Vendors and workers in Bangkok's Bang Khae Market area receive their first dose of Covid-19 vaccines at Wat Nimmanoradee in Phasicharoen district. The second dose will be administered from April 7 to 11. (Photo by Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Samut Prakan has again emerged as a Covid-19 hotspot after a new cluster of infections was detected among the province's migrant workers, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said on Sunday.
In total, 584 people were placed under close supervision after 17 migrant workers tested positive for Covid-19, DDC's director-general, Opas Karnkawinpong, said yesterday.
Authorities said the initial carrier was a 29-year-old worker from Myanmar, who came in for a test on March 13. After she was found to be infected, the DDC moved to test migrant workers at camps on Soi Sukhumvit 107 and 117 and found 16 more infected workers -- two from Myanmar, four Thais and 10 Cambodians.
"Construction sites have multiple risk factors, such as shared facilities and in this case, the workers violated Covid-19 prevention rules by throwing a party," Dr Opas said.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said 45 local infections were were recorded in hospitals on Sunday, while 36 were found through mass testing, most of who were from Samut Sakhon, for a total of 81 cases.
At present, the CCSA is focusing its efforts on preventing the outbreak that began in Bang Khae from spreading further, as cases found as far as Songkhla and Si Sa Ket have been linked to the cluster.
A further 16 people were found to be infected with Covid-19 after visiting markets in Bang Khae, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases linked to the cluster to 384.
About 2,600 people deemed at risk in Bang Khae have now been inoculated.
To help bolster the availability of hospital beds in the city, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is going to open a second field hospital near Rajpipattana Hospital in Thawi Wattana district.
BMA's first field hospital, a 600-bed facility near Bang Khunthian Hospital, opened on Jan 12.
Meanwhile, a survey carried out by the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University between March 15-18 on 1,155 respondents described the impact Covid-19 has on their savings.
About 47% of respondents said their savings had fallen, while 22.5% said they were in deeper credit card debt.
About 42.6% of respondents borrowed from family members, while 33% sought a bank loan and 27.7% borrowed from friends and close associates, the survey, also known as the Suan Dusit Poll, found.
Many believe that quarantine is strangling Thailand's once-booming foreign tourist industry.
Hopes that relaxation of the country's quarantine rules for overseas visitors will boost international arrivals may be premature. According to government spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the unpopular hotel-based and supervised isolation will be reduced from 14 to 10 days starting April 1.Entrants with a completed vaccination certificate might qualify for 7 days restricted movement, although Thai embassies abroad (which control all applications to visit the country via the mandatory Certificate of Entry) have not yet confirmed that detail.
The beneficial effect in the short term may be minimal. Phumkit Raktaengam, president of the Phuket Tourism Association, said business operators have been discussing the issue with European counterparts and made the unsurprising discovery that the vast majority of tourists will wait until quarantine has completely disappeared from the rule book. A similar remark from a Pattaya Council member warned that international tourism in the city was on its last legs owing to isolation and the publicity surrounding it.
The government's top health committee, chaired by the prime minister, has also suggested that the country could stop enforcing quarantine altogether for some groups from October 1 with a full revival of open-entry international tourism starting in January 2022. But these are aspirations and not policy decisions with ongoing worries about clusters of infection, new virus variants and the halting international progress towards mass vaccination and herd immunity.
If this is your dream idea of a hotel quarantine room, you might be disappointed by what you get.
Thailand continues to struggle with trying to balance the needs of the economy with the safety of its citizens. Unsure of the future, the prime minister's Covid panel has extended the state of emergency for two further months until the end of May. This allows the government to enforce mandatory quarantines and to streamline disease-control without multiple approvals from other national and provincial agencies. Meanwhile, Thailand is in talks with the United States, South Korea and Singapore about limited travel bubbles and future vaccine passport pacts.
Meanwhile, Europe's third wave threatens to spread to the UK with Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning that the ban on foreign holidays, initially scheduled to end mid-May, may well have to be extended throughout the summer. The Times newspaper quoted a government source, "In May we are still going to have a significant proportion of the population still not vaccinated and, of course, children won't be vaccinated either."
UK government advisor Dr Mike Tildesley said there was a danger that new variants could jeopardize the vaccination programme later in the year. He said that it would likely remain illegal for Brits to travel abroad for leisure reasons throughout the summer because of the risk of vacationers bringing back variant bugs on return. The Chinese-based Jing Travel has made a similar point that business travel should have priority over vacations, warning that the Chinese government was not sponsoring group travel outside the country at present. In spite of many predictions, Thailand still does not have a travel bubble or green zone agreement with either China or India, formerly its biggest international tourist markets.
