H1N1 Virus... Travel concerns...

[delamoh]

I am sure many of us are in the same unsure state ----
Is it a good time to visit Pattaya as I plan to be there on 25th July and am concerned about all that we read about the effects of H1 N1 - I read somewhere that the Government of Thailand in all their wisdom intends to seal the border??

Thanks in advance for any advice

[Snick]

Short Answer: No One Knows

Longer Answer: By now almost anyplace has potential exposure to the virus, Thailand should be no different.
Being in an airplane, crowded club, or sharing tongue with a bar girl will increase your chances. By how much ?, who knows !!! Maybe from 0.01% to 0.02%
If you get the flu you have a 99.999% chance of nothing more than running a temperature happening.

Thailand has had 13 deaths out of a population of 65 million. which works out to a 1 in 5 million chance. About the same as an Acme safe falling on your head as you walk down the street. [ getting hit by lightning during your lifetime is 10x higher at 500,000:1 ]

As to what the Thai Government will do, I can't answer. After research and heated debate they will throw some sticks up in the air, let them fall and then let a chicken loose to see which stick he walks into first, and form their policy appropriately.

Best Advice, stay at home, don't shower and never cut your toenails.

[manarak]

LOL.

Any such "clever" measures by governments are my main concern too.

But since Australia and UK said they now have soo many cases they stopped counting, I think sealing the border would have no effect on the spreading.

Thailand has the virus, and it will just continue to spread until it runs out of hosts without immunization.

The perspective that the virus can mutate is more alarming, though.

As I am in the LOS for three weeks, perhaps the best thing to do is to make sure I get infected in the first days, so that in any case I'll be able to travel back home.

[Road Runner]

Acording to the Bangkok Post Thailand has about 3600 reported cases as of today Sunday 12th.

Under WHO rules they must close the borders if 1.5% of the population is infected  -  which would be about 945,000 people.

So they only have 941,400 left to go!      


The WHO says there are about 95,000 cases of H1N1 worldwide.
My guess is that is probably about the number of people that are killed or injured by motor vehicles worldwide in one week!

EDIT:-  Looks like it's nearer 200,000/week!       Estimate of world road accident numbers.  (Look about half way down the page).


RR.

[Chinaman]

Well, at least in China, the local authorities are tightening things up again. But I guess for them any excuse will do.
Just was informed that after having worked there for 4.5 years, I will be granted a "generous" 7-day tourist-visa after my work-visa expires and I have decided not to renew my contract.
Or was it because of the Xinjiang problem? God, they love to mess with people ...