Thailand News - Corona - By Ola J. - Palmtree

Scanners blamed for Chula Covid cluster

The number of Covid-19 infections at Chulalongkorn University has risen to 22, with 13 of them being security guards.

Officials have since taken samples from 20 suspected locations in the university and found traces of the virus at face and finger scanners used by security guards to check in for duty.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said the cluster, especially the virus traces found on finger scanners, emphasised the need for frequent hand washing.

"The security guards shared the same workplace, training grounds and finger scanners where the disease was found, and also had meals together," Dr Taweesilp said about the cluster whose first case was detected on Jan 29.

"This group of people also transmitted the disease to five relatives."

In other Covid developments yesterday, Chiang Mai began imposing travel restrictions on people arriving from Pathum Thani and from the Mae Sot border district of Tak.

From now on those visitors must register with Chiang Mai's Covid-19 tracking system "CM-CHANA", download and install the government's Mor Chana location-tracking app on their mobile phones, report on arrival to local disease-control authorities, and either do 14-day home quarantine or get tested for Covid-19, said provincial governor Charoen Sanguansat.

Pathum Thani had previously recorded 48 new Covid-19 infections, prompting two fresh markets to be shut from last Friday until Feb 25, during which both Pornpat and Suchart markets are being fully disinfected.

The closure also covers commercial buildings near the two markets, on the Rangsit-Pathum Thani 17 road and on Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok 19, 21, 23, 25 and 27 roads, said Pathum Thani governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum.

Pol Lt Gen Sophon Phisutthiwong, deputy Bangkok governor and director of the capital's Covid-19 situation administration centre, has ordered five districts of Bangkok bordering Pathum Thani -- Don Muang, Sai Mai, Bang Khen and Klong Sam Wa and Lak Si -- to step up Covid-19 prevention measures.

It follows news that a medical student at Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, last Saturday contracted Covid-19 from a patient at Thammasat University Hospital.

The student was one of seven people who came into contact with the patient and had been tracked down, said Assoc Prof Dr Dilok Piyayotai, dean of the university's Faculty of Medicine.

He added that 47 people in total had come into contact with the infected patient, of whom 42 people had been cleared of infection and the other five were still awaiting their results.

The government recorded 72 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, raising the accumulated total to 24,786 since the start of the pandemic.

No new deaths were reported, leaving the toll at 82.

Tuesday, 16 February 2021, 18:09

Thai Airways plans to transport first 200,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines from China's Sinovac on February 24th

Tuesday, 16 February 2021, 18:09

National –

Thai Airways International is preparing to air transport the first 200,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Sinovac Biotech in China to Bangkok's Suvannabhumi Airport on February 24th.

Thai Airways chairman Chaiyapruk Didyasarin told reporters today, February 16th, that Thailand's first lot of the coronavirus vaccine will be carried from the people's Republic of China via an Airbus A350-900 aircraft on a TG 675 cargo flight on the route of Beijing – Bangkok on February 24th, 2021, at 06:50 hours (local time) and will arrive in Bangkok at 11:05 hours on the same day at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Prior to the transport operation, the airline has planned and adjusted the aircraft in line with required aspects of vaccine air transportation, including providing a specially-designed cargo container in the aircraft with temperature-controlled installation, in which the temperature can be adjusted between -20 to 20 degrees Celsius.

The Chairman stated: "The installation is being supervised by mechanic personnel with expertise in transporting and handling temperature-controlled products in order to maintain the best quality of vaccines and pharmaceuticals throughout the delivery. We will make sure that the transport standards will be certified with the GDP (Good Distribution Practice) standards in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organization."

"Thai Airways is very proud to be a part of this national mission for Thailand and Thai people. We will do our best to support medical and public health activities to alleviate the pandemic situation of Covid-19 that can also resolve the national economy, tourism industry, and Thai society as a whole."

2021-02-16T10:17:25Z

Posted 5 minutes ago

2 More Cases with African COVID

BANGKOK, Feb 16 (TNA) – Thailand logged two more cases of the South African variant of COVID-19.

During a discussion on COVID-19 mutation, Assist Prof Dr Opass Putcharoen, chief of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital's Center of Emerging Infectious Diseases, said two more Thai returnees were confirmed with the South African variant of COVID-19, raising the total of cases with the variant to three.

The new cases were being included in the government's database on COVID-19 cases, he said while calling for serious measures to control the variant in the country.

Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-638253

Ambassadör Jon Åström Gröndahls månadsbrev

16 feb 2021

Till alla svenskar i Thailand

Photo: Korawut Neeparn

Kära alla,

Nu har det redan hunnit bli mitten av februari och jag måste säga att det känns som om tiden rusar fram. Efter jul- och nyårsperioden var min plan att börja resa runt i Thailand, men så tog smittspridningen av COVID-19 lite fart igen och nya restriktioner infördes. Jag har därför varit kvar i Bangkok och fortsatt med olika video- och telefonkonferenser istället, bland annat med flera av våra konsulat.

De thailändska myndigheternas snabba agerande är onekligen imponerande. Det tycks som att man i stort sett fått bukt med utbrottet, även om osvuret nog är bäst även denna gång. Restriktionerna börjar dock lyftas och här i Bangkok har till exempel skolorna öppnat igen, vilket underlättar mycket för inte minst barnfamiljer. Även ambassaden är sedan förra veckan tillbaka i normala arbetsrutiner efter en månad med hemarbete för många. Senaste tiden har återigen visat oss hur denna pandemi långt ifrån är över och hur viktigt det är att inte tappa vaksamheten.

Vi är många som hoppas på att snart kunna vaccineras, men det verkar dröja ännu ett tag innan det blir möjligt. I Sverige erbjuds alla boende (dvs även utlänningar som är folkbokförda i vårt land) vaccinering. Jag hoppas och tror att det omvända kommer att gälla i Thailand och de uttalanden som gjorts hittills pekar på det. Frågan om när i tid det kan ske är däremot mer oklar. Min bedömning nu är att en större vaccinationskampanj i Thailand sannolikt inte kommer att kunna starta förrän tidigast vid halvårsskiftet. Jag tror också att olika reserestriktioner kommer att fortsätta, inklusive kravet på karantän vid inresa i Thailand, oavsett vaccinering eller ej. Den som är vaccinerad kan ju vara bärare av virus och sprida vidare, även om man känner sig frisk, och just karantän har uppenbarligen visat sig vara effektivt för att hindra smittan att ta sig in i landet. Jag vill också passa på att informera om Utrikesdepartementets beslut nyligen om att förlänga avrådan vad gäller icke nödvändiga resor till Thailand (och alla andra länder utanför EU/EES/Schengenområdet) till åtminstone den 15 april.

Utöver Thailand ansvarar ambassaden också för våra diplomatiska relationer med Laos och Myanmar. I Myanmar har vi haft en dramatisk utveckling den senaste tiden som tagit mycket tid och kraft i anspråk, inte minst för vår personal på plats vid sektionskansliet i Yangon. Den 1 februari grep militären makten i en statskupp och sedan dess präglas landet av stor osäkerhet. Den tidigare regeringen har avsatts och många politiska företrädare har arresterats, däribland Aung San Suu Kyi. FN, EU och Sverige med flera andra har reagerat starkt mot kuppen och uppmanat militären att låta landet återgå till ett civilt styre och släppa de som frihetsberövats. Stora demonstrationer ses över flera delar landet och motståndet tycks öka. Vi står i nära kontakt med de allra flesta av de svenskar (ett femtiotal) som befinner sig i Myanmar och ser löpande över vår konsulära beredskapsplanering. Detsamma gäller vår egen närvaro och vårt utvecklingssamarbete med landet. De närmaste veckorna blir mycket viktiga för Myanmar och de vägval som görs nu kommer att prägla utvecklingen för en lång tid.

Även den politiska utvecklingen i Thailand följs noga av ambassaden. De tidigare stora studentdemonstrationerna har minskat i jämförelse med i höstas, men reformkraven kvarstår och behovet av dialog likaså. Vi ser också en fortsatt tillämpning av de mycket hårda thailändska majestätsbrottslagarna, där en person nyligen dömdes till över 43 års fängelse efter att ha spridit material som bedömdes vara i strid med lagstiftningen. Jag och flera av mina EU-kollegor har också haft möte med thailändska UD i denna fråga nyligen.

Som ett led i att uppmärksamma den internationella kvinnodagen den 8 mars arrangerar vi, tillsammans med Thailands ambassad i Stockholm, en fototävling på temat stärkande av kvinnors ställning och jämställdhet. Bland mycket annat den närmaste tiden kommer vi också att delta i ett seminarium om fackliga rättigheter, besöka flera av FN:s olika organisationer och fortsätta arbeta nära Business Sweden i uppdraget att främja svenska företag. Inom utvecklingssamarbetet och dess regionala strategi kan nämnas att ytterligare 100 miljoner nu tillförts för att stärka arbetet med demokrati, mänskliga rättigheter och rättsstatens principer. Det är ett särskilt viktigt tillskott i ljuset av den negativa påverkan som COVID-19 haft inom dessa områden.

