Face masks mandatory in Bangkok - even in your own car, BMA confirms

[Excel]

14 hours ago, varun said:

Does this also apply to hi-so's and/or politicians in BMW's / pink Bentleys / Mercs / Lamborghinis / Porsches?

 

No of course not

[whaleboneman]

15 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Headline fails to explain the in car requirement is only if you have a passenger with you.

 

They are nto requiring people driving alone to wear a mask inside their car, that would be ridiculous.

I have to disagree with you on that. I have covid and don't know it so I'm going shopping. I drive for 20 minutes, filling up my car with the little buggers. When I park, I put a mask on, open my door and release them in the parking lot. Anyone nearby can be infected-mostly because the typical masks are next to useless and usually worn incorrectly. Masks should be stored outside your door and put on when you head out.

[Mahks]

 

15 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

My glasses steam up if I wear a face mask. Particularly in a car with the aircon on. This makes driving..... awkward.

I know for a fact that I'm not alone with this. It is a well documented problem. Yet the powers that be here seem to be completely unaware of it.

 

Also, as far as I'm concerned, the interior of my car is as much my own personal space as that of my house.

 

 

@Dmaxdan You have a poor quality mask.

 

If your mask has a good fit/seal and is properly constructed, your breath does not escape around the edges, it goes through the fabric.

I had the same problem, bought some better masks, no more problem.

I also had issues with restricted airflow with my previous masks, the new ones I can breath easier as well.

The new ones are classed as N95, not sure if that means all N95 will give these benefits... Cost less than 20B on Lazada in bulk.

[bstafford214]

15 hours ago, Kinnock said:

But equally ridiculous if the passenger is your wife/husband - unless you both wear masks in bed?

 

But with the dark windows of most Thai cars, you could be driving naked and nobody would notice.

 

Absolutely, you can't see most people in the cars anyway. But the logic is mind boggling to say the least. Married couples have

to wear a mask in the car but not at home and especially in bed if sleeping or better yet fooling around. I am always amazed how there

is the lack of logic or better yet, common sense, in this country.

[ChipButty]

We got stopped a couple weeks ago and we was told to wear the mask in the car, didnt get fined I suppose the policeman's argument would be you opened the window without the mask on, so from now on just wear it around my neck ready to pull it up should we approach a road block

[bstafford214]

18 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

I have to disagree with you on that. I have covid and don't know it so I'm going shopping. I drive for 20 minutes, filling up my car with the little buggers. When I park, I put a mask on, open my door and release them in the parking lot. Anyone nearby can be infected-mostly because the typical masks are next to useless and usually worn incorrectly. Masks should be stored outside your door and put on when you head out.

Would love to see a study done by a reputable university to see how valid this is if your infected. What about inside your house? How full will the living room get and you open the door and they all fly away?

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Headline fails to explain the in car requirement is only if you have a passenger with you.

 

They are nto requiring people driving alone to wear a mask inside their car, that would be ridiculous.

 

16 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The post said that the rule regarding face masks also applies to people who are in their own cars with at least one other person, regardless if that other person is a family member. 

I thought the post was very clear?

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, Kinnock said:

But equally ridiculous if the passenger is your wife/husband - unless you both wear masks in bed?

 

But with the dark windows of most Thai cars, you could be driving naked and nobody would notice.

 

You can catch Covid from a family member so why is this ridiculous, when out from home you have to mask-up which is where one of you is likely to become infected, not at home in bed?

[Skeptic7]

Money grab...nothing more. 

[animatic]

16 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

So, if I commit a crime not wearing a mask while sitting next to my wife in a car, I guess I deserve death penalty if I indulge in looong and Deeeep French Kiss?

Do that at home.

Thais do not  like PDFs Public Displays of Affection like French Kissing in oublic in any case.

