News Forum - Thailand warms to drop temperature checks

[DiJoDavO]

8 minutes ago, Transam said:

Hey, watch your temperature ol' chap........................

If I scan my body temperature now, I wouldn't be let in anywhere now. Because they proof you've got covid, isn't it? 

[Smithydog]

Big deal out of nothing. What was the huge problem with a temperature check?

Really? We are now using silly rhetoric about out how they make some sort of police state or because a bee flies past makes them useless. What next? The infrared beams will now shorten my lifespan or they helped me improve my tan?

They mean very little to my life in the scope of things if they remain or go. The reality is that I have probably spent more time writing this post than the amount of my time taken up by having them done.

[Poolie]

Yes ,but, well, it's Thailand and it must therefore be just wrong!

[rc1]

15 minutes ago, Smithydog said:

Big deal out of nothing. What was the huge problem with a temperature check?

Really? We are now using silly rhetoric about out how they make some sort of police state or because a bee flies past makes them useless. What next? The infrared beams will now shorten my lifespan or they helped me improve my tan?

They mean very little to my life in the scope of things if they remain or go. The reality is that I have probably spent more time writing this post than the amount of my time taken up by having them done.

It's also psychological. Temperature checks are a constant reminder of the pandemic.

As they no longer serve a useful purpose, removing them will help overall psychological well being, and help move Thailand forward from the pandemic. 

Every bit helps. 

[DiJoDavO]

3 minutes ago, Smithydog said:

because a bee flies past makes them useless

To be fair, I didn't say they became useless because a bee flew by. The bee got scanned as it tried to get into the gap where the scanner is and was about 36C or 38C (was a while back when saw the video). The paraphrasing here makes it look weird. 

My point is not that it bothers me to scan or not. I nowadays just don't. It only bothers me that some things in the past 2 years were taken too far and forced, and now is said to actually not making any difference at all. 

This is not a good thing that has happened here. I'm not doing any conspiracy here, but what could someone make us believe that works next time for 2 years, which 2 years later they'll say it was just bs all along.... 

You can see what it does to people who still believe it's of use while even science says it's of no use and just stop doing it. 

[Smithydog]

4 minutes ago, rc1 said:

It's also psychological. Temperature checks are a constant reminder of the pandemic.

As they no longer serve a useful purpose, removing them will help overall psychological well being, and help move Thailand forward from the pandemic. 

Every bit helps. 

"psychological well being". Do you get the same effect walking past a TV set in a shop?

As many of such checks in major areas now are simply just that, you better be careful walking past any shop selling TVs.

 

[DiJoDavO]

11 minutes ago, Transam said:

To be honest, I don't think you understand much about how modern tech is helping folk in general, it's just you don't want to know as long as you are alright, just see how your attitude will change if you get a medical problem.......

I've a SERIOUS medical problem. I have Covid! The temperature scan didn't prevent it, neither did my mask indoors where I caught it

Technology surely helps, but this whole temperature checking thing was just silly. Do it if you want it, understandable if you're afraid of Covid, but don't ridicule people who think it's just weird for themselves to keep doing. 

[Smithydog]

7 minutes ago, DiJoDavO said:

To be fair, I didn't say they became useless because a bee flew by. The bee got scanned as it tried to get into the gap where the scanner is and was about 36C or 38C (was a while back when saw the video). The paraphrasing here makes it look weird. 

My point is not that it bothers me to scan or not. I nowadays just don't. It only bothers me that some things in the past 2 years were taken too far and forced, and now is said to actually not making any difference at all. 

This is not a good thing that has happened here. I'm not doing any conspiracy here, but what could someone make us believe that works next time for 2 years, which 2 years later they'll say it was just bs all along.... 

You can see what it does to people who still believe it's of use while even science says it's of no use and just stop doing it. 

Science is not a stable thing. As researchers investigate and test they discover new realities every day. Accordingly scientific opinion on subjects adjusts over time. Or do you believe the world is actually flat?

It seems you have forgotten that in the early days of Covid-19, rapid antigen tests didn't exist. There were long delays in getting test results. The only options available until more could be understood was to do certain very basic things to help with preventing spread, yet allow greater movement. Using temperature checks was an option adopted by many.

Fever was felt to be an indicator and hence why temperature checking with devices provided the only mass rapid indicator of a possible issue. It was the best we had at the time and at least helped to often provide a more freer level of movement.

Science then worked out better ways and adjusted as have the threats changed with different Covid-19 variants. It is how science works. Researchers investigate and develop new methods. That is why change happens over time. The mass availability of rapid antigen tests providing a far better indicator than temperature, reduced any remaining value in temperature testing. 

