The chief of the Thai Hoteliers' Association has said that there are good signs for hotel occupancy in Hua Hin and Pattaya at Songkran thanks to their proximity to Bangkok.
Occupancy rates at Songkran among Thai tourists will be 50-70% in the two coastal cities though beachfront locations will get the most visitors, said Marisa Sukosonnunphakdee.
Regarding foreign tourists she refused to be drawn on making predictions to the Thai media saying that the demand for 7 and ten day quarantine packages for vaccinated and non-vaccinated tourists in the coming months will be a "wait and see" for the THA.
Much will depend on what the government does, she said, apearing to reference local vaccine rollouts.
But one place that was of particular concern for the THA now was Chiang Mai where she said there were no positive signs at all.
Bangkokians and other Thais did not want to go there as not only was it very hot and obviously not on the coast but the city was suffering from well publicized pollution after severe fires.
She said that future strategies about how to help Chiang Mai recover would be just that - dealt with in the future.
For now Chiang Mai was suffering and there was no immediate end in sight.
CHONBURI (NNT) - Pattaya city has begun administering a second batch of vaccinations to frontline workers and medical personnel with plans to inoculate all 100 percent of its population as one of five destinations marked by the government to receive foreign tourists.
Pattaya Hospital administered 285 doses shared with it from Chonburi's 20,000 doses on April 2.
A total of 175 doses were given to medical personne, while 47 were provided to immigration authorities and 63 to frontline workers. A second dose will be given to the individuals on April 23.
Once all frontline workers are vaccinated, Pattaya aims to provide inoculations to 100 percent of its population so that it can become one of five destinations chosen by the government to welcome international visitors.
Mayor of Pattaya Sonthaya Khunpleum, has indicated the city is ready to be one of the five destinations, noting it hasn't recorded any strong reaction among those receiving a vaccination so far.
Sophon Cable TV reported that the Pattaya police were setting up checkpoints on the roads after stopping this activity for more than a year because of the pandemic.
They didn't want there to be gatherings of people potentially spreading the virus. But now they are back after the moratorium was lifted on April 1st.
These are the new "transparent" checkpoints ordered by RTP chief Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk, notes Thaivisa.
Officers must have CCTV bodycams and there must be CCTV in the area of the checkpoints recording everything. These will apply at traffic stops for minor infringements, alcohol checkpoints, vehicle emission checks and crime stops.
Sophon went to one yesterday in Chalermprakiat Soi 18, Pattaya Sai 3, where Pol Captain Dusadee Janphitak was in charge of ten officers.
Picture: Sophon Cable TV
The captain reported widespread lawbreaking on the roads with many people having no licences, no helmets, no third party insurance extension and also no face masks - he noted that was very bad too.
He said that checkpoints will be set up in the late morning looking out for ten misdemeanours and then late at night for DUI violations.
He called for people to start following the traffic laws. Just because there is a clear road it was no excuse to go speeding, and not wear helmets and seatbelts.
And not having the tax and "phor ror bor" (insurance) updated would cause problems if you had an accident.
Thailand is bracing for its heaviest rainfall in more than three decades, with the country set for an early start to this year's wet season.
The Meteorological Department has warned that from early May, the average rainfall would be the highest in more than 30 years.
Officials at the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) have instructed relevant agencies to be prepared for the rainfall, and ensure that reservoirs and irrigation systems are working properly.
As of March 31, large and medium reservoirs throughout the country were at 50 percent capacity.
The four main dams on the Chao Phraya River (Bhumibol Dam, Sirikit Dam, Khwae Noi Bamrung Dan Dam, and PaSak Choalasit Dam) have a total water volume of approximately 9,417 million cubic metres, or 38 per cent of the reservoir capacity, with approximately 2,748 million cubic metres of usable water.
Water management for 2020-21 is currently operating as expected, Manager reported, with enough to supply the remainder of the dry season.
Thai baht is worst performing currency in Southeast Asia
Lack of tourist spending erodes fundamentals during first quarter
BANGKOK -- The Thai baht was the worst performer among commonly traded Southeast Asian currencies during the first quarter, as its fundamentals were eroded due to lack of tourist spending.
