Thailand’s impressive battle against COVID-19 result of decades-long efforts

 

People wait to file complaints for not yet receiving the 5,000 Thai baht (150 USD) financial assistance for those whose income is impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, in front of the Public Relations Department in Bangkok on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

It has taken Thailand more than 50 years to develop the healthcare system whose strengths shone out in the global fight against COVID-19.

 

Thailand won praise from all sides, including the World Health Organisation, and has just been ranked second in the Global COVID-19 Index (GCI), which measured 184 countries’ effectiveness in dealing with the pandemic.

 

“It’s not just luck that won our country such a high ranking,” said Public Health Ministry deputy permanent secretary Dr Supakit Sirilak. “This was the result of Thai efforts over half a century to lay down clear guidelines and then strengthen its primary healthcare.”

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-impressive-battle-against-covid-19-result-of-decades-long-efforts/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-06-21

 

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Thailand has many smart Scientists and Doctors.

Some of the best in the world.

Way to go.

Not really, no way you can prepare a nation of 70 million people to a pandemic... is just that Thai people have taken this threat more seriously than most other countries around the world and acted accordingly, where in ma many countries people throw cation to the wind Thai people are still wearing masks and mindful of the virus coming back...

Um? financial assistance to a fraction! The farming assistance wasnt payable to my wife who is a farmer and lost several hundred thou baht because of restrictions. Because of corruption my wifes land hasnt yet had its title changed, Local sorkabar office desire brown envelopes. Been 5years and nothing happened so she is not entitled. All our other neighbours that are government officials, friends and family of, owners of land illegaly rented for farming and such all got the money. 

Just read news that myanmar workers returning to myanmar from thailand are testing positive. Seems strange...!! Im not trusting anything i read anymore.

That said, extend the amnesty until alls good and im ok with it????

The years of subjugation by various military governments is more likely a big factor in ensuring that the various curfews, lockdowns and other rules were followed by the general populace.

 

Combine that with location and a huge dollop of luck.

Thailand for whatever reason dodged a cannon shell.

10 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Not really, no way you can prepare a nation of 70 million people to a pandemic... is just that Thai people have taken this threat more seriously than most other countries around the world and acted accordingly, where in ma many countries people throw cation to the wind Thai people are still wearing masks and mindful of the virus coming back...

Add, and in some countries their derelict idiot leaders strongly encouraged them to believe it was a hoax and to ignore the precautions. 

Thailand can thank its army of over a million village health volunteers, they have been the  ones doing the tracking and tracing.

I have been very impressed with the Thai response to this pandemic. When it first broke out I had no idea how they would do and wondered if I would personally be better off going back to the USA. So staying was a gamble. I still don't fully believe the official case numbers here but even so it is clear that Thailand has done very well and somewhat surprisingly the Thai people I see remain vigilant. So kudos are in order. 

Edited June 21, 20206 yr by Jingthing

So all the other countries bordering Thailand have also been preparing for so long and have the same health care standards?  Seems the bordering countries have fared just as well if not better.

Here in Prasat masks are gradually disappearing, though I still use mine for my occasional forays to PTT for brunch. or the bank for my atm duties.

 

Overall, though it does seem that Thailand has been lightly dealt with by the plague, I would feel happier if I thought the Thai stats were even remotely accurate. Would be interesting to see some accurate stats on 'excess deaths ' (ie compared to the previous year) for the Dec-June period, noting also that the Italian excrement studies are now saying the plague was there last December ...

Edited June 21, 20206 yr by mfd101

11 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Combine that with location and a huge dollop of luck.

Thailand for whatever reason dodged a cannon shell.

Well there you go.

There is an old saying: better to be lucky then good.  ????

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I have been very impressed with the Thai response to this pandemic. When it first broke out I had no idea how they would do and wondered if I would personally be better off going back to the USA. So staying was a gamble. I still don't fully believe the official case numbers here but even so it is clear that Thailand has done very well and somewhat surprisingly the Thai people I see remain vigilant. So kudos are in order. 

''...don't believe the numbers..."

 

A few days ago I was talking to 2 Thai uni professor buddies,  they raised this point and both said initially they didn't believe the case numbers, new infections, hospitalized, deaths, etc.

 

They both also mentioned that all of these numbers have remained without query for many weeks, and if they were untrue by now somebody would have discovered they were false and it would have reached the media quickly. 

Edited June 21, 20206 yr by scorecard

12 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

So all the other countries bordering Thailand have also been preparing for so long and have the same health care standards?  Seems the bordering countries have fared just as well if not better.

