Restaurant operators have called on City Hall to allow them to serve alcohol until 11pm but they have been initially refused by the Bangkok governor who prefers to take a wait-and-see approach as the country reopens.
Thanakorn Kuptajit, secretary-general of the Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association, said that operators want the government to extend the alcohol consumption period from 9pm to 11pm in the four provinces — Bangkok, Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket.
The four provinces have been designated as "blue zones" where alcohol consumption is allowed in restaurants and eateries and the curfew has now been lifted.
"Extending the period to 11pm will be better because longer hours will help increase income for wait staff, musicians, and other grassroots income-earners," Mr Thanakorn said.
"Most importantly, we want the government to meet for talks with vocational groups to discuss solutions to ease further restrictions while maintaining health safety standards."
But Bangkok governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang on Monday rejected the request for an extension of the alcohol consumption period, saying the easing of curbs must proceed gradually.
An assessment will be made every two weeks and if people and businesses cooperate with City Hall, authorities will extend the alcohol consumption period.
"For those who do not finish their alcoholic drinks after the 9pm deadline, they should take their bottles home or try to drink up or just throw them away. Officials will be sent to make regular inspections," Pol Gen Aswin said.
Under the restrictions issued by the Bangkok communicable disease committee, only restaurants and eateries which have SHA (Safety and Health Administration) certificates issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand are allowed to serve alcoholic drinks until 9pm.
The consumption of alcoholic drinks is not allowed in hotels, exhibition halls and convention halls.
Mr Thanakorn further stated that the association and operators want the government to consider adding more provinces to the list of "blue zone" provinces to further welcome back foreign visitors.
He also said the reopening is expected to help resuscitate the economy by 20-30% during the remaining two months of the year. – Bangkok Post
Soi Bua Khao was lit up more that usual as locals and expats realized they could stay out all night if they so wished.
The curfew in Chonburi province was lifted as of 11 p.m. last night. Pattaya. Sriracha, Koh Si Chang, Sattahip, Na Jomtien and Bang Saray were set free from the night time restrictions imposed on the citizens to protect them from contracting and spreading the Covid-19 disease.
Unfortunately, even after getting rid of the curfew, nothing has changed in Pattaya. The streets are still deserted and there are no revelers Thai or foreign in the markets nor on the beaches.
For almost 2 years, the world-famous resort of Pattaya has become a ghost town. Billions of baht have been lost through the economic destruction caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and recovery seems a long way away.
Last night our reporter roamed the streets of Pattaya and saw that there were no policemen and security personnel to chase the people off the streets to go home or to their hotels after 11 p.m. There were really not enough people for them to chase away.
Many people gathered on the brightly lit Pattaya Beach to sit together and chit-chat for as long as they liked.
More cars and motorbikes could be seen on the streets late at night and a few locals walked around looking for something to eat during the late hours, which they hadn't done for many months.
A handful of expats were seen strolling around enjoying their new-found-no-curfew freedom. Most of the tourists from Bangkok had already left for home as Monday is a working day. Halloween night was so desolate that not even a ghoul or zombie bothered to come out to play.
Restaurateurs are still fuming at the fact that the government allowed alcoholic beverages to be sold at eateries in Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi and Phang-nga and neglected to give Pattaya the same privilege.
A very disappointed Boonanan Pattanasin, president of the PBTA said that Pattaya belonged in blue zone provinces as the COVID-19 figures are not higher than those in Bangkok. He stressed that most of the infections were in factories and other districtswhich are not near Pattaya and are not part of the 'Pattaya Move On' development projects. Unfortunately, his plea fell on deaf ears.
Road side food vendors are hopeful to do more business late at night.
Pol. Col. Methawit Praditphol, acting superintendent of Pattaya police station said that police officers are monitoring the situation closely and warned the public that they must strictly abide by the law which restricts illegal gatherings and partying especially in regards to drinking alcohol.
Yes, it was indeed a long and eerie Halloween night and as of this morning the zombies are still roaming around in their chambers trying to determine how much more pain Pattaya can endure.
Convenience stores can now open all day and all night.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with TAGTHAi application, introduces the new TAGTHAi Pass, a digital card for seamless traveling in Thailand.
"TAGTHAi Pass is a digital pass that will increase the sales channels for tourism entrepreneurs and reduce price competition. It will also maximize target group coverage to foreign tourists from around the world," TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn has said. "Travelers can make one time purchase of TAGTHAi Pass and enjoy services and products that are carefully selected by leading local tourism entrepreneurs, including tickets to tourist attractions, restaurants, spa and health establishments."
