The Thai's are clueless about the dangers of mosquitos

[advancebooking]

In the few years that I've resided in LOS, I've noticed that the Thai's in general are clueless about Mosquitos and the health risks.

I'm staying in a relatively new hotel at the moment 'up country' and of course there are no mozzie screens on the windows. In all the places I've stayed in for the past couple of years 99% of the time there are no mozzie screens on the windows. Maybe a few farang owned hotels had them but that was it. I cant understand why mozzie screens on windows are not mandatory in the standard building practices? There is nothing more annoying that lying in bed when there are mozzies flying around ones head when trying to get to sleep.

A few weeks ago I was in a local dental clinic and had to use the toilet. I walked into the bathroom and there are there was a small swarm of mozzies breeding in the large bucket / container of water that was sitting next to the actual toilet. It was clearly a dengue fever risk.

In the less modern homes and businesses there is always a large container of water without the lid on- or one built into the design of the bathroom (looks like a big bath). I'm always seeing mozzies flying around these area's.

A friend of mine caught dengue fever twice in a 3 year period and I assume that many people must catch this disease in the wet season? What about the Malaria risks in certain area's of Thailand - i.e the Mai sot / burma border or some area's of the thai / cambodia border.

What are your thoughts on this matter?

[transam]

I think there is a much bigger list of ''clueless'' stuff in LOS.

[eeeya]

go on a one man crusade with a tin of bug spray in each hand and get blasting..

other than that, wear long sleeve shirt and repellant and try not to get to bitten.

Plenty of bigger risks about. this ones pretty easy to mitigate

[GreenSnapper]

Try a hotel which costs more than 300 Baht!

[Seastallion]

I doubt that water used for drinking or toilet, being constantly emptied/refilled is a mosquito risk. Standing water is the breeding place of mozzies.

[sbf]

There are over 450 species of mosquito in Thailand. Around 9-10 of these can carry and spread disease such as Malaria and Dengue. The main predator of the Dengue mosquito is (at the larval stage anyway) another larger mosquito larvae. Some say that the best thing to do to control Dengue would be to stop all spraying and breed and release large numbers of this larger mosquito to control the Dengue carrying mosquito.

[thailiketoo]

They put little fish in the standing water jugs to eat the mosquito larva.

[chrisinth]

I don't remember ever, during the last 6 years anyway, staying in a hotel that has had mosquito screens on the windows or doors. And I travel a lot in Thailand, living 'up country'.

[Bernard Flint]

Disagree

Where i live,the local authorities come out regular and spray the area,s drains,and the schools

[Briggsy]

Thais like immediate 'easy-to-fix' solutions to everything. Baygon.

[larsjohnsson]

Where I live they come and spray my apartment against mosquitos and other insects once a month

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Thai at Heart]

Wouldn't the windows be closed and the AC on?

Stay at a slightly better quality of hotel would be an idea. Tents don't have very good AC.

[stickylies]

go home, much better there i reckon...

[CharlieH]

Could have stopped the title after the 4th word !

[Morakot]

Book in advance, and you may secure better accommodation.

[thaipod]

Most air con rooms have no screens and ones with only fans usually have . When I travel up country I take mosquito rackets in my luggage and keep one in the car so before I go to bed I kill them after closing the door and windows ,other than that some hotels and resorts have a mosquito net.

[Travelman868]

I doubt that water used for drinking or toilet, being constantly emptied/refilled is a mosquito risk. Standing water is the breeding place of mozzies.

I agree, the water in bathrooms is changing all the time, however there is a danger of getting your ass bit in the man's dentist.

As for Thai's being clueless i think you will find that they are on the ball with the cure for malaria

[wileycoyote]

Deterrence is the best protection

[HUAHIN62]

If you look at the deaths caused by mozzies as a percentage of the total you will understand why we dont worry too much about mozzies. Thais arent clueless about mozzies we have learned to live with them and to understand their threat in a balanced way.

[Mooner]

Add it to the list

[Sam Gold]

Thais are clueless about just about everything, it's what makes them so charming on some days and so unbearable on others.

[godden]

Try a hotel which costs more than 300 Baht!

i think we could reduce this to 200 baht for our friend

[steven100]

You need to carry an electric drill , hacksaw & mitre jig , concrete screw plugs & aluminium window frames with fly screen mech. You can get this from most home pro or thai Watsadu stores.

Install them on the windows as you go ... I'm sure the hotel owner won't mind

Alternatively , stay in a hotel worth more than 200 baht a night .

[krisb]

Book in advance, and you may secure better accommodation.

Yeah lol, and his username is advance booking!

Op smear yourself in mud. Works in Papua New Guinea.

[CIHUAHUA]

There are 4 kinds of break-bone-fever. You get immune to each but not all at once. The first time you get it, not too bad. The second time your capillaries hemorrhage, so you can't brush your teeth, get a rub, eat rough foods etc. Some people die and most just feel like death warmed up. My Thai friend say he does not get bit while showing me his index finger bending as he pressed it against his arm. Maybe he is correct but I don't think so.

[CIHUAHUA]

There are 4 kinds of break-bone-fever. You get immune to each but not all at once. The first time you get it, not too bad. The second time your capillaries hemorrhage, so you can't brush your teeth, get a rub, eat rough foods etc. Some people die and most just feel like death warmed up. My Thai friend say he does not get bit while showing me his index finger bending as he pressed it against his arm. Maybe he is correct but I don't think so.

[eeeya]

There are 4 kinds of break-bone-fever. You get immune to each but not all at once. The first time you get it, not too bad. The second time your capillaries hemorrhage, so you can't brush your teeth, get a rub, eat rough foods etc. Some people die and most just feel like death warmed up. My Thai friend say he does not get bit while showing me his index finger bending as he pressed it against his arm. Maybe he is correct but I don't think so.

A doctor told me that people that say they dont get bit generally do get bit but they dont show signs of a bite.

[smotherb]

As I type, the mosquito spray truck is making its rounds in my neighborhood. They have been doing it for at least six years here now--so there must be some Thais who have a clue

[krisb]

Yep of course Thais have a clue. They do the best they can. Flyscreens on windows don't always work cause they squeeze through but stop flies well. I hate the little bastids, awful creature responsible for more deaths around the world than anyone or anything else.

[Sayonarax]

Wow perfect thread to make this comment.

I was talking to my Dad's wife earlier about the mosquito's in the house and i asked her "Do you think the hundreds of mosquito's in the house is from leaving the doors wide open until to 6.30pm?" She replied "No, they come in from the taps."

I wanted to physically facepalm my self..