[Thailand to procure 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines next year]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

National Vaccine Institute and the ministry will procure at least 200 million doses in 2022 as booster doses, as they prepare for new developments of such vaccines and more mutations of the virus.

If they want to prepare for mutations, they need to increase the level of testing. The low level of testing is one of the reasons cited by the UK for putting Thailand on the red list. I'd say it is probably the major reason. The UK is worried that if a new mutation appears in Thailand, it won't be spotted because of the minimal testing taking place here. Carriers could take the new mutation to, and seed it in, the UK. 

 

Thailand should have the same concern. If a new mutation appears, because of the tiny amount of testing they're doing, it would likely be widespread before being noticed.

 

 

[After Non-O extension is granted, can I withdraw my 800k?]

On 9/5/2021 at 1:45 AM, Jonathan Swift said:

I use the alternate monthly income method which ties up much less. I simply transfer from my US bank to the same Thai bank account 65,000 - 67,000 baht, depending on exchange rate, on appx the same date every month. As long as that deposit shows every month to verify the monthly income requirements I qualify for my non O 1 year extension. I have done this 3 times now, since they stopped accepting the verification affidavit from embassies. . My social security income is $1400 US per month, so I have to earmark about $700 to add to that before I make the transfer of one lump sum in the correct amount. 

Isn't there any requirement that you have documents proving that the income is from sort of pension? I've read differing opinions on this.

 

I seem to remember reading that some people wanted to use the 65k method  by transferring non-pension funds every month, but they ran into some kind of problem, maybe I'm mistaken.

[COVID-19: Thailand reports 262 more deaths and 14,956 new coronavirus cases]

4 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

“The news comes as Public Health officials will accelerate the vaccination of people aged over 50 as a matter of urgency, after it was discovered that 80% COVID-19 related fatalities were people aged 50 and over, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).”

 

It’s statements like this that make me wonder whether half the CCSA have been unconscious for the last 12 months. I mean, haven’t they been paying attention?

I agree that it's incredible to read statements like this, but I think we have to look for what the officials said versus what the media said. 

 

It looks like Asean Now lifted the quoted directly from this pbsworld article, and  it appears the Spokesperson actually "noted" rather than "discovered" the death rate among the elderly. 

 

The government made a conscious decision to allocate vaccinations to Bangkok rather than to the elderly throughout the country. I'm not saying that that was the right the decision, but they knew that elderly people would die. They haven't just "discovered" that they are dying, contrary to the impression given by the Asean Now article.

 

Incidentally, the CSSA spokesperson quoted in the article has an interesting history. She was Miss Thailand 1999, then a news anchor, now spokesperson for the CSSA.

[What does ทีอียู mean?]

Looks like it might be TEU https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-foot_equivalent_unit

[Joe Ferrari case: Death of suspect was by asphyxiation, not drug overdose]

3 minutes ago, bobandyson said:

I thought I'd read somewhere that the funeral of the victim was very quick.

 

So his body was kept since early August and only now a full autopsy has been done?

I read that he had been cremated, as is the tradition in Thailand. It does seem odd that the body would still be available for autopsy 3 weeks after the death. Initially, it was not treated as suspicious death.

[Word List - Thai Language]

I'd say it depends how time you have and what level you're aiming for.  What I've done is create a set of flashcards containing the 1000 most popular words. The flashcard plays the audio of a word, and then I attempt to type the word in Thai. It's a good way of becoming familiar with both the pronunciation and the spelling of the word.

 

This is the deck I used as a base https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/2201805440

[Foreigners bought 660 condos in Bangkok area this year: Average price 5M baht, Thais 3.8 M baht]

I'd be interested to know where this data came from. As I understand it, there is no publicly available register of sale prices. It looks like this report is from a private company, so they should (theoretically) have no access to the data.

[Is Thai AZ vaccine acceptable for entry to the UK without quarantine?]

 

19 hours ago, samtam said:

I can't seem to find a list of UK vaccine programmes approved by the MHRA.

This page states that there are four MHRA approved vaccines, including Astra Zeneca. 

[Devious tactic - watch out for this one !]

A similar tactic is to mark the item as "local" but with a 15-day "pre-order" period. wait. I'm pretty sure this means that the local company is ordering the item from China as soon as it receives your order on Lazada.

[One dose of AstraZeneca “highly effective” against different variants, study shows]

Here's a study that says the exact opposite. Personally, I'll feel much better after the second shot.

 

Quote

A study published Thursday in the journal Nature found that just a single dose of Pfizer's or AstraZeneca's vaccines – both of which require two shots – was either weakly or not at all effective against Delta.

 

https://www.sciencealert.com/new-study-suggests-one-vaccine-might-not-be-effective-enough-against-the-delta-strain

[Media, internet users in Thailand warned about spreading fake news and scaremongering]

 

[Haas Dictionary online]

This is great, thanks a lot. I thought about getting the print version a couple of times, but I hardly ever use printed dictionaries these days, so it would have just sat on a shelf.

 

The results for จอง include this message "17 items found (redundant non-TDP items suppressed) ". What are redundant non-TDP items?

