MicroB

I work in the field. When we first became aware in January 2020, back then I estimated this will be "newsworthy", in that its something we are all generally aware of, for 5 years, so by early mid-2025 it will cease to be remarkable. I'm sticking to that. Put this in perspective; the US, and Europe to an extent, endured a 40 year Polio epidemic. This meant that schools were regularly closed during outbreaks, pools and beaches were regularly closed during periodic outbreaks. When Roosevelt came to power, and he was a Polio survivor, he set up what was, in retorspect, the first crowdfunder for a new medicine; the million dime drive to get a vaccine developed. 20 years later, Salk developed his vaccine, and Eisenhower was in tears when he awarded him a medal in appreciation. Beside a massive boost to vaccine research, one good thing that came out of Polio was Intensive Care Medicine, which we now couldn't imagine medicine would be without. I can see some silver lining to this who sorry affair, some of which will have huge beneficial impacts in healthcare. Well the mRNA vaccines were being originally developed for malaria and cancer, the former struggling for funding as malaria is not something that's commercially attractive. Well, we've now moved a step closer to making that a reality, and millions will see lives transformed. And cancer vaccines are looking very viable. The EU has a 270 day rule for vaccine certificates; you need to have had a booster no more than 270 days before travel, and no less than 14days. Singapore, Israel and Bahrain enacted the same ruling. The UK takes a similar path, in terms of defining "full vaccinated".

Good post. Its also the scenario in which the variants arise. The Alpha variant (Kent strain, remember that) probably arose in Dartford from an individual, likely either with Cancer or HIV who struggled to shake it off. Omicron came from Botswana, where one in three of the adult population is HIV positive. A new strain was observed to emerge in one poor sap in Boston (US) who spent months in hospital before succumbing.

Well, one should always have travel insurance. However, they are requiring COVID treatment cover for those travellers going onwards to a country requiring a negative COVID test prior to entry.

They may have time to arrange for a Janssen vaccination; this is a single shot vaccine, but you need it 14 days before travel to Thailand. Recognised by Thailand. In addition, if you had COVID-19 before, and subsequently get a single shot, of any Covid vaccine, that is also considered "fully vaccinated" by Thailand. To those wondering about the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, based on what they read in the popular press, the vaccines with EUAs in US/Europe are generally considered to have about 50% efficacy. Most vaccines of any sort are not what you call "sterilizing". Efficacy rates are based on detection of illness, not detection of infection. We say the measles vaccine in kids is highly effective because they don't get the measles rash and they don't die. But as soon as you start looking for the virus, you will find it still circulating in vaccinated kids, albeing not causing illness, or causing a much milder illness. The number of true sterilizing vaccines is pretty small. Hep-A, Polio and HPV vaccines are all very good, with efficacy in the high 90s%. The BCG Vaccine (TB) is 50-60% and has been in use for 100 years. Typhoid shots are 50% effective. A flu vaccine is considered worth deploying if its 30% effective. Just stated for informational purposes. Not interested in further debate. Feel free to reply, but there won't be a response.

Ok, understood; so in your experience, the only options really are the civil ceremony and no celebration or civil ceremony and full formal religious event. There is nothing in between in your years of experience. Thanks

Useful response.

She has said she has no interest in a wedding from where she is from, as she considers herself an "orphan" with no close family anymore. She left the village for Bangkok over 20 years ago. She wants her circle of friends to come along, about 10-20 people. Yes, I have broached the question of an "auspicious date" and she is having a think about that, considering her Rasi. We'll have a civil registration, but following that, there isn't actually a "need" for anything further, except it being a nice thing for friends and family. If there is no option but for the "full shindig" then that's what it would be. I know the CofE has formalised Church Blessings, but I have no idea if Thai Bhuddism has anything similar, besides the Disneyfied "ceremonies" offered to tourists for that Instagram moment.

Thanks for that. Great insight.

The replies I get are variously "Up to you", "don't spend too much". She has no interest in going home, as she hasn't been back there in 20 years, her parents are both dead, as is her brother. My question was whether conceptually something equivalent exists in Thailand similar to an English Church Blessing. I know various outfits offer something like that for tourists marrying, with Bhuddism etc, but I'm not sure if that thing is acceptable to Thai people. Forum members I assume have collective experience, but your reply indicates there is no good advice on marrige matters on this forum (so why is there a section on it?). For instance, do you have a notion of what Thai people in general think, or whether there is a spectrum of opinion. I have a fair idea, in the UK, what most people would think of a Church blessing, and in general I think most would be quite positive about it. There will be some bitterly opposed to it, either because they are atheists in the extreme, or because they view something cut down as somewhat ungodly. I would be quite comfortable expressing my opinion of British society to a foreigner. But you post on a forum expressing an unwillingness to express an opinion. Perhaps you have no opinion, no experience of Thai culture, but wanted to express that non-opinion.

Many thanks.

Is there such a thing that is acceptable to Thais as a "Wedding Blessing"; the quasi-religious ceremony in the West that follows a Civil Ceremony. Or is it all or nothing in Thailand? My Bride-to-be has been previously married, and wants to be married where she is living, not where she is from. She has no family (parents both deceased), and has expressed a desire just for friends to attend (from her side), about a dozen. But its difficult for me to find out if its the whole 9 yards with nine monks etc, or something simpler. I am planning a civil ceremoney in September, then later, probably January, something for which I can invite overseas friends and families to. It strikes me with the Affirmation etc, there are too many imponderables to set a definite date. Additionally, there are other logistical issues that lend towards a later date.

Would this site give an indication of UK Embassy availability: https://www.book-consular-appointment.service.gov.uk/TimeSelection?location=53&service=15 If so, it seems that dates for slots aren't released for 6 weeks in advance, and that they go pretty quickly when they do. I'm not going to marry until September next year, when I have a month in Thailand, but looking at this, I can't finalise my travel until 4-6 weeks ahead. Or is availability better than this suggests?