Force happens at time simply because it is the most expedient method in a crisis situation. Sadly then the conspiracy theorists get onto the bandwagon, often for their own gain and not for any one else. People get flooded with misinformation and disinformation as petty criminals get their bank accounts flooded as they peddle false stories, medicines and treatments.

The real reason for using a method or treatment get lost in the garbage and then its removal gets celebrated by others saying, "see I was right!".

If people do suffer from any psychological aftereffects of the method than I hope they get the proper treatment. But are you really suggesting our medical wards will be flooded with such examples?

Most people will see it for what it was. A minor inconvenience soon forgotten in the scope of our daily lives.

 

 

 

[Benroon]

6 hours ago, DiJoDavO said:

Lol, people who had this point of view were considered conspiracy theorists. So now The Thaiger seems to spread conspiracy stories too. And whoever now pointed out that those machines don't work could get banned because of misinformation if this was 2 years ago. 

What they said 2 years ago was the only truth and nothing else was allowed to be said. Just pointing out how every single thing they said is falling apart eventually and that the news is not a very good source of information when they are forcing something down people's throats. 

I've moved on from concerned to confused - what do you mean they don't work ? They record your temperature right to give you a heads up of a potential problem ? was there another function intended ? 

[Manu]

4 hours ago, Smithydog said:

Big deal out of nothing. What was the huge problem with a temperature check?

Really? We are now using silly rhetoric about out how they make some sort of police state or because a bee flies past makes them useless. What next? The infrared beams will now shorten my lifespan or they helped me improve my tan?

They mean very little to my life in the scope of things if they remain or go. The reality is that I have probably spent more time writing this post than the amount of my time taken up by having them done.

No big deal indeed... But when I see that they now know finally "that there is no evidence proving that the checks prevent the spread of coronavirus" (!!), I personally wonder how much public money were spent to put all this useless "things" in place for over 2 years now? And if we add many other useless (and only the useless ones) actions taken and so much more money wasted for covid the past 2 and half years , I am sure that money would have been better spent in more useful actions... like improving the heathcare system in Thailand. Somehow maybe it is a big deal after all...

[Manu]

1 hour ago, Benroon said:

I've moved on from concerned to confused - what do you mean they don't work ? They record your temperature right to give you a heads up of a potential problem ? was there another function intended ? 

The fonction intended was to prevent covid. But...

Quote

Rungruang added that the infrared temperature screening devices at airports didn’t provide any evidence to prove effectiveness in preventing Covid.

So it was useless.

[RedBirdy]

Temp checks are one thing I currently dont have a problem with simply because they are so non-intrusive. Whenever I pass one I give a big funny "PHEW! that was close" so me and and the checker can have a quick chuckle.

It is one of those measures I always felt was more of a psychological or prepping function for a more advanced intrusive scanning technology if it were to roll out.  

Edited June 14, 2022 by RedBirdy

[Smithydog]

2 hours ago, Manu said:

No big deal indeed... But when I see that they now know finally "that there is no evidence proving that the checks prevent the spread of coronavirus" (!!), I personally wonder how much public money were spent to put all this useless "things" in place for over 2 years now? And if we add many other useless (and only the useless ones) actions taken and so much more money wasted for covid the past 2 and half years , I am sure that money would have been better spent in more useful actions... like improving the heathcare system in Thailand. Somehow maybe it is a big deal after all...

And if I could forsee he lottery numbers I would be rich!

Governments and the world over are filled with examples of "if only". Not much good at the time in most cases.

[Smithydog]

2 hours ago, Manu said:

The fonction intended was to prevent covid. But...

So it was useless.

It wasn't designed to prevent Covid-19. What a load of garbage.

It was there to identify people with a high temperature indicating a possible fever. This then enabled those people to be separated from others not showing such signs, seek proper testing and also care if needed.

It was simply a risk reduction method, similar to those used to reduce risk from a potential work hazard, especially in this case where people are close to others. You could apply the same to masks and washing hands, using sanitisers etc. All are common sense methods of risk reduction.

Mountains are being made out of molehills on this subject.

 

[rc1]

9 hours ago, Smithydog said:

Science is not a stable thing. As researchers investigate and test they discover new realities every day. Accordingly scientific opinion on subjects adjusts over time. Or do you believe the world is actually flat?

It seems you have forgotten that in the early days of Covid-19, rapid antigen tests didn't exist. There were long delays in getting test results. The only options available until more could be understood was to do certain very basic things to help with preventing spread, yet allow greater movement. Using temperature checks was an option adopted by many.

