A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[Froggy]

Today’s Covidnew cases

New Cases
Thailand 1,965 ( +69 )
Prison 671 ( -827 )
———————————————-
Total 2,636 ( -758 )

Deaths 25 ( -4 )

 

[Froggy]

Yes, this is Thailand after all. And when driving I don't wear masks whether alone or with anyone else, although I was told to wear one when there is a passenger. What about you?

Oh this I have no control all my female passengers will insist all must put on masks and I find it strange cos later on can removed everything no problem, really strange behavior.

 

[dredd]

You mean like this?

 

[yinyang]

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Pi...10&pub_date=20210519150000&seq_num=8&si=44594

Could COVID-19 save Thailand's tourist-ravaged coast?
Lessons from Railay pit post-pandemic environmental resurgence against tourism imperative

Once overflowing with the tourists, a beach on Thailand's renowned Railay Peninsula takes a rest as COVID-19 keeps most visitors away. (Photo by Sarah McLean)
Denis D. GrayMay 19, 2021 11:08 JST

On a recent morning, with hardly another soul to crease the sands, and only the lapping of gentle waves to ruffle the stillness, I experienced a serious case of deja vu on Thailand's Railay Peninsula, the site of some of the world's most beautiful beaches.

This, I remembered, was what I had encountered during my trips to the Railay area decades earlier, before mass tourism overwhelmed its sweeping arcs of sand walled by towering limestone cliffs. It is sad to say, but the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has restored some of what that tide of humanity degraded.

Residents in the tourist-dependent southern provinces of Phuket and Krabi, which includes Railay, speak of dolphins frolicking with fisherman, manatees munching peacefully on sea grass and frequent sightings of dugongs and reef sharks -- all rare events before the pandemic. At the hotel where I was staying (and paying rock bottom rates) a hefty monitor lizard waddled nonchalantly toward the villa.

All but gone were the earsplitting, fume-spewing and unregulated longtail boats that in pre-pandemic times ferried tour groups to the three stunning Railay beaches accessible only by sea.

As wonderful as this new serenity seemed, my delight was tempered by what I saw and heard around me: shop fronts shuttered, bars and restaurants nearly empty, the jobless forced to seek employment elsewhere or survive on slashed incomes. Revenue from foreign tourists, mostly banned from entering Thailand, cannot be replaced by the small number of domestic visitors like me.

Payorm Numchan best expressed my mixed feelings. First visiting Railay more than 20 years ago, she became addicted to rock climbing -- one of the peninsula's other great attractions -- competed internationally, and eventually returned to open a tourist climbing operation.

Payorm remembers a small fishing community, then an initial flow of backpackers followed by a tourist explosion, with hotels rising cheek-by-jowl along Railay's West Beach. She describes the frenetic development as "crazy." Other visitors agreed, lamenting in online comments that "greed and money have taken over" and that "the halcyon days are sadly well and truly over."

"When COVID came, I experienced my most beautiful time here," Payorm said. "Nature was resting peacefully. We saw turtles emerge from the sea for the first time. Coral beds were not being broken. Boats were few. There was quiet."

Yet, at the same time, her income plummeted to as little as 1,000 baht (about $31) a month. Friends around her cried in desperation. "There is always some good mixed with some bad in this world," she told me.

The Phuket-Krabi area, with a combined population of about 1 million, catered to more than 15 million tourists a year in the boom years. with its annual toll of 2,000 visitors per sq. km the biggest on Earth, according to Columbus Direct, a travel insurance company. The area had clearly exceeded its tourist carrying capacity.

Before the pandemic, environmentalists and enlightened travel industry leaders were already sounding the alarm, and there was debate among government officials about attracting fewer but higher-spending visitors instead of the ubiquitous Chinese and Russian group tours.

Packed with tourists: The beach at Ao Maya Bay in Krabi Province, back in 2008. © Getty Images

Now some of these proposals are reemerging as the country looks toward its post-COVID-19 future. "A huge challenge awaits Thailand as plans are afoot to open up the country to rescue the tourism industry: How to prevent a new round of environmental onslaught from mass tourism," says the Thailand Development Research Institute, a Bangkok-based think tank.

Krabi's Koh Phangan Online Magazine, based on the eponymous offshore island, is urging the adoption of a sustainable "blue economy" that would limit access by tourists into sensitive areas and mandate annual closures of marine parks to allow for regeneration of flora and fauna.

The precedents are not good, however. I remember clearly the hopeful voices raised after the 2004 tsunami, which devastated swaths of the area, including the Phi Phi Islands -- once a coral-reef-strewn jewel of the Andaman Sea. The disaster presented a great opportunity for an environment-friendly fresh start. But with barely a pause, places like Phi Phi returned to their past ways with a vengeance, leaving some parts looking like an urban slum.

