Farangs who don’t wear face masks should be kicked out of Thailand says health minister

[MartinL]

2 hours ago, Beggar said:

This is correct. VERY many Farangs do not use a mask. Are they too stupid or immortal? And as hard as it might sound - such ignorant and naive tourists pose a danger to others in Thailand. 

But Thais who don't wear masks are NOT a danger ..... ?

[rkidlad]

2 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Yes, I have watched it to the end and the translation where he refers to "Thais helping" has a full stop after it.   The following part, a new sentence, about kicking foreigners out does not say that Thais have to assist with that!

Right. He said these Europeans might have been somewhere before (full stop) and then continued with, “this is where Thais need to help” (full stop). Help with what exactly? 
 

Here’s the complete version. Europeans might have been somewhere before. This is where Thais need to help. “If we have these kinds of people, we should kick them out” Now, that sounds to me like he’s asking for Thais to help kick out ‘farangs’ who don’t wear masks. 
 

But then again, we could interpret it your way and give this vile racist the benefit of the doubt. Shall we give the racist the benefit of the doubt? 

[talahtnut]

'I slipped', he said, but its impossible to back-peddle

on a Freudian slip.  Animosity exposed.

I'm off to Jaywick next year.

[MartinL]

In this town of 20,000 inhabitants, I doubt there are as many as 100 'farangs' in total, probably fewer. I don't seek them out so can only really make a guess from those I see when out and about. Let's say the town is 99.5% Thai, 0.5% 'farang'. 

 

Of the people I see on the street, I'd say about 80% are NOT wearing masks.

 

Where does the greatest risk if infection lie - with the 99.5% Thais or the 0.5% 'farang'?

Edited February 7, 2020 by MartinL

[Beggar]

My goodness. The Chinese will not come anymore and also the Farang tourists. If they find something to keep he Indians away we expats will be here almost the only foreigners. It was like this when I decided many years ago to retire here. 

[Brigand]

If I was any good at Photoshop or video editing/manipulation then I'd take that YouTube video of his rant and superimpose a Waffen-SS uniform over him with a shouldered MP40 or have him waving a Luger around.

[DannyCarlton]

3 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

There are Millions of Thais not wearing a face mask even shop clerks in Baan Beyond.

What will happen to them taking in consideration that all nasty mask less  farangs are going to be kicked out? 

Went in a bar today, not one person customer or staff wearing a mask.

 

Went in a restaurant today, not one person customer or staff wearing a mask.

 

Went to Jomtien bus terminal today, approximately 50% not wearing masks.

 

I've yet to see one person wearing an N95 mask.

[nrasmussen]

13 minutes ago, Beggar said:

Look at the facts. Most Farangs here do not use a mask. Don't ask me why. But if you know it please let me know the reason. 

I cannot speak on behalf of "most", but I can tell you why I don't (yet): I'm following the current guidelines given by WHO.

[joecoolfrog]

Xenophobic moron.

[ravip]

6 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Right. He said these Europeans might have been somewhere before (full stop) and then continued with, “this is where Thais need to help” (full stop). Help with what exactly? 
 

Here’s the complete version. Europeans might have been somewhere before. This is where Thais need to help. “If we have these kinds of people, we should kick them out” Now, that sounds to me like he’s asking for Thais to help kick out ‘farangs’ who don’t wear masks. 
 

But then again, we could interpret it your way and give this vile racist the benefit of the doubt. Shall we give the racist the benefit of the doubt? 

Yes, racism is spreading and increasingly becoming more open. The more the humans become racists, the more openly it will be shown.

(Note: Applies to ALL nationalities, of which some are 'diplomatic racists')

[DrTuner]

18 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

Because according to all reputable sources, they serve little or no purpose.

 

Only worn by the sheeple.

The purpose they do serve is to stop you from touching your mouth and nose. You alse need glasses to stop touching your eyes, which nobody seems to have if not sunglasses. I have comfortable high end 3M safety glasses myself (I also use these while using power tools, etc), the seller in lazada was very kind and put in two free N95 3M masks in the package when everybody was already sold out. 

 

And every time you take them off or before you put new ones on you need to clean hands. Nobody goes through the whole regime, it's very cumbersome. End effect is the masks have very little use. 

 

The way it looks like is this'll go endemic and we'll all get it at one time or another. I'd still much prefer not to get it when the hospitals are full. Not sure if the immunity lasts for long, either. With the flu it doesn't.

