Corona virus Chang mai expat advice

[LukeStar]

Hi all, me and the wife (Thai) are currently visiting from the UK, we are in Issan atm but have booked our hotels and flights to Chang Mai. My wife is pregnant and the wife's family (mainly mother) is very concerned about us traveling to Chang Mai whilst the outbreak of Coronavirus is in the mist. Personally I'm in two minds, I can't find enough information regarding this and let's face it the Government will most likely be hiding most cases as they don't want to stop the tourists coming in. Really Im just after some honest advice as to what exactly is going on there and if you would sincerely recconmend us taking the our losses on the chin and avoid going? Expats that are living here what are your thoughts? 

[madmen]

Go for it. Buy the hand gel and quick wash after touching any surface if your overly paranoid. 

There is only one reported case of a expat and he posts here and is OK 

Edited March 5, 2020 by madmen

[worgeordie]

If you are in Issan at the moment ,just as much chance of catching it there,

with all the workers that arrived back from Korea,many would have been from

Issan, more chance of getting killed on the roads here, look how many have

died already this year, just keep washing your hands.

regards woorgeordie

[AlexRich]

It’s impossible to know the real numbers, even if the government were trying to be honest about it and making every effort to keep an accurate record. 

 

Id work on the basis that you are surrounded by the virus and take every precaution ... frequent hand washing, avoiding crowds, not allowing visitors to your home, etc. Soon even the Thai authorities will be unable to hide the impact.

[NCC1701A]

17 minutes ago, LukeStar said:

Hi all, me and the wife (Thai) are currently visiting from the UK,

i would monitor the UK governments policy on people returning from Thailand.

17 minutes ago, LukeStar said:

My wife is pregnant and the wife's family (mainly mother) is very concerned about us traveling to Chang Mai whilst the outbreak of Coronavirus is in the mist.

how far along is she?

17 minutes ago, LukeStar said:

Expats that are living here what are your thoughts? 

i live in Hua Hin a city with confirmed cases of the virus and many Chinese tourists and I go out constantly to night clubs, restaurants and malls.

so far I am fine. I'm 64 years old. but i am not traveling with a pregnant wife or have to return to another country during a world wide pandemic. and it is the airports everywhere that are really a concern. bring hand sanitizer and use it.  

good luck.  

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by NCC1701A

[4MyEgo]

30 minutes ago, LukeStar said:

Expats that are living here what are your thoughts? 

I watched a documentary a few weeks back on NetFlix called Pandemic, the professionals from that documentary recently posted this clip below, that said, they work with these viruses day in, day out.

 

I have 4 kids and am hell bent on not allowing this virus to interfere with our day to day lives. As other posters have said, just wash hands thoroughly after touching surfaces, keep people away from your home (safe house), carry hand gels and stay away from crowds and if possible, people who will cough, sneeze etc etc.

 

The clip starts off slow but has some great information for those interested, again, they deal with this stuff day in day, out and don't appear to be that concerned.

 

As for the mother-in-law, you show her who's boss ????

 

Safe travels...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGtRgPr-jH4

Edited March 5, 2020 by 4MyEgo

[canthai55]

Your chances are way way higher of dying in the car on the way to/from the airport than getting the virus and dying.

It's the Flu - happens every - wait for it - Flu season.

Ignore the Mass Hysteria - unless you like hysteria that is

[Logosone]

I'm in Chiang Mai. It's perfectly safe. Indeed more chance of dying on the roads in a car accident.

[tlandtday]

46 minutes ago, Logosone said:

I'm in Chiang Mai. It's perfectly safe. Indeed more chance of dying on the roads in a car accident.

Not if you don't drive.  But you can catch the virus doing virtually nothing harmful so let's quit the silly comparison.  Additionally come back in a year and count the totals.

[HuskerDo]

12 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i would monitor the UK governments policy on people returning from Thailand.

how far along is she?

i live in Hua Hin a city with confirmed cases of the virus and many Chinese tourists and I go out constantly to night clubs, restaurants and malls.

so far I am fine. I'm 64 years old. but i am not traveling with a pregnant wife or have to return to another country during a world wide pandemic. and it is the airports everywhere that are really a concern. bring hand sanitizer and use it.  

good luck.  

 

"I go out constantly to night clubs, restaurants and malls."....

 

Stupid is as stupid does.

[NYGuy816]

It's fine. Just avoid crowds, wear a face mask and keep a sanitizer in handy. Safe travels.

[cdnvic]

Please refrain from personal attacks. Even when correcting someone's inaccurate information as we'll just have to remove it.

[cdnvic]

15 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Your chances are way way higher of dying in the car on the way to/from the airport than getting the virus and dying.

It's the Flu - happens every - wait for it - Flu season.

Ignore the Mass Hysteria - unless you like hysteria that is

 

It is not the flu. It has a mortality rate many times that of the average flu.

 

No, you should not panic, but dismissive misinformation helps nobody.

