Thailand to scrap all emergency provisions as it seeks to boost a very fragile economic recovery

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm…. Wasnt this self evident at least 12 months ago. TIT

[Bangkok Barry]

Speaking with reporters, General Supot said the move to put the emergency behind the kingdom was being driven by the urgent need to deal with the economic challenges the country is facing.

 

As usual in Thailand, it's all about the money. That over-rides any lingering health concerns. Actually, they could have done this many months ago. I wonder how long it will be, if ever, before Thais stop wearing face masks. My guess is that many will continue to wear them until the day they die.

 

There are concerns about the trend in visitor numbers and patterns over the last few months within Thailand’s recovering foreign tourism industry with a lack of long-haul visitors.

 

Well, in case the government hasn't noticed, people living in those long-haul countries are suffering hugely from massively increased energy costs. In my native UK, they now face large mortgage increases as well. Some, many, families are having to somehow find perhaps 1000 pounds a month more to cover costs. The very last thing they want to do, with an uncertain future, is buy tickets to Thailand. Their priority is keeping warm this winter and being able to put food on the table. I'm very, very glad I'm not there.

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

New Zealand authorities on Monday said they had linked a 26-year-old man's death to Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N) COVID-19 vaccine after the person suffered myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart muscle, after taking his first dose.

The death is New Zealand's second linked to a known but rare side effect from the vaccine after health authorities in August reported a woman had died after taking her doses.

Two deaths, which is tragic. How many took the vaccine without dying? Give both sides of the story, not just one.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Both..... also include 'as a consideration for the sentiments of others around, who wear masks.'

My wife this week attended a seminar, where everyone wore masks even though seated with much space between them - for the reason you describe. Then they all posed for photos. close-up, without masks, as everyone knows you can't catch Covid while in front  of a camera. Just another example of the total lack of common sense that is so common here.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

3 hours ago, TooMuchTime said:

Less symptoms than a cold doesn't seem too serious.

Tell that to the 200K+ grieving families in the UK.

I know and you know that the overwhelming number of those deaths took place in the early months of the pandemic. So now give us the number who have died this year with the far, far milder form of the virus. You know, balance.

[soumanioco]

Look at all the snails coming out of their holes to celebrate what exactly? That they didn't get vaxxed!!!

 

All you can do is feel sorry for such individuals. 

 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has announced that it is scrapping the last requirements for passengers entering the country related to the COVID-19 virus as the government begins winding down the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) as part of a firm proposal to abolish the country’s Emergency Decree and all its structures.

Should have been done 12 months ago... but hey, control freaks are hard to persuade to be logical.

[dallen52]

Sort out the visas.

Encourage people to come and maybe stay a little bit longer.

Relax the reporting.

These people are tourists, not prisoners.

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, kamahele said:

It sounds like a child wrote this. What type of foreigner comes to a country, not their own and flouts that they don't follow the rules that all of the locals follow with no complaint?

If I don't agree with anyone's rules anywhere, I repeat anywhere, I will not obey them if I can find a way around them, which I usually do. But the most important thing is, I will never do anything to the detriment of ordinary people. 

If anyone cannot live like this then they should just stay in bed...

[Grusa]

4 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

It will be interesting to see how many people, particulary Thais keep wearing masks.  My guess is many will.  I still see a fair share mostly on motorbikes, but also in cars wearing them.

Before Covid, I would wear a mask on my m/c in dry dusty weather, or when pollen levels were high......IF I remembered to do so.

 

Now I feel naked without it, and I have suffered less from respiratory aftereffects of riding, colds, etc.

 

Thailands air is poisonous much of the time!

[Foghorn]

For all the covid lovers , it got rid of the flu 

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Wooohoo for you. 

It's nearly over now, move on to another crusade.... 

and you can bet there will be one. The pandemic made a lot of people rich, too many to mention. It is only a matter of time before something else comes along that will make people rich again. Governments the world over will be ready to pounce. Remember, you read it here.

[connda]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

General Supot Malaniyom of the National Security Council confirmed that a meeting on Friday chaired by Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan will hear proposals to cancel the Emergency Decree.

 

But I bet they don't.  Power-junkies don't willingly give up their power.

[Jen65]

I don't think it wise to drop our guard just yet . Covid infections have started to rise again in the UK.   I am glad to see that Thai's are still being responsible and wearing masks although outdoors , in unobstructed spaces , it isn't really necessary . 

One should note the following :

"Steve Griffin, a virologist at Leeds University, added: “We remain in a highly unstable and ‘unmitigated’ scenario due to the over-reliance upon vaccines in isolation. Waning protection from infection, combined with changes in behaviour mean that BA5 is likely to rebound – for example with schools, universities and workplaces returning and more time spent indoors without open windows, and the near-abandonment of masking.

“I am astonished that the “living with” Covid strategy is continuing unmodified and unabated as a fortunate majority are able to go about daily lives as others suffer."

 

At the beginning of the pandemic it was shown that the virus can live on stainless steel and plastic for more than 48 hours yet the washing of hands seems to have been forgotten !

