TallGuyJohninBKK

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/president-biden-jokes-to-dinner-guests-if-you-re-disoriented-or-confused-you-re-either-drunk-or-marjorie-taylor-greene/ar-AA1ayb7y Biden must have had some pretty good ghost writers for this... The quality of the jokes I'm hearing from the various reports seem quite a bit funnier and more striking than from some of his recent predecessors.

The Taco Bell Thailand killers for me were... 1. when they never offered refried beans / frijoles as any part of their Thai menu, and 2. sometime after opening, they ended up dropping the pulled pork option they originally had as a meat filling, leaving mostly only chicken offerings (and a few things with what I considered very lousy so-called "beef."

You can get very good (and expensive) steaks in the U.S. But for me, the best thing about food in America (and I'm not talking about fast food, but rather, dining food) is the diversity and quality of what's on offer if you want it. I grew up in the Los Angeles area, and because of its population diversity, you could find quality dining options from virtually every and any ethnicity in the world. Sushi as good or better than what you'd get in Japan (think Nobu-Matsuhisa), Southern Barbecue, Mexican, Korean, Thai, and many more, often from very cutting-edge chefs.

When you affect (reduce/limit) transmission, you affect potential deaths... You can't die from COVID if you haven't caught it in the first place.

Depends on if you like hamburgers! ???? But seriously, you don't know food in the U.S. if you need to ask that question.

The first Thailand outpost of the U.S. burger chain Shake Shack opened at Bangkok's CentralWorld about a month ago, to much fanfare and long lines, as often occurs with many newbie import dining options offered here (Krispy Kreme and Taco Bell being past examples of the same). But I wasn't gonna go and stand in line for an hour or two to order a hamburger in Bangkok. So the wife and I waited until today to head on over to CentralWorld to try Shake Shack here for the first time, and were pleasantly surprised to find that the long lines were gone by now, at least on this Sunday afternoon. The Shake Shack location at CentralWorld is on the ground floor at the far back end of the mall, in the general area where the former Japanese department store/grocery store used to be. Although I'm a big fan of burgers, I've been here long enough to have never eaten at a Shake Shack in the United States, so I can't compare the Bangkok offering with those back in the U.S. But I have eaten hamburgers from most if not all of the well-known burger places in Bangkok at one time or another, and with that as background, I came away from our first visit to Shake Shack here not displeased, but also not particularly excited or impressed. Their main menu item is the Shack Burger for 230b as shown above. Not a bad burger at all. The bun was quite soft. The beef pattie itself was modest in size (they don't indicate the weight in grams) and tasted OK (with no funky Thai ground beef aftertaste). But it came with only few toppings, a slice of cheese, two small tomato slices and one lonely leaf of lettuce. Nothing wrong with it in particular, though personally I would have liked a bigger pattie (they do have a double pattie option for a higher price, 340b I think) and some onions or pickles and or some crisp, more robust lettuce. But none of the latter was on offer. They had crinkle cut fries on offer for 110b per order, again, nothing special or much different than what you might cook at home from a grocery store freezer bag. The wife and I also each ordered one of their milk shakes for 190b each, mine coffee and hers chocolate, and for me, those were the best parts of the meal. Smooth and creamy, not too thick and not too thin, OK to drink thru a straw, nice taste and flavor. I'd come back for the shakes, but the wife and I agreed, not likely we'd be rushing to come back for the burgers or fries. All in all, I had a hard time figuring out why Thais lined up out the door for this place when it first opened at the end of March. And I guess not surprisingly, most of the customers around us Sunday during our visit were either Thais or other Asians, with just a few farangs spotted. But for my farang burger palate, I continue to like the Prime Burger and Easy Burger offerings in Bangkok as superior choices to the burgers we had from Shake Shack today, not only for the burgers themselves, but also for the much wider and diverse range of burger offerings that the other two local burger purveyors offer on their menus. I've got a trip back to the U.S. coming up soon, so perhaps I'll make a point to check out a Shake Shack back in the states to see how it compares with the one here. Or perhaps even more likely, I'll make a point of stopping by a local In-N-Out Burger to give them a try as an alternative, since it's been a few years since I've had a Double Double burger there.

