Thailand records December rush of tourists, but Omicron clouds brewing | The other big question mark for travellers at this time is flights. Are their flights still coming to Thailand as scheduled. So travellers should be checking the status of their flights constantly to keep on top of the changes. And between today and January 4, the next date of arrival procedures for Thailand, there could be additional tweaks or changes by Thai authorities. Thaiger / FRB / Reuters

Thailand records December rush of tourists, but Omicron clouds brewing

By 

Tim Newton

Sunday, December 26, 2021 09:20

A few days in December as travellers keep rolling into Thailand.

On the day before Christmas, 11,533 passengers arrived in Thailand, the highest daily number since the borders were opened for fully vaccinated tourists, with only one night of quarantine, on November 1. 7,454 of those passengers arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Up to December 24, 217,101 travellers have arrived in Thailand. Some of them will be tourists heading to the country's hot spots for a Thai Christmas, re-uniting with friends and family, or just enjoying a tropical holiday (unless they're heading north at this time of the year).

If the trend for December continues, that will result in around 280,000 people coming to Thailand this month. That's a significant uptick from November (around 130,000) but still only 8 percent of the travellers that arrived in Thailand in the month of December 2019, before the pandemic kicked off around the world.

Still, given the global Omicron-induced travel dramas this week, Thailand's December arrival spike is a welcome change for the country's hospitality businesses who have been one of the hardest hit industries.

So where have the travellers been arriving from?

Mostly from Germany with 18,434 arrivals up to December 24 this month. Then the UK with 15,321, Russia with 9,6667 and the US with 8,871.

Beyond the top 4, contributors to Thailand's December tourist mix…

5. Singapore 8,402

6. France 8,268

7. Sweden 7,737

8. UAE 6,961

9. South Korea 5,593

10. Norway 5,059

But Omicron clouds are brewing as the December surge of tourists will drop in January due to a range of factors, not the least being the Thai Government's decision to suspend applications for the Test & Go, and Sandbox, programs (except the Phuket Sandbox) until at least January 4.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs say they are still honouring approved applications before 11.59pm on Tuesday December 21, as well as applications made up to that date, that may be approved.

And fully vaccinated tourists can still apply under the Phuket Sandbox for a quarantine free experience on the island for 7 days, then head off to anywhere they want to travel in Thailand.

The other big question mark for travellers at this time is flights. Are their flights still coming to Thailand as scheduled. In the past week hundreds of airlines, around the world, have been altering their schedules and cancelling flights.In the US both Delta and United Airlines announced they were having to scale back schedules because the Omicron variant had overwhelmed sufficient staff to affect their operations.

So travellers should be checking the status of their flights constantly to keep on top of the changes.

And between today and January 4, the next date of arrival procedures for Thailand, there could be additional tweaks or changes by Thai authorities, although the Omicron situation in Thailand has not dramatically surged like in the US, UK and parts of Europe. Yet.

Today Thailand reported 2,532 new Covid infections and 22 deaths, with another 962 suspected ATK infections awaiting confirmation.

Meanwhile, an Omicron Covid cluster in Kalasin, in mid north-east Thailand, aded another 64 infections yesterday.

A doctor at the Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital in Kalasin say that up to 50% of all new cases in January "could be of the new Covid-19 variant".

The recent cluster has again been linked to staff and customers of a bar and restaurant which an infected married couple visited on December 12.

SOURCE: FRB | Reuters



Kalasin pub cluster expands. Up to 50% of new cases could be be caused by the new highly transmissible variant by mid-January, said Dr Nitipat Jiarakul, chief of Siriraj Hospital's Division of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis Department. By February, the number of daily new infections is projected to surge to between 10,000 and 20,000, said Dr Nitipat. Bangkok News

Kalasin pub cluster expands

Senior officials of the Public Health Ministry on Thursday take part in a merit-making ceremony at Wat Phutthapanya in Nonthaburi province for people who died from Covid-19. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)

The Omicron cluster in Kalasin appears to be expanding after local authorities diagnosed 64 more cases on Saturday.

