PM orders a re-evaluation of the balance between public health and economy as Omicron fears ease

[shdmn]

16 hours ago, Blumpie said:

I was only worried about long term effects of Delta.  

Omicron is nothing more than a bloody joke.  Hospitalizations are not going up at all because of omicron unless you're an unvacced um, person.  

I was a little worried before being vaxxed. A couple weeks after my first jab and given my health I knew I didn't have much to worry about.  I've had 3 jabs now and my only worry is wondering when I can travel again without too much hassle.   

 

I think the world HUGELY overreacted to Omicron and I worry they will do it again with the next major variant that comes along.  Bureaucrats seem to have gotten used to the idea of adding restrictions to our everyday lives and I think it's time people started to pushing back hard against that! 

Edited January 17, 2022 by shdmn

[ozimoron]

28 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

It's all very odd! In Europe lockdowns are getting stricter. There are massive, unreported riots. Greece, Holland, France Ireland are treating Omicron as seriously as other covid. Only the UK is opening up but that is possibly  as political  distraction for BJs 'partygate' problems.

Coincidentally there are massive reported riots as well. They are in the mainstream news publications.

 

https://apnews.com/article/europe-protests-virus-restrictions-netherlands-austria-italy-bea60fffc55590d0b956752274ddfb88

 

https://www.newsweek.com/netherlands-europe-mandatory-vaccine-coronavirus-protest-riot-1651762

Edited January 17, 2022 by ozimoron

[Capella]

14 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

What does that mean?

What it says.

[CartagenaWarlock]

Hopefully, this 300 baht surcharge will replace all those ridiculous covid-insurance in the next Test and Go program. Planning to visit Thailand in June/July time frame.  

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed.

 

[Danderman123]

1 hour ago, Capella said:

What it says.

So, you are saying that Omicron is endemic, like Ebola?

 

 

[spidermike007]

Great Tom yum can be sublime. I have found that it is all about the quality of the chili paste, among other factors. This seems to be the best chili paste around, and it is fairly easy to find in the supermarkets. Do not even consider any others. None are of this quality, and it is nearly impossible to make a truly great Tom yum without it. 

 

 

[spidermike007]

This is about time. The extent to which they shut down the economy raises alot of questions. Utter sabotage. Utter stupidity.

[RandiRona]

On 1/16/2022 at 6:09 PM, freedomnow said:

Does it not take 10 days to show covid from inside Thailand..?...only asking...good to know.

Its gets slow and confused as most things in Thailand would get.

[ozimoron]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

This is about time. The extent to which they shut down the economy raises alot of questions. Utter sabotage. Utter stupidity.

For a long time there were no vaccines and Thailand was one of the safest countries in the world because of strict policies curtailing the virus. Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and New Zealand are similar examples of strict controls successfully buying time until vaccines became readily available. Unfortunately, many countries heed the populist call and opened up too early believing that omicron would quickly displace delta and would not overwhelm hospitals. Neither has proved to be true.

 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

For a long time there were no vaccines and Thailand was one of the safest countries in the world because of strict policies curtailing the virus. Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and New Zealand are similar examples of strict controls successfully buying time until vaccines became readily available. Unfortunately, many countries heed the populist call and opened up too early believing that omicron would quickly displace delta and would not overwhelm hospitals. Neither has proved to be true.

 

No virus is worth the sabotage of a vital industry, and the decimation of the economy, leading to suicides, spiraling homelessness, and massive unemployment for years to come. Mexico never did one economic shutdown. They did have alot of deaths, but mostly older folks, and the economy is booming now.

[huangnon]

22 hours ago, worrab said:

This year I am taking the plunge and going to UK in July to visit family and friends. Last time was in 2019!! Regarding coming back here, what will be, will be. I hope Thailand has then come to live with it and remove all restrictions. I suspect a test of some description will be required when arriving and that is all. And get rid of the scam called Covid Insurance!!

Ditto, here. Making the trip in April. Hopefully a groundswell of common sense is now finally appearing at both sides of the trip.

[ozimoron]

55 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

More nonsense and rewrting of history.

Vaccines where readily available, it's just that Thailand decided not to be proactive and preorder any. Declined an offer from India for AZ and didn't join Covax.

Thailand was going to get a BOGOF deal when vaccines got cheap. 

And therefore were not available to the population. The same thing happened in Australia where only one vaccine was ordered which then proved to be unsuitable for the majority.

 

Until the vaccines did become available Thailand did well by locking down. As opposed to the UK and USA where the govt were virus skeptics. These days is a different picture but what is appropriate these days was not always the case. Nowadays we have vaccines and a milder dominant variant. That wasn't the case in the earlier days which is when my post was about. Those countries which did lock down fared much better earlier on when the dominant variant was not as contagious as now.

[Capella]

3 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, you are saying that Omicron is endemic, like Ebola?

