Who's missing lockdowns?

[GammaGlobulin]

2 hours ago, garrya said:

I wonder how pathetic life some posters have that they like lockdowns and want to be sitting in their rented place all the time.

Mindboggling 

Do you really think that we lived pathetic lives in the 1950s? 

 

No! 

 

For a fact, compared to the 1950s, it is we who now live in December of 2022 who are living truly pathetic lives. 

 

Welcome to the Age of Exponential Pollution, Baby!

 

Enjoy it while you can before you get cancer and kick the bucket or continue suffering from continuous low-grade PTSD. 

 

Enjoy your dillusions. 

 

Unbridled exponential growth...IS BACK! 

 

 

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, garrya said:

I wonder how pathetic life some posters have that they like lockdowns and want to be sitting in their rented place all the time.

Mindboggling 

nothing to do with sitting in a rented place.

For me the lockdown down brought less traffic congestion which resulted in any trip I need to do such a pleasurable drive.

From my daily work commute to a quick run over to foodland.

[nigelforbes]

14 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It was certainly novel to have so few tourists around, but there is nothing else I miss about those heinous lockdowns. They decimated millions of lives, countless businesses were lost, and life was rough for many, and not being able to leave the country was awful. No, I would rather deal with some tourists, than have millions of Thais suffer the loss of tourism. The world is not just about me. 

I think it's truly great that you spend every waking minute of your life thinking only about others, you're an inspiration to us all. That said, when we do encounter these rare circumstances in life that are thrust upon us, not of our making and not of our choosing, observing the upside doesn't make us the devil incarnate and mean that we also don't care about all other beings!  Having said that, I'm not too fond of the Welsh nor what happens to them, same with the population of Ohio.

[BananaStrong]

2019-2020 and I was thinking there would NEVER be a quiet night.  Then the NATIONAL lockdown.  Sure, people ran from me in 711 and my "friends" thought I got COVID because I was a farang, but immigration relaxed, everyone was quiet, and traffic was nice.    Wave 2 was mid-2021 I think and it was all panic.  Of course, EVEN TODAY I was walking without a mask and saw a lady 10 meters away with a mask half-on.  Immediately she covered her face.  lol

 

Apartment is the most comical.   During the day it's pretty quiet, at night cold.   After 1.5 years of living here, there are now THREE nightly karaoke parties.  To the West, South and East.   Were they there before?  I think two were, but anyone.   Now it's crazy noise all night and traffic is much worse.

 

I would rather have the noise.   for now.   seeing new people is nice, until it isn't.    I don't even care when I see a new falang every day.  I remember when that was traumatizing!!!  lol.  Don't interrupt my secret Thailand experience where no farangs have been before, but in reality about 1 million have been there.  

 

[KannikaP]

On 12/10/2022 at 8:21 AM, nigelforbes said:

I agree, hotels were cheaper too.

I tend to disagree, as the normal Thai idea is that fewer guests = less profit, so put the price UP.

[nigelforbes]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

I tend to disagree, as the normal Thai idea is that fewer guests = less profit, so put the price UP.

We were twice yearly visitors to Pattaya, Bangkok and Hua Hin during the past three years. In Naklua we were able to get a seaview room at the Garden Cliff for under 1,500 per night, during our second visit we were two of only 16 guests and were given one of four Junior suites, for the same price, that then became the standard for two further years. Today, the starting price is 2,400, junior suites are 4,000. Same story in Bangkok and Hua Hin.

[Onerak]

On 12/9/2022 at 7:21 PM, nigelforbes said:

I agree, hotels were cheaper too.

I used to book Sofitel for $50/night during the Covid-19. How much it is right now?

[nigelforbes]

10 minutes ago, Onerak said:

I used to book Sofitel for $50/night during the Covid-19. How much it is right now?

I give up how much is it, do I look like Agoda to you!

[KhunLA]

48 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

We were twice yearly visitors to Pattaya, Bangkok and Hua Hin during the past three years. In Naklua we were able to get a seaview room at the Garden Cliff for under 1,500 per night, during our second visit we were two of only 16 guests and were given one of four Junior suites, for the same price, that then became the standard for two further years. Today, the starting price is 2,400, junior suites are 4,000. Same story in Bangkok and Hua Hin.

We also got amazingly discounted rates, and during peak high season, at tourist destination.  Now can't touch them for 4X as much, if not more. 

 

Curious, so checked one we stayed at on Phuket, now ฿2300/no brekkie.  We paid ฿600  w/brekkie.

[Walker88]

I was in Thailand for the entire lockdown, as well as the reopening. I remember folks gathering on the sidewalks and in alcoves each night to sleep, all their worldly possessions next to them after having lost both their work and their home. On the plus side, many people---both Thai and foreigners---made the rounds each night delivering food to these unfortunate victims of the lockdown.

