News Forum - Angry Thai man condemns foreigner for not wearing a mask on BTS

[Soidog]

5 hours ago, HiuMak said:

I have seen many of these cases where foreigners come into a country and think they can do anything they want and do not respect local laws, practices and cultures and even religion. Money or colour do not make you superior. RESPECT makes you worthy.

I do agree and of course for many foreigners (mainly westerners) who are brought up in a culture where to question is encouraged, it is often hard to follow a behaviour which seems lacking in logic. There is also the question of what local behaviours do you go along with? I certainly don’t intend to start driving like everyone around me on a Thai road. To give a less extreme example, I also wouldn’t eat some of the raw meat dishes served in some restaurants. I guess the guiding rules are if it isn’t going to harm you then be respectful to those around you. It’s only a mask for heavens sake and it’s only on a short train ride. 

[Manu]

6 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

Thais are no more stupid than a large contingent of farangs here.  

That goes without saying, I quoted the taxi driver in my comment. He meant the reaction of Thai people regarding the mask. That is what he said and that is what he thought. And amongst my many Thai friends, trust me he is not the only one to say that.

[BJoe]

I visited Bangkok in March of this year for 2 months, always wore a mask even though not mandated, basically to show respect and solidarity with the majority of Thais who wore them. It was also blatantly obvious the high number of foreigners who chose not to wear masks, typical of the “entitled” attitude prevalent among western societies. As a US citizen, I further acknowledge that Americans, particularly the visitors, consistently display this “entitlement “  persona which has pushed them pass the Chinese as the world’s number one most despised tourist.

[BJoe]

The massless problem could very easily be solved by the “no mask - no serve or permitted” policy still being used in medical facilities, certain government facilities, and other high-risk venues. Nobody wants to ride a full elevator, bus, or crowded public transportation under risk with the resurgence of covid infections. I commend the Thai man for speaking up. 

[Jafagreg]

When I was in Bangkok in September, I wore a mask whenever I went out and only took it off when eating or sitting down having my morning coffee. I was on the BTS one day and another foreigner was onboard giving me weird looks because I was wearing my mask. When the announcement came on regarding mask wearing he gave the finger in the general direction of the speaker. The locals, all of whom were masked up couldn't believe his dumb arse reaction and looked slightly shocked. Happily I was able to bring them a few giggles when I raised my eyebrows and just said out loud..." Kwai". I try my best when visiting Thailand not to disrespect the locals. Makes for a great holiday.

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, BJoe said:

I visited Bangkok in March of this year for 2 months, always wore a mask even though not mandated, basically to show respect and solidarity with the majority of Thais who wore them. It was also blatantly obvious the high number of foreigners who chose not to wear masks, typical of the “entitled” attitude prevalent among western societies. As a US citizen, I further acknowledge that Americans, particularly the visitors, consistently display this “entitlement “  persona which has pushed them pass the Chinese as the world’s number one most despised tourist.

I was there in May and June and didn't wear a mask when outdoors unless it was a congested area, then I would put my mask on.

Wore it at all times indoors.

 

 

The only time I forgot once is I walked into a 7-11 and completely forgot, she was not happy with me!

I apologized and went back and got my mask

[Charlienz]

On 11/30/2022 at 12:16 AM, Shade_Wilder said:

I am amazed that we haven't seen stories like this more often.

The Military Government made it quite clear that Covid came from 'Foreigners', the Minister of Health remarked negatively on more than one occasion about foreigners, and the anti-Covid campaign was along the lines of 'Protect yourself from the Foreign Disease'.

Times are tough for the Thai people, and when times are tough...

...blame the 'Others'.

Looks like there will be big trouble when chairman Xi lets his people back into LOS, maybe the Chinese tourists will have to be fully suited and masked to travel around LOS, after all the theory is that the virus escaped from Wuhan China, maybe that so called policeman does not know this.

Apart from that there are still people in NZ wearing masks in their cars while driving by themselves.

