Walking on the beach I came across a Beijing couple playing with a dog and turns out the husband studied in England for several years and was a very good English speaker. We chatted about (I listened mostly) his negative feelings concerning the conduct of the current communist party cadre. The have a Thai friend to house them, have been her a month and got permission from the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok to stay another month and then from Thai immigration due to the current Covid related problems. He and his wife want to stay here since he can do his internet business anywhere. If they go back there is a good chance they will taken to a hotel somewhere and locked up for 2 weeks. Being in Patong is preferable (hahaha, of course).