CW Immigration a high-risk venue

[JTXR]

It becomes clearer every day—with recent WHO and US CDC confirmation—that airborne (aerosol) transmission is an important, perhaps the primary means of COVID-19 transmission.  Spending a lot of time in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation is the very highest risk situation. 

 

So why has TI in Bangkok recently moved some functions from MTT  back to CW?  You'd think they should be moving more functions out of CW to relatively open, well-ventilated places like MTT.  Over the next few months, taking all the precautions I can, by far my greatest risk will be the several hours I will need to spend in CW to extend my permission to stay.

 

With Bangkok now the epicenter of the 3rd wave, will authorities have the courage or foresight to open public parks and other relatively low-risk outdoor venues and do something concrete to avoid forcing people into high-risk venues like CW?

Edited May 8, 2021 by JTXR

[johng]

7 minutes ago, JTXR said:

do something concrete to avoid forcing people into high-risk venues like CW?

 

My bet is they do the exact opposite, as they have done in the past.

[zhounan]

14 minutes ago, JTXR said:

It becomes clearer every day—with recent WHO and US CDC confirmation—that airborne (aerosol) transmission is an important, perhaps the primary means of COVID-19 transmission.  Spending a lot of time in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation is the very highest risk situation. 

 

Yes, this was clear one year ago. 

 

Unfortunately, however, governments and the media are making people believe that staying at home saves lives and that people who walk outside are criminals. 

[edwardandtubs]

23 minutes ago, JTXR said:

by far my greatest risk will be the several hours I will need to spend in CW to extend my permission to stay.

Could you not just get yourself a good quality n95 mask? If it seals to the face you won't be breathing in those aerosols.

[glegolo]

quite amusing to read here about american and maybe english opinion how to handle this Covid-19 situation in Thailand. Dont you know you guys that your own homecountries are disaster-zones and your opinion are just <deleted>opinions without any value at all...

 

glegolo

[JTXR]

36 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

Could you not just get yourself a good quality n95 mask? If it seals to the face you won't be breathing in those aerosols.

 

That's a great idea, sure, but the "N95" masks for sale in Thailand (including Shopee and Lazada) are invariably fake.  And Amazon won't ship them to a Thailand address. 

I'll go wearing the best mask I can find, of course, but that doesn't change the point that TI needs to do something to reduce the risks faced by those who need TI services.

[edwardandtubs]

4 minutes ago, JTXR said:

 

That's a great idea, sure, but the "N95" masks for sale in Thailand (including Shopee and Lazada) are invariably fake.  And Amazon won't ship them to a Thailand address. 

I'll go wearing the best mask I can find, of course, but that doesn't change the point that TI needs to do something to reduce the risks faced by those who need TI services.

If you're worried about fakes you can buy these from the 3M official store:

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.WL1HL

[Saltire]

It is also quite worrying that the discussion of vaccines for foreigners reports that a vaccine centre for foreigners will be set up in Bangkok initially with more venues later.

 

I sincerely hope this is not going to be another mandatory trek to Bangkok from the provinces and there will be at least one in each province. My only travel these days is to immigration offices as there is often no option with online 90 day down.

 

Ironic that to get a vaccine you may have to go to the deep red zone to get it.

 

[JTXR]

11 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

If you're worried about fakes you can buy these from the 3M official store:

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.WL1HL

Thanks, but those are KF94 masks, and like KN95 masks they are better than ordinary surgical masks but are not the same as N95.

 

Anyway, I hope this doesn't evolve into a discussion on masks.  Yes, people should wear the best masks they can find, and making an appointment may help reduce the time you need to spend in CW, but TI also has a responsibility to reduce the risks, not just to foreigners needing TI services, but also to TI staff working day in and day out in crowded, poorly ventilated conditions.

Edited May 8, 2021 by JTXR

[fondue zoo]

We were there last week and the 7/11 on the ground floor had closed for a "deep" cleaning. They told us it was because allegedly a worker from the large eatery down past the store had tested positive. Nothing mentioned in the news about it so maybe it turned out to be something else.

[edwardandtubs]

41 minutes ago, JTXR said:

Thanks, but those are KF94 masks, and like KN95 masks they are better than ordinary surgical masks but are not the same as N95.

 

Anyway, I hope this doesn't evolve into a discussion on masks.  Yes, people should wear the best masks they can find, and making an appointment may help reduce the time you need to spend in CW, but TI also has a responsibility to reduce the risks, not just to foreigners needing TI services, but also to TI staff working day in and day out in crowded, poorly ventilated conditions.

