Summary of Covid-19 Situation in Bangkok: Vaccination centers, current clusters, health control measures, etc. Monday, 17 May 2021, 13:27. Pattaya News

Summary of Covid-19 Situation in Bangkok: Vaccination centers, current clusters, health control measures, etc.

Monday, 17 May 2021, 13:27

Bangkok –

The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) is providing the Covid-19 vaccination outside of hospitals in various areas in Bangkok to facilitate and reduce the congestion and the risk of spreading the virus.

Currently, there 25 out-of-hospital vaccination services in Bangkok as follows:

Central Bangkok
– University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
– Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital

Northern Bangkok
– SCG Bang Sue
– Central Ladprao
– SCG Headquarter
– Sripatum University
– Central Festival Eastville

Northern Thonburi
– Central Pinklao
– Icon Siam
– Tesco Lotus Pinklao

Southern Thonburi
– PTT gas station Rama 2
– The Mall Bang Khae
– Big C Bangbon

Southern Bangkok
– Samyan Mitr Town
– Thanya Park
– True Digital Park
– Asiatique
– Central World
– Siam Paragon
– Tesco Lotus Rama 4
– Emporium

Eastern Bangkok
– The Mall Bangkapi
– Robinson Ladkrabang
– Lotus Minburi
– Big C Rom Klao

The BMA has set a target for injections for 1,000-3,000 people per day at each vaccination station, accumulatively for 38,000-50,000 people per day at all stations. More vaccine stations are also planned for the end of May.

For foreign residents interested in taking part in the free mass vaccination program, you can see this story for more information. The process is not yet live, but foreigners will soon be able to register through a mobile application or use a walk-in center if they are a foreign resident. Please keep in mind, not all details have been released and is only "coming soon." This process could also vary from area to area and province to province based on the number of vaccines available.

Crowded communities and slums in Bangkok have become a contagious ground for Covid-19, partly connected to visits to entertainment venues and Songkran travel, causing the rapidly increasing number of infections for nearly a month.

As of yesterday, 27 clusters have been discovered in 17 districts in the city, excluding the cluster in two major prisons. 20 of the clusters are under disease investigation while the other seven were reportedly under control by the public health authorities.

The top ten areas where the most infections were found are 1. Din Daeng 2. Huay Kwang 3. Bang Khen 4. Chatuchak 5. Lad Prao 6. Bang Khae 7. Khlong Toey 8. Wang Thong Lang 9. Wattana and 10.Bangkapi.

Bangkok is currently categorized in the maximum controlled zone, aka the dark red zone, along with Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Pathum Thani. Dine-in service is allowed at 25 percent of the restaurant capacity until 9:00 PM. and take-away until 11:00 PM. Alcohol sales are forbidden at restaurants. Bars and entertainment venues must stay closed.

In addition, many other venues and places are closed, you can see that list here.

17 days in May with Covid19. The Nation

 

Dagens (17/5) 10 i Topp. PRD

 

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has given seven more countries its coveted ‘Safe Travels Stamp’, including popular tourist hot spots like Thailand and Barbados. Bangkok Jack



The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has given seven more countries its coveted 'Safe Travels Stamp', including popular tourist hot spots like Thailand and Barbados.

The WTTC Safe Travel Stamp

The Safe Travel Stamp was launched 12 months ago to help restore confidence in travelers and revive the global travel and tourism sector, which has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the WTTC, the sector suffered a loss of almost US$4.5 trillion last year. They have been heavily advocating for the resumption of safe international travel to help the industry recover.

The stamp is the world's first-ever global safety and hygiene label, taking into account health and safety guidelines established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

It allows travelers to easily recognize governments and companies worldwide that have adopted the SafeTravels health and hygiene global standardized protocols to help them plan safe travels in a post-Covid world.

The stamp has been embraced by more than 200 Travel & Tourism CEOs and many of the world's major tourism groups.

Since launching, the stamp has been given to more than 275 destinations around the world.