Edited February 7, 2020 by DrTuner

[BoonToong]

Another great boost for tourism - way to go!!! ????

[DrTuner]

4 minutes ago, ravip said:

Yes, racism is spreading and increasingly becoming more open. The more the humans become racists, the more openly it will be shown.

(Note: Applies to ALL nationalities, of which some are 'diplomatic racists')

It's always been there and always will be, human nature. Political correctness masked it for a while.

[Bangkok Barry]

30 minutes ago, Beggar said:

44 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

You surely must be Thai because you find it impossible to think beyond step 1 - like the minister who has sent a message out around the world saying that foreigners - only foreigners - are not wanted if they don't wear a mask. What about the Thais who don't wear one? Perhaps lock them away in s military camp for 're-education?
The severe consequences for the government which you write of (by which you mean no money money money coming in) of banning flights is, according to you, too dreadful to be acceptable. But the severe consequences of letting possibly infected people in is okay - as long as they bring their wallet.

 

I know that you are right. But imagine that you are the governor of this country. You don't know how this virus crises will develop or end. But you know that many companies serving tourists will not survive this crisis very long. So you have 2 problems. What would you do? 

 

Thailand has made its own problem by concentrating on the Chinese market as its main source of tourist income, at the expense of western tourists. It is never, ever a wise thing to rely on one market. And your health minister has made it very much worse by insulting foreigners - only foreigners - who don't want to wear a useless mask, foreigners who are intelligent enough to know that the masks he was giving out are of no use at all in preventing the spread of the virus, foreigners who do not do things just for show, for the right image no matter how pointless.

 

His comments have done massive damage to the image of Thailand overseas and probably killed off any chance of us f***ing foreigners filling the gap left by the absence of the Chinese. That he would do this now of all times, when tourist numbers are going through the floor is, frankly, beyond belief. At least he is being honest in saying what he thinks of us 'aliens', as his government likes to call us.

 

And there is no point asking me or any other foreigner what we would do, because no-one in Thailand has the slightest interest in what we think or say. Thais always know best, about everything.

[Peterbilt]

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

What did this government minister do prior to entering politics? I doubt it was part of the diplomatic corps.

Does he have any qualifications in health ?

 

He has the two things to qualify for any position in Thailand:
- Knowing the right people
- Money. Plenty of money.

[Denim]

Anutin is the head of the Bhumjaithai Party, which came to power by backing legal cannabis and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha.

 

Wooa there boy. Must have been tokin some of his own home grown before he opened his pie hole.

 

What a first class sphincter ( no offence to sphincters intended )

[JAG]

25 minutes ago, Beggar said:

Look at the facts. Most Farangs here do not use a mask. Don't ask me why. But if you know it please let me know the reason. 

Quite possibly because, unless you are given one as part of a political photo op, you can't get your paws on one for love nor money at the moment!

[Gecko123]

44 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

This is what you should be posting, the video of him having his rant ( with subtitles ) !!

Straight from the horses ( ass ) mouth !!

 

 

He uses the derogatory "ai" (อ้าย) in conjunction with the term "farang." Kind of a shocking display of resentment towards Westerners. Nobody here knows the racial identity of who refused to take a mask, so nobody can absolutely conclude that his comments were directed at just white people, but the fact that he felt free to so openly voice to the media such hostility and resentment is disturbing. It also sends an unbelievably ill-advised message at a time when the tourism industry is already in free fall.

Edited February 7, 2020 by Gecko123

[CharlieK]

It seems this idiot wants to blame Farang for the virus! Maybe he thought he was being clever. Just ignorant IMO.

[SteveK]

1 minute ago, CharlieK said:

It seems this idiot wants to blame Farang for the virus! Maybe he thought he was being clever. Just ignorant IMO.

I doubt he gives a rat's ass about the virus, he just lost face because a holidaymaker refused to accept an opened (and useless) mask from a random Asian guy in a suit at a BTS station, who was handling it with his bare (and probably unwashed) hands.

Edited February 7, 2020 by SteveK

[Beggar]

10 minutes ago, nrasmussen said:

I cannot speak on behalf of "most", but I can tell you why I don't (yet): I'm following the current guidelines given by WHO.

The last point might be a challenge to check. How I do I know if the general public doesn't have respiratory symptoms? Can I call the WHO do get this information? 

