Kaoboi Bebobp

Footnote: My usual taxi service never replied to my two emails in 24 hours. So, I took the noon Ekamai bus. Bought two seats, one for my bag. All but three seats occupied. Air con worked well. A pretty quiet trip. Took two and a half hours; traffic was very light, really.

Reports of full buses from nightfox and champers have convinced me to go for the taxi.

Plus, I just read Phuket have confirmed five cases of Omicron on arriving visitors from four different origins. They touched down several days ago, enough time to do the genome sequencing. 

Thanks all. 

27 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

about a year ago they had every second seat unused, 2 months ago back to normal, now I'm guessing it's the same, but it's AC and feels well ventilated vs a mini bus which is bad

Good point, the buses are usually heavily air conditioned. The minivan I was thrust into on my return to Thailand and trip to the SHA+ hotel in early November was awful and I was alone with the driver!  

For those who have taken the Bangkok-Pattaya bus recently: Is the company limiting the number of passengers in keeping with social distance guidelines?

I might book a taxi, as I don't care about the cost. But living in Phra Khanong, as I do, it is very easy to get to Ekamai bus station. And from the Pattaya terminal, it's a quick moto ride down Soi Yume to where I will stay, near Big C Extra.

By the way, there's nothing on the bus company site about this, just that staff are double-vaccinated.

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I saw that language on DTAC website in EN.

 

But when I looked at the AIS website, it's EN version didn't seem to have that same limitation in terms of only being open to prior Bang Sue shot recipients.

 

It would be great if someone can clarify whether in fact the actual registration system for boosters is or is not requiring the prior shots to have been at Bang Sue.

 

I posted this above. I got an appointment QR last evening despite being double-jabbed at Phyathai 2 and never having been to Bang Sue. As well, note there are two other inoculation sites to choose from -- Asiatique and Fashion Island -- aside from Bang Sue. 

20 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

AIS registration is not working.

 

 

I tested it minutes ago and got through to the AIS site. But didn't go any further. 

Used this: https://www.ais.th/vaccinesforthais/

I see the first thing you have to do is input your mobile number (AIS) and wait for an OTP. Maybe it's checking to see if you are an AIS customer?

Information from different mobile companies and media sources, is contradictory on the Bang Sue connection. I figure you do not have to have had one shot at Bang Sue. Evidence below:

Six hours after applying yesterday afternoon, I got my appointment QR code last evening, for Jan 18, via my DTAC app, even though I never got a shot at Bang Sue. Got both AZs at Phyathai 2 Hospital. 

Also:

Quote

People who fulfill these criteria and had their second shot at the Central Vaccination Center in Bang Sue will automatically receive an appointment via SMS.

It's just saying people previously registered at Bang Sue will get an SMS to book. 

All this thread chatter caused me to look at my Mor Promt app. Lo and behold, all the front page buttons are now in English as well as on other functions. Holding up another phone to read and freeze the translation just wasn't working for me.

Then and there I filed for my vax certificate QR code. 

Many thanks to @Scouse123 and other folks! 

I watched several videos to get the measure of the new Pattaya hotspot, Tree Town (no thanks) and Soi Buakhao. But many commenters, about 50 to a 100 per YouTube video, were sitting in their home countries getting all excited over the visible beer and babes and ready to pull the trigger on a return to Thailand, Pattaya in particular. So January could see a noticeable uptick in the WFI: White Face Index. 

^^^ Correct, sir. I've received OTPs in Canada. When putting the Thai SIM into your phone, your phone will auto connect to a local provider with a partner agreement. It sometimes takes a couple of minutes to do all the electronic handshaking. Oh, and not all local providers may link to your SIM. You may have to go to the cellular settings and select another local provider.

My tip-off the connect works is when I receive a roaming SMS from DTAC.  My Kbank OTPs come surprisingly quick after I initiate a transaction.

There is just one small step toward having to have pension statements for the retirement extension translated into Thai. (Yes, the Canadian embassy does notarize federal pension and company pension statements. For now!)  So the question is, is this a requirement for all immigration districts?

UK is recommending boosters 10-12 weeks out from the second primary jab. The mRNA shots are proving to be very effective as booster shots, measured by antibody and T-cell levels, according to a new study.

Quote

LONDON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and Moderna (MRNA.O) that use mRNA technology provide the biggest boost to antibody levels when given 10-12 weeks after the second dose, a British study published on Thursday has found.

