breaking news...guard has lowered!  Pay attention????

1 hour ago, kiwikeith said:

I think that the 20000 tested positive for anti bodies and were free of the virus, meaning there are still more people out there infected. 20 Burmese deported recently tested positive upon arrival in Myanmar but thai authorities said they contracted c19 when they got home.

I'm sure they got it after they got home. After the start of the emergency decree, the virus is only allowed to complete a local transmission by first filing a LT123 form. However, the office which dispenses and accepts those forms is closed. 

20 hours ago, Keesters said:

From observations 90% of motorcycle riders are covid aware as they mostly mask up. But only 40% are head injury aware being mostly helmetless. 

I've seen the same phenomenon since the beginning. 

A couple of observations. 

Paper masks are much cheaper than helmets. 

One may be stigmatized for not wearing a mask but riding without a helmet is fully socially acceptable. 

 

I'm not implying that this behavior is at all logical. 

 

It has been readily apparent to me that the Thai people are becoming rapidly less cautious about the virus in the last two weeks, as others have observed. 

I find it amusing to see many, even store employees wearing the mask below their noses or chins. I suppose this means they need to appear mask-compliant but really don't see the need for masks. 

 

I continue to wear a mask and use the gel for four reasons:

I really don't want to get this virus and need to be treated for it in this country. 

 

The locals are getting more lax so that means my potential exposure is increasing. 

 

I don't want to be seen as a heedless farang flaunting the safety rules that they themselves don't follow. I just don't need the grief. 

 

The consequences of contracting a constantly mutating virulent virus weighed against the minor inconvenience of masking makes for an easy decision. 

 

I took pre-med courses in biology, genetics, and epidemiology in college and have a good understanding of how fast a contagion can explode in a population. I take some sober solice in the fact that if nothing else my home country of America is demonstrating to the world how rapidly this happens. We are providing an object lesson on how not to contain an outbreak and the potentially overwhelming results of inaction in the face of a serious threat. 

 

China may have provided the gun but America has shown how easy it to mindlessly blow your foot/ankle/calf/thigh off with it. 

 

There are times/places/situations where precautions are prudent and some where it's unnecessary. It's up to each person to make that decision. It's a choice of being part of the problem or part of the solution. Choose wisely. 

 

 

On 7/12/2020 at 8:40 AM, RocketDog said:

I've seen the same phenomenon since the beginning. 

A couple of observations. 

Paper masks are much cheaper than helmets. 

One may be stigmatized for not wearing a mask but riding without a helmet is fully socially acceptable. 

 

I'm not implying that this behavior is at all logical. 

 

Helmets are far cheaper than the cost of a months gasoline for the bike. 

Most stores provide you with a helmet free of charge when buying a new bike. 

All my helmet wearing Thai friends think that going without one is just plain stupid and refer to those that do as not having a brain worth saving. 

 

There is no logic in wearing a face mask but not a helmet when riding a motorcycle. NO LOGIC AT ALL. 

4 hours ago, Keesters said:

Helmets are far cheaper than the cost of a months gasoline for the bike. 

Most stores provide you with a helmet free of charge when buying a new bike. 

All my helmet wearing Thai friends think that going without one is just plain stupid and refer to those that do as not having a brain worth saving. 

 

There is no logic in wearing a face mask but not a helmet when riding a motorcycle. NO LOGIC AT ALL. 

I agree. I got a free helmet when I bought my motorcy and it is worth less than I paid for it because it gives a false sense of security when it's actually worthless, especially the eggshell ones with a chin strap. In my opinion even a $30 helmet is not much protection, but I guess anything is better than nothing. 

 

Of course when I had a minor collision I skinned my knees and hands but my head never touched the ground! I wised up about a year after I bought the bike and rode in Thailand. The truth is that it's just too dangerous to be on a bike on a major road here. So I still ride around locally, but never get on a busy road anymore. 

 

I bought a Bell helmet in America and brought it with me and I'm so glad I did. Decent ones can be purchased on Lazada but difficult to find locally. 

 

I've abandoned any hope that the road safety issues will ever improve ve here. It's just not in the culture. 

On 7/10/2020 at 2:27 PM, Mr Meeseeks said:

70% of clever Thais oppose International tourism. 

 

Do they think the country's money grows on trees? 

Yes, Rubber Trees, at 17.5 baht per kilo, from 46 per kilo 6 years ago, rice is down, rubber, no tourism, but the baht is high..... how?

Why get you blood pressure up. Just sit back, continue to enjoy your time and see what time will bring Thailand and it people.  No lie can live forever.