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

[Marc26]

  On 12/2/2022 at 5:26 PM, TheDirtyDurian said:

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....

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By the way I include me a bit

I always wore a mask indoors but I never wore a mask outdoors unless it was a very crowded area

I just know it's very rare to catch covid outdoors so I was fine with the locals not being thrilled with me

Although like you, I never felt any anger towards me.........

But if you think that in a country that is so adamant about wearing masks, that a huge % of them don't have an issue with you not wearing one indoors when it is suggested/asked, I'd have to disagree with you on that

[Soidog]

  On 12/2/2022 at 4:56 PM, 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

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So what Marc? Most Thais are ignorant and uneducated. So what does it matter what they think. I’m not in Thailand to please the Thais and neither is everyone else. What’s the rush to endear yourself to the Thais? They are a developing country and a developing people. They need to open their mind, educate their population and learn from more advanced nations.  

[Chaimai]

  On 12/2/2022 at 5:43 PM, Marc26 said:

But if you think that in a country that is so adamant about wearing masks, that a huge % of them don't have an issue with you not wearing one indoors when it is suggested/asked, I'd have to disagree with you on that

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I think you are out of touch.

The evidence of what I have seen is that, in rural areas, the Thais don't care. 

In metropolitan/city areas like down here in Chonburi nobody gives you a second glance any more - it is a non-issue. Public transport ie Bangkok etc is a different matter and I imagine that the inter-province buses still insist of masks being worn,

[Marc26]

  On 12/2/2022 at 11:10 PM, Soidog said:

So what Marc? Most Thais are ignorant and uneducated. So what does it matter what they think. I’m not in Thailand to please the Thais and neither is everyone else. What’s the rush to endear yourself to the Thais? They are a developing country and a developing people. They need to open their mind, educate their population and learn from more advanced nations.  

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  On 12/3/2022 at 12:47 AM, Chaimai said:

I think you are out of touch.

The evidence of what I have seen is that, in rural areas, the Thais don't care. 

In metropolitan/city areas like down here in Chonburi nobody gives you a second glance any more - it is a non-issue. Public transport ie Bangkok etc is a different matter and I imagine that the inter-province buses still insist of masks being worn,

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I wore a mask about 10% of the time when in Thailand 

But I'm self-aware enough to know when the time was that I should wear a mask and I did so

If a place requires a mask, I act like an adult and wear one ....

[Soidog]

  On 12/3/2022 at 5:14 AM, Marc26 said:

If a place requires a mask, I act like an adult and wear one ....

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Agreed and as I’ve already stated, so do I. The key word there is to act like an adult and not a sheep. The Thais wear masks for no other reason than everyone else does. How the hell do you ever break that habit. It’s the same mentality as to why they all tailgate. Everyone else does it so I’ll do it. Education, education, education. Those are the three things the country needs. It won’t get it because their Lord and Masters don't want it. 

[Sensibilia]

Decriminalize face stabbing people who don't wear masks, simple.

Hell, even if it isn't decriminalized, do it anyway - for love of all your other fellow people.

[Soidog]

  On 12/3/2022 at 7:11 AM, Sensibilia said:

Decriminalize face stabbing people who don't wear masks, simple.

Hell, even if it isn't decriminalized, do it anyway - for love of all your other fellow people.

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I’m now lawyer, but your post seems to incite violence. I’ll right it off as a tongue in cheek comment? 

[Sensibilia]

  On 12/3/2022 at 7:22 AM, Soidog said:

I’m now lawyer, but your post seems to incite violence. I’ll right it off as a tongue in cheek comment? 

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Few would equate self-defense with violence. In general though I think we have let the sociopaths off too easily for too long. 

Look at the number of deaths from C19 in other countries, and the staggering costs of long-covid they will be dealing with for decades to come. 

If minimizing risks to others is not enough of an incentive then adding personal risk to the equation would seem worth implementing before contemplating just removing bad actors from the equation completely.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Sensibilia
Clarity

[Soidog]

  On 12/3/2022 at 8:47 AM, Sensibilia said:

Few would equate self-defense with violence. In general though I think we have let the sociopaths off too easily for too long. 

