Thailand prepares for Chinese group tours arriving from February 6th

[nigelforbes]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

So the world is 10% black, 10% white and the other 80% is gray, nice to know and that is basically how I live my life in the 80% gray area. Yes both answers could be correct and nowhere in my reply did I dispute that, just how I look at things.

 

The deaths are a by-product of their decision to open up completely amongst mass protest which were occurring in the country.  After 3 years people want to live life and learn to live with Covid, much like learning to live with other virus's.  As long as people take the proper precautions, like normal people do during the Flu and allergy season now then the numbers will continue to be a smaller percentage.  The issue here is that the many who have traveled outside of the mainland are infected to a percentage that is troubling.

Anecdotal evidence, let me know when there's a reliable number, not just one flight into Italy.

 

FWIW my take on this whole business of the Chinese/opening up/covid/visiting Thailand has more to do with western racist views of the Chinese than anything concrete. There's a fair amount of fear, there's a huge amount of uncertainty that some people are trying to circumvent with negative and derogatory answers. Plus there's a substantial layer of racism and stereotyping, not untypical of this forum TBH. Anyway, have to run and go do something constructive.

[2baht]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

everything has to be black or white.....................  

.............ahhhhh, but the East is RED!

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, superal said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-covid-outbreak-easing-eve-travel-rush-2023-01-20/ 

60,000 Chinese died in one week , last week with covid . The hospitals and funeral parlours are overwhelmed with the effects of covid . The opening of China to allow foreign travel is causing global concern . China , much like Russia , have state controlled media broadcasters , that relate news to the nation ,  telling the news as per government instruction . 

The W.H.O. are concerned about the ridiculous Chinese covid stats . 

Greedy countries are lining up to welcome the masses of Chinese tourists . It might just bite them up the backside .

From the Reuters article:

 

"China has said nearly 60,000 people with COVID died in hospital between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12."

 

That's 5 weeks. No need to add to the disinformation.

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Don't worry, no need, I found somebody to do the math. They tell me that, based on that 60,000 deaths, China's weekly rate of deaths from covid is currently 0.0042%. How does that compare with other countries, do you know?

The data sets are impossible to understand for the layman, which includes me. The US suffered over 1m deaths, excess deaths I guess, in a population approximately 1/5 that of China. The UK, over 200k deaths, population 1/20. But is there really any direct correlation? Population densities, land mass, infrastructure, vax rate, testing volumes, etc etc. So many contributory factors. Who's to say (no, not the WHO)? Truth will out one day, maybe. In the meantime, China soldiers on!

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Don't worry, no need, I found somebody to do the math. They tell me that, based on that 60,000 deaths, China's weekly rate of deaths from covid is currently 0.0042%. How does that compare with other countries, do you know?

It was 60,000 over 5 weeks.

[nigelforbes]

Just now, bradiston said:

It was 60,000 over 5 weeks.

Even better! 60k sounds like a huge number but most people forget the population of China is massive. Over six weeks, makes the percentage even smaller but of course, small percentages headlines, don't sell newspapers.

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Don't worry, no need, I found somebody to do the math. They tell me that, based on that 60,000 deaths, China's weekly rate of deaths from covid is currently 0.0042%. How does that compare with other countries, do you know?

The graph in this link says the US mortality rate is 1.1%. At least, I think that's what it's saying.

 

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality

 

Stats. What are they and where do they come from? Should I be afraid? Is there a vaccination to prevent their uptake by my brain?

Edited January 23, 2023 by bradiston

[daveAustin]

7 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Our next door neighbour is Chinese, he invited us to a party for Chinese New Year and very good it was too. His wifes sister had arrived from Beijing a couple of days before and speaks perfect English. I asked her, what's the real story about covid  and what's happening with it in Beijing presently? She said, "pretty much everything is normal, life continues there as though nothing much has happened, hardly anything has changed". Some people have covid/flu but it's winter, that's to be expected. She went on to say, the media is making up all sorts of stories, particular western media. 

Some people? Well she would say that, wouldn't she. It is only logical with this thing that being separated for so long that pretty much everybody will get it in one fell swoop. One does not have to reside there to come up with that conclusion and the Chinese are on par with the Thais regard face and not telling it how it really is. China is a mess and they only have themselves to blame. Now they are going to pass it on to the rest of the world; again.

[nigelforbes]

1 minute ago, daveAustin said:

Some people? Well she would say that, wouldn't she. It is only logical with this thing that being separated for so long that pretty much everybody will get it in one fell swoop. One does not have to reside there to come up with that conclusion and the Chinese are on par with the Thais regard face and not telling it how it really is. China is a mess and they only have themselves to blame. Now they are going to pass it on to the rest of the world; again.

I might easily have used the same phrase myself to describe covid cases here in Thailand or back in the UK, it doesn't seem like a particularly wrong term to use, unless I'm missing something here?

[superal]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

From the Reuters article:

 

"China has said nearly 60,000 people with COVID died in hospital between Dec. 8 and Jan. 12."

 

That's 5 weeks. No need to add to the disinformation.

My mistake , apologies and well spotted , should have said last month but in reality I have almost certainly understated the number . The link below says 2 million new cases daily and 14,700 deaths a day .

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64167052

[ThailandRyan]

26 minutes ago, superal said:

My mistake , apologies and well spotted , should have said last month but in reality I have almost certainly understated the number . The link below says 2 million new cases daily and 14,700 deaths a day .

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64167052

So if one were to extrapolate those figures for a full 365 days then we are at 5,365,500 million dead for the year, just a drop in the bucket according to a member who posted above.....

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64056549

 

Lets think about the reality of millions more not reported as they did not die in a hospital.  However, they have started to travel, with many more still trying to obtain new passports so they can.

