Bluetongue

It's not only here, story the other day of hundreds of millions owing in my home state of Qld Australia. The late fee applied is 80 (abt 2kbaht) and if you seek to pay the fine off you have to provide copious amounts of information to them. If you are really poor you can pick up litter and work it off at 25$A per hour. Of course in providing all that information to them they can use it subsequently to impound your license or car or even garnish your bank account. Best off providing nothing, give them the run around and eventually pay it. I for one consider the rationale trotted out about saving lives to be rubbish, police on the road will deter bad behaviour, sitting behind a screen will not. There is virtually no physical traffic enforcement now, only the nightly helicopter chases through the outer suburbs of stolen high end cars driven by gangs of methed up 14 year olds who get taken to KFC when they're caught given a good feed and sent home. Everything else is revenue raising.

I’ve been away for a few months, arranged a long time ago to return on 28/6. I have the insurance and Thai pass. 2 questions should I print those documents out for either check in or on arrival (leaving Sydney on Thai) are the money changers with the better rates operating on the station level at the airport thanks

I found that very interesting thanks. Although she is obviously very clever and only mildly annoying imo she doesn't know what is going to happen any better than the rest of them

Ok I've seen no one has had a go at answering this one. And I kind of agree with your first paragraph although I think there might be a debate elsewhere about mass formulation hysteria, and whether it is actually a thing or not. In any case the mass has been tweaked there is no doubt. Pharmaceutical dependency is one way of describing how the health system works. There is always an argument that prevention is better than cure, but in the real world cure wins over serious illness or death nearly every time, after prevention didn't happen for whatever reason. Cowardice from politicians I will agree with that. The ceaseless bickering and pettiness comes from the bureaucracy and social media and is present , one must deal with it or ignore it. An example: I have traveled 4 times since the pandemic, and simply put I can travel to do what I want but have to put up with pettiness or I don't travel. Society is still functioning in my purview, there's a lot of rubbish that ordinary people have to put up with but thank goodness they do. I hope to never give up hope of some return to better times.

Well at least you have your insight. I think what we are seeing is the increased use of rapid tests, followed by not reporting positive results to authorities. People have to work, even if they have a day or two off, they cant afford 10 days or two weeks, most of my extended Thai family have no financial resources beyond a couple of days, and that's with kicking every bill they can down the road. I went and got a PCR test at Bangkok Hospital Chantaburi for travel on Friday and am dreading some phone call. The clinic was not busy. Today a whole lot of local schoolchildren including very little ones were tested with RATs. I've got a feeling that locally we reached a peak some time around the middle to the end of last year, when I often saw the modified Covid pickups racing round, who knows maybe some level of community immunity was reached.

Not so. In reporting on the first day the Victorian Health Minister said many of the antigen tests had also been and had a PCR test. They had no way of knowing how many. Considering they were reporting tens of thousands its likely to be a fair number. In any case doesn't matter, either way, they dont know the numbers so its pointless to headline them every day

In Australia most states have adopted the practice of allowing people to report online their positive RAT tests. It has been officially acknowledged that there has been some double counting. It means the numbers are not correct. Of course some people may not report, just as likely some people may report they are positive, when not, for whatever reason. So even more a reason to focus less on the raw number and more on the outcomes

OK while deaths are still mounting world wide, the 7 day average is less than it has been since October 2020 (worldometer). How many of the current deaths are Delta? Must be some. NSW reports that 74% of ICU admissions since 16 December are Delta. As we know Delta was on the rise in the UK before Omicron, it had never been controlled in the US. Not all is complete doom, yet. In any case what do the doomsayers want?, back to another communist style complete lockdown is what I think they want, they wont say that though, why I wouldn't know.

Actually not under this year, fell under last year after they had already approved the extension

Went in yesterday, got the passport, all done and signed not a word was said. I looked at the date of the signature, it was the 29th ie the same day I applied, still had to wait 8 days to get it back.

WHO is saying that Delta is still the dominant strain, who am I to argue. But on the face of it with global infections over 2 million per day, more than double the previous highs, I cant understand what statistic they are using, if for instance Omicron is dominant in the US Australia and the UK that is already roughly half the global cases. Is it an attempt to reinvigorate the vaccination campaign in the 3rd world?

