Did the "wai" save Thailand from worse?

[SunsetT]

On 4/9/2020 at 1:15 PM, Berkshire said:

Dr. Fauci is correct.  Having been in Thailand for 15+ years, I've grown to appreciate the "wai" as opposed to the western handshake.  But every time a visitor from the west comes, they want to shake my hand.  I'm pretty fit physically and rarely get sick any more.  But the few times that I've gotten sick, it's because of the handshake with some western visitor!  It's a silly tradition that needs to go away.  I don't want to touch a stranger and they shouldn't want touch me.  Thank you COVID!

It could be worse. I remember in Anthropology learning of a tribe somewhere in Papua New Guinea named the 'Gahuka-Gama', who's greeting when men met was grabbing each other's testicles and announcing: "I want to eat your s h i t ".......I kid you not....????.

Edited April 10, 2020 by SunsetT

[elgenon]

The wai is better. But at 2 meters apart. And don't touch your face. Didn't seem to help the Chinese but I guess it would have been worse. 

 

Yes, Dr Fauci said it would be beneficial for the yearly flu as well. Hugging and kissing out as well. No touching as westerners are wont to do. Also no sex when meeting someone.

 

Stay home alone and be safe darn it.

[Tropicalevo]

Another recent theory in Thailand's favour is the leaving of shoes outside.

I have read, in the British press, that they are recommending the wearing of the same pair of shoes when venturing out, and leave them outside the door.

Whether said shoes will still be there the next day is another question.

[bermondburi]

22 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It may have helped a little. But what is really making a difference here is the intense heat. Now, we have seen a consistent drop over the last seven days. Around 100 cases a day, four and five days ago, then, 81, then 51, the 31, and now 54. This barely existent virus in Thailand is disappearing fast. It is a small pimple on the cheek of a teenager.

 

There is a big difference between under 600 new cases in Thailand, and 12 new deaths in the past 7 days, and approximately 260,000 new cases and over 10,000 new deaths in the US.

 

I double down on my assertion that the virus appears to be leveling off here. Just look at the numbers. We had millions of Chinese here in Jan and Feb. If this thing were going to explode here, it would have happened long ago. 

 

And for those of you who are skeptical of the numbers keep in mind that they stayed at 100-200 total cases for weeks, before they started ticking up. So, there does appear to be some accounting of the caseloads. Just as in the US, the testing is still limited. But, my assertion of the positive effects of the heat remain in place. Many researchers have done studies, and they seem to prove that this virus thrives at temperatures between 37 and 64 degrees F.

 

In terms of the long term effects of this thing, the economic shutdown is going to be 200 times worse than the virus itself, and the recovery "ramp up" will be long and excruciating. Far longer than they say. It will not just bounce back. In the history of the world, as far as we know, there has never been a deliberate worldwide economic shutdown. It is light years beyond dumb. The tourism industry here will be decimated for a long time to come, and millions will be out of work. So, define the "worse".

 

 

Same weather in Indonesia and the Philippines. Rising big there. 

I don't really believe the Thai numbers. No testing no problem! 

 

22 hours ago, Sheryl said:

The heat, the sun, the comparatively low population density. This last part is very important and would explain why Indonesia, despite being just as hot and sunny, has more of a problem. It is also what has been NY's undoing.

 

And just possibly the high level of BCG vaccination - this last is under investigation after epidemiologists found that countries with routine BCG vaccination appeared to have vastly lower infection rates. Still needs to be confirmed by controlling for other factors, but quite intriguing.

UK has BCG vaccination, not helping much there. 

[spidermike007]

9 minutes ago, bermondburi said:

Same weather in Indonesia and the Philippines. Rising big there. 

I don't really believe the Thai numbers. No testing no problem! 

 

UK has BCG vaccination, not helping much there. 

PI has 4400 cases and 247 deaths. Indonesia has 3850 cases and 327 deaths. Not much considering the populations there. 

