Last Saturday I had a cold, so I put on a mask to visit the local market & 7/11. 

(I still have some in an old box) 

I really couldn't care less what other people think about it. 

 

22 minutes ago, garygooner said:

Last Saturday I had a cold, so I put on a mask to visit the local market & 7/11. 

(I still have some in an old box) 

I really couldn't care less what other people think about it. 

 

Yes a lot of the anti mask <deleted>, and people generally in the West during COVID didn't get that it was not just to protect yourself, but more importantly, I think, to protect others if you had covid. And thank you Gary for showing consideration for others in keeping your cold to yourself. It really pisses me off when supermarket shopping in the UK, and someone with a cold or virus of some sort, is coughing and sneezing, often into their hand (s) and then they continue handling produce while they shop. They should be wearing a mask if they know they have a cold or any other virus. Common sense consideration for others is sadly lacking these days.

On 11/6/2025 at 9:01 PM, MalcolmB said:

Thais wear masks for a number of reasons .

Also if one is vulnerable to airborne diseases and infections such as people with cancers.

On 11/6/2025 at 8:32 PM, Cameroni said:

I know, it's astounding. The fear and paranoia is ingrained now.

Mission Accomplished.

5 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Yes a lot of the anti mask <deleted>, and people generally in the West during COVID didn't get that it was not just to protect yourself, but more importantly, I think, to protect others if you had covid. And thank you Gary for showing consideration for others in keeping your cold to yourself. It really pisses me off when supermarket shopping in the UK, and someone with a cold or virus of some sort, is coughing and sneezing, often into their hand (s) and then they continue handling produce while they shop. They should be wearing a mask if they know they have a cold or any other virus. Common sense consideration for others is sadly lacking these days.

If I had a cold (sneezing, coughing) I'd wear a mask in public.  It's the right thing to do as the mask catches fine droplets of water (mucus) and protects others.  It's amazing to see how many people chooses to share their colds with others.  But to wear them to protect you from Covid?  What a laugh.  That's like installing a chain-link fence on your property to keep out mosquitoes.  The mask wearing during Covid was a sign of fear and/or a sign of compliance.  Still is.

43 minutes ago, garygooner said:

Last Saturday I had a cold, so I put on a mask to visit the local market & 7/11. 

(I still have some in an old box) 

I really couldn't care less what other people think about it. 

 

As you should.  Kudos.

20 hours ago, my friend I said:

They are not wearing masks because fear of just covid. People have been wearing masks for years especially in the north because of smoke season.

There is no smoke in the North right now.  The air is clear.  The terminally fearful and compliant still wear masks.  And perhaps a few who have colds themselves and are doing the right thing to protect others.

On 11/6/2025 at 8:48 PM, PerfidiousAlbion said:

You must have some essential part of your soul missing then. The human face is a vehicle for human emotion and connection. It is part of our shared humanity. Without facial cues our human experience is dulled. From a humanist perspective, they are just awful. In Europe, nobody has worn masks for 3 years now - not even old people. When I see all these young 7-11 girls wearing masks still knowing that my 90 year old Gran doesn't wear one still - I just can't help but think many Thais are soft and cowardly. 

 

I think with many Thais, especially the older ones, it's a "face" thing. They are scared to death that someone might see them as disobedient to authority, so they feel compelled to conform. They learned it in grammar school, and it has stuck with them for a lifetime. It's very sad! I regularly visit two government hospitals here in Udon Thani, and there are plastic stickers pasted on surfaces, mostly glass, telling people to always wear their mask when in the hospital, and yet, most of the hospital staff don't even mask up.  Most people these days ignore it, but others quickly comply. The only reason the stickers are still there is because they're stuck like glue and nobody can get them off the surfaces. They still have the X tape on seats and on the floor indicating proper distancing simply because Thais never take tape off of anything. They love to see the double-sided tape stuck to everything once they take down an announcement of some sort, or a poster, or birthday ornaments or other holiday paraphernalia. Has no one ever noticed this? They are obsessed with leaving it on the walls simply because they are too lazy to remove it. It's too much work for them, so Mai Pen Rai! It drives me crazy!

On 11/6/2025 at 8:28 PM, PerfidiousAlbion said:

I’ve just come back to Thailand for the first time in two years to see my father, and honestly, I’m in absolute disbelief. How on earth are people STILL wearing masks everywhere? And I mean everywhere. Out in the open sun, alone on motorbikes, in empty corridors, walking on the beach – you name it. The most illogical, pointless situations imaginable… yet the masks are still glued on like some national uniform.

