Thailand officially drops mask mandate in late night Royal Gazette order

[brewsterbudgen]

Just come back from Pattaya, and good to see most people mask-less outside and we certainly weren't the only ones mask-less in Central Festival and RGP.

[manolothai]

Immigration. Mask mandatory. 

Airport. Mask mandatory. 

Most taxi drivers require you to wear mask or do not accept you on the car. 

Starbuck today. They requested me to wear mask while on the till. 

Cafe Amazon there is a notice that explain that mask is still mandatory on the shop.

Sizzler. Mask mandatory. 

Looks like that untill they don't make a more clear statement with exactly explanation on where it is mandatory and where not, 70% of places will require mask as before. 

[rabang]

6 hours ago, manolothai said:

Immigration. Mask mandatory. 

Airport. Mask mandatory. 

Most taxi drivers require you to wear mask or do not accept you on the car. 

Starbuck today. They requested me to wear mask while on the till. 

Cafe Amazon there is a notice that explain that mask is still mandatory on the shop.

Sizzler. Mask mandatory. 

Looks like that untill they don't make a more clear statement with exactly explanation on where it is mandatory and where not, 70% of places will require mask as before. 

I appreciate these reports as they reveal the reality on the ground. Just because the use has been made voluntary in public places doesn't mean that much if the masks remain mandatory in most situations such as:

-Supermarkets and shopping centers, mask up

-Public transit, mask up

-Restaurants, mask up

Etc.

 

I hope a few more months is enough to change the situation before next high season but if not I might have to consider other options again. This for me is a bit of a make or break issue. I am certainly not holding my breath waiting for it to happen though (no pun intended).

Edited June 28, 2022 by rabang

[jacko45k]

On 6/28/2022 at 9:45 AM, spidermike007 said:

 

You are living in the past. You have no idea whey these people wear their masks. It may be to keep their faces cleaner.

Not sure also why it is your business or concern, why even let it bother you? Go complain about kids wearing their pants down round their lower hips or the silly braces on teeth habit. 

The mandate has gone, now it is about personal choice...... do you oppose that?

[brewsterbudgen]

5 hours ago, rabang said:

I appreciate these reports as they reveal the reality on the ground. Just because the use has been made voluntary in public places doesn't mean that much if the masks remain mandatory in most situations such as:

-Supermarkets and shopping centers, mask up

-Public transit, mask up

-Restaurants, mask up

Etc.

 

I hope a few more months is enough to change the situation before next high season but if not I might have to consider other options again. This for me is a bit of a make or break issue. I am certainly not holding my breath waiting for it to happen though (no pun intended).

It seems to be down to the individual business.  Here in Rayong, it doesn't seem mandatory to wear a mask in shopping malls and supermarkets.  My wife and I shopped mask-less two days ago, and yesterday in Pattaya, there was no requirement to wear a mask at the till in Starbucks or in the malls.

 

I guess for the foreseeable future us non-mask wearers will have to carry one in our back pocket just in case!

Edited June 29, 2022 by brewsterbudgen

[manolothai]

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

It seems to be down to the individual business.  Here in Rayong, it doesn't seem mandatory to wear a mask in shopping malls and supermarkets.  My wife and I shopped mask-less two days ago, and yesterday in Pattaya, there was no requirement to wear a mask at the till in Starbucks or in the malls.

 

I guess for the foreseeable future us non-mask wearers will have to carry one in our back pocket just in case!

Starbuck Pattaya. Yesterday. Me and my wife without mask. They rejected us.  They said: the company require mask. 

 

Other places I mentioned (except taxis and airport) are all in Pattaya.

 

Even at small Tesco lotus Monday they required mask. Will try again today. 

 

Now the only shop where for sure they do not ask to wear mask is 7. I have personal experiences and a lot of feedback from others, about 7. 

Edited June 29, 2022 by manolothai

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

You are living in the past. You have no idea whey these people wear their masks. It may be to keep their faces cleaner.

Not sure also why it is your business or concern, why even let it bother you? Go complain about kids wearing their pants down round their lower hips or the silly braces on teeth habit. 

The mandate has gone, now it is about personal choice...... do you oppose that?

My last reply on this topic. I never object to personal choice. But, when it is influenced by two years of indoctrination, and threats of large fines, and imprisonment, it is hardly free choice. Now that the mandates and threats are supposedly gone, let's see if the people are capable of making a decision based on free will. 

[brewsterbudgen]

34 minutes ago, manolothai said:

Starbuck Pattaya. Yesterday. Me and my wife without mask. They rejected us.  They said: the company require mask. 

