GStewart70

4 minutes ago, Bruno123 said:

 

I must have missed the part of the article where she is blaming anyone or even complaining. Can you point it out for me?

You won't be able to do so, because it didn't happen. In fact the only whingers are here on this forum. Outraged that someone took part in the Phuket Sandbox program and that had the temerity to point out that it's rather short notice to get PCR tests et al to fly back to the U.K. and so her best bet is to stay put instead of spending £3k and two weeks in jail. No complaints, no whinging; just telling her story.

 

But why are you so angry about her telling her story? 

 

If you travel during a global pandemic then government policy is likely to change at any time. Just like it did.

Your back up plan should include having the financial resources to be able to pay for the hotel quarantine on return.

Thailand was rumoured to be on the last  red list review, so hardly a surprise.

The costs of UK red list quarantine on return have been freely and widely available.

It's called personal responsibility.

36 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

The FCDO now advises against all but essential travel to Thailand, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.

 

Thailand travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

The FCDO advise against all but essential travel to the whole country.

Quite scary when you see it in black and white.

I think invalidates insurance policies as well if you defy government travel restrictions.

And so the covid saga drags on and on and on.

Just now, Tanomazu said:

Yes, I see you read the WSJ article with equal care and attention. Hence the need to correct your errors.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

1 hour ago, Tanomazu said:

 No, actually, almost everything you said was wrong.

 

For a start you said that the UK did 50% of global sequencing and Germany 3%. In fact what London-based mobile editor Joanna Sugden of the WSJ said in that WSJ article is that on Jan 29th 2021 the UK  had submitted 44% of genomes held in GISAID, Germany is not mentioned. However, you just quoted an out of date article. As of 27 August 2021, if you check the GISAID website you will see that there are 2.97 million sequences shared in GISAID. Of which the UK has contributed not 50%, not 44%, but a mere 24%.

 

https://www.gisaid.org/index.php?id=208

 

The UK has also been overtaken by the US now which has provided the largest number of genome sequences in absolute terms.

 

However, the UK's total only represents 11.1% of actual cases in the UK. By contrast Denmark has sequenced 44.9% of actual cases. New Zealand has sequenced 49.9% of all its cases, Australia has sequenced 54.4% of all its cases.

 

So to summarise, on GISAID, a German initiative by German excecutive Peter Bogner, which is hosted in Germany, it is the USA which has submitted the largest number of sequences in absolute terms, and Australia, New Zealand and Denmark have sequenced four to five times as many of their coronavirus cases. Therefore your claim that the UK is some kind of world leader in genome sequencing is simply wrong.

 

It was also wrong to state that Germany sequences 3% of GISAID variants. Germany has in fact submittted 5.29% of variants, and that despite the fact that only since January 2021 did Germany pass a law requiring that 5% of cases be sequenced. I can assure you that just as the UK was overtaken by the USA in the space of a few months in terms of sequences submitted, so will Germany submit more sequences than the UK in short space of time.

 

I would say, however, that the real stars are Denmark, Australia and New Zealand, who have sequenced in the region of 50% of their cases, whereas the UK has only managed 11%.

 

 

Thanks for spending the time and effort to write that thesis.

I lost interest after the first sentence.

16 hours ago, Leaver said:

 

I just posted of "Pattaya's number 1 farang restaurant's" for sale price on another thread.  It's dropped from something like 8 million baht to 4 million baht.

 

https://www.bahtsold.com/view/pattaya-s-number-1-farang-restaurant-is-for-sale--387708

 

Here's Pattaya's most popular sports bar.  From memory, originally listed at 12 million, now listed at 8 million baht.

 

https://www.bahtsold.com/view/1202180-one-of-pattaya-s-best-pubs-for-sale-326114

 

"Are prices really adjusting?"  A price is only as good as what the market is willing to pay.  if there is no market, what's the value of an asset, and should that asset have expenses, such as rent, there becomes a point when the assets turns to a liability.  

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for posting these.

I'm no sales and marketing expert but the Hungry Hippo ad is screaming 'just make me an offer and i'll bite your arm off.'

Sad times indeed.

33 minutes ago, Tanomazu said:

The UK is certainly honest in this pandemic, and also doing good work in terms of genome sequencing of Corona variants. However, you're living in la-la-land, if you believe the UK does 50% of global genome sequencing. The only way the UK can do any genome sequencing of coronaviruses at all is because it takes data from a European platform, GISAID, from which the UK copied most of its data on the variants it feeds into is own government system.

 

GISAID is hosted by the Federal Republic of Germany, and came about at the initiative of Peter Bogner, a German executive. To this day it is Germany that provides the technical means and hosting for GISAID. It was through GISAID that the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention shared the genome sequence of SARS Cov2.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GISAID

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01069-w

 

So whilst the UK could only establish its systems for genome sequencing thanks to the German-hosted GISAID from which the UK government sequencing site takes most data, it is true that the UK has taken a lead in Genome sequencing. However, already in January 2021 the German health ministry has to meet a requirement that 5% of all positive corona tests are gene sequenced. By comparison the UK also sequences 5-10%.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-germany-sequencing-idUSKBN29J1KS

 

The real leader in gene sequencing of corona samples is in fact Denmark, not the UK.

