Coronavirus (Covid-19)

No foreigners at Wat Pho, Bangkok temple says Thais only

Published

11 months ago

Friday, June 12, 2020

Caitlin Ashworth

No foreigners at Wat Pho, Bangkok temple says Thais only | Thaiger

PHOTO: Richard Barrow

The Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) is open, but only if you’re Thai. Foreigners are not allowed in, even if you’ve been living in Thailand for years. The famous Bangkok temple re-opened last week but are keeping foreigners over fears of the coronavirus.

A sign with red letters, all capitalised “ONLY THAI PEOPLE … NOW NOT OPEN FOR FOREIGNERS” is posted at the entrance. Expat blogger Richard Barrow posted photos of the signs on Facebook after visiting the temple and being denied entrance.

“I told them in Thai that I’m not a tourist, but wanted to pay respect to the Buddha. They just replied to me, no tourists allowed.”

Wat Pho is in the process of restoring the Reclining Buddha as well as some of the temple’s paintings. The temple is restricting access for the “safety of tourists”, Wat Pho posted on its Facebook page. The temple will reopen to the general public on July 1. Another spokesperson says the coronavirus is the reason the temple is banning foreigners.

“It’s because most Covid-19 cases were found in foreigners,” a temple representative told Coconuts Bangkok, confirming that they are only are only allowing Thais to visit at the moment.

There’s limited reports on the number of coronavirus cases in foreigner in comparison to Thais, but incoming international travel has been restricted since the end of March. Back in March, out of the 1,524 coronavirus cases reported at the time, 1297 were Thai and 227 were from foreigners coming into Thailand. In recent weeks the only new cases have been repatriating Thais, returning from overseas.

A spokesperson from the tourism ministry told Khaosod that temples can decide to allow foreigners or not, but said tourist destinations should wait before letting foreigners in.

Other recent cases of xenophobia have reared their head with foreigners reporting restaurants refusing them entry, bus companies (Transport Company has an official ‘policy’ to refuse foreigners based on the ’emergency decree… no such passage exists in the decree) denying foreign passengers, random tourist attractions, hair salons and massage services getting in on the act as well.

Thailand’s Public Health Minister also made his feelings well known with a public outburst against ‘dirty farang’ at a health ministry PR outing at Siam BTS station in early March when foreigners declined the free handouts of the ubiquitous cheap blue medical masks.

SOURCES: Khaosod | Coconuts Bangkok| Bangkok Post

‪I was hoping to visit Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, as I had heard it had just re-opened. But the sign…

Posted by Richard Barrow in Thailand on Wednesday, June 10, 2020

เนื่องจากมีการปรับปรุงซ่อมแซมภาพจิตรกรรมฝาผนังและองค์พระพุทธไสยาสภายในวิหารซึ่งยังไม่แล้วเสร็จทางวัดเกรงจะเกิดอันตรายแ…

Posted by วัดโพธิ์ ท่าเตียน Wat Pho on Thursday, June 11, 2020

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18 Comments

R Gray

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 10:28 am

This is very disturbing and totally ignorant. Many Non-Thais are Buddhist like myself and find this appalling. I must ask “Is this being Buddhist or just Xenophobic?” I have visited and lived in Thailand for more than 50 years and never been discriminated against before.

Reply
- Michael Lewis
  
  Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 9:38 pm
  
  Maybe it has been ordeted by the flamboyant obnoxious Minister of health Anutin who has already posted some insulting and false anti foreigner statements.
  
  Reply
Martin Glynne

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 10:33 am

Another case of misguided xenophobia and a tirade against foreigners expressed in a Nationalistic selfish and unbecoming attitude by insulated Thais. They want our money but not us.!!!!
The authorities are in for a shock next year. Tourism which accounts for 15% of GDP wil be about 1% as Thailand has become too expensive, too Nationalistic and too intolerant to outsiders. Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia and Myamar welcome tourists and do not put such restrictions.

Reply
Vincent Vermeulen

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 10:58 am

Just name and shame all companies on social media who do this and never let them have a single bath from us dirty foreigners!!!

Reply
- Steve Gritt
  
  Friday, June 12, 2020 at 2:45 pm
  
  Agree with you. Let them enjoy their ruins alone
  
  Reply
Toby Andrews

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 11:54 am

Well they are showing their true colours now.
How about banning foreigners from the Grand Palace = cost B500 to foreigners, free for Thais.
Let us see they do without that revenue.
How about banning foreigners from the boxing matches at Lumpino Stadium – B2000, while Thais pay nowhere near that.
Better still, ban yourself going to any of these rip off, duel pricing for the foreigner. places, and watch them go out of business.
Thank you Thailand for banning us. You are killing the golden goose you stupid people.