 

Other places I mentioned (except taxis and airport) are all in Pattaya.

 

Even at small Tesco lotus Monday they required mask. Will try again today. 

 

Now the only shop where for sure they do not ask to wear mask is 7. I have personal experiences and a lot of feedback from others, about 7. 

Interesting.  Yesterday I was in the Starbucks at The Avenue and they seemed cool with me being sans mask.  Maybe individual branches can make their own policies.

[manolothai]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Interesting.  Yesterday I was in the Starbucks at The Avenue and they seemed cool with me being sans mask.  Maybe individual branches can make their own policies.

I was at little walk. 

 

I forgot to mention another shop. 

 

Mr DIY on soi Siam Pattaya yesterday. They requested to me and my wife to wear mask speaking in Thai language. My wife did it.

 

I didn't and I carried on with my shopping without caring of them as if I didn't understand their request. 

 

They didn't complain further, maybe they did not want to argue with a farang in English. 

 

Anyway staying on their policy I should have to wear it. 

Edited June 29, 2022 by manolothai

[ThailandRyan]

21 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Just come back from Pattaya, and good to see most people mask-less outside and we certainly weren't the only ones mask-less in Central Festival and RGP.

What majority of those were foreigners is the bigger question.  In Bangkok I would say its a 90/10 percentage of wearers to non wearers.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

My last reply on this topic. I never object to personal choice. But, when it is influenced by two years of indoctrination, and threats of large fines, and imprisonment, it is hardly free choice. Now that the mandates and threats are supposedly gone, let's see if the people are capable of making a decision based on free will. 

The people have made their decision based on free will.  Just because it doesn't agree with yours it doesn't mean they haven't made it.  They have clearly decided, in the majority, to continue with masks for now.  No-one is holding a gun to their head.

Why can't anti maskers just accept some people disagree with them?  

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

The people have made their decision based on free will.  Just because it doesn't agree with yours it doesn't mean they haven't made it.  They have clearly decided, in the majority, to continue with masks for now.  No-one is holding a gun to their head.

Why can't anti maskers just accept some people disagree with them?  

Talk about the blind use of labels. I am not an anti masker. I have no issue wearing a mask indoors, if required. 

 

Do you support the use of a mask on a motorbike? Do you have any science to back it up? Or, is it more of a go with the flow, and do it because the authorities said so, sort of thing? 

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Wow. Talk about the blind use of labels. I am not an anti masker. I have no issue wearing a mask indoors, if required. 

 

Do you support the use of a mask on a motorbike? Do you have any science to back it up? Or, is it more of a go with the flow, and do it because the authorities said so, sort of thing? 

I wear a mask when riding here in BKK and always have, due to the PM 2.5 and black soot.  When I rode a Bike for a living back in the US, I wore a mask as well, of course it was not a medical type of mask but a cloth mask, My face at the end of the day where there was no mask or glasses worn, was always sooty.  Same here.

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Talk about the blind use of labels. I am not an anti masker. I have no issue wearing a mask indoors, if required. 

 

Do you support the use of a mask on a motorbike? Do you have any science to back it up? Or, is it more of a go with the flow, and do it because the authorities said so, sort of thing? 

Nope.  I recently spent two weeks in the UK and enjoyed not wearing a mask.  Then I spent a week in Singapore where there is no mask mandate but most people wear them so I did the same.

Not sure where motorbikes come in to this.  My comment was simply that it is ridiculous to say the Thai people haven't made a choice when they clearly have......and it's just different to yours.

 

Personally I use my own judgement and consideration to others when I choose to wear or not to wear.  If the populace feels more comfortable wearing them then I will do the same when I am around or amongst them.  Once they don't feel the need I'll happily remove mine too.

And FWIW I think wearing a mask on a bike is pointless but maybe it helps not to get bugs in your mouth, I have no idea as I don't ride a motorbike.  Maybe it is easier to keep it on rather than try to put it on and take it off every time you make a delivery or go in a shop - I have no idea, but why should it bother me?  (And really not sure why you are asking me about motorbikes).
 

[spidermike007]

8 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I wear a mask when riding here in BKK and always have, due to the PM 2.5 and black soot.  When I rode a Bike for a living back in the US, I wore a mask as well, of course it was not a medical type of mask but a cloth mask, My face at the end of the day where there was no mask or glasses worn, was always sooty.  Same here.

Wearing a mask due to bad air and pollution is a common sense health choice. The other reason for using one on a bike is not. 

