SantiSuk

I see several posters roasting that same hoary old chestnut - comparing deaths from Covid with deaths from other causes and concluding that Covid is not unusually high and we should immediately live with it. The comparison is fallacious. Have to open up/live with it and then see where the number of deaths get to make a valid comparison. Until policy makers have some good hard evidence (eg from other countries or from a test opening of a region) about the shape of the ogre in an unrestricted environment they are understandably inclined to take a conservative approach.

You assume that those who died with Covid and not from Covid are included in the death numbers. I've not seen any authoritative reports on how medics are instructed to determine when to attribute a death to Covid, if indeed there are any such instructions. Anyone?

Reported numbers are probably quite useful as indicators of trends and for comparing one province/amphur with another, but not useful as absolute numbers. The number of reports here and elsewhere that 'stay at home/keep quiet' is a common response to self-administered testing is now overwhelming*; they can't all be conspiracy theorists???? *Though I have to report that my own experience amongst family and reports on others here in Isaan is that the usual response is to contact local health workers, not to hide, if ATKs are positive. May be a function of a relatively effective local health network in the village/small town environment ('you can run but you can't hide'). I could understand Bangkok being a different kettle of fish.

Agreed. Its the "best case scenario". Worst case scenario is that we have not yet seen the damage caused by government spending on the pandemic and a global recession is only a whisker away. Equally likely IMO. Markets are gripped by young soothsayers desperate to talk up the market, believing it's all about sentiment not hard facts.

Anybody spot an article in that English daily Thai newspaper about the Covid situation in Vietnam? 98% of the population reported as being fully vaccinated. Number of new cases over 200,000 a day (population 90m ish). True to form the newspapers journos seemed to miss the rather worrying implication of those stats, instead focusing on the opening up of the country to tourists

At last - someone offering actual information instead of invective and prejudice????

I think I'll stick with the 800,000 baht investment programme visa rather than the "new improved!!" $1 million baht version.

For information, relative to the need for repeated boosters, I called Bumrungrad to find out whether my previously purchased doses of Moderna could be used as a second booster and when. They said that the recommendation is to wait 5 months between first and second booster dose. Further data/opinions will no doubt emerge in time, but nice to know I don't have to go thru the hassle of finding recipients for my otherwise unusable doses. My Moderna lot has arrived but the extended family and me are otherwise boosted by now, either free or paid for elsewhere. It was nice to know that my payment is valid for vaccination until November. Tempting to say boo-hoo to the shadenfreude boys, but that would be tempting fate. Still a chance to be shown that Moderna grows you three heads ????

I got my 2 doses of Astra Z in Khon Kaen (Bangkok Hospital at Central) in September and October. After the 1st dose I left with only an appointment slip for the second dose. It did at least have a phone number to call, so I phoned them up and said that I might be travelling internationally before getting the 2nd dose. They took my details and sent me a paper certificate very quickly. At the second dose appointment I was directed to a station in the vaccination hall to pick up my paper certificate*, which covered both doses and a copy of which is in my wallet for inter-provincial travel etc. I have not been traveling internationally but was aware there might be a separate form of international certificate that I would need. [* on reflection can't remember whether it was given onsite or they sent it a few days later] Today I saw a posting by NNT (Govet press agency) via facebook about the Mor Prom app, encouraging English-speaking people to register on it: https://youtu.be/ALvc6Qt7bko Have just done that and, having registered (you might need a Thai to help you if you don't know how to use Google translate camera option and you will need to have two smart phones or a smart phone and laptop), there appears to be an option for getting an international vaccination certificate. I completed all the data and took a photo of my passport page for uploading. However when it comes to actually getting hold of the certificate in hard copy form it seems that you have to pick up in central Bangkok and make an appointment to do so (and pay an unspecified amount of cash). I live 500 clicks away; I'll apply for it later when I'm next going that way. Maybe I will maybe I won't carry on down this Mor Prom route. International travel is still on the distant horizon. I'll wait to see if any other responders have any input to the question of what are the options for getting whatever is needed for international travel. I note that there is an option for getting an electronic book and QR code instead via this Mor Prom app. Would be grateful for any input on that option. What it means in practice. To make any progress with registering on the Mor Prom app you will need the 13 digit code that should have been assigned to you at first dose stage - I see it being referred to at one point as your "citizen number" (shades of George Orwell's 1984). If you don't have that code then your first step will be to contact your vaccination centre for the second dose and get your paper certificate. You probably need that anyway for domestic use and as back-up to a mobile running out of juice at a critical time????

They missed a trick. Shoulda required a prescription - nice little earner for the docs ????

