With Phuket the only place in the country with the Sandbox scheme still open to international visitors...Tourism figures praise keeping Phuket Sandbox open. Phuket News

Tourism figures praise keeping Phuket Sandbox open

PHUKET: Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Raktaengam has led a consortium of 16 agencies to say thank you to the government for keeping the Phuket Sandbox scheme open following the suspension of all Test & Go entry to the country.

Present to receive the formal thanks at the new Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Dec 22) was Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Pananpong.

Phuket remains the only province where tourists may enter the country under the Sandbox scheme following the immediate suspension of the Test & Go entry scheme on Tuesday.

The order to suspend Test & Go arrivals came 24 hours after Thailand marked its first local transmission, in Bangkok, of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which has brought on severe prevention measures and travel bans across Europe.

"On behalf of the private sector of Phuket, I would like to thank the Prime Minister and all relevant Cabinet members who have decided to trust Phuket to accept tourists in the form of the Phuket Sandbox," Mr Bhummikitti said.

"There are many related official agencies that support Phuket Province, especially in Phuket led by the Governor of Phuket and all Deputy Governors of Phuket, and with special thanks to Airports of Thailand and especially the Director of Phuket Airport for supporting the mission that we have gained confidence in this time," he added.

TEST & GO SUSPENDED

The central government has confirmed that 110,000 visitors who had already been approved entry to Thailand, and issued a QR code via the Thailand Pass application system, before the announcement on Tuesday will be allowed to enter Thailand on the approved date.

However, they will now be required to undergo a second RT-PCR test on Day 5 of their stay ‒ in addition to their first RT-PCR test on landing ‒ to confirm they are not infected. The government has announced that the state will pay the costs of the second test.

These visitors must stay in their hotel rooms until the results of their first test confirm they are not infected. Once the first test results confirm they are not infected, they may leave their hotel rooms. They must also return to their hotel each night until they have passed their second test. 

A further 90,000 visitors who had applied but had not yet been approved entry as of Tuesday will be allowed to enter the country, Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Tuesday.

The decision to suspend the Test & Go entry scheme will be reviewed on Jan 4.

PHUKET SANDBOX STILL OPEN

In addition to suspending all Test & Go entry to the country, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Tuesday also suspended all Sandbox entry schemes ‒ except the Phuket Sandbox model.

Under the Phuket Sandbox scheme visitors may land on the island and will be tested for COVID-19 on landing. If they test negative, they are free to go anywhere on the island. They will receive an ATK for a self-antigen test on Day 5-6.

They must stay on the island for seven days, after which ‒ if they test negative for the virus ‒ visitors may travel freely within the country, pending local restrictions in each province. During the seven days, Phuket Sandbox arrivals must stay at their designated pre-booked hotel. They are not allowed to stay overnight in any other places.

Any arrivals who test positive for COVID-1 will be referred to a healthcare facility for appropriate medical treatment, for which the expenses must be covered by the required insurance, or national healthcare coverage for Thais and eligible foreign expatriates, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) notes in its description of the Sandbox scheme.

HOLDING ON

Mr Bhummikitti urged people to remain calm, and to be patient in waiting for the CCSA to review the situation on Jan 4.

To date, Phuket has not marked a local transmission of the Omicron variant, and Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Weerasak Lorthongkham yesterday confirmed that all recent local cases of infection have resulted in mild symptoms only.

"We must maintain confidence [in handling the situation], for citizens and tourists, no matter which variant of COVID-19. Not just Omicron, there may be others. I believe that with the cooperation of all of us we will be able to coexist with the COVID-19 pandemic and overcome this crisis," he said.

"During these two weeks Phuket will do our best to reassure the country and tourists around the world that Thailand will continue [to remain open]... and most importantly, thanks to the government, especially the departments of the Ministry of Public Health, including Vachira Phuket Hospital and the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, which together are an important force that will allow Phuket to move forward," he said.

Mr Bhummikitti noted that the policy shift will no doubt affect tourist arrivals, but said it was too early to tell how much of an effect it will have.

"The suspension of the Test & Go scheme will have an inevitable impact. But it is necessary to keep the economy going," Mr Bhummikitti told the Bangkok Post.

Phuket mainly has tourists from Russia and Kazakhstan at present and these countries can still enter via the Phuket Sandbox despite the change in other entry systems, he said.





🔴 The new rules about Thailand Pass have now been published in the Royal Gazette: Here are the highlights. Richard Barrow

🔴 The new rules about Thailand Pass have now been published in the Royal Gazette: 

Here are the highlights:

📌 Test & Go and Sandbox registrations have been suspended for at least two weeks until 4th January 2022. The exception is for people using Phuket Sandbox 

📌 Test & Go people who have already been approved, and who arrive in Thailand from 24th December onwards, must do a second RT-PCR test on Days 5-6 at a government approved medical facility. The government is responsible for this expense.

📌 People who registered for Phuket Sandbox since 22nd December, must pay for  two RT-PCR tests themselves. The second test must be done on Days 5-6 or when they develop symptoms, while they are still in Phuket

Netizens outraged after school advertises for teaching assistant at 5,500 baht/month - 183 baht a day. ASEAN NOW

Image: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that comment from Thai netizens was rife after an education website called Khru Wandee Dot Com advertised a primary teacher assistant post at a measly 5,500 baht a month.

