Residents in Sai Mai district fill out a form required before Covid-19 testing on Monday. (Photo: Apichit Jinakul)
One-third of Covid-19 patients in Bangkok will be tested to determine whether they have been infected by the Delta coronavirus variant as the strain is expected to dominate in the capital within the next few months, according to the Department of Medical Sciences.
The department on Monday revealed that Bangkok is the largest cluster of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India, with 331 new cases being recorded last week, increasing the number of patients infected by this particular variant to 822.
For comparison, there are reportedly 2,380 cases of the Alpha variant -- which was first detected in the United Kingdom -- in Bangkok.
According to the department, 25.66% of detected cases in Bangkok last week were of the Delta variant, an increase when compared with 23.67% in the previous week. Meanwhile, Alpha strain infections declined from 76.33% to 74.31% over the same period, it said.
The Delta variant is found less in other provinces but infections are reportedly increasing from 2.58% of all accounted cases there to 5.05%, the department said, adding that the Alpha strain is still the dominant strain outside of Bangkok.
However, the department said the Alpha strain's dominance is declining.
Regarding the whole of Thailand, the department said that 12.3% of infections were of the Delta strain, up from 9.76% in April. It said that Alpha strain cases have increased from 86.31% to 89.63% over the same period.
The Delta strain was first detected in the kingdom in April among construction workers in Laksi province. The variant has raised global concern as it is 1.4 times more infectious than the original Alpha coronavirus variant and has the potential to lessen the efficacy of vaccines.
Dr Supakit Sirilak, chief of the department, said Bangkok last week broke a record after recording 331 new Delta variant infections. He said the spread had expanded beyond the construction site cluster in April.
"All figures foretell that Bangkok will eventually be dominated by the Delta [variant] in the next few months, but please don't worry," Dr Supakit said. "People should follow [containment] measures to prevent disease infection, including by rushing to get vaccinated."
Regarding the efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine, he insisted that the jab is 70.9% effective against the Alpha strain.
"Many studies found that all vaccines can reduce the chances of infection when compared with those who are not vaccinated," Dr Supakit said. "So please do not hesitate to get the vaccine."
The department recently found two cases of the Delta variant in Narathiwat province among returnees from Malaysia, making it the first case of its kind in the South.
There will be penalties for people who break their 14-day mandatory stay in Phuket as the provincial government has been given full authority to impose a fine or withdraw quarantine-free privilege from tourists.
The regulations, published in the Royal Gazette, not only grants permission to Phuket to reopen without quarantine to inoculated tourists but also authorised nine other pilot areas to reopen in the next stage but with different rules and restrictions based on the situation of each province, said Yuthasak Supasorn, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor.
The standard operating procedures (SOP) will include penalties for travellers who breach health safety regulations imposed by local disease control departments.
It is up to each provincial governor or provincial command centre to determine which health safety measures are suitable for their geography and consider charges against people who fail to follow the rules.
For Phuket, the province mandates a 14-day stay on the island in July.
The province issued an order on June 25 stating that both Thais and foreigners who do not comply with control measures may face punishment as stated in Section 51 and 52 of disease control laws which includes a fine of up to 20,000 baht and 100,000 baht, respectively.
However, Mr Yuthasak said punishments might be made less severe when the Phuket sandbox comes into effect on Thursday. The authorities might consider lighter punishments such as revoking quarantine exemptions and requiring tourists to lodge in alternative local quarantine if found guilty.
"There shouldn't be any problem as tourists have already expressed their intention to stay longer on the island. As noted on the SHA Plus Booking Authentication System [SHABA], the average length of stay for the first 15 days of this project was at 11.9 nights per guest," he said.
SHABA is the back-end system that ensures that tourists complete mandatory stays in Phuket. It can track bookings and the payments tourists have already made to hotels certified under the Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA Plus) prior to arrival.
Mr Yuthasak said Koh Samui, Krabi, Phangnga should be the next destinations to reopen to vaccinated tourists using a similar approach as Phuket.
However, the timeline of each area depends on flight operations as the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has to grant permission and provide specific regulations to airports and airlines that want to fly direct to Samui and Krabi.
Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, said there are at least 217 guests who have already booked and paid for hotel rooms for July 1.
During the first two weeks of reopening, 1,101 bookings totalling about 13,000 room nights have been made with SHA Plus hotels.
