jonclark

53 minutes ago, whiteflight said:

In 6 months time a lot of people will have died who did not have to die.
That may be an "acceptable loss" to you, it is not to me or to those who have no choice

because there is currently no vaccine available while an outbreak rages.

Thailand, unlike many other countries, did NOT make any major purchase agreements

with the main vaccine providers, as you can tell by Thailand not being able to start general vaccinations of even high risk groups until June.  That is something to be outraged about, as well as about your callous disregard for human life.

Please read all my previous post before editing and paraphrasing otherwise you seem rather uninformed.

My first post is on page 3. It seems to agree with your entire 2nd paragraph. 

4 minutes ago, madmitch said:

I think you've missed my point.

 

It could well be that Government hospitals or mass vaccination facilities will allow their vaccines to be used on foreigners?

Yes Mitch they will.

This has already happened among the migrant population in Samut Sakorn and it will be extended as part of a national vaccination program to include anyone living in Thailand. 

1 minute ago, Surelynot said:

Who says so? vaccines are not being released to hospitals......and will not be until Thais are vaccinated......each vaccine sold to a hospital is a vaccine not going into the arm of a Thai.

 

Expats get vaccinated when there is a surplus 

Mate, I am not going to try to change your mind as you mind is fixed. You see yourself (and other expats) as victims of a xenophobic government who are withholding and prevent foreigners from getting vital vaccinations. 

That is not the case. Vaccinations are very limited, currently only those in immediate risk of contracting co vid are being vaccinated. Their need is greater than yours. In time that will change, there will be enough vaccines to go around and by the end of the year you too will have had your jab. 

Remember that at this point in time there are literally tens of millions of Thais who have not been vaccinated just like you. They all need to wait as well.  

FYI  - Many of the migrant workers (aka foreigners) in Samut Sakorn have already been vaccinated free of charge by the government.  

Have a lovely day and stay safe. 

19 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

I think most of us live with these double standards and accept them. I do. I expect to pay more than Thais. I expect Thai citizens to receive benefits that non-Thais cannot get. I don't expect nor do I seek to be accepted into Thai society. Even for the Covid shot, I'm willing to wait. I don't feel trapped. I have a roomy house in the suburbs of Bangkok, and a nice backyard to work in. Three 7 Elevens are within 100-200 meters, and a grocery I can easily walk to is 3.5 km away. When I saw this coming two weeks ago, I went to my physician and stocked up on my inner ear meds for two months. I can make it and am willing to wait. But that is for me. Many other foreigners on this forum are in a far more perilous situation. With Covid spreading, they need the vaccine now because of age, poor health, or medical complications. Their life is on the line. Why shouldn't they be bitter. I think they are justified to be bitter, angry, and desperate.

We are all in this together but, there are far far more Thais that have exactly the same perilous situation that you speak of, but economically are in a far worse situation. That is not a justification, just an observation. 

The entire vaccine procurement and distribution process has been a cluster <deleted> from the word go. I recall old Tanathorn making a big, song and dance about this months ago and he was politely threatened with legal action? 

We must remember that when the limited number of vaccines are distributed they are delivered on a needs basis and that need is based on local rates of infection (do you live in a cluster zone), age, underlying conditions etc. It is not a nice situation to be told you need to wait, but it is the right answer. 

It is also worth noting that those being Thais vaccinated have no choice over the vaccine they are given, you are ordered to turn up and you are given a vaccine. Astra Zeneca is pretty much used up (and is reserved for a few groups out of medical necessity). About 95% of the people in the current vaccine drive in Klong Toey will get Sinovac . Not having Sinovac is not an option either.

4 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

In 6-9 months, it likely will be time for a booster shot and the entire process will need to be repeated. To get that "surplus" required before giving a shot to farangs could take a couple of years.

I am not sure - This is a vaccine gold mine for all companies involved and I would bet my bottom dollar they are producing Vaccine at a phenomenal rate - The amount of cash thrown at rolling out vaccines is staggering. Moderna alone aims for 1 billion doses by the end of the year. I would imagine all the other manufacturers, Sinovac, Sputnik, AstraZeneca, J&J, Pfizer are looking at similar numbers.

With UK population now at 74% vaccinated and most of Europe at 30% (ish) USA aiming for 70% by July 2021. Chinas and India's numbers are harder to fathom but it is likely they are likewise in the same ball park.  But this all points to vaccines production at a high and sustained level. 

In 6 months no hospital is going to turn around a person and their wallet if they seek vaccination.  Despite the outrage of a very small but vocal group of Thai netizens. 

I think everyone needs to calm down. 

The context to this seems to have been lost.

Thailand has very low vaccine stocks - This has been said by the government and is evidenced by them scrambling to find vaccines - the government thought incorrectly it could order vaccines at their convenience and they would arrive the next day, (probably expected Kerry to deliver). Thailand is quite far down the order list sadly and so rightly, their limited vaccines are being allocated on a needs basis.

In 6 - 9 months, when a covid vaccine is as common in any hospital as an influenza or MMR jab, anyone and everyone will be able to go and get one.