In helping the widow of a British friend who died here in Thailand and have been asked by the UK executor to his will to put a value on a Lifan 250B of 2010 vintage. Could anyone hazard a guess at its value if it were in working order? Does it have any vintage or curiosity value that would make it worthwhile seeking out a restoration price?

I don't think you are getting the same messages that I see from the media. Health authorities and professionals in both the UK and US are predicting that within weeks the hospital and health systems of their country are likely to be overwhelmed. I guess those who are covid deniers will poo poo that as alarmist or a conspiracy. We will see.

Salesman talk. I disagree with your assertion that sand in Thailand lasts only 18 months. I've used pool sand supplied by Swimming Pools Thailand, and on initial pool construction by a contractor to Astral Pools. 3 fillings - lasted about 4 years each with no visible signs of deterioration, no problem and only replaced because other work was required or 4 years seemed to be broadly a recommended lifespan. Now have Zelbrite for the last 3 months. That's fine too. Too early to say whether it is superior to pool sand. Generic building sand may fit your 18 months claim, but who would use that knowingly?

If she is named as a beneficiary in a valid UK will she is legally entitled to receive what the deceased intended. The executor to the will has a duty to distribute according to the will's instructions. Other beneficiaries pre-dispositions would only have an impact if they were able to persuade the executor to commit fraud and the amounts involved were not significant enough to warrant taking the executor to court in the UK. Some countries have forced heirship rules which could get in the way of receiving a bequest in cross-border will situations, but Thaiand is not one of those countries.

Another dead-neck conspiracy theorist

Accepted by the UK too. Yes the 'Chinese cr@p' monika stuck and blighted the vaccination rates, certainly around the Isaan area where I live. I believe the mantra bled accross from being a 'chinese cr@p - no way' mantra into a resistance to any vaccine amongst some, particularly the elderly.

You reckon the elites of the world can get together, stop plouging their own local furrows and agree on a common strategy do you? Ha ha! Conspiracy Theorists always make me laugh with their lack of application of logical thought

IME in Sisaket your statement was true a month ago but now many people are getting the free AZ ist dose/Pfizer 2nd or even Pfizer 1st and 2nd. Days of Sinovac seem to be nearly over in my Isaan province.

I guess those who qualify for this Red Cross offer who live in or close to Bangkok and who bought their Moderna already, but then got free vaccination before 30 Sep (Sinovac/pharm) or 31 July (AZ/Pf) may now go for this free offer and hope to onsell or give away their prepaid dose(s) later. I doubt there will be many of these though. Few who paid would have jumped across to Chinese doses and there was not a lot of AZ/Pf around before 31 July. I guess there are many like me. I bought 4 doses of Mod but jumped at free AZ thru Intervac - dosed in August & October. Family got tired of waiting for free good stuff and the repeatedly deferred Moderna and decided to pay for Sinopharm last dosed a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully our Moderna doses arrive at an appropriate time for boosting. We are not in the current batch queue so maybe a qst quarter batch next year will work. However, sorry to all you shadenfreude expats out there who relish the thought of those who could afford to pay losing out. None of us in my family care a damn if we end up 'losing' the money. What's gone is gone and if you can afford to buy it's unlikely its loss will have broken the bank. I personally would enjoy giving away my doses to less fortunate friends or local needies if that's the ultimate outcome.

Cambodia would be better. Would be the equivalent of Siberia - many Thais seem to dislike Cambodia..

If I were flying anywhere these days I would be phoning the airline or asking at the departure airport a few days beforehand what are the precise requirements at check in and on arrival at destination, inclding the fine detail, whether original hard copy certificate, printed copy to be lodged or just checked, app on smart phone or picture/document on phone. Seems obvious to me that in the present apparently chaotic and changeable environment you don't want to be relying on what Kevin tld you on the internet anyway. Personally I carry a copy of my vaccination cert in my wallet at all times. Nobody has mentioned the Yellow Pass up to the point whare I stopped reading and commented. Is it worthwhile to get it as a smaller version of the paper cert for carrying around?

Lovely jubbly news for the Hospitals group who can now look forward to more demand for the paid option. Government should now add a tax on the sale of doses and distribute to those in strife over loss of income from continued closure. And I say that as one who has, and will continue to, pay for some parts of the extended family's innoculation programme where the government scheme has been logjammed.

And clearly the agenda is agreed by local provincial/town government and police, otherwise there would be a lot more blind-eyes being turned towards Prayut policy, as seemingly exists in many (most?) parts of Thailand.

International entrepreneurs fleeing he scene of their crimes in double-quick time. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'medical tourism'. Check the referenced article and its mention of the dobbing in of "a retired general in Lopburi" as (one of?) the masterminds. Would not be surprised it it's the last we hear of that angle.

.... and there is [insert] supposed to be no alcohol being served anywhere????