He said Bangkok Airways and Qatar Airways have confirmed their interest to serve international flights to Samui, however, due to a short runway, the airport can accommodate just narrow-bodied jets which cannot fly long-haul routes.
"We still need CAAT to decide to allow inbound tourists to transit at Suvarnabhumi Airport which will be more practical," Mr Yuthasak said.
The details of entry procedure for the Phuket Sandbox have been published today.
The Thai embassy in London is amongst the first diplomatic posts to describe what wannabe foreign entrants must do to enjoy the Phuket Sandbox from July 1. The details also give us some idea of the amendments likely to be made if the Pattaya Sandbox is actually launched on October 1.
Registration to come to Thailand must be via a Thai embassy to obtain the all-important certificate of entry. The requirements include proof of Covid-19 vaccination with the second dose at least a fortnight before departure. There is also a need for a Covid-19 RT-PCR test 72 hours before departure.
Covid health insurance of at least US$100,000, confirmed air ticket directly to Phuket (no transit stop in Bangkok allowed) and confirmation of hotel booking at a registered SHA+ hotel or hotels are all needed. The proposed Pattaya Sandbox will likely specify arrival at Bangkok or U-tapao airports with ongoing travel to Pattaya by "sealed" transport.
Entrants must spend at least two weeks in Phuket before being allowed to travel elsewhere in Thailand. The one exception concerns those whose air tickets shows they plan to stay only for a few days in Phuket before proceeding to the airport for their international flight. Travellers under 18, who are not vaccinated, are allowed to enter via the Sandbox only if they are travelling with their full-vaccinated parents.
One problem for the Pattaya Sandbox will be how to restrict foreigners from escaping from Pattaya during the first two weeks of restriction as there are so many exit routes. There is likely to be a special requirement for tracking apps and even wrist bracelets and facial recognition procedures. The Phuket Sandbox published details do not mention any tracing procedures.
Applicants will need to show they have booked for at least two weeks at a Covid-registered hotel at their destination. Thus it is not possible for returning expats who have a home in Thailand to use the Sandbox route unless they are prepared to pay for two weeks' accommodation in a hotel they don't actually need.
There is no special Sandbox visa. Applicants will apply at their local embassy for a tourist or non-immigrant visa or take advantage of the 30 days on arrival exemption. This means that Sandbox arrivals will be able to apply for extensions or new visas in the customary way. The Sandbox initiative has nothing to do with the Special Tourist Visa (STV) which has now been withdrawn in any case.
There is no requirement for any current visa awarded by an embassy to need general medical insurance (non-Covid) with the exception of "retirement" categories. However, the whole matter is currently the subject of an immigration bureau working party which is not expected to report for several months.
Checkpoints set up to prevent workers returning home
Construction workers return to their camp in Laksi district in Bangkok on Sunday. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, with support from the military and Metropolitian Police Bureau, is setting up six checkpoints on outbound roads to prevent workers the leaving the capital for their home provinces, BMA permanent secretary Silapasuay Raweesangsoon said on Monday.
Ms Silapasuay said this is in compliance with a Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) order to ban movement of workers from construction sites and their camps in Bangkok and five adjacent provinces for 30 days from June 28, to prevent Covid-19 spreading to other provinces.
Staff from the BMA's department of law enforcement and district offices will work with metropolitan police and CCSA-assigned soldiers in manning the six checkpoints to prevent the movement of workers. They are:
1. A checkpoint on outbound Vibhavadi highway in front of Don Muang railway station in Don Muang district; 2. A checkpoint on outbound Suwinthawong road at an intersection under the Maha Nakhon expressway in Nong Chok district; 3. A checkpoint on outbound Bang Na-Trat highway at the kilometre 4.5 Bang Chak petrol station in Bang Na district; 4. A checkpoint on outbound Boromratchonnani road under the bridge over the intersection with Phuttamonthon Sai 3 road in Thawi Watthana district; 5. A checkpoint on Phetkasem road in front of Nong Khaem district office; and 6. A checkpoint on outbound Phra Ram 2 road in front of a PTT petrol station in Bang Khun Thien district.
The six checkpoints will start operating at 4pm on Monday, the city clerk said.
Ms Silapasuay said the BMA's department of public works will coordinate with owners of construction projects to cease construction, seal off workers' camps and ban the movement of workers.
