HOAX

15 minutes ago, vinny41 said:

Here is the list

 

Travel corridors: countries and territories exemption list

From 10 July 2020, unless they have visited or stopped in any other country or territory in the preceding 14 days, passengers arriving from the following countries and territories will not be required to self-isolate on arrival into England.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors

Oh my bad.

That's very odd. As far as I'm aware of, the rest of Europe has also not included Thailand. Wonder why... 

I'm a bit confused, again...

I needed to renew my 1-year Married Visa in May, but what I have understood (as everyone has been telling me) was that I do nothing until July 30th, and what they're now talking about is that they want to extend that further than July 30th?

Hopefully I'm not running around illegally lol. Hard to believe I am as Norway's Embassy was closed for non-emergencies until June 8.

20 minutes ago, sniggie said:

So why has England not included Thailand on the list of countries from which people are no longer required to quarantine on arrival?

I read earlier today that UK is opening up to a number of countries, including several countries in Asia, but that the complete list will be published later today. How do you know Thailand is not on that list?

Went to Korat yesterday to deliver a car for someone. On the way back today I jumped in to The Mall/Gourmet Market and there they had signs saying "Use gloves when handling vegetables" (or something in that nature). I didn't really think anything about it other than I had never seen it anywhere in Thailand before. 

Virus outbreaks are very common and happens every year, all over the world, but some more serious ones have recently occured, and here they are:

1.) An African Swine flu outbreak killing hundreds of millions of pigs all over China, leaving China in shortage of pork, starting at least in August 2018 and still going... CCP kept it secret, and still does, despite it being well known since February 2019, when it spread to Vietnam and later in April to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Thailand remains on "Red Alert" for 24 provinces, but has no confirmed cases as of yet. No human transmission but has almost 100% mortality rate in pigs and is now listed as a threat to humans due to the potential of creating a shortage in food supply around the world. African swine flu outbreak has since spread around Asia and Europe.

2.) The New Coronavirus (CCP virus). China kept it secret, and still does.

3.) A new Swine flu outbreak was reported about shortly after the CCP virus outbreak, early February, in Northern China. Unclear if that is the same as the one we're now talking about, but it is not the same as the first one (there are potentially 3 different Swine flu ongoing outbreaks). Kept it secret and still does.

4.) Nipahvirus, by far the most serious outbreak, has begun spreading again in India and Bangladesh the last few years and has between 70-100% mortality rate and only 3% of no permanent damage to brain and nervesystem. Has never been kept secret and has therefore also been contained within small regions of Malaysia, India and Bangladesh under well control since the first outbreak in 1999. Bats are carriers of the Nipahvirus and infects humans through fruits, food and pigs, as well as between humans. Bats infected with the virus has been discovered in Thailand and are therefore a big threat to Thailand, but no human cases as of yet.

5.) A Bird flu outbreak in Southern China in chicken. Millions of chickens has being killed. Thailand (among other countries) has stopped importation of chicken and animal food from China. China also kept this outbreak a secret and still does.

Just wondering, if there hasn't been any domestic infections for 38 days, what is the problem?

Why not just focus fully on isolating the ones coming from abroad and let the rest of the country return to normal?

Discipline or not, call it what you want, Thai citizens, companies and even the government has done far better than most of the west. There may be other factors contributing to the low numbers of infections in Thailand recently, but nonetheless, Thais has done a good collective job concerning following the guidance that has been given, whether you like it or not.

Looking at how citizens in western countries have handled the situation, I can't help feeling concerned for the west, say IF there was to come a much worse crisis, such as an outbreak of the far more deadly Nipahvirus that has been spreading in South and Southeast Asia recently. Political correctness, slow democratic processes and corrupt organisations hasn't exactly played in the west's favour to say the least.

3 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Most of the population haven't died and most of the populations of these countries won't die either. Sweden's economy will do better than the USA and UK. The UK is set for the biggest downturn in history thanks to the lockdown and Thailand probably won't fare much better.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52542943

Do you really need most of the population to die to prove your point? What about just 2 people in your family, wouldn't that be enough? If nothing was done to prevent the spread of the virus, like the common flu, far more would've died than the common flu, you know that right? Say if its just 0.5 percent, that's still 4.3 million people, plus the millions who would die from other illnesses that weren't prioritized. Then there`s the 5-15 percent who will need lifetime medical help from the irreversible damage the COVID, not to mention the financial consequences it may have had if nothing was done.

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

As you said most of those nations are either very violent or tiny countries of little significance. Thailand is neither. It made a tiny bit of sense prior to Songkran. Now? 

Tiny bit? I think it made a lot of sense. Other than that I agree, lift the ban nationwide and isolate the places that still has an issue for the time it needs.

