Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

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Gaybutton
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by Gaybutton »

Gaybutton wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 4:23 pm Eating or drinking in theatres is strictly banned to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Department of Health director-general Dr Panpimol Wipulakorn said on Friday (May 29).
Ministry of Public Health clarifies on food and drink in cinema- It was only a suggestion, not a rule

By Adam Judd

5 June 2020

In a statement today by the Ministry of Public Health responding to questions from the Thai press over eating and drinking in cinemas the Ministry backpedaled slightly on their original rule after public feed back and said popcorn, snacks and sodas were ok in a theater.

Dr. Phannphimon Wipulakorn, Director-General of the Department of Public Health, stated today that eating and drinking at the movies was not banned.

This comes after several major cinema chains, such as Major Cinemas, made announcements that popcorn and snacks were ok. Additionally, pictures went viral on social media of people eating in theaters leading to some people online asking if these folks were breaking the rules.

Dr. Phannphimon clarified today that the ban on eating and drinking in cinemas was a suggestion, not a ban, and was a misunderstanding when originally discussed last week to the press by the Government. The Ministry of Public Health still believes it is safer to leave your mask on for the entire movie and not risk removing it for eating or drinking but also admitted that it was not prohibited and movie patrons were allowed, at their own risk, to eat and drink in the cinema.

He also stated that if one does choose to eat and drink in the cinema to please help the staff with the disinfecting process by removing your trash from the theater when you leave.

The reaction on Thai social media was very positive as it seemed a majority of online netizens found the rule. absurd. Movie theaters likely agreed as the majority of their revenue comes from food and drinks.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/06/05/m ... ot-a-rule/
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by Bangkokian »

windwalker wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:16 pm I have used Line to scan QR code at Villa Market. Easy to check in but checking out takes a bit longer and I do need help from the attendant. At other venues such as Tops, I just check in and no check out.
Ah that explains something ---- as of yesterday 71 million had checked in and only 43 million had checked out. So either many are like you OR 28 million people are trapped inside the stores.
I find the system painless enough but a bit annoying when I have to check in and out at small stores within a mall that I've already done.
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by Gaybutton »

Bangkokian wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:13 pm as of yesterday 71 million had checked in and only 43 million had checked out.
I will be among the people who do check out. The whole point of this is to alert people if someone who gets diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus was in a location at the same time you were. If you don't check out, there is no way to know how long you were there. I don't want to have to go through, and pay for, a test if someone who has it was in the same place I was 3 hours after I had already left. Checking in and checking out lets them know just when you were there and lets them know whether they need to alert you. Some of you might find that particularly useful once the bars open again.

For me, this privacy issue stuff is nothing but a lot of crap. Does anyone really think someone is trying to monitor you and track where you go? Does anyone think they actually give a damn about that, especially when tens of thousands of people are checking in an out all day, every day? Even if someone was really interested, what do you think they're going to do if you went somewhere that doesn't meet the approval of someone on the other end? That is so absurd I can't believe anyone actually buys into the idea that a privacy issue even exists. All they're trying to do is prevent the spread of the virus. That's it. Nothing else. And I'm in favor of it and am happy to fully cooperate.

I'll spend the 10 or 15 extra seconds it takes to check out. That's the safe side - and that's the side I like to be on.
Jun

Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by Jun »

Shouldn't the app use GPS to also check if you have left a building ? OK, maybe it's no good if you go from one building to the one next door, but if you go any distance, it will pick that up.

As for privacy, I agree entirely about having no worries regarding TEMPORARY tracking during the Covid epidemic. It's for the right reasons & if I'm ever asked to comply in the UK, or when I get back to Thailand, I shall do so.
However, temporary does sometimes become permanent, such as Income Tax, which in the UK was a temporary measure to pay for a war against Napoleon.
China already had extensive surveillance apparatus, using cameras, facial recognition software, phone GPS etc. The worry would be that other undemocratic & semi-democratic nations go down a similar path and start by retaining some of the Covid monitoring capabilities. We already know of a certain country which requires foreign residents to report to immigration every 90 days & tries to monitor where else they are staying. This can serve no useful purpose, unless they have some delusion about foreign residents being a security risk.

So, I would be perfectly happy to comply for Covid, but in some countries, creep to permanent monitoring would be a worry. As long as things get back to near normal in 2021, most western countries should be OK, as democratic politicians will insist measures are repealed.