The city's department of health will support the Ministry of Labour in active case-finding at workers' camps and at construction sites.
Chonburi announces 390 new and confirmed cases of Covid -19, a record high driven by Si Racha worker camp
The Chonburi Department of Public Health announced 390 new and confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, a record high, today, June 28th.
Chonburi –
This makes a total of 8,072 cases of Covid-19 in the current round of infections, with 2,706 still under medical care/supervision, and with a total of 42 recorded deaths in Chonburi since the start of this recent round of infections in early April.
Additionally, 5,324 people in total have now been released from medical care and fully recovered since this current wave began. 43 people were released yesterday.
The district-level new cases were as follows today:
Mueang Chonburi 68, Si Racha 206, Banglamung 46, Panat Nikhom 3, Sattahip 20, Ban Bueng 29, Pan Thong 8, Bor Thong 3, and seven new cases transferred from other provinces for medical care.
The details on the cases are as follows:
1. Proactive search at a workers camp in Si Racha, 188 cases
2. Proactive testing, new market, Mueang Chonburi District, 22 cases
3. Proactive search at Amorn Market (Naklua), Banglamung, 17 cases
4. Proactive search at Sattahip Morning Market, 10 cases
5. Pattaya raid on a restaurant that allegedly violating Covid -19 rules, 5 cases
6. Proactive search Pongsak Market Mueang Chonburi District, 1 case
7. Medical staffer, 1 case
8. Close contacts of previously confirmed patients:
· 37 family members
· 28 co-workers
9. Close contacts under investigation, 44 cases
10. Currently under investigation in general, 37 cases
A total of 338 close contact searches were received today with 4,232 initial proactive searches, and more proactive search reports are pending.
The Chonburi Public Relations office released an order on June 27th, 2021, regarding the closure of a construction worker's camp in Si Racha.
Thai media was full of stories about the mass exodus from Bangkok to beat the authorities after they closed construction camps in the Thai capital.
Channel 7 said it was so busy on the roads and at bus stations that it was like a standard long Thai holiday.
Like Songkran, when the Thai government's plan to allow people to travel home for the holidays badly backfired.
The media cited several popular sites that were sharing stories about workers at construction camps beating the order not to leave the camps on Saturday.
Many on sites like Mor Panda and E-Saw Kayee Khao 2 featured workers hurriedly packing up their belongings onto the back of pick-ups and heading off.
Netizens and sites suggested this was going to be disastrous for the spread of Covid.
News sites featured videos of main arteries heading out of Bangkok jammed with traffic. Many of the vehicles were heavily laden pick-ups with workers clubbing together resources to beat the 30 day no-movement ban.
Channel 7 said that reports suggested there were large numbers of people at inter-provincial bus stations heading back to the provinces.
It appears that many anticipated and preempted the ban on travel and took off before the authorities surrounded the camps.
A very Thai version of "fleeing the scene" notes Thaivisa. But a potential for the spread of Covid-19 that continues to be at its worst in the Thai capital especially in clusters at crowded worker camps.
Opinion: Four steps the government can take to save the country
Since the start of the third wave, the government has been stuck in a difficult, damned if you do, damned if you don't position. Impose too many restrictions and long-suffering small businesses may finally topple. Impose too few, however, and infections would continue with no end in sight.
Instead of the eradication strategy that the government successfully accomplished last year, this time the government has opted for a middling approach and eventually started removing restrictions even before a consistent improvement in case numbers could be detected. The result was a continued rise in infections which has put the health system under severe strain and now the re-imposition of a ban on dining inside.
This oscillation between closing and opening feels disorienting and does neither public health nor the economy much good. Even while it is clear that there is not much appetite at the highest levels of power to return to last year's eradication strategy, more can still be done to combat the current situation.
1. More restrictions are necessary.
Logical deduction would already show that the new restrictions that the government have imposed in Bangkok and other impacted provinces are unlikely to be sufficient in bringing case numbers down dramatically. Even before dining in was re-permitted, infections had not meaningfully come down. Returning to the same restrictions may slow the spread somewhat, but the jury is certainly out on whether or not it can actually change the trajectory of the pandemic.
