Are you staying in Thailand or going back home?

[MarcelV]

_{Living and working in the deep south as a teacher. The school holidays have almost arrived for me, but I ain't going nowhere.}

[tuktuktuk]

We're flying back to the US tomorrow.  No complaints with the doctors or hospitals here, but where we are they're all at or over capacity all the time.  There is little possibility of handling a big surge.  There's no logical explanation for why Thailand has so few virus cases.  I'm not willing to bet it will remain that way.

[spiekerjozef]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Yes, I think it's going to get far worse too.

2 months from now we're talking about what a stellar job China did in keeping the death rate so low....

Italy looks like will top that very soon with most hospitals full and nowhere to go for the elderly and the rest of the sick.

And it doesn't look good for more European countries and the US.

[UbonThani]

13 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

Yes but flu arent trendy

[AussieBob18]

I am already back home - and glad about it.  It is always nice to know that if the wife or I get seriously sick (virus or anything else) that we can call an ambulance and it will be here in 5 minutes, staffed by professional well trained people who can stabilise us with a high level of medical knowledge and equipment, and who will ensure we are OK and can then be taken to hospital - which is also staffed by high level professional people with all the modern equipment and medications and services - and both the ambulance and hospital are free.  

[Steps]

50 minutes ago, Orac said:

Doubt it will be quick - guess will have more idea in a month or so dependent on some medical breakthough such as treatment or quick diagnosis at early stage to stop the spreading. If not probably talking months rather than weeks.

Diagnostic kits being rolled out in a week that will take 10 minutes to detect. (UK so i read)

[Canuck1966]

11 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

2 months from now we're talking about what a stellar job China did in keeping the death rate so low....

Italy looks like will top that very soon with most hospitals full and nowhere to go for the elderly and the rest of the sick.

And it doesn't look good for more European countries and the US.

You believe the Chinese figures??

[Canuck1966]

18 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

Give it time and you will wish the figs on the left are on the right

[EvetsKram]

This is my home,  I gave up everything in the old place, not everything here thrills or pleases me but it's where I have chosen to spend the rest of my life

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, blackcab said:

Myself and the other moderators will stay at the thaivisa.com secure site. I can't tell you what country that is in though.

 

Not wanting to give anything away, but this is the view from my cell window.

 

 

[MarcelV]

Not too worried about the virus itself. More so about the measures that might be taken.

[Steps]

The other issue here is the visa status of a foreigner in Thailand. I suspect many foreigners will lose their job as a result of the downturn in economy. What then? Even if you are successful in obtaining a non imm 0 visa or similar, if you have to do a border run, what if those border countries decide to restrict entry to such nationalities? There is just so many uncertainties here.

 

P.S. why can i not find a spell check on this reply box??

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, pgrahmm said:

Perhaps because the western countries are land mass huge comparatively & freedom of movement.....The population isn't taking it as seriously, more business as usual while fighting over toilet paper becomes it's preoccupation.....

Right now it's only a possible inconvenience....

 

Not the case at all. My friends tell me no concerts, no movies at the theaters, restricted dining out, shortages of all kinds of food and sundries, long lines at pharmacies, no test kits available anywhere in the US, and a very sheltered existence. This is big. People are scared, and lack of half way decent leadership is a large cause of this. 

[Boomer6969]

I have 90k worth of non refundable hotel bookings 2 weeks in Koh Chang, next week and 1 week in Krung Thep and of April. Looks more and more likely that I will write off the 90 Grands, chill out at home, in Issan, and entertain the kids the best I can.

[totally thaied up]

I am staying. It would take too long for my wife to get a visa to Australia and then she would have no hospital coverage at all. I of course would be covered but I have private cover here also in Thailand that covers the virus (I have checked), so as long as I can get a bed, I am not too worried.

 

I have been here for a long time, we are out in a village and see few people. Have lots of rice and chickens. Loaded up on pastas yesterday and canned tomatoes and various other foods. This is going to take months to sort out and being caught out with no place to go would suck. We will see wave after wave of people and countries get hammered for months to come. Australia has more or less shut itself down now in many ways. Mandatory self isolation now if you come from overseas for 14 days and police intervention can be called on. The AUD sucks at the moment.

 

2020 is going to be a tough year.

[Lacessit]

I'm staying. No point in going back to Oz now, Melbourne will be heading into winter and Thailand is heading into summer.

Due to go back to Oz in August, hopefully it will have run its course by then.

[NCC1701A]

it is a huge mistake to compare covid19 to the "normal" flu.

