Caldera

One week in and they're already blaming the people for making use of their new freedoms. Ridiculous.

I'm sure that there's no group of protesters, "talugas" included, that are as rotten as the police. Pot, kettle, black.

It's not just the malls either. Now that people can finally get a haircut again, the place almost looks civilized.

And I guess some government muppets will need to come around to check and certify your place. I'd imagine that this can be sped up if you know how to grease the wheels, which might explain why some hotels get certified sooner than others.

I'd agree that Australia's Covid response has been hysterical. Being just a casual observer of that country, I find it baffling. By and large, I'm happy with how Thailand has handled things, the obvious exception being the vaccination campaign.

What battlefield was that? Unless shooting unarmed civilians counts as a battle, none comes to mind. It's heartwarming that the three old goats still love each other, in any case.

That sounds like a real mess, but assuming that the bars will still be closed by then, I'll watch it nonetheless.

Running out of foreigners to steal from, so they now have to steal from their fellow officers? Disgusting.

How about a BBQ?

1 test at home before flying to Thailand, 3 tests after arriving, plus you probably need another one before flying back home... that does sound like a fun holiday! Add the CoE application process, Covid insurance, limited flights options... Speaking of flights, how will that work for Hua Hin? Fly into Bangkok and use a special "sealed route" shuttle service? I'd say they'll get a few thousand snowbirds. If you stay 3-6 months, those insane procedures don't matter as much as for a short trip.

Other than leaving Thailand, there's no avoiding CP.

Sounds sensible to me, I plan to do the same.

As Thailand isn't really closed, reopening to foreigners can only mean to get rid of those Covid regulations that keep most of them away, such as quarantine and/or a multitude of tests in a "sandbox". I don't think they're prepared to do this, fearing that new variants will enter unchecked.

Large companies really have no other option than to comply. A US based company just sent me an email saying that they'll start to collect Thai VAT for their services.

They really are the masters of dumb rules down there in Phuket. Mind-boggling nonsense, this test after 5 days for those who stay 7+ days.

Wasn't the plan to get 4 million doses in Q4? Now it's apparently just half of that and this is somehow presented as good news.

I have an appointment for my 2nd jab in a few weeks. I got a paper from the hospital when I had my 1st jab, and the appointment is also shown in the Mor Phrom app. The 2nd jab was scheduled for 12 weeks after the 1st one and they seem to stick to that.

It becomes very clear that they are nowhere near ready for this bold reopening tomorrow. They cannot enforce that high-risk activities will be limited to fully vaccinated people, because not enough people are fully vaccinated yet to make it worthwhile. They cannot enforce frequent testing, because the test kits haven't arrived yet. Cannots all the way. I've got to wonder why they didn't just give it another month. With infections trending down and the vaccination program having picked up some steam, that could have made a big difference.

That's a nice one. If numbers go up following the relaxation of the rules, it will be convenient to blame it on those who failed to protect themselves.

What's the ventilation like on those buses nowadays? Let's just say it wasn't great when I used buses many years ago, hopefully it has improved. On a long bus ride in a 75% occupied bus, I'd be worried about aerosols building up.

The mask dodgers and anti vaxxers are going the way of the dinosaurs.

Finally an honest assessment. It's hardly attractive for a real tourist.

They probably had the same high hopes exactly a year ago. Sure, there's demand in principle, but the regulations have to be somewhat more favorable. Quarantine in itself, while it exists, will ensure that most potential foreign visitors can't or won't come. That's the elephant in the room.

In general, in setups where proper distancing and wearing masks isn't possible (eg. when dining out), ensuring that everyone is vaccinated and/or tested negative isn't a bad idea. What's unfortunate in the case of Thailand, however, is that they roll this out before everyone has had a chance to get vaccinated first. For this reason, it's hard to see how businesses can enforce this without going bankrupt.

Nothing is "safe" in Bangkok. With a bit of luck, you get a taxi with functioning seat belts and tyres that aren't tired yet.