pizzachang

6 hours ago, cdemundo said:

My understanding is that the J&J vaccine was 100% effective in preventing hospitalization and death.  Specifically what rates are you referring to?

The published rates of vaccine efficacy. Rarely does an inactivated virus vaccine, result in hospitalization. Of course, there have always been adverse reactions from vaccines, over the years, but in general, the immunity's acquired are mimicking the natural progress. The RNA experiment offers no such assurances. One pharmaceutical company advertised  "92.5 % effective" and another "95...%"  Worldwide, most healthy people don't require "hospitalization". So, much ado about something that has an extremely high survival rate anyway.  [personal experience - my close associate in associate in Alaska, 73 years old, tested weekly as he works in the medical field treating patients (PT) - tested positive, felt ill for 3 days and fully recovered, with the residual minor congestion that is increasingly emerging as the worst viral effect - for 'most people' in the world. The same symptoms, that i myself had and also recovered in 3 or so days, w/ residual congestion]  So, as I stated, it seems apparent that waiting for a traditional vaccine may ell be less risky 'for most humans' other than the ones who have always been at higher risk, no matter what disease they acquire. 

On 3/24/2021 at 1:06 PM, 1Gringo said:

if it's "inactivated" does that mean it's "ineffective?"  why would I want an ineffective vaccine?

An illogical question, given the success rate of vaccines over the last 60 years. For me, a better question is, how would we know that the new "RNA vaccines" are effective , given the published "effectiveness rate" is lower than the natural survival rate from actually getting the virus?  Unless a person is high risk [immune compromised, ill with lung/respiratory disease or terminally ill], waiting for a traditional vaccine seems much safer and low risk anyway.

Inquiring minds would like to know, how will we know the vaccine is a "success", when the published J&J "effectiveness rate", is lower than the natural survival rate?

The strong baht might offset any benefit to businesses that export. 

Training children may fall into 2 categories, in my experience. One is the natural physical ability and the other is the focus ability or attention span. Generally, children do better in groups. Some,  display natural physical ability at an early age but around 8 to 10 for boys and 6 to 10 for girls, I would say a rational decision could be made for training. Prior to those ages, probably less likely that natural ability is pronounced enough to be noticed as 'better than average'. Focus is much more apparent. The younger the child(in general) the shorter the span, but some stand out. Much of the "martial art" training for really young kids seems to be in general physical movements and games oriented toward the skills that will be needed. I've taught Olympic style fencing for many years and I prefer 9 years for boys and 8 for girls as the basic starting ages. There are exceptions of course but coaches quickly notice this and should "advise" parents. There is a difference in "old school" and "new school" techniques, partly because many parents consider old school rigor as cruel; the new style is more of a way of pleasing parents, combined with keeping the attention of distracted young people. There is no evidence to prove that very young children can't be forced to learn, but parents ultimately decide how much is good. Just my opinion. 

On 11/23/2020 at 7:03 PM, Dmaxdan said:

I have always supplied actual photos. Normally about 5-6 different ones in and around the house, including at least one with the house number in clear view.  I then let the immigration officer select which ones they want. Remember, you will need two copies of all the photos. 

Interesting note for interested people. I personally had ten years of "marriage visa" extensions. When the new requirements were put into effect, I lost the extension "status" but of course regained it, as I actually had plenty of money. Nevertheless, when I got my 1st "new" extension, and got the "home visit" from IO's, they took a bunch of photos - including one of me and the wife sitting on our bed.  I found this intrusive to say the least, but compliance seemed inevitable - although my wife did make a comment "should I change into my nightgown"?  In all seriousness, the officer answered, "that isn't necessary". I asked my wife later and she said he definitely wasn't joking around. So for some reason, the "photos" are necessary to your "case file".

https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2020/09/11/wildfire-smoke-causes-worst-air-quality-in-the-world-for-san-francisco-portland-and-seattle/

13 hours ago, Presnock said:

the credit advise which I obtained overnight at my local bangkok bank

What is this letter?  What are the requirement to get it from Bangkok Bank? (also my bank_

Thanks in advance

On 6/8/2020 at 5:23 PM, ubonjoe said:

That was apparently their way of proving the source of your income. Some offices want a pension statement for the proof.

Ubonjoe,

  This is strange, to say the least.  Just 2 years ago, the US Social Security statement and my State pension letter "were not good enough" to verify my income. Now I have 1 more FTT code to go and then on to apply for an extension - now I have to have the SS and PERS statements again?   Here I was under an assumption again that I just needed a FTT transfer code to prove I am getting funds from a foreign source deposited into my Thai bank account. Now it sounds like we may be subject to "investigation" of our actual source of income. In your handy list of requirements for an extension based on marriage, I never saw a requirement like this. Did I miss something again?

