Thailand’s ‘Hi-So’ elite blamed for new Covid-19 cases forcing closure of nightspots

[webfact]

Customers have a drink outside a bar in Bangkok on March 12. Photo: Bloomberg

 

• New cases have been linked to Bangkok’s wealthy party scene including a VIP club popular with officials, with #CovidThonglor trending

•Hospitals are scrambling as nightspot closures mean yet another stinging blow for businesses and workers

 

By Vijitra Duangdee

 

Thailand is contending with a third wave of Covid-19  driven by a fast-spreading variant first identified in Britain after clusters were found across Bangkok’s wealthy party scene including at a VIP club allegedly popular with government officials.

 

Thailand  recorded 559 new coronavirus infections on Friday and one more death, after several days of a climbing caseload initially linked to bars and clubs in the capital’s upmarket Thong Lor district was hastened by the travel movements of Bangkok’s wealthy set. The outbreak has now reached 20 provinces and forced nearly a third of cabinet ministers to self-isolate due to exposure to cases.

 

While the cases are small in comparison to nations from Brazil to the UK hammered by the virus, Thai authorities are desperate to avoid the double calamity of a public health crisis and economic ruin – the kingdom’s GDP slumped by 6.1 per cent last year.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3128884/thailands-hi-so-elite-blamed-new-covid-19-cases

 

 

-- © Copyright South China Morning Post 2021-04-10

 

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[Flying Saucage]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai authorities are desperate to avoid the double calamity of a public health crisis and economic ruin

 

You can trust that those at the top, namely those of the government, are not so much desperate about public health and economic ruin of the normal Thai people. 

 

For them the calamity is more that their lovingly established narrative to be the saviours and protectors of the nation now might burst like a soap bubble, and with this possibility their future access to the trough.

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by Flying Saucage

[RichardColeman]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai authorities are desperate to avoid the double calamity of a public health crisis and economic ruin 

Have to say I sadly think they are already well on the way to it. 

 

 

 

[JamieM]

Please don't associate being covid positive with being wealthy they will all be trying to get infected to show how hi-so they are..

[Mitkof Island]

Likely the very same bunch involved with the insurance/quarantine scam.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Ohhh NO, the peasants are blaming the elite. That is how the French revolution started.

Good thing Facebook is not as deathly as the guillotine. 

[rabas]

The hard push back from health authorities and providences in recent days suggests Prayut has been badly blinded by Anutin the court jester.  Now, his ministers spreading the 3rd wave with no vaccine in sight likely spells his end.  Can't use tanks to fight a virus, as the Chinese have figured out.

[Daithi85]

1 hour ago, brain150 said:

Thai authorities are following the GREAT RESET by the letter !

Read the book and compare ... every little step is following the great plan of the WEF !

 

The orders are coming from the WEF via the UN and the WHO - it's not a secret at all for anybody who can read.

Amazing how they got all the doctors and nurses to join in, must of took a lot of planning  ????????????

[jackinthebox]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Customers have a drink outside a bar in Bangkok on March 12. Photo: Bloomberg

picture is showing a backpacker-LoSo environement in the middle of KhaoSarn-Road. Couldn't be more the opposite of Bangkok’s wealthy party scene and VIP-Clubs in ThongLor

Edited April 9, 2021 by jackinthebox

[ThailandRyan]

All who are in the upper crust are now in the true light of being the superspreaders of today.

 

Thai PBS World: COVID outbreak in Thai govt puts spotlight on missing timelines
https://www.thaipbsworld.com/covid-outbreak-in-thai-govt-puts-spotlight-on-missing-timelines/

[mikebell]

As if the elite care!  They'll all get their vaccines and the lo-sos will get the deaths.

[tonray]

3 hours ago, Flying Saucage said:

You can trust that those at the top, namely those of the government, are not so much desperate about public health and economic ruin of the normal Thai people. 

Replace "Thai" with any nationality and the truth is universal.

[thailand49]

The rules no matter where the elite think the rules don't apply to them it is just all talk! 

I'm glad I'm just a dirt bag low life average guy just trying to get by needing to work on my extension saving my money and going through the yearly hoops to do it?  I have no time to go out and spend time at these clubs even if I did I wouldn't be allowed in since I wear shorts 24/7.????

[Bkk Brian]

57 minutes ago, mikebell said:

As if the elite care!  They'll all get their vaccines and the lo-sos will get the deaths.

Yes maybe but the Transport Minister had received the Sinovac vaccine already and he still got infected, not sure if he had both doses, but whether he did or not an expert here has officially claimed that after testing the serum and antibodies produced from Sinovac against the UK variant, the results are not looking good and far less effective.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, jackinthebox said:

picture is showing a backpacker-LoSo environement in the middle of KhaoSarn-Road. Couldn't be more the opposite of Bangkok’s wealthy party scene and VIP-Clubs in ThongLor

Just poor quality, lazy journalism which is typical of here.

