Hi All,

 

I'm interested in hearing your impressions about masking trends in BKK.  I visited briefly in late 2022 and was taken aback by the pervasiveness of masking, even outdoors.  It must have been 90% masked outdoors and >95% indoors.  It was depressing to see coming from Canada where masks had largely been discarded since spring 2022.  It was like stepping into a Covid time machine and reliving the pandemic all over again.  Ugh.  It felt like the Thailand I knew and loved had been transformed into another country.  Maybe it just revealed the cultural divide between East and West.  

 

From the videos I have seen and from friends, I know that Thais are still masking quite a bit now but wonder if mask use is falling in any appreciable way.  Is it still the default both indoors and outdoors?   Can you see a time when the unmasked will outnumber the masked in public? 

 

While I don't like wearing a mask, I also respect Thai people and their preferences.  So I will likely begrudgingly put one on when I return if that is expected.  I know that farangs are wearing them much less frequently and that is supposedly accepted by most people.  And yet it is unfortunate that there is this awkward thing that separates us farang from Thai.   Lots of room for unspoken resentment there. 

 

 

Lots of people still wear masks. But IMHO it's no problem if you don't.

Now I only wear a mask when I go to a hospital or i.e. a crowded sky train.

I don't wear a mask in shopping centers or outdoors or when I visit restaurants. No problem.

 

I suggest just make sure you have a mask with you if there is a situation where you think you should wear one, i.e. in a hospital.

 

About "dirty looks": I gave up thinking about any looks which I get since I have a pretty girlfriend many years ago. Some people look, some people don't look. Why do they look? Because my belly, my t-shirt, my hair, no mask? I don't know and it doesn't make sense to try to understand why people might look, there are hundreds of possible reasons. Since many months I never had anybody telling me I should wear a mask.

 

 

Nobody cares anymore whether or not you personally wear a mask EXCEPT where clearly mandatory, i.e. government offices like immigration 

 

In Bankok however,  the air quality is a more important reason for people wearing masks than Covid.

 

Right now, me gestimate is 60% Thai and 20% foreigners still wearing masks at all time

As long as some people are suspectable to infections or want to avoid the pollution, then masks will be worn.  

 

Be nice if they used a proper one and wore it correctly.   Then they wouldn't look so silly.

7 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

Nobody cares anymore whether or not you personally wear a mask EXCEPT where clearly mandatory, i.e. government offices like immigration 

 

In Bankok however,  the air quality is a more important reason for people wearing masks than Covid.

 

Right now, me gestimate is 60% Thai and 20% foreigners still wearing masks at all time

Did my extension last month, no masks required at immigration, at BPH no masks required. Wear one, don't wear one, nobody cares.

57 minutes ago, ultramarine said:

It felt like the Thailand I knew and loved had been transformed into another country

Good description.

 

It's inexplicable, I don't think people appreciate just how much Thailand is now an outlier when it comes to masking.

 

It's actually a problem for the country,  so sad to witness what the  " land of Smiles" turned into. However it is coming back, finally! 

 

 

59 minutes ago, ultramarine said:

I know that Thais are still masking quite a bit now but wonder if mask use is falling in any appreciable way.  Is it still the default both indoors and outdoors?   Can you see a time when the unmasked will outnumber the masked in public? 

Thankfully this is changing, albeit far too slowly , yes this time should occur this year where it's no longer the default.

 

At that point the social pressure is all but gone,  and they're then only worn by a few for genuine reasons such as pollution or being unwell. 

Covid is not the only use of masks.

Even now I wear  a mask because my outrageously good looks make people uncomfortable,  with the additional benefits of not being noticed by the paparazzi and not have to smell all of you. Ohh and it protects you from other pathogens such as the flu and of course all the dust. 

15 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did my extension last month, no masks required at immigration, at BPH no masks required. Wear one, don't wear one, nobody cares.

In April, Jomtien immigration stopped everybody from entering without mask, when I needed a re-entry permit.

 

In BPH, I wear a mask, because I don't want to inhale any of the bugs these other sick people exhale. Not wearing a mask in a hospital is stupid by definition. 

18 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did my extension last month, no masks required at immigration, at BPH no masks required. Wear one, don't wear one, nobody cares.

bkk hospital petchaburi rd yesterday. many people without masks. 

