Fact – only 6,556 visitors arrived in Thailand last month compared to 3.95 million in December 2019 - Thai Examiner

Fact – only 6,556 visitors arrived in Thailand last month compared to 3.95 million in December 2019

Joseph O' Connor

Government battling on all fronts to tame the latest virus wave while the loss of foreign tourism income has begun to bite even harder as tourism concerns experience a fraction of 1% of normal inbound tourist numbers. A Bank of Thailand economist last week identified uncertainty about the timeline in defeating this virus as the critical factor right now. This is dependent on vaccinations as the latest outbreak highlights.

Business analysts and economic experts are becoming concerned at the scale of loss to the kingdom being caused by the ongoing closure of the foreign tourism business and the lack of certainty, at this critical juncture, as the fight rages against the Covid-19 virus. It comes as the country's dependence on foreign tourism is being laid bare during what would normally be the high season for the industry and when official government figures for December 2020 show that only 6,556 tourists arrived from abroad compared to 3.95 million the year before.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn predicts 10 million foreign tourists from October 1st as the industry is collapsing right now. In December 2020, only 6,556 foreign tourists arrived in Thailand compared to 3.95 million in 2019, the year the industry generated ฿2 trillion in direct receipts for the economy.

Official figures released by the government show that in December last, the kingdom saw inward footfall of only 6,556 tourists during what is traditionally the peak season for the industry which accounts both directly and indirectly for up to 20% of Thailand's GDP when all revenue streams and ancillary economic activity are factored in.

The figure represents just 0.17% of the number the kingdom welcomed in 2019, a staggering drop.

Loss of income is unprecedented in modern times

While the government talks about 2020 being the worst year for Thai tourism in 12 years comparing last year's figures to 2008, this is a bit disingenuous. The key difference is that nearly all last year's foreign tourism traffic had arrived in early April when the decision was made to close the country's borders.

This loss of income is, in fact, unprecedented in modern times or since World War Two.

Property firm links the end of current strict entry criteria to the kingdom's vaccination programme

The latest analysis comes from Knight Frank Thailand, a leading property consultancy in the Huai Khwang area of Bangkok.

Over the last two decades, the boom in the Thai property sector has been underpinned and boosted by interest from abroad and buyers drawn to the kingdom through the country's huge foreign tourism sector.

Foreign tourists to Thailand, more than any other tourist market, are attracted to long term residency in the country because of its climate, culture and relatively low cost of living.

An update was provided by the property firm this week in which it linked the reopening of Thailand to mass foreign tourism again to the implementation of a vaccination rollout with an estimated timetable towards the end of the year.

More vulnerable foreign tourism firms will go to the wall resulting in distressed property sales

It also forecasts that many more vulnerable tourism firms, struggling since April last, will go out of business.

A recent Tourism Authority of Thailand survey earlier this month showed that 30% already had. The property firm highlighted this as an opportunity for distressed sale purchases.

'We may see the closure of less competitive hotels and investment transactions of distressed hotel assets,' reported Carlos Martinez, the director of research and consultancy. 

Tourism Ministry's estimate of tourists in 2021 is nearly double what the Bank of Thailand predicts

He drew attention to the Bank of Thailand's current projection of 5.5 million visitors to the kingdom by the end of 2021 which would have to see wider access to mass-market tourism and the elimination of strict entry criteria such as the now mandatory 14 day quarantine period.

Both the Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn as well as Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, have predicted 10 million foreign tourists for the year.

Concern mounts over losses and uncertainty

Both economists and tourism operators themselves are, however, becoming concerned at the lack of certainty while the kingdom is facing a challenge to contain the second outbreak of the disease and is experiencing a total loss of foreign tourism income at a time of year when it contributes most to the economy.

In 2019, the industry, purely in direct terms, brought in over ฿2 trillion to the country's financial and business system reaching all levels of society but particularly the less well off.

At a seminar last week, Chayawadee Chai-Anant, a director at the Bank of Thailand, identified uncertainty as to how long this pandemic will impact the kingdom as a key factor while Pisit Puapan of the Fiscal Policy Office admitted that government borrowing may soon approach its legal borrowing limit.

The Ministry of Public Health and other government agencies are currently battling a second virus outbreak centred on Samut Sakhon and the eastern provinces which appears to be coming under control but nothing is certain yet. This threat has the potential to further damage the kingdom's economic prospects and draw on already extended support budgets.