I used to love the warmth, personality and vibrancy of this country. Thailand always had a strong identity – expressive, open, full of character. Now? It feels like the soul has been completely drained. It’s like everyone is hiding behind the same blank expressionless sheet of fabric. A faceless society. That’s honestly what it feels like.

And the worst part? It’s clear this isn’t going away. There’s no sign that this obsession will ever stop. People seem terrified to break from the habit, as if the mask has become a permanent part of Thai culture. How did something meant to be temporary turn into a bizarre long-term behavioural ritual?

Tourism numbers make total sense to me now. Why would people “flock” back to a country where you can’t even see anyone’s face? Where the atmosphere feels controlled, muted, and borderline dystopian? It’s not welcoming – it’s just depressing. This is not the Thailand people fell in love with.

I never imagined I’d say this, but coming back has been a real shock. It’s like returning to a place you once knew only to find it’s been replaced by some strange masked-version of itself. Atmosphere stinks of covid paranoia - nobody give me this pm25 bull<deleted> either - there is sod all pm25 inside 7-11

You appear to be far more obsessed with masks than the average Thai.

On 11/6/2025 at 8:42 PM, PerfidiousAlbion said:

It is not natural or normal to live like this. Not in any way, shape or form. It is anti-human and borderline dystopian. What's even more bewildering is that many seemingly well-educated foreigners think it's also totally normal. They pretend it has always been like this (it hasn't) or come up with the Pm25 bull<deleted>. PM25 on the top floor of a state-of-the-art shopping mall? Are you kidding me - what an insult to my intelligence to think I would believe such nonsense. I am just grateful that my stay is only for 3 weeks - I would go insane if I was living here full-time.

 

And of curse you are totally informed about the number of Covid- 19 positives recorded very recently in each area. Or perhaps your a trump supported who believes Covid-19 is a hoax.

 

And perhaps you're not familiar with the fact that dome folks suffer severe effects from the smoke pollution in the area, in some areas not that bad but in other areas quite severe and cauing health issues.

On 11/6/2025 at 2:07 PM, NorthernRyland said:

 

I know Thai people are friendly and easy going but there's a very repressed to side them, like how they avoid confrontation at all costs and speak quietly when outside so to not bring attention to themselves.  That's just how they are so I'm not surprised some people feel safer masked up.

You have'nt met my ex then?

She lived for confrontation. Would get angry if she hadn't had an argument with her daughter by 7am to set her up for the day. So then she'd start on me, and as I would'nt bite while getting ready for work, I later found out off her work colleagues that she'd incessantly argue with them over the stupidest things. The company was glad when she left.

 

On 11/6/2025 at 8:28 PM, PerfidiousAlbion said:

I’ve just come back to Thailand for the first time in two years to see my father, and honestly, I’m in absolute disbelief. How on earth are people STILL wearing masks everywhere? And I mean everywhere. Out in the open sun, alone on motorbikes, in empty corridors, walking on the beach – you name it. The most illogical, pointless situations imaginable… yet the masks are still glued on like some national uniform.

I used to love the warmth, personality and vibrancy of this country. Thailand always had a strong identity – expressive, open, full of character. Now? It feels like the soul has been completely drained. It’s like everyone is hiding behind the same blank expressionless sheet of fabric. A faceless society. That’s honestly what it feels like.

And the worst part? It’s clear this isn’t going away. There’s no sign that this obsession will ever stop. People seem terrified to break from the habit, as if the mask has become a permanent part of Thai culture. How did something meant to be temporary turn into a bizarre long-term behavioural ritual?

Tourism numbers make total sense to me now. Why would people “flock” back to a country where you can’t even see anyone’s face? Where the atmosphere feels controlled, muted, and borderline dystopian? It’s not welcoming – it’s just depressing. This is not the Thailand people fell in love with.

I never imagined I’d say this, but coming back has been a real shock. It’s like returning to a place you once knew only to find it’s been replaced by some strange masked-version of itself. Atmosphere stinks of covid paranoia - nobody give me this pm25 bull<deleted> either - there is sod all pm25 inside 7-11

I don't know where/when you stayed in Thailand previously but you should have noticed that people both here, and indeed elsewhere in Asia, tend to wear masks when they have a cold as a courtesy to prevent passing on their illness to those around them.

On 11/6/2025 at 8:28 PM, PerfidiousAlbion said:

I’ve just come back to Thailand for the first time in two years to see my father, and honestly, I’m in absolute disbelief. How on earth are people STILL wearing masks everywhere? And I mean everywhere. Out in the open sun, alone on motorbikes, in empty corridors, walking on the beach – you name it. The most illogical, pointless situations imaginable… yet the masks are still glued on like some national uniform.

