General Reports

[Pimpampoumpipo]

Yes these new cases are because of the salmon imported from abroad. Just like in the beginning, the virus came from the American military. No China. There are only 4,634 covid-19 deaths in China.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1191404.shtml

Thailand can open its borders to China (because it is a safe country which takes all health measures). And must close it to Europeans and Americans.

The whole world believes that.

[Mr Enternational]

My regular gal is back because her massage shop reopened.

That is what I was referring to. These massage shops have told chicks to come back because they can open. However they still have no customers to make money from.

[Chacal60]

Totally different scene in Pattaya. There has been an influx of new chicks. In typical Thai fashion they have confused things opening back up with there is money to be made. Some employers have convinced them to come only to be disappointed. On the flip side, others that I know who have stuck it out are now going back home.

My experience is that many girls who would have gone home for Songkran took advantage of the interprovincial travel to finally go see families. My regular gal is back because her massage shop reopened. Another has a little more financial independence (courtesy of Chacal's benevolence) and she's upcountry only now until end of June.

[MonkeyPaw]

Bar owners were hoping to open on the 15th but that was not part of phase 4 as expected. Members of the government kept on saying that phase 4 was the end of the lockdown and then this week the Royal Gazette published changes without including the bars. Once again the lesson is don't believe what the government says until the rules are announced. The bars may open July 1 but again it has to be in the Gazette.

Most major bars and night clubs and entertainment venues are "tourist traps. " Yes, even the most Thai girls that frequent those places are still using tourist dollars. I often see a group of GoGo bar girls celebrate a birthday party at Hollywood or Bone in Pattaya. They are not spending their own money that the generated from the rubber plant in Pattaya. It came from tourists. You can just, pause take a minute, and do a back trace on money found in their purses. Where did it most likely came from? Also, ask yourself who owns the bars? With the curfew lifted, most Thais can simply buy some beer and SangSom (rum, not sure why the call it whiskey) and hang out at home. They are more simple compared to most and do not need to splurge. The girls tell me they eat off 100 baht total per day. That's like the cost of just my casual dinner of shrimp fried rice and bottle water at Treetown. The problem with bars, clubs, and entertainment venue is "rent and utilities" versus "expected revenue. " The revenue will not be there with few tourists here, just like it was the few weeks leading up to the shutdown. So these wealthier owners have pretty much paid off the government to keep them closed until the tourists are able to come back. Remember government officials are just "puppets" of the very very very wealthy and powerful or the 1%, as I like to call them. Government officials are paid to take the blame and the heat off of the 1%. It makes no sense for any GoGo bar to open. 3 customers and 18 girls total, at Sensations at 10 pm, is a very sad sight. And I saw that. I wish I was wrong. But it is what it is. Keep in mind, most of those (who I know) and work these tourist traps are part of the HAVES in terms of the money they made as compared to the girl working at the bank. So don't feel too sorry for them. They can always rent out the house that was bought for them by their customers.

P.S. Thailand is taking a big hit on its economy and GDP. They don't want their own people to spend their money stupidly like that, especially if the bars are foreign owned. Oh yeah, COVID is not done with the world just yet.

[Pimpampoumpipo]

From the contacts with whom I correspond by messaging, the girls who seem to pass this test the best are those who have returned to their province. I correspond with a mamasan of soi 6. The bar has agreed with the girls that they will call them back when it opens again. It seems to be a wise decision with the minimum need of organization. I imagine that it must be the case for the majority of bars. Admittedly, she impatiently awaits the moment of opening, but her costs and expenses are under control, she limits the damage. It is the most economical version. They are also surrounded by their families. I think these are the ones that are doing the best.