7 More Countries Given the Safe Travel Stamp

This weekend, the WTTC announced that Thailand, Barbados, Cyprus, Abu Dhabi, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mongolia, and Kyrgyzstan are among the latest to join the ever-growing list.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO said:

"We are delighted that our Safe Travels stamp continues to grow from strength to strength and has been adopted by destinations from all corners of the world.

"From Portugal to Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka to Slovenia, Tunisia to Tobago, our stamp is now recognised around the globe, which is testimony to the hard work which has been put in to make the stamp work for both destinations and holidaymakers.

"As the global vaccine rollout picks up pace around the world and with travel restrictions beginning to be relaxed, we believe the stamp will prove a key component of destination recovery and restoring consumer confidence.

"The success of the stamp shows the importance of global coordination to help rebuild and revive the international Travel & Tourism sector which has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"However, we are finally beginning to step into the new normal of a post-COVID world, and we are proud to be leading the way for globally coordinated efforts in recovery."

Thailand Among Countries Added to Safe Travel List

One country travelers may be happy to know got added to the list is Thailand. The popular Southeast Asia destination has suffered a massive hit to its tourism industry due to Covid restrictions but recently announced a reopening plan to foreign tourists.

They are planning to drop the quarantine for popular destinations in July, which should help restart tourism along with the safe travel stamp.

Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand, said:

"The Tourism Authority of Thailand is delighted that the World Travel & Tourism Council has approved the use of the TAT's Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) logo in tandem with the WTTC Safe Travels stamp.

"Together, they share a common objective to ensure that all visitors feel safe, as Thailand continues to open its tourism industry to international travel in the new normal.

"The Safe Travels stamp has reaffirmed the Amazing Thailand SHA and serves to further motivate travel-related enterprises in Thailand to maintain their health and safety standards, as the country rebuilds traveller confidence while also protecting the Thai workforce that serves them."

If you are interested in visiting Thailand right now, here's a step-by-step guide.

British health secretary tells Brits to bypass Thailand for summer holidays By Ann CarterMonday, May 17, 2021. The Thaiger

British health secretary tells Brits to bypass Thailand for summer holidays

By 

Ann Carter

Monday, May 17, 2021

The British health secretary is telling Brits to bypass countries that are labelled amber, like Thailand, for their summer holidays. Matt Hancock, says those countries labelled by the government's traffic lights travel guide include Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. The colours denote the Covid situation in each country.

He says, instead, for Brits to vacation at home or to choose one of the 12 green-labelled countries such as Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, or Singapore. But many of those "green" countries are not accepting tourists. Those Brits who insist on visiting Thailand face many obstacles including a certificate of entry from the London-based Thai embassy, health clearance, and Covid insurance worth at least 3 million baht. A 14 day, self-paid quarantine on arrival, along with restrictions for relaxing at beaches in the Kingdom, make it almost a no-brainer for Brits to book elsewhere. Other Southeast Asian countries are also being ruled out due to the expense of travelling to and from.

Thailand's largest hopes for any sort of tourism to return this year lie in the Sandbox scheme, which was first announced by the tourist-laden province of Phuket. The next source of tourism for the Kingdom would be comprised of those taking part in travel bubbles with other Asian countries such as Japan and China. But, as Thailand's vaccine rollout plan has only seen less than 2% of the population inoculated, the ideas to bring in more tourists seem far from materialising.

National and provincial safety measures also have deemed most bars, clubs, and entertainment venues to be closed until further notice. Dining-in is still allowed but alcohol is not, meaning a long trip to Thailand, paying for quarantine, and sitting in your hotel may not be the summer holiday Brits may be expecting.

Meanwhile, Bangkok and Thailand's provinces have accumulated another 9,635 infections and 25 Covid-related deaths over the past 24 hours. 6,853 of today's total is from Bangkok prisons. If you take the new prison cases out of the equation, there has been an additional 2,782 cases for the Monday report.

NHSO earmarks THB100 million for those suffering from Covid-19 vaccine reactions People who have allergic reactions after receiving Covid-19 vaccine will be compensated by the National Health Security Office (NHSO), the office’s secretary-general, Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree, said on Sunday. The Nation



"The NHSO has set aside a budget of THB100.32 million to compensate vaccine recipients in case of allergic reactions. Everyone can claim this compensation irrespective of whether they are insured under social security, hold a state welfare card, are a civil servant or a health professional," he said.