It's looking increasingly likely that the light at the end of the tunnel won't be shining any time soon.
Thailand's bars, clubs and eateries are suffering no matter how you look at them.
The restaurant, 'Aroi Kan Rong Poa', has been legally opened in Banglamung.
The restaurant owner, Ms. Anchalee Chomchuen, 49, told The Pattaya News, "I used to be a Thai traditional actress in Chachoengsao before I moved to Banglamung."
"I had previously opened a restaurant popular with Thais and foreigners, including tourists, but later it was closed due to the Covid – 19 pandemic and resulting lack of customers," Anchalee explained.
"I decided to open a restaurant again but this time a cannabis restaurant, as I identified the strong demand from the public to try legal cannabis dishes. We have a variety of food and drinks including cannabis ingredients. We have obtained all the proper licenses and meet all the proper health department regulations." Anchalee continued.
"The restaurant is open daily from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M The restaurant is located in Baan Rong Poa or you can contact us at 065-592 3982 and 062-463 2338." Anchalee concluded.
Pass through the Ban Rong Poa market before crossing the railway and turning left along the road will find the shop, they can also give directions over the phone in Thai.
Bang Khae cluster of infections increases to 367
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The number of COVID-19 infections linked to the Bang Khae market cluster has increased to 367, with 26 new cases recorded on Friday, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
City health officials discovered the new cases while screening more than 12,000 people. The results of 2,435 other tests are still pending.
Meanwhile, health officials have continued to offer free vaccinations to members of the public in Bang Khae district, for the fourth consecutive day, but the inoculation venue has beenmoved from the Bang Khae market to Nimmanoradee Temple, which is more spacious.
The free inoculation of 1,000 people per day there will end tomorrow, though many more people have shown interest in receiving the vaccination.
Around 10 per cent of low-income Thais fell below the poverty threshold in 2019, according to the latest report by the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).
The new report measures income before the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the economy and household finances.
However, it provides a useful baseline to measure the impact of the pandemic on poorer citizens, with the 2020 survey expected to show a surge in poverty.
The NESDC's income distribution report for 2019 divides low-income Thais into 10 groups according to their income level. The top group earned an average Bt32,663 a month while the poorest earned only Bt2,049 per month.
The NESDC surveys poverty and income distribution every two years.
Thais have spoken up in a new poll saying they want tougher consequences for those who choose to drink and drive again and again. The Suan Dusit Rajabhat University Poll revealed that an overwhelming majority of Thais are in favor of harsher penalties. The survey was conducted on 2,152 participants of all ages and career levels nationwide.
About 94% of respondents favored tougher laws on drunk drivers who continue to break the law.
The poll also indicated that about 87% of respondents believe such repeat offenders should be put in prison without the possiblity of being let out on probation. Over half of the respondents have seen drunk – driving accidents, putting fire on the well – known claims that Thailand has some of the most dangerous roads in the world.
The Justice Ministry's Department of Probation records reveal that 17,584 drunk drivers were placed on court – ordered probation in April 2019. But just 1 year later, that number dropped to 550, as the Covid-19pandemic spurred a nationwide Emergency Decree that included a night – time curfew, bans on alcohol distribution and consumption, and closures of entertainment venues.
Campaigns that aim to educate Thai residents on the dangers of drinking and driving include the push for roadside breathalisers, as experts say using such tests are key to preventing people from driving while intoxicated. But some disagree that campaigns are really doing any good as they say foreign research has revealed that the campaigns are mostly marketing ploys designed by alcoholic beverage producers to increase sales.
According to www.dangerousroads.org, Thailand ranks number 4 worldwide for the most dangerous country in which to drive. The rankings were conducted by gathering traffic-related death rates, which show the annual number of road fatalities per capita per year and per vehicle – in kilometres in countries. The rest of the rankings are as follows:
Barely seven years after it opened, Pattaya Hospital is already falling apart.
Barely seven years after it opened, Pattaya Hospital is already falling apart, and city officials urgently met with the facility's new management to address repairs.
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Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome and his deputies met March 17 with doctors, staff and executives from Chularat Hospital, whichwonthe latest hospital-management contract.
The meeting reviewed deteriorating buildings and equipment and how the new management group planned to find ways to improve and most efficiently manage the hospital's work.
Nothing was left off the table, including facilities, medical treatment, medicine, medical supplies and equipment stocks, medical fees, disbursement, future management, personnel levels and repairs of dilapidated doctors' accommodations.
