Thai Elite visa gives the retirement extension a run for its money - Pattaya Mail

Thai Elite visa gives the retirement extension a run for its money

Pattaya MailFebruary 28, 2021

It's all smiles on the Elite visa front.

The Thailand Privilege Card Company has now stepped up its recruitment campaign to try and attract long-term retirees in addition to frequent-visit business people. The latest promotional material for the Elite visa emphasizes that applicants don't need general medical insurance which is required "for the retirement visa."

Thai embassies worldwide are now stating that any kind of visa issued for retirement, be it an "O" or an annual "O/A" or a ten year "O/X" now requires general medical insurance worth at least 400,000 baht inpatient and 40,000 baht outpatient. This is in addition to the Covid insurance required for all visas requiring approval by a certificate of entry in the country of departure. However, Covid insurance is easily available online for anyone without the infection aged 0-99 years.

Holders of "O/A" and "OX" visas since 2018 have also needed that general medical insurance when renewing or extending their visa at Thai immigration. A loophole at the moment exists for existing retirees with an original "O" visa who do not require it when applying for an annual extension of stay. But these "exempt" visa holders cannot leave the country simply with a re-entry permit as they will need a certificate of entry from the Thai embassy and fall under the all-embracing regulations referred to in the previous paragraph of this article.



The problem for many retirees is that their age or health record precludes them from obtaining general medical cover and they rely on personal cash reserves. Thai health insurers usually refuse to accept new customers over 70 or require a detailed pre-enrolment health examination and/or multiple exclusion clauses. Some Thai authorities refuse to accept foreign-based insurance policies which is an added complication. It's all a mess to say the least.

Fast track is one of the Elite perks.

The Thai Elite card, by emphasizing that such insurance is unnecessary for its customers, is clearly recruiting amongst worried expats who fear they won't be able to renew or can't leave the country and return, or all of the above. The most popular Elite option – and there are many – is to pay 600,000 baht for a five year permit with multiple-entries built in. However, holders still need to report every 90 days at an immigration bureau and receive an annual update from the Thai Privilege agency.



Other attractions of the five-year Elite, according to the website, are cash discounts at participating businesses, fast-track immigration and no requirement ever to report to Immigration to prove money in the bank after enrolment in the program. There are also more expensive variants of Elite which can include family members, a 10 or 20 year permission and even incentives for property buyers. No work permit is required for business travellers in some versions of Elite.

It is true that foreigners aged 50 and above have other routes to retirement status in Thailand. The one year visa based on marriage does not require general medical cover. It is still possible to enter Thailand with a 60 day single-entry tourist visa or a visa exempt 45 days – requiring only Covid cover – and then convert it to an "O" non-immigrant visa and annual extensions of stay. But the problem remains if they want to leave the country and return.

The requirement to have general medical cover is highly discriminatory since it applies only to visas and extensions based on retirement and, uniquely, to the Special Tourist Visa allowing stays of up to nine months. There is no evidence that these markets are prone to falling sick and not paying their medical bills. Indeed, virtually all the crowd-funding cases given substantial press publicity have involved short-term tourists. The whole double-whammy insurance subject is overdue for appraisal and review. 

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OBS , OBS, OBS, OBS, OBS 🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️. The following is a quick fact check we have written in hopes that many of our eager readers take a look and understand the current situation regarding tourists visiting Thailand. - Pattaya News

Fact Check: Can tourists come to Thailand now with no quarantine if they are vaccinated?

Saturday, 27 February 2021, 14:06

Thailand-

The following is a quick fact check we have written in hopes that many of our eager readers take a look and understand the current situation regarding tourists visiting Thailand.

The Pattaya News gets many, many, many messages a day from people interested in visiting Thailand, with the vast majority from India, Europe, and Russia. Most are "short-term" tourists and therefore could not go through the current process which requires a two-week quarantine at your expense, multiple Covid-19 tests, embassy approval, mandatory insurance, a fit-to-fly certificate, and other "hoops" to jump through. So, we have made an update to our popular previous articles around visiting Thailand. This information is all correct as of February 27th, 2021.