Now, even without a firm date for Thailand's reopening to foreign tourists, reservations for future holidays are brisk (bookings from Sweden are at a record high, according to tour agencies). And Krabi Airport, which feeds the Railay tourist market, is set to double its capacity to 8 million passengers a year.

Perhaps the most ominous problem is the already intense pressure to rebuild, at any cost, the moribund tourism industry, which employs millions of people and is the biggest contributor to Thailand's national income.

I am hoping for the best, but I fear that neither we lucky people who saw Thailand before the tourist boom, nor our children, will ever again experience the vibrant coral beds of Phi Phi or the magical solitude of Railay.

Denis D. Gray is a writer based in northern Thailand.

 

[waitifcuk]

What's on offer​

Picture-perfect islands. Golden beaches with swaying palms. Ornate temples and lush forests. Thailand has long been the go-to destination for those after a no-nonsense, easy-on-the-eye tropical break.

Who can go​

Holders of US, Canada, UK and Australia passports are among those not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes and will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 45 days on each visit. However, they are still required to obtain the Certificate of Entry and quarantine upon arrival.
Tourists from countries not on the visa exemption list can apply for a Special Tourist Visa (STV) .
All travelers who have received a Certificate of Entry are required to download the ThailandPlus Application and register. Upon arrival in Thailand they will have to show a QR code that will be scanned by the Thai authorities upon arrival.
On April 21, Thailand released an online step-by-step guide offering detailed information on entry procedures.

What can visitors expect?​

Masks are worn at all times in public, both indoors and out, while temperature checks are the norm. Those who do not wear masks face fines.
Entertainment venues -- including bars and nightclubs -- throughout the entire country have been ordered to close.
More than 80 national parks have closed temporarily.
Prior to the latest outbreak, areas within driving distance of Bangkok have been able to benefit from domestic tourists, but other normally popular destinations such as Phuket and Koh Samui haven't been as fortunate. Visitors to these destinations will find empty beaches and heavily discounted accommodation options.
In Phuket, many shops, restaurants and hotels in the southern beaches of Patong, Kata and Karon have closed due to the lack of tourists.


-
SoyaSauce : CNN
(not I say one hor).

 

[Froggy]

Cooked char-mee for breakfast today -

Prep

Breakfast

 

[Froggy]

Today’s Covid new cases

New Cases
Thailand 2,530 ( +565 )
Prison 951 ( +280 )
———————————————-
Total 3,481 ( +845 )

Deaths 32 ( +7 )

 

[Froggy]

Singapore seafood dinner at Siam Paragon's Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. Really missed Singapore food.

Sambal kangkok

Fried tofu with crab meat

Dou Miao

Ikan bilis fried rise

Singapore Chili Crab

Delicious pincer

Ordered abnother 1kg Pepper Crab

Taste original

Don't know what to say

 

[Froggy]

Today’s Covid new cases

New Cases
Thailand 2,447 ( -83 )
Prison 951 605 ( -346 )
———————————————-
Total 3,052 ( -429 )

Deaths 24 ( -8 )

 

[yinyang]

IT’S OFFICIAL: FOREIGNERS CAN REGISTER FOR COVID-19 VACCINATIONS NEXT MONTH​

By
Tappanai Boonbandit, Staff Reporter
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May 21, 2021 2:30 pm
https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php...can-register-for-covid-19-vaccine-next-month/
https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?te...vid-19-vaccine-next-month/&via=KhaosodEnglish
https://vk.com/share.php?url=https:...can-register-for-covid-19-vaccine-next-month/

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People wait to receive AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Chulabhorn Royal Academy on May 20, 2021.

BANGKOK — The government’s pandemic response center on Friday said foreign nationals living in Thailand can begin registering for COVID-19 vaccinations next month.

Starting June 7, foreigners will be able to sign up for free inoculations in person at designatedP hospitals using their social security number or passport, spokesman Natapanu Nopakun said. In Bangkok, the venues are Vimut Hospital and Bangrak Health Center, while those living in the provinces will need to register at the hospital which has their health records, he said.
“Thailand attaches utmost importance to vaccinating everyone according to their level of risk, regardless of nationality,” Natapanu said. “We practice what we pledged. No one is safe until everyone is vaccinated.”

June 7 marks the first day of the country’s long awaited mass vaccination program, in which registered Thai citizens are expected to be inoculated with locally manufactured AstraZeneca doses. The priority will be given to Thai citizens aged over 60 or those with pre-existing medical conditions, while inoculations for Thai adults aged 18 to 59 are slated to begin in August.
Natapanu said the vaccination drive for foreign nationals will follow the same time frame as Thai citizens.
“The actual vaccinations would depend on the appointment,” he said. “Some may have walk-in shots available from June 7, some may have to wait at a later date. Foreign nationals will begin [the vaccinations] at the same time as Thai nationals.”

