Kaoboi Bebobp

2 hours ago, tlandtday said:

You can expect a store with grumpy frowning cashiers possibly a reflection of the management or ownership. 

Exactly. If they're stationary or resemble cardboard cutouts or they look upon customers as some physical disturbance that must be discouraged from asking a question and then booted out the door as swiftly as possible so they can resume their mindless chitchat, look to unsympathetic, high-pressure, punishing managers as the cause of an utter lack of customer engagement. There are no rewards for enhancing good customer experience. I believe the store is Thai-Chinese. 

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So now we'll all be refreshing our browsers daily for the "open" registration period every few seconds starting at 8 am instead of 9 am with likely the same nothing results. 

No, we're not being jerked around! Perish the thought!

We're likely also competing with foreign residents outside Bangkok, on top of dose slots going to hospital friends and relatives and hi-sos, and on top of that, a shortage of vaccines. And I now have to agree, foreigners are barely going to get a look in. Period. 

PS I just saw law ling's 100-a-day post. A spit in the ocean. So, yeah, not a bloody chance. Might as well throw in the towel.

The Foodland on Sukhumvit soi 16, Bangkok, mid-afternoon Saturday was near empty of customers and had full shelves -- a typical day. Couple of things missing but there were options. Too bad all the media have to spread the word "lockdown" everywhere. 

16 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

Regarding failing systems - Bumrungrad opened an online registration system for the Moderna Vaccine at 9:00 today.  all I ever got was a 404 error, never a registration.  Around 11:45, A notice was posted that said that registrations for the day were full.  I called a nurse in cardiology who said that, although I have been requesting a vaccination for many months, the only way to register was through the online site.  She advised me to try again tomorrow.  I don't know how many doses they have and whether I will be able to register on the obviously overcrowded website or not.  

Here's a link to the Thaiger story on that. I'm sorry to say, don't hold out any hopes. Another "crashing" failure.

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/bangkoks-bumrungrad-hospital-opens-registration-for-moderna-vaccine

The notice on the Intervac site does not say, registration is now open at Samitivej Hospital. Yet it is fully booked! Did anyone here immediately march to Samitivej, get in line and got an appointment? Did they turn away hospital non-registrants? Congratulations to those who got on the inoculation list. 

Bottom line, what a freakin mess. 

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Samitejev is now FULLY BOOKED.

 

ThailandIntervac.com : The Office of International Cooperation, Department of Disease Control ,Ministry of Public Health Thailand

 

 

What?!?!?!? Thanks for the post. Insert colourful language here.

I was a regular shopper at Friendship. Compared to Foodland and Villa, everything on my shopping list (a lot of basics) was cheaper on a regular basis, except, oddly enough, one thing: Kettle brand potato chips was 5 baht higher than anywhere else. Hardly a big deal. 

Can't really say I enjoyed shopping there. Staff were barely conscious. 

7 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I need to grab a picture of the one on Pattaya Klang, opposite the Mall with Big CX.....pedestrians forced out into traffic....

Yup, I know the one. Concrete pole and planter box forces anyone farang size to step out and mix with motos and SUVs. The pedestrian gap is about a shoe width. Even Thais step out into the street. I can't find the photo I took of this.

This is almost directly across the street where my friend was swallowed by a tippy access cover (posted on this above). You can't let your guard down for a second when walking anywhere in Thailand. Good business for hospitals though.

Same same

Bangkok

--Construction camps with high infection rates

--High infection rate clusters in a ring around the capital

--Secret enclosed VIP clubs spread virus

--Police conduct many raids, netting hundreds in unsafe gatherings

--Central government under-delivers vaccines

--Thousands of visitors, including from Pattaya, throng Bangkok 

Pattaya

--Construction camps with high infection rates

--High infection rate clusters in a ring outside the city

--Secret enclosed bars harbour positive cases

--Police conduct many raids, netting hundreds in unsafe gatherings

--Central government under-delivers vaccines

--Thousands of visitors, including from Bangkok, throng Pattaya

Or, put another way:

Same s[]it, different city

You guys who had successful vaccinations, did it seem like they were still catching up to all the delayed appointments due to lack of vaccines? 

Here it is, almost two weeks now and the Intervac site shows bloody nothing, still only with the Report Bugs button. 

I have a bad feeling about this. No news on AZ deliveries from the factory. When some are delivered, I think it's going to be stop/start for many weeks. My crystal ball says I'm not going to get a slot until August at the earliest now.

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

The "chang"  who did the installation claimed that it would not work well set below 21-22, anyone have any insight into why that would be so? (not that he is a reliable source of any info). Because it is not getting the air as cold as I want it I have it on maximum (that little "powerful" icon). Hard tio imagine that a higher temp setting would cool better...?

I've heard this, too. Could not really nail an exact technical reason down except for the 11C temp drop from the notes below.

