En annan variant / tolkning



 

 

Thailand has scrapped its 'Thailand Pass' and 'Test & Go' schemes due to fears over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-Cha has ordered the immediate suspension of new registrations for Thailand Pass and at the same reinstated mandatory quarantine effective immediately.

 

The PM announced on Tuesday afternoon that Test & Go will be put on hold until at least January 4, 2022. 

 

The so-called 'Sandbox' programs will also be suspended. 

 

"After Dec. 21, there will be no new registrations for 'Test and Go', only quarantine or Phuket sandbox," said deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek.

 

However, those who had already registered and are due to travel will still be able to enter the country, but they will be required to take a second RT-PCR test. When the test is required was not clear at the time of posting. 

 

The PM took the decision following a meeting with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Tuesday morning.

 

This is a developing story. This post will be updated without warning. 

 

This post was updated at 16.44

 

 

 

OBS, OBS, OBS !!!! Thailand scraps Test and Go plan, foreign travelers must quarantine - Thai Enquirer

Thailand scraps Test and Go plan, foreign travelers must quarantine

December 21, 2021

The Thai government said on Tuesday that it will scrap the recently implemented Test and Go Plan as Omicron variant cases spike worldwide.

The Test and Go Plan, which allowed foreign arrivals to skip quarantine, and the Thailand Pass system will be suspended and reevaluated again on January 4.

All travelers that previously applied for and received the Thailand Pass can still enter the kingdom until January 10 but must quarantine for seven days.

Arrivals planning to enter the country after must either quarantine for 14 days or use the country's Phuket Sandbox program.

It is unclear at this time whether the Bangkok and Samui sandbox programs will continue in light of the new restrictions.

Anutin Charnvirakul, the Public Health Minister, told reporters before the decision that scrapping the program was necessary to stop another damaging spike in cases.

The Test and Go Plan and the Thailand Pass was only introduced on November 1 and contributed to a steady rise in tourism numbers.



[BREAKING] Local news are reporting that the government has approved of GETTING RID of TEST AND GO for arrivals to combat the spread of Omicron. Details to follow about what quarantine procedures we can expect. Thai Enquirer



7 Hajj Pilgrims Among Thailand’s Latest Omicron Cases. They returned at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Dec. 15 and 14 of them tested positive for Covid-19. All the infected had received three shots of Covid-19 vaccines. Bangkok Herald, 21 December 2021

7 Hajj Pilgrims Among Thailand's Latest Omicron Cases

21 December 2021

Other Hajj pilgrims return from Saudi Arabia.

Seven hajj pilgrims tested positive for the omicron variant of Covid-19 after returning from Saudi Arabia and were admitted to the hospital.

Preeda Chueaphudee, advisor to the country's Muslim spiritual leader Chularatchamontri, said the omicron cases were among the 31 Thai pilgrims who had left for Saudi Arabia on Dec. 1 for a 15-day pilgrimage.

They then developed a fever and possibly contracted the disease during the activity that gathered hundreds of thousands of pilgrims worldwide, he said.

They returned at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Dec. 15 and 14 of them tested positive for Covid-19. All the infected had received three shots of Covid-19 vaccines.

In addition, there were six high-risk people who were in close contact with the infected pilgrims, Preeda said.

Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said that officials continued to conduct proactive tests to identify omicron cases.

Brits rush to change flights to Thailand - The “suggestion” by the Thai health ministry that the spread of the Omicron virus is likely to result in urgent travel restrictions has unnerved the international flight market. Britain, which has particularly high Omicron infection levels, feels especially vulnerable. Pattaya Mail

Brits rush to change flights to Thailand

Barry KenyonDecember 21, 2021

Easy travel to Thailand is again under threat from the pesky virus.

The "suggestion" by the Thai health ministry that the spread of the Omicron virus is likely to result in urgent travel restrictions has unnerved the international flight market. Britain, which has particularly high Omicron infection levels, feels especially vulnerable. Trailfinders and Flyscanner, amongst other companies, report customers urgently trying to rebook flights before an expected shift in the rules. Few short-term tickets are now available, mostly with stopovers in the Middle East. British Airways and Eva no longer fly direct from UK to Bangkok.



Currently, fully-vaccinated and virus-free citizens of 64 countries, including Britain, can apply for Test and Go clearance to visit Thailand. Once here, they are required to reside in a pre-booked hotel only for several hours awaiting the hopefully-negative result of their new RT-PCR health test. The fear is that Thai authorities will abolish Test and Go for some or all of the 64 countries and replace it with the Sandbox program (which requires new arrivals to sleep for seven nights in a pre-booked hotel with daytime freedom of movement in the area) or a 10 or 14 day compulsory isolation/quarantine irrespective of vaccination status.