"Using digital currency and contactless technology, the TAGTHAi Pass will introduce tourism entrepreneurs to new earning opportunities under the new normal standard of the post Covid-19 era," he added. "The TAGTHAi Pass will be officially launched within this month."
TAT introduces TAGTHAi Pass for seamless travel
TAT has been developing the new digital card with Thai Digital Platform Social Enterprise Ltd. and Kasikorn Business - Technology Group (KBTG), co-developers of TAGTHAi application.
"Currently TAGTHAi app has more than 180,000 users, both Thai and foreigners," said Kalin Sarasin, CEO of Thai Digital Platform. "The application provides comprehensive linkage between tourism information and enterpreneurs' products and services as well as tourism supply chain to improve overall travel experience."
"TAGTHAi app fully complies with the Personal Data Protection Act and the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation standard, therefore users can enjoy highest level of safety and privacy while traveling in Thailand using TAGTHAi Pass," he added.
Chonburi announces 264 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 4 new deaths
Highlights:
264 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
270 people recovered and were released from medical care
4 new deaths
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 264 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 4 new deaths, November 2ืnd.
This makes a total of 101,747 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 5,581 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 723 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 270 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 95,443 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
As for the four new deaths yesterday, three of them were elders aged between 65 -86. They were close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. They had chronic health problems. None of them were vaccinated.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 66, Si Racha 54, Banglamung (Pattaya) 34, Panat Nikhom 15, Sattahip 14, Ban Bueang 1, Phan Thong 6, Bor Thong 7, Ko Chan 2, Soldiers in Sattahip 26, and 39 people transferred from other provinces for medical care
The details on the cases are as follows:
Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 31 cases
Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 26 cases
Cluster, Siam Denso Manufacturing company in Phan Thong, 6 cases
Cluster, B.T. Auto Parts company in Mueang Chonburi, 5 cases
Cluster, Makita Manufacturing company in Si Racha, 5 cases
Cluster, work camp of Rai Go Thong Construction and Service company in Si Racha, 4 cases
Risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 11 cases
Back from risky areas in Rayong, 4 cases
Close contacts of confirmed patients in 75 families, in 54 workplaces, 11 from close friends, and 4 joined parties
Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 11 cases
24 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19
The first group of foreign visitors arrives at Suvarnabhumi airport where they went through health and documentary checks on Monday, officially marking Thailand's reopening to vaccinated tourists. The first to arrive on Monday morning at the airport was an All Nippon Airways flight from Tokyo. Wichan Charoenkiatpakul
The first day of Thailand's reopening to fully vaccinated visitors saw 61 commercial flights land at Suvarnabhumi airport with slightly over 3,000 passengers arriving on Monday, plus 3,613 at other international airports.
Suvarnabhumi airport's general manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn, said the majority of the flights arrived from Europe. Out of the 3,000-plus travellers who arrived on Monday, about 2,300 were foreign tourists while the rest were Thai returnees.
Mr Kittipong said that while he was satisfied with the progress of the reopening, there was some congestion reported at screening stations, where passengers' vaccination documents were checked before they were allowed to proceed.
Documents will now be verified using a QR code provided code under the Thailand Pass system which is in place at all airports.
According to the Transport Ministry's estimates, about 3,260 international flights will arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport this month, carrying 135,407 passengers, while 3,241 international flights will depart with 135,122 passengers.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that by Friday, 27 airlines will have conducted flights to and from Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, Samui and Chiang Mai airports, with 15,230 passengers from 26 countries.
"The first day of welcoming back visitors was marked with a lively atmosphere," the spokesman said, adding that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who is attending the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, has also been kept abreast of the country's reopening.
The PM asked Thais to make all visitors feel welcome, and for all business operators to follow precautions against Covid-19 so the entire country can benefit from the reopening, Mr Thanakorn said.
The first flight which arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport under the new rules was an All Nippon Airways Flight NH805 from Tokyo, with 11 foreigners and 32 Thais on board.
It was followed by Thai Airways International Flight TG931 from Paris, which landed at around 6am.
Passengers were required to undergo strict Covid-19 screening upon arriving at the airport, which was conducted by airport staff in PPE suits.
Among those who arrived on the first day of Thailand's reopening to vaccinated visitors was a family of four from Frankfurt, who told the Bangkok Post they were excited to be back in Thailand after two years.
"I love the people and culture here," said the father, who said it took his family about two hours to clear the airport.
Another German couple arrived for their honeymoon on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
When asked about the pandemic situation in Thailand, the husband explained that he and his wife felt safe to travel to Thailand as the screening process was strict from the very beginning.