Isn't it am amazing what fear has done , mostly nobody wears masks in NZ except for medical surgeries and pharmacies and the above mentioned, I see nobody sick, and I have had covid twice, I'm unvaccinated and I did not get sick, only a snivel and only tested for it to see if it was covid, my 11 yr old son is not vaccinated he brought it home from school, he never got sick, just a runny nose and he has had it twice.

My Thai wife was double vaccinated as a work mandate forced her to be , and she got sick when we had it and spent 8 days in bed. Make what you like of it , I think its all over, you can fly around most of the world now without a vaccine pass or a mask, and there seems to be no problems except for China who is still pursuing zero covid, possibly delaying the natural build up of immunity. 

[MrNovax]

On 11/29/2022 at 11:00 AM, Faz said:

You've obviously not had a relative, close friend or loved one die from Covid, otherwise you may think differently.

No, i havent.  I dont know anyone personally who has.  Which is truly amazing that this virus is so "deadly" and the only person i can think of is a friend of a friend's wife's friend.  The way some make it out to be its the walking dead out there.  

I do personally know 4 people who have had heart attacks in the last 12 months though, strange because prior to the past year those were few and far between.  

Edited November 30, 2022 by MrNovax

[MrNovax]

23 hours ago, Soidog said:

That’s such a tasteless and disrespectful post to the many people who have died around the world from the virus. You should be ashamed of yourself posting such nonsense. 

I thought it was more "tasteless and disrespectful" to lock people in their homes against their will, kill their livelyhood, stunt their education, not allow people to go to funerals to say good bye to loved ones.  A lot of the policies you advocated for caused far more harm than the virus ever did and you should feel shame much more than me.  

[Soidog]

17 minutes ago, MrNovax said:

I thought it was more "tasteless and disrespectful" to lock people in their homes against their will, kill their livelyhood, stunt their education, not allow people to go to funerals to say good bye to loved ones.  A lot of the policies you advocated for caused far more harm than the virus ever did and you should feel shame much more than me.  

What policy did I advocate for? Typical deflection by foil hat wearing conspiracy theorists. 

[Tim_Melb]

So sick of stupid arrogant foreigners in Thailand. It's simple people if the majority of locals are wearing masks, put on your damn mask! It's common courtesy, you are a guest in Thailand and you behave accordingly. Period. End of discussion. It doesn't matter what you think or what you believe or what your politics are or what people back home think or what even the damn law says. You do what the locals do out of common courtesy as a guest in the country.

[Chaimai]

1 hour ago, Tim_Melb said:

So sick of stupid arrogant foreigners in Thailand. It's simple people if the majority of locals are wearing masks, put on your damn mask! It's common courtesy, you are a guest in Thailand and you behave accordingly. Period. End of discussion. It doesn't matter what you think or what you believe or what your politics are or what people back home think or what even the damn law says. You do what the locals do out of common courtesy as a guest in the country.

 

You have just described the habits of a sheep.

Of course it matters what "the damn law says" - that is a stupid comment.

I will wear a mask if/when it is appropriate/a legal requirement to do so..........I will not copy some retard wearing a mask on a motorbike - should I also copy their custom of not wearing a crash helmet, or driving at 45% to a right hand turn?

 

Come on, stop trying to be a Thai and apply some commonsense.

[Faz]

A misleading post inferring a fact without a link to support it has been removed.

Please read the FG's before posting.

Moderator.

[Faz]

A post likely to flame an argument has been removed.

Moderator.

[Soidog]

7 hours ago, Chaimai said:

You have just described the habits of a sheep.

Of course it matters what "the damn law says" - that is a stupid comment.

I will wear a mask if/when it is appropriate/a legal requirement to do so..........I will not copy some retard wearing a mask on a motorbike - should I also copy their custom of not wearing a crash helmet, or driving at 45% to a right hand turn?

Come on, stop trying to be a Thai and apply some commonsense.

