Police in Bangkok on Sunday fired water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters demanding that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha step down and the government be held accountable for its gross mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic. Bangkok Post

Police fire water cannon, rubber bullets, tear gas at protesters

Anti-government protesters clash with police on Ratchadamnoen Avenue on Sunday as their march to Government House was blocked. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)

Police in Bangkok on Sunday fired water cannon, rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters demanding that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha step down and the government be held accountable for its gross mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The demonstrators clashed with police blocking Ratchadamoneon Nok Avenue in a bid to prevent them from marching to Government House, forcing the protesters to abandon the originally planned route on Ratchadamnoen Nok and switch to Nakhon Sawan Road.

An area near Wat Ratchanadda near Democracy Monument was set up for health volunteers to help protesters injured during the police onslaught. 

A number of people were injured.

Earlier, cars and motorcycles joined a throng of demonstrators walking from Democracy Monument to Government House. Led by the Free Youth movement and its allies, the anti-government protesters were defying a ban on public gatherings by assembling at the monument on Ratchadamnoen Avenue where thousands attended a rally exactly one year ago.

Demonstrations began early last year by calling for the ouster of the former junta leader and the restoration of democracy, but have recently added the government's mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic to their agendas.

Several mock body bags were brought to the site, symbolising the government's failure to curb the spread of the virus that has led to 3,341 deaths since the outbreak began early last year.

A mock body bag on a car is pictured at the rally site at Democracy Monument. (Reuters photo)

Car drivers and motorcyclists honked their horns as the organisers kicked off their march from the monument to the office of the prime minister.

The rally came in spite of the government's ban on assemblies of more than five people in Greater Bangkok in what it said was a bid to prevent further spread of the virus. The lockdown in 10 provinces, including the capital, has been extended to Aug 2, while another three provinces will come under the same restrictions on Tuesday.

More than 2,000 police were deployed to counter the rally.

Pol Maj Gen Piya Tawichai, the deputy commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said a number of effigies of the prime minister had been seized at the monument to prevent the protesters from setting them on fire outside Government House. 

Thailand wants to limit export of locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccine | Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that he has instructed Dr. Nakorn Premsri, director of the National Vaccine Institute, to draft a ministerial announcement to set the appropriate proportion of AstraZeneca vaccine for export and for domestic use, which will be submitted to the CCSA for consideration. Thai PBS World

Thailand wants to limit export of locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccine

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Thailand's Ministry of Public Health is to go ahead with a temporary restriction on the export of locally-produced AstraZeneca vaccine, to ensure sufficient supply for domestic use, in the wake of the relentless spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today that he has instructed Dr. Nakorn Premsri, director of the National Vaccine Institute, to draft a ministerial announcement to set the appropriate proportion of AstraZeneca vaccine for export and for domestic use, which will be submitted to the CCSA for consideration.

The Public Health Ministry wants to take delivery of ten million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine per month.

AstraZeneca is produced by Siam BioScience for AstraZeneca Thailand, which is the sole distributor of the viral vector vaccine in Southeast Asia.

He also said that he has instructed Dr. Paisal Dunkhum, secretary-general of Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) to call a meeting with the distributors of vaccines in Thailand next week, to discuss Thailand's need for mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna.

AstraZeneca Thailand is obliged, under contract, to supply their vaccine to the other ASEAN member countries, such as the Philippines and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has announced that it will go ahead with its "mix and match" vaccinations from Monday.

The department said, in its announcement today (Sunday), that it has decided to change its vaccination plan by offering AstraZeneca vaccine as a second dose for people who have received the first dose of Sinovac at the department or at its other units earlier this month.

The department also said that it will assess the results of "mix and match" vaccinations, to ensure that the people receive effective vaccinations against COVID-19 and herd immunity is being developed.

People who have already registered with the department or its units for vaccinations are asked to contact the units where they have registered for information about vaccination appointments.

An upgraded visual map (in Thai) of the new color codes in Thailand. Most of the country is now red or dark red. The only yellow province in the entire country is Phuket which continues to crack down on entry requirements for domestic visitors to protect the sandbox. Pattaya News

 

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 660 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with two new deaths, July 18th. Sunday, 18 July 2021, 10:54. Pattaya News

Chonburi has 660 new cases of Covid-19 today

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 660 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with two new deaths, July 18th.

Sunday, 18 July 2021, 10:54

Chonburi –

660 is a new record high for cases in the province, but only one more case than yesterday. However, 227 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi.

This makes a total of 15,375 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 6,308 still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 78 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April. The details on yesterday's deaths were not given, which is standard for the health department.

Additionally, 8,989 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave began.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 93, Si Racha 217, Banglamung (Pattaya) 167, Panat Nikhom 21, Sattahip 34, Ban Bueang 68, Pan Thong 24, Bor Thong 12, Ko Chan 1, and 23 new cases transferred from other provinces for medical care.