On the other hand, for those who stayed in Pattaya, the testimonies that I receive are more difficult. Often they found themselves stuck in Pattaya when transport was prohibited throughout Thailand, staying was not necessarily a choice. They earn no more money in any case much less than before COVID. But the costs remain the same and are high compared to the rest of the country, I am thinking particularly of the price of their rooms. Those who have it live on their savings, and some do not even dare to leave their homes because they are afraid of the virus. Finally, if it is to make rare and hypothetical solicitations sold off at 800 baths, it is not sure that the best solution is to stay in Pattaya.

[Downandup]

Bar owners were hoping to open on the 15th but that was not part of phase 4 as expected. Members of the government kept on saying that phase 4 was the end of the lockdown and then this week the Royal Gazette published changes without including the bars. Once again the lesson is don't believe what the government says until the rules are announced. The bars may open July 1 but again it has to be in the Gazette.

[Mr Enternational]

Girls who went home after the shutdown are not yet returning and won't until tourists are allowed back into the country.

Totally different scene in Pattaya. There has been an influx of new chicks. In typical Thai fashion they have confused things opening back up with there is money to be made. Some employers have convinced them to come only to be disappointed. On the flip side, others that I know who have stuck it out are now going back home.

[MonkeyPaw]

Yep, like I wrote previously. This is their short term strategy going forward. It was the plan since March. We want your money, but you are not one of us.

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/n...ays-thais-only

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/t...ans-foreigners

[MonkeyPaw]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...travel-bubbles#cxrecs_s.

Reward those who played the game best.

[Franciscass]

I've been visiting Tarntip on 7/1, my straight up massage shop since they reopened earlier in the month.

Normally there are some 15 masseuses on staff there. Now there but 2 and they are lucky to have half a dozen customers come through the door on any given day.

Girls who went home after the shutdown are not yet returning and won't until tourists are allowed back into the country.

I haven't been to the Phrom Phong neighborhood yet but I have a feeling it's a similar story there. A few girls back but little business being transacted.

In a separate post I mentioned how well Thailand has handled the pandemic but they need to reopen the borders soon or they could suffer permanent damage to tourism here.

[Franciscass]

The number of actual infections is unknown in pretty much every country!

Wikipedia lists tests per million of population for each country (although in Thailand's case was using the figure for PUI's not all tests and is more than a month out of date). Only 7 countries have tested more than 10% of their population. UAE (population 10 million), Bahrain (1. 5 million), Iceland (0. 4 million), Luxembourg (0. 6 million), Malta (0. 5 million), Lithuania (2. 8 million) and Cyprus (1. 2 million). Notice that there are no really big populations involved? Statistically significant mass testing to identify every case is simply impossible.

I feel knowing actual numbers of infections and fatalities in any country depends primarily on extent of testing, number of hospitalizations and accuracy and transparency in reporting same. Some are better than others in doing this.

Firstly in Thailand relatively few people have been tested so it stands to reason the reported infection rate is understated. By how many, it's hard to say.

The number of reported deaths from Covid for people who tested positive and were hospitalized I feel is reasonably accurate. However a question arises about deaths where there was no testing either before or posthumously because the person maybe died at home or for one reason or another was never tested at the hospital. Some Covid related deaths are likely to have been missed here.

Overall though there is little doubt in my mind at least that Thailand has handled the pandemic well enough and those of us who lived through it here are fortunate not to have been in countries who fucked big time.

I am not mentioning any names so as not to upset anybody munching on their cornflakes.

[GettingFedUp]

My friend's point was that the number of actual infections is really unknown.

The number of actual infections is unknown in pretty much every country!

Wikipedia lists tests per million of population for each country (although in Thailand's case was using the figure for PUI's not all tests and is more than a month out of date). Only 7 countries have tested more than 10% of their population. UAE (population 10 million), Bahrain (1. 5 million), Iceland (0. 4 million), Luxembourg (0. 6 million), Malta (0. 5 million), Lithuania (2. 8 million) and Cyprus (1. 2 million). Notice that there are no really big populations involved? Statistically significant mass testing to identify every case is simply impossible.