  Q: Can I come to Thailand now without a quarantine?

  A. No.

  Q. I've been vaccinated. Can I come to Thailand now without a quarantine?

  A. No.

  Q. I've been vaccinated. Can I come to Thailand with a "reduced" quarantine, no insurance, or do I have any other advantages?

  A. Not at this time, no.

  Q. I've read Thailand is dropping the quarantine though at (insert website here.)

  A. This is only a proposal, and is based on what will take months of research around the efficiency of the Covid-19 vaccines to reduce transmission of the virus, not protecting yourself. So far, early research from Israel and the UK is looking positive, but it is far too early to tell and will likely take several more months of research. This proposal, even if approved, is nearly certain not to take place before Quarter 3 or 4 of this year, with Q4 the most likely if approved. (July-September, October-December)

Q. What is this area quarantine I have heard about. I hear one can do quarantine in Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi, or Chiang Mai and can spend their quarantine in the area vs. a hotel, villa, etc.

 A. This is also only a proposal at this time, although one with the backing of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration. This is the most likely strategy for allowing tourists back into Thailand in larger numbers. Again, it is almost certain not to take place before the last quarters of the year and will rely on vaccinating local populations of these popular tourist destinations. The exact details of this are still being discussed.

Q.  I have heard golf quarantine, yacht quarantines, and villa quarantines are now approved?

A. For certain countries, yes. You will need to check with your local embassy or consulate. If you are considered a high-risk country (not based on the total number of cases, it is more based on the spread of variants, etc.) you will not be able to have this option.

Q. I'm from (insert country here.) We are still in lockdown and it is illegal to leave on holiday. Can I still come?

A. That is between you and your country. You will need to still do all the required measures and if you are in one of these countries you are likely to be confined to your room for the whole quarantine period.

Q. Will Thailand consider travel bubbles or agreements with low-risk countries or those with high populations of vaccinated people in the future?

A. Likely, but the situation is so fluid currently around the world that this currently tabled and will be discussed later this spring and summer as the situation hopefully improves around the world.

Q. What is Thailand's vaccine strategy?

A. Thailand got their first shipment of vaccines earlier this week. Shipments will continue and increase in numbers over the summer. The current plan (subject to change) is to vaccinate the vulnerable and health care workers but also include tourism workers in the high priority group to hopefully allow an area quarantine and tourists to return by the end of the year if vaccinated. Thailand has designated Pattaya, Phuket, Surat Thani (including Koh Samui), and Chiang Mai as economically important zones that will have priority for vaccinating their populations. If you are in Thailand, you can register at a hospital and will be contacted when vaccines begin to roll out in your area. Krabi appears to be being added to this list also.

Q. What about Bangkok? I want to visit Bangkok.

A. So far, Bangkok has not been on the list of proposed area quarantines. Although popular with tourists, it appears the focus will be on the much more economically devastated "pure tourism" cities and places around the country that rely upon tourism for almost all of their local economy.

Q. If quarantine is dropped, will medical insurance still be required?

A. No firm answers on this yet, but it is likely based on early discussions. 

We will update this list on a semi-regular basis with more questions and input. We know these are not the answers people want but Thailand is taking a very "cautious" approach in regards to the virus and has for nearly the entire pandemic, which is why as a whole every sector of business (including nightlife) is open in most of the country.



Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha welcomes new baby hippo, holds contest for name - Pattaya News

Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha welcomes new baby hippo, holds contest for name

Saturday, 27 February 2021, 21:38

Chonburi-

The Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha has welcomed a new baby hippopotamus recently. The name of the baby hippo is up for voting with prizes on the line.

Mr. Anuphong Anon, the deputy director of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, told The Pattaya News, "We are very glad we have welcomed a new baby hippopotamus."

"The baby is a female hippo which was born on January 14^th last month. The hippo is, in my opinion, a present for everyone who visits the zoo and is very healthy." Anuphong added.

"The baby hippo has not been given a name yet. We now have two names we are considering which are 'Moo Wan' and 'Bacon'." Anuphong continued.