 

The media did the math and said that would only be 183 baht a day, well short of minimum wage.

 

It would only go up to 6,000 baht after a three month probationary period said the ad, from a school whose name was vaselined out.

 

Image: Daily News

 

This is probably due to defamation laws in sue happy Thailand. 

 

Netizens said this was like wages from decades ago.

 

It should be at least 12,000 baht in the modern world, cried others. 

 

While others pointed out that it was illegal to offer less than minimum wage for a full time position that this appeared to be. 

According to Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), the latest meeting Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) initially approved a fourth round of vaccinations for medical personnel and frontline staff, patients with chronic illnesses and low immunity, and people who have had their third dose for more than three months. NNT

 The National Vaccine Institute has approved a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to boost immunity among specific groups. 

According to Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), the latest meeting Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP) initially approved a fourth round of vaccinations for medical personnel and frontline staff, patients with chronic illnesses and low immunity, and people who have had their third dose for more than three months.

Dr. Opas said people who receive the first two doses of an inactivated virus vaccine, followed by the third dose of a viral vector type vaccine, are advised to get an mRNA jab for their fourth shot. For example, if the first two doses were Sinovac injections, followed by an AstraZeneca injection, then the fourth should either be a Pfizer injection or another AstraZeneca shot. If the first two doses were Sinovac shots, followed by a Pfizer jab, then it is recommended that the individual receive Pfizer doses for the fourth shot.

The ACIP board has meanwhile approved inoculations for children between the ages of 5 and 11 using vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr Opas, however, said the most important thing is for parents to understand information related to vaccines before voluntarily giving consent for their children to get vaccinated.

The approvals will be submitted to the National Communicable Disease Committee for consideration by December 24.

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 182 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with no new deaths, December 23rd. Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 182 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths

Thursday, 23 December 2021, 7:58

Highlights:

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

• 165 people recovered and were released from medical care

• No new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 182 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with no new deaths, December 23rd.

This makes a total of 111,322 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 1,852 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, 165 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 108,683 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, and were not vaccinated.

In total, 1,899,073 people in Pattaya and Chonburi have received their first dose of a Covid -19 vaccine which is 81.54 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 296,863 have received their first dose and are what the Thai government calls 608 groups (elders, have chronic health problems, and pregnant) which is 80.25 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 27, Si Racha 37, Banglamung (Pattaya) 77, Panat Nikhom 3, Sattahip 2, Ban Bueng 1 Phan Thong 22, Ko Chan 3, and 10 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, 9 cases
2. Cluster, Ge Mao Rubber International company in Phan Thong, 8 cases
3. Cluster, work camp in Khao Maikaew, Banglamung, 7 cases
4. Cluster work camp of Banlue company in Banglamung, 6 cases
5. Cluster, work camp in Don Hualor, Mueang Chonburi, 6 cases
6. Cluster, Asahi Tec Group company in Mueang Chonburi, 3 cases
7. Cluster, Thai Summit PKK Company in Si Racha, 5 cases
8. Risky occupations meeting many people, 7 cases
9. 3 medical personnel
10. Back from other provinces in Bangkok – 1 case, Nakhon Ratchasima – 1 case, Phetchaburi – 1 case and Sisaket – 1 case
11. Close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families – 35 cases, in workplaces – 31 cases, close personal contacts – 5 cases, and joined a party – 2 cases
12. Close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 15 cases
13. 36 cases close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation)

🔴 #COVID19 update on Thursday: ⬆️ 2,940 new cases⬇️ 30 deaths ⬆️ 38,314 in care. Richard Barrow

 



Bangkok Post highlights 23/12



Just over 100 Omicron cases detected in Thailand to date, more tests underway | The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) confirmed today (Wednesday) that Thailand has detected a total of 104 Omicron cases to date, while 34 more COVID-19 infections among Test & Go arrivals have been found. Thai PBS World.

Just over 100 Omicron cases detected in Thailand to date, more tests underway

views  862

The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) confirmed today (Wednesday) that Thailand has detected a total of 104 Omicron cases to date, while 34 more COVID-19 infections among Test & Go arrivals have been found.

Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint of the Disease Control Department said most of the Omicron cases are already receiving treatment, while others have recovered.

182,578 travellers have arrived in Thailand this month, with 10,759 arriving just yesterday (Tuesday). Among them are 9,479 people who arrived under the "Test & Go" scheme, 34 of whom tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival. 1,140 people arrived under the "sandbox" scheme, two of whom were found to be infected and 140 entered quarantine, of whom three are infected.

The infections among the "Test & Go" arrivals were mostly in people from the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia.

Currently, the Omicron variant has spread to 95 countries, including the United States where 47 states have reported Omicron cases. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the variant is much more transmissible than others and has become the most dominant variant in the country, now representing 73% of all new COVID-19 infections.

Israel has banned its citizens from visiting Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States or Canada, in an effort to prevent them from contracting the Omicron variant.

The Thai authorities are so far only asking for people's cooperation in refraining from travelling abroad, especially from the United States, Europe and Africa over Omicron concerns.