News Forum - BREAKING: CCSA address face masks, emergency decree and foreign arrivals

[BigHewer]

The mask or not to mask debate is an interesting one. I sometimes wear, sometimes do not. For me, it’s very little to do with “safety”. It’s more reading the mood. 

1. Not many people are wearing a mask here. Ok, I guess it’s cool to go mask free.

2. If I walk around here without a mask, everyone will think I’m an a**hole. So I’ll put one on. 

People who fail to read the mood (or choose not to) cause all the debate and friction on both sides.

[Viggen8408]

50 minutes ago, Tim_Melb said:

What I don't get with all this mask talk is the attitude of expats and foreign visitors. Whether it's legally required or not surely the right thing to do as a guest in a foreign country is to follow the lead of the locals. If you enter an indoor public space where all the locals are wearing a mask then the right and polite thing to do is to put your mask on... It's really not that hard. If you are outside in an open area feel free to take it off. I mean really you wonder why some Thais will refer to you as a dirty farang? What do you think they will think of your arrogant self centred ass when you behave that way. 

I just watched a YouTube video from a well known Texan expat vlogger returning to the US for a short trip. This arrogant prat flew on ANA to Japan before flying on to the US. In the airport in Bangkok and on the flight to Japan and in the Airport in Japan this idiot refused to wear his mask properly and was clearly rude to staff in Japan judging from his comments in the video about them being strict about masks there. Just who does this clown think he is?! It's people like him that are responsible for the terrible reputation of American tourists and expats around the world. It's called having manners people if you are on a plane or in a building in a foreign country where they ask you to wear a mask or all the locals wear mask put the damn thing on and stop being a rude arrogant idiot. 

When in Rome, eat pizza. When in another  ountry, obey the rules of that country regardless of how objectionable you may feel. I hate masks, but wear them in public because it is EXPECTED 

[TheDirtyDurian]

2 hours ago, Tim_Melb said:

What I don't get with all this mask talk is the attitude of expats and foreign visitors. Whether it's legally required or not surely the right thing to do as a guest in a foreign country is to follow the lead of the locals. If you enter an indoor public space where all the locals are wearing a mask then the right and polite thing to do is to put your mask on... It's really not that hard. If you are outside in an open area feel free to take it off. I mean really you wonder why some Thais will refer to you as a dirty farang? What do you think they will think of your arrogant self centred ass when you behave that way. 

I just watched a YouTube video from a well known Texan expat vlogger returning to the US for a short trip. This arrogant prat flew on ANA to Japan before flying on to the US. In the airport in Bangkok and on the flight to Japan and in the Airport in Japan this idiot refused to wear his mask properly and was clearly rude to staff in Japan judging from his comments in the video about them being strict about masks there. Just who does this clown think he is?! It's people like him that are responsible for the terrible reputation of American tourists and expats around the world. It's called having manners people if you are on a plane or in a building in a foreign country where they ask you to wear a mask or all the locals wear mask put the damn thing on and stop being a rude arrogant idiot. 

The mask is voluntary but recommended. 

I look after my own health. 

If the Thai government thought it was that bad to have people not wearing a mask they would make it mandatory. It was before, and now it's not. 

Many Thais couldn't care less about the actual mask, they care more about what people think of them for not wearing them, they don't want to stand out and so on ..

[TheDirtyDurian]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

The mask or not to mask debate is an interesting one. I sometimes wear, sometimes do not. For me, it’s very little to do with “safety”. It’s more reading the mood. 

1. Not many people are wearing a mask here. Ok, I guess it’s cool to go mask free.

2. If I walk around here without a mask, everyone will think I’m an a**hole. So I’ll put one on. 

People who fail to read the mood (or choose not to) cause all the debate and friction on both sides.

They don't think you're an €¥$¢^°=. Had zero negativity not wearing one in any situation since the rules changed. 

Be a trendsetter. 

Have people look at you as brave, for what they all secretly wish to do...

[TheDirtyDurian]

1 hour ago, Viggen8408 said:

When in Rome, eat pizza. When in another  ountry, obey the rules of that country regardless of how objectionable you may feel. I hate masks, but wear them in public because it is EXPECTED 

And it's also voluntary, so you're not breaking any rules by not wearing one. 

