mfd101

If it is, I don't think the problem is likely to be at the MFA end of things ...

Yes, though that's not how the hysterics understand it. It's safety that keeps them awake at night.

You and thousands of others who have registered. And millions and millions of Thais. Be patient. The Thais working on this are no doubt overwhelmed with the complexity of numbers, locations and limited vaccines to spread around the whole countryside. Their task is enormous. And the help they get from the political leadership of this fair nation amounts to 20x nothing.

Testing the wind. Bad reaction? OK, shelve for the moment ...

Good for you. Was it a Pfizer?

And in particular none for anyone living outside the sacred centre of the universe.

You could try looking it up in a decent dictionary.

The World Bank estimated several years ago that 30%-50% of all government expenditure in Thailand disappeared on 'graft'. Watching the process around here of getting rural roads de-potholed, I can well understand their optimism.

At least he's trying. Which, in this country, takes some courage.

That sounds hopeful.

Silence = No (I guess). Nothing happening out in Isaan as far as I can tell, from the expatvac registration. I'm still waiting for an email or SMS at any rate (Prasat, Surin). In Thailand patience is a necessity as well as a virtue.

Just a note for people on Moderna: There are 2 kinds of Moderna vax - the current one developed for the original virus; and a new one developed as defence against all the recent variants. Australia has just ordered 10 million of the former for Sep-Dec, and 15 million of the latter for delivery next Jan to be used mostly as booster.

Mmmmm, so did I. Mmmmm.

Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration to put it mildly. And a pointless generalization to boot. Those who complain about how expensive Oz is are those who live on low or lowish fixed incomes. But the average income in Oz now is US63000 nominal, US55000 PPP. Which is not to be sneezed at.

I wonder if she has an equally beautiful young boyfriend. If so, I could offer him a free room here in Prasat.

Patience, Dear Boy, patience. Just wait, like the peasants. They're used to it. And, if you live in rural Thailand, you can be too. Your turn will come.

Oh no! How appalling!

Well the Kiwis are doing well because they're small and far far away, and the only threat they perceive (even in non-pandemic times!) comes from Oz. As to Oz, they're struggling with undisciplined youthful behaviours in Sinnee & Melbin. And as to the benevolence & warm feelings of the Beijing regime, the least said the better.

I'm still feeling confident here at the end of the road at the edge of the jungle ... I'm checking my emails only about 20 times a day, and my b/f's mobile for SMS only about 10 times a day. Expecting the call at any moment.

Thailand and many Western countries: used to individual & group self-indulgence, leads to lack of self-discipline, leads to loss of control of pandemic ... Chinese authoritarianism: used to self-discipline both individually and at group levels, leads to ease of social/political control and watch out if you step out of line.

God couldn't wait.

Two points for those who can think: - Governments everywhere in the world attempt to pass different messages to different audiences. And particularly so when panic & hysteria make everything that moves politically sensitive. No surprise then that the Thai government spokesperson talks in Thai to Thai people about the wonders of Pfizer without mentioning Falangs; - So people are to get what they ordered when they ordered it, and not what they prefer. Does it occur to those screaming down the line that the logistics of getting vaccines out to millions of people all over the country are already hugely complicated by time, transport & storage constraints without the end-users having the option to chop 'n change. The people doing this job - scores of thousands of them - are under massive pressure from start to finish of the whole process, just as in every other country in the world. Get real! Remember to say Thank You when you receive your dose.

Oh dear, oh dear! No Pfizer! Whatever shall I do when it arrives in Surin? I think I'll just prefer to die of the plague. So sad.

Canberra

I retired at 55 in 2004. A senior Canberra bureaucrat on high salary. Now I live here in rural Thailand in a large mansion my b/f & I built, good superannuation though not riches (except by Khmer peasant standards). I have all my books. I love my b/f and all his large extended family. Sometimes they make me want to scream but that's life. The pandemic hasn't made any difference to our daily lives - me in my library all day, b/f at the farm 40 km away. The only difference is no travel for almost 2 years. No sweat. Something to look forward to. Would I ever return to Oz to live? No. Been there done that. I can barely bother to visit. My friends come here and I show them things they've never seen before. Life is not perfect but I'm very happy here and with the choices I've made.