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A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand
- Thread starter Leongsam
- Start date
You are teochew?
Ok guys finally uploaded this video I took last night on the night scenes of Pattaya's Soi Buakhao, Beach Road, Second Road.
I must apologise for the shaky video - it was one hand holding eh camera through the sun roof and the other hand steering the car.
Try to do better next time
I must apologise for the shaky video - it was one hand holding eh camera through the sun roof and the other hand steering the car.
Try to do better next time
Excused, as you probably challenged yourself with a hand job same time. Also no lobangs with shuttered night spots
More curbs eased in capital
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 15 JUN 2021 AT 06:22
A disappointed jogger leaves Vachirabenjatas Park, or Suan Rot Fai, on Monday morning after arriving and finding the gates still closed. The city's parks finally reopened at 1pm for limited activities. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Five types of businesses and public establishments in Bangkok reopened on Monday under strict disease control regulations following a months-long shutdown due to the third wave of Covid-19.
The reopening was approved by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) communicable diseases committee, with immediate effect.
As a result of the decision, museums and historical sanctuaries were allowed to open their doors to the public.
Public parks and botanical gardens were also reopened, although only for jogging and exercise.
Beauty clinics, health spas, massage and tattoo shops also reopened yesterday, although treatments in the facial area are still prohibited.
Where services are performed in close contact with the customers, businesses must conform to strict health and safety measures, for example, face masks should be worn at all times.
According to the committee, the reopening is meant to restart economic activity which has been largely dormant since the outbreak of the third wave of Covid-19 in began in early April.
The committee insisted the risks from allowing these venues to reopen were manageable, as many employees in the affected sectors have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
While the order signed by Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang on Monday authorised the reopening of some venues, it also stipulated that 33 other businesses will remain closed until June 30.
These include cram schools and similar educational establishments; bars, pubs, karaoke outlets and other entertainment venues.
Restrictions on the sizes of public gatherings are to remain in place, with no more than 20 people allowed to take part in conferences, seminars and banquets or attend food or non-food giveaway venues.
Prior permission must be secured from the City Hall's Health Department for any events with more than 20 participants.
Details of the events and public health safeguards must be submitted to the department, according to City Hall.
Bangkok's reopening had been deferred from May 31 when the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) put the brakes on City Hall's plan to allow the five types of businesses to reopen.
The abrupt order raised speculation about the reasons for the delay, but observers said the decision was probably prompted by the worrying Covid-19 situation in the capital.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2132323/more-curbs-eased-in-capital
So Monday was the Dragon Boat Festival, I cam back from my trip late and started to make the festive bachang only about 5pm
As it was a last minute decision to make bachang I did not have the bachang leaves at home so I made good with lotus leaves which was why I couldn't make it in the pyramid shape. Anyway it turned out good
Next day (yesterday) I had it for breakfast too
As it was a last minute decision to make bachang I did not have the bachang leaves at home so I made good with lotus leaves which was why I couldn't make it in the pyramid shape. Anyway it turned out good
Next day (yesterday) I had it for breakfast too
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tu...10&pub_date=20210616150000&seq_num=7&si=44594
COVID brings false calm to Thailand's streets
Vaccine chaos fuels rage as protesters wait for pandemic's end
Mothers of anti-government protest leaders facing lese majeste charges demand the release of their sons outside Remand Prison, in Bangkok on April 28. © Reuters
APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT, Nikkei staff writerJune 16, 2021 14:00 JST
BANGKOK -- The third wave of COVID-19 that has broken over Thailand has brought a deceptive quiet to the country's streets. Anti-government protesters cannot stage big demonstrations, but the mood remains defiant and unrest is likely to erupt again as soon as the pandemic subsides.
The pro-democracy demonstrations, which drew massive support from young people last year, touch on the most sensitive issue in Thai politics: reform of the monarchy. But they have sputtered because the latest COVID-19 flare-up has forced would-be protesters to practice social distancing.
"COVID is the key reason [the demonstrations have died down], as the death toll is rising sharply, and I think the protest leaders are thinking the same thing, so that we don't see any big protests now," said Suthipan Sombatsuree, a 19-year-old university student who took part in protests last year.
The street agitation began in earnest last July, when more than 10,000 people gathered at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok to demand that the constitution be amended, that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha resign and that the monarchy, which backers have treated as semidivine for several decades, be reformed.
The protests gained momentum, peaking on Oct. 26, when a university student, Passaravalee Thanakijvibulphol, nicknamed "Mind," led thousands of people to the German Embassy to deliver a letter demanding the German government investigate whether the king had conducted Thai state affairs on German soil in violation of German law.
That prompted a crackdown by Thai authorities against the demonstrators. Many protest leaders have been arrested and charged with lese majeste, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail. Imprisoned leaders include Parit Chiwarak, also known as "Penguin," and Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul. Holding them in pretrial detention kept them off the streets and helped quell big demonstrations.
Still, other leaders staged sporadic protests around Bangkok to keep pressure on the government under the slogan, "Free-up our Friends."
Supporters of arrested protest leaders King show the three-finger salute while waiting for their release on bail outside Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok on May 11. © Reuters
Parit and Panusaya were released on bail, on condition that they not criticize the monarchy again and remain in the country. They have not staged any big protests since their release.
"The key reason is the third wave, the severe outbreak of COVID-19," Boonyakiat Karavekphan, a political science lecturer at Ramkamhaeng University told Nikkei Asia. "I think the leaders also realized that they could not draw massive [numbers of] protesters if they staged a protest now because they are afraid of COVID-19."