The baht depreciated 4% against the U.S. dollar to 31.24, according to Refinitiv data. The fall stood out from regional peers, which also were in decline.
On Wednesday, the baht reached the cheapest level in roughly half a year.
The kingdom's weakening fundamentals led to the drop. Thailand's current account turned to a deficit of $1.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020 from a surplus of $6.6 billion in the third quarter and $11.5 billion in the same period in the previous year. It was the first time Southeast Asia's second largest economy has recorded a deficit since the third quarter of 2014, according to the Bank of Thailand.
Service receipts from tourists plunged to $742 million, only 5% of the same period a year ago, because of border closures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Previously, Thailand's stable current account surplus, backed by steady tourist inflow, supported the currency.
Starting April, Thailand will shorten its mandatory quarantine from 14 days to 10 days to revive tourist inflow and spending. The government also will conduct a "sandbox experiment" at Phuket island to welcome tourists without any isolation period.
However, uncertainties remain. "Exporters and importers, as well as investors, are still unsure if the government's effort will salvage the economy," said a sales trader from a commercial bank.
The fall was also magnified by a seasonal factor. Local affiliates of large Japanese companies repatriated some of their cash before Japan's fiscal year closed in March. The seasonal trading habit has become less active as corporate management became more globalized, but still affects the market.
The depreciation at the current pace may not cause a headache for the government. When the baht hit a seven-year high in December, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's cabinet was concerned about the adverse impact on industrial exports.
In November, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the central bank has the necessary policy tools to handle the strengthening of the baht. The central bank had liberalized foreign currency deposits, and increased the investment limit for Thai retail investors to buy into foreign securities to $5 million from $200,000. "The recent fall is not as fast nor large enough for the government to reverse such measures," said the trader.
Among other regional peers, the Indonesian rupiah and Malaysian ringgit fell 3.4% and 3.1% respectively in the first quarter. The Singaporean dollar and Philippine peso also fell over 1%, while the Vietnamese dong remained virtually flat.
The Myanmar kyat, a rarely traded currency in the region, recorded a 5.6% drop during the quarter after the Feb. 1 military coup plunged the country's economy and financial sector into uncertainty.
The Refinitiv data showed that the Myanmar kyat has not changed hands in the currency spot market since Feb. 11.
Cabin crew walk past a statue wearing a face mask at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok during the pandemic. Wichan Charoenkiatpakul
The Tourism and Sports Ministry is considering offering free cross-provincial flights for foreign tourists after airline workers are approved for Covid-19 inoculation this week.
"From July 1, inoculated tourists exempt from quarantine might be tempted to extend their stay here after spending 10 days in Phuket if we can provide them free or discounted air tickets to other provinces," said Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.
He said the ministry already discussed the plan with Bangkok Airways, the owner and operator of Samui airport, as that island has the potential to accommodate tourists.
This effort is meant to attract 100,000 foreign tourists during the first three months of Phuket's sandbox initiative, said Mr Phiphat.
As Phuket is scheduled to reopen from July, which is the monsoon season for the Andaman Sea, this offer could appeal to tourists who complete the entry procedure in Phuket, he said.
Speaking at a Thai Hotels Association meeting on Thursday, Mr Phiphat asked hoteliers to join this scheme by offering special packages to tourists who want to spend longer than 10 days in Thailand.
He said if the pairing with Samui generates revenue for nearby communities such as Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, other destinations can follow suit, such as Pattaya, close to U-tapao airport, and Chiang Mai.
Thailand set an ambitious goal to bring in another 6.4 million tourists in the final quarter this year when five more areas -- Krabi, Samui, Pattaya, Phangnga and Chiang Mai -- join the tourism sandbox, but Mr Phiphat said the plan won't be complete if Bangkok is not included.
"The six tourism provinces in the planned sandbox plus Bangkok generate 80% of tourism revenue. Bangkok should be the next destination added, with a goal to administer 20 million doses by September to ensure a safe reopening for both tourists and local communities," he said.
The plan to let inoculated tourists fly across provinces is in tandem with the vaccination programme for airline employees, which the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announced on Tuesday.
Woranate Laprabang, chief executive of Thai Vietjet (TVJ), said the Covid-19 vaccine allotment for airlines will strengthen tourism confidence among foreign and Thai travellers.
