COVID 19 Related to THAILAND Posts

[dcfc2007]

[Horizondave]

7 hours ago, Jambo said:

I visited our local large Tesco shopping Center yesterday.

I walked in wearing my mask.

Automatic temperature test showed 36.1.

Entered my name on the sheet and a telephone number.

Nodded to the girl at the desk and proceeded to do my shopping.

On leaving, I was pushing my trolley past the same girl on her other side when I noticed three Tesco employees at the temperature testing facility with one of the girls waving her hand in front of her face in of those exaggerated motions people do when trying to cool down. That caught my attention and I stopped just in time to watch her take her temperature again and it came up 38c. Now I am old school and I was sure that is over 100f which is high, close if not just at fever level.

The three girls then spoke to the girl at the desk and then proceeded to enter the shopping Center. Now my Thai wife later told me it was none of my business but I confronted the girl at the desk as to why she just let that girl with a temperature of 38c walk into the Center. I immediately became the idiot annoying farang and got the usual Thai response which is to smile and hope I would go away.

The girl on the desk looked about 16 probably dumped at the desk because nobody else wanted to sit there. It was not her fault because it was obviously a Management problem because nobody had told her what to do in the event of somebody testing with a high temperature.

So I gave up and went home.

What a bloody farce!

If that girl had arrived at Swampy she would have been isolated, surrounded by police and then sent by ambulance to a local hospital and placed in quarantine for 48 hours. She would have had her name/passport details noted and her photo taken and then only released after a Covid test but probably to another 12 days quarantine.

The girl in your shop having a temperature of 38.C indicates a fever and should have been of concern to the staff at least and refused entry, at Swampy the temperature that gets them worried and calling for an ambulance is 37.5 C.

Obviously it may not have been anything more than a fever but what is the point of having these measures in place if they are ignored.

Kind of reminds me of those metal detectors placed in stations in Bangkok where they sound off nearly every time a person goes through them, the security nearly always ignore them and their phone and what is on the screen is more important than dealing with a potential security risk.

[Jambo]

13 hours ago, Toy Boy said:

Eek! Now you face the possibility of spending time at His Majesty's leisure in a field hospital if the customer tests Covid-positive. Have you seen the photos of them, it's guaranteed that you will not enjoy it, so I seriously hope it was something else causing the high temperature.

Not likely as my name was a version of "Dan" and although I did state I entered a telephone number I didn't state it was my telephone number. 🙂

[Jambo]

12 hours ago, Horizondave said:

Obviously it may not have been anything more than a fever but what is the point of having these measures in place if they are ignored.

 

Exactly!

[Toy Boy]

1 hour ago, Jambo said:

Not likely as my name was a version of "Dan" and although I did state I entered a telephone number I didn't state it was my telephone number. 🙂

Glad to hear that, I do the same thing, I use the name and phone number of a mate who's trapped back in the UK for the duration.

[Esco]

On 2/6/2021 at 7:55 AM, Jambo said:

Not likely as my name was a version of "Dan" and although I did state I entered a telephone number I didn't state it was my telephone number. 🙂

Mae Sot mentioned in the news here as a potentially new Covid hot spot. Makes you think twice about what happened in that mall... 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2063727/chinese-new-year-could-lead-to-spread-of-bug

[dcfc2007]

 

Less than 80k foreigners have entered Thailand since last July if these numbers are correct.

[Zeb]

Thailand Reluctant to Join Covax Program on Strict Conditions
By Suttinee Yuvejwattana
 

The Thai government won’t procure Covid-19 vaccines through the World Health Organization-backed Covax program for now because the conditions are too strict. The move may put the country at risk of getting delayed vaccines at higher prices.

Under the program, Thailand would be charged extra for booking and it would have limitations on the producers and delivery period. Covax also requires a minimum purchase of 10% of a country’s population for a fast order with conditions and costs, Nakorn Premsri, director of Thailand’s National Vaccine Institute, said in a statement late Saturday.

“Acquiring the vaccines directly from the producers will be more flexible because we can decide how much we will buy and also negotiate pricing, which may lead to a cheaper price for large orders,” Nakorn said.

Still, negotiations are continuing. With acceptable conditions, Thailand might procure the vaccine through the Covax program in the future.

Thailand reported 490 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, increasing the nation’s total to 23,134. Of those, 18,897 infections have been reported since mid-December.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-07/thailand-reluctant-to-join-covax-program-on-strict-conditions?srnd=markets-vp

 

[Jambo]

On 2/7/2021 at 9:05 AM, Esco said:

Mae Sot mentioned in the news here as a potentially new Covid hot spot. Makes you think twice about what happened in that mall... 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2063727/chinese-new-year-could-lead-to-spread-of-bug

Sai and I were supposed to be well on our way back to Bangsaray/Pattaya this morning however we have been forced to cancel our trip. It is not absolutely clear what the local Governor meant when he stated "visitors" from Mae Sot will need to quarantine for 14 days.

