charmonman

He should be the PM!

I, for one, will now start to exercise the neck muscles around my pharynx so that I can more effectively block covid. Seriously I’ve heard more logical things coming from even the most stupid anti-maskers and anti-Vaxxers out there.

So, in addition to SHA+ they now have to have Thai Stop Covid Plus? Can they not just get their story straight and stop all this BS? These people couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse <deleted>!

So, who’s the “dirty” foreigner now?

It is unfortunate that people who have legitimate medical exemptions from mask wearing like yourself have to bear the stigma created by people who do NOT have legitimate reasons but don't wear them because they are just stubborn, stupid, or irresponsible. If I were in your position, I'd try the face shield, with a loose fitting mask. That should eliminate most people misjudging you.

Wow. They were given two whole days.

Exactly. People talk as if Thailand is the only country in the world that curtailed the opening of bars and restaurants during the pandemic. Many if not most did or still do. I don’t like it anymore than anyone else and the government should provide some sort of financial relief to the businesses they have forced to close.

It is possible to despise the Shinawatra clan and their corruption without being supporters of the current government. Yes, millions of Thais are avid supporters of the narcissistic former PM, but Thailand is not the only country that has had a self-serving populist leader who managed to con a large portion of his countrymen. That has been clear since 2016 at least.

Ivanka Trump, Marie Antionette come to mind. Pathetic.

And what about the millions of tourists that are about to come in after November 1 and were vaccinated outside Thailand. I wonder if they’ve put any thought into that?

Why don't you "do your own research" as so many anti-vaxxers like to suggest? You could start with a google search for something like "chance of infection after covid vaccine".

The data apparently show that the vaccinated are 90% less likely to become infected, and even if infected far less likely to infect others. So, yes it is a overwhelmingly a problem of the unvaccinated and Thailand is only allowing the vaccinated in without quarantine. Yes, there is a small risk of a vaccinated person being infected and infecting someone else, but do you think the country should be locked down forever?

Allowing fully vaccinated tourists into a country where the disease is already endemic and where just over a third of the local population is fully vaccinated will not cause an explosion of cases. What possible rationale would you have for thinking it would?

You expect it because it’s true.

Yes because of course if it is cooler than normal for one month in one year in one specific part of the world then global warming must be a myth.

The CCSA should be renamed to CASA - Centre for Alcohol Situation Administration

I wonder how long it will take them to decide what the “low risk “ countries are. Apparently both the UK and the US are on the list despite having daily case numbers well above most other countries. They should just let in anyone who is fully vaccinated but no, they have to complicate matters. I am glad I chose to do a seven day quarantine. At least the rules are fairly clear and the system works.

They made an announcement that they are going to make an announcement.

It is, of course, everyone’s right to choose whether to get vaccinated or not. It also every society’s right to impose well reasoned restrictions on those who may be endangering the health of the general population. That could include access to crowded places, transportation, and border crossings. Allowances should be made for those who can’t be vaccinated for legitimate medical reasons. Outside of that I’m not sure what legitimate “personal reasons” would refer to. Maybe they exist, but I can’t think of any. You can still enter Thailand as an unvaccinated person, just accept the Thai government’s perfect right to require a 14 day quarantine. I am sure it will remain that way for another year or two at least.

Got any other pearls of wisdom for us? Everyone knows this. Full vaccination, however, reduces the chance of this by something like 90%. So what, if anything, is your point? By your logic Thailand should remain closed forever.

How the &^%* is Canada not on the list when the US is? Canadian numbers in terms of vaccinations, daily cases per capita and every other conceivable measure are better than the US and probably a number of the other countries on the list.

Could someone please explain how introducing a population of %100 fully vaccinated people (i.e. foreign tourists) into a population that is only %33 fully vaccinated people(i.e. the current residents of Thailand) would cause "a surge of infections". I'm not a professor or dean of a medical school but I like to think I have a grasp of basic logic. What am I missing?

No, a visa does not act as a COE. The COE is document that certifies you have met all the additional requirements for entry to Thailand such as, being vaccinated, having bought Covid-19 insurance, having booked an ASQ or SHA+ hotel. A visa covers none of that and it is possible for a tourist from certain countries to enter the country without a visa at all, though they will still need a COE. The COE is not really all that difficult in and of itself, though I certainly hope they scrap it when all this is behind us.

They haven't even announced what all the ten chosen countries are yet, or the procedure for entering under the no quarantine system. The largest of the countries they actually have announced isn't even allowing its own citizens to travel yet. Most entertainment is still closed and there is still a curfew. Most people I know who are planning to come are not going to do so until the authorities get their act together, the Thai economy is open, and most people in Thailand are fully vaccinated. It seems it has finally sunk in that quarantining of fully vaccinated incoming travellers is pointless, but it is only the first step towards rebuilding Thailand's devastated tourism industry. I wouldn't worry about 100,000 tourist arrivals a day just yet.

As usual, scant on details.