Yes.

And your comments support the fact that the Thailand numbers are near correct.

Unless, some tin foilers believe all these countries conspired together to lie and cheat.

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

''...don't believe the numbers..."

 

A few days ago I was talking to 2 Thai uni professor buddies,  they raised this point and both said initially they didn't believe the case numbers, new infections, hospitalized, deaths, etc.

 

They both also mentioned that all of these numbers have remained without query for many weeks, and if they were untrue by now somebody would have discovered they were false and it would have reached the media quickly. 

Yes and no. 

I said I didn't believe them fully. 

That's not the same thing as asserting that what they represent as a relatively successful control of the virus here up till now is not to be believed. 

But many challenges remain. Eventually Thailand is going to need to let more people in, as others have indicated in some regions Thais may be prematurely relaxing with the public health measures, etc. At the same time in much of the world the virus ravages, treatments are still very limited, and the timing of vaccines which aren't even the panacea that many believe is unknown. 

On vaccines we may have something as early as end of year. Or even never. 

 

6 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

And your comments support the fact that the Thailand numbers are near correct.

Unless, some tin foilers believe all these countries conspired together to lie and cheat.

Um, yes, such splendid examples of open, transparent, non-corrupt modern democracies - Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia ...

10 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Yes.

And your comments support the fact that the Thailand numbers are near correct.

Unless, some tin foilers believe all these countries conspired together to lie and cheat.

None of these countries have done anything different than countries around the world, that is close their borders.  It's luck, genetics, location or something else that combines the success of low numbers in these countries compared to other parts of the world. It surely isn't the health care system in these SE Asian countries.  VN also showing the same type of results.

An already socially distance culture, common use of masks due to high pollution, strict rules enforced and generally followed, the weather and climate has been the main factors. Add in some serious luck too with all the Chinese tourists still arriving up until late February. 

 

If you look at the countries around Thailand they are the norm, not the anomaly. 'Decades long effort' is completely false. 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

“It’s not just luck that won our country such a high ranking,”

oh yes it  is

Yes congrats on that also to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Burma as they have even less cases.

 

 

Edited June 21, 20206 yr by DirtyHarry55

The government health system is doing its best to help the local population.  They dodged a bullet when, I think, the weather was hot and dry and  masks where used by the many.  Now it's the still reasonably hot and also humid time of the year let's see if the luck continues.  

It appears they have controlled it. Life is back to normal

 Thai bars in sukhumvit are open again with no social distancing. Less people are wearing masks and even gentlemen clubs are open again.   To control border to September is abit exaggerated considering the cases.  They can implement tests on arrival.

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

''...don't believe the numbers..."

 

A few days ago I was talking to 2 Thai uni professor buddies,  they raised this point and both said initially they didn't believe the case numbers, new infections, hospitalized, deaths, etc.

 

They both also mentioned that all of these numbers have remained without query for many weeks, and if they were untrue by now somebody would have discovered they were false and it would have reached the media quickly. 

I would have thought that the stench of the thousands of hidden, decomposing bodies would have reached the public's nostrils far quicker, no?

Way to go Thailand.  

The land of battle heroes

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I would have thought that the stench of the thousands of hidden, decomposing bodies would have reached the public's nostrils far quicker, no?

benzene and matches,  problem  solved

Just now, Zikomat said:

The land of battle heroes

will  the  generals  get  a  new  covid  medal  to  add  to  their  frocks?

Propaganda, pure and simple. 

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Not really, no way you can prepare a nation of 70 million people to a pandemic... is just that Thai people have taken this threat more seriously than most other countries around the world and acted accordingly, where in ma many countries people throw cation to the wind Thai people are still wearing masks and mindful of the virus coming back...

Pity they can't take the road toll more seriously.

43 minutes ago, bodga said:

benzene and matches,  problem  solved

In Isaan, with each moobahn's organised ritual of burning trash piles, virtually impossible to go unnoticed.

 

In Bangkok, the epicenter of Thai Covid-19 deaths?

 

Yeah, right...

1 hour ago, pantsonfire said:

It appears they have controlled it. Life is back to normal

 Thai bars in sukhumvit are open again with no social distancing. Less people are wearing masks and even gentlemen clubs are open again.   To control border to September is abit exaggerated considering the cases.  They can implement tests on arrival.

Tests on arrival will show nothing. One can be infected with a low viral load and turn up a negative result. Then they get sick on holiday and spread the virus around. I don't see any international tourism restarting here for many months.