 

A long winded way to say I'm right. Thanks.

Wall Street Journal has the UK doing 44% of global sequencing in January 2021.

I'm sure Europe has made a contribution.

I just wasn't aware they had.

Just reading the previous posts is all you need to do to realise that this high season is lost as well in Thailand.

Feel sorry for those that have invested their savings or sold home country property to run a business in Thailand.

I hope expats and domestic tourism can keep the lights on, but mass tourism is finished for years to come.

What savings that are left will slowly be drained from the bank.

Never, ever burn your bridges.

30 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Of course, but the way they are moving on vaccinations the number that can go out for dinner are severely reduced.  How does one do a home ATK test kit and prove they are negative.  Do they take a photo of the test kit and register the kit and photo with MOPH.  More things that need answers and plans they made without knowing or explaining more in depth, instead just generic info.  Of course I am sure more will be coming as this was just decided at the meeting which just ended a few hours ago.

Was thinking of UK vaccination rates. Your quite right but at least it's a start.

Maybe an incentive in a way to get jabbed.

More easing than i expected.

Fair play to Thailand, anti vax nonsense isn't going to be tolerated.

Get jabbed or your staying at home.

2 minutes ago, anchadian said:

As you stated TR:

 

Starting on 1st September, some high risk businesses in the dark red zones, such as restaurants, can open, however only for people with a Green Card (fully vaccinated) or a Yellow Card (recovered from covid or have a negative ATK test within the last 7 days) #Thailand

 

https://twitter.com/ThaiNewsReports/status/1431156450500382726

 

Will vaccine passports be required for barfining when i return?

Negative PCR Test before doing the dirty deed?

Yet some of the Pattaya halfwit vloggers and bar owners think it's going to be tills ringing till dawn.

1 minute ago, yimlitnoy said:

If fully vaccinated a trip to India, Goa for example, will save you money and add to your culture when coming back to the UK...

No thanks, I'll stick to the Bay of Bengal down the road.

12 minutes ago, anchadian said:

Thailand makes Bloomberg’s list of ‘worst places to be’ for current phase of the pandemic

 

Thailand, along with several other South East Asian countries, have made Bloomberg’s list of worst places to be for the current phase of the pandemic which has been fueled by the spread of the Delta variant.

 

While Thailand was one of the most successful countries to tackle the virus in 2020, the country has regressed horribly with the spread of Delta in 2021.

 

Thailand has seen 1,092,006 cases and 10,220 deaths since April 1 with a mortality rate of 0.94% making it one of the hardest hit countries this year.

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/31850/thailand-makes-bloombergs-list-of-worst-places-to-be-for-current-phase-of-the-pandemic/

Only last year the Thai butler, Barrow, was posting his sicophantic ramblings about him being so glad he's in Thailand during the pandemic.

Now he's telling people to open the windows and avoid crowds.

Be a while before his freebie kick backs begin.

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

I think will they open some things up, OK.  Maybe I am reading the data wrong but it does not seem to be that much better some vloggers and folks on here saying how much better things are sorry, not seeing it yet.

Or maybe it's because the Thai massage association has threatened to sue the Thai government for loss of earnings. Apparently, first action of its kind in Thailand, and the greedy rich top 1%, think easing a few restrictions will stop an avalanche of claims.

1 hour ago, lolalol said:

I don't know what to say.  I read that the UK just red listed Thailand.  And according to this statistics Thailand's COVID situation is getting better.  Something is not right.

UK government are concerned about variants of concern and how much sequencing the Thai government is doing.

The UK does up to 50% of global sequencing so maybe it is worried about what has been brewed in Thailand.

Thailand's case count isn't decreasing anyway but stuck in a world first parallel line pandemic pattern.

Their so incompetent they can't even manage to fix the figures downwards.

Put on red list because of worry over variants of concern and seems the UK government don't trust the Thai government to fess up to such variants.

The UK processes nearly 50% of global genome sequencing.

15 minutes ago, anchadian said:

 

Thai researchers have tapped the abilities of sniffer dogs to create what is thought to be the world’s first sweat test for Covid-19.

 

Created by Chulalongkorn University, the quick and easy-to-use portable test device detects scents in sweat that signal infection. Each sample takes only 15 minutes to collect and provides results in 30 seconds, said a Chula press release. The sweat test is already being used in community screening, it added.

https://www.nationthailand.com/life/40005313

If you don't fail the PCR test arriving at BBK, fido might grass you up if he's having a bad day.

What sort of a world are we going to be living in.

From memory, reminds me of the lack of shade in Nice, south of France.

I would think this would be unwalkable in the glare of afternoon sun.

No doubt you will have to avoid the psycho cyclists as well.

The pictures look nice,  but that doesn't normally get executed by Thai contractors.