 

 

I'm saying that Omicron is endemic (from the Greek endēmos, which means 'in population'), regardless of any increasingly futile attempts by the government to prevent it from being so. Omicron is circulating freely among the population, is more benign than preceding strains, and we have no choice other than to live with it. 

[Saanim]

21 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes, absolutely. They could not have screwed up the highly selective economic shutdowns, the vaccine drive, the savage destruction of tourism, the assistance program, nor the inconsistent approach to the reopening, if they deliberately tried. 

 

So, any defense of these goons is for naught. Though I am sure they appreciate your support. Count yourself amongst the 2%, who are still in their camp. 

Please enlighten me how they screwed up? The businesses I am seeing around me, the factories, the department stores  (OK, just the fever checking and the masks) and other markets, I do not see any "screwing up", do you?

 

All is running as before unless certain slow down when the employees go for their jabs and staying home for 1 - 2 days, complaining on some pain. 

 

Wondering how the govt with its PM have influenced this business life I am seeing. However, there is another I do not see, do you?

 

  

  

[LivingNThailand]

On 1/17/2022 at 6:54 AM, hotchilli said:

Maybe Prayut should concentrate on industry & manufacturing instead of touting the wealthy few who wish to travel?

When I first starting coming here as a tourist Tourism was an afterthought.  Like hi there stranger, welcome and here is a bed to sleep and some food to eat.  It was nice.  Thai people made there money other ways.  The government has had almost 2 years to come up with a realistic plan to move the economy forward, but they actually think that tourism will save the day in the short term.  Unfortunately people are going to suffer for a while because of this short-sighted approach.  Here in Phuket there used to be many industries.  Rubber, Pearl, Cashew, Tin.   That's all gone and all that is left is empty hotels and boarded up restaurants, for the most part that is. Other industries are needed for the people to make money.  I mentioned this to a lady in an empty restaurant in Rawai the other day and she just stared at me like I had lost my mind. Meanwhile she was complaining that there were no tourists for her restaurant.

 

There is life after tourism, it's just an easy way for the government to make money off the back of the people without investing their money.  Very sad.

 

OK, I'll get off my soap box now.  ???? 

[wensiensheng]

So weird that test and go is dropped one week and the very next week they talk of it being reinstated. I mean, what new news has there been on the covid front in the last week? Literally nothing that is a game changer. And similarly there was no new news the week before that. And yet the Thai government saw fit to firstly pause a vital entry scheme for the tourism industry, and then talk of it being reinstated again.

 

at the same time, there are please for people to follow the public health covid guidelines and at the same time Ministry of health officials say they will likely stop even counting cases in a few months because the pandemic will be over and the endemic started.

 

coherent strategy? Me thinks not.

[wensiensheng]

5 hours ago, Danderman123 said:

So, you are saying that Omicron is endemic, like Ebola?

 

 

Can Ebola be endemic? I think the fatality rate is too high for that.

[Oracle2022]

Classic Thailand........

 

Everyone must have mandatory insurance to enter Thailand.

 

Thailand charges 300 baht for medical insurance - when they will never pay out as everyone entering must have mandatory insurance.....

 

Nice little earner........buy some tanks and submarines ??

[billd766]

On 1/17/2022 at 11:16 AM, roquefort said:

Like just about every other government in the world then.

 

Why single him out? Do you really think another bozo in power would have done anything different?

Can you please tell me what the thread is all about as I thought that it was all about this?

 

PM orders a re-evaluation of the balance between public health and economy as Omicron fears ease

[Twin Peaks]

I see an article in the BP stating Anutin wants T&G back on February 1st if approved.

 

So they actually killed T&G off for six weeks. What did this accomplish except mass confusion and stress.

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, Twin Peaks said:

I see an article in the BP stating Anutin wants T&G back on February 1st if approved.

 

So they actually killed T&G off for six weeks. What did this accomplish except mass confusion and stress.

Less virus transmission? That was the aim. I'm hoping they do bring it back together with self isolation for vaccinated people. I'll be on the first plane back there if they do.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, LivingNThailand said:

When I first starting coming here as a tourist Tourism was an afterthought.  Like hi there stranger, welcome and here is a bed to sleep and some food to eat.  It was nice.  Thai people made there money other ways.  The government has had almost 2 years to come up with a realistic plan to move the economy forward, but they actually think that tourism will save the day in the short term.  Unfortunately people are going to suffer for a while because of this short-sighted approach.  Here in Phuket there used to be many industries.  Rubber, Pearl, Cashew, Tin.   That's all gone and all that is left is empty hotels and boarded up restaurants, for the most part that is. Other industries are needed for the people to make money.  I mentioned this to a lady in an empty restaurant in Rawai the other day and she just stared at me like I had lost my mind. Meanwhile she was complaining that there were no tourists for her restaurant.