 

One of the definitions is "1 Undefined. (rhyme? found in --หอง.)".  Is "Undefined" something added by the search function?

[Prayuth: No VIPs will get US Pfizer donation but foreigners living in Thailand will get part of allocation]

1 hour ago, internationalism said:

medical personel started to grass those hiso patients, who are already getting ready for the booster (even pfizer one - in par with medics).

here is an example of a lady from phitsanulok, who is closely associated with the province governor

https://www.facebook.com/CSILA90210/posts/4204069876337372

 

Don't know how that guy can look at himself in the mirror. 

[Anyone else tired of the nonsense, and contemplating leaving Thailand?]

18 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

And up until the last year or two, I would say we really love our life here. Some of it might be Covid fatigue. But, alot of it is army fatigue. And what feels like a diminishing quality of life. I am just very, very tired of the goon leaders here, the continued xenophobia from them, and their constant nonsense and lack of leadership.

Nothing other than Covid has changed much in the last year or two. Thai people and Thai food are the same. The country is still beautiful. Maybe just try looking past the politics. There is nothing you can do about that; you can't even vote. Enjoy Thailand for the good things it has to offer.

 

 

[Prayuth: No VIPs will get US Pfizer donation but foreigners living in Thailand will get part of allocation]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

40,000 doses are being kept in reserve for possible new variants

I don't understand this. If there is a new variant, what are they going to do with the doses other than inject them? Why not inject them now?

[The Older I Become, the Less LIFE, as we know it, Makes Sense to Me. Do you feel the same as I? Like Vonnegut, do you yearn for life on Saturn, someday?]

10 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The worst fate for a writer is to lose his mind.

And, so, no doubt this is why Hemingway used his gun.

 

Some people say, Hemingway was crazy to do this.  I do not agree.

Sounds like you've become very introverted with the years. What would the younger you advise right now? I'm sure it wouldn't involve blowing your head off with a gun. Maybe try to find yourself a small goal, or a big one, and take a step towards that, then another one. 

 

Rather that thinking too much about would you should do, just do something. If that doesn't work out, try something else.

[US plans to donate 2.5 million doses of vaccine to Thailand]

4 hours ago, rabas said:

Winger winges about winging

It was a preemptive winge.

[Something new is happening...?]

5 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

The question is, has even a single healthy person under the age of 50 died in Thailand?

As a nurse, she had probably been double-vaccinated, too.

 

 

[Plan to attract a million foreign investors stalls yet again: TAX breaks are the sticking point]

23 hours ago, Whale said:

The majority (digital Nomads and retirees) will not be paying any tax anyway as they will use the 1 year money import rule.

Do you mind sharing what that rule is?

[Phyathai Vaccination for AZ: efficient and well run!]

Agreed. The operation is very professionally run.

[Thailand reports new daily record of 13,002 coronavirus cases]

2 hours ago, anchadian said:

These images should make you mad. They should make you upset, they should make you angry, and they should make you want to take action because the time for inaction is over.

I'm sure these images upset and anger everyone. Whether we can take meaningful action, other than social distancing etc., is another matter.  Do you have any suggestions?

[BBC report Thai Covid crisis latest - who's going to visit Thailand after reading that?]

15 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

What do you mean?

 

On quick check,

 

Deaths in UK = 129,000

Deaths in Thailand = 3,000

 

Are you just Thai bashing or is there something I can't see here? 

He means the death rate has plummeted.  Currently the UK has 4-5 times the number of new infections Thailand has, but a quarter of the new deaths. It has a much higher percentage of people vaccinated and is vaccinating the remaining people more quickly.

 

All that said, I'm not sure I agree with the policy to throw away all precautions. They have removed the requirements to wear a mask, for example. People can still go about their daily lives while wearing a mask.

[Thailand reports another record high new COVID-19 cases]

18 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

UK 54,000 infections. The Government is killing business and the economy. It is worse this time around. I am sure that there will be a political price to pay for this poorly executed vaccine program.

Although in the UK, they will remove almost all restrictions tomorrow: no mandatory masks, no 1 metre rule, pubs open.

 

The difference is that there 87% have had one shot and 67% have had 2 shots, resulting in a low mortality rate.

 

Thailand is going to need to get to numbers like that before  there's the slightest chance of a return to normality.

[One dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca weakly or or not at all effective against Delta]

Some more encouraging research: one dose of AstraZeneca 71-88% effective against hospitalisation. 

 

[Phuket officials, tourism leaders talk up Sandbox success]

3 hours ago, gargamon said:

I really haven't been following the phuket sandbox saga. Maybe someone can clarify my observations.

 

So the phuket locals were vaccinated, likely with sinovac out of China, maybe with AZ. Now we all know the Chinese vaccine is ineffective against the delta variant which is now dominant. All it is going to take is one person with the delta variant to get into phuket to kick this disaster off and necessitate the shutting down of the sandbox. That shouldn't take long.

 

Anything wrong with my assessment? 

Aslo, domestic tourists can enter after a single dose of AZ, which is virtually useless against Delta.