geisha

Not Thailand but Laos. Many years ago, I left  Vientiane on the bus going North. The bus was full, except the seat next to me. All Laotiennes , except 3 US guys in the back seat. Anyhow, after’15 mins, the bus stopped, a Lao stepped up, had a look around, me, very naive, put up my hand to indicate there was a free seat next to me. As he sat down next to me with his AK 47 , I sort of shut up and looked out the window a good while.

A while later we stopped for drinks and wc, I got out too, the three Americans absolutely hilarious outside. Apparently the look on my face as the guy with the gun sat down next to me was a picture. Anyhow, found it he was a guard for the bus as the countryside we were driving through was still dangerous back then. 

Years ago on Kata beach there were a lovely retired Lufthansa couple who got so fed up of being stung, they bought dive suits to swim in. Everyone laughed but they were the only ones who never got stung.

Great read.

Mostly ignorant, dirty rogues. The lady drivers seem better.

As we are Saturday, you could call the hospital in Khorat , or your local hospital , or a  Doctor , or get a Thai person to call your specialist for you. 

21 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Welcome to the New China. Thailand!

Thailand should be very careful. All over the news today is an new outbreak of coronavirus in the main Beijing market which supplies meat and vegetables, there are 4000 tenants. The police have closed down the market and all surrounding areas are in lockdown.

31 minutes ago, geisha said:

All over the news, new outbreak of coronavirus in Beijing market, they’ve closed it down. Xinfadi market has 4000 tenants! 

There are now 11  districts  in lockdown. 

All over the news, new outbreak of coronavirus in Beijing market, they’ve closed it down. Xinfadi market has 4000 tenants! 

My trip is an expensive one ! You said rich, so for me , a slow trip around the world, stopping off where I like, and for how long I like. A dream. Details , New Zealand, Polynesia, an African safari, Egypt, over to South America Argentina, Bolivia, and Finnish up in the US. Too much to see. 

On 6/10/2020 at 6:15 AM, Matzzon said:

Ops! Now we start with the scared of Chinese people story??? What´s next? Is it because the virus emerged from that country?

Forget it! The virus have been spreading all over the world by now. This is like saying it is to risky to let anybody in to the country. 

Actually, looking at reality. China already had it´s peak and have quite good control of the virus and it´s spread by now. 

 

Far better than USA, UK and Africa as well as South and Latin America and some of the European countries.

A lot of people are angry with the Chinese. I hear it everywhere, online, live ,tv.  They were  not very welcome before the Covid 19. I know numerous restaurants that refuse their trade. I had a Chinese tourists as neighbors this last February.  Not a nice experience especially with the virus . They were  loud, kept their doors open, so I left for Koh Chang for the rest of my stay.  

More and more people do not want to rent out their properties, and who can blame them ? There’s a program on British TV, makes me sick to see what people can do or how they live. I knew a lovely girl , dressed like a top model , intelligent too. Her place was a tip. 

The government is finally waking up to the explosion of jobless ! Dark days are coming for the out of work with no help from their government ! 
So not surprising that the labour dépt will do everything they can to make it easy for these poor souls to find work abroad. 

I use the local airport or port weather report when I can. 

Hi, why not send your wife and child back on repatriation flights ? Get your wife to arrange everything with the Thai Embassy .You can join them later, but it will be on charter flight which will cost more than before due to to the shutdown. I saw Economy Emirates 950€ .  I think they ( wife and son) have to spend 14 days in quarantine. If you fly after July, maybe the quarantine rule will be dropped, but, you will need a health certificate to prove you have no Covid 19, and a 100 000$ health insurance covering Covid 19. End of June will have more up to date correct rules announced. Probably you are better riding it out till then. 

The Thais can say what they want. Every country that has a tourist trade will be badly hit this year. Next year will be better in Europe as the people out of work get decent benefits/help. Not sure about Asian countries as there is now huge poverty. One thing is sure, holiday makers will not be throwing their money around. 

On 6/2/2020 at 3:34 PM, Nokkeaw said:

I read that article already but what I wonder is if this rules will still apply after July 1st

I think maybe they’ll drop the 14 days quarantine after July 1 st but are likely to keep the Insurance and health certificate. Anyway, we will know nothing for sure until July.

It’s still a mystery how Thailand escaped the pandemic. Compared to neighboring countries such as Malaysia , Singapore, Hong Kong etc , a 60 death count and 3000 infected is extremely low. Especially as the authorities did nothing to stop a pandemic happening, keeping the borders with China open at the most dangerous time. I remember panicking when I saw how many Chinese tourists there were in Pattaya and Bangkok up till late February. That’s when I went home to France. 
Amazing  Thailand . 

So a lot of you think that Pattaya , as it is today , can only exist and thrive because of the sex trade ?? Think again. 

No one can deny that Pattaya is a dirty ugly traffic over-run  city. All it needs is redoing the roads, nice wide pavements , good lighting, hide those monstrous wires and a total ban on car parking . Total. No buses, motorbikes nothing. Tree lined avenues. A police presence for ambulances  and emergency.
 This would  be cheap to carry out , would change the sleazy  look immediately without changing the businesses run there. Whole cities like this have been changed all over the world. Simple, and looks nice.

I imagine it’s going to be very complicated to get a visa , the health tests and the travel insurance required in the future. Especially if they stop/ put on hold , the free 30 days on arrival , which is valid for many western countries.

So if all the money Thailand has is in central bank reserves, does this mean it  cannot  help the declining economy ? And what happens if millions of workers loose their incomes ?

If I was looking to invest or open a factory in Thailand, I would take one look at the streets, the buildings and the general work force and go elsewhere.