Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Bangkok student with Covid travelled to Phuket

Published

2 weeks ago

Friday, April 2, 2021

Neill Fronde

Bangkok student with Covid travelled to Phuket | Thaiger

Photo by the Thai Government

A student from Nakhon Pathom province near Bangkok has tested positive for Covid-19 and his busy social calendar, including a holiday to Phuket, raises concern of spreading infections.

The 19 year old man, studying at Mahidol University, site of a Thai Covid-19 vaccine in trials now, lives in a dorm on campus in Tambon Salaya of Buddha Monthon district, according to the spokesperson for the CCSA, Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin. Last week the student was at an entertainment venue in Buddha Monthon with a group of 11 other friends. He reportedly did not wear a face mask that evening.

On April 1, he was tested for Covid-19 at Ramathibodi Hospital and was confirmed to be infected with the Coronavirus. In between the time of his exposure at that entertainment venue on March 23 and his diagnosis yesterday the young student was very busy travelling and socialising with many people. His confirmed itinerary has been shared to help aid contact tracing of anybody who may have come in contact with him during that time.

After his visit to the entertainment venue, the Covid infected man took a holiday to Phuket with 9 of his friends from the same school from March 25 to 29. They travelled by a Thai AirAsia flight and rented cars locally in Phuket. At the end of their trip on March 29, they returned to Phuket Airport via a hired van transfer and took another Thai AirAsia flight returning to Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport. The man was picked up at the airport by his mother in her private car.

The next day he drove his car back to his college dormitory and spent the evening with another group of 8 friends playing badminton. On March 31, he returned to classes and attended a class with about 50 students. Later in the afternoon, he took a private car with one friend back to Bangkok.

That evening news broke that staff at the venue he had partied outside Bangkok on March 23 had been diagnosed with Covid. The next day the student went for testing and learned that he too was infected. Unfortunately, his travel to Phuket, his extracurricular activities with many friends, and his attendance in large classrooms leave the possibility of infecting many other people with the Coronavirus as well. If you suspect you or anyone you know may have come in contact in one of these locations, consider getting tested.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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6 Comments

toby andrews

Friday, April 2, 2021 at 9:07 pm

Shock Horror. Forget the sand box. Forget the special deals for foreigners.
Impose a curfew. Close the airport. All deals are off.
Back to starving and businesses closing.
I would be delighted!

Reply
BJoe

Friday, April 2, 2021 at 10:37 pm

Another case of the “entitled” not taking proper Covid protocol. At least wearing a mask should have been a basic routine.

Reply
Guia T

Friday, April 2, 2021 at 11:20 pm

Where in Phuket did the student travel so we know –

Reply
sam

Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 1:16 am

He must come from a wealthy family and it is typical for such arrogance and devil may care attitude towards tha danger Covid-19 virus spread to others.

Reply
Kim

Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 10:26 am

It’s not only the wealthy who acts like this. See plenty of other individuals, which appear to be from other income segments, displaying similar attitude, not only in regard to C19. It’s a cultural problem.

Reply
Mac1

Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 10:48 am

It would help the spread if the venues were actually named, I can’t understand why they say a “venue” or a flight without the actual flight details. Not everyone checks in via the app to places

Reply

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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10 years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

At-risk Social Security members can get free Covid tests from tomorrow in Bangkok

Published

13 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Ann Carter

At-risk Social Security members can get free Covid tests from tomorrow in Bangkok | Thaiger

Stock photo via Wikipedia

At-risk members of Thailand’s Social Security scheme can get free Covid-19 tests in Bangkok starting tomorrow. The Ministry of Labour will provide the tests, covering members under Sections 33, 39, and 40 of the Social Security Act. The programme will be held at the Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai-Japan) in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district.

The ministry expects to test up to 300 people per hour, with results to be received in 1 to 2 days. If anyone is found to be infected, they will be sent to hospitals under the Social Security scheme for free treatment. Currently, 81 hospitals are registered with the ministry, offering a total of over 1,000 beds.

At-risk Social Security members can get free Covid tests from tomorrow in Bangkok | News by Thaiger

Meanwhile, Thailand’s army is getting ready to deal with the influx of Covid-19 infections as its deputy spokeswoman says 2 more field hospitals are now in place. The hospitals are in Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan to help ease the burden of hospitals.

