Spilornis

Sounds positive.

Singapore has said it will consider removing all testing for the vaccinated in the next few weeks and has already removed insurance requirements and outside masks.

Malaysia is removing quarantine for close contacts who are asymptomatic and is considering removing check in apps

After a long time the region is slowly re-opening.

May could be a big month in this regard

One never knows.

The Bali nightclub bombings saw Bali tourism plummet for a year or more but when it returned it was in even higher numbers and from new sources.

As a data point South Korea with a population of 51M and high % of 16+ triple jabbed had a daily case rate today of

362,328 !

Korea is very mask and rule compliant

Australia with a population of 26M had a case rate of 55,362

In the latest Singapore round of relaxation they say that the near term goal is to remove all testing and rely upon vaccination status.

In many countries masks are gone and now the question revolves around the definition and isolation (if any) of close contacts.

The West is simply moving on. The next big thing will be the removal of pre flight testing for entry into USA.

Bali has re-opened but their conditions are such that tourist numbers will be very low.

At the very least it's time to remove the outdoor mask mandate throughout Asia

Singapore moving to pre flight PCR and a self administered rapid test on arrival for most arrivals. (VTL countries) Takes affect on Tuesday next.

Could lead to other South East Asian countries doing the same.

While not perfect it's a far less cumbersome system but even better with no VTL restrictions (just a few restricted countries if absolutely necessary)

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/vaccinated-travellers-to-singapore-from-low-risk-and-vtl-areas-can-take-non-supervised-art

In the rush to mass vaccination most governments failed to put enough effort into a structured plan to vaccinate the most vulnerable. Everything was driven by the individual registering etc when for the vulnerable it should have been the govt reaching out.

If we learn anything from this pandemic it is hopefully how governments can become better at pro-actively delivering health services

59 minutes ago, victor15 said:

If you return to live in the UK permanently, (this includes the Philippines) your State Pension will be increased to current levels. If you subsequently move to a country where annual increases are not paid your pension will not increase in the future.

 

So if you leave Thailand for the Philippines you will receive the updated pension straight away, stay there for a 6 month 3 day holiday and then return to Thailand you will keep the updated pension, but not future increases.

 

Do this every few years and your laughing

Seems easy but how do you demonstrate an intention to live in the pension friendly country without severing ties with Thailand.

With the UK price increases over the last year the coming index amount (bearing in mind it compounds over the years) could be substantial

Putting politics to one side China's great wall has been very successful at allowing the growth of home grown tech businesses... Wechat, Huawei etc

Compare that to India where the market is dominated by Western tech.

I think it's Saudi Arabia where Whatsapp is banned in order to protect local telcos.

Thailand by itself doesn't have the population to deliver the necessary scale but perhaps if they teamed with Indonesia and Vietnam etc these countries between them could develop a high quality indigenous tech sector.

Probably too late in the tech cycle but you have to wonder... what if ??

5 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

The new measure means that most arrivals not under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme will face a seven-day isolation requirement, regardless of which country they are from.

Most flights into Singapore are VTL.

No demand for non VTL flights other than on transit routes where the concept is irrelevant.

Singapore loves rules but in this instance they're more relaxed than Thailand

Singapore is going down to one rapid test on arrival for vaccinated travellers from 21 Feb.

No quarantine

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/askst-what-are-the-latest-land-sea-and-air-border-measures-do-i-still-need-to-take-covid-19-pcr-tests-to-travel

11 minutes ago, superal said:

I have since returned to Thailand beginning of January this year and took a chance with a budget airline named Scoot Air who are owned by Singapore Air .

Thanks

didn't know they were flying to London.

I see the route is Singapore-Bkk- Gatwick

Excellent time to fly (all day time route).

Have flown Scoot long distance on multiple occasions and at the price they're great value

Visas limit you in European countries. Portugal and Greece probably offer the easiest visas (minimum property investment required).

Central America seems to be very popular for retiring Americans with relatively easy visas in many countries eg Panama. Also offers you the ability to rent for a few years before buying.

Singapore IS the Asian Grand Prix. It's the one where networking and business are done.

The Malaysian GP never stood a chance once Singapore started up.

Would Hanoi have worked? Maybe if embraced by Chinese business.

Recorded covid deaths worldwide are 5.66M against cases of 373M

That figure is around 1.5%

This is from day 1

In recent times it appears to be dropping to well under 1% and approaching 0.5%

Source: Google search

Some of the original mortality rate estimates were nearly 4%

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-rate/

It's not to be ignored but at less than 0.5% it's certainly not worth closing down the world over.

Add to that the Pfizer and Merck drugs etc which are now just starting to be used for the vulnerable and the picture gets better.

On the basis of overseas experience where testing is at reasonable levels Thailand can expect around 200k cases a day for two weeks before Omicron trends down.

Suggestions of case levels at 10-20k per day have no basis.

16 hours ago, EricTh said:

Thai people have the obnoxious habit of writing things on bank-notes. They used it as some sort of convenient paper.

 

 

In India most places wont accept notes with anything handwritten on them. Not sure why.

Same problem if there is a little tear.

Easier to put them in the temple donation box than to try and pass them on.

The problem with most exotic meats, kangaroo, crocodile, venison etc which are both in ample supply and healthy eating is the lack of abattoirs. The modern abattoir is like a car production line and setting it up for a different animal is expensive.

Also animals are usually delivered live to the abattoir which is practically impossible for exotic animals.

In western countries the rules for pet food are less demanding so that's where a lot of it ends up.

Pity because they make great eating.

With easier "abattoir"rules in Asia no reason why farmed crocodile shouldn't form part of the local food chain.

In every country that tests widely there are community cases of Omicron.

Difficult to see how it would not also be present in most South East Asian communities including Thailand.

Pfizer today raised the possibility of a fourth jab about 10 months after the third.

2022 normality..... I have no idea anymore

15 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Most already on the 1 day stay list are around 5,000 to 6,900Baht for the package.

On the basis that a test usually costs around US$100 that's not bad value plus it includes transport from the airport.

Hopefully a lot of the near airport hotels take it up as well making it just that more convenient.

11 hours ago, james2m said:

https://www.tuneprotect.co.th/en/product/coronavirus-covid-19-insurance/ONCOVIDL

This worked for me and was about the cheapest I could find.

That policy is roughly four to five times the cost of a normal travel insurance policy. By comparison it offers very little coverage.

Was it really the cheapest as I have read on other forums that normal policies while not covering covid delays etc are now covering medical expenses incurred due to covid