"This compensation is effective retroactively from April 5."

The criteria for compensation are as follow:

▪︎ Maximum THB400,000 in case of death or total disability

▪︎ Maximum THB240,000 in case of losing an organ or disability

▪︎ Maximum THB100,000 in case of continuous injury or sickness.

"Affected people can file a case at public hospitals, provincial public health offices or NHSO branch offices nationwide. Each case will take up to five days for consideration," he added.

Jadet added that so far 267 people had filed cases to claim compensation in two provinces -- Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani -- while other provinces have yet to submit their total tally.

"In Chiang Mai alone, 91,551 doses of vaccine have been given while only 218 persons have allergic reaction, or 0.24 per cent, of which 0.05 per cent are severe cases with no death," he said. "The most common reactions reported are low fever and muscle ache, while the most common severe reactions are high fever and numbness."

Chonburi announces 45 confirmed and new cases of Covid -19 with one new death Monday, 17 May 2021, 10:50. Pattaya News

Chonburi –

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 45 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 with one new death this morning (May 17th).

This makes a total of 3,737 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 1,151 still in medical care, with a total of fourteen recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.

Additionally, 2,572 people in total have now been released from medical care and fully recovered since this current wave began. 91 people were released yesterday.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi with 9, Si Racha 8, Banglamung (including Pattaya)18, Sattahip 5, Phan Thong 1 and four were transferred from another province to Chonburi for medical care.

The details on today's cases given were:

1. Contact from previous confirmed cases in other provinces
   • Chachoengsao,1 case
   • Rayong, 1 case
2. Close contacts of previous patients in family members, 8 cases
3. Close contact under investigation 17 cases
4. Under investigation in general, 18

In the last day, a total of 421 close contacts were tested from contact tracing, and 1,222 people were tested in proactive testing when medical staff goes out into the community.

All are pending results. Additionally, another 308 people were tested from Royal mobile testing vans and are also waiting for results as officials step up aggressive community testing.

Today is the first official day of Chonburi becoming "light-red" allowing dine-in once more at local restaurants until 11:00 P.M.

The province of Chonburi has stated they will be accepting the easing of Covid-19 regulations and measures as stated by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok yesterday but will be keeping strong provincial measures intact until further notice. Pattaya News



Chonburi, Thailand-

The province of Chonburi has stated they will be accepting the easing of Covid-19 regulations and measures as stated by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in Bangkok yesterday but will be keeping strong provincial measures intact until further notice.

The CCSA announced the easing of measures in provinces yesterday, which you can read more about here. This includes Chonburi being downgraded from the strictest, maximum control zone to a control zone, or dark red to red.

The CCSA national measures, which governors can strengthen if they wish, included dine-in open until 11:00 P.M., later take-away, and allowing limited re-opening of educational facilities with strict measures and local government approval, primarily for limited in-person testing without large numbers of people. Food courts, cafeterias, banquet halls, similar places, can also be opened under these measures for dine-in. Alcohol sales are strictly prohibited. These measures take effect tomorrow, May 17th, 2021.

Bars, nightclubs, and similar entertainment venues remain closed at a national order in every province in the country.  A mask mandate remains in effect as well in public places across the country with strict fines of up to 20,000 baht for violators. This includes driving in a car with more than one person.

The national measures allow other "high-risk" places to open in "red" zones if the Governor chooses to do so, but at this time he has decided to "strengthen" the measures and they will remain the same as the past two weeks.

Essentially, this means gyms, massage shops, indoor sports centers, beauty clinics, swimming pools, most tourist attractions, snooker, bowling alleys, cinemas, arcades, and everything previously ordered closed will remain closed "until further notice" according to the Chonburi Governor.

Koh Larn remains closed to the public as well, the island council is expected to discuss the decision near the end of this week.

