A new medical? I recall a 5-minute procedure

[onlycw]

I was told it would cost 350 B at the hospital and involve some blood test. What exactly will this entail?

There used to be talk about compulsory Syphilis tests ?. Doubt there are many teachers with this particular health problem ?

 

Back in 2011, the fee was 50 B. A few years ago, it was 100 B. Is this for the WP?

 

Cheers,

[brewsterbudgen]

It depends where you get it done.  I usually pay around 500 baht, but my employer refunds this.  The requirements haven't changed and still involve a blood test for syphilis.  If you do this in a "proper" hospital it may take an hour or so for the result.  If you use one of many local clinics they usually do a finger-tip test with almost immediate results.

[allane]

It is for the Labour Dept. (Work Permit). Requirements vary by office, so check with your local office before having the tests done.

[scorecard]

Why would there be any specific group of people (e.g. teachers) who are less likely to have / have had syphilis? 

- Teachers don't have sex?

- Teachers always have safe sex?

 

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, allane said:

It is for the Labour Dept. (Work Permit). Requirements vary by office, so check with your local office before having the tests done.

Medical certificate and blood test results page definitely needed at Din Daeng work permit office for both initial application for WP and renewal of WP. 

 

I use a small local clinic in Bkk which has the capability to test for syphilis and other items, all completed in 5 minutes, 300Baht all up. 

 

 

[BobbyL]

For a WP they have always done a blood test and a syphilis test since I first worked here in 2011. 

[Jingjock]

5 hours ago, onlycw said:

I was told it would cost 350 B at the hospital and involve some blood test. What exactly will this entail?

There used to be talk about compulsory Syphilis tests ?. Doubt there are many teachers with this particular health problem ?

Prices gone up, public hospital blood test over 1000 baht plus medical, depends what they do, my guess about 2000 baht

[timendres]

I am in BKK. I have done this for 5 years straight at BumRunGrad. Never had a blood test. Just a few questions and my shirt off for a listen to my lungs. Bit expensive, though, at 800baht.

[smileplur]

I cannot verify the claims, but I was told that the tertiary syphilis test will come back positive if a person has advanced HIV/AIDS.  It is illegal to test for HIV for employment purposes, so this is a workaround. 

[Suradit69]

9 hours ago, onlycw said:

Doubt there are many teachers with this particular health problem ?

You may be projecting your dismal social life on everyone else in the teaching biz or maybe it's your exemplary faithful monogamy that you think is widespread.

[ChrisKC]

I went for a "medical" today at my local Doctor's clinic. I got a form stating I was medically fit to apply for my Thai driving license. They took my blood pressure and that was my medical! I was charged B50

[brewsterbudgen]

I went for a "medical" today at my local Doctor's clinic. I got a form stating I was medically fit to apply for my Thai driving license. They took my blood pressure and that was my medical! I was charged B50

The blood test for syphilis is not required for driving licence medicals; just for work permits.

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[ChrisKC]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

The blood test for syphilis is not required for driving licence medicals; just for work permits.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Is this a reply to my message of having a "medical"?

[1FinickyOne]

I went to a clinic once and the Dr. was out - - the nurse looked at my palm and gave me the certificate 20B...

 

The next year, the doctor noting I had walked in said, - 'you walk well' and gave me the certificate.. .

[alien365]

8 hours ago, Jingjock said:

Prices gone up, public hospital blood test over 1000 baht plus medical, depends what they do, my guess about 2000 baht

When did it go up? I got my medical certificate and blood test for under 300baht at Bangkok hospital last year.

[Scott]

12 hours ago, smileplur said:

I cannot verify the claims, but I was told that the tertiary syphilis test will come back positive if a person has advanced HIV/AIDS.  It is illegal to test for HIV for employment purposes, so this is a workaround. 

Wrong.   I know and have worked with several HIV positive teachers.   They did not test positive on the syphilis test.  

[brewsterbudgen]

Is this a reply to my message of having a "medical"?

Yes

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[ChrisKC]

52 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes

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52 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Yes

Sent from my SM-A500F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

So why link me with syphilis?

[tifino]

13 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

 

So why link me with syphilis?

the trouble was probably because the OP mentioned the 'syphilis' word, relating to work related med tests.

 

Your mentioning (Driving Licence) Med Tests 'tangented' things off a little bit...   from a Teaching Forum subject.

 

 

you have to be so careful these days!   (even when typing replies)

[smileplur]

In Phuket, the cost at Mission Hospital is 311 baht.  Results take 1 hour.

[brewsterbudgen]

Have you read the thread? It's about the medical test required for work permits, which includes a syphilis test.

