Thailand News - Corona - By Ola J.

onsdag 23 februari 2022

Anutin latest: We are completely in control of Covid - even if things turn into an emergency. ASEAN NOW

Naew Na Thai Caption: We can cope if things take a turn for the worse

Anutin Charvirakul told the Thai press yesterday that he is in complete control - even if things get worse when it comes to Covid.

Thailand's heath minister and DPM told Naew Na after a cabinet meeting that there were enough beds, enough meds and enough medical gear to cope.

Even if the latest spike in Covid cases becomes an emergency.

Asmptomatic cases were isolating at home and any RT-PCR testing problems were being sorted, said the minister.

Everything would be done in line with helping the economy to recover.

Asked about reports that people were unable to access hospital treatment at the weekend, Anutin dismissed this as a mere glitch.

Very few people couldn't get treated, he claimed, adding that 30,000 people were in hospital with Covid.

He promised to follow up on the complaints to make sure that everyone was getting the best from his health services.

Are we now feeling the effects of Ukraine's situation in Asia? ASEAN NOW

Latest reports state that Putin's troops have been ordered to perform what is loosely described as "peacekeeping functions" in Lubansk and Donetsk raising fears troops could soon cross the border.

If Putin's Red army attacks, the impending hostilities could represent the most significant war in Europe since WW2.

So, what are your concerns/predictions about the impact on our lives here as expats in Asia, if the conflict worsens?

Financial Impact

Initially one would expect the world stock markets will take a hit, so any invested in a retirement plan may see funds reduced.

For example, concerns on the Ukraine-Russia tension and higher average domestic inflation projection for this and next year have already resulted in the upticks of Treasury bill (T-bill) rates in the Philippines this week.

Global crude prices dropped marginally as news of fresh diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis soothed some concerns oversupply.

However, as we have already seen, Oil and Gas prices have risen and therefore could go higher along with electricity.

In Vietnam, gas prices reached a historic peak this week, and in some cases, supplies were limited.

There could also be some blockades, meaning shipping will burn more expensive fuel to get to Asia, resulting in food shortages and rises even further!

If a war breaks out between Russia and Ukraine, China will tighten its grip on South Asia Pacific, and Taiwan. Then the Philippines will have to choose a side!

Needs a close watch by Thailand

Sanan Angubolkul, chairperson of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the conflict brewing in Eastern Europe requires a close watch by Thailand.

A bad situation could worsen if the standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine leads to fighting, said Mr Sanan.

"The global oil price continues to rise, affecting the costs of energy and logistics in the global supply chain system. This also affects Thailand, as indicated by the rising prices of goods and services," said Mr Sanan.

Thai petrol prices

The dispute is a "warning sign" the global and Thai economies may plunge into trouble if the US, UK, and EU decide to impose economic sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine, said Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairperson of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

"Trade between Thailand and Russia, especially for food and farm produce, would certainly be affected by such sanctions." Mongkolsuthree added.

Thai Russian Exports

In 2021, Thailand's exports to Russia tallied US$1.02 billion, accounting for 0.4% of the country's total export value.
Key export products included tractors, rubber, rubber-made products, machinery and parts, electrical appliances and parts, and plastic.

Meanwhile Thai shipments to Ukraine totalled only $135 million, representing 0.05% of the country's total exports. Key exports included tractors, rubber and rubber-made products, plant-based seasonings, machinery, and parts.

Air travel disruptions
Apart from these economic issues, it is several flight routes would need to be changed as flying over Russia and Ukraine airspace will be a definite no-no.

This is likely to not only add to everyone's travel times but is also likely to see fare increases to cover additional fuel costs.

The tensions would also affect exchange rates, plus travel and tourism.

What are your thoughts? Perhaps you feel it is just too far away to be of major concern.

Tourism operators slam Level 4 announcement. Tourism operators have thrashed the government announcement increasing the Covid-19 alert to Level 4, insisting state policy should enable people to live with the virus instead of limiting travel activities. Bangkok Post

Tourism operators slam Level 4 announcement

A foreign family sits outside a beverage store near the Royal Palace on Saturday. (Bloomberg photo)

Tourism operators have thrashed the government announcement increasing the Covid-19 alert to Level 4, insisting state policy should enable people to live with the virus instead of limiting travel activities.

Most business operators are ready to comply with the new rules, but will not agree if the government imposes strict lockdown measures again.

Chamnan Srisawat, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said the new Covid-19 alert will increase anxiety among people and inconsistency in business operations as demand fluctuates.

This is the most worrisome situation for the tourism sector, he said.

The new alert encouraging people to avoid non-essential inter-provincial travel is no different from previous semi-lockdowns, which also impacted the industry, said Mr Chamnan.

"As tourism largely depends on confidence and the government's policies, any action from the authorities should be consistent and avoid frequent flip-flops to let the tourism industry recover in the long run," he said.

Decisive action that allows economic activities to run as usual is needed after the country dealt with the pandemic for two years, said Mr Chamnan.

He said Thailand can learn from other countries that allowed people to live normal lives and simultaneously rebound from the crisis.

For instance, the Maldives prioritised the economy by fully reopening and saw tourism arrivals surpass the 2019 level, said Mr Chamnan. The country has maintained its reopening policy despite new surges. Some countries in Europe, such as Sweden, recently removed Covid test requirements and most restrictions.

The government should focus on the number of fatalities and severe cases, while rolling out concrete public health plans to calm people's anxiety, said president of the Association of Domestic Travel Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn.

He said a proactive search for infectious people is vital to stop the highly transmissible virus and can help flatten the curve.