Solution is the vaccination programme

The only solution in sight is a comprehensive and effective vaccination programme.

Thailand is to commence its vaccination programme on February 14th using 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This jab has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in Thailand.

Plans have been announced for the use of 2 million doses of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine from February but the Ministry of Public Health is still awaiting approval on this from the oversight agency.

The second stage of the vaccination plans of the kingdom runs from May to December and will see up to 50% of the population inoculated.

A third phase to cover the entire population is to begin in 2022.

Knight Frank Thailand is predicting that normal levels of foreign tourism will not return to the country until 2024 while its top tourist authorities are suggesting, on the other hand, that it can rebound to record-setting levels in the last quarter.

Chonburi governor agrees to temporarily close all hotels and provide financial remedies to hotel operators affected by Covid-19 Coronavirus - Pattaya News

Chonburi governor agrees to temporarily close all hotels and provide financial remedies to hotel operators affected by Covid-19 Coronavirus, still needs final CCSA/Prime Minister approval

Tuesday, 26 January 2021, 15:31

Chonburi –

Chonburi governor Phakkhrathon Thianchai today, January 26th, has accepted a request from the Eastern Hotels Association to temporarily close all hotels and provide financial remedies, however, it still needs final approval from the Prime Minister and Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) who had reportedly previously given "soft" approval for the proposal.

The governor, along with the deputy governor and the Pattaya mayor, paid a visit to local hotel operators in Pattaya city, which many hotel businesses had adapted themselves to sell food at an affordable price to sustain their business during the second outbreak of the Covid-19 Coronavirus.

Phakkhrathon also revealed that the number of hotel bookings in Pattaya has plummeted to about 0 percent. However, Chonburi authorities have provided full assistance to help them operate the businesses during the financial difficulties according to the Governor.

Due to the significant drop in the number of booking rates, the Eastern Hotels Association and private hotel operators then proposed a solution to Chonburi authorities to close all hotel operations and provide financial assistance. A forced closure would allow the hotel and its staff to collect social security for the period of time affected by the virus. It's unclear if the closure order would be retroactive to the past almost month that Chonburi has been under a highly controlled status essentially stopping domestic tourism. It's also likely this would be more of a "symbolic" or "technical" closure primarily designed to get staff and hotels social security financial aid and not a "hard" closure that would leave people without rooms or places to stay if travel restrictions are dropped soon, as expected.

The proposal has not yet been finally approved but has been initially discussed at the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) general meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O'Cha. It will be further considered at a governmental meeting, likely this weekend, before hopefully being officially implemented in the province, and possibly nationwide in the 28 "red" high-risk provinces. The Governor noted hotels did not have to accept the forced closure if they had regular customers or bookings but could to pay their staff from social security during the current situation.

The governor also stated that domestic tourists were still welcome to visit the province regardless of the announcement of the highest and strictest surveillance control. Visitors will not have to perform 14-day quarantine because the provincial authorities have always ensured high surveillance and safety at all times.

"We would like to invite tourists to travel to Chonburi to enjoy delicious food from various hotels in Pattaya while appreciating beautiful scenery and many other attractions. Chonburi residents are always welcoming to everyone. As for entertainment and other popular venues that are still closed, these will be discussed at further CCSA and Chonburi meetings soon." Phakkhrathon concluded.

The province has not, The Pattaya News notes, officially been dropped as a highly controlled province and, technically, one still needs written permission from a district official to enter. The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration is expected to hold a major meeting this upcoming weekend to discuss the highly controlled zones. A proposal has been made to move Chonburi from a "deep red" zone to orange. It is not yet clear if this will be agreed upon by the CCSA, however, Chonburi has gone multiple days with zero cases of Covid-19 or in the very low single digits that are contact traced from other cases.

Regeringen förlänger reseavrådan för resor utanför EU Regeringen har fattat beslut om att förlänga reseavrådan för alla icke nödvändiga resor utanför EU, EES och Schengen till och med den 15 april. SVT · Mimmi Nilsson



Regeringen förlänger reseavrådan för resor utanför EU 

Regeringen har fattat beslut om att förlänga reseavrådan för alla icke nödvändiga resor utanför EU, EES och Schengen till och med den 15 april. 

