ABCbangkok

Hi All I haven’t posted since my escape from Thailand in June to Canada. I recall that not a few posters at that time were cheerleading for Sinovac. How’s that going for you? All the best, ABCbangkok

What?! Oh, I thought Anutin said, ‘waxing’. (Roseanne Roseannadanna: “Never mind”)

Happy to say I did make the move to a country I can indeed call ‘home’.

Yes Thais nationals and offspring can hold onto their Thai citizenship, for what it’s worth. Not much in my opinion when compared to what immigrants receive in the West. Here is a short list of the rights you can expect to have as an expat in Thailand: - the right to be called a farang (connotation outsider/visitor) - the right to report to Immigration every 3 months - the right to go every year to Immigration for an reentry permit (even if you have residency) - the right to be overcharged by those who think all westerners are rich and can handle the cost - the right to be considered kee nok (bird doo) if you don’t spend generously - the right to be denied rights by the authorities despite the taxes you’ll pay if you work there - the right to be told ‘you can go home’ if you don’t like the ways Thais do things - the right to be frustrated by the corruption of Thai politicians and unable to do or say anything much about it - the right to suck up the illogic and downright lunacy of Thai culture on a daily basis

That must be some damn good weed you’re smoking!

Yes! In all three of your sentences: “rights”. Something that Thai society in general doesn’t understand, for both Thais and foreigners alike.

Totally agree. Got back to Canada recently and I can’t believe how clean and fresh the air is here. Nice to live with an open sky. The cost and tax are high because you get quality and services. Arrived in June and my free medical coverage starts in September and in October for my Thai wife. We both had our first shots of Moderna, no costs. Not bragging. Had we been we been able to get any Western vaccine in Thailand I might not have left. COVID infections and deaths way down across Canada and many believe due to aggressive vaccination rollout. I do expect some counter trend due to variant Delta and who-knows-what-next but govt isn’t lying and Canadians know what is going on. I’m also appreciating not being treated like a tourist or second class citizen. I was in Thailand for 30 years and begged the banks for a mortgage, despite having sizable assets to put up as collateral. (Long time ago, could have done something with Bangkok Bank for triple the rate for Thais). No can do. Some found a way but I could not. Canada extends mortgage to one and all no discrimination. I got tired of not having rights in Thailand and the hassles at banks and immigration.

April 23, 2021, Nation Newspaper: “The government aims to procure 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine for 50 million people before the year-end, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Friday evening.” July 24, 2021: “The news comes after the Prime Minister's Office on Friday said that 13 million more vaccine doses will be administered throughout August - 8 million AstraZeneca doses and 5 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine. As of Friday, Thailand had administered approximately 15.4 million vaccine doses.” Dec 24, 2021: “Prime Minister Prayut Cha-o-cha announces that he has ordered the Health Minister to investigate why only a total 20 million vaccine doses have been administered this year. He has also asked his top advisors and business leaders what else can be done to lower the daily infection from 40,000. He is asking the people to strictly follow current restrictions.”

Thanks for posting this.