Do not get all hysterical and claim this is some xenophobic conspiracy. 

Everyone stay safe. stay at home, wear a mask and sanitizer hands thoroughly. 

2 hours ago, Fromas said:

In a normal year you would be correct. In this situation, the company has a right to stop employees infecting one another, or engaging in high-risk behavior leading to that.

 

 

 Yes the company does have the right to stop employees infecting each other whist they are contractually obliged to the working hours of their employer. After those contractual obligations are fulfilled the company has no right whatsoever to dictate what can or cannot be done outside of working hours.  The government has deemed it safe for restaurants in shopping centers to serve 'sit down' customers. The company cannot override the governments advice for their own convenience. 

Working from home is not the same as being told to stay at home. 

3 minutes ago, mike1967 said:

Here's a thought. Vaccinate your people!!!

I think that is exacty why he has made himself the Covid Czar - Now vaccines can be produced in Thailand he wants all the credit for rolling them out to the people. A benevolent, merciful and wise leader is the image he wishes to cultivate. 

He thinks COVID is a National Security issue. When in fact it is a  social health issue. And if you cannot even identify the problem correctly, then you are pretty much guaranteed to come up with the incorrect solution. 

10 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Seems this venue was inhabited by someone who was a super spreader!!

Nah they just all got off with the same 'pretty'. 

1 hour ago, connda said:

 

Bullying when I was a kid meant getting pounded by some guy picking on smaller kids who he knew he could beat up.

Cyber bullying?  That is such an ambiguous term.  Like, name calling?  What does it really mean?  It means imho that if some elite bigwig gets their panties in a twist about something someone says then "Throw Them Into Jail!"  "Cyberbullying" makes a good enough excuse when defamation and libel don't work.  So - make a new law.
My generation in the West:  "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." <sticks out tongue>
My generation in Thailand: <sniffles; tears well in eyes; emotional breakdown>

It's amazing the trite nonsense that people nowadays can't handle. Things that all my US friends my age would just laugh at and laugh off.
 

I could not agree more.  These millennials or whatever they wish to call themselves are so dam sensitive they really need to grow up.  If some faceless wonder calls me out or tries to cyber bully me the solution is pretty simple. Turn off the app or engage back. I would not lose any sleep over some peanut brained comments in the cyberverse. 

Honestly virtual bullies, is that what people worry about now. What's next a virtual reputation. 

So how long / how many trains will be needed to transport the cargo of a large container ship? 

So who is checking what the families do with the 'illegal' part of this cash crop? Not selling the flowers is akin to growing apple trees but not selling the apples. You are not selling the part of your crop that gets the highest price. 

5 years down the line weed will be a widely available recreational drug in Thailand albeit officially illegal in the same way that prostitution and vaping are illegal.

Marijuana is called weed, causes once it gets going it literally grows anywhere, water, soil, sun and its off. 

Thailand will never get a serious covid outbreak. Period.

Ah the 's' stands for smart. This is a cunning ploy to employ the many thousand of business / marketing / econ grads that have no job. You need a degree now to work on Lotus. Quite brillant really. Thousand of graduates working for megre wages and CP exploit it by advertising it!! Genius. 

I hope however, that these stores stock brands that are not the usually branded junk that you find in most supermarkets. Giving consuers a wider choice of products would be the smartest decison ever.....but I think we all know how that hope will end up. 

Honestly, is a better quality of food and products that hard to stock? 

25 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

Minibus from Morchit to Pattaya klang is about 200 Baht I think, and if you're lucky some free Covid-19 thrown in

Barfin..how much will the hospital bills be??? 

Mate in this covid climate you offer any taxi driver 1500 baht to take you from Bangkok (anywhere) to Pattaya he will take you to the doorstep if where you want to go. 

Set aside for 1500 and if you feel you save a couple of hundred in any negotiations it's a bonus.

10 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

Which one of these blanket statements do you disagree with? You may disagree with the first statement, but then if you did, why on earth are you paying for your kids to go to a private school in the first place if your happy to have them sat a computer all day?

 

(Original post you responded to saying unhelpful blanket statement)

 

I don't think you would disagree that these parents are paying a fortune for a bespoke education, and they're not receiving that sitting at their desk on a computer at home.

 

Do you honestly believe that the kids are receiving the same educational experience? Are they in an immersive environment, able to talk with their friends freely and share ideas? Are they surrounded by educational resources, libraries, gym/sports equipment and a multitude of teachers they could instantly go to and ask a question?

 

Think about the parents who pay for all of this. They're now having to take time off work to look after their kids, or pay for someone to come and look after them. Everyone else has been affected by COVID, why do these institutions think they should be exempt?

Any refund you get will be offset by a fee hike in fees for the next academic year. 

So make your valid arguements to your school, claim your refund and wait for the fee hike.

If you don't like that you are free to take your children out of that school and enroll at a new school and pay their enrollment and registration fees and their new fee structure.

Demand is high for private education in Bangkok, why do you think so many international schools are opening.

Schools will not be out of pocket and the parent will pay. 

That is the sad choice parents like you and I have.