 

You had over a million Chinese tourists running around the country in December, and again in January, as this thing was blowing up in China. Nearly a million in February prior to the lockdown of Chinese, and an equal number of Europeans. All in close proximity. No social distancing. Mingling with Thais and others. If this thing were going to blow up, it would have blown up by now. You do not need to do massive testing. You only need to wait a week or two. If this was a cover up, they would have been outed online long ago. And the hospital lobbies, and streets would be littered with corpses. This is NOT the Zombie Apocalypse. Some seem to be hoping for that. Some seem to love the panic and uncertainty. Sorry to disappoint. The heat is devastating Covid in Thailand most other tropical countries as we speak. Brazil is the only one with over 5,000 cases, while it rages in the US and Europe. 650 cases in the past 8 days, and only 13 deaths. That is not a major outbreak. Not even close. We are quite safe here.

Edited April 11, 2020 by spidermike007

[runamok27]

Testing or no testing it is pretty simple to see that for some reason Thailand doesn't have this virus rampaging throughout the country. The hospitals should be overrun with critical patients and/or there should be people dying in huge numbers all over but there aren't. It could be the heat, it could be the wai, it could be a lot of things but clearly, in a country that had a ridiculous number of Chinese visitors, the virus appears to be a tiny, if not, non-existent threat. In my opinion, it is the heat and humidity making it far more difficult to transmit the virus and the tiny amount of virus that does get transmitted isn't enough to make people critically ill. Another reason could be that Thai's have incredibly strong immune systems from growing up in such unsanitary conditions. Whatever it is, clearly this virus is unable to get a strong foothold in this country.

[alien365]

I didn't notice much handshaking when I used to live in the UK. For business maybe but shaking friends hands would be weird. I was more accustomed to just a verbal greeting, a nod of the head or a more playful smack on the back or punch in the stomach/kidneys.

[Brunolem]

10 minutes ago, runamok27 said:

Testing or no testing it is pretty simple to see that for some reason Thailand doesn't have this virus rampaging throughout the country. The hospitals should be overrun with critical patients and/or there should be people dying in huge numbers all over but there aren't. It could be the heat, it could be the wai, it could be a lot of things but clearly, in a country that had a ridiculous number of Chinese visitors, the virus appears to be a tiny, if not, non-existent threat. In my opinion, it is the heat and humidity making it far more difficult to transmit the virus and the tiny amount of virus that does get transmitted isn't enough to make people critically ill. Another reason could be that Thai's have incredibly strong immune systems from growing up in such unsanitary conditions. Whatever it is, clearly this virus is unable to get a strong foothold in this country.

The same goes for neighboring countries, from Burma to Vietnam... 

 

[rickudon]

The wai definitely helps. Yes, less touching in Thailand. But i wonder why, if the infection numbers are so small, the government introduced the lockdown?

[Krataiboy]

Wonder how the eskimos are faring. I'm told they greet by rubbing noses. Actually, so do some Thais, sort of.  I think the greeting is known as a hom noi.

[GAZZPA]

On 4/9/2020 at 1:15 PM, Berkshire said:

Dr. Fauci is correct.  Having been in Thailand for 15+ years, I've grown to appreciate the "wai" as opposed to the western handshake.  But every time a visitor from the west comes, they want to shake my hand.  I'm pretty fit physically and rarely get sick any more.  But the few times that I've gotten sick, it's because of the handshake with some western visitor!  It's a silly tradition that needs to go away.  I don't want to touch a stranger and they shouldn't want touch me.  Thank you COVID!

The handshake has been around since the middles ages. It was originally a custom to show the right hand was empty and contained no weapon, a show of trust if you will. You may not want to shake hands with anyone but I think it plays a very important role in life where I am from. A handshake can be used to warmly greet a friend or to display trust before and after a meeting. It is a very important part of social and business interaction. It certainly doesn't need to go away. The covid virus is a horrible global event that will be firmly marked in the history books but it will end. Not making and human contact after this is all finished (so you dont catch germs) is silly, a Bit like wearing a helmet everyday in case something falls from the sky. You can do whatever you want of course and avoid all human contact but for me I will warmly shake hands with all my friends and give my relatives a big hug when the lockdown is lifted.  

[Brunolem]

39 minutes ago, rickudon said:

But i wonder why, if the infection numbers are so small, the government introduced the lockdown?

Because everyone else is doing it! 

 

Needless to say that most countries, notably in Europe and America, would long be in reopening mode, and not in the process of extending the lockdown, if they had numbers like those of Thailand... 

