spidermike007

16 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

When you talking about millions of Chinese people crowded Thailand in January, then the incubation period must be very long.

And until now, I don't hear anything about crowded hospitals, so if we like or not, it looks like there are not that many infections.

I like it. Alot! Corona sucks!

14 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Malaysia.

Malaysia made the enormous blunder of allowing Mosque services to continue until it was much too late. That was beyond inane. But, even so, a total of 2,320 cases to date, with only 17 deaths. Again, it points toward the climate being a very positive force in the battle against this virus, which does seem to have a weakness. Heat. 

The latest cases are reported from a religious gathering, which was attended by 16,000 people including 14,500 Malaysians. Approximately half of the total cases in the country are being reported from the group.

https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/coronavirus-affected-countries-malaysia-covid-19-outbreak-measures-tourism-economy-impact/

3 minutes ago, 473geo said:

Again, online information is under heavy government scrutiny in some countries who already have 'interests'

 

Still hopefully your eggs will remain affordable - Thai government is looking after the interests of the people

Thai government is looking after the interests of the people. I do not even know how to respond to such a statement. Perhaps it is better if I avoid the compulsion to respond this time. 

7 hours ago, todlad said:

Why are you bothering? I think obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a bigger problem for many of you than covid-19.

Over and over, you read a report about new cases and new deaths and whoosh:

100 every day

too low

I know this

I know that

the market near me

the market near you

It has been known worldwide for many days now that testing brings numbers with it. Yes, they have been testing here but where and to what extent?

Let's all agree that the numbers here are unreliable. What is far more important is what to do about it?

We can do zilch for Thailand.

We can do everything for ourselves: I have moved from the city to our village and I have left home once in a week.

I wash my hands, I sanitise, I shower, I make sure my family is safe and clean too.

Other than that, your OCD is making you talk about things you do not know and cannot change. I know, things are probably not right here. Take care of YOU AND YOURS.

Well, there is absolutely no question that you are infinitely safer in a small town, or a village, than a big city. That would also be my preferred spot. Smart. And you are sensible in your approach. Keep it up. Nice to hear a voice of reason and sanity. 

5 minutes ago, 473geo said:

Perhaps not "the zombie apocalypse" but spare a thought for the elderly and those with low immunity problems who are hoping that people care enough to do as much as they possibly can to slow the spread and limit the damage, perhaps if the virus begins to include more deaths of younger people we will see a more focused approach from people who currently appear a little indifferent regarding the risk

Good point. I am not indifferent on any level. Just not buying into the panic. Of course this is going to impact alot of people. All I am saying is that the South Koreans were able to level this thing off without an economic lockdown, and it favors some groups, and some "interests" far more than the masses, who will suffer alot. There is alot more to this than meets the eye. I am not buying into the conventional narrative on this one at all.

23 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

This remains an incredibly low number, considering the millions of Chinese people who were crowded about in Thailand in January. And if those people were infected, and mixing with the general population, and if we were going to see an explosion in cases, like alot of fear mongering officials are saying, it would have happened already. Sorry to disappoint. But, it will not grow to alarming numbers here. I anticipate it leveling off at 5,000 cases or less. Granted, I could be wrong. This is simply my personal estimate, partly based on some evidence that heat seems to decimate this virus, and the fact that it seems to thrive in temperatures of 35-67 degrees F. There is some science to back up this assertion. If this was going to become an alarming situation, it would have happened already. 100 new cases a day is nothing. We are seeing 10,000 plus in the US.

 

 

Again, another 100 cases overnight. We sure are not seeing the "massive spikes" in the number of cases yet, as so many on this forum are predicting. In the meantime, we had nearly 20,000 new cases in the US overnight, where temperatures remain in the "ideal incubation range of 37 to 64 degrees F.

I have been advocating some perspective on this. Panic does nobody any good. However, there may be some "interests" here, who are encouraging panic among the masses for reasons to be seen later on. 

Testing does seem to be a big problem here. Just another area in which the incompetent army was caught unprepared. And it appears they are doing nothing to regulate the costs of the tests. Like I have always said, the do nothing army.