[bwpage3]

The World Heath Organization and many experts around the world have repeatedly stated a mask will do NO good for this Coronavirus. A N95 is only partially effective.

 

"Wearing surgical masks does not prevent a person from inhaling smaller airborne particles; they are not considered respiratory protection by the CDC. Surgical masks are also loose fitting, and when the wearer inhales, there is potential for particles to leak in or out of the sides."

 

"If it's a regular surgical face mask, the answer is "no," Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at Vanderbilt University"

 

"A more specialized mask, known as an N95 respirator, can protect against the new coronavirus, also called 2019-nCoV. The respirator is thicker than a surgical mask, but Schaffner doesn't recommend it. That's because, in part, it's challenging to put these masks on and wear them for long periods of time, he said. 

 

Specialists receive retraining annually on how to properly fit these respirators around the nose, cheeks and chin, ensuring that wearers don't breathe around the edges of the respirator.

 

When you do that, it turns out that the work of breathing, since you're going through a very thick material, is harder. You have to work to breathe in and out. It's a bit claustrophobic. It can get moist and hot in there," Schaffner said.

"I know that I can wear them when I need to for about a half-hour only, then I have to go to a safe area and take it off and breath."

 

 

[ravip]

3 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

It's always been there and always will be, human nature. Political correctness masked it for a while.

Absolutely true!

Very few people are prepared to accept it, and thereby lie unashamedly to try hide it. Humans are racists by nature, but outwardly we act very neautral - we are good actors too!

[GilesA]

Farangs don't keep wild animals in crowded cages and sell them in markets to be eaten. We don't eat bats either. We have food and hygiene standards. But by all means get angry at us.

 

Anyway I thought a Thai doctor had come up with a cure?

 

My son had Glanduar Fever at and Bangkok hospital gave him antibiotics, steroids and a collection of other drugs and several days later when I arrived to take him out they said they'd cured him. The NHS and every other western medical guidance is only bed rest and water. The bill was not modest but yes he did get better.

 

Northern Thailand has a health crisis from air pollution. BKK might if its not careful. Then the health minister really should get angry if people don't wear masks as they may die prematurely if they don't. They will need to be N95 though and changed often...

 

A lot more people have died prematurely from that in Thailand than coronavirus...

 

 

 

 

[seajae]

lets see if the PM has the balls to now make him apologize for this stupid outburst, the man it a total cretin with no medical training and thinks he knows better than WHO, will the PM sorts this out, shows how pathetic the govt really is and how they have appointed ministers that are simply idiots to run the country

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

He uses the derogatory "ai" (อ้าย) in conjunction with the term "farang." Kind of a shocking display of resentment towards Westerners. Nobody here knows the racial identity of who refused to take a mask, so nobody can absolutely conclude that his comments were directed at just white people, but the fact that he felt free to so openly voice to the media such hostility and resentment is disturbing. It also sends an unbelievably ill-advised message at a time when the tourism industry is already in free fall.

I think we all know what the Thai government thinks of us (white guys).

He's just a bit more open and honest than the usual Thai government official.

I'm sure all the Thai immigration officers think exactly the same of us.

Edited February 7, 2020 by BritManToo

[Felt 35]

I haven't been out of here for nearly two years so I dont see why should be more prone to have a virus than the locals. Btw, here South where I'm located maybe 1 out of 25 are to seen with a mask. On another not the minister of the great "Making belive ministry" do not need to kick me out.????‍♂️ Waging for and against every day when for the right time to go for when this start to get as bad here as in China we haven't a change to avoid infections.????

[ravip]

5 minutes ago, SteveK said:

I doubt he gives a rat's ass about the virus, he just lost face because a holidaymaker refused to accept an opened (and useless) mask from a random Asian guy in a suit at a BTS station, who was handling it with his bare (and probably unwashed) hands.

WOW! Talking about racism on this thread... it's flowing freely.

[ukrules]

These idiots can manufacture enough masks so that everybody in the country can have 1.5 masks per month.

 

Do the math on that one....

 

 

[ukrules]

7 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

"A more specialized mask, known as an N95 respirator, can protect against the new coronavirus, also called 2019-nCoV. The respirator is thicker than a surgical mask, but Schaffner doesn't recommend it. That's because, in part, it's challenging to put these masks on and wear them for long periods of time, he said. 

Indeed, you would need multiple masks per day and we know the capacity for producing the <deleted> masks that are not N95 respirators is nowhere near adequate even if they worked.