SURVEY: Will Thailand keep the virus under control?

[Scott]

Thailand has been commended for its excellent handling of the pandemic.  In recent weeks, there have been one death and a case of a young girl from Myanmar testing positive.   The plan for protests could add further risk.   Several countries are experiencing a second wave of the virus.  In your opinion, do you think Thailand will be able to continue to keep the virus in check.  

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.

[Rmac442]

The most fundamental decision Thailand made was to lock down the borders ..no commercial flights and strict quarantine (detention really) ..

This made possible by not inflicting serious damage to the already bankrupt National airline ..Thai Airlines 

[stephenterry]

At some time before the pandemic is over, possibly a few years down the line, Thailand will have to officially open its borders or become an isolated and economically poor country. 

 

Suits me perfectly in feeling safe from infection, but not the millions out of work and poor communities. Very sad and all because humans consume domesticated birds and animals who carry these viruses.

 

If continued, the next pandemic  - which is a slam dunk certainty to occur - could be the end for all of us. 

 

 

 

 

[The Barmbeker]

No!

Periode!

[steven100]

Scott,   I believe the Thai government has done an exceptional job in the control of the virus through early evasive action.  However,  now with the protests yesterday where as the organizers did not heed Khun Prayut's warning and as such went ahead, I am sure there will be a spike and a second wave.

This unprofessional selfish and risky approach could have been avoided.

Sadly, they only have themselves to blame for further virus cases and extended border closures and airplane lockouts. 

[Sametboy2019]

Cant keep hiding from this. Take the Sweden approach and move on!

[Kadilo]

Yes they will keep it out because they won’t let anybody in whilst continuing to kill Thais through economic starvation. 

[Zikomat]

The virus will keep the Thais under control.

[Grumpy John]

I didn't vote as the 4 questions didn't provide us with (5) Do you think the outcome will be different to any of the other 4 possible answers?  Given that so much is unknown in this world (5) if posed maybe the right answer.  

[baansgr]

34 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Scott,   I believe the Thai government has done an exceptional job in the control of the virus through early evasive action.  However,  now with the protests yesterday where as the organizers did not heed Khun Prayut's warning and as such went ahead, I am sure there will be a spike and a second wave.

This unprofessional selfish and risky approach could have been avoided.

Sadly, they only have themselves to blame for further virus cases and extended border closures and airplane lockouts. 

How can there be a spike and second wave...Thailand is virus free

[Oldie]

I just can talk about Pattaya. The people care less and less. Often no masks and temperature checks anymore. And at the entertainment industry they don't seem to care at all. When I walk around at night I see that no regulations are obeyed and enforced. Many bars even don't care about the legal closing times anymore and are open as long as they like it. I can't believe that the police and the City Hall doesn't know about this. It is impossible not to see it. But they seem to accept all this. I guess if the virus comes to Pattaya we will have a Problem...

[Bender Rodriguez]

hey, they is no option stating

 

what did the government exactly do, except drive people into more poverty

 

59 deaths in 7 months VS millions out of a job starving, losing their business, savings, home ?

 

and still did not get an answer, what does 3.200.000 baht hospital insurance cover get you ?

 

tylenol, some water & MSG laden food in a hospital ?

[Poet]

Their success will continue unabated as long as they continue to severely limit testing.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, rken2 said:

The plandemic has been over hyped around the world to cover for the collapse of the economic failures  of the World central banks and their policies.  

 

When you use the word pLandemic are you implying that the worlds governments conspired with China to create a deadly virus which would sweep across the world so they had an excuse because (you think) the world bank was collapsing?

 

You missed out the other conspiracists favourite keywords such as sheeple, nanny state.... 

[richard_smith237]

5. The virus has already swept through Thailand in Nov / Dec / Jan.

 

-----

 

I suspect that spike in reported cases of Viral pneumonia in late 2019 / early 2020 was actually Covid-19 which had already swept through Thailand before lockdown. 

As with the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, nothing was really done at the time, increase cases and deaths spread across 1300 hospitals in Thailand never really made headlines.

Covid-19 became a massive issue for Thailand once Europe panicked. 

 

Thus: I suspect Thailand will encounter more cases when there are more test, but I suspect the vast majority of the population has some form of pre-existing immunity or has developed immunity from recent exposure prior to lockdown. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

Scott,   I believe the Thai government has done an exceptional job in the control of the virus through early evasive action.  However,  now with the protests yesterday where as the organizers did not heed Khun Prayut's warning and as such went ahead, I am sure there will be a spike and a second wave.

This unprofessional selfish and risky approach could have been avoided.

Sadly, they only have themselves to blame for further virus cases and extended border closures and airplane lockouts. 

 

Without any doubt at all, any reported increase in cases will be blamed on the protests - For those in power this is too much of an opportunity to claim some moral high ground. 

 

 

Note: Thailands ‘early evasive action’ started after Europes. Thailand locked down after the UK, yet had its first reported case well before the UK.

How Thailand avoided many cases of Covid-19 is astonishing, miraculous even...  or Covid-19 had swept though the nation before Thailand started its minimal testing for Covid-19. 

 

[mfd101]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Scott,   I believe the Thai government has done an exceptional job in the control of the virus through early evasive action.

Certainly evasiveness is a strong cultural trait in Thailand, and the government is well-practiced.

[Guderian]

Yes, they'll keep it under control, because they need the tools used to subdue the virus in order to also subdue the pro-democracy activists, lol.

[cyril sneer]

Wait and see what happens with 5g..

