Thai Officials Announce "Innovative" Expat Health Measure

[roo860]

Deleted

Edited April 1 by roo860

[roo860]

1 hour ago, Highlandman said:

 

even if this story were real, I wouldn't follow the rules anyway. I didn't do so during Covid either. My freedom and my human rights are what matters. I don't comply with tyrannical rules that serve only to oppress the common man. 

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[brewsterbudgen]

One of the best yet!  👏

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

reinstating mask mandates for foreigners

 

I wonder how long before paranoid Thailand mandates the marking of foreigners doors as was done during the Black Death in Medieval times.

 

[LivingNThailand]

3 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

s there a link for this news-blip, or simply a AN created one ?

Sort of what I posted earlier this morning but for some reason the post didn't "stick".   I think this is fake to get comments.

 

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

reinstating mask mandates for foreigners

 

I wonder how long before paranoid Thailand mandates the marking of foreigners doors as was done during the Black Death in Medieval times.

 

[simon43]

I just started reading page 1 of this (currently) 10-page thread, and realised after a couple of posts that this was an April Fool's Day joke.

 

Honestly, I need to block almost every poster in the next 10 pages because (apart from a few), you all fell for this joke - time to count your brain cells! 🙂

 

[Bobthegimp]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Is there a link for this news-blip, or simply a AN created one ?

 

If the calendar wasn't enough that should have been the second hint. 

 

Happy April 1st. 

[paulikens]

It could be a throwaway comment and will come to nothing but would be interesting to see how this pans out because before when tourists had to wear masks here,  everywhere else was(although Thailand did carry it on a lot longer than most countries) as well, so wasn't such a big deal.   but now that, in general every country has ditched them.  They might find tourists won't be so keen to wear them.    Especially as a lot more people are probably skeptical they even do anything than when covid first broke out and people believed the masks did do something.  

[paulikens]

Just now, simon43 said:

I just started reading page 1 of this (currently) 10-page thread, and realised after a couple of posts that this was an April Fool's Day joke.

 

Honestly, I need to block almost every poster in the next 10 pages because (apart from a few), you all fell for this joke - time to count your brain cells! 🙂

 

Oh yeah!   DOH!   But then again it was quite plausible  when it comes to Thais and mask wearing

Edited April 1 by paulikens

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

8 hours ago, Celsius said:

it's okay. I have nothing against this requirement. I spent the whole 2 months in Canada sick because the people are filthy. First the cold and now bronchitis that won't go away.

Why didn't you wear a mask in Canada?  Or did you and it wasn't effective?

[Highlandman]

3 minutes ago, paulikens said:

It could be a throwaway comment and will come to nothing but would be interesting to see how this pans out because before when tourists had to wear masks here,  everywhere else was(although Thailand did carry it on a lot longer than most countries) as well, so wasn't such a big deal.   but now that, in general every country has ditched them.  They might find tourists won't be so keen to wear them.    Especially as a lot more people are probably skeptical they even do anything than when covid first broke out and people believed the masks did do something.  

 

That's not quite true. While there were jurisdictions that kept mask mandates going for longer, officially, Thailand had one of the world's longest mask mandates, running from March 26, 2020 through to June 23, 2022. While Hong Kong continued until February 28, 2023 with its own mask mandate, funnily enough Hong Kongers moved on from masks much more quickly than Thais.

 

Thais still believe masks work, which makes me wonder why they don't think "why are we the only ones still masking up?" 

[transam]

1 minute ago, Highlandman said:

 

That's not quite true. While there were jurisdictions that kept mask mandates going for longer, officially, Thailand had one of the world's longest mask mandates, running from March 26, 2020 through to June 23, 2022. While Hong Kong continued until February 28, 2023 with its own mask mandate, funnily enough Hong Kongers moved on from masks much more quickly than Thais.

 

Thais still believe masks work, which makes me wonder why they don't think "why are we the only ones still masking up?" 

Or, why is that bloke from Scotland so thick......😝

[Highlandman]

9 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I just started reading page 1 of this (currently) 10-page thread, and realised after a couple of posts that this was an April Fool's Day joke.

 

Honestly, I need to block almost every poster in the next 10 pages because (apart from a few), you all fell for this joke - time to count your brain cells! 🙂

 

 

It's almost believable though given it's Thailand. Don't you live in Laos now? If so, why the interest in Thailand? Isn't there a Lao version of AseanNow?

 

Besides, even during Covid, Laotians weren't very keen maskers. The footage of unmasked Laotians splashing water during both the 2021 and 2022 Pii Mai Lao (aka Songkran in Thailand) events in Luang Prabang were absolutely unthinkable in authoritarian Thailand at the time.

 

Does make you think doesn't it? Not only were Thailand's restrictions far more draconian than those of Laos but also much more strictly enforced and adhered to.

 

If there's ever another "pandemic" I'll sit it out in Laos, where I won't have to wear a mask. 

[paulikens]

Just now, Highlandman said:

 

That's not quite true. While there were jurisdictions that kept mask mandates going for longer, officially, Thailand had one of the world's longest mask mandates, running from March 26, 2020 through to June 23, 2022. While Hong Kong continued until February 28, 2023 with its own mask mandate, funnily enough Hong Kongers moved on from masks much more quickly than Thais.

 

Thais still believe masks work, which makes me wonder why they don't think "why are we the only ones still masking up?" 

Two things... One.  i did say they carried it on longer than most countries in brackets and 2. I've now realized it's an april fools as a few posters have pointed out.  So, It doesn't matter anyway.  

[Highlandman]

33 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Most Chinese I see wear masks anyways.

