News Forum - Thailand News Today | Thailand no longer considers Covid “dangerous infectious disease”

[DesperateOldHand]

Is the common cold still classified as contagious?

[Marc26]

  On 8/9/2022 at 7:52 PM, rc1 said:

Yes, again.

It shouldn't be accepted and normalised for the population to permanently wear face coverings.

It's no longer serving a useful health purpose and should be stopped.

It impacts the psychological and societal well being of the country.

Taking the masks off, will have many positive effects for the country and the sooner it happens the better.

Expand  

It's only people like you and others that are obsessed with masks that have any sort of psycholgical impact

I was all over Thailand for 6 weeks in May/June

I saw absolutely zero difference in the attitudes or psychological being of all the Thais I were around

It is just farang getting their panties in a bunch(as usual)

[Marc26]

  On 8/9/2022 at 10:13 PM, ronnie666 said:

I do not agree on that, vaccines has been free for Thai and foreigner... and I thought was stupid to give it to the foreigner free, because you should have insurance and like my insurance just included covid costs.. 

Expand  

It is not stupid to give vaccines for free to anyone living in your country

The whole point was to get the population vaccinated..........

[rc1]

  On 8/10/2022 at 1:36 PM, Marc26 said:

It's only people like you and others that are obsessed with masks that have any sort of psycholgical impact

I was all over Thailand for 6 weeks in May/June

I saw absolutely zero difference in the attitudes or psychological being of all the Thais I were around

It is just farang getting their panties in a bunch(as usual)

Expand  

Have you seen the fear mongering social media and Covid material that is shared to Thais? 

The fear is completely disproportionate, it was not long ago even TV newsreaders were masked, the only place in the world.

It's absurd to consider mass mask wearing normal, and to think it's not negatively impacting psychological and societal well being. Removing the masks will reduce the fear. 

Literally a handful of countries in the world are still masking up to this degree. 

[ronnie666]

  On 8/10/2022 at 1:37 PM, Marc26 said:

It is not stupid to give vaccines for free to anyone living in your country

The whole point was to get the population vaccinated..........

Expand  

You should just have a good insurance as you required. 

[Marc26]

  On 8/10/2022 at 10:45 PM, rc1 said:

Have you seen the fear mongering social media and Covid material that is shared to Thais? 

The fear is completely disproportionate, it was not long ago even TV newsreaders were masked, the only place in the world.

It's absurd to consider mass mask wearing normal, and to think it's not negatively impacting psychological and societal well being. Removing the masks will reduce the fear. 

Literally a handful of countries in the world are still masking up to this degree. 

Expand  

I've been around Thais

I don't need to watch social media

You farang are so much more concerned with them wearing masks than anything a Thai is concerned about it's laughable

You don't have to wear a mask, so don't wear one

That's all you should be worried about

[DesperateOldHand]

  On 8/10/2022 at 1:36 PM, Marc26 said:

It's only people like you and others that are obsessed with masks that have any sort of psycholgical impact

I was all over Thailand for 6 weeks in May/June

I saw absolutely zero difference in the attitudes or psychological being of all the Thais I were around

It is just farang getting their panties in a bunch(as usual)

Expand  

My experience and observations as well. 

Per usual, Farang know better [not] as to how Thais should be conducting themselves - 

[rc1]

  On 8/11/2022 at 9:53 AM, DesperateOldHand said:

My experience and observations as well. 

Per usual, Farang know better [not] as to how Thais should be conducting themselves - 

Expand  

So, you think it's appropriate for Thais  to 'conduct themselves'  by permanently wearing masks, indefinitely?

Is that the Thailand you want to live in for the ongoing future?

[Marc26]

  On 8/11/2022 at 10:43 AM, rc1 said:

So, you think it's appropriate for Thais  to 'conduct themselves'  by permanently wearing masks, indefinitely?

Is that the Thailand you want to live in for the ongoing future?

Expand  

Why do you care?

As I have said continuously, you are other farang/expat put WAY MORE thought into them wearing masks than they do wearing them, I can assure you

And if you can't discern someone's feelings or emotions in your interactions with them because they are wearing a mask, than you aren't a very good judge of people or don't interact with people well, mask or no mask

[DesperateOldHand]

  On 8/11/2022 at 1:36 PM, Marc26 said:

Why do you care?

As I have said continuously, you are other farang/expat put WAY MORE thought into them wearing masks than they do wearing them, I can assure you

And if you can't discern someone's feelings or emotions in your interactions with them because they are wearing a mask, than you aren't a very good judge of people or don't interact with people well, mask or no mask

Expand  

Yeah. I'm still baffled as to why anyone would be overly concerned [in the usual Western political/superior sense] about this mask wearing thing and associated properties. 

