Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Chiang Mai man tests positive for Covid-19 after illegal crossing from Myanmar

A 32 year old Chiang Mai man who was employed at the now notorious 1G1-7 Hotel in Myanmar has tested positive for Covid-19 after sneaking across the border into Thailand. The man worked as a DJ at the hotel and entertainment complex in Tachileik until he returned to the Kingdom via an illegal crossing at the Chiang Rai border on November 30.
The Pattaya News reports that the man was experiencing symptoms that included loss of smell and a stuffy nose at the time. He checked in to a hotel in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai for one night, then stayed the next night in the Muang district of the city, before travelling to Chiang Mai by motorbike on Wednesday.
On Thursday, he visited Nakornping Hospital to report his symptoms and request a Covid-19 test. Following the positive result, he is now being treated in isolation.
Health officials say the man was alone on his journey from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. In Chiang Mai, he visited a 7-Eleven and a nearby market to buy takeaway food, which he took back to his hotel room. It’s understood he was wearing a mask the entire time he was outside his room. Chiang Mai Public Health Chief, Chatuchai Maneerat, says only 5 people are believed to have come in contact with the man, and they are considered low-to-very-low risk, but will be tested for the virus.
Meanwhile, officials are calling on those who were at Singha Park in Chiang Rai on November 29 between 7.30pm and 11pm to come forward for testing. Passengers on Nok Air flight DD8717 from Chiang Rai to Bangkok on November 28 and Thai Lion Air flight SL533 from Chiang Rai to Bangkok on November 29 are also being asked to contact their local public health office for advice on self-isolating and to be tested for Covid-19.
Health officials say there is no need for the general public to panic, but that they should continue to follow the usual health measures of mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
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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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Ryan Lih
Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 6:26 pm
Ironic! Shooting tourism dead in its track and closing borders but just couldn’t keep that Mae Sai border closed in its illegal river-way. These cases could run like wildfire and now Bangkok has got it!! Blame your own people now instead of putting the blame on foreigners and or farang. This would be a real test on the Ministry of Health’s readiness to tackle this spread. Good luck Thai gov’t.
Leo Z
Sunday, December 6, 2020 at 9:44 pm
The above comment by Ryan is correct. You keep international flights out since March religiously, but you keep a border with virus-thriving Myanmar open to whoever basically wants to cross it, with no testing and no quarantine. Let’s call a spade a spade. This has the potential to undo all the virus-mitigation efforts taken in Thailand since April.
Ryan Lih
Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 2:50 pm
Thanks Leo. You’re absolutely correct thanks to the addendum. I read previously that the army had installed barb wires along the invisible border between Thai-Myanmar but right under their nose is the illegal river-crossing that causes a REAL embarrassment! The year of the Pandemic really tests a country’s leadership and government preparedness. Even the all mighty US of A has flopped BIG TIME under Trump. Ironic and sad. Several ASEAN countries have also faced leadership crisis.