For the trip to the hotel, only three passengers were allowed in a van -- or one in a taxi -- except for families, all of which were arranged by the hotels, he said.
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang expressed confidence that the reopening will proceed smoothly and the easing of virus curbs will boost visitors' confidence.
Over the past nine months, there were no more than 100,000 foreign arrivals, but after the reopening, the number is expected to increase in the remaining two months of the year, the governor said.
Pol Gen Aswin added that the Thai Chamber of Commerce has also asked City Hall to consider allowing the Loy Krathong Festival to be held on Nov 19 to boost tourism.
Citizens and residents of 63 countries and territories can now enter Thailand without having to stay in mandatory quarantine, assuming they pass the Covid-19 test upon landing.
Fully vaccinated visitors from other countries will also be allowed to visit the country, though only through a tourism sandbox programme which is currently in place in 17 provinces. Unvaccinated visitors, meanwhile, have to quarantine for 10 days.
6 more Thai provinces added to 'watch list' due to rising COVID-19 infections
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Thailand's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has added six more provinces to its "watch list", in addition to the southern border provinces of Yala, Pattana, Narathiwat and Songkhla, due to concerns over a rising trend in new COVID-19 infections.
CCSA Assistant Spokesperson Dr. Apisamai Srirangsan said today (Monday) that Nakhon Si Thammarat in the South, Chiang Mai in the North, Khon Kaen in the Northeast, the western province of Tak and two eastern provinces of Rayong and Chanthaburi are now on the list.
She said that tighter controls, similar to those already in force in the southern border provinces, will now be imposed to contain the spread of the disease, pointing out that new infection clusters have emerged from funerals, weddings, at schools and among migrant workers.
According to the CCSA, 58.8% of the Thai population have received their first vaccine shot and 42.9% have received both doses, but only 11.9% of 500,000 pregnant women are fully inoculated.
According to the COVID-19 Information Centre today, Thailand recorded 8,165 new COVID-19 cases, 55 more deaths and 9,574 new recoveries. 99,227 patients are still undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, the operations centre of the CCSA today agreed to assign police, troops and local administration officials to check the readiness of businesses in Bangkok as a priority, to make sure they meet the requirements for reopening.
The centre, which met today, has expressed concern over continuing infections in provinces which are now open to foreign tourists without the need for quarantine on arrival, but expressed hope that the Thai people will strictly comply with the basic health safety measures.
Tomorrow, the centre will meet with representatives of the tourism sector and remind them of the need to adhere to the measures set by the CCSA, even though qualified tourists are no longer required to enter quarantine.
Thai Airways to sell 42 jets, cut workforce to reduce costs
A Thai Airways aircraft takes off past the tails of two other Thai Airways planes at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport, Nov 24, 2014. (AFP file photo)
Thai Airways International Plc will sell 42 planes and cut nearly a third of its workforce as part of a plan to slim down the fleet and cut costs, the head of its restructuring committee said on Monday.
The airline, which was in difficulty well before the pandemic struck, is going through a bankruptcy-protected restructuring.
Piyasvasti Amranand, who is leading the effort, said that the planes being sold are old and not energy efficient. He said 16 jets on lease will be returned.
After the sale, the airline will have 58 planes across four types.
Thai Airways has been losing money nearly every year since 2012.
Mr Piyasvasti said the airline planned to add more flights especially from Europe over the next few months as travel recovers.
On Monday, the Thai government reopened the country for quarantine-free travel for vaccinated tourists.
Mr Piyasvasti said that Thai Airways will reduce the number of workers from 21,300 to 14,500 by December 2022.
To help with cash flow, the airline will conclude a 25 billion baht credit agreement with financial institutions by next year and is in talks with the government for an additional 25 billion baht, he said.
The airline booked a profit of 11.1 billion baht in the six months ending in June from a loss of 28 billion baht during the corresponding period a year earlier after reducing expenses.
The chief of Thailand's northern hoteliers' association was forced to admit on Sunday that there were no foreign bookings at their hotels.
Today - Monday November 1st - was hailed as D-Day for Thailand's grand reopening as advertised by the government of Prayuth Chan-ocha and his optimistic tourism authorities.
But it looks like the dampest of damp squibs at least in terms of expectations in the north.
La-iat Bungsrithong told Thai PBS that there were 100 SHA and SHA+ hotels who had bought into the reopening plans in Chiang Mai.
But they had no foreign bookings.
Right now the city of Chiang Mai would have to make do with domestic tourists on government stimulus packages, she lamented.
