asiacurious

I'll add this (emphasis added):

Quote

The State Department will not be vaccinating all of its citizens abroad, though, and has told citizens to either secure vaccines in the country they live or travel home for a vaccine. They have also warned citizens against the use of vaccines from China and Russia as they have not provided “transparent, peer-reviewed scientific evidence of their safety and efficacy."

Source: https://www.devex.com/news/how-embassies-are-tackling-covid-19-vaccinations-99505

However, I think that could change over time and depending on the circumstances.  For example, if the Thai government came out with a firm policy that said vaccines were for Thai nationals only, and countries were free to offer vaccines to their own citizens.

I recall the US Embassy kept insisting that they would absolutely NOT issue Covid Extensions letters that Thai Immigration started to require months back....  Until they did start issuing letters.

22 minutes ago, taxout said:

The real problem with mobile-based 2FA is that it makes loss of your phone an utter disaster, especially if outside the U.S.

For SMS 2FA you can always access Google Voice via a web browser.  You can also set GV to forward text messages to an email address.

There are a lot of options when it comes to mobile 2FA apps.  Authy is a good option (it can replace Google Authenticator and other similar apps).  And Authy also has Windows/Mac/Linux apps.  https://authy.com/blog/why-is-the-authy-2fa-app-free-for-users/

1 hour ago, Brierley said:

Have you seen how much the UK Embassy charges just to witness a signature? Can you imagine how much they would charge to vaccinate you against covid? Jeeze, whatever were you thinking.

Vaccinating your citizens against a deadly virus during a global pandemic could be considered to be several orders of magnitude more important than witnessing a signature, no?

Not saying embassies would necessarily see it that way as I think the optics (eg "privileged farang") can create a barrier to their providing vaccines to expats... at least until the Thai government starts mass vaccinations of Thais.

On 4/24/2021 at 1:51 AM, NanLaew said:

Due to the recent LinkedIn data scrape my PayPal and some other internet subs have been compromised so I am re-securing account logins and passwords. I gave up my US AT&T mobile number last Fall as the $80/month wasn't worth it but I never followed up on the alternatives in time.

 

As a quick fix, I tried to set up a Google Voice line but that needed a US number for a verification code.

 

I then secured a Skype number, all good but that wasn't accepted as a number for verifying a new Google Voice number setup.

 

The Skype number has been accepted for primary contact for Bank of America and authorization codes were received OK but it doesn't appear to work with the bank's optional 'safepass' system (an extra level of security for certain transactions). I will need to see if it works for PayPal and the others I need to change.

 

In the meantime, my buddy in the US is going to get a 'second line' on his T-Mobile account and after setting it up the same as his one, will send the SIM over here and we'll split the monthly bill. He and others have used their T-Mobile SIM's over here with basic global roaming and sms enabled (no data packages) and it wasn't an expensive add-on like bloody AT&T's was. Once I get that SIM over here, I will set up the Google Voice account. Covering all bases and if it all works, I can drop the Skype one since it costs money.

 

You can also have your friend get that SIM card and pop it into his phone.  You can then set up GV on your phone with the activation code sent to his phone.  You just need to coordinate so he can tell you that code.

Once you've got GV activated on your Google account you can remove the US SIM card from the account and then cancel the extra line.

Would you accept vaccination frim your embassy if offered? Or will you stick it out with Thais? 

I was talking with a friend living in Japan about the possibility of expats getting vaccinations at their embassies.  He seemed to think it would happen - eventually.  I personally don't think it will because the optics of it are pretty bad.  I would guess that that diplomats and citizens working at embassies (and their family members) have already been (or will be) vaccinated.  But for regular expats there would just be too many issues.

Of course, if Thailand really is going to put foreign nationals at the back of the line for getting vaccines, rather than prioritize based on age/risk group, then an argument could be made in favor of embassies providing vaccinations as a "service" for their citizens and to help Thailand focus on vaccinating Thai nationals.

In some countries (USA for example) it seems there will soon be more vaccinations available than people who want them, while here in Thailand there are lots of people who want them but can't get them.

What do you think?  Would it be a good idea for countries to offer their citizens vaccinations at their embassies?  What would the diplomatic implications of doing this be?  Could it even happen?

34 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

The online appointment certainly speeded up my processing time!

It does speed things up, though it also means anyone/everyone on planet earth can see your private data like name, passport number, date of birth....  They don't just fail to use an SSL certificate (needed for HTTPS).  They also have left all the data publicly accessible to anyone/everyone who wants to poke around to get it.

It isn't that hard to make the site just a wee bit more secure, but apparently they don't care.  

On 1/21/2021 at 8:11 PM, homeseeker said:

I did my extension last week at CW.

 

OP: I realize you are motivated by helfulness so well done, but you are making a mountain out of a molehill!

Dear oh dear:

Have a nice day!

 

 

I agree.  I didn't need all the extra stuff the OP wrote about.  I also didn't need a copy of my lease, so one less thing than they asked of you.