[JusticeGB]

According to worldometer only around 10,700 people in Thailand have been tested out of a population of over 69m so it's impossible to say with any accuracy how many people have had the virus. What is known is that about 65 people a day die from road accidents which is more than the total reported as having died from covid19 in the last 7 months. Less care is being taken in taking temperatures and many places are open until the early hours of the morning in Pattaya. Social distancing is not happening in bars and discos. If the virus is around it will spread quickly. 

[ThailandRyan]

How do we really know it is truly under control, except for the smoke and mirrors news they are supplying.  Additionally, with the lack of reporting of true statistical data in regards to actual deaths, excess deaths, and then no postmortem testing they have also controlled it from an outside view.  Should they decide to start testing the public like everywhere else, well mostly, in the world has been doing, I would expect a rise in cases.  Now with that being said I believe that with the majority who may have it many are asymptomatic or so very little symptoms.  I do believe that November through the end of this past February we had Covid circulating unchecked and unfettered which can be viewed by the excess deaths and the amount of folks who were sick during this period of time.  

 

With all of this being said, I do believe they have controlled the population well with the border closures and such, and know that had they not taken the actions they did it would have been much like Brazil, India, and even the US

Edited September 20, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Kelsall]

They will keep the virus under control for a while longer by continuing to ban international travel, but the economic devastation will worsen as a result.  At some point, probably around Chinese New Year, the economic pain will be so bad the powers that be will get concerned about a revolution and will then open the borders to Chinese tourists and handle the virus as best they can. At that point the virus will not be controlled, but the overall situation will be better due to the improved economy.  Just MHO.

[Rancid]

I would suspect the limited testing kept the true numbers down, however as symptoms were generally mild it wasn't showing up as a pandemic. In fact in many countries if no testing was done then the death rate would have been ascribed to the flu and everyone would have ignored it.

 

For Thailand it depends how widely it has infected, if quite a bit then they may be at herd immunity, if not then it could take off. If the latter then they need keep the borders closed. If the former then tourism will be fine.

 

Mystifies me why no governments are testing anti-bodies to see how widespread the natural immunity already is, its almost like they are deliberately maintaining a state of fear. Either that or waiting for a vaccine means a well funded retirement.

[rumak]

SURVEY :  What do you think is the best term for this  errrr  covid hysteria ?

 

a. Flamdemic

b. Spamdemic

c. Enemademic

d. Idiodemic

e. Panfriedemic

g. Mediademic

h. LoneRangerdemic (LRGD 19)

i. BOO ! demic

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, Rancid said:

I would suspect the limited testing kept the true numbers down, however as symptoms were generally mild it wasn't showing up as a pandemic. In fact in many countries if no testing was done then the death rate would have been ascribed to the flu and everyone would have ignored it.

 

For Thailand it depends how widely it has infected, if quite a bit then they may be at herd immunity, if not then it could take off. If the latter then they need keep the borders closed. If the former then tourism will be fine.

Agreed.

 

5 minutes ago, Rancid said:

Mystifies me why no governments are testing anti-bodies to see how widespread the natural immunity already is, its almost like they are deliberately maintaining a state of fear. Either that or waiting for a vaccine means a well funded retirement.

The antibody testing is not reliable.

 

 

[garygooner]

40 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

According to worldometer only around 10,700 people in Thailand have been tested out of a population of over 69m so it's impossible to say with any accuracy how many people have had the virus. What is known is that about 65 people a day die from road accidents which is more than the total reported as having died from covid19 in the last 7 months. Less care is being taken in taking temperatures and many places are open until the early hours of the morning in Pattaya. Social distancing is not happening in bars and discos. If the virus is around it will spread quickly. 

Which worldometer have you been looking at? The figure for Thailand is around 749,000. The trouble is that figure hasn't changed for about 3 months!! 

[Shot]

Covid will be with us for a long time. Wash up, mask up, protect the vulnerable and get on with it. If you get sick, you get sick. If you die, you die. That's life. 

[abrahamzvi]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

Scott,   I believe the Thai government has done an exceptional job in the control of the virus through early evasive action.  However,  now with the protests yesterday where as the organizers did not heed Khun Prayut's warning and as such went ahead, I am sure there will be a spike and a second wave.

This unprofessional selfish and risky approach could have been avoided.

Sadly, they only have themselves to blame for further virus cases and extended border closures and airplane lockouts. 

Whether one agrees with the views of the protesters or not, I personally think, that this is the entirely wrong time to organize protests. The only, repeat only, important, yes absolutely vital, objects are the fight against the virus as well as somehow reviving the economy. All other differences should be put aside and all should unite in the struggle to achieve a success in this vital struggle.

[Lacessit]

In another thread, it was suggested one of the reasons Thailand avoided what has happened elsewhere is due to the virus variant here being much milder, and hence herd immunity was reached without anyone realizing it.

It might explain the difference between Australia and Thailand. Thailand has had a fraction of the infections and deaths in Australia, yet Australia went into lockdown earlier. Certainly Australia stuffed up hotel quarantine. However, in the months leading up to the virus outbreak, Australia had 1.4 million Chinese visitors, whereas Thailand had 12 million.

[Seeall]

2 hours ago, Oldie said:

I just can talk about Pattaya. The people care less and less. Often no masks and temperature checks anymore. And at the entertainment industry they don't seem to care at all. When I walk around at night I see that no regulations are obeyed and enforced. Many bars even don't care about the legal closing times anymore and are open as long as they like it. I can't believe that the police and the City Hall doesn't know about this. It is impossible not to see it. But they seem to accept all this. I guess if the virus comes to Pattaya we will have a Problem...

If there is no money in it then..........