I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive not wearing one at first, had a spare on my arm etc.

That lasted about 2 days. After that I just stopped thinking about it. 

[Marc26]

21 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

And it's also voluntary, so you're not breaking any rules by not wearing one. 

I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive not wearing one at first, had a spare on my arm etc.

That lasted about 2 days. After that I just stopped thinking about it. 

I like to think I am pretty self aware and know when someone might not be happy with what I am doing

 

And I never felt like anyone wasn't happy with me not wearing a mask because I feel I followed all the times that I should have worn a mask

 

The one place I felt people were out of bounds for not wearing masks were massage shops

The massage girls have to work inside close to a bunch of people.............I felt people should wear masks while getting a massage..........but many didn't

 

 

 

[TheDirtyDurian]

9 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I like to think I am pretty self aware and know when someone might not be happy with what I am doing

And I never felt like anyone wasn't happy with me not wearing a mask because I feel I followed all the times that I should have worn a mask

The one place I felt people were out of bounds for not wearing masks were massage shops

The massage girls have to work inside close to a bunch of people.............I felt people should wear masks while getting a massage..........but many didn't

I don't really do Thai massage so I can't comment about that, but even then, unless they asked me to wear one I wouldn't. 

Spent plenty of time in enclosed spaces not wearing, probably local markets being the biggest places, and not an issue at all. 

I'd also add that this is mostly in what I'd call non tourist areas, and 99.9% of people are wearing. 

 

[Thaidup]

3 hours ago, Tim_Melb said:

I just watched a YouTube video from a well known Texan expat vlogger returning to the US for a short trip. This arrogant prat flew on ANA to Japan before flying on to the US. In the airport in Bangkok and on the flight to Japan and in the Airport in Japan this idiot refused to wear his mask properly and was clearly rude to staff in Japan judging from his comments in the video about them being strict about masks there. Just who does this clown think he is?! It's people like him that are responsible for the terrible reputation of American tourists and expats around the world. It's called having manners people if you are on a plane or in a building in a foreign country where they ask you to wear a mask or all the locals wear mask put the damn thing on and stop being a rude arrogant idiot. 

Isnt assuming a white person is from "merca" as racist as assuming a brown person is from "mehico" or a black person is from "frica". You are assuming that the Airport people think he is from America, Is that where all Asians think white people come from?

[Marc26]

6 minutes ago, Thaidup said:

Isnt assuming a white person is from "merca" as racist as assuming a brown person is from "mehico" or a black person is from "frica". You are assuming that the Airport people think he is from America, Is that where all Asians think white people come from?

There is no where in Tim's post that he called the guy racist.............

[Marc26]

19 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

I don't really do Thai massage so I can't comment about that, but even then, unless they asked me to wear one I wouldn't. 

Spent plenty of time in enclosed spaces not wearing, probably local markets being the biggest places, and not an issue at all. 

I'd also add that this is mostly in what I'd call non tourist areas, and 99.9% of people are wearing. 

When I went to local markets, I didn't wear a mask when walking, unless it was very congested

And did that out of respect, not for my own safety

 

And I would put a mask on if the vendor was wearing a mask

 

But I would say I wasn't wearing a mask 80% of the time at the market..............

[Tim_Melb]

7 hours ago, Thaidup said:

Isnt assuming a white person is from "merca" as racist as assuming a brown person is from "mehico" or a black person is from "frica". You are assuming that the Airport people think he is from America, Is that where all Asians think white people come from?

I'm not assuming anything, the person I referred to is from Texas and proudly boasts of it. Further at no point did I suggest that it's only Merkins that are guilty of this offensive level of bad manners, I said expats and tourists. You are the one that is displaying racism. I have not suggested at any point that this behaviour has anything to do with race, it's literally about common courtesy and being respectful of others. 

Edited July 12, 2022 by Tim_Melb
Extra point added.

[Marc26]

Just now, Tim_Melb said:

I'm not assuming anything, the person I referred to is from Texas and proudly boasts of it. Further at no point did I suggest that it's only Merkins that are guilty of this offensive level of bad manners, I said expats and tourists. You are the one that is displaying racism. 

