With the Nov 1 reopening looming, Bangkok is preparing protocols for testing tourists outside the airport, at hotels or 'swab hubs' to avoid congestion on arrival. Swab hubs, organised by the Thai Hotels Association (THA), will be established as a centres for small hotels which could be places like hospitals or alternative quarantine facilities. Bangkok Post

 Bangkok prepares testing protocols as reopening looms

With the Nov 1 reopening looming, Bangkok is preparing protocols for testing tourists outside the airport, at hotels or 'swab hubs' to avoid congestion on arrival.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) deputy governor for domestic marketing, said swab tests for travellers will be conducted outside the airport to disperse the flow of tourists with travellers transferred via hotel limousines to SHA Plus hotels which have partner hospitals or swab hubs.

Swab hubs, organised by the Thai Hotels Association (THA), will be established as a centres for small hotels which could be places like hospitals or alternative quarantine facilities.

While waiting for the result, all arrivals are required to stay in their hotel room during the first night.

Ms Thapanee said over 300 hotels are waiting for SHA Plus approval which should be ready by the end of this week.

The TAT will help trial the standard operating procedures at Suvarnabhumi airport on Oct 25.

"Bangkok's reopening will proceed as scheduled on Nov 1, so all related parties have to tie up any loose ends before the reopening," Ms Thapanee said.

As of Oct 18, Bangkok's vaccination rate was 68.74% or 7.9 million people were fully vaccinated, according to the Public Health Ministry's vaccine dashboard.

The TAT already launched a marketing strategy to attract tourists, particularly businessmen, long stay and wellness markets.

She said there is tourism demand and international flights for next month as Bangkok is the gateway to the country.

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, THA president, said RT-PCR tests should be controlled to the same standard with less expensive prices to attract more tourists.

She said hoteliers started to see forward bookings in December, mostly from markets that don't have to undergo quarantine on their return.

Around 60-70% of 940 hotels in Bangkok are reopened, compared to only 50% during the peak of the recent wave, mainly attributed to the country's reopening and the resumption of domestic Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events.

According to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau more than 1,000 Mice groups, generating 250 million baht, are scheduled for October-December.

Mrs Marisa said the occupancy rate for Bangkok hotels is estimated to increase from 20% this month to 30% in November.

Lorries are seen parked along Bang Na-Trat Road during the 'Truck Power' protest on Tuesday. Protesting truckers are demanding diesel prices be reduced and maintained at 25 baht a litre to offset soaring transport costs. The prime minister on Tuesday told relevant agencies to figure out how to keep the diesel price at 30 baht for as long as possible. Bangkok Post

Diesel price feud drags on

Lorries are seen parked along Bang Na-Trat Road during the 'Truck Power' protest on Tuesday. Protesting truckers are demanding diesel prices be reduced and maintained at 25 baht a litre to offset soaring transport costs. Somchai Poomlard

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the price of diesel, the essential component of goods and transport costs, to be pegged at 30 baht per litre, well above the 25 baht per litre demanded by protesting haulage operators.

The prime minister on Tuesday told relevant agencies to figure out how to keep the diesel price at 30 baht for as long as possible.

Gen Prayut has expressed his concern over rising goods prices on the back of rising diesel prices as the global cost of fuel could increase further due to various factors including deteriorating relations between the world's superpowers.

Looking to home, he said the Oil Fuel Fund, which has helped stabilise fuel prices, has its limitations.

Gen Prayut has called for a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow and related agencies to tailor measures to prevent diesel-price fluctuation and the price of everyday goods being jacked up.

The Energy Ministry had earlier given a lukewarm reaction to demands by protesting haulage operators to peg the price of diesel at 25 baht per litre, saying 30 baht was the most practical compromise.

Mr Supattanapong insisted that going lower than 30 baht a litre was out of the question. The ministry was reacting to the protest campaign by the so-called "Truck Power" group in several provinces on Tuesday.

Truck drivers plied main roads with posters and banners strung on the sides of their vehicles attacking the high diesel prices.

Thongyoo Kongkan, advisory chairman of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand (LTFT), said more than 1,000 lorries participated in Tuesday's protest.

They drove along seven main routes in some provinces in a "silent" protest against the steep diesel prices, which climbed to 29 baht/litre on Tuesday. They insisted the government must bring the price down and maintain it at 25 baht/litre.

The excise tax must also be lowered by five baht/litre and the contribution to the Oil Fuel Fund must be suspended for a year, they demanded.

Mr Thongyoo said if these demands, which were presented to the government on Tuesday, were not met, haulage operators would intensify their campaign throughout this month.

