Coming to Bangkok, what do I need?

[moontang]

5 minutes ago, kolder said:

 

Sounds good.

 

Is it necessary to register my passport number with the sim card? 

Yes..and there may be issues if you are a short timer...might just give you fewer options, but nothing like the run-around banks give those on short stay.  

[rickudon]

13 minutes ago, kolder said:

 

Sounds good.

 

Is it necessary to register my passport number with the sim card? 

Yes, usually.

 

One thing not mentioned is travel insurance .......

 

From Immigration to 7/11 (or more probably Boots/Family Mart) is still a fair way, and you have baggage reclaim first. So DO bring your own Hand gel sanitiser.

[Ireland32]

15 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

7-eleven sells antibiotic gel

 

the finger scanner is what's single-handedly spreading these viruses so as long as you wash your hands after using it you have nothing to worry about

But not before immigration 

[Suradit69]

16 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

7-eleven sells antibiotic gel

Since the epidemic involves a virus, does an antibiotic offer much protection?

 

 

Quote

The [US]  Food and Drug Administration has warned the maker of Purell hand sanitizers to stop claiming its products can prevent people from catching the flu, Ebola virus, the MRSA superbug and norovirus. ... The agency said it was reclassifying Purell as an unapproved drug, rather than an over-the-counter product.16 hours ago

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/health/purell-fda-ebola-virus.html

 

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by Suradit69

[Max69xl]

16 hours ago, kolder said:

Yes, agree!

 

 

What do you mean useless and worthless? Also, is it mandatory to use them? Haven't been to an airport in many years.

 

But I guess in order to get to the 7 eleven, I would have to go through the finger scanner first upon arrival?

 

 

 

I promise you that everything on the airplane is dirtier than the airport. Don't buy sim-cards at the airport,just go to the nearest 7/11 close to where you're staying and buy a starter package. Any operators sim-card will work,go for dtac or AIS. It's really cheap and then top it up 2-300 baht. Just bring your passport.

[kingofthemountain]

2 hours ago, kolder said:

We are travelling with small children as well, this is going to be a challenge. 

At the moment bring a small children here i don't call it a challenge

it's rather irresponsability unless you have really no choice.

 

At least take a very good specific health travel insurance for all your family before to start your travel.

Don't count on the classic but often useless credit card one.

 

It's a small details but bring a pen or 2 with you in the plane in your cabin luggage

you have a card to fill for immigration and it's better to not use the

public pens in the airport for this.

 

And stay far from every chinese people. particularly if they don't have

face mask and if they cough and sniff.

They are still everywhere here in Thailand and a lot are coming from the

infected area

Edited January 29, 2020 by kingofthemountain

[Fairynuff]

16 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

7-eleven sells antibiotic gel

 

the finger scanner is what's single-handedly spreading these viruses so as long as you wash your hands after using it you have nothing to worry about

You’ve obviously been listening to the Health Minister

[Fairynuff]

7 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

Bangkok half as clean as the rest of the world

There must be two Bangkoks because the one I live in is nothing like the one you describe.

[Salerno]

29 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

just go to the nearest 7/11 close to where you're staying and buy a starter package. Any operators sim-card will work,go for dtac or AIS. 

Can't get AIS at 7 since they tried to up the commision.

[DaRoadrunner]

Having read most of the posts I am still not sure if the OP is for real or just winding us all up?

 

Hey, suppose he arrives and there is a serious outbreak of Corona Virus. Mass panic as Bangkok is shut down just like Wuhan. No one is allowed to leave. He ends up in hospital and all because he used the fingerprint scanner.

 

Seriously man, if coming here, what you need is a total full body condom.

 

Edited January 29, 2020 by DaRoadrunner

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

Since the epidemic involves a virus, does an antibiotic offer much protection?

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/health/purell-fda-ebola-virus.html

 

I don't think the poster meant to say "antibiotic" gel... more accurately and likely, anti-"microbial" gel, which is an entirely different thing.

 

Antibiotics aren't sold in 7/11s, and are useless anyway regarding viruses.

 

But, the health authorities have confirmed, that good old thorough hand washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based gel, can remove the viral presence on one's hands.

 

[steven100]

don't worry ,  all you need is a bar of soap and a packet of condoms

[Seth1a2a]

If you are in the U.S. , you may be able to find  clorox sanitized wet wipes ( or something similar) . Walk in price as low as  1 USD  for a pack of 9.  Amazon lists 5.62 USD for shipping 2 packs but check the delivery dates with your scheduled departure date .   In addition to the masks you might also consider a small supply of medical gloves.   