Well to be transparent 

You did say "American tourists"

 

And this has been a debate on all these forums forever

Who has a worst reputation 

 

I'm an American so I may be biased but I don't think it's Americans, by a long shot

 

If anything, we have an advantage due to Hollywood and music being so revered globally so we get the advantage of that 

[Tim_Melb]

8 hours ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

The mask is voluntary but recommended. 

I look after my own health. 

If the Thai government thought it was that bad to have people not wearing a mask they would make it mandatory. It was before, and now it's not. 

Many Thais couldn't care less about the actual mask, they care more about what people think of them for not wearing them, they don't want to stand out and so on ..

It is most certainly about caring about what others think, but it's about showing respect for others and not about fear of what they might think. Pre pandemic many people in Asia wore masks if they were unwell as a courtesy to others now that we are in a pandemic this attitude has been extended to wearing them in general in situations where it has been recommended again as a courtesy to others. They have a sensible and intelligent attitude to this and a clear understanding of the fact that wearing masks is a public safety issue and not a political statement. It's a pity that certain elements in the western world have brainwashed their followers to think it's a political statement. 

[Tim_Melb]

15 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

Well to be transparent 

You did say "American tourists"

And this has been a debate on all these forums forever

Who has a worst reputation 

I'm an American so I may be biased but I don't think it's Americans, by a long shot

If anything, we have an advantage due to Hollywood and music being so revered globally so we get the advantage of that 

It is not a competition but when it comes to reputations for obnoxious behaviour by tourists. However their is no doubt that tourists from the US have the most wide ranging and well known reputation. Whether that is deserved is another matter. As an Australian I am very much aware of the reputation that some of my countrymen have elsewhere in the world, as a British dual citizen I am also aware of the reputation that Brits have for getting drunk and starting fights in some places. Again whether these reputations are well deserved is another matter. The reality is that we all have countrymen that behave badly overseas but most of us recognise that and when we see it cringe. However Americans don't seem to recognise this and react in the way you are displaying at the mere suggestion that they have this reputation and that is no doubt a contributing factor to the universal reputation that American tourists have internationally. 

[jerm138]

According to my Thai family, the primary reason Thais are still wearing it is simply habit. It’s not fear, and they don’t really care what others are doing (mask or not)… they’re simply used to always wearing one so they still do.

It’s like someone who wears a ballcap all the time. They just do. They’re not judging people who don’t wear ballcaps. It’s just what they do because they’ve been doing it for over 2 years now. 

Maybe a lot of expats are just projecting their own judginess onto Thais. Let’s not flatter ourselves. They don’t think about us as much as we might assume. THAT’S arrogance. 

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Tim_Melb said:

It is not a competition but when it comes to reputations for obnoxious behaviour by tourists. However their is no doubt that tourists from the US have the most wide ranging and well known reputation. Whether that is deserved is another matter. As an Australian I am very much aware of the reputation that some of my countrymen have elsewhere in the world, as a British dual citizen I am also aware of the reputation that Brits have for getting drunk and starting fights in some places. Again whether these reputations are well deserved is another matter. The reality is that we all have countrymen that behave badly overseas but most of us recognise that and when we see it cringe. However Americans don't seem to recognise this and react in the way you are displaying at the mere suggestion that they have this reputation and that is no doubt a contributing factor to the universal reputation that American tourists have internationally. 

You are proving my point

 

No foreigner can say who has the worst reputation 

To suggest you can is laughable

 

You would have no idea

 

For instance I would say the worst and most repeatedly talked about  reputation I've heard in all my travels are Aussies in Bali

 

But I can't say that's true

 

You are doing what I said has been done to death on all these forums

 

We all accused each other of having bad reputations and it's BS talk, IMO

 

We all have our biases and prejudices 

 

 

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, Tim_Melb said:

It is not a competition but when it comes to reputations for obnoxious behaviour by tourists. However their is no doubt that tourists from the US have the most wide ranging and well known reputation. Whether that is deserved is another matter. As an Australian I am very much aware of the reputation that some of my countrymen have elsewhere in the world, as a British dual citizen I am also aware of the reputation that Brits have for getting drunk and starting fights in some places. Again whether these reputations are well deserved is another matter. The reality is that we all have countrymen that behave badly overseas but most of us recognise that and when we see it cringe. However Americans don't seem to recognise this and react in the way you are displaying at the mere suggestion that they have this reputation and that is no doubt a contributing factor to the universal reputation that American tourists have internationally. 