Reply
Too sensitive subject

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 12:08 pm

Shame for them. Their understanding of the Buddhist doctrine is biased and shallow. Foreigner and Buddhist, is not allowed. Even in Burma, I had to have a letter from minister of religious affair to let me in, in exactly the same situation…… What a pity for us. But ultimately, what a pity for them.

Reply
James

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 1:09 pm

Guess which high ranking Thai lives in Germany.

Reply
- James Lese Majeste
  
  Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 3:16 am
  
  BOOM!
  
  Re: James June 12, 2020 at 1:09 pm, who posted:
  “Guess which high ranking Thai lives in Germany.”
  
  Reply
Jury

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 4:48 pm

Thanks to Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul all this happens now. And new Tourist will remember this and his words about “dirty farang” for ever. Sorry for all the people who work in this industry.

Reply
Brian

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 5:52 pm

I’m not mad about this, but it seems so senseless. I assume that this is allowed because it’s a temple as opposed to something like a restaurant?

Reply
Peter Wilson

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 6:11 pm

The Land of Smiles is quickly becoming the Land of Scowls for us ‘dirty foreigners’. You need tourists for your economy, but then close the country to us, despite more Thai’s having had Covid than foreigners. Also despite no domestic Covid for three weeks, you still refuse to open bars, even to Thai’s. If they cannot get a drink whilst on holiday or have a social life, the ‘dirty foreigners’ and their money will go somewhere else. Thailand’s loss will be Vietnam’s gain. Or Tahiti, or Cambodia, or anywhere else they are not regarded as being ‘dirty’ by the host Government or discriminated against for being tourists by local companies and organisations. Sorry Thailand, but I know when I am not welcome.

Reply
EDY F.

Friday, June 12, 2020 at 7:42 pm

They are opening the Pandora box. They don’t want foreigners but they want the money.. ha ha, something is wrong somewhere.. Yes, they are showing their true face. Everything can happens now..

Reply
chris

Monday, June 15, 2020 at 9:10 am

the advantage of being stupid is, you dont have to make sense.

Reply
alain koch

Monday, June 15, 2020 at 9:03 pm

i dont really see this as a problem. if some business doesnt want to allow foreigners, just stay away from it. its really just a view cases.. and there are enough alternatives that dont mind about foreign customers. not everyone here is a racist..

Reply
Simon

Monday, June 15, 2020 at 9:56 pm

Buddha clearly asked his disciples not to build temples or statues of him. He told them not to worship. Thais have no clue what Buddhism really is. It’s just a mish-mash of superstition the way they practice it.

Non of this should come as a surprise. Thais have discriminated against anyone who isn’t Thai since the beginning of time. It’s a wonder anyone visits the country at all. Once the travel industry in Myanmar develops, Thailand will die a death.

Reply
Gion

Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at 9:29 am

my wife, born in Thailand, and i have been married for 32 years and now live here in Thailand. we are both Buddists and like almost every Thai i spent my time as a monk in a monastery. It hurts a lot when you have to read what arguments Wat Pho puts forward to deny entry to foreigners (also those who live and are married here). these arguments are not compatible with Buddhist values and beliefs.

Reply
Danny

Friday, January 1, 2021 at 8:26 pm

Don’t expect this story to be forgotten. This “news” has been reprinted in newspapers and on website in many countries. Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over foreigners who have visited Thailand before will remember that we and our money are no longer welcome in Thailand!

Reply

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Caitlin Ashworth

Caitlin Ashworth is a writer from the United States who has lived in Thailand since 2018. She graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2016. She was a reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette In Massachusetts. She also interned at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida.

Bangkok

Entertainment venues linked to majority of Covid-19 cases in Bangkok

Published

8 hours ago

Monday, April 26, 2021

Thaiger

Stock photo via Pixabay

Bars and nightclubs are linked to the majority of Covid-19 cases reported in Bangkok over the past month. Data from Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration show that nearly two-thirds of the recent wave of Covid-19 infections in Bangkok traced back to entertainment venues.

In late February, Bangkok was reclassified from a “red” zone to an “orange” zone, allowing alcohol to be served again and bars to reopen, as long as they closed by 11pm each night, although some venues stayed open past 11pm. Nightlife in Bangkok was nearly back to normal last month, with some nightclubs and bars operating until 2am. In late March, new Covid-19 clusters were reported in Bangkok’s Thong Lor nightlife district and many of the patients had hopped from venue to venue.

