News Forum - Mask rules enforcement starts with campaigns in Bangla and Phuket Town

[Stainless]

I spent a month in Thailand over last Xmas, I wore a mask when I remembered, places like 7/11 and family mart you have to mask up, they are quite strict.

Apart from that, I never got the impression it was really an issue, nobody batting an eye at anyone walking the streets unmasked.

I did abide by the rules as much as I could as I'm a guest and it's the law there.

Over here in England though, I won't wear a mask anymore, regardless of the rules. It's my home country and I feel that gives me the right to push back against something that I don't agree with so strongly.

[LoongFred]

13 hours ago, Stonker said:

This was the post and question, in its entireity:

I answered the question asked.

The "need" is because it's the law and, as I said elsewhere, because that's how Thais want it in their country.

The reason a lot of people here (in Thailand and on the forum) are "hostile" is because a lot of us who live here, and have lived here for quite a while, are sick of people who don't live here thinking they're bringing "money [we] all depend on" so that entitles them to behave as they want, not as they should.

You're not, and it doesn't.

Best to keep bars closed so they're no issues with wearing masks.

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, Stainless said:

I spent a month in Thailand over last Xmas, I wore a mask when I remembered, places like 7/11 and family mart you have to mask up, they are quite strict.

Apart from that, I never got the impression it was really an issue, nobody batting an eye at anyone walking the streets unmasked.

I did abide by the rules as much as I could as I'm a guest and it's the law there.

Over here in England though, I won't wear a mask anymore, regardless of the rules. It's my home country and I feel that gives me the right to push back against something that I don't agree with so strongly.

When you "remembered"? 

How could you forget?

When you leave your house or hotel you put it on, when you return you take it off - the only exceptions being when eating or drinking where it's permitted.  What's so hard about remembering that ?

[Stonker]

As has been pointed out countless times, masks are not intended to protect the wearer - they're to protect others from you, not you from others. that's why everyone has to play their part, not just those who are vulnerable or conerned for their own health.

Edited January 23, 2022 by Faz
off topic quote removed.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, whitesnake said:

I'm not a sheep following the herd ...never have been and never will be and, at 59, with no illnesses, ailments or anything,...not one single day off work ...EVER!! And, I intend it to remain that way. Been to hospital once... to be born!! That's it!!!!!!!

99% of sickness is in the mind.... mind over matter bro!! Sadly, 99% of people's pain threshold is down there in the sewer! Not me.... I just smell the sweet aroma of life and FECK everyone else!!! 

1 hour ago, whitesnake said:

Yeah, I make my own rules! Never allow anyone to make you afraid!!!!

Oh please - the epitome of the keyboard hard man and rebel.

https://img.gifglobe.com/grabs/montypython/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian/gif/IRrrHCEMsGCq.gif

[Poolie]

17 minutes ago, Transam said:

You are just a Mr.Angry, it shows in your posts...You are more concerned with others earning a few quid than trying to help with the basic stuff of protecting yourself and others.

On top of that, nobody cares that you are angry and want to strut around with no mask on because you envy the moneymakers, but folk are probably angry that you do not follow the laws of the land that you don't like. 

I must admit, I cant read his posts, too many exclamation marks and capitals. Hurts my eyes.

[Faz]

This topic is about Thailand, not the USA or anywhere else.

Thailand's Emergency Decree and the Communicable Diseases Act make it compulsory by law to wear a mask in public areas.

For those who would like to discuss the 'opposite' view of the effectiveness of wearing masks, address your alternative rhetoric to the https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/9942-controversial-covid-corner-continued/page/14/#comment-145236 forum, which was created for that purpose.
The News topics are not for that purpose.

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

Moderator.

 

[Dodgey]

On 1/22/2022 at 9:17 PM, Stonker said:

This was the post and question, in its entireity:

I answered the question asked.

The "need" is because it's the law and, as I said elsewhere, because that's how Thais want it in their country.

The reason a lot of people here (in Thailand and on the forum) are "hostile" is because a lot of us who live here, and have lived here for quite a while, are sick of people who don't live here thinking they're bringing "money [we] all depend on" so that entitles them to behave as they want, not as they should.

You're not, and it doesn't.

I think you are wrapping yourself up in the "do as the locals do" and "respect the local laws" thing without considering the pandemic is entirely unique in this respect. 
<Not respecting the law regarding wearing masks is punishable with a fine up to 20,000 BHT and up to 2 years imprisonment - Moderator>

 Whilst those stupid rules exist we will try and work around them, or, go to countries that don't enforce them. 

