Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing COVID. I am praying to God this is the last time I have to ever make one of these videos on COVID. I'm kind of tired of talking about it. I am really shocked frankly, I still am. Just when I think we're finally putting this behind us, it seems like there is sort of this cadre or cohort or group of people out there that just kind of I don't know why, want to just keep making this, in my opinion a bigger deal than really it definitely is at this point in February of 2023, but okay. So let me get into the reason for the video. 

I thought of making the video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Virtually no Asian restrictions in place for the expected influx of Chinese Tourists. Just the title, already I just was sort of, okay. Let me get in my analysis and then we'll go from there. Quoting: "Warnings from the World Health Organization and others about the upsurge of COVID cases in China abound but they have done little to curb the enthusiasm in Thailand and most regional countries to put out the welcome mat whilst the boom opportunity exists." Quoting further: "Whilst countries such as US, Japan and Australia have put in place vaccination requirements and/or comprehensive travel insurance for Chinese arrivals, Southeast Asian Governments are imposing few or no restrictions. Thailand has theoretical health checks but there are only "sporadic" inquiries by Bangkok Immigration Officials." Okay! Quoting further: "So far, no Chinese tourists are known to have been turned back from Bangkok airports. Cambodian Premier Hun Sen said this week there would be no health screening for Chinese visitors. In Manila, tourist officials proclaim that the projected Chinese boom is finally rescuing the economy of the Philippines."

I am going to go back and re-quote this and kind of go through this like point by point. And I will tell you what just to sort of start. I really enjoy the Pattaya Mail. I am not calling out the Pattaya Mail or anybody down there. I think the thing that kind of bugs me about this and I have seen this in multiple publications in other countries and here in Thailand and things, it's this whole notion that we somehow don't know what COVID is and that it is some sort of existential threat. This isn't March 2020. We know what we are dealing with here now and quite honestly, this 'clutching at pearls' over basic things that prior to the March of 2020 were accepted as part of a normal living of one's life, getting on, I just find it is like the headline of some of these things should be: People Travel, Pearls Clutched. I mean it's like I don't even understand where the "there" is there. There's no "there" there, they sometimes say. I don't understand where is the "there", what are we talking about? Yes, Chinese people are coming; yes, COVID exists; and what? Period! End of discussion. What are we going on about at this point, honestly? We know what it is; we know what the fatality rate is; we know it definitely wasn't the numbers and the levels the hyperbole had us believe in the beginning. I'm not casting aspersions at anybody. We just didn't know what it was at the beginning, okay. Well, we are three years into this now; we know exactly what it is and it doesn't warrant the pearl clutching and things that seem to be out there. 

Again quoting, let's just go line by line. "Whilst countries such as US, Japan and Australia put in place vaccination requirements and/or comprehensive travel insurance for Chinese arrivals" - well as we have discussed on this channel before, US is repealing those. That's going to be gone in coming months. In fact, the US House has actually voted to end that so that seems pretty likely that is coming to an end here sooner rather than later. I'm very happy Thailand has taken the position they have taken; I think it's very reasonable, moving along, we need to get tourism back. Does COVID exist? Yes. Is it an existential threat? NO! Therefore, again what are we talking about? I don't really, I really hope I never make another video about COVID ever again honestly. The thing I think we all, I would really love it if the media just finally put this to bed. In the US I am seeing that that's what is happening but I don't know, for whatever reason there seems to be a concerted, well not concerted anything; I am not saying that. But it just seems to me from my observation there's a lot out there in the ether. I am not calling out any individuals but just sort of out there in the internet ether, there is still this, I don't know what it is, like collective desire to continue to live under pretty Draconian circumstances because of what kind of amounts to something that isn't going to kill us all. I don't really see what the point of that is.