Shocked farang

On 2/4/2022 at 7:56 AM, bbko said:

Actually comparing prices to my home country (Merica), they're much cheaper here.

I'm not saying I agree with this idiotic rule, it's hard to understand the reasoning.

The reasoning is: There's a Thai producer of face masks that has some leverage (read $$$) over this puppet government! The bottom line is: TIT (This is Thailand)! 

Those who can afford to travel and know where to go will have a wonderful time. Recently I watched a video shot in Koh Chang by a known brit Vloger. This guy was able to enjoy almost empty beaches in that beautiful island, excellent food and everything was very affordable. Later the crowds will take over again, even the Chinese will go back. Now is the time to go, if you can!

8 hours ago, Isaanlife said:

You obviously have no clue how Thailand operates.

 

The USA uses Thailand a geographic staging area only in the event of war in South East Asia, since the Vietnam War. Other than that, the USA could give a <deleted> what happens in Thailand. Ever wonder why everything Thai's get in the USA is not reciprocated in Thailand?

 

The Thai politician's could give a <deleted> what happens to their country because they all own houses in first world countries where their spoiled brat kids go to expensive first world schools.

 

Thai politicians are in it for the money and only the money. To enrich themselves while the country goes down the drain.

 

Did you know Thailand has more billionaire politicians than any country in the world? Of course not.

 

Why would a Thai billionaire want to be a politician? To make even more money.

 

Thailand will never rely on any country. Didn't you know? Ask any Thai? They are the greatest of everything in the entire world.

 

But at the end of the day, the politicians will cosy up to whoever they can make the most money from corruption. 

 

Chinese junk submarines, Ukraine armored carriers. Fake bomb scanners. Blimp Air ships. All made politicians filthy rich.

 

Forget investing in education, people, expats.

 

Money buys power, more money buys more power. Sooner or later you have enough money and power that you do not need to rely on any country or anyone.

 

If you think Thailand will ever rely on any country for anything other that politician corruption money, you have no idea about Thailand.

 

Thai politicians will sell Thailand out, while the Chinese buy banks, properties and everything of value. 

 

When they have enough money, these Thai politician's will be living in YOUR country where you, yourself cannot even afford to live.

 

This is the way the real world works.

 

 

 

 

 

True, many Thai politicians are keen on expensive Switzerland. 

One thing that strikes me in Thailand is the question of integration. No matter how long you have been to Thailand, no matter how much you applied yourself in learning Thai language and customs, Thais will always and forever see you as Farang, there's no escape from that, not even Jim Thompson could escape this! 

50 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

Most people use their debit cards at ATMs not credit cards and they specifically say credit card swipe fraud, I don't know any ATMs that require you to swipe.

Swiping a card is a relic from the past, most cards nowadays have a chip that is read by the machine and authenticated through the PIN number. 

7 hours ago, delgarcon said:

They were indeed creating bookings in the deserted hotel, as reported in the Daily News. How could they believe that they wouldn't get caught, when all the police had to do was visit the hotel!

Well, most criminals are not known for their high IQ. They mostly operate out of magical thinking. 

3 hours ago, Gandtee said:

Not fatigue from the pandemic but from the perpetual reporting of covid figures and pictures of people getting vaccinated by masked health workers. This is not news any longer. It's as we used to say 'Going on like a cracked record.' Give it a rest please.

This is exactly what needs to be reported! People with only one dose should get the incentive to get the second, people with two doses need the incentive to get the booster. Of course, people who still don't have any vaccine should get the incentive to get the first dose. This should play as long as the pandemic persists. When it becomes endemic then it's a different story, vaccines may become optional. 

13 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, I just posted similar comment elsewhere........it is a pity Omicron didn't come first, before the predecessors killed 5 million plus!!

The weaker and more infectious variant always comes after the stronger one in a pandemic, not the other way around. 

1 hour ago, charmonman said:

As is typical, this article raises more questions than it answers. As previous posters have mentioned, covid-19 insurance is a condition of receiving a Thailand Pass. Without a Thailand Pass you can't even board a plane to go to Thailand. So how the heck are people arriving in Thailand without already having covid-19 insurance? It seems this is a question that should have been addressed in this article.

 

I am constantly amazed by the sheer amount of shoddy journalism out there.

From what I have understood it's meant to remediate policies that are insufficient, or exclude Covid, so these people don't have to go back. But, of course there's plenty of space for abuse. 

Another day, another nail on the coffin of international arrivals in Thailand.

They will be very successful in keeping the dirty foreigners out!

I was once sick with dengue fever and went to a hospital in Koh Samui.