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-new-coronavirus-compare-with-the-flu/

[Tayaout]

All the cases of pregnant women/new born that I read about recovered. The risk is mostly for +60 and/or with precondition. At least practice good hygiene and remind your wife if needed. 

[Logosone]

7 hours ago, tlandtday said:

Not if you don't drive.  But you can catch the virus doing virtually nothing harmful so let's quit the silly comparison.  Additionally come back in a year and count the totals.

No, let's not, he'll certainly have to drive to his accomodation and that will be far more dangerous than any supposed chance of catching a virus in a city that has virtually no issue with Coronavirus.

 

Additionally come back in a year and tell me about how ridiculous the mass hysteria was.

[Tarteso]

Living in C.M. I recommend to you, avoid this place until rain season comes. The pollution’s levels, make me run and scape to the south beaches every years from February to May.

[1FinickyOne]

20 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

As for the mother-in-law, you show her who's boss

you mean just do what she says?

[1FinickyOne]

I would be more concerned with the plane and travel aspects... CM itself is very very quiet... even shopping malls are quiet.. tourist streets are desolate... though out in the countryside life goes on about normal..

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, kenk24 said:

you mean just do what she says?

Lol, maybe for you mate, mine lives 400 metres up the road, not a word of English and see her about twice a year, if that, like I say to many, you marry your wife, not the family and if the wife can't understand that in the beginning before the bells and whistles, then it's NEXT !

[1FinickyOne]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Lol, maybe for you mate, mine lives 400 metres up the road, not a word of English and see her about twice a year, if that, like I say to many, you marry your wife, not the family and if the wife can't understand that in the beginning before the bells and whistles, then it's NEXT !

yeah, I was just joking... my MIL is a rather quiet, very unassuming lady... never a bad word from her... she would always just laugh and smile when I spoke... took me 2 years to find out she doesn't speak Thai... 

 

ps - but I did marry the family - - and it has been a really good thing... nice country people. 

Edited March 6, 2020 by kenk24

[Ventenio]

21 hours ago, LukeStar said:

My wife is pregnant

I would put your unborn child first.  The stress from your wife, POLLUTION, and there is probably a greater virus risk when traveling (plane, etc...)

 

IF anything happens at all, the in-laws will hate you for LIFE.  

 

rather be safe than sorry.   

Edited March 6, 2020 by Ventenio

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

really good thing... nice country people

Kudo's to that, mine if kept at bay ????

 

[canthai55]

20 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Your chances are way way higher of dying in the car on the way to/from the airport than getting the virus and dying.

It's the Flu - happens every - wait for it - Flu season.

Ignore the Mass Hysteria - unless you like hysteria that is

It's LIKE the Flu -

all Nits Picked

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

Kudo's to that, mine if kept at bay ????

 

you float them out into the gulf? 

[ExpatOK]

On 3/5/2020 at 3:21 PM, canthai55 said:

Your chances are way way higher of dying in the car on the way to/from the airport than getting the virus and dying.

It's the Flu - happens every - wait for it - Flu season.

Ignore the Mass Hysteria - unless you like hysteria that is

 

10 hours ago, cdnvic said:

 

It is not the flu. It has a mortality rate many times that of the average flu.

 

No, you should not panic, but dismissive misinformation helps nobody.

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-new-coronavirus-compare-with-the-flu/

 

You're both wrong. A precise estimate of the case fatality rate is impossible at present.

 

https://smw.ch/article/doi/smw.2020.20203

 

[cdnvic]

Mortality will always vary. Different countries will have better healthcare than others. Some population groups and demographics will be hit harder than others, but in all cases the mortality rate is many times that of influenza.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

42 minutes ago, cdnvic said:

Mortality will always vary. Different countries will have better healthcare than others. Some population groups and demographics will be hit harder than others, but in all cases the mortality rate is many times that of influenza.

 

From watching a lot of health authorities from the west in the past 24 hours, apparently the mortality rate for any particular country or area also depends on how much or how little they're doing in the way of virus testing.

 

In the U.S., where they're late and slow to begin testing, many of the confirmed cases are those who end up being obviously seriously ill and thus tend to have worse outcomes on average.

 

But in South Korea, by contrast, they have a much broader and more aggressive testing program, which pulls in more virus confirmations, but also more with lesser or no symptoms. So that pushes the overall average among confirmed cases there to better outcomes.

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Cheesekraft]

lot of ignorant people spreading disinformation in here: this is NOT the flu. It has 35x the death rate of the flu, is far more infectious, is new (no immunity), re-infects within weeks killing some people, lasts on surfaces for up to 28 days, and is airborne. Don't travel if you don't have to.

[canthai55]

[hmficc]

On 3/5/2020 at 3:21 AM, canthai55 said:

Your chances are way way higher of dying in the car on the way to/from the airport than getting the virus and dying.

It's the Flu - happens every - wait for it - Flu season.

Ignore the Mass Hysteria - unless you like hysteria that is

It is not the Flu. Why would say that?