Covid-19 cases from Myanmar's Tachilek city have been found in seven Thai provinces, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported on Wednesday.
The first case was discovered on November 28, said DDC director general Opas Karnkawinpong, after Thais working in Tachilek began sneaking back over the border into Chiang Rai to escape a serious outbreak in Myanmar.
However, since December 6 new infections from Tachilek have been contained in Chiang Rai province, he added.
Tachilek-related confirmed cases now totalled 46, including two local infections.
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More than 5,100 contacts of infected returnees have been tested in Chiang Rai, but only one was found to be infected.
Meanwhile, 55 close contacts of a Sing Buri woman who caught Covid-19 while taking the same flight as Tachilek returnees have all tested negative, according to Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, director of the Communicable Diseases Division.
Security camera footage from Chiang Rai airport shows the woman, 51, sitting close to two illegal returnees who are not wearing their masks correctly.
Elsewhere, five health workers in alternative state quarantine (ASQ) contracted Covid-19 after one of them took the temperature of a family of three in ASQ on November 24-27, said Sophon. The family was later found to be infected. The health workers eat together after work and share the same room. Their close contacts have been traced and tested. Among them are 226 workers at a private hospital (224 have tested negative while two are waiting for results), 6 co-workers (all negative), 7 at a government hospital (all negative), 14 in the first ASQ (negative), 20 in the second ASQ (negative), and 7 family members (negative).
25 new Covid-19 cases were detected in quarantine including 7 Thai women who worked in entertainment venues in Myanmar, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. It's the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases in Thailand since April 25, according to Worldometers.
Thailand's total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is raised to 4,151 with 3,880 recoveries and 60 deaths. 211 people are currently receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus.
7 Thai women, ages 25 to 35, tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from Myanmar where they had worked at entertainment venues.
2 Kuwaiti women, ages 31 and 77, tested positive for Covid-19. The elderly woman tested positive for the virus back in October.
6 people travelling from Switzerland tested positive for Covid-19 including a 53 year old Swiss man and 5 Thai women, ages 46 to 67.
A 31 year old Russian diving instructor travelling from Russia tested positive for Covid-19.
A 52 Thai woman travelling from Sweden tested positive for Covid-19.
A 27 year old Thai man travelling from Singapore tested positive for Covid-19.
A 32 year old Libyan woman and her 4 year old son travelling from Turkey tested positive for Covid-19.
2 Thai women, ages 59 and 18, travelling from the United States tested positive for Covid-19.
3 people travelling from South Korea, a 44 year old Korean man, 8 year old Korean boy and 43 year old Japanese woman, tested positive for Covid-19.
Up to SEVEN million foreign tourists will visit Thailand next year, says leading Thai bank
Thai business media has reported that the Kasikorn Research Center predicts that between 4.5 and 7 million foreign tourists will visit Thailand next year, 2021.
In addition they will spend a whopping 340 to 480 billion baht in the country.
What they called a LOW estimate was because of uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and vaccines.
They called for greater clarity abroad about Thailand so that foreigners get the right information.
Kasikorn also stressed the need for more government stimulus measures and tax breaks for the ailing tourism sector.
Many Thai watchers will see the bank's estimate as optimistic, notes Thaivisa. To put the predictions in perspective less than 1000 tourists have visited the country on the much criticized STV visa scheme since October.
And a 14 day quarantine with all the hoops and expenses that entails remains in place with no change on the horizon despite repeated calls from many business groups in the sector.
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Early STV publicity failed to deliver the numbers expected.
In what appears to be an almost daily update to Thailand's complex immigration policy, the latest change applies to the largely-stillborn STV. This visa was introduced two months ago and permitted long stays of up to 270 days for snowbirds and other retirees who fancied spending the winter months in the Land of Smiles. But it was only available in countries with a very good history of combatting coronavirus. No initial and definitive list of countries was ever issued, but STV spokespersons mentioned China and parts of Scandinavia as favoured nations.
Now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the STV may be applied for at Thai embassies worldwide, irrespective of the virus situation in a particular country. The safeguard, of course, is that all foreigners entering the country must quarantine for 14 days at a registered hotel. Other documentation required includes Covid-19 insurance to the value of US$100,000, proof of payment for quarantine hotel, evidence of itinerary and the usual health tests and certificates for fit-to-fly.