The government should adopt other preventive measures, such as distributing weekly free antigen test kits (ATK) to 50 million people for a month and setting up ATK test sites in communities, fresh markets or mass public transit points, said Mr Thanapol.

He said Tour Teaw Thai, a tour package subsidy programme, is expected to lose steam as families and the elderly -- the two key targets -- might delay their trips over the next two weeks.

Mr Thanapol said the programme, which is due to end on April 31, should be extended to July to leave more time for those who want to wait and see.

NO MORE LOCKDOWNS

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is not worried about the Public Health Ministry's latest warning as it believes the government can cope with higher daily infections.

"The number of Omicron cases is increasing, but the fatality rate remains low compared with the Delta variant," said Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the FTI.

However, the federation said if the government resorts to lockdown measures to control the spread of the virus, it will have a negative impact on the economy.

"The FTI won't agree if the government uses lockdown measures again because the economy needs to recover," he said.

Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the Level 4 alert will impact consumer confidence, particularly for shopping at department stores and restaurants.

He said the private sector viewed the higher level as a warning to all parties, both the government and the public, to be aware of outbreaks and strictly follow the Public Health Ministry's advice.

The chamber previously urged the government to improve the Test & Go scheme by waiving the RT-PCR test requirement on the fifth day to reduce unnecessary expenses.

The move will help the economy improve, not only the tourism sector but also trade, services and investments, said Mr Sanan.

Meanwhile, Wallaya Chirathivat, president and chief executive of SET-listed retail and property developer Central Pattana, said the company is accepting any measures and plans to adapt to the new alert.

"The current Covid-19 situation is different from the last two years. Omicron has spread rapidly, but we learned quickly that the variant caused mild symptoms among the vaccinated," she said.

Ms Wallaya said operators are more flexible in doing business because this is not the first time they have faced a soaring number of Covid-19 cases given previous waves the past two years.

"We urge the government to recognise retail complexes as hygienic venues as few cases have been detected in such places," she said.

🔴 #COVID19 update on Wednesday ⬆️ 21,232 new cases ⬆️ 39 deaths ⬆️ 173,605 in care. Richard Barrow

Thai Tourism Minister insists on collecting 300 baht ‘land entry fee’ on all foreign visitors, says will be to help tourists and transparent Tuesday, 22 February 2022, 23:41. TPN

PHOTO: Manager Online

National –

The Thai Tourism and Sports Minister confirmed that the 300-baht 'land entry fee' on all foreign tourists visiting the country would be eventually implemented, stressing that it would be used for tourists' insurance and an emergency fund for those traveling in the country.

Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn told the Associated Press today, February 23rd, that the fee collection plan was still planned to be put into effect as it was a resolution that was issued long before his era. TPN media notes that the proposal for the entry fee has been hotly disputed on social media and by the tourism and hospitality industry.

Phiphat clarified that the money would be, according to him, used to buy insurance for travelers who visited Thailand, provide emergency services, and the remaining fee would be used as a fund for the tourism development, chaired by the Permanent Secretary. He also insisted that the collection process would be transparent and accountable to the public and not go into anyone's "pocket".

The Minister revealed that the idea of a land entry fee was firstly raised into discussion following the 2015 explosion at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, in which many foreign tourists were also injured. At the moment, the Bureau of the Budget had allocated some of its budget for the treatment of foreigners.

However, the Bureau said they could not allocate the budget in 2019 and said that the Tourism Ministry should collect money from the tourists and use the funds as a treatment fund in case of an emergency. Therefore, the land entry fee proposal was introduced and discussed at the cabinet meeting in the same year.

The Tourism Minister did not, however, state the exact date the fee would take effect, which will likely be included with a plane ticket.

For the previous coverage, you can find them here:

https://thepattayanews.com/2022/01/12/thailand-planning-to-collect-300-baht-land-entry-fee-on-international-tourists-starting-this-april/

tisdag 22 februari 2022

Why do so many expats fall off their balconies in Thailand? It is becoming almost the norm to read in the papers or online that another expat has tragically died falling from a balcony. ASEAN NOW

It is becoming almost the norm to read in the papers or online that another expat has tragically died falling from a balcony.

This week alone there have been a further two incidents in Pattaya where people have met their death falling off a balcony.

There seems to be more than a bit of a trend going on here, in what is one of the other most popular tourist areas in Thailand.

It seems hardly a month goes by without yet another balcony-related death.

This sadly is not entirely a new phenomenon as we reported as far back as 2016 that a Finn was found dead, ten floors below a Jomtien Beach condo.

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth office, alone with ABTA has often urged British nationals to take care on balconies and this even prompted the FCO and ABTA to launch a campaign warning of the dangers.

It was reported that three thousand British people fall off balconies each year while abroad.

Spain has a similar problem

Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Britons, but recent deaths and accidents after Britons have fallen from balconies have forced the FCO to update their travel advice for the country.

Spain has been a top holiday spot for years, but a spate of deaths and serious accidents in the country has forced the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to issue new travel advice.

Could it be the low construction heights?

Apparently, most balconies in Thailand have barriers that are about 700 or 800 mm high - for the shorter Thai people - and there is little or no policing of building regulations.

Whereas in Australia there is a one-meter minimum for example on building balconies over there.

Therefore, if a tall Expat (over 5.10) stands next to a 700 mm railing, it only reaches their thighs.

Now take an old man drinking and losing balance a bit and over they go. It happens – there are many incidences of accidental falls.

Sadly some of course are not and can be linked to concerns over many issues including finances and depression.

But maybe the time has come to at least force the Thai developers to raise the height of balconies in the future.

Thailand News - Corona - By Ola J. - Palmtree