That being said, I think the Coronavirus has been a great test of what may otherwise one day become one the most serious threat to life as we know it, the Malaysian Nipahvirus, with a death rate of between 40-100% (over 80% in the South Asia strain). This is THE virus that is occupying scientists nowadays, as the virus has been spreading in Malaysia, India and Bangladesh recently. Other ongoing outbreaks on watch that you may not have heard about are at least two different SARS-strain outbreaks in Southern China which has already made Thailand banning the importation of certain products from these regions earlier this year, and another outbreak in Northern China. While Coronaviruses and SARS-viruses are related, SARS-viruses has so far been less infectious, but more deadly. That may change as viruses` lifespans are very short, mutating very rapidly. While 99.99% of mutations are in favor of survival (making them less harmful), freak mutations does happen, such as with the latest Coronavirus that develops COVID-19 (a severe respiratory disease).

4 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

No limits on buying booze in the UK, no bars/pubs open though. I've seen people walking around drinking cans of beer or sitting on park benches drinking beer.

But UK, US, Russia, Belarus and Sweden are also the countries that didn`t quite do as the others, and now pays the price.

10 minutes ago, fantom said:

This morning's BP states "The ban was lifted in most provinces including Bangkok on Sunday, which marked the first of a 14 day trial period for resuming alcohol sales." later referencing Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothinin.

 

So my take on this is that the ban has not been lifted, it is simply a 14 day trial, so anyone who enjoys a social drink would be well advised to do a bit of judicious re stocking or even indulge in a bit of panic buying.

Could be that`s what he meant but I think its rather another message lost in translation. Its more likely he is referring to Thailand`s 14 days period of control of the spread, which is within the incubation period in most cases when isolated (4-12 days, even though a few people hasn`t tested positive before as long as over 3 weeks after being infected).

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

There was a solid reason why Thailand was one of only two nations worldwide, which had a ban on alcohol. Total overkill. To re-instate this ban would be a heinous abuse of power. One new case overnight. Curfew is no longer required. Intelligence is required. On both the part of civilians and the brain dead army. 

Hate to break it to you but ban on alcohol has been implemented in more than two nations.

At least Greenland (Denmark), Thailand, Botswana, Bahamas, Panama, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tahiti, French Polynesia, Sint Maarten, Mexico (Southern States), France (parts of Northern) has banned all sales of alcohol. Most countries has put in place limitations such as banning the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants (or sale or drinking in public places), but also some have restricted the sales to limited hours, alcohol importation (etc. Cambridge Bay, Alaska) or banned non-locals/travelers to buy alcohol elsewhere such Pennsylvanian residents are banned to buy in Ohio... Probably many other places/nations that has banned all sales of alcohol that I don`t know about.

To grant you something here, most of these places I first mentioned has banned the sales of alcohol due to domestic violence, and if you look at the statistics, these places also tend to have more alcoholism and domestic violence on a general basis. The ban in most of these places wasn`t to prevent the spread of the virus, but rather to prevent the increase of domestic violence due to implementations taken because of the virus.

That being said, Thailand`s ban on alcohol has probably been one of the most justified one: Songkran

Now that Songkran is long gone and the cases barely exist in Thailand, I don`t see the need for any alcohol ban or any otherwide nation ban for that matter, other than Province-by-Province based and perhaps some travel restrictions.

Most of my friends are locals, so the ban on alcohol only really lasted for a couple of days when cops actually drove around threatening store owners, but ever since then alcohol has been flooding like any other day pretty much anywhere I have friends and family in Thailand (Udon Thani, Samut Prakan, Korat, Saraburi, Koh Phangan, Krabi and even border controlled provinces like Bueng Kan). For the last week or two nearly everyone is selling. I didn't even notice or hear anything about the ban being lifted. I`m assuming alcohol is sold everywhere else as well, if you just know who to ask.

Another thing I`ve noticed recently is how the availability of weed has exploded everywhere. Locals are growing and smoking (and chewing, and cooking) cannabis everywhere I`ve been the last weeks. In fact, it`s so much weed around that it`s all free for everyone, and even grandpas and aunties are chewing. People are just handing out or grabbing as they will. And its even pretty decent quality to be frank.

17 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

I only can hope you're not an accountant.

 

Just one advice from me.....don't give up the day job

No I'm not an accountant, but know enough to know she wasn't bringing home a million monthly lol. She's the one claiming she made 50k a day, so I just played out the scenario. I doubt she ever made that, but if she did then the expenses would also have to reflect that, leaving her with far less than a million a month, more likely less than 50k.

2 hours ago, LawrenceN said:

I'm a little confused by the physics. How did the broken mirror get thrown forward in front of the camera? 

Could it be because the mirror continued at approximately the same speed as the truck it was attached to drove at before the truck hit the slower delivery vehicle, just like Thai ragdolls loaded onto pickup trucks?

2 hours ago, BobbyL said:

Still yet to be given any reason as to why only Thailand needs to impose and now seemingly extend an alcohol ban whilst other nations do not.  