 

Are you sure they're not ethnic Chinese-Thais?

 

The vast majority of Chinese I see, both inside and outside of Thailand do not wear masks. Although 1/3 Chinese did wear masks on board trains and train stations as well as airports back in December 2023, I attribute that to the cold weather and the flu scare at the time. Even with all that, there was far less mask wearing than in Thailand without any additional fear mongering. 

[Highlandman]

3 hours ago, Goat said:

Thai news on TV this morning says it will only be for farangs. 

Indians , Chinese, Russians will be exempt.

Reason being the farangs refused to wear the masks during covid and they had more deaths than in other countries.

Good on the Thai government for looking after its own people and not worrying about the woke, PC farang crowd.

The update from the Minister will be shown live on Channel 3 and 7 at midday today with english and German subtitles 

 

Any farang would then just claim to be Russian then.

[Highlandman]

15 minutes ago, paulikens said:

Two things... One.  i did say they carried it on longer than most countries in brackets and 2. I've now realized it's an april fools as a few posters have pointed out.  So, It doesn't matter anyway.  

 

You did mention that. Fair point. 

[Highlandman]

1 hour ago, eyeman said:

 

Definitely not in the last month. BNH and Samitivej. 80% maybe 70% at Samitivej. Both doctors I interacted with last month were not masked, of course neither was I. At Chula earlier in the year I'd say probably around 95% though, I think anything associated with the government will be the last to return to normal.  Even the left over masks signs from the crazy times are peeling off or colours fading out now.

 

Ok, that's good to know! Still a great majority but if even doctors are moving on that's good news.

 

I did read a story about an Englishman up in Chiang Mai who was kicked out of a hospital for refusing to mask up maybe a month or two ago by a double masked doctor who told him "masks at hospitals are here to stay, permanently".

 

Of course I don't believe that claim, just that I was expecting there be even higher mask compliance.

 

That being said, with all the foreign patients at the international, private hospitals in Bangkok, you'd expect mask wearing to be way down as most foreigners won't be wearing them. In fact, I think Arab tourists, who were among the first to return to Thailand post mandates/post quarantines, didn't wear masks at all and they're the main clientele at Bumrungrad and various other hospitals in the area.

[Dcheech]

44 minutes ago, transam said:

Scunthorpe

Ban Krut, maybe Chumphon. 

Ao Manao has been nice. I'll leave Scunthorpe till next April fools

Edited April 1 by Dcheech

[traveller101]

34 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I just started reading page 1 of this (currently) 10-page thread, and realised after a couple of posts that this was an April Fool's Day joke.

 

Honestly, I need to block almost every poster in the next 10 pages because (apart from a few), you all fell for this joke - time to count your brain cells! 🙂

 

April Fools day - 365 days, hard to distinguish🤪

[Cabradelmar]

A regulated mandate on foreigners to wear mask... Lol. NEVER gonna happen (sans an actual declaration of pandemic). Not if Thailand has any interest in luring the mythical 40-50 million tourist every year, that they keep droning on about...

[mlkik]

41 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

Sort of what I posted earlier this morning but for some reason the post didn't "stick".   I think this is fake to get comments.

 

Same here my posts were removed as I also posted the was an April fools joke.

[mlkik]

It is after midday in Thailand and if people post April fools jokes after 12.00 then they are the fools.

That is how it has always been since I was a kid.

[Highlandman]

1 hour ago, thecyclist said:

Only Asian foreigners require that. We Farangs stand out as it is, natural branding. You, you, you farang. 

 

If an Asian can't distinguish between a Korean and a Thai, they're not really Asian. I'm not Thai but I can instantly tell who's Japanese or Korean. 

Edited April 1 by Highlandman

[Highlandman]

4 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

A regulated mandate on foreigners to wear mask... Lol. NEVER gonna happen (sans an actual declaration of pandemic). Not if Thailand has any interest in luring the mythical 40-50 million tourist every year, that they keep droning on about...

 

Even during a pandemic declaration, which we've now experienced, they can't possibly impose a mask mandate only on foreigners. That would never work. 

 

Then again, Thais love wearing masks no matter what. Doesn't take much to get a Thai to mask up. I still see neighbors wearing masks at home. Yes, at home. In 2024. 

[chilly07]

Last pandemic prooved masks work especially when mass movement of tourists from originating countries is being encouraged. General reduction in upper respiratory tract infections whilst mask wearing abounded in countries able to acquire them.  Foolish not to use such a simple preventative.

[Dawesy]

It is the 1st of April , hahaha

[bob smith]

The fact that so many members on this forum actually believed this story is very, very telling!

 

bob.

[Presnock]

2 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

I'm all for wearing masks for peak pandemics or deadly smog days.

 

However I'm not wearing a mask now and don't plan to.

Practically impossible, expensive, and definitely to damned hot.

 

I see this not working.  A few idiots in positions of power with either stock in mask companies or totally paranoid about foreigners. 

pollution levels are reported daily/hourly throughout Thailand by at least "accuweather (locality)"  - the north has been reported in news media at world leading numbers. This mornings TNN news at  0600 reported that one could not see CM city from Doi Suthep overlooking the city due to smog.  News medie daily show map of Thailand with pollution totals and in almost all areas the readings are above the healthy level.  I have a 2.5 micron meter and in my area of Bangkok the readings have been above the healthy level almost every day for the past few months including all of last week.  Before it rained last week, the readings were in the 50's and afterwards over a 100!  google "masks and pollution" and you can read about the studies that confirm that quality n95 masks can block the 2.5 microns.  wearing one though is  personal choice!