Det meddelar utrikesminister Ann Linde (S) på en digital pressträff på tisdagsmorgonen. 

Beskedet innebär att reseavrådan ligger fast både över det kommande sportlovet och påsklovet. 

- Vår bedömning är att det osäkra läget består i hela världen under de kommande månaderna. Vi strävar efter förutsägbarhet och tydlighet, det är därför detta täcker in både kommande sportlov och påskhelgen, säger Linde på pressträffen. 

SVT · Mimmi Nilsson

Arlanda 18.15, 25/1 2021 😥😥😥😥😥😥



Disease control measures in Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat to be reviewed on Feb 1 - Pattaya Mail

Disease control measures in Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat to be reviewed on Feb 1

Pattaya MailJanuary 26, 2021

Travel restricted provinces included Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Trat, Rayong and Samut Sakhon where new COVID-19 cases had dropped in the recent days. (Photo – Pattaya beach is seen with Thai and foreign tourists on a sunny day)

The Department of Disease Control will review disease control measures in the five provinces that were COVID-19 maximum control zones (red zones) on Feb 1.



Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the department, said that Feb 1 was the schedule for the department to review COVID-19 control measures in Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Trat, Rayong and Samut Sakhon provinces where travel had been restricted.

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the department, said that Feb 1 was the schedule for the department to review COVID-19 control measures.

The restriction could be eased in the provinces where new COVID-19 cases dropped. Meanwhile, control measures would be intensified in the provinces where the disease had not been under control, he said.

Dr Opas also said that the latest death case who was a 73-year-old woman had contracted COVID-19 from an asymptomatic relative who had paid a visit to her home. The woman had had a chronic illness that had affected her lungs.

Though having recovered from COVID-19, she later suffered a fatal infection complication, he said.

It was a lesson for everyone to take good care of elderly family members. Anyone who went out could contract COVID-19 and was unaware of the infection while being asymptomatic. Therefore, everyone must always wear a face mask to prevention disease transmission, Dr Opas said. (TNA) 

Australia laments Thailand’s high wine tax as excise dept delivers bitter news - The Nation

Australia laments Thailand's high wine tax as excise dept delivers bitter news

Australia's ambassador to Thailand Allan McKinnon

In potentially bad news for Thailand's wine drinkers, tax rules are being tightened even as Australia complains of a high excise rate on wine.

Australia's ambassador to Thailand Allan McKinnon said despite Covid-19, his country remains optimistic on trade and investment with Thailand thanks to agreements in place.

Although Australia is the world's leading food exporter, Thailand enjoys a food trade surplus with Australia, he told the Nation Group during an exclusive interview.

Thai supermarket shelves remain packed with Australian products like wine, beef and lamb – attesting to Australia's efforts to ensure sufficient freight flights during the pandemic to sustain its market share here, said McKinnon.

He also credited the Thai-Australian free trade agreement and the recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with boosting trade and investment between the two countries. Zero or low tariffs on Australian products had made many Aussie food products available on Thais' doorsteps, he added.

However, McKinnon complained about Thailand's high excise tax rate that sees a bottle of wine worth US$10 in Australia selling at three to four times that price here.

Australia's total wine exports grew 4 per cent last year to over US$2.14 billion, but now face pressure from a brewing trade war with China. 

Thailand imposes excise tax on both domestic and foreign producers. But high excise tax singles out wine over other alcoholic drinks, said the ambassador.

The Thai Excise Department says it imposes zero excise on wine priced less than Bt1,000 per bottle – but Bt1,500 per litre of alcohol it contains. If the retail price is higher than Bt1,000, the rate rises from zero to 10 per cent.

Excise on beer is 22 per cent rate, plus Bt430 per litre of alcohol.

White liquor carries a tariff of just 2 per cent, plus a meagre Bt155 per litre of alcohol.

In a separate interview, Lavaron Sangsnit, director general of the Excise Department, told the Nation his department is reviewing tax collection on wine.

"We think we could collect more tax revenue on wine, but importers declare their prices much lower than they should, which results in lower tax collection," he said.

Thailand currently collects about Bt1 billion in tax on wine per year, but the potential tax revenue is much higher, he said.

Lavaron said the department will create a database of wine prices so that their real market value could be checked if the price declared is unusually low.

