The Covid-19
pandemic is still profoundly affecting life here in Thailand. This Third Wave of infections, by far the
worst we’ve had, hit hard since April, and the vaccine program was slow to roll
out and is only now really getting started.
Cinemas are
still closed, as are pubs. Restaurants
must close by 21:00 hours (9PM) and cannot serve alcohol. A truly huge number of small and medium businesses
have collapsed for good. Masks are
mandatory everywhere in public. The Thai
tourism industry, a massive portion of the country’s economy, has been completely
halted for over a year, and the number of people out of work is countless.
Tuk got her
first Covid vaccination shot this week.
She has only recently been going back into work in person. She is in management within the
transportation division of the state electric company, and her office has been
transferred to a new transportation hub a bit upcountry, out of the greater
Bangkok area. Therefore, she has to
commute via company van to and from this site, and during rush hour it is still
an hour each way. Prior to this, for her
entire career she only had to walk 200 meters to her office next door.
As far as Covid
vaccine for me, I will know more about my chances in two weeks with my routine
doctor’s appointment. I am slowly recovering
from a recent vicious cycle of fibromyalgia pain and fatigue, caused by such
things as hurting my fragile back by overdoing it, and from overall lack of
exercise because of the seasonal air pollution, the intense tropical heat, and
blisters on my feet – I need to find some Tincture of Benzoin to protect my
feet in this heat.
As far as better
news: The gross air pollution that has
been plaguing us over both the Cool and Hot Seasons (December-February,
March-May) has ended. That toxic PM2.5
cloud over us has dissipated, due to a combination of rain, of farmers no
longer burning their stubble, and of fresh monsoon winds clearing the air. Also, it is a tiny bit less hot during the
times when clouds cover the sun. It is
still humid, and when the sun is out the temps still get up to 100*F, but the
occasional cloud relief is a blessing.
This time of
year, I still get disoriented when the sun, at noon, is North of me. Growing up at latitude 42*N, the sun would
always be to the South, even at June Midsummer.
But not at 14*N, well within the Tropics.
-Zenwind.
.
