söndag 29 maj 2022

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Saturday unveiled the top 10 countries with the highest numbers of visitors to Thailand between May 1 and 27. The Nation


Singapore, India head list of top 10 countries for travel to Thailand

Topping the list of nations contributing the most travellers to Thailand was Singapore, while the top five is made up of Asian nations.

The top 10 countries are:

Singapore: 68,435

India: 58,716

Vietnam: 25,273

Malaysia: 24,804

Cambodia: 21,087

US: 20,407

UK: 18,255

Australia: 18,077

UAE: 14,933

Germany: 13,346

A total of 490,637 tourists visited Thailand between May 1 and 27, of which 401,722 were foreigners and 88,915 were Thais.

Meanwhile, 724,291 tourists registered for entry via Thailand Pass between April 29 and May 27. Of these 709,463 were approved, 14,740 rejected, and 7,088 were waiting for approval. From Wednesday, June 1, Thai nationals will no longer have to apply for the pass though the requirement will remain for foreign travellers.


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Govt aims to slash road deaths by two-thirds. The government has set an ambitious goal of slashing road fatalities by almost two-thirds within five years although it admits the effort could be hampered by a lack of public cooperation. Bangkok Jack

Govt aims to slash road deaths by two-thirds

The government has set an ambitious goal of slashing road fatalities by almost two-thirds within five years although it admits the effort could be hampered by a lack of public cooperation.

The goal was confirmed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at an academic seminar in Bangkok titled "New Decade, New Normal, Safe Driving Is Priority" which he presided over on Wednesday.

At the forum, 49 awards were meted out to individuals and organisations with outstanding roles in promoting road safety.

Gen Prayut said the event set the stage for different views to be exchanged on how traffic accidents could be reduced.

Road safety has been prioritised in the 20-year national strategy. The goal is to cut fatalities from traffic accidents to 12 persons per 100,000 population by 2027 and achieve the Vision Zero target by 2050.

Vision Zero is a strategy first implemented in Sweden in the 1990s to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while providing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all.

Thailand has the ninth-highest rate of road fatalities in the world with 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Fifty-nine people aged 15-19 are injured from riding motorcycles daily on average. Deaths from speeding have risen by 4% in recent times while fatalities connected to drink driving during holidays are also up.

Gen Prayut said meeting the Vision Zero target by 2050 would be difficult but attainable provided everyone plays their part.

"Of course, I know the problem and how to solve it. But it won't work 100% because of a lack of public cooperation," he added.

Organisations responsible for road safety in Bangkok and other provinces play a key role in reducing risk factors leading to road accidents, Gen Prayut noted.

The enforcement of laws related to public transport, private car usage, and maintaining the quality of roads and transport infrastructure are all crucial factors in contributing to traffic safety, he said.

The prime minister said a driver database, safety-enhancement technology and other innovations will also help scale down the number of traffic accidents.

He said a concrete plan must be drawn up to make roads safer.

Most accidents in Thailand involve motorcycles with riders often neglecting to wear helmets or driving while under the influence of alcohol.

"I ordered that the law must be strictly enforced against traffic offenders. But I would have liked to seek people's cooperation first," Gen Prayut said. "I can't criticise people but I can remind them [of the need to prevent road accidents]." – Bangkok Post






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DDC drops reports of ATK-positive cases. Most new infections don't need hospitalisation: CCSA. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has stopped reporting Covid-19 infections using rapid antigen test kits (ATK) and plans to report only cases that require hospitalisation. Bangkok Post

DDC drops reports of ATK-positive cases
A medical worker administers the nasal swab component of an antigen rapid test in Pathumwan district, Bangkok, last month. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)
A medical worker administers the nasal swab component of an antigen rapid test in Pathumwan district, Bangkok, last month. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has stopped reporting Covid-19 infections using rapid antigen test kits (ATK) and plans to report only cases that require hospitalisation.

Dr Sumanee Wacharasint, assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said the change is being proposed to reflect the current situation where most Covid-19 patients have no or mild symptoms and choose home treatment.

She discussed the proposed change to the way Covid-19 infections will be reported after positive Covid-19 cases using ATKs were dropped from the DDC's dashboard.

Dr Sumanee insisted the revised reporting will not affect the Public Health Ministry's monitoring of Covid-19, adding the DDC wants to focus on patients who require hospitalisation.

"The ministry's case reporting has already been revised to the two-week average, but the CCSA still gives an update of the infections on a daily basis.

"Changes are being introduced to Covid-19 reporting and, after June 1, we plan to report only the cases with symptoms and requiring hospitalisation," she said.

The proposed change will be submitted to the meeting of the ministry's emergency operations centre (EOC) tomorrow before it is adopted by the CCSA, she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Thira Woratanarat, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine, on Saturday urged people to continue wearing face masks.

In a clear criticism of the ministry's new tracking approach, he wrote on his Facebook: "No positive ATK infections are reported. The infections drop sharply. The fatalities drop sharply. What a nice job. Trust and confidence must skyrocket. We must put on face masks. It's very important."

Elsewhere, Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Toopkrajang, chairman of the Pathum Thani Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), said on Saturday the province is ready for the planned lifting of the face mask mandate.

Pathum Thani residents, he said, had endured the outbreak and are well prepared to protect themselves and live with the virus.

The announcement follows the Public Health Ministry saying the mask requirement would be eased in designated areas and that regulations may be adjusted around mid-June.

The easing of face mask wearing will have to be approved by the CCSA and published in the Royal Gazette.

Some say the relaxation will be adopted in 31 provinces in the green- and blue-zone provinces.

Pathum Thani is one of the blue zones or tourism-oriented provinces.

The high-risk "608" group -- comprising people aged 60 and above, those with underlying conditions and pregnant women -- are advised to wear masks in certain areas, as are all people in crowded spaces.






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