Koh Samui and the virus: Foreigners apologize for handout mistakes but remain undaunted

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

The municipality, police and health authorities in Koh Samui called in a group of foreigners after their handout of food, drinks and relief supplies to desperate migrant workers was criticized. 

 

Hundreds of people from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia have lost their jobs in construction and the foreigners - mostly Europeans - took pity.

 

But the Thais were upset about the lack of social distancing at the handouts fearing that the charity might do more harm than good and spread coronavirus especially as many people were not wearing face masks. 

 

Picture: Naeww Na

 

It was felt that a video of the charity presented Thailand in a bad light. 

 

Thai media reported that a 67 year old German and a 55 year old Austrian were invited in by the authorities. 

 

They explained that what they were doing was great, but they needed to follow the rules. 

 

The district chief or other agencies needed to be informed so that the authorities could help out and maintain proper order. 

 

The foreigners apologized and promised to follow the rules in future pledging that they would continue their charity handouts to the needy.

 

Source: Naew Na

 

 

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Agree with social distancing issue. But, police get involved? Xenophobia towards the migrants? Ridiculous way to approach this hunger problem.

Just now, webfact said:

It was felt that a video of the charity presented Thailand in a bad light.

Social distancing ? Here is the real problem.  ..... dirty foreigners .... 

15 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

Agree with social distancing issue. But, police get involved? Xenophobia towards the migrants? Ridiculous way to approach this hunger problem.

That's not what I took from the OP

 

with proper controls in place provided by the authorities (as it is their responsibility) this is how it should be 

 

One question though, why are these people not wearing masks ?, are they unaware of the rules or is it a supply issue, either way the local authorities need to address the issue 

38 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Social distancing ? Here is the real problem.  ..... dirty foreigners .... 

When you keep telling the lie, it becomes the accepted truth.

Great that they help to those in need, others should have helped with organizing social distancing instead of complaining...????

The only way I can see its putting Thailand in a bad light. Is that it left to foriengners to hand out the free food and not the thais.

I imagine there are many rich Thais on Samui who benefit from these poor migrant workers. 

Shame on them for snitching

4 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Social distancing ? Here is the real problem.  ..... dirty foreigners .... 

'It was felt that a video of the charity presented Thailand in a bad light. '

 

Actually, I rather suspect it was this.

That's good. The ones dishing out aid can continue to do so (by the way, good people, you lot!), the migrant workers can be more disciplined, restrained and observe social distancing, the authorities can help manage the queue and Thais can stop being upset by it. Everyone happy. Let's move it on then.

While i agree about the lack of face masks and distancing,the main issue i feel is the local authorities lost face,and we all know how serious that can be.

5 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Social distancing ? Here is the real problem.  ..... dirty foreigners .... 

The dirty foreigners posts are as boringly predictable on here as the The Burmese must have done it comments were a few years ago

1 hour ago, Knocker33 said:

I imagine there are many rich Thais on Samui who benefit from these poor migrant workers. 

Shame on them for snitching

 

Don’t be so hard on them, they're hurting too. Remember, they’ve just had to send all of their money to Bangkok...to support the relief fund for the nation’s over-worked and severely impoverished generals.

 

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

It was felt that a video of the charity presented Thailand in a bad light. 

Yes it does. It proves that there are people that bitter of others actions to help that they lose face as they don’t want to do it !! 
So the people die of starvation or dehydration or take their chance standing in a queue without a mask for a bit . Know which one I would pick !
Very sad people that complain about this !

2 hours ago, Knocker33 said:

I imagine there are many rich Thais on Samui who benefit from these poor migrant workers. 

Perhaps those "rich Thais" might be supporting the numerous food handouts, or financially supporting Sister of Samui's food support. You, and many others, can also help on "Feed Samui", even anonymous...????
 

This is altogether at a new level. You foreigners cannot do good in our country. You are all labelled as virus carriers in our environment of purity. How dare you foreigners help other foreigners who are starving but need to be protected from a corono. 

1 hour ago, marko kok prong said:

While i agree about the lack of face masks and distancing,the main issue i feel is the local authorities lost face,and we all know how serious that can be.

I not think it like that.

 

if they social distance and wear mask, will be no problem. 

15 minutes ago, Yinn said:

I not think it like that.

 

if they social distance and wear mask, will be no problem. 

So, if the lack of social distancing was the real problem and not the farangs handing out food, why not ask the migrant workers to come to the station for explanation/eduction? It was the farangs handing out the food who were called to the police station. 

 

well intentioned people failing due to lack of planning and organisation, they should have thought through the process of distributing the food. the authorities should have been contacted and asked to help.

I saw two long queues of what I presume were people queueing for food on Saturday afternoon. 

One coming out of the temple on the back road near Central (Wat Bundhakarrikam?) and the other on the airport road near the rubbish dump. Although a few were wearing masks, no one was  social distancing. Don't know whether they were Thai or foreign.