I used it as an example to highlight the fact that children's future is not a priority for this Government, and that everyone is running out of patience with it. And the more of I think of it, was phrased more like "do you want to be dumb like this?" Back to the topic.

Testing is starting to reach its limits in Australia and also the US is having problems, in Australia now they are telling you if you cant get a test but have symptoms, assume you have Covid and stay home. RAT tests are hard to come by. The numbers are going up astronomically, particularly after NYE, anecdotally a lot of people reporting having picked it up out partying, so hopefully younger vaccinated people who wont get so sick. How this pans out here is anyone's guess, like a previous poster, I'm flying out on the 14th and am worried about the 72 hr PCR test, certainly not going out clubbing. Looks like another busy year for the local teachers, handing out colouring in books and lazing in the hammock after a som tum. My niece was trying to help her 7 year old with his homework, I couldn't help hearing her call him dumb, later she told me he was, because he's forgotten everything from school

With Anutin's latest words,, about extending the border restrictions it is clear he knows how bad the real numbers are. But imho the shutting of borders in the current environment is a total waste of time, pointless and in this case a red herring, to detract attention from the Government's bumbling. A few cases would enter sure but the vast majority of cases everywhere in every country are local transmission. Nearly as bad is the state of Qld, Australia where they have 4500 cases, have opened to NSW where there is 20k plus, yet international passengers cant arrive without 14 days quarantine, at a price 0f $3320 or about 80 thousand baht. Purely a political point based on a quarantine centre white elephant she (the Premier) is building and in which she hopes to imprison people shortly, after a 4 hour bus trip from the Airport. Any questions about it are deflected with the commercial in confidence excuse.

It was actually 12k the day before so very close to a doubling. The rate NSW cases have been going up is very quick, I will be surprised if the peak is not reached within a week, perhaps 2. At the current rate the entire population would be infected by half way through the next month. The real question is can the politicians hold their nerve, there is a barrage of panic from one of the Doctors associations not making it any easier. As for here, its pretty clear the numbers are on the way up, Chon Buri for eg. Limiting the testing and the holiday break means it won't fully show up til next week.

Ok, well I went in on Wednesday, after a false start on Tuesday when it was closed due to a late public holiday, so already wasted the best part of a day. Spoke to a nice intern who had better English than any of the IOs. He assisted me with the paperwork etc. That's when any sense of wellbeing evaporated. The IOs were new women, I had never seen two and one who seemed to be in charge I had seen before when she was not in charge. I handed the forms over to one of the new ones, sat there for 10 minutes, until she came over and asked me for the "money". I rightly assumed she meant the bank letter and bank books, I also had a 12 month statement (5 pages) stamped from the second account. She took that away and was standing, at her desk back to me and I could see her going through the 5 page statement, hadn't looked at the other documents. Then she went and had a whispered conversation with the supervisor, came back and got her calculator out. I could see a major misunderstanding developing, so I went over and politely interrupted her showing her the statement and pass book with the 800 k, and explained to her about the 200 baht deduction. She then went and spoke to the supervisor again who laughed, then she came back over to me again and said, I will tell the boss who signs it, it should be OK, words to that effect, but don't do it again. I tried to explain to her about the second account but she just said the ubiquitous cannot. At that point I thought, no point arguing. So I sat there for ages while she dragged it out doing whatever it is that they do and she finally gets the fee off me, then said she was finished, came over with the 5 page statement saying that her boss would want o know where a certain deposit of 97k had come from. There were others by the way. It wasn't coded as a forex transfer and she virtually accused me of working. I told her no, and that I could prove it came from overseas if she wanted, not interested. Then she said is that your wife on the verandah, I need to speak to you both. She then told the wife all about it and continued to insist that I was 200 baht short this year. (Anyway I got berated all the way home as well, finally proving to her that it was 22 baht and last year.) Finally I was asked to come and pick up the passport next week on the 6th (standard procedure in this office) or if the boss wanted to speak to me she will call. All in all an unpleasant experience with an unpleasant and inexperienced IO whose English was basically non-existent. My gut feeling is that I will get the extension, sorry for the biblical length post. Hopefully on the 6th I'll make a much shorter one.