The third wave of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in April, has raised the average number of newly confirmed cases to more than 2,000 a day, up from double digits earlier in the pandemic. As of June 14, Thailand has had 191,264 cases in all, with the death toll at 1,466.
However, Boonyakiat of Ramkamhaeng University said the disappearance of big protests does not mean the pro-democracy protesters have given up. "What we see now is that the anti-government fight remains, but they have just changed the fighting format," said Boonyakiat.
That is a common theme among Thai political analysts following comments posted by Penguin on Twitter and Facebook, which said: "For me, the fight to reform the monarchy will continue."
Yuthaporn Issarachai of Sukhothai Thammathirat University said protests have moved online in order to keep the momentum going. Government opponents are waiting for the right timing to take to the streets again with stronger demands.
"They keep posting on social media. ... There is much anti-government as well as monarchy-criticizing content on several social media platforms. These feelings, as well as anger against the government, remain, particularly at a time when the government is struggling to manage the vaccine rollout," Yuthaporn said.
Although the government had said 100 million doses of vaccines have been secured for Thais, and the vaccines rollout began March 1, only 1.6 million people have been fully vaccinated so far. That is only around 2.3% of Thailand's population of 69 million. And public and private hospitals have postponed inoculations amid a shortage of vaccines, derailing the inoculation effort. The government has not given a clear explanation to the public, raising concerns over whether Thailand will be able to overcome the pandemic and revive the weak economy by the end of this year as hoped.
Analysts say these missteps are likely to spark new protests as soon as the pandemic dies down.
"When the COVID situation is better, the pro-democracy groups will definitely protest again because it is a matter of ideology, which protesters see as the government having taken power through the establishment, not by fair rules," said Sukhum Nuansakul, a political analyst and a former rector of Ramkhamhaeng University.
COVID brings false calm to Thailand's streets
Vaccine chaos fuels rage as protesters wait for pandemic's end
Mothers of anti-government protest leaders facing lese majeste charges demand the release of their sons outside Remand Prison, in Bangkok on April 28. © Reuters
APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT, Nikkei staff writerJune 16, 2021 14:00 JST
BANGKOK -- The third wave of COVID-19 that has broken over Thailand has brought a deceptive quiet to the country's streets. Anti-government protesters cannot stage big demonstrations, but the mood remains defiant and unrest is likely to erupt again as soon as the pandemic subsides.
The pro-democracy demonstrations, which drew massive support from young people last year, touch on the most sensitive issue in Thai politics: reform of the monarchy. But they have sputtered because the latest COVID-19 flare-up has forced would-be protesters to practice social distancing.
"COVID is the key reason [the demonstrations have died down], as the death toll is rising sharply, and I think the protest leaders are thinking the same thing, so that we don't see any big protests now," said Suthipan Sombatsuree, a 19-year-old university student who took part in protests last year.
The street agitation began in earnest last July, when more than 10,000 people gathered at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok to demand that the constitution be amended, that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha resign and that the monarchy, which backers have treated as semidivine for several decades, be reformed.
The protests gained momentum, peaking on Oct. 26, when a university student, Passaravalee Thanakijvibulphol, nicknamed "Mind," led thousands of people to the German Embassy to deliver a letter demanding the German government investigate whether the king had conducted Thai state affairs on German soil in violation of German law.
That prompted a crackdown by Thai authorities against the demonstrators. Many protest leaders have been arrested and charged with lese majeste, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail. Imprisoned leaders include Parit Chiwarak, also known as "Penguin," and Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul. Holding them in pretrial detention kept them off the streets and helped quell big demonstrations.
Still, other leaders staged sporadic protests around Bangkok to keep pressure on the government under the slogan, "Free-up our Friends."
Supporters of arrested protest leaders King show the three-finger salute while waiting for their release on bail outside Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok on May 11. © Reuters
Parit and Panusaya were released on bail, on condition that they not criticize the monarchy again and remain in the country. They have not staged any big protests since their release.
"The key reason is the third wave, the severe outbreak of COVID-19," Boonyakiat Karavekphan, a political science lecturer at Ramkamhaeng University told Nikkei Asia. "I think the leaders also realized that they could not draw massive [numbers of] protesters if they staged a protest now because they are afraid of COVID-19."
The third wave of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in April, has raised the average number of newly confirmed cases to more than 2,000 a day, up from double digits earlier in the pandemic. As of June 14, Thailand has had 191,264 cases in all, with the death toll at 1,466.
However, Boonyakiat of Ramkamhaeng University said the disappearance of big protests does not mean the pro-democracy protesters have given up. "What we see now is that the anti-government fight remains, but they have just changed the fighting format," said Boonyakiat.
That is a common theme among Thai political analysts following comments posted by Penguin on Twitter and Facebook, which said: "For me, the fight to reform the monarchy will continue."
Yuthaporn Issarachai of Sukhothai Thammathirat University said protests have moved online in order to keep the momentum going. Government opponents are waiting for the right timing to take to the streets again with stronger demands.
"They keep posting on social media. ... There is much anti-government as well as monarchy-criticizing content on several social media platforms. These feelings, as well as anger against the government, remain, particularly at a time when the government is struggling to manage the vaccine rollout," Yuthaporn said.
