A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[yinyang]

Pubs, bars may open on July 1 if they follow 22 iron-clad rules
National
Jun 22. 2020
By The Nation

A meeting between the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s special taskforce committee and entertainment venue operators resolved that pubs, bars and entertainment venues could be allowed to open from July 1 provided they strictly observe following 22 practices:

• Controlling the number of patrons to ensure the venue does not get congested;

• Checking every customer and staff member’s temperature;

• Providing alcohol-based hand sanitising gel at all entrances and other areas as necessary;

• Ensuring groups are no bigger than five;

• Ensuring customers queuing to be seated maintain social distancing;

• Ensuring all tables are at least 2 metres apart or are partitioned;

• Ensuring seats are at least one metre apart;

• Ensuring all venues are properly ventilated;

• Only eating and drinking is allowed;

• Beverages can only be served individually, and shared jugs or ice buckets are prohibited;

• Serving staff are required to wear a mask or face shield at all times;

• Stage or performance area must be partitioned, and audience must be at least 2 metres away from the stage;

• Event comperes or speakers are required to wear a face shield at all times;

• Patrons are not allowed to be loud or walk around the venue if not necessary;

• If the sharing of food or beverages cannot be avoided, everyone at the table must be provided with an individual serving spoon or glass;

• Toilets must be cleaned every 30 to 60 minutes;

• All tables, chairs and frequently touched surfaces must be cleaned regularly;

• No sports matches or competitions that will attract large groups of people are allowed;

• No video gaming or pub games like pool and darts will be allowed;

• Social distancing measures must be observed in smoking areas;

• No service personnel or public relations representatives are allowed to sit with customers.

 

[yinyang]

Thailand trials of COVID-19 vaccine reach make-or-break stage
before human trials
A researcher holds up an mRNA type vaccine candidate for COVID-19 during a news conference at the National Primate Research Center of Chulalongkorn University in Saraburi province, Thailand, Jun 22, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)
22 Jun 2020 07:03PM

SARABURI: Thai scientists administered a second dose of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine to monkeys on Monday (Jun 22), looking for another positive response to enable clinical trials in humans as early as October.
The Thai vaccine is one of at least 100 being worked on globally as the world reels from a devastating virus that has infected more than 8.7 million people and killed 461,000, with Sunday's 183,000 cases the highest reported in a single day.

Thirteen monkeys were immunised on Monday and the next two weeks will be critical in determining whether researchers can proceed with further tests.
"We're going to analyse the immune response once again. If the immune response is very, very high, then this is a good one," said Kiat Ruxrungtham, lead researcher of the COVID-19 vaccine development programme at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
Thailand's government is backing the trials and hopes it can have a cost-effective vaccine manufactured domestically and ready for next year.
The monkeys are divided into three groups, with one getting a high dose, another a low dose and the last none. They are receiving three injections in total, each a month apart.

The first dose on May 23 prompted positive responses from all but one animal in the high-dose group and from three in the low-dose group, an outcome Kiat called "very impressive".
If there is a similar response after the second dose, Kiat said, the programme would order 10,000 doses made for a human trial, adding that his group had been flooded with offers from volunteers.
"The earliest we can get may be late September," he said of the doses. "But we don't expect it that soon, and the latest may be by November."
Source: Reuters/mi

 

[yinyang]

Operators cry foul

 

[Froggy]

 

[Froggy]

Fried noodles for breakfast today

 

[spotter542]

Sawadeekarp
Hope every thing is fine in Thailand
Wonder when can I visit the South again
Pray at Wat Ko Hong , Wat Khong Khaleab , Phra Maha Phrom
Missed the fish porridge , khao kar moo , sala bao moo deang , moo kob ...

 

[yinyang]

Some foreigners to be allowed entry from July 1
National
Jun 24. 2020

By The Nation

Thailand will allow some foreigners to enter the country from July 1, in an easing of the months-long travel lockdown.

Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said on Wednesday (June 24) that the first group would comprise businessmen and investors in the waiting list who have agreed to Alternative State Quarantine.

Related story: Seven groups of foreigners expected to be allowed entry

The second group to be allowed entry from July 1 include: skilled labour and experts, foreigners married to Thais and permanent residents of Thailand, educational personnel, teachers, and students.

Meanwhile, businessmen on short-duration stays may be exempted from quarantine but officials are considering alternative ways to monitor them. CCSA will hold further discussions next Monday.


Medical and wellness tourists will be allowed when health institutions and hospitals are ready and have received the Amazing Thailand Safety & Health Administration standard which could start from July 1. The areas of the country open for this group are: Bangkok, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces

Of the groups that have registered seeking entry, there are 700 business people and investors; 15,400 skilled labourers and experts; around 2,000 foreigners married to Thais or permanent residents of Thailand, around 2,000 educational personnel, teachers and students, and 30,000 medical and wellness tourists.

Discussions are still on about letting in the second group -- businessmen on short-duration stays, government guests, and tourists under the "travel bubble", especially the tourists -- since the virus situation around the world remains a cause for concern.

The CCSA has tentative plans to let in tourists under the travel bubble in August under villa or state quarantine if the virus situation shows improvement.

For those interested in registration, contact the Royal Thai Embassy.



Tags:

 

[yinyang]

Couldn't help but laugh at social distancing (and non-camera surveillance) at wet massage places

Green light for foreigners
'Ordinary tourists' pushed to back of queue
PUBLISHED : 25 JUN 2020 AT 05:33

• 

Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, details a plan to allow foreign nationals back into the country. (Government House file photo)

The first group of foreigners to be allowed to enter Thailand will comprise business representatives, skilled workers, experts, people with Thai families, teachers, students and patients who agree to quarantine, according to the government.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), on Wednesday elaborated on the government's plan to allow foreign nationals back into the country. The plan was drafted by a sub-committee of CCSA.
Dr Taweesilp said most will be required to undergo 14 days of quarantine after their arrival.

The spokesman said about 50,000 foreigners are likely to visit the country under the new rules.
They include about 30,000 people expected to arrive for medical and wellness tourism.

• 50,000 foreigners to start arriving next week
• 50,000 coming
• All business to resume on July 1

Others include about 15,400 skilled workers and experts; 2,000 teachers, educational personnel and students; 2,000 foreigners with Thai families or with residences in Thailand; and 700 business people and investors.

Members of this group have already registered for visits and agreed to undergo quarantine for 14 days -- they can arrive immediately.
Those who would arrive for medical and wellness tourism and agreed to undergo quarantine could also arrive immediately.
Another group to be admitted includes business people and investors who will pay short visits, and guests of the government and governmental organisations.
They will be tested for Covid-19 both before and upon arrival, have health insurance and be monitored by medical personnel. Members of this group are expected to be allowed in on July 1.

Tourists who would arrive under the travel bubble scheme could be allowed in on Aug 1 on condition they undergo "Villa Quarantine", meaning they stay in their accommodation and do not travel.

The draft measures would be submitted to the CCSA for consideration on Monday, Dr Taweesilp said.
The arrivals were expected to boost investment and tourism income, he said.
Meanwhile, all remaining businesses and activities including entertainment venues and "soapy massage" parlours which have been suspended to control the spread of Covid-19 will be allowed to resume next Wednesday.

Dr Taweesilp said regulations had been drafted by a CCSA subcommitee for the fifth stage of resumption of business and activities "when complete relaxation will occur". The draft regulations will be submitted to the CCSA for consideration on Monday, the spokesman said.

Businesses and activities to resume this time posed a high risk of disease transmission, he said.
Their closure had an insignificant impact on the overall economy, but some groups of people were in financial trouble because of it -- including musicians and singers, he said.

Dr Taweesilp said schools will fully open. Restrictions on opening hours at malls will be lifted.
Pubs, bars and karaoke shops will reopen, but must close at midnight.
Groups of visitors will be capped at five people, and will be prohibited from joining other groups. Sales promotion activities will be banned.
Video game establishments will reopen, but will not be allowed to sell food or beverages.