We need to go through four permanent check points between Mae Sot and Chonburi with the first two within the first 80k of leaving home and the next one about 4 hours into the journey. The tracing App will show where we started from so no hiding that we came from Mae Sot.

We cannot take the chance.

[Zeb]

[forcebwithu]

5 hours ago, Jambo said:

Agreed, and usually the only venue I visit in the WS area.

Hope to visit next week as long as we can move out of the Province. Virtual lock down in force due to a cluster of cases in the Muslim community in town. Now have four check points to negotiate and no way to avoid them.

Copied your post from Le Pub so I can reply in a more appropriate topic. My lady's brother is coming to pick her up tomorrow to head up to Kamphaeng Phet for a relative's funeral. They're making an overnight stop in Bangkok tomorrow, so should be able to tell you on Wednesday if they encountered any checkpoints and what the status is on quarantining on arrival. Hope it's good news otherwise her 5 to 6 day trip away will be considerably longer.

Edited to add: Well her plans to travel didn't last long. Apparently she and her brother are now concerned they might get caught up in a lockdown at Kamphaeng Phet so they're staying put for now.

Edited February 15, 2021 by forcebwithu

[boydeste]

I received an email from the Bkk hospital I am registered with, ( I had some emergency treatment my last trip ).

The email was basically a survey to see if I would have the vaccine when it became available. So it looks like the hospitals are starting to see what the demand is in the farang community.

Edited February 18, 2021 by boydeste

[Jambo]

19 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

Copied your post from Le Pub so I can reply in a more appropriate topic. My lady's brother is coming to pick her up tomorrow to head up to Kamphaeng Phet for a relative's funeral. They're making an overnight stop in Bangkok tomorrow, so should be able to tell you on Wednesday if they encountered any checkpoints and what the status is on quarantining on arrival. Hope it's good news otherwise her 5 to 6 day trip away will be considerably longer.

Edited to add: Well her plans to travel didn't last long. Apparently she and her brother are now concerned they might get caught up in a lockdown at Kamphaeng Phet so they're staying put for now.

Thank you for trying to assist.

I am actually much more worried about the check points within the Province itself. There are two normal permanent check points within the first 45 minutes of the journey due to Mae Sot's proximity to the Burmese border and another one a further 30 minutes after number two.

Sai's sister did the same return journey last week and go through okay but mentioned there are now several additional check points for temperature tests on the route. So that appears to me that they are, in practice, not enforcing the supposed lock down on travel from Mae Sot within the province itself..........................but that was last week! 🥴

[Sea-Hawks]

did anyone else see the article about the TAT and other travel groups are going to put a few proposals together to lift the 14 day quarantine before the end of the 1st half of the year 2021?  They will present their proposals to the PM.  

...now, this being Thailand, I know there’s still much work to be done before it lands on his desk, but seems like @ least there some real dialogue being discussed now with timelines being set.  

So, taking into consideration the typical delays...even if it gets delayed further (which is realistic) 3rd quarter this year would be a pleasant and welcoming opportunity 

[boydeste]

1 hour ago, Sea-Hawks said:

did anyone else see the article about the TAT and other travel groups are going to put a few proposals together to lift the 14 day quarantine before the end of the 1st half of the year 2021?  They will present their proposals to the PM.  

...now, this being Thailand, I know there’s still much work to be done before it lands on his desk, but seems like @ least there some real dialogue being discussed now with timelines being set.  

So, taking into consideration the typical delays...even if it gets delayed further (which is realistic) 3rd quarter this year would be a pleasant and welcoming opportunity 

They can put together as many proposals as they wish, but if you want to stop covid being brought in you need quarentine. It's virtually the only barrier right now. Obviously vaccines can influence that over time but realistically that is a long way off methinks.

[KWA]

2 hours ago, Sea-Hawks said:

did anyone else see the article about the TAT and other travel groups are going to put a few proposals together to lift the 14 day quarantine before the end of the 1st half of the year 2021?  They will present their proposals to the PM.

I saw suggestions from tourist/hotelier/travel agent groups who obviously have their self interests to protect, so didn't give them much thought.  It would be nice to see it happen though.

[Kathmandu]

Where is Code Slayer when you?

[Horizondave]

On 2/20/2021 at 1:08 AM, KWA said:

I saw suggestions from tourist/hotelier/travel agent groups who obviously have their self interests to protect, so didn't give them much thought.  It would be nice to see it happen though.

Saw Tommy's video this morning that seems to suggest the proposals are not viable and likely won't be implemented but they appear to be based on self isolation and not short quarantine.

I think if they reduced it to a shortened quarantine (6/7 days) with compulsory testing and perhaps only those who have been vaccinated before arrival then that might be more appealing.

[Yessongs]

6 hours ago, Horizondave said:

Saw Tommy's video this morning that seems to suggest the proposals are not viable and likely won't be implemented but they appear to be based on self isolation and not short quarantine.