For similar reasons, I'm unhappy that Covid is accelerating the move to cashless payments. If we get to totally cashless, then it means every transaction can be tracked and negative interest rates can be imposed. That's dangerous, in the hands of the wrong type of regime. Most countries on the planet have had the wrong type of regime at some time in their history.
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by Gaybutton »

Jun wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:22 am Shouldn't the app use GPS to also check if you have left a building ?
Yes, assuming one's smartphone has GPS. But a GPS can't tell what time you left the building. It can't tell what time you entered either. A GPS is not enough by itself to fulfill the purpose.
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by 2lz2p »

Bangkokian wrote: Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:13 pm
windwalker wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 12:16 pm I have used Line to scan QR code at Villa Market. Easy to check in but checking out takes a bit longer and I do need help from the attendant. At other venues such as Tops, I just check in and no check out.
Ah that explains something ---- as of yesterday 71 million had checked in and only 43 million had checked out. So either many are like you OR 28 million people are trapped inside the stores.
I find the system painless enough but a bit annoying when I have to check in and out at small stores within a mall that I've already done.
The recently introduced phone app (Mor Chana) per articles I have read was primarily developed because people were not checking out using the Line App. The phone app is easier to use for checking in and is supposed to allow one to check out even if they don't do so as soon as they leave the premises and without the need to scan the QR code again -- apparently one can "check out" using the app at any time. I haven't used it yet, but presuppose that when one checks in and if they forget to check out, when they next click on the app to enter elsewhere, it will show they need to check out of the previous place.

Of course if it doesn't let you also enter the time you left the previous place, in lieu of just showing check out at the time you tell the app you have left, it will kind of defeat the purpose which is to identify and alert you if you were in the same place at the same time as someone who develops COVID19.

There is another thread re the App - https://www.gaybuttonthai.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10399
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by Gaybutton »

2lz2p wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:38 am There is another thread re the App - https://www.gaybuttonthai.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10399
Yes. Let's please post anything more about the tracking apps on that topic. That will avoid confusion and that's where those posts belong. I will leave the current posts on this topic in place.
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

Post by windwalker »

I heard from a friend who claimed that the bars could open on 15 June. He claimed it was on Thai TV news.
I cannot confirm, but hope it is true.
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

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windwalker wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 11:28 am I heard from a friend who claimed that the bars could open on 15 June.
I think we all hope it's true, but I'm not holding my breath. Not long ago it was going to be June 5. I have seen nothing about bars opening in the English language media.

Again, whenever they open I doubt they will be allowed to just operate as we all had become used to. I feel certain there will be all kinds of restrictions in place. And if they are required to use the Thai Chana tracking, that will likely scare off potential customers paranoid about it.

"Oh my God!! Somebody will know I go to gay bars. They'll announce it to the world. They'll blackmail me with it." Give me a break . . .

For me, I can live with the Thai Chana, face masks, social distancing and even plastic barriers if those types of restrictions are required. After all, if those are the requirements it's either accept them or you don't get to go to the bars.

Everybody better hope there won't be a ban on taking boys off.

For me, the most pressing concern is whether the bars will have enough boys to attract customers.
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Re: Restrictions to be lifted? Maybe not yet

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Curfew, ban on gatherings proposed to be dropped for fifteen day trial says Thai Deputy Army Chief

By Adam Judd

Wednesday, 10 June 2020

The Thai Deputy army chief General Nathapol Nakpanit, who is also the deputy of the government’s administrative committee on the Covid-19 Coronavirus, told the Associated Press on Wednesday morning the committee had proposed to lift the 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM curfew for a 15 day trial.

Nathapol did not state a specific date and spoke in advance of meetings to discuss the anticipated Phase Four of lifting of rules and regulations around the control of the virus. He stressed the potential trial period would be used to see how the situation progressed and monitor the overall situation.

Nathapol stated that venues that would be proposed for re-opening would need final approval from the CCSA (Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration) who would make final announcements and decisions Friday.

The ban on gatherings was also proposed to be removed, Nathapol added, so that opponents of the decree could see that the decree was not political.

He stated that decisions on the decree overall would take place next week but stressed that the decree allowed direct management of the situation around the virus, especially if there was a second round of cases as more venues reopen. The decree also streamlined the process for quarantine which current laws, like the Communicable Disease Control Act, do not allow as much.

The Pattaya News notes that this was just a proposal and was not yet official. More information on the potential relaxing of businesses is likely today but the final announcements are scheduled for Friday.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/06/10/c ... rmy-chief/
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