People can vote for their hippo's name in the link https://forms.gle/F6dkHzRA5hEsxWoZ7 until April 5th."

"A winner, which will be randomly chosen from the most votes for the baby hippo's name, will receive 3,000 baht. Ten others will receive free entry to the zoo. The results will be announced on April 12." Anuphong concluded.



Chonburi announces one new case of Covid-19, a Burmese migrant worker in Si Racha - Pattaya News

Chonburi announces one new case of Covid-19, a Burmese migrant worker in Si Racha

Sunday, 28 February 2021, 7:43

Si Racha-

A Burmese migrant worker was announced as the 654th confirmed case of Covid-19 in Chonburi since the virus broke out in Thailand last year.

The patient, according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health, is a Burmese migrant worker in Si Racha who has lived in Thailand for several years.

The patient was discovered when he went to renew his work permit with the Department of Labor and took a Covid-19 test. He is asymptomatic and has a low level of Covid-19 genetic material and may not be infectious according to the Department of Public Health.

The man has previously worked in Samut Sakhon, Bangkok, Rayong, and Samut Prakan.

The man has been isolated and eight close contacts of his are in the process of being tested, contact traced, and quarantined. Health officials have asked the public for calm and say the situation is under control. It is believed the man may have had the virus during a previous cluster of infections in December and January.



Paperwork delays PM's anti-Covid jab - Bangkok Post

Paperwork delays PM's anti-Covid jab

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will have to wait for the Ministry of Public Health to complete paperwork and quality checks for the batch of AstraZeneca vaccines before he gets his anti-Covid-19 jab.

Sopon: Public gets jabs in May

"We need to defer the plan to give the jab to the prime minister because the Ministry of Public Health still has to complete quality checks for the AstraZeneca vaccine," Sopon Mekthon, chairman of the subcommittee on the management of Covid-19 vaccines, said yesterday, explaining why the inoculation plan for the prime minister scheduled for today was abruptly postponed.

Dr Sopon said the first jab using another vaccine -- CoronaVac developed by China-based Sinovac -- would go ahead today as planned.

AstraZeneca (Thailand) yesterday said the state mandatory quality check for its first batch of vaccine would be completed by the second week of March.

"Even though the vaccine is now present in Thailand, it can only be used once AstraZeneca completes all steps in the quality assurance process," the company said. "Each batch of our vaccine undergoes more than 60 different quality control tests during its journey from manufacture to vaccination.

"In addition, AstraZeneca works closely with local health authorities to ensure local standards for Thais are met."

Meanwhile, the country's first jab -- with the Sinovac vaccine -- will take place today at 7.30am at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute. The Department of Medical Sciences approved the vaccine on Friday.

It is expected that permanent secretary for public health Kiattiphum Wongrajit will be the first person in the country to receive the vaccine. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his deputy Sathit Pitutecha, as well as executives of the ministry, are also expected to get the jabs.

Front-line workers and high-risk village health volunteers in 13 provinces will get the CoronaVac vaccines which will be administered to people aged 18 to 59.

People aged 60 and over, including the PM, will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine which is also pending approval from the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr Sopon said.

Dr Sopon said the public will receive their first Sinovac shots in May.

The ministry yesterday delivered the first consignment of 20,040 doses of the Sinovac vaccine to Samut Sakhon Hospital. People in at-risk groups can register for the vaccine and schedule their shots with the Line account Mor Phrom. Other people can register in advance with Mor Phrom to receive the vaccine later, he said. 

Summer is here - The Nation





The Thailand Meteorological Department announced on Saturday that Thailand has entered the summer season. In most areas of the country, the temperature has risen to around 35 degrees Celsius or over. The summer will end in May.

PM's vaccination postponed but no reason given for delay - The Nation

PM's vaccination postponed but no reason given for delay

National

Feb 27. 2021

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha

By THE NATION

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would not be vaccinated on Sunday as scheduled, the Office of the Prime Minister informed the press. 

The new date has not been confirmed yet.

The office did not give the reason for the postponement. The press speculated that the Public Health Ministry was likely not ready for this operation. 

