Last updated on March 14th, 2020 at 07:24 pm

HOW SAFE IS THAILAND REALLY?

Should I Still Visit – Here’s My Short Answer

Assuming that your plane ticket and hotels are non-refundable and you’re planning to visit Thailand between April to July, I think you’ll be fine.

As long as you don’t have any serious pre-existing health conditions such as a compromised immune system and history of lung issues, heart and kidney complications.

I’m not a doctor but that’s just my opinion. But keep check with your countries’ government travel advisories.

WHY I THINK IT’S SAFE TO VISIT THAILAND… FOR NOW

Here’s My Long Answer

The Coronavirus or COVID-19 has made its way near my home in the suburbs of Bangkok. There were reports about a Thai family member returning from a vacation to Japan with sever flu symptoms. He went to a hospital just three kilometers from my home, where he tested positive for COVID-19.

The infected family were already in Thailand for a week. So fear among the people in my area were elevated. The hospital went into emergency mode. Staff and doctors in close contact with the infected were quarantined and ordered to stay home.

The elementary school with a student that had close contact with the infected patient, had to shut down for disinfection. Things started looking pretty grim for the community around my area. Like a set of ominous dominoes set in motion everyone was rightfully scared of an impending outbreak.

WE WERE PREPARING FOR THE WORST

People started buying out surgical face masks and rubbing alcohol. And even if we’re lucky enough to find masks and alcohol in our area it’ll cost four to five times more than usual.

There were small cases of panic buying in certain supermarkets. But currently everything has settled down and Thailand still has a steady supply of toilet tissue.

Everyone we spoke with or encountered was on edge. You could almost feel it in the air.

BUT LIFE GOES ON…

A few weeks had passed since the initial shock about the hospital incident. Like many others, I have been following the latest news and updates about the Coronavirus spread in my area of Sai Mai, Bangkok. The locals we interact with on a day to day basis now have lowered their guards slightly.

I think everyone was expecting a flare up of COVID-19 cases since the incident hit so near our home. And especially because the disease is highly contagious.

As of writing there are total of 75 COVID-19 cases and one death in the kingdom. That’s a small number compared to the rest of the world. I don’t think it’s an entirely accurate number because testing in this country is not extensive. And the people whether they have the common flu or actually COVID 19 are probably staying home to recover.

Though officially, 31 Thais have recovered from COVID 19.

Currently, I personally do not know anyone being treated for the disease. Or know anyone that knows any person with COVID 19. Compared to what’s going on around the world, it seems that Thailand and neighboring Southeast Asian nations seem to be chugging along just fine.

Even then damage is done, COVID 19 has had a devastating affect to the Thai economy. Most notably the tourism industry. An essential engine driving the Thai economy will reportedly fall 50% in the first half of 2020.

Will you be one of those statistics cancelling your plans to Thailand?

If you don’t have Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance, I can’t blame you if you don’t want to waste your hard earned money spent on plane tickets, hotel rooms and shiny new luggage.

If you were already planning to be in Thailand around the month of April you might just be alright.

WHY IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO VISIT THAILAND IN APRIL

April is the hottest month in Thailand with temperatures topping 35°C (95°F) and higher. Which might help keep the virus at bay. The Spanish Flu of 1918 ended in the summer with warmer weather. Although the worldwide population recovered and built up an immunity by then.

I wouldn’t stay around Bangkok where there’s more concentration of people, especially during Songkran Festival which is the Thai New Years. I recommend exploring the areas outside of Bangkok. There’s so many beautiful places to visit and I’ll get more into that later.

But this in no way guarantees COVID 19 will subside in warmer weather as it could behave differently. Here’s a handy COVID 19 geographic outbreak map you can periodically check.

I hope I’m right about this but only time will tell.

AIRPORTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO CONTAIN CORONAVIRUS

Airports around the world are doing their part to combat the spread of COVID 19 and it’s too soon to tell whether or not the preventive measures are effective. Currently, there are reports of infected travelers but they were stopped at the airports in Thailand and undergoing medical treatment.

TWO TIPS ON HAVING A SAFE TRIP IN THAILAND

1. Stay around the beaches and islands of Thailand. There are many attractive areas  to choose from.
2. Stay away from areas that have a large concentration of people.

A good friend of mine just traveled to Phuket from Hong Kong for two weeks. It was a trip he booked through the height of coronavirus fears. He rented his own car, thus won’t have to worry about public transportation and getting in close contact with other people.

There’s definitely fewer tourists now in Phuket and you can get by with not being around a large group of people.

TAKE A PRIVATE TOUR

I don’t think there are large tour agencies operating full capacity in Thailand these days.

However, why not take a touring around Thailand with a private local tour guide?