Supermarkets, Convenience stores, night markets, restaurants for take-away, etc closed from 11:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. Some may close earlier if they are members of retail associations, with most supermarkets closing at 9:00 P.M. and many local 7-11's, Family Marts, etc. closing at 10:00 P.M. Check with your local store for guidance. All must be closed by 11:00 P.M.

Beaches are open for "exercise-only" in Chonburi, although that can mean different things in different areas based on local law enforcement and leadership. In Pattaya and Jomtien, this means the actual beach area, including the water, is off-limits. Gathering on the beach to eat, drink, socialize, mingle, etc. is strictly forbidden.  Umbrella and beach chair vendors remain closed as officials do not want people to gather and socialize.

Shopping Malls remain open, with closing times between 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. depending on the mall and their retail association membership. All malls must be closed by 9:00 P.M., although some restaurants may provide take-away later if they are able to.

Gathering limits for official reasons, like work, government meetings, etc. is set at 50 people with approval.  Gathering for social reasons, like throwing a party, is forbidden and even two people could be considered an illegal gathering under the emergency decree. Chonburi has previously asked for cooperation from condos and apartment building owners to help stop and prohibit private home gatherings or "parties."

TPN media will keep you updated on any changes or further developments as the situation is fluid and can sometimes change on a daily basis. Questions about if your venue can open can be directed to 1337 at City Hall 24 hours a day.

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand reported on Monday a daily record of 9,635 new coronavirus cases, including 6,853 among prisoners, as the Southeast Asian country struggles with a third wave of infections. The combined cases bring the country's total infections to 111,082. Thailand's COVID-19 task force also recorded 25 new deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities to 614 since the pandemic started last year.



Bangkok Post highlights 17/5



State 'not obliged to save THAI'. In an online meeting between THAI's creditors and business rehabilitation planners last week, Chansin Treenuchagron, the airline's acting president and one of the planners, told the meeting that in the plan, the government is not obliged to bail out the airline. Nor it is required to act as a loan guarantor as it tries to get back on its feet. Bangkok Post

State 'not obliged to save THAI'

Chansin: Finding loan 'no problem'

There is no commitment to a state bailout in Thai Airways International Plc's (THAI) debt rehabilitation plan, according to a source close to people conducting the process.

In an online meeting between THAI's creditors and business rehabilitation planners last week, Chansin Treenuchagron, the airline's acting president and one of the planners, told the meeting that in the plan, the government is not obliged to bail out the airline. Nor it is required to act as a loan guarantor as it tries to get back on its feet.

The Finance Ministry joined the meeting on behalf of a creditor and its presence did not mean the government was obliged to save the airline, Mr Chansin was quoted as saying.

According to the source, some creditors expressed concerns about how the airline would secure a loan without the Finance Ministry's intervention, but Mr Chansin said if the debt-restructuring plan is considered as financially feasible, finding loans is unlikely to be a problem, despite the airline's heavy debts.

More than 15 creditors asked the rehabilitation plan to be amended during the May 12 meeting. As a result, the vote for the plan has been postponed to Wednesday.

According to the source, a no debt cut is proposed under the debt-structuring plan and several creditors, including the Finance Ministry, are also opposed to it. The airline is reportedly seeking a deferment of bond repayments.

On Wednesday, THAI's creditors will decide whether they will accept the proposed rehabilitation plan and the fate of the the national airline, burdened by debts exceeding 400 billion baht.

The airline needs more than 50% of creditors to accept its plan and if the vote is cast in favour, the plan will be forwarded to the Central Bankruptcy Court for consideration.

But if not, the airline could be declared bankrupt.



A senior medical expert has expressed concern over relaxation in containment measures coming into effect from Monday despite the high number of daily cases. He said the current situation in Bangkok and its vicinity remained worrisome due to the number of new cases daily, the number of patients seriously ill and using ventilators, as well as fatalities. The Nation

Siriraj doctor calls for strict monitoring as govt eases lockdown measures

A senior medical expert has expressed concern over relaxation in containment measures coming into effect from Monday despite the high number of daily cases.

Assoc Prof Nithiphat Chiarakun, head of the Department of Respiratory Diseases and Tuberculosis at Siriraj Hospital, shared his opinion on his personal Facebook page.