Blaming the government for neglecting the country's fuel problem, he said the soaring costs of freight and passenger transport have worsened the living conditions of people already battered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Yesterday's move was only the beginning. If the government pays no heed to the issue, we will take our campaign to the next level," he said.

Mr Thongyoo said a nationwide strike was also on the cards with 10-30% of the trucks to stop running if their demands continued to be ignored.

On Tuesday, the routes on which the trucks carried out their protests included: Rama II Road from Muang district of Ratchaburi to Borommaratchachonnani Road in Nakhon Pathom; the Asian highway in Ayutthaya, Bang Na-Trat Road connecting to western Kanchanaphisek Road; Sukhumvit Road in Si Racha district of Chon Buri to the motorway; and the road linking Warin Chamrap district and Muang district of Ubon Ratchathani.

The federation's advisory chairman said the operators would not block roads, however, adding the protests would run for specific periods only.

LTFT chairman, Apichit Pairoongrueng, said the truckers' demands would benefit everyone, not just operators. 

Foreign travellers looking to enter Thailand after November 1 are still being told by overseas Thai embassies to book quarantine accomodations, multiple sources told Thai Enquirer this week, despite statements by the government saying that the country was partially opening up. ASEAN NOW



Tourists looking to enter Thailand past November 1 still told to book quarantine accomodations

October 20, 2021

Foreign travellers looking to enter Thailand after November 1 are still being told by overseas Thai embassies to book quarantine accomodations, multiple sources told Thai Enquirer this week, despite statements by the government saying that the country was partially opening up.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said earlier this month in a nationally televised address that Thailand will open its doors to vaccinated travelers from a list of ten "safe" countries starting November 1.

The prime minister said that it was time for the country to gradually reopen in accordance with his government's plans. Prayut said that the decision was made with the economy in mind even though Covid-related repercussions were likely.

The United States, the United Kingdom, China, Singapore, and Germany were among the countries mentioned by Prayut as being on the list. He said more countries would be announced within days but so far no more additions to the lists have been revealed.

According to multiple travelers looking to enter the kingdom, Thai embassies overseas have told visa applicants that they have received no instructions from the foreign ministry in Bangkok about the lifting of restrictions for vaccinated travellers.

"The embassy told us we will still need a certificate of entry and still need to book quarantine accomodations," said one foreign traveller looking to enter Thailand from the United States.

Another tourist shared a email from the London embassy which reads:

"We have not been officially advised regarding November yet. If you are planning to travel to Thailand soon, you may prepare as if you are going into a quarantine hotel."

The tourist said he was unable to obtain a visa without booking accomodations.

Queries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were not immediately answered. It is unclear why a key communication delivered by the prime minister to the nation was not forwarded to foreign mission overseas. 



Bangkok reached an important landmark today (Oct. 19) with 70.63% of the city population having received a second dose of Covid-19 vaccination. Thai Newsroom

Over 70% of Bangkok residents doubled jabbed

October 19, 2021 TNR Staff

THE Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said in a Facebook post today (Oct. 19) that 70.63% of the capital's population have received the second Covid-19 jab with 7.7 million people being vaccinated since February this year, Siam Rath newspaper said.

Pol. Lt. Col. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, BMA's spokesman, said in the post that so far 8,132,826 people have received their first jab and 5,437,553 their second shot, accounting for 70.63% of the capital's population. 

This then means the city has reached the important landmark of vaccinating over 70% of the population to prevent the severity of Covid-19 pandemic and prepare to accept tourists.

BMA also said that there were 812 coronavirus cases in the capital's 50 districts today with the condition of 24 others being followed up.

The top 10 districts with the most infections today are as follows:

– Phasi Charoen, 74 cases;

– Minburi, 53;

– Bang Sue 42;

– Bueng Kum, 34;

–  Saimai, 34;

– Prawet, 32;

– Bangna, 28;

– Bang Khen, 24;

–  Khlong Sam Wa, 23;

– Dusit, 23.

Bang Rak had the least number of cases today with only one person testing positive.

Earlier this morning the Public Health Ministry said Thailand logged 9,122 Covid cases and 71 deaths today taking the cumulative confirmed total since April 1 to 1,774071.

The 71 additional fatalities raised the death toll since April to 18,313.

Another 10,731 patients were cured while 105,546 are still undergoing treatment.



