News Forum - Covid-19 falling, even in Deep South, but still dire in Chiang Mai

[Thaiger]

According to the Ministry of Public Health, the good news is that, throughout Thailand, Covid-19 infection rates are successfully falling. The bad news is that Chiang Mai, traditionally a popular tourist and expat living destination, is a notable exception to the rule, with an increasingly dire situation on the ground there. Infection numbers in the Deep South of Thailand continue to be concerning, but they have at least been on a mostly downward trend in the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla, and Yala following increasingly strict Covid-19 control measures that seem to have helped contain the infection spread. But Nakhon […]

The story Covid-19 falling, even in Deep South, but still dire in Chiang Mai as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Bob20]

Nothing new.

Just utterly incompetent to not insist on controling the situation that has been escalating for some 6 weeks and instead allow a reported 60.000 people to visit for Loy Kratong.

They really are "hard of learning" and will be mopping up other regions after those 60.000 return to their home locations with a small free souvenir.

[KaptainRob]

14 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Nothing new.

Just utterly incompetent to not insist on controling the situation that has been escalating for some 6 weeks and instead allow a reported 60.000 people to visit for Loy Kratong.

They really are "hard of learning" and will be mopping up other regions after those 60.000 return to their home locations with a small free souvenir.

Songkran in reverse ... better stay at home Bob, no wandering around the city talking to strangers eh.

[Rip255]

Well done to everyone who has helped slow the spread. It hasnt always been easy, but we'll get through this together.

[Bob20]

2 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Songkran in reverse ... better stay at home Bob, no wandering around the city talking to strangers eh.

Not particularly worried about myself, but incomprehensible for the authorities not to have taken action before, knowing that all facilities are already overstretched.

And to allow travel to and from an area where the virus is running wild is sheer incompetence.

Perhaps these idiots were arranging holidays to Happy Wuhan last year March too, and we just missed their adverts

[KaptainRob]

21 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Perhaps these idiots were arranging holidays to Happy Wuhan last year March too, and we just missed their adverts

They were coming from Wuhan, not going the other way.  Got some renting next door and they're nice and quiet and well educated with good English ... no covid! 

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, KaptainRob said:

They were coming from Wuhan, not going the other way.  Got some renting next door and they're nice and quiet and well educated with good English ... no covid! 

I don't know how last year March you would have been able to determine that beyond a doubt, but I think you missed my "" 

[KaptainRob]

3 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

I don't know how last year March you would have been able to determine that beyond a doubt, but I think you missed my "" 

Yes I saw your smilie, and the neighbours were already in CM well before March. 

[Bob20]

3 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Yes I saw your smilie, and the neighbours were already in CM well before March. 

Never mind KR. I wasn't talking about your neighbours nor the period before March. 

[JohninDublin]

48 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Songkran in reverse ... better stay at home Bob, no wandering around the city talking to strangers eh.

 @Bob20may well have a point. Infections in Europe where most restrictions have been abandoned, are currently 20X that of Asia per capita, where most restrictions have been retained. I hope he's wrong, but what I am seeing right now is that Asia is winning it's battle against CV, and I believe it's because they have retained many of the restrictions.

[Jason]

I've never been to CM, although I hear so much about it and it should be somewhere I would visit. I know this is being wise in hindsight, but shouldn't such a popular tourist place have been given sandbox treatment as Phuket was? If the government wants to rejuvenate tourism (I mean resurrect tourism), them the big draw cards should have been given priority in terms of testing and vaccination?

[Bob20]

4 minutes ago, Jason said:

I've never been to CM, although I hear so much about it and it should be somewhere I would visit. I know this is being wise in hindsight, but shouldn't such a popular tourist place have been given sandbox treatment as Phuket was? If the government wants to rejuvenate tourism (I mean resurrect tourism), them the big draw cards should have been given priority in terms of testing and vaccination?

It was... And was supposed to open 1 October. Well 4 areas within CM were. But despite other claims, vaccination rates were very low. And then just before the project was supposed to start, the clusters started showing and hospitals filled up.

Now all is way beyond capacity (even though time after time expanded already) but Loy Kratong goes ahead with 60.000 people heading this way. You just can't comprehend the absolute stupidity of the people in charge time and time again.

[HolyCowCm]

We all knew this already, I am just surprised someone let the cat out of the bag, although it is a small kitten with no numbers and no real telling what the true severity of the situation is up here except saying cluster here and cluster there. 

[Jason]

34 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

It was... And was supposed to open 1 October. Well 4 areas within CM were. But despite other claims, vaccination rates were very low. And then just before the project was supposed to start, the clusters started showing and hospitals filled up.

Now all is way beyond capacity (even though time after time expanded already) but Loy Kratong goes ahead with 60.000 people heading this way. You just can't comprehend the absolute stupidity of the people in charge time and time again.

