Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Anything and everything about Thailand
Post Reply
User avatar
Trongpai
Posts: 1438
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:21 am
Location: Bangkok, Ram Intra
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 310 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Trongpai »

Perhaps it's better to be in Thailand now:



Good bye old people it's now time to turn you into soylent green.
Dodger
Posts: 1926
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 2:58 am
Has thanked: 133 times
Been thanked: 479 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Dodger »

Buriram Province, which was the first Province to institute a block out, just imposed a curfew which starts at 7:00 PM and ends at 7:00 AM.

No one is permitted to enter or leave the Province without justifiable reasons.

Shopping malls remain open, although only the food stores and restaurants in the malls are in operation. Everything else is closed.

Jay and I stocked up on enough food and supplies to last a month and are making the best of this situation.

It's times like this that I'm especially grateful for having a boyfriend to share these times with.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:35 am No one is permitted to enter or leave the Province without justifiable reasons.
Who gets to decide whether you have justifiable reasons? That seems vague and arbitrary to me.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Gaybutton »

Trongpai wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:31 am Perhaps it's better to be in Thailand now
I certainly think so. According to the video, the USA now has 53441 reported cases and 690 deaths.

According to today's Bangkok Post, Thailand has 934 reported cases and 2 deaths.

Pattaya has 21 reported cases and 0 deaths.

I'm going to stay right here in Pattaya.
User avatar
Trongpai
Posts: 1438
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 10:21 am
Location: Bangkok, Ram Intra
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 310 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Trongpai »

Thai news reports that it's now mandatory to wear a mask to ride the BTS/BRT/MRT in Bangkok. Not sure about buses? You will be refused entry without one and none are provided.

I had to enter a a large office building in Bangkok yesterday to renew my insurance and they would not allow anyone to enter without a mask. My temperature was taken also.

At the grocery store I did not see anyone shopping without a mask.

I was last on the BTS over a week ago and almost everyone had a mask. It was being announced that it's mandatory to wear a mask. The few farangs that did not were looked at with disdain. Now it appears it will be enforced.

I don't know the efficacy of a mask without the face shield visor but I would not go out without a mask now and stand out and ask to be treated like the Frankenstein monster by a mob of masked Thais.

I have a large box of good masks (the blue ones) that the BF obtained from his friend who works in a hospital as a nurse. He paid about 10B per mask. I bought some at a local pharmacy but they must have been Thai sized or I have a big head. They did not fit and the straps pulled my ears out and forward making me look strange...stranger.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Gaybutton »

Trongpai wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 12:36 pm Thai news reports that it's now mandatory to wear a mask
I expect very soon people will be denied entry without a mask at many more places. The Thais don't seem to have any trouble finding masks. Many farang, however, have so far found it virtually impossible to find masks anywhere. You can't enter places without a mask and it's extremely difficult to even find any masks. Why am I thinking about Catch-22?

The price for standard masks is supposed to be, according to a Thai friend, 20 baht each. If anyone selling standard masks tries to charge more, that is illegal price gouging and people are urged to report such activity to the police.
Dodger
Posts: 1926
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 2:58 am
Has thanked: 133 times
Been thanked: 479 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:58 am
Dodger wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:35 am No one is permitted to enter or leave the Province without justifiable reasons.
Who gets to decide whether you have justifiable reasons? That seems vague and arbitrary to me.
Beats the hell out of me.

They're certainly not staffed to screen people traveling in vehicles, so I guess these questions would be asked of people entering and leaving the Province at the airport and train stations.

I think they're just trying to stress the point that people should simply stop traveling, stay home, and isolate for a while. From what I gather, the people in Buriram understand the rationale behind this and are following the rules.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Gaybutton »

One question that has come up is whether banks will remain open. According to the Bangkok Post, the answer is yes

See: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -emergency
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by Gaybutton »

Here's the latest:
______________

Emergency decree bans entry to foreigners

25 Mar 2020

Foreigners will be banned from entering the country under the emergency decree being invoked to combat at the coronavirus pandemic.

The emergency decree comes into effect at midnight on Wednesday, and remains in force through April 30.

The decree bans all foreigners from entry at all entry points - the exceptions being shippers, diplomats, drivers, pilots and others permitted by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Thais stranded in other countries will be allowed to return, it added.

People under the age of five years and over 70 are encouraged to stay home, and public gatherings are banned, under the announcement.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said after meeting with the prime minister the prohibition on foreigners was to prevent the importing of more cases into the country.

The period of the emergency decree was announced on Wednesday in a nationwide broadcast by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

It has nationwide effect.

The decree authorises Gen Prayut to chair the centre to fight the virus, with the permanent secretaries of public health, interior, commerce and foreign affairs to help him. The supreme commander of the armed forces has been given responsibility for security affairs.

"Only necessary measures will be issued, to prevent the spread of the virus," the announcement said.

Gen Prayut said all shops selling food and essential consumer goods can remain open. He warned that anybody taking advantage of the situation for their own benefit will face stern action - an apparent reference to hoarders.

More measures are expected to be announced.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... foreigners
gerefan
Posts: 727
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2010 6:33 am
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 87 times

Re: Thailand Prepares for the Worst

Post by gerefan »

I wonder how many Falangs are now unable to return to their homes in Thailand?
Post Reply