(I HAVE ATTACHED THE EXTRA FORMS THEY REQUIRED TO THIS POST)

To clarify, these are the exact things I was required to submit in addition to the TM7 application form:

• Copy of passport (photo page, prior Non-O visa stamp page, TM6 card front and back)
• Copy of bank passbook (copied at copy shop in basement of CW building after depositing 100 baht in my account on the day of my extension application)
• Bank letter (generated by the bank in basement of CW building on the day of my extension application)
• Map showing where I live (quick map drawn by hand)

I was also given the following forms to fill out (see attachments):

• Statement (no other name than that, though there is something written in Thai in the upper right - this is quite the confusing form)
• Criteria for Consideration of Granting an Alien's Extension of Stay in the Kingdom Attachment to the Order of the Royal Thai Police no 548/2562 dated September 27, 2019 (this is basically a list of requirements that they make you look at and sign on the bottom)
• The standard "Acknowledgment of Penalties for a Visa Overstay" that everyone gets now.
• The standard "Acknowledgement of Terms and Conditions for Permit of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom of Thailand (STM.2)" that everyone gets now.

The attachments of the forms to this post aren't really of submission quality, but I DO suggest you familiarize yourself with that first one, the nameless "Statement" as it's a little confusing!  You basically put your own name and information down multiple times on the same form.

4 hours ago, Patjqm said:

Apparently there are no covid deads, if low or mild symptoms, herd immunity could be reached by natural infection..

3 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

that's been proven false.  Sweden admits herd immunity can't be achieved naturally.

1 hour ago, Patjqm said:

Not according this article from scientifists, published by the Lancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30555-5/fulltext?fbclid=IwAR0qAuGQhqT96RWah_DpYXyXQHrH3VCvXHxRDP0u0OcN30UFCXlHKjPDSeA

Your original statement that "herd immunity could be reached by natural infection" and followed up with your rebuttal ("Not according to this article....") to Jeffr2's assertion that what you wrote is false, may leave an impression that you've cited an article that backs up your claim.  

I clicked the link and read the article and it does not back you up.  It does not prove herd immunity works.  Rather, the article discusses two conflicting approaches to public health policy.  One approach (which you appear to support) is to use "focused protection" until herd immunity can be reached naturally.  The other approach, which you failed to mention and is also supported by thousands of experts, "described focused protection as 'a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific evidence' and warned that 'uncontrolled transmission in younger people risks significant morbidity and mortality across the whole population'. (emphasis added)

The article you linked to concludes in this way....

Kuldorff and colleagues reckon a focused protection approach would lead to herd immunity some time between 3 and 6 months, after which the vulnerable could return to normal life. Walensky retorts that the herd immunity point has not been established, nor is it clear how stable this immunity would be.  [SNIP] “I am not willing to stand behind a policy that leads to 10 or 15 times more deaths”, said Walensky. She would prefer to wait for herd immunity to be conferred by a vaccine. Most experts believe the earliest this could happen would be the second half of 2021. The debate over what to do in the interim looks set to continue.

10 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

after 10 months of no magical infection in thailand, don't you think we might just all be positive ???

Since far fewer than 100% of those tested are positive, I'd say that's a big... Nope!

10 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

So the solution is to forbid the distribution of the Pfizer vaccine in Thailand?

 

Apparently it can't be given to Thai front line workers because the Thai government wants them to wait for their less effective domestic alternative. 

Nope.  Didn't say that at all.  If the Pfizer vaccine can be secured, it should be distributed to front line workers first.  But the fact is the storage and distribution requirements make it very impractical for widespread use Thailand.

I seem to recall a talk a year or two ago that if Brexit happened as a "hard" Brexit, there would be thousands and thousands of trucks stuck at the border and it would cause all kinds of difficulties in the UK.

In fact, just a few weeks ago there was this.....

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-trucks/as-brexit-cliff-edge-looms-miles-of-trucks-stack-up-near-southern-english-port-idUSKBN28K2PW

Is the UK being cut off now as a result of fears over this new strain something of a preview of what it'll be like if the UK doesn't reach some kind of agreement with the EU by the end of the year? 

10 minutes ago, placeholder said:

What I've got on my side is reality. If mask wearing were as lax as you claim, hospitals ICU's would be overflowing. Not happening.

I think it's the exact opposite.  The government took the strong action to enact and enforce curfews and lock down the country back in April/May.  And people really did wear masks all the time... before.  So Covid was kept at bay.

As time passed, people have become a lot more lax about correctly and consistently wearing masks.  Complacency with social distancing, mask wearing, hand washing... this is how Covid will be able to spread and surge rapidly in Thailand.  And that's what we are seeing now.

If people go back to the basic guidance and wear their masks all the time when out in public, wear them correctly, maintain a safe distance from others, practice proper hygiene... then it might be possible to nip it in the bud before it gets out of control and without the need for more severe actions.

Unfortunately I don't think that will happen and I suspect we're headed for another curfew and the closure of schools, restaurants, entertainment venues....  At the very least, I would expect that new year celebrations will be canceled.