The STV might appeal to snowbirds and retirees with lots of time and money on their hands.
The STV also carries an additional requirement of comprehensive medical insurance of 400,000 baht (inpatient) and 40,000 (outpatient) treatment for non-virus related illnesses. These policies are easily obtainable from a group of Thai insurers, but are on a scale of difficult-to impossible for ageing applicants. Several companies do offer a medical examination for applicants well into old age, but failures are commonplace. Disqualification can even follow if you have lived longer than your parents. The requirement for non-Covid insurance is strange as it is not required for the 105 days (60+45) single entry tourist visa also announced this week. Moreover, 400,000 baht won't cover the costs of significant invasive surgery for foreigners in this day and age.
Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek says that the new STV is a U-turn to help the ailing tourist industry. Apparently, the initial response in November from low-risk Covid countries was disappointing with only 829 tourists participating together with six luxury yachts. The STV is initially for 90 days but can be extended twice at Thai immigration for a maximum of 270 (90+90+90). Two charter-flight Chinese tour groups are known to have entered by the STV route, but a promised Scandinavian venture apparently failed to materialize.
Whether the revamped STV will find new markets is far from clear. The recently-introduced 60 days tourist visa with a 45 days optional extension at immigration is also available from any country and is a lot less hassle to apply for. The disincentives for tourists to Thailand at present are fourfold: the overlapping of different visa options, the complexities of obtaining a certificate of entry from the Thai embassy in the country of intended departure, ad hoc announcements of changes from several government departments and, lastly, the elephant in the room known as compulsory 14 days quarantine. That may be essential in a pre-vaccine world, but it is mightily unpopular too.
Thai Cabinet officially approves golf course quarantine, published in Royal Gazette this evening
Hole 2, par-4. December 21, 2010. Thai Country Club, Bangkok, Thailand. Mandatory credit: Richard Castka/Sportpix International
Thailand-
The Thai Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan O'Cha, has officially approved golf course fourteen day alternative state quarantines for Thailand, being published in the Royal Gazette this evening.
This falls on the same day the Thai Cabinet also approved Special Tourist Visa's to be allowed for any country and not just those at "low risk" for Covid-19.
The order to allow golf course quarantine will essentially allow those who wish to pass their quarantine time on the golf course to enter the country. There are, of course, strict rules and regulations for safety with this type of quarantine but this is a significant step forward for those who do not wish to stay in a single room or area for several weeks.
The Royal Gazette, which published the order this evening, describes golf quarantine as follows:
"Golf Quarantine) means the detention of foreign golfers, including followers entering the Kingdom of Thailand for the purpose of exercising by playing golf. (Rounds) and doing health activities along with quarantine by performing activities according to a scheduled service program scheduled in advance by the golf business It is a quarantine, surveillance, prevention and control facility for COVID-19 (COVID-19), along with playing golf (rounds) and doing health activities for a period of time according to the Infectious Disease Situation Management Center. Coronavirus 2019 (FPO) is determined by paying all expenses during the activity according to the specified service list. And detention voluntarily "
One can apply for this type of quarantine through their local embassy or consulate, according to the Thai Cabinet.
Special Tourist Visa: Thailand opens to the world - But will the tourists really come?
Reuters file photo for reference only
In a massive U-turn after few people turned up as part of the government's STV (special tourist visa) scheme Thailand has decided to open up to the whole world irrespective of Covid conditions.
They have abandoned the requirement that the STV will only be given to those from low risk countries - but announced that all the checks and paperwork will still need to be followed.
Crucially, this means visitors will still have to quarantine for 14 days.
This much criticized sticking point begs the question:
Will the government's move inspire any more tourists to come to the country?
Critics will say that the cabinet's latest decision is putting a BandAid on the festering sore that is the much maligned STV project that allows long stay in Thailand.
The government hopes that allowing visitors from every country on earth - including hotbed places like the US and many countries in Europe - will provide more tourists and give Thailand's ailing tourism sector a much needed boost.