Further restrictions, more akin to what we saw last year, would likely do more to stem the tide. We are worried about the Delta variant and its increased transmissibility, but the fact remains that even a highly transmissible virus cannot spread if we reduce the opportunity there is for transmitting at all. Some of these restrictions don't have to be draconian. Simple things like mandating more working from home (I certainly know of internships taking place on site, for instance, the necessity of which I believe is questionable in the face of the greater public health imperative) could be helpful.
A circuit breaker would not be universally popular, of course; the same applies for increased restrictions of any kind. But given the strains that the public health system is now going under — Bangkok, for one, is running out of hospital beds — the question that must be asked is whether there is a feasible alternative that doesn't cost even more lives.
2. But further restrictions must be paired with compensation.
Any argument for further restrictions must be paired with an argument for greater compensation. We must save lives, but we must also protect livelihoods. Perhaps some businesses have survived, are surviving, and will continue to survive these turbulent times — but others are teetering on the edge or have already gone under. The government needs to do all it can to save them.
The government plans to borrow 500 billion baht more after almost exhausting the one trillion baht loan it took last year. According to the government's spending plans, 300 billion baht will be aimed at supporting individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic. This may worry fiscal hawks, but if there is a time where spending is needed, it is now. And it appears to me that protecting the jobs of Thais and making sure businesses survive the next few months would be an excellent way to use this spending. What the government must ensure is that the funds are distributed effectively and efficiently, targeted where it is needed, and with minimal waste.
There are also other measures that the government can take to alleviate pressure on small businesses. For example, exempting certain businesses particularly affected by government orders, such as restaurants, from certain taxes due from the past fiscal year may help.
3. Keep outdoor venues, such as public parks, open.
Something that has been puzzling throughout the third wave is the fact that some outdoor venues, such as parks, were closed down, while indoor venues such as shopping malls were allowed to remain open. The phrase "following the science" is no longer fashionable — which piece of science? — but we do have an abundance of evidence now that transmission is most likely in indoor spaces, while outdoor spaces are much safer. And as such, outdoor spaces such as public parks should remain open to the public.
This is a point that is worth emphasizing because of the importance of outdoor spaces for mental health. Lockdowns can exacerbate pre-existing mental health issues and, as many of us doubtlessly have felt, impose a heavy toll on our relationships, our productivity and our general sense of well-being. Green spaces, already a rarity in this concrete jungle, are a means to make lockdown more bearable. Protecting our physical health may come at the cost of our mental health, but there are ways to alleviate this issue. This is one of them.
It's now been around a year and a half since the coronavirus pandemic started. We know far more about this virus and how it spreads via aerosols. With common sense measures, such as asking that masks be worn even in outdoor spaces, people can protect both themselves and their mental health.
4. Reopening is a worthy goal. But it has to be responsibly accomplished.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha recently announced the goal of fully reopening Thailand within 120 days. It was an ambitious goal, to say the least, and it is hardly surprising that many remain skeptical that the government will be able to follow through. I count myself in the skeptical camp, but I am also certainly not unsupportive of trying to move in that direction. Thailand needs a goal to work towards, and an attempt at reopening can restore hope and confidence to a battered tourism industry. Yet much work still has to be done in order to make sure that safely reopening in October is not simply a pipe dream.
For one, Thailand's vaccination rate right now still leaves something to be desired. At the time of writing nine million doses have been administered so far, of which a little under six and a half million are first doses. The government plans to at least partially vaccinate 50 million people by October, which would still require the government to inoculate 44 million more people.
These statistics raise a number of questions. Firstly, giving 44 million more people their first doses by October would require a vaccine supply of over 14 million doses each month for first jabs alone. It is largely a question of supply — Thailand's medical personnel are clearly capable of vaccinating massive numbers of people when doses are in abundance —Can the government deliver on that, especially if deals with manufacturers such as Pfizer do not bear fruit until later in the year?
Secondly, the strategy of having the majority of the population only partially inoculated at reopening is one that brings risks. I have written before about how, absent an alternative, it is better totake Sinovac than to wait. But with the Delta variant, those inoculated with Sinovac may even need a third dose. In this case, would a population that is only partially vaccinated at reopening not be dangerously susceptible to this variant?
At this point, it is difficult to lay out a credible path towards quickly securing more vaccination doses. A belated reopening will likely be better than a premature reopening, if the latter cannot be achieved responsibly. After all, a premature reopening that is followed by a re-shuttering due to increased infections would be economically devastating. We have already seen this play out in the past few months — and we would do well to heed these lessons.