I recommend a company such as TakeMeTour.com where a knowledgable guide is able to take you along a private walking tour or even drive you around in a private car.

They’ll hook you up with available local experts where I’m sure have your health and safety concerns at heart.

Instead of staying most of your days in Bangkok, perhaps spend more time in Phuket or Hua Hin. Go check out Chanthaburi or Kanchanaburi. Even though there are reported cases of COVID 19 patients in those areas you won’t be surrounded by many people as you’d find in Bangkok.

Staying in an area with less concentration of people is just one way to safeguard yourself against the Corona virus and having a safe trip in Thailand.

WHAT’S CHANGED IN THAILAND AMIDST COVID- 19?

Businesses are proactive about sanitizing public spaces so customers can feel safe shopping. There’s a lot more wiping down and spraying going on than usual with alcohol based solutions. Hence, the scarcity of rubbing alcohol in Thailand.

Most Thai people are wearing masks. Though medical professionals claim if you’re healthy already there’s no need to wear one. Only the sick should wear mask to contain coughing and sneezing.

From what I can see, life is still going as usual for the locals. People are still going out. But I don’t think they’re spending as much money. Just in case shit really hits the fan.

Instead they are buying up food essentials, such as instant noodles, rice and other non-perishable food items. Just in case there’s a citywide lockup ordered by the governments of Wuhan, China and just recently Lombardy region in Italy.

I don’t think it’ll ever go that far here in Thailand. But there’s so much uncertainty going on that even I started buying more bags of rice. And I don’t even like carbs.

ARE PEOPLE HOARDING TOILET TISSUES IN THAILAND?

I’ve been watching news reports about people buying up toilet tissues until the shelves are completely empty. Somehow word got out that there’s a severe toilet supply shortage in Japan due to factory shutdowns China. But Japan have their own toilet tissue factories.

The Wayfaring Soul Travel Tip #2041 “COVID-19 does not cause explosive diarrhea…”

Recently I saw a video of people fighting over toilet tissues in Australia. And Australians are known to be the friendliest and most laid back people on the planet. Talk about shit hitting the fan. I’m beginning to get concerned that civilization as we know it might actually crumble.

I mean, did I not get the message that COVID 19 causes explosive diarrhea?

I’m glad to report that Thailand have toilet paper producing factories. And at my local supermarket there’s plenty of it going around to build a wall around yourself to fend off COVID-19. Or build yourself a TP wall to protect yourself against people stupid enough to get into a fist fight over it.

Even when there’s a buy one get one free toilet tissue deal at my local supermarket I don’t see any mass hysteria now. I know this is all due to herd buying mentality and I’m not immune to the effects myself. I started piling a bunch of toilet tissue into my shopping cart.

Until I convinced myself that in Thailand you don’t have to be too concerned about TP supply. After all, every single residential household in Thailand has a water butt spray near the toilet.

Sad to say though the real shortage occurring in Thailand are surgical mask and cleaning alcohol. Hospitals need these items more than households.

And price gouging is rampant. I’ve seen a box of 50 surgical mask priced for 1000B online. While pre-coronavirus normally it’s around 100B at pharmacies in Thailand.

IS THERE RACISM AND HATRED TOWARDS THE CHINESE IN THAILAND?

There are loads of saddening news reports today that anyone that looks Asian are getting discriminated against, verbally abused and physically assaulted. As if the corona virus is inherit in Chinese genes. Yes, it originated from China. But that doesn’t mean every single Chinese in every corner of the globe is spreading the disease left and right.

There are ethnic Chinese in Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan pretty much everywhere in the world. Especially in Thailand where there’s a large Thai-Chinese community.

There’s only one recorded incident where a restaurant in Chiang Mai refused to serve Chinese and subsequently all foreigners, due to corona virus insanity.

To be fair, there are businesses in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Vietnam discriminating against Chinese nationals as well. Stupidity knows no boundaries.

That said, it doesn’t look good when there are Chinese nationals acting like complete fools like this lady coughing on Thai Airway crew members due to a long wait in the cabin. Repercussions are bound to happen.

THE OUTLOOK

Instead of writing new posts about the COVID 19 in Thailand I will update this post when there are drastic changes. Things can get better from this point. Or it can get way worse.

But if history repeats itself then we’re going to get over this. And we’ll forget about this like we did with the SARS outbreak in early 2000.

With a baby due in a few months I’m concerned about the road up ahead. We can dwell on the worst case possibilities and drive ourself crazy thinking the end is near.

Or we can push forward by being sane and rational. Which is what I rather be doing. Because there’s too much work to be done then driving ourselves mad about the coronavirus.

Ultimately you will be the one to make that final decision to come to Thailand or not during these trying times.

Until then, I hope things get better sooner. And I wish you all safe and happy travels.