I think if they reduced it to a shortened quarantine (6/7 days) with compulsory testing and perhaps only those who have been vaccinated before arrival then that might be more appealing.

Yes, a very common sense approach to the problem, but this is Thailand and you know how that goes.  My wife agrees this is what they should do, if they get even half of the Thai population vaccinated, this approach would bring people back to Thailand like us alot faster. 

[Mr. Smooth]

On 1/31/2021 at 11:07 AM, Yessongs said:

Matt, yes at some point whether is be this year or next, I have no problems going back to Thailand. But...we both agree pretty much that any type of 14-15 day quarantine and all of the other "money grab" things they want, we are not going to do. Having fun here, just have to take it day by day and I am glad she is around to entertain me LOL!

Good to see Calif is at the "purple" tier again and I think things will get better and hope that with new strains don't ruin the party. I can't believe how much I miss going to concerts, seeing the San Jose Sharks Hockey, SJ State Football etc. etc. 

Without fans in the stands, my interest level in live sports on tv has gone way own hill, as not being able to experience the fan reaction, the games lose much of their luster for me, including the Super Bowl earlier this month, despite the limited number of fans allowed. Watching a baseball or basketball game without any fans in the stands becomes mind numbingly dull. And indoor concerts, I actually feel sorry for those up and coming bands who need to tour in order to make any money. The old rockers who hang on are also not able to offer up their art for the fans to enjoy.

Maybe there was a reason for people like Dylan, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and others to sell off their catalogue for millions as this pandemic has shut down their revenue stream for live gates, not to mention their advancing age.

At least I was finally able to walk into a Dennys last week up here in Sacramento and sit down to a grand slam breakfast for $8.99. First time doing that since taking my mom out for lunch at an Applebees last May. Even left a $4 tip!

A small victory on the road back to normal, or whatever normal will be redefined as.

[Kathmandu]

2 hours ago, Mr. Smooth said:

Without fans in the stands, my interest level in live sports on tv has gone way own hill, as not being able to experience the fan reaction, the games lose much of their luster for me, including the Super Bowl earlier this month, despite the limited number of fans allowed. Watching a baseball or basketball game without any fans in the stands becomes mind numbingly dull. And indoor concerts, I actually feel sorry for those up and coming bands who need to tour in order to make any money. The old rockers who hang on are also not able to offer up their art for the fans to enjoy.

Maybe there was a reason for people like Dylan, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and others to sell off their catalogue for millions as this pandemic has shut down their revenue stream for live gates, not to mention their advancing age.

At least I was finally able to walk into a Dennys last week up here in Sacramento and sit down to a grand slam breakfast for $8.99. First time doing that since taking my mom out for lunch at an Applebees last May. Even left a $4 tip!

A small victory on the road back to normal, or whatever normal will be redefined as.

A 4 buck tip! You are throwing $$ around like a drunk sailor. 

[Mr. Smooth]

2 minutes ago, Kathmandu said:

A 4 buck tip! You are throwing $$ around like a drunk sailor. 

Believe it or not, I was happy to do so. All these businesses having had to let people go, the hospitality industry, whether in a mom and pop cafe or a national chain, they are happy to have their jobs back and the attention displayed, was well worth it.

Besides, with bars closed and not being able to order a damn drink, I've got a bit of money in my pocket, even despite losing the odd bet every now and then. 😉 

[Yessongs]

Don't even ask how much I leave the Viet Coffee girls for tips....they too have been shut down, back open, shut down again etc.etc.etc. But then again, I have ( like alot of you) been known to act like Mark Cuban instead of Yessongs......especially in Thailand. Glad those days are over huh? 😬

[Kathmandu]

23 hours ago, Mr. Smooth said:

Believe it or not, I was happy to do so. All these businesses having had to let people go, the hospitality industry, whether in a mom and pop cafe or a national chain, they are happy to have their jobs back and the attention displayed, was well worth it.

Besides, with bars closed and not being able to order a damn drink, I've got a bit of money in my pocket, even despite losing the odd bet every now and then. 😉 

I recklessly threw down 5 bucks for a charity lasagna feed some years ago. The kicker was no peas and a fresh green salad with a hunk of garlic bread. No regrets at all.

[Zeb]

On 2/22/2021 at 9:58 PM, Horizondave said:

Saw Tommy's video this morning that seems to suggest the proposals are not viable and likely won't be implemented but they appear to be based on self isolation and not short quarantine.

I think if they reduced it to a shortened quarantine (6/7 days) with compulsory testing and perhaps only those who have been vaccinated before arrival then that might be more appealing.

Has anyone seen any data (creditable data) on foreigners entering Thailand (after having a negative test prior to travel) and then found to have tested positive to the virus while in a ASQ hotel etc ?

It would be interesting to see what the numbers look like and relevant to any further attempts to open up etc.