The Great Thai Mask debate: Dr Taveesin asks the public in Thailand to continue to wear masks in enclosed spaces

[onthedarkside]

Several posts have been removed, for reasons including misinformation, flaming and off-topic bickering.

 

[Srikcir]

For months now I've observed Thais and foreign-looking people NOT wearing masks inside of eateries, especially in fast food places like McDonald's and KFC irrespective of social distancing. So what's the debate now?

[Rimmer]

Flame leading to bickering has been removed also replies

[ozimoron]

1 hour ago, transam said:

Wearing a helmet is the law, but if folk choose to not wear one, that's their choice, same as wearing a mask....????

It's the same old point that the right can't get. Not wearing a helmet doesn't kill anyone else. Not wearing a mask does. It's this lack of regard for other people's safety and well being which defines the right.

[George Aylesham]

4 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

Too much mask-debating going on here for my liking...

Doesn't seem much of a debate to me. The Thais wisely don't want to catch the new super infectious Covid/omicron mutations and they all seem to be wearing masks - at least up here in Chiang Mai.

[chilly07]

With Omicron B4 & 5 it would be incredibly foolish to NOT wear a mask at all times when outside your home. Thankfully Thais wear masks most of the time. Recently I had to remind several UK visitors to wear masks when fresh of the plane.

[chilly07]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

For months now I've observed Thais and foreign-looking people NOT wearing masks inside of eateries, especially in fast food places like McDonald's and KFC irrespective of social distancing. So what's the debate now?

How do they eat???

[Skallywag]

It is simple respect for others who may have comorbidities IMO.  The condo where I live has signs by all elevators asking to please respect others when inside and wear a mask. 

I would say 90% of foreigners Do NOT wear masks and 90% of Thais DO wear masks.  I cannot understand why the management company will not make it required.  Like shoes and shirts, masks can be required inside a private building

[Skallywag]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

For months now I've observed Thais and foreign-looking people NOT wearing masks inside of eateries, especially in fast food places like McDonald's and KFC irrespective of social distancing. So what's the debate now?

Well eating at those places is a death warrant anyways, so no big loss IMO. 

I still eat outdoors only and never at American fast food restaurant chain stores

[Reposed]

2 hours ago, Skallywag said:

It is simple respect for others who may have comorbidities IMO.  

 

someone else's comorbidities do not take precedence over my own health.

 

Surgeons change masks every 20-30 minutes, and, something no one I have ever met knows, supplemental oxygen is pumped into surgical suites because the surgeons are wearing masks. Not a lot of supplemental oxygen in Bangkok.

 

People who would never put Diet Coke in their gas tank, guzzle it and eat garbage I would not feed to my dog, but you want me to respect them?

 

Nope. Not my problem.

[CALSinCM]

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

"she’s remained uninfected by wearing high quality masks when warranted"

I've remained uninfected by - well - following the protocols that I'm told will guarantee my death.  
Both my wife and I have been around numerous people who have been fully masked and highly vaccinated (two shots and up to two boosters), and those around come down with Covid and we don't.  
Wife and I seldom wear masks except in places where you'll get the evil, stink-eye if not conforming (so Big C, Makro, Big Corp Stores).  We don't wear them out in the village. 
And we are "old" purebloods (both Puu Sung Ayuu - late 60s and early 70s).  We should be dead.  As least so I'm told.  
Funny.  We have been around fully masked and vaxxed friends and family who all have come down with Covid within one or two days of meeting up with us.  On a number of occasions.  All of our immediate masked and fully vaxxed family have had Covid.  It's a crappy flu.  Down for a few days and then back to work.
The only two that I know of who have not gotten Covid?
Myself and my wife.  

I'm sure someone out there will scream - "At you age you are going to die for sure."

I agree 100%  we will die.  Wife and I may have 10, 15 or 20 good years left - her more than me. Or maybe 10, 15, or 20 days.  And then we die.  And maybe its Covid.  My guess - probably not.  I'm more worried about getting killed on the Thai highways.  Especially some of the incredibly horrid driving I've seen today.  

I leave everyone else to express their own fears to the public.  
Me?  I'm afraid of Thai roads.  Wearing a mask ain't gonna solve that problem.  <laughs>

[Reposed]

5 hours ago, ozimoron said:

look up "stereotype."

Look up cultural norms....

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Skallywag said:

It is simple respect for others who may have comorbidities IMO.  The condo where I live has signs by all elevators asking to please respect others when inside and wear a mask. 

I would say 90% of foreigners Do NOT wear masks and 90% of Thais DO wear masks.  I cannot understand why the management company will not make it required.  Like shoes and shirts, masks can be required inside a private building

As we left our condo tonight there were new signs indicating masks must be worn inside the common Areas as well as the elevators. The front door and desk security pointed it out to a few foreigners who were entering maskless. The foreigners stepped back outside, put masks on and entered.  Still using the thermoscan face temp machine as well.  Looks like private places are going back to the way it was.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, Reposed said:

Denounce me all you like, someone else's comorbidities do not take precedence over my own health, and masks are unhealthy.

 

Surgeons change masks every 20-30 minutes, and, something no one I have ever met knows, supplemental oxygen is pumped into surgical suites because the surgeons are wearing masks. Not a lot of supplemental oxygen in Bangkok.

 

People who would never put Diet Coke in their gas tank, guzzle it and eat garbage I would not feed to my dog, but you want me to respect them?

 

Nope. Not my problem.