If Thailand is truly as rabid and enthusiastic about mask wearing as it made out on here, they are doomed to financial collapse until it lets up. If you believe the almost entire cessation of tourism to Thailand will not have a dramatic long term effect you are sorely mistaken, unless there is some new surprise economy waiting in the sidelines.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Faz
removed references to other Countries.

[Dodgey]

10 hours ago, Stainless said:

I spent a month in Thailand over last Xmas, I wore a mask when I remembered, places like 7/11 and family mart you have to mask up, they are quite strict.

Apart from that, I never got the impression it was really an issue, nobody batting an eye at anyone walking the streets unmasked.

I did abide by the rules as much as I could as I'm a guest and it's the law there.

Over here in England though, I won't wear a mask anymore, regardless of the rules. It's my home country and I feel that gives me the right to push back against something that I don't agree with so strongly.

Good to hear some sane feedback. Gives me hope this December might be ok after all, and that not everyone is as furious as one or two members on here.

Regarding UK. I've not masked for well over a year.

[Stonker]

53 minutes ago, Dodgey said:

I think you are wrapping yourself up in the "do as the locals do" and "respect the local laws" thing without considering the pandemic is entirely unique in this respect. Unique because the laws, not just in Thailand, but all over the globe, in regards to the pandemic, are mostly stupid. Plain stupid.

This is global. People know walking down the street in a mask is downright stupid and benefits no one. People also all know wearing a crash helmet on a bike makes sense. 

Thks is why people are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" in every country.

This isn't your usual " don't for f-sake offend / get into a fight with a Thai" scenario, or "make sure you cover your shoulders in temples" kind of thing. This isn't respecting individual countries traditions and laws. This is everyone trying to live happily in a mad world with some temporary stupid rules.

Whilst those stupid rules exist we will try and work around them, or, go to countries that don't enforce them. 

The last two countries I've been to the locals are as much hostages to unwelcome rules as we are. The moment service staff are out of sight of customers, or their bosses, their masks go straight back down on their chins.

If Thailand is truly as rabid and enthusiastic about mask wearing as it made out on here, they are doomed to financial collapse until it lets up. If you believe the almost entire cessation of tourism to Thailand will not have a dramatic long term effect you are sorely mistaken, unless there is some new surprise economy waiting in the sidelines.

Well, that they're "mostly stupid" is your view - I disagree, and so do the vast majority of Thais and, probably coincidentally, the vast majority of experts on the subject.

... and very, very few Thais are are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" on mask wearing in Thailand - it simply isn't happening, as I see for myself every day and as do some 99% of those commenting here.

... all Thais are living happily with it.  Whether that's "stupid" or not isn't the point here since it's not the subject, as @Faz rightly pointed out, but the very obvious fact is that they're happy to live with it - and if that means foreigners don't want to come here as a result, then that's evidently a price they're currently prepared to accept,

[JamesR]

On 1/21/2022 at 11:50 PM, Rob2010 said:

Leaving aside the efficacy debate my experience over the past week in Phuket town is that the issue of non-compliance is almost entirely down to foreign tourists. 

My hotel has a co-working hub with probably dozens of people occupying space daily. The majority are farang as opposed to Asian and the overwhelming majority of the former do not cover up despite large poster requests from the hotel to do so which I think is just plain rude, aside from anything else.

As a kid and when first travelling my parents, like most I knew, drummed into me the old phrase "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" and I have found that to be rock solid advice during a work life spent travelling, as well as when out and about on hols.

I know I am (over) generalising but the problems I see here mirror closely those i see in the U.K. in terms of general behaviour and voluntary compliance to rules and regulations in so far as they tend to occur within two broad groups : firstly the stupid, boorish and ignorant, and secondly a section of the young who feel both entitled and that the world should live as they do.

On Thursday at the Jungceylon Swab Centre in Patong a guy, probably in his twenties, strolled straight past those of us sat waiting with our numbered tickets for the 5 day PCR test and tried to get done without registering and queueing. Not only was he maskless but he was smoking - one of those occasions where I prayed i could be thirty years younger just long enough to punch his lights out. Unfortunately if i tried it now i would only fall over and likely be beaten with my own stick.

Ty said, "I know I am (over) generalising but the problems I see here mirror closely those i see in the U.K. in terms of general behaviour and voluntary compliance to rules and regulations in so far as they tend to occur within two broad groups : firstly the stupid, boorish and ignorant, and secondly a section of the young who feel both entitled and that the world should live as they do."

