Venues permitted to remain open under strict measures
Restaurants, street food vendors with seating can serve dine in customers between 6am to 9pm, takeaway only thereafter. Alcohol can be purchased for takeaway only
Department stores, malls and supermarkets can remain open
Public parks, beaches, outdoor exercise areas can remain open
Wholesale outlets
Beauty salons/hairdressers/barber shops can open providing the appointment takes not longer than 2 hours.
Golf courses can open, expect for clubhouse, shower rooms
Pet grooming venues
Hotels
Anyone who fails to comply with measures faces fines of up to 100,000 baht. – Chonburi PR
The number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand is expected to rise sharply at the end of this week due to people travelling during the New Year holidays, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine lecturer Thira Woratanarat said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
He pointed out that everyone could be at risk of contacting Covid-19 and not just those who visited risky areas.
Thira advised people who travelled during the holidays to see a doctor immediately if they experience any symptoms related to the dreaded virus.
He said it would be hard for the government to curb the spread of Covid-19 as soon as possible because it was not strict enough in restricting people from travelling, while there are many daily activities which would cause the virus to spread.
"For a short-term solution, it would be great if people could report their symptoms via a smartphone application as this would help the government monitor the situation and test people in risky areas," he suggested.
Thira also advised people who have to go outside to strictly abide by rules and measures to prevent Covid-19 from spreading further.
Contact tracing apps now COMPULSORY in Thailand - possible penalties for people not using them
Contact tracing applications are now compulsory for people living in Thailand and those who do not use them and later test positive for COVID-19 could face legal action.
Members of the public, particularly those residing in high risk areas now need to download the Mor Chana or Thai Chana contact tracing app, Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesperson Dr Thaweesin Visanuyothin announced on Thursday.
The government's Mor Chana and Thai Chana apps enable health workers to track a person's movements and places they have visited in the event they may have come into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19.
Dr Thaweesin also confirmed the travel restrictions in place in five eastern provinces, which prevents all but essential travel in and out of Chonburi, including Pattaya, Trat, Samut Sakhon, Chanthaburi and Rayong. Anyone travelling to or from these provinces must have the contact tracing apps installed on their smartphone.
Dr Thaweesin also said that as well as the use of the Mor Chana app, face masks are also compulsory.
This is a developing news story. This post may be updated without warning.
Today's daily COVID-19 where Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Natapanu Nopakun confirms the compulsory use of the contact tracing apps.
The government is looking for locations for field hospitals in more provinces, in preparation for more coronavirus-infected patients should the surge in new transmissions continue.
Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman, said yesterday that senior officials at the Public Health Ministry and provincial offices were surveying areas as far out as Ubon Ratchathani, looking for suitable sites for field hospitals.
Dr Taweesilp said the country had to prepare for a possible worst-case scenario, that the number of new infections could rise sharply and more hospital facilities would be needed.
"It takes time to build a field hospital, but it takes only one day for the number of patients to shoot up to 100," the spokesman said.
The first field hospitals were set up in areas under lockdown in and around the Central Shrimp Market in Muang district of Samut Sakhon.
Hospitals are also being set up at navy barracks, including one in Sattahip district of Chon Buri, now one of the provinces facing a surge of new cases.
Plans for field hospitals have faced opposition in some provinces. In Ratchaburi, residents worried about catching the virus from patients brought from Samut Sakhon for treatment. Dr Taweesilp said provincial field hospitals would not treat people from elsewhere.
"Wherever a field hospital is built it will serve only people in that province," he said.
In Samut Sakhon, a local businessman has allowed a building at his factory to be used as a hospital for up to 1,000 patients.
Wattana Taengmanee, president of tambon Pantainorasingh Administrative Organisation in Muang district, agreed to allow a hospital inside the Wattana Factory compound, according to a Facebook post yesterday by the provincial public relations office.
Dr Taweesilp praised the local politician for his determination to help people in the province. "People in Samut Sakhon will help each other," the spokesman quoted him as saying.
Quasi lockdown imposed in Chonburi and other COVID-19 hotspots
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha on Wednesday signed an order banning all but essential inter-provincial travel to and from Chonburi, including Pattaya, Samut Sakhon, Trat, Rayong and Chanthaburi.
Anyone who needs to travel in or out of the aforementioned provinces will need to present a travel certificate issued by the local administration, photo ID (passport advised for foreigners) and documentation to show travel is essential (such as a medical appointment).