On Friday, the PM had stated that he was ready for the vaccination. If related agencies call him, he would visit them by himself, he had said.

The first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Thailand on February 24, following the Sinovac vaccine on the same day. The PM was to be inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Sida 2 av 2

There were 72 new Covid-19 cases, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said on Saturday.

Of the new cases, 13 were found from proactive testing and nine in quarantine facilities.

Of the nine overseas travellers, five were Thai nationals – 3 from the UK and one each from Saudi Arabia and Myanmar.

The foreigners included an Iranian, a Nigerian and an Armenian from their home countries, and a British national from Ghana.

Meanwhile, 70 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Saturday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 25,881 (20,845 from the second wave). Of these, 23,119 had been contracted locally, including 14,498 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,762 were returnees.

So far, 25,022 have recovered and been discharged, 776 are still being treated and 83 have died.

Meanwhile, according to Worldometer, the number of confirmed cases globally on Saturday morning had risen to 113.98 million (up by 432,632), 89.53 million of whom have recovered, 23.02 million are active cases (91,046 in severe condition) and 2.52 million have died (up by 9,773). 

Thailand ranks 114th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 29.13 million, followed by India with 11.07 million, Brazil 10.45 million, Russia 4.22 million and the United Kingdom 4.16 million. 

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Declining a Covid-19 Vaccine Risks Penalties in Some Countries - WSJ

Declining a Covid-19 Vaccine Risks Penalties in Some Countries

Indonesia levies fines, while other governments warn of restricting access to travel and public places

By 

Feb. 22, 2021 8:03 am ET

A woman receives a vaccine in Jakarta, Indonesia. Officials in the country say sanctions are a last effort to get people inoculated.

Photo: Zulkarnain/Xinhua/Zuma Press

Some countries are sharpening their Covid-19 vaccination pitches to the public: Get a shot or face a potential penalty.

With vaccination campaigns ramping up globally and some supply shortages easing, governments are looking for ways to make sure that holdouts don't undermine efforts to vaccinate enough people to achieve herd immunity.

The penalties range from fines and restricting access to public places to threatening the loss of priority access to vaccines.

Ready for your COVID-19 jab? Thailand's inoculation plan explained | Thai PBS World

Ready for your COVID-19 jab? Thailand's inoculation plan explained

views  634

Thailand's COVID-19 inoculation programme will likely kick off on Sunday, with top government figures receiving the first jabs to boost public confidence. The vaccine brings hope that the country's year-long virus nightmare may soon be over.

If the vaccine rollout proves a success, the government will regain public faith, the economy will rebound, and life will finally – albeit slowly – get back to normal.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha is due to be the first person in Thailand to get a COVID-19 shot, with Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul next in queue. They will receive their jabs at Nonthaburi's Bamrasnadura Infectious Disease Institute, which has laid down a model vaccination procedure for other medical facilities to adopt.

Owing to the difference in age, Prayut and Anutin will get different vaccines. The AstraZeneca shot will be administered to 66-year-old Prayut, while Anutin, 54, will get China's CoronaVac.

Under Thailand's vaccination programme, people aged 60 and over will get the AstraZeneca shot, while those aged 18-59 will get CoronaVac at least until Thailand starts producing the AstraZeneca vaccine locally.

Thailand has so far acquired 317,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, after taking delivery of 200,000 shots of CoronaVac and 117,600 of AstraZeneca on February 24.

What Thais can expect in the coming weeks?   

Vaccination is expected to start from Monday (March 1), but given the limited supply of shots, most Thais will not be vaccinated anytime soon. They will likely have to wait at least until June to get inoculated.

The Public Health Ministry has decided to share the first batch of doses among only 13 provinces – Samut Sakhon, Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Tak (Mae Sot), Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkram, Ratchaburi, Chon Buri, Phuket, Surat Thani (Samui) and Chiang Mai.

The first nine provinces are prioritised because they have the highest infection rates or risk. The other four will receive urgent doses because they play a crucial role in the economy, as they are popular tourism destinations, attracting millions of tourists each year.