Wine prices are complicated by the number of brands available (over 10,000) and the quality of grapes from one harvest to the next, he said.

"The department may take four to five months to build the price database, then look at appropriate tax rates later," he said.

He also revealed the tax rate on white liquor is under debate.

In force since 2017, alcohol taxes are meant in part to protect health by increasing the rate according to alcohol content. However, high-alcohol white liquor is subject to a low tax rate.

Questioned about the liquor rate, Lavaron said his department will look at tax on wine first before moving on to other items.

Ambassador McKinnon expects trade and investment with Thailand to grow rapidly in years to come.

Australian government figures show its exports to Thailand were worth A$6.2 billion (Bt143.5 billion) against imports of A$14.6 billion in fiscal 2018-2019, resulting in a large trade deficit with Thailand.

However, Australia's exports to Thailand rose 15.6 per cent year on year while imports from Thailand dropped 2.9 per cent.

Meanwhile Australia's investment in Thailand totalled A$3.9 billion including foreign direct investment (FDI) worth A$1.4 billion. Thailand's investment in Australia totalled A$6.9 billion including FDI worth A$5.8 billion. FDI does not include financial portfolios and real estate investments.

McKinnon expects the new US administration of President Joe Biden will be fully engaged in the Southeast Asia region. The US is expected to take a strong role in Mekong development and also security and stability in the South China Sea, he said.

He also predicts the US government will restore the multilateral trade system under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) after Donald Trump's administration blocked the appointment of judges on the WTO's dispute settlement body.

On the brewing trade war with China, he said Canberra was open to talks but Beijing had not reciprocated, so Australia had taken the issues to the WTO. 

Liberal MORON calls for the protection of MOSQUITOES - Bangkok Jack

Liberal MORON calls for the protection of MOSQUITOES

January 25, 2021

This idiot would rather see 2.5 million human deaths per year

'Don't kill mosquitoes, they need YOUR blood to feed THEIR kids' animal-rights activist says.

People should not kill mosquitoes but allow them to take "blood donations", a French animal-rights activist has said.

Aymeric Caron, a French television presenter, said the insects sucked human blood to obtain protein for their eggs, which was "embarrassing for anti-specists who realise they are being attacked by a mother trying to nourish her future children".

Anti-specists are those who oppose discrimination against any species, usually animals.

But British animal-protection workers said his comments were "a step too far" and were "an unhelpful distraction".

Mr Caron, who counts himself as an "anti-specist", said animal lovers should allow the insects to bite, except in Africa, where they would risk catching malaria.

He said letting mosquitoes bite should be considered a "blood donation", and although the ideal is to avoid killing them, they could be killed where necessary.

"One can consider that a blood donation from time to time to an insect who is only trying to nourish her children is not a drama," Mr Caron said in a video.

A female mosquito really has no choice but to risk her life for her babies, he said.

Mr Caron said to avoid being bitten, it was best to use natural mosquito repellents such as citronella, lavender oil or garlic, and to wash regularly and to avoid using perfumes.

Failing that, he urged people do follow the example of Albert Schweitzer, the philosopher and animal-protection pioneer.

"In Africa, where there is malaria, he allowed himself to kill mosquitoes. In France, where they are inoffensive, he allowed himself to be bitten," Mr Caron said.

Toni Vernelli, the UK head of animal-welfare group Animal Equality, said she would draw the line at "parasites that carry malaria and kill millions of people a year".

"For most people, this is a step too far and a distraction. It's unhelpful in trying to educate people about the suffering of animals in factory farms, and is unrelated to animal welfare campaigns," she said.

"We're much better off focusing on the tangible things people can do to reduce suffering, such as not eating meat, using animal products and wearing fur," she said.

According to the World Health Organisation's latest malaria report, mosquitoes cause an estimated 2.5 million fatalities annually, and they transmit more than 100 different diseases (the deadliest of which being malaria) to 700 million annually.

Because of this, they are considered the deadliest animal in the world.

Tourism groups lobby the government to open up Thailand - Bangkok Jack

Tourism groups lobby the government to open up Thailand

January 26, 2021

Hotel Groups around Thailand are encouraging the government to re-open the country to tourists as the effects of the coronavirus panic response threatens to finish-off the shattered hospitality industry.

