Chulalongkorn University closed until end of month to contain COVID19 spread - PBS World



Chulalongkorn U closed until end of month to contain COVID19 spread

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Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University has now closed its campus until February 28^th and is urging all its staff and students not to leave their lodgings or meet other people during the lockdown period, in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.

On Wednesday, the university reported that 16 employees, most of whom reside in dormitories on-campus, tested positive for coronavirus and are undergoing treatment.

Online classes will be provided during the lockdown and lecturers have been asked to adjust their assessment methodology, such as by using online or take-home examinations, instead of in person exam sessions.

To ensure as much essential faculty work continues as is possible, some staff may be required to work in the office, said the university.

An explanation on how and why Chinese New Year is celebrated in Thailand - Pattaya News

An explanation on how and why Chinese New Year is celebrated in Thailand

Friday, 12 February 2021, 14:35

This year, the Thai government has announced an official holiday for Chinese New Year for the first time on February 12th, 2021. The day is annually and widely celebrated among Chinese people and Thai people of Chinese descent, which are a large amount of the Thai population, as it was a time for family reunions, remembering ancestors, bidding farewell to the old days, and ushering in the new year.

Chinese New Year gives a similar cultural and spiritual meaning to the Songkran festival with more than 4,000 years of history. It also marks the end of the winter season and the beginning of the first planting season on the Chinese lunar calendar.

In Thailand, the Chinese New Year festival is usually celebrated within three consecutive days: Spring Festival's Eve (Day of Spending), Spring Festival (Day of Worshipping), and Day of Rest. While in China, the government has declared Chinese New Year as a public holiday as the festival will hold for a span of seven days.

The Thai-Chinese descendants will go shopping for necessities, food, and cleaning the house to prepare for the new year on the Day of Spending. They will prepare offerings and sacrifices for their deceased ancestors on the Day of Worshipping as well as pay respect to elders and enjoy big meals together.

One the day of the Chinese New Year, it traditionally marks a rest day when the whole family will take a time off from work to rest and travel together. Most Chinese companies, organizations, and educational institutions in Thailand will hold a celebration and usually have a day off on this day.

Thai-Chinese people usually wear red or brightly-colored shades on Chinese New Year for good luck. The younger generation will receive red envelopes with money, called "Ang-Pao", from parents, grandparents, or elders. The Chinese people believe that during Chinese New Year, evil spirits will come to visit homes and kidnap children and they must hand out the red envelops as ritual protection from the devils and bad luck.

In conclusion, the family is a core of the Chinese New Year in both Thailand and China. No matter where they are, the day will traditionally remind them to return home to their family for a warm and welcoming reunion.

Young girl safe after finding king cobra inside her Ban Bueang home, Chonburi - Pattaya News

Young girl safe after finding king cobra inside her Ban Bueang home

Friday, 12 February 2021, 20:18

PHOTO: Jack Teewareejaroen

Chonburi –

A 12 –year–old girl safely escaped after she discovered a large king cobra inside her house in Ban Bueang this week.

Rescue workers were notified of the king cobra at a house in the Klong Giw sub-district earlier this week.

The rescue workers arrived at the house to find the 2.50 meter long King cobra inside a room in the house. It took about 40 minutes for the rescue workers to carefully catch the king cobra with a snake snare.

PHOTO: Jack Teewareejaroen

The 12 year- old girl, whose name was withheld due to her age, told rescue workers she was doing laundry at the back of the house. She went back into another room in the home before she discovered the king cobra. She ran away from the house and called for help from her uncle.

Mr. Somphong Moonkaew, 29, told the press "My niece ran to me after she saw the cobra and said there was a snake in the home. I thought it would be a smaller snake and was quite surprised to see it was a king cobra.

Some locals said this was their first time to see a large king cobra in the area. Most king cobras are generally reported in the Southern part of Thailand, although they can be found across the country. The king cobra was released back to a forest in the Chonburi area. 

From February 19, people applying for a new driver’s licence or renewing one will be required to present a medical certificate proving they do not have any conditions that may affect their driving. - The Nation

OMedical certs required for drivers from now on

National

Feb 12. 2021

By The Nation

From February 19, people applying for a new driver's licence or renewing one will be required to present a medical certificate proving they do not have any conditions that may affect their driving.