It all depends in which area one lives in I suppose.

For 27 years I have lived in an area 30 miles to the east of London, the vast majority of people living there would be called English in origin.

Whenever I went to Tesco I think 99% of people wore masks. A few scruffs with tattoos did not.

I visit people in a part of East London and on shopping trips 90% of people are not wearing masks, they would be classed as 'ethnics' I suppose.

When I was in Phuket during the lockdown between January 2020 to August 2020 in the non-tourist area of Kathu I saw many farangs not wearing masks, as far as I saw 99% of Thais wore masks.

[Dodgey]

5 hours ago, Stonker said:

Well, that they're "mostly stupid" is your view - I disagree, and so do the vast majority of Thais and, probably coincidentally, the vast majority of experts on the subject.

... and very, very few Thais are are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" on mask wearing in Thailand - it simply isn't happening, as I see for myself every day and as do some 99% of those commenting here.

... all Thais are living happily with it.  Whether that's "stupid" or not isn't the point here since it's not the subject, as @Faz rightly pointed out, but the very obvious fact is that they're happy to live with it - and if that means foreigners don't want to come here as a result, then that's evidently a price they're currently prepared to accept,

My view? I'd love to see ANY data supporting outside mask wearing ( excluding tightly crowded places). The data ALL points to it being pointless. Outside is the best ventilated environment you could wish for. I suspect you won't listen so mask up in the street and be happy. It's bloody stupid whichever way you dress it up.

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Dodgey said:

My view? I'd love to see ANY data supporting outside mask wearing ( excluding tightly crowded places). The data ALL points to it being pointless. Outside is the best ventilated environment you could wish for. I suspect you won't listen so mask up in the street and be happy. It's bloody stupid whichever way you dress it up.

The "data" is clear for all to see - countries that have a mask mandate have consistently lower Covid rates when they're in force than those that don't - except in those countries where it's voluntary but the vast majority do so anyway.

That particularly applies where very few have been triple vaxxed with effective vaccines, as very, very few have been in Thailand.

The point isn't whether it's "bloody stupid" or not in isolation but that it's simple to both enforce and to observe.

There's no debate or room for interpretation over what's "outside" or not - a covered market? a sports stadium? an 'open air' bar? - or where it goes from being acceptable to being "tightly crowded" - a bus queue? an MTR platform at rush hour? a pop concert? two metres apart or 1.95?

There are no 'grey' areas - it's either black or white and everyone knows exactly what the rule is at all times and where they stand.

[AMc]

5 hours ago, Stonker said:

The "data" is clear for all to see - countries that have a mask mandate have consistently lower Covid rates when they're in force than those that don't - except in those countries where it's voluntary but the vast majority do so anyway.

Source, please.

("Snopes" does not count)

[Fundok]

On 1/22/2022 at 11:21 AM, Johnmc17 said:

Could someone explain to me the need to wear a mask when outside walking alone on the street whilst you can go in a bar packed full of people and take it off.

No. There is no convincing logical answer, and from a risk based perspective it is - in my eyes - absolutely inconceivable. The only possible explanation is "well, this is how we, the Thai government, have decided to handle it" which I can accept as an explanation but which I do not find convincing.

I thetefore exercise my own regime to avoid an infection based on common sense and the advice of infectologists: got vaccinated (3x), wear a mask especially indoors, avoid close proximity of crowds, disinfect my hands regularly.

[Fundok]

12 minutes ago, AMc said:

Mask rules enforcement starts with campaigns in Bangla and Phuket Town

If you can pay the fine, do the crime.

Simple

Really? Not wearing a mask is a 'crime'? Wow.

But in essence it is sort of like not wearing a helmet (which is both inconvenient and very dangerous should you have an accident) - you pay the 500 THB (or 1000 with regards to the mask) and off you go. Depending on where you are w/o the mask you run a similar health risk than driving w/o a helmet.

[AMc]

6 minutes ago, Fundok said:

Really? Not wearing a mask is a 'crime'? Wow.

But in essence it is sort of like not wearing a helmet (which is both inconvenient and very dangerous should you have an accident) - you pay the 500 THB (or 1000 with regards to the mask) and off you go. Depending on where you are w/o the mask you run a similar health risk than driving w/o a helmet.

First sentence of the article...

"Strong punishment is written into the laws for violating Covid-19 rules laid out in the Emergency Decree and the Communicable Diseases Act..."

