Bangkok Reports

[Ukman57]

So, where is the action in Bangkok? Massage parlors? Street walkers?

I don't use Thai Friendly, so if I visit Bangkok, I would be walking around looking for fun.

Walking around Bangkok in 34 C heat and 95% humidity is not a pleasant experience. Pulling girls off Thai friendly interviewing them on video chat and have them scoot over on a moto taxi to me is more my thing.

[EihTooms]

Curfew in Greater Bangkok from Monday.
Mall closures and other curbs to last 2 weeks, same rules apply in southern border provinces
July 9, 2021.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...ok-from-monday

Strict measures, including a curfew, will be imposed in Bangkok and five adjacent provinces for two weeks starting from Monday as the government attempts to curb the soaring number of new Covid-19 infections.

The same 9pm-4am curfew will also be imposed in the four southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala.

The tightened measures affect Greater Bangkok, which encompasses the capital and the five neighboring provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon.

The announcement was made by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday afternoon.

Measures to be imposed in Greater Bangkok include the closure of department store malls except for businesses such as supermarkets, which will be allowed to operate until 8pm.

Other premises allowed to open until 8pm in the malls are banks, chemists, shops selling communication devices and vaccination centers.

Other measures in Greater Bangkok are:

All eateries to close at 8pm.
Work for home encouraged for all businesses.
Strict enforcement of social distancing measures.
No public transport services from 9pm to 3am.
Closure of public parks at 9pm.
Closure of all infection-risk businesses such as salons, spas and traditional massage parlours.
No gatherings of more than five people, except for religious functions.
Convenience stores and night markets closed from 8pm to 4am.

CCSA assistant spokeswoman Apisamai Srirungson stressed the lockdown measures focus on Greater Bangkok. However, checkpoints would be set up from Saturday in all provinces to discourage people's movements, she said.

Greater Bangkok is the center of the third virus surge that began in early April, triggered by the arrival of the Delta strain first found in India. New cases have also soared in the four southern provinces, but mostly the Beta variant first detected in South Africa.

Health officials said the Delta variant would soon dominate in Thailand.

The measures were announced as new transmissions continued to rise and with no let up in fatalities, even though all workers' camps have been closed and dining-in banned at eateries since Monday.

Thailand logged a record high of 75 fatalities on Wednesday and the second highest number of new infections, 9,276, on Thursday. The highest number of daily infections was 9,635 on May 17. Another 72 deaths were recorded on Friday.

There is also a serious bed shortage as more patients stay longer in hospitals and the rate of discharges slows. More than 700 people are on ventilators.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who chaired the CCSA meeting on Friday, reportedly directed authorities to keep new infections down during the semi-lockdown period and said all measures to fight the outbreak would be adjusted to better cope with the rapid virus spread.

The prime minister also decided to take a three-month pay cut to save state budget funds for the fight against the pandemic. Other cabinet ministers then followed.

Gen Prayut receives 125,590 baht a month, from a salary of 75,900 baht and position allowance of 50,000 baht. He does not receive a salary as the defence minister. A cabinet member is allowed to receive a salary from only one position, the highest-paid one.

Limiting the lockdown to selected provinces was favored by business leaders to minimize the economic damage.

[Explorer8939]

Agree but Explorer didn't have to be fully vaccinated if he went to an ASQ hotel late April / early May.

Out of all the expats I know in Thailand and I know quite a few only 3 guys have gone through the ASQ system. Explorer willingly did it twice himself and will be doing it a 3rd time in the near future! Not many guys are willing to sit in a hotel room for 15/16 days and the lack of Farang in Pattaya prove it. Look at how few guys are going to the Phuket SHA+ sandbox and that is MUCH more lenient than the ASQ in Pattaya.

Explorer, can I ask you what type of Visa you are using to get in to Thailand all these times?

I go visa exempt, and get extensions in Jomtien.

My next return is up in the air, because of the epidemic. Probably I will do the Phuket Sandbox.

[Explorer8939]

Give him a few more days to research the internet to get all answers needed to respond, taking a little longer then usual! Seems still active in the Pattaya tread! Would be nice to learn how to get in and out of Thailand as easy as he makes it sound!

Not easy to get into Thailand.

I had a 14 day quarantine in January, and a 10 day quarantine that ended in May. No fun.

It sounds like you don’t believe I am in Thailand at this time.

[Explorer8939]

Yes. A lot of vaccine became available in late April.

