Chula virologist says discipline keeping Thais safe as global contagion rages

[ParkerN]

Humbug from start to finish. And not even very smart humbug. It's just self-serving nonsense from an ignoramus.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by ParkerN

[fredwiggy]

Just now, mikebell said:

I was discussing the laughable notion that Thais and discipline can be linked.  I understand that you have a reputation associated with your nickname.  Living in Pattaya, I see 5 red light runners per change of colour; all cars/pick-ups/wagons.  This makes those waiting very nervous to move.  I have lived in Thailand 15 years; four of them spent waiting at traffic lights.  I am thinking in particular of two sets of lights adjoining police stations where I have NEVER seen a cop outside, yet 300 metres up the road there's a gang of 15 robbing motorists.

Lack of discipline and driving knowledge is the reason more people die here every day than any other country besides Libya.

[PingRoundTheWorld]

On 5/7/2020 at 3:14 PM, webfact said:

Thailand has been fortunate since most infected people have received good treatment in hospital rather than suffering at home, he said.

Wrong! Thailand is not magically special - in Thailand too the majority of infections have gone uncounted. I'm pretty sure I had it back in March, and my girlfriend had it too - she went to a doctor and was sent back home without being tested.

 

On 5/7/2020 at 3:14 PM, webfact said:

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Thailand is far lower than in Western countries, he added.

True. The weather prevented mass spread, in Thailand it is only spreading through close contact.

 

On 5/7/2020 at 3:14 PM, webfact said:

Thailand’s current mortality rate, at 1.8 percent, is much lower than in Western countries because of strong public cooperation with official health directives, said Yong.

Hahaha yeah right. Thailand's mortality rate is lower because obesity rates in Thailand are around 7%, whereas in the west it's more like 30-40%. That, and the lack of spread in elderly care facilities. Public cooperation had nothing to do with it.

[Eric Loh]

On 5/7/2020 at 3:14 PM, webfact said:

Chula virologist says discipline keeping Thais safe as global contagion rages

Certainly right and spot on. Just look at US and see the breakdown of discipline encourages by their own leaders and see the continuing spike in infections and deaths to prove the point. 

[fredwiggy]

Just now, Eric Loh said:

Certainly right and spot on. Just look at US and see the breakdown of discipline encourages by their own leaders and see the continuing spike in infections and deaths to prove the point. 

Arrogance in lieu of ignorance .

[SantiSuk]

On 5/7/2020 at 8:00 PM, RickBradford said:

The average age of the Thai population is much lower than that in Italy or Spain; rates of obesity and diabetes are low; most Thai people live outdoors to a large extent; the weather is hot; Thais absorb abundant Vitamin D; population density is relatively low; Thais mostly don't take public transport.

In support of your Vitamin D comment - interesting new (I think) piece of research from the UK on the importance of Vitamin D to the immune system and its impact on controlling the body's response to viruses:

 

https://aru.ac.uk/news/vitamin-d-linked-to-low-virus-death-rate-study
 

 

 

with acknowledgement to a poster on the British Lung Foundation/Health Unlocked website from whence I noted the article

 

 

[Moo 2]

The only reason why Thailand has a low rate of infection is because 70% of the population lives

in rural area, in many other countries it's the other way around and that's why these other countries

have problems containing the virus. Thailand is just lucky, that's all, nothing to brag about!

[robblok]

Its really hard for the foreigners in Thailand to admit that the Thais did it better then their home countries. It huts their pride i see that in this topic.

 

Just admit that Thais took it far more serious, masks, taking temperature. When i tell them about the measures i encounter in BKK compared to in the Netherlands its clear they are far more serious about it in Thailand.

 

Sure numbers might lie, but they had no overflowing hospitals like in the UK, Netherlands and Italy. So fact remains they did better. 

[ParkerN]

On 5/9/2020 at 12:45 PM, Eric Loh said:

Certainly right and spot on. Just look at US and see the breakdown of discipline encourages by their own leaders and see the continuing spike in infections and deaths to prove the point. 

Well, I'm sure there are many management reasons why the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the USA particularly hard, but holding up the spectacularly bad behaviour of the USA as an explanation for the alleged success of management of the pandemic in Thailand is clearly fatuous.

 

In my view, the single biggest problem with management of the pandemic in Thailand has been the accuracy of the infection numbers, which I believe to have been deliberately and comprehensively understated. This may or may not have been exacerbated by suggestions (upon which  I am unable to offer an educated opinion), that Thailand has experienced a strain of the virus which is considerably less virulent than the strain of the virus which is hit some other countries.

