News Forum - Mask rules enforcement starts with campaigns in Bangla and Phuket Town

[steve860]

3 hours ago, Vince said:

And why should you? 

Enforcement is for the constabulary. 

You're not Charles Bronson (the prisoner or actor). 

Unfortunately there are some members on here that like to think they are Bronson or Bruce Willis.

[steve860]

11 hours ago, Stonker said:

This was the post and question, in its entireity:

I answered the question asked.

The "need" is because it's the law and, as I said elsewhere, because that's how Thais want it in their country.

The reason a lot of people here (in Thailand and on the forum) are "hostile" is because a lot of us who live here, and have lived here for quite a while, are sick of people who don't live here thinking they're bringing "money [we] all depend on" so that entitles them to behave as they want, not as they should.

You're not, and it doesn't.

Fair comment

[Stainless]

I spent a month in Thailand over last Xmas, I wore a mask when I remembered, places like 7/11 and family mart you have to mask up, they are quite strict.

Apart from that, I never got the impression it was really an issue, nobody batting an eye at anyone walking the streets unmasked.

I did abide by the rules as much as I could as I'm a guest and it's the law there.

Over here in England though, I won't wear a mask anymore, regardless of the rules. It's my home country and I feel that gives me the right to push back against something that I don't agree with so strongly.

[Transam]

14 hours ago, Freeduhdumb said:

St. Fauci in America, from the church if Scientism, had it correct from the start... that is until nefarious forces came to bear upon him. 

Well done, it is written on the box that these masks are not suitable for Covid..So don't use them, if you made a mistake, take them back to the shop...

[Transam]

14 hours ago, whitesnake said:

Ooooooooooohhhhhh! Stonky you are such a law abiding citizen... I wish I could be like you!! Such a role model to society!!!

Well, it is unfortunate that we have to be plagued with wannabe Rambo chancers in our world that have no regard for anything sensible in difficult times.

But we carry on regardless, for the simple reason, the world has always had fruitcakes in the woodwork to cope with...   

[Transam]

10 hours ago, Raugh said:

Do you mean the pansies who insist on wearing a mask when there is no one around or even when sitting in their own living room alone? Or the pansies who sit around all day long writing nonsense on forums? Not sure which you are referring too

Well no, but if you want to do that, please carry on...

[LoongFred]

13 hours ago, Stonker said:

This was the post and question, in its entireity:

I answered the question asked.

The "need" is because it's the law and, as I said elsewhere, because that's how Thais want it in their country.

The reason a lot of people here (in Thailand and on the forum) are "hostile" is because a lot of us who live here, and have lived here for quite a while, are sick of people who don't live here thinking they're bringing "money [we] all depend on" so that entitles them to behave as they want, not as they should.

You're not, and it doesn't.

Best to keep bars closed so they're no issues with wearing masks.

[Transam]

5 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

Best to keep bars closed so they're no issues with wearing masks.

Yes Reverend.............

[Transam]

1 minute ago, whitesnake said:

Yeah, I make my own rules! Never allow anyone to make you afraid!!!! But, that doesn't prevent you from being a good person. It just means I make my own informed decisions and refuse to take any notice of all of the political and official "spin" that only has one underlying purpose...."CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

You have told us here you do not wear a mask when out for a beer, and you brag about it. I think you are just ant-anything to do with authority, the authority that is actually trying to protect the masses during a pandemic.

I don't care if you want to be a wannabe Rambo and scoff at those masses, but it does make you look a bit of a tool to those who do care about protecting the masses.

But, as I said, plenty out there like you lengthening the pandemic....Sadly...

[Transam]

5 hours ago, whitesnake said:

Protecting the masses!? Give me a break!! You just don't get it do you!??? This isn't about health and the well-being of your "masses"; it's about power and that authority ME (as a human being!!) has the right to choose between what's right and what's wrong. 

I'm not a sheep following the herd ...never have been and never will be and, at 59, with no illnesses, ailments or anything,...not one single day off work ...EVER!! And, I intend it to remain that way. Been to hospital once... to be born!! That's it!!!!!!!

99% of sickness is in the mind.... mind over matter bro!! Sadly, 99% of people's pain threshold is down there in the sewer!   

Well sunbeam, that was a great post, your thoughts and actions come over very clear.

Do they let you out at weekends........?    

Again, you do not have to use capital letters, makes you seem like a Mr.Angry.....