Ytterligare en positiv nyhet är att Sweden Space Corporation (SSC) stärker sitt fotavtryck i regionen genom att etablera ett dotterbolag i Space Krenovation park i Chonburi. SCC har varit aktiva i Thailand i över 10 år och blir därmed det första internationella bolag i den branschen att etablera sig i Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

Jag har också flera möten inplanerade med thailändska företrädare, bland annat med premiärminister Prayuth Chan-o-cha om ett par veckor. Lite längre fram, i mitten av mars, kommer jag tillsammans med mina nordiska kollegor att besöka Chiang Mai och bland annat träffa guvernören och ha möten med universitetet. På det nordiska temat har arbete också inletts med att förbereda för en nordisk filmfestival, som vi hoppas kan äga rum i början av juni månad.

Jag önskar alla en fortsatt fin thailändsk vinter!

/Jon

Senast uppdaterad 16 feb 2021, 15.06

'Tourism provinces' not included in first roll out of COVID-19 vaccine in Thailand

File photo for reference only

A spokesman for the CCSA Covid authority claimed that tourism provinces figured greatly in plans for vaccination.

Yet this came after they were virtually ignored in the first round of vaccination.

Yesterday it was confirmed that in the initial rollout from February to April only ten provinces would get a look in.

Phuket and Surat Thai - where Koh Samui is suffering greatly - were not in the plans at all. Neither was Krabi.

Rayong, Chonburi (Pattaya province), Trat (Koh Chang) and Chantaburi were included. But in these provinces only medical personnel and those treating and in close contact with Covid people would be vaccinated.

Only in three provinces including Bangkok - admittedly a tourist center - would people with chronic heath conditions and over 60s get a jab.

The others were Tak in the north west and Samut Sakhon - both areas of outbreaks but hardly tourism centers.

Yet yesterday Apisamai Srirangsan of the CCSA responding to questions from the Thai press said:

"Tourism provinces are part of the (vaccination) plan for sure"

"The CCSA," she further claimed, "gives importance to tourism as a key (economic) driver of the country".

In the light of her comments tourism businesses in the south as well as the eastern seaboard and Chiang Mai are likely to be asking:

If we're so important why will we have to wait until June?

Dr Apisamai said that medical personnel will be jabbed from February to May (not April as previously stated in the media) and only from June to December will a wider rollout be mounted.

February 16, 2021

Quarantine rules mean tourists will avoid Thailand now

February 16, 2021

Thailand's tourism and sports minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn admitted the obvious, that confining tourists to their room 24/7 for 14 days was never going to inspire foreigners to come to Thailand.

But he thought that if foreign tourists were holed up in their resorts for two weeks they would be happy with that.

He will also eventually have to admit that he is wrong about this too.

And he also suggested that Phuket will be the guinea pig for the opening up to foreign tourists.

The minister's comments come after widespread criticism from the foreign community to the Thais' "seal and safe" plans.

Pipat was speaking to Manager in Chachoengsao where he presided over the opening of a new market attraction. He was on his way to the mobile cabinet meeting in Rayong yesterday.

In a brief interview he reaffirmed his plans to open up Thailand to foreigners post pandemic though with some caveats.

He said that PM Prayut Chan-ocha had told him to concentrate on Thai domestic tourism first and he urged Thais to take advantage of the promotions and stimulus packages.

Although recent reports suggest this has also failed, with Thais only applying for less than 20% of the 5 MILLION so called 'special deals' on offer.

He said he would be surveying the locals about their feelings of having foreigners in their midst once again.

The plan at present is to have 14 days quarantine in resorts before a further period of 7 days when Covid-19 tests would be carried out and tourists would be allowed to move around the province.

Only after that would they be permitted to travel freely to other provinces.

Then came his comments about foreigners not being happy with being cooped up in their room all day but happy to be allowed to wander round resorts.

Earlier reports suggested that this arrangement might attract 2 million foreigners by March – an idea roundly mocked and ridiculed by foreigners online.

Posters online suggested that few foreigners were likely to want to come to Thailand for a long quarantine period, have further restrictions on their travel then perhaps go home to face more quarantine.

Few would even have the time for that. Some who were able to have long holidays might agree but their numbers would be limited, netizens said.

Many said that the plans were a "pipe dream" and the Thais were kidding themselves if they thought 2 million would accept such draconian restrictions. – Manager

February 16, 2021

Beware the Fake Sim Card Scam in Thailand

Thousands of people in Thailand have fallen for yet another SCAM. This time it is through the online sale of fake SIM cards.

February 16, 2021

It is thought that over 9000 people bought SIM cards through Facebook adverts that were offering ONE-YEAR'S unlimited internet data access for only 999 Baht.

Victims have now filed a complaint with the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) claiming to have lost over NINE Million baht.

The seller promised that the 'god sim' card provided unlimited 10 Mbps internet and unlimited call time for twelve-months.