He said the current situation in Bangkok and its vicinity remained worrisome due to the number of new cases daily, the number of patients seriously ill and using ventilators, as well as fatalities.

He said there was limited availability of primary hospital beds for severe and critical pneumonia patients. There is also a rapid increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in prisons.

He urged all parties to work together to stop these problems by speeding up proactive virus testing in vulnerable areas, then separating the patients from the community; enhancing access to all people without any restrictions on social, ethnic or religious grounds.

Nithiphat said the government sector must strictly monitor and enforce the law when easing measures, while warning that the medical sector was overwhelmed by the workload.

He said the government sector needed to quickly understand the situation and provide rapid and comprehensive vaccination of the population.

There have been concerns after the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced relaxation measures, which will come into effect from Monday, as daily cases have remained in four digits. 

New risk levels Covid19. The Nation



Two travel pals have revealed how they were attacked by MASKED MEN on a beach in Thailand – at the same spot where Brits David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were murdered six years ago. Bangkok Jack



Carla and Sam were attacked on the same stretch of beach a year before pair were murdered

Two travel pals have revealed how they were attacked by MASKED MEN on a beach in Thailand – at the same spot where Brits David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were murdered six years ago.

Sam Venning and Carla Bartel said two men in V for Vendetta masks ambushed them on Koh Tao island a year before David, 24, and Hannah, 23, died.

They say they offered information to authorities probing David and Hannah's deaths – but were never interviewed.

They have now come forward to offer their help to lawyers for the two migrant workers found guilty of the killing.

They are trying to prove conviction is unsafe.

Brit tech firm boss Sam – 22 at the time – says he was smashed on the head with a rock as he chatted with 20-year-old Carla on Sairee beach.

He said of seeing TV footage after the murder in September 2014: "It was horrific, I was right there where their bodies were.

"It was where I literally face-planted the sand."

The Thai police get quizzed by the media (Image: Daily Mirror)

Hannah, 23, and David, 24, were both killed on the Koh Tao beach (Image: PA)

Koh Tao has since become known as Death Island after gaining a sinister reputation for deaths and disappearances.

And justice campaigners have raised doubts over the convictions of the two Burmese men – prompting fears the real killers may still be at large there.

Sam, an e-commerce boss who now lives in San Francisco, says he emailed the Thai embassy in London after the killings offering to give a statement but never heard back.

And Carla contacted the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office in her native Canada – and received an email from a Bangkok-based officer at the UK National Crime Agency telling her the information would be shared with Thai police. She heard nothing more.

Wai Phyo, left, and Zaw Lin made a confession (Image: RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA-EFE/REX)

Carla said of the island paradise: "Many tourists go there every year. I feel people need to know what goes on."

Curiously the pair have not provided any details of the attack, the extent of any injuries or who they reported the assault to at the time.

They have also not explained why it has taken them so long to go public with their information.

Especially during the high profile murder trial when two, presumably innocent, young men  had a death sentence imposed upon them for the latter murders.

At least nine European tourists have died or gone missing on the island in the last decade, including six Brits.

In 2018 a British teen reported being drugged, tied up and raped on the same beach.

In 2015, Burmese workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for David and Hannah's murders.

But the case was mired in allegations of a cover-up and mishandled forensics.

The men claimed they were tortured by the Royal Thai Police into confessing.

Sam suffered a frightening attack at the same spot on the beach a year before Hannah and David were killed there

Human Rights Watch called the guilty verdicts "profoundly disturbing".

In 2017 the NCA admitted breaking UK law by sharing information with Thai authorities – as Britain opposes capital punishment.

Last year the death senten­­ces were overturned by Thai­­land's king Maha Vajiralongkorn, but the men remain in jail. Sam and Carla's ordeal emerged after both gave video interviews to Australian lawyer Ian Yarwood, who runs an online group about safety on Koh Tao.

Andy Hall, a migrant workers' rights activist and international affairs advisor to Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo's legal team, said:

"It's good this evidence has been brought forward, we can consider whether we can use it as a means to reopen the case."

