Covid-19 News & Updates

[Big Boy]

Complacency - something I've been discussing with a friend today. I judge by what I see, and yes, I go to Khao Tao most days, and my wife and I are usually the only ones wearing a mask properly. Yesterday morning, there were busloads of people there, most not wearing masks, and little sign of social distancing. So yes, down there complacency has set in big time.

Saturday, I got a taxi to the footie in Bangkok. Everybody in that taxi, including the driver wore a mask 100%. When we stopped on the motorway, most people were masked up, you needed to take a temperature check to go into shops/restaurants, but nobody was signing in. Social distancing and mask wearing was being practiced.

We got to the footie. Temperature checks, mask wearing and we had to sign in. Inside the ground there was an army of little Hitlers ensuring rules were followed.

Today, we went to the 90% sale at Cha-Am Premium Outlet. Again, Temperature checks, masks and we had to sign in. Social distancing was very apparent at eateries and coffee shops.

From what I can see, the complacency is not setting in as fast this time as after the 1st wave.

Having said all of that, I think Government policy this time will let everybody down i.e.:

• Vaccinating tourist areas before opening certain areas to tourism. Yes, they may achieve 70% herd immunity before re-opening, but we all know what will happen as soon as they open up. It will make the Wild West Gold Rushes look amateur. Thousands of Thais will flock into those areas, chasing the Farang money. Yes, the locals may be vaccinated, but the sudden influx will be totally vulnerable to the vaccinated Farangs who might still have the virus.

• Encouraging the country to travel freely during Songkran. With almost 200 new cases today, spread over 14 provinces. The bug is out there. Lets just have a mass mingle for a week, and spend loads of cash. Economy over safety.

• Refugees/illegal immigrants pouring over the borders.

I could go on, but I can see Thailand becoming a Covid disaster pretty quickly, complacency or not. I think a little more than mask wearing and temperature checks is required. What happens when somebody fails a temperature check? Just stand there and wait a few minutes and hope the high temperature drops - meanwhile dozens of others file past. IMHO mass vaccination is the only way.

[caller]

The Doctors getting infected up in Khon Kaen has had a major impact on the hospital where they worked and hence, the wider community, from appts and operations being cancelled to many of the medical staff having to stay away in self-quarantine. One of the Doctors actually took part in operations before realising he was infected. But in the current climate, what sort of Doctor would take the risk of attending a crowded concert in a minor Mall in the City? And where did the virus come from?

[Big Boy]

But in the current climate, what sort of Doctor would take the risk of attending a crowded concert in a minor Mall in the City?

Probably a very good example of complacency, with significant consequences.

[handdrummer]

In the future, coldren will be born with masks grown onto their faces and surrounded by a force field that will ensure social distancing. No one will have any hair and that will make overcharging barbers obsolete.

[HHTel]

I must admit to being angry of late because of what I see on facebook.
Biden was being mocked for dropping his face mask even though he was socially distanced. The very same 'mocker' publishes videos and photos almost daily of large groups socialising in various scenarios in Hua Hin and not a mask in sight. Pure hypocrisy!

[PeteC]

Bangkok Orders Bar Closings To Stop Virus Spread

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... us-spread/

BANGKOK (AP) — Officials in Thailand’s capital on Monday ordered a two-week closure of all entertainment venues in three districts to try to limit the spread of the coronavirus from nightspots there.

Health officials are also trying to cope with a coronavirus outbreak at a prison in the south.

Apisamai Srirangsan, a spokesperson for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said 194 new coronavirus cases nationwide had been confirmed, most from Bangkok entertainment venues and from Narathiwat prison. Thailand has had 29,321 confirmed cases, including 95 deaths.

The center had already ordered affected nightspots closed until they undergo deep cleaning. Entertainment venues in the districts of Klong Toey, Bang Khae and Wattana — the latter with upmarket bars and bistros in the Ekkamai and Thong Lor neighborhoods — must close from April 6 to 19.

Bangkok’s city government have announced the names of the venues involved and urged people who patronized them over the past month to be tested for COVID-19.

The outbreaks come just ahead of the major holiday of Songkran in mid-April, which usually sees an exodus of people from cities to visit relatives in other provinces and is generally celebrated over an entire week. The official holiday was postponed last year because it came right after Thailand’s first wave of the virus.

The possibility of a new upsurge in COVID-19 cases comes as the government is trying to finalize plans to gradually reopen the country to foreign tourists, who stopped coming after scheduled passenger flights into the country were banned in April last year.

Thailand had appeared to be recovering from a COVID-19 wave that originated late last year in a province near Bangkok where thousands of people, mostly migrant workers, were infected.

Also in Bangkok, several international schools decided to suspend in-person classes for several days after at least one school reported a coronavirus case.

In Narathiwat province, the Corrections Department announced a one-month ban on prison visits beginning Monday after 120 inmates and officials at the provincial prison were infected.

Last month, a detention center in Bangkok for undocumented immigrants reported 395 cases of the coronavirus.

[PeteC]

The numbers continue to rise. More details when published.

Thailand adds 250 Covid cases Tuesday

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... es-tuesday

The government on Tuesday recorded 250 new Covid-19 cases, 245 of them locally transmitted and five imported, raising the accumulated total since the start of the pandemic to 29,571.