One victim explained that the Facebook group, called the IMPORT GROUP, sold many items and their most popular was the God SIM card. The page was offering buy one and get one free deals with two major mobile networks in Thailand.

Similar, and genuine, deals are usually priced at around 1500 baht and so thousands bought into the 'special offer' on Facebook.

Money was transferred into the seller's bank account but nobody ever received their God SIM card as advertised.

Some did receive cards that did not work and customers always found themselves blocked from the page group as soon as they transferred their cash.

It is thought this was a deliberate tactic to prevent negative comments and questions appearing that would warn others.

The page, that had been bought from another user, was established in February 2017 and had 30,000 followers who all received the bogus Sim Card adverts.

Thailand may INCREASE quarantine for some travellers

Picture: Daily News

Thailand is considering increasing the length of time some travellers will be required to spend in quarantine, the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on Monday.

According to CCSA spokesperson, Dr Apisamai Srirangsan, the proposal is to help limit the spread of the more contagious South African strain of the coronavirus.

On Sunday, Thailand reported its first case of the South African strain, confirmed in a Thai national who had recently entered quarantine having travelled back from Tanzania.

Dr Apisamai said the CCSA is considering increasing mandatory quarantine from 14 to 21 days for people who travel from "high risk countries" or for those who later test positive for the South Afriacn strain of the virus.

The proposed increase in quarantine will initially apply to people travelling to Thailand from Africa, but could also be applied to other travellers from elsewhere.

While Dr Apisamai didn't state exactly which other countries are considered "high risk", Thai news site Daily News, reported that the more contagious variant is prevalent in many European countries, including the United Kingdom, Belgium and Switzerland and has also been found in Australia and the United States.

Detta kanske passar bättre i Avdelningen För Värdelöst Vetande men här kommer det ändå:

After the completion of the sale of Tesco Lotus, the popular supermarket has started to rebrand their stores with new vibrant colors and a new name - Lotus's. Yes, I know. The Lotus Express stores will also be renamed as Lotus's Go Fresh.

Executives say that the extra S in Lotus's stands for SMART (Simple, Motivate, Agile, Responsible, transformative). Don't ask. I have no ideas what that means either!

- Richard Barrows

Source: Lotus's -โลตัส ภายใต้กลุ่ม CP เปลี่ยนชื่อและโลโก้ใหม่ สีสันสดใส https://brandinside.asia/lotus-new-logo-under-cp/ #Thailand

First Covid shots by month-end, says Anutin

Anutin: Jabs to be shipped Feb 20

The first Covid-19 vaccine shots in Thailand will begin by the end of this month as the first 200,000 doses of China's Sinovac vaccine are scheduled to arrive on Feb 24, the government said on Monday.

At most, three days will be required for the final inspection of the imported vaccines before vaccinations actually begin, it added.

China's Sinovac Biotech had confirmed that production of 200,000 doses for Thailand with the vaccines ready for shipment on Feb 20, said Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Monday.

The Department of Medical Sciences will then inspect the vaccines one last time to ensure the delivered product meets standards and are as effective as declared to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he added.

"The inoculation programme will begin right away after the department confirms the vaccine is good to go," he said.

Department of Disease Control general-director Opas Karnkawinpong said the final inspection of the imported vaccine, termed as lot release, will take two to three days at most.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the first lot of vaccine arrives and is administered to at-risk groups, the second batch of 800,000 doses and the third batch of one million doses will follow.

These batches will be administered as the second shot for people who have already received their first jab and as the first shot for others, he said.

Migrant workers will be another group to be given priority in the vaccination programme, other than frontline healthcare workers and the people with underlying health conditions, he said.

As there still won't be enough jabs for everyone, social distancing and mask wearing will continue to be important Covid-prevention measures, he said.

Twenty-six million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine by AstraZeneca will arrive some time between May and June and another 35 million doses will then follow, said the premier.

While a similar Covid-19 vaccine by Johnson & Johnson is still pending FDA registration for emergency use in Thailand, the government is also in talks with Moderna Inc and Pfizer over the registration of their vaccines for use here, said Gen Prayut.

FDA secretary-general Paisarn Dunkum confirmed the registration of the Sinovac shot will we done on time.

Johnson & Johnson was supplying more documentation to support its request for the registration of its Covid-19 vaccine, while Moderna had enquired about the vaccination registration process, said Dr Paisarn.

From this month until around May, the Covid-19 vaccine will be administered to healthcare workers and at-risk groups in areas where the outbreak situation is rated as critical, said Dr Apisamai Srirangson, assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

And later from June until December, the vaccination programme will cover more groups of people, especially those living in popular tourist destinations, she said.