A formal decision will likely be taken by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), the top Thai health committee, on Christmas Eve. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is insisting that no decisions have been made and that all stakeholders will be heard. Phisut Sae-Khu, president of the eastern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, said that sudden changes would have a negative impact, whatever the detail.

Pattaya, whose economy is mostly dependent on tourism, has recently seen international arrival numbers soar, particularly from Scandinavia and the UK. Thanet Supornsahasrungsri, the acting president of the Chonburi Tourism Council said that daily arrivals were now 500-700. Many business owners say that the answer is not more entry restrictions but the enforcement of a digital pass system in every public place. Experience in Thailand suggests this policy is idealistic rather than practical.



The World Health Organization said that the number of Omicron cases is doubling internationally every 2 or 3 days in areas with community transmission, although doubts remain about the severity of illnesses created by the virus variant. Thai travel agents mostly say that the local hospitality industry might just survive the adoption of the Sandbox program, but that the return of isolation-quarantine would be a death knell for 2022. 



Anutin: No new Covid measures until 200,000 tourists have gone through – The issue of scrapping Test & Go entry procedure will be discussed at today’s Cabinet meeting with the initial details to then be taken into consideration by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) executive committee within this week. Thai Newsroom

 Anutin: No new Covid measures until 200,000 tourists have gone through

December 21, 2021  TNR Staff

PUBLIC Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today (Dec. 21) that as many as 200,000 tourists have to be taken care of before any new steps against the Omicron variant of coronavirus could be taken, Sanook.com said.

Despite shopkeepers opposing the cancellation of the Test & Go entry procedure, the Disease Control Department is looking for the best and least impactful measures to implement taking into account all dimensions but the most important factor is the safety of the Thai people, he said.

This is particularly important because there are 97 more cases of possible Omicron infection awaiting confirmation.

Anutin revealed that medical teams had proposed that Thailand stop letting tourists come in but after discussions with all parties it was concluded that there are still almost 200,000 tourists that have to go through before any steps could be taken

Regarding locking down the country again, the minister said the World Health Organisation had not asked countries to halt overseas travel during the New Year holidays and as far as possible a lockdown will be avoided.

The issue of scrapping Test & Go entry procedure will be discussed at today's Cabinet meeting with the initial details to then be taken into consideration by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) executive committee within this week.

Meanwhile the Public Health Ministry said this morning that there were 2,476 Covid cases and 32 deaths over the past 24 hours taking the cumulative confirmed total since April to 2,167,666,

Another 3,649 patients were cured increasing total recoveries since April to 2,108,771 while 38,892 patients are still undergoing treatment.

Today's 32 fatalities raised the death toll to 21,440.



Vaccination update December 21st

Chonburi announces 174 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and two new deaths - The Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 174 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and two new deaths

Tuesday, 21 December 2021, 10:48

Highlights:

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

• 173 people recovered and were released from medical care

• Two new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 174 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with two new deaths, December 21st.

This makes a total of 110,990 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 1,822 people still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 787 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.

Additionally, 174 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 108,381 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.

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

Two new deaths today are at the average age of 67. They both had personal health problems. One of them was not vaccinated.

In total, 1,894,541 people in Pattaya and Chonburi have received their first dose of a Covid -19 vaccine which is 81.34 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 296,388 have received their first dose and are what the Thai government calls 608 groups (elders, have chronic health problems, and pregnant) which is 80.12 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 22, Si Racha 50, Banglamung (Pattaya) 51, Panat Nikhom 2, Sattahip 7, Phan Thong 17, Bor Thong 2, and 13 people transferred from other provinces for medical care.

The details on the cases are as follows:

1. Work and stayed in Rayong, transferred from other provinces for medical care, 10 cases
2. Cluster, Ge Mao Rubber International company in Phan Thong, 8 cases
3. Cluster, mushroom farm in Phan Thong, 2 cases
4. Cluster, ACA Industrial Tools company in Mueang Chonburi, 3 cases
5. Risky occupations meeting many people, 10 cases
6. 1 medical personnel
7. Back from other province in Chainat, 1 case
8. Close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families – 57 cases, in workplaces – 28 cases, close personal contacts – 6 cases, and joined a party – 5 cases
9. Close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 36 cases

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Goong is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for closing in on two years. Specializes primarily in local news for Pattaya and Phuket, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket except when commuting.