 

Edit: The alcohol ban over Songkran made sense to stop parties. That has now ended. 

Not yet, we usually celebrate Songkran in the villages in Udon Thani between 12-15th, before we take the trip to Phra Phadaeng, BKK, and continue the Songkran party there April 20th. I've heard some has until the end of the month. Not sure if that's official or not, or whether it's just the extended drinking. In the villages in Udon the partying usually goes on for a couple of more weeks. In fact, most of the first quarter of the year is a drinking fest that last until May, with only a total of few weeks break here and there in between.

According to https://covidtracker.5lab.co/en there hasn't been a single new case in 18 days in Udon Thani, isn't it time to loosen up a little, close the province's borders and let the ones inside go to work and live their lives?

Just a thought... 

What about when the one-year (marriage) visa expires and needing to renew?

Still have to go to the embassy and all that or what?

What about when this Coronavirus thing is over, do we have to do all that paperwork we did the very first time we applied for the visa all over again?

2 minutes ago, charmonman said:

And what was the number of cases in previous days? It would have been helpful if the article had mentioned this so the reader could compare. It dropped to 38 from what?

102 I think.

5 hours ago, pmh2009 said:

Look unless you have tested everyone or at least tried...like Germany - who tests 500K per week.. whatever data or numbers you have and say  are irrelevant!!! Let say you only test 3 million out of a population of 69 million --- what is the percentage of that is correct???? Just because the infected cases go down does not mean that the VIRUS is dissipating or clearing up!!!!!!

Bunch of nonsense. 71.400 per week is less than many European countries (most with a much smaller population) did in the beginning of the spread in Europe and found out it was next to useless. 500.000 tests doesn't equal 500.000 vaccines. If testing is your method of concern against the spread of the virus then 500k a week in a country with a population of 83 million and with over 100.000 infected is just like poking the problem.

Say Germany tested the entire population last week, 83 million people, then what? No one's going to be tested again? If you're going to beat the virus based on testing then you'll need to test people repeatedly, meaning 500.000 tests a week is barely scraping the surface. No ones immune. People can test negative while actually already be infected. The virus has an incubation period between 2-27 days (4-12 days on average), if not longer. 

Like I've said before, testing is very good for data, statistics, knowing how populations, governments and the economy react to pandemics and how we can deal with outbreaks in the future, and I'd gladly support testing based on this, as it's very important, but you won't need tens of millions of tests in Germany or Thailand for this, nor is it going to help the situation we already are in.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Australia has population ~25mill.

They have tested 260,000

How many tests have Thailand done.

Norway tested 73,000 per day before they decided not to mass test anymore three weeks ago as it had no effect. Now they currently test around 3,000 people per day, which only includes the critically ill, people in risk groups and people in critical work positions (medical staff etc). Norway also only hospitalize the once who needs help. Everyone else are in self-quarantine, everything non-essential is closed, people stay home, nor do anyone else get tested despite having symptoms.

Geez. Crazy prices. I've never paid more than 6.500 baht from BKK to Oslo.

It's currently 4971 baht for the first available ticket with Norwegian (airline)...

... October 28th ????

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

It is true that when we look for the little beast .... we find it ..
If you find out a little more, you will notice that I had the wrong word;
South Korea and Germany have done (for Korea) and are currently doing (for Germany) a massive test of their population which obviously has nothing to do with taking a temperature.
Does that suit you as an explanation?

Little evidence that mass testing has any impact, nor does Germany have few corona patients hospitalized. It's around average compared to the rest of the world. The only countries sticking out here are Spain (50%+), Belgium (40%+) and France (40%+). The rest are between 3% (Austria) and 20%. Many countries have less corona patients than Germany.

Germany

- Tested: 1 million+ (currently 50.000 per day)

- Total cases: 77.981

- Hospitalized: 12%

- Fatality rate: 1.19%

South Korea

- Tested: 410.564 (as of 31. March)

- Total cases: 9.976

- Hospitalized: Unknown

- Fatality rate: 1.69%

Norway

- Tested: 95.000 (currently around 3.000 per day)

- Total cases 4.877

- Hospitalized 6.6%

- Fatality rate: 0.90%

Norway has a focus on self-quarantine, closing down unnecessities, social distancing and hygiene, rather than on testing. Testing is very useful for statistics and data, but otherwise it's irrelevant for the spread of the virus. The infection rate has been stable for the last two weeks, which was the goal for Norway, to spread the infected over a longer period of time so the medical services doesn't become overloaded, or run out of medicine and medical supplies.

I can't see there being much evidence that less testing has much effect on the spread of the virus either. Most likely there's no significant  difference whether countries mass test or not. On the other hand, as I said, mass testing is very beneficial to gather useful scientific data. So on that basis I'd like more testing, but not on any other grounds.