The certificate is also necessary when a new automobile is purchased.

The Department of Land Transport has set this new condition in a bid to reduce road accidents.

Thailand's roads are said to the deadliest in Southeast Asia, with some 20,000 fatalities per year or about 56 deaths a day, according to the World Health Organisation. 

Two big fresh food markets in the Rangsit area of outer northern Bangkok have been closed for five days after 60 people there tested positive for Covid-19. - Bangkok Post

 Two big 'wet' markets closed in Rangsit amid Covid scare

Health workers collect nasal swabs for Covid-19 tests at Pornpat market in Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani, on Friday, after 60 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the district on Thursday. (Photo: Pongpat Wongyala)

PATHUM THANI: Two big fresh food markets in the Rangsit area of outer northern Bangkok have been closed for five days after 60 people there tested positive for Covid-19.

They are in Pathum Thani province. The provincial communicable disease committee, chaired by the governor, ordered the closure of the Suchart market and Pornpat market, both in tambon Prachathipat of Thanyaburi district, from Friday to Tuesday, inclusive.

Explaining the closure order to vendors at Pornpat market, Thanyaburi district chief Pitsanu Prapatananant said 272 people were tested at the two markets on Wednesday and Thursday, and 60 of them were positive for Covid-19.

The markets were closed temporarily and health workers were testing all migrant workers and at-risk people there, in a bid to control the disease, Mr Pitsanu said.

Local authorities had ordered migrant workers to stay inside their rooms for 14 days.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported on Friday that the 60 new cases in Pathum Thani comprised 31 Thais and 29 Myanmar - 20 are men aged 20-54 and 40 are women aged 19-55.

On Monday Pathum Thani logged four new Covid-19 cases. One is a Myanmar woman, 31, who worked at a citrus stall in Pornpat market. She had been on leave from Jan 30 to Feb 5.

She fell ill on Feb 1 and sought treatment at Prachathipat Hospital on Saturday. A swab was taken for Covid-19 testing. The positive test result was known on Sunday.

Biggest Starbucks in Thailand opens in Bangkok - and it will serve alcohol - Thai Visa

Biggest Starbucks in Thailand opens in Bangkok - and it will serve alcohol

 

Images: Positioning Mag

 

Starbucks on Friday opened its largest shop in Thailand.

 

The two level store, called Starbucks Reserve Chao Phraya Riverfront, opened at IconSiam and measures a whopping 1,260 sqm - twice the size of Starbucks Central World, which was previously the largest branch in Thailand. 

 

Able to accommodate 350 customers, the store offers spectacular panoramic views of the Chao Phraya river and also includes a large 'work zone' for people to catch up on work while in the store.

 

 

 

Customers can choose from a selection of locally sourced Thai and international coffee beans and there is also a dedicated 'TEAVANA' tea bar offering up a variety of tea such as  Lychee, Earl Gray Tea and Peach Mojito.

 

The store also will be the first Starbucks branch in Thailand to serve alcoholic beverages.

 

The new Mixologist bar is expected to open once COVID-19 restrictions are eased, the firm said.

 

There are now more than 400 branches of Starbucks in Thailand, with the firm planning to add 20-30 stores within the next year, many of which will be drive-thru branches. 

Thailand still plans for international tourists to return on Oct 1 - Thai Visa

Posted 1 hour ago

Thailand still plans for international tourists to return on Oct 1

 

A deserted beach in Phuket. Image: Reuters

 

October 1 has once again been proposed as the possible date for when foreign tourists will be able to return to Thailand without first needing to spend 14 days confined to a hotel room. 

 

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn on Thursday said plans to allow foreign tourists to visit Phuket from October 1 were still on track, despite a lack clarity regarding the roll out of COVID-19 vaccinations in Thailand, particularly for those working in the tourism and hospitality industries.

 

The TAT is pushing for tourism workers to be included in the second round of inoculations, after the vaccine has been given to frontline healthcare workers and members of the public deemed most at risk from the virus.

