Dr. Apisamai said on Friday that there were 4,656 COVID-19 fatalities nationwide between July 25th and August 19th and 2,969, or 63.8%, had not been vaccinated.
Thailand's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has revealed that about two-thirds of those who died recently after catching COVID-19 were not vaccinated against the disease.
CCSA assistant spokeswoman Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan said on Friday that there were 4,656 COVID-19 fatalities nationwide between July 25th and August 19th and 2,969, or 63.8%, had not been vaccinated.
She said 316, or 7% of those who died had received a dose of AstraZeneca vaccine more than two weeks before falling ill and 118, or 2.6% had their first AstraZeneca dose more than four weeks before their illness. That meant not enough antibodies were stimulated within two weeks of inoculation. Among those who had received the second dose up to two weeks before falling ill, there were 26 fatalities, or 0.6% of the total.
Dr. Apisamai added that a study of 125 people, by theDepartmentofMedicalSciences and theFacultyofMedicineSiriraj Hospital, found that using a combination of different COVID-19 vaccines over 2-3 doses better stimulated antibodies against the Delta variant.(NNT)
Foreigners are understandably taken aback when the police arrive at party time.
To judge from compiled press reports, over 3,500 people, Thais and foreigners, have been arrested in police raids for illegal drinking and partying in Thailand during 2021. The last few weeks have seen an upsurge in the light of extra regulations, notably a national curfew from 21.00-04.00 hours and additional regulations from some provincial governors to outlaw consuming alcohol if more than one person is guzzling or imbibing. That's a really tough one.
Virtually all the raids have taken place in licensed premises, such as clubs or hotels, and all but one seem to have involved foreigners as well as Thais. The sole exception was apparently the raid last May at the Faros "let's get steamy" sauna in Bangkok where only Thai nationals have been identified at an alleged chemsex orgy. Like many other graveyard-shift raids, this one occurred after midnight on five star luxurious premises, belying a common myth that the police always steer clear of places frequented by the wealthy. Only sometimes.
The interviewing is often done by plainclothes senior officers, whilst uniformed colleagues stand by.
The August 20 raid in Pattaya on the area in front of the Tree Tops area in Soi Buakhao was a much humbler affair involving 21 people of mixed nationalities. The area is backpacker-dominated and houses much of the cash-conscious British expatmarket, or what remains of it. The police action was unusual since it occurred before 21.00, the curfew hour, but group drinking at any time is forbidden under a welter of national and local orders.
Dave, a British retiree who understandably does not wish to be identified, said he and several others had assumed drinking was OK out of curfew hours as he and his friends had been to the same bar most nights in the past two weeks without incident. He had also been assured by a bar worker that a raid was out of the question as the authorities did not want bad publicity when tourism was at an all-time low. This belief that certain venues have an unofficial certificate of exemption from prosecution runs through all the raid sagas as the unfortunates look for an exit strategy.
The emptiness in bars and clubs after a raid is a devastating sight.
The retiree said everyone had been piled into police transport and taken to a large room on the top floor of Pattaya police station – not a cell – where those arrested were processed on production of a copy of their passports or a driving licence. He had signed a paper in Thai which he assumed was a guilty plea and had since paid a 40,000 baht court fine. He was not sure what had happened to those who could not prove their identity. He had heard one had been detained in Nong Plalai prison as he refused to confirm his identity.
Dave added he was not being deported as "the detention center is full" but was warned that the immigration bureau had designated him as a "marked man" whilst police retained his passport. In any case, he added, he would not be returning to Thailand, a common reaction in his situation. He believed the core reason why people break the booze laws is that they are totally fed up with nothing to do. "I didn't come to Pattaya to be a wandering extra in a zombie movie," he concluded.
Amongst other Pattaya exposures was the raid last month on the Bamboo Beach Club on Pattaya's "dark side" which netted 66 unfortunates of several nationalities. A Frenchman later told Pattaya Mail his defence had been that he was just visiting a friend, who used it as a base for fishing, and was surprised to have been involved in the mass arrests. However, he had changed his plea to guilty when he had discovered he would need 100,000 baht for bail with an eventual court hearing some months down the road. He had been fined by the court 50,000 baht, he said, with no other penalties so far as he yet knew.
Other alleged farang excuses for illegal drinking during arrests have included the claim by a Swedish man who was "looking for my wife," whilst a British guy said he had read on the internet that only spirits were banned and not the bottle of Tiger beer he was defiantly holding. Another British man claimed he was exempt as he had a "special" visa which turned out to be the nondescript 60 days Covid extension granted to any tourist. Perhaps the most bizarre explanation was offered by the expatwho said he was just drinking soda water and "waiting for the show to start." Well, best to remember that the police and the courts have heard it all before.