The tourism sector was impacted heavily by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 with the shut down of the country and travel restrictions imposed by the government to curtail the spread of the virus.

The new wave of the Covid-19 outbreak, which started in December, will cost 6.9 million jobs and wipe 140 billion baht off Thailand's trade and tourism revenue, which accounts for 22 per cent of gross domestic product, according to TMB Analytics.

But as vaccines become more available both locally and around the world, Thailand's hotels and tourist groups are lobbying the Prayut Chan-ocha administration to open up the country or risk further damage to the economy.

"If you walk around the main tourism sites in Phuket, you can see that all the stores are shuttered or have gone out of business," said a senior member of the Phuket Tourist Association who, predictably,  asked to not be named.

"If the government doesn't want these retail areas to go out of business completely, they must consider relaxing measures to let our industry survive.

"We are constantly talking to the Thai Ministry of Tourism about the issues but we beg them to see things from our perspective as well," the source said.

A report by the Financial Times also showed that hotel groups around the country were quietly lobbying the government to get rid of quarantine measures for tourists who have received the Covid-19 vaccine.

"There are tremendous numbers of people who won't come to Thailand, or won't come to any country that has a quarantine, because it takes too much time," the FT quoted William Heinecke, chairman of Minor International, as saying.

Questions over Vaccine Efficacy

Despite pressure from the hotel and tourism groups to open up the country, Ministry of Public Health officials continue to advise the government to display caution over international travel.

"There are many unknowns still about the vaccines, we don't know how the different vaccines will play out," said the government's leading immunologist Dr. Yong Poovorawan.

"There needs to be further study on which vaccines prevents the body from infection and which vaccines merely make the symptoms less severe.

The MOPH said that these concerns and other questions about available vaccines means that the government should not be in a rush to open the country.

Thailand is not expected to distribute vaccines until later this year with the locally-produce AstraZeneca vaccine due to be publicly available in April or May.

The first batch of SinoVacs vaccine coming into the country in February will be reserved for front-line workers and vulnerable citizens. – Thai Enquirer

😢😢😢26/1😢😢😢



How one partygoer became Thailand's first 'super-spreader' | Thai PBS World

How one partygoer became Thailand's first 'super-spreader'

views  734

Thailand looks poised to confirm its first official "super spreader" as fears grow over the scale of the latest cluster infection.

The hashtag #DJ Matoom is top-trending on Twitter after the recent celebrity birthday party of Techin "DJ Matoom" Ploypetch on the rooftop of a five-star Bangkok hotel became "super-spreader event".

One party-goer broke his 14-day self-isolation period and spread COVID-19 to other revellers. So far, the party has spawned at least 19 other new COVID-19 cases.

"Transmissions in Bangkok should be highlighted. They show the possibility of a person becoming a super-spreader," said Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesperson Dr Apisamai Srirangsan during the daily briefing on Monday.

She said the 33-year-old guest's infection is the source of several clusters, including the confirmed infection of an NBT news announcer that sent CCSA spokesman Dr Taweensin Wisanuyothin into a precautionary 14-day isolation. The NBT host had attended another party at which guests of DJ Matoom's birthday celebration were present.

Dr Thira Woratanarat of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine refused to lay blame. But his Facebook message was clear: "No doubt. 19 people => superspreader or superspreading event."

The birth of a super-spreader

Between January 1 and 4, the guest visited Chiang Mai's Warmupcafe – one of the province's best-known entertainment venues. On January 5, he sought a COVID-19 test following news that several infected people had visited the place. That first test result came back negative.

However, authorities have repeatedly said the viral incubation period can run from a few days to a few weeks. This window explains why people exposed to COVID-19 cases are required to isolate for 14 days.

This carefree spirit, however, flew back to Bangkok on January 6 and spent just a few days alone. On January 9, he hung out with DJ Matoom as he went ahead with his birthday celebrations, despite calls for social distancing in the wake of a fresh COVID-19 wave in Thailand.

Criticism grows

On January 10, DJ Matoom's guest was at home, but the following day he visited a temple. He then stayed home until January 17, after recognising he was losing his sense of smell – a symptom of COVID-19. On January 18, he sought a drive-through test and found he was infected.

DJ Matoom was alerted on January 19, took a test and was confirmed COVID-positive on January 20. Almost in tears, he went public about his infection and apologised to all who may be affected.

