COVID-19: Thailand adds UK, USA and others to list of high risk countries - new “self-monitoring” measure for travellers

[RichardColeman]

Imagine the hotel reactions when tourists start saying they will quarantine themselves in their hotels for 14 days just in case - be immediately evicted at check in !

[JCP108]

1 minute ago, RichardColeman said:

Imagine the hotel reactions when tourists start saying they will quarantine themselves in their hotels for 14 days just in case - be immediately evicted at check in !

I have an apartment here. So, easy for me to hide out for two weeks. But, I have been wondering that same thing throughout all of this home-quarantine discussion. Do they really think hotels are happy to become de facto sanitariums? Lol!!!

[mehrdad]

Most relax and safe country in world is here in thailand !!! 
now everyone going work and normal business and any alert for taking care and stay in home and real statistics!!!! 
what happenings here ?? Only worry businesses and people life is cheaper so far 

[ChipButty]

Is it ok to go to the bar at 5pm for Happy Hour?

[JHolmesJr]

Globalism unravelling.

 

[toenail]

just as well  ban all nationalities 

[DannyCarlton]

3 minutes ago, toenail said:

just as well  ban all nationalities 

I think that they've already banned themselves. Very few people actually wanting to come her now. A friend of mine was due to come over again next month. On hearing this latest news he's asked me to send him a girl over to him instead. Off to see an agent tomorrow.

[ChipButty]

Apparently Belgium is on lockdown 3 guys in the bar tonight cant go home will have to stay here

[Jingthing]

15 minutes ago, toenail said:

just as well  ban all nationalities 

More like none. 

The virus is here. 

The virus is everywhere. 

Its way too late to do travel bans. 

They are proven useless. 

 

But that doesn't mean do nothing. 

 

As the article states these models apply to any nation where the virus had already taken hold. Including Thailand. 

 

Time is of the essence! Thailand is already late in starting similarly to the USA. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/13/opinion/coronavirus-trump-response.html

 

 

How Much Worse
the Coronavirus
Could Get, in Charts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Jingthing

[DannyCarlton]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

More like none. 

The virus is here. 

The virus is everywhere. 

Far less of the virus here than in either your home country or mine.

[daveAustin]

^^^ Sure about that? Surely you don't believe the powers that be on reported numbers?

[AlienHermit66]

1 hour ago, Mitkof Island said:

Oh good to know that much. But i have to have health insurance when i enter Thailand ? And who do we report to from our Thai homes ?

Well, health insurance is wise, but you are not on the list of countries that has to show proof of travel insurance...

As for reporting, they will make you download an app to your phone while you are at the airport. You will use the app for daily reporting - things are probably a bit more complicated for people who do not have a smartphone...

Edited March 14, 2020 by AlienHermit66

[DannyCarlton]

Just now, daveAustin said:

^^^ Sure about that? Surely you don't believe the powers that be on reported numbers?

The evidence is stacking up that SE Asia, for various reasons that I've already stated, provides a very poor medium for spreading Covid-19. Also, where are the victims? Very few reports on social media or from around the plot on TV. There just aren't any in the numbers expected.

 

On a personal anecdote, I spent a few days in Bangkok Pattaya Hospital earlier this week. The place was a desert, virtually empty, both in ER and on the wards. They were virtually begging for punters. I half expected them to put a few nurses out front in cut down uniforms, shouting, "Welcome handsome man" at passers by.

 

I was one of the first on TV to shout "cover up" to the Thai government when all this started. Now, I'm pretty sure I was wrong. Thailand isn't a hotbed of Covid-19, it's a sanctuary from it.

[scubascuba3]

4 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

The evidence is stacking up that SE Asia, for various reasons that I've already stated, provides a very poor medium for spreading Covid-19.

This seems to be the case but usually people do catch coughs and colds and viruses so I'm not sure what's so different with this virus.