In addition to vaccines, TVJ is engaging in the International Air Transport Association travel pass project, a travel certificate system. It expects to try the application on semi-commercial flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok in June.
Santisuk Klongchaiya, chief executive of Thai AirAsia, said the airline is ready to offer discounted prices on cross-provincial routes for guests in the tourism sandbox, if they are confident enough to visit provinces that haven't achieved herd immunity.
"We may offer free or discounted tickets, but we have to ensure tourists are confident to travel," he said.
PHUKET: Mass vaccinations against COVID-19 have begun in Phuket, with some 3,000 people expected to have received their first injection of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine "CoronaVac" at the Indoor Sports Stadium at Saphan Hin today (Apr 1).
The mass-vaccination launch today came less than 24 hours after 50,000 doses of the CoronaVac vaccine arrived on the islandyesterday.
Present at Saphan Hin this morning to oversee the launch of the mass-vaccination campaign were Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, along with Vice Governors Pichet Panapong and Piyapong Choowong, and Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Ruktaengam.
All people arriving to receive their first vaccination injection were required to wear face masks and had their body temperatures checked before being allowed into the main area of the facility.
Those vaccinated today were from five main target groups: medical personnel, risk group staff, people who work with direct interaction with the public, chronic disease patients and rescue workers.
Governor Narong repeated that the goal was to administer the first vaccine injection to 50,000 people within the next seven days, "before Songkran".
"I expect that today we will be able to vaccinate about 3,000 people in the key target groups at the stadium. If we combined the numbers of vaccinated people from the other four venues, the total number will be about 7,000 people per day," he said.
The second injection will be provided after the next mass delivery of vaccine doses arrive, he added.
This was required "because if you are going to vaccinate to build a group immunity, Phuket Province must vaccinate 70% of the population, or about 460,000 people, which requires approximately 920,000 to 930,000 doses of the vaccine, before we can open to receive fully vaccinated tourists," he said.
"It is a very big challenge, but the government is ready to support Phuket as a pilot province," he added.
To roll out the mass-vaccination campaign, five "vaccination service centres" have been set up across the island. The five locations are located at:
Phuket International Airport, the new extension building
Jungceylon shopping center, Patong
Angsana Laguna Phuket resort in Bang Tao, Cherng Talay
The Indoor Sports Centre at Saphan Hin
Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa Hotel in Karon
The vaccination centres are open each day from 8:30am to 4pm.
People arriving to be vaccinated must proceed through eight steps:
Weight, height and blood pressure is measured
Confirmation that the person is eligible for vaccination.
Registration, screening
Recording of medical history
Waiting for the vaccination injection
Receiving the vaccination injection
Update the recipient's hospital records
Wait 30 minutes to observe for any reaction to the vaccine.
If no adverse reactions are found, the recipient will be allowed to go home by permission of a doctor and an appointment will be made to receive the second "booster" injection.
Those who received injections today will be required to receive their second injection some time from April 22-30, officials at the centre explained.
Governor Narong urged people to register to receive vaccinations through the online form posted here.
Despite the explanation yesterday that no walk-in registrations are being accepted at this time, Governor Narong today clearly said, "Or do not have [access to the] internet, you can walk in to register at the district health promotion hospital near you, or contact the village headman in your area."
Phuket Airport prepares for international visitors
PHUKET: Phuket International Airport has begun preparations to receive overseas visitors as the island strives to reinvigorate its tourism industry following the government's confirmation of relaxed quarantine conditions, effective today (Apr 1).
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew and Vice Governor Pichet Pananpong visited the X terminal today to oversee the extensive vaccination process of all staff, mandatory to install confidence to all overseas visitors.
Additionally, it was confirmed yesterday (Mar 31) that two flights from Germany will be arriving on the island this and next month as part of the international terminal's "reopening".
Non Klintha, Executive Vice President of Thai Airways International, revealed that the airline is opening two direct flights from Frankfurt to Phuket in April and May.
The flights are TG921 which will depart Frankfurt at 2:45pm local time on April 2 and arrive in Phuket at 7:10am the following day. The other flight, with identical timings, will be on May 7, arriving in Phuket on May 8. No details were released about the return flights from Phuket to Frankfurt at the time of the announcement.
