thani province: Thewet branch near Simummuang Market (0-2412-9377)
- Nonthaburi province: Ministry of Public Health, 1st floor, Bldg. 2 (Dept. of Medical Services) (0-2951-0925, 0-2590-6034)
- Victory Monument: Tropical Diseases Hospital (0-2354-9061)
- Chaeng Wattana Government Complex (0-2143-8768)
They will be sold online starting Monday via GPO Planet.
Due to the rapid increase in COVID cases, workplaces are requiring employees to test regularly via ATK test kits. However, supply has been few and far between, not to mention expensive when availability is scarce.