According to one Siriraj doctor, up to 50% of all new cases in January could be of the new Covid-19 variant.

A cluster was linked to cases among staff and customers of a pub and restaurant in the northeastern province of Kalasin, which an infected married couple visited on Dec 12.

After a total of 19 musicians, waiters, waitresses and guests visiting the pub and restaurant were confirmed to have the Omicron variant on Christmas Eve, another 45 patrons were on Saturday diagnosed with Covid-19 and awaiting the result that would reveal the strain, said Aphichai Limanon, chief provincial public health officer.

In total, 61 new Covid-19 were infections recorded in Kalasin on Saturday.

So far, 64 Covid-19 infections in Kalasin are confirmed to have arisen through contact with the couple who returned from Belgium on Dec 10 and later tested positive for Omicron after the first negative RT-PCR test upon their arrival, he said.

This infection situation has prompted the province's disease control committee to begin discussing what other places that may need to be shut down.

The pub and restaurant, seen as the epicentre of the cluster, has already been shut, he said. It is unclear how many other places could be affcetd by a closure order.

The husband and wife, who were admitted to a private hospital in neighbouring Khon Kaen for treatment on Dec 18 are being closely monitored by doctors in an isolated ward, said Somsak Jangtrakul, the Khon Kaen governor.

About 100 people who shared a bus journey with the pair from Kalasin to Khon Kaen all tested negative in the first round of Covid-19 testing using rapid antigen test kits, he said.

An infectious diseases expert, meanwhile, said the Omicron variant may soon dominate new Covid-19 infections in Thailand.

Up to 50% of new cases could be be caused by the new highly transmissible variant by mid-January, said Dr Nitipat Jiarakul, chief of Siriraj Hospital's Division of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis Department.

By February, the number of daily new infections is projected to surge to between 10,000 and 20,000, said Dr Nitipat.

The number of severe cases, however, may be as low as 2%, as opposed to the average rate of 5% in patients infected with the previous variants Thailand, he said.

"So, it is unlikely to overwhelm the country's healthcare system as the previous variants did in past waves of Covid-19," he said.

Exact numbers would depend on how well the country deals with preventing the spread of Covid-19 during the coming New Year festival.

In Prachuap Khiri Khan, three British tourists also tested positive, with a fourth member of the group still waiting for the result of a test to confirm if he has the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, said local authorities.

Eight Covid-19 infected tourists in Krabi are also waiting for second-test confirmation, said Dr Chaiway Thongmai, chief provincial public health officer, on Saturday.

These infected tourists were among 1,616 tourists from Finland, Norway and Singapore who arrived in Krabi on direct flights between Nov 1 and Wednesday, he said.

Meanwhile, Revenue Department director-general Ekniti Nitithanprapas on Saturday said he was suffering a low fever and coughing as a result of an Covid-19 infection.



This was the scene on Christmas Eve at Suvarnabhumi when several flights arrived at the same time. Richard Barrow

 This was the scene on Christmas Eve at Suvarnabhumi when several flights arrived at the same time. On that day, 7,454 out of 11,533 passengers arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This month so far, 217,101 have arrived in Thailand. Most are Test & Go passengers (📷 @matichonweekly)

I don't have any statistics on how many people arriving at Suvarnbhumi airport tested positive on Christmas Eve. However, I can say, on that day, 63 international arrivals in #Thailand tested positive. The chances are high that some of those were in that crowded airport photo.

Top 10 of country of origin for international travellers to #Thailand in December 2021. Richard Barrow

 Top 10 of country of origin for international travellers to #Thailand in December 2021:

1. Germany 18,434

2. UK 15,321

3. Russia 9,667

4. USA 8,871

5. Singapore 8,402

6. France 8,268

7. Sweden 7,737

8. UAE 6,961

9. South Korea 5,593

10. Norway 5,059

Bangkok Post highlights 26/12

🔴 #COVID19 update on Sunday: ⬇️ 2,532 new cases ⬆️ 962 probable cases (ATK) ⬇️ 22 deaths. Richard Barrow



The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 192 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with no new deaths, December 25th. Pattaya News

Chonburi announces 192 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths

Saturday, 25 December 2021, 13:15

Highlights:

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

• 134 people recovered and were released from medical care

• No new deaths

The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 192 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today with no new deaths, December 25th.