 

And while the Thai government has announced plans to inoculate 1 million people by May and then 10 million people per month from June, it is not immediately clear where tourism workers stand in the vaccine rollout.

 

It also remains unclear if the proposal to allow tourists to visit Phuket will still go ahead if all of the Thai population have not been given the vaccine.

 

First revealed in August 2020, the proposal to open up Phuket to foreign tourists would essentially see the island turned into a huge travel bubble/quarantine zone.

 

Tourists would still need to quarantine on the island but would not be confined to a hotel room, as is the case currently. Travel to other parts of Thailand would be restricted until tourists have completed 14 days on the island. 

 

The news comes as business leaders from Phuket's tourism industry lobbied the government to reverse its decision to ban local administrations from sourcing COVID-19 vaccinations themselves.

 

Phuket had planned to purchase and distribute government approved vaccines to the locals on the island prior to opening up to foreign tourists on Oct 1 and in turn kickstarting the local economy, which depends  heavily on foreign tourism.

 

Officials in Pattaya also said they had also considered similar plans.

 

However, the government said on Tuesday that local administrations and private organisations are not permitted to purchase the vaccine independently. 

 

Thailand is actually open to foreign tourists currently via the Special Tourist Visa program, Thailand Elite membership and visa exempt entry.

 

However, any foreigner who enters the country is required to quarantine for 14 days in a hotel, at their own expense. 

 

Stats seen by Thaivisa earlier this week revealed that despite being open to tourists, very few have actually visited the country amid the ongoing pandemic. 

 

In fact, around the same number of people have visited in the past six months than would normally have visited in a single day, pre COVID-19.

 



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Two million jabs by April - Bangkok Post

Two million jabs by April

The Public Health Ministry on Thursday revealed more details of the government's vaccine roll-out, predicting that more than 1.9 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be administered to more than 960,000 people in 10 provinces by April.

Dr Sopon Mekthon, chairman of the government's sub-committee on Covid-19 vaccine management, said that since supplies of vaccines were still limited, the roll-out would first aim to cut severe infections and deaths among at-risk groups including people aged 60 and older, those with serious underlying health problems, plus health and medical personnel and officials involved in disease control.

In the second phase, by which time it is hoped vaccine supplies will be more plentiful, the goal of the programme will be to safeguard the economy and national security, create immunity among Thais and return the country to normality, he said.

Target groups in this phase will include medical personnel other than frontline staff, those in the tourism sector, plus workers in the industry sector and general people, said Dr Sopon.

The acting deputy director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Sopon Iamsirithaworn, said two million doses of two-jab vaccines would arrive this month.

Of those, 1,934,000 doses would be administered to 967,000 people by April in 10 provinces designated as strict and maximum control zones, maximum control zones and areas where the number of infections continues to increase.

The remaining 66,000 doses would be reserved for 33,000 people in provinces adjacent to the outbreak areas, said Mr Sopon.

The priority 10 provinces are as follows:

Samut Sakhon -- 820,000 doses will be administered to 410,000 healthcare staff, 8,000 disease control officials at risk of coming into contact with infected patients, 6,000 people with underlying health problems, 36,000 people aged 60 and older, 150,000 general people and 210,000 migrant workers.

Bangkok -- 800,000 doses will be given to 400,000 medical personnel, 32,000 at-risk disease control officials, 8,000 people with underlying health problems, 100,000 people aged 60 and older, 100,000 general people and 160,000 migrant workers.

Nonthaburi -- 26,000 doses will be administered to 13,000 medical personnel, 9,000 disease control officials, and 4,000 people with underlying health problems.

Pathum Thani -- 26,000 doses will be given to 13,000 medical personnel, 9,000 disease control officials and 4,000 with underlying health problems.

Samut Prakan -- 28,000 doses will be administered to 14,000 medical personnel, 9,000 disease control officials and 5,000 with underlying health problems.

Rayong -- 18,000 doses will be given to 9,000 medical personnel, 5,000 disease control officials and 4,000 with underlying health problems.

Chon Buri -- people receiving 28,000 doses include 14,000 medical personnel, 10,000 disease control officials and 4,000 people with underlying health problems.