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Cluster, Prime Products Industry, Bor Thong District, 10 cases
2. Cluster, Charoonrat Products Company, Ban Bueng District, 4 cases
3. Cluster, a school in Phanat Nikhom District, 2 cases
4. Central Festival Pattaya Beach Shopping Center 13 cases
5. Risky career, meeting a lot of people 7 cases
6. 4 medical personnel
7. Maxis International (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Rayong Province 1 person
8. Star Technology Industrial Company Limited, Rayong Province 2 persons
9. Provide a history of traveling to other provinces
   9.1 Bangkok 2 cases
   9.2 Pathum Thani Province 2 cases
   9.3 Chachoengsao Province 1 case
   9.4 Samut Sakhon Province 1 person
   9.5 Tak Province 1 case
   9.6 Samut Prakan Province, 1 case
10. Close contacts of confirmed patients
    10.1 21 close friends
    10.2 Joined a party, 7 people
11. Other close contacts of patients
    10.1 In 149 family members
    10.2 Co-workers 114
12. Close contacts of confirmed patients (under investigation) 144 cases
13. Currently under investigation in general 174 cases

A total of 997 close contact searches were received today with 1,874 initial proactive searches, and more proactive search reports are pending.

There are currently, in Chonburi, clusters of Covid-19 at 14 establishments and five markets, 10 construction worker camps, and four communities.

More restrictions are widely expected to be announced by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration or CCSA sometime soon as announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha Friday night.

A majority of people think the current Covid-19 situation in Thailand is extremely serious and will take at least two years to overcome, according to an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll. The poll was conducted online on 1,702 people throughout the country during July 5-15, as the numbers of infections and deaths were rising but vaccinations were proceeding slowly. Bangkok Post

Most see Covid situation as 'extremely serious': poll

A health worker administers a Covid-19 vaccine jab to a woman at Central Plaza Westgate in Nonthaburi on July 16. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

A majority of people think the current Covid-19 situation in Thailand is extremely serious and will take at least two years to overcome, according to an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.

The poll was conducted online on 1,702 people throughout the country during July 5-15, as the numbers of infections and deaths were rising but vaccinations were proceeding slowly.

Concerning the seriousness of the current Covid-19 situation, 60.93% thought it was extremely serious, 24.12% very serious and 14.95% fairly serious.

Asked when they thought Thailand would be able to overcome the crisis, 36.74% said it would take more than two years; 27.60% one year; 25.93% two years; and 9.73% six months.

Asked to name the worst aspects of the situation, with respondents allowed to choose more than one answer, 89.24% cited the rising numbers of infections and deaths; 81.08% said many medical personnel had contracted the virus, causing a shortage of staff; 77.71% cited the closure of businesses, leading to unemployment; 75.75% pointed to the slow vaccination roll-out and low-quality vaccines; and 73.75% said the pandemic was still out of control.

Asked what the government should do to tackle the Covid-19 crisis, 78.47% said the government must be sincere and not profit from people's hardship; 76.70% said medical personnel should be given quality vaccines as soon as possible; 75.04% said quality vaccines of various brands should be acquired for the people; 74.69% said more active case-finding must be conducted and high-risk spots sealed off; and 69.97% said the government should stop playing politics and give the opposition an opportunity to help.

Regarding vaccination, 49.35% of respondents said they had not been inoculated, 38.84% had received the first jab and 11.81% had received two jabs.

Asked what brand of vaccine they wanted to get for their second and third jabs, the answers varied as follows:

- For those who received AstraZenica for the first jab, 41.86% wanted AstraZenica, 25.39% Pfizer and 24.22% Moderna.
- For those who received Sinovac for the first jab, 30.07% wanted Pfizer, 26.09% Moderna and 22.46% Sinovac.

- For those who received Sinapharm for the first jab, 50% wanted Sinopharm, 25.00% Moderna and 16.67% Pfizer. 

Is Thailand turning into the SOVIET UNION? Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the armed forces and the national police to arrange for rapid deployment teams to carry out door-to-door testing for Covid-19 in Bangkok. Bangkok Jack

Is Thailand turning into the SOVIET UNION?

July 18, 2021

Prayut to send the troops into people's houses

Thailand's PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the armed forces and the national police to arrange for rapid deployment teams to carry out door-to-door testing for Covid-19 in Bangkok.

The move is aimed at finding and isolating infected people to curb soaring transmissions in the capital, according to an informed source.

Questions should be asked about why the vaccines are taking so long to be introduced, which would have prevented all this by now, but they aren't. Instead, a dystopian national lockdown and curfew is likely very soon.

The teams will be sent out across Bangkok and the surrounding provinces. These teams will go door to door to offer a free Covid-19 testing service to people.

Those who test positive for the disease and have significant symptoms will be immediately transferred to a field hospital, while their contacts who may risk contracting the virus from these new cases as well will be advised to isolate themselves and monitor their health, said the source.