The National Crime Agency said: "The NCA's assistance to the Thai authorities in 2014 was provided in good faith in the context of a fast moving investigation into the murders of two British citizens.

"We won't comment on the assistance provided but can confirm all relevant information relating to that investigation was shared with Thai authorities."

The Thai embassy did not respond to requests for comment.



Thailand’s national suicide rate has risen eleven percent since the pandemic began, according to figures released by the Thai Ministry of Health. The increase has been from 4,581 to 5,085 individual cases. The World Health Organization says that Thailand has 14.4 suicides per 100,000 people compared to 5.3 in Cambodia and 3.2 in the Philippines. Pattaya Mail

Thailand's suicide numbers leap, but explanations vary

Pattaya MailMay 16, 2021

Manoon Jaitong, a Sawangboriboon volunteer, has been collecting bodies for 20 years.

Thailand's national suicide rate has risen eleven percent since the pandemic began, according to figures released by the Thai Ministry of Health. The increase has been from 4,581 to 5,085 individual cases. The World Health Organization says that Thailand has 14.4 suicides per 100,000 people compared to 5.3 in Cambodia and 3.2 in the Philippines.



Admittedly not all Thai suicides are Covid-related. Pattaya Mail in recent months reported several suicides in Pattaya apparently caused by the breakup of relationships. As regards foreigner deaths, the misery of lifestyle diseases and the inability to fund hospital treatment have certainly taken their toll. Individual embassies keep a record of the death of their nationals, but there is no centrally-released data.

But, as the Lancet reported, there are well-founded fears that Covid itself and the restrictions brought in to contain it have led to a mental health crisis. Around two million Thais have lost their jobs in tourist-related industries in the past fifteen months, leading to isolation, the loss of social support networks and financial insecurity in many cases.

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Bangkok-based Samaritan director Tarkan Chensy said that calls had doubled since the crisis began with lack of cash and allied economic issues accounting for about 80 percent of the 20,000 contacts made. He explained that the latest wave of infections had forced the charitable organization to close their call center with 80 volunteers now working from home.

The Samaritans use a call-back service, so callers have to wait up to 24 hours before receiving human support. The charity has opened up a new channel via the Facebook messenger app. partly because younger people in distress don't feel comfortable using traditional phone procedures.

The Thai government has introduced several schemes to provide cash for hard-hit individuals and families, but the results have been mixed. Registration can be difficult, or even impossible, for Thais who work informally or in the flesh trade. In response the Bangkok authorities have established a special operations team Hope Task Force which uses social media platforms including Facebook, Tik Tok and the Line app.



The Naklua-based Sawangboriboon Foundation, which transports corpses on behalf of the police, said that the main methods of suicide were hanging and poison. Bodies are autopsied prior to cremation or – if nobody can be found to take responsibility – in the Foundation's hillside graveyard. Most deceased foreigners are autopsied in the police forensics headquarters in Bangkok with a report submitted to the appropriate embassy.

Idag kan restauranger här i Bangsaen ha bordsservering igen och vara öppna till 23.00. Ingen alkoholservering. City Hall via Tik



48 confirmed and new cases of Covid-19 today in Chonburi Sunday, 16 May 2021, 10:48. Pattaya News

Chonburi, Thailand-

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 48 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 this morning (May 16th).

This makes a total of 3692 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 1,198 still in medical care, with a total of thirteen recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April. 

Additionally, 2,481 people in total have now been released from medical care and fully recovered since this current wave began. 109 people were released yesterday.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi with 2, Si Racha 5, Banglamung (including Pattaya) 29, Phanat Nikhom 2, Sattahip 5, Ban Bueng 2, and Phan Thong 2. One person was transferred from another province to Chonburi for medical care .

The details on today's cases given were:

1. 1.1 Eleven close contacts of previous patients in family members
   1.2 3 workplace co-workers who are close contacts of previous patients

2. Under investigation 34 cases

In the last day, a total of 120 close contacts were tested from contact tracing, and 979 people were tested in proactive testing when medical staff goes out into the community.