Premises offering bath-sauna-massage services will reopen on the condition that customers and staff wear face masks and observe social distancing -- except during "bathing time", Dr Taweesilp said.

"Customers will use the Thaichana app when they check-in, or manually register their visit in a book," he said.
Staff would be regularly tested for Covid-19 and other related diseases.
At all these premises, the government will continue to require body temperature screening, the use of face masks, social distancing, regular cleaning, one-month of surveillance camera footage to facilitate disease investigation, and use of the Thaichana app for check-in and check-out.

At wet-massage parlours, surveillance cameras would cover only public zones, Dr Taweesilp said.

 

[Froggy]

My breakfast this morning fish porridge

 

[yinyang]

Thailand logs 1 new Covid import Thursday




https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1940900/thailand-logs-1-new-covid-import-thursday

 

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[yinyang]

New Covid cases among returnees
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1941516/new-covid-cases-among-returnees#cxrecs_s

 

[Froggy]

Krapow breakfast this morning

I think the dish looks pretty

 

[Froggy]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Bu..._date=20200625190000&seq_num=2&si=%%user_id%%

Thai hotels that survived the pandemic now face a price war
Battle for domestic tourists heats up as Central Group and Dusit halve rates

Tourists relax in a swimming pool at a hotel in central Bangkok. © Reuters
APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT, Nikkei staff writerJune 25, 2020 12:00 JST

BANGKOK -- Thai hotels have resumed operations after the government gradually eased lockdowns imposed over the novel coronavirus pandemic. But with international flights still banned, foreign tourists are unavailable to help the industry return to profitability.

That leaves domestic travelers as the only game in town and hotels are engaging in an all-out bid to entice them through unprecedented discounts, a price war that may offer little respite to their bottom lines.

Thailand's cabinet on June 16 approved a 22.4 billion baht ($720 million) package to help boost the tourism industry, which is estimated to contribute around 20% of the Southeast Asian country's gross domestic product. The package includes subsidies for travel expenses.

That has also encouraged Thai hoteliers to kick off campaigns and promotions to offer the lowest rates as they aim to gain back at least some revenue after being closed for nearly two months due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far killed nearly 60 people in the country.

Centara Hotels and Resorts, a hospitality unit of local conglomerate Central Group, has cut its room rates by 50% on average.

At a hotel on the southern resort island of Samui, the company cut the charge by more than two-thirds to 1,360 baht ($44) per night from the 5,000 baht it charged before the pandemic. Customers can even get the price as low as 960 baht per night with free half-board if they hold hotel membership and stay more than four nights. That marks its lowest ever rate, according to the company.

An Intercontinental Hotel staff wearing a protective face mask and gloves in Bangkok. Hotels in Thailand have introduced strict hygiene rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. © Reuters

Given such competition, analysts expect revenue per available room to drop as much as 65% this year from 2019. Many hotels have already gone out of business due to the sharp drop in prices.

There is no official data on how many hotels went bankrupt, but Supawan Tanomkiatipume, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said there were up to 80 in famous tourist cities on offer to be sold, with most of them lower end 1 or 2 star-establishments.

At the higher end, Dusit International, another local chain, also halved its rate to 2,888 baht per night, down from a normal range of 5,000 to 7,000 baht.

Apart from price-cutting, Dusit International launched a charity project to attract Thai tourists. The company offered a 500-baht donation as cash-back money for guests to be donated equally between the Thai Red Cross Society and the Elephant Alliance Association, an organization working to improve quality of life and welfare for the animals.

"We have also leveraged our resources to give back to our communities," said Suphajee Suthumpun, CEO of Dusit International.