[kiteman9]

Really tupid law according to this 

NEW STUDY               https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/23/mit-researchers-say-youre-no-safer-from-covid-indoors-at-6-feet-or-60-feet-in-new-study.html

 

       If you look at the air flow outside, the infected air would be swept away and very unlikely to cause transmission. There are very few recorded instances of outdoor transmission. Crowded spaces outdoors are an issue, but if people are keeping a reasonable distance outside doing things like walking or jogging ,biking without masks it should be ok and be allowed without a fine.

[berrec]

[thailand49]

????Even if they were able who is around to catch and obtain the fines, the officials and cops are in quarantine or do I mean quarantine in their police box doing nothing. In general, Thais don't have the money whether it is 500 baht, 2000, 6000, or 20,000 putting such a high number just proves it is a grandstanding JOKE!  Maybe as a Ex-pat if I do forget and get caught maybe I can teach English or do some push ups?

[Kaopad999]

16 hours ago, expatjustice said:

So why my wife and I don't need to wear a mask while we are at home by ourselves

They're saving that rule  for next month. 

[spidermike007]

Sheer stupidity. You know the laws have risen to the level of panic mongering, when they start mandating wearing a mask in your own car. Since most are either driving alone, or with their families, it is akin to asking us to wear a mask at home. Dumb and dumber. 

 

Stupid laws are made to be ignored and broken. Don't even attempt to fine me for this. Officer, get away from me. See ya! 

[TKDfella]

16 hours ago, shady86 said:

The jokers are really getting desperate. Whats next? 

Should I wear a mask during my morning poop?

 

Ha, that's a point actually. After bowel action one must pull the flap lid in place before flushing...small water droplets float around otherwise. Mind you, that research was done before Covid and really applies to all diseases. Hope I haven't spoiled your morning toilet reading, Ha????

Edited April 27, 2021 by TKDfella

[Trujillo]

Here is the actual MIT study: 

 

A guideline to limit indoor airborne transmission of COVID-19

 

Here are the key paragraphs regarding outdoor transmission (hyperlinks active in link above): 

 

"Further evidence for the dominance of indoor airborne transmission has come from an analysis of 7,324 early cases outside the Hubei Province, in 320 cities across mainland China (32). The authors found that all clusters of three or more cases occurred indoors, 80% arising inside apartment homes and 34% potentially involving public transportation; only a single transmission was recorded outdoors.
Finally, the fact that face mask directives have been more effective than either lockdowns or social distancing in controlling the spread of COVID-19 (22, 33) is consistent with indoor airborne transmission as the primary driver of the global pandemic."

 

Citing the CNBC article in the post above (MIT-researchers-say-youre-no-safer-from-covid-indoors-at-6-feet-or-60-feet-in-new-study) is this [bold added]: 

 

"As for social distancing outdoors, MIT professors Martin Z. Bazant, who teaches chemical engineering and applied mathematics, says it makes almost no sense and that doing so with masks on is “kind of crazy.”

“If you look at the air flow outside, the infected air would be swept away and very unlikely to cause transmission. There are very few recorded instances of outdoor transmission.” he said. “Crowded spaces outdoor could be an issue, but if people are keeping a reasonable distance of like 3 feet outside, I feel pretty comfortable with that even without masks, frankly.”

Bazant says this could possibly explain why there haven’t been spikes in transmission in states like Texas or Florida that have reopened businesses without capacity limits."

 

What will happen when the US CDC confirms this, which seems likely in the next day or so? How will Thailand react? (This is a rhetorical question, in case anyone can't figure that out...) 

 

By the way, in my opinion, seeing Thais (or any people) putting a baby mask on a toddler is really a tragedy. This is wrong on so many levels....

Edited April 27, 2021 by Trujillo
Added MIT in opening line

[Psychic]

And yet just a few weeks ago it was deemed a good idea to allow tens of thousands of people to crowd into buses, minivans and private vehicles for hours to spread out all over the country.

 

And, yes, in public transportation they may have been forced to wear the 10 baht 7-11 masks.

 

But they would be seriously ineffective in sealed, crowded conditions for that period of time.

