Picture: Naew Na

 

A public referendum was held at Wat Mai Samran on Koh Larn on Sunday in which 845 locals were given their chance to vote on keeping the island open or closing it due to the third wave of Covid-19.

 

They decided to close the island down from Wednesday 5th to 20th May. 

 

306 people voted for a complete closure for 15 days. 420 called for a 15 day closure to tourists. 94 wanted to stay open. The rest were abstensions. 

 

All tourists must vacate the island by tomorrow, May 4th. 

 

Locals will be able to come and go using a strict sticker system.

 

Vendors from the mainland like lottery sellers are prohibited and no one who is unauthorized will be able to travel on supply vessels. 

 

Two trips daily at 7am and 6pm each way will be allowed to and from the island and Pattaya, reported Naew Na. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-03

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Thai people seem to select lockdown over infection risk.

 

But Farang knows better. 

Can tourist stay there.........thought this was just a day visit island?

2 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Thai people seem to select lockdown over infection risk.

 

But Farang knows better. 

Same with driving then eh.

Not to mention 50% of survey respondents think eating pad krapao can help protect against COVID-19

Edited May 3, 20215 yr by gunderhill

3 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Can tourist stay there.........thought this was just a day visit island?

There are hotels.

2 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

Same with driving then eh.

Not to mention 50% of survey respondents think eating pad krapao can help protect against COVID-19

The issue is whether Thai people will accept an economic penalty in order to reduce risk of infection.

1 minute ago, Danderman123 said:

The issue is whether Thai people will accept an economic penalty in order to reduce risk of infection.

Death is  quite a high economic  penalty, on a bike with no  helmet, could always eat more pad krapao I  suppose, I mean if  it repels  covid sure it can repel 2  tons of pick up  ploughing into you.

how many on koh larn have been tested - likely none

 

a fine example of locking themselves in without knowing the community spread of covid

This is second time already when they lock down themselves, and immediately kick out the 'tourists' (non-residents)... I mean if people already there, how they can force them to leave?? This is completely illegal and lawless.

 

I suggest this island should be ignored in the future. The inhabitants are greedy grabbers with no respect of the visitors.

 

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

Thai people seem to select lockdown over infection risk.

 

But Farang knows better. 

Yes you make a good point..... so many here on TV are going on about how the lockdown measures are wrong and are making the locals suffer terrible hardships. Yet here we have a small sample of them voting for a lockdown.

Maybe the posters are self serving!

 

 

Edited May 3, 20215 yr by jacko45k

If they lockdown than they also shouldn't allow the koh larn locals to come to Pattaya. Otherwise they could bring their diseases to here.

 

4 hours ago, Amdesign said:

This is second time already when they lock down themselves, and immediately kick out the 'tourists' (non-residents)... I mean if people already there, how they can force them to leave?? This is completely illegal and lawless.

 

I suggest this island should be ignored in the future. The inhabitants are greedy grabbers with no respect of the visitors.

 

But a healthy respect for not getting Covid it seems.

So your already there and could possibly have covid but now need to leave and the locals are still allowed to leave the island and return possibly catching covid.

Ok I get it. Makes perfect sense.

Thankfully they have a strict sticker system.

So they had a mass gathering ? or a referendum in the middle of a pandemic ? sound like a superspreader event

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Locals will be able to come and go using a strict sticker system.

We’ll that makes no sense at all

2 minutes ago, bluedoc said:

We’ll that makes no sense at all

It will to a Thai ????

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Maybe the posters are self serving!

 

its  the new normal dont you  know,  this  way we can only  infect  ourselves

8 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Can tourist stay there.........thought this was just a day visit island?

dozens of hotels there many people stay here

8 hours ago, gunderhill said:

Death is  quite a high economic  penalty, on a bike with no  helmet, could always eat more pad krapao I  suppose, I mean if  it repels  covid sure it can repel 2  tons of pick up  ploughing into you.

Pad krapao can repel a 2 ton pick up truck to the same extent a helmet can.

OK, but the islanders should not be allowed to come to Pattaya. Of course, for their own safety.

If they don't want to allow anyone new to get IN, fine. What I don't get is why they want to kick OUT those tourists who are already there. Either they have Covid and the damage has already been done, or they don't have Covid so there's no risk. Island mentality?

10 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

Thai people seem to select lockdown over infection risk.

 

But Farang knows better. 

I've lived in Thailand for 14 years and in my village for 10.

If the villagers all vote tomorrow to close the village to tourists, then they are in their rights to kick me out, right, even as a long-stay expat.  
How about a referendum to kick all foreigners out of Thailand?
What they have done is set a precedence. If other places follow this lead, Thailand can kiss retirees, investors, and new foreign business goodbye, because there becomes too much risk involved in setting up a business, investing in Thailand, or buying a condo. 
How do you think the world would react if you own country decided to just kick establish foreigners out?  Not unheard of, but it would kill foreign trade and finish off the economy.

And my new recommendation to any friends of mine considering traveling here or retiring here or investing here?  You're not wanted.  Weigh that carefully and consider the risks to rewards ratio before coming.

2 hours ago, Harveyboy said:

dozens of hotels there many people stay here

Not anymore. 

12 minutes ago, Caldera said:

If they don't want to allow anyone new to get IN, fine. What I don't get is why they want to kick OUT those tourists who are already there. Either they have Covid and the damage has already been done, or they don't have Covid so there's no risk. Island mentality?

Perhaps because those  tourists are effectively of no economic advantage except for a relative minority and the exercise of a democratic vote has demonstrated the outcome. Island mentality?

If so then not so dis-similar to "national" mandate being arbitrarily made by Governments globally in contradiction of such democratic expectations.

For the poor self preservation retains a greater sense of priority than it does for the selfishness of the wealthy.

I personally predict the ructions and ramifications of this pandemic will impact on politics and society in the longer term in ways as yet unappreciated in effect.

 

In fact, regular speedboat traffic to Koh Larn causes massive pollution of Pattaya bay. Once Koh Larn is closed, one can see turtles, fish, dolphins in Pattaya bay again. So my proposal is: Pattaya gets dirty beaches due to Koh Larn, and Koh Larn benefits from this by having those tourists. Turn it into the benefit of Pattaya: ban traffic to Koh Larn forever, stay clean, keep tourists for clean Pattaya? ????  Let the islanders enjoy Covid-free self-isolation forever - those greedy mongers deserve it.

9 hours ago, Yknot said:

OK, but the islanders should not be allowed to come to Pattaya. Of course, for their own safety.

Is this some tit for tat pandemic response? If the infection level on the island became high I expect City Hall would react and prevent Islanders leaving, or proper testing of them as they did. 

Edited May 3, 20215 yr by jacko45k

As most of what Thai administrations plan  never reach fruition, perhaps this is local edict number 007 - "Tomorrow never Comes" ????