The difference is very minor:

 

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/difference-between-n95-and-kf94-masks/

 

And there are genuine 3M 9105 masks on Lazada from independent sellers. I bought a box and had it confirmed by 3M as genuine.

 

The point is you can't expect other people to bend over backwards to keep you 100% safe and healthy when it's easy enough to protect yourself.

Edited May 8, 2021 by edwardandtubs

[richard_smith237]

Given that ‘most things’ have closed and Thailand is under Emergency Decree and there is growing concern regarding the outbreak of Variant B.1.617, keeping ‘anything' open at immigration is completely unnecessary. 

 

The very very simple solution is to provide an Amnesty of 6 months.

 

IF immigration are so paranoid they could have easily provide an ‘online system of registering’ for an online Amnesty. However, given that pretty much anything ‘government related and digital’ doesn’t work very well (not just Thailand), the the simplest solution remains.... Give a 6 month amnesty. 

 

 

CW and any other office of high footfall is a high risk venue - close them and provide an alternative. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, glegolo said:

quite amusing to read here about american and maybe english opinion how to handle this Covid-19 situation in Thailand. Dont you know you guys that your own homecountries are disaster-zones and your opinion are just <deleted>opinions without any value at all...

 

glegolo

 

Why would someones opinion be void just because of their nationality ???? 

 

Is nationality is your only means of evaluating whether someone has a valid point or criticism or not ?

 

I would argue that the voicing of an intelligent point is the deciding factor on whether or not that person has a valid point worthy of discussion or debate. Contrary to that I would argue that the voicing of a stupid point serves well to identify a lack of credibility when voicing further points on the issue.

 

I am British, I believe the UK government has done extremely well in securing acquisition of vaccines and ensuring that the British population is vaccinated as quickly as possible. Contrary to this, I also believe the British Government acted slowly and very poorly to the initial outbreak, indecision had devastating consequences. 

 

Both criticism and compliment. Should my nationality void my opinion on how Thailand has dealt with and continues too deal with the Covid-19 outbreak and vaccination program in Thailand ???

 

 

 

 

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, JTXR said:

So why has TI in Bangkok recently moved some functions from MTT  back to CW? 

They're idiots.

 

[fondue zoo]

Are the number of covid cases the same or more/less than when the visa amnesty was first announced?

[glegolo]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Why would someones opinion be void just because of their nationality ???? 

 

Is nationality is your only means of evaluating whether someone has a valid point or criticism or not ?

 

I would argue that the voicing of an intelligent point is the deciding factor on whether or not that person has a valid point worthy of discussion or debate. Contrary to that I would argue that the voicing of a stupid point serves well to identify a lack of credibility when voicing further points on the issue.

 

I am British, I believe the UK government has done extremely well in securing acquisition of vaccines and ensuring that the British population is vaccinated as quickly as possible. Contrary to this, I also believe the British Government acted slowly and very poorly to the initial outbreak, indecision had devastating consequences. 

 

Both criticism and compliment. Should my nationality void my opinion on how Thailand has dealt with and continues too deal with the Covid-19 outbreak and vaccination program in Thailand ???

 

 

 

 

I just dont think that an "apprentice" should voice their opinions to successful leaders. It seems stupid and it is stupid, no matter what country you come from. But you happens to come from disaster-countries and seems rather strange to here these guys sitting on their high horses....

 

That is how I feel about it...

 

glegolo

[Joinaman]

I'm guessing the poster never goes shopping at the markets, Makro, or 7_11 for fear of dying from this "deadly" virus 

 

[edwardandtubs]

1 hour ago, glegolo said:

I just dont think that an "apprentice" should voice their opinions to successful leaders. It seems stupid and it is stupid, no matter what country you come from. But you happens to come from disaster-countries and seems rather strange to here these guys sitting on their high horses....

 

That is how I feel about it...

 

glegolo

So we should all lick the boots of our dear leaders?

[cormanr7]

By making an on-line appointment, you can  significantly reduce the time you are at CW.

[Ventenio]

3 hours ago, glegolo said:

But you happens to come from disaster-countries

 

He might happen to come from there; HOWEVER, which countries created the vaccine?  Which countries have enough money to support the WORLD in case of a disaster.  Which countries help other countries?  Which countries have the SMARTEST people in the world?

 

Which countries are ending covid while others are just beginning?  Which countries have the POWER to enact real change?   Which countries lead the world?

 

that's just how I feel......

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, Joinaman said:

I'm guessing the poster never goes shopping at the markets, Makro, or 7_11 for fear of dying from this "deadly" virus 

 

And surely not using public transport to get to CW ????

Again and again you see pictures of cramped buses in Bangkok.

At the same time you must not walk or swim on the beach in Pattaya.

Absurdity at the max.