A man walks on a deserted street in the Khao San area on May 30, 2021, as the third wave has prompted strict Covid-19 control measures and brought activities in the popular tourism spot almost to a halt. (Photo: Apichit Jinakul)
The private sector is calling on the government to roll out relief measures to lessen the impact of the latest Covid-19 control measures which come into effect today, including a ban on dining-in at restaurants across high-risk areas.
Published on the Royal Gazette'swebsite late on Saturday night, the restrictions apply to Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Pattani, and Yala -- provinces which have been classified by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) as "maximum and strict control zones", also known as "dark red" zones.
The restrictions, according to the announcement, will be in effect for 30 days.
Under the new curbs, all 575 construction worker camps across Greater Bangkok have been sealed off while restaurant dining in Bangkok and its five surrounding provinces is banned to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Maj Gen Thiraphong Patthamasing na Ayutthaya, said more than 10,000 soldiers and police will be deployed to ensure law and order at the camps.
The ban on dining-in has prompted protests from restaurant owners, with the president of the Thai Restaurants Association, Thaniwan Kulmongkol, likening it to being struck by lightning multiple times, without any help from anyone.
"Dine-in services normally account for 90% of restaurants' income," she said.
Ms Thaniwan called on the government to help affected restaurants by buying 200,000 meal boxes per day from them at a cost of 50 baht per box -- which comes to about about 10 million baht a day -- until the ban on dining-in is lifted.
"These meal boxes will be delivered to construction workers who are locked down in their camps," Ms Thaniwan said.
Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), said he understood the government needed to roll out these stringent Covid-19 measures, saying the TCC is equally concerned about public health and the economic situation.
If these stringent measures work, Thailand should be able to regain international confidence in time for its plan to reopen the country, he said.
However, he warned that these measures should not be maintained for too long as they are hurting certain businesses, particularly those in the restaurant, tourism and service sectors.
"It's sad but true, many more people in these businesses will lose their jobs as a result of these Covid-19 control measures," he said, adding the government should also review its economic stimulus and Covid-19 relief programmes to keep up with the changing outbreak situation.
According to a projection by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), the ban on dine-in services alone will cost between 30-60 billion baht in losses per month, or about 0.1% to 0.3% of gross domestic product (GDP).
Lisa Ngamtrakulpanich, president of the Thai Contractors Association (TCA), meanwhile, urged the government to consider compensating contractors which are affected by its new Covid-19 control measures.
"Most, if not, all contractors will be fined for construction delays," she said.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri on Sunday urged the media not to report the restrictions as lockdowns. "They simply are stricter control measures targeting businesses that are found to be sources of infections," he said.
July will be a critical month for the Thai health system – Rural Doctor Society
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Next month will be critical for the Thai health system, because hospitals will be overwhelmed and there won't be enough beds to accommodate the increasing number of COVID-19 patients. Worse still, only about half of the 15 million doses of vaccines expected for the July will actually arrive, according to the Rural Doctor Society RDS).
In its Facebook post today (Sunday), the RDS said that COVID-19 infections are spreading, not just in Bangkok but in several other provinces as well, straining the healthcare system to the extent that patients have outnumbered hospital beds, resulting in them being kept at home awaiting admission.
With the ICU facilities fully occupied, severe cases who need urgent medical treatment will not survive and this is being reflected in the daily increase in fatalities, said the society.
The society also says that only four million, of the 10 million doses promised, are expected to be delivered in July, because AstraZeneca Thailand, the sole distributer of the vaccine in the Kingdom, is contractually obliged to supply the vaccine to other countries as well.
Additionally, only three million doses of the Sinovac vaccine are expected to be delivered next month instead of five million. "This means half of the vaccines will not arrive, a situation akin to shortage of armour and shields at a time we are under attack by the enemy," said the RDS.
Amid the continuing spread of the virus and shortage of vaccines, the RDS says the lockdown measures, reimposed by the CCSA, will not help much, because the disease has already spread into communities and families.
On how the pandemic can be contained, the society said it will have to consult rural doctors and others before it can develop a solution.