[EricTh]

They keep on changing the rules that not many Thai people know about this.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

27 minutes ago, EricTh said:

They keep on changing the rules that not many Thai people know about this.

 

 

Almost all the Thais I know are aware, they choose to keep wearing them....

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

They keep on changing the rules that not many Thai people know about this.

 

 

What rules have they changed other than a gradual easing of restrictions?  Would you prefer them not to ease restrictions so people don't get confused?

And I don't know any Thai who doesn't know about this.

[brewsterbudgen]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

What majority of those were foreigners is the bigger question.  In Bangkok I would say its a 90/10 percentage of wearers to non wearers.

Yes, mostly foreigners.  I think Thais like wearing them!

[redwood1]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Almost all the Thais I know are aware, they choose to keep wearing them....

Mark my words there will be some Thais that will be wearing masks for the rest of their life....They are now trained where they just don't feel right without the masks out in public...

Edited June 29, 2022 by redwood1

[Bkk Brian]

18 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Mark my words there will be some Thais that will be wearing masks for the rest of their life....They are now trained where they just don't feel right without the masks out in public...

Why does that concern you? I just returned from Central Phuket, shopping. 99% of Thai's and at least 95% of foriegners wearing them inside the complex. Up to them

[Bert got kinky]

4 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Why does that concern you? I just returned from Central Phuket, shopping. 99% of Thai's and at least 95% of foriegners wearing them inside the complex. Up to them

 

Read back on his earlier posts on this thread and you will understand.

He is obsessed with the mask issue.

He has constantly gotten angry at other mask wearers and has tried to belittle anyone who plans to continue wearing masks.

 

Who knew that someone would get so offended by a piece of cloth, even when you don't have to wear one yourself?

 

 

[Bert got kinky]

38 minutes ago, Kevin Taylor said:

 

 

For me and a large percentage of people we will simply shop elsewhere.

 

I'm sure that you have them quaking in their boots. ???? 

  

[ThailandRyan]

7 minutes ago, Kevin Taylor said:

Two and a half years of brain washing I suppose. If you wear it because you like them that's fine if you where them to stop the spread of covid you are deluded. Interesting that some businesses are still insisting on customer's wearing masks. For me and a large percentage of people we will simply shop elsewhere. Doesn't seem like very good business on their part.

Please stop your rhetoric and the nomenclature you folks are using, no one is brainwashed.

[transam]

37 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Mark my words there will be some Thais that will be wearing masks for the rest of their life....They are now trained where they just don't feel right without the masks out in public...

Yes, I have marked your words................????

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

How long will you continue to beat your drum in your continued diatribe and name calling, please stop.  Your choice is your choice, others make their choices, they are not lemmings, no one's following anyone.

Forever, if need be. And it does appear people here will be wearing masks long after covid is gone. And not for pollution. It has become some sort of talisman.

 

Honesty is about calling it as we see it. Mask wearing outdoors is obviously a pet peeve of mine. If my calling them out offends you, tune it out. 

Edited June 29, 2022 by spidermike007

[redwood1]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Forever, if need be. And it does appear people here will be wearing masks long after covid is gone. And not for pollution. It has become some sort of talisman.

 

Honesty is about calling it as we see it. Mask wearing outdoors is obviously a pet peeve of mine. If my calling them out offends you, tune it out. 

Well when you call out the public it indirectly implies posters here and they find that uncomfortable....

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Forever, if need be. And it does appear people here will be wearing masks long after covid is gone. And not for pollution. It has become some sort of talisman.

 

Honesty is about calling it as we see it. Mask wearing outdoors is obviously a pet peeve of mine. If my calling them out offends you, tune it out. 

You can call them out all you want but using derogatory terms is quite unacceptable and I think your aware of that.

[VBF]

2 hours ago, Bert got kinky said:

 

For me and a large percentage of people we will simply shop elsewhere.

 

I'm sure that you have them quaking in their boots. ???? 

  

You reply in jest, but when businesses realise that they're losing customers, I believe that they'll change their policies and make mask wearing optional as per the law.

I hope that by the end of the year when I plan to return to Thailand, that has become the case, so I can "simply shop elsewhere" if needs be.

 

Merely for the record I don't believe in compulsory masks but have NO problem with those who want or feel the need to wear them.

There are even a few here in UK still wearing them but very much in the minority - for all I know they have other health issues.

[emeraldruby]

It should be voluntary but shops, hospitals, malls, cinemas etc should be allowed to require  them.  When I lived in Japan decades ago masks were common and China even before  covid.