 

 

They already gave you sound advice on the sim cards.

Airport sims are for the "low hanging fruit" type tourists who are easy pickings

for the higher rate services that they offer .

[NanLaew]

12 hours ago, moontang said:

I just set my gf up with True sim and 4 Mbps speed and 30 GB of data..30 days for 100 THB.  

She couldn't do that for herself?

[Thainess]

Cancel your trip! You'll need a vaccination against the Coronavirus, but there's no vaccine yet. Don't risk your life. Stay in your cold and safe country.

[Suradit69]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

But, the health authorities have confirmed, that good old thorough hand washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based gel, can remove the viral presence on one's hands

While I agree that washing hands with soap and water is useful, as noted above, the US FDA has ordered Purell to stop making claims about its hand sanitizer regarding any virus.

 

Quote

Federal health officials are calling on GoJo, the maker of Purell products, to stop making claims that its hand sanitizer is effective at eliminating diseases.

In a letter, the Food and Drug Administration called out the company for posting several claims across Purell website pages and its social media platforms that the over-the-counter hand sanitizers could reduce the risk of illnesses including Ebola, norovirus, influenza and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is an infection is caused by a type of staph bacteria.

"We are not aware of evidence demonstrating that the Purell Healthcare Advanced Hand Sanitizer products as formulated and labeled are generally recognized by qualified experts as safe and effective for use under the conditions suggested, recommended, or prescribed in their labeling," the letter stated

 

.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

While I agree that washing hands with soap and water is useful, as noted above, the US FDA has ordered Purell to stop making claims about its hand sanitizer regarding any virus.

 

 

The FDA's beef with Purell is that their marketing claims arguably represent their product as a medicine/medical treatment, which it is not and has not been certified as such.

 

That notwithstanding, the mainstream medical advice is that a good washing with regular soap and water, or an alcohol based gel, will remove any virus material from one's hands. So the Purell product would be effective for that purpose, regardless of its marketing claims.

 

It's kinda like a dirt analogy -- you don't have to "kill" dirt in order to wash and remove it from your hands.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tinca tinca]

On 1/29/2020 at 6:29 AM, kolder said:

Yes, agree!

 

 

What do you mean useless and worthless? Also, is it mandatory to use them? Haven't been to an airport in many years.

 

But I guess in order to get to the 7 eleven, I would have to go through the finger scanner first upon arrival?

 

 

 

could buy small bottle of alcohol....or ether...clean hands that way !!  buy in country from where you are leaving 

Edited January 30, 2020 by tinca tinca
after thought

[Suradit69]

33 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

That notwithstanding, the mainstream medical advice

"Mainstream medical advice " has no meaning except to help market some products or some cherished belief.   What is or isn't mainstream? Where's the evidence? Certainly at this point some research exists on the effectiveness of alcohol when dealing with the spread of viral disease. Both alcohol and viruses have been around for a long time. Where's some experiential or experimental proof and why has alcohol not stopped the spread of other viral epidemics?

 

Can't agree with your interpretation of the FDA comment either. Basically Purell has no evidence that alcohol based sanitizers  "remove " viruses as you claim. They were marketing the hand sanitizer based on some nebulous marketing tactic that depended on something meaningless like mainstream medical advice.

 

If you have links to research proof of the effectiveness of alcohol used against the spread of viral disease please share. It would be good news for us all and would make overpriced hand wipes a bargain.

 

Here's some more mainstream medical advice

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Suradit69

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

19 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

"Mainstream medical advice " has no meaning except to help market some products or some cherished belief.  

 

US CDC:

Quote

 

CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

 

Thai Dept of Disease Control:

Quote

• Regularly wash hands with water and soap or use alcohol gel. It is also recommended to avoid using your hands to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth.

 

WHO:

Quote

Standard recommendations to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses include maintaining basic hand and respiratory hygiene, and safe food practices  and avoiding close contact, when possible, with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses

 

As I tried to explain above, it's not the anti-microbial properties of any soap that come into play here, but instead, the effect that washing/scrubbing has on removing particles from your skin:

 

Quote

But there is one thing that experts endorse as a preventive: "Hand hygiene is the answer," Schaffner says, suggesting soap and water, since the abrasiveness of soap helps remove infectious particles from the hands. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Make sure to clean the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails, advises the CDC. And scrub for 20 seconds — about as long as it takes to sing, at a moderate pace, the alphabet song.

