Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Authorities say “no quarantine” for tourists returning from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai

Despite a recent spike in Covid-19 local infections in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, authorities are axing the requirement for a 14 day quarantine for tourists who have returned from those areas back to other parts of Thailand. Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, scotched the rumours of some businesses claiming that such tourists would have to undergo self-isolation when returning from those areas.
“These companies made announcements in response to the discovery of new coronavirus cases, but we have not concluded on whether tourists must undergo 14 days quarantine or not.”
“However, people who are travelling in these provinces must take care of themselves, such as by wearing a face mask and washing hands regularly.”
The spike in local infections, came about after several Thai woman returned from Myanmar undetected, and skipped any sort of quarantine. 38 people have now tested positive for Covid-19, placing others around them at risk. They had all returned from the now notorious Myanmar 1G1-7 Hotel, in Tachileik, a border town. The establishment is known for employing sex workers, and recently becoming the centre of a Covid outbreak that has seen 38 local cases of Covid after such Thais have returned from the town, skirting quarantine requirements.
Dr Prasit Watanapa from the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital says the coronavirus currently circulating in Myanmar is a different strain and is being transmitted 20% faster than the one detected in Wuhan at the start of the pandemic.
As of yesterday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand has increased to 4,192, with 217 being hospitalised, 3,915 being listed as recovered and discharged, while 60 have succumbed to the deadly virus.
SOURCE: The Nation
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Chiang Mai night markets reopening tomorrow

Night markets in Chiang Mai will be reopened tomorrow after the province went 6 consecutive days with no new Covid-19 cases.
According to Chiang Mai Governor, Charoenrit Sanguansat, the province and the provincial disease control committee agreed to ease up restrictions on social and business activities after the number of infections continually dropped and no new infections were reported during the past week.
As a result, flea markets, night markets, and walking streets across the province will be reopened tomorrow onwards.
However, the governor still reiterates that marketplaces and visitors must follow the disease control measures strictly.
Since the start of the second wave of Covid-19 in mid-December, Chiang Mai has tightened restrictions to prevent the virus spread in the province, with the order to close all markets and social activities for 14 days on January 6.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Environment
Thailand on fire – NASA satellite website tracks the country’s farm fires

Thailand is burning. The burning off of harvested crop plantations is lighting up the agricultural areas. The truth is starkly revealed in the live NASA satellite feeds which track the fires around the world.
CHART: Fires in the past 10 days around parts of Thailand – Firms.Modaps
Concentrations of the current fires can be seen in Central Thailand, north of Bangkok, parts of Isaan, north east of Bangkok, and around Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Notably the concentration of fires in northern Cambodia and across the north-western border in Myanmar, is also causing plenty of problems as the foreign smoke drifts across the borders. No matter what Thai officials do to enforce the rice, sugar and corn plantation burn-offs, there is little they can do about the haze drifting across the borders.
Bangkok, so close to clusters of fires, is in for a bad air pollution day anytime the light winds of the start of the year blow from the north or the east. The lack of rain adds to the problem, the annual problem, that engulfs Thailand’s capital during days between December and April, with the worst month, statistically, being March.
The alternative method of preparing for the next harvest, mechanical removal of the refuse and waste after harvesting, is both unpopular in Thailand and economically unviable for the small farmers whose margins remain thin with the multi-national buyers of their produce pushing for lower and lower prices every year.
In Chiang Mai, from January to the end of March, the locals even call it the ‘burning season’. Coupled with the hot season, the farmers in northern Thailand burn their fields to prepare land for the next harvest and also to get rid of biowastes like corn that can’t be sold in the market. It’s officially illegal to do the burn offs but the lack of enforcement leaves the problem unresolved and the smog and haze remain as predictable as the annual wet season.
Chiang Mai also has a local geographic problem which exacerbates the bad smoke pollution. The city is in a valley, surrounded by hills, trapping in the smoke and helping block any breezes that could otherwise blow it away.
For today, Bangkok’s air pollution is better than the past two days but still registering as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ with city readings mostly between 140 – 170. Parts of the city, mostly south-east and south west, were registering readings above 300 in the past few days.
SOURCE: IQair.com
Watch this video for some more information about Bangkok’s smog…
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Chiang Mai records 4 new Covid cases linked to same venue

The northern city of Chiang Mai has confirmed 4 new cases of coronavirus, all of which are linked to the Warm Up café in the Muang district. The province of Chiang Mai now has 11 active cases and has recorded 57 cases in total, according to deputy governor, Weerapan Dee-on.
“The 54th patient in Chiang Mai is a Thai man aged 23 from Sansai district. He displayed no symptoms. The 55th patient is another Thai man aged 28 from Muang district. He also showed no Covid-19 symptoms. The 56th patient is a Thai woman aged 28, who works in Bangkok but recently returned home to Sankamphaeng district. She had symptoms of coughing and a blocked nose. The 57th patient is another Thai woman aged 22 from Muang district. She displayed symptoms of coughing and tiredness.”
According to a Nation Thailand report, all 4 frequented the Warm Up café on New Year’s Eve.
Earlier this week, the province confirmed a 25 year old woman who’d been socialising at multiple entertainment venues had tested positive for the virus. At that stage, her infection brought the total number of cases detected in the province to 50. Following her positive diagnosis, officials embarked on a track and trace process, to determine who may have had contact with the patient. Through this, a 28 year old man who works at the Warm Up café also tested positive. On December 31, he worked from 3pm – 1am.
Officials have now tested 283 contacts who were at the venue that night and results are pending. All bars and other nightlife venues have been closed for 14 days by order of the provincial communicable disease committee. Deputy governor Weerapan says anyone else who was at the Warm Up café between December 31 and January 3 must come forward for testing.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Issan John
Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 1:24 pm
How can they be “axing the requirement for a 14 day quarantine for tourists” when there’s been no such “requirement” for anyone crossing provincial borders for months?
While some were probably getting over-confident and complacent, others, including some reporters, are evidently over-exercising their imagination.
Toby Andrews
Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 2:00 pm
Yes there a many people in Thailand who over exercise their imagination.
Ian
Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 6:46 pm
Still only 60 dead amazing, thais must have some sort of immune system the rest of the world hasn’t I agree Toby some I would say certified people in Thailand they can even put words together but not always in the right order as Eric Morecambe would say lol you have to be English and know who Morecambe and wise are to understand a great scetch maybe issan john takes his grounding from it
ceispy
Monday, December 14, 2020 at 1:07 am
There is no such requirement, there never was any such requirement and there never will be any such requirement.
Issan John
Monday, December 14, 2020 at 8:25 am
Actually there was, and it was widely applied back in April and still could be if necessary at provincial governors’ discretion.