Vaccination report October 19th



‘Digital Health Pass’ to soon replace vaccine passports in Thailand The Public Health Ministry has announced that people will be able to use the “Digital Health Pass”, which is built into the “MorPhrom” app, as a vaccine passport once the country reopens. The Nation

'Digital Health Pass' to soon replace vaccine passports in Thailand

The Public Health Ministry has announced that people will be able to use the "Digital Health Pass", which is built into the "MorPhrom" app, as a vaccine passport once the country reopens.

Permanent-secretary Kiatiphum Wongrajit said on Monday that the app will provide three key pieces of Covid-related information, namely:

Vaccination history: Vaccination units nationwide will upload information and the app of double-jabbed users will display the word "vaccinated".

Test results: Hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and other organisations registered with "MorPhrom" will upload the results of RT-PCR and ATK tests.

Infection history: Doctors will upload information of patients who have recovered from Covid-19.

Kiatiphum added that the application will display users' basic information, but those requiring more details can scan the QR Code. The new version will have an improved security system, with the user's private information hidden behind a toggle. Blockchain technology will be employed in this case.

'Digital Health Pass' to soon replace vaccine passports in Thailand

Thailand Pass and Entry-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Pattaya Mail. October 19th

Thailand Pass and Entry-Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 Pattaya MailOctober 19, 2021

The Thailand Pass system will be ready to operate and replace the COE system approximately on 1 November, 2021, however, the COE will continue to be used for certain groups of travellers.

Q: When will the COE be terminated and replaced with the Thailand Pass System?

A: According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it has been cooperating with the Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) to develop the "Thailand Pass" system, a web-based system for Thai and foreign travellers to fill in their travel and health information and upload the related documents before travelling.



The purpose of the system is to support the "Ease of Traveling" policy, which will be implemented after the reopening of the country. This system could replace the issuance of the COE and shorten the process of filing information and uploading travellers' documents before visiting Thailand.

Regarding the vaccination certification, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) will be responsible for giving the approval through the back-office system. As of now, Thailand has received the public key infrastructure (PKI) of the vaccine certificate from over 30 countries and has been preparing for the examination procedure.



Travellers can also fill in their information of the T8 Form Health Questionnaire and TM6 Immigration Form through the Thailand Pass system.

The Thailand Pass system will be ready to operate and replace the COE system approximately on 1 November, 2021. However, the COE will continue to be used for certain groups of travellers; such as, patients who need to stay in Alternative Hospital Quarantine (AHQ), which need to be approved in advance for preparation, travellers who cross a land border, and travellers who travel as a group or by yachts and cruise ships.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it would provide further details on this matter as soon as information becomes available. (TAT)

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 310 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 3 new deaths, October 19th. Pattaya News

Chonburi new cases of Covid-19 drop to another over three month low of 310 and 3 new deaths

Tuesday, 19 October 2021, 9:43

PHOTO: Post Today

Highlights:

• 310 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today

• 552 people recovered and were released from medical care

• 3 new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 310 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 3 new deaths, October 19th.

This makes a total of 97,398 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 7,523 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 680 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.

Additionally, 552 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 89,095 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.

The three new deaths yesterday were the average age of 67. They were close contacts from previous confirmed cases according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. All three had chronic health problems. None of them were vaccinated.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 62, Si Racha 60, Banglamung (Pattaya) 43, Panat Nikhom 16, Sattahip 47, Ban Bueang 4, Phan Thong 8, Bor Thong 8, Ko Chan 1, Nong Yai 1, soldiers in Sattahip 12 cases, and 48 people transferred from other provinces for medical care.

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 12 cases
2. Cluster, Ch. Suntron Karnchang company in Sattahip, 9 cases
3. Many enterprises in Rayong and other province, 25 cases
4. Risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 7 cases
5. 4 medical personal
6. Back from risky areas in Bangkok – 1 case and Phetchabun – 1 case
7. Close contacts of confirmed patients in 101 families, in 72 workplaces, 11 from close friends and 2 joined parties.
8. Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 18 cases
9. 47 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19



Anutin confirms reopening plan: Tourists must stay one night in place "where they can be contacted". Thailand's deputy prime minister and health mninister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that tourists arriving in Thailand will have to stay one night in a place where they can be contacted. He did not refer to this as quarantine by name. ASEAN NOW

Picture: INN

 

Thailand's deputy prime minister and health mninister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that tourists arriving in Thailand will have to stay one night in a place where they can be contacted.

 

He did not refer to this as quarantine by name.

 

He was addressing concerns about the reopening of Thailand as he presented his plans for 2022 to health officials nationwide via online links. 

 

He confirmed that potential tourists must take RT-PCR tests before and after arrival in Thailand, be double vaxed and have "fit-to-fly" documentation. 