Your fighting an uphill battle here in Thailand. Do as you want, but from what I am starting to see around my part of Bangkok masks are going back on in many places.

[mancub]

3 hours ago, ozimoron said:

It's the same old point that the right can't get. Not wearing a helmet doesn't kill anyone else. Not wearing a mask does. It's this lack of regard for other people's safety and well being which defines the right.

If mask wearing is so effective, then not wearing one will only "kill" another non-compliant. ????

[unblocktheplanet]

8 hours ago, Reposed said:

Westerners tend to be more independent thinkers.

Yep, they demand their freedom to be stupid! Masks are our only defence. Wear 'em.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Yep, they demand their freedom to be stupid! Masks are our only defence. Wear 'em.

Here are the new signs I was talking about that went up today.

[rabang]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

Here are the new signs I was talking about that went up today.

 

 

Thanks for showing, not going back to Thailand anytime soon. I almost feel physically ill when looking at these scenes.

[Gaccha]

At my apartment, it has always tickled me that the only person to not wear a mask throughout 2021 was a surgeon working at Siriraj; I suppose he felt protected by his Sinovac vaccinations... 

 

As for me, when outside no mask and when in a crowded area such as in a 7/11, on the mask goes. Never caught COVID (that I know of). Three vaccinations. I spoke to a Thai colleague who always wears a mask and has caught it three times already. It's a game of chance but you can reduce the odds. 

 

These new ongoing variants are so ridiculously transmissible it is inevitable we'll catch them over the next 2 or 3 years. In fact, if we didn't catch them that would be ultimately dangerous for when the virus re-emerges in a dangerous form in 10 to 15 years. 

 

Anyway, I'm intrigued by the BTS and MRT. I'm pretty sure both have made it a by-law to require masks in trains and on stations, but in both the announcement in English simply recommends the passengers wear them. 

 

I'm satisfied with this new status quo. I'll be angry if they restart the outdoor mandate, as having to wear a mask when the next nearest person is over 500 metres away is plainly silly. Leave the thinking to me, not to consensus views of the public. 

[Tony125]

USA

L.A. County inches closer to mask mandate: 'We have a ton of transmission right now'

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/l-a-county-inches-closer-to-mask-mandate-we-have-a-ton-of-transmission-right-now/ar-AAZAMWT?cvid=ece5b637efbb4ac69b0b75b40780436b

[KhunLA]

Let's take the advice of the official US expert ... oh wait, he can't seem to make up his mind.

https://www.newsweek.com/fauci-said-masks-not-really-effective-keeping-out-virus-email-reveals-1596703

 

experts say wear & expects say, don't bother.  I think I'll just do what I want.

[RandiRona]

8 hours ago, vandeventer said:

I think I am the only one in my area that hasn't got covid maybe I should just take off my n95 and see if it's just the mask?

You are a lucky man. Go and buy a lottery !!

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, Reposed said:

Most Thais wear masks because they want to conform to whatever everyone else is doing, not because they are worried about covid.

 

They don't want to be the first to stand out in the crowd by taking them off, which also can be inferred by other Thais that the de-masker considers themselves special or superior.

 

Westerners tend to be more independent thinkers.

 

 

Most Thais I know wear masks and wear them for self protection, not because of what you say.

Westerners tend to be more confrontational about being told what to do.

[BangkokReady]

16 hours ago, Skallywag said:

Well eating at those places is a death warrant anyways, so no big loss IMO. 

I still eat outdoors only and never at American fast food restaurant chain stores

Since things have eased I eat in fast food restaurants and sit in a café.  I opt for places with high ceilings and what looks like good ventilation, with reasonable spaces between tables, and never crowded.  So far so good. 

 

The rest of the time the mask stays on.

[BangkokReady]

12 hours ago, Gaccha said:

I spoke to a Thai colleague who always wears a mask and has caught it three times already. It's a game of chance but you can reduce the odds.

I share an air conditioned workspace with many Thais.  Covid has hit the place a couple of times and multiple Thais have contracted it.  It's been the same group that are friends, sit closely and eat together that has had it both times.  I even sometimes have my mask off in the office.

 

I suspect from the above that it mainly passes when people are face to face talking to each other for long periods of time, probably with masks off while eating and drinking.  Regardless, the mask stays on most of the time.

[mania]

 

 

 

Quote

Dr Taveesin said that despite the earlier mask edict, face protections are still a good way to prevent infection of Covid and other lung diseases.

 

Consequently even at open air places like concerts, outdoor movie screenings and sporting events and where social distancing is hard then people should continue to wear masks. 

 

Meanwhile in the free world we were having a blast on Alpe D' Huez yesterday ..see all the masks? 555

 

[James105]

11 hours ago, Kinnock said:

A recent report in The Lancet said that in 51% of the cases of new variant Omicron investigated, the person responsible for spreading the infection had no symptoms at the time.

What is the link for that report and how were they able to ascertain that the person responsible for spreading it had no symptoms or infection?   

[CharlieH]

Reported post with unsupported claims removed along with responses.

[ozimoron]

12 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Let's take the advice of the official US expert ... oh wait, he can't seem to make up his mind.

https://www.newsweek.com/fauci-said-masks-not-really-effective-keeping-out-virus-email-reveals-1596703

 

experts say wear & expects say, don't bother.  I think I'll just do what I want.

Fauci wrote: "Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection

[transam]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

Fauci wrote: "Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection

And infected folk don't know they are infected for well over a week...