anddy

I disagree.  You can practice nudism at any beach you want - right up to the moment the police show up and arrest you.

Then you get to practice even more nudism at the police station when they order you to bend over and spread your cheeks.
But don't worry.  You can tell the police you saw a web site that said nudism at the beach is perfectly acceptable.  I'm sure the police will then apologize for arresting you, give you a wai, and immediately release you - maybe even giving you a lollypop on your way out the door . . .
 
"I went to a nude beach.  They made me park in a handicapped space"
-  Rodney Dangerfield

What a load a total b/s! I have lived in Bangkok for 20 years and have never had any transport problem with taxi drivers other than a couple with dodgy meters form the airport. The BTS and MRT are extremely safe! What are the new traffic rules for tourists that make it difficult to be part of the public transport system? I have never heard of any  unless it is wearing a mask. And which parts of the city are highly dangerous for tourists? Never heard of any apart perhaps from gambling dens which tourists would never find.
As for Bangkok being at risk of tsunamis? Funny, Bangkok has never suffered from a tsunami and is too far from the sea for this to be a potential risk. Earthquakes? Bangkok is not in an earthquake zone. There are no records of any earthquake in or near the city. I believe Chiang Mai might be close to a fault line but not Bangkok. The only time I recall the effect of any earthquake was the one off Indonesia 1,500 kms away which triggered the massive 2004 tsunami..

what a crappy site, more about fear-mongering than useful, realistic advice. Reading it one gets the impression that Bogota is safer than Bangkok.
what nonsense.... sounds like these things happen ALL the time. Of course they do happen as everywhere, but they are certainly by far not as common as this wording makes it sound.

what a crappy site, more about fear-mongering than useful, realistic advice. Reading it one gets the impression that Bogota is safer than Bangkok.
what nonsense.... sounds like these things happen ALL the time. Of course they do happen as everywhere, but they are certainly by far not as common as this wording makes it sound.

You have a good heart !!!
it would be even nicer  if all of us could meet together at the same time !!!

@numazu I'd say don't expect to be able to make a trip to Thailand that's worth your while this year. The country is still virtually closed, the supposed "opening" through the Phuket Sandbox is way too onerous to deserve the label "opening". I don't see a true opening anytime soon really. They could have done a test- and qaurantine-free true opening for vaccinated guests during this 3rd wave, since they pose a close to zero risk to the covid situation in Thailand with their 20k domestic new cases every day. But they are still irrationally paranoid about foreigners. Go figure.
As for nightlife and bars, hard to predict when they will open again and under what conditions. Now a "green card" is being touted in a way back to a "new normalcy". Any bar openings will probably gradual, with some remaining closed because it's not (yet) viable to open with the continued lack of foreigner. 
Sad state of affairs, predictions and planning are futile, so I advise to follow the single best strategy there has been since this began: wait and see.

@numazu I'd say don't expect to be able to make a trip to Thailand that's worth your while this year. The country is still virtually closed, the supposed "opening" through the Phuket Sandbox is way too onerous to deserve the label "opening". I don't see a true opening anytime soon really. They could have done a test- and qaurantine-free true opening for vaccinated guests during this 3rd wave, since they pose a close to zero risk to the covid situation in Thailand with their 20k domestic new cases every day. But they are still irrationally paranoid about foreigners. Go figure.
As for nightlife and bars, hard to predict when they will open again and under what conditions. Now a "green card" is being touted in a way back to a "new normalcy". Any bar openings will probably gradual, with some remaining closed because it's not (yet) viable to open with the continued lack of foreigner. 
Sad state of affairs, predictions and planning are futile, so I advise to follow the single best strategy there has been since this began: wait and see.

@numazu I'd say don't expect to be able to make a trip to Thailand that's worth your while this year. The country is still virtually closed, the supposed "opening" through the Phuket Sandbox is way too onerous to deserve the label "opening". I don't see a true opening anytime soon really. They could have done a test- and qaurantine-free true opening for vaccinated guests during this 3rd wave, since they pose a close to zero risk to the covid situation in Thailand with their 20k domestic new cases every day. But they are still irrationally paranoid about foreigners. Go figure.
As for nightlife and bars, hard to predict when they will open again and under what conditions. Now a "green card" is being touted in a way back to a "new normalcy". Any bar openings will probably gradual, with some remaining closed because it's not (yet) viable to open with the continued lack of foreigner. 
Sad state of affairs, predictions and planning are futile, so I advise to follow the single best strategy there has been since this began: wait and see.

@numazu I'd say don't expect to be able to make a trip to Thailand that's worth your while this year. The country is still virtually closed, the supposed "opening" through the Phuket Sandbox is way too onerous to deserve the label "opening". I don't see a true opening anytime soon really. They could have done a test- and qaurantine-free true opening for vaccinated guests during this 3rd wave, since they pose a close to zero risk to the covid situation in Thailand with their 20k domestic new cases every day. But they are still irrationally paranoid about foreigners. Go figure.
As for nightlife and bars, hard to predict when they will open again and under what conditions. Now a "green card" is being touted in a way back to a "new normalcy". Any bar openings will probably gradual, with some remaining closed because it's not (yet) viable to open with the continued lack of foreigner. 
Sad state of affairs, predictions and planning are futile, so I advise to follow the single best strategy there has been since this began: wait and see.