 

 

 

[garygooner]

If people want to continue wearing a mask then what's the problem? It's up to them. It doesn't affect you. I'll continue to wear on the BTS/MRT for now.  

[zzaa09]

What emergency decree?

Must be a siwilai city slicker thing. 

????

[LarryB]

6 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Most of you who are smugly declaring you've never been vaxed very likely have actually had it with no recognizable symptoms. Get an antibody test and find out.

I am 52 years old, and beyond morbidly obese. I have had NO mRNA cocktails, and while having my mild covid diagnosis confirmed in hospital I watched a man half my age and weight being urgently admitted with "extreme" COVID symptoms. He'd had FIVE of the shots. Make of that what you will. 

[ikke1959]

Wearing a face mask has nothing to do with the fragile economy but the too expensive THB and the double pricing will keep tourists away and also the restrictions on alcohol sales

They don't understand that if there are other destinations which are far cheaper people will go there. In Saint and France is wine 6 7euro a bottle In Thailand you pay 5x more as an example. Thailand must welcome the foreigners but they are afraid that they will open the eyes of Thai people with more demonstrations as a result.  Why can in Europe almost all taxis be hybrids? It is an investment for air quality and clean energy as in Thailand still a lot black smoke cars are polluting the air. A few examples to boost economy

[Eleftheros]

3 hours ago, Dirk Z said:

Please let all the smug non-vaxers realize that they got away with it thanks to all the others with more brain, more common sense and more feeling of responsibility to get the vaccination and provide for herd immunity and reduce the chances for the virus to spread. If no one had been vaccinated there would have been an immense world wide disaster.

This is probably the first time in history that the failure of a vaccine to completely prevent the spread of an infection has been blamed on the people who didn't take the vaccine.

[spidermike007]

On 9/23/2022 at 6:13 AM, Jonathan Swift said:

Most of you who are smugly declaring you've never been vaxed very likely have actually had it with no recognizable symptoms. Get an antibody test and find out.

I got Covid. It was no big deal, at all. Sick for two days with low energy, like a flu. Then two days of a stuffy nose and cough, like a cold. Then it was gone. I guess if you are healthy, no big deal. If you are obese, have a disease or are old and weak, it can be more serious.

[Ginner]

5 hours ago, TooMuchTime said:

Damn, so people who didnt get fully injected may have gotten covid and not even know it?  Looks like there was no need for them to get fully injected in that case.  Less symptoms than a cold doesn't seem too serious.

I think the point he was trying to make was, the possibility of you not knowing you had it, but also the possibility of you passing it on to someone with-out you knowing it. Just because it doesn't affect you, doesn't mean you cant pass it to someone it will affect. Just info, not a criticism. 

[spidermike007]

No reasonable explanation for the decree at this point other than "we are desperate for power". 

 

Scrap it. And let the people speak and express their extreme disappointment with the dinosaur goons and the direction the nation is going. 

[Troy Tempest]

4 hours ago, jaywalker said:

Why??? Still alive & never even had the sniffles.

 

Whether I've had it or not is irrelevant, as I've been healthy as a horse the whole time.

Well it's a good job you didn't catch it and die because if you did and someone tried to sell your body to medical science it would have been like trying to "Flog a Dead Horse"!....Just sayin'.

[onthedarkside]

An off-topic, diversion post that also violated the forum's fair use quoting rules has been removed, along with various flame and trolling comments in posts.

 

[Photoguy21]

The emergency, of ever there really was one, ended a long time ago so which emergency is referred to in the article?

[VBF]

1 hour ago, Eleftheros said:

This is probably the first time in history that the failure of a vaccine to completely prevent the spread of an infection has been blamed on the people who didn't take the vaccine.

Not disagreeing with you, BUT it might also be the first time in history that such an infection has been so easily spread by people who are infected and asymptomatic at the same time 

[VBF]

1 hour ago, Ginner said:

I think the point he was trying to make was, the possibility of you not knowing you had it, but also the possibility of you passing it on to someone with-out you knowing it. Just because it doesn't affect you, doesn't mean you cant pass it to someone it will affect. Just info, not a criticism. 

My reply to @Eleftheros above sort of serves as a response to this too.

[BritScot]

6 hours ago, sandyf said:

Tell that to the 200K+ grieving families in the UK.

I think one should try looking up figures on the .gov web site and check how many died from covid in the uk before quoting headlines. You will be shocked at the figures. 

[jacko45k]

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

My wife this week attended a seminar, where everyone wore masks even though seated with much space between them - for the reason you describe. Then they all posed for photos. close-up, without masks, as everyone knows you can't catch Covid while in front  of a camera. Just another example of the total lack of common sense that is so common here.

I find Thai TV to be the most peculiar in that respect. Sole newscasters being masked, small groups.... even I am thinking it s time to back off with the mask wearing.

[Photoguy21]

Now scrap the dual pricing systems and maybe tourists can be persuaded to return.