 

One thing is for certain though, anyone who has lived for more than about 10 minutes in Thailand understands the cultural background against which population behaviour takes place. To use the Thai experience of COVID-19 is a reason to congratulate Thais on their discipline as a population seems to me to be scatter-brained in the extreme. An excellent example pointed out by various other posters of the dismal record of Thai discipline, can be found in their behaviour when driving vehicles. I've said it before and I'll say it again that in my view, it should be illegal for Thais to own or drive motor vehicles of any kind on public roads, though I know that expecting a government comprised principally of soldiers or ex-soldiers, and who are therefore largely incompetent, to do anything useful in respect of the road toll in Thailand is a pipe-dream.

 

 

[Relocated]

13 minutes ago, Moo 2 said:

The only reason why Thailand has a low rate of infection is because 70% of the population lives

in rural area, in many other countries it's the other way around and that's why these other countries

have problems containing the virus. Thailand is just lucky, that's all, nothing to brag about!

The dictatorial government is in full control of media and population and guides them how great the government is to take care of its subjects in Thailand. On the other hand, all the liberal medias and half of populations who are buried in hatred of Trump want to see the collapse of America to prove they are right and the others are wrong even at the cost of demise of their own country. 

In the mean time medical staffs are excited by heroism in saving all the poor souls and exaggerate the crisis to get more excitement. Sorry to be sarcastic but that's what I hear from ordinary folks. 

[phkauf]

5 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

Well, I'm sure there are many management reasons why the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the USA particularly hard, but holding up the spectacularly bad behaviour of the USA as an explanation for the alleged success of management of the pandemic in Thailand is clearly fatuous.

And while many suspect the numbers in Thailand are under-reported, the opposite can be said of the USA. In many locals if the cause of death was influenced at all by the Virus, it would count as death caused by the Virus. This is the case in many places where heart disease or pneumonia would be listed as cause of death. I remember seeing a statistic that the number of deaths related to heart disease went down dramatically as the number of Virus deaths went up. 

I am not going to get into a political discussion of the implications of this, but it's not out of the realm of possibilities for people to want to game the numbers for various reasons.

[Traubert]

^{Oh dear, it's sociologist Sunday.}

 

^{The epidemiologists must be having a day off......}

[SkyFax]

19 minutes ago, Traubert said:

^{Oh dear, it's sociologist Sunday.}

 

^{The epidemiologists must be having a day off......}

Per Sir Alfred Hitchcock's Dial 'M' for Murder:

 

"They talk about flat-footed policemen. May the saints protect us from the gifted amateur."

 

 

[ParkerN]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

Its really hard for the foreigners in Thailand to admit that the Thais did it better then their home countries. It huts their pride i see that in this topic.

 

Just admit that Thais took it far more serious, masks, taking temperature. When i tell them about the measures i encounter in BKK compared to in the Netherlands its clear they are far more serious about it in Thailand.

 

Sure numbers might lie, but they had no overflowing hospitals like in the UK, Netherlands and Italy. So fact remains they did better. 

Numbers do not lie. people lie. and 'better' is something of a moving feast. Reverse discrimination is still discrimination and I seriously doubt Thais can do anything  'more seriously' than anyone, with the possible exception of banjaxxing things up - they're pretty good at that ex utero, let alone after the Thai popular culture gets a hold of them.

 

 

[uhuh]

10 hours ago, robblok said:

Its really hard for the foreigners in Thailand to admit that the Thais did it better then their home countries. It huts their pride i see that in this topic.

 

Just admit that Thais took it far more serious, masks, taking temperature. When i tell them about the measures i encounter in BKK compared to in the Netherlands its clear they are far more serious about it in Thailand.

 

Sure numbers might lie, but they had no overflowing hospitals like in the UK, Netherlands and Italy. So fact remains they did better. 

Many farang friends have told me just let the old die, I want to go to the pub. Many farang politicians say or write this publicly. 

I have never met an Asian who said this. 

[White Christmas13]

On 5/8/2020 at 9:22 AM, TEFLKrabi said:

If wearing masks is the best way to stop infection, then Thailand is right up there with the top countries in the world for preventing spread. Like it or not, once you go outside just about everyone is wearing masks. It makes a huge difference in stopping the disease. 

• If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with COVID-19.
• Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
• Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.

[White Christmas13]

https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/evidence-review-for-the-use-of-facemasks-by-the-public-may6-2020.pdf

[robblok]

9 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

• If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with COVID-19.
• Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
• Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.

Nice problem is you don't know if someone one has corvid. So using a mask is always sensible. Its just that those European and US governments did not have enough masks so they tried to find ways to get the masks they had to the people who needed it the most.

 

Also I dont know if you noticed it but in Thailand if i enter a 711 or Makro i need to wear a mask and am directly given hand cleaning agent to clean my hands. Something Europe and the US are not doing.