Edited January 23 by Faz
edited quote

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, Stainless said:

I spent a month in Thailand over last Xmas, I wore a mask when I remembered, places like 7/11 and family mart you have to mask up, they are quite strict.

Apart from that, I never got the impression it was really an issue, nobody batting an eye at anyone walking the streets unmasked.

I did abide by the rules as much as I could as I'm a guest and it's the law there.

Over here in England though, I won't wear a mask anymore, regardless of the rules. It's my home country and I feel that gives me the right to push back against something that I don't agree with so strongly.

When you "remembered"? 

How could you forget?

When you leave your house or hotel you put it on, when you return you take it off - the only exceptions being when eating or drinking where it's permitted.  What's so hard about remembering that ?

[Transam]

33 minutes ago, whitesnake said:

I AM ANGRY!! Angry that the people out there can be "taken in" by the lies and deceit played out by the one's with power and wealth!!

"YOU!!! Sit there and write 500 lines" "I will remove my pea-sized brain and comply with and do whatever I am told!" 

You are just a Mr.Angry, it shows in your posts...You are more concerned with others earning a few quid than trying to help with the basic stuff of protecting yourself and others.

On top of that, nobody cares that you are angry and want to strut around with no mask on because you envy the moneymakers, but folk are probably angry that you do not follow the laws of the land that you don't like. 

[Stonker]

As has been pointed out countless times, masks are not intended to protect the wearer - they're to protect others from you, not you from others. that's why everyone has to play their part, not just those who are vulnerable or conerned for their own health.

Edited January 23 by Faz
off topic quote removed.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, whitesnake said:

I'm not a sheep following the herd ...never have been and never will be and, at 59, with no illnesses, ailments or anything,...not one single day off work ...EVER!! And, I intend it to remain that way. Been to hospital once... to be born!! That's it!!!!!!!

99% of sickness is in the mind.... mind over matter bro!! Sadly, 99% of people's pain threshold is down there in the sewer! Not me.... I just smell the sweet aroma of life and FECK everyone else!!! 

1 hour ago, whitesnake said:

Yeah, I make my own rules! Never allow anyone to make you afraid!!!!

Oh please - the epitome of the keyboard hard man and rebel.

https://img.gifglobe.com/grabs/montypython/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian/gif/IRrrHCEMsGCq.gif

[Poolie]

17 minutes ago, Transam said:

You are just a Mr.Angry, it shows in your posts...You are more concerned with others earning a few quid than trying to help with the basic stuff of protecting yourself and others.

On top of that, nobody cares that you are angry and want to strut around with no mask on because you envy the moneymakers, but folk are probably angry that you do not follow the laws of the land that you don't like. 

I must admit, I cant read his posts, too many exclamation marks and capitals. Hurts my eyes.

[Faz]

This topic is about Thailand, not the USA or anywhere else.

Thailand's Emergency Decree and the Communicable Diseases Act make it compulsory by law to wear a mask in public areas.

For those who would like to discuss the 'opposite' view of the effectiveness of wearing masks, address your alternative rhetoric to the https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/9942-controversial-covid-corner-continued/page/14/#comment-145236 forum, which was created for that purpose.
The News topics are not for that purpose.

Off topic posts and replies have been removed.

Moderator.

 

[Dodgey]

On 1/22/2022 at 9:17 PM, Stonker said:

This was the post and question, in its entireity:

I answered the question asked.

The "need" is because it's the law and, as I said elsewhere, because that's how Thais want it in their country.

The reason a lot of people here (in Thailand and on the forum) are "hostile" is because a lot of us who live here, and have lived here for quite a while, are sick of people who don't live here thinking they're bringing "money [we] all depend on" so that entitles them to behave as they want, not as they should.

You're not, and it doesn't.

I think you are wrapping yourself up in the "do as the locals do" and "respect the local laws" thing without considering the pandemic is entirely unique in this respect. 
<Not respecting the law regarding wearing masks is punishable with a fine up to 20,000 BHT and up to 2 years imprisonment - Moderator>

 Whilst those stupid rules exist we will try and work around them, or, go to countries that don't enforce them. 

If Thailand is truly as rabid and enthusiastic about mask wearing as it made out on here, they are doomed to financial collapse until it lets up. If you believe the almost entire cessation of tourism to Thailand will not have a dramatic long term effect you are sorely mistaken, unless there is some new surprise economy waiting in the sidelines.

Edited January 24 by Faz
removed references to other Countries.