@numazu I'd say don't expect to be able to make a trip to Thailand that's worth your while this year. The country is still virtually closed, the supposed "opening" through the Phuket Sandbox is way too onerous to deserve the label "opening". I don't see a true opening anytime soon really. They could have done a test- and qaurantine-free true opening for vaccinated guests during this 3rd wave, since they pose a close to zero risk to the covid situation in Thailand with their 20k domestic new cases every day. But they are still irrationally paranoid about foreigners. Go figure.
As for nightlife and bars, hard to predict when they will open again and under what conditions. Now a "green card" is being touted in a way back to a "new normalcy". Any bar openings will probably gradual, with some remaining closed because it's not (yet) viable to open with the continued lack of foreigner. 
Sad state of affairs, predictions and planning are futile, so I advise to follow the single best strategy there has been since this began: wait and see.

sometimes there are flickers of hope even in Thailand

supposedly and according to media reports at the time, it was banned. It may even have actually been blocked for a little while. But no so long after the announcement of the ban, I tried it from my home in BKK and in worked just fine. I believe it still works right now

Anyone of us who's traveled to Hanoi has walked around Hoan Kiem Lake. I always stayed in the old Quarter and made the loop every evening. Today, Hanoi is in lockdown. The Vietnam Express published a series a deserted, eerie scenes from the city that remind us that this time it's sadly different.


Continues with more photos
https://e.vnexpress.net/photo/news/hanoi-calls-it-a-night-after-sundown-amid-covid-restrictions-4332945.html

From Coconuts Bangkok
Marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, an online exhibition launched today that dives into the rich diversity of ethnicities in Thailand ranging from the
Dubbed ‘You Me We Us,’ the website kicked off with information and stories related to the kingdom’s 60 known groups. The platform includes a map, quiz, interviews, articles and videos where audiences can learn about the groups’ histories, citizenship, legal rights, culture, traditions and more.
On the website is also a chance to see Becoming Home, a documentary chronicling six stateless youths who hold onto hope and dreams as they struggle against social prejudice and lack of legal recognition. Although the movie hasn’t been released on the site as of the publication time, audiences can check out the trailer below.
The exhibition, available from today onward, is organized by the U.N. Development Program, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Inter Mountain Peoples Education and Culture in Thailand Association and Council of Indigenous Peoples in Thailand, with the support from the European Union.
Before the exhibition, the UNDP and Thai film production studio Realframe organized a series of workshops to teach filmmaking, photography, and infographic skills to people from different ethnic groups. Some of the work they produced can be found in the exhibition. The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples falls on Aug. 9 every year. In 2016, more than 2,600 indigenous languages were reported to be in danger and at risk of becoming extinct.
https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/you-me-we-us-online-exhibit-tells-thailands-unheard-ethnic-stories/

sometimes there are flickers of hope even in Thailand

sometimes there are flickers of hope even in Thailand

sometimes there are flickers of hope even in Thailand

Interesting to know this. My vaccine cert does have my full name and ID lol. But still lack passport number. Foreigners here will definitely have their passport number in the vaccine cert as they are using their passport number as their ID.
I wonder how thailand vaccine certificate looks like. Hopefully it does have passport number in it for their locals. 

Damn it! I knew his name began with 'B' 

The difference is, that in Europe testing was and is EVERYWHERE. Here, testing is (almost) NOWHERE. It only happens at select places that the authorities pick and chose, and from the few that go to get themselves tested voluntarily IF they can find a place that will do it. Don't look at the raw numbers, which indeed look not TOO bad. But the real numbers are guaranteed to be vastly higher than that, not just somewhat higher like in Europe.
Things will not improve here in any meaningful way anytime soon. One reason is vaccination is progressing at a snails pace and is in complete shambles with no procurement strategy that would deserve the label "strategy". Another reason is protests flaring up again, driving the urge to impose more restrictions. 

why would hospital imply serious? I'm sure you must be aware of the absurd Thai policy of the Covid Jail (my term)? Everyone, as in 100%, who tests positive here get's put in a hospital. Where hospital can range from field hospital to hospitel (a repurposed hotel similar to quarantine) or a real hospital. There is no escaping, even if 100% symptom free. No home quarantine allowed. Hence the term "covid jail" is the only appropriate one IMO. Totally absurd. And a reason why I no longer check in at malls or shops using the Thai Chana Line-app and would avoid getting a test at all cost. I rather do a home test (apparently they are finally being sold here since Thursday I was told, but I previdoulsly had a source) when in doubt and self-isolate and go to a hospital only if I were to develop symptoms.

Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot

really? Unbelievable, and proves PetrRS's point that
actually, it was never out of disarray at all