[AMc]

7 minutes ago, Transam said:

Are you a scientist or something like that...?

retired. And you?

[Stonker]

26 minutes ago, AMc said:

Source, please.

("Snopes" does not count)

Are you serious?

Look up which countries have the highest rate of infections over the last two years, such as the UK and USA, and the biggest resistance to mask wearing, and compare that to a cross section of countries consistently wearing masks across Asia.

Compare the Scandanavian countries.

It's one thing to ask for a source for a specific claim, but quite another for something that's easily verified.

I don't mind spoon feeding, but I draw the line at bottom wiping.

[Fundok]

5 hours ago, Stonker said:

The "data" is clear for all to see - countries that have a mask mandate have consistently lower Covid rates when they're in force than those that don't - except in those countries where it's voluntary but the vast majority do so anyway.

That particularly applies where very few have been triple vaxxed with effective vaccines, as very, very few have been in Thailand.

The point isn't whether it's "bloody stupid" or not in isolation but that it's simple to both enforce and to observe.

There's no debate or room for interpretation over what's "outside" or not - a covered market? a sports stadium? an 'open air' bar? - or where it goes from being acceptable to being "tightly crowded" - a bus queue? an MTR platform at rush hour? a pop concert? two metres apart or 1.95?

There are no 'grey' areas - it's either black or white and everyone knows exactly what the rule is at all times and where they stand.

"Mask mandate" is a rather generic term and has different meanings from country to country. We can agree that it is good to wear a mask when using public transport. At work, it depends. Are you sitting together with many others in an open office area or do you have a room for yourself? If it is the latter, wearing a mask is pretty much pointless. In public, mask wearing makes sense when a lot of people come together - shopping malls, restaurants etc. Sport venues are tricky: the virus is much less contagious outdoors, but of course people flock together to get to the stadium and back home again.

The greatest danger looms when people are on close proximity, in bars and restaurants. But these are the places where masks can be taken off. I guess we need to accept that mask mandates in principal are a good idea, but in practice there remain loopholes.

[Fundok]

9 minutes ago, AMc said:

First sentence of the article...

"Strong punishment is written into the laws for violating Covid-19 rules laid out in the Emergency Decree and the Communicable Diseases Act..."

I haven't acquainted myself with the wording of the act, I admit. I asume that the Act deals with a number of activities that are forbidden and therefore punishable, and some of them are more grave than others. The non-wearing of masks I assume is on the lower end, hence only punishable with a monetary fine. Rather a fellony than a crime, I would say. At least I am not aware that something you get a fine in the vicinity of 1'000 THB ( approx 27 €) will be considered to be a "crime" anywhere in the world.

[Stonker]

23 minutes ago, Fundok said:

No. There is no convincing logical answer, and from a risk based perspective it is - in my eyes - absolutely inconceivable. The only possible explanation is "well, this is how we, the Thai government, have decided to handle it" which I can accept as an explanation but which I do not find convincing.

Maybe you could explain what's "not convincing" about the explanation I gave, particularly given those here who think it's fine if they 'forget'  to mask up?

... maybe not .

26 minutes ago, Fundok said:

I thetefore exercise my own regime to avoid an infection based on common sense and the advice of infectologists: got vaccinated (3x), wear a mask especially indoors, avoid close proximity of crowds, disinfect my hands regularly.

So you think you're entitled to 'exercise your own regime' if you disagree with the laws in a country you choose to visit, even if the law is universally popular with the locals?

Are you a 'sovereign citizen' by any chance?

[Stonker]

9 minutes ago, Fundok said:

I guess we need to accept that mask mandates in principal are a good idea, but in practice there remain loopholes.

That's the whole point.

With the law as it stands in Thailand there are no "loopholes", and nothing's "tricky" - it's a simple black or white, with no room for grey.

[Stonker]

5 minutes ago, Fundok said:

I haven't acquainted myself with the wording of the act, I admit.

Maybe you should.

For the specific offence the fine is up to 20,000 baht, and for also violating the Emergency Decree you can be jailed for up to two years and deported as well as fined.

[Stonker]

19 minutes ago, AMc said:

You made the claim. I mistakenly assumed you could provide a credible source. If so, please do.

OK.

https://www.news24.com/health24/medical/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/countries-without-face-mask-mandates-had-significantly-more-covid-19-deaths-new-study-finds-20211222-3

There's a clue in the title.

21 minutes ago, AMc said:

Like Sweden maybe?

It's difficult to compare just one of anything, which was why I suggested comparing the Scandinavian countries.