4 hours ago, herwin1234 said:

bc people still can have the virus without symptons for up to two weeks if i am correct.

To end the emergency too soon would be very foolish with giving a second outbreak a change.

You realize there has been more than 1, zero case, 14 day virus cycle in the majority of provinces? Perhaps a more logical approach would be to isolate the high-risk group (which is a tiny % of the Thai population) instead of destroying the economy, and prolonging the agony of not building herd immunity. The infection rate for the 69,430,000 Thai population is 0.004 percent. If there is no herd immunity acquired by the "not at risk" majority of the population, then yes, there could be a "2nd Wave". There is also the possibility that no vaccine will be developed...there is not one for SARS covid and many other lethal viruses, and "science" has never "eradicated" a virus. Either a vaccine or an infection/recovery, gave immunity.  An aside comment to "Tropicalevo".  I would wonder why 1000 returnees were not tested, given the simplicity of that solution.

3 hours ago, JCP108 said:

But, there wasn't a first wave, was there? Did I miss it?

 

Also, what does this mean? Confused.

 

"a misunderstanding has been identified concerning television program production that could be limited to five people in total"

 

Does that mean that if I produce a television show in my apartment, I can only include four people other than myself in the project? 

When you have (as in Chiang Mai) 2 complete 14 day quarantine cycles, with NO new infections, I do wonder where the "virus" could be hiding?  For a "pandemic" , this is historically the best one ever - You get all the drama, panic and still have an infection rate of less than 1% and a survival rate of 99.4%.  So worrying about a "second wave, seems like an anti-climax.

Probably one of the least likely places to catch the virus is the beach. The other is your own room....alone.

We are not any more likely to "catch the virus" in a mall as anywhere else we shop. This is a bad idea. Just open the malls - especially in provinces where there haven't been any cases for 14 or more days!  Chiang Mai - 23 days NO cases.

On 5/3/2020 at 11:53 PM, Bill97 said:

Look again.  I see restaurants open.  I was even in two.

 

What is going on?  You have started a thread based on false information.  
 

Sad sad sad.

I read a post about 2 malls opening in Bangkok...are there any opening in Chiang Mai?

What emergency? Are the hospitals OVERWHELMED?  No. Are the number of cases going down? Yes. Is there a significant risk to 85% of Thailand's population? No. What is the emergency?

On 4/17/2020 at 2:42 PM, natway09 said:

If you get sick with the virus you cannot hide it from the authorities (unless you curl up & die)

& would need medical attention.

I do not see (at this stage) that massive testing is going to make any difference

By now with the 2 massive exoduses of workers from Bangkok  (first one 18 & 19 March) the figures would be showing a rise in cases. Maybe they just managed to get out in time before being infected.

What ever the reason, these figures give rise to some hope of leading a normal life in 3 months

My biggest concern now is the reopening of International travellers coming in to the country 

retriggering another wave

Anyone that got sick enough to go to the hospital would be tested. Anyone sick at home, but got better quickly wouldn't necessarily be tested. Anyone dying at home (under suspicious circumstances) would more than likely be checked for the presence of the virus or antibodies. This (IMO) is a much more accurate representation than to assume that there are many unreported cases in these provinces. Logically, if there were lots of unreported cases, the virus would be spreading, and after 14 days, most people will be virus free if they developed no symptoms to indicate otherwise.  "Travelers" from othere countries would naturally be the easiest to monitor for the virus - as they are in controlled situations on embarking and then arriving in Thailand. 

If you send me money, I will provide sweaters.

[ 2 or 3 months of proof of my 65,000+ pension income from abroad into a Thai Bank would be sufficient.]

I had the same problem; first time applying for the marriage extension, the IO said " Just get 3 months bank statement of the correct amount and then come back....when I went back, different story; now it's 12 months statements. Might be a good thing to start recording conversations, as it's impossible to prove any verbal information.  And I'll harp on a different subject again....The "requirement" that funds come from abroad is spurious because if you have an ATM card from the USA, it can only draw from an foreign source. So the requirement must be for some other, unknown reasoning process. For me, the amount is not/wasn't the problem, just a more expensive irritation.

I fence epee and foil regularly with mostly Thai fencers. Some falangs attend too.  Many tournament opportunities as well.