[Dodgey]

10 hours ago, Stainless said:

I spent a month in Thailand over last Xmas, I wore a mask when I remembered, places like 7/11 and family mart you have to mask up, they are quite strict.

Apart from that, I never got the impression it was really an issue, nobody batting an eye at anyone walking the streets unmasked.

I did abide by the rules as much as I could as I'm a guest and it's the law there.

Over here in England though, I won't wear a mask anymore, regardless of the rules. It's my home country and I feel that gives me the right to push back against something that I don't agree with so strongly.

Good to hear some sane feedback. Gives me hope this December might be ok after all, and that not everyone is as furious as one or two members on here.

Regarding UK. I've not masked for well over a year.

[Stonker]

53 minutes ago, Dodgey said:

I think you are wrapping yourself up in the "do as the locals do" and "respect the local laws" thing without considering the pandemic is entirely unique in this respect. Unique because the laws, not just in Thailand, but all over the globe, in regards to the pandemic, are mostly stupid. Plain stupid.

This is global. People know walking down the street in a mask is downright stupid and benefits no one. People also all know wearing a crash helmet on a bike makes sense. 

Thks is why people are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" in every country.

This isn't your usual " don't for f-sake offend / get into a fight with a Thai" scenario, or "make sure you cover your shoulders in temples" kind of thing. This isn't respecting individual countries traditions and laws. This is everyone trying to live happily in a mad world with some temporary stupid rules.

Whilst those stupid rules exist we will try and work around them, or, go to countries that don't enforce them. 

The last two countries I've been to the locals are as much hostages to unwelcome rules as we are. The moment service staff are out of sight of customers, or their bosses, their masks go straight back down on their chins.

If Thailand is truly as rabid and enthusiastic about mask wearing as it made out on here, they are doomed to financial collapse until it lets up. If you believe the almost entire cessation of tourism to Thailand will not have a dramatic long term effect you are sorely mistaken, unless there is some new surprise economy waiting in the sidelines.

Well, that they're "mostly stupid" is your view - I disagree, and so do the vast majority of Thais and, probably coincidentally, the vast majority of experts on the subject.

... and very, very few Thais are are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" on mask wearing in Thailand - it simply isn't happening, as I see for myself every day and as do some 99% of those commenting here.

... all Thais are living happily with it.  Whether that's "stupid" or not isn't the point here since it's not the subject, as @Faz rightly pointed out, but the very obvious fact is that they're happy to live with it - and if that means foreigners don't want to come here as a result, then that's evidently a price they're currently prepared to accept,

[JamesR]

On 1/21/2022 at 11:50 PM, Rob2010 said:

Leaving aside the efficacy debate my experience over the past week in Phuket town is that the issue of non-compliance is almost entirely down to foreign tourists. 

My hotel has a co-working hub with probably dozens of people occupying space daily. The majority are farang as opposed to Asian and the overwhelming majority of the former do not cover up despite large poster requests from the hotel to do so which I think is just plain rude, aside from anything else.

As a kid and when first travelling my parents, like most I knew, drummed into me the old phrase "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" and I have found that to be rock solid advice during a work life spent travelling, as well as when out and about on hols.

I know I am (over) generalising but the problems I see here mirror closely those i see in the U.K. in terms of general behaviour and voluntary compliance to rules and regulations in so far as they tend to occur within two broad groups : firstly the stupid, boorish and ignorant, and secondly a section of the young who feel both entitled and that the world should live as they do.

On Thursday at the Jungceylon Swab Centre in Patong a guy, probably in his twenties, strolled straight past those of us sat waiting with our numbered tickets for the 5 day PCR test and tried to get done without registering and queueing. Not only was he maskless but he was smoking - one of those occasions where I prayed i could be thirty years younger just long enough to punch his lights out. Unfortunately if i tried it now i would only fall over and likely be beaten with my own stick.

Ty said, "I know I am (over) generalising but the problems I see here mirror closely those i see in the U.K. in terms of general behaviour and voluntary compliance to rules and regulations in so far as they tend to occur within two broad groups : firstly the stupid, boorish and ignorant, and secondly a section of the young who feel both entitled and that the world should live as they do."

It all depends in which area one lives in I suppose.

For 27 years I have lived in an area 30 miles to the east of London, the vast majority of people living there would be called English in origin.

Whenever I went to Tesco I think 99% of people wore masks. A few scruffs with tattoos did not.