Samut Sakhon, the centre of the latest outbreak, will get the largest number of doses at 70,000, followed by Bangkok (66,000 doses). Pathum Thani will be given 8,000 doses, Nonthaburi 6,000, Samut Prakan 6,000, Tak 5,000, Nakhon Pathom 3,500, Samut Songkhram 2,000, and Ratchaburi 2,500. Of the four economically crucial provinces, Chon Buri will get 4,700 doses, Phuket 4,000, Surat Thani 2,500, and Chiang Mai 3,500 doses. A small number of doses will be held back for emergencies.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and DKSH have joined hands to ensure vaccines can be delivered to a hospital anywhere in Thailand within 24 hours via a cold chain system.

CoronaVac shots will be administered on Monday to Friday, while AstraZeneca vaccines will be given on Saturdays and Sundays only.

Who will get priority?   

Prioritised for vaccination are frontline medical and other workers, staff dealing with COVID-19 patients, staff at state quarantine facilities and patients with chronic diseases. Vaccination will be rolled out to the general population as more shots are delivered.

How to get free vaccination  

People who have a smartphone can register for free COVID-19 vaccination via the Public Health Ministry's MorProm (Ready Doctors) LINE application. Those without a smartphone will be approached by village health volunteers, if they rank among the priority groups.

People who qualify for early shots because they suffer from a chronic disease can also register with their hospital. Vaccination is voluntary.

How many Thais are willing get a shot?  

An online survey released earlier this month by the Public Health Ministry found that about 69% of respondents want to be vaccinated.

However, a recent Suan Dusit Poll revealed that only 20.7% of respondents are determined to get the jab, having no concerns over possible side effects. As many as 65.99% said they preferred to wait and see if there were any side effects in those being inoculated first.

Although both AstraZeneca vaccine and CoronaVac have already been registered in Thailand as safe for use, they are not without side effects. For example, more than one in 10 people vaccinated with AstraZeneca shots may experience soreness, itching or swelling at the injection site and feelings of tiredness, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, nausea, and fever (temperature above 38 degrees Celsius). However, these same side effects are not uncommon after vaccination for other diseases.

Less common side effects (up to one in 100 people) are dizziness, abdominal pain, enlarged lymph nodes, sweating and itchy skin or rash.

As for CoronaVac, data suggests the biggest potential side effects are localised pain, headache and fatigue.

AstraZeneca vs CoronaVac  

The vaccine developed by multinational pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University uses a harmless, weakened version of a common virus that causes colds in chimpanzees to trigger the human immune system to fight COVID-19. This so-called viral-vector technique has been used to produce vaccines against several diseases before.

According to the World Health Organization, the AstraZeneca vaccine prevents symptomatic COVID-19 infections in 63.09% of cases. Data indicates it cuts risk of hospitalisation by 94%. Two shots are required, between 10 and 12 weeks apart.

CoronaVac, meanwhile, is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine developed by Chinese pharma company Sinovac Life Sciences. Phase III data shows CoronaVac has 50.65% overall efficacy following two doses. Meanwhile, clinical trials in Brazil and Turkey indicate the vaccine is 83.7% effective in preventing severe cases and 100% effective against hospitalisation or death from COVID-19. Two shots are required, 21 days apart.

CoronaVac's reported overall efficacy is lower than other vaccines on the market, though authorities say it is relatively safe since it uses an old, tried-and-tested production technique.

What Thais should remember 

Even after the COVID-19 vaccination programme begins in Thailand, we cannot afford to lower our guard. Vaccines may just protect against severe symptoms, not against transmission of the disease. Therefore, wearing face masks, washing hands frequently and physically distancing will be essential to preventing more outbreaks of COVID-19.

By Thai PBS World's General Desk

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said his government will consider allowing visitors who can produce a vaccination certificate to skip the quarantine and authorities will come up with a plan to track them during their stay in the country.- Pattaya Mail

 Thailand may scrap two-week mandatory quarantine for foreign visitors

Pattaya MailFebruary 27, 2021

The plan to ease rules for tourists signal a shift in Thailand's stance after months of insisting all visitors must stay in quarantine in the absence of enough evidence that inoculations can prevent virus transmission.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said his government will consider allowing visitors who can produce a vaccination certificate to skip the quarantine and authorities will come up with a plan to track them during their stay in the country.