Although the government had said 100 million doses of vaccines have been secured for Thais, and the vaccines rollout began March 1, only 1.6 million people have been fully vaccinated so far. That is only around 2.3% of Thailand's population of 69 million. And public and private hospitals have postponed inoculations amid a shortage of vaccines, derailing the inoculation effort. The government has not given a clear explanation to the public, raising concerns over whether Thailand will be able to overcome the pandemic and revive the weak economy by the end of this year as hoped.
Analysts say these missteps are likely to spark new protests as soon as the pandemic dies down.
"When the COVID situation is better, the pro-democracy groups will definitely protest again because it is a matter of ideology, which protesters see as the government having taken power through the establishment, not by fair rules," said Sukhum Nuansakul, a political analyst and a former rector of Ramkhamhaeng University.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tr...0&pub_date=20210616150000&seq_num=11&si=44594
Thai Airways clears legal hurdles to launch rehab plan
Bankruptcy court approves restructuring of cash-strapped flag carrier
The approved rehabilitation plan is designed to tackle Thai Airways' unprofitable businesses. © Reuters
MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerJune 15, 2021 21:47 JST
BANGKOK -- A Thai court formally approved Thai Airways International's rehabilitation plan on Tuesday, clearing all legal hurdles to set the plan in motion.
"The Central Bankruptcy Court granted an order to approve Thai Airways International's business rehabilitation plan," the airline said in a statement. "The plan administrators and all employees are committed to performing their duties for a successful implementation of the plan and for the utmost benefit of all creditors."
In an online news conference held after the verdict was read, acting CEO Chansin Treenuchagron said that the company's ongoing restructuring efforts helped to "reduce almost 50% of expense related to workforce and remuneration packages. We were able to bring our cost down to lower than the industry standard. We will be able to compete in the next three to five years."
The airline only recorded annual profits twice in the past decade, and the rehabilitation program mainly deals with its unprofitable businesses. The plan consists of an organizational shake-up that will halve the airline's pre-COVID workforce and cut executive positions by 30%. The company has also been selling off jetliners, facilities and stockholdings as part of a review of its asset portfolio, and to raise working capital.
Some experts, though, say the plan is insufficient to repair Thai Airways' damaged balance sheet. The airline needs a major cleanup, including new funds to tide itself over during the five-to-seven-year rehabilitation. Creditors have been reluctant to grant large write-offs as part of the rehabilitation process due to the company's past mismanagement.
Uncertainties loom for Thai Airways, including how fast the world will recover from the pandemic and how travelers will behave in the post-COVID era. © Reuters
Thai Airways got the nod for the plan from 28 out of 38 creditors at a meeting on May 19. The debt held by those creditors accounted for 91.56% of Thai Airways' total debt, well above the 50% required to proceed with the plan.
Winning creditors' backing was key; the court's approval was a formality by comparison. Nevertheless, it was a necessary legal step to implement the restructuring. The airline has been under court-supervised rehabilitation since September 2020. Then the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to international travel, dealing a further blow to the already floundering flag carrier.
The court approval gives Thai Airways a six-year extension on debenture redemptions. Three-year repayment concessions have also been negotiated with commercial banks. The airline reportedly offered creditors the right to convert debt to equity after the seventh year of rehabilitation.
Thai Airways Chief Financial Officer Chai Eamsiri said, "The plan is to ask for 25 billion baht from the government and another 25 billion baht from private institutions." However, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had said in May that the state would not get involved in the rehabilitation.
As part of the rehabilitation, the government stripped the flag carrier of its state enterprise status by reducing its shareholding below 50%, having determined that strong job protections for state company employees would impede the restructuring. In the past, the airline often counted on government assistance after management missteps.
"We want the funding as soon as possible, as our revenue is still not at the normal level and we have a limited time," said Chai. "At present, we won't be able to last until the end of the year with our current cash flow."
But outside observers are also concerned about uncertainty in the air travel business.
The rehabilitation plan aims to bring the airline back to stable profitability by 2025. Meeting that target depends on both smooth execution of the rehabilitation and a recovery of the air travel market by 2024. But it is unclear how quickly the world will bounce back from the pandemic and how travelers will behave in the post-COVID era.
Thailand plans to accept vaccinated international visitors to Phuket island without quarantines, starting July 1. The "sandbox experiment" is an effort to revive Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, whose tourism and related industries accounted for 20% of gross domestic product in pre-COVID times.
Thai Airways will take part in the experiment by welcoming vacationers from five European cities. Flights to Phuket from Paris, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt, Germany, will begin July 2. Routes from London and Zurich will resume the next day. The test's success will bring the airline closer to achieving its recovery target, while failure to attract visitors will add to the uncertainty over its future.
"We will execute our plan," said CEO Chansin, "and then in three or six months, we will update you with our progress."
Thai Airways clears legal hurdles to launch rehab plan
Bankruptcy court approves restructuring of cash-strapped flag carrier
The approved rehabilitation plan is designed to tackle Thai Airways' unprofitable businesses. © Reuters
MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerJune 15, 2021 21:47 JST
BANGKOK -- A Thai court formally approved Thai Airways International's rehabilitation plan on Tuesday, clearing all legal hurdles to set the plan in motion.
"The Central Bankruptcy Court granted an order to approve Thai Airways International's business rehabilitation plan," the airline said in a statement. "The plan administrators and all employees are committed to performing their duties for a successful implementation of the plan and for the utmost benefit of all creditors."