 

Referring to this, he promised better communication with the people when making policy decisions in the future.

 

ASEAN NOW notes that there has been considerable confusion as to what "no quarantine" means when visiting Thailand from next month.

 

Many people have pointed out that one night is still quarantine of sorts.

 

Depite his promise of better communication the minister didn't elaborate on what kind of hotel the tourists would have to stay in, just that they needed to be contactable.

 

INN reported the minister's 2022 policy report without criticism or comment.

 

Anutin claimed he had created 45,242 new jobs in public health, provided benefits to workers and said that his staff could have faith in the system and other institutions.

 

He came up with the mantra of "Healthy people - Healthy Economy - Healthy Thailand" for his 2022 priorities.

 

He had a nine point plan that included measures to help the economy get back on its feet, developments of health systems at local levels, expansions of the 30 baht universal health coverage and particular attention paid to the health needs of the elderly.

 

Also among his aims were better cancer care with more surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services available to the public at state hospitals. 

 

He also mentioned his favorite hobbyhorse that helped propel him to power - the promotion of marijuana and hemp health products to "give people an income and create jobs".

 

He thanked health professionals nationwide for their efforts in the pandemic saying that he had worked 24/7 on that and PM2.5 and flooding problems.

 

He claimed that Thailand had faced up to the challenge of Covid-19 and got through it emphasising that 2022 would see further challenges especially in getting the economy back on track and getting more people back to work again. 

 

Discover Cigna's range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view

 

 

🔴 This is what we know so far about the re-opening of Thailand on 1st November to fully vaccinated visitors from low-risk countries. Richard Barrow

🔴 This is what we know so far about the re-opening of Thailand on 1st November to fully vaccinated visitors from low-risk countries. We should get more details soon, including the list of countries. But it looks like you only have to stay in a pre-booked hotel for the first night, and then you are free to go where you like.

They are also talking about a "blue zone" where pilot tourist areas can apply to operate normally like what is happening in Phuket now. So, it is possible that some of the 15 provinces mentioned could serve alcohol in restaurants like they can in Phuket. More details soon.


🔴 #COVID19 on Tuesday: ⬇️ 9,122 new cases ⬆️ 71 deaths. Richard Barrow





Bangkok Post highlights 19/10





The country is set to reopen in two weeks but only two million, affordable rapid test kits have been made available and through only eight retail outlets of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), all located in Bangkok. How ready are we to open our arms to foreign visitors without quarantine? Bangkok Post



Our reopening looms, but are we really ready?

The country is set to reopen in two weeks but only two million, affordable rapid test kits have been made available and through only eight retail outlets of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), all located in Bangkok.

How ready are we to open our arms to foreign visitors without quarantine?

The government may have taken right path of choosing a balanced approach to suppress Covid-19 to the point where the public health system can take care of the sick while the rest of the population can go on with their lives and get the economy going.

Indeed, the question is not which way the government should proceed. The challenge before any administration is how to prepare for and manage the choice it made to ensure optimum benefits for the population.

The line differs from country to country.

There are those that opted to throw away face masks and lifted all Covid-19 restrictions like Denmark.

What did it take for the Danes to get there? A speedy vaccination rollout which saw more than 70% of the population fully inoculated and efficient control measures that kept the transmission rate low.

There is also Singapore, which initially pursued an aggressive zero-Covid strategy before turning around and opting to live with the disease.

Instead of restricting most people's lives, what the country had to do was conduct mass vaccination, vigorous contact tracing, ring-fence clusters and frequent mandatory testing among workers.

And there is Thailand, described by the CNN as having a "slow vaccine take-up but it's opening up anyway".

At present, about 25 million people or 35% of the population have been fully vaccinated. Daily new infections hover at around 10,000 while fatalities stand at between 60 to over 100, an average of about 1%.

The number of patients with severe symptoms was more than 2,800 yesterday, with another 644 on ventilators.

The rate of infection has come down from a seven-day average of about 25% among those tested to slightly above 14% last week.

The total number of Covid-19 tests done was about 14 million counting from January last year. There is no information on how many were done by RT-PCR and how many were from rapid test kits.

In declaring a reopening of the country on Nov 1, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha clearly wishes to extend the sandbox model implemented on the tourist island of Phuket to other areas with the aim of reviving the tourism sector, the main driver of the country's economy.

Last week, the PM said fully vaccinated tourists from at least 10 low-risk countries would be allowed to travel to the country without quarantine.

Among the first group of the countries classified as low-risk are the UK, Singapore, China and the US.