By the way I personally find Brits and Aussies the worst tourists I encounter 

 

Yet all my close friends in Thailand are Brits and Aussies

 

But I'm an obnoxious American so I guess it all fits 5555

[Manu]

On 7/11/2022 at 7:52 PM, Marc26 said:

They sit here on a forum and whine and freak out, yet 90% of them won't come to Canada and they will never believe the ones who have been

They just want to be miserable...........

And there, here you are constantly reading them and answering them and even "whining" at them". It seems to me a lot of time wasted just for a bunch of "miserable" people...

[Manu]

4 hours ago, jerm138 said:

According to my Thai family, the primary reason Thais are still wearing it is simply habit. It’s not fear, and they don’t really care what others are doing (mask or not)… they’re simply used to always wearing one so they still do.

It’s like someone who wears a ballcap all the time. They just do. They’re not judging people who don’t wear ballcaps. It’s just what they do because they’ve been doing it for over 2 years now. 

Maybe a lot of expats are just projecting their own judginess onto Thais. Let’s not flatter ourselves. They don’t think about us as much as we might assume. THAT’S arrogance. 

"According to my Thai family"... When I read a statement of that kind on this forum, and it has been a few the last year and half, I keep wondering where these Thai people live and who they are. I know a hell of a lot of Thai people and although I know the answer really, I have been asking them about the mask prior to covid as it seems according to some, I have missed something the past many years I have been in this country and eventually lived in this country. The answer is always: no. And there again, apart from a hanfull ones in BKK (for pollution), I have not seen it ANYWHERE prior to covid. And so have all Thais I have asked. So what is it really? An invention of the imagination to fit a narrative that goes along with what people would like to be true?? Another effect of the covid madness? Can please anyone show me pictures dated prior to covid of somewhere in Thailand where the mask is a "general" and a "normal" practice? Nowadays, all pictures of Thai people out there show people wearing the mask, even on the beach, in their cars, EVERYWHERE etc... surely there should be some showing like you said people "wearing it is simply as an habit" prior to covid somewhere out there...!!??

[Tim_Melb]

36 minutes ago, Manu said:

"According to my Thai family"... When I read a statement of that kind on this forum, and it has been a few the last year and half, I keep wondering where these Thai people live and who they are. I know a hell of a lot of Thai people and although I know the answer really, I have been asking them about the mask prior to covid as it seems according to some, I have missed something the past many years I have been in this country and eventually lived in this country. The answer is always: no. And there again, apart from a hanfull ones in BKK (for pollution), I have not seen it ANYWHERE prior to covid. And so have all Thais I have asked. So what is it really? An invention of the imagination to fit a narrative that goes along with what people would like to be true?? Another effect of the covid madness? Can please anyone show me pictures dated prior to covid of somewhere in Thailand where the mask is a "general" and a "normal" practice? Nowadays, all pictures of Thai people out there show people wearing the mask, even on the beach, in their cars, EVERYWHERE etc... surely there should be some showing like you said people "wearing it is simply as an habit" prior to covid somewhere out there...!!??

I have not seen anyone here claim that masks were in general use before the pandemic. However it is a fact that in the cities before the pandemic it was common to see a handful of people who were wearing masks and when I first visited Thailand I asked a newly acquired Thai friend who told me the people wearing them were sick with colds or flu. The habit of wearing them for pollution developed later as in those days nobody thought about air pollution in that way. Anybody claiming that nobody wore masks before the pandemic is either having selective memory or just plain outright lying. It's true you did not see masks outside of cities but in cities it has always been common for people that had colds or flu to wear them. This is the case throughout Asia, of course the place you saw it most was Japan, but I have seen it in Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and even the Philippines (but only in up market areas of Manila) long before the pandemic. 