While DJ Matoom has a huge following, questions about his behaviour are growing online. Monday saw more than 570,000 tweets about him, most of them critical. Many demand that he and his guest be punished for violating disease-control protocol.

What is a super-spreader?

Authorities define "super spreaders" rather broadly. But in essence, a super spreader is a patient who infects significantly more people than normal.

One person infected with COVID-19 case will, on average, transmit the disease to two others, explained Dr Tanarak Plipat, now acting inspector-general of the Public Health Ministry.

A super-spreader, on the other hand, will transmit the virus to multiple people.

Super-spreaders, as a result, are everyone's worst fear in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their emergence inevitably means the contagion spreads too fast to contain quickly, leading to serious damage both to health and the economy.

COVID-19 has now infected 99.3 million people and claimed more than 2.13 million lives across the world. Thailand, which successfully controlled the outbreak for most of 2020, has recorded 13,678 cases and 75 deaths.

Rumours about Thai super-spreaders

The arrival of COVID-19 in Thailand early last year sparked immediate worry about the emergence of super-spreaders. Public concern grew last February when an elderly couple returned from Japan with COVID-19 and infected their grandchild. But tests on around 100 contacts of the couple came back negative and worries of a super spreader subsided.

It spiked again last March, though, when a Thai boxing guru apparently spawned a cluster of infections at Lumpini stadium in Bangkok. The 79-year-old succumbed to COVID-19 soon after. Initially, reports suggested he caught the disease from his daughter, who had just returned from Italy then spread the virus at the stadium. However, tests showed the virus strain responsible for the stadium cluster was not imported from Italy.

Super-spreaders overseas

Last February, a South Korean woman made international headlines for being a "super-transmitter". The 61-year-old member of the controversial Shincheonji Church of Jesus is believed to have directly infected dozens of people, while her presence at church services was blamed for directly or indirectly causing more than 5,000 cases.

Earlier this month, a local traveller in northeast China was the latest to be dubbed a "super-spreader" after health authorities linked him to more than 100 new COVID-19 cases. The 45-year-old worked in the health sector and was touring Jilin province, which borders North Korea, and unknowingly spreading the virus.

Tackling the source

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said the city implemented 10 measures to prevent super-spreaders since December. Among them are strict controls on markets, public parks, religious sites and entertainment venues.

"We have also banned events that attract big turnouts," he said.

Disease Control Department director-general Dr Opart Karnkawinpong warned partying with people in one's close circle was not risk-free.

"Singing, shouting, and alcohol consumption raise the risks further," he cautioned. "Everyone must be careful."

By Thai PBS World's General Desk



Chonburi hits five days in a row with zero new confirmed Covid-19 cases, targeted mass testing continues - Pattaya News

Chonburi hits five days in a row with zero new confirmed Covid-19 cases, targeted mass testing continues

Tuesday, 26 January 2021, 6:57

Chonburi-

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced zero new confirmed cases of the Covid-19 Coronavirus this morning for the fifth day in a row in the province.

In the past eight days only one case has been discovered and all of their close contacts have tested negative. This person was a migrant worker who visited the Chonburi Provincial Employment Office. Full testing was done on both the camp where the person lives and the office and two full rounds of testing have shown all contacts of the person as negative for Covid-19.

12 close contacts of this person remain in quarantine. The Health Department stated that they plan to reopen the Chonburi Provincial Employment Office sometime in the next week after testing the entire office staff twice but have yet to announce the date of opening.

The provincial health office stated they will continue doing targeted mass testing for this entire week in the local community. They will be testing people in high risk groups for free throughout the province.

These groups comprise those who worked or visited places recently on timelines like the Chonburi Provincial Employment Office, migrant workers living in densely packed camps, people with any symptoms of Covid-19, and people who work with the public like taxi drivers and supermarket employees. Information on this testing, in Thai, is below.

The Department did not say if any measures or restrictions will be lifted any time soon directly. Currently, the province remains under stiff travel restrictions and closures of many businesses. However, the provincial Administrative Organization President, Wittaya Khunplume, said over the past weekend on his social media accounts that the province is preparing to propose to the government to be downgraded from a deep red high-risk zone to an orange zone and ease measures.