As my condition improved I went to see the doctor for the last time before saying goodbye.

As I left his office I passed through emergency and was totaly shocked with the condition of many

foreigners who had motorbike accidents and were waiting to be checked by a doctor.

If people only knew how they are gambling with their own lives, riding a motorbike in Thailand...

11 hours ago, Pouatchee said:

God forbid

Remember, Buddhism is a religion without any God, so who is going to forbid...? 

5 hours ago, kevin612 said:

Stop dreaming, Chinese people are not gonna come with that zero Covid policy.

Plus from what I know, the Chinese government is now restricting the issue of passports as they don't want people to travel internationally 

2 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

Sorry to say but the picture above is authentic, I have seen that with my own eyes in Hong Kong. These people queueing all can afford to buy authentic Louis Vuiton stuff. This is how rich China has become. This causes a lot of envy on many westerners. Of course, these aren't your typical Chinese tourists in Thailand. 

And explaining a little further, Hong Kong is an special administrative region of China, so the tax laws are different, so when mainland Chinese people visit Hong Kong, they find the prices much more attractive than back home. That's why they are queueing outside the store! 

3 hours ago, RafPinto said:

They go into an official shop, just to get a free bag to show off and off they go.

Sorry to say but the picture above is authentic, I have seen that with my own eyes in Hong Kong. These people queueing all can afford to buy authentic Louis Vuiton stuff. This is how rich China has become. This causes a lot of envy on many westerners. Of course, these aren't your typical Chinese tourists in Thailand. 

7 hours ago, actonion said:

 Not only the customers  need  to be checked the Restaurants need checking too... we went to an Italian Restaurant last Saturday evening, i ordered Spagetti Carbonara, when it reached the table the smell was so bad,  something  had gone  off, the  cook came to the table saying its not off, i invited her to smell it ..  she refused saying no need to smell i know its not off.. but refused to discount the bill

Italian restaurants in Thailand are usually a bad idea unless it's run by an Italian. I never complain about food in any restaurant as this makes them angry and they can spit on it before returning to you. 

6 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

"government implemented mandatory lockdown measures"? And what exactly were those? Closing restaurants and bars? People still moved freely about. It was the worst of everything. People lost their jobs and still contracted and died from the virus.

 

This is actually the first intelligent thing I've heard come out of his mouth. Reopening the country would be a disaster.

 

A real lockdown for 3-4 weeks is what's needed to crush the virus. Then maybe you can open November 1st and save the tourist season. Otherwise the country is screwed and many more will get sick and die.

A real vaccination program that includes everyone, I mean everyone from 12 yo up, is the only possibility for reopening. 

1 hour ago, Pracha Duang said:

 ????‍♀️ you can’t actually believe this nonsense. Literally no one that is wealthy or educated is even remotely concerned about covid. We have massive yacht parties in Phuket every weekend. Many US billionaires and Thai officials are regulars. Nobody wears a mask. Nobody cares about covid. None of us are vaccinated. And guess what, there is not a single thing anyone can do about it…because all the most powerful people in Thailand are literally hanging out with us. Wake up folks.

I have a bad feeling about groups like this during a pandemic. Usually they all get infected at the same time, best of luck! 

44 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

Digital Nomads then i suspect. 

Most probably good old school hippies... 

6 hours ago, Kaopad999 said:

Many western countries are open again. So, surely if they want to live this type of lifestyle, they can just go back home. But instead they decide to stay here and break the law? I don't get it! 

I get it! They are most probably high on something... 

53 minutes ago, HaoleBoy said:

In Brasil you can get Pfizer and Moderna very readily now.  So why would you take Sinovac <deleted> vaccine?  Or maybe you were one of the early Sinovac guinea pigs there .... 

My two cents on Sinovac;

I totally understand that many people are suspicious of it as the pandemic started in China and China has flooded the whole planet with low quality products for years. But in the case of the Sinovac vaccine, it's proven to be effective, not the same efficacy of Pfizer and Moderna as it's a different platform, it's not M-RNA. 

It does offer protection against the worse form of Covid though. In percentage it's less effective than the others but still far, far better than no vaccine at all. 

2 minutes ago, Shocked farang said:

You misunderstood me, I got Pfizer but it was sheer luck as you cannot choose vaccines here, you show up and take whatever is available. I know many people who have taken Sinovac and feel protected. Brazil currently uses, Pfizer, AZ (locally produced and imported), Jansen, Sinovac and very few from that Russian manufacturer that I don't remember now. 

There's no Moderna being used in Brazil.