My friend Missy Pemberton has retired to Phuket, Thailand, after years working in advertising in Asia.
Missy and her husband Roy Devlin
When I read this NY Times article about how well Thailand is handling the pandemic, I reached out to Missy to get her POV.
My big question: is it because they are more formal when they greet each other?
Yes - and no.
Photo: Kseniia Ilinykh
Here’s Missy’s lengthy and informative reply. The bolds are mine :)
Yes, the Thai ‘Wai’ greeting definitely helps paired with a cultural proclivity for wearing a face mask with the slightest sniffle.
More important is the leadership at the top...the military general as PM and a revered King. Most Thais would not consider disobeying either leader’s directive. Additional successful deterrents for Thais and foreigners is the real threat of a 20000 baht fine/$630 USD (average 2 month salary) for not wearing a mask and during quarantine, 15 days in jail plus 15000 baht/$472 USD for breaking curfew. There is always the threat for foreigners of deportation if convicted of breaking the law.
All the SE Asia countries mentioned in the article have strong central gov’t with no strong opposition. No state can override the central government direction and generally deferred to the Prime Minister’s office.
Thailand has good hospitals and since 2002, universal health care for all Thai nationals. The government implemented mandatory health insurance for any foreigner on a work or retirement visa over a year ago due to the high traffic fatalities. But fortunately that meant almost everyone is covered so no reason not to go to the dr. And the virus was imported by foreigners in the early days and spread in the bars and entertainment areas..thus missing the Burmese work camps. The Burmese workers were most at risk due to crowding, poor conditions and poverty but missed them completely...thank goodness.
Also since 2018, Thailand has a special (very low cost) health insurance and migrant mobile clinics for migrant workers..the only country in the world. Now Thailand is requiring anyone entering the Kingdom must have a signed medical certificate less than 48 hours old and $100,000 USD Covid-19 medical policy. Our health insurance gave us a certificate to keep with our passports showing we are covered in our general policy for far more than $100k.
The lifestyle. It is rare to be inside as the weather is warm. Almost all activities are open air or have an outside option.
Thailand had the first case outside of China. They definitely did not report cases in the early days. The King came to his home in Phuket as no cases...to discover there were several just not reported. To both his and national leadership’s credit, they forced accurate accounting and testing, closed the airports and demoted the governor who was not decisive and likely influenced by local businesses to stay open. Those early actions have resulted in eradication which was their Goal....not just slowing or maintaining..a subtle but definite difference from other countries.
The challenge is reopening when 20% of the country’s GDP was due to tourism and prior to Covid-19, forecasted to be 30% by 2030. The country is trying to promote internal tourism but reality is Thais don't generally travel on holiday except to visit family.
Last week a big scare as an Egyptian military officer as part of a team transiting to Chengdu via UAE and Pakistan left quarantine to visit public locations and a shopping mall ...had to test over 1900 people from contact tracing and closed 127 schools as he was positive. The next day a Sudanese diplomat’s daughter tested positive but thankfully only went from airport to condo so about 300 tested. People here went crazy as the country has been covid free for 55 days. The government immediately revoked the open access given to foreign military and diplomats as a result.
The above stories highlight the final but most critical piece: accurate contact tracing. Everyone has to sign in with telephone and address details or thru an app on our phones to enter any location. And again in every store within a shopping mall. Partner that with inexpensive labor, the govt has the manpower to trace 2000 people in a remote district quickly.
I have several friends who quarantined here in Phuket depart for their home countries in the last two weeks..to Hong Kong, Germany, Greece, Canada. All had no problem as Thailand is low risk. In fact, aside from relatively empty airports and masks, it was almost normal. Quarantine in HK and Greece but my friend is home in Germany as if nothing is wrong. Most flew thru Amsterdam. The challenge will be coming back.
I know it goes against the free will of Americans but seriously do not understand how they can’t see where the virus has been eradicated and how.”
Photo: MIke Swigunski
They are about to enter Phase 6, according to the online paper the Thaiger (how cute is that name?). I, for one, hope they weather it well!