The "COV-Boost" study was cited by British officials when they announced that Pfizer and Moderna were preferred for use in the country's booster campaign, but the data has only been made publicly available now. read more

The study found that six out of the seven boosters examined enhanced immunity after initial vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine, while all seven increased immunity when given after two doses of AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) vaccine.

UK study finds mRNA COVID-19 vaccines provide biggest booster impact

Quote

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being used in the UK as boosters give the best overall boost response, according to a UK trial of seven different jabs.

The trial is the first study of how well Covid booster jabs work and justifies the UK's early decision to use these two vaccines for boosters.
All the vaccines tested raised immunity against Covid to some degree.
Researchers said there were promising signs the boosters would still protect against illness and death from Omicron.
To make vaccine supplies go further, even a half dose of Pfizer could be used to boost populations, they added.
The trial results are thought to have prompted the UK to order an extra 114 million doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be rolled out over the next two years.
Boosters can cut the risk of infection by more than 93%. All adults aged over 18 in the UK are being offered a booster jab - usually either Pfizer or Moderna - while scientists find out more about the Omicron variant.

 

Covid: Pfizer and Moderna jabs give best overall boost, UK trial finds

Lots of hospitals will do it. I got a count -- 4 weeks after my first shot -- at MedPark on Rama 4. It was 1500 baht, immediately discounted to 1200 baht but that was in mid-August. 

I've considered returning to live in Cambodia but I'd definitely want to test the waters. Last time I was there was pre-COVID in early 2019. Had great time. Watched a number of recent videos and I barely recognize anything. Saw lots of Chinese structures and signs on buildings. Will see in the new year how things look. Mostly, though, I'm more inclined to moving back to Viet Nam. However, the visa situation is not good.

3 hours ago, VincentRJ said:

Maybe it's you have simply been unlucky. ????

 

I can understand that those who walk around whilst gazing at their iPhone, unaware of what's happening in their immediate vicinity, might be more vulnerable to snatch and grab theft.

 

To quote from the article:

"Expats, especially foreign businessmen, generally agree that Cambodia is a safe place for them."
“I have been living in Cambodia for more than five years. And I feel safe enough. This is my experience. I’ve never had any problems with police or local authorities. And yes, my phone was stolen twice. Nothing else,” Russian businessman Sergey Sidenko said."

 

 

Seriously? I've never had a phone stolen in Thailand. But I've had two attempts in Phnom Penh. And here's a Russian who has had TWO phones stolen. You see this as safe? Good bloody grief. Businessmen are often in a taxi or hired car with a driver (sometimes an off-duty cop). So yeah, the foreigners might see things as safe. The overall story is total BS.

I plugged in the search words "bag snatch" in the Cambodia Expats Online forum. I got 35 pages of results. As Sheryl said, you got lucky, very lucky. Tons of stories on the Phnom Penh expat pages on FB, which I've been reading for years. Almost seems like everyone has a story of having had their bag or phone snatched while in a tuktuk or walking on the street or at outdoor table. The road from the airport is the worst snatch and run route. Plus, many people have had their apartments broken into, with phone, laptops, passports stolen.

A good friend of mine, who's lived in Phnom Penh for many years but is back in England now, had a gun pulled on her and was robbed of her bag on, I believe, Sihanouk Blvd. around St. 51  or on Mao Tse Tung. 

Then there are the Riverside pickpockets and Filipino scam artists. 

I 

@Sheryl From a Reuters interview yesterday with Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chair of the South African Medical Association who is also a practising physician:

Quote

Coetzee said a patient on Nov. 18 reported at her clinic being "extremely fatigued" for two days with body aches and headache.

 

"Symptoms at that stage was very much related to normal viral infection. And because we haven't seen COVID-19 for the past eight to 10 weeks, we decided to test," she said, adding that the patient and his family turned out to be positive.

 

On the same day, more patients came in with similar symptoms, which was when she realised there was "something else going on." Since then, she's seen two to three patients a day.

Quote

Coetzee, who is also on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Vaccines, said unlike the Delta so far patients have not reported loss of smell or taste and there has been no major drop in oxygen levels with the new variant.

 

Her experience so far has been that the variant is affecting people who are 40 or younger. Almost half of the patients with Omicron symptoms that she treated were not vaccinated.