In an online news conference held after the verdict was read, acting CEO Chansin Treenuchagron said that the company's ongoing restructuring efforts helped to "reduce almost 50% of expense related to workforce and remuneration packages. We were able to bring our cost down to lower than the industry standard. We will be able to compete in the next three to five years."
The airline only recorded annual profits twice in the past decade, and the rehabilitation program mainly deals with its unprofitable businesses. The plan consists of an organizational shake-up that will halve the airline's pre-COVID workforce and cut executive positions by 30%. The company has also been selling off jetliners, facilities and stockholdings as part of a review of its asset portfolio, and to raise working capital.
Some experts, though, say the plan is insufficient to repair Thai Airways' damaged balance sheet. The airline needs a major cleanup, including new funds to tide itself over during the five-to-seven-year rehabilitation. Creditors have been reluctant to grant large write-offs as part of the rehabilitation process due to the company's past mismanagement.
Uncertainties loom for Thai Airways, including how fast the world will recover from the pandemic and how travelers will behave in the post-COVID era. © Reuters
Thai Airways got the nod for the plan from 28 out of 38 creditors at a meeting on May 19. The debt held by those creditors accounted for 91.56% of Thai Airways' total debt, well above the 50% required to proceed with the plan.
Winning creditors' backing was key; the court's approval was a formality by comparison. Nevertheless, it was a necessary legal step to implement the restructuring. The airline has been under court-supervised rehabilitation since September 2020. Then the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to international travel, dealing a further blow to the already floundering flag carrier.
The court approval gives Thai Airways a six-year extension on debenture redemptions. Three-year repayment concessions have also been negotiated with commercial banks. The airline reportedly offered creditors the right to convert debt to equity after the seventh year of rehabilitation.
Thai Airways Chief Financial Officer Chai Eamsiri said, "The plan is to ask for 25 billion baht from the government and another 25 billion baht from private institutions." However, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had said in May that the state would not get involved in the rehabilitation.
As part of the rehabilitation, the government stripped the flag carrier of its state enterprise status by reducing its shareholding below 50%, having determined that strong job protections for state company employees would impede the restructuring. In the past, the airline often counted on government assistance after management missteps.
"We want the funding as soon as possible, as our revenue is still not at the normal level and we have a limited time," said Chai. "At present, we won't be able to last until the end of the year with our current cash flow."
But outside observers are also concerned about uncertainty in the air travel business.
The rehabilitation plan aims to bring the airline back to stable profitability by 2025. Meeting that target depends on both smooth execution of the rehabilitation and a recovery of the air travel market by 2024. But it is unclear how quickly the world will bounce back from the pandemic and how travelers will behave in the post-COVID era.
Thailand plans to accept vaccinated international visitors to Phuket island without quarantines, starting July 1. The "sandbox experiment" is an effort to revive Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, whose tourism and related industries accounted for 20% of gross domestic product in pre-COVID times.
Thai Airways will take part in the experiment by welcoming vacationers from five European cities. Flights to Phuket from Paris, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt, Germany, will begin July 2. Routes from London and Zurich will resume the next day. The test's success will bring the airline closer to achieving its recovery target, while failure to attract visitors will add to the uncertainty over its future.
"We will execute our plan," said CEO Chansin, "and then in three or six months, we will update you with our progress."
https://prachatai.com/english/node/9298
ByPrachatai
Reports of VIPs jumping the Covid-19 vaccine queue
Submitted on Wed, 16 Jun 2021 - 12:00 PM
As vaccinations around the country lag behind targets, questions are being asked about queue-jumping in Nakhon Ratchasima, Bangkok and Samut Prakan.
A list showing 31 names of those alleged to be the VIPs who received the vaccination at Suranaree University of Technology Hospital. 2 names in the square hold an army and a police title.
On 14 June, a source told Prachatai that a group of about 30 people received their first Sinovac vaccination at Suranaree University of Technology Hospital (SUTH) on 21 May, a day when scarce vaccines were provided only to university staff.
The source also said the group were from neither the university nor hospital. Some had well-known surnames of families closely connected with the board members of the hospital and politicians in the governing Palang Pracharat Party, 6 of whose MPs were elected from the province. Some have the rank of general and police major colonel.
SUTH Director Dr Niwatchai Namvichaisirikul responded to the allegations, insisting that there has been no VIP jabs. The hospital had just started a public vaccination campaign along with other hospitals on 7 June, following Ministry of Public Health policy, using the AstraZeneca vaccine.
When asked if SUTH had conducted public vaccinations before 7 June using the Sinovac vaccine, Niwatchai said SUTH followed the public vaccination programme of Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital which had been operating for almost 2 months. Due to the scarce quantities distributed, SUTH at that time vaccinated only those who are either at risk of infection or hospital workers.
“We received quite a small vaccine allocation. We did not open for the general public to come and be vaccinated all the time. We opened on the day when we had the vaccines that we were allocated,” said Niwatchai.
A Public Relations officer from Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital informed Prachatai that the hospital had carried out public vaccinations on 19 May at Central Plaza Nakhon Ratchasima. Prior to that date, only hospital staff were given the vaccine. The hospital also did not give vaccines to patients at the field hospital.
VIPs ahead in the delayed rollout
The VIP issue is just one of the problems that have emerged out of the current vaccine scarcity. As of 15 June, 6,511,184 people had received at least one dose, about 10 percent of the population. On 7 June, the government started its plan to have 70 percent of the population, about 50 million people, injected by the end of the year in order to create herd immunity.
