JonnyF

Buying land on the cheap is child's play in Thai politics. A bit like the head of a Mexican drug cartel getting a speeding ticket. The current mob have much better credentials - they have a convicted drug trafficker in their ranks, and no doubt that's the tip of the iceberg in terms of activities they've never been convicted of. The only reason that guy was convicted is that he was caught in Australia. Had he been caught in Thailand it would have all been a big misunderstanding, the lawyers and judges would be driving red plated S series Benz and it would have been brushed under the carpet.

Nice work if you can get it. Big Salary, nice pension, hobnobbing with local dignitaries, attending functions, doing sweet FA for UK citizens in Thailand whose tax pays for his lifestyle. Lovely jubbly.

Not really, when you consider that people are getting vaccinated on a fairly large scale now, and that easing restrictions has really been little more than lip service to placate the masses. The "relaxing of measures" has made very little difference to people's behaviour in real terms (a curfew that most people ignore changing from 10pm to 11pm, or malls staying open an extra hour is hardly going to make significant difference to the number of cases compared to millions of vaccinations per week). Vaccinations are causing the number of cases to decline. The easing of restrictions wouldn't have negated the positive effects of that. They should really expedite the further reduction of these restrictions to people's freedoms now.

Frankly, I couldn't give a Monkey's about the US. Their record on Covid has been lamentable but none of my concern since I am in Thailand and I am posting on a Thai forum about Thai policy of reducing doses of Covid vaccine administered in Thailand. I'm sure there's a time and a place for an angry American expat to vent his spleen about the former POTUS but I'm equally sure that this thread isn't it.

Actually, You raised the subject of US policy towards mixed doses in an attempt to justify reduced doses in Thailand. I queried the validity of using US policy on mixed doses to justify Thailand's policy on reduced doses, especially given the US poor record on COVID. You drifted even further to start talking about the former POTUS. You seem to think the world revolves around the good ol' US of A and it's former president. But this thread is about Thailand so let's stay on topic.

Once again, diverting the thread onto some weird obsession with a former US president. This thread has nothing to do with US politics, it only veered in that direction when you implied that reduced doses of vaccines in Thailand is safe because US immigration accepts mixed (not reduced) doses. Even that link was beyond tenuous and yet you stretched it even further to try and bring an ex POTUS into it. I think he's got enough properties in his portfolio, he doesn't need to live rent free in your head ????.

I think you're trying to divert the thread onto your dislike of a certain US politician. This thread has nothing to do with US politics. Nice try though. Actually, not really.

Ummm, like this? Not sure how I could make it any clearer.

This thread is about reduced doses, not mixed doses. Not sure why you'd cite the US as an example anyway. It's not exactly the gold standard in terms of Covid response given it's got the most cases of any country in the entire world. It's basically an example of what NOT to do. Besides, I thought the point of the vaccine is to provide protection from the virus, not to enter the US.

By Thai administered I mean the jab goes into the arm within the borders of Thailand. Completely different to the country of manufacture, I'd have thought that was obvious. Thai administered means you can have a perfectly good vaccine that has been compromised by reduced/diluted doses, different methods of injection (into muscle, under skin etc.). You know, all those dodgy untested shortcuts that save money at the potential risk of the patient.

Very odd when you compare Vietnam and Thailand. Thailand with over 3 times as many total cases but almost exactly the same number of deaths. Makes me wonder. Is Vietnam under-reporting cases? Is Thailand under-reporting deaths? Or do those magic amulets work after all?

Oh please, drop the sanctimony. This isn't about respecting Buddhism, I have great respect for Buddhism. In terms of the Thai take on Buddhism I do have certain reservations about certain aspects of it, but I still have and show the upmost respect for it. However, I do not agree with forcing a particular set of religious beliefs and practices onto individuals who do not share those religious beliefs. It's a very dangerous path to go down, as history has shown us countless times. I have an even greater problem with it when it's done as a form of control and a show of moral superiority by an authoritarian military regime that stole power from a democratically elected government and has consistently failed those people whose liberty they stole. So if you're going to attempt to virtue signal, please try to do it more intelligently. Good lad...

My colleagues had it show up in the app within 20 minutes, while we were all still in the observation area. I asked why mine hadn't shown up and they told me it took 24 hours. That was on 20th September. I think there will be a few of us going back, others had their names spelt incorrectly.

Sounds like that trough got too stinky for even these hogs to eat from it. Still, their bank accounts will thank them.

A Buddhist ban on alcohol on top of the Covid ban on alcohol. I'm not sure this is sufficiently virtuous. Surely a 48 hour ban on cigarettes or the consumption of meat would really drive home their power and moral superiority? They're really missing a trick here.

No wonder other countries have been refusing to accept Thai administered vaccines. Why don't they just follow the guidelines issued by the vaccine developers? Why do they always have to take shortcuts?

Depends what you consider a big deal I suppose. Taking an afternoon off work, wasting an afternoon of my life to drive through traffic to the other side of Bangkok to find a parking space, queue up for god knows how long wearing a face nappy, no doubt surrounded by other people during an airborne pandemic might not seem a big deal to you but frankly I have more productive ways to spend my time. Maybe they could just make the app work? There's a thought. It's not a complicated piece of software to display a few pieces of information from a database. Any decent developer could write it in a couple of days.

My Mor Phrom app says I am only single vaxxed, despite having a certificate to confirm that I am double vaxxed. Will they ever create an app that works? Surely it's not that difficult.

Why would people pay thousands to leave their own country that has no curfew, no masks, vaccinated population, pubs and restaurants open to visit a developing country with loads of hoops to jump through, COE, ripoff insurance, masks mandatory, a nightime curfew, alcohol banned, bars shut and the threat of 2 weeks in isolation if someone on their flight tests positive? Anyone who comes here for a holiday is a complete fool in my opinion.

Thailand is like a grubby restaurant selling overpriced burgers and beers while waiting for the Caviar and Champagne set to turn up. Totally delusional. They have no idea how the world views them and why people used to come here.

Unlikely. UK folks will take a quick, cheap flight to the meditteranean where there are less hoops to jump through, the beaches are clean and everything is open. Germans like to drink beer. The Chinese aren't allowed to travel. So you should be able to get a sunbed. Although if it's on a beach you won't be allowed to drink or smoke. If it's by a pool, the pool will probably be shut. Have a happy holiday! ????

I wonder how they know it has bottomed out. There are plenty of factors that could take Thailand's economy down further, especially with the current "government".

As if they didn't have enough problems down there already...

I can just imagine the queues. It was bad enough before Covid when all they had to do was stamp the passport. They still often managed to turn that into over an hours wait before some scowling immigration official looked you up and down, read the passport back to front, stamped you in and pushed the passport back at you. Now with vaccine certificates, PCR tests, COE's, 2 metre social distancing etc. the queues will probably be spilling back out onto the runway if any serious numbers start to arrive. That will all be whilst wearing a mask (maybe also being sprayed by alcohol - Prayut style) having just worn one for 12+ hours on the place. Thanks but No thanks - I'd be holidaying closer to home for a couple of years.

Well if the PM cannot wait, it must be done. After all, it's all about what the PM wishes and does not wish to wait for. If the PM is happy, Thailand is happy, right? Seriously though, if Thailand wants to wait for zero Covid before opening up they better have a 5 year furlough plan ready for the millions of people that will be out of work.