-- More to follow --

[PeteC]

^ Here is the full daily report. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... es-tuesday

The government on Tuesday recorded 250 new Covid-19 cases, 245 of them locally transmitted and five imported, raising the accumulated total since the start of the pandemic to 29,571.

No new deaths were recorded, leaving the toll at 95.

The Department of Disease Control said 155 new cases were detected via active case finding: 119 in Bangkok, 30 in Narathiwat, three in Chon Buri, two in Sa Kaeo and one in Samut Prakan.

A further 90 cases were reported by hospitals: 37 in Bangkok, 19 in Samut Prakan, 15 in Chon Buri, seven in Samut Sakhon, two each in Chiang Mai and Pathum Thani, and one each in Tak, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Lop Buri, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Chaiyaphum and Prachin Buri.

The five imported cases were quarantined arrivals from the Czech Republic, Madagascar, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

Of the 29,571 total cases, 27,948 (94.51%) have recovered, including 108 discharged over the past 24 hours, leaving 1,528 at hospitals. Global Covid-19 cases rose by 468,105 in 24 hours to 132.40 million. The worldwide death toll went up by 7,255 to 2.87 million. The United States had the most cases at 31.49 million, up 50,329, and the most deaths at 569,197, up 415.

[handdrummer]

The head of the company, our daughter works for in Bangkok, was diagnosed with Covid-19. She immediately sent all the employees home for 14 days and told them to get tested.

[caller]

The head of the company, our daughter works for in Bangkok, was diagnosed with Covid-19. She immediately sent all the employees home for 14 days and told them to get tested.

Do you know what area of Bkk? I am heading there on Thursday

[PeteC]

https://www.thaienquirer.com/26144/been ... ested-now/

A new cluster of 71 coronavirus cases has emerged in Bangkok and surrounding areas, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said Monday.

An additional 45 cases were reported by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). It was not immediately clear what overlap if any there was between the figures.

Here is a list of confirmed locations announced by the BMA. Anyone who frequented any of the venues between March 13 and 30 is requested to consider quarantining or get tested immediately.

Chatuchak area

Baan Phahon Cafe and Bar, Chatuchak: three patients confirmed.

Ekamai area

Ekamai Beer House, Ekamai Road: eight cases confirmed.

The Cassette Bar, Ekamai 10: one case confirmed.

Nakhon Pathom area

The Lounge Salaya, Phutthamonthon District: seven cases confirmed.

Lert Lao Bar & Restaurant, Phutthamonthon Sai 2: five cases confirmed.

Nonthaburi area

The Moon Bar, Bang Bua Thong District: eight cases confirmed.

Hua Ra Nam Bar & Restaurant, Petchkasem 81: five cases confirmed.

Marry Me Bar & Restaurant, Mueang Nonthaburi District: five cases confirmed.

Next 69 Bar & Bistro, Samakkhi 42: five cases confirmed.

Pathum Thani area

Chomdao Restaurant & Bar, Khlong Luang Road: five cases confirmed.

Booze Up: six cases confirmed.

Phra Nakhon area

Jay Fai restaurant: one case confirmed.

Next Studio, Khaosan Road: five cases confirmed.

Sukhumvit area

The Emquartier, Sukhumvit Road: two cases confirmed.

The Emporium, Sukhumvit Road: two cases confirmed.

Thonglor area

Bar Bar Bar Pub, Thonglor 10: five cases confirmed

Dirty Bar, Thonglor 10: one case confirmed

Dollar Club Bangkok, Thonglor: five cases confirmed

Krystal Club, Thonglor 25: 21 patients confirmed

In the meantime, the government is also warning against going to crowded and popular entertainment venues such as the ones in Thonglor, Ekamai, Ratchada, and Chatuchak.

[handdrummer]

The head of the company, our daughter works for in Bangkok, was diagnosed with Covid-19. She immediately sent all the employees home for 14 days and told them to get tested.

Do you know what area of Bkk? I am heading there on Thursday

Sukumvit 33. I don't know where her boss picked up the virus but the business is located in that area.

[caller]

Do you know what area of Bkk? I am heading there on Thursday

Sukumvit 33. I don't know where her boss picked up the virus but the business is located in that area.

thanks - and interesting. Just a minutes walk away from Emquartier / Emporium which feature in that list above. Not worried about those though as they will be professionally cleaned and sanitised, but I was hoping to enjoy some grub in the Robin Hood pub, which is on the corner of soi33 and Sukhumvit. Hmmm.......

[hhinner]

^^ Robin Hood is 33/1 around the square from Villa. 33 is about 100m away and used to have lots of bars, some named after European artists, iirc.

[HHTel]

Dr Yong Poovorawan, a virologist at Chulalongkorn University, warned that Covid-19
cases will rise sharply in 2021 as people have become careless about the virus risk.

 Yong said much money and effort would be spent combating the outbreak over
the upcoming Songkran holiday, when millions travel to their hometowns to party
and be with their families. He pointed that at current rates of vaccination it could
take Thailand two years to reach herd immunity. In the meantime, the country
risked being hit by 3rd and 4th waves of Covid-19.

https://www.thaienquirer.com/wp-content ... 7-2021.pdf

With zero restrictions on travel over the Songkran period, it's only going to get worse.