2,227 Covid-19 infections in Bangkok are linked to entertainment venues followed by 278 linked to family clusters and 203 linked to workplace clusters, according to the CCSA. 199 cases in Bangkok are linked to other provinces and 89 cases are linked to quarantine facilities.

Other cases in Bangkok include…

78 cases linked to banquets and ceremonies
77 cases linked to hospitals
74 cases linked to markets
74 cases linked to restaurants
55 cases linked to stores
32 cases linked to gyms and sports venues
22 cases linked to the police station
17 cases linked to educational institutions
11 cases linked to prisons
10 cases linked to religious places
9 cases linked to condominiums
9 cases linked beauty salons, massage shops and spas
6 cases linked to public transportation

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

More closures in Bangkok, in force now

Published

15 hours ago

Monday, April 26, 2021

Tim Newton

More closures in Bangkok, in force now | Thaiger

It’s not a formal lockdown, but it may as well be, with newly announced closures from the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority.

From Monday, April 26, a lot more services, public spaces and businesses around Bangkok are now closed. Additionally events will be limited to just 20 people, down from the former limitation of 50 people. Face mask-wearing will be enforced with a fine of 20,000 baht, a situation that is now in force in 42 other provinces around the country (more have been added since yesterday’s article).

But there is no curfew, although shopping centres must now close at 8pm, supermarkets at 9pm and convenience stores will have to close at 10pm until 4am. More about the early closing of those services in red zone provinces HERE.

Here is a list of the businesses, public spaces and service that are now closed or have restricted hours…

• Cinemas

• Water parks, amusement theme parks, inside and outside shopping malls

• Zoos

• Rollerblading and skateboard parks

• Snooker and billiards parlours

• Bowling alleys and video game shops

• Internet cafes

• Public swimming pools

• Exercise facilities and fitness centres

• Exhibition venue, Exhibition center, Convention center

• Museums

• Public libraries

• Plant nurseries

• Aged care facilities

• Boxing stadiums and boxing schools

• Martial arts studios

• Tattoo parlours

• Dance studios

• Horse racing

• Amulet shops

• Weight control clinics

• Health establishments, Thai massage and foot massage

• All kinds of sporting grounds

• Entertainment venues

• Service venues, meeting rooms, banquet rooms and other venues

• The opening of shopping centres from 11am-8pm

• Beauty salons, hairdressers – may open but customers have to wait outside

• All types of sports competition fields

• Public parks and exercise locations

• Convenience stores open from 5am – 10pm

• No gatherings of more than 20 people

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Famous Thai gamer dies from Covid after waiting 5 days for test

Published

1 day ago

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Ann Carter

Famous Thai gamer dies from Covid after waiting 5 days for test | Thaiger

A famous Thai gamer is the latest to die of Covid-19 after waiting for 5 days to receive a test, sparking even more concerns over Thailand’s medical sector’s ability to handle the increase in infections. Kunlasub Wattnaphon, known as Up the gamer, detailed his experience as a Covid patient in Thailand on his personal Facebook page, causing his case to go viral. Up is a famous gamer in Thailand known for his large role in Thailand’s E-sport industry. On April 17, he posted that he had been waiting for 5 days for a Covid test.

“I have been in self quarantine for 5 days, there is no quota open for Covid-19 tests in my area. No one is answering the emergency line. It has been so long I will recover soon.”

On April 21, Up went live on his Facebook page telling about his ordeal. He says he started developing symptoms on April 14 but could not contact anyone in order to get tested. He was coughing and afraid to leave his house. He said it was hard just to walk to his bathroom.

Then, he posted another update saying a doctor told him he was in bad condition. The doctor said him being overweight was not helping. The doctor told him his oxygen was over 80, and only 20% of his lungs were left. The update was apparently when he was finally admitted to the ICU, and was posted by a fellow patient.

2 days later, the same fellow patient posted that Up had succumbed to the virus.

“At 11:26 Up has left this earth. This post is to find a past friend of Up’s, the friend lives in Lampang Province. Up wanted to make sure I found the friend. The funeral will take place at 2pm at Ladprao Temple. Up said once that if he was to die, he hopes everyone will join his funeral. He wants to know if anyone would be sad. But because of the current circumstances, let us all say goodbye to him through the screen. I wish everyone safety.”

Up is just the most recent case of someone dying from Covid after the medical sector failed to treat him in time. Just Just yesterday, news came of an 85 year old in Bangkok, who also died while waiting to be admitted for Covid-19 treatment. The woman was sent home to wait as there weren’t enough hospital beds to admit her. She was among 6 elderly family members living in a shop house in the Bang Kholaem district who were infected. 2 other family members were sent home with her, with 3 being admitted to the hospital.

SOURCE: Thai Residents