It is hoped this will see the start of many other international flights coming into Phuket after the government officially reduced and modified the requirements for foreign visitors coming into the Kingdom.
"The CCSA has now approved relaxed quarantine conditions for tourists who have been vaccinated and test negative for COVID-19 to visit Thailand from April 1," Phuket Airport General Manager Thanee Chuangchoo said yesterday.
"We hope this will signal the start of tourists starting to return to Phuket and we are delighted to announce the international terminal at Phuket International Airport is now open as of 00:01am on April 1," he added.
The Thai government has released its latest guidelines and requirements for foreign tourists wanting to enter the country.
From 1 April, foreign tourists who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are only required to undergo 7 days of quarantine.
Travellers who have not yet been vaccinated are required to undergo 10 days of quarantine, while travellers from some African countries are still required to undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine, such as Botswana; Cameroon; Congo; Ghana; Kenya; Mozambique; Rwanda; South Africa; Tanzania; Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
According to a post in the Royal Thai Government Gazette, vaccinated tourists need to be able to prove they have been vaccinated with "a vaccine, approved, and registered with the MoPH or approved by the WHO, no less than 14 days before the travelling date".
"However, they must be from countries with no mutated strain of SAR-CoV-2 virus as announced and constantly updated by the MoPH".
The Thai government has also released a list of accepted vaccines, which are:
RS-CoV-2 Vaccine (CoronaVac) by Sinovac (2 doses needed);
AZD1222 by AstraZeneca/Oxford (2 doses needed);
AZD1222 by SK BIOSCIENCE – AstraZeneca/Oxford (2 doses needed)
BNT162b2/CORMIRNATY – Tozinameran (INN) by Pfizer/BioNTech (2 doses needed)
Covishield (ChAdOx1_nCoV19) by the Serum Institute of India (2 doses needed)
Ad26.COV2.S by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (1 dose needed)
mRNA-1273 by Moderna (2 doses needed).
Anyone who is unable to provide a valid vaccine certificate, an original paper or a print-out of an online vaccine certificate, to the International Port Health Control at the port of arrival will be required to undergo 10 days of quarantine.
This is not an April fool's joke. Thailand has set a tentative 4-phase plan starting April 1 for reopening the borders, lifting restrictions, and relaxing quarantine periods, allowing international travel to recommence in a safe manner. As always, this a currently a PLAN and has not been confirmed by the Thai government at this stage.
The planned rollout has a metered approach and aims to allow tourism to rebuild without opening the floodgates to a potential new wave of Covid-19 clusters. The PM's spokesman outlined the 4 phases, starting today, and completing the transition at the start of next year.
The first phase of Thailand's reopening scheme, will begin the gradual reduction of the quarantine period for foreign travellers who have already received a Covid-19 vaccination and can present a vaccine certificate. For those who qualify and travel to one of the earmarked tourist destinations of Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or Phang Nga, the mandatory 14 day quarantine length will be reduced.
Tentatively scheduled for July 1, the second phase of the plan focuses on Phuket's massive tourism market, as chartered flights from China are expected to begin arriving in July (despite the Chinese government's current restrictions on external travel). International travellers arriving to Phuket after this date will no longer need to quarantine at all, according to the proposal, provided they carry paperwork certifying their vaccination.
The next step in reopening Thailand would see the 4 other tourist destinations in the 'sandbox' scheme to join Phuket in waiving all quarantine restrictions. Phase 3 is planned to launch October 1, and would allow vaccinated foreign tourists to holiday in Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or Phang Nga without any quarantine. Bangkok has also been discussed as part of this proposal.
The final fourth phase would start on New Year's Day, 2022, and would be the final step to reopening Thailand's borders. After January 1, all foreign travellers that have received a Covid-19 vaccination and a vaccine passport will be allowed to enter anywhere in the kingdom without any quarantine period.
Barring any new outbreaks or negative developments in the pandemic, hopefully Thailand will be safely reopened to the world by the new year.
These are just proposals at this stage and you should check with the embassy in your country before making any flight or hotel bookings.
The government has set a "proactive economic plan" aimed at drawing at least 1 million high-income foreign tourists and foreign investors in the new S-Curve industries as part of efforts to free the country from the middle income trap.
Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said that a meeting of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA), chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, approved last Friday in principle a plan to promote investment and tourism for a post-pandemic economic recovery.Concerned agencies have been given one month to present details of the plan before the next meeting of the CESA, he said.
"When the meeting endorses the details, state agencies will step up efforts to attract a first investor by June, with an aim of promoting investment, tourism and stimulate domestic consumption," he said, adding the government has set the target of achieving 4% economic growth for this year and next year.
In terms of tourism, a proposal will be put forward to amend regulations governing foreign property owners to allow them to buy houses in Thailand more easily. This is intended to draw high-income retirees from Europe, Scandinavia, Japan and South Korea to live in Thailand, said ML Chayotid Kridakon, adviser to Mr Supattanapong.
Under a short-term plan, the government will attract foreign tourists with high incomes from around the world, particularly retirees, to visit and settle in Thailand. "There are about 200 million of them around the world and we have set a target of drawing one million to Thailand each year," said ML Chayotid, a former managing director for JP Morgan Thailand.
"These people earn about 300,000-400,000 baht a month. If one million of them are here in Thailand and spend about 100,000 a month each, Thailand will get about 1.2 trillion baht a year from them."
Mr Supattanapong said the plan aims to achieve continuous economic growth by 4-5%, and a study by the Bank of Thailand shows that if such growth continues for six to seven years, Thailand will be able to free itself from the middle income trap. Plans are to improve regulations on immigration and applications for visas and work permits for foreign experts to work in Thailand, such as improving the requirements for foreign expats to report their whereabouts every 90 days to authorities, he said.
Tax structures will also be tweaked to attract foreign investors to set up their regional offices in Thailand such as reducing corporate income tax for them, as well as improving privileges and benefits for regional hubs, retirees, self-employed people and start-ups, he said.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith insisted on Wednesday the government would not consider raising the 7% value-added tax (VAT) at least for the next couple of years. The government now looks set to keep the 7% VAT intact for another year from Sept 30 when the extended period of maintaining the same 7% VAT expires.
As the ministry is in the process of revising the country's tax rates, one important requirement is the new tax rates will have to support the government's development of the new S-curve industries, he said. Asked how badly the government will miss its tax revenue target this year, he said the outcome of tax collections by end-June will tell.
Starting tomorrow, quarantine will be reduced 10 days. Reports in Thai media say the quarantine will be reduced to 7 days for vaccinated tourists starting tomorrow as well, but Thai embassies in the US, UK and Australia only mention the 10 day quarantine. Those travelling from countries were the coronavirus has mutated will still need to quarantine for 14 days.
The Thai Cabinet approved the proposal to reduce the quarantine period, which has been a mandatory 14 days (sometimes ending up being 15 to 16 days) since restrictions were imposed last year. Pattaya News reports the reduced quarantine will be rolled out in Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Koh Samui, Pattaya, and Chiang Mai.
According to a recent post from the Thai government's public relations department, the 7 day quarantine applies to travellers with a valid Covid-19 vaccination certificate travelling from countries with no mutated strains. Travallers must present the vaccine certificate upon arrival.
While many reports say that starting April 1, quarantine will be reduced to 7 days for travellers who are vaccinated against Covid-19, the Thai embassies in the US, UK and Australia do not mention the 7 day quarantine.
The Thai embassy in London says:
All non-Thai passengers from the UK and Ireland will be subject to not less than 11-night quarantine (effective from 1 April 2021) at their own expenses at one of the facilities for Alternative State Quarantine that have been approved by the Thai authorities.
The Thai embassy in Washington, DC also says that starting April 1, quarantine will be reduced to 10 days, which ends up being 11 nights.
Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC.
The Thai embassy in Sydney also announced that quarantine will be reduced to 10 days.
Royal Thai Embassy in Sydney
Countries that have reported a new variant of Covid-19 must quarantine for 14 days.
Check with your local Thai embassy before making any travel plans as requirements and regulations can change quickly and vary from country to country.
Quarantine will be waived for vaccinated tourists travelling to Phuket starting in July under the new "sandbox" travel scheme. The island province is accelerating the roll out of Covid-19 vaccinations in an effort to reach herd immunity by the end of June, in time to welcome foreign tourists.