Chonburi province releases new orders: Bangsaen Beach closed overnights, Pongsak market temporarily closed, Navy closes many Sattahip Beaches
Chonburi, Thailand-
The Chonburi Public Relations Department released new orders last night, June 26th, 2021, closing temporarily several more locations to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. All of these orders are until further notice with no set expiration date:
-Bangsaen Beach is now closed from 8:00 P.M. to 4:00 A.M. overnight. This follows complaints from local residents of youth allegedly gathering and drinking in the area overnight, violating Covid-19 control orders.
-Pongsak Market, located on Ratprasong Road in the Mueang Chonburi District, will be closed until July 10th, 2021. All businesses and shop operators in the area are also closed.
-Additionally, although not on the order, the Royal Thai Navy announced the closure of the following beaches yesterday:
Beaches in the navy area in Sattahip: Saikaew Beach, Nam Sai Beach, Nang Rong Beach, Toei Ngam Beach, Sor Beach, Kham Beach, Samae San Beach, Dong Tan Beach (NOT the one in Jomtien, this is in Sattahip), Tean Talay Beach, Kinnaree Beach, Nang Ram, Khai Phramaha Jetsada Ratchajao Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center. This is until further notice. Photo credit Salehere.
THE latest statistics from Our World Data scientific online publication shows that Thailand's daily Covid infections per million people has now surpassed India after the latter succeeded in sharply reducing the infection rate, Sanook.com said this morning (June 25).
Thailand's ongoing coronavirus wave that started in April continues to intensify with there being thousands of new cases each day. Today's total is 3,644 cases and 44 fatalities, taking the total death toll to 1,819, with an additional 1,751 recoveries. The cumulative confirmed total since the start of the pandemic has reached 236,291 and in the current wave that started in April 207,428
During this period India was wracked by a record-breaking number of new cases with the total reaching 400,000 for several days in April and May.
However the Covid pandemic has improved considerably in India with the Indian Health Ministry reporting 53,256 new cases on Monday June 21, the lowest level in an 88-day period. What's more it was the 39th consecutive day where the number of recoveries outstripped new infections.
Our World Data website, which gets the official figures on each country's new cases from Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, published a line graph comparing the two countries.
It can be seen that during the past week India's daily Covid-19 cases per million people dropped sharply but that of Thailand is climbing up. This rate surpassed India's from June 20 onwards.
Commenting on this data Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jesada Denduangboriban, a lecturer at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, said in a private Facebook post that many factors led to the number of cases plummeting sharply in India.
One key factor is the massive public health mobilisation both within India and help coming in from across the world.
India had also launched a large vaccination drive which could have led to herd immunity kicking in, but this does occur at a certain point when there is a large number of infected people in keeping with the nature of the pathogen.
Dr Jesada added that the situation in India is actually unreliable with there still being risk of new waves of infection in future as a new variant of coronavirus, Delta Plus, was found in 40 cases in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh states.
CAPTIONS:
Top: At the height of the recent Covid surge Indians had to wait for hours to cremate the deceased. Photo: Sumit Kumar published by BBC
Insert: Our World Data website's line chart comparing Covid infection rate in Thailand and India. Photo: Sanook.com
The Royal Gazette has announced strict preventive measures in Bangkok and its vicinity and in four Southern provinces for at least thirty days to prevent the spread of Covid-19 Coronavirus in the early hours of this morning, June 27th.
Bangkok –
The measures mainly include the temporary closures of construction campsites, the prohibition of dine-in in all restaurants, and no large gatherings of more than 20 people.
The government has stressed multiple times this is NOT a lockdown and asks people not to use this terminology, stating that the correct description is preventative health measures to protect the public.
It will be put in effect in 10 provinces, namely Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, and Songkhla, starting this Monday, June 28th. Chonburi is not currently included for TPN's local residents.
PHOTO: Prachachat
The announcement of 11 preventive measures are as follows:
Implement urgent measures to prevent the outbreak in specific targeted areas in all 10 provinces listed above for a period of at least 30 days.
Close all construction sites, including building modification or demolition sites, and close all construction camps inside and outside the construction site, including an order to temporarily halt the construction and to prohibit the travel of construction workers for at least 30 days.
Observe the health measures and practices of entrepreneurs or responsible persons in establishments and factories and see whether they are complying with the disease control measures (Bubble and Seal) as prescribed by the government, including setting conditions to control or limit the movement of travel in and out of the area of the establishments or factories. This applies especially to construction sites.
