koratkarlos

If you live here you know that food here is cheap, fresh and delicious. It does not take too much time or effort to find the good deals. Of course if you need fancy alchohol or western beef you will pay a high price. But if you eat more like the Thai people you will absolutely save money and eat good food. No doubt.

300,000 THB. Wow. I can think of many risk free vacations for that amount of hospital expense.

I witnessed a disturbing side of Thailand during my recent visit to Issan. My wife's mom's brother is dying. The doctor sent him home basically giving up on the man. The sick man was not diagnosed. The man lays in bed, legs paralyzed, unable to eat or drink water and in great pain. No IV or pain medicine for this man. Rather inhumane. He should go in dignity. So Mr. Anutin, Health Minister, is this "best in the world" treatment. The real issue is the have and have nots. If you are a have COVID treatment may have been OK. But not for the rest of Thais and dirty farangs.

I think he just does not understand. When I watch him on TV he truly appears lost. So in his mind according to the reported numbers he did OK with COVID. But many businesses are closed and this is not the same fun, spontaneous Thailand as before. So if I were a working Thai raising a family struggling to get by, I would disagree with Cha Cha and think that many things could have been handled better.

From my viewpoint effective experienced managers/leaders have a clear direction and can explain their vision in simple motivating terms. Anutin is the opposite of this, flip flopping on the beach like a fish out of water. Maybe they should of thought of only one test requirement when they revised the Test & Go the first time. But no, this requires planning, thinking ahead and discipline which is a big void at the top. It is pretty clear that Omicron will spread no matter what. Please, realize that you are not counting the numbers accurately anyway, that it won't matter, and pat yourselves on the back for the vaccinations given. Time to move on.

I find their proposed elite visa quite insulting. Who do you think we are? Are we really that stupid to spend 32 million THB to get a low paying job? When will this government wake up to reality?

Starting with a better education system will be the key. Otherwise Thailand will fight based on price in the commodity markets.

Hi Danderman. I did not know the Omicron viral loads were less. I thought the virus attacked the upper respiratory system, not deep in the lungs like Delta and this is what is reducing illness severity. Thanks.

These continued restrictions are not about public health or science, they are purely about showing power and keeping the common folks struggling as the rich build more wealth. This is a sad state of affairs which must be ignored by those who care to stay on Thailand.

In 2019 Thailand was successful with 40,000,000 tourists. This is no mystery. Just copy what you did before and if you do not keep flip-flopping the entrance requirements, tourism will increase as COVID diminishes and people have money. Simple.

I think you're jumping to a conclusion based on your interpretation of the word extract Mtls, you may very well be right. But if they do not allow buds or anything over 0.2% they are just legalizing hemp, which in my opinion is a non event. So we will eventually see what "shakes" out. In the mean time I am staying away from this stuff due to old stories of farangs getting caught with drugs. It just is not worth the risk.

I can confirm the 600 THB monthly payment that my wife's parents get. They get some help from the family and are quite resourceful. But it is not fair, they deserve more as hard working honest people. But what I love about Thailand is that they are happy. They don't need all of the stuff which other people take for granted. And I learn from their frugal joyous ways.

For me it is still not clear. The mandate disallows extracts which implies buds can be smoked. Then it states recreational smoking is still illegal. So if buds are legal why can't I smoke them? Maybe I can look at them all day and imagine.

I like her legs. Yes indeed.

I truly wish these guys would learn about the world, do their jobs and implement policies that improve things. Instead they ignorantly show their power by taking away our personal responsibilities. I can assure you that few couples will take this test. I really can not believe a statement that is so stupid comes out of any government office. They truly have no clue.

I hope these supplies are put to good use.

Perhaps this is more about trying to control COVID and not intended solely for diplomacy.

Maybe it is time to lift the emergency decree. But then Prayut loses some of his control. So what is more important, power or the Thai people. I think actions speak louder than words and little will change.

I think Thailand counts COVID differently than other countries. If you are so sick that you must go to the hospital, then test positive, you are counted. Otherwise not. And it is Thailand's right to count this way. So I believe the actual Omicron infection number is much higher than 10,000 cases per day but since people are not getting so sick then fewer people go to the hospital, less are counted, and so it goes. Let's hope that the hospitizations stabilize and the natural immunity spreads as I am really tired of COVID isolation. I see old videos of unmasked, fun, social events and remember these good days hoping not to wait too long before we return to a more normal existence

Getting a bit desperate perhaps. People in China will stay in China for quite some time. And where is the 5th day double prepaid PCR test and hotel in this new Asian travel bubble. Do people in Thailand think we are idiots and do not notice this blatant rule bending. I don't care. In 6 months this will be over except in China where their controlling efforts will just prolong the inevitable. And I was in a good mood before I read this new plan.

For me the spread of COVID at outside national parks was never an issue. So I think these rules are just not necessary.

I finally agree with something Anutin says. The Thai people have basically complied from my viewpoint with mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing and vaccination. This is despite the many governmental delays with vaccination and demeaning lockdowns affecting local economies. I give the Thai people credit for basically ignoring Anutin and his ignorance as he makes my blood boil. And I truly hope this all goes away soon and hopefully Anutin will too.

There is some chance that you would test negative upon departure and entry, then catch Omicron on the first or second day of your visit. This may result in a positive test on Day 5 as Omicron has only a 3 day incubation. Actually, I would think that this may be quite possible but it is difficult to know as the extent of the Omicron wave is only quantified here in Thailand with insufficient testing. So I think this new rule about the 5th day test is not necessary as the risks of local transmission are probably greater than a well vaccinated, multi-tested traveler joining our community. In the event that I have to leave Thailand and return under these new rules, I will certainly isolate through day 5 to avoid getting Omicron, not so much because I am scared of Omicron but because I would really hate the required hospitilization.

Could it possibly be more complicated? Sorry, I could not be bothered to read it fully much less make an application.

Sorry BritManToo. I understand what you are saying and hope that you are correct here. If the natural product is not considered an extract this is clearly good news. Thanks for the correction.