Official called a liar for claiming no shortage of masks

By The Nation

 

Sira Jenjaka

 

A Bangkok MP has called the director-general of the Department of Internal Trade a liar for claiming his agency had already distributed ample supplies of protective facemasks to stores.

 

Sira Jenjaka of the Phalang Pracharath Party said on Friday (March 13) he’d earlier that day visited several pharmacies near Siriraj Hospital and been told supplies had been short for months and there’d been no improvement lately.

 

And yet the department chief, Wichai Pochanakit, was claiming there was no shortage of facemasks and they were readily available to the public for Bt2.5 apiece, Sira said.

 

He said Wichai should consider resigning after lying and causing problems for citizens and he planned to seek his prosecution for reporting false information.

 

Sira vowed to file a complaint with Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit and ask him to deal with Wichai, who he said was hurting the government’s image.

 

He added that, if the masks were indeed selling for Bt2.5 each as Wichai claimed, he would buy them all and give them away for free.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384015

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-13

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2 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

And yet the department chief, Wichai Pochanakit, was claiming there was no shortage of facemasks and they were readily available to the public for Bt2.5 apiece, Sira said.

the guy is from the same gang as Prayut, wouldn't expect the truth from any of them

4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A Bangkok MP has called the director-general of the Department of Internal Trade a liar for claiming his agency had already distributed ample supplies of protective facemasks to stores.

he's going to get sued by Prayut's gang and his party will be dismissed....  same fate as FF

How many years in jail will Sira get for defamation !!

And........ the masks are useless anyway, according to health experts. They do NOT protect against Covid-19 Coronavirus.

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Official called a liar

We are aghast , how can this be .. there must surely be shome mishtake there .. No really .. 

it is so pathetic and predictable. 

what is it going to take?

There are no masks at all and there hasn't been any for weeks now.

 

9 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

the guy is from the same gang as Prayut, wouldn't expect the truth from any of them

 So is the PPP MP accusing the trade minister guy of being a liar!!!  It's one of their own people, at least by party affiliation, who's pointing the finger...

2 minutes ago, ukrules said:

There are no masks at all and there hasn't been any for weeks now.

 

 

As I mentioned here previously...

 

After reading the news reports about the government supposedly restocking the supply of masks, my wife earlier this week went around to or called 6 different large pharmacies in BKK -- 3 in the OnNut area and 3 out by Victory Monument near the govt hospitals complex there...

 

NONE of the six had any masks, alcohol hand gel or related supplies for sale.

 

 

17 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A Bangkok MP has called the director-general of the Department of Internal Trade a liar

there are no liars in thailand; just people practicing half-truths, thai-truths

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

As I mentioned here previously...

 

After reading the news reports about the government supposedly restocking the supply of masks, my wife earlier this week went around to or called 6 different large pharmacies in BKK -- 3 in the OnNut area and 3 out by Victory Monument near the govt hospitals complex there...

 

NONE of the six had any masks, alcohol hand gel or related supplies for sale.

 

 

and that's BKK... now imagine the ones like me living out there in a small country side city, nothing available at all

3 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

and that's BKK... now imagine the ones like me living out there in a small country side city, nothing available at all

 

My wife went home to visit her parents upcountry this past weekend in a good sized city. She checked around 4 different pharmacies while there -- none had any masks or hand gel for sale.

 

She said they did have the the standard 450 ml bottles of pure alcohol in stock, but were reserving those for hospitals and not selling those to the general public... and instead, only a much smaller sized bottle.

 

A couple days ago, the wife and I were walking thru the Chong Nonsi BTS station midafternoon and came across a queue line of probably 100 Thais.... It turned out to be some temple that was giving away paper masks and small vials of hand gel, 1 mask per person.

 

 

Here in Issan huge city have seen notices in the pharmacies for over three weeks out of stock and all 7/11s out of stock.

 

Yet told 3 million plus were being sent out to all 7/11s nationwide 2 weeks ago ...............nationwide in China perhaps.

 

Forgetting us Farangs for a moment ,,,,its disgusting the utter contempt with which they treat their own Thai people and the utter bull sheet they continue to spout in public service fairy tales.