When Florian Witulski returned from South Korea to Thailand, he self-quarantined and tried to get tested for Covid-19 as any responsible person would. To his shock, several private hospitals would not test him at all while the testing kit at Samitivej Hospital cost $750 US. He was not alone. Private hospitals across the country have been accused by the public of price gouging coronavirus tests. Calls by Thai Enquirer to Samitivej, Bangkok Hospital, Bangkok Nursing Home Hospital, and Bumrungrad Hospital showed that tests ran between 18,000 baht to 22,000 baht. Another doctor told Thai Enquirer that this was likely a business decision. Many of the luxury hospital groups rely on medical tourism to turn a profit.

https://www.thaienquirer.com/9572/thailands-private-hospitals-are-charging-a-fortune-to-test-for-covid-no-its-not-profiteering-its-much-worse/

17 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

congratulations.....you have just qualified to be a CNN panellist.

with your own dressing room and trailer.

I do not see them discussing the consequences of the economic fallout, in regard to the common man very much. Especially the very poor. Just panic mongering from morning to night. So, I beg to differ. 

18 hours ago, Brunolem said:

Social distancing is going the least of our concerns during the incoming economic depression.

 

What is most likely here to stay is the state of emergency, not for pandemic reason, but for economic reason.

 

Forget social distancing, it will soon be replaced with social despair...

Absolutely spot on. This economic shutdown is going to be 700 times worse than the virus. People will starve to death. Especially in places like India, with over 500 million people existing on $2-5 a day. Is that bailout going to really help them? And if so, for how long? There is something else at stake here. We are not seeing the full picture. I am beginning to believe this is not what it appears, on any level. 

19 hours ago, robsamui said:

There were 5,000 Thais who came back from S. Korea in December/January - of which 1,113 'disappeared':
As you say, there were 1 million Chinese here for the Chinese New Year and Tet:
The last I heard, several weeks ago, there were 6,000 suffering from "viral flu":

I rather think the gov. has NO idea at all how many tens of thousands of cases there now are.
Not to mention they - once again - have put another gag order on anyone publishing or recording figures. But it's all 100% under control.
Until it erupts like wildfire in a few week's time.

We believe whatever we choose to believe, and we buy into whatever narrative we choose to buy into. Panic is just not the narrative I choose. Does not mean I have my head in the sand. But, I can assure you, despite what the media says, this is NOT the zombie apocalypse. 

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Oh the humanity if true, then Lockdown must be imminent, but its not, so live life, social distance, and keep safety always in mind.  Just think, your on your balcony, the neighbor below is also out, they cough and even though you were self isolating your a victim....lets not start panicking, just be safe

A voice of reason, in the wilderness of panic, desperation, ill informed souls, and zombie apocalypse mongering. Thanks for the words of calm and the presence of a rational mind. 

1 hour ago, 473geo said:

Well lets see now.......if a virus spread cannot be contained, and is rising at a rate that could be alarming, what would be the best way to give the impression a government was in full control, while the prevention methods suggest paddling like fleeing duck?

I do not buy your line of reasoning. I am as much, or more suspicious of the lame army as anyone. But, while we held steady at 100-200 cases for the longest time, they have been freely reporting 100 or so new cases a day. So, I do not buy into the coverup. It is a near nothing burger here. 1300 cases is next to nothing. 

On 3/25/2020 at 11:55 AM, marko kok prong said:

Where i live,up country,my neighbour who's wife runs the local bar/resturant told me yesterday he was sitting outside on sunday and could not beleive the amount of sexy girls walking past,as it mainly a bar for expats,many of them were popping in for a quick drink and no doubt hoping to score,these are all the girls from around here who work as bar girls,massage girls ect in Pattaya,Bangkok,Phuket ect and are coming home due to the bar's ect shutting,there is a very large expat population up here,guess were 99.9 per cent of them met there wife or girlfreind,i am no exception by the way,just shows the huge amount of girls from this area that go off to work.My mate has now closed the bar and the take away shop indefinatley.

Great story! I assumed that would be the case!

18 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

That's why the medical doctors use anti-viral medications to fight viruses and help your bodies immune system and army of white blood cells to attack and fight off the virus.  Sometimes this does not work, and the end result is ......

Exactly. If seriously ill, with major lung issues, I would try both the hydroxychrolorquine, and the Zithromax without missing a beat. What is the down side, at that point? Whatever it takes. You think I am going to accept a doctor's pronouncement that they cannot do anything for me, and I just have to roll the dice, and see if I survive? I have very limited faith in allopathic medicine anyway, and a very limited amount of respect for most conventional doctors, and their limited wisdom. Most are simply prescription machines. The specialists are a bit better. 