I see your point. I think in my own country how many festivals, sports events, etc etc were cancelled due to Covid outbreaks. I also see how many wealthy people, famous people and sport stars were exempted and they were allowed to go overseas, while the rest of us couldn't have ten people at a wedding or funeral. This pandemic has seen too many double standards.... if anything, in Thailand and in my own country it has fuelled the fire for change. 

[JohninDublin]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

I've never been to CM, although I hear so much about it and it should be somewhere I would visit. I know this is being wise in hindsight, but shouldn't such a popular tourist place have been given sandbox treatment as Phuket was? If the government wants to rejuvenate tourism (I mean resurrect tourism), them the big draw cards should have been given priority in terms of testing and vaccination?

CM is well worth a visit, though if you are a party animal, it is one of those places where BYOB might be best.

The reason why CM could not really take advantage of sandbox like Phuket or KS, is that the other two are islands and it's possible restrict access. CM is a province (and city)  without such an advantage, and it would be impossible to impose the necessary restrictions that the other two were "offering" regarding protection against CV.

[CNX]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

I've never been to CM, although I hear so much about it and it should be somewhere I would visit. I know this is being wise in hindsight, but shouldn't such a popular tourist place have been given sandbox treatment as Phuket was? If the government wants to rejuvenate tourism (I mean resurrect tourism), them the big draw cards should have been given priority in terms of testing and vaccination?

Used to be fun but now feels like a graveyard. 

[Jason]

CNX... I can only imagine..... :(

[Jason]

46 minutes ago, JohninDubin said:

CM is well worth a visit, though if you are a party animal, it is one of those places where BYOB might be best.

The reason why CM could not really take advantage of sandbox like Phuket or KS, is that the other two are islands and it's possible restrict access. CM is a province (and city)  without such an advantage, and it would be impossible to impose the necessary restrictions that the other two were "offering" regarding protection against CV.

You'll pardon my ignorance of CM . Yes the others are islands and easier to control the flow of people. And even then the vaccination rates need to be higher. I hope to come to Phuket in March, thinking it would be long enough for them to get their act together....now I have my doubts....

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, JohninDubin said:

CM is well worth a visit, though if you are a party animal, it is one of those places where BYOB might be best.

The reason why CM could not really take advantage of sandbox like Phuket or KS, is that the other two are islands and it's possible restrict access. CM is a province (and city)  without such an advantage, and it would be impossible to impose the necessary restrictions that the other two were "offering" regarding protection against CV.

The other point, often overlooked, is that provincial governors are fully entitled to restrict access to and movement within their own provinces.

That's not to defend the government in any way as I think decisions like this should be taken at national level with the provincial level only being in addition, so it's just passing on the responsibility, but Chiang Mai could easily impose restrictions if they wanted to.

[Bob20]

46 minutes ago, CNX said:

Used to be fun but now feels like a graveyard. 

Not tonight it doesn't. Looks like there never was Covid. Thapae Gate full with hundreds of people. More than half not wearing a mask and waiting in line to get in, body-to-body, with no distancing whatsoever.

What could possibly go wrong

[JohninDublin]

16 minutes ago, Jason said:

You'll pardon my ignorance of CM . Yes the others are islands and easier to control the flow of people. And even then the vaccination rates need to be higher. I hope to come to Phuket in March, thinking it would be long enough for them to get their act together....now I have my doubts....

For the avoidance of doubt, I hope you don't think my post was an attack on your "ignorance"? I often presume that people "may not know this", but "ignorance" is a loaded word that can sometimes cause offence. 

Regarding March, I know there are plenty who will disagree with me specifically about TH, but I personally believe the number of infections is on the decline and will continue to do so until the lifting of the alcohol ban. Then, it's anyone's guess as to what will happen. This is because TH has, like the rest of Asia, retained most of the restrictions. CM is very much a CV hotspot at the moment. If I were looking to book a trip to TH in March and was worried about what March might look like, I'd postpone the decision until Mid-Feb by which you time you will be able to assess the impact that lifting the alcohol ban might have.

[Chaimai]

43 minutes ago, Stonker said:

The other point, often overlooked, is that provincial governors are fully entitled to restrict access to and movement within their own provinces.

That's not to defend the government in any way as I think decisions like this should be taken at national level with the provincial level only being in addition, so it's just passing on the responsibility, but Chiang Mai could easily impose restrictions if they wanted to.

 

 

I that was how it worked.

 

Central government make a decision and Provincial governors can INCREASE the restrictions (but cannot reduce them).

[Stonker]

13 minutes ago, Chaimai said:

I that was how it worked.

Central government make a decision and Provincial governors can INCREASE the restrictions (but cannot reduce them).

Absolutely, but in Chiang Mai neither are doing a damned thing.

It should be much easier for those in Chiang Mai to bring pressure to bear on the provincial governor and the local administration than on the government, but nobody in Chiang Mai seems to have any interest in doing so.