I used to love the warmth, personality and vibrancy of this country. Thailand always had a strong identity – expressive, open, full of character. Now? It feels like the soul has been completely drained. It’s like everyone is hiding behind the same blank expressionless sheet of fabric. A faceless society. That’s honestly what it feels like.

And the worst part? It’s clear this isn’t going away. There’s no sign that this obsession will ever stop. People seem terrified to break from the habit, as if the mask has become a permanent part of Thai culture. How did something meant to be temporary turn into a bizarre long-term behavioural ritual?

Tourism numbers make total sense to me now. Why would people “flock” back to a country where you can’t even see anyone’s face? Where the atmosphere feels controlled, muted, and borderline dystopian? It’s not welcoming – it’s just depressing. This is not the Thailand people fell in love with.

I never imagined I’d say this, but coming back has been a real shock. It’s like returning to a place you once knew only to find it’s been replaced by some strange masked-version of itself. Atmosphere stinks of covid paranoia - nobody give me this pm25 bull<deleted> either - there is sod all pm25 inside 7-11

Ah yes, the great mystery of why people in a tropical country with ongoing Covid cases, flu, RSV, TB, and other airborne threats might still wear masks. Shocking, really.

Maybe it’s not “paranoia,” but basic disease prevention, cultural courtesy, and, you know, not wanting to share your respiratory souvenirs with Grandma. Thailand’s packed streets, crowded markets, and spotty ventilation make masks a smart move, even if you don’t personally enjoy them while buying your Slurpee.

Call it what you want, but protecting yourself and others isn’t “soulless.” It’s just hygiene with manners.

 I’ve lived here 33 years, and I’m fit, healthy, and not exactly the paranoid type, but after catching Covid a couple of months ago, I’m still dealing with lingering symptoms (Long Covid, perhaps). So yeah, I appreciate not inhaling other people’s exhaled mystery particles, thanks.

48 minutes ago, Phil1964 said:

You have'nt met my ex then?

She lived for confrontation. Would get angry if she hadn't had an argument with her daughter by 7am to set her up for the day. So then she'd start on me, and as I would'nt bite while getting ready for work, I later found out off her work colleagues that she'd incessantly argue with them over the stupidest things. The company was glad when she left.

 

 

one in a  million. 😂

26 minutes ago, Galong said:

but after catching Covid a couple of months ago, I’m still dealing with lingering symptoms (Long Covid, perhaps).

 

How many Covid jabs did you have ?

On 11/6/2025 at 8:32 PM, Cameroni said:

I know, it's astounding. The fear and paranoia is ingrained now.

 

It's terrible, you can't see young women's faces...

Tell me.  Have a pharmacy where I am with two of the prettiest sisters you will find and the will not remove the mask for anything.  I love to see one person on a cycle riding with a mask on.

Just now, thaipo7 said:

Tell me.  Have a pharmacy where I am with two of the prettiest sisters you will find and the will not remove the mask for anything.  I love to see one person on a cycle riding with a mask on.

 

That's terrible. Beauty that is hidden. What could be worse.

 

Cyndy Lauper bemoaned men who hide a woman away, here the women are doing it...

On 11/7/2025 at 12:24 AM, save the frogs said:

 

yes, and what does perfidious even mean? 

Tosser?

On 11/6/2025 at 1:28 PM, PerfidiousAlbion said:

I’ve just come back to Thailand for the first time in two years to see my father, and honestly, I’m in absolute disbelief. How on earth are people STILL wearing masks everywhere?

Ever heard of air pollution?

Pop over to Japan. People wear masks when they have a cold. If you like people sneezing in your face, go to a country that is anti mask.

14 minutes ago, Homburg said:

Ever heard of air pollution?

Ever heard of brainwashing and propoganada?

5 hours ago, garygooner said:

Last Saturday I had a cold, so I put on a mask to visit the local market & 7/11. 

(I still have some in an old box) 

I really couldn't care less what other people think about it. 

 

Wow! Stunning and brave - some of you expats are utter gimps 

I'm a Farang, and I wear a mask when I'm in crowded areas, such as Big C, Lotuses, 7-11s, etc., as well as in places where I come into close contact with others, like banks or immigration offices. 

24 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

I'm a Farang, and I wear a mask when I'm in crowded areas, such as Big C, Lotuses, 7-11s, etc., as well as in places where I come into close contact with others, like banks or immigration offices. 

 

I wonder why it is left wing people who love the mask and right wing people who hate it.

 

Should be an interesting answer.

5 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

I wonder why it is left wing people who love the mask and right wing people who hate it.

 

Should be an interesting answer.

