Isaan and the Villages

[Peter Sen]

My Thai girlfriend and I left Wang Noi, Ayutthaya and headed for her home village near Khukhan, Si Sa Ket. I got some unusual looks from the people in the village and no one approached me for whiskey money .....  We were only there for about an hour and when returned to a hotel near Sisaket my girlfriend got a call from the local hospital near her village. They said the people there were scared of us. She asked a lot about my history with travel to America. Bottom line, we've been asked to stay away for 14 days. I guess it's smart of them . . . .  what do you think ?

[Nyezhov]

Two guys I know went to a small Cambodian commune to ride it out, they couldnt find a guesthouse that would take them, and finally, the police came to check their papers because they were suspicious. Havent heard from them since.

[SAINT THOMAS]

I wrote yesterday that the heads of the villages told my wife and everyone else to call them if anyone comes from Bangkok, they don't want you there not just foreigners Thais also are not being allowed back in our village and 2 surrounding villages. Surin area.

 

Plus the head of our village called my wife tonight to remind her if she sees anyone or hears of anyone in our village to call him.

 

Stay Away from the villages they are told to call the police to come and get you if seen and you will be Quarantined some where, he didn't say where.

[Solinvictus]

So the question is will foreigners who have been within the country (maybe can't tell unless they live near you) be hassled if out going to buy things or going for some outdoor exercise. Yes. If you do happened to be checked you must prove you haven't been out. I'm not surprised about the story other than the hospital was able to contact her, eh, nope. Not surprised. TIT.

 

What will you both do? Just staying inside without having to go back to Wang Noi should be fine right?

 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Solinvictus

[SantiSuk]

A Brit expat in my Sisaket amphur recently returned to his village after a few days away in Vietnam checking out a new work contract, he being an automotive engineering consultant. The local villagers apparently got nervous about his potential for impacting their health and the local doctor was sent round to talk to him. Seems like it was all dealt with in quite a civilised manner; the doctor asked him to self-quarantine at his village home for 14 days and he was content to comply, not having any other real choices I guess. The doctor even sent round a couple of pretty young local nurses to check him out a day or two later!

 

I think it's a good sign that some villages are taking the Covid pandemic seriously, though there is still (as in observed by me this morning, when I broke my family's self-isolation to get some food shopping done*) bunches of agricultural workers being ferried around, packed in 6 to 10 strong in the back of pick-ups, in our amphur and the sound of parties echoes across the fields to our garden on a daily basis.

 

There's no evidence of more invasive hassling of us falangs when out and about and as yet no police road checks in our amphur - as best I can tell based on info we exchange on a local facebook page. We'll all (in Isaan and elsewhere in Thailand) no doubt be in the same quasi martial law environment by this time tomorrow anyway

 

 

* suitably protected and maintaining 6 foot separation - possible at 8am in our Tesco. Clothes washed and I showered-down on return, disinfecting relevant parts of the car.

Edited March 25, 2020 by SantiSuk

[AlexRich]

They are being careful and responsible. Can’t really blame them.

[timendres]

6 minutes ago, SantiSuk said:

I think it's a good sign that some villages are taking the Covid pandemic seriously

Yes, it is good. Central command is asleep at the wheel.

[Puchaiyank]

Thailand, oh, Thailand...where art thou O pearl of South East Asia?

 

 

[pgs]

Had the same in my village - arrived 0530, was leaving by 1130.

A dentist was sent to tell me about COVID - apparently the only medically trained in the area with English.

 

Wasn't a big issue, I was ready to stay overnight & leave on Saturday or go the same day. All I needed to do - building repairs & a quick temple visit - was done by 0800.

[NanLaew]

Thai people traveling home are being advised to check-in with their local puyai bahn as soon as they get to their home village. The OP's girlfriend seems to have been unaware of this requirement, hence the 'stink eye' when he suddenly showed up. Similarly, if traveling inter-provincially, once you get back to your 'home' moobahn, you should advise the puyai bahn as soon as possible. Villagers are being encouraged to report any visitors or strangers. If they see someone fronting up at someone else's house and staying, they need to report this too in order to make sure that nobody is 'pulling a Korean' and avoiding their social responsibilities.

 

It's both courteous and essential.

 

Not to mention mandatory.

[KMartinHandyman]

Encountered a young woman on our motorbikes going 40kph in opposite directions in rice country,, she covered her mouth with her left hand as we passed as we each wore no mask. 
  A few teenagers in a large group pulled their shirts over their mouths and laughed a little as we passed. 

So far so good lol. 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Me and the fam from Bangkok arrived here at the in-laws' place out in the moo ban in Chaiyaphum about a week ago. Everybody knows everybody, and knew we were coming and had arrived. The pu yai has been sending around charming older ladies with official looking govt documents. They took down the fam's ID cards and my passport. Then about every day, or every other day, they tick boxes on the sheets saying we're not sick, and check our temperatures. Everyone's still normal. A lovely and orderly way of handling it, no probs at all. Sorry others have run into trouble. Sure glad we didn't stick around in BKK, but hoping we can go back sooner than later.

[Chazar]

On 3/25/2020 at 11:29 PM, AlexRich said:

They are being careful and responsible. Can’t really blame them.

id  say they are  more than likely "going thru the  motions"  of  being careful and responsible its  all  about "looks"..ask  yourself  this, those  on motorbikes with a mask on and  no  helmet? daily  death rate on  roads 65+, daily Covid  death rate? in other words they are being hysterical when they should be looking at some hard  facts

[Chazar]

On 3/29/2020 at 11:29 AM, KMartinHandyman said:

Encountered a young woman on our motorbikes going 40kph in opposite directions in rice country,, she covered her mouth with her left hand as we passed as we each wore no mask. 
  A few teenagers in a large group pulled their shirts over their mouths and laughed a little as we passed. 

So far so good lol. 

and  no doubt she had no helmet  on also?

[tso310]

My wife has been hassled a few times since the virus atarted. To buy rice paddy because nobody has any money.