News Forum - PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s televised address, translated in English

[Soidog]

22 minutes ago, Faz said:

Stay in your hotel room until you get a negative result.

Exactly correct @Faz . And how will they know which hotel you are in and it has facilities to handle a potentially positive Covid case? Well it will need to be SHA+ approved I would think? And how will they check it’s an SHA+ hotel? It will be part of the COE application. And in case you do test positive they will need to make sure you have adequate Covid insurance. And so, I’m speculating that all yesterday’s announcement means is that Thailand will become one big sandbox and you will only need one test on Day 1 and not a second on day 6. All the other hassle and costs of PCR tests, COE, and Covid insurance will remain. I’m only speculating of course and I really hope I’m wrong.
 

Having said all that. I think they are doing all this 2 to 3 months too early. Not the opening to vaccinated tourists. But encouraging people to get the whole movement of people going again. Not to protect foreigners, but to protect unvaccinated locals.   

[Faz]

7 minutes ago, Soidog said:

And so, I’m speculating that all yesterday’s announcement means is that Thailand will become one big sandbox and you will only need one test on Day 1 and not a second on day 6. All the other hassle and costs of PCR tests, COE, and Covid insurance will remain. I’m only speculating of course and I really hope I’m wrong.

That appears to be the gist of the announcement, but I'm sure our illustrious leader will clarify the situation for all would be tourists before October 1st, allowing adequate time for the Embassies to change the information on their webpages advising all potential travellers to plan accordingly.  

That would be a first.

[Bluesofa]

11 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

Sure, heap it on him for that. He deserves it 

I thought you are a Thai speaker so thought it odd you would criticize what is just a  less than perfect translation. It comes across as petty and pandantic IMO.

As I've said, I won't give him an inch.
The little toad-kisser (he did that a couple of years ago), telling us to pray for the rain to stop.
As I said in a post before, if CoCo the clown was prime minister, as least we could laugh at the humour, instead of out of desperation.

BTW, is that pedantic or pandemic?

[RobMuir]

5 minutes ago, Bluesofa said:

 

BTW, is that pedantic or pandemic?

5555

I knew it was wrong.

Crappy education system in Oz. Or probably I am just a dumb kuนt.

Autospell often let's me down.

[Rain]

17 minutes ago, Faz said:

That appears to be the gist of the announcement, but I'm sure our illustrious leader will clarify the situation for all would be tourists before October 1st, allowing adequate time for the Embassies to change the information on their webpages advising all potential travellers to plan accordingly.  

That would be a first.

Don't expect all to be on the same page. 

The general clusterphuck rule would apply.

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, RobMuir said:

It is just a not perfect translation. Nothing more, prayut didn't write the English version.

Come on mate, you are better than that.

So perhaps as you appear to be fluent in the illustrious Thai language you can provide the perfect translation? I’ve always thought that many of the childish and often pathetic comments from senior ministers is due to translation issues. If this is another example, perhaps you could correct what has been published? 
 

Thank you. 

[PsyZed]

31 minutes ago, Faz said:

allowing adequate time for the Embassies to change the information on their webpages advising all potential travellers to plan accordingly. 

Have you ever seen some smaller countries' Thai Embassy sites? I would recommend the half thai/half laotian information page and to figure out the online booking system which is not even integrated to the site. Thailand was always good with IT like my girlfriend saving money. 

[Poolie]

2 hours ago, Pompies said:

Just a load of anodyne words and virtue signalling. As usual he has left the future months' freeing of restrictions as vague as possible so he cannot be held accountable when things go wrong or are simply not relaxed. He is the most ill equipped person for the reconstruction of this country because he only knows how to control, to rule by dictat and intimidation. He has not one grain of constructive intelligence and no understanding of how badly decimated are millions of small businesses. The fairyland future that he hints at is just that, the childlike dreams of totally naive military minds allied to the interests of mega conglomerates. Millions of Thai can find no hope in his vague storytelling.

Not his no1 fan then?

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, JamesE said:

"The time has come for us to ready ourselves to face the coronavirus and live with it as with other endemic infections and diseases," Failing to mention that in all the previous incidents it was the virus that decided when it was time for us to live with it.