Look at the number of deaths from C19 in other countries, and the staggering costs of long-covid they will be dealing with for decades to come. 

If minimizing risks to others is not enough of an incentive then adding personal risk to the equation would seem worth implementing before contemplating just removing bad actors from the equation completely.

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Self defence from what? C19 for fully vaccinated people is no more deadly than some strains of influenza. We didn’t go around wearing  masks for two years during the flu pandemic of 2009/10. The vaccines we have are the best defence science can offer. What are you proposing? We continue with mask wearing for eternity? 
 

The wearing of a face mask is something you should do in crowded and unventilated spaces. You should also wear a mask if you suspect you have C19. Other than that it’s time for the world to move on now. We’ve got this as safe as it ever will be or until the virus continues to weaken as it already has shown. 

[Manu]

  On 12/3/2022 at 7:11 AM, Sensibilia said:

Decriminalize face stabbing people who don't wear masks, simple.

Hell, even if it isn't decriminalized, do it anyway - for love of all your other fellow people.

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"...for love of all your other fellow people...". Your comment clearly shows that you know all about love.

[Manu]

  On 12/3/2022 at 8:56 AM, Soidog said:

The wearing of a face mask is something you should do in crowded and unventilated spaces. You should also wear a mask if you suspect you have C19.

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We did not do that either "for two years during the flu pandemic of 2009/10". It would not have made any difference as it has not the past 3 years.

[Soidog]

  On 12/3/2022 at 10:32 AM, Manu said:

We did not do that either "for two years during the flu pandemic of 2009/10". It would not have made any difference as it has not the past 3 years.

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Well we didn’t, but I think it would have made a difference if we had. I further believe it has helped with Covid. 

[Chatogaster]

  On 12/3/2022 at 8:47 AM, Sensibilia said:

Few would equate self-defense with violence. In general though I think we have let the sociopaths off too easily for too long. 

Look at the number of deaths from C19 in other countries, and the staggering costs of long-covid they will be dealing with for decades to come. 

If minimizing risks to others is not enough of an incentive then adding personal risk to the equation would seem worth implementing before contemplating just removing bad actors from the equation completely.

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Next, let's initiate the process of phasing out all people who have the audacity to frequently drive somewhere for something as banal as "a day out" (those sociopaths just haven't got the sense to realize that their whims contribute to road deaths). After a couple of milestones, we might have to take a closer look at the staggering costs of keeping old, sick or unproductive people up and ticking. Near the end of the roadmap we might have to do something about people giving birth, since being born has been proven to be a dead-end for each victim.

If that seems disproportional, it is. Human life is hardly about individuals but mostly about keeping societies functioning fairly stable for centuries on end. It takes some sensibility to realize there's a proper balance to be found there at any given time. Stabbing non-facemask-wearers in the face (even if meant hyperbolic) doesn't qualify and advocating it exposes a deficiency of mental faculties.
 

[Marc26]

  On 12/3/2022 at 8:56 AM, Soidog said:

Self defence from what? C19 for fully vaccinated people is no more deadly than some strains of influenza. We didn’t go around wearing  masks for two years during the flu pandemic of 2009/10. The vaccines we have are the best defence science can offer. What are you proposing? We continue with mask wearing for eternity? 
 

The wearing of a face mask is something you should do in crowded and unventilated spaces. You should also wear a mask if you suspect you have C19. Other than that it’s time for the world to move on now. We’ve got this as safe as it ever will be or until the virus continues to weaken as it already has shown. 

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I'd add if you feel sick as well

I was on a flight last week and this woman was clearly sick 

I'm not against her flying, she may have needed to get somewhere 

But she didn't even wear a mask, even when the flight attendant inquired about how she was feeling and offered a mask

The guy next to me coughed the whole flight but he was wearing a mask at least 

[Soidog]

  On 12/3/2022 at 5:47 PM, Marc26 said:

I'd add if you feel sick as well

I was on a flight last week and this woman was clearly sick 

I'm not against her flying, she may have needed to get somewhere 

But she didn't even wear a mask, even when the flight attendant inquired about how she was feeling and offered a mask

The guy next to me coughed the whole flight but he was wearing a mask at least 

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I agree Marc and I hope that Covid has taught a few of us Westerners to show more consideration to others when they are sick. I say hope, but I’m not holding my breath. 

