How does the country continue to function with such a government running it? Amazing.

18:43 i-Cable segment uploaded https://l.hkott.hk/zh-hk/l/open-content?cid=19786&ct=1

Before the segment was uploaded, I screencapped the whole segment frame-by-frame and transcribed it. Translations mine:

i-Cable anchor: Thai health officials state:
i-Cable anchor: with effect from [Friday] midnight, six countries and territories (including Hong Kong and Macau)
i-Cable anchor: incoming passengers must be mandatorily quarantined for fourteen days
i-Cable anchor: but the Tourism Authority [of Thailand] denies this.
i-Cable anchor: Hong Kongers have still departed for Bangkok this morning
i-Cable anchor: and were admitted at destination after temperature checks.
i-Cable anchor: The Hong Kong Trade and Economic Office also states
i-Cable anchor: as of 10:00am, Thailand time,
i-Cable anchor: Thailand has not imposed mandatory quarantine measures on arrivals from Hong Kong.
i-Cable reporter voiceover [footage provided by Ms. Chung]: Ms. Chung took a 9am this morning
i-Cable reporter voiceover [footage provided by Ms. Chung]: flight from HKG to BKK.
i-Cable reporter voiceover [footage provided by Ms. Chung]: At check in, airline staff only said
i-Cable reporter voiceover [footage provided by Ms. Chung]: she may be subject to quarantine.
i-Cable reporter voiceover [footage provided by Ms. Chung]: She arrived at 12 noon.
i-Cable reporter voiceover [footage provided by Ms. Chung]: and proceeded to inbound customs [sic]
Ms. Chung by phone: We weren't given instructions.
Ms. Chung by phone: When we reached the immigration counter, our passports were inspected.
Ms. Chung by phone: When they [the immigration authorities] realised we are Hong Kongers
Ms. Chung by phone: we were told to head back
Ms. Chung by phone: to queue at the Health Control desk.
Ms. Chung by phone: Some expatriate also told us they had transited HKG
Ms. Chung by phone: so they were also at this [Health Control] desk.
Ms. Chung by phone: There is a display board next to the [Health Control] desk
Ms. Chung by phone: which instructed passengers to prepare their boarding pass, arrival immigration form,
Ms. Chung by phone: passport and health declaration form.
Ms. Chung by phone: Flight crews from Hong Kong, Macau, China, Italy etc.
Ms. Chung by phone: also had to have their temperature measured.
Ms. Chung by phone: At the Health Control desk
Ms. Chung by phone: our temperatures were taken, one person at a time,
Ms. Chung by phone: The officers said provided we do not have a temperature
Ms. Chung by phone: we could proceed through customs and be admitted into the country.
Ms. Chung by phone: The officers merely recommended we self-isolate for fourteen days.
Ms. Chung by phone: not required us to self-quarantine for fourteen days.
i-Cable reporter voiceover: Ms. Chung was subsequently admitted into the country.

You assume it is "functioning".

It ain't.

Case #48 : a 43 year old Brit, presented with symptoms the day after arrival from London via Hong Kong.
It would be nicer to have greater clarity on the issue of the reported 1200 under observation. This number has been growing and growing but it never seems to result in a jump in confirmed cases. I wonder why? ( ...but that’s a rhetorical question...)

Oops, we changed our mind again. Maybe.

"Authorities scrambled on Friday to ease worries about new self-quarantine measures for arrivals from six virus-hit countries and territories, a day after announcing compulsory isolation.

But confusion persists over whether the government is ordering or merely “recommending” self-quarantine for 14 days, with punishment for travellers who ignore the “advice”.

and

"For now, we are recommending people to exercise home quarantine. But if you don’t follow that, then we will use the law to take you to government quarantine centres,” said Sukhum Kanchanapimai, the ministry’s permanent secretary.

The government's Public Relations Department, meanwhile, appeared to be reading from a different script. On its verified Twitter account on Friday, it repeated the threat of a 20,000-baht fine for those who failed to self-quarantine."

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...cement-unclear

Thai friends tell me that some of the local governments (specifically Khon Kaen and Buriram) are cancelling Songkran events in April due to virus concerns. As far as I can tell, the Thai ruling junta has made no such plans to cancel Songkran events nationwide.

I just returned from 10+ day leisure trip to Thailand. Some days in BKK and some days the South (Nakhon Si Thammarat).

Nakhon Si Thammarat area was largely unaffected from the virus. Very few wore masks - if they did, it was from traffic air pollution I think. However, I just heard from local friend that recently an infected person has been found in Nakhon - apparently, he/she returned from Iran.

BKK: Notably fewer visitors in the city, especially from China. Hotel rates very low now. Fewer guests in restaurants, bars etc. No need to book ahead for massage etc. No queue at immigration at the airport. It is clear that Thai tourism is seriously hurt; many complaining about low business. Many wear masks when outside, in BTS and busses etc - may also be related to the current high air pollution (2.5PM was 100-150). Bring masks and hand sanitizer from home.

Some of the confusion may be due to the "authorities" trying to deal with two sets of people:

1. Thais returning from hot-spots, like Korea, from which ~ 5,000 Thais have already returned, with perhaps as many as a 100,000 waiting to return. These folks are working in Korea illegally, so in addition to amnesty (from Korea Imm), the jobs are gone so nothing else to do but return.

2. Tourists, arriving from or via (transit) the six hot-spots. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is strongly discouraging tourists from coming from these six countries. Without some extra-judicial means, or by invoking special powers (martial law, which Thailand has some experience with), it may not be "legal" to forcibly detain foreigners once Thai Imm stamps them in?

Until more of the iceberg is revealed it would be crazy to travel to Thailand.

Post Deleted

The table on page two of this report illustrates the story that the government is attempting to sell. According to that, 100% of the confirmed cases are either "imported" or epidemiologically linked to foreigners infecting Thais. In other words, there are no instances of community transmission amongst Thai people.

Anyone that believes this to be factual may be interested in some prime real estate next to the airport or a bridge in Brooklyn.

"All official Songkran events in Phuket’s Patong municipality, including the “Songkran on the Beach” play zone and the DJ dance party have been cancelled. Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup made the announcement on her social media channels yesterday."

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/song...ongkran-events

Today's Bangkok post ....60 Thai's have self quarantined at a navel base in Sattahip upon returning from illegally working in South Korea .......another 80 have disappeared into the smog ......that headline just about sums this place up ........In another article 49 cases of the virus here now ......but according to my wife social media says over 3,000 in hospital with pneumonia ......if your a foreigner here and are unlucky enough to catch this terrible virus , Thai hospital's are allowed to charge you up to 4 times the amount than a local ......( another law brought in by the ruling junta a few months ago ) .....and still flights from seriously infected countries continue ........it's all down to the money , money , money

Just read from the facebook page of Tourism Authority of Thailand (HK) that a 14-day of mandatory quarantine is required for passengers travelling from those six countries/ region (without stating the date and said will update the details about quarantine soon). In other words, they change again since their last statement on Friday.

I have a trip to BKK this Friday and this confusion of news just make us not sure what to do! Really what to go but if the 14-day mandatory quarantine is really enforced, we will definitely cancel the trip.
Fingercross now.

泰國旅遊局香港辦事處稱港客入境需隔離但未有詳情
http://news.now.com/home/local/playe...53&refer=Share

We're 100% more likely to get Schizophrenia than Coronavirus by travelling from HK to Thailand.