A Thai language version of the form needed for the travel certificate is available here or here (we will work on getting an English version).
The order encourages people to install the Mor Chana and Thai Chana (download links below) contact tracing apps that will facilitate the tracking of people who may have come into contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.
The order also states that strictest possible legal action will be taken against anyone who operates or attends an illegal gambling den.
Those who break the rules of the order face a fine of up to 40,000 baht.
While the authorities have stressed this is not a lockdown, all but essential travel is seemingly no longer possible.
The news comes following a day of flip-flopping by the Thai authorities regarding the implementation of travel restrictions in the provinces mentioned.
On Tuesday, media including Thailand's state broadcaster ThaiPBS, as well as Thaivisa, ran stories stating a lockdown had been approved for Samut Sakhon, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
However, later on Tuesday the PM said the story was not true and that the provinces were not under lockdown.
But less than 48 hours later, the quasi lockdown has now been implemented with Chonburi, Samut Sakhon, Trat, Rayong and Chanthaburi under the highest level of restrictions with regards to travel and free movement.
On Wednesday, Chonburi Governor Pakarathorn Thianchai issued an order cancelling all flights from U-Tapao airport until the end of January, as well as locking down Koh Si Chang. The passport office in Pattaya was also ordered closed.
Also on Wednesday, health officials in Chonburi reported 30 new COVID-19 infections, 21 of which were in Sriracha. The total number of confirmed cases in the province is now 420.
After Waffling, Prayut Locks Down Pattaya, 5 Covid-19 'Red Zone' Provinces
Pattaya, along with Chonburi and four other provinces, is now under hard lockdown, with government permission required to leave the area. (Photo: Bangkok Herald)
After days of waffling, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday signed off on a lockdown on five of Thailand's hardest-hit coronavirus hotspots, prohibiting anyone from traveling in or out of Nonthaburi, Chonburi, Trat, Rayong, and Samut Sakhon without government approval.
It was only yesterday that Prayut reportedly put the kibosh on the plan outlined Sunday by the kingdom's deputy health minister. With 365 new cases reported today – and more than 1,000 set to be reported officially Thursday – it didn't take long for the former general to surrender.
One change to the original proposal is that it includes Nonthaburi and not Chanthaburi.
The final order requires those wishing to leave the targeted provinces must present identification and a travel certificate issued a local or national governmental agency stating the trip is essential. It also gives authorities the power to stop and inspect every vehicle headed in and out of the "red zones".
Those violating the order are subject to fines of up to 40,000 baht.
The external lockdown order comes as Chonburi shut down access to popular resort island Koh Si Chang and U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya Airport announced it was suspending commercial operations until at least the end of January. The Thai passport office in Pattaya also closed until further notice.
Chonburi Gov. Phakhathorn Thienchai signed the order closing Koh Si Chang virus-ravaged Sri Racha District until Jan. 19 with locals required to undergo thorough health screenings before returning home.
Chonburi added 30 new cases and recorded another death on Wednesday. The new figures will be added in the nationwide tally of the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Thursday.
Sri Racha leads the province's districts with 21 infections while the death was reported in Banglamung District, which includes Pattaya.
U-Tapao's announcement affects scheduled, commercial domestic flights operated by Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, and Thai Lion Air to destinations like Phuket and Chiang Mai.
The move became necessary in light of the new interprovincial trael order, as the airport sits on the Rayong-Chonburi border. Charter repatriation, cargo and military flights will continue as normal at the Royal Thai Navy-operation airport.
According to this media report, people in the five "maximum control" provinces must have written permission before they can do interprovincial travel. These provinces are Samut Sakhon, Chonburi (Pattaya), Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
Eighteen illegal Rohingya migrants discovered hiding in Don Muang - seven with Covid
Picture: Naew Na
Eighteen Rohingya migrants have been found hiding in a house behind the new market in Don Muang in northern Bangkok.
Seven have tested positive for Covid-19.
They left Rakhine state on the Bay of Bengal on December 25th/26th and crossed illegally into Thailand in the Mae Sot area of Tak in the north west on January 1st/2nd.
From there they travelled in a pick-up to Bangkok. They were due to be taken south to Hat Yai, Songkhla.
Naew Na reported that a gang had charged them 6,000 baht a head for the journey.
Seven of the men and women have tested positive for Covid-19.
They are now in the custody of the Thai immigration who are investigating their illegal entry, who was behind it and possible connivance of authorities in Thailand in turning a blind eye.