 

"The most predominant clinical complaint is severe fatigue for one or two days. With them, the headache and the body aches and pain."

More at news link:

S.African doctor says patients with Omicron variant have "very mild" symptoms

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Don't hold your phone while standing near a road either.

A passing m/c will try and snatch it.

Yup. Almost 10 years ago it happened to me on St. 154. However, I (deliberately) had a strong grip on the phone and was able to thwart the grab-and-go. I was on a bit of an emergency call and not enough time to pull away from the sidewalk. They were fast to spot me and my phone. Those were the Nokia days.

But yeah, Cambodia safer than Thailand? What utter trash. 

14 minutes ago, Tim16 said:

I have DTAC Thai number and Kasikorn banking -

at one time I could get OTP (one time password) using my phone in the UK- that no longer works. Is there a way of getting the OTP?

I can do most of the banking on line , but some transactions require a OTP.

I had no problem in Canada this past October getting an OTP from Kbank via my DTAC phone. I had the DTAC SIM in a separate iPhone so it was always in roaming mode. But, at first, I had to select between my local providers (4 options) to get it to connect with Thailand. Had to enter Settings, then jumping to the cellular services selector. First and second providers would not connect with DTAC in Thailand. The third one worked.  I knew it worked because DTAC sent me some SMSes, welcoming me to roaming. LOL. I did 2 transactions with OTPs at different times.

Ahem. Then shut down again two days later.

Quote

Two days after allowing bars, clubs, massage and karaoke parlors to reopen, HCMC on Thursday ordered them to close down amid complex Covid-19 situations.

 

 In a document issued Thursday by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, bars, dance clubs, spa, massage and karaoke parlours will be suspended until further notice.

HCMC shuts down bar, karaoke parlours two days after re-opening

I've been a very satisfied DTAC customer for 6-7 years. I wonder if DTAC has seen a business contraction the last 2 years and is projecting a further contraction due to a messed up economy and long trend line before the economy recovers.

Also 40 million tourists have disappeared, a population greater than in Canada, Australia or many Euro nations. And there are millions of Thais who barely have enough to eat. So Telenor maybe wants out of a compromised business situation. 

19 hours ago, Mentors65 said:

Day 6 of my return adventure:

I made the ATK Test - Negative.

I make a photo and now?

 

Get 0 instruction what to do at the end of my Fit & Go package.

Keep the photo for memories?

(Morchana app is not working, i 'dont have a TP QR Code, 'cause i came with CoE).

 

I store the ATK picture

 

 

I got the same complete lack of instructions for the ATK kit. I watched a video for my ATK kit model at the Ministry of Health web site. So after my negative result, I called my SHA+ hotel and asked them, what do I do. They said take a photo and send it to them. I did that. A while later I got a thank you email. Shrug . . . 

13 hours ago, Chicken Man said:

Open a second savings account, with no atm/debit card, at your bank to hold the bulk of your funds. It is free of charge and can be added to your mobile app. Keep only a smaller balance in your first account that you use for payments.

Exactly. This is what I have done for many years. I keep very little money in my savings account with an ATM card, or just move some over from the account with no ATM card, if I know I am going to hit the ATM or do an online payment like electricity. 

4 hours ago, mommysboy said:

Thailand might well learn a lesson from this.

 

Much better to wait until 80% plus are vaccinated though.

80.2% have been fully vaccinated in Cambodia, reports Reuters.

More good news: You can arrive on a Tourist visa and convert in-country to either an EB (business extension of stay) or ER (retirement EOS). Of course, there will be the EOS fee and the conversion fee, which I figured out to be roughly 13,000 to 15,000 baht in total based on a post from last spring: $270-$300 for EOS and $150 for conversion fee.

This was reported, several hours ago, by the visa expert/Admin on the Cambodia Visa and Work Permit FB page: 

Quote

The DoI [Dept. of Labour] are going to allow travellers who enter the country on a T-type (Tourist) Visa or e-Visa (online Tourist Visa) issued in 2021 to apply for an EB (Business) or ER (Retirement) Extension of Stay (EOS) without the need to leave the country.
Applications must be made via a Visa Agency, and yes, there is an additional fee on top of the regular EOS & service fee for this privilege.
Contact your preferred Visa Agent for further details.
How long this will last for is anyone's guess, so take advantage of it while you can.