 

Schaffner above is William Schaffner, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/01/25/799007842/coronavirus-faqs-do-masks-help-is-the-disease-really-so-mysterious

 

Though the alcohol-based products may also deal with the virus in a different manner than regular soap.

Quote

 

Does hand sanitizer prevent the spread of coronavirus?

Yes. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not only effective at preventing the transmission of coronavirus, but the transmission of viral infections in general. According to Public Health Canada, they need to have around 60 or 70 per cent alcohol content, which is the case for most over-the counter hand sanitizers.

According to University of Toronto professor James Scott, this percentage is actually even more effective than 100 per cent rubbing alcohol, because the little bit of water improves the way the alcohol penetrates and kills viruses outer coatings.

 

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/hand-sanitizer-coronavirus-wuhan-canada_ca_5e2f26a3c5b67d8874b7ae94

Edited January 30, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[moontang]

9 hours ago, NanLaew said:

She couldn't do that for herself?

She was paying 32 THB per day with DTAC.  In a perfect world, people would make the best economic decisions...  I also switched my condo internet to TRUE, and now pay 199 per month instead of 599...

[Matzzon]

On 1/28/2020 at 11:55 PM, kolder said:

Coming to Bangkok in a few days.

 

 

As I understand it, there is a fingerscanner in the airport where I need to put my finger so I better buy some some hand gel to minimize risk of the virus. Is it possible to buy at the air port?

 

What about face mask, what is considered ok and what is considered not good enough? 

 

I need to show my passport in order to get a sim card? How much does it cost?

If you do not know simple things like this, I would guess that you are not ready to travel alone and take your steps in the wide world yet.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Matzzon

[fhickson]

i don't recommend travel to bkk at this time. the whole city is a large clusterfuk. everyone out in facemasks, etc.

if you have to be here, large bottles of 70% alcohol are always available at the pharmacies, wash hands and splash face when returning home before touching anything. wipe down the cell phone with alcohol. stop touching your mouth and face when outside.

Edited January 30, 2020 by fhickson

[Suradit69]

18 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

good old thorough hand washing with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based gel, can remove the viral presence on one's hands

As I said, I agree about hand washing with soap and water, but no mention of hand sanitizers in the CDC's. Corona virus prevention advice

 

 

 

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

Quote

 

Prevention

How to protect yourself

There are currently no vaccines available to protect you against human coronavirus infection. You may be able to reduce your risk of infection by doing the following

• wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• avoid close contact with people who are sick

 

 

 

• Quote

  Handwashing can help prevent illness. It involves five simple and effective steps (Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry) you can take to reduce the spread of diarrheal and respiratory illness so you can stay healthy. Regular handwashing, particularly before and after certain activities, is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. It’s quick, it’s simple, and it can keep us all from getting sick. Handwashing is a win for everyone, except the germs.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Suradit69

[moontang]

I am almost convinced that the diahrea related problems are quite a bit worse in the tourist areas..they are much more prone to it, and the lack of extra sanitation precautions is minimal.  It kind of feeds on itself. A lot of it is handwashing, or lack thereof, but now there is even more reason to skip the crowded tourist areas.

[Jane Dough]

As an alternative to all of your problems, you can drop into the airport bookstore and get this.

 

Rooster

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, Suradit69 said:

As I said, I agree about hand washing with soap and water, but no mention of hand sanitizers in the CDC's. Corona virus prevention advice

 

Not quite:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html

 

Quote

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

 

Quote

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

 

I think part of the reason is, apparently, the alcohol based products with repeated frequent use can cause skin dermatitis in some folks, whereas the soap and water routine is probably more universally tolerable, and involved products most folks already have at hand, so to speak!

 

To be fair, in all the things I've read, the various disease agencies seem to be quite varied in their washing advice -- sometimes they just say soap and water, sometimes they say soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer.

 

I was trying to figure out if the various primary entities like WHO, CDC, etc. had any prevailing preference between the two different cleaning methods. And after rooting around a lot in various of their documents, I gave up trying to find any clear-cut singular preference.

 

[URMySunshine]

One positive form all this is TVF has had so many new members it might even embrace more forward looking views other than the 'usual usual''. 

[moontang]

5 minutes ago, URMySunshine said:

One positive form all this is TVF has had so many new members it might even embrace more forward looking views other than the 'usual usual''. 

Apparently, you have not visited the CM Forum, lately, where only events from the 90s that happened to people now 75+ matter.

[gk10002000]

face mask is not very useful against tiny airborne viruses which are so small they pass through the masks.  But might be helpful against the air pollution you are likely to encounter