Anutin: "They" may have stopped wearing masks but Thais are still "naa rak" for keeping them on to prevent disease

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thailand's DPM and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has indicated that he will NOT be ditching his face mask and has praised Thais for sticking to them.

 

And he he has said in pointed comments that "people in other places" may not be wearing them but Thais still were.

 

He was clearly referring to countries abroad and foreigners where masks have been ditched for a long while now.

 

In Thailand people like TV presenters still wear masks and the habit is still widespread in Bangkok and many cities especially inside shops. School children have had to wear them through the first semester that is coming to an end. 

 

Anutin was at Khon Kaen university on the day that Covid-19 was downgraded to a communicable disease being watched, reported Thai Rath. 

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The CCSA is being disbanded and visitors to Thailand will no longer have to have vaccinations or ATK tests from the end of next week.

 

But tourists arriving in Thailand may be surprised that so many people are still wearing masks. That is unlikely to change at the end of next week, suggests ASEAN NOW.

 

Reporters pressed Anutin yesterday about the Covid baton being passed to the Ministry of Public Health from the Communicable Disease Committee.

 

He responded by praising himself and the press for continuing to wear masks.

 

"We're "na rak" aren't we," he quipped. It's an expression that means "lovely".

 

"People in other places may have stopped wearing them but we Thais are still doing it.

 

"We have to remember that wearing masks is not just a preventative measure for Covid but protects people against resipratory and gastrointestinal diseases too", he noted.

 

He thanked everyone for their co-operation throughout the pandemic referring to two years of fear adding that Thailand was in control as ever.

 

He said that the disease was still with us but we have to live with it.

 

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[RandolphGB]

Dirty foreigners.

[stoner]

morons.

[alien365]

Thai's don't look cute in those masks, they look oppressed by an aging regime. 

[Dmaxdan]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

"People in other places may have stopped wearing them but we Thais are still doing it.

It's because people in other places are capable of thinking for themselves.

[bob smith]

sounds like he has a big share in a mask factory somewhere up country.

keep wearing your ... if you wish, i for one aint gonna play.

[Iamfalang]

It's been  years, and people STILL tighten their mask when I, the falang, walk by.

 

You have chosen the Mask.  LOS is Mask.   You no like no like, go home to no-mask country.

 

but here, in Maskland.......expect to wear your mask for the next five years.  or longer.  

 

 

[Dmaxdan]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

He responded by praising himself and the press for continuing to wear masks.

Is there anything this man doesn't praise himself for?

[me4175]

Thais are used to sticking with outdated customs and beliefs.

[Hayduke]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

"We're "na rak" aren't we," he quipped. It's an expression that means "lovely".

 

Once again…..the Thai people joyously rally behind their beloved Health Minister and fervently praise his exemplary Na-Rak-ness.

 

 

[JoePai]

Well I agree with Anutin - he should keep his mask on in order to hide his supercilious face

[lessismore]

Does anyone know if there are other countries where people don't want to give up the mask?

Just curious.

[Dart12]

do what I say, not what I do.  Cameras off, masks off.

[ezzra]

50 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

It's because people in other places are capable of thinking for themselves.

With daily average of 750-800 COVID infection in this country the right thing to do is still were the masks as i have witnessed my closest friend whom are all vaxxed getting it just the other week...

[petermik]

5 minutes ago, ezzra said:

With daily average of 750-800 COVID infection in this country the right thing to do is still were the masks as i have witnessed my closest friend whom are all vaxxed getting it just the other week...

I got it last night...very enjoyable indeed....maskless of course

[monkfish]

Quote

"We have to remember that wearing masks is not just a preventative measure for Covid but protects people against resipratory and gastrointestinal diseases too", he noted.

I assume he's referring to TB Tuberculosis which yes is still rife in Thailand especially among Taxi drivers and on public transport.
Also wish they would also educate Thai's as why they should use serving spoons and not their own when sharing dishes of food Hepatitis is still a problem in Thailand.

[Ohyesuare]

Will never understand why people care so much or worry about what other people put on their face or not. 

[Baron Samedi]

That guy is brain damaged.

[ikke1959]

If Thai people should wear helmets as they wear masks that would be an achievement

But  it  seems they are more afraid of a disease than of seriously being injured or death. Stop promoting the face mask wearing. 

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, lessismore said:

Does anyone know if there are other countries where people don't want to give up the mask?

Just curious.

Yes, plenty.  I dare say most of Asia.

In the last two months I have been to Vietnam - mostly wearing masks; Singapore, still very common; Malaysia, mostly wearing masks.  I will be in Manila next week where I am told everyone wears masks.

[chalawaan]

If "they" feel safer wearing masks, that's fine by me!

I'm happy to wear one on the buses taxis, and trains too.

Jai Dee all round!

I'm just glad we don't have to wear them EVERYWHERE anymore. 

Let's be thankful for small mercies. 

 

 

Despite his  approach to weed and masks. Anutin is what progressive Brits refer to as "Gammon". 

It's not a compliment.

[spidermike007]

A ridiculous statement from a ridiculous man. Total cases worldwide are down to under 500,000 a day. Thailand has under 1`,000 a day now, with under 10 deaths a day the last couple of days. This thing is going away. It keeps on getting weaker and weaker with each variant. Some just do not want to let it go. 

 

And I have no idea what he is talking about. Everywhere I go, 99% of Thais are still masked up, even outdoors. Even on motorbikes! Only foreigners seem to be sensible enough to let go of the masks outdoors. 

[smedly]

it is not natural

 

I stopped wearing a mask the day it was allowed not to

 

although I do prefer Anutin keeps wearing one

[djayz]

Always blindly following "leaders" isn't necessarily a good characteristic. I would replace "na rak" with "sheep" or "brainwashed". 

[Snig27]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Yes, plenty.  I dare say most of Asia.

In the last two months I have been to Vietnam - mostly wearing masks; Singapore, still very common; Malaysia, mostly wearing masks.  I will be in Manila next week where I am told everyone wears masks.

I was in Singapore two days after they dropped the mask mandate on 1 Sept and maybe 5% were still wearing them. Wife is currently in Java and Bali and said they are rare. 

[Snig27]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

And he he has said in pointed comments that "people in other places" may not be wearing them but Thais still were.

Correction. People in parts of Bangkok are. In much of the country they've largely gone and have been for a while now. Even in BKK there are less and less in some back street areas. Off the main roads of Chinatown for example, younger people seem to have dumped masks. 

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He was clearly referring to countries abroad and foreigners where masks have been ditched for a long while now.

Maybe he thinks they should have to wear them until Thailand has its very in covid vaccine in 2 years - 2 years after pandemic end

[sandrew33]

2 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

Will never understand why people care so much or worry about what other people put on their face or not. 

It’s because in Thailand it largely remains a community enforced thing, not really a choice at all. You are a “bad Thai” if you don’t wear one. 
 

Of course Anutins mates, and every Thai I know, take them off as soon as they leave Thailand. It’s not really about safety now it’s about appearances. 

 

See how few Thais wear them in “non-Thai” establishments.  

[sandrew33]

16 minutes ago, Snig27 said:

Correction. People in parts of Bangkok are. In much of the country they've largely gone and have been for a while now. Even in BKK there are less and less in some back street areas. Off the main roads of Chinatown for example, younger people seem to have dumped masks. 

And in tourist focused establishments. 

 

The funniest thing is when Thais take them off the second they walk into a restaurant and leave them off until they leave, then place them back on to go outside in the fresh air ????????‍♂️????

[khunpa]

Well, due to uncontrolled air-pollution because of corruption, we have been wearing masks here in Chiang Mai long before Covid.