News from the airport in the northern Thai capital was just as grim.
There was not a single foreign origin flight due today, tomorrow, the next day or the next.
They just hoped that Jeju Air would fly in from Incheon on Friday.
Other airlines have expressed an interest but they have made no firm commitments.
Again, domestic flights between 70-102 a day will have to take up the slack from the missing foreigners.
Earlier Prayuth attempted to woo nationals from an enlarged quota of 63 "safe" nations.
But so far - if the north is anything to go by - his goals of filling up Thailand with foreigners champing at the bit to visit the kingdom look to have been optimistic.
The government has made plans to handle a surge in cases following the reopening of the country's border on Monday, a senior doctor told Thai Enquirer.
Thailand opened its borders to vaccinated travelers on Monday from a list of 'safe countries' in a bid to kickstart the economy.
Travelers entering the kingdom will be able to travel freely after a negative result from a PCR test. The move, the government admits, will likely see a surge in new cases.
"The surge wont come from the arriving tourists but the service industry that supports them and from the behavior of locals," a senior doctor at Siriraj told Thai Enquirer.
"We are going to open bars and shopping malls and will see a surge of cases in a few weeks."
The doctor said that the fortunate thing is that the majority of people in big cities including Bangkok have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine.
"What you will see is the number of cases make spike but hospitalization and deaths will be low like you see in the United Kingdom and France," he said. "It is a calculated risk but its one the prime minister views as necessary because of the way the economy is going."
The doctor added that contingency measures were in place and he was confident the public health system would not be overstretched.
Thailand permits citizens of 63 countries to enter without quarantine.
Today is the day for which millions of Thais have been waiting more than a year: Thailand will begin allowing fully-vaccinated tourists from 63 countries to enter without (lengthy) quarantine – but still plenty of cost and hassle – in hopes of jump-starting the nation's vital tourism engine.
The marketing slogans used by the government – "Test & Go" and "No Quarantine" — are outright lies. But it is true that the barrier to enter Thailand has been lowered compared with early this year or even since the Phuket "sandbox" experiment began in July.
And Thai officials – who originally said 10 "low-risk" countries would qualify for the program only to expand the list to 46, made a last-minute tweak, adding 17 more nations: India, Taiwan, Laos, Luxembourg, Myanmar, the Philippines, Croatia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Romania, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Russia still isn't on the list.
The question is how many real tourists – not returning expats or Thais – will be willing put up with the hassle and cost of mandatory insurance, mandatory one-night quarantine in a government-certified hotel, double coronavirus testing and plenty of paperwork.
For most, it will be cheaper and easier to go somewhere else, even in Southeast Asia, which is what Thai officals fear most.
Planes carrying about 7,000 people – a huge chunk of them not tourists, but returning residents – will touch down at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. From there they will be shuttle inside sealed vans to hospitals and quarantine-hotels for invasive and redundant coronavirus tests, just 72 hours after they all endured a first test. In that hotel they must remain until a negative test result comes back, hopefully within a day.
From there, the arrivals can travel freely throughout the country.
The "fight to win foreign tourists" commences as countries from Australia to the United Kingdom – as well as Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia reopen also relax coronavirus restrictions. But, of those, Thailand's experiment to do away with all but a day of quarantine is the most ambitious and, if successful, could prove a model for more-timid countries.
"We're not expecting the rooms to be full overnight, but it's a great first step," John Blanco, general manager at Bangkok's Capella Hotel told Bloomberg News. "All countries are taking the same posture; that is, we need to learn to live with Covid. It's a general theme around the world."
While hotels have started filling in places where disease-control measures have been eased, Thailand still may prove too scary for many travelers, as it still ranks low of the Covid-19 Resiliency Rankings.
"I'm confident the reopening will greatly benefit the country, especially in the tourism high season that normally lasts into early next year," said Tourism Authority of Thailand Gov. Yuthasak Supasorn. "TAT is now expecting more than a million tourists to come in the next six months."
Thailand fumbled in its 2020 reopening attempts due to two virus outbreaks in December last year and April this year, as well as the laughably slow rollout of Covid-19 vaccines.
But the country notched a bit of success from the Phuket sandbox. It failed miserablyto bring in the number of expected visitors – and the Samui Plus program did even worse – but it proved to the overcautious ex-military rulers that vaccinated foreigners were not a threat. Only 0.28 percent of them tested positive in Phuket from July through September.
Migrant workers smuggled into the country, often with support from corrupt police and local administrators, as well as careless Thais themselves were the real disease threats.