Due to a lack of vaccines and delayed deliveries, the vaccination campaign was postponed in many places.
On 9 June, Khaosod Online reported that people who were waiting in line for vaccinations at Bang Pu Subdistrict, Samut Prakan Province, saw a group of people jumping the queue and receiving the vaccine before them. The crowd responded in anger, some by sarcastic clapping.
Charin Chanthaphan, Director of Bang Pu Mai Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, announced that those who jumped the queue were from agencies who came for vaccinations before returning to their duties. He avoided answering who these groups of people were.
On 8 June, Matichon Online reported that a group of people disguised themselves as motorcycle taxi riders in order to receive the vaccine at Bang Sue Central Train Station. An investigation later found that these people were family members or associates of the riders.
Chalerm Changthongmadun, President of the Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Association of Thailand, testified that the incident was a misunderstanding by the riders who thought that they could bring along their families to receive the vaccination due to the risk of infection from living with the riders.
A column published in the Manager Online on 9 June revealed a secret rungrueang (prosperity) code used by people of high status to receive a vaccination without prior registration at Srithanya Hospital in Bangkok.
So far, only Sinovac and AstraZeneca have been used in vaccinations in Thailand. The Chulabhorn Royal Academy has scheduled vaccinations with the Sinopharm vaccine to begin on 25 June, with almost 7,000 organizations registered on 14 June, the first day of registration. Any future imports of the Moderna, Pfizer and J&J vaccines will go through the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.
ByPrachatai
Reports of VIPs jumping the Covid-19 vaccine queue
Submitted on Wed, 16 Jun 2021 - 12:00 PM
As vaccinations around the country lag behind targets, questions are being asked about queue-jumping in Nakhon Ratchasima, Bangkok and Samut Prakan.
A list showing 31 names of those alleged to be the VIPs who received the vaccination at Suranaree University of Technology Hospital. 2 names in the square hold an army and a police title.
On 14 June, a source told Prachatai that a group of about 30 people received their first Sinovac vaccination at Suranaree University of Technology Hospital (SUTH) on 21 May, a day when scarce vaccines were provided only to university staff.
The source also said the group were from neither the university nor hospital. Some had well-known surnames of families closely connected with the board members of the hospital and politicians in the governing Palang Pracharat Party, 6 of whose MPs were elected from the province. Some have the rank of general and police major colonel.
SUTH Director Dr Niwatchai Namvichaisirikul responded to the allegations, insisting that there has been no VIP jabs. The hospital had just started a public vaccination campaign along with other hospitals on 7 June, following Ministry of Public Health policy, using the AstraZeneca vaccine.
When asked if SUTH had conducted public vaccinations before 7 June using the Sinovac vaccine, Niwatchai said SUTH followed the public vaccination programme of Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital which had been operating for almost 2 months. Due to the scarce quantities distributed, SUTH at that time vaccinated only those who are either at risk of infection or hospital workers.
“We received quite a small vaccine allocation. We did not open for the general public to come and be vaccinated all the time. We opened on the day when we had the vaccines that we were allocated,” said Niwatchai.
A Public Relations officer from Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital informed Prachatai that the hospital had carried out public vaccinations on 19 May at Central Plaza Nakhon Ratchasima. Prior to that date, only hospital staff were given the vaccine. The hospital also did not give vaccines to patients at the field hospital.
VIPs ahead in the delayed rollout
The VIP issue is just one of the problems that have emerged out of the current vaccine scarcity. As of 15 June, 6,511,184 people had received at least one dose, about 10 percent of the population. On 7 June, the government started its plan to have 70 percent of the population, about 50 million people, injected by the end of the year in order to create herd immunity.
Due to a lack of vaccines and delayed deliveries, the vaccination campaign was postponed in many places.
On 9 June, Khaosod Online reported that people who were waiting in line for vaccinations at Bang Pu Subdistrict, Samut Prakan Province, saw a group of people jumping the queue and receiving the vaccine before them. The crowd responded in anger, some by sarcastic clapping.
Charin Chanthaphan, Director of Bang Pu Mai Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, announced that those who jumped the queue were from agencies who came for vaccinations before returning to their duties. He avoided answering who these groups of people were.
On 8 June, Matichon Online reported that a group of people disguised themselves as motorcycle taxi riders in order to receive the vaccine at Bang Sue Central Train Station. An investigation later found that these people were family members or associates of the riders.
Chalerm Changthongmadun, President of the Motorcycle Taxi Drivers Association of Thailand, testified that the incident was a misunderstanding by the riders who thought that they could bring along their families to receive the vaccination due to the risk of infection from living with the riders.
A column published in the Manager Online on 9 June revealed a secret rungrueang (prosperity) code used by people of high status to receive a vaccination without prior registration at Srithanya Hospital in Bangkok.
So far, only Sinovac and AstraZeneca have been used in vaccinations in Thailand. The Chulabhorn Royal Academy has scheduled vaccinations with the Sinopharm vaccine to begin on 25 June, with almost 7,000 organizations registered on 14 June, the first day of registration. Any future imports of the Moderna, Pfizer and J&J vaccines will go through the Government Pharmaceutical Organization.
Thai PM vows kingdom's reopening in four months
Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha said the only exception would be "if a truly serious situation develops".PHOTO: AFP PHOTO / ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT
BANGKOK (AFP) - Thailand plans to fully reopen to foreign visitors in four months, Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha vowed on Wednesday (June 16), citing the urgent need to save the kingdom's ailing tourism industry.