 

So yes Thailand is doing it a lot better, its time we give Thailand some credit. But the bunch of OAP's on this forum would rather die. 

 

Does the government keep the numbers low... YES for sure. But given that there are no overflowing hospitals or shortages on intensive care beds its not as bad as in Europe or the US.

 

Could other factors play a role.. sure, but again the measures i mentioned about masks and hand cleaning are not done in Europe but they are in Thailand.

[White Christmas13]

5 minutes ago, robblok said:

Nice problem is you don't know if someone one has corvid. So using a mask is always sensible. Its just that those European and US governments did not have enough masks so they tried to find ways to get the masks they had to the people who needed it the most.

 

Also I dont know if you noticed it but in Thailand if i enter a 711 or Makro i need to wear a mask and am directly given hand cleaning agent to clean my hands. Something Europe and the US are not doing.

 

So yes Thailand is doing it a lot better, its time we give Thailand some credit. But the bunch of OAP's on this forum would rather die. 

 

Does the government keep the numbers low... YES for sure. But given that there are no overflowing hospitals or shortages on intensive care beds its not as bad as in Europe or the US.

 

Could other factors play a role.. sure, but again the measures i mentioned about masks and hand cleaning are not done in Europe but they are in Thailand.

As you know I live in Australia and nobody wears a mask and we have hardly any active

cases now, the only ones we have are related to cruise liners and overseas travelers.

And most cases we have are not even Australians.

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

As you know I live in Australia and nobody wears a mask and we have hardly any active

cases now, the only ones we have are related to cruise liners and overseas travelers.

And most cases we have are not even Australians.

I did not know you lived in Australia. Strange how things differ so much in Europe and the US things are bad. I speak often with my parents and clients and they all confirm almost no masks, no hand washing no temperature checks nothing. No wonder it goes wrong. 

 

Strange that the no mask thing works in OZ and not in Europe. Then again how does it work in the more populated parts of your country. I mean the fact that your country has a lot of space and not many inhabitants per KM2 works in your favor of course. In the boonies of Thailand the infections are low but in BKK its higher. So that is something too.

 

Anyway given how bad it goes in Europe and the US and the fact that they dont adhere as strictly to things as in this country i conclude its the masks and washing of hands that have an impact. Then again other things might play a role in it too.

Where are you now in Australia or Thailand.. because if you were here you would see how disciplined that Thais are. At least in my area. Totally different form in the Netherlands for instance. 

[White Christmas13]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I did not know you lived in Australia. Strange how things differ so much in Europe and the US things are bad. I speak often with my parents and clients and they all confirm almost no masks, no hand washing no temperature checks nothing. No wonder it goes wrong. 

 

Strange that the no mask thing works in OZ and not in Europe. Then again how does it work in the more populated parts of your country. I mean the fact that your country has a lot of space and not many inhabitants per KM2 works in your favor of course. In the boonies of Thailand the infections are low but in BKK its higher. So that is something too.

 

Anyway given how bad it goes in Europe and the US and the fact that they dont adhere as strictly to things as in this country i conclude its the masks and washing of hands that have an impact. Then again other things might play a role in it too.

Where are you now in Australia or Thailand.. because if you were here you would see how disciplined that Thais are. At least in my area. Totally different form in the Netherlands for instance. 

I am in Australia now but I lived in Thailand for many years and maybe in your area

people behave, if you are on Facebook you will find most Thais don't follow the rules.

I get live shows every day where Thais trowing parties and no social distance adhered.

Yes I do follow the rules over here, I keep my distance and I have hand sanitizer i my 

car which I use when I go shopping and I guess most Australian do the same.

Most states easing the restrictions now. But the lock down did not affect me to much

since I am separated from my Thai wife for 4 years now and live alone and don't go 

out at all. So I am OK.

[robblok]

2 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:

I am in Australia now but I lived in Thailand for many years and maybe in your area

people behave, if you are on Facebook you will find most Thais don't follow the rules.

I get live shows every day where Thais trowing parties and no social distance adhered.

Yes I do follow the rules over here, I keep my distance and I have hand sanitizer i my 

car which I use when I go shopping and I guess most Australian do the same.

Most states easing the restrictions now. But the lock down did not affect me to much

since I am separated from my Thai wife for 4 years now and live alone and don't go 

out at all. So I am OK.

You will always find some bad stuff on facebook. That is not a general picture. Vids of Thais doing the right thing wont be getting much attention. So that can explain that. 

 

I see the people in my (gated) village they are all obeying the rules. When i get into shops there is security or an employee at the entrance to check my temprature and if i have a mask and then gives me anti bacterial soap to wash my hands. I call that keeping to the rules. Might be different in non big chain places. But I dont visit those.