Koh Samui is also working on reaching herd immunity to launch the "Wonder Island" travel scheme in July, which is similar to Phuket's sandbox model. The island expects around 1,000 foreign tourists, who are vaccinated against Covid-19, to arrive within the first week of July. Tourists will need to stay at a certified quarantine hotel or resort for a week, but will be able to travel to specific areas of the island with a guide.
From April 1, police checkpoints will be back on the roads - with surveillance cameras and officers wearing body cameras to ensure transparency. (File photo)
Police checkpoints will be back on roads nationwide from April 1, with an emphasis on transparency and public scrutiny, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, deputy national police chief, said.
In October last year, the national police chief ordered the suspension of checkpoints for drink-driving and other offences until transparency of the tests could be ensured.
Pol Gen Damrongsak said the police chief recently issued new directives, which must be followed, and checkpoints will resume from April 1.
Pol Gen Damrongsak said surveillance cameras must be operating at all checkpoints and officers must wear body cameras, to ensure transparency.
This applied to all checkpoints - whether traffic police, alcohol testing, air pollution or crime prevention.
Each checkpoint must have a sign showing the police hotline 1599 and phone number of the commanding officer in the area, in case anyone wants to file a complaint.
Pol Gen Damrongsak said a police panel had looked into the pros and cons of checkpoints since their use was suspended last year.
It concluded that the absence of checkpoints would lead to a rise in the number of offences - such as drink driving, driving in non-driving lanes and failure to wear crash helmets, drug smuggling and illegal immigration.
Many Pattaya business owners don't want foreign tourists back
Koh Larn
The president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association revealed to the local press that many Pattaya business owners are against any plan for Pattaya to become a trial, or sandbox, for foreign tourists to visit until the pandemic situation improves overall.
The statements were made by Mr. Boonanan Phattanasin, the president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, last week in a meeting with the local press to discuss his opinions, which represents many local businesses, in terms of a sandbox proposal for Pattaya.
The Pattaya News notes that the businesses opposed to Pattaya becoming a sandbox, or test ground for foreign tourists, are primarily those focused on domestic Thai tourists who rely little, or not at all, on foreign tourists such as seafood restaurants, Thai clubs, Thai BBQ establishments, and similar places.
Boonanan specifically mentioned Koh Larn business owners who have experienced a boom in business, especially over weekends, from domestic Thai tourists and were concerned that opening to foreign tourists and potentially having outbreaks of Covid-19 could cause devastating restrictions and closures once again.
These business owners are also concerned that Thai tourists who are currently flocking to the island and Pattaya will avoid the area if they know the area is a sandbox and that some tourists could have Covid-19, even if vaccinated and having gone through testing and other precautions. – Pattaya News
Asean Summit to discuss Karen issue as Thailand watches Myanmar situation
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai
The Asean Summit in April in Brunei will address the issue of Myanmar's ethnic Karen that have fled across the border to Thailand to seek refuge, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said on Tuesday, adding that Bangkok is closely monitoring the situation.
"I cannot reveal the details to be discussed at the summit [in Bandar Seri Begawan], but can say that we aim to bring peace to Myanmar and the Asean community as soon as possible, which is the ultimate goal of the summit," he said.
On Monday about 2,000 ethnic Karen fled air strikes by Myanmar government forces to Mae Hong Son's Mae Sariang district. The strikes came amid the bloodiest week so far in the Myanmar junta's crackdown on the civilian population, with 141 reportedly killed on Saturday alone.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed on Tuesday that Thailand would not push back the refugees fleeing the violence in Myanmar.
"Nobody is pointing guns to keep them out of the country," Prayut said of the refugees. "This is a humanitarian problem and both sides need to find a solution together."
Don said Thailand would accept the refugees temporarily but there would be no establishing any centre for them.
"When the situation returns to normal these refugees will be sent back, which is normal practice by any country that accepts refugees," he said.
"I have talked with the authorities in Myanmar about the refugee problem and urged them to reduce the violence so that the situation can return to normal as soon as possible," Don said.
"The Myanmar authorities acknowledged our request, but said they would adjust their actions based on the situation," he added.