 

There is life after tourism, it's just an easy way for the government to make money off the back of the people without investing their money.  Very sad.

 

OK, I'll get off my soap box now.  ???? 

Stay on your soap box, you're one of a few who speak the truth.

Some people need to hear it.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Saanim said:

Please enlighten me how they screwed up? The businesses I am seeing around me, the factories, the department stores  (OK, just the fever checking and the masks) and other markets, I do not see any "screwing up", do you?

 

All is running as before unless certain slow down when the employees go for their jabs and staying home for 1 - 2 days, complaining on some pain. 

 

Wondering how the govt with its PM have influenced this business life I am seeing. However, there is another I do not see, do you?

 

  

  

Yes. I see thousands of businesses in Bangkok, Pattaya, CM, Phuket, Samui and Hua Hin, that are bankrupt. I see thousands of hotels that have closed, or never re-opened. I know people in real estate, who tell me you cannot sell or rent a condo to save your life right now. I hear millions are out of work. I see exploding homelessness. 

 

May I kindly ask what planet you are living on? Do you actually live in Thailand?

[MajorTom]

8 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. I see thousands of businesses in Bangkok, Pattaya, CM, Phuket, Samui and Hua Hin, that are bankrupt. I see thousands of hotels that have closed, or never re-opened. I know people in real estate, who tell me you cannot sell or rent a condo to save your life right now. I hear millions are out of work. I see exploding homelessness. 

 

May I kindly ask what planet you are living on? Do you actually live in Thailand?

I was just in Hat Yai, which is what 3rd or 4th largest city in Thailand? It looked like Chernobyl. Far worse than Phuket or BKK. I would estimate 90% of all business are closed, and its not only bars and restaurants. It was actually hard to find an open pharmacy or 7-11 walking around the central part. Total devastation.

I used to stay in Centara on previous visits, a 250 room hotel. It was now boarded up and abandoned.

[AnotherFarang8]

Unfortunately majority of the population are passive spineless lemmings and are not going to push back. Hence the beatings will continue. Governments are desperately looking for new ways to justify their existence in light of the automated jobs era, so they are and will be introducing new ridiculous laws, restrictions that someone has to enforce, to prevent layoff of bureaucrats. Get ready for new attempts to squeeze you more. These parasites will not stop because lemmings are too easy a prey.

[spidermike007]

58 minutes ago, MajorTom said:

I was just in Hat Yai, which is what 3rd or 4th largest city in Thailand? It looked like Chernobyl. Far worse than Phuket or BKK. I would estimate 90% of all business are closed, and its not only bars and restaurants. It was actually hard to find an open pharmacy or 7-11 walking around the central part. Total devastation.

I used to stay in Centara on previous visits, a 250 room hotel. It was now boarded up and abandoned.

Exactly. The devastation is nationwide and immense. Millions may remain out of work for many years to come. Congrats Prayuth. You have brought destruction and unhappiness to your people. So, while your official title may be PM, it should be SIC (sabateur in chief). 

Edited January 18, 2022 by spidermike007

[Danderman123]

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Can Ebola be endemic? I think the fatality rate is too high for that.

You are making my point for me.

 

Most people think “endemic” = “small number of cases”.

[Saanim]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Yes. I see thousands of businesses in Bangkok, Pattaya, CM, Phuket, Samui and Hua Hin, that are bankrupt. I see thousands of hotels that have closed, or never re-opened. I know people in real estate, who tell me you cannot sell or rent a condo to save your life right now. I hear millions are out of work. I see exploding homelessness. 

 

May I kindly ask what planet you are living on? Do you actually live in Thailand?

Apparently, I live in other Thailand, other than it is in Bangkok, Pattaya, CM, Phuket, Samui and Hua Hin where I do not see "thousands of closed hotels" (in fact I am seeing new hotel constructions).

 

And I do not hear "millions out of work", just looking for some workers, however in vain...    

[spidermike007]

34 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Apparently, I live in other Thailand, other than it is in Bangkok, Pattaya, CM, Phuket, Samui and Hua Hin where I do not see "thousands of closed hotels" (in fact I am seeing new hotel constructions).

 

And I do not hear "millions out of work", just looking for some workers, however in vain...    

Denial of reality in the face of mounting evidence is a sad thing to witness. 

 

Thailand's unemployment rate hit a more than 16-year high in the third quarter of 2021, as tougher coronavirus restrictions hit economic activity and jobs, the state planning agency said on Monday.

 

Thailand's definition of unemployed is quite narrow, including only those who do not work a single hour in a surveyed week. It excludes owners of businesses or farms, while analysts note it does not catch the significant unofficial economy.

 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/asia/thai-q3-unemployment-16-yr-high-virus-curbs-squeeze-economy-2021-11-22/