Chanthaburi -- the 16,000 doses include 8,000 medical personnel, 6,000 at-risk disease control officials and 2,000 with underlying health problems.

Trat -- 12,000 doses will be administered to 6,000 medical personnel, 5,000 disease control officials and 1,000 with underlying health problems.

Tak -- 160,000 doses will be administered to 80,000 medical personnel, 8,000 at-risk disease control officials, 2,000 people with underlying health problems, 10,000 people aged 60 and older, 10,000 general people and 50,000 migrant workers. 

10m Covid-19 shots monthly from June - Bangkok Post

10m Covid-19 shots monthly from June

A member of the medical staff holds a vial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at Foch Hospital in Suresnes, near Paris, France, on Monday. (Reuters photo)

Thailand announced plans on Thursday to inoculate 1 million of its most vulnerable people against Covid-19 by May and start mass vaccinations in June, with the aim of administering 10 million doses a month.

The announcement was the first clear timeline for its plan to vaccinate about half of its 70 million population, and comes amid criticism over the government's vaccine procurement strategy.

"We are planning two phases — February to May and the second, June to December," Public Health Vice Minister Sopon Iamsirithaworn told a briefing.

The first four months will be used to administer 2 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine, which are due to arrive this month, earmarked for frontline medical workers in high-risk areas.

Mr Sopon made no mention of the 50,000 imported AstraZeneca vaccines that Thailand has said it would be receiving.

The second phase, between June and December, authorities plan to administer 10 million doses monthly until December, using 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be produced locally from June by Siam Bioscience.

"About 1,000 hospitals are being prepared. Each is able to do 500 doses per day, which over 20 days comes out to 10 million doses per month," Mr Sopon said, adding that in the early stages only hospitals with resuscitation areas and equipment would be used.

Authorities are planning to vaccinate about 60% of the adult population by the end of 2021, to get closer to "herd immunity".

Critics have accused the government of being opaque in its vaccine strategy and too slow to secure supplies while relying almost entirely on an agreement with AstraZeneca. The government has defended its approach.

The country has a relatively few infections for its population size compared to most countries, with just 80 fatalities and 24,104 infections so far. About 80% of its cases have been detected in the past two months. 

Amid all the confusion about Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccination plans, two things are very clear: People will not start getting inoculated from Valentine’s Day no matter what top government figures said earlier, and the first vaccine to arrive will be China’s CoronaVac. - PBS World

Cupid's arrow but no COVID-19 jab for Thais this Valentine's Day

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Amid all the confusion about Thailand's COVID-19 vaccination plans, two things are very clear: People will not start getting inoculated from Valentine's Day no matter what top government figures said earlier, and the first vaccine to arrive will be China's CoronaVac.

Thailand was hit by COVID-19 more than a year ago, and in the eyes of many observers, the government has been too slow in getting the population inoculated. That judgement seems reasonable given that 138 million doses have already been administered across 73 countries, including Thailand's neighbours Cambodia and Indonesia.

Mounting pressure

Last year, the government signed a purchase order for 26 million doses with AstraZeneca in a deal that also includes knowledge transfer for local pharmaceutical firm Siam Bioscience to produce the vaccine in Thailand.

Most of last year saw few complaints against the government, since COVID-19 infections were well under control. However, when a new outbreak hit the country in December, the pressure quickly mounted.

People began pointing out that the AstraZeneca vaccine was not the only option available.

Then, last month, the government announced it would be ordering 2 million doses of China's CoronaVac and hoped to have the vaccine registered by mid-February.

It also put in an order for an additional 35 million doses from AstraZeneca.

Thailand to start human trials of locally developed COVID-19 vaccine in March

Thailand will begin the first stage of human trials in March of a new COVID-19 vaccine, which has been developed jointly by the Faculty of Tropical Medicine of Mahidol University and the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told the media on Wednesday.

What is CoronaVac?

CoronaVac is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Life Sciences. Phase III data shows CoronaVac has 50.65% overall efficacy following two doses. Meanwhile, clinical trials in Brazil and Turkey show the vaccine being 83.7% effective in preventing severe cases and 100% effective against hospitalisation or death from COVID-19.

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.