 

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by ThailandRyan

[nigelforbes]

8 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

So if one were to extrapolate those figures for a full 365 days then we are at 5,365,500 million dead for the year, just a drop in the bucket according to a member who posted above.....

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64056549

 

Lets think about the reality of millions more not reported as they did not die in a hospital.  However, they have started to travel, with many more still trying to obtain new passports so they can.

 

 

I have limited knowledge about this covid business, but what I do understand is that one measure of how bad things are is when the number of cases or deaths are shown as a percentage of the population.....which sounds quite reasonable to me. That way, the severity of infection, spread and death can easily be compared against other countries. From everything I've read in this thread so far, posters seem to be un-naturally agitated and concerned because the rates that are shown appear to be less than, or in the very very worst case, much better than or equal to other countries. Of course, even 100 deaths is very sad and regrettable, although no where can I see that anyone has said that 5 million deaths is a mere drop in the bucket! But what I can see is where it was implied that 5 million as a percentage of 1.46 bill., is a very small percentage.

 

 

[proton]

somebody ought to put a website together listing the arrival times of planes from China. Like they do for the cruise ships stopping at Venice to disgorge  thousands of tourists. I would use that to plan travel around them. Being at the airport when they arrive is horrendous, hundreds shouting, more like screaming and pushing in line, if they line up at all is best avoided.

 

Old but gold

 

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by proton

[bradiston]

53 minutes ago, superal said:

My mistake , apologies and well spotted , should have said last month but in reality I have almost certainly understated the number . The link below says 2 million new cases daily and 14,700 deaths a day .

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-64167052

Here's another site's calculations:

 

https://www.airfinity.com/articles/airfinitys-covid-19-forecast-for-china-infections-and-deaths

 

It's slightly more up to date, but it's predictions run from 13th January to 27th. So, they would be checkable if we had any reliable figures for the first week of their time frame, 13th to 20th, for instance.

 

They say:

 

/Quote

"In our updated model, cases could peak at 4.8 million a day with 62 million infections predicted across a fortnight between 13th-27th January before beginning to fall. 

 

Deaths are forecast to peak at 36,000 a day on the 26th of January during the Lunar New Year Festival. This is up from our previous estimate of deaths peaking at 25,000 a day."

/End quote

 

They are extremely coy about their sources. You would have to fill out an application form to get the ball rolling. Not a government agency, obviously.

[bradiston]

14 minutes ago, proton said:

somebody ought to put a website together listing the arrival times of planes from China. Like they do for the cruise ships stopping at Venice to disgorge  thousands of tourists. I would use that to plan travel around them. Being at the airport when they arrive is horrendous, hundreds shouting, more like screaming and pushing in line, if they line up at all is best avoided.

 

Old but gold

 

 

Brilliant! Great to see a Thai full blooded rant. Love it. Thanks!

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, bradiston said:

Brilliant! Great to see a Thai full blooded rant. Love it. Thanks!

Yes she was very ticked off...she should have shoved them out of her way, throwing elbows as they move in on you I find helps...

[nigelforbes]

I used to fly from HK into China regularly, Cathay Pacific/Dragon Air ground staff had all on to try to control  the hoards of Chinese passengers who were returning home. As soon as the announcement was made, Business Class passengers may board now, vrooom, and they're off. Eventually it got to a point where barriers and screens were erected between economy and business seating at the gate and business class passengers were told individually to board now. In Guangzhou, the flight to Beijing was unassigned seating, the stews just moved out the way and let them get on with it, chickens in cages and all! Great sport. 

[Stargeezr]

Do not forget that in China they have TV  just like Russia has TV.

  Unless they are rich, they watch the local Chinese TV station, hint hint.

In My Opinion... anyway

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Stargeezr said:

Do not forget that in China they have TV  just like Russia has TV.

  Unless they are rich, they watch the local Chinese TV station, hint hint.

In My Opinion... anyway

And what do you watch?

[superal]

2 hours ago, Stargeezr said:

Do not forget that in China they have TV  just like Russia has TV.

  Unless they are rich, they watch the local Chinese TV station, hint hint.

In My Opinion... anyway

Both countries are fed propaganda and that is why Putin was backed by his nation until the truth over the war was picked up on the internet . China , being a closed secretive country  has limited internet access with both Google & Gmail blocked . Russia also has limited access . 

[bradiston]

11 minutes ago, superal said:

Both countries are fed propaganda and that is why Putin was backed by his nation until the truth over the war was picked up on the internet . China , being a closed secretive country  has limited internet access with both Google & Gmail blocked . Russia also has limited access . 

No idea what news channels are available in China. I watch CGTN and their news channel until it disappeared. off my cable. Google blocked is no great loss as far as news is concerned. I think there is widespread use of VPNs in China and elsewhere. I have a Chinese friend who connects through one on Messenger. Is Al Jazeera blocked? DW? France 24? I used to watch CGTN news channel but it's disappeared from my cable feed. Still have RT, which of course to me is the pits, and a couple of other Russian channels.

 

We are fed propaganda too. But being an ardent supporter of Europe and the Western Alliance against Putin, I don't really care. You can train your brain to sift through the patent BS and get to some sort of idea of what's happening.

[jacko45k]

On 1/23/2023 at 10:38 AM, nigelforbes said:

My math is terrible, what's 60,000 as a percentage of 1.42 billion, please? 

It's a bit like the acceptable level of rat droppings in a meat pie... I kinda like to aim for zero rather than 0.05%

 

 

[nigelforbes]

24 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

It's a bit like the acceptable level of rat droppings in a meat pie... I kinda like to aim for zero rather than 0.05%

 

 

I agree, except no other country came even close!

[Orinoco]

Can't wait to see those lovely little faces licking the inside of the bus windows again.

Joy oh joy.