[DesperateOldHand]

  On 8/11/2022 at 10:43 AM, rc1 said:

So, you think it's appropriate for Thais  to 'conduct themselves'  by permanently wearing masks, indefinitely?

Is that the Thailand you want to live in for the ongoing future?

Expand  

The envisioned Thailand that I have in mind and would prefer to live in might be a Thailand in which there are much much less  whinging and disconnected Farang residing. 

[Marc26]

  On 8/11/2022 at 3:02 PM, DesperateOldHand said:

Yeah. I'm still baffled as to why anyone would be overly concerned [in the usual Western political/superior sense] about this mask wearing thing and associated properties. 

Expand  

My stepson is 21yrs old, we just traveled all around Thailand

I asked him if he's tired about the masks and will he wear it when he doesn't have to.

He said he is tried and will ditch the mask once he can(which he can now) but then likely didn't give it another thought

I was surprised how quick my wife ditched the mask once back in Canada, I thought she'd be a permanent mask wearer

[rc1]

  On 8/11/2022 at 3:25 PM, Marc26 said:

My stepson is 21yrs old, we just traveled all around Thailand

I asked him if he's tired about the masks and will he wear it when he doesn't have to.

He said he is tried and will ditch the mask once he can(which he can now) but then likely didn't give it another thought

I was surprised how quick my wife ditched the mask once back in Canada, I thought she'd be a permanent mask wearer

Expand  

That's good to hear.

Would be great to see more people making that decision now "they can" within Thailand. 

Life is a lot better without everyone in face coverings. 

[Marc26]

  On 8/11/2022 at 7:59 PM, rc1 said:

That's good to hear.

Would be great to see more people making that decision now "they can" within Thailand. 

Life is a lot better without everyone in face coverings. 

Expand  

Again I just don't understand why you care

You and I probably agree about mask wearing for the most part

But I don't care one bit what others prefer to do

I felt no different in my interactions in May/June than I have felt in the 20 years coming and living in Thailand, just because people were wearing masks

Thais were still joking and playful, as they always are 

Had perfectly capable interactions with Thai strangers helping me out in situations 

Nothing was different 

[DesperateOldHand]

  On 8/11/2022 at 8:58 PM, Marc26 said:

Again I just don't understand why you care

You and I probably agree about mask wearing for the most part

But I don't care one bit what others prefer to do

I felt no different in my interactions in May/June than I have felt in the 20 years coming and living in Thailand, just because people were wearing masks

Thais were still joking and playful, as they always are 

Had perfectly capable interactions with Thai strangers helping me out in situations 

Nothing was different 

Expand  

Of course...

I'm gonna guess that those that are so particularly concerned about such trivial mask matters are Farang that have little or no everyday interaction and socialization with everyday Thais - therefore don't really understand the daily workings and general personalities Thais. Yet, they pretend [and promote their vast knowledge] to understand all......and can't understand why they aren't like us. 

You know the type.

[Marc26]

  On 8/11/2022 at 9:48 PM, DesperateOldHand said:

Of course...

I'm gonna guess that those that are so particularly concerned about such trivial mask matters are Farang that have little or no everyday interaction and socialization with everyday Thais - therefore don't really understand the daily workings and general personalities Thais. Yet, they pretend [and promote their vast knowledge] to understand all......and can't understand why they aren't like us. 

You know the type.

Expand  

2 interactions come to mind (out of so many good ones)

This middle aged woman shop owner in Chiang Mai spent time loading money onto my phone

I gave her the wrong #, so she had to spend a bit of time redoing it 

She could absolutely understand my gratitude for helping and I could totally understand her patience and kindness in helping me

No difference if she wasn't wearing a mask

In BKK, I was driving around looking for someone to do my laundry 

Wash and fold, iron

They don't do that much like they do all over the beach areas

Saw a place that had washing machines

Older Thai lady, didn't speak English and my Thai is limited 

Both masked

We figured out what I was looking for 

I had no idea what the price would be but I wasn't worried. I could tell how nice of a person she was, even with her mask on

I literally dropped my clothes off with a stranger who didn't speak my language! 

But I knew by our interaction, it would be fine 

Came back next day, think she charged me 150baht 

[Mohandas]

Beginning to believe that face coverings are more variably symbolic for some circles, giving it much too much thought than it requires.