 

Why is Thailand, for example, postponing the return to school until July 1st?

 

What exactly do they expect to happen during the almost 3 months left before this date? 

 

 

[4MyEgo]

On 4/10/2020 at 4:57 PM, Destiny1990 said:

Handshake needs to go..

The Wai is way more suitable.

Agree, that said, I think everybody from this day forward has to wash and keep re-washing their hands when out and about, too many germs as it is, and with this Covid-19 being easily transmitted from touching surfaces, parcels, grocery items, it is going to keep transmitting, unless staff are made to wear gloves when handling items.

 

I used to enjoy going shopping with the wife, you know, push the trolley along while checking out the eye candy, now I hate it, because when we come back we have to wipe items down with either bleach or alcohol, after washing our hands, sanitizing and wiping card door handles, steering wheel, and gear changer down, it's just plain F'd.

 

The above said, I suppose if it's part of keeping us Covid-19 free, well I suppose I should shut up because when and if you get the big C, you don't have as much choices albeit it a hassle. 

[Patanawet]

When ex-colonial friends tried to high five or fist bump me I always insisted that a firm handshake would do nicely thank you.  Turns out to be my mistake.

[wwest5829]

On 4/10/2020 at 8:05 AM, kenk24 said:

same origin for the wai... w/2 hands pressed together you can hold no weapon... the handshake doesn't quite accomplish that... 

hmmm, I need to go back to my books. I recall the “wai” as having different root meaning than having no weapon.....

[Roy Baht]

But strangely, just giving people the middle-finger (aka, the "one finger salute") hasn't helped New Yorkers.

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

Agree, that said, I think everybody from this day forward has to wash and keep re-washing their hands when out and about, too many germs as it is, and with this Covid-19 being easily transmitted from touching surfaces, parcels, grocery items, it is going to keep transmitting, unless staff are made to wear gloves when handling items.

 

I used to enjoy going shopping with the wife, you know, push the trolley along while checking out the eye candy, now I hate it, because when we come back we have to wipe items down with either bleach or alcohol, after washing our hands, sanitizing and wiping card door handles, steering wheel, and gear changer down, it's just plain F'd.

 

The above said, I suppose if it's part of keeping us Covid-19 free, well I suppose I should shut up because when and if you get the big C, you don't have as much choices albeit it a hassle. 

It used to be we had to be careful about who to sleep with STD wise however nowadays just going for some groceries can get us infected! Times are changing my friend.

[SCOTT FITZGERSLD]

i was allways thinking , even before this epidemic, that the asian way

of greeting - from the wai in thailand to the bow in japan - was evolved as a response

to deseases and epidemics.

it is just disgusting to shake the hands of foreigners you've just met, with no

way to tell where they shoved their hands just few minutes ago.

if anything good will ever come out of this damn virus, it will

be the eradication of the hand shape from the western hemosphere.

[sirineou]

10 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Another recent theory in Thailand's favour is the leaving of shoes outside.

I have read, in the British press, that they are recommending the wearing of the same pair of shoes when venturing out, and leave them outside the door.

Whether said shoes will still be there the next day is another question.

Thank you for that , 

Not one thing will make you safe.  

Obviously not shaking hands (physical contact) would contribute to reducing the transmission, 

 Exhaled infected aerosol can stay in the air for 30 min, wearing a mask reduces that component, then the droplets fall to the ground where they can remain for hours and be stepped on. Leaving your shoes outside reduces the introduction of the virus inside the house. 

We leave our shoes outside, wash our hands with sanitizer and head straight for the shower. all groceries not requiring refrigeration stay outside for 24 hrs, the rest are sprayed with alcohol, if it can be done ,or washed with a soap and water solution. 

Everything we touch in the house while coming in gets sprayed with alcohol. 

Barber sprayer on Lazada would put a fine mist of disinfectant or alcohol.

https://www.lazada.co.th/catalog/?q=barber+sprayer&_keyori=ss&from=input&spm=a2o4m.home.search.go.1125515fYeQXoK

 

[timendres]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The heat is devastating Covid in Thailand most other tropical countries as we speak. Brazil is the only one with over 5,000 cases, while it rages in the US and Europe. 650 cases in the past 8 days, and only 13 deaths. That is not a major outbreak. Not even close. We are quite safe here.