The coronavirus pandemic has hammered Thailand's tourism sector amid border closures and strict hotel quarantine measures.
The impact has reverberated across different sectors - downing hotels, restaurants, bars and local transport operators - and the country's present battle against a third wave has left local businesses clambering for more government aid.
Tourism previously made up almost 20 per cent of Thailand's national income.
"I am therefore setting a goal for us to be able to declare Thailand fully open within 120 days from today, and for tourism centres that are ready to do so even faster," Premier Prayut said in a televised address on Wednesday evening.
He said the only exception would be "if a truly serious situation develops".
"I know this decision comes with some risk... but I think when we take into consideration the economic needs of people, the time has now come for us to take that calculated risk," he said.
To do this, Thailand's top priority is to get at least one shot for everyone in the country ahead of the re-opening, he said.
Prayut expects 50 million Thais to be inoculated by October with a target of at least 10 million per month.
"We cannot wait for a time when everyone is fully vaccinated with two shots to open the country or for when the world is free of the virus," he said.
Thailand has recorded close to 205,000 infections and 1,525 deaths.
Prayut's administration has been under pressure over its economic management as Thailand experiences its worst performance since the Asian economic crisis of 1997.
The government has also been under fire over its slow vaccine rollout, which to date has seen about seven per cent of the population inoculated with a first dose before the program was paused this week due to a lack of supply.
A so-called "Phuket sandbox" has also been floated - allowing vaccinated tourists to enter the country without quarantine - but the mixed messaging from authorities on the program has left some potential visitors gun-shy on purchasing flights.
Excise officials probed over B12,000 orange juice 'fine'
Bangkok Post PUBLISHED : 17 JUN 2021 AT 13:03
Five officials at the Excise Department are being investigated for allegedly demanding payment of a 12,000-baht "fine" from a shop owner who filled a large order for fresh orange juice.
Director-general Lavaron Sangsnit had transferred the five officials from Area Excise Office Bangkok 5 to another office pending an investigation into the allegation, Thai media reported on Thursday.
The move followed a post by a Facebook user that she had initially been delighted to get an order for 500 bottles of fresh orange juice from her shop on Monday.
She had drawn on all her resources to make enough orange juice to meet such a large order, only to find out the following day that she had been set up.
The so-called buyer and the excise officials who showed up at her shop were the same people.
The officials first ate a steak meal at the shop, then looked for the ordered 500 bottles of orange juice. Then they demanded she pay a 12,000-baht fine for the unlicensed production of orange juice, she wrote.
On Wednesday, spokesman Nathakorn Uthensut said the department had received a complaint from an operator who paid excise tax that some beverage plants were making substandard products and did not pay the tax.
The vendor who posted her message on Facebook was one of the producers mentioned in the complaint, Mr Nathakorn said.
Excise officials advised the vendor to properly register her operation and pay the tax, he said.
According to Mr Nathakorn, the officials said they did not demand a fine, as the woman alleged.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Th...1&pub_date=20210617190000&seq_num=17&si=44594
Thailand to open borders early, taking calculated risk
Prayuth strives to balance economic and health needs
People receive their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine inside a gymnasium at Thammasat University, in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on June 7. © Reuters
MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerJune 17, 2021 15:45 JST
BANGKOK -- Thailand has given up achieving herd immunity as it races toward fully reopening its borders to vaccinated globe-trotters, and as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha weighs economic imperatives against risks to public health.
Prayuth on Wednesday launched an ambitious plan to start accepting visitors to all parts of Thailand in 120 days, but ongoing vaccine shortages have evoked skepticism among Thai citizens.
"I know this decision comes with some risk because, when we open the country, there will be an increase in infections, no matter how good our precautions," the prime minister said in a televised address. "But, I think, when we take the economic needs of people into consideration, the time has now come for us to take that calculated risk."
The government's road map targets an average of 10 million shots to be administered every month beginning in July. If all goes as planned, this will allow almost 50 million people to receive at least their first shot by early October, before vaccinated foreign tourists are welcomed to roam the kingdom.
"The first shot already enormously increases your body's ability to cope with an infection and can save your life," Prayuth said.
A successful opening in October could help Thailand salvage its busy tourist season, which usually begins in mid- to late November, when the monsoon rains subside.
The government has contracted for 105.5 million doses, roughly 60% of which are to be the AstraZeneca vaccine, and most of these supplies are to come from Siam Bioscience. The biopharmaceutical company owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn in November obtained an exclusive Southeast Asia license from U.K. drugmaker AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha tells the kingdom that "I know this decision comes with some risk because there will be an increase in infections, no matter how good our precautions." (Photo by Masayuki Yuda)
According to a report published in medical journal The Lancet, a single AtraZeneca dose has an efficacy of 76% against symptomatic COVID-19 in the first 90 days.
Prayuth's address signifies a dramatic turnaround in Thailand's vaccine and reopening strategy. The government originally planned to reopen the kingdom at the outset of 2022, after reaching herd immunity by giving two jabs to 70% of all residents. The new plan brings forward the reopening date by a month and a half and makes do with nearly half the jabs required in the previous plan.
The long-ailing economy prompted the rethink. Since March, Thailand has been suffering through a third wave of infections and subsequent business lockdowns. No statistical data on the economic toll is yet available, but Bangkok's once-lively streets show the story. One by one, shops and restaurants have been permanently closing down.