 

58 minutes ago, phetphet said:

I saw two long queues of what I presume were people queueing for food on Saturday afternoon. 

One coming out of the temple on the back road near Central (Wat Bundhakarrikam?) and the other on the airport road near the rubbish dump. Although a few were wearing masks, no one was  social distancing. Don't know whether they were Thai or foreign.

 

As long as it wasn't farang handing out the food, everything's fine.

14 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

Agree with social distancing issue. But, police get involved? Xenophobia towards the migrants? Ridiculous way to approach this hunger problem.

Police are involed at Thai events as well, our local wat giving out food cops all around keeping order, nothing to do with xenophobia toward any group. 

6 hours ago, JCP108 said:

So, if the lack of social distancing was the real problem and not the farangs handing out food, why not ask the migrant workers to come to the station for explanation/eduction? It was the farangs handing out the food who were called to the police station. 

They are the people who were incharge and the organizers, you guys will keep looking to complain about Thais. Just give it a break. There was aThai group handing out food around the moat in CM and yes the cops were there getting on to people to distance themselves and the organizer had people seperating the people in line. 

I am no Thai apologist but this time I agree. There is zero social distancing and hardly any masks, I would assume not much hand washing with soap either. 

 

The idea is great but it needs to be done in the correct way. I would have throught these foreigners would have know how to enforce the social distancing. Very disappointing on their part. 

 

Look at what happened in Singapore and the vast increase in cases because of their terrible conditions they kept the migrants in there. 

 

Social distancing is key! 

8 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

well intentioned people failing due to lack of planning and organisation, they should have thought through the process of distributing the food. the authorities should have been contacted and asked to help.

This ^

I seem to recall reading in the press and on this forum, that people wishing to give food and other assistance should do so through the local government agencies, who can coordinate the efforts and provide assistance in "social distancing" enforcement.

Not just foreigners, but charitable Thais, who have caused crowds of people to gather for food/cash handouts.

I do admire the people who are giving their time and money to help others but, without proper controls in place, they may be doing harm.

Perhaps the government and local authorities could do a better job of disseminating the message.

On 4/22/2020 at 8:30 AM, Somtamnication said:

Agree with social distancing issue. But, police get involved? Xenophobia towards the migrants? Ridiculous way to approach this hunger problem.

Some of them look thai to me lol. Check the photo. Tbh thai people are even xenophobic agaisnt their own people so don’t expect much. I know thai people who tell me they’d not date thai people from outside bkk for instance. 
 

I bet u there’s more thai on that photo than Cambodia’s laos and Myanmar together. 
 

oh right on my condo there’s a lot of thai people doing picnics with their friends downstairs every day. So much for social distancing ????. 

23 hours ago, phetphet said:

I saw two long queues of what I presume were people queueing for food on Saturday afternoon. 

One coming out of the temple on the back road near Central (Wat Bundhakarrikam?) and the other on the airport road near the rubbish dump. Although a few were wearing masks, no one was  social distancing. Don't know whether they were Thai or foreign.

 

And another crowd which must have been in the high hundreds queueing in a field in the Ghost Road this afternoon. No distancing, and one policeman to keep order.

4 hours ago, phetphet said:

And another crowd which must have been in the high hundreds queueing in a field in the Ghost Road this afternoon. No distancing, and one policeman to keep order.

There are a lot of people hurting on the island at the moment.

Well done to everyone for trying to help.

21 hours ago, notasmartassknowitallfarag said:

I am no Thai apologist but this time I agree. There is zero social distancing and hardly any masks, I would assume not much hand washing with soap either. 

 

The idea is great but it needs to be done in the correct way. I would have throught these foreigners would have know how to enforce the social distancing. Very disappointing on their part. 

 

Look at what happened in Singapore and the vast increase in cases because of their terrible conditions they kept the migrants in there. 

 

Social distancing is key! 

The terrible conditions the migrant workers are kept in. ??????

Excuse me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall seeing the migrant workers in Thailand staying at the Hilton!

but rather tin shanty towns etc outside some of these projects.

but I'm sure they are sleeping 6 feet apart, wearing proper PPE, with sanitary cleaning facilities. Thank god the Thai government is taken care of these workers!

On 4/22/2020 at 11:48 AM, LomSak27 said:

On 4/22/2020 at 11:19 AM, webfact said:

It was felt that a video of the charity presented Thailand in a bad light.

Social distancing ? Here is the real problem.  ..... dirty foreigners .... 

yeah accusing their smelly armpits that offended someone when they had at first needed to reach out too far

- so the people all came a bit closer

Xenophobic BS.  Food is being handed out nationwide and there is no social distancing in virtually all the photos.  But if you're a farang?  Your bad, bad, bad. Amazing how Thailand actively looks for way to put foreigners in a bad light.