Addresses of the two designated hospitals in Bangkok.

Registrations for members of the diplomatic corps, international organizations, and their families will be arranged by the foreign ministry, the spokesman said. The higher education ministry will have a separate arrangement for foreign students, while the Social Security Office will be responsible for vaccinations of migrant workers in Thailand.
“I believe I am giving you quite good news,” Natapanu said. “Thank you for your understanding because this has been something of a challenge.

This is perhaps the fastest way we believe we can inoculate foreign nationals in Thailand.”
Just over 1.7 million, or 2.6 percent, out of more than 66 million people have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Thailand. The government aims to vaccinate at least 50 million people, or 70 percent of the population, by the end of this year to achieve herd immunity. This includes foreign nationals living in Thailand.

On Thursday, Chinese nationals in Thailand began to receive the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccines as part of China’s global campaign to inoculate its nationals living abroad. The Chinese government donated 500,000 doses to Thailand, part of which is expected to be set aside for more than 100,000 Chinese citizens registered with the Chinese Embassy.
Other foreign embassies in Thailand said they currently have no plans to supply vaccines to its own citizens living in Thailand. The British Embassy in Bangkok said its National Health Service does not cover Britons living abroad.
“As a residence-based system, the NHS does not provide healthcare (including vaccinations) outside the U.K.,” the British Embassy said in a statement. “Our Ambassador spoke to the Thai Prime Minister about this issue, and he has reconfirmed Thailand’s commitment to equal access to vaccines for all living in Thailand, including British nationals.”
The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok also echoed a similar response.
“The Department of State does not provide direct medical care to private U.S. citizens abroad and has no current plans to provide vaccinations,” a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said. “We continue working with the Royal Thai Government to advocate that they provide equal vaccine access to residents of all nationalities because none of us is safe until all of us are safe.”
The Russian Embassy in Bangkok said it hopes Russian nationals will be able to receive the shots as pledged by the Thai government, though surplus doses of Sputnik V vaccine are not expected to arrive in Thailand anytime soon.
“The Russian government has no such plans currently,” Russian Embassy spokesman Vladimir Kim said. “The talks about Sputnik V supply here are currently in progress.”
There are about 3 million foreigners living in Thailand.

 

[Froggy]

IT’S OFFICIAL: FOREIGNERS CAN REGISTER FOR COVID-19 VACCINATIONS NEXT MONTH​

By

Late April my Thai boss successfully booked the Modena from a hospital for all 800+ staff in the company but was told we will start the vaccination in Aug/Sep period. Worth the wait cos we all don't bloody trust anything CCP and local but this come with a very steep price for the company and we are not looking at the "not over 3000 baht" price, way more.

 

[Froggy]

Made my own Friday breakfast yesterday


Breakfast

Red snapper fillet pan fry with ginger

Steamed egg

Fried tofu with garlic and soya sauce

 

[yinyang]

Coup is seven years old
Regime gets mixed report card, though Covid hasn't helped​

Soldiers stand guard blocking potential anti-coup protesters at Democracy Monument after the coup on May 22, 2014. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Questions remain whether Thailand has made any progress or stepped backwards in the past seven years since the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) staged a coup in 2014.

Saturday marked seven years since the coup. The Bangkok Post asked academics, politicians and government representatives to share their views on the matter. Academics and opposition politicians say many problems remain unsolved but those from the government insist the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration has made progress in reforms.

No reconciliation, new conflict


Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University, said people were tired of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

They felt that those who have moved forward are the coup-makers themselves who have tightened their firm hold on power, while conservative groups which previously supported the regime are increasingly disillusioned and demanding Gen Prayut step down.
"Gen Prayut does not need the backing of these people any more because he has already attained power,'' Mr Wanwichit said.
"Gen Prayut is confident in his ability to save his associates who have tarnished reputations, and disappointed people who expected him to promote transparency in politics,'' he said.

Government efforts to foster national unity have also failed, he said, adding that young people have held street demonstrations which mounted a challenge to the government's authority.
Mr Wanwichit said Gen Prayut may be pinning his hope on the National Security Council to design a strategy to steer the country through the Covid-19 pandemic.
As Covid-19 vaccines start to arrive in large quantities over the next two months, the people may feel warmer towards the regime while those with close ties to Gen Prayut are preparing for the Bangkok governor election expected later this year, Mr Wanwichit said.
Among potential candidates are former national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, and incumbent city governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang, he said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thamanat Prompow has also established a political support base to prepare for the next general election, which will help Gen Prayut to stay in power, Mr Wanwichit said.