This makes a total of 111,689 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 1,960 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, 134 people were also released and recovered yesterday in Chonburi. 108,942 people in total have now been released from medical care and recovered in Chonburi since this current wave of Covid-19 began.

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

In total, 1,903,088 people in Pattaya and Chonburi have received their first dose of a Covid -19 vaccine which is 81.71 percent of the total Chonburi population. Of those, 297,273 have received their first dose and are what the Thai government calls 608 groups (elders, have chronic health problems, and pregnant) which is 80.36 percent of those in these risk groups in Chonburi.

The district-level new cases were as follows today:

Mueang Chonburi 18, Si Racha 48, Banglamung (Pattaya) 89, Panat Nikhom 2, Sattahip 4, new soldiers in Sattahip 1, Phan Thong 15, ฺBor Thong 1, Nong Yai 1, 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, 12 cases
2. Cluster, Supawut industries company in Banglamung, 7 cases
3. Cluster, Thai Summit PKK company in Banglamung, 3 cases
4. Cluster,  Worldwide Production and Service company in Si Racha, 7 cases
5. Cluster, Cho-Siri International Clean company in Si Racha, 5 cases
6. Active case finding at a company near Bang Phra Beach in Si Racha, 4 cases
7. Cluster, Leschaco company in Si Racha, 3 cases
8. Cluster, Ge Mao Rubber International in Phan Thong, 4 cases
9. Cluster, Amagasaki Pipe company in Mueang Chonburi, 3 cases
10. Cluster, Asahi Tec Group company in Mueang Chonburi, 3 cases
11. Risky occupations meeting many people, 5 cases
12. Close contacts from previously confirmed cases in families – 38 cases, in workplaces – 24 cases, close personal contacts – 4 cases, and joined a party – 5 cases
13. Close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation), 12 cases
14. 53 cases  close contacts of a confirmed patient (under investigation)

In case the Thailand Pass and entry process wasn’t complicated enough with enough forms for you, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has added a public health form required for all international passengers to Phuket to fill out before being allowed to get off the plane. The new rule, a Notice to Pilots, was published in Thai only yesterday afternoon and shared late last night by the Public Relations Department of Phuket. The Thaiger

Form must be completed before exiting plane in Phuket now

By 

Neill Fronde

Saturday, December 25, 2021 18:16

In case the Thailand Pass and entry process wasn't complicated enough with enough forms for you, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has added a public health form required for all international passengers to Phuket to fill out before being allowed to get off the plane. The new rule, a Notice to Pilots, was published in Thai only yesterday afternoon and shared late last night by the Public Relations Department of Phuket.

"Today (24 Dec 2021), the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued a pilot announcement (NOTAM) informing airlines around the world that it is compulsory to distribute documents for entering the country from the plane and inform passengers to have the completed entry documents ready before leaving the plane. Because there are still international passengers who have been approved to travel to Thailand, therefore to reduce congestion in the airport and to comply with disease control measures…  [airlines must] hand out public health forms and the form of entry into the country from the plane, such as the consent form for the second test for Covid-19 by RT-PCR method, for passengers to complete."

The plan is aimed not only at public safety but to reduce congestion that has been caused in the airport terminal caused by the additional procedures implemented for Covid-19. By requiring all international passengers to have all their documents ready before exiting the plane, some of the bottlenecking can be eliminated.

One required form is the second RT-PCR test consent form, as the CCSA added a mandatory second test on the fifth or sixth day after arrival as part of their revised tightening of restrictions to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant. The government is absorbing the cost of this unexpected additional requirement though.

The additional health form is required for Phuket as Thailand eliminated its most convenient entry programmes, the Test & Go plan that required quarantine only for a few hours while waiting for RT-PCR test results, and cancelled all the Sandbox programmes that required only a soft quarantine except the original one in Phuket.

SOURCE: The Phuket News