Phil McCaverty

24 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

Declaring a total ban would be better then everyone would know what they had to do. Hard on smokers. I know, but at least it is better than having to wonder if some secluded spot is a 'public place' or not.

I don't worry. The OP is nonsense. No such law in Thailand. Smoking inside public places has been banned for a number of years but you'd be hard pressed to find a bar that enforces it.

17 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I suggest you do some research on how vaccine trials work has nothing to do with your comment above. 

I have. This is exactly how the Oxford University trials are proceeding. Google it.

12 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

Exactly. They need to just leave it for this year. 

The Thai New year is 13, 14 and 15th of April. Its a fixed date. Could you move Christmas to July in the West? Did Easter get moved because it fell within the lockdown?

I did celebrate it on the 15th April. Traditional ceremony on our drive with friends and neighbours, followed by my family and next doors family turning the hospipes on and having a water fight over the garden fence and finishing off with all the kids in the street charging up and down with their super soakers. The whole thing lasted a couple of hours from start to finish. Everyone had great fun and the spirit of songkran fully satisfied. 

Won't be having another songkran, even if the government orders it.

8 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Once shops, bars, restaurants are empty landlords will have to have a rethink

But they never do. I've seen several venues closed for long periods because no one will meet the rent demands. Landlords just sit on the property until someone is prepared to meet the price. Its the Thai way.

Happens with houses too. One house near me has been empty for 2 years purely because the landlord is asking silly money for the rent. Buyers market? No such thing in Thailand.

1 minute ago, DrTuner said:

It's always been the plan, they were also very slow in closing up, downplaying it as long as they could.

Not as slow as US and UK. The UK only started closing up yesterday. That's what I call slow.

40 minutes ago, bristolgeoff said:

what ever country comes up with a vaccine or cure. they will do well.it could be any company anywhere

The problem for Thailand would be clinical trials. The second stage of trials on humans is to let the ginuea pigs loose into the community and see how many become infected. As there is no Covid in Thailand, the trial would be invalid. They would need to run the trial in a country where Covid is active.

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

They need to stop paying high rent, can't be a better time than now

I know of at least 3 businesses that have tried to negotiate a rent reduction for the period of closures. All have failed.

26 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

So you may be able to get a lot of them to take a "family friendly" vacation to an exotic locale where they can have water fights 24/7 for 3-4 days (or 10+ days if they are in Pattaya).

No chance of any foreign tourists before October.

25 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Apart from thai or international health-insurance policies, also travel-insurance valid all year (instead of short-term) might be an attractive option, especially if you need repatriation.

I have looked into these policies in the UK. Offer annual insurance but limit the number of days you can be abroad during that period. Not suitable for someone permanently residing in Thailand.

10 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I was in a place recently eating and allowed some beer, pleasant. I wonder if many City places can even open without large  numbers of tourists to support them. I think particularly of the 'over the sea' restaurants on Walking Street, surely domestic tourists will balk at their prices and Shenanigans.

The 2 restaurants that I'm particularly familiar with are Tropical on Khao Noi and Cafe des Amis.

Tropical should be OK as the majority of customers are expats and very loyal. Not sure about Cafe des Amis, very mixed clientele. Expats, Bangkok weekenders, Chinese visitors and ferang tourists. They have had to reduce the seating capacity due to social distancing but I still think that they will struggle to fill the place, which they need to do to make a decent profit. This kind of business is the most at threat of permanent closure.

Harland Gobs**tes restaurant has reopened but only a trickle of customers and wine was a big part of his profit margins.

19 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Depends where you are having it. At home, at a restaurant or on the beach.  The beach is the topic under discussion, but pretty sure getting together to drink  alcohol won't be permitted, nor in restaurants.

July 1st for restaurants. Many restaurants didn't reopen as they can't serve alcohol, it invalidates their business model. All plan to open on or around July 1st.

7 minutes ago, a977 said:

Get a life, their playing catch up with the rest of the world, where smoking has been banned in public for MANY years

Name one country.

57 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

I think a cigarette after sex is perfectly acceptable, but not during

Its acceptable if you ask before lighting up.

1 hour ago, Knocker33 said:

Guten Morgen or Bonjour as they think they are the only two nationalities that count in Europe 

its "Na then" in the global language of English.

1 minute ago, soalbundy said:

Isan must be another country then

No idea what you're trying to say but Issan doesn't have any beaches.

1 hour ago, champers said:

All the signs saying the beach is closed were still up when I went down Beach Road just after noon. No deckchairs or brollies. There was just a handful of folk on the beach and a couple in the sea, one of whom could have been our OP?

It was announced that the beach would be open today but no beach chairs or food vendors. They will follow over the next few days. A bit of a phased opening.

33 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

bruce forsyth had a younger peurto rican wife before he popped off .and she bagged his 12 million assets and his kids got nothing

They were married for 34 years. Up to him who he leaves his money to.