Herbal medicines made from green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata) and some fever-reducing drugs will also be provided in case they develop some symptoms later during their home quarantine. (continues)

In addition, Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) spokesman Maj Gen Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Gen Prayut had ordered the armed forces to support vehicles and facilities to transport Covid-19 patients from Bangkok and its surrounding areas to return to their home provinces to undergo treatment on a voluntary basis because of bed shortages in the capital and its surrounding provinces.

The prime minister also ordered Isoc to install Tu Pun Sook "happiness-sharing cabinets" in various communities to boost efforts to provide relief to the most affected people, he said.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday approved the sale of four over-the-counter Covid-19 antigen test kits, in order to improve public access to coronavirus screening tests.

The growing number of new infections has driven up demand for screening kits and left many people still waiting for the standard test which uses the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, said Dr Paisal Dankhum, secretary-general of the FDA.

These four rapid test kits have therefore been approved to be sold over the counter for self-testing so that people can find out their Covid-19 status as early as possible, Dr Paisal said.

Previously classified as controlled medical devices, these four rapid test kits have been modified to make them more suitable for self-testing and are now approved by the FDA, he added.

Details of the kits can be found on the FDA website, said Dr Paisal.

Those caught selling and or advertising any rapid Covid-19 test kits other than the four approved by the FDA could face up to six months in prison or a maximum fine of 50,000 baht or both, he said.

The kits are already available for sale at certain state-run healthcare facilities, government offices and licensed pharmacies, he said. – Source / Bangkok Post

Chonburi, Chachoengsao, and Ayutthaya added to maximum control provinces, effective this Tuesday, - The Pattaya News. The strict preventive measures include:

Chonburi, Chachoengsao, and Ayutthaya added to maximum control provinces, effective this Tuesday, Royal Gazette announces this morning

Sunday, 18 July 2021, 11:35

National –

Thailand's Royal Gazette today, July 18th, has added Chachoengsao, Chonburi (Home of Pattaya), and Ayutthaya to the list of 13 maximum control dark-red zone provinces, effective this Tuesday, July 20th.

Similar to the first maximum control announcement in 10 provinces, limiting unnecessary movement and traveling are strongly advised to possibly reduce the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus and the increasing number of infections in the highest controlled zone provinces. Checkpoints will be in place throughout maximum control provinces, according to authorities, to determine if peoples trip is essential and discourage travel. The overall message is "Stay at Home."

People are being asked to work from home, especially government agencies.  The general expectation is that any company that can allow their staff to work from home does.

One of the biggest changes is that the 9:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. stay at home "request" in Chonburi will now be an "order."  This means legal mandates can be applied to those who are out without essential reason to do so, such as a medical emergency.

Public transportation will also be suspended during stay-at-home hours, similar to Bangkok.

The strict preventive measures include:

1. No dine-in policy in restaurants. Food must be for takeaway only. Restaurants, including food carts, must be closed at 8:00 PM. There is already no alcohol sales at restaurants for over three months.

2. Closures of shopping malls and other similar establishments, except the essential sections of supermarkets, drug stores, food, groceries, banks and financial institutions, mobile phone shops, and vaccination centers inside shopping centers. They can be opened until 8:00 PM.

3. Hotels and similar accommodations are allowed to open but must refrain from organizing any type of meetings, seminars, or banquets. Hotel amenities must follow the same rules as the overall orders, such as restaurants being take-away only.

4. Convenience stores and markets can be operated with limited hours. They must be closed from 8:00 PM. to 4:00 AM. Yes, this means 7-11 and Family Mart.

5. Schools, educational or training institutions, and other similar educational institutions are technically allowed to open for certain things like teachers teaching remotely but must strictly comply with the health measures previously announced. In-person student learning in dark-red provinces is not taking place, with the exception of some special education students. Chonburi schools have now been closed for months, unfortunately.

Construction equipment stores, banks, pet food stores, pharmacies, gas stations, medical supply stores, and similar shops that sell essential and daily necessities, as well as online delivery services, can be operated as needed and must strictly follow the disease prevention measures prescribed by the government.

All previously force closed venues, like bars, entertainment, etc, must remain closed.

The limit on gathering changes from 50 to 5.  More than 5 people gathering is forbidden without permission from provincial officials.  More than ONE person gathering to drink alcohol is forbidden.

All measures listed above are effective on Tuesday, July 20th, until further notice.

As a note, Chonburi has not yet released specific orders, although did share the general maximum control zone orders listed above on their social media channels. If you are unsure if your business can open please call the city call center at 1337. The generic orders for maximum control zones did not specifically mention beaches, pools, gyms, or massage shops but it is nearly certain there will be rules and restrictions for these items as well. The latter two are nearly certain to be closed like in other maximum control provinces, the former two will likely be a governor decision.

Nya åtgärder på G. The Nation

 

🔴 BREAKING: According to Thai Rath, the partial lockdown will be increased to include Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Ayutthaya provinces starting from 20th July. There are now 13 provinces included. Curfew remains the same from 9pm-4am. Richard Barrow