It will have to.
So far the numbers have been tiny in relation to usual tourism figures.
Picture: Manager Online
PM's office deputy spokesman Ratchada Thanadirek faced the press after a cabinet meeting and admitted that only 825 people had come on the STV so far.
And there were just SIX visitors on yachts; to boost this number the government resolved to allow such people to stay 30 more days, now a total of 60.
Ratchada was at pains to point out that everyone on STV must complete all the requirements that have been so roundly criticized.
And that includes the expensive and onerous 14 day quarantine.
Many will say that the government's U-turn is more like a vicious circle with the inevitable consequence that few people will consider coming to Thailand unless they have very specific reasons - like family and business, notes Thaivisa.
Tourists in protective gear arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province in October. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Tourists from everywhere are now welcome to visit Thailand, irrespective of their countries' Covid-19 situation, under a newly amended Special Tourist Visa (STV) long-stay programme.
However, these travellers still need to comply with Thailand's 14-day mandatory quarantine, deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said on Tuesday.
The more liberal policy represents a government U-turn and is designed to help the ailing tourism industry.
STVs were previously only available to people from low risk-countries but that stringent condition was blamed for the low number of tourists taking advantage of the programme, with only 825 people from 29 countries and only six luxury yachts using it, said Ms Rachada.
The cabinet has also resolved to extend the stay period for yacht visitors holding an STV for another 30 days, or 60 days in total, she said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted on Tuesday that Thailand was not experiencing a second wave of the pandemic, nor dealing with any challenge of super-spreaders, as rumoured.
The truth was that a small group of infected Thais had illegally sneaked back into the country and visited places, which merely prompted routine checks as to whether they had infected anyone else, he said.
The PM urged people not to panic, saying that would only worsen the situation, and he cited the fact that a large number of hotel bookings had been cancelled in recent weeks due to an overreaction to media reports of a possible super-spreader.
Dr Chakrarat Pittayawonganon, of the Disease Control Department, meanwhile, revealed that among those now being treated for Covid-19 were four healthcare workers who were infected at alternative state quarantine facilities and private hospitals in Bangkok.
Their infections prompted an investigation as to how healthcare workers could have contracted the virus and whether it was their own fault or another cause, he said.
Health authorities on Tuesday recorded 19 new Covid-19 infections, one of which was a man in the northern province of Chiang Rai who thus became the 39th person to have caught the virus at an entertainment venue in the Burmese border town of Tachileik.
The Chiang Rai patient is the latest Thai national to catch Covid-19 abroad before sneaking back into the country illegally, said Dr Chakrarat, and was asymptomatic.
Meanwhile, Thammasat University has called off its 75th traditional football match with Chulalongkorn University, citing concerns over the pandemic.
Thai Cabinet approves and officially announces Special Tourist Visa is now allowed for ALL countries, not just low risk Covid-19 counties
Thailand-
A top government spokesperson confirmed in a statement following the weekly Thai Cabinet meeting today, December 8th, 2020, that the Special Tourist Visa program is now open for all countries, not just low risk countries for tourists to come to Thailand.
However, the Pattaya News notes, fourteen day quarantine at ones own expense, Covid-19 testing, mandatory health insurance that is worth minimum 100,000 USD for Covid-19, a fit to fly certificate and other safety measures are still required and one must get a certificate of entry at their local embassy or consulate first.
The Pattaya News also notes that this will end some confusion between the sixty day tourist visa, which can be extended for thirty days (and being discussed for more) and the special tourist visa program. The Tourist Visa had been available for many high risk countries but not every country had been approved for it or had completed the process. The Tourist Visa, however, had not been announced with much fanfare, especially in Thai Media, with some on social media speculating it was due to lack of capacity at Alternative State Quarantine at the time.
To start the process one should contact their local embassy or consulate. As the announcement just came through this afternoon it is expected to take some time to process through many countries and embassies.
Here is our initial article on the special tourist visa, keeping in mind some details have changed since the program came out two and a half months ago. It is also worth noting that although the program won't appeal to a one or two week tourist it will give the opportunity for anyone with the time and finances to return to Thailand if they wish.
