1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

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. 

Yes, and it all has to do with the fact that 99% of Thai people are wearing masks  even though are allowed not too, and mind you, many of the people has got only 2 shots, not 4 as it should be, so until infection and death numbers will drop significantly, i say continue to wear masks...

3 hours ago, webfact said:

referring to two years of fear adding that Thailand was in control as ever.

"control" is what it seems more about. I am anti anti vaxxers and agreed with mask wearing when people are in close contact in buildings and vehicles but Thailand has taken it too far. 

Wearing masks outside except in crowded areas is pointless. Now that Omicron has run it's course, most people have some immunity so until a dangerous strain comes along all these restrictions should be ditched. Instead of saying it is lovely, he should be telling us how many lives are being saved every day by masks. I doubt he has any figures worth sharing. 

Thais don't worry about safety anywhere else as they think a visible danger can be avoided. An invisible danger like a virus is scary and it seems Anutin is playing on this to distract attention from other things that need sorting out in Thailand. 

He is supposed to be concerned for people's Health; yet never says a word to promote the use of Helmets when riding on Motorbikes; using Seatbelts in Cars or Drink Driving habits that cause the Death of many.   Of course; there is no money in those subjects but promoting the wearing of Masks no doubt brings in revenue !

4 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Dirty foreigners.

Anutin IS the minister of Public Health.

 

These are his own words.

 

From the Thai ministry of public health.

 

03 Feb 2022 

 

https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG220203155951127

 

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/tag/face-masks/

 

From Thursday June 23, the wearing of face masks outdoors and in public places is no longer mandatory and people are free to choose whether to wear one, according to an announcement published in the Royal Gazette yesterday.

The relaxation is in line with the improvement in the COVID-19 situation, which has seen the number of new infections, severe cases and fatalities steadily decline in recent weeks, enabling people to resume a life close to normal.

Although mask wearing is voluntary, the Ministry of Public Health recommends that people consider the benefits of wearing them, which can reduce the risks of contracting COVID-19 or other respiratory diseases when they are in a crowded venue, where air circulation is poor or where social distancing is not possible.

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/anutin-says-no

 

BANGKOK: Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that there are no laws forcing people to wear face masks, but he also sought cooperation from all parties, including Thai citizens and overseas tourists, in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The all too common sight of helmetless motorcycle riders all masked up illustrates the amount of critical thinking being employed by ‘lovely' Thais.

It's a personal choice. Wear it if you want to, ditch it if you don't. No need to make it into a 'national agenda' and certainly no need to preach about it. Move on, please. 'Na-rak' you're certainly not. "Ootja-rak' (อุจจาระ) more like.

3 hours ago, lessismore said:

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

Just curious.

Japan it appears!

Am I allowed to say here on AN, less air to you Anutin, the sooner this racist is gone the more fresh air we will have to breath.  

18 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

The all too common sight of helmetless motorcycle riders all masked up illustrates the amount of critical thinking being employed by ‘lovely' Thais.

4 people on a motorbike, weaving through speeding traffic with a deathwise, no helmets but masks to keep them safe and healthy. The total lack of logic perplexes me. If anything speaks to the dreadful state Thai education is in (or lack of it), that does.

18 minutes ago, Dukeleto said:

Japan it appears!

Japan has always had a mask culture but I'm told by friend who lives in Tokyo that universal masks are really only on public transport now. Much less so in the street.

Leads me to believe that "keeping face" is a real burden, that they've done away with, thanks to Covid.

 

Not the smartest bunch on the planet though. One could be "na rak" and still look utterly stupid under that mask.

What about the foreigners who decided to take a shower once a year .. Do they get praise “;0) 

3 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

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

Me too. I could never understand why I got so much s**t for deciding not to wear one.

".......he will NOT be ditching his face mask"

So where is it, then? 

 

4 hours 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...

Because they are vaccinated 

Will this clown ever shut up???!! It was YOU, „Mr 7x vaxed“, who went to Europe and didn’t give a <deleted>** about wearing a mask. 
 

i hate the Thai elite so much for being able to manipulate the thai population, as it has nothing to do with fear anymore. If there was a clear statement that masks (at least outdoors) are not necessary at all, guess what? Thai People would stop wearing them immediately. 
 

however this „up to you“ mask situation is nothing else than „wear it to until we stop telling you“. I pity the average Thai for just following blindly, but I don’t judge them , as it’s all about how they are educated since they are born.

 

 

27 minutes ago, Snig27 said:

4 people on a motorbike, weaving through speeding traffic with a deathwise, no helmets but masks to keep them safe and healthy. The total lack of logic perplexes me. If anything speaks to the dreadful state Thai education is in (or lack of it), that does.

The thought of a 20,000 baht fine for no mask as opposed to a 300/500 baht fine for no helmet may have something to do with it! ???? 

I’ve actually seen Thais wearing cloth masks while swimming in the sea here in Phuket….

Nuff said….

About time Thailand officially lost the Land Of smiles nickname as nobody sees the smile any more 

 

In the UK I'd guess 99% of people do not wear masks. Of those that do, the majority appear to be of  Asian.descent.

1 hour ago, trainman34014 said:

He is supposed to be concerned for people's Health; yet never says a word to promote the use of Helmets when riding on Motorbikes; using Seatbelts in Cars or Drink Driving habits that cause the Death of many.   Of course; there is no money in those subjects but promoting the wearing of Masks no doubt brings in revenue !

He is pretty vocal about Cannabis! I wonder why? ????

5 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

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

Clearly not in the USA where 450 people a day are dying from Covid.

Land of the hidden smiles. Sad.

Time to rebrand the LOS as the Land Of Masks because the Thai people will wear them forever. Or until the government instructs them not to. 

1 hour ago, sandrew33 said:

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.  

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.

50 minutes ago, Snig27 said:

4 people on a motorbike, weaving through speeding traffic with a deathwise, no helmets but masks to keep them safe and healthy. The total lack of logic perplexes me. If anything speaks to the dreadful state Thai education is in (or lack of it), that does.

They don't do it "to stay safe and healthy", they do it mindlessly because everybody else is doing it. There is nothing more to it.

Have to keep wearing mask because of monkey pox!  TB polio HIV common cold obesity diabetes you have to keep that mask on

25 minutes ago, sambum said:

He is pretty vocal about Cannabis! I wonder why? ????

Why worry about cannabis when there's bags of meth falling off the back of trucks on the way to Bangkok

5 hours ago, Iamfalang said:

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.  

 

 

If masks are not ditched there will be no economic recovery.

..and yes..in the primitive Thai brain, farang=covid.

Occasionally if some Thai (woman always) tightens her mask in my presence, I have a coughing fit in her general direction.

Solly naa...

Each of us need to evaluate their own risk to wear a (N95) mask indoors. But the reason Thais are wearing masks outdoors (other than the pollution) is simply fear mongering.

The amount of crud they keep out of my lungs I will happily continue to wear one when I'm outside.