I've cut down on my baht bus riding a lot since the beginning of the virus issue. So I don't have a lot of personal experience with this. On some recent rides, I noticed the majority of Thais wearing masks, and maybe 20 percent of the white people and 20 percent of the Indian people as well. I didn't encounter any Chinese people on my recent rides.

 

So I'm wondering in order to look at a larger sample and I'm assuming most people here are western expats and tourists, for those riding the Pattaya baht buses, are you masked or not, why or why not, and if masked, what kind of mask?

I don't wear a mask. I find it somewhat strange that people feel the need to wear a mask when  the chance of dying from Corona is probably 100 million to one but are quite happy not to wear a crash helmet when the change of dying from a bike accident is probably 20,000 to one.

Masks are useful to prevent you, if you are infected, from transferring the virus to others. Masks are essentially useless preventing you from catching the virus. As with all common virus infections such as the cold or flu, you cough and the droplets from your cough get on items such as door handles that other people touch. The recipients then touch their nose, eyes or mouth and contract the virus. If someone very close to you is coughing and has the virus, a mask may prevent transference. Otherwise they are useless. Better to wash your hands regularly and refrain from touching your nose, eyes or mouth.

Another thought.....Do bank tellers get nervous if you approach them wearing a mask? 

7 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Another thought.....Do bank tellers get nervous if you approach them wearing a mask? 

Only if you have failed to cut eye holes in them......

I never wear a mask. How many cases of Corona virus in Pattaya? None.

1 minute ago, champers said:

I never wear a mask. How many cases of Corona virus in Pattaya? None.

Well the mask thing is one thing, but I absolutely do not believe that the virus isn't in Pattaya regardless of official announcements from tourism interests, etc.

I think the hot tip is to stay upwind from the coughers. Or use another form of transportation.

10 hours ago, champers said:

I never wear a mask. How many cases of Corona virus in Pattaya? None.

Has Thailand been declaring the location of every case ?   I haven't seen such data.  When they announced the last batch of 6, only one had a declared location. 

5 hours ago, DrTuner said:

I think the hot tip is to stay upwind from the coughers. Or use another form of transportation.

Safest position for virus avoidance is probably on the roof of the baht bus. ????

Nah, baht bus not a confined space so much. I'll just keep smoking

Watched docu on plague outbreak in London 1665. Ouch. Smoking was thought to keep the plague away, along with burning noxious materials like brimstone (that partially worked as even rats with plague fleas couldn't stand it). Skip bathing for a week or two? That should ensure "social distancing" which has been recommended as strategy to avoid disease

Not wearing a mask but I do keep a bottle of hand cleanser in my pocket, and use it after getting off a BB. IMO there's more danger in touching the rails, then possibly touching my face than in breathing it in. 

22 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Another thought.....Do bank tellers get nervous if you approach them wearing a mask? 

An easy way to transmit the disease to yourself is by getting the germs on your hand and rubbing your eyes  (or picking your nose? 555).

Do you touch the escalator hand rails? Do you touch money at the bank?  Do you flush the toilet? Do you close the toilet door? etc

 

I would think the tellers are used to masked customers. Anyone sick during the year would wear one.

11 hours ago, neeray said:

Safest position for virus avoidance is probably on the roof of the baht bus. ????

Cei Ling might have bolted on up there before you

If someone would have told me when I was a kid that so many people would be walking around w/masks on I would not have been able to imagine what the world had come to...

 

that said, I had to take my wife to the hospital and wore one for the first time... a good one - not cheap - so good that I was having trouble breathing... 

Just now, kenk24 said:

If someone would have told me when I was a kid that so many people would be walking around w/masks on I would not have been able to imagine what the world had come to...

Health is not the only consideration - face masks can also mitigate against facial recognition technology in public places

I always use a N95 mask at places where I can't avoid being next to many other people. It is no pleasure with this mask since it is hot and it is hard to breathe. But it gives me a better feeling if someone coughs and sneezes next to me. 

 

8 minutes ago, Beggar said:

I always use a N95 mask at places where I can't avoid being next to many other people. 

Is this a recent fetish or you've always been diligent about avoiding "germs"?

18 hours ago, DrTuner said:

I think the hot tip is to stay upwind from the coughers. Or use another form of transportation.

I occasionally go to Pattaya to meet my Farang and Thai friends;
I never take a baht-bus because I ride there either by motorbike or on my MTBike...
Cycling in town, I have fun, I like to overtake cars when I ride a bicycle ...

and watch the raging driver being overtaken by a farang on his two-wheeled vehicle ...

( I ALWAYS wear  an helmet when on my MTBike .

1 minute ago, ThaiBunny said:

Is this a recent fetish or you've always been diligent about avoiding "germs"?

I have been always like this. But I didn't use mssks. I avoid to shake hands. And wash my hands immediately when I come home. Can't remember when I was sick the last time. For sure it was more than 10 years ago.

 

I understand Trump at least in this respect. He said one of the worst things that can happen to him is that if he is sitting in a restaurant enjoying his meal and someone comes and tries to shake his hand. 

Yes, ZERO cases reported in Pattaya.

 

However, according to my secret sources and online detective master ability and past fake special forces job, this virus will find its way to 60% of the world's population.  

 

There are not enough tests, hospitals, anything to properly test all these people.   Meaning hundreds of millions will get this virus and yet not "officially."  

 

Roll the dice on your life!!!!  LOL.   I'm not getting 100 kms from anyone who can find Wuhan on a map.  

4 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

Health is not the only consideration - face masks can also mitigate against facial recognition technology in public places

How about a defence against the downright ugly?

Off topic and replies removed

21 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

Health is not the only consideration - face masks can also mitigate against facial recognition technology in public places

About the only thing a paper mask is useful for after about 10 minutes.

 

To be absolutely safe one would have to wear a proper suit to cover everything including head, gloves, goggles and a proper mask- we see them on tv in hospitals.

Short of that sort of protection, it's just luck and a good immune system that will keep one free from a virus.

By all means carry on wearing paper masks though, if it makes one feel safe.

yes ....  you have to be protected .....  here I am trying to hail a taxi 

a couple of days ago .... these guys didn't seem to worry about the coughing and sneezing on board

You do realise that is more likely to be on the notes in your hand than elsewhere ? Watch out for bar girls 'accidentally' sneezing on your change

If you are staying off Baht Buses for fear of the risk of contracting covid-19, then I can only assume that you will continue that logic and never get on one again: The risk of being in a traffic accident on Thai roads whilst riding seatbeltless in an open backed vehicle is far higher.

 

Reminds me of a guy I know who is keeping his kids off school to avoid covid-19, but puts their lives at risk every day by driving like a maniac around Pattaya.

 

I love the Baht Buses and continue to ride, unmasked. Although, whilst wearing a mask has no benefit unless you are the one that is ill (where it protects others, not yourself), if wearing one puts your mind at ease then I don't see the harm in it. Hand washing is vital though. 

My daughter is a biomedical scientist who studies bacteria and viruses. She recently published a paper on the Wuhan virus. She tells me it is most likely to be spread by touching (e.g. handles, railings, coins and tokens etc on public transport). She told me not to touch my head area (nose cheeks mouth etc) without washing hands first. The problem is that we all subconciously touch our faces. And of course if you wear a mask you will touch your face to put it on, take it ofg and adjust it.

On 2/16/2020 at 6:15 AM, Jingthing said:

Well the mask thing is one thing, but I absolutely do not believe that the virus isn't in Pattaya regardless of official announcements from tourism interests, etc.

Why?