That’s a great post. As I have said, I do respect the “choice” to wear a mask in confined and unventilated spaces such as taxis, buses and trains. I do that as the majority of locals “fear” those places the most and I can follow the logic of that fear. Wearing one on a motorbike while not wearing a crash helmet is without sense or logic.
 

I do believe in respecting locals but there has to be a limit. Mask wearing included has a limit to it. Walking in an open park or even outside in a busy city or on a beach is not a place that requires a mask. 
 

[TheDirtyDurian]

Said in a previous post that I've had zero negative reactions for not wearing a mask, and that's in malls, shops, busy markets, on BTS, in bars, restaurants, 7, you name it. 

If people were that bothered wouldn't someone say something, or do we really think that Thais are super polite so they don't mention it and just talk behind my back. I don't think that BTW. And I don't think Thais are super polite either. 

From being out and about and talking to people I don't think people are that bothered about C19, and a lot of people just wear the masks because it's expected, they don't want to stand out from the herd, and they don't want to possibly lose business. 

From an outsider's perspective, coming from a country where no one, and I mean absolutely no one has worn a mask in over a year, where C19 just isn't a thing anymore, no one even talks about it, and we didn't all drop down dead, it just looks ridiculous. 

So you can call me entitled, vilify me or whatever, I just don't care. I'm still not going to wear it unless denied entry to somewhere I absolutely need to go, and I don't care what you think. 

 

 

[Skip]

18,000 people die every year on the roadways of Thailand... 2020 thru 2022... that's 54,000 deaths

Same time period for covid... 33,000 deaths

Where should we focus?  

[Pinetree]

16 minutes ago, Skip said:

18,000 people die every year on the roadways of Thailand... 2020 thru 2022... that's 54,000 deaths

Same time period for covid... 33,000 deaths

Where should we focus?  

Its not a case of either, or.  

[harry1]

most thai are vulnerable to covid as sinovac is the weakest vaccine and why prayuth had AZ as he over 60,if its the rules on BTS so be it ,recently l witnessed locals up to their waist in flood water and wearing a mask ?

[bushav8r]

17 hours ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

 

If people were that bothered wouldn't someone say something, 

 

Isn't that what the article is about?  

[TheDirtyDurian]

2 hours ago, bushav8r said:

Isn't that what the article is about?  

One swallow doesn't make a summer. 

[Faz]

49 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

One swallow doesn't make a summer. 

Swallows don't take public transport.

[Marc26]

On 12/1/2022 at 2:31 AM, TheDirtyDurian said:

Said in a previous post that I've had zero negative reactions for not wearing a mask, and that's in malls, shops, busy markets, on BTS, in bars, restaurants, 7, you name it. 

If people were that bothered wouldn't someone say something, or do we really think that Thais are super polite so they don't mention it and just talk behind my back. I don't think that BTW. And I don't think Thais are super polite either. 

From being out and about and talking to people I don't think people are that bothered about C19, and a lot of people just wear the masks because it's expected, they don't want to stand out from the herd, and they don't want to possibly lose business. 

From an outsider's perspective, coming from a country where no one, and I mean absolutely no one has worn a mask in over a year, where C19 just isn't a thing anymore, no one even talks about it, and we didn't all drop down dead, it just looks ridiculous. 

So you can call me entitled, vilify me or whatever, I just don't care. I'm still not going to wear it unless denied entry to somewhere I absolutely need to go, and I don't care what you think. 

As you said, you don't care what people think

 

But the vast majority of Thais are thinking you are an ignorant farang, whether they are expressing that to you directly or not

[TheDirtyDurian]

25 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

As you said, you don't care what people think

But the vast majority of Thais are thinking you are an ignorant farang, whether they are expressing that to you directly or not

I'd disagree with that. Just because you say it's so, don't necessarily make it so. 

YMMV

I'm speaking to Thais all day long. They really aren't that bothered. 

Whatever, you say one thing I say another. We'll never know really will we. 

Might as well just agree that I'm right and save us all some time....

[TheDirtyDurian]

9 hours ago, Faz said:

Swallows don't take public transport.

Plenty of other birds do though.