Vaccines help. Masks help. Social distancing helps. But what doesn't help is lots of people crunched together on airplanes. The PM is stuck between a rock and a hard place, but if this face-saving move to meet the 120-day goal goes pear-shaped he's going to have much bigger problems than empty hotel rooms. I'm hoping that travelers do come, but at a trickle initially to give everybody a chance to get their feet back on the ground. Fortunately, the "no wine with dinner" mantra should help that happen.

Very fair point, @JamesE, but hoping the plan's a failure shouldn't really be a 'best outcome'!

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, Thommo said:

Would be no point at the moment, until the 2 week hotel quarentine changes I am assumming no one from Oz would be a short term visitor to Th  and of course NZ you can't even book a quarentine spot to returm atm 

Well, it would at least keep up the pretence that there was some sort of logic behind which countries are chosen

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Bluesofa said:

I'm trying to follow the thinking on this.
If only fully vaccinated 'dirty ferangs' (to use an A-nut-in phrase) are allowed in, and require two PCR tests before being set loose, how is it 'almost certain' there will be a rise?

Being cynical, could it be 'close interaction' between locals and ferangs which could spread it from unvaccinated local to ferang, then on again?

Because if you relax the rules on what tourists can do, which you have to in order to get any tourists, you have to do the same for Thais.

Do that, and there's guaranteed to be a rise.

That's always been the unavoidable problem.

The only questions are  'how much' and how "temporary" .....

[Greeneyes]

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

"With the collaboration of all sectors of society, and with everyone joining hands to face this crisis together,"

no, bad idea. 

Just make sure you wash your hands before we all join together.

[vlad]

2 hours ago, Bluesofa said:

I'm trying to follow the thinking on this.
If only fully vaccinated 'dirty ferangs' (to use an A-nut-in phrase) are allowed in, and require two PCR tests before being set loose, how is it 'almost certain' there will be a rise?

Being cynical, could it be 'close interaction' between locals and ferangs which could spread it from unvaccinated local to ferang, then on again?

Yes Bluesofa the differnce is in the uk nearly 90% are protected and up to 70% have had the double jabs most will or have been infected with Covid but most cases do not need to be hospitalised. Some think it will be erased altogether but that will never happen as it will be with us for many years. The only way to open up safely is through maximum vaccination its no good people with only 1 reliable vaccine thinking its safe it is not and he must realize the Sinovac vaccine is not reliable in immunization against covid.

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

4 hours ago, JED1 said:

I wonder what visitors are supposed to do while they wait for the results of their RT-PCR tests?

They could just use antigen tests on arrival at the airport. If they insist on pcr, there are rapid pcr tests available,for example at Copenhagen airport you'll get the result in 45 min.

Did a quick google seech for such test in Thailand, here's one with result in 3h.

https://medex.co.th/

[Bob20]

8 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

They could just use antigen tests on arrival at the airport. If they insist on pcr, there are rapid pcr tests available,for example at Copenhagen airport you'll get the result in 45 min.

Did a quick google seech for such test in Thailand, here's one with result in 3h.

https://medex.co.th/

But that defeats the object of pretending to open up, whilst still deterring most from coming! Plus, where will their brown envelopes come from if they can't direct you to a hotel of -their- choice?

[Griff1315]

13 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

They could just use antigen tests on arrival at the airport. If they insist on pcr, there are rapid pcr tests available,for example at Copenhagen airport you'll get the result in 45 min.

Did a quick google seech for such test in Thailand, here's one with result in 3h.

https://medex.co.th/

 

3 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

But that defeats the object of pretending to open up, whilst still deterring most from coming! Plus, where will their brown envelopes come from if they can't direct you to a hotel of -their- choice?

Using ATK's they will be directing many false positives to field hospitals. What a start to your dream holiday.

Welcome to Thailand 

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, Griff1315 said:

Using ATK's they will be directing many false positives to field hospitals. What a start to your dream holiday.

Welcome to Thailand 

Those Lapu tests are brilliant. So good that they even bought 8.5m. No way the government would be that stupid!