A mostly empty beach in the Thai seaside resort of Pattaya. With travel restrictions still in place in many countries, the Thai hotel industry is now trying to attract domestic tourists by offering sharp discounts. © Reuters

Thailand's tourism industry has heavily relied on foreign tourists. In 2019 they numbered 39 million and generated up to 1.9 trillion baht ($61.4 billion) in spending, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Domestic tourists, meanwhile, contributed 1.1 trillion baht, the data show.

But the Thai tourism industry's dependence on foreigners became a vulnerability after the pandemic. Think tank SCB Economic Intelligence Center said a falling average room rate could also force Thai hotel operators to seek additional revenue to help offset falling earnings.

Asia Hotel Bangkok is already one such example. It offers hotel-grade food delivery services to bring in extra money to help fill the holes left by cheap room rates, which have been cut as much as 80%. Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park also offers food delivery. "It's not as good as the normal day, but it can help us earn some money to help offset losses," said Take Takeuchi, manager of in-house Suikin Japanese restaurant.

One hotel operator has proved a rare exception by not competing on price but instead focusing on high-end tourists: Minor International. "We don't see any benefit to fight in the price war," said Chaiyapat Paitoon, the company's chief strategy officer. In contrast, we try to offer the best services with higher standard to attract premium-grade tourists as we expected the situation to be better in the second half of the year."

Minor said it offers premium hygienic service matching the World Health Organization's standard with all check-in and checkout being done via a touchless method. All paper work during the process are done via an app and online channel.

Further, it says all door nobs and frequently touched objects are covered by antimicrobial copper film. "We can ensure that we are the first one in Thailand which has WHO's hygienic standard and that should help us to gain trust from high-end tourists," said Chaiyapat.

Despite such pandemic response efforts, however, analysts said weak consumption continues to be the biggest negative factor weighing on the Thai tourism industry. K Research Center forecast that Thai domestic tourism spending would drop by more than 50% to around 485 billion baht due largely to weakening consumption.

Another factor is that the government's social distancing measures to keep the pandemic under control could automatically put a ceiling on the number of hotel guests. That is because there are limits on how many of them can gather in facilities such as bars, seminar rooms, restaurants, swimming pools and fitness centers to prevent infections among visitors.

Such restrictions mean that hotel operators can't immediately recover at a time when operational costs are increasing due to more stringent hygiene standards.

"About 60 to 70% of hotels in Thailand are now ready to resume business," said Supawan of the Thai Hotels Association. "However, the rest [of the] 30 to 40% would need more time to adjust their business and get back onto the market again when they see a certain rise in demand later this year."

 

[yinyang]

Zero new Covid-19 cases
Thailand has had 33 consecutive days without a domestic case.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390410?utm_source=category&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

[yinyang]

NokScoot one step closer to liquidation
26 Jun 2020 09:34PM

BANGKOK: Low-cost carrier Scoot announced on Friday (Jun 26) that the board of directors of NokScoot has passed a resolution to liquidate the troubled airline. NokScoot is a joint venture between Scoot and Thailand-based airline Nok Air.

NokScoot's shareholders will deliberate the same resolution at a NokScoot general meeting in two weeks, Scoot said in a media release.
Scoot, which owns 49 per cent of NokScoot, said the airline had been unable to record a full-year profit since it was established in 2014.
"Much of this was contributed by the difficulties in growing the network, and the intense competitive environment," Scoot said.
It added that challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have also worsened the situation.

Scoot said it does not see "a path to recovery" and sustainable growth for NokScoot.
While the company has considered other possible alternatives, Scoot said it also offered to sell its 49 per cent stake in NokScoot to Nok Air for a nominal sum of THB1 (S$0.045).
The offer was not taken up.
"We regrettably had to then make the joint decision to move ahead with the liquidation," Scoot said.

