Thailand reports huge drop in new COVID-19 infections

[Jeffr2]

9 minutes ago, OldPedro said:

I read yesterday that it costs around 2000 baht for the test in a public hospital, and much more in a private hospital. Correct me if 'm wrong on the cost factor, but that could explain the low testing rate and consequent low infection figures.....

3800 baht at a private hospital near me. But they don't have enough. So yes, cost is a factor.

[Keesters]

2 hours ago, starky said:

Good to see all the pseudo virologists/ epidemiologists are out in force . It's amazing what a difference a year makes . Lol. Add to that the chicken little  " the sky is falling" brigade who make up 90% of thaivisa posters and you have the perfect storm of doom and gloom reporters. 

Good to know I'm in the top 10. 

[lks7689]

8 minutes ago, OldPedro said:

I read yesterday that it costs around 2000 baht for the test in a public hospital, and much more in a private hospital. Correct me if 'm wrong on the cost factor, but that could explain the low testing rate and consequent low infection figures.....

I think the number of test kits are controlled to begin with. There just isn't that many going around. 

[Keesters]

1 hour ago, 2530Ubon said:

Unsubstantiated? I think not.

 

It's a fact that they are not testing outside of the big cities close to BKK.

 

It's a fact that Thais / migrants / farang have to pay for tests in a hospital.

 

It's a fact that many people have been arrested in Ubon for illegally transporting illegal migrants from the border to BKK.

 

It's a fact that people were travelling up and down the country over New Year during the 2nd wave.

 

It's a fact that those sick migrants they found with COVID had to go shopping for basic neccesities like food, water, entertainment. Amazingly the Thai population seems to be immune. 

Saying something is a fact is not substantiating anything except your ability to BS. 

[toofarnorth]

First case of covid in Maechan today. Someone came from BKK stopped over in CNX then delivered it to his sister here.

[Baggy]

4 hours ago, graemeaylward said:

What is the "magic formula" that Thailand has?  Even neighbouring countries are rampant with this plague!  It would appear from the figures issued daily by the government the the Thai variant is a) very mild  b) hardly contagious as it doesn't spread like all other variants, c) disappears as quickly as it comes!  Clearly, with so few tests being done, the figures are meaningless.  What would be interesting would be to compare the numbers of folks, particularly elderly, who have died, with previous years, for the each month.  I remember someone posting the increase in the number of deaths of people diagnosed with "viral pneumonia" early last year at the beginning of the crisis and would be interested to see if the trend continued.

We will never know, smoke and mirrors, hardly any testing, therefore hardly any virus in thailand , no problem.

[KKr]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand ranks 128th on the global list of most cases. The US tops the list with 24.8 million, followed by India 10.6 million, Brazil 8.58 million, Russia 3.61 million and the United Kingdom 3.47 million.

those numbers translated in cases per million as follows:

[Jeffr2]

11 minutes ago, Baggy said:

We will never know, smoke and mirrors, hardly any testing, therefore hardly any virus in thailand , no problem.

Or perhaps a younger population, warmer climate, border closures, mask mandate,  etc, etc, etc.

[VBF]

14 minutes ago, Baggy said:

We will never know, smoke and mirrors, hardly any testing, therefore hardly any virus in thailand , no problem.

But if, repeat IF, people are not getting sick AND hospitals are not filling up, then pure logic dictates that there must be less Covid in Thailand than other places, regardless of testing OR Thais have some sort of natural immunity.

 

After all, if you're sick, you're sick, getting tested neither cures you nor makes you sicker.

So it does appear that Thais are luckier than other races, OR there are many people who are sick with Covid, and just not being diagnosed.

 

Said people are either dying and no PMs are being done, OR they're recovering with no after-effects.

 

All I've done here is ask the questions.... it would be great if someone, somewhere had the answers!

Edited January 20, 2021 by VBF

[Kaopad999]

Well done Thailand. Although the war against covid night seem like it's improving here, we  should  rememberstill remain vigilant by not letting our guard down.

[Scott]

False or misleading post reported and removed.

 

[Don Chance]

One of the biggest indicators for covid is loss of smell. So if you think you might have covid, test you sense of smell. (don't do anything gross though.)

[shdmn]

7 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

One of the biggest indicators for covid is loss of smell. So if you think you might have covid, test you sense of smell. (don't do anything gross though.)

I don't think that happens with everyone.