[Marc26]

  On 12/3/2022 at 6:30 PM, Soidog said:

I agree Marc and I hope that Covid has taught a few of us Westerners to show more consideration to others when they are sick. I say hope, but I’m not holding my breath. 

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Yeah and I'm hoping and I do think it has changed our stupid ways in North America of showing your commitment ti your company by going to work sick 

Most people having set ups at home will simply help in that regard 

So they will stay home 

But even if they don't

People should stay home when sick 

Prior to covid people would foolishly go to work really sick 

[Soidog]

  On 12/3/2022 at 6:39 PM, Marc26 said:

Prior to covid people would foolishly go to work really sick 

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Exactly and often driven by the attitude of management in the workplace.
 

I think the problem is more easily solved if the work is office based. Far less easy if the job is factory based or hands on work. Employers may not pay people who fail to turn up for work. In the U.K. employment law is such that any reputable company will allow fully paid time off if they are sick and can self certify up to and including 3 days. After that, they need to acquire a “sick note” from their doctor. 

[Grumpish]

  On 12/3/2022 at 6:47 PM, Soidog said:

Exactly and often driven by the attitude of management in the workplace

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Very much so - i worked for one of the non-regional police forces for the last ten years before retirement, and any officers with more than three occurrences of sickness in a twelve month period would find themselves up before a medical board. Long term sickness and police staff were treated more leniently - I had six weeks off after a heart attack and was not under any pressure to return, although I know that some officers were put under pressure (more than once I had "problems" finding a working laptop to let them work from home because I knew that that was happening).      

[TedG]

I wore a mast on the BTS like everyone else.   I didn't want to be that guy. 

[Soidog]

  On 12/5/2022 at 8:36 PM, TedG said:

I wore a mast on the BTS like everyone else.   I didn't want to be that guy. 

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What guy? The guy that thinks for himself you mean? The guy that makes a judgement and isn’t breaking the law? 
 

I do understand what you are saying, but this isn’t a crime not to wear a mask or even an antisocial behaviour. If the BTS operator wants you to wear a mask then make it mandatory. If it’s optional then it’s optional. 

[Faz]

  On 12/5/2022 at 10:37 PM, Soidog said:

I do understand what you are saying, but this isn’t a crime not to wear a mask or even an antisocial behaviour. If the BTS operator wants you to wear a mask then make it mandatory. If it’s optional then it’s optional. 

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It is still mandatory to wear a face mask on public transport, in cinemas, or other venues where social distancing cannot be maintained.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2403630/masks-rule-to-stay-for-public-transport
https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/face-masks-still-required-on-public-transport-in-cinemas

Covid restrictions were dropped on Oct 1st 2022, with the above exceptions.
It is however a rule, rather than law.

You still can't enter a bank in my local vicinity without a mask.
No mask, no entry, no service - they enforce the rule still.

[Soidog]

  On 12/6/2022 at 2:10 AM, Faz said:

It is still mandatory to wear a face mask on public transport, in cinemas, or other venues where social distancing cannot be maintained.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2403630/masks-rule-to-stay-for-public-transport
https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/face-masks-still-required-on-public-transport-in-cinemas

Covid restrictions were dropped on Oct 1st 2022, with the above exceptions.
It is however a rule, rather than law.

You still can't enter a bank in my local vicinity without a mask.
No mask, no entry, no service - they enforce the rule still.

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And that’s all fine with me Faz. I still apply the same common sense rules myself when I’m on public transport or in any confined space. I do this in Thailand and elsewhere. My issue is the way some people are more upset with this guy, simply because he’s not doing what everyone of the local Thais are doing. He’s not breaking any law although he may be breaking rules or even guidance. Of course, everyone in Thailand obeys every rule don’t they! I think people need to lighten up about these things. Many people say they like living in Thailand as it’s relaxed and not stressed like back home…...