While there are questions whether Chinese tourists will travel to Thailand when the country has not fully reopened and whether the US is really low-risk, the key to the planned reopening scheme lies internally.

Considering our situation where the vaccination rate remains relatively low, much lower than Singapore's vaccine coverage of 81% or Malaysia's 66%, and daily infections still high, should the government have come up with supplementary measures to ensure it can hop successfully from a sandbox to a larger playground?

The rapid or antigen test kits (ATKs) are a case in point. It was ridiculous when the government first introduced the kits at a price of 250-300 baht per set. Think about the reopening scenario and how the ATK will have to be used as the main screening method for businesses which won't be able to rely on the more expensive and slower RT-PCR tests.

Imagine a restaurant. If you have to test all your staff, say 10 of them, everyday to ensure they are free of Covid-19 so as to put the minds of customers at ease, that would be an additional cost of 2,500 to 3,000 baht per day. How many would be able to afford it?

The GPO offering test kits for 40 baht is more like a joke. It's not just that only two million sets will be up for grabs but they are only available in Bangkok. How about those who live in other provinces? Does the GPO really believe two million sets are enough?

The thing is the GPO should not have proudly said that it is offering the ATKs at a price that is lower than the market as if it is doing a favour for the people.

The GPO should have made sure that the ATKs are available at this price range, if not for free, to ensure a successful Covid-19 control, or planned reopening for that matter, from the start. That it failed to do so while advertising a small, cosmetic attempt as if it were a great service, is not just bizarre. Indeed, it feels more like an insult.

Atiya Achakulwisut is a Bangkok Post columnist. 

Khao Kheow Open Zoo, in Thailand’s eastern province of Chon Buri, will continue holding elephant swimming shows for tourists despite social media criticism, alleging cruelty to animals, after a picture, titled “Elephant in the Room”, taken by Adam Oswell of Australia, won the best picture in the photojournalism category at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2021, organized by Natural History Museum in London. PBS World

Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo defends elephant swimming shows

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Khao Kheow Open Zoo, in Thailand's eastern province of Chon Buri, will continue holding elephant swimming shows for tourists despite social media criticism, alleging cruelty to animals, after a picture, titled "Elephant in the Room", taken by Adam Oswell of Australia, won the best picture in the photojournalism category at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2021, organized by Natural History Museum in London.

In an exclusive interview with Thai PBS, the zoo's director, Tewin Rattanawongsawat, said that this is not the first time that elephant swimming shows have been described as torture. He argued that swimming is natural behaviour for elephants as they, by nature, love to be in water for several hours at a time and they can swim long distances.

He also said that the elephants on show are not forced, because there is no mahout riding them. Instead, he said, the animals are allowed to swim freely in the glass room and, after each show, they are given food as a reward.

When asked why they perform in a glass room, Thewin explained that putting an elephant on show in a glass room, as suggested by the award-winning picture, seems to be a misunderstanding, because the zoo is spacious enough for animals to roam freely and for elephants to exercise, accompanied by mahouts, to ease stress.

He explained that getting an elephant to swim in a glass room is intended to allow children to learn their behaviour, to love them and to inspire awareness for conservation of the pachyderms.

The zoo organises two shows a day, each lasts about half an hour, with one elephant at a time. Two elephants, named Khao Kheow and Jim, perform the shows.

Thewin claims that every animal in the zoo is treated in full accordance with World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and Southeast Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA) standards.

Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chatchote Thitaram, of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, pointed out that the name of the picture "Elephant in the Room" does not literally mean an animal in a room, but is a metaphorical English idiom denoting a major issue about which nobody is prepared to talk. In this case the illegal trade in wildlife, torture and unethical treatment of wild animals.

He recalled that the same show, which drew flak from the animal protection lobby in October 2018, eventually prompted the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand to issue a clarification via Facebook.

He said that elephant swimming at Khao Kheow Open Zoo is regarded as positive reinforcement, allowing the beasts to demonstrate their natural behaviour, as elephants and water are inseparable. Swimming shows, he added, are in line with animal welfare standards and within the scope of the Five Domains Model, namely nutrition, environment, health, behaviour and mental state.

He claimed, however, that such information has not reached the "western world" or they are not open to a different viewpoint, with their predetermination that wildlife must remain in the wild and cannot live with humans.

Thai people are familiar with elephants and have been raising them for centuries, but still there are "animal-loving westerners" who consider the training and use of elephants, with the use of a hook by mahouts to tame them, to be an act of torture.

Thailand's best defence against the allegations of cruelty or torture is effective management, to ensure good welfare and treatment of the animals and good laws to protect them, said Dr. Chatchote.