 

There was a story of pneumonia deaths were up to 3,000 which as we know is how CV patients die

[DannyCarlton]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

This seems to be the case but usually people do catch coughs and colds and viruses so I'm not sure what's so different with this virus.

 

There was a story of pneumonia deaths were up to 3,000 which as we know is how CV patients die

I believe that the story concerning an increase in viral pneumonia cases was never substantiated, it certainly faded away quickly enough.

 

What's different with this virus is that it survives particularly poorly in the Thai climate, hot and humid conditions. Also, It doesn't contaminate by direct airborne contamination but by contact contamination. Shaking hands seems to be one of the most common forms of cross contamination in Europe. Thais don't shake hands, they wai at a respectful distance. Quite the opposite of the social etiquette in, say, Italy.

[Logosone]

Perhaps South-East Asians have a genetic advantage. In Thailand, from 2006 to 2011 only 2511 people died of influeza each year on average.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605410/

 

Compare that with the UK, where 17000 die from influenza annually.

 

https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-compare-influenza/

 

This despite the fact that Thailand's population is somewhat larger.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Logosone

[473geo]

13 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

The evidence is stacking up that SE Asia, for various reasons that I've already stated, provides a very poor medium for spreading Covid-19. Also, where are the victims? Very few reports on social media or from around the plot on TV. There just aren't any in the numbers expected.

 

On a personal anecdote, I spent a few days in Bangkok Pattaya Hospital earlier this week. The place was a desert, virtually empty, both in ER and on the wards. They were virtually begging for punters. I half expected them to put a few nurses out front in cut down uniforms, shouting, "Welcome handsome man" at passers by.

 

I was one of the first on TV to shout "cover up" to the Thai government when all this started. Now, I'm pretty sure I was wrong. Thailand isn't a hotbed of Covid-19, it's a sanctuary from it.

It appears people over sixty with existing ailments are most at risk, so...old people die, I doubt there are many checked for the virus, the virus could be cruising through any country that does not test on death especially if people die at home, just means, like any ordinary flu virus, it is going about its business without causing alarm. Thailand may well be a safe haven have a genetic advantage, may also be the most accepting when people die.

[DannyCarlton]

1 minute ago, Logosone said:

Perhaps South-East Asians have a genetic advantage. In Thailand, from 2006 to 2011 only 2511 people died of influeza each year on average.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605410/

 

Compare that with the UK, where 17000 die from influenza annually.

 

https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-compare-influenza/

Good point and I woudn't be surprised to learn that the UK has a much better uptake on the annual flu vaccine than Thailand too.

[DannyCarlton]

1 minute ago, 473geo said:

It appears people over sixty with existing ailments are most at risk, so...old people die, I doubt there are many checked for the virus, the virus could be cruising through any country that does not test on death especially if people die at home, just means, like any ordinary flu virus, it is going about its business without causing alarm. Thailand may well be a safe haven have a genetic advantage, may also be the most accepting when people die.

I don't think that there would be much of a difference between Italy and Thailand there, in fact Italy has one of the highest average ages by population in the world.

[sezze]

33 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Apparently Belgium is on lockdown 3 guys in the bar tonight cant go home will have to stay here

We have soft lockdown , since last night , announced thursday night . The soft lockdown meaning :

- schools will be open for children who's parents cannot take care . They do not want the children staying with grandparents . All lessons are scrapped .

- All non food or non pharmacy are closed on saturday and sunday . Food/pharmacy can stay open weekend . Weekdays all shops can open .

- All bars/ restaurants / sportclubs / theaters .... are closed , all days . Restaurants are switching to take away foods , since take away is allowed .

Everything is to prevent groups of people together where it spreads easily .

 

I am still in Belgium , supposed to come Thailand on friday 20th . I am still ok to come , but i think that will be over in the next 2 days ( Netherlands made it to the list ) .