Except perhaps, those people who didn't/don't want to end up dead from COVID.... Look at the cumulative COVID per capita death rates from countries like the U.S. and U.K. where there was/is significant opposition to masking, vs. places like Japan and Thailand where masking has been more accepted and embraced. The differences are stark, (even allowing for some vagaries in the completeness of death reporting here)! Source link:

...the changing social and political landscape in the U.S. has led many atheists, agnostics and other democracy-focused free-thinkers to feel increasingly besieged by the growing theocratic, illiberal country around them.

I've pretty much bought all my N95s over time from Amazon US and had them reshipped onward here. Lately I've been using the 3M Aura 9205+, which is very comfortable and fits most farang faces, I think, but the chin portion tends to come loose on me if I'm not careful. So for me, I probably wouldn't buy those again unless I had no better choice. But for others, they'd probably be fine. My favorite mask, which I had before and then wasn't able to find again for a long time until just recently, is the 3M 9010, which fit me great and was very comfortable to wear and use. I have a box of those arriving here from Amazon soon. Bought a box of 50 for about $45.

People get annual flu shot vaccines, which are especially important as people get older. And I don't think most people keep count how many flu vaccine shots they may have received. It may well turn out that COVID will end up being the same kind of deal in terms of having an annually updated vaccine. Guess that will depend on the yet to be known future of the virus.

Ya, those appear legit N95 and are being sold by the 3M official store on Shoppee... However, FWIW, I bought a batch of those from Amazon in the U.S. some time back, and at least for me with a large sized head, they fit VERY tight and were somewhat uncomfortable to wear... But probably much easier for a Thai to wear.

The current vaccines have a limited lifespan of effectiveness against the current COVID variants... generally 4 months plus before the protections, particularly against routine infection, wane significantly. The protections against severe COVID illness and death are believed to be more long-lasting post injection. But that's one of the reasons public health agencies recommend that people continue to wear high quality face masks and maintain social distancing -- to minimize the extent to which people continue to get infected and allow the virus to continue to mutate to increasingly infectious, vaccine evading forms such as the current XBB.1.16 variant. From the Thai MoPH three days ago, via Google Translate: "At this time, the situation of COVID-19 in Thailand has a tendency to see a significant increase in infected and sick patients. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of infection Everyone must cooperate to protect themselves and their family members according to measures D – M – H - T continuously. D : Distancing. Distance 1-2 meters. Avoid being in crowded places. M : Mask Wearing Wear a mask when entering a risky place/ crowded/ poor air flow H : Hand Washing Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. or alcohol gel T : Testing ATK check when having respiratory disease symptoms" Source:

I looked at the Lazada listing you posted. I don't see anything that indicates those particular WelCare masks are certified as N95 class. They appear to simply be a medical/surgical type mask. And, they are of the ear straps type, as opposed to the over the head straps type. And there are no ear straps masks that are certified as N95 masks. Welcare Thailand's website does claim they make a different model of mask (different from the one you linked to) that they claim is N95, but it also has ear loops and is only certified (not clear for what) by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TIS). https://www.welcarethailand.com/e-catalogue/ On their so-called N95 masks (again, not the Lazada one you posted), they're basically claiming the mask material they're using has been shown to filter 95+% of particles, etc... But the problem is, when you have and wear an ear loops type mask, it doesn't fit tight enough to achieve a good seal, so the effective filtering to the wearer is less. That's why the U.S. NIOSH only certifies N95 masks that are designed to have head straps instead of ear loops.

Yes, at Central World...but not inside. Apple has its own separate building just outside/adjoining CW... Off the Skywalk walkway that runs from BTS Chidlom to CentralWorld, just as you turn off the Skywalk to go inside the CW mall.

--I don't drive during Song Kran. --I don't go unvaccinated. --I don't expose myself to being breathed on sans-mask by strangers. I try to minimize my risks...all the way round.

But not call the police or apparently do anything else at the time the crime was occurring. Oh well...at least they (the neighbors) have something they can post to their FB or Tiktok accounts... ????