All are pending results. Additionally, another 659 people were tested from Royal mobile testing vans and are also waiting for results as officials step up aggressive community testing.

Chonburi officially is downgraded from a dark red zone to a red zone, meaning certain restrictions and measures like being allowed to dine-in at restaurants can return. This takes effect tomorrow, May 17th. Chonburi province should announce sometime today additional guidelines.

Chonburi Public Health officials are cautioning that although cases are falling due to proximity to Bangkok where cases remain high to stay on alert and if possible work from home and not to associate with people who are not members of your own direct household until the situation improves.

The official guidance is to stay home and not travel, although there isn't a curfew or stay at home strict order.

What the week ahead brings in Pattaya and Thailand news: Dine-in returns, zone changes, mass Covid-19 vaccination in Pattaya coming very soon, and more Saturday, 15 May 2021, 22:51. Pattaya News

Thailand-

The following is our weekly feature in which we take a look at the top developing stories and things to follow over the past week. We are focusing on what is happening for the third week of May, ending May 22nd, 2021.

As we publish dozens of stories a week, this allows our readers to get a quick glimpse of the most important stories taking place and to monitor and follow for the week ahead, as chosen by our editorial team.

1. Chonburi officially downgraded to a "red" zone from "dark red", restrictions eased

As of press time, not all the easing of restrictions have been announced provincially, as many are up to the Chonburi Governor, however, a big one, dine-in for restaurants, will be taking place effective Monday, May 17th, 2021. Restaurants have been closed since the beginning of the month for dine-in and restricted for takeaway until 9:00 P.M. The loosened measures will be welcomed by business owners and many staff alike who had been temporarily laid off with no pay. The change will also be welcomed by local residents who were tiring of early cutoff for take-away at 9:00 P.M. and not being able to enjoy a meal in a restaurant.

Thai Royal Gazette releases order changing Covid-19 color zones, new measures to start Monday, May 17th

2. Pattaya vaccination program to begin in earnest likely this week to the public, foreigner information possible this week

Pattaya City, despite a slight delay as you see in the below article, is expected to get 20,000 doses of Sinovac this week, enough to begin in earnest to vaccinate the general population, especially those working in tourism, ahead of an ambitious goal to get 70% of the population vaccinated in the next two-three months. According to Pattaya City Mayor Sonthaya Khunplume, this will be essential to re-open the city to both domestic and foreign tourism. Foreigners will be able to register and get a vaccine, if they wish, soon according to city officials also and are part of the plan, with concrete details possibly arriving as early as next week. The Ministry of Public Health stated earlier today they are developing an application for foreigners to register in English and that English-speaking staff will be available in areas with large foreign populations, including Pattaya. Walk-ins will likely be allowed in the very near future although so will registering through the mobile application or over the phone at 1337-but isn't quite ready yet.

Pattaya City Mayor encourages residents to receive Covid -19 vaccine, says faster area is vaccinated faster everything can reopen

Number of initial Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines for Pattaya and Banglamung area in mid-May decreased, inoculation date slightly postponed

3. Will Bangkok and the surrounding area be able to get the Covid-19 situation under control?

As much of the country improves in regards to Covid-19 cases, Bangkok remains the biggest driver of cases in the country, including a recent outbreak in the prison system.  Surrounding Bangkok provinces of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Pathum Thani have also had outbreaks, the majority stemming from industrial estates, crowded neighborhoods like Klong Toey, and markets. The majority of vaccines are now going to support inoculating at-risk areas of the capital and get the situation under control. All eyes will be on Bangkok throughout the next few weeks, as if the situation doesn't improve there, it won't in most of the country either.

RECAP: Thailand announces 2,215 new domestic Covid-19 cases and 877 cases in Bangkok prisons with 17 new deaths

That is all for this week, have a safe week ahead!



Bangkok Post highlights 16/5



🔴 BREAKING: Thai health ministry reporting 24 deaths and 2,302 cases on Sunday. Full update at 12:30pm. 13 May: 4,887 - 32 dead 14 May: 2,256 - 30 dead 15 May: 3,095 - 17 dead 16 May: 2,302 - 24 dead <— TODAY