So, having them make that kind of declaration would only encourage me to try anything out there, that researchers around the world are having success with. Why wouldn't any sensible person try that? 

In reality, Prayuth should be forced to resign over this. This was the beginning of the real spread of the virus here. Of course we all know those at the top will never take responsibility for any problems they cause, will never be forced to take responsibility, nor will they own up to any tragedies that happen under their watch. So, Gen. Ayuth will be transferred at full salary, and all will be forgotten. And if the public continues to make a stink about this, which is fully warranted, they will allow this lower ranked general, to fall on his sword, but probably with a full pension. 

The army here, is accountable to nobody. This is the problem. This is only part of the reason why the youth need to rise up, and get rid of these hapless incompetents. 

These are just estimates. By people with very little experience in epidemiology. There seem to be hundreds of millions out there who are anticipating just such an event. The amount of panic and fear mongering I am seeing is unreasonable, inane and irresponsible. Take a deep breath. Do some meditation or yoga. Get a grip!

The zombie apocalypse, though predicted for decades now, will not happen. This too shall pass. Take some precautions, wear a good N95 mask when in crowds, or at the market, sanitize alot, and your chances of catching this thing are far smaller than your chances of getting mowed down by a car in NYC, or BKK, while crossing the street. 

17 hours ago, cmarshall said:

China, S. Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore stopped the spread of the virus by widespread testing, compulsory isolation of positives, and contact tracing on a large scale.  The US has taken none of these steps and is not going to take them.  Therefore, the US infection and death rates will greatly exceed those of the smart countries.

True that. But in this day and age referring to the US as a smart country might be a bit of a stretch. Certainly widespread testing is not taking place yet. A spectacularly slow start on the part of the Feds, who politicized the issue until it was too late, is largely the cause for that late start. Then you have to add in the extraordinary lack of discipling of American society. Gorging on 30 years of reality TV has not made the people stronger! Bill Maher made a reference to the US as being a nation full of people who like to sit on 1,000 pillows. I think that summarizes it. A very soft culture, and very prone to a disease like this one.

Having said all that, I do not buy into the more extreme guess work, projections, or alarmist scenarios out there. I do believe it is going to get bad. But, I think it may peak out at 500,000 to one million cases, and 10,000 to 25,000 fatalities, in America. No doubt the US will be the world leader they claim to be. Just not for the right reasons. I hope my guesses are right, and it does not go beyond that. Regardless, the ramifications will be felt for years to come. 

17 hours ago, nauseus said:

If it's not airborne then how the hell do you inhale it? Lick it off people's collars then suck it down? Accurate info is essential! 

This response is a great example of the need for science, and the panic and fear mongering that is taking place right now. It is essential that we have the correct information, try to avoid making assumptions, and rely on facts and science, and NOT presumptions. There is a vast difference between an airborne virus such as smallpox, and a virus that IS NOT airborne, such as corona. 

The principal mode of transmission is still thought to be respiratory droplets, which may travel up to six feet from someone who is sneezing or coughing. The new coronavirus isn’t believed to be an airborne virus, like measles or smallpox, that can circulate through the air. “If you have an infected person in the front of the plane, for instance, and you’re in the back of the plane, your risk is close to zero simply because the area of exposure is thought to be roughly six feet from the infected person,” said Chiu. Close contact with an infectious person, such as shaking hands, or touching a doorknob, tabletop or other surfaces touched by an infectious person, and then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth can also transmit the virus.

So, it is only airborne for up to six feet, then the heavy droplets fall to the floor, or a surface, and do not remain in the air, as is the case with many other diseases. 

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/02/416671/how-new-coronavirus-spreads-and-progresses-and-why-one-test-may-not-be-enough

3 hours ago, johng said:

Luckily  I downloaded and keep a few terabytes of movies and series on hard drives in anticipation of the zombie apocalypse ????

There seem to be hundreds of millions out there who are anticipating just such an event. The amount of panic and fear mongering I am seeing is unreasonable, inane and irresponsible. Take a deep breath. Do some meditation or yoga. Get a grip!

This is what some of us refer to as a minor event. Not to make light of it, but considering how many millions of Chinese tourists Thailand was hosting in January, the numbers here are simply NOT cause for alarm. Precautions yes. Panic mongering and crazy alarm, no.