I know it is a Thailand thread but this is relevant. With the caveat that at this time of year numbers can be a bit choppy. Australia is becoming a bit of a test bed as the situation in many of those states (not NSW) was basically zero cases only a couple of weeks ago, no prior infections and no Delta outbreak to muddy the waters of the hospitalization data as in UK. With what should be regarded as a good health system, high vaccination rates and good testing and reporting regimes. Now its a full blown Omicron outbreak in Qld for instance gone from zero to 2200 in less than 2 weeks, 5 million people, equivalent to about 30k here. I'll be keeping an eye on it as I'll be going there in 2 weeks. But for here for the moment the numbers are concerning, but lets just wait for the trend over the next few days.

If he arrived on December 11 with a negative 72 hour pre test and then got a day of arrival negative test, wouldn't you think he got it here (with the caveat of not knowing where he has been and what he has done)

Once again you make an off the cuff insulting remark, without any back up. Keep digging.

Ah, you've taken it personally. Just to say I wasn't talking about you personally. I seem to recall you were the big fan of online teaching, in fact you never want the schools to reopen, which clearly does not work for the majority of kids here, arguable as it is whether it is any better, I would argue worse. Other than that your comment does not say why you think I haven't a clue, I have had many interactions with Thai teachers over the years and I'm entitled to my generally poor opinion of them.

Earlier in the pandemic it was the mantra, testing testing testing. I see in Australia now they do not want the asymptomatic to come forward for a PCR test, the system is too overloaded. People wanted to get the full test before they headed off for Christmas with the family. What a way to spend Christmas eh, 6 hours in a queue. Now they've finally been dragged into much more use of the rapid tests. Yeah na, schools haven't reopened at all here in Chantaburi, my mate in Korat his kid is going every second day

Until the schools reopen, properly, Thailand cant lay claim to being on top of the virus. Kids might not generally get very ill, but they are little germ factories. The Thai authorities know full well that every second kid or more is looked after by Grandma, and that many homes are multi-generational and I think the spread into homes is what they fear. Ally this with Thai over protective nature, keeps em closed. But the schools are part of the lifeblood of the economy especially in rural areas, the explosion of activity after school finishes. I bet a few teachers are quite happy being lazy and still getting paid. Also kids are missing more than an education, school is where they usually learn about their culture, respect etc. The fact that the Government seems to be putting very little effort into this is very telling.

Although I use social media and have adapted to newer forms of entertainment I have been less efficient or quick at so doing as maybe someone a bit younger or a bit more tech savvy. I am a people person and I get the most enjoyment in life, attending live events and catching up in person with family and friends. But as things have played out, I spend about half my time here in Thailand living quietly and hardly seeing anybody, the other half the time back in Australia working and socialising. I find it hard to socialize here, friendships just aren't the same. I think it was that old Thailand hand used to write for the BP that said something along the lines of "you can live here and get on with people but they are not friends". I have Aussie friends who will not get the pension here, unless they go back for two years, its a tough call, and as a long time ex bureaucrat I entirely agree that they make rules and red tape completely unfair. No one attacks them anymore, I just saw an old video of Kerry Packer (an Australian tycoon of a bygone era) giving it to the Government and bureaucrats of the day for passing too many new laws without repealing old ones. The Australian tax system must be the most complicated its ever been. I try to fly under the radar for all those things, its getting harder and harder.

There wouldn't be many countries that have got it right throughout the pandemic. In terms of health, economic and social impacts, its a difficult balancing act. Many would argue the economic impacts of "let it rip" or similar are as bad as the health impacts. One of the most annoying things about Australia for instance was politicians hiding behind unseen "medical advice". I have suspected all along the medical advice was smoothly transmuted into red tape by an Orwellian bureaucratic process. So there were greater social impacts in Australia with its closed internal and external borders and the punitive lockdowns with emphasis on penalties and enforcement. Long were we a penal colony, little did we know we still were. Otherwise the health and economic impacts weren't too bad although the economic effect is still being digested. But now places that were in lockdown over a single case are now tolerating 700 without comment. Is that the living with Covid?; probably. But here the economic effects have obviously been terrible, even here in my rural area the numbers of shuttered businesses exceeds the usual number ten fold. The Government hasn't a care in the world for the people, kids aren't going to school. Obviously 40 million tourist's couldn't/wouldn't come during a pandemic but there should have been a dip into the foreign reserves to stimulate alternatives. IMHO. This current snafu won't make much difference either way, the TG program was too small a number anyway.

Well as it happens, both accounts with same bank/branch so one letter, but covering both accounts should suffice?