[Mr Enternational]

Considering your lack of real knowledge of the situation that those who reside on a permanent basis and live with normal, every day common people of Thailand, I find your representation that the facts conveyed to me as "dumbest shit" to be rather offensive and rather indicative of your lack of understanding of anything outside of the purchasing cheap sex. I have known my friend for over 40 years and we are both retired executives from financial institutions, so we are not stupid nor state facts that are not true.

Mf I have an advanced business degree, speak 5 languages, and I know how to read and research and critically think as well. Don't think that because I come on this one website, its subject is all my life is about.

So unless you are showing us empirical evidence stating that people are being charged 5,000 baht if their tests are negative, then what I have said carries just as much weight as what "your friend" of 40 years has said. Just because you and your friend can count and do not buy cheap sex has nothing to do with having real knowledge of the situation either. Just show us 1 receipt of the negative person being charged this amount since your friend is privy to all of this highly regarded information from all the common folk of Thailand.

LOL. Like you are the only one that has a friend who resides here on a permanent basis and lives with normal, every day common people. Yep. Pretty much impossible for me or anyone else on this website to have normal friends such as the one you boast of having.

My friend's point was that the number of actual infections is really unknown.

Well no shit Sherlock. Be sure to thank your friend for the newsflash. This can be said about damn near everything, everywhere! Does god exist? It is really unknown. How many people caught a common cold last year? It is really unknown. How many people are inside of their houses barefoot at the moment? It is really unknown. Get back to us when your friend actually knows something besides that something is unknown. I can't believe you went through all this just to say something is unknown. Most normal people would surmise the information being put out is based on the data that they have gathered or extrapolated, not the data that they have no idea about.

[MonkeyPaw]

I do not question your statement that those thought to be infected or exposed to the covid virus have been tested at no cost. In many countries, those high risk people and professions have been tested for free in a number of countries. Considering 90,000 tests have been given in Thailand to those PUI must be compared to the size of the total population of Thailand which is 70 million. In that respect, those tested to date represent less than 0. 12 percent of the population of Thailand. My friend's point was that the number of actual infections is really unknown.

True story: I have a Thai acquaintance. Back in May, she came down with symptoms of a cough that progressed to wheezing and a slight fever. She went to the clinic and wanted a COVID test. They told her "no," and go home. They said if it worsened, she could go to the hospital and they may test her. Her symptoms subsided in 5 days. She's fairly fit and only 24 years old. Did she catch COVID-19 and just had mild symptoms? Who knows. I promise you she is not the first, last, or only that was told to do this. However, panic is the worse thing that can happen to any healthcare system that does not have enough doctors, nurses, or beds.

[Rodwint2]

Thailand has a set of criteria (such as any one of cough, fever, pneumonia, close contact with known Covid patients) to class people as Patients Under Investigation (PUI). Testing is free for PUI's, whether Thai or Foreign. Since the last identified local transmission of Covid on 25 May approximately 90,000 PUI have been tested (Source: https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php).

Anyone who "wants to get a covid test" (your phrase), as opposed to needs a Covid test, pays (although the charge is waived in the event of a positive). Given the high level of self diagnosis and hypochondria evident in Thailand in normal times (just look at the number of pharmacies, even outside tourist areas) if testing were free for all it would undoubtedly result in a free-for-all which swamped the system, particularly as a negative test is only true for exactly zero hours - you can be infected but the virus load hasn't reached a detectable level yet, as evidenced by the returnees who are negative at the start of quarantine but positive when tested again prior to release from quarantine.

I do not question your statement that those thought to be infected or exposed to the covid virus have been tested at no cost. In many countries, those high risk people and professions have been tested for free in a number of countries. Considering 90,000 tests have been given in Thailand to those PUI must be compared to the size of the total population of Thailand which is 70 million. In that respect, those tested to date represent less than 0. 12 percent of the population of Thailand. My friend's point was that the number of actual infections is really unknown.