[Mr Meeseeks]

48 minutes ago, tonray said:

Replace "Thai" with any nationality and the truth is universal.

Some lovely whataboutery there. 

[tonray]

6 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Some lovely whataboutery there. 

That's right as so many of us came here dissatisfied about the mess our own governments have made of our home countries, and yet seem to constantly whine about the same thing here....which by the way we have no way to change. you want change ? Go home and do something where you legally can...otherwise enjoy your time as a GUEST here in Thailand and stop being so ungrateful.

Edited April 10, 2021 by tonray

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

That's right as so many of us came here dissatisfied about the mess our own governments have made of our home countries, and yet seem to constantly whine about the same thing here....which by the way we have no way to change. you want change ? Go home and do something where you legally can...otherwise enjoy your time as a GUEST here in Thailand and stop being so ungrateful.

I'm not a guest here pal.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand  recorded 559 new coronavirus infections on Friday and one more death, after several days of a climbing caseload initially linked to bars and clubs in the capital’s upmarket Thong Lor district was hastened by the travel movements of Bangkok’s wealthy set. The outbreak has now reached 20 provinces and forced nearly a third of cabinet ministers to self-isolate due to exposure to cases.

Oh dear never mind... 

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

As if the elite care!  They'll all get their vaccines and the lo-sos will get the deaths.

Seems none of the vaccines work well against this new strain... some bum-twitching going on in the land of Hi-so's right now.

[Rumble Tumble]

7 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Seems none of the vaccines work well against this new strain... some bum-twitching going on in the land of Hi-so's right now.

Dont let the facts get in the way of your narrative will you. ????

No cure for stupid!!

[ThailandRyan]

48 minutes ago, tonray said:

That's right as so many of us came here dissatisfied about the mess our own governments have made of our home countries, and yet seem to constantly whine about the same thing here....which by the way we have no way to change. you want change ? Go home and do something where you legally can...otherwise enjoy your time as a GUEST here in Thailand and stop being so ungrateful.

Another one of the "If you don't like it here and want to complain go home group".  Sorry your ideas of a perfect Thailand fall on deaf ears with most.  Enjoy.

[TigerandDog]

56 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I'm not a guest here pal.

If you're living here and don't have PR or Thai citizenship, irrespective of which visa you are on YOU ARE A GUEST HERE.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, JamieM said:

Please don't associate being covid positive with being wealthy they will all be trying to get infected to show how hi-so they are..

They will put a spin on Hi-so's only get the UK strain.

[asiasurfer]

Typical case of "boozing wine but preaching water". Everywhere the same... 

[ParkerN]

Just now, TigerandDog said:

If you're living here and don't have PR or Thai citizenship, irrespective of which visa you are on YOU ARE A GUEST HERE.

 

Not really. The documentation takes 'guest-hood' out of the equation. Foreigners with Visas are entitled to be here by fiat of the government or constitution. 'Guest-hood' has not a thing to do with it after the law is successfully invoked. Thais welcome foreigners (to the extent they welcome them at all as opposed to 'tolerate'), not for what we bring to their culture (which is a lot), but for the opportunities to enrich themselves at our direct expense.

 

This is the reality, and the sooner we all accept that, the sooner we can stop with all the Pollyanna nonsense.

[Misterwhisper]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

forced nearly a third of cabinet ministers to self-isolate due to exposure to cases.

I wonder where THEY caught it, those irreproachable, stainless beacons of all that is good and decent and moral.

 

Perhaps the guest lists of Krystal Club and other 'hi-so" party venues could shed a light on it?

[robblok]

40 minutes ago, Rumble Tumble said:

Dont let the facts get in the way of your narrative will you. ????

No cure for stupid!!

Well said so many make stupid unfounded claims. One the other day said that the UK did the half of all world covid tests. When i posted a Graph with the US doing much more and asking to explain it stayed awfully silent. Not even admitting that he was wrong and spreading misinformation. 

 

Looks like the US vaccines do much better then AstraZeneca. Maybe if available a PFIZER or Moderna vaccine. Leave AtraZeneca for the others.

[ThaidDown]

14 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

If you're living here and don't have PR or Thai citizenship, irrespective of which visa you are on YOU ARE A GUEST HERE.

Disagree.

I do not consider myself a 'guest' here.To me, the term 'guest' means something completely different.

Technically I'm on an extension of temporary stay in Thailand.

 

In practice I consider my status as 'Paying Customer'.

 

 

[Boomer6969]

4 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Ohhh NO, the peasants are blaming the elite. That is how the French revolution started.

Good thing Facebook is not as deathly as the guillotine. 

Interesting you mention it, I am advocating that the Thais should study the paths to democracy England and France took; and draw the obvious conclusion from the comparison.

 

I'd agree if one said "too late".