abq2020

11 hours ago, connda said:

You are vaccinated and yet you are afraid of contracting Covid?  Why?  You're safe.  Most the the world leaders said if you get the vaccines you won't get Covid.  Only the unvaccinated spread Covid.  Are you unvaccinated?  No? So you have nothing to worry about.  Test and quarantines should be a thing of the past for clean, vaccinated people!  I hate it when people spread conspiracy theories that the fully vaccinated get Covid no less spread it. 
It's an "epidemic of the unvaccinated."  All vaccinated citizens are "Safe!"  Stop spreading lies and rumors.  You'll create a panic. 
Vaccinated = Completely Safe!

You are misinformed. 

Covid 19 vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing infections. They are, however, highly effective at preventing serious illness and death.  Fully vaccinated people can still get infected. These are called breakthrough infections. And those who get them WILL BE contagious, and can infect others.

Effectiveness for covid 19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) range from 51 to 96%. So hypothetically, depending on which vaccine(s) you received, you have a 4 to 49% 'opportunity' to have a breakthrough infection. Add to that the decreased vaccine effectiveness over time, age and sex factors, and new, possibly more virulent covid 19 variants; and protections provided by being initially "fully vaccinated" are not what you may think they are. The boosters are needed for more reasons than just to make some people richer. 

My point:  

VACCINATED is not equal to COMPLETELY SAFE!

Safer regarding reducing risk of infection, severity of disease, hospitalization, and/or death: YES!

Completely safe from the above, and from infecting others if you get a breakthrough infection?: NO!

 

Mask-up! Be safe and keep others safe!

 

 

Simply another of many instances of the country 'cutting off its nose to spite its face.' A poor reaction to an apparent failure of those in charge to demonstrate due diligence in planning and executing a national vaccination program. 

If not already done, I suspect this version of the policy will be 'rethought' and changed in favor of one reflecting a bit of common sense; or at least I hope it will.

Covid does not care if a potential infectee is a Thai or a foreigner, and neither should a national vaccination policy. All people in the country are risks and at risk, and for the sake of the entire nation all people in Thailand should be vaccinated posthaste with priorty to ALL most at risk.

I wish/hope the 'authorities' would (will) be at least equally interested in the "more than 80 missing M-16s in Korat" as they are in busting the dangerous lottery ticket sellers...

'Braking' News...Los Angeles [California] Police announce that Thai national is new suspect is long unsolved murder of OJ Simpson's former wife, Nicole. Though no specific suspect has been determined, the Thai suspect theory thought most likely hypothesis because re-analysis of voice recordings between police and occupants of white Ford Bronco indicate that English spoken was superior to native Californians and Football players of the era....along with one of the former investigators recalling he had heard a similar accent once when he was eating Thai food at a TexMex restaurant in San Antonio, Texas.

IMHO reforms intended to reduce corruption (graft, bribes, preferential treatment for family and friends, etc., etc.) will likely, if not surely, fail because the culture of acceptance of such practices is not substantially being changed. When afore discussed corruption is endemic within a culture, it is that portion of the culture which must first be changed to effect a change in the practices. As if evidence of this is needed, recent public disclosures of graft and other corrupt practices involving numerous public officials and agencies ranging from lowest to near highest levels of Goverment should be enough to demonstrate bottom to top acceptance. Yes, reforming the procedures, checks and balances, internal controls, management structures, etc., will provide some short-term improvement. Those, however, are akin to the 'putting lipstick on a pig' analogy. The cultural and societal acceptance must be reversed to effect meaningful and long-lasting change to the practice. That, as pointed out by others in their replies, must include bottom-up changes to culture along with an aggressive top-down crackdown on the practice.

I have since first moving to the Kingdom some 10 years ago asked rhetorically, who polices the police? Perhaps the proposed 'realignment' is the beginning of a structure and process to do that...

Now that I really think about the idea, the wristbands will be great...I could just leave my wristband (instead of passport) with the vendor when I rent a jet ski in 'Pooket and Patdowntaya.'

Wristbands, tracking devices = no tourists. What will be proposed next...compulsory DNA testing and registry, implanted chips, bed checks, etc.? I am beginning to click my emeralded slippers' heels together and repeating over and over again, "there is no place like home, there is no place like home..."

I hope his soaps air around my bedtime because I could use some help falling asleep....

Where are the guys with the blow torches and the saws????

They are sadly no longer with us but have been blown into a million tiny pieces.

I am sad for the families of innocents killed by the bomb, but as for the half-witted blow-torcher, well, write that one off as improving the gene pool.

He is a likely deserter. To my recollection, at least 5 soldiers were killed while trying to find and "rescue" him. The Taliban is listed by USA as a terrorist organization and, therefore, violated its own "we don't negotiate with terrorists" policy. And, the probable deserter who directly/indirectly (pick one) caused the loss of 5 real hero's lives is now being given the treatment and presidential notoriety due only real heroes. Thank you, Mr.Obama.

The topic of stray dogs and cats is one worth discussing and addressing; however, IMHO, the question of poisoning the dogs is purely idiotic. If I was you I worry more about your kids ingesting poison than them putting 'dog shit in their eyes.'

Comparing the situation here now to Egypt, Russia (Putin), Myamar, etc. is not reasonable. Let us see what exactly emerges from this coup and when, and make comparisons at that point. Before the coup Thailand's politics, and maybe the country as a result, was in uncontrolled death spiral. Did anyone see things getting better as they were? Sometimes a swift kick to the ars is needed, and that is what some people, political parties, and overly influential families have again received. As for myself I will give due course and due diligence time to happen, and then make judgement and comparison.

