🔴 Health officials in Phuket are reporting five cases of Omicron. Richard Barrow

🔴 Health officials in Phuket are reporting five cases of Omicron. Four foreigners and one Thai arrived 13-14 December using Test and Go. Results came from arrival test. Two arrived from UK (American & German), and one each from Sweden (Swedish), France (Tunisian), and Saudi Arabia/Qatar (Thai). Chart shows their vaccination record.

 

Khao Kheow Open Zoo to launch ‘Khao Kheow Night Zoo’ The Khao Kheow Open Zoo is launching the ‘Khao Kheow Night Zoo’, consisting of nighttime tours of the park and zoo allowing visitors to see how the animals behave during the evening. Pattaya News

Khao Kheow Open Zoo to launch 'Khao Kheow Night Zoo'

The Khao Kheow Open Zoo is launching the 'Khao Kheow Night Zoo', consisting of nighttime tours of the park and zoo allowing visitors to see how the animals behave during the evening.

Sunday, 19 December 2021, 16:26

Sri Racha-

The director of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo Mr. Taywin Rattanawongsawat told TPN media over this past weekend, "This time is the happiest festivities, time of year, and New Year's Festival. Therefore, we are going to launch a new activity, the 'Khao Kheow Night Zoo'."

"We have operated the Khao Kheow Night Safari for more than ten years. However, we wanted to make improvements and highlight the tours to our visitors over the holiday season as many people, especially domestic visitors, and some foreign tourists have begun to visit the zoo once again." Taywin explained.

"The night zoo also allows our regular visitors to see the park and animals in an entirely new light and we are quite sure our local residents will enjoy the event also," Taywin added.

"'Khao Kheow Night Zoo' will be launched on December 24^th, 2021. A ticket for adults is 250 baht and kids are 150 baht per night. To book tickets please call 096-9742546." Taywin stated.

TPN media adds that it was not immediately clear if there would be a price difference for foreign nationals or tourists or if a work permit, proof of residency, Thai driver's license, or other items would ensure the same pricing and was told that interested visitor's should contact the park directly with this question.

"On December 31^st we are going to hold a New Year's countdown event at the zoo and have limited tickets available. We have camping areas near our lagoon too, for those who want to spend the night at the zoo." Taywin concluded.

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 197 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with no new death, December 19th. Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 197 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths

Sunday, 19 December 2021, 15:11

Highlights:

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

• 107 people recovered and were released from medical care

• No new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 197 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with no new death, December 19th.

This makes a total of 110,688 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 1,863 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 783 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.

Additionally, 107 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 108,042 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.

Four people were listed as being in serious condition in Chonburi currently, either on a ventilator or pneumonia. Three of them were not vaccinated.

In total, 1,891,821 people in Pattaya and Chonburi have received their first dose of a Covid -19 vaccine which is 81.23 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 296,293 have received their first dose and are what the Thai government calls 608 groups (elders, have chronic health problems, and pregnant) which is 80.09 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 13, Si Racha 55, Banglamung (Pattaya) 75, Panat Nikhom 1, Sattahip 2, Soldier in Sattahip 4, Ban Bueng 4, Phan Thong 12, Bo Thong 1, Koh Chan 2, Nong Yai 3 and 25 people transferred from other provinces for medical care.

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred to Chonburi for medical care, 17 cases
2. Cluster, Royal Thai Navy Base in Sattahip, 4 cases
3. Cluster, Thai Summit PKK Engineering Company in Si Racha, 8 cases
4. Cluster, Michelin Siam Company in Si Racha, 3 cases
5. Cluster, a construction camp in Banglamung, 10 cases
6. Cluster, Ge Mao Rubber International Company in Pan Thong, 4 cases
7. Cluster, Yamasei (Thailand) Company in Rayong, 8 cases (Live in Chonburi 3, live in Rayong 5)
8. Cluster, Auto Alliance in Rayong, 8 cases (Live in Chonburi 7, live in Rayong 1)
9. Risky occupations meeting many people, 3 cases
10. 3 medical personnel
11. Back from other provinces in Bangkok – 2 cases, Chachoengsao – 1 case, and Si Saket – 1 case
12. Close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families – 36 cases, in workplaces – 30 cases, and close personal contacts – 6 cases
13. 10 cases close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation)
14. 43 under investigation cases