Koh Chang: Island in lockdown to tourists until end of January
Picture: Manager Online
All hotels on Koh Chang will close down today, reported Manager.
This is part of lockdown measures for five provinces deemed most at risk from the spread of Covid-19 - Samut Sakhon, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
Koh Chang district chief Chatchai Thonglee asked all hotels on the island to shut until January 30th.
Tourists have already been returning to the mainland.
No one will be allowed in or out unless it is necessary.
Ferry crossings from Koh Chang Ferry and Centerpoint are being reduced from 12 to 7 per day.
National park facilities including camping grounds and water based activities had already been stopped from Monday.
Hotels on Koh Kud will shut from 9th January when all speedboat operations will also stop.
Ferries to Koh Kud will be reduced from two to one sailing per day.
No tourists will be allowed to pass into Trat at the Khao Saming checkpoint from today.
Tog en runda på stan idag och såg att många restauranger, barer etc har dragit för / dragit ner jalusierna och stängt verksamheten tillsvidare.
Beachen stängd / öde och påtagligt mindre trafik generellt.
A scientist at the Siam Bioscience Group works to produce Covid-19 test kits. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
The arrival of a Covid-19 vaccine would not mean an end to the virus prevention protocols the public has been told to abide by, and people would still be required to wear masks, wash their hands, and practise social distancing, says the country's head of disease control.
"News of a Covid-19 vaccine n hopes of an economic recovery but that does not mean that restrictions will be lifted immediately," Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), told the Bangkok Post in a special interview.
The DDC under the Ministry of Public Health is overseeing the Covid-19 vaccine campaign due to begin next month.
"The challenge posed by Covid-19 is new and we have no playbook for it. No one knows whether these vaccines will work or how long the immunity will last. It is a learning process and scientists around the world can only watch and learn at the moment.
"Until the ministry is convinced the vaccination is effective and safe, restrictions will remain. And even after that, the easing will be gradual," he said.
"The government must innoculate more than 50% of the population then assess whether herd immunity kicks in," he said.
Dr Opas said the government will provide free jabs for all Thais. "But there will be some groups that will receive the vaccine first and some who will receive it later based on various factors such as risk and level of participation as the Covid-19 vaccine need to be monitored," he said.
This massive vaccination drive will be the largest ever undertaken in Thailand.
The real challenge is not providing jabs to tens millions of people as soon as possible, although that too raises logistical concerns, but monitoring as many people afterwards to gather reliable data for scientists.
Each person will get two jabs, a month apart, Dr Opas said. The ministry must make sure that the message is clear: one shot is not enough.
The first shots will be available next month when the first 200,000 of two million doses ordered from China arrive.
The government yesterday announced that 1.6 million doses of vaccine from China would be used right away, with front-line health workers in high-risk provinces such as Samut Sakhon, Rayong and Chon Buri, as well border patrol personnel, first in line.
A number of vulnerable people will also get early access to the vaccine.
However, Dr Opas said a national programme won't begin until May when 26 million doses of vaccines purchased from AstraZeneca's collaboration with Oxford University arrive.
Negotiations are at an advanced level for another 35 million doses to be shipped in soon after.
The government is also devoting resources to domestic production after AstraZeneca agreed a deal with the government to produce and sell it at an affordable cost ($5, or 150 baht) to other Asean countries.
Also careful not to talk up the vaccine as a panacea was Dr Nakorn Premsri, director of the National Vaccine Institute.
"No vaccine is 100% effective. The influenza vaccine, for example, is only around 50% preventative. So we can expect this [Covid-19] vaccine only to reduce fatalities and relieve the symptoms. People must still take reasonable precautions," he said.
"It won't be until two years after most people are vaccinated that Covid-19 can no longer be considered an epidemic," Dr Nakorn warned.
When asked what proportion of Thais need to be vaccinated before the borders can reopen fully, the doctor advised that 70% should be the target in busy towns and tourist areas to be safe.
Fellow disease fighter Nadhavathna Krishnamra, director-general of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said international health standards advise that 50% should be the bare minimum, with a three-month observation window afterwards.
Deputy Minister of Public Health Sathit Pitutecha, meanwhile, said he hoped the jabs herald the beginning of a more relaxed approach to foreign entry, particularly if more attractive quarantine facilities, such as golf courses, spa resorts and nature retreats, can be used.
However, most experts said it would be two years at least before revenue returns to pre-pandemic levels.