Edited January 20, 2021 by shdmn

[Petey11]

12 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I am older but no underlying conditions so in my mind, I think I could beat it.

But, when I hear about this 48 year old dying it does give pause to the uncertainty and possibilities.

I call it a lottery virus, my sister-in-law's husband, 50, healthy, no comorbidities, 11 days from onset of symptoms, game over. Deteriorated rapidly in matter of hours at the end. Never even made it to hospital.

[Blumpie]

7 minutes ago, Petey11 said:

I call it a lottery virus, my sister-in-law's husband, 50, healthy, no comorbidities, 11 days from onset of symptoms, game over. Deteriorated rapidly in matter of hours at the end. Never even made it to hospital.

 

that's really awful and I am so sorry.

 

I don't trust Thai authorities but I will state this.  If it was bad hospitals would be overflowing. Ours here are, and we are on near full lockdown.  And it's all COVID.  Thai hospitals are not overflowing.  

Frankly, I would rather be in Thailand right now than anywhere else.  It sounds normal to me.  

[NCC1701A]

"Your next. Yes it's a bum gun. You got a problem with that?" 

 

[Muzzique]

13 hours ago, graemeaylward said:

What is the "magic formula" that Thailand has?  Even neighbouring countries are rampant with this plague!  It would appear from the figures issued daily by the government the the Thai variant is a) very mild  b) hardly contagious as it doesn't spread like all other variants, c) disappears as quickly as it comes!  Clearly, with so few tests being done, the figures are meaningless.  What would be interesting would be to compare the numbers of folks, particularly elderly, who have died, with previous years, for the each month.  I remember someone posting the increase in the number of deaths of people diagnosed with "viral pneumonia" early last year at the beginning of the crisis and would be interested to see if the trend continued.

 

 

The closest you will get is the information on excessive mortality. ie the number of excessive deaths that occurred which are above the average expected  during this time.

 

According to Thailand’s mortality data is taken from the Bureau of Registration Administration between March 2020 and July 2020 there was an 8.5% above average death rate for this period which equates to about 13,000 additional deaths than would have been expected. Since then, access to these records have been closed and the figures were retrospectively revised downwards by the government. Whilst there is no direct evidence that these excessive deaths are related to COVID-19 it is hard to pin down another clear culprit. More information is contained here with the source references. 

 

https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2020/08/06/lifting-the-veil-on-thailands-covid-19-success-story/

 

Other research undertaken by the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok took an extensive random survey of staff and admitted patients (not specifically COVID related) within 52 cottage hospitals during April to June 2020.

 

The result showed that 3.7% of staff and 12.1% of patients already had antibody against SARS-CoV-2 in their blood, indicating that they had already contracted COVID and recovered . Again this cannot be directly translated to a National rate but it would tend to indicate that at this time COVID was far more widespread than certain people would have us believe. 

 

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.24.20139188v3.full.pdf

 

There is very limited data available to find the real picture as access to certain key records are now officially closed. New laws in March 2020 also restrict what Social Media and the Press can publish about COVID-19 to only information the Government approves. The punishment is up to 5 years imprisonment.

 

https://rsf.org/en/news/thailand-uses-covid-19-restrict-freedom-inform

 

In my personal opinion, I am reluctant to believe the figures stated by the government throughout this crisis come anywhere close to the reality of how widespread and prevalent COVID-19 was and still is in Thailand.

 

I leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions.

[goldenbrwn1]

Home test kits are being given out like sweets in the U.K. . I have 4 kits in home now . Had 5 but took a test this morning as I was bored . 
 

Oh and it was negative . I might do another one on Friday . Something to look forward to on lockdown I suppose. 
 

 

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

If no new cases at the hospital, then things are looking good.  Perhaps not the best way to do things, but so far, they've done a great job with the virus.  Sure would hate to be in the West right now.

Had a chat with my brother in UK yesterday... many new infections, Tuesday 1,800 reported dead, Monday 1,600 reported dead... they have started the inoculation programme starting with high age groups and responders.

Being an island nation one wonders what happened... or didn't happen a year ago?

[Sametboy2019]

Not so sure about the Government not testing.

Free tests in my Amphur.

[pantsonfire]

News of a famous thai DJ has caught covid. Still investigating the cause.  

[rott]

14 hours ago, Keesters said:

Good to know I'm in the top 10. 

No you're not. 

[rabas]

2 hours ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Home test kits are being given out like sweets in the U.K. . I have 4 kits in home now . Had 5 but took a test this morning as I was bored . 
 