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[ChrisKC]

On 8/6/2018 at 8:34 AM, tifino said:

the trouble was probably because the OP mentioned the 'syphilis' word, relating to work related med tests.

 

Your mentioning (Driving Licence) Med Tests 'tangented' things off a little bit...   from a Teaching Forum subject.

 

 

you have to be so careful these days!   (even when typing replies)

Point taken!

[NetJunkie116]

On 8/6/2018 at 4:16 AM, Scott said:

Wrong.   I know and have worked with several HIV positive teachers.   They did not test positive on the syphilis test.  

 

"A negative RPR or VDRL test result may not rule out syphilis in patients with HIV infection." Seems that is the opposite of what you replied to.

 

http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite?page=kb-05-01-04

 

[Spidey]

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2018 at 2:57 PM, ChrisKC said:

I went for a "medical" today at my local Doctor's clinic. I got a form stating I was medically fit to apply for my Thai driving license. They took my blood pressure and that was my medical! I was charged B50

I got the same but with no tests. Handed the receptionist 100 baht, she handed me the certificate.

[Scott]

Here's the relevant part relevant to testing in HIV cases:

 

However, serologic tests appear to be accurate and reliable for the diagnosis of syphilis and the evaluation of treatment response in most HIV-infected patients

 

Seldom do you find a blood test which is 100% accurate.   False positives happen with syphilis blood tests as well and most any reasonable doctor would follow up with a more sophisticated exam before declaring someone infected or starting treatment.  

[onlycw]

On 8/5/2018 at 12:04 PM, scorecard said:

Why would there be any specific group of people (e.g. teachers) who are less likely to have / have had syphilis? 

- Teachers don't have sex?

- Teachers always have safe sex?

 

TBH, I never heard of anyone I know catchign Syphilis. I thought that was an issue of days past!

[onlycw]

At the time of registration, the clerk took a photo. It reminded me of the TOEIC test... Looks like the Thai government is getting serious about scammers and impostors and "friends" taking the medical test.

 

The cashier was adamant about taking only 50 B. Had to return and pay 300 B more...

 

The blood drawing was done with a too thin needle, JMHO and by a bloke. Bet the girl would have done a better job...

°°°

 

BTW, my school explains that OBEC bans any reimbursement of expenses for such tests, the WP fee ( 3,500 B ?) and the fee at Immigration. Q: is anyone getting any of these expenses  r e i m b u r s e d  at government schools?!???

 

The WP should be the employers' duty, IMHO.

[kannot]

On 8/5/2018 at 6:03 PM, Suradit69 said:

dismal social life

glad to see you arent reciprocating

[jenny2017]

 

     I've tried my clinic to add one field on the medical ( there's always space to add something) and they just wrote that a syphilis test was done. All in all 80 baht for two copies and the certificate was accepted.  ?

 

   Not all labour departments want to see the result from the laboratory. 

 

    Should they ask you how much you've paid, please remember that you've paid more than 500 baht. 

[jenny2017]

47 minutes ago, onlycw said:

At the time of registration, the clerk took a photo. It reminded me of the TOEIC test... Looks like the Thai government is getting serious about scammers and impostors and "friends" taking the medical test.

 

The cashier was adamant about taking only 50 B. Had to return and pay 300 B more...

 

The blood drawing was done with a too thin needle, JMHO and by a bloke. Bet the girl would have done a better job...

°°°

 

BTW, my school explains that OBEC bans any reimbursement of expenses for such tests, the WP fee ( 3,500 B ?) and the fee at Immigration. Q: is anyone getting any of these expenses  r e i m b u r s e d  at government schools?!???

 

The WP should be the employers' duty, IMHO.

Hogwash.  There's no official note from OBEC in regards of reimbursement of your expenses. It's only a very good excuse from your employer not to pay for. The work permit is 3,100 baht for one year, also if you only extend it. The fee at Immigration, usually an extension is 1,900 baht. 

 

 Paying for your expenses can hardly be part of OBEC's (Office of the Basic Education Commision) decisions regarding the employment of foreigners. 

 

IMO, they should at least pay for the work permit, because that's something you need to do the job. A visa is something you'd have to have anyway.

 

   But a good school will pay for both. My agency pays for the WP in the second year of employment. 

 

P.S. It's basically the doctor's decision on what he/she'll finally test you. Drug tests are common in some areas, usually meth tests. Some doctors X-Ray your lungs, but most don't.  Be happy when they take a thin needle! A larger one can cause a nice damage, when in the wrong hands. I had a guy at the local hospital who's trying seven times to draw some blood. My arms looked like I was a junkie when I left.