"We've somehow survived through two waves," the owner of a Japanese restaurant said, "but this third wave has really hit us hard." The restaurant this month closed indefinitely.
In May, the Bank of Thailand made economic projections for three scenarios. If herd immunity is achieved by the first quarter of 2022, it forecasts growth of 2% in 2021 and 4.7% in 2022.
A herd immunity delay to the third quarter would slow the rates to 1.5% and 2.8%, while a further lag till the fourth quarter would bring growth down to 1% and 1.1%.
The forecasts show how vulnerable Thailand is without tourism and the businesses that flourish because of it. Pre-COVID, this sector accounted for 20% of the kingdom's gross domestic product. Without it in 2020, Southeast Asia's second largest economy shrank 6.1%.
For Prayuth, whose term expires in 2023, even the central bank's best-case scenario spells potential doom. "We cannot wait for a time when everyone is fully vaccinated with two shots to open the country or for when the world is free of the virus," the prime minister said. "We must be ready to live with some risk and just try to keep it at a manageable level, and let people go back to being able to earn a living."
Lowering the inoculation bar reflects the uncertainty surrounding vaccine deliveries amid rising international demand. Prayuth himself recognizes the issue.
"I am the top executive in this war against the coronavirus," he stated. "I must apologize for the problems that have happened, and I take all responsibility." He was specifically referring to vaccine shortages that resulted in complaints from the public on Tuesday, one day before he addressed the nation.
"The vaccine deliveries have taken some time because they had to wait for time-consuming production and quality checks," he said. "Many countries have faced the same problem."
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration on Monday announced a plan to delay vaccination programs at 25 specially set up locations. A number of public and private hospitals also announced postponements for people with reservations for this week.
At Monday's news conference, Bangkok Gov. Aswin Khwanmuang said the city had already used up "nearly all of the vaccines allocated by the government."
As Siam Bioscience has no previous experience manufacturing vaccines, there is speculation that it may be having teething problems in ramping up production. A government official at the news conference denied any production issues and said the supply shortage is "temporary and will be resolved soon."
But the shortages have cast enough doubt to make Thai citizens skeptical of the government's handling of the vaccination program.
Siam Bioscience makes the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at this location outside Bangkok. It is Southeast Asia's only producer of the vaccine © Reuters
Thailand still has a lese-majeste law, which makes it a serious offense to demean or attack senior members of the royal family. Discussion of anything relating to Siam Bioscience is therefore fraught. A former opposition party leader was charged in January after raising questions about the company's exclusive production during a Facebook livestream. A maximum prison sentence of 15 years can be handed down to those found guilty of lese-majeste, with sequential terms possible for those judged to have committed multiple offenses.
Siam Bioscience's vaccine exports have come under scrutiny. Reuters reported that Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen last Friday said delivery of 10 million shots from Thailand faces a delay because, she said, Thailand is prioritizing its domestic needs.
There have also been reports of delayed deliveries to the Philippines and Malaysia.
On June 2, AstraZeneca said vaccines produced by Siam Bioscience would be ready for export in July.
Deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul tweeted late on Saturday that there is no official policy to block AstraZeneca exports. She quoted Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul saying vaccine exports and distribution are the domain of Siam Bioscience, not the government.
Siam Bioscience has remained silent and not revealed if there have been any production glitches. Many of those who since May 1 have registered for shots now face an uncertain wait.
All of Southeast Asia is off to a slow vaccination start. Only 7% of the Thai population has received at least one dose. In the Philippines, the figure is 4%, and in Indonesia it's 7%. With vaccines coming over the horizon, a major concern is variants, particularly those that spread quickly.
Additional reporting by Yohei Muramatsu and Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat in Bangkok
Thailand to open borders early, taking calculated risk
Prayuth strives to balance economic and health needs
People receive their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine inside a gymnasium at Thammasat University, in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on June 7. © Reuters
MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerJune 17, 2021 15:45 JST
BANGKOK -- Thailand has given up achieving herd immunity as it races toward fully reopening its borders to vaccinated globe-trotters, and as Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha weighs economic imperatives against risks to public health.
Prayuth on Wednesday launched an ambitious plan to start accepting visitors to all parts of Thailand in 120 days, but ongoing vaccine shortages have evoked skepticism among Thai citizens.
"I know this decision comes with some risk because, when we open the country, there will be an increase in infections, no matter how good our precautions," the prime minister said in a televised address. "But, I think, when we take the economic needs of people into consideration, the time has now come for us to take that calculated risk."
The government's road map targets an average of 10 million shots to be administered every month beginning in July. If all goes as planned, this will allow almost 50 million people to receive at least their first shot by early October, before vaccinated foreign tourists are welcomed to roam the kingdom.
"The first shot already enormously increases your body's ability to cope with an infection and can save your life," Prayuth said.
A successful opening in October could help Thailand salvage its busy tourist season, which usually begins in mid- to late November, when the monsoon rains subside.
The government has contracted for 105.5 million doses, roughly 60% of which are to be the AstraZeneca vaccine, and most of these supplies are to come from Siam Bioscience. The biopharmaceutical company owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn in November obtained an exclusive Southeast Asia license from U.K. drugmaker AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha tells the kingdom that "I know this decision comes with some risk because there will be an increase in infections, no matter how good our precautions." (Photo by Masayuki Yuda)
According to a report published in medical journal The Lancet, a single AtraZeneca dose has an efficacy of 76% against symptomatic COVID-19 in the first 90 days.