In case i can go ... medical certificate ... now where the *** am i going to have that 1 ? Hospitals are all public over here . Tests Covid are only done in 1 or 2 centers , results for it take now almost 24h . They are only done if you got high chance of having it ( meaning multiple conditions ) . Checking a temperature is prob not enough is it ? ( i checked the form stated in CAAT website ) .

Insurance : i do have insurance , well over the nrs needed ( 1 mill euro ) . But how i gonna proof to them that i got it ? Official papers getting done within a 2/3 days , not a chance .

At the moment we are not on the list , but Netherlands made it , so i think Belgium gonna be there in 1/2 max 3 days . I expect the whole of Europe going to be in the same system this week .

[Mitkof Island]

31 minutes ago, AlienHermit66 said:

Well, health insurance is wise, but you are not on the list of countries that has to show proof of travel insurance...

As for reporting, they will make you download an app to your phone while you are at the airport. You will use the app for daily reporting - things are probably a bit more complicated for people who do not have a smartphone...

No smart phone then what?

[Logosone]

2 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

Good point and I woudn't be surprised to learn that the UK has a much better uptake on the annual flu vaccine than Thailand too.

Excellent point.

 

So this begs the very interesting question, it's the same disease in Thailand and the UK, influenza, so why do so many more people die of it in the UK than in Thailand?

 

 

[Logosone]

5 minutes ago, Victornoir said:

As explained earlier, it seems that Thaies' habits of greeting each other without contact greatly limit the spread.

These guys are trying to explain it by the fact that influenza is not seasonal in Thailand, like in the West. It doesn't appear at specific times, but year round, though there are peaks.

 

This could provide the Thais with better immunity.

 

Alternatively they just don't record death causes as accurately.

 

"Although there were peaks in influenza-associated mortality in Thailand during 2006 through 2011, they were not consistent in their timing. This is in contrast to trends observed in temperate climates and likely reflects the year-round circulation of influenza viruses which may attenuate any seasonal mortality pattern. The majority of deaths from seasonal influenza occurred among people aged 65 year or older, but in the pandemic, the proportion of deaths among younger persons increased. This may suggest that there was some immunologic protection in persons who were exposed to A(H1N1) viruses before the 1957 pandemic, as has been demonstrated in other countries"

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4605410/

[DannyCarlton]

18 minutes ago, Logosone said:

Excellent point.

 

So this begs the very interesting question, it's the same disease in Thailand and the UK, influenza, so why do so many more people die of it in the UK than in Thailand?

 

 

You tell me!

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, DannyCarlton said:

Far less of the virus here than in either your home country or mine.

And you base that comment on what? Figures issued by the Thai authorities?

[DannyCarlton]

1 minute ago, KhaoYai said:

And you base that comment on what? Figures issued by the Thai authorities?

No. I've already explained that.

[zydeco]

48 minutes ago, DannyCarlton said:

Thailand isn't a hotbed of Covid-19, it's a sanctuary from it.

If you're right, we're damn lucky indeed. But I think we're about to get hammered.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, KhaoYai said:

And you base that comment on what? Figures issued by the Thai authorities?

Up till now, there has been very little testing in Thailand. That's really not good at all. Ignorance is not bliss. 

[EricTh]

5 hours ago, CLW said:

A medical certificate is not of much help. It most likely won't include a proper test such as RT-PCR just a temperature check and other symptoms. Also it can't be older than 48 hours which means any traveller can be a potential carrier of the virus without showing symptoms at the day of testing because of a long incubation period of the virus. 

I think USA is now starting to give nation-wide Covid-19 test by next week. It isn't just a general medical cert but a Covid-19 test. Watch video below at 2:40 for the announcement.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by EricTh

[DannyCarlton]

Just now, zydeco said:

If you're right, we're damn lucky indeed. But I think we're about to get hammered.

Thailand was one of the first countries to report a case of Covid-19 outside China. Iong before Italy. There was according to Thai government figures some 2 million Chinese here at that time, many from near the epicentre. Surely, if if we were going to get hammered it would have happened by now?