rabang

Hardly anyone cares about those issues over here. No restrictions, no masks or vaccine mandates. Hardly anyone bothers with testing anymore either. It is only sites like this concentrating on covid paranoid countries like Thailand, some Twitter nutters and a few headlines every now and then that remind me of its existence. Otherwise I wouldn't know.

Soaring prices, inflation, lack of flights, airport and airline chaos, unstable global political situation, masking, covid restrictions and many other inconviences make it less appealing to travel afar to places such as Thailand. Although I could afford it I will not consider travelling long distance for quite some time yet. Sadly it might take still a few more years before there is return to anything resembling the pre-pandemic times, if it ever happens, and the continous Thai covid paranoia does not help for those of us who are in countries where it is now no more than a back page small print news.

It is truly sad to see how some countries are living in a perpetual covid paranoia, prepared to sacrifice their young ones.

Are you hinting about a correlation? It probably does not exist. I myself got infected in a place where everyone was obliged to wear a mask, and that was before omicron.

Yes, and they are very much in minority. At least in Europe it is roughly 5 countries masking vs. 45 not doing it.

No, they just have a herd mentality.

Never stop the madness. I am writing off Thailand as a potential destination also for next winter.

I don't. You can mask up all your life, but it is not going to make covid go away.

Maybe a sign of being sick, so you should get some rest and maybe seek some medical advice if you don't start feeling better soon enough.

Thailand is simply not appealing anymore. Make it more 'premium' (=expensive) without giving anything in exchange will just scare away rest of the tourists. Personally I felt the relative easiness and affordability plus a great weather during northern hemisphere winter were Thailand's main benefits. It seems only the last point still stands today.

It is useless, especially in an airplane. Pro mask people also seem to think that masks have no disadvantages whatsoever. Why haven't we always used them from the dawn of time?

Especially on a 10+ hour flight... Fortunately there seems to be plenty to choose from so the competition will decide if the remaining ones continue with their requirement policy or not (although it often depends on the destination or departure country).

What does it really matter if they did test themselves or not? There is nothing rare about contracting covid anymore (unlike two years ago) and I didn't test myself either but was absolutely certain what it was about. After all, what is the likelihood of having a cold like disease with quite unique symptoms during a pandemic and it being something else than expected? I did an antibody test later though to make it sure (positive) and to have some kind of a document. Antibody tests are almost bullet proof, unlike the unrealiable actual covid tests. That was a year ago so not really relevant anymore. I found it weird for example last winter that so many people were ready to wait in enormous queues often in cold and rain to get themselves tested for mild symptoms and for no relevant reason (such as work or travel related).

Yeah, but what is the probability? Have to put everything in perspective.

Logistical problems, lack of staff, inflation, etc. were reality even before the war started.

All that the pandemic restrictions have caused is the current chaotic state of affairs. These issues will most likely lead to more misery than the virus could have.

For me it was one week of bad cold and this was in the delta era before vaccines. Had I tried isolate myself for two years or even one in order to avoid that would have been a bad deal IMO. No, I haven't noticed any consequences or long term symptoms. I think long covid could be real but it is probably a much, much smaller problem than many people suggest. Some people are just so addicted to the panic and fear that they can't let go and go bck to their mundane pre-pandemic lives.

Yes, that is called a personal decision. You can isolate yourself if you want to, just don't expect others to do the same.

I have that experience. What would you like to know?

Who "we all" and how come "again"? I have not really been wearing them that much during the whole pandemic. It really seems some people think we will forever be wearing masks that contribute significantly also to the global environmental problem. Go and find something new to worry about instead of something akin to a flu.

In Asia it is from now on safe to assume that mask use will be the norm for a long time as covid won't just "go away" and there are other cultural reasons for their use, such as the need to hide away from strangers in public and belonging to a group. It might become even a sort of a cultural barrier separating the East and the West. Personally I feel it will make the continent a very unattractive place to visit but if the locals want it that way, then so be it.

I appreciate these reports as they reveal the reality on the ground. Just because the use has been made voluntary in public places doesn't mean that much if the masks remain mandatory in most situations such as: -Supermarkets and shopping centers, mask up -Public transit, mask up -Restaurants, mask up Etc. I hope a few more months is enough to change the situation before next high season but if not I might have to consider other options again. This for me is a bit of a make or break issue. I am certainly not holding my breath waiting for it to happen though (no pun intended).

Currently I have set my eyes on the beginning of the high season around October/November for a return to Thailand. I hope four months is enough for the masks to come off. Currently reading the reports and seeing photos not much seem to have changed. An official announcement concerning public places doesn't help much if private companies insist on wearing them and a majority of the population follow the herd considering mask wearing their duty and will look at a non compliant, plague infested foreigner with a dirty eye.

Even if the Thai mentality might be different at least Western countries' example shows that after the mask mandates are dropped mask wearers become a small minority in a few weeks at most. It just doesn't happen overnight but gradually, though quite quickly.

Of all the things never really happened this probably unhappened most.