Prayuth's address signifies a dramatic turnaround in Thailand's vaccine and reopening strategy. The government originally planned to reopen the kingdom at the outset of 2022, after reaching herd immunity by giving two jabs to 70% of all residents. The new plan brings forward the reopening date by a month and a half and makes do with nearly half the jabs required in the previous plan.
The long-ailing economy prompted the rethink. Since March, Thailand has been suffering through a third wave of infections and subsequent business lockdowns. No statistical data on the economic toll is yet available, but Bangkok's once-lively streets show the story. One by one, shops and restaurants have been permanently closing down.
"We've somehow survived through two waves," the owner of a Japanese restaurant said, "but this third wave has really hit us hard." The restaurant this month closed indefinitely.
In May, the Bank of Thailand made economic projections for three scenarios. If herd immunity is achieved by the first quarter of 2022, it forecasts growth of 2% in 2021 and 4.7% in 2022.
A herd immunity delay to the third quarter would slow the rates to 1.5% and 2.8%, while a further lag till the fourth quarter would bring growth down to 1% and 1.1%.
The forecasts show how vulnerable Thailand is without tourism and the businesses that flourish because of it. Pre-COVID, this sector accounted for 20% of the kingdom's gross domestic product. Without it in 2020, Southeast Asia's second largest economy shrank 6.1%.
For Prayuth, whose term expires in 2023, even the central bank's best-case scenario spells potential doom. "We cannot wait for a time when everyone is fully vaccinated with two shots to open the country or for when the world is free of the virus," the prime minister said. "We must be ready to live with some risk and just try to keep it at a manageable level, and let people go back to being able to earn a living."
Lowering the inoculation bar reflects the uncertainty surrounding vaccine deliveries amid rising international demand. Prayuth himself recognizes the issue.
"I am the top executive in this war against the coronavirus," he stated. "I must apologize for the problems that have happened, and I take all responsibility." He was specifically referring to vaccine shortages that resulted in complaints from the public on Tuesday, one day before he addressed the nation.
"The vaccine deliveries have taken some time because they had to wait for time-consuming production and quality checks," he said. "Many countries have faced the same problem."
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration on Monday announced a plan to delay vaccination programs at 25 specially set up locations. A number of public and private hospitals also announced postponements for people with reservations for this week.
At Monday's news conference, Bangkok Gov. Aswin Khwanmuang said the city had already used up "nearly all of the vaccines allocated by the government."
As Siam Bioscience has no previous experience manufacturing vaccines, there is speculation that it may be having teething problems in ramping up production. A government official at the news conference denied any production issues and said the supply shortage is "temporary and will be resolved soon."
But the shortages have cast enough doubt to make Thai citizens skeptical of the government's handling of the vaccination program.
Siam Bioscience makes the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at this location outside Bangkok. It is Southeast Asia's only producer of the vaccine © Reuters
Thailand still has a lese-majeste law, which makes it a serious offense to demean or attack senior members of the royal family. Discussion of anything relating to Siam Bioscience is therefore fraught. A former opposition party leader was charged in January after raising questions about the company's exclusive production during a Facebook livestream. A maximum prison sentence of 15 years can be handed down to those found guilty of lese-majeste, with sequential terms possible for those judged to have committed multiple offenses.
Siam Bioscience's vaccine exports have come under scrutiny. Reuters reported that Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen last Friday said delivery of 10 million shots from Thailand faces a delay because, she said, Thailand is prioritizing its domestic needs.
There have also been reports of delayed deliveries to the Philippines and Malaysia.
On June 2, AstraZeneca said vaccines produced by Siam Bioscience would be ready for export in July.
Deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul tweeted late on Saturday that there is no official policy to block AstraZeneca exports. She quoted Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul saying vaccine exports and distribution are the domain of Siam Bioscience, not the government.
Siam Bioscience has remained silent and not revealed if there have been any production glitches. Many of those who since May 1 have registered for shots now face an uncertain wait.
All of Southeast Asia is off to a slow vaccination start. Only 7% of the Thai population has received at least one dose. In the Philippines, the figure is 4%, and in Indonesia it's 7%. With vaccines coming over the horizon, a major concern is variants, particularly those that spread quickly.
Additional reporting by Yohei Muramatsu and Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat in Bangkok
Students in Thailand’s Isaan region go back to school on an elephant
Thursday, June 17, 2021
By
Tanutam Thawan
Photo via Facebook/ Pongnut Ngamlert
https://thethaiger.com/news/nationa...saan-region-go-back-to-school-on-an-elephant#
Schools across the country reopened this week after closures due to Covid-19. Some students in the Isaan province Surin decided to go to school in a much different and unconventional way… on an elephant. Three boys, dressed in their school uniforms and carrying their backpacks, rode on top of an elephant together to the Banyawuek School in the province’s Chumphon Buri district. A teacher posted photos with the caption “a new style of transport,” written in Thai.
The Ministry of Education gave schools the go-ahead to reopen on Monday with classes onsite, with the exception of provinces classified as “dark red” zones under the highest control to combat Covid-19. Schools in “dark red” zones, like Bangkok, must continue with online learning. Provincial governments can set local restrictions and postpone the reopening of schools depending on the Covid-19 situation. All schools must abide by disease control measures set by the government.
Photo via Facebook/ Pongnut Ngamlert
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