The plan to ease rules for tourists signal a shift in Thailand's stance after months of insisting all visitors must stay in quarantine in the absence of enough evidence that inoculations can prevent virus transmission.

If implemented, the move could bolster Thailand's tourism sector that contributed about one-fifth to the nation's pre-pandemic economy.

Thailand to increase speed limit to 120kph - Thai Visa

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 Thailand to increase speed limit to 120kph

 

 

Thailand will increase its speed limits on major roads to 120kph, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob announced on Friday.

 

The speed limit increase applies to major highways with four or more lanes and will increase from its current limit of 90kph to 120kph.

 

The increased speed limit came following a study carried out by the  Department of Highways, Department of Rural Roads, Department of Land Transport and Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.

 

The new speed limit will assist with traffic flow while boosting convenience and safety for road users, the minister said.

 

The minister explained that the new speed limit will be applied to straight sections of roads, with four or more lanes where there are no intersections or u-turns. There must also be meridian barriers to divide traffic, Thai PBS reported.

 

In addition, the rightmost lane or 'fast lane' will also have a minimum speed limit of 100kph in order to reduce the risk of rear-ending collisions.

 

The new speed limit will apply to vehicles with less than seven seats but the speed limit for other vehicles will also increase, the minister said.

 

The new speed limits are as follows:

 

Vehicles with more than 15 seats: 90kph
Tow trucks: 65kph
Motorcycles: 80kph
Big bikes 400cc or above: 110kph
School buses: 80kph
Vehicles with more than 7 seats but less than 15: 100kph

 

The new speed limit should be effective by April, when it is expected to be published in the Royal Gazette.
 

International passengers will be allowed to transit Thailand from Monday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has announced. - Bangkok Post



 

Airlines get nod to transit

International passengers will be allowed to transit Thailand from Monday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has announced.

The authority has also authorised an easing of some restrictions on domestic flights.

International passengers have for some time been banned from transiting at Thai airports or using them to transfer to other flights as part of the government's Covid-19 containment measures, said Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob.

The change to the transit/transfer flights policy was made following calls by airlines for Covid-19 relief measures, he said.

The CAAT's decision to allow airlines to transit Thai airports is in line with a resolution reached by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) last Monday to relax a range of Covid-19 control measures, Mr Saksayam said.

The aviation authority has also told operators of domestic flights they can resume serving in-flight meals and drinks, as well as selling souvenirs from Thursday.

However, passengers and flight attendants are still required to follow Covid-19 control protocols. These include the mandatory wearing of face masks throughout flights, except while eating or drinking.

The serving of in-flight meals and beverages and souvenir sales were prohibited on Dec 30 as part of the government's efforts to respond to the Covid-19 situation at the time under its "fourth announcement".

It was cancelled when the fifth announcement was issued and signed by CAAT director-general Suttipong Kongpool.

The government yesterday reported 45 new Covid-19 cases -- 37 local infections and eight imported -- raising the total to 25,809.

The number of daily new cases in the kingdom has come back down to two digits since Feb 20, following the surge that was sparked in Samut Sakhon in mid-December.

Samut Sakhon provincial authorities have recently been reporting effective disease-control measures in high-risk areas, including the Central Shrimp Market, the epicentre of the new wave, which has been closed for over two months.

Some officials believe the market could even reopen by Monday but the CCSA has yet to make a final decision.

Deputy governor Teerapat Kutchamath yesterday visited the market and insisted it was ready to reopen on Monday. Plans are already in place for merit-making to take place tomorrow, ahead of the anticipated reopening.

The Department of Disease Control reported yesterday that 32 cases had been confirmed at hospitals and five through proactive testing in communities.

The eight imported cases were quarantined arrivals from Germany, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the UK (a Thai schoolgirl aged six), France (2), Kuwait and the Netherlands.

Of the 25,809 total cases, 24,952 (96.6%) have recovered and 774 remain in hospital.