There is no timeline or date for this proposal, however, the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is due to meet on January 31st to officially discuss measures and restrictions. It is likely this week of targeted mass testing is to potentially prepare for any loosening of measures and restrictions.

The CCSA and Thai Cabinet are set to meet today to discuss the possibility of loosened restrictions in provinces where Covid-19 cases have shown significant improvement and a decreasing trend. The Pattaya News will inform our readers of any information regarding this as it comes in.



Thailand’s Covid-19 Vaccine Maker Tries to Defuse Scandal Imperiling AstraZeneca Deal - Bangkok Herald

Thailand's Covid-19 Vaccine Maker Tries to Defuse Scandal Imperiling AstraZeneca Deal

25 January 2021

The royally owned pharmaceutical company sitting at the heart of both Thailand's coronavirus-vaccination program and a brewing political crisis on Monday shed more light its controversial deal to manufacture the Covid-19 vaccine from Britain's AstraZeneca Plc.

In a statement, Siam Bioscience Co., wholly owned subsidiary of the Crown Property Bureau, said efforts to secure manufacturing rights to the drug began in October with a letter of intent signed with the Siam Cement Group, AstraZeneca and the Public Health Ministry that demonstrated joint commitment to make this vaccine available in Southeast Asia.

A contract-manufacturing agreement between AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience came next, which the company said signified "that Siam Bioscience met AstraZeneca's high technical, operational and ethical standards".

The company said that, through technology transfer from AstraZeneca, Siam Bioscience now has become part of AstraZeneca's worldwide network of vaccine-manufacturing partners.

"Siam Bioscience is immensely proud to have been chosen as AstraZeneca's as its technology transfer and manufacturing partner for the Covid-19 vaccine," company Corporate Communications Director Nualphan Lamsan said in the statement.

Siam BioScience in Pathum Thani, wholly owned by the Crown Property Bureau, will locally manufacture the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

Employees are "working tirelessly, competing against time, having decided to drastically alter its manufacturing plan in order to pour all available resources and effort into manufacturing the vaccine that will meet AstraZeneca's standards as expeditiously as possible," she added.

The statement offered no explanation of why a joint news conference with the health ministry, AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience was canceled without explanation Friday. Nor did the company address allegations that AstraZeneca is now reconsidering is manufacturing agreement with the royally backed firm after a prominent pro-democracy activist was slapped with draconian lese majeste charge for criticizing how Siam Bioscience was selected.

Thanathorn criticized the government for its slowness in procuring sufficient numbers of vaccine doses for the entire country and was not transparent about the contracts to purchase and locally manufacture its drug with palace-owned Siam Bioscience Group had been negotiated.

He alleged collusion in negotiating the no-bid contract, that no real consideration was given to vaccines from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., and that taxpayer money may have been wasted.

Siam Bioscience pointed out Monday that, per the policy of London's Oxford University, which developed the vaccine in partnership with the Swedish pharmaceutical firm, the company is manufacturing the drug on a not-for-profit basis.

The firm pointed to its extensive experience in successful track record in manufacturing drugs using modified adenoviral vectors grown in mammalian cells, as the Covid-19 vaccine uses, along with coronavirus RT-PCR tests as reasons for its selection.

Using 600 million baht from the government and 100 million baht from Siam Cement, Siam Bioscience will buy 700 million in coronavirus vaccine doses from AstraZeneca. The first 50,000 doses are expected to arrive in February and will be given to healthcare and front-line workers beginning on Valentine's Day.

The doses originally weren't set to arrive until May.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday chaired a meeting to discuss Covid-19 vaccine management.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday chaired a meeting to discuss Covid-19 vaccine management. The meeting was attended by the ministry's executives and five working bodies. The ministry previously set up subcommittees to take on various aspects.

Today, the meeting followed up on vaccine management and distribution, after the FDA recently approved the emergency use of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and produced abroad.

Initially, the recipients of the vaccine are required to install the new "Mor Prom" smartphone application to monitor side effects of the vaccine.

Anutin said there may be side effects, but the possibility is very low. He urged the people not to be too worried because there are officials specifically assigned to take care of them.

The government will provide full support to ensure that the vaccine distribution covers all Thai citizens in a timely manner and without any disparity, Anutin pledged.

Thailand has ordered 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca two-dose vaccine – enough for about half of the population – along with two million doses from China's Sinovac Biotcech.