 

I do not miss that, and I am happy many of them have found new work and gained the money to rent a place to stay. They have regained their dignity.

 

Yes, we all play the cards we're dealt, and some of us are luckier. To some extent the quiet was welcome, but at what cost?

 

Thus, no, I do not miss the lockdowns.

[BangkokReady]

On 12/11/2022 at 12:13 AM, garrya said:

I wonder how pathetic life some posters have that they like lockdowns and want to be sitting in their rented place all the time.

Why do they need to be pathetic?  Maybe they are happy and fulfilled.  Is that so bad?

[Spock]

If you had been stuck in Melbourne Australia as I was in the longest lockdown in history, you wouldn't have been travelling around taking advantage of cheap hotel prices etc. The 5km limit on travel plus the 8pm curfew made life frustrating and lonely. An absurd travel limit can make all the difference to the joy of quiet nights and deserted streets. 

[Skeptic7]

Yes...I and friends have said as much a few times recently. Was so nice when Thailand was closed or difficult to enter. Pure Bliss would be wide open internally, but shut down externally. Not realistic, but one can fantasize. 

[Ralf001]

52 minutes ago, Spock said:

If you had been stuck in Melbourne Australia as I was in the longest lockdown in history, you wouldn't have been travelling around taking advantage of cheap hotel prices etc. The 5km limit on travel plus the 8pm curfew made life frustrating and lonely. An absurd travel limit can make all the difference to the joy of quiet nights and deserted streets. 

And yet Dan Andrews got voted back in.... Victorians have short memories ?

[MrJ2U]

I certainly miss the good prices and available pool loungers at the resorts.

 

Slow season is going to be a reality check for many Thais. 

[Colabamumbai]

Bring back the curfew also. 

[Spock]

24 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

And yet Dan Andrews got voted back in.... Victorians have short memories ?

Australians and particularly Victorians value safety over just about anything else. Anyone with children probably saw Andrew's actions as protecting their family despite the wealth of information suggesting that children were barely at risk. On the other hand, a large number of Victorians sold their homes and moved north to warmer pastures, never to return. Many single people living alone had a vastly different experience and perspective of lockdown. Like Trump (though nothing like Trump in ideology) he divides people. Plus the opposition state Liberals are also incompetent. 

[digger70]

Who's missing lockdowns? 

 

No difference here in the village down south.

Nothing changed except for the Mask issue and a lot of BS talk.

[garrya]

4 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Why do they need to be pathetic?  Maybe they are happy and fulfilled.  Is that so bad?

No it's not. It's pathetic though

[NoshowJones]

On 12/10/2022 at 8:45 AM, HuskerDo2 said:

You can't have it all. The "pesky" tourists allow many businesses to thrive, especially restaurants. The perfect paradise doesn't exist so be grateful for what you now have in Thailand.

Maybe once Thailand has a proper government democratically elected by the people instead of a bunch of unelected tinpot soldiers, the Thai people can start and be grateful.

[Adumbration]

Me.  It was great for my health and fitness having my GF on tap 24/7.  She is back to work now and I am putting on weight.

[alex8912]

Went to Florida six times.  It was great. No masks. 

[dddave]

On 12/10/2022 at 2:22 PM, Mickeymaus said:

And remember how clear the sea water was. I have never seen anything like this here in Pattaya. No hordes of "dirty farangs" anywhere that changed this... ????❤️????

 

People who study such things have noted that a lot of aquatic species that had become scarce in local tourist area waters have thrived during the tourist hiatus with a number of species that had disappeared now being seen again.

[goloeilmanz]

Oh absolutely, Thailand was so much better without all those pesky tourists ruining the scenery and taking up all the space on the beaches. It's such a shame that the local economy relied so heavily on tourism and now those poor, hardworking people are struggling to make ends meet. But hey, at least you're being honest about how much you love the idea of a deserted Thailand. Good for you.

[Boomer6969]

Koh Chang was great, not sure I'll get back there. Probably Vietnam next year.

[Mickeymaus]

1 hour ago, dddave said:

People who study such things have noted that a lot of aquatic species that had become scarce in local tourist area waters have thrived during the tourist hiatus with a number of species that had disappeared now being seen again.

The Russians, Indians and Farangs? ????

[Scouse123]

Lock-down was lousy and how quick some are to forget that terrible period in Thailand and around the world.

 

1. Soup kitchens on the beach for Thais.

2. People when they were allowed to travel, going through immigration and hazmat suits, and then whisked off to hospitals for Covid checks and spending 2-3 weeks in a hotel room. Food trays left outside your door with plastic cutlery, and all furnishings in your room covered or removed.