[jerm138]

2 hours ago, Manu said:

"According to my Thai family"... When I read a statement of that kind on this forum, and it has been a few the last year and half, I keep wondering where these Thai people live and who they are. I know a hell of a lot of Thai people and although I know the answer really, I have been asking them about the mask prior to covid as it seems according to some, I have missed something the past many years I have been in this country and eventually lived in this country. The answer is always: no. And there again, apart from a hanfull ones in BKK (for pollution), I have not seen it ANYWHERE prior to covid. And so have all Thais I have asked. So what is it really? An invention of the imagination to fit a narrative that goes along with what people would like to be true?? Another effect of the covid madness? Can please anyone show me pictures dated prior to covid of somewhere in Thailand where the mask is a "general" and a "normal" practice? Nowadays, all pictures of Thai people out there show people wearing the mask, even on the beach, in their cars, EVERYWHERE etc... surely there should be some showing like you said people "wearing it is simply as an habit" prior to covid somewhere out there...!!??

What in the bloody hell are you on about? I said nothing about pre-pandemic mask wearing, yet you went full-on rant as if I did. Calm down. I even specified “over 2 years now”… clearly only talking about the Pandemic era. 
 

That said, I have pics of us all wearing N95 masks in late 2019 because of the pollution. It wasn’t nearly as ubiquitous as it is now, but it’s was a pretty common sight to see some people wearing them. 

Edited July 13, 2022 by jerm138

[Manu]

1 hour ago, Tim_Melb said:

I have not seen anyone here claim that masks were in general use before the pandemic. However it is a fact that in the cities before the pandemic it was common to see a handful of people who were wearing masks and when I first visited Thailand I asked a newly acquired Thai friend who told me the people wearing them were sick with colds or flu. The habit of wearing them for pollution developed later as in those days nobody thought about air pollution in that way. Anybody claiming that nobody wore masks before the pandemic is either having selective memory or just plain outright lying. It's true you did not see masks outside of cities but in cities it has always been common for people that had colds or flu to wear them. This is the case throughout Asia, of course the place you saw it most was Japan, but I have seen it in Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and even the Philippines (but only in up market areas of Manila) long before the pandemic. 

I am fine with all what you said but that: "it has always been common for people that had colds or flu to wear them. ".  That is simply not true in Thailand. NOT true! As for masks in BKK for pollution, yes like I also said a "handful" and I can easily understand...  (never ever seen one in Cambodia, Laos or Malaysia - I have been to the Philippines and even more to Vietnam, I do not remember seeing it either, at least it must have been also so rare that I did not even notice it (and I would) but then I do not know these 2 countries no way near as much as Thailand). The thing is it is not quite what some people say.  Some seem to have seen it on a regular basis everywhere in Thailand and talked about Thai people wearing it commonly when they have a cold or Thai people who have told them they do so. Well that is simply complete rubbish. I could not care less if it was the case, I am not here just to ague about it either, I simply do not comprehend why people are saying something that is not true...

Well people, get out there and ask Thai people about it. I did and do: never had anyone telling me otherwise.

[Tim_Melb]

2 hours ago, Manu said:

I am fine with all what you said but that: "it has always been common for people that had colds or flu to wear them. ".  That is simply not true in Thailand. NOT true! As for masks in BKK for pollution, yes like I also said a "handful" and I can easily understand...  (never ever seen one in Cambodia, Laos or Malaysia - I have been to the Philippines and even more to Vietnam, I do not remember seeing it either, at least it must have been also so rare that I did not even notice it (and I would) but then I do not know these 2 countries no way near as much as Thailand). The thing is it is not quite what some people say.  Some seem to have seen it on a regular basis everywhere in Thailand and talked about Thai people wearing it commonly when they have a cold or Thai people who have told them they do so. Well that is simply complete rubbish. I could not care less if it was the case, I am not here just to ague about it either, I simply do not comprehend why people are saying something that is not true...

Well people, get out there and ask Thai people about it. I did and do: never had anyone telling me otherwise.

Ahh so in other words all the people that have posted here about their personal experiences are lying because you disagree.... My personal experiences go back over 20 years over 30 years in some Asian countries but hey I must be lying because you disagree. Some people are just blind to anything but their own self point of view I spite of overwhelming evidence to contrary. 

[TheDirtyDurian]

3 hours ago, Transam said:

Or maybe think you're a tosser..................

Nope. They think I'm a handsome man. 

[TheDirtyDurian]

9 minutes ago, Transam said:

But we all are, tosser or not.....

But some are more handsome than others, and they don't solo toss...