Already, an army field hospital has been set up at the Thanarat military camp, in conjunction with the Fort Thanarat Hospital, to accommodate 69 Covid-19 patients from the Hua Hin Hospital and Rajamangala University of Technology’s field hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

The Army Welfare Department and Phramongkutklao Hospital have also set up a field hospital in Bangkok’s Dusit district to help treat 86 additional Covid patients. And, in Songkhla province, the Rattanapol military camp is preparing to set up a 100 bed field hospital. Soldiers in PPE suits were also instructed to disinfect the Hat Yai International Airport.

Today, the CCSA announced 1,582 new Covid infections across Thailand in the past 24 hours. The small increase on yesterdays total will provide the CCSA with the information they need for this afternoon’s scheduled meeting, chaired by the Thai PM. It is expected that they will announce new restrictions but are unlikely to go for total lockdowns of provinces or ‘at risk’ districts. The Thaiger will bring this information to you ASAP after it is announced.

Here is the list of the current 18 red zone provinces which could have their restrictions raised at this afternoon’s meeting of the CCSA. Read more HERE.

SOURCE: PR Thai Government

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Thai army sets up 2 more field hospitals to help with Covid influx

Published

14 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Ann Carter

Thai army sets up 2 more field hospitals to help with Covid influx | Thaiger

Stock photo via Wikimedia

Thailand’s army is getting ready to deal with the influx of Covid-19 infections as its deputy spokeswoman says 2 more field hospitals are now in place. The hospitals are in Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan to help ease the burden of hospitals in 2 of the hardest hit areas.

Already, an army field hospital has been set up at the Thanarat military camp, in conjunction with the Fort Thanarat Hospital, to accommodate 69 Covid patients from the Hua Hin Hospital and Rajamangala University of Technology’s field hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

The move to help accommodate hospitals was due to the army chief’s concerns over the recent 3^rd wave, which has seen daily infections increase to the thousands. The chief instructed each army unit to provide extra beds and facilities to patients in each hospital after teaming with public health agencies.

Here is the list of the current 18 red zone provinces which could have their restrictions raised at this afternoon’s meeting of the CCSA. Read more HERE.

Since April 1 there has been a steady growth of new infections, described as the third wave in Thai media – much higher than the number of daily infections in the first and second waves.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

Songkran

Bangkok sees 7.87 million vehicles over Songkran holiday

Published

22 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Neill Fronde

Bangkok sees 7.87 million vehicles over Songkran holiday | Thaiger

FILE PHOTO: Millions traveled for Songkran, but not nearly as many as usual, like this 2013 Songkran photo.

Covid-19 and its third wave be damned, close to 8 million vehicles travelled in and out of Bangkok so far during this year’s Songkran festival holiday period. Thailand’s Ministry of Transport released figures yesterday on the yearly holiday and revealed that more than 7.87 million cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes hit the roads and travelled into and out of Bangkok during the festival period, despite almost all official celebrations, events and gatherings being cancelled nationwide again this year.

The figures, calculating incoming and outgoing traffic between April 10 – 14, show that travel is much lower than originally predicted but massively higher than last year’s travel. The drop makes sense as many predictions may have been made before the last minute closures of entertainment venues and cancellation of Songkran events due to the recent third wave outbreak of the B117 strain of Covid-19.

The 7.87 million vehicles figure is about 30% lower than predicted. There were also an estimated 4.52 million people using public transportation such as buses over the holiday period, again lower than predicted, this time by about 36 per cent.

On the other hand, in what may be a bad sign for Thailand’s health, at a time when new daily records are being set for Covid-19 infections, many more people are ignoring the pandemic and travelling anyway.

The nearly 8 million vehicles on the roads to Bangkok during Songkran represent a nearly 35% increase over last years Coronavirus-muted figures. And when social distancing is of utmost importance, the 4 and a half million people travelling by public transport is a startling 74% increase over the nearly completely locked-down figures of 2020’s Songkran holiday period.

One final note for the “if Covid-19 doesn’t get you, climate change will” crowd: Of the 7.87 million cars, buses, trucks, and motorbikes on the road, a very non-eco-friendly 7.4 million of them were private vehicles.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News