43 minutes ago, placeholder said:

The reason Thailand doesn't need a lockdown is because the huge majority of people in urban areas at least, are wearing masks in public spaces. As epidemiologists have observed this is the equivalent, in strength of a highly vaccinated population. It keeps the R(0) factor well below 1 so transmission is mostly limited to those inside the cohort of workers.

40 minutes ago, Maha Sarakham said:

 

Might be true when entering a venue, but the second people get inside the mask goes down around their chin and under their nose in most cases.

This happens quite a lot around Bangkok, especially places where people walk with something to drink or eat in their hands.  They finish eating/drinking and leave the mask down.

23 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Really? Do you live in Thailand? Because your allegation is at utter variance with what I have experienced in Chiang Mai. And given the low incidence of covid, reality  doesn't really support your contention.

Down here in Bangkok more and more people are getting more and more lax with masks.   That doesn't mean everyone isn't wearing masks, but a lot of people have gotten complacent. 

7 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

I've seen mostly foreigners doing that (in Bangkok shopping malls). Some Thais did, but few, in percentage terms. However outside, I see many walking around with masks over chin or only covering mouth... And then a bunch of westerners with no masks on at all.

Westerners not wearing masks tend to stand out more than Thais not wearing masks, but I'd say the numbers percentages are probably about the same.  

I think I've seen those videos.  I find them rather banal - I don't really get what the point is of reading articles found online and then explaining them in legal sound speak, often without actually adding any new information.  YMMV

(Here's an example of some pseudo legal speak I've seen in far too many videos from lawyers:  It should be noted that generally speaking nothing I have said here should be construed as legal advice and the context of your issues may be be circumstantially dependent.  Furthermore, I may or may not be a lawyer but I am factually and substantially but irrelevantly, not your lawyer.)

Ok, so two serious things to comment that I hope you find helpful:

Foreign lawyers can NOT practice law in Thailand.

The profession is restricted to Thai citizens.  Lawyers can do other kinds of work, but not actually practice law.  Often times a non-Thai lawyer who has put out a shingle in Thailand will be the Managing Director of the firm but will have Thai lawyers do the actual legal work that they cannot legally do themselves.  That's not necessarily a negative, but it is something to keep in mind and could impact the cost of your legal representation.

Free consultations

I haven't had the need to use a lawyer in Thailand before, but I'm surprised to hear that he doesn't have a free initial consultation.  I don't mean a long meeting where you go over all the details, just something basic, like 30 minutes - the kind of meeting where you can present an overview of your situation so they can ask a couple of questions, see how they can help you, and get a rough idea of what their services might cost you.  It gives everyone the opportunity to meet each other and see if they are the right person to represent you.

Doing a quick search online I do see a number of firms in Bangkok do offer free legal consultations, and I would suggest you check around with several firms before you pay any attorney money to just for the privilege of sitting down in the chair opposite to them.

Good luck!

To the OP....

If/when your Win7 computer finally dies and you buy a new PC, it's going to come pre-installed with Windows 10.  So you'll be faced with a couple of choices:

• Wipe out that pre-installed Windows 10 and restore your most recent Windows 7 image (hoping that there are drivers in Windows 7 for all the hardware in the new pc), and then copy over files from your external HD with the backup of your files

OR

• Just copy over files from your external HD with the backup of your files

Realistically, the best choice is the 2nd one.  If that's the choice you would make, then imaging your Windows 7 installation probably doesn't make sense anymore.  A better idea might be to use that HD to make a second backup of all your files, in case the other hard drive fails.

Another option is an online backup solution like Carbonite or Backblaze, which will make sure every file on your computer is backed up all the time.  (You can still do local hard drive backups too!)

As for software you can run to backup your files to one or both of your external drives, years ago I used Cobian Backup, which used to be (and may still be) free.  It can do a full backup of all your files to start, and then do either differential or incremental backups after that.

• Differential backups will back up all the files that have changed since the last full backup.
• Incremental backups will back up all the files that have changed since the last backup of any type (full, differential, or incremental).

The software also lets you set a schedule, like...

1. Do a full backup every 3 months
2. Do a differential backup every Friday
3. Do an incremental backup nightly

Finally, just so you're aware, Microsoft may still update some software on your Windows 7 machine (like antivirus definitions), but they are not updating Windows 7 itself.  You can read more about that on many sites, but here's one link you might find helpful....

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/fbi-announcement-on-windows-7-end-of-life-prompts-worry-from-security-experts/

I'm not pushing you to upgrade to Windows 10, but it can be helpful to consider what version of Windows you'll be using when you eventually get a new PC.

Or... maybe you'll get a Mac! 

Hope all this information helps.

On 12/13/2020 at 11:55 PM, racyrick said:

Transferwise does not allow you to transfer money FROM Thailand to the USA.

You can only RECEIVE money from the USA to Thailand.

Doh!  Note to self... read more carefully!