Looking at the Bright Side

Anything and everything about Thailand
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Dodger
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Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Dodger »

Like most people, Jai and I found ourselves getting completely submersed in “Corona Crap” during the months of January and February, to the point that we started feeling depressed just from the information overload.

We decided in early March to take a giant step back from this Planetary Pandemic and just do what we enjoy doing the most…and that’s having fun! As far as all the breaking news highlighting the continuous flow of knee-jerk reactions coming from posturing politicians (including Trump…that was hysterical), block-outs, travel bans, social-distancing, self-quarantine’s, self-isolation, self-imprisonment, self-mutilation…whatever… we decided to simply ignore it. I know some people are avoiding social media altogether to keep themselves from having a panic attack.

How does one simply ignore it? Well, after we realized that the precautions we should take for the BIG CORONA are exactly the same precautions our mommy’s gave us when we were 9 years old during the cold & flu season, i.e., wash your hands, don’t rub your eyes, stay away from sick people, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when couching or sneezing, and if you’re not feeling well you can’t go to school because you’ll get the other kids sick. Basically, that’s it. And trying to keep this Corona Monster in perspective, a few thousand people started catching COVID-19 and everyone wants to wear a face mask, but 5 million people have AIDS and nobody wants to wear a condom…go figure!

I’m in Buriram right now which was the first Province in Thailand to impose a “Lock-down” (so far). With the exception of being able to enjoy less traffic, no bottle-necks at the large intersections, shorter lines at the food stores, and none of that “boom-boom-boom” Isaan jungle music blasting in the evenings, everything else is normal. In all honesty, it’s much nicer than normal. All the large food stores in Buriram remain open, i.e. Macro, Big C, Tops, etc., as do the restaurants. We avoid large gatherings in general anyway, so, for us, this is really a non-event.

Pandemic Playtime: The opportunity to use the extra time in-doors with your partner to create and experiment with some new bed-time techniques. Heck, cut a hole in the center of one of those face masks and wear it around your waist (hole in rear) and tell him to take your temperature. 69 is also a great position for maintaining social distancing, and rimming is great, unless either of you have a habit of couching or sneezing out of your anal aperture. There are so many possibilities!

Looking at the bright side: At least for a while, the Chinese and their black smoke belching monster tour buses have vanished. Traffic has eased across the entire Kingdom making it safer and more pleasurable to travel, Songkran, which most expats hate with a passion any way, has been cancelled, and the Thai Baht is getting weaker putting more money in most of our pockets.

The next one may not come around for decades and this could be our last chance to enjoy a Pandemic…so enjoy it to the max…see it as an opportunity for a fun routine change…save some money for when the bars reopen…lock yourself up with HIM and use the Pandemic as an excuse to stay isolated, and listen to Trump speak often…because laughter is always good for the soul.

Monty Python

thewayhelooks
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Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by thewayhelooks »

I can do you one better, as we are all going to end up like this.

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Gaybutton
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Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:35 pm we started feeling depressed just from the information overload.
That's part of the problem. The media is having a virtual jubilee with this. And they will continue to do so until the virus is history and the last person it kills has passed on.
Up2u

Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Up2u »

For those suffering depression from media reporting, simple solution, turn it off. Not me, unlike Trump I cherish media and reporters as they are truth seekers and heroes in these times. I want information and don't want to isolate myself from the truth.
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Undaunted
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Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Undaunted »

In my condo CNN is always on in the background, If I only had access to Fox News I would have no reason to have a TV :!:
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
Jun

Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Jun »

Compared with some of the plagues and atrocities in history, trying to avoid contact with people for a few months is a minor sacrifice.

It's not like living in Poland in 1939, with 6 years of war ahead and then decades of communism to follow. Or living in Syria.

Recognising how lucky we are is a good start. Turning the damn TV off is another positive step.

<End of motivational post>
Jun

Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Jun »

rocket wrote: Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:03 pm Getting to buy stocks that are cheaper if you have extra cash. Although they’ve gotten more expensive the last few days. Hhmm, what else? Spending quality time with boyfriend. Less people in the pool, for as long as it’s open. Can cross the street much easier.
I bought some stocks last week, but shall probably leave further purchases for the next wave of stockmarket pessimism before buying more.

This is probably a good time to have a boyfriend, rather than sleeping around.
Dodger
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Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Dodger »

Another point to consider is that in the past 3 months of corona season there are around 1,200 people in Thailand who have contacted corona, and Thailand has a population of roughly 70 million people. That equates to around 0.0017 % of the population who have contacted corona, with the majority of those being treated and recovering. With these odds, a person would stand a better chance of getting struck by lightening twice than catching the virus. Just to keep this in perspective.

Roughly 45 people die in road accidents each day in Thailand. In the same 3 month period approximately 4,050 people have died in road accidents. Based on a population of roughly 70 million people, that equates to around 0.0057% of the population who have lost their lives in road accidents.

Based on these actual numbers, there's a higher probability that you will die in a road accident then from coronavirus.

OK...wash your hands, don't stand in front of someone who is coughing or sneezing, stay away from crowds of people...and don't ride in any vehicles.
Jun

Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by Jun »

1 The 1200 figure is based on measurements and what has been declared.
The vast majority of countries with Covid are generally considered to have 10x the number of reported cases, or a much higher multiple, as insufficient tests have been done. These include most European countries, the US & Japan. I would suspect Thailand is similar.

2 In some countries, the number of cases has been doubling every 3 days approximately (some do a little better). The US is an example.

3 Lockdown actions taken now don't change the number of new cases until ~2 weeks later. The number of deaths lags that.


However, as you are suggesting, it is strange that Thailand will take action over this, but has very little interest in other causes of death, like road accidents. Also the effects of pollution.
gerefan
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Re: Looking at the Bright Side

Post by gerefan »

Jun wrote: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:43 pm However, as you are suggesting, it is strange that Thailand will take action over this, but has very little interest in other causes of death, like road accidents. Also the effects of pollution.
Good point and leads me to wonder what this is all about.

The world is being turned upside down, the economy is being ruined, people’s livelihoods are being destroyed and for what?

To give a few people in their 70s and 80s a few more years of life.

In most cases just very few extra years as they have underlying medical problems anyway.

Is it really worth it? The world is going to take a great many years to recover from this a long time after those who benefit have long gone.

Isn’t there a case for just letting them go and preserve the world for the younger generation?
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