Twenty-one people arrested in Soi Buakhao area for allegedly drinking alcohol
A total of twenty-one people were arrested last night in Central Pattaya for allegedly breaking current laws and orders designed to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, according to officials with the Pattaya Police.
The incident took place just before 9:00 P.M. on Soi Buakhao in front of the Tree Town Market area, according to Pattaya Police.
Pattaya Police stated they had several calls from concerned citizens that were afraid that large groups of people gathering in the area could be spreading the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Upon going to inspect the area they found eighteen foreigners and three Thai people who were according to police socializing, drinking alcohol, gathering, and breaking current rules around Covid-19.
Chonburi is currently a "Maximum Control" province as designated by the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, in Bangkok.
This means strict rules are in place that ban all gatherings around alcohol, limit gatherings in general to five people or less, prohibits dine-in at restaurants, the opening of bars and entertainment, closes beaches, pools, massage shops, and parks as well as many other strict measures.
These fall under both a national Emergency Decree-law as well as a Chonburi Provincial Disease Committee order.
According to Pattaya Police, those arrested were allegedly blatantly disobeying the rules around Covid-19 preventative measures.
The group arrested were not immediately named and will be facing multiple legal charges in relation to the incident.
Due to the special emergency decree laws, high fines and even prison time can be on the table as a penalty.
Those arrested remain in police custody as of press time while police compile legal charges against those arrested. – The Pattaya News
Thailand is studying the possibility of injecting coronavirus vaccines under the skin to try to stretch its limited supply, a health official said, as the country races to inoculate the public faster amid a worsening epidemic.
"Our previous experience shows that intradermal injections uses 25% of a muscular injection, but triggers the same level of immunity," head of the medical science department, Supakit Sirilak told reporters.
Thailand has been reporting record deaths in recent weeks among nearly 1 million cases overall.
It has inoculated 8.3% of its population of over 66 million in a mass vaccination campaign that started in June in the midst of a battle against virulent Alpha and Delta COVID-19 variants.
But despite manufacturing vaccines for AstraZeneca and ordering enough doses of different brands to cover its population, Thailand is struggling to get supplies fast enough.
It has even sought to borrow vaccines from the Himalayan kingdom Bhutan and last month became the first country in the world to mix a Chinese coronavirus vaccine and a Western shot.
It has been using the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine as a booster for its medical personnel.
If its research confirms intradermal injections are effective, regardless of brand, Thailand could vaccinate four to five times the number of people with the same amount of vaccine, Supakit said.
AstraZeneca and Pfizer did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment about intradermal injections. – Reuters
Chonburi reports 1,092 new Covid-19 cases with 2 deaths, 1,397 people recovered
Chonburi, Thailand –
Highlights:
1092 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
1397 people recovered and were released from medical care
2 new deaths
Si Racha main driver of new cases with 381 today
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 1,092 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with 2 new deaths, August 22nd.
This makes a total of 54,421 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 19,929 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 297 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April. The details on yesterday's 2 new deaths were not given, which is standard for the health department.
Additionally, 1,397 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 34,195 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 198, Si Racha 381, Banglamung (Pattaya) 180, Panat Nikhom 55, Sattahip 60, Ban Bueang 49, Pan Thong 55, Bor Thong 19, Ko Chan 19, Nong Yai 10, and 66 new cases transferred from other provinces for medical care.
The details on the cases are as follows:
1. Cluster Sriracha Rubber Business and Service Co., Ltd., Sriracha District 13 cases 2. Cluster Acushnet Footjoy (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Sriracha District, 6 cases 3. Cluster Italian-Thai Company, Bang Lamung District 9 cases 4. Cluster Italian-Thai Company, Sriracha District, 5 cases 5. A risky occupation, meeting a lot of 16 people. (Occupations that are primarily customer-facing like taxi drivers or supermarket cashiers) 6. 4 medical personnel 7. Provided a history of traveling from Bangkok 1 person 8. Many enterprises in Rayong Province 36 cases 9. Close contacts of confirmed patients 9.1 A total of 314 family members 9.2 A total of 105 co-workers 9.3 A total of 61 friends of previous patients 9.4 One person who joined an illegal party 10. Close contacts (under investigation) 242 cases 11. Cases currently under investigation in general for 279 cases.
A total of 1,126 close contact searches were received today with 833 initial proactive searches, and more proactive search reports are pending.
Red tape, slow jab rollout delay Pattaya reopening
Empty chairs are seen on a beach, which is usually full of tourists, amid fears of coronavirus disease in Pattaya on March 27, 2020. (Reuters photo)
Pattaya City seems unlikely to reopen to tourism on Sept 1 as planned with local businesses blaming the delay on red tape and a sluggish Covid-19 vaccine rollout.
Bun-anan Phatthanasin, president of Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA), on Saturday admitted the reopening is likely to be postponed.