Mayor Sonthaya Kunplome and his deputies met March 17 with doctors, staff and executives from Chularat Hospital, which won the latest hospital-management contract.
Late and over-budget, Pattaya Hospital fully opened in January 2014 after seven months of outpatient and limited in-patient service.
While Pattaya was already home to four large private hospitals – including the western-standard Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and Pattaya International Hospital – city officials claimed before construction began in 2009 that the city's residents still needed more care than BHP, PIH, Banglamung Hospital and Pattaya MemorialHospital could provide.
The expense was justified by vague claims about the demands of Pattaya's booming tourist numbers, residential development and the need for a facility that provided essential medical services while being esthetically attractive to patients.
Cost, however, was likely a stronger motivating factor: While the two international hospitals provide top-quality service, they are prohibitively expensive to most Thais. Meanwhile, the quality of care at overcrowded Memorial and Banglamung hospitals left many clamoring for an alternative, even one as small and limited as Pattaya Hospital.
The meeting covered facilities, medical treatment, medicine, medical supplies and equipment stocks, medical fees, disbursement, future management, personnel levels and repairs of dilapidated doctors' accommodations.
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Late and over-budget, Pattaya Hospital fully opened in January 2014 after seven months of outpatient and limited in-patient service.
State quarantine for both Thai and foreign arrivals will be shortened to 10 days from 14 starting April 1, as part of the government's ambitious plan to reopen the country from Oct 1.
The plan is part of a three-stage roadmap to relax Covid-19 measures.
Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said yesterday from April 1 to Sept 30, arrivals without a vaccination certificate (VC) and Covid-19 free certificate (CFC) would be quarantined for 10 days, and be tested for the disease twice.
Arrivals with complete 14-day VCs and CFCs would be quarantined for seven days and tested once. Those with VCs but without CFCs would be tested twice.
The 14-day quarantine period would remain in places for arrivals from countries where the Covid-19 virus has mutated, which is a global concern, Dr Taweesilp said.
From Oct 1, quarantine will not be required for some areas in the country under the condition that that over 70% of health workers in the area have been vaccinated and people who are likely to be in contact with at-risk people have received the vaccine. Initially, arrivals to those areas must come from low-risk countries.
Dr Taweesilp said the CCSA yesterday approved the three-stage roadmap covering zoning, vaccination and quarantine, aimed at returning the country to normalcy from Oct 1.
The CCSA also agreed to extend the emergency decree for two more months to the end of May.
For the zoning roadmap, from April 1 to June 30, Samut Sakhon province, which is now categorised as a maximum and strict control area or "red zone" will be changed to a control area, known as an "orange zone".
Currently, there are eight orange zone provinces. They are Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Tak, and Ratchaburi.
Most provinces, or 54 in the country, are now under surveillance or "green zones" where most businesses are allowed to operate as normal but with limits on how many people can gather.
In the second stage which covers the period from July 1 to Sept 30, all provinces in the country should return to the "new normal", meaning that some activities would may be still restricted and social-distancing rules will remain.
For vaccinations, from April 1 to June 30, two million Covid-19 vaccine doses of Sinovac are due to arrive in the country.
Vaccinations will be given to healthcare workers, people with congenital diseases, people aged 60 years and over, and disease control staff who are likely to be in contact with Covid-19 patients.
Some 26 million vaccine doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are scheduled to arrive to Thailand in the second stage of July 1 to Sept 30.
The jabs will be given to people in the tourism sector, people who travel frequently such as pilots; cabin crew and businessmen, the general public, diplomats and workers in industrial and service sectors.
In addition, 35 million more doses are to arrive in the third stage which begins on Oct 1.
From April 1 to June 30, people in quarantine will be allowed to exercise in fitness rooms and outdoors, swim, cycle in closed areas and buy food from outside.From Oct 1(the third stage), inbound travellers are required to have only documentation of their Covid-19 negative status with them.
The latest news is bound to exasperate potential tourists thinking of visiting Thailand after October 1st as Friday's announcement has created more confusion than clarity as to what will happen after that date. The government has also announced shorter quarantine periods from April 1stwith 10 days for unvaccinated visitors and 7 days for those with vaccine certificates.
An announcement by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Friday that Thailand is to reopen to tourists from October 1st next without quarantine has been tempered somewhat after it was revealed by the body that 'bubble and seal' measures will be deployed at tourist destinations and transport facilities after that date.
The announcement by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has caused some confusion as foreigners seek further information on what 'bubble and seal' measures will mean fearing it could just be quarantine under another name after October 1st and without clarification either on when the controlled regime for entering Thailand will cease.