39 minutes ago, Ian Nagle said:

And........ the masks are useless anyway, according to health experts. They do NOT protect against Covid-19 Coronavirus.

Go on! ruin the illusion for the masses 

52 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

who he said was hurting the government’s image.

like a  bunch of spoilt children same old excuses

Sad how they really don't care about the people at all. Only there to enrich themselves with money and influence. Really pigs at the trough.

Just finished supper, and asked my wife if the hospital received any masks yet (there has be a shortage/none).  She said "No, cannot buy anywhere and still waiting for any mask that will arrive from orders.  Nothing available in town." 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

no shortage of facemasks and they were readily available to the public for Bt2.5 apiece, Sira said.

 

The only ones I saw in Chiang Rai last week were going for B29 each in a local supermarket.

 

We know what has happened though don't we - virtually the entire stock pile of the damned things has been sold to China - allegedly in a scam involving government officials.

 

The tentacles of corruption...

I now wear a mask on public transport and buildings. I know it's absolutely stupid but all the Thai are doing it. I'll just wear the same mask, keep it clean.

 

Ridiculous

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

As I mentioned here previously...

 

After reading the news reports about the government supposedly restocking the supply of masks, my wife earlier this week went around to or called 6 different large pharmacies in BKK -- 3 in the OnNut area and 3 out by Victory Monument near the govt hospitals complex there...

 

NONE of the six had any masks, alcohol hand gel or related supplies for sale.

 

 

Same experience here in OnNut and Phra Khanong area

There is certainly a shortage of masks. I went to more than 10 pharmacies today and most of them said 'sold out'.

 

The ones that do have supply have a long queue of Thai people waiting outside for surgical masks. I am not talking about the cloth mask which is practically useless.

 

I can't find any N95 mask just surgical mask in one shop.

 

 

1 hour ago, Ian Nagle said:

And........ the masks are useless anyway, according to health experts. They do NOT protect against Covid-19 Coronavirus.

Sorry, I don't agree with so-called experts.

 

Surgical mask do protect to a certain degree although it is not 100% foolproof as it provides a certain barrier before the virus goes through your skin.

 

The mask is also used to protect others from your virus should you cough if you are a virus carrier. When you cough with a mask on, the virus don't travel as far and as much force if you cough without a mask.

 

It's not 100% foolproof but it lessens the chances of infection from strangers.

I have looked for over a week and a half at 7-11, Pharmacies such as Boots, Watson's, and The Lab, with no luck as no one has any.  Over a week ago I checked at the government pharmacy in the basement of the Chaeng Wathana Immigration complex, and was told we do not have any.  This was the day after the Minister said they would be available.......liars and thieves all of them....

No no, he was not lying. What he was talking about was virtual masks. You by one for 2,5 bath and pretend that you put it on, and safe you are.

I gave the wife 30 N95 masks and 40 surgical masks. Brought them with me from overseas.

2 hours ago, Eindhoven said:

Sad how they really don't care about the people at all. Only there to enrich themselves with money and influence. Really pigs at the trough.

 Some reports 'in the midst of shortages, in January and February the “Department of Internal Trade (DIT) authorised the export of 330 tonnes of face masks.'

The Department of Internal Trade is a part of Jurin Laksanavisit’s Ministry of Commerce.

3 hours ago, Ian Nagle said:

And........ the masks are useless anyway, according to health experts. They do NOT protect against Covid-19 Coronavirus.

 

indeed, the WHO and public health departments in many western countries clearly state that mask wearing will do little to prevent infection.

 

if you have the virus a mask may help prevent passing it onto others.

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

it is so pathetic and predictable. 

what is it going to take?

Due to a shortage of N95 or Surgical masks, from his profile picture, it looks like NCC1701A has now taken to wearing ladies knickers on his face... 

Wear the masks when necessary. I do it on public transport, but that’s more so to appease others. Practise good hygiene and avoid close contact and crowds. 
 

I’m not saying the masks are useless, but we must make sure that sick people and medical professionals have them before all others.