ourmanflint

7 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Piped water is a very recent introduction into Thailand. There was no significant history of using copper, a very expensive material, so since the system is so recent Thailand went with the most cost effective material. 
That some PVC may leach substances into the supply is possible but any materials leached are far far less dangerous than the lead leached into the water supply in western countries.

Sorry for hijacking the thread but is PVC reliable? And comparable lifetime to copper?

Is there a reason plumbing in Thailand is not done with Copper?

What if the guidelines are just not enough? What then?

Apparently there is a training film doing the rounds with the Thai Generals

As I have said before, what Thailand did in the first wave in March is not going to be anywhere near enough to stop this version of the virus currently exploding around the country. From the looks of it, this outbreak started early December and because of lack of testing went undetected for quite a while, and it has nothing to do with those ladies in Chiang Rai

2 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Can you define these terms...do you know what they mean in this context? To my knowledge, the new virus varients aren't more "infectious" than other varients...they both float about in the air on droplets/aerosols expelled by already infected persons. You either inhale an infecting quantity of virus and become "infected" or you don't. Are you saying with the new strain a smaller quantity of virus or a shorter exposure time will cause infection? Wearing masks and proper personal hygiene and avoiding mass public or private gatherings is still the best way to prevent infection with any of the virus varients. 

I know you're a bit of a smart *rse, but perhaps if you know as much as you pretend, you would know that the new variants are more infectious, more worrying and pass quicker through the community because they reproduce quicker and therefore pass on a higher viral load when expelled. 

* and it's variAnt

here's a link from people more knowledgable than either of us https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4944

1 hour ago, Seeall said:

Trick question?  hmm  it started?

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

500 baht... it's passed.

Mot's not taken that seriously then?

Exceptionalism and selfishness are root cause of this new Thailand outbreak if reports are to be believed. Individuals thinking rules do nat apply to them, or what harm can it do if just they break the rules? It's the same in all western countries and particular pain in the backside in the UK. 

So yes, a reckless few can ruin things for everyone

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

I am seriously tired of this miserable affair. Continued simple trade between the UK and the EU really should not have been that difficult.

Stunning that at the eleventh hour they still cannot resolve issues they have been working at for God knows how long.

While short term no deal would hurt the UK, and EU, I wonder how long Macron will have a job when French fishermen have zero access to the fish they rely on catching?

You have to hope some sanity finally pushes these two sides into a deal of some sort.

Fishing is the last apparent sticking point, from what I have read, the UK want a reduction in EU access to UK waters of 80%, whereas the French, Spanish and Danish do not want to lose anything, ie they want 0% loss. 

Rumours are circling that a compromise of around 35% reduction may be agreed by both sides but the French from what I understand are less than happy about this.

4 minutes ago, rabas said:

Thailand is using "race and trace" rather than broad testing because of the situation here. They are providing very detailed information on almost every case, where they went, and who they contacted. In one case they included the person's bathroom habits because they had covid diarrhoea. I really don't want to know more.

Yes I get that, and that does seem like a good thing, but a better assessment of the outbreak could be made if the percentage of positives is known. At the Seafood market in Samut Songkram it was  almost 50% of tests that came back positive

The Thai govt cannot control how people drive, but the very least they can do is to make sure vehicles on the road are safe.

What is the Thai equivalent of an MOT? 

France just letting us know they can cut us off anytime they feel like it.

If we run out of Avocados there will be riots at Waitrose. 

5 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

These discussions always amuse me.  Places obviously change over time, and people change and their tastes change. Comments like "I remember Samui before it had electricity and it is not the same now".  No, now it has electricity and is much better and everyone who lives or visits there likes the electricity. However 40 years ago you were much younger and more adventurous and now you are grumpy.

Old people always harp back to "the good old days" no matter where they live.  It's nothing to do with the place, it is all down to the person.  Places evolve.  On Samui we got an airport, the island developed.  Turn up for the first time in your life as an 18 year old tomorrow (ignore Covid) and you would love it, from the first impression of the airport to the whole experience.  You don't like it because it is different to 1990 when YOU were very different.  For 99% of people the electricity, the airport, the running water, the underground cables, even the high end resorts, they are all good.

"It's not like it used to be" must be the most common comment on absolutely anywhere on earth!!  And again, it is the person most of then time.  "Ooooo the youth of today" is another.

I used to go to Samui when I first moved to Thailand in 1995.  Loved it.  Then got bored of it.  I went back this year for the first time in about 18 years, thought it was great.  It still had a charm.  It had supermarkets.  It had Chi and Coco Tams.  It has changed / progressed.  Deal with it or forever become the old bore in the rocking chair complaining about progress.  
 

My point really wasn't to be nostalgic. I do agree with you about that. My original point is that Samui is the worst place in Thailand