Now that 45 percent of Thais are now fully vaccinated – albeit many with suspect Chinese-made potions – Thailand is linking its reopening to a higher vaccination rate
Amar Lalvani, chairman of U.S. boutique hotel operator Standard International, told Bloomberg that Thailand and the rest of Asia are pushing public health as a win to win the trust of tourists.
With November here, moribund tourism businesses slowly are cranking up the creaky machinery of the industry. International airlines are scheduling more flights while hotels and beach resorts are offering bargains.
Even actor Russell Crowe helped out, tweeting about Thailand's tourism experiments while in Phuket and Bangkok for a movie shoot.
While Chinese tourists, who made up almost a third of the total arrivals before the pandemic, will be deterred by 21-day quarantine on return home, the reopening may still draw hundreds of thousands of visitors and stave off another year of economic contraction.
Thailand's economy shrunk 6.1 percent last year, the worst performance since the Asian financial crisis in 1998.
But there remains widespread fear the reopening could spark another coronavirus wave. The country still is recording more than 8,000 cases a day. A severe lockdown was implemented in July when cases were at just 5,000 daily. Yet now the government feels like its safe to drop controls. A whopping 70-90 percent of those surveyed in recent polls disagree.
But for Thais that depend on tourism for their livelihoods – think Pattaya where thousands have stood in the sun for free food – reopening is not only worth the risk, the threat of starvation, suicide and poverty are far scarier than Covid-19.
"Opening up the country is necessary," said Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. "Because that is the way to ensure the survival of the people and the country."
Chonburi announces 259 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 1 new death
Highlights:
259 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Chonburi today
320 people recovered and were released from medical care
1 new death
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 259 new and confirmedcases of Covid-19 today with 1 new death, November 1st.
This makes a total of 101,483 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 5,591 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 719 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 320 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 95,173 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.
As for the one new death yesterday he was a 62-year-old man. He was a close contact from a previous confirmed case in a workplace according to the Chonburi Department of Public Health. He was not vaccinated.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 57, Si Racha 60, Banglamung (Pattaya) 51, Panat Nikhom 16, Sattahip 29, Ban Bueang 4, Phan Thong 7, Bor Thong 8, Ko Chan 1, Soldiers in Sattahip 4, and 22 people transferred from other provinces for medical care
The details on the cases are as follows:
Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 14 cases
Cluster, soldiers in Sattahip, 4 cases
Cluster, L & T Sub-contract company in Sattahip 9 cases
Cluster, work camp in Panat Nikhom, 6 cases
Cluster, Makita Manufacturing company in Si Racha, 6 cases
Cluster, Italian Thai Company in Si Racha, 4 cases
Cluster, Siam Denso Manufacturing in Pan Thong, 5 cases
Cluster, B.T. Autopart company in Mueang Chonburi, 4 cases
Risky occupation, meeting a lot of people, 9 cases
Back from risky areas in Rayong 3 cases and Bangkok 1 case
Close contacts of confirmed patients in 77 families, in 46 workplaces, 11 from close friends, and 4 joined parties
Close contact of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 14 cases
42 cases in general are under investigation as to how they contracted Covid-19
This is a developing story and will be updated. Check back for progress.
Thailand Pass, the essential linchpin for Thailand's reopening to foreign tourists today is live … and broken. As expected.
The government's information-technology efforts have a putrid reputation for crashes, dysfunction, data leaks and hacks. And Thailand Pass, which replaces the paper Certificate of Entry to allow fully vaccinated foreign tourists to enter the country with minimal quarantine and lots of hassle and cost, has become yet another example of that.
Granted, it is only the first hours since the system launched amid much fanfare and anticipation. The programmers and infrastructure, again, clearly weren't up to the task.
The system was plagued with timeout error messages from middleware provider Cloudflare. When it did come up, users were shocked and dumbfounded to find that it – despite the many documents users are supposed to upload, many of them multi-page – the system didn't accept Acrobat PDFs, only Jpeg or PNG image files.
Got multiple pages? Forget it, only one image per question.
Once users made it to the last page, the entire application died with an "API error".
When users restarted from scratch, they were unable to advance beyond the first page, as the drop-down menu to select the country of origin was broken.
Users across Twitter were reporting similar errors, which have continued into the third hour of operation.
The most-significant problem impacts those who received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Thailand, which seems to think only two doses of a vaccine makes you fully vaccinated, still requires proof of a second vaccination, even when J&J was the first dose.
Other problems reported:
Images won't upload, forcing a hard refresh and retart of entire application.
Missing select menu items for hotel province, country of origin, etc.
No email confirmation for the few lucky people who made it through the process.