Implement urgent integrated control measures only in Bangkok and its vicinity: Selling food at all restaurants for takeout only; department stores, community malls to open until 9.00 PM.; Movie theaters, water parks, dining areas in food courts to be closed; Hotels, exhibition centers, convention centers to refrain from organizing meetings, seminars, and banquets of more than 20 people.
Have officers inspect community areas, markets, and other places where there is a high risk of disease outbreaks. Expedite the search for infected people and relocate those who are at risk of infection for isolation and quarantine. When a mass outbreak source is detected, the provincial governor can order the temporary closure of the area or order travel restrictions in and out of the area.
Engage government staff to assist people affected by the closure and travel restriction orders, especially vulnerable groups, underprivileged people, the elderly, or people who receive appropriate assistance.
Set conditions for using transportation routes and travel health screenings for at least 30 days as follows:
– Set up travel screening checkpoints in and out of the southern border provinces (Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Songkhla). Those who desire to travel outside the province must present their ID card with the necessary documents issued by the relevant authorities or local administration.
– Set up screening points at all entry and exit city routes in Bangkok and its vicinity (Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon) to strictly control the movement of construction workers who might be working across provinces. Only workers who are allowed to travel by the provincial governors of the province of origin and destination can travel. Travel across the provinces for the general public can be done so as necessary. This is not a lockdown or prohibition of travel, except for construction workers, and the general public can travel as needed. However, it is discouraged and there may be interviews and extensive interviews about the need for travel. It is unclear how exactly they will identify construction workers, notes TPN. Also, keep in mind the next point.
– Set up strict travel screening checkpoints in and out of other provinces as necessary. In the case there is a traveler from a province designated as the highest and strict control area, the authorities should take measures to control and prevent disease by keeping, observing, and quarantining the individual at state quarantine areas specified by the government. Essentially, if you travel out of one of the ten provinces listed at the top of this article, expect mandatory quarantine, according to Thai authorities. However, travel is not forbidden to the general public.
Deploy security forces to strictly monitor and suppress any smuggling acts or any conspiracy to commit illegal acts, including gambling, drug abuses, any behavior that likely leads to racing or competition, and any operation of underground entertainment venues/partying.
Implement measures for off-site operations to reduce traveling and interpersonal contact, especially among agencies or establishments in the highest and strict control areas.
Ask the public to refrain from organizing social activities in the form of social gatherings, banquets, parties, meetings, or festive events in the highest and strictest control areas to reduce interpersonal contact for at least 30 days, unless they are religious customary rites and ceremonies that have already been prepared and implemented with strict Covid-19 measures.
Most think reopening of the countryin 120 daysnot feasible: Suan Dusit Poll
A majority of people think reopening the country in 120 days as announced by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is not feasible, citing the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the result of an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted online between June 21-24 on 3,320 people across the country to compile their opinions on Gen Prayut's announcement to reopen the country in 120 daysamid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asked whether it would be feasible to reopen the country in 120 days, 39.88% said this was unlikely and 21.64% said it was absolutely not possible. The rest, 30.26% thought it was likely to be possible and 8.22% thought it would definitely be possible.
A majority of the respondents, 58.22%, said they disagreed with the announcement; 25.90% agreed with it; and, 15.88% were uncertain.
Asked whether they would accept the risk of Covid-19 so that the plan to reopen the country in 120 days can materialise, 51.05% said "no"; 26.93% said "yes"; and, 22.02% were uncertain.
Asked what they were concerned about the pledge to reopen the country in 120 days, with the respondents allowed to tick more than one answer, the replies varied:
- 78.80% were concerned about new Covid-10 variants; - 71.18% said there might be more clusters of infections; and - 68.41% said there might be a new wave of pandemic brought from outside the country.
Asked what should be done in order to be able to reopen the country in 120 days, the answers were:
- 85.12% said vaccination must be expedited to build herd immunity; - 77.06% quarantine and suppression of illegal border crossers should be tightened; - 76.53% vaccination administration must be adjusted, with more brands of vaccines imported; - 71.78% distribution of vaccines to various localities should be expedited; and - 54.75% active case finding must be stepped up to prevent Covid-19 spreading.
Despite disagreement by most people with the announcement to reopen the country in 120 days, the respondents still found some benefits of it.
- 84.04% said it could push the economy to move forward; - 61.73% said it could help accelerate vaccination; and - 50.10% said it could draw tourists from abroad.