[ronnie666]

I not even notice or they wear a mask, only time I notice it is when I would like to see their face  and I just ask it and they do.. all the mask thing why people worry about it upto each person or they wear it or not.. why so obsessed 

[Dancbmac]

  On 8/9/2022 at 10:13 PM, ronnie666 said:

I do not agree on that, vaccines has been free for Thai and foreigner... and I thought was stupid to give it to the foreigner free, because you should have insurance and like my insurance just included covid costs.. 

Expand  

I think these “experimental emergency decreed vaccines” were free in most countries whether one had insurance or not. I can’t speak for all countries but I know they were free in the US and I received my 1st two Pfizer shots in Chiang Mai that were donated by the US government last year and at the time the vaccines were for foreigners only and not Thai citizens.  I think that policy changed earlier this year or the Thai government purchased Pfizer & Moderna for Thai citizens to get a booster of one or the other. Many foreigners here did have health insurance covering covid treatment here, but maybe some did have their insurance billed for their vaccines, maybe if they went to a private hospital?  I know I did not insist and argue that they bill my insurance.  Maybe it is different where you are located? 

[Dancbmac]

  On 8/10/2022 at 12:37 PM, DesperateOldHand said:

Is the common cold still classified as contagious?

Expand  

Depends if you are wearing a mask or not?  Have to ask a doctor

[ronnie666]

  On 8/12/2022 at 10:23 AM, Dancbmac said:

I think these “experimental emergency decreed vaccines” were free in most countries whether one had insurance or not. I can’t speak for all countries but I know they were free in the US and I received my 1st two Pfizer shots in Chiang Mai that were donated by the US government last year and at the time the vaccines were for foreigners only and not Thai citizens.  I think that policy changed earlier this year or the Thai government purchased Pfizer & Moderna for Thai citizens to get a booster of one or the other. Many foreigners here did have health insurance covering covid treatment here, but maybe some did have their insurance billed for their vaccines, maybe if they went to a private hospital?  I know I did not insist and argue that they bill my insurance.  Maybe it is different where you are located? 

Expand  

I know but like I mentioned you should have a GOOD insurance most people can drink a beer and do stupid, but only want to pay pennies for an insurance and when something happens they whining about it... or I go private or to government it is covered

Edited August 12, 2022 by ronnie666

[Chatogaster]

  On 8/10/2022 at 6:33 AM, brian60221 said:

You're not getting it. The statistics collection process is rigged to say that people died "of" COVID even when this has not been shown. Now, how many of those who died were above the average life expectancy?

Expand  

I think I replied to or was replied to by Palooka on some occasions, but don't recall if we agreed or disagreed in general. I am however very sure they "got" what you wrote. They're probably wiser than me because they didn't reply and I am.

At the base, your observation that those who died with covid would have died anyway is perfectly valid (after all, we all die and the older we are the sooner it happens) but your argument (to abuse that term for what's merely a suggestive statement) that therefore most people can only die "with" and not "because of" covid is just bollocks. Just looking at excess death rates all around the world, covid clearly has had a major impact. Looking at Thailand's trajectory, it's a late comer:

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/excess-mortality-p-scores-average-baseline?country=~THA

I'm not one of those who think deaths should be prevented at all costs, but I am one of those who think that if you express an opinion based on some statistics you should also provide them -- and certainly not ask for them like you did. You may want to counter my statistics, perhaps by claiming that there're inaccurate, or perhaps by claiming that "most are indirect results" (suicides', postponed treatments etc.). That would be fine (even great). Just substantiate it.

[Marc26]

  On 8/12/2022 at 9:57 AM, ronnie666 said:

I not even notice or they wear a mask, only time I notice it is when I would like to see their face  and I just ask it and they do.. 

Expand  

That is so frigging weird, to ask someone to pull their mask down to see their face

It blows my mind how weird so many farang are in Thailand

[Marc26]

  On 8/12/2022 at 10:56 AM, ronnie666 said:

I know but like I mentioned you should have a GOOD insurance most people can drink a beer and do stupid, but only want to pay pennies for an insurance and when something happens they whining about it... or I go private or to government it is covered

Expand  

I agree 100% people travelling and living abroad should have insurance

But in this case.......it was best for the most people to be vaccinated, so hence why they were giving vaccines for free

My wife and I don't have insurance in the US, but that is where we got our initial vaccines from

And my wife just got her 2nd booster in Canada and doesn't have insurance to cover it

[DesperateOldHand]

I believe Mother Nature has it right.

We still haven't a clue.