 

 

[wealthychef]

Doesn't this law kind of assume that police enforce the traffic laws?  I'm skeptical.   LOL

[AhFarangJa]

16 hours ago, shady86 said:

The jokers are really getting desperate. Whats next? 

Should I wear a mask during my morning poop?

 

Maybe one of these..................

[Andre0720]

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Drive around without a seatbelt... no problem. 

An unrestrained children climbing all over the car.... no problem.

 

But, if your 3 year old strapped into their child seat pulls off their face mask the parent faces a fine of up to 20,000 baht ?

 

 

This is defiantly one of those situations where someone has made up an outrageously idiotic law and those around them or subservient to that person have thought for-eff’s-sake thats moronic but can’t say anything because of kraeng-jai.... 

 

Thailand is going to be ridiculed internationally for this.... 

if this law is enforced the same way as all other road laws, no need to get alarmed by this one...

[Tonypandy]

17 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

My glasses steam up if I wear a face mask. Particularly in a car with the aircon on. This makes driving..... awkward.

I know for a fact that I'm not alone with this. It is a well documented problem. Yet the powers that be here seem to be completely unaware of it.

 

Also, as far as I'm concerned, the interior of my car is as much my own personal space as that of my house.

 

 

 

 

Just shows how much thought these authorities have put into this new requirement. Does it mean I need to remove my glasses so they don't steam up whilst wearing a mask to drive, of course that is far more dangerous it could easily cause an accident, but of course who cares about motor accidents in Thailand? 

[spetersen]

17 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Headline fails to explain the in car requirement is only if you have a passenger with you.

 

They are nto requiring people driving alone to wear a mask inside their car, that would be ridiculous.

They must be complete morons with such ideas even if there are 7 people in the car , a car with closed windows is a confined space , why not tell people not to breath...

[ICELANDMAN]

17 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

My glasses steam up if I wear a face mask. Particularly in a car with the aircon on. This makes driving..... awkward.

I know for a fact that I'm not alone with this. It is a well documented problem. Yet the powers that be here seem to be completely unaware of it.

 

Also, as far as I'm concerned, the interior of my car is as much my own personal space as that of my house.

 

 

 

 

 

Next step put your mask at home and make sex with wife with mask or doctor certificate.

[Hockeybik]

17 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Headline fails to explain the in car requirement is only if you have a passenger with you.

 

They are nto requiring people driving alone to wear a mask inside their car, that would be ridiculous.

I sleep with my wife and it's not ridiculous to wear a mask when in the car with her?

[Boomer6969]

Ok, I love being sarcastic, maybe a small(er) duck issue, but anyway I gave this some thought. Maybe the requirement to wear masks inside cars when there are more than one passenger doesn't stem from an epidemiological concern but rather would be strictly a law enforcement issue. Indeed what would happen if the police had to stop all cars with two or more passengers to check they belong to the same family unit? How about the justification? blue house book required at all time?

 

So, we'll wear a mask, under our noses, an up it will go at police checks and traffic lights.. We'll also stay at home as much a possible, which is probably what "they" want.

[Bangkok Barry]

17 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thailand is going to be ridiculed internationally for this.... 

 

No-one internationally has the slightest interest in an insignificant SE Asian backwater, a country that has no impact on anything at all in the world and which is best known, if anyone gives the country any thought at all, as a place of ladyboys and prostitutes.

[seancbk]

18 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Subjecting young children to mask wearing is backed by what researched, peer reviewed scientific evidence?

Children will be ripping them off their faces, and are child masks freely available?

Do you live under a rock?   Have you not seen very young children wearing what are obviously child sized masks, or seen the boxes and packages of child sized masks sold all over the place?

 

[AlfHuy]

15 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

My PADI (SCUBA) instructor taught me to spit in the mask to prevent steaming.

 

Possibly not so smart with covid ...

Naughty.

Can you post a photo of her?

[Showtime]

Meanwhile in the real world it has been confirmed again wearing a mask outside does nothing.