 

please stop doing it. 

 

The virus's correct name is SARS-CoV-2.

 

"Covid-19 is not the flu. It’s worse.

It’s deadlier, more contagious, and more likely to severely disrupt our health care system."

 

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2020/3/13/21176735/covid-19-coronavirus-worse-than-flu-comparison

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by NCC1701A

[Metropolitian]

36 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Not wanting to give anything away, but this is the view from my cell window.

 

 

Hoping that you are good befriended with your neighbour in case things are getting too hot under the feets. 

 

Or has they already given you their spare keys? ????

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, Steps said:

On an overstay though? With the real prospect of travel restrictions taking place all over the world including internally here, things could get quite complicated

Where did I say I was on an overstay?  Those who are playing the visa run game should probably take that into consideration sooner rather than later.

[Issara999]

23 minutes ago, Boomer6969 said:

I have 90k worth of non refundable hotel bookings 2 weeks in Koh Chang, next week and 1 week in Krung Thep and of April. Looks more and more likely that I will write off the 90 Grands, chill out at home, in Issan, and entertain the kids the best I can.

It'd be nice to find people willing to pay u something, even if not the full value and sell off the reservation to them... if this was feasible

[pgrahmm]

56 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Not the case at all. My friends tell me no concerts, no movies at the theaters, restricted dining out, shortages of all kinds of food and sundries, long lines at pharmacies, no test kits available anywhere in the US, and a very sheltered existence. This is big. People are scared, and lack of half way decent leadership is a large cause of this. 

Some are thinking weaponization & the timing of the release adds some credence....

[phuketrichard]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

as i said two weeks ago everyone needed to decide where you want to be for the next six months. 

i have been staying home here in Hua Hin except for large grocery shopping. going straight to what is needed in the store then out and straight back home. mask, hand sanitizer, social distancing. even in public staying as far away as possible from other people. 

 

if you are over 60, living in Thailand you should starting thinking about what you are going to do when you get the virus. and don't say "go to the hospital."  

 

and while i understand the Philippines are not Thailand, just look at what is happening there to see the possible next step in Thailand.

 

 

Paranoia strikes deep Into your life it will creep It starts when you're always afraid Step out of line, the men come and take you away

 

Yea, avoid crowds, wash hands, other than that....do as you always do.

 

All fine in Phuket, swimming everyday at the beach with few people ( No Chinese, many Russians)

 

was at Central mall thrusday, 10% wearing masks, few tourists about, shelves fully stocked,
JungCeylon today,same , lunch at Fuji,  3 other tables at 12:30, Big c fully stocked few people

[ivor bigun]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I've been here that long I've forgot where home is

where the heart is

[URMySunshine]

2 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

Well I guess that makes Trump's a big girl's blouse as he's now turned. Time to turn to a Real Man. But who ?

[JCP108]

I decided to not take my flight today to the U.S. via Japan due to the developments in the U.S. as well as the wildcard of what can happen here before my planned return on the 25th. Rescheduled to 4/25 with the thin hope that things will become less complicated by then. At some point in the next 4 weeks, I'll have to do a border run to re-up my non-O 90-days. Which border is anyone's guess at this point. 

Edited March 15, 2020 by JCP108

[0zr0cks]

3 hours ago, twocatsmac said:

if you are over 60, living in Thailand you should starting thinking about what you are going to do when you get the virus. and don't say "go to the hospital."  

 

and they wont be allowed to board a plane to a home country for treatment. 

Will long term “tourists” with the virus report to immigration for extensions on medical grounds? 

I’m heading back to Oz in 9 days, I’m in good health but 69yo and I know I’d rather be home if the s#*t hits the fan. We have 250 cases with a population of 25 million so it simply stands to reason there are way more here than the government owns up to. 
Free high quality medical vs wallet shock, farang pay double hit and miss medical...easy choice really.

[blackcab]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

 

 

Ssshhhhh.

[Crossy]

18 minutes ago, blackcab said:

Ssshhhhh.

 

No, that was Star Trek, Moonbase was more "borp!". 

 

 

 

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

but I have private cover here also in Thailand that covers the virus (I have checked)

What cover do you have? Which company?

 

My insurance doesn't cover pandemics - they are specifically excluded in the policy.

[NCC1701A]

Google maps showing traffic jams in front of many Makro stores across #Bangkok, and so you may want to avoid these areas until people start to calm down #COVID19 #Thailand

 

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1239128364889313286