A. Facts:

1. I am no fan of the Fox News Right-Wing Political Action Committee.

2. Malaysia should have let the world, and especially their regional neighbors, promptly know MH370 was 'missing.' They did not do until nearly the time the flight was scheduled to arrive in Beijing. Had they done so very soon after the loss of transponder and ACARS info, then maybe Thailand and other regional countries may have placed more importance and relevance in their respective radar data. One or more countries would/might have sent military aircraft to investigate, and probably the mystery regarding WHERE is MH370 would be no mystery at all.

3. Even with the late missing flight acknowledgement by Malaysia, as well as the late release of Malaysian military radar track info, Thailand could have helped minimize the Gulf of Thailand wild goose chase searches and all of the wasted resources had they themselves disclosed the corroborating radar data.

4. Greta's report and criticism was emotionally over-the-top and unprofessional, yet accurate.

B. Speculation: I wonder had Malaysia promptly told their neighbors they just lost contact with flight, and asked for and received radar help and info from Thailand (or others)...could there have been some intervention to convince whomever was at the controls of MH370 to spare the lives of the 239 souls on-board?

The speculation that Ms. Yingluck has somehow influenced the supposedly-randomised mechanism of lottery arose after the lottery draw on 16 March, which turns up the number 531404 as the first prize winner.

Is there nothing in this country that one fool or another won't try and blame on the Shinawatras?

If you believe neither that the lottery is rigged or, at least, has great potential to be, then it is you who is the fool...

Firstly, I assume that the initial poster's question of "Is it illegal for them [students] to use a helmet????" is sarcasm rather than just a stupid question.

Next. Regarding the many posts indicating that police do not enforce helmet law when it comes to students. I disagree. Writing from personal experience in 4 provinces and many districts and sub-districts...Police are arbitrary at best in their enforcement of the helmet law. It depends on where, when, and the specific police jurisdiction. I routinely see the police set-up "stop and checks" in the afternoon at times proximate to when schools in the area generally end their days. Many students are always caught in this dragnet. Often, it is mostly students who are caught. I see no bias in favor of students at all. For that matter, no bias in favor of me, as well. :-(

""In Bangkok, we are keeping a close eye on every protest site to provide safety for the people, although the court does not allow us to do anything," he said."

"The anti-government movement seized on Saturday's drive-by attack in Trat as an example of authorities failing to protect rally-goers."

Maybe the police are unable to adequately protect the public from random acts of violence, and it may be unrealistic to expect total security without the full cooperation of the army.

But the Royal Thai Police does seem to have a thoroughly lamentable record in detection and prosecution of the attackers in so many cases. A national and international disgrace.

The court has hog tied the police and made them void all they are allowed to do now is sit back and watch.

In most civilised countries the police are a separate organisation where neither the government or the courts have power over them and control of them.

And what 'civilised'' countries do you refer: Russia? Venezuela? Etc.? In civilized countries police work for local or national governments, and for all people and citizens they support and protect. The roles of the courts in regards to police are many, including policing the police, when necessary.

Their fare representations are misleading, if not fraudulent. The add-on required fees and taxes, at least, should be reflected in their 'all in' fares, and all other fees and surcharges should be clearly articulated prior to the point of having to enter traveler information and moving to payment options. Further, they have the practice of automatically adding optional for-cost items (checked baggage, travel insurance, seat selection, etc.), and forcing you to manually opt-out of each...else be charged. Add to all of that a seemingly frequent occurrence of Air Asia charging credit cards for online ticket purchases, sending confirmed reservation e-mails, and then, upon check-in attempt, claiming the credit card transaction was cancelled....and requiring a duplicate cash payment for travel. Their business practices are questionable, IMHO.

All-in is All-in, and should not be the starting point for a multi-task effort to remove unwanted services, items, and fees. That is deceptive, period!

Their fare representations are misleading, if not fraudulent. The add-on required fees and taxes, at least, should be reflected in their 'all in' fares, and all other fees and surcharges should be clearly articulated prior to the point of having to enter traveler information and moving to payment options. Further, they have the practice of automatically adding optional for-cost items (checked baggage, travel insurance, seat selection, etc.), and forcing you to manually opt-out of each...else be charged. Add to all of that a seemingly frequent occurrence of Air Asia charging credit cards for online ticket purchases, sending confirmed reservation e-mails, and then, upon check-in attempt, claiming the credit card transaction was cancelled....and requiring a duplicate cash payment for travel. Their business practices are questionable, IMHO.

Good, now let's see the rest of these self-serving, bank balance filling scumbags nabbed

And who then do you envision will be remaining to govern, enforce laws and regulations, manage good order, run boiler rooms, manage pubs and bars, etc., etc., etc.?

Best cure: Stop drinking.

Good timing. Suthep has run out of moves.

The goverment has handled these "protesters" (terrorists would be a more accurate description) extremely well so far.

Your description of the protesters as "terrorists" shows your ignorance of the situation and, also, of the English language.

As is said about statistics: "there are liars; damn liars; and statisticians."

If I was the Transport Minister I would worry less about passengers, and much more about the drivers...train 'drivers,' bus drivers, mini-bus drivers, taxi drivers, etc.!