Thai corporate giant CP Group also has an interest in CoronaVac via its pharmaceutical arm, Sino Biopharmaceutical, which spent US$515 million in December for a 15% stake in Sinovac Life Sciences' Sinovac Biotech.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation has submitted documents to the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to have CoronaVac registered in Thailand. The documents are still being reviewed, as the vaccine needs to be registered before it can be used.

So far, the AstraZeneca vaccine is the only one registered by Thai authorities to fight COVID-19.

Chinese jab wins race

Over the past few weeks, both CoronaVac and AstraZeneca have been touted as the most likely vaccine to protect the Thai population against the virus. However, the high demand for AstraZeneca vaccines in Europe means CoronaVac has a better hope of arriving in Thailand first. However, that hope was eroded last month with news that the vaccine had not yet been approved in China.

The tide shifted in CoronaVac's favour when Beijing gave its stamp of approval early this month, and the Thai government confirmed that Sinovac will send 2 million doses to Thailand.

The first batch of 200,000 doses will arrive this month, followed by 800,000 doses next month and 1 million in April.

CoronaVac's pending arrival relieves some of the worry over news that the European Union's decision to suspend vaccine exports has delayed AstraZeneca's urgent shipment of 150,000 doses to Thailand.

The government's discussions with China appear to be going more smoothly. On Monday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha received courtesy call from the Chinese Embassy. Chargé d'Affaires Yang Xin wished the PM a happy Chinese New Year and assured him that Sinovac will send its vaccine to Thailand as soon as possible.

CoronaVac in overseas markets

Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey and Chile have approved CoronaVac for emergency use. In ASEAN, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines have also placed orders for the Chinese vaccine.

By Thai PBS World's General Desk 

Covid-19. Where are we now? - Pattaya Mail

Covid-19. Where are we now?

Dr. Iain CornessFebruary 11, 2021

None of the 1406 staff of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya tested positive for COVID-19.

One thousand four hundred and six members of the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya staff were tested for the Covid-19 virus by the Regional Medical Sciences Center 6 Chonburi at the end of January. Patients in the community remembered phase 1 of the pandemic in 2020 which produced the erection of field hospitals in the hospital grounds, so it was obvious that the hospital had been taking the Covid-19 seriously.



The hospital also found some people believed that the hospital must then be harboring the virus and not informing others. Fortunately, nothing could have been further from the truth.

So just how many of the 1,406 staff showed they were carrying the virus? Zero! That is correct, a big fat zero.

So what does that show? It shows that by active surveillance the staff have been adhering to the rules instituted by management, such as screening for Covid-19 before entering the hospital building and that was for all patients as well as every staff member. The chairs have been set to 1.5 meters apart (social distancing). Masks must be worn in the hospital at all times. Hand sanitizing stations are placed throughout the hospital.

Standing items are sanitized regularly by the cleaning team. Staff with potential exposure to the virus are supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE) and hospital levels of medications and equipment are kept high. Short rapid lockdowns have been instituted where required. Travelers coming into Thailand are kept in quarantine for two weeks.

The next step in the Covid-19 saga is immunization of the population. Research laboratories have been working round the clock to produce vaccines that will produce an immune response and allow the world to return to another "normal" situation. In the meantime, final testing is being done on the vaccines so we know exactly what the immune response will be. One jab or two? 

Thailand reports slight increase in new COVID-19 infections - Thai Visa

Thailand reports slight increase in new COVID-19 infections

 

REUTERS FILE PHOTO for reference only

 

Thailand reported 201 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, an increase of 44 from Wednesday.

 

Most of  the new cases were again discovered during testing of migrant workers at quarantine facilities and hospitals in Samut Sakhon.

 

Of the new cases, 185 were local transmissions, while 16 cases were imported from people entering quarantine.

 

Thailand's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) also reported that 885 people were discharged from hospital having made a full recovery, an increase from the 548 who were discharged on Wednesday.

 

4,226 people remain in hospital or held in a migrant worker quarantine centre. No additional deaths were reported. 

 

Thursday's cases bring the total number of COVID-19 infections in Thailand to 24,104 with 80 deaths.  

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