2021: The year Thailand walked a COVID tightrope of hope and horror

[webfact]

A volunteer from the Bangkok Community Help Foundation administering a rapid antigen test, which screens for the Covid-19 coronavirus, to a resident of the Khlong Toei community in Bangkok. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP)

 

To the disappointment of all Thais, 2021 has been another year of COVID-19 outbreaks. Despite an accelerating mass vaccination drive across the country, the end of the pandemic is not in sight yet.

 

The first day of 2021 brought 194 new COVID-19 infections in Thailand – high enough to scare people back then. Thais started the year complaining loudly about the impact of lockdowns, an ongoing ban on international visitors, and the lack of vaccines.

 

However, worse was to come. The COVID-19 crisis deepened through the first nine months of 2021, hardship for millions.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/2021-the-year-thailand-walked-a-covid-tightrope-of-hope-and-horror/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-12-30

 

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[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

However, worse was to come. The COVID-19 crisis deepened through the first nine months of 2021, hardship for millions.

Hope and Despair not horror.  Folks, and many of them, have lost their jobs, their livelihood, their businesses, and yet the upper crust see it as just a blip on the radar.   If this Government had not allowed the free travel back when it did the cases may have not been so bad, yet one never knows as the testing here was and still is abysmal.  The most recent indication is that the Government has stopped reporting those tested using the ATK methods.

[spidermike007]

I know, I know, I know. I should have reacted when the outbreak happened back in December, and done the right thing by shutting down that area in Samut. 

 

It is not the lockdowns which are not working. It is Prayuth and Anutin who are not working. Tighter restrictions on businesses are the last thing in the world the Thai people need.

 

What about the road blacks that were promised? 88 of them, if I remember the top cop creep bragging. If anything or anyplace should have been locked down, it should have been all highways and roads leading OUT of Bangkok. DUH! You don't impose all these sadistic restrictions on the common man, and then avoid taking the simplest and most sensible precautions. 

 

I know I should have closed the canning plants, and I know I shouldn't have warned the construction workers that I would be closing the sites a week in advance, allowing them to travel everywhere around the nation, and contributing dramatically to the 3rd wave. Wow. What a stupid thing I did. 

 

Lockdowns work, if they are done correctly. A Prayuth/Anutin style lockdown never has worked.

 

You know what that is called? Dumb, reckless, callous, and failed policy. 

 

Prayuth should resign today. I know. I should have taken the vaccine thing more seriously. I know, I should have had a more qualified health minister. I know, my pathological fear of the optics of a lockdown are causing many more cases than need be. And I know, I should have been more diligent with the borders, I should have cracked down on corrupt immigration officials, and kept my promise to fight corruption, and I should have used my army soldiers for something. Anything. I forget there are 550,000 of them. They would have been perfect for controlling the border. And they would have actually been doing something to benefit the people and they would have been protecting the nation, for a change. I also forget that is why we have soldiers. How very dumb of me. It appears I am nowhere near as smart as I think I am. I do realize I should have and could have done better.

 

 

Do you want me to resign now? I know that is what you are thinking. I probably should. It sure would be the right thing to do, but since I rarely ever do the right thing, I wouldn't even know how do make that happen. Just call me a failure. I know it is true. 

 

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Hope and Despair not horror.  Folks, and many of them, have lost their jobs, their livelihood, their businesses, and yet the upper crust see it as just a blip on the radar.   If this Government had not allowed the free travel back when it did the cases may have not been so bad, yet one never knows as the testing here was and still is abysmal.  The most recent indication is that the Government has stopped reporting those tested using the ATK methods.

The Government allowed unfettered travel for all over the Songkran Holiday, and look what a mess that all became.

And now !

They allow he same for the new year Holiday, when folk from all over travel to their Families .

The insanity is beyond belief.

For sure the CCSA and MOPH are hedging their bets that Omicron will not really take off, and that folk will not need Hospitals.

By sheer numbers that will not be the case, so they better cancel the Army leave over New Year and get those Field Hospitals re erected.