A special committee will have to consider the reopening plan submitted by the PBTA, a process required before the plan can be sent to the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration's (CCSA) sub-committee for approval, he said.
The committee will comprise various sides including Chon Buri's provincial administration organisation and provincial tourism authorities, he said.
Pattaya City, one of the 10 most popular tourist spots which the government aims to reopen first, is in Chon Buri, one of the areas worst hit by the current outbreak, he said.
An associated plan to get at least 70% of the people in Pattaya vaccinated against Covid-19 before the Sept 1 reopening also appears unlikely to be accomplished either, he said.
Mr Bun-anan said he had no idea when the mass vaccination plan might be achieved.
The PBTA continues working on its part of the reopening plan, including preparing sealed tourism routes for visitors.
Sontaya Khunpluem, mayor of Pattaya City, said the city has ramped up active case finding to get people infected with the virus care and treatment.
Starting Aug 10, a total of 5,196 people have been tested for Covid-19, with 192 of them testing positive, he said.
THE UNITED LAWYERS For Rights & Liberty today (Aug 21) called on the people who may have been injured, either inadvertently or intentionally, by crowd-control police on Bangkok streets to take legal action against them.
Winyat Chatmontri, secretary general of the United Lawyers For Rights & Liberty, suggested those who may have been hit by rubber bullets fired by the crowd-control police in Sam Liam Din Daeng area to produce video clips or other material witnesses pertaining to the alleged misconducts of the policemen and file legal lawsuits against them in court.
Not only those policemen alleged to have indiscriminately fired rubber bullets at the passing motorcyclists but their own commanding officers are yet to be brought to justice, according to the group's leading lawyer.
"The police have evidently failed to abide by international rules for riot police to handle street protests. The police have disregarded the safety of the passers-by on the street but continued to commit such criminal acts time and again.
"Besides, the commanders of those crowd-control policemen are yet to be held responsible for alleged failures to take appropriate steps to stop their subordinates from doing what they have done with the people at risk of being harmed," Winyat commented.
Nonetheless, police chief Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk earlier contended that the crowd-control police have invariably adhered to international procedures for the handling of mass demonstrations and that they have not overreacted in the protest situation or discriminated against any street protesters.
Sam Liam Din Daeng intersection area adjacent to Vibhavadi Rangsit Road which passes the First Infantry Regiment barracks has daily seen clashes between the crowd-control policemen, armed with tear-gas launchers, rubber-bullet guns, batons and shields, and independent, adolescent protesters who have been repeatedly pressing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to step down.
Prayut currently resides in the premises of the army barracks the perimeters of which are now strongly guarded by the police behind two tiers of empty cargo containers and barbed wire on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.
A woman gets a Covid-19 vaccine shot at True Digital Park on Sukhumvit Road on Thursday. (Photo by Varuth Hirunyatheb)
At least 120 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be procured for next year for children and as booster shots, according to the Public Health Ministry.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said on Saturday that the National Vaccine Institute had been in talks to buy at least 50 million doses each of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, which would be second-generation if they are successfully developed in time.
The vaccines will be of various types including mRNA, viral vector and protein subunit.
So far this year, Thailand has taken delivery of 6 million doses in June and 10 million each in July and August, in line with plans, he said.
The department has also been in talks with AstraZeneca for a bigger monthly supply of the vaccine for thest of the year. For September, AstraZeneca has agreed to supply 7.2 million doses, he said.
The national vaccination programme got off to a slow start in June as AstraZeneca supplies were below target and authorities had few over options in hand.
However, the campaign has gradually picked up with an improvement in vaccine availability and choices. In the past two weeks, vaccinations have exceeded 500,000 on most weekdays.
As of Friday, 5.9 million people or 8.9% of the population have been fully vaccinated. A total of 19.9 million have received their first dose.
Chonburi reports 1,235 new Covid-19 cases with 12 deaths, 1,235 people recovered
Chonburi, Thailand –
Highlights:
1235 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
1235 (yes, really) people recovered and were released from medical care
12 new deaths
Primarily driven still by factories and construction-related sites
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 1,235 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with 12 new deaths, August 21st.
This makes a total 53,329 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 20,236 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 295 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April. The details on yesterday's 12 new deaths were not given, which is standard for the health department.
Additionally,1,235 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi, the exact same number of new cases. 32,798 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 295, Si Racha 330, Banglamung (Pattaya) 226, Panat Nikhom 100, Sattahip 2, Ban Bueang 76, Pan Thong 71, Bor Thong 40, Ko Chan 21, Nong Yai 22, and 52 new cases transferred from other provinces for medical care.
The details on the cases are as follows:
Cluster, Fort Nawamintharachini in Mueang Chonburi District, 32 cases