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

11 minutes ago, Griff1315 said:

Using ATK's they will be directing many false positives to field hospitals. What a start to your dream holiday.

Welcome to Thailand 

Could be a money maker for them.

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

19 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

But that defeats the object of pretending to open up, whilst still deterring most from coming! Plus, where will their brown envelopes come from if they can't direct you to a hotel of -their- choice?

Pretending to open up is exactly what yesterday's vague speech was about. I doubt there'll be much change from current rules this year.

[Soidog]

25 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

They could just use antigen tests on arrival at the airport. If they insist on pcr, there are rapid pcr tests available,for example at Copenhagen airport you'll get the result in 45 min.

Did a quick google seech for such test in Thailand, here's one with result in 3h.

https://medex.co.th/

While I agree there are options for rapid PCR tests, the 2-3 hour option still presents a problem. Where do you keep all the people for 2-3 hours? With the likely numbers passing through Suvarnabhumi and other airports in the next 3-6 months, I guess the numbers could just be a couple of hundred an hour. You would however need to segregate people a little. Also who would like to do a 13 hour flight from the U.K. and a total travel time of almost 24 hours door to door, only to be held for 3 hours at the airport?   Antigen testing would work as you get the result in 15 minutes. If they really got their act together (I know, but bear with me), you could do it as you get off the plane, and by the time you get to immigration the result would be known. 

[Bob20]

Just now, Soidog said:

While I agree there are options for rapid PCR tests, the 2-3 hour option still presents a problem. Where do you keep all the people for 2-3 hours? With the likely numbers passing through Suvarnabhumi and other airports in the next 3-6 months, I guess the numbers could just be a couple of hundred an hour. You would however need to segregate people a little. Also who would like to do a 13 hour flight from the U.K. and a total travel time of almost 24 hours door to door, only to be held for 3 hours at the airport?   Antigen testing would work as you get the result in 15 minutes. If they really got their act together (I know, but bear with me), you could do it as you get off the plane, and by the time you get to immigration the result would be known. 

They can give them both a comfortable seat in a lounge for those few hours

[Soidog]

4 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

Pretending to open up is exactly what yesterday's vague speech was about. I doubt there'll be much change from current rules this year.

Totally agree. This was yet another “buying time” stunt. It’s utterly cynical and cruel to people trying to make a living. There will be some who need tourists to return who will feel the end is in sight. They may even be out fixing up their fruit stall and replacing the CD reflectors on the back of their motorbikes. All for nothing. Another 500 baht wasted 

[Griff1315]

1 minute ago, Soidog said:

While I agree there are options for rapid PCR tests, the 2-3 hour option still presents a problem. Where do you keep all the people for 2-3 hours? With the likely numbers passing through Suvarnabhumi and other airports in the next 3-6 months, I guess the numbers could just be a couple of hundred an hour. You would however need to segregate people a little. Also who would like to do a 13 hour flight from the U.K. and a total travel time of almost 24 hours door to door, only to be held for 3 hours at the airport?   Antigen testing would work as you get the result in 15 minutes. If they really got their act together (I know, but bear with me), you could do it as you get off the plane, and by the time you get to immigration the result would be known. 

Then at immigration its do not proceed off to quarantine you go the ATK has just thrown up another probably false positive. Money making time with more tests and quarantine charges on top.

Welcome to Thailand 

[Faraday]

@Yinn

If you have time, will you translate it please?

[Bob20]

22 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Totally agree. This was yet another “buying time” stunt. It’s utterly cynical and cruel to people trying to make a living. There will be some who need tourists to return who will feel the end is in sight. They may even be out fixing up their fruit stall and replacing the CD reflectors on the back of their motorbikes. All for nothing. Another 500 baht wasted 

That being said, and slightly off topic, seeing the big market empty for a few days and the dilapidated state of it, I wonder why no earlier outbreaks of other diseases have occurred.

They should use these 14 days to thoroughly clean and fix it.

Rotten wood floors, rats everywhere, dirt everywhere, waste water everywhere... Usually there are stalls and food and people everywhere and you can't see it, but the whole place is a hazzard with disaster waiting to happen anyway.