3. Everywhere deserted, livelihoods wiped out.

4. Businesses even now, gone forever and people wiped out.

5. Suicides at record levels.

6. People terrified by ill informed ' experts '; on a daily basis on the TV.

7. Being treated in SHA and quarantine hotels like you have Ebola!

 

No thanks, lets have the noise, the pollution and normality!

 

[Tropposurfer]

On 12/10/2022 at 12:47 PM, nigelforbes said:

We had it all for a couple of years, it was great.

Yes it was really magical and the clock truly turned back.

To see the burst of fish-life e.g. schools of fish at haad Surin, Bang T, Layan and Naithon with turtles and sea grass and coral begin to grow all over the place was amazing.

We hired a large catamaran (private not tour) to the Similan's when nobody was going there at all and stayed for a few days and it was nothing like it was pre-covid and the hoards of tourists (didn't see ONE other boat the second, third day) ... insane fish life, rays, dolphins, the whole nine yards.

 

I don't miss the confinement at home (thank the gods I had a pool to myself! The battle to get food deliveries (I was new here back then so didn't have a network of local restaurants contacts I knew and could call, plus the supermarkets were having a devil of a time keeping up with the huge increase in online home deliveries, so ran out of Weetbix and Vegemite .... OMG ???????????? 

 

But I don't miss the lack of nutters on bikes almost daily ending up under the SUV. Thankfully where I live the local beaches are still all but empty at sunrise when I go to swim my laps.

 

The super good-looking free-agent ladies seem to be slowly returning to the beaches and beach clubs and I'm seeing more on our occasional visits for drinks n the latest Euro tech music.

 

I'm so glad for the struggling locals finding more income, yet sad to still see many of the small mom n pop businesses along the way from Surin to Naithon shut and really struggling if open at all.

Its still really quiet here on the island where we live. Boat Harbour is definitely seeing more of the tourist trade. The Friday night market scene at Blue Tree in Thalang of late has gotten much more viby too.

 

I'm not averse to the gorgeous Russian women I am seeing more of though lol ???? I have to admit to, despite being with a stunning woman (well to me she is), being gob-smacked at the Venus's from the eastern block nations I see here. 

There was a stunning, truly stunning lass on the beach the other morning doing yoga near the waters edge and dancing (obviously classically trained) and OMG she was so graceful and talk about built !!!! ???????????????? 

 

[Ralf001]

3 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Lock-down was lousy and how quick some are to forget that terrible period in Thailand and around the world.

 

1. Soup kitchens on the beach for Thais.

2. People when they were allowed to travel, going through immigration and hazmat suits, and then whisked off to hospitals for Covid checks and spending 2-3 weeks in a hotel room. Food trays left outside your door with plastic cutlery, and all furnishings in your room covered or removed.

3. Everywhere deserted, livelihoods wiped out.

4. Businesses even now, gone forever and people wiped out.

5. Suicides at record levels.

6. People terrified by ill informed ' experts '; on a daily basis on the TV.

7. Being treated in SHA and quarantine hotels like you have Ebola!

 

No thanks, lets have the noise, the pollution and normality!

 

1. What soup kitchens ?

2. Don't like the rules, don't travel.

3. was great with no tourists congesting the place.... although my little seaside getaway I enjoy greatly was not affected by the covids as they rely 100% domestic tourism.... and they was plenty.

4. most of the gone bussinesses were <deleted> anyways and would have closed lockdown or not.

5. got a link to official number before/during/after lockdown ?

6. what is a TV ?

7. what is an SHA hotel ?

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

1. What soup kitchens ?

2. Don't like the rules, don't travel.

3. was great with no tourists congesting the place.... although my little seaside getaway I enjoy greatly was not affected by the covids as they rely 100% domestic tourism.... and they was plenty.

4. most of the gone bussinesses were <deleted> anyways and would have closed lockdown or not.

5. got a link to official number before/during/after lockdown ?

6. what is a TV ?

7. what is an SHA hotel ?

1. So you didn't see through your blinkers hundreds of Thais on the beaches queuing for food daily? You didn't see all the charitable acts by long term foreigners using their pensions, pooling resources, organizing charity collections online to help and assist needy Thais?

2. Why is number 2 above supposed to mean? I live here and have done for 27 years. Who are you to say this?

3. There was lockdown and this prevented inter province travel for a long while and bars and restaurants were shut, or didn't you get the memo?  and there was no domestic tourism as there was no travel and no money.

4. Sweeping statement and a ridiculous generalization as to what was going on in Thailand, Were you even here?

5. No idea what this is supposed to mean.

6. A TV is the equivalent to The Bible for Thai people.

7. You don't know what a SHA hotel is? Update yourself or Google it.

 

Your post was inaccurate and nonsensical.