That's an easy answer. As I always say, the difference between right-wing and left-wing people is the single first letter of a two-letter word...
- Right-wingers only think about Me. 😞
- Left-wingers always think about We. 🙂

In the case of wearing a mask in public...

- Right-wingers don't like to do this because they believe it is a violation of their (Me) personal space. 😞 

- Left-wingers do this because they know it helps protect the others (We) they interact with. 🙂 

I hope this answer was as interesting as you expected. 😉

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

That's terrible. Beauty that is hidden. What could be worse.

 

Cyndy Lauper bemoaned men who hide a woman away, here the women are doing it...

Yep Thais are worse than Arab women 

1 minute ago, WDSmart said:

That's an easy answer. As I always say, the difference between right-wing and left-wing people is the single first letter of a two-letter word...
- Right-wingers only think about Me. 😞
- Left-wingers always think about We. 🙂

In the case of wearing a mask in public...

- Right-wingers don't like to do this because they believe it is a violation of their (Me) personal space. 😞 

- Left-wingers do this because they know it helps protect the others (We) they interact with. 🙂 

I hope this answer was as interesting as you expected. 😉

 

Not exactly, it seems to me there's very little "we" about wearing masks and a lot of "me". It is rooted in fear surely...are leftwingers more fearful than rightwingers perhaps?

 

It just doesn't make sense, if you think about conservatives are the ones who want to retain the old order, they should be wearing masks. Whereas leftwingers are supposedly progressive and carefrees, yet they are anal retentive about masks.

 

I find it very odd.

1 hour ago, WDSmart said:

I'm a Farang, and I wear a mask when I'm in crowded areas, such as Big C, Lotuses, 7-11s, etc., as well as in places where I come into close contact with others, like banks or immigration offices. 

 

 

27 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

That's an easy answer. As I always say, the difference between right-wing and left-wing people is the single first letter of a two-letter word...
- Right-wingers only think about Me. 😞
- Left-wingers always think about We. 🙂

In the case of wearing a mask in public...

- Right-wingers don't like to do this because they believe it is a violation of their (Me) personal space. 😞 

- Left-wingers do this because they know it helps protect the others (We) they interact with. 🙂 

I hope this answer was as interesting as you expected. 😉

What a tragically feeble man you are. Mask-wearing in late 2025 has nothing to do with prioritizing the collective good over self-interest. We now have six years of real-world data clearly showing that mask use makes no meaningful difference to infection rates. Compliance was at its highest in 2020 and 2021, and the virus still tore through societies. Masks achieved nothing; instead, they became a proxy for morality - a way for people to feign a sense of moral superiority. In your case, they function as virtue-signalling devices, filling an empty void, because you seem to crave validation from others who participate in this same performative display.

Social psychology research shows that moral decisions are heavily shaped by concerns about one’s reputation rather than by genuine convictions about what is good or pure. I am certain that if we analysed the full complexity of your moral character, we’d find plenty of behaviours that are selfish and individualistic. The fact that, in 2025, you’re still clinging to the idea that wearing a mask signals moral superiority is frankly pathetic - and one of the main reasons so many people have come to resent the “mask zombies.”

Political leanings have little to do with any of this. I consider myself economically left-wing: I believe in common ownership of the means of production, equal rights for minorities, and I think Elon Musk is a complete clown. I am, however, also a humanist and a rationalist. I understand that living in a society of faceless, anonymised people is damaging to our spiritual and psychological well-being. The face is a crucial engine of human connection, and covering it only serves to atomise and isolate us.

10 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

Not exactly, it seems to me there's very little "we" about wearing masks and a lot of "me". It is rooted in fear surely...are leftwingers more fearful than rightwingers perhaps?

 

It just doesn't make sense, if you think about conservatives are the ones who want to retain the old order, they should be wearing masks. Whereas leftwingers are supposedly progressive and carefrees, yet they are anal retentive about masks.

 

I find it very odd.

Wearing masks is all about We. That's because wearing masks is done to protect OTHERS, not yourself. This is a basic fact that many people do not understand or at least accept. It is, I guess, rooted in fear - the fear that you might cause others to become ill. And, yes, left-wingers may seem to be more fearful than right-wingers. I wouldn't describe our attitude as "fearful," but "concerned about others" - We. Whereas right-wingers may seem to be less fearful, I wouldn't describe their attitude as "less fearful," but "only concerned about themselves" - Me.

Again, I agree that conservatives want to retain the old order. The "old order" is a self-centered, selfish, capitalistic viewpoint - Me. The "new order," hopefully, will be a generous, "woke," socialistic viewpoint - We.

It's an Asian thing