Late April shot? Then you quarantined in April when you returned to Thailand. Probably should change your story again and say you got a shot in late April, and then flew back and finished quarantine in May.

You entered Thailand in April? You went thru all those hoops.

My second shot was on April 24, and I entered Thailand on April 28. That meant a 10 day quarantine.

I had earlier debated delaying my return until 14 days had passed after my second shot. Fortunately I didn’t delay.

As for shots in the US, I had to drive an hour, down to Santa Ana, for my first appointment.

[RacShack]

From Thaiger "those who obtained their Certificate of Entry prior to May 1, and arrive in Thailand before May 6, will still be able to quarantine under the shortened 10 day quarantine, or just 7 days if they are vaccinated against the coronavirus. ".

If you were vaccinated and returned in April shouldn't your quarantine have been only 7 days, not 10?

Give him a few more days to research the internet to get all answers needed to respond, taking a little longer then usual! Seems still active in the Pattaya tread! Would be nice to learn how to get in and out of Thailand as easy as he makes it sound!

[Banana Boi]

They only counted you as "fully vaccinated" 14 days after your second dose. If he came back within 14 days of the second shot, then he would have been counted as "unvaccinated".

Agree but Explorer didn't have to be fully vaccinated if he went to an ASQ hotel late April / early May.

Out of all the expats I know in Thailand and I know quite a few only 3 guys have gone through the ASQ system. Explorer willingly did it twice himself and will be doing it a 3rd time in the near future! Not many guys are willing to sit in a hotel room for 15/16 days and the lack of Farang in Pattaya prove it. Look at how few guys are going to the Phuket SHA+ sandbox and that is MUCH more lenient than the ASQ in Pattaya.

Explorer, can I ask you what type of Visa you are using to get in to Thailand all these times?

[TheNileRiva]

From Thaiger "those who obtained their Certificate of Entry prior to May 1, and arrive in Thailand before May 6, will still be able to quarantine under the shortened 10 day quarantine, or just 7 days if they are vaccinated against the coronavirus. ".

If you were vaccinated and returned in April shouldn't your quarantine have been only 7 days, not 10?

They only counted you as "fully vaccinated" 14 days after your second dose. If he came back within 14 days of the second shot, then he would have been counted as "unvaccinated".

The 14 days is getting to be standard everywhere, important to note if you're planning vaccination and travel.

[Banana Boi]

I am vaccinated because I went back to the US in March for 5 weeks. That meant a 10 day quarantine when I returned in April.

From Thaiger "those who obtained their Certificate of Entry prior to May 1, and arrive in Thailand before May 6, will still be able to quarantine under the shortened 10 day quarantine, or just 7 days if they are vaccinated against the coronavirus. ".

If you were vaccinated and returned in April shouldn't your quarantine have been only 7 days, not 10?

[GreenBud]

My second shot was in late April, lots of available vaccine then.

Yes. A lot of vaccine became available in late April.

I am vaccinated because I went back to the US in March for 5 weeks. That meant a 10 day quarantine when I returned in April.

Late April shot? Then you quarantined in April when you returned to Thailand. Probably should change your story again and say you got a shot in late April, and then flew back and finished quarantine in May.

You entered Thailand in April? You went thru all those hoops.

[Explorer8939]

Hmm. You got it early. Are you old with conditions or in the health care industry?

I have a qualifying condition. I got my 2 shots in April.

I registered with CVS, they were just filling up appointment times. My second shot was in late April, lots of available vaccine then.

[Explorer8939]

Here is a Map, don't if any are still open.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?h...555000002&z=16

It looks like a map of random bars that were open before the current closures.

[World Travel 69]

Here is a Map, don't if any are still open.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?h...555000002&z=16

So, where is the action in Bangkok? Massage parlors? Street walkers?

I don't use Thai Friendly, so if I visit Bangkok, I would be walking around looking for fun.

[Sunlover2]

Hmm. You got it early. Are you old with conditions or in the health care industry?

I have a qualifying condition. I got my 2 shots in April.

It depended on individual state policy back then. Each state had its own qualifications based on: age, occupation, underlying medical conditions, and social justice standing.

I got my jabs mid March and early April, and did not have to drive for hours to find an available spot. Now of course it is a tsunami of supply, and they are temping reluctant people with sweepstakes and giveaways.

SL.

[GreenBud]

I am vaccinated because I went back to the US in March for 5 weeks.

Hmm. You got it early. Are you old with conditions or in the health care industry?

I have a qualifying condition. I got my 2 shots in April.