News Forum - Outdoor mask rules eased in Phuket, new Bangkok governor says capital may follow

[Thaiger]

Phuket has eased some of its mask-wearing requirements for people not at risk of serious illness as a result of Covid-19. People no longer need to wear face masks while outdoors in open-air spaces, such as beaches, stadiums, and public parks, provided there is a space of 2 metres between them and others. The new order, effective from June 1, was signed by provincial governor Narong Woonciew yestereday. However, the Bangkok Post reports that people are still required to wear face masks in indoor spaces and where there are large crowds. In addition, the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate […]

The story Outdoor mask rules eased in Phuket, new Bangkok governor says capital may follow as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Manu]

Quote

Those who refuse to wear a mask in indoor and crowded spaces could still face a fine of up to 20,000 baht under the Communicable Disease Act and could be found in violation of the Emergency Decree. This carries a jail term of up to 2 years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht.

I just hope no potentiel tourists read this...

[Grumpish]

The photo just about sums it up. I am always amused at the way they put three or four people on a motorcycle, no crash helmets - but still wearing the all important life saving face masks.

[DiJoDavO]

UPDATE: Since this story was published, the Phuket Governor has cancelled orders to reduce the mask wearing requirements in Phuket. Read about that HERE.

The time difference between the articles was just 3 hours

[DiJoDavO]

7 hours ago, Manu said:

I just hope no potentiel tourists read this...

I don't understand this. A while back they said that actually there wasn't a law on this at all... 

[Smithydog]

I really don't understand why the Health Minister made this claim. The act seems to read local disease control committees can authorise measures hence why Phuket or other provinces may rule differently sometimes.

The COMMUNICABLE DISEASES ACT (2015) gives a communicable disease control officer quite wide powers to intervene in an Epidemic, including one section that states.

Section 34 (6) "to prohibit any person from carrying out or performing any act which may cause unhygienic conditions that may result in the transmission of the dangerous communicable disease or epidemic;"

https://ddc.moph.go.th/uploads/ckeditor/c74d97b01eae257e44aa9d5bade97baf/files/001_2gcd.pdf

The act also has penalties for not following such directions.

It would be interesting to see the argument carried out as to whether masks could be mandated under that as a disease control measure. They don't seem to have to prove it is such a measure and could theoretically take an opposite stance to whatever you are doing and claim it may cause unhygienic conditions!

But that is for the lawyers to argue over and usually laws have a funny way of being interpreted sometimes. But if fined, I would certainly make sure my lawyer brings up Health Minister's published statement as evidence supporting me!

But the reality is that a mask mandate cannot be enforced as you cannot watch everyone 24/7. So rather a useless law if it is interpreted that way.

[TWS60]

17 hours ago, Grumpish said:

The photo just about sums it up. I am always amused at the way they put three or four people on a motorcycle, no crash helmets - but still wearing the all important life saving face masks.

Another fascinating behaviour is not wearing a mask in a moving vehicle, which is fine and sensible, but when they park, mask on for the short walk from the car park into the restaurant/pub/bar, and then it's removed.  Repeated in reverse when they depart the venue.

Suspect this is an understandable aspect of herd mentality, meant to signal neutrality and compliance with expected behaviour of the collective when joining a temporary/transient group, perhaps reminiscent of watering hole/feeding area beahviour.  I'm one of you, I'm neutral, not a threat, therefor require no further interrogation (or finger wags, sneering, or a lecture from a self-appointed headmaster cum mask police).

The often obnoxious, attention-seeking anti-mask misfits are another kettle of fish. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by TWS60

[Smithydog]

Note from the Moderation Team

Members,

Please check your posts for any inferred or actual facts, and if used, then verify they are supported by a working URL link as per the Forum Guidelines Rule (6).

https://thethaiger.com/forum-guidelines-and-rules

It is important to also check that the URL link does actually match what you are saying and your post is aligned to the topic of the thread. Just helps to avoid any embarrassment for you.

Thanks

Moderator

[dbrenn]

On 6/3/2022 at 12:09 PM, Thaiger said:

Phuket has eased some of its mask-wearing requirements for people not at risk of serious illness as a result of Covid-19. People no longer need to wear face masks while outdoors in open-air spaces, such as beaches, stadiums, and public parks, provided there is a space of 2 metres between them and others. The new order, effective from June 1, was signed by provincial governor Narong Woonciew yestereday. However, the Bangkok Post reports that people are still required to wear face masks in indoor spaces and where there are large crowds. In addition, the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate […]

The story Outdoor mask rules eased in Phuket, new Bangkok governor says capital may follow as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

There's something very weird about forcing perfectly healthy people to wear these muzzles. 

[dbrenn]

23 minutes ago, Transam said:

Sadly, there are a few here that think like you.........

Did you put that to a vote? Please give me the numbers, or are you guessing?

[dbrenn]

8 minutes ago, Transam said:

I have read a number of threads over the last couple of years regarding covid. The same ol' clan were the neigh sayers, yet never have a credible answer, but of course you can spot a perfectly healthy person from 100 yards, eh, equipped with Superman's xray eyes too, l guess................

Oh please stop making wild guesses, and give us your poll results on muzzle supporters, so that you can be believed, then I'll stand down.

"Most people here" is a text book example of weasel words. In other words, meaningless. 

[Fanta]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

Oh please stop making wild guesses, and give us your poll results on muzzle supporters, so that you can be believed, then I'll stand down

Some people whine about the smallest things. 

[astro]

20 hours ago, Smithydog said:

But the reality is that a mask mandate cannot be enforced as you cannot watch everyone 24/7. So rather a useless law if it is interpreted that way.

It is not "useless" just because it cannot be enforced at all times & locations - then any law would be "useless".

But I agree that the outdoor mask mandate is the least sensible of the preventative measures, it would only be reasonable in densely crowded public spaces.

 

[Soidog]

The fact is that the whole world is now moving on from this nonsense. People who wish to be vaccinated have been. Those that don’t have made their choice. The vaccines are the best science has to offer to protect us. The vast majority who contract Covid have nothing more than a heavy cold or flu symptoms anyway.
 

It really is time to move on. A zero Covid Policy is working nowhere.  

[KaptainRob]

A number of off-topic bickering posts removed and the topic is now locked.