Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Bangkok officials to consider easing Covid restrictions

Officials in Bangkok say they may look at lifting some restrictions in the capital, despite yesterday’s cases going up by 37, to a total of 1,989. The Bangkok Post reports that officials are optimistic the overall situation will improve. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, spokesman for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, says provided the capital avoids any further “super-spreader” events, officials may consider lifting restrictions in the coming weeks.
“If the number of new cases drops within a fortnight and clusters in other provinces are confined, the BMA might consider lifting restrictions.”
Pongsakorn says officials have already traced the origins of the latest infections, with 2 clusters of 135 cases under observation. Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang says patients in the first cluster visited or worked at restaurants, nightlife venues, or massage parlours in the capital. Officials are now tracing other customers or employees from those venues. In addition, Aswin adds that 15,908 “at risk” people who visited markets in the city have already been tested.
The second cluster is from Si Racha district, in the eastern province of Chon Buri. Pongsakorn says a number of Bangkok residents who spent the New Year holiday in Si Racha have brought Covid-19 home with them.
Meanwhile, in the central province of Samut Sakhon, believed to be the starting point for Thailand’s second wave, officials have reported 176 new cases, also split into 2 clusters. The first involves 121 migrant workers and 5 Thais. They have all been designated as a “risk group” and are in quarantine. The second group consists of 2 migrant workers and 19 Thais who asked to be tested.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Air Pollution
Bangkok’s air quality is ‘unhealthy’ today | VIDEO

Air quality around Bangkok this morning is awful. Partly due to the lack of wind to blow the smog out of the area. To the south of Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, the air quality is even worse with visibility on the ground cut to less than a kilometre. You would be well advised to reduce you activities outside on a day of high air pollution in the capital. The rating by airvisual.com is ‘unhealthy’.
Readings around the inner city vary between 190 – 220. Areas to the east, including around Suvarnabhumi Airport, are higher.
A lot of the smog and smoke is flowing down from the north and north east where plantation fires rage, mostly unenforced, this time of the year, from December to May. Farmers have been told, repeatedly, to avoid buying off the waste after harvests of corn, rice and sugar cane but officials have been disinclined to enforce the laws. Many of the farmers have long-term contracts with some of Thailand’s leading agri-business conglomerates.
Bangkok and the central region can expect many more months, especially as the temperatures rise throughout February, March and April and the winds remain low as the north-easterly monsoon weakens.
PHOTO: View across the Bangkok skyline from Sathorn this morning.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
40 arrested in a suspected gambling house in Nonthaburi

Last night, police raided a house in Nonthaburi and arrested 40 people for allegedly gambling.
According to the deputy chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, 33 are Thais and 7 are migrant workers of the casino. The officials also confiscated decks of cards of the Dragon-Tiger game, plastic chips and some cash as evidence.
During the raid, the migrant workers allegedly revealed that the gambling operations at the home had only been going on for 2 days and that the owner planned to move it to other locations.
Police have been cracking down on gambling after the Covid-19 outbreak at a Rayong gambling den in line with the PM’s order made last week to shut down the illegal venues and tracking down “influential figures.”
SOURCE: National Thailand
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Thailand
Former finance minister proposes legalisation of gambling

With Covid-19 cases linked to some illegal gambling dens, causing a headache for health officials trying to track down elusive gamblers to contain the virus, the former Finance Minister floated the idea to legalise gambling.
The former Finance Minister and current leader of the Kla Party, Korn Chaitkavanich, claims legalising gambling will help contain the spread of Covid-19. He also hinted that it will gain more tax revenue. If it’s legalised, gamblers will spend their money in legal casinos that pay taxes, drawing in more money the government can use for public improvements, he says.
The Royal Thai Police spokesperson insists police are pursuing legal action against owners of the illegal gambling dens. Interior Minister Anuphong Paojinda has also told provincial governors to suppress illegal gambling dens and take responsibility if more gambling dens are found.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Mister Stretch
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 11:08 am
Bad idea.
kurt gerhard tietje
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 11:24 am
i am canadian living in singburi thailand for 12 years, i am 71 years old, can i get a vaccine, i don’t mind paying for it, i just like to be safe, and protect my thai family, please let me know, for what i have to do, gary
J West
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 11:55 am
Think if it this way….you’re more likely to get a vaccination here faster than you would in Canada where there Prime Minister us killing tens of thousands with incompetance and no vaccines available. My advice, stay away from the bar scene and any crowded venues.
Icecream licker
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 5:00 pm
How dare you suggest personal responsibility. We’re all in this together. We all need to suffer equally!!!
I’ll drink to that…. with a big group of friends not wearing masks. Haha
James
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 9:54 pm
Yes … look at this, look at that. This isn’t news until a decision is made. Fucking idiot journalists.