brewsterbudgen

How about the under-16s?

A national newspaper is reporting a suggestion for a limited opening for dine-in restaurants - for fully vaccinated customers! How will that work?

I thought there was a VFS office in Chiang Mai now?

The media.

Australia seems to be trying to out-extreme its neighbour! Shooting ex-rescue dogs to stop people travelling to pick them up for adoption. Unbelievable. Didn't Australia use to be a civilised country? https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-rescue-dogs-shot-dead-in-australia-over-coronavirus-restrictions-12388537

They seem to drag out a doctor for provocative comments every day! This is just today's example. Tomorrow there'll be another, with a completely different prediction!

Before the year's end? Is that for reopening everything, or just for unrestricted tourism? I truly hope most sectors of the economy will be able to reopen long before the end of December!

Well it is down to what the government's Covid committee thinks that matters, and by the sound of it, they're moving in one particular direction (thankfully, as far as I'm concerned). I do agree about reopening for tourism, though. Maybe some more "sandboxes", but reopening the day-to-day economy (workplaces, restaurants, shops, schools) is far more important and needs to happen soon.

You're right, I over-estimated it. Well done, for getting in just in time! https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/sep/14/uk-passports-could-lose-up-to-nine-months-validity-after-rule-change

So you think the lockdown will (or should) continue for up to a year - and be harder??

About 5 years ago.

I think everyone accepts that the figures are at best flawed and, more likely, as you say, nonsense! Where we disagree (I think) is what to do about it. We're certainly not in a position to influence the government or to get hold of accurate figures, which will still be disputed. Either way, in my opinion, nonsense figures or not, it's time to start opening up (slowly!) for the sake of the economy and people's sanity!

I know one who's had 4, or will have had when he's had his 2nd Pfizer.

I'm not sure it matters. No one believes any of the figures anyway.

And that should be your choice. But it's likely to be a long way off. Have the UK started vaccinating under-18s yet?

If the news only reported facts, there would be no news!

There does seem to be a change of strategy in the air. It seems inevitable that the current lockdown will be relaxed. But by how much?

Some good news (if true). Let's hope schools are included.

Surely if that was going to happen ("Any pressure on the Thai health care system and BKK will be shutdown in an instant") it would have happened by now. The Thai health system has had its problems, but has coped reasonably well with the worst of it.

A Thai bank statement that shows your name and address in English is fine. When you submit the application at the HMPO office at VFS, The Trendy, they check everything and are very helpful.

And if that never happens?

"He said that without a continuing hard lockdown with all its rules the current numbers - or worse - will be running to the end of October or even later in the year." A hard lockdown? Is that what we have now?

Let's hope so!

Absolutely. Covid and future variants will be around for the foreseeable future.

At last, it really does look we are over the peak. But how long before there can be some (gentle!) relaxation of the partial lockdown - September? At least start with re-opening parks and pools, hairdressers and allowing some 'distanced' dining-in for restaurants.