On 9 April 2020 at 18:00, Thailand announced that 1,833 additional people met the criteria for PUI, raising the total to 30,542 PUI, as shown in Table 1.

 

https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/situation.php

[GAZZPA]

40 minutes ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

i was allways thinking , even before this epidemic, that the asian way

of greeting - from the wai in thailand to the bow in japan - was evolved as a response

to deseases and epidemics.

it is just disgusting to shake the hands of foreigners you've just met, with no

way to tell where they shoved their hands just few minutes ago.

if anything good will ever come out of this damn virus, it will

be the eradication of the hand shape from the western hemosphere.

ridiculous thing to say. 

 

[GAZZPA]

On 4/10/2020 at 11:38 AM, terminatorchiangmai said:

True, whenever someone from Europe came to visit me and i got a hug i got a serious flu for 3 days

Now i don't even hug my brother any more when he visits me.

b**locks! so everyone from Europe is carrying the flu? jog on fella! 

[Aussieroaming]

The wai has nothing to do with it. Lack of testing and death certificates based on the co-morbidity have everything to do with it. Die of complications of Convid - 19, heart attack and pneumonia. In 2 years time look at the death rates attributed to these two complications, year on year. 

 

Thais aren't special, they are dying at the same rate as others but what is different is how deaths are attributed. In future years the relative yearly pneumonia and heart attack rates might actually infer what the real mortality rates might have been. Hopefully Prayut might be in jail by then for lying to the populous.

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

hmmm, I need to go back to my books. I recall the “wai” as having different root meaning than having no weapon.....

please let me know if you find a different origin...

[ericthai]

On 4/10/2020 at 5:13 AM, Proboscis said:

Given that the virus can be passed on through someone passing the salt to another person or people even breathing next to someone, I somehow doubt that the virus will be stopped simply because of a prohibition on hand shaking. THe really big thing that will help in Thailand appears to be the climate not being conducive to high levels of transferance (as per reported words of experts in the Financial Times and elsewhere).

 

That said, all bets are off in air conditioned rooms where the temperature is lowered to 13 degrees and the air is super dry.

I think the Wai helped, but what I see from Thai's is they are always hanging on each other.  I dont know how many times Thai guys have come up to me and put their arm around me.

Male / Female dont show affection in public, but when with the same sex they are always hanging on each other. 

[White Christmas13]

On 4/10/2020 at 2:57 PM, Destiny1990 said:

Handshake needs to go..

The Wai is way more suitable.

They don't shake hands in India

 

[Destiny1990]

24 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

They don't shake hands in India

 

And ur point is?

[Damrongsak]

On 4/9/2020 at 9:05 PM, kenk24 said:

same origin for the wai... w/2 hands pressed together you can hold no weapon... the handshake doesn't quite accomplish that... 

I can still hold my hand grenade between my hands when I wai.  If I shake hands, I just keep it in my left hand.

 

I never liked the custom of shaking hands.  Too many big morons have grabbed my small hand and tried to crush it. I think they confused a hearty handshake with a hardy handshake. A bow, a wai or a high-five does it for me.

 

And there are similar friendly greetings ...

 

[1FinickyOne]

5 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I can still hold my hand grenade between my hands when I wai

not if you don't want it to be visible... unless it is the size of a pea??

 

I also prefer a wai, particularly to a clammy handshake... 

[featography]

On 4/10/2020 at 8:08 AM, kenk24 said:

I had a friend who always wanted to shake hands and he was never quite well and his hands were always moist, cold and sort of clammy... 

 

There are other people who seem to like to touch my arm a lot when we talk. This I also find very uncomfortable. I used to think that it was a subtle "control" mechanism but one friend offered that it might be an attempt to feel connected... any idea?

I think your suspicion is correct. My ex was like that, always touchy touchy with everyone. Reason for divorce, obsessive disorder for control of all around her. We tried counseling, the Dr.s advised not to bring her back, and advised me to get out of the relationship at any cost, and did it ever cost. Lesson learned for me, avoid like a plague anyone that cant keep their hands to themselves.