Oh and it was negative . I might do another one on Friday . Something to look forward to on lockdown I suppose. 

 

Wish I was there!   How's that super fast UK  B.1.1.7 strain doing?  Brazil improved it in the new P.1 super stain, just now seen in the UK.

 

Worrisome back here in Thailand. Just marked my calender to buy test kits in March. Maybe we will have a few more cases by then.

 

[rabang]

It is truly incredible how Thais can get the situation under control so quickly when the virus is ravaging other countries even in strict lockdowns.

 

Even more incredible is that some people are still gullible enough to believe these official numbers provided by the government.

Edited January 21, 2021 by rabang

[rabas]

16 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

Unsubstantiated? I think not.

 

It's a fact that they are not testing outside of the big cities close to BKK.

 

It's a fact that Thais / migrants / farang have to pay for tests in a hospital.

 

It's a fact that many people have been arrested in Ubon for illegally transporting illegal migrants from the border to BKK.

 

It's a fact that people were travelling up and down the country over New Year during the 2nd wave.

 

It's a fact that those sick migrants they found with COVID had to go shopping for basic neccesities like food, water, entertainment. Amazingly the Thai population seems to be immune. 

 

It's a bigger fact that they tested and detected COVID-19 in 61 (sixty one) provinces since the outbreak as of 4 days ago. Link

 

Unsubstantiated ===> Proven False.

 

[bermondburi]

19 hours ago, petermik said:

Volunteer testers are welcomed...put your name forward

Back in my home country I was getting tested every 2 weeks out of civic duty as all people were being encouraged to do so. Completely free, drive in service with a negligible waiting time. 

[bermondburi]

6 hours ago, Muzzique said:

 

 

The closest you will get is the information on excessive mortality. ie the number of excessive deaths that occurred which are above the average expected  during this time.

 

According to Thailand’s mortality data is taken from the Bureau of Registration Administration between March 2020 and July 2020 there was an 8.5% above average death rate for this period which equates to about 13,000 additional deaths than would have been expected. Since then, access to these records have been closed and the figures were retrospectively revised downwards by the government. Whilst there is no direct evidence that these excessive deaths are related to COVID-19 it is hard to pin down another clear culprit. More information is contained here with the source references. 

 

https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2020/08/06/lifting-the-veil-on-thailands-covid-19-success-story/

 

Other research undertaken by the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok took an extensive random survey of staff and admitted patients (not specifically COVID related) within 52 cottage hospitals during April to June 2020.

 

The result showed that 3.7% of staff and 12.1% of patients already had antibody against SARS-CoV-2 in their blood, indicating that they had already contracted COVID and recovered . Again this cannot be directly translated to a National rate but it would tend to indicate that at this time COVID was far more widespread than certain people would have us believe. 

 

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.24.20139188v3.full.pdf

 

There is very limited data available to find the real picture as access to certain key records are now officially closed. New laws in March 2020 also restrict what Social Media and the Press can publish about COVID-19 to only information the Government approves. The punishment is up to 5 years imprisonment.

 

https://rsf.org/en/news/thailand-uses-covid-19-restrict-freedom-inform

 

In my personal opinion, I am reluctant to believe the figures stated by the government throughout this crisis come anywhere close to the reality of how widespread and prevalent COVID-19 was and still is in Thailand.

 

I leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions.

I've posted links to the same information in the past but the posts got removed for some strange reason. ????????????????????

[Hugh55]

There have only been 12,653 confirmed cases and out of that only 71 deaths. that is .0056%,  not a large percentage of deaths, very very low and not worth concerning yourself about. if you healthy and have been in Thailand since this thing started as I have been here for 15 years and haven't left in that time enjoy what life the government is permitting you to have. That is where the real tragedy lies. Take care and stay well.

[NoshowJones]

19 hours ago, abrahamzvi said:

I can't say anything about government or municipal hospitals testing, although I do know that one such hospital in Chiang Mai offers free testing to Thais, most, if not all, private hospitals offer tests for payment, which varies from one hospital to another.

So most, if not all, private hospitals offer tests for payment?? Just how low can these people get? Using a pandemic to boost their profits, shame on them. I wonder what their markup on their tests really is, probably about 500%.

[CLW]

Dropping cases means they stopped testing. Great job!

Anyone else who has contrary opinion, please show me the number of daily conducted tests