According to Reuters, NokScoot was one of the eight airlines in Thailand seeking soft-loans worth 25 billion baht (S$1.1 billion) from the government to support their businesses amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The airline had also recently laid off a large number of its employees and had planned to return three aircraft from its five-jet fleet to Singapore Airlines (SIA) by the end of the month, according to the Bangkok Post.
READ: Singapore Airlines posts first annual net loss in 48-year history after COVID-19 cripples demand

SIA, which Scoot is a subsidiary of, said with the likely liquidation of NokScoot, SIA will record a total one-off charge of S$123.6 million for the first quarter ending Jun 30, 2020.
This comprises a S$106.9 million charge mainly due to impairment of SIA's book value of seven Boeing 777-200 aircraft which had been leased to NokScoot, and provisions by Scoot of S$16.7 million to cover its share of liquidation and related costs.
The carrying value of SIA's investment in NokScoot has been fully written down in previous financial periods, SIA said.

Scoot said it "greatly appreciates" the support the Thai travelling public and customers have shown NokScoot since 2014.
"Thailand remains an important market for the Singapore Airlines Group.
"Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot are committed to continuing to serve customers in Thailand with their existing operations," Scoot said.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...esolution-liquidation-scoot-airlines-12874274

 

[yinyang]

Second consecutive day without Covid-19 cases
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1942240/no-new-covid-cases-in-thailand-sunday

 

[yinyang]

Another 6 groups of foreigners to be allowed entry in July
National
Jun 29. 2020

By The Nation

Six more groups of foreigners are set to be allowed to enter Thailand in July, the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on Monday (June 29).

Authorities had already permitted experts and foreigners with Thai work permits to enter Thailand from July 1.

The six additional groups proposed by the Foreign Affairs Ministry are:

1. Foreign spouses and children of work permit holders.

2. Foreigners with residency rights in Thailand.

3. Foreigners married to Thais.

4. Foreigners and their carers seeking medical treatment in Thailand (except for Covid-19).

5. International students and their guardians.

6. Short-stay business travellers and guests of the government from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China and Hong Kong – as per special arrangements made with these countries.

The special arrangement will initially allow entry to 200 foreigners per day. That number will increase when more alternative state quarantine (ASQ) rooms are made available. The special arrangement will allow entry to groups of no more than 10 people for a short period. Visitors will be tested for Covid-19 prior to travel and on arrival in Thailand, where they will be monitored constantly by health and security officials. They must submit their Thailand itinerary in advance and will only be allowed to travel by private car.

Foreigners work permit (WP3) and/or BOI certificate holders should contact their local Royal Thai Embassy or consulate for a permit to travel to Thailand. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) will arrange seats aboard repatriation flights for eligible passengers.

 

[yinyang]

More groups of foreigners to be allowed entry from tomorrow
National
Jun 30. 2020

By THE NATION

Additional groups of foreigners will be allowed to enter Thailand from tomorrow (July 1), the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced on Monday (June 29).

The announcement, which was signed by CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop and takes effect on July 1, stipulates that eleven groups of people will be allowed to enter the country via flights:

1. Persons with Thai nationality.

2. Persons who were invited by the prime minister or authorities responsible for the emergency.

3. Foreign spouses, parents or children of persons with Thai nationality.

4. Foreigners with residency rights in Thailand.

5. Foreign spouses and children of work permit holders.

6. Transporters of necessary products, who must leave the country immediately after their work is done.

7. Drivers and staff of vehicles that have to carry out necessary or important missions in Thailand and have a clear schedule for leaving.

8. International students and their guardians.

9. Foreigners and their carers seeking medical treatment in Thailand (except for Covid-19).

10. Staff of embassies, consulates, international organisations or representatives of foreign governments who have to carry out their mission in Thailand as allowed by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as well as their spouses, parents, children.

11. Foreigners who are allowed to enter Thailand as per special arrangements.

All visitors will be tested for Covid-19 and need to follow the regulations issued by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration and the Department of Disease Control, including completing a mandatory quarantine period.

CAAT will also allow in state or military aircraft or emergency landings, technical landings without any passengers disembarking, humanitarian aid and medical or relief flights, repatriation flights and cargo aircraft.

 

[yinyang]

Two new Covid-19 cases, both in state quarantine
National
Jun 30. 2020

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390527?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=internal_referral