"A new wave of Covid-19 infections is expected to bring daily cases to 5,000-10,000, but a swift decline in numbers is predicted thereafter, according to Dr Nitipatana Chierakul, Head of the Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis Division at the Faculty of Medicine in Siriraj Hospital." https://thethaiger.com/news/national/temporary-surge-may-result-in-10000-daily-cases-for-a-brief-period

For those mulling over whether they think another COVID vaccine shot might be needed or not... something to consider:

Per Thai MoPH regarding XBB.1.16 symptoms, via Google Translate: "COVID symptoms XBB.1.16 or “Arcturus” - Coughing a lot and often - Strange sore throat, feeling like something is stuck in your throat. -Has mucus or phlegm -high fever over 38.5 °C - Some people have a nose that can't smell. and the tongue does not taste - Eye irritation, red eyes, a lot of eye discharge, can't open the eyes" Source:

Also Rajivithi Hospital in Bangkok: Per Google Translate: "Rajavithi Hospital Open for online registration Moderna bivalent booster and immunomodulatory vaccine (LAAB) For people aged 12 years and over. Click https://bit.ly/3s9n1Fj or Walk in every Monday - Friday (except public holidays). Time: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the injection room, 1st floor, Thosaminthrathirat Building, Rajavithi Hospital Source:

Interesting... TH MoPH posted on FB two days ago regarding the recent post-Song Kran COVID death of a 34-year-old Burmese factory worker living in the Sathorn District of Bangkok who tested positive for the new COVID XBB.1.16.1 strain after being found dead in his room from pneumonia type symptoms. Per Google Translate: "The Ministry of Public Health reveals test results of a Myanmar man who has tested positive for COVID-19 found severe pneumonia before death repeat!! Vaccination can prevent serious illness and death." "The results of the investigation showed that the deceased worked as a factory worker in Bangkok, had never received the COVID-19 vaccine before and had no history of receiving COVID-19 treatment before his death. Songkran Festival The deceased played Songkran water with friends. And starting to have a fever, red eyes, buy medicine and take it yourself, but stay in the room. not admitted to the facility." Source: One for all the folks here who repeatedly claim that COVID Omicron these days only kills the elderly...

From a MoPH post yesterday via Google Translate: "National Committee on Communicable Diseases Approved the plan for the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination service, which is an annual COVID-19 vaccination for the public (2023 - 2024), which will be injected in 2023 as the first year, 1 injection per year, recommended before the rainy season. or since April Because it is expected that the infection will spread a lot during the rainy season. Any type/version of the approved vaccine can be used. without counting how many needles The Ministry of Public Health has nearly 20 million doses of vaccines available to people who want to inject and can receive the COVID-19 vaccination along with the influenza vaccine." Source:

That's what I would presume... The government/doctors aren't generally hospitalizing people here anymore just because they test positive for COVID... They have to have enough symptoms to warrant being hospitalized, and/or be in one of the high-risk groups (elderly, immunocompromised, etc) where they don't want to risk leaving them at home to be treated with outpatient meds. From the OP report: "The increase in cases also extended to inpatients suffering from lung inflammation, with the number rising to 73, up by 143% from the previous week’s 30 cases. Patients requiring ventilator support also saw a notable increment of 84%, rising from 19 to 35 individuals." Some folks with COVID here are still getting seriously ill, though the TH MoPH lately doesn't really publicly provide any identifying info of the ages or other demographic characteristics of those folks, which they used to do earlier in the pandemic. However,I believe in one report on the 5 latest COVID deaths, they did at one point say most of them were elderly and unvaccinated.

From the OP news report here: The 150% reference pertains to Thailand's weekly new COVID deaths rising from 2 two weeks ago to 5 last week... Small numbers, but the increase was more than double week over week. The greater concern numbers-wise was that new COVID hospitalizations have risen about 550% from 168 the first week of the month to 1,088 new COVID hospitalizations as of last week. Source:

A bit more explanation in this prior report from a day ago, including the Thai police connection involved. "A surviving victim, Pla, revealed in an interview with the media that she and Am were friends because her husband and Am’s ex-husband were police officers. The alleged serial killer borrowed money of 250,000 baht from her in September of last year. After she got infected with Covid-19, Am gave her herbal medicine claiming that it could treat her cough and Covid." And the woman got sick thereafter.... And meanwhile: "Am’s ex-husband, a deputy superintendent of a police station in Ratchaburi, stated that he did not see Am going to work but she always appeared to have money." https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailands-cyanide-serial-killer-claims-another-life-14-victims-so-far