DogNo1

Is there any evidence to show that asymptomatic people are infectious for a shorter period of time than symptomatic people?  What of pre-symptomatic people?  Are they presumed to go on to develop symptoms and be intectious?  

In my opinion, a test to measure viral load would be useful in determining how infectious a person is.  If the vaccines were to keep most people from developing an infectious viral load, that would be quite useful.  Unfortunately we don't have that granularity of detail yet.

That's my understanding too.  The vaccines won't prevent infection but will prevent serious illness.  The problem is that many people and governments seem to assume that they WILL prevent infection.  This is relevant to quarantine policy.  If the vaccines don't prevent infection then quarantines should continue to be required.  Many business people would prefer this not to be the case.

The current issue (Dec. 4th) of a popular American magazine reports COVID surges in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.  With the cooler weather in Thailand, large holiday gatherings may just what Thailand doesn't need.

The various vaccine producers claim that their vaccine is X% effective.  What does "effective" mean?  

People can be infected with COVID and not spike a fever.

After my experiences with my ex-wife in Vietnam, I learned to only trust myself.  In Thailand, I only rent - never buy.  I only bring in about 70,000 baht on a monthly basis.  If I need any caretaking in the future, I will pay for it on a monthly basis and make it clear that I do not lend money.  I have lent money to housekeepers or paid them in advance and it has never worked out.  If you become too friendly with people who work for you, you are vulnerable to their requests for money.  This kind of attitude is probably not attractive to elderly people in poor health who are looking for a sympathetic person who will just take care of things for them.  If the OP's friend is up to it emotionally, it would be good for him to take control of the situation and salvage whatever funds he has left.  Just playing along with his wife will inevitably result in his losing everything.

I had a friend in Japan who fell victim to a similar situation.  His wife died of cancer so he decided to adopt a Chinese girl in her 20s who was working at his company.  While he was still well and in his 60's, he sent her to college in the US.  After college she returned to live with him sometime, broken with long stays in Shanghai.  As he neared his 80's he got her to return to live with him but had to pay her a salary and borrow money to buy her things.  She is now living in his house in Japan but has had him committed to a 20 sq. m. room in a retirement center.  He is alone most of the time but entrusts all of his military retirement pension to her.  Countless people have urged him to break with her but at the age of 83, he is just incapable of managing his own affairs.

I can imagine a similar thing happening to the OP's friend.  He may want to cling to his wife and hope for the best, but in the worst case, he could end up broke and alone.  If he is emotionally capable of doing so, it would be best to clarify the financial situation and take steps to safeguard his pension.

Politicians who don't respond to their constituent's wishes  don't remain politicians for very long.   Most learn early on that they must answer positively to a great number of diverse demands, so lying becomes part of the tradecraft.  Have you ever heard of an honest politician?

It doesn't make medical sense to exclude any class of residents from vaccination.  There is some question about whether the vaccines confer immunity but they seem to reliably prevent infected people from developing severe symptoms.  It is worth getting vaccinated for that reason alone.  It is entirely possible that only Thai citizens will be offered free vaccinations.  Vaccinations will probably be a big money maker for private hospitals.  This is a country where even elderly foreigners can not get the reduced fares charged to elderly Thais.

Yes, that works for many people.  Leaving the 800,000 in the bank untouched is the charm.  

The rationale behind the financials requirements has never been explained so far as I know.

If your bankbook has deposits printed out of order or on top of one another, as mine does, Joe recommends getting a one-year statement the month before you apply and then a single statement for the month in which you apply.  That way, no months are missed out.  Bangkok bank can get you a 12 month statement in one week.  Just apply at your local branch and pay the fee.  I think it's 200 baht.

I am over 70 and spend more than 100,000 per month.  I think that makes some contribution to the economy.

So the effect is that I will have to report every 75 days.  Oh well, It's easier than having to report in person ????

I am planning to fly to Tokyo and back next year when I will be 78 YO.  I will use a rentry permit attached to my one-year permission to stay.  If I were to buy the in-country one million baht COVID insurance before I go, would that be considered adequate insurance for readmission to the country?

I recommend that you mail in your 90-day report.  You can pick up the form on the day that you get your extension or download it from Thaivisa.  Be sure to follow the Mail-in instructions posted and mail it at last 15 days before the report is due - which will be 90 days after your one-year extension is granted.

I mailed in my 90-report, due on Nov. 25th, to Chaeng Wattana on Nov. 10th and received my new reporting Slip yesterday, Nov. 24th.  The prompt return was appreciated but I lost 14 days.  My new reporting date is Feb. 10th.  The IO apparently didn't think of changing his stamp to be Feb. 23rd.

Difficult as it may be, people who worked in the tourism industry should find a different way to make a living to survive.  It doesn't appear that tourism will come back soon and the numbers will never be what they were in years past.  The world has changed and travel will take a long time to recover, if it ever does.  With the huge loss in income world-wide, people will not be able to afford vacations in distant lands.

Right.  Code should be  FTT.

The 95% effective rate is rather dubious.  The vaccine was not given a "challenge" trial.  The people who were vaccinated were not then exposed to the virus.  They were allowed to go about their normal lives.  Whether they were exposed to the virus is not known so their remaining uninfected could just be due to chance. The various vaccines' effectiveness could be much lower than reported.  I am curious to see detailed reports of the vaccines' trials.  

Sorry but I do not use agents and am not knowledgeable enough to recommend one.  Perhaps someone else can suggest one.

The infection rate is being kept to 1% in some American schools.  Dr. Birx, who has been advocating widespread and frequent testing for the past six months, said that in schools that test all of their students every week, the infection rate can be kept to 1%.  She says that widespread testing in which the results are posted within 24 hours could dramatically lower the spread of the virus.  Apparently this is just too expensive for the federal and state governments.

There are agents on Sukhmvit who will complete and mail the 90-day report for you for a few hundred baht.  There's no need to go in person.  I mail my own each time.  It costs me 50 baht - 47 baht for the EMS and 3 baht for the return self-addressed envelope.  I mail mine 16-17 days before the report is due.

I too have a Lazada item that is to be shipped by Cainiao. It is marked as packed but not yet shipped.  Fortunately it is a black pre-filter for my air purifier that only cost 319 baht.

There appears to be a general delay with shipping.  iHerb supplements, which are shipped through Germany by DHL, are much delayed.  Items ordered in early October are now scheduled to be delivered in December.