Fever was felt to be an indicator and hence why temperature checking with devices provided the only mass rapid indicator of a possible issue. It was the best we had at the time and at least helped to often provide a more freer level of movement.

Science then worked out better ways and adjusted as have the threats changed with different Covid-19 variants. It is how science works. Researchers investigate and develop new methods. That is why change happens over time. The mass availability of rapid antigen tests providing a far better indicator than temperature, reduced any remaining value in temperature testing. 

Force happens at time simply because it is the most expedient method in a crisis situation. Sadly then the conspiracy theorists get onto the bandwagon, often for their own gain and not for any one else. People get flooded with misinformation and disinformation as petty criminals get their bank accounts flooded as they peddle false stories, medicines and treatments.

The real reason for using a method or treatment get lost in the garbage and then its removal gets celebrated by others saying, "see I was right!".

If people do suffer from any psychological aftereffects of the method than I hope they get the proper treatment. But are you really suggesting our medical wards will be flooded with such examples?

Most people will see it for what it was. A minor inconvenience soon forgotten in the scope of our daily lives.

Good comment, but the temperature checks should have been dropped 6 months ago. 

 

"Science adjusted" as you say but the method lingered.

It's now redundant but hasn't been removed yet. It's unnecessary friction in daily life, it must go and luckily it looks like it will. 

[Smithydog]

5 hours ago, rc1 said:

Good comment, but the temperature checks should have been dropped 6 months ago. 

"Science adjusted" as you say but the method lingered.

It's now redundant but hasn't been removed yet. It's unnecessary friction in daily life, it must go and luckily it looks like it will. 

Convincing non-scientific people the science has changed and now alternatives can be considered is the hardest challenge for scientists. They know the science. Sadly the Politicians making the decisions, along with the media "opinion hosts", conspiracy theorists, keyboard warriors etc are the ones that get in the way.

I often wonder how much of a hold Covid-19 would have managed to get if people just purposively and collectively did what had been asked to do at the time rather than expend their energies in disinformation and rebellion. Could this have been all over way earlier with less restrictions imposed?

Sadly another "what if only" caused by too many not prepared to engage in proper and effective scientific discussion, communicate well and the truth to the populace at large, and too often just line their own pockets from the benefits of doing so.

[RJBT]

Took them more than 2 years to find this out

 I could have told them from day one but somebody made a lot of money

[Benroon]

On 6/14/2022 at 3:23 PM, Manu said:

The fonction intended was to prevent covid. But...

So it was useless.

wow I'm tempted to put this in upper case for the hard of thinking but NOTHING can prevent Covid - NOTHING! Is that clear ?

It was all about mitigating the chances - percentages etc

Seriously this is painful

 

 

[TWS60]

I rather like the commonsensical view that public temperature taking by retail industry was an exercise to stay in business.   Measures promulgated by Thai government weren't original, or outlandish, so I didn't stress about it.  Monkey See, Monkey Do.  As is often the case in Thailand, things self-correct and drift away.

Folks who were rolling around on the floor quoting ominous passages from 1984, reminded me of impatient, spoiled children having a tantrum at the Tesco, because Mom said "No" to the chocolate breakfast cereal.  Perhaps a mere coincidence many seemed to be rabidly 'conservative', pumped full of Fox News conspiracy heroin, shouting into a bullhorn about The End Times.  

This too shall pass.  And now here we are.  Dr. Evil has been foiled once again.  Back to the drawing board. 

What'll it be this time?  Chemtrails?  Oh no, not again!

[Manu]

On 6/15/2022 at 7:54 PM, Benroon said:

wow I'm tempted to put this in upper case for the hard of thinking but NOTHING can prevent Covid - NOTHING! Is that clear ?

What is that all about??? Calm down mate, I have said no more no less for the past 2 years. Not even the vaccines did that.

Quote

 

It was all about mitigating the chances - percentages etc

Seriously this is painful

 

Whatever words you use, at the end of the day, it did nothing. It did not "mitigate" anything, it was useless!!

[Benroon]

12 hours ago, Manu said:

Whatever words you use, at the end of the day, it did nothing. It did not "mitigate" anything, it was useless!!

and yet every single link on the first page of a Google search will tell you you’re wrong. Probably just coincidence right ?

Masks helped prevent the droplets that carried Covid from being transmitted, how could they not?! Clearly not exclusively but helped. The idea being everyone was in it together as opposed to allowing YouTube dullards to undermine the whole episode. 
 

 

[Cabra]

And the good news is all this discussion on temperature checks will soon be moot