Most tourists arriving in Thailand from December 1 to 17 hail from Germany, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Saturday. The Nation

In the first half of this month, 134,578 tourists have landed in the Kingdom and the top 10 countries they came from are:

• Germany (10,808 tourists)

• United Kingdom (8,764)

• Russia (5,468)

• The United States (5,011)

• France (4,976)

• The United Arab Emirates (4,748)

• Sweden (4,652)

• Singapore (4,420)

• Norway (3,680)

• South Korea (3,486)

Since the country reopened on November 1, the top five countries where tourists have come from include:

• The US (14,730 tourists)

• Germany (12,099)

• The Netherlands (8,478)

• The United Kingdom (6,701)

• Russia (5,307)

Thai land borders still closed to most tourists and visa runners. Pattaya Mail

Thai land borders still closed to most tourists and visa runners

Barry KenyonDecember 19, 2021

Myanmar's lavishly furnished Yangon international airport is a total ghost town.

Recent media publicity has highlighted the imminent reopening of some Thai border posts. However, there is no go ahead for most foreigners who wish to see the sights or obtain a new permission to enter Thailand. The imminent openings will initially prioritize border crossings for goods, returning workers and local market stall holders.



The Laos information and culture minister announced yesterday that his country will indeed reopen for tourism in 2022. But the first phase, January to March, will be restricted to organized group tours authorized under the Lao Travel Green Zone Plan. The First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, near Vientiane, will formally open in late December, but with those provisos. Meanwhile, the country's Wattana international airport remains closed to foreigners unless they are "experts, technicians or needed for essential government projects."

As regards Cambodia, meetings are currently being held between the Sa Kaeo provincial governor and Thai disease control officials to reopen several border posts including Poipet and Aranyprathet. Again, there is no provision for land tourists or visa runners to cross frontiers. However, individual tourists can apply via Cambodian embassies worldwide for tourist visas to enter through the international airports of Phnom Penh and Siam Reap under a scheme similar to Thailand's Test and Go. However, there is no longer a mandatory insurance requirement for 30 day tourists to Cambodia.

The Thai-Cambodian land border post at Pong Nam Ron (Hot Water Spring) is no longer a visa-renewing facility for Thai tourists.

Few tourists are interested in visiting Myanmar right now and all foreigners need "a compelling case" to enter. The coup-installed National Defence and Security Council has called for limited land border openings with both Thailand and China for trade reasons. However, no date has been set. Myanmar's Yangon international airport remains closed until 31 December 2021, and likely beyond. Most guest workers in Thailand are Myanmar nationals who are free to stay with renewable Thai labour permits.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's land borders with Thailand remain closed and most international visitors are banned, unless they are long-stay residents under the My Second Home retiree scheme or are specifically visiting Langkawi island. All Thailand's neighbors have stringent health regulations in place with isolation-quarantine regulations stronger than Thailand's in most cases. Laos even threatens a jail term for non-wearing of a mask in some public places.



Aware of the near-impossibility of leaving Thailand by a land route, the authorities here are allowing 60 days Covid-extensions for international visitors to the end of January 2022, and possibly beyond. Moreover, most Thai longstay visas can currently be obtained or extended without leaving the kingdom. In the past, many applicants for student visas or work permits had to travel over the border to obtain the necessary paperwork in a Thai consulate. For the time being, those journeys are suspended.

Three Thai nationals tested positive for the Omicron variant on Friday after returning home via the Phuket sandbox scheme from their annual “Umrah” pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The Nation















3 Thais test positive for Omicron upon return from Mecca

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Three Thai nationals tested positive for the Omicron variant on Friday after returning home via the Phuket sandbox scheme from their annual "Umrah" pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Dr Muhammad Labaiji, deputy director of Khok Pho Hospital in Pattani who had also joined the trip, said on Sunday that three Omicron infections were confirmed after 137 returnees underwent RT-PCR tests upon returning from Mecca last week.

The three patients have been transferred to Pattani's Khok Pho Hospital, he said, adding that those not infected have completed their five-day quarantine in Phuket and will spend another 14 days in self-isolation when they return home.

Umrah, a "lesser pilgrimage" compared to Hajj, is not mandatory and usually takes up to 15 days in Mecca –