On Friday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration confirmed that Thailand will be reopening for foreign tourists without quarantine from October 1st.
However, Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin of the CCSA explained that the kingdom's authorities would be deploying 'close observation' devices thought to mean tracking apps and what he termed 'bubble and seal' measures which will be in force at airports, tourist destinations and communities nearby.
'Seal and bubble' measures in Samut Sakhon province recently saw workers in local factories being denied permission to leave their workplaces there
It is not clear what these measures entail as of yet. However, Thai public health officials have used the term 'bubble and seal' in relation to measures recently to curb the Covid-19 infection rate within the hard-hit Samut Sakhon province. These involved confining workers to factories for extended periods.
At the time, Deputy Spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Natapanu Nopakun referred to this as providing accommodation to workers within factories and preventing them from leaving the premises.
In the last 48 hours, Thailand announced that the outbreak in Samut Sakhon has been brought under control and that it is no longer a Red Zone for the infection, the last such designation within the country caused by the second wave of the virus.
Shorter quarantine periods were confirmed
Dr Taweesilp also announced that from April 1st to September 30th, quarantine on arrival would be reduced from 14 days to 10 days to incoming passengers without a vaccine certificate and Covid-19 free certificate.
The visitor would still be subject to Covid-19 testing during this period with one test for those with a Covid-19 free certificate on entry and two for those without.
It is also proposed that quarantine within hotels for such visitors be eased to allow hotels guests access to certain amenities including gyms and swimming pools.
Guests will also be allowed access to controlled areas in their locality for exercise and shopping.
From July 1st, quarantined guests will be able to access restaurants within hotels and massage
From July 1st to September 30th, this flexibility will be extended to include hotel restaurants and hotel massage facilities.
Dr Taweesilp confirmed that the quarantine period for people with a vaccine certificate will be scaled back to 7 days from April 1st with one or two tests after arrival depending on whether they arrive with a Covid-19 free certificate or not.
Thai PM announced a new more robust and positive approach to the kingdom's vaccination campaign
Following last Tuesday's inoculation of the Thai cabinet and the Prime Minister at Government House, General Prayut took many observers by surprise by reversing government policy and easing access to vaccine products for the private sector and groups wishing to vaccinate local employees or community.
He signalled a more robust and confident approach to handling the vaccination process similar to the successful approach undertaken in the United Kingdom where over 24 million people have already been vaccinated and 1.6 million have received a second dose.
'We urge the Public Health Ministry to allow hospitals to import Covid-19 vaccines without waiting for the government's approval, as we aim to vaccinate 10 million people per month,' said General Prayut.
Success of the United Kingdom's programme based on opening up access to the private sector and nationwide availability through the NHS
The success in the United Kingdom has been achieved by opening up the programme to the private sector including the involvement of supermarket chains and making vaccine doses as easy as possible for the public to access through the country's NHS or National Health Service which operates all hospitals.
The announcement by Prime Minister Prayut this week was a direct reversal of emergency regulations issued by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Public Health to control access to the vaccine some weeks ago.
This order prohibited any foreign manufacturer from discussing the sale of vaccine products with customers in Thailand except the central government and banned importation by such parties.
Question regarding certificate of entry operated through embassies and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Amidst the flurry of announcements today, there is still the key question of the system being operated via Royal Thai Embassies worldwide where visitors must obtain a Certificate of Entry to visit Thailand and emergency provisions regulating commercial air flights into the kingdom.
The laborious and tortuous nature of the process will certainly hinder Thailand's prospects of achieving foreign tourist numbers at anything like the scale seen in previous years.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration today announced another extension of the emergency decree until May 31st which governs such provisions.
Speculation on an end to the Emergency Decree
There had been speculation that it may expire before a full reopening on October 1stbut today's announcement regarding bubble and seal measures being deployed at tourist destinations appears to suggest otherwise although such measures may be possible under the 2015 Communicable Disease Act which allows for local quarantine measures.
The government's quarantine measures have been disastrous for the foreign tourism industry in Thailand.
The current controlled and highly restrictive regime saw a loss of 99.8% in visitor numbers in January this year compared to last.
'Bubble and Seal' measures require clarification
A survey by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) last year also showed that 84% of potential foreign tourists would rule out any location which specifies any quarantine measures.
Pending clarification of the 'bubble and seal' measures proposed by the government, today's announcement will be a disappointment to many foreign tourists, especially from western countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia planning their return to the Land of Smiles at the end of the year.