I checked a number of a/c operation sites. Every one recommends settings of 22-24C. One in particular notes that a/c units are usually factory set up to drop the inside temp up to 11 Celsius degrees below the outdoor temp. But can't do much to take the temp below about 22, apparently. Here are three links:

The 11C rule

https://fordanddoonan.com.au/the-best-way-to-run-your-air-conditioner-in-summer/

Here's a site with much general info:

https://www.colonyac.com/webapp/p/587/top-14-things-you-should-know-about-your-ac

Last: Nearly every hotel room I've ever entered, the a/c remote is set for 18C. I always pump it up to 25 or 26. Always seems to cool the room efficiently. At home, mine is set for around 26-27, depending on outside heat sources. 

2 hours ago, kingkenny said:

I got my AZ jab at Phayathai 2 on Friday via the intervac website, it was a quick and painless process. No proof of illnesses requested, they just took passport and cross referenced the number with their appointment schedule, then onto the first desk where some questions were asked re address etc, you then add your height and weight to the form and tick some boxes re previous or current illnesses, the blood pressure test, and then the jab, all told 20 minutes from start to finish followed by half an hour in observation room before being sent away with my next jab appointment for September.

 

Thankfully no side effects.

 

Edited to add my confirmation email came late on the Thursday, 15.49.  

Also one guy there was trying to change from AZ to Astra Zenica but was refused as the batch numbers were exact for the booking, you will get whatever you selected on the website.

What is the number of weeks between doses? Just want to see if they have officially reduced the gap from 16 weeks to 10-12 weeks. Thanks.  

@La Quenta four posts above, is absolutely correct. But the clean-out has been going on for at least 4-5 years.  It used to be easy to buy a 1-year "business" visa for about $350. Then they slapped a six-month limit on "business" visas and charged the same as a 1-year. Then it became harder and harder till you could only get a 3-month visa from an agent inside the country. I experienced this, as did others.

Then in November, 2019, the legislative assembly passed multiple amendments to the immigration law, to become effective July 1, 2020. Well before this move and after that, long-stayers were being culled. Many reports of people arriving back in VN and having their "business" visas revoked on the spot, fined and sent packing -- this is where the exit visa started appearing.  There were multiple video and expat forum reports. Those in the know started warning people they were taking a big risk buying "business" visas that were hooked up with agents' ghost companies.

With the amendments, Tourist visas were left at 90 days but you had to get a new residence stamp every 30 days. (Of course, none has been sold in a long time due to the pandemic.) At day 90, you had to leave. The stated reason was to end the transient English teachers and many others who were working without a business visa or work permit. Don't just think westerners. Chinese and Koreans were also targeted. 

Now they've upped the enforcement. There are multiple YouTube video reports of people being denied extensions even with work permits. At least two of the vids say "thousands" are being denied and deported. Others state hundreds have been denied. Either way it's a deliberate move by the authorities. 

As La Quenta says: 

Quote

Your take-away from this is that living in Vietnam as a retiree, digital nomad or long-term traveller is until further notice totally unviable. 

Does Jomtien beach road become an aquarium?  Say from sois 1 through 6? How about Jomtien Second Road? Thinking of the downhill runoff from Thapphraya. 

I've never lived in Jomtien but thinking about it. I spent many years behind Big C Extra on Klang. Never a flood there but am a bit tired of the area. 

Cheers

1 hour ago, Misty said:

 

Can anyone confirm that the UN in Bangkok is now planning to vaccinate (or is in the process of vaccinating) its own personnel, outside of any Thai nationwide program?  The reason I ask is that the announced UN policy is (my italics):

 

"In duty stations where vaccination through the national programme may not be possible, the Department of Operational Support (DOS) is working to ensure alternative arrangements are put in place for UN personnel and their eligible dependentsvia the UN System-wide COVID-19 Vaccination Programme."   https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/coronavirus_vaccinefaq.pdf

 

 

 

 

Vaccinations of UN staff and family members -- total 7,000 in BKK -- has already got underway. A friend works there and had his first Sinovac shot in the last couple of weeks at a hospital. He plans to go to China at some point and you must have a Chinese vaccine to enter.

14 minutes ago, Thomas J said:

You are right at least about the lack of testing.  The population of the world is becoming a trial test for all of these vaccines.  Regarding the side effects, I don't know.  Most medicine has some side effects.  I don't know if the severity or number of vaccine deaths and serious side effects is any more than other vaccines.  I guess you have to pick your poison.  Get Covid and live with the consequences or get the jab and live with those.  One thing is true, without the proof you have taken the vaccine, travel will be nearly impossible. 

And more benefits. If I get an AZ shot in mid-July, and second one 10 weeks later at the end of September, I can enter Canada in October. I have to get a PCR test on arrival then I self-isolate for a day or two until a negative result. No 14-day quarantine for me and then I'm free as a bird. No further impediments -- other than an early winter.