I visit people in a part of East London and on shopping trips 90% of people are not wearing masks, they would be classed as 'ethnics' I suppose.

When I was in Phuket during the lockdown between January 2020 to August 2020 in the non-tourist area of Kathu I saw many farangs not wearing masks, as far as I saw 99% of Thais wore masks.

[Dodgey]

5 hours ago, Stonker said:

Well, that they're "mostly stupid" is your view - I disagree, and so do the vast majority of Thais and, probably coincidentally, the vast majority of experts on the subject.

... and very, very few Thais are are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" on mask wearing in Thailand - it simply isn't happening, as I see for myself every day and as do some 99% of those commenting here.

... all Thais are living happily with it.  Whether that's "stupid" or not isn't the point here since it's not the subject, as @Faz rightly pointed out, but the very obvious fact is that they're happy to live with it - and if that means foreigners don't want to come here as a result, then that's evidently a price they're currently prepared to accept,

My view? I'd love to see ANY data supporting outside mask wearing ( excluding tightly crowded places). The data ALL points to it being pointless. Outside is the best ventilated environment you could wish for. I suspect you won't listen so mask up in the street and be happy. It's bloody stupid whichever way you dress it up.

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Dodgey said:

My view? I'd love to see ANY data supporting outside mask wearing ( excluding tightly crowded places). The data ALL points to it being pointless. Outside is the best ventilated environment you could wish for. I suspect you won't listen so mask up in the street and be happy. It's bloody stupid whichever way you dress it up.

The "data" is clear for all to see - countries that have a mask mandate have consistently lower Covid rates when they're in force than those that don't - except in those countries where it's voluntary but the vast majority do so anyway.

That particularly applies where very few have been triple vaxxed with effective vaccines, as very, very few have been in Thailand.

The point isn't whether it's "bloody stupid" or not in isolation but that it's simple to both enforce and to observe.

There's no debate or room for interpretation over what's "outside" or not - a covered market? a sports stadium? an 'open air' bar? - or where it goes from being acceptable to being "tightly crowded" - a bus queue? an MTR platform at rush hour? a pop concert? two metres apart or 1.95?

There are no 'grey' areas - it's either black or white and everyone knows exactly what the rule is at all times and where they stand.

[AMc]

5 hours ago, Stonker said:

The "data" is clear for all to see - countries that have a mask mandate have consistently lower Covid rates when they're in force than those that don't - except in those countries where it's voluntary but the vast majority do so anyway.

Source, please.

("Snopes" does not count)

[Fundok]

On 1/22/2022 at 11:21 AM, Johnmc17 said:

Could someone explain to me the need to wear a mask when outside walking alone on the street whilst you can go in a bar packed full of people and take it off.

No. There is no convincing logical answer, and from a risk based perspective it is - in my eyes - absolutely inconceivable. The only possible explanation is "well, this is how we, the Thai government, have decided to handle it" which I can accept as an explanation but which I do not find convincing.

I thetefore exercise my own regime to avoid an infection based on common sense and the advice of infectologists: got vaccinated (3x), wear a mask especially indoors, avoid close proximity of crowds, disinfect my hands regularly.

[Transam]

14 hours ago, Dodgey said:

I think you are wrapping yourself up in the "do as the locals do" and "respect the local laws" thing without considering the pandemic is entirely unique in this respect. Unique because the laws, not just in Thailand, but all over the globe, in regards to the pandemic, are mostly stupid. Plain stupid.

This is global. People know walking down the street in a mask is downright stupid and benefits no one. People also all know wearing a crash helmet on a bike makes sense. 

Thks is why people are "breaking the law " and " flouting the rules" in every country.

This isn't your usual " don't for f-sake offend / get into a fight with a Thai" scenario, or "make sure you cover your shoulders in temples" kind of thing. This isn't respecting individual countries traditions and laws. This is everyone trying to live happily in a mad world with some temporary stupid rules.

Whilst those stupid rules exist we will try and work around them, or, go to countries that don't enforce them. 

The last two countries I've been to the locals are as much hostages to unwelcome rules as we are. The moment service staff are out of sight of customers, or their bosses, their masks go straight back down on their chins.

If Thailand is truly as rabid and enthusiastic about mask wearing as it made out on here, they are doomed to financial collapse until it lets up. If you believe the almost entire cessation of tourism to Thailand will not have a dramatic long term effect you are sorely mistaken, unless there is some new surprise economy waiting in the sidelines.

Are you a scientist or something like that...?