How will life in Thailand change when the COVID state of emergency ends this month?

[webfact]

 

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

Thailand will officially lift its COVID-19 emergency decree at the end of this month, paving the way for millions of people to return to normal life. Let’s check out all the changes this move will bring.

 

The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), which was set up in the wake of the pandemic’s arrival in early 2020, announced last week that the state of emergency will finally be lifted from September 30 because the virus crisis is starting to subside.

 

This move is in line with the Public Health Ministry’s decision to downgrade COVID-19 from a dangerous communicable disease to a monitored communicable disease from October 1. The virus has infected nearly 620 million people worldwide leading to 6.54 million deaths.

 

How will the move affect you?

 

The COVID downgrade and lifting of the emergency decree will bring a further and significant easing of restrictions.

 

For instance, travelers will be able to enter Thailand without having to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/how-will-life-in-thailand-change-when-the-covid-state-of-emergency-ends-this-month/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-09-26

 

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[Fairynuff]

For those of us living in Thailand I think it’s pretty meaningless. (My) life is as normal as it was before. For Thai people generally on a day to day basis I don’t see how things will change much either.

[KhonKaenLive]

Quote

 

It's been normal for me since they dropped the mask mandate. Just hope it goes for the kids too. Masks in school is stupid. 

[sandrew33]

4 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

For those of us living in Thailand I think it’s pretty meaningless. (My) life is as normal as it was before. For Thai people generally on a day to day basis I don’t see how things will change much either.

Hopefully it reduces the absurd level of pointless mask wearing. Was quite jarring to e see folk wearing pointless cloth & surgical masks even outdoors en masse in BKK just a couple of weeks ago. 

 

For those of us currently living elsewhere it is quite odd. 

[jacko45k]

10 minutes ago, sandrew33 said:

Hopefully it reduces the absurd level of pointless mask wearing. Was quite jarring to e see folk wearing pointless cloth & surgical masks even outdoors en masse in BKK just a couple of weeks ago. 

 

For those of us currently living elsewhere it is quite odd. 

If they are transitioning from Skytrain to a place of work requiring one that might be the reason..... many workplaces are still requiring them. Maybe the current state of emergency makes that less odd..... and they will be less common once it ends. 

Making a fuss over this trivial thing is what strikes me as absurd. 

[sammieuk1]

Hopefully all corrupted people will give themselves up to corrupted police who in turn will give themselves up to corrupted politicians who in turn will leave for far off lands never to return.

 

Back then to normal as we know it rinse and repeat ???? 

[DezLez]

43 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Hopefully all corrupted people will give themselves up to corrupted police who in turn will give themselves up to corrupted politicians who in turn will leave for far off lands never to return.

 

Back then to normal as we know it rinse and repeat ???? 

If that happened life in Thailand would no longer be normal for it's citizens!

[Bim Smith]

The New Normal sounded rather permanent. They can always bring it back when someone sneezes. You would naïve to think this is the end of it. 

[nobodysfriend]

Back to ' normality ' might also mean back to 40 mio tourists or even more per year .

High Inflation in western countries makes Thailand and it's still quite low prices more attractive as well .

The war in Ukraine is helping Thailand in this regard too .

More Russians f.E. and more jobs for thais in the tourist industry ...

A big boom in tourists will affect about everyone here is some way , hopefully for the better ...

[Karma80]

1 hour ago, sandrew33 said:

Hopefully it reduces the absurd level of pointless mask wearing. Was quite jarring to e see folk wearing pointless cloth & surgical masks even outdoors en masse in BKK just a couple of weeks ago. 

 

For those of us currently living elsewhere it is quite odd. 

Not sure why people get triggered by other people wearing a mask. Don't wear one. It's your choice.
However, I do continue to wear one in crowded spaces and on public transport. Likewise this is my choice.

This is Asia, not the west. 

[tandor]

1 hour ago, sandrew33 said:

Hopefully it reduces the absurd level of pointless mask wearing. Was quite jarring to e see folk wearing pointless cloth & surgical masks even outdoors en masse in BKK just a couple of weeks ago. 

 

For those of us currently living elsewhere it is quite odd. 

..i think you will see the majority of Thais will keep wearing a mask, particularly in heavy polluted air provinces, crowded areas and traffic...everyone is more aware now of the benefits of wearing a mask. Personal choice.

[AussieinThaiJim]

Thais will wear masks regardless of the rules. They would rather wear a mask instead of a helmet or a safety belt!

 

 

[Robbkk]

22 minutes ago, Karma80 said:

Not sure why people get triggered by other people wearing a mask

Exactly. I haven't worn masks for a year but I love that most people still wears them. 

[jacko45k]

6 minutes ago, AussieinThaiJim said:

Thais will wear masks regardless of the rules. They would rather wear a mask instead of a helmet or a safety belt!

 

 

That would be freedom of choice then?

[josephbloggs]

2 minutes ago, Robbkk said:

Exactly. I haven't worn masks for a year but I love that most people still wears them. 

Yep, consideration for others is nice.

Personally I found it weird when I visited the UK a few months ago that no one wore masks.  But I came to like it.  And when I came back I adopted mask wearing again because it is what makes people comfortable here.  When the Thais are happy to shed them I'll happily do the same.

The anti mask warriors are just selfish individuals at the end of the day.

