Mandatory masking and social distancing and business lock downs were an emergency first-response, but that was last year. This "government" needs to wake up and see that now is the time for nation-wide vaccinations. Make it free or low subsidized cost Pfizer/Moderna/Johnson, not that Sinovac Sputnik <deleted>. Do it NOW or else you can expect another year of dead tourism . 

Pass... No Sinovac no thanks. Let the others get their 52% efficacy jab and pretend to be immune. Will wait for the real deal, AZ,Pfizer,Moderna,Johnson. Definitely worth waiting/paying for. 

More fake (or at least very misleading and inaccurate) "news". Yep it's hazy just like every year around late-Feb until somewhere in April with a few decent rains. But this list of "most polluted city in the world" is mostly B.S. and anyway, if there's smoke and haze in CM there probably also is anywhere in SE Asia during "burn season". In short - it isn't a Chiang Mai issue it's a whole region. Unfortunately there is next to zero reporting of air quality in neighboring Burma and Laos where it's easily just as bad or worse. 

Message to large crowds equipped with guns and hoses and the inevitable infusion of booze and very loud! music: "Okay everyone, have just a little bit of fun but not too much, cos some crusty old bureaucrats said so!" ????

PM's vaccination postponed but no reason given for delay

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403113?

10 minutes and 100 baht at any clinic to be deemed physically "healthy" but no screening for ignorance, arrogance, and stupidity which is the real problem. 

Let  tourists back onto the sand, then take another picture 1 week later... ????

"trucks emitting higher than standard air pollution received stickers" 

Yeah! That'll fix the problem. Way to go law enforcement! 

Same as good quality imported cheeses and other "goodies", wine is taxed at a high rate because it is aimed at foreigners ("farang") who actually want/love/appreciate the stuff, and of course a few "hi-so" Thais who pretend to like it so as to impress their friends. The overwhelming majority of Thais don't have a palate (i.e. don't have a clue) for good wine, so hell yeah let's just impose a huge "farang tax" and jack it up every few years... cos we can. 

Economics 101 basic stuff we learned in high school: When demand is way down drop prices way down to encourage more business. 

Thai economics: When demand is way down charge more money to compensate for losses. Never mind that way less people will pay. 

Seriously, who the F wants to come to Thailand when the government keeps inventing reasons to stay away? I sure as hell wouldn't come here again as a tourist. 

The days of "Land of Smiles" are wayyyy over. 

I ran this article through Google Translate's b*llsh*t filter and it came back accurately defined as "Blah Blah Blah" 

"...increasing number of road accidents during the New Year holidays with drunk driving emerging as the leading cause..." 

There is, of course, nothing "increasing" or "emerging" about drunk driving accidents and fatalities. It has been a huge problem year after year, day after day, for as long as politicians and law enforcement have their heads up their asses, which is pretty much forever in the land of "mai pen rai". Doesn't help that many (many!) young Thai males consider themselves invincible and their actions inconsequential especially when juiced up on cheap plentiful booze and the Thai party attitude of more more more me me me ???? 

"Drunk driving [in Thailand] remains top cause of holiday road accidents" 
And in other breaking news, water remains the top cause of being wet. 

It won't be newsworthy until the whole "mai pen rai" stupid mentality toward human safety and personal responsibility is given a total overhaul, and there is actual enforcement of anti-drunk-driving and decent road behavior laws. Until then, every every every time it's the same same same... Vast majority of traffic accidents and deaths are due to drunkenness, crappy 3rd-world mentality toward riding/driving, and pathetic lack of law enforcement right down the whole line of corruption from top to bottom. Happy new year Thailand - but nothing "new" about it, until there is a massive *wake up*. 

Ok, my first "bitching about Thailand" post of the year is done ????