BusyB

Having never been there I'd do it as a one off out of curiosity if Thailand is still insisting on its post arrival tests and PI isn't. Just to check it out though. More likely to split the trip with Cambodia though, although Cambo (which I have been to) would not normally be a place I'd want to spend more than a couple of weeks either. But I think probably more interesting in terms of being longer stay in 'South East Asia' than PI, at least from what I've read on these forums.

OP: Most definitely. After wandering around for 5 days, even boostered and taking sensible precautions, the chances of contracting mild or asymptomatic Omicron is huge. Then it's off to totally unnecessary 'quarantine hospitels' to be gouged for hundreds or thousands of euros. It's a gigantic elephant trap. I read Jonathan Miller's report. Even if the facilities were of a better standard it's not worth it. I have better things to do with my time and money, even as a long-stay. Now we see people being tested to get onto Koh Samet. Another trap. Other traps will also likely pop up. And if you test positive before leaving the country on a plane you'll also get packed off to 'hospitel' because obviously you can't board then. I've already delayed my return till later in the year. But if they haven't got this lunacy sorted by then, I'll be looking for somewhere else. I have no desire to spend another winter in Germany, even if they are rather mild these days. Very sad for me, but true.

Quote from The Thaiger today: "... as Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire explained. The country recognised that its domestic transmission rate was higher than many other countries, so it made no sense to restrict travellers from those safer countries from entering the Philippines." Any kind of testing after landing in Thailand is a deal breaker for me. Much better things to do with my time and money than be forced into the kind of place that that Times journalist wound up in. And then have to pay for the privilege. Just read it! It's horrific. And no I don't believe Phuket government claims that they're sorting it. Why should I?

No. Whatever it is don't let it worry you.

You're right - my driving instructor taught me that hesitation kills more people than anything else. But these people who flout red lights and zebra xings should face serious sanctions, including jail time for injuries or death. But they won't.

I treat zebra xings in LOS like I treat any other stretch of road I have to cross there - with extreme care. And I will continue to do so. Cars just sail through even when they are augmented by traffic lights. They might as well not exist - waste of paint.

No.

I didn't mean the staff got a commission, I assume the bank does. It is acting as an 'agent'. I may be wrong, but I have never ever had a bank account made conditional on buying insurance. If I want insurance I go to an insurance company. A thai friend of mine was also forced to take out life insurance before they would open an account for her so it's not just farangs. I assume your post was satire. I would certainly go somewhere else as the 'offer' does not bode well for the future relationship.

It's not. But it's what it'll cost you to open an account with them ???? - I assume they get commission and the policy is virtually worthless.

It deprived the state of a legitimate 1500 baht.

All this fuss is surely only because she was a doctor. Many others die under equally criminal circumstances. And this cop is the first I've ever heard of being charged with not stopping at a zebra crossing. Let's see what his penalty is. Though he's only an NCO - they tend to get hit a bit harder than the officer class.

It might also tempt some poor sod pedestrian to cross and get wiped out by the idiot who overtakes you while flipping you the bird ...

Charged with "not stopping for people to cross the road on a zebra crossing." This must be a first in Thailand.

No no no. You got it the wrong way round. Reduced funding leads to cuts in quality and service. It is then less interesting to a discerning public who feel they are being taken for a ride and wrongly blame the service. The lack of listeners is then used as an excuse to defund it even more. Typical right wing assault on precious publicly funded institutions so the spivs can pocket the cash. UK is also a perfect example of it. The NHS is next. 'Cos private is so much better and cheaper ... not.

With symptoms my insurance would pay as well. But having been boostered it's quite likely I'd be asymptomatic. I live in an apartment and had to quarantine at home once. That's it. You stay in, and friends bring you what you need and leave it at the door. After 14 days you go and get a PCR test to clear. Perfectly normal and Germany is not the third world. And the problem is that it can hit you any time you have to test somewhere ... BANG ... Go Straight to Jail, do not pass Go, and pay 100000 baht fine. They're out of their minds. They've got to get that sorted. I've got better things to spend my cash on.

I'll be booking an apartment long stay. I know locals can s o m e t I m e s isolate at home. But it's rare for 'tourists' if at all. And there's no way of knowing if it'll apply to me. If I didn't have a couple of other firm reasons to stay put right now, this one would do it. It's just not worth the risk.

You make it all sound very tempting 555 ...

The thought of being carted off to an expensive, uninsurable 'quarantine facility' 5 days after I entered the country negative, asymptomatic, having contracted the virus somewhere in country, is one of the main factors pushing off my return to even later this year. I hope they'll get this incompetent, xenophobic insanity sorted eventually. Love the country as much as I do, if I didn't have personal connections there it wouldn't even be on my list at the moment.

Suggests there aren't enough of them?

Without taking sides in a situation to which I'm not party, it strikes me that if the guy can come up with 60k for the final bill, he should have been able to fund 800 insurance. With Covid spreading like wildfire in Thailand it would have been the best bet by far.

It's quite clear that many of the posters in this thread have not watched the video or else missed the point. Or they wouldn't have posted what they did. It's not about feeling bad about something you did. It's about toxic, or 'core' shame. Most who have it don't know it. It's crippling. I'm glad someone put this guy past me some 30 years ago. It helped me enormously on my journey. Nice to be reminded ... though AseanToday is the last place I'd have expected to find this ;D

I'm a confirmed meat eater but I'd choke and puke on tiger meat.

I only ever give money, that way it's never more than I can afford and if I get some back it's gravy. I did spend many years living off an overdraft. But at least the interest for that was manageable. I used it as a revolving credit when I chose to live beyond my means. It's all paid back now. I wonder how much these people actually lent and at what interest rates. I don't believe they lent millions. I suspect that's the level of debt accrued.

Could well have been in untreated shock. Lowered level of conscious awareness.

Thank you for adding to my gathered knowledge ...