[thailand49]

????

43 minutes ago, Karma80 said:

Not sure why people get triggered by other people wearing a mask. Don't wear one. It's your choice.
However, I do continue to wear one in crowded spaces and on public transport. Likewise this is my choice.

This is Asia, not the west. 

Pshycology, these are people who don't like to be told what to do but have no problem telling othersbecause they like to be in control. 

 

I just came back from the West Coast, after two plus years due to the virus. I wore my mask regularly just like in Thailand, I was thinking prepared if someone approach me as to my right of choice but no one did.  I notice a lot of people still did their choice and that is the way it should be. 

What you don't see is people harping on why people don't? ????

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by thailand49

[herfiehandbag]

The main reason for the State of Emergency for many months has been to muzzle political protest in Bangkok.

 

You may rest assured that other measures will have been prepared to achieve this once the SOE is lifted.

Edited September 26, 2022 by herfiehandbag

[LammyTS1]

No, just plain stupidity.

Riding around on bikes with no helmet and breaking the law whilst still wearing a mask. 

[mberbae]

For the poster who said masks in school are stupid.

Our school in San Kampaeng  had to close 3

times due to students catching Covid. Masks played

an important role in not having MORE kids exposed.

[NorthernRyland]

44 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

The anti mask warriors are just selfish individuals at the end of the day.

It's called not being a coward and getting on the right side of issues early on. It was masks this time and next time it will be some other nonsense to comply with. Something you're totally opposed today will become mandatory, the majority of people will take it up and then you'll comply in order to make them feel comfortable.

 

That's the pattern people are stuck in today.  There's nothing rational or moral about it.  Just the sheep following the Shepard.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, KhonKaenLive said:

It's been normal for me since they dropped the mask mandate. Just hope it goes for the kids too. Masks in school is stupid. 

BUT....
The National Communicable Disease Committee has ruled that “DMHT” – distancing, mask-wearing, handwashing, and testing – rules are enough to control the spread of COVID-19.

Thais will continue to wear masks because it's a cultural thing. Aliens such as us will not. Pretty much the same as now,

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

High Inflation in western countries makes Thailand and it's still quite low prices more attractive as well .

High inflation and massive uncertainty about the future financially is exactly why Thailand can kiss large numbers of long haul visitors goodbye for the foreseeable future. Westerners are infinitely more concerned with keeping food on the table and keeping warm this winter than buying seats to Thailand or anywhere else. Any smart person would be saving as much as they can, if they can, as a cushion against what the future holds. Despite what TAT might think, visiting Thailand is not the number one aim of foreigners at the moment. Having enough to eat is. Keeping warm at home is.

[AsianAtHeart]

19 minutes ago, mberbae said:

For the poster who said masks in school are stupid.

Our school in San Kampaeng  had to close 3

times due to students catching Covid. Masks played

an important role in not having MORE kids exposed.

Sounds to me like the school was able to reopen again because the students had already all gotten covid.  No more need for masks, in that case.

[neeray]

Let the protests resume !

[sandyf]

14 minutes ago, AsianAtHeart said:

Sounds to me like the school was able to reopen again because the students had already all gotten covid.  No more need for masks, in that case.

Take it the term "reinfection" lies outside your comprehension.

[damo1967]

1 hour ago, Karma80 said:

Not sure why people get triggered by other people wearing a mask. Don't wear one. It's your choice.
However, I do continue to wear one in crowded spaces and on public transport. Likewise this is my choice.

This is Asia, not the west. 

One of the few positive worthwhile comments to actually read!  Well written.  Only reason I wear my mask still is because majority of Thai's are still wearing them.. I am in their country so I choose to do likewise..  [for those negative people about to attack my post...  1. I will not give you the time of day or gratitude of replying, and 2. you should go out and get a hobby that actually makes you feel good and a better person.

[mikeymike100]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Yep, consideration for others is nice.

Personally I found it weird when I visited the UK a few months ago that no one wore masks.  But I came to like it.  And when I came back I adopted mask wearing again because it is what makes people comfortable here.  When the Thais are happy to shed them I'll happily do the same.

The anti mask warriors are just selfish individuals at the end of the day.

"The anti mask warriors are just selfish individuals at the end of the day."

 

Surely if an individual is free to wear a mask its fine, but vice versa, an individual is also free to not wear a mask and that's also fine?

 

its not being selfish, its just personal choice?

[mjakob007]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The COVID downgrade and lifting of the emergency decree will bring a further and significant easing of restrictions.

Would be surprised to see 2023 overseas arrivals @ 50% of pre-covid stats.

 

Long way to go, given 'real' unemployment level, loss of purchasing power due to loss of income coupled with inflation.

 

 

[jacko45k]

Just now, mikeymike100 said:

its not being selfish, its just personal choice?

It is debatable. Would you say the same carried over to say smoking? Is a person who smokes near you, where it is permitted, being selfish or not? 

I can't or even should not want to, impose my will on others, so I am free to move away. 

[Harveyboy]

3 hours ago, KhonKaenLive said:

It's been normal for me since they dropped the mask mandate. Just hope it goes for the kids too. Masks in school is stupid. 

yes dropped the need for masks but if i go out without one ..im the only one ..shops..markets ..schools its as if covid is still at its peak ..i feel i need to wear one just to blend in ...