1 minute ago, Swiss1960 said:

Not wearing a mask in a hospital is stupid by definition. 

so before covid most humans were stupid ? 

1 minute ago, stoner said:

so before covid most humans were stupid ? 

Not only

3 minutes ago, stoner said:

so before covid most humans were stupid ? 

Yes

1 minute ago, Swiss1960 said:

Yes

yourself included correct ? ill make the wild assumption you didn't wear a mask about daily life before covid either. 

2 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

Yes

No!

Just now, sirineou said:

No!

Maybe? ????

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

No!

Beg to differ. I have been and still am wearing surgical masks in all hospitals I go, with all the people coughing around you, I would call wearing a mask a sane and informed decision. 

14 minutes ago, stoner said:

so before covid most humans were stupid ? 

Yes... a doctor once told me that if you want to get sick visit the emergency room at a hospital... I have worn masks since the 70's whenever I visit a hospital or a doctors office... seems only right since those two places are where sick people go.

18 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

In April, Jomtien immigration stopped everybody from entering without mask, when I needed a re-entry permit.

 

In BPH, I wear a mask, because I don't want to inhale any of the bugs these other sick people exhale. Not wearing a mask in a hospital is stupid by definition. 

I always thought the art of mask wearing was to protect others vs protecting oneself. But, whatever gets you through the day.

3 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Yes... a doctor once told me that if you want to get sick visit the emergency room at a hospital... I have worn masks since the 70's whenever I visit a hospital or a doctors office... seems only right since those two places are where sick people go.

you are speaking of the exception not the norm. 

2 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

Beg to differ. I have been and still am wearing surgical masks in all hospitals I go, with all the people coughing around you, I would call wearing a mask a sane and informed decision. 

Not sure how you disagree?  The question was "The future of masking -- will it ever end? "

and you said  "Yes "  I assume , it will end ,to which I replied "No "  . It will never end because " I would call wearing a mask a sane and informed decision. "

Me and you are sympatico. !!????

My terse  "No " reply was in response to your also terse reply of "Yes" in a poor attempt at humor, you did notice the following reply of "mayde " ?  

I applaud the Thai's for showing some responsibility, I still wear a mask wherever there are people though I have serious underlying health issues! ????

1 minute ago, sirineou said:

Not sure how you disagree?  The question was "The future of masking -- will it ever end? "

and you said  "Yes "  I assume , it will end ,to which I replied "No "  . It will never end because " I would call wearing a mask a sane and informed decision. "

Me and you are sympatico. !!????

My terse  "No " reply was in response to your also terse reply of "Yes" in a poor attempt at humor, you did notice the following reply of "mayde " ?  

You should read more careful... my YES was towards a post from stoner who asked "so before covid people were stupid".

My answer was not to the thread question. For that, you can check my original answer, which is the second answer in the thread.

In Bangkok, many Thai people still wearing them. especially on public transport. I was offered one and asked to wear during a hospital appointment.

 

In Samui more relaxed, but again Thais in the talad, food stall, clinics and generally out and  about.

But nothing like  in Bangkok.

A friend of mine came back from China last Friday, Sunday morning he tested positive for covid the problem is my wife went with them Friday night for a BBQ, I think my wife has picked up something she was like a bag of <deleted> yesterday lets see how she feels today (Thursday)

We do ware the mask when we are out and about, Sunday morning in Makro was busy we had them on all the time so did all the staff, 

No, it will never end.  A small part of it is peopleś right now to remain anonymous by covering their face.

30 minutes ago, stoner said:

you are speaking of the exception not the norm. 

So I am exceptional and you are normal...555

It's sad to see little kids tortured with the mask wearing, levae the kids alone.

7 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

so did all the staff, 

pretty sure this is a requirement by the employer. i could be wrong though.

29 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

You should read more careful... my YES was towards a post from stoner who asked "so before covid people were stupid".

My answer was not to the thread question. For that, you can check my original answer, which is the second answer in the thread.

Yes I should do that! in reading and other things,

and if I could give some advice also ,perhaps you should not give such sort  terse answers and people might know what you are saying without having to backtrack multiple posts. 

12 minutes ago, stoner said:

pretty sure this is a requirement by the employer. i could be wrong though.

I think so because it was the same in Central