No real results of reform
Yutthaporn Isarachai, a political scientist from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said that reform plans initiated by the government have failed to deliver any tangible results while democracy is restricted under the constitution with the 250 senators dominating politics.
During the past seven years, the country has been bogged down in political conflict while social injustice besets the country, he said.
"The street demonstrations that took place late last year and early this year represented the first public movement in seven years since the coup. This reflects a change in Thailand's political landscape,'' Mr Yutthaporn said.

He said the change was also the result of the constitution which contains controversial provisions regarding the new voting system which paved the way for new parties to be set up.
"Under the NCPO's five-year rule, we got the constitution, national reform plans and the 20-year national strategy, and the senate.
"But we got only the quantity, we did not see any quality,'' he said.
The reform process also lacks public participation as people do not feel they are part of the process, Mr Yutthaporn said, adding the government did not mention a national strategy to deal with Covid-19 and a public health reform plan.
The government cannot use the Covid-19 crisis as an excuse to delay the reform process. In fact, the crisis has exposed failures in reform as seen in illegal gambling, human trafficking, illegal migrants and entertainment venues blamed for wave after wave of the pandemic, he said.
In particular, police reform appears to have gone nowhere despite the issue having been raised for a long time with several committees set up to address the matter, Mr Yutthaporn said.

Failing on all fronts
Chief opposition whip and Pheu Thai deputy leader Sutin Klungsang said that since then army chief Prayut staged his coup ousting the Pheu Thai Party-led government, the coup-makers have not achieved the goal of ending the political conflict.
Social divisions that were swept under the rug for a while have now resurfaced with people becoming more polarised. The highest institution has also been dragged into the conflict, Mr Sutin said.
When it comes to reform plans, there are only reform laws and reform committees, but no substantive results have been achieved, he said, adding the constitution itself is riddled with problems as it was designed to help the coupmakers prolong their hold on power.
As for the economy, there are no fundamental changes to the economic structure with injustices remaining unsolved, while the justice system has not been reformed in a way that will gain acceptance, Mr Sutin said.
After seven years, a bill on education reform was recently tabled in parliament. It was met with opposition from many in the industry, while the civil service system has not undergone any reform, Mr Sutin said.
"In terms of reform, it has failed on all fronts. No conflict has been solved, breeding new problems in the process,'' he said.

On the other hand...

But government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri insisted the government is trying its best to resolve political conflicts. "The government is trying to prevent clashes between those involved and is not acting as a party to the conflict,'' he said.
Mr Anucha also maintained reforms initiated by the government have made substantial progress with laws being amended to accommodate changes. When the bills are enacted, the reforms will be more visible.
Responding to criticism about national unity, he said the government has pushed for constitutional amendments as proposed by several groups.
However, charter amendments have to go through parliamentary procedures and it is impossible to change things immediately, he said.
"The prime minister has tried to bring the conflict into the formal problem-solving process. A reconciliation committee was set up to look into the matter. A referendum law was passed to prepare for charter amendments," Mr Anucha said.
The government has set up 12 committees to oversee reform in various areas as stipulated by the constitution.
Several reform efforts, particularly economic reforms, have delivered tangible results, such as amending the laws to promote high-value agriculture and help small-and-medium-sized entrepreneurs, he said. Several bills have been prepared to push for political reform and tackle graft, though it is up to parliament to prioritise matters, he said.
Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantravanich said the NCPO stepped in to end political conflict and solve problems such as illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and aviation safety problems.
The NCPO also launched crackdowns on drugs and human trafficking and initiated transport infrastructure development projects.

 

[yinyang]

Revisited thai restaurant near Thayang last weekend. Popular with bangkokians, what with their chauffers standing by next to their Alphards

Som tam Thai (only version I can handle)

A Singha would have done nicely, but no go with latest covid restrictions

 

[Froggy]

Today’s Covid new cases

New Cases
Thailand 2,922 ( +475 )
Prison 460 ( -145 )
———————————————-
Total 3,382 ( +330 )

Deaths 17 ( -7 )

 

[waitifcuk]

Singapore seafood dinner at Siam Paragon's Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. Really missed Singapore food.

K L N

Kup Poh,
You all still can dine in, shioks man.
Limpeh longing for original Thai tom yam.

 

[waitifcuk]

Revisited thai restaurant near Thayang last weekend. Popular with bangkokians, what with their chauffers standing by next to their Alphards

Som tam Thai (only version I can handle)

View attachment 111593

A Singha would have done nicely, but no go with latest covid restrictions

K L N

Is this salad?

 

[Froggy]

wife gave me a cold breakfast this morning

This morning the missus made breakfast

 

[Froggy]

wife gave me a cold breakfast this morning

This morning the missus made breakfast