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In Thailand Right Now, Do You Wear A Mask Or Not?

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Personally I wear mask in Thailand in airplane, skytrain, metro. But not anymore in other places. Not in street, not in restaurants or bars and not even in shopping malls.

It is correct all Thai still where their masks EVERYWHERE. But I can't be bothered anymore. Full vaxed, new less harmful variants... There must be a point to live our lives again as much "normal" as possible. 

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In Pattaya, I haven't worn one at all in 2 months. It's a thing of the past. I was in a Pharmacy yesterday and the nice lady smiled, and I could see it! Fantastic.
A few of us expats commented the other night that were was only 1 "expat" who walks through Jomtien Complex masked up. He stands out like a sore thumb.

It is true that maybe 50-70% of Thais are still wearing them indoors (shopping malls, ect). Take a short walk through Central, and you won't see many, if any foreigners with one. 

Having said all this, I hear in Bangkok it's very different and mask use is still near universal. A good reason to stay away from Bangkok. 

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21 minutes ago, gayinpattaya said:

In Pattaya, I haven't worn one at all in 2 months. It's a thing of the past. I was in a Pharmacy yesterday and the nice lady smiled, and I could see it! Fantastic.
A few of us expats commented the other night that were was only 1 "expat" who walks through Jomtien Complex masked up. He stands out like a sore thumb.

It is true that maybe 50-70% of Thais are still wearing them indoors (shopping malls, ect). Take a short walk through Central, and you won't see many, if any foreigners with one. 

Having said all this, I hear in Bangkok it's very different and mask use is still near universal. A good reason to stay away from Bangkok. 

Even before Covid many locals wear masks in Bangkok because of the air pollution so it's not uncommon there.

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Just now, Boy69 said:

Even before Covid many locals wear masks in Bangkok because of the air pollution so it's not uncommon there.

I spent a year living in Bangkok in 2015-2016. There were days that I put on a pollution filter mask. But they are very different than anything medical. You can buy packs of replacement filters in 7-11 that you chance each day. They might still sell them. I don't know. I don't live in Bangkok anymore.  

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3 hours ago, TotallyOz said:

I am in Bangkok. I do not personally see the need for masks. However, it is the law and it is the norm and I wear them everywhere. This is not my country and I owe respect to those that are Thai. My feelings are irrelevant. I have seen many eye rolls at foreigners who take off the masks. For those that wish to follow the norms in the USA, feel free and go to USA and do that. But, when in Thailand, respect their rules and norms.

I agree. When in Rome…

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4 hours ago, TotallyOz said:

I am in Bangkok. I do not personally see the need for masks. However, it is the law and it is the norm and I wear them everywhere. This is not my country and I owe respect to those that are Thai. My feelings are irrelevant. I have seen many eye rolls at foreigners who take off the masks. For those that wish to follow the norms in the USA, feel free and go to USA and do that. But, when in Thailand, respect their rules and norms.

The mask mandate was lifted months ago: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-24/thailand-ends-restrictions-on-bars-scraps-mask-mandate  Now we decide.

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I sometimes wore a mask in Bangkok prior to the pandemic, and when I was there in June/July I also wore a mask. For me I liked the added benefit of providing me with kinda a sense of anonymity and also because I look ethnically ambiguous I just kinda blend in when wearing a mask, often being mistaken for a local.

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Twice in this thread wrong information is given: "Thailand still has a Covid mask requirement in place"......"I do not personally see the need for masks. However, it is the law"

The reality is: "Outdoor mask-wearing has been endorsed as voluntary although the public are still advised to wear a face mask in crowded places, such as, public transport, markets, and concert venues, or for people with certain health conditions." (Royal Thai Government Gazette on 23 June, 2022, and with immediate effect).

I still wear a mask in some indoor venues, including BTS and MRT. 

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23 hours ago, floridarob said:

I feel naked without a mask, weird.

People complain about wearing a mask, yet wear clothes....I feel it's more a political statement than anything else....I don't get it 😏

Will see you soon at at Cocka2. You will be the only masked person. Or did you change your flights for 2023? 
Covid is all over Pattaya. Everyone has a sniffle. Maybe cancel the flight. 

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2 hours ago, gayinpattaya said:

You will be the only masked person

Perhaps you should take Gaybuttons advice:

 

One other little thing - with a face that looks like mine, I'm doing the world a favor by covering it up with the mask.  A few others around here might be kind enough to consider doing the same . . .

 

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10 hours ago, gerefan said:

Another example is helmets. They are mandatory but many many Thais don’t bother.
So should we also copy their example?!

Do what seems right. If you feel the need wear one. I rarely do except when it’s mandatory.

Whether Thais wear helmets is beside the point. They are Thais living in Thailand. Doing what feels right is also basically selfish in my view. On the Skytrain the other day, everyone in the three cars I checked was masked, including farang and all tourists, apart from three Germans who had masks on but had moved them under their chins and were chatting and laughing loudly. If the looks from the Thais on the train could kill, those guys would not have got off the train. 

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