Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Craft beer association proposes rules for re-opening Bangkok bars

The Craft Beer Association has proposed new rules in the hope that Bangkok’s bars might be allowed to re-open after a month-long closure aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19. The rules include limiting drinks to 2 per customer, limiting sitting time to 90 minutes, and banning dancing and toasts. The association says it has come up with the rules on behalf of craft beer venues adding that, while they might not cover cocktail bars and other pubs, they could serve as a blueprint for those businesses to design their own rules.
Last week, representatives from bars and breweries in the capital staged a protest outside the Ministry of Health, emptying kegs of spoiled beer down the drain. The measure was aimed at highlighting the financial fallout from the enforced closure of bars and the ban on alcohol sales in the capital’s restaurants.
Association member Artid Sivahansaphan says the new rules have been drawn up in the hope that bars might be allowed to re-open.
“We felt the need to come together and form this association in order to represent ourselves, our ideals, and our hopes and dreams for elevating the drinking culture here in Thailand. Instead we’ve been faced with court summons. We felt it was our duty to assist and help guide protocols in hopes that this would allow craft beer bars to re-open again soon.”
Meanwhile, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration say 4 separate parties in Bangkok are behind nearly 40 cases of the virus, citing alcohol as a key factor in each case.
SOURCE: Coconuts
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Thailand
Thailand classified as a “not free” country in Freedom House report

On a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being absolute freedom, Thailand scores at 30, a “not free” country, according to the nonprofit Freedom House. Each year, the organisation reviews the political rights and civil liberties of countries around the world. According to their recent assessment, Thailand has declined in terms of rights and liberties, dropping on the scale from “partly free” to “not free.”
The main reason for the drop on the freedom scale, the organisation says, is “due to the dissolution of a popular opposition party that performed well in the 2019 elections, and the military-dominated government’s crackdown on youth-led protests calling for democratic reforms.”
The Future Forward Party was dissolved in February 2020 after the court found that the founder, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, had made a large donation to the party that exceeded the legal limit. The party’s leaders were then banned from politics for the next decade.
Youth-led protests started in February, but the demonstrations were put on pause due to Covid-19 restrictions banning large public gatherings. Protesters gathered in July as restrictions lifted, but some leaders then faced charges for holding a public gathering, which was still banned under emergency orders.
In October, the prime minister imposed what Freedom House calls a “severe” State of Emergency order in Bangkok that banned gatherings of more than 5 people. Some protesters were arrested for violating the order nearly immediately after it was imposed.
With activists pushing for monarchy reform and an end to the military’s involvement in government, raising subjects considered taboo and unprecedented in Thai society, the Thai government has increased its use of the draconian lèse majesté law. Since November, dozens of activists have faced charges for insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy.
Freedom House scores countries on topics like the electoral process, questioning if politicians and leaders were elected in free and fair elections, as well as freedom of expression and individual rights.
Thailand’s military seized power in 2014 in a bloodless coup. The 2017 constitution was drafted by a committee appointed by the military’s National Council for Peace and Order. In 2019, the country transitioned to what Freedom House calls a “military-dominated, semi-elected” government.
The 2019 elections were overseen by the Election Commission of Thailand, whose members were appointed by the military. All 250 senators were appointed by the military in 2019 to serve 5 year terms.
In 2020, the combination of democratic deterioration and frustrations over the role of the monarchy provoked the country’s largest anti-government demonstrations in a decade. In response to these youth-led protests, the regime resorted to familiar authoritarian tactics, including arbitrary arrests, intimidation, lèse majesté charges, and harassment of activists. Freedom of the press is constrained, due process is not guaranteed, and there is impunity for crimes committed against activists.
SOURCE: Freedom House
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Riot police officer in Bangkok tests positive for Covid-19

A riot police officer, who was deployed at the recent pro-democracy protests in Bangkok, has tested positive for Covid-19. His supervisor, chief of Wang Thonglang station Ekapop Tanprayoon, says the officer had visited Samut Sakhon, a coronavirus hotspot.
Riot police who worked closely with the infected officer, Somyot Nuamcharoen, are ordered to quarantine. The Wang Thonglang police station and any items the police officer handled are being disinfected, the chief says.
The officer had met up with friends during a visit to Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok. He travelled to the coastal province on February 18 and returned to Bangkok the next day.
On the 20th, he was deployed to a protest outside of parliament, just after returning from his trip to the “red zone” province. On Sunday, he deployed the protest outside the military barracks in Bangkok. The demonstration turned violent and numerous people were injured.
On Tuesday, his friend from Samut Sakhon tested positive for the virus. The infected officer was tested for Covid-19 that day and his result came back positive yesterday.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Transport
“Sealed route” set at Bangkok airport for international transfers

Thailand is now allowing international transits and transfers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport by using a so-called “sealed route” arranged at the airport to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has now set guidelines for passengers who have a layover at the Bangkok airport.
Passengers will not be allowed to leave Concourse E. A “sealed route” for the passengers will be set up at Gate E10 and E9, allowing passengers to enter the airport at Gate E10, go through security screening and then either board the transit aircraft at Gate E9 or go on a designated shuttle bus directly to an aircraft.
Social distancing is required for all passengers in waiting areas and a face mask must be worn at all times. The CAAT says food and beverage services will be available at the airport’s “sealed route” waiting area, but there will be “active oversight” on the services. Areas will also be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
Passengers must present required documents…
- A fit-to-fly health certificate
- Medical certificate declaring a negative Covid-19 result issued no more than 72 hours before departure
- Travel health insurance that covers Covid-19 treatment expenses up to $100,000 USD
If demand increases, the airport will add Gates E5, E7 and E8 to the sealed route. If Concourse E is under maintenance, then Concourse F will be used under the same plan.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Grumpy John
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 1:15 pm
I think I can see the problem. The big 2 have more money to stuff into brown envelops than the association members.
brian mc
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 1:40 pm
as long as a 5 litre glass of wine counts as 1 drink. bring on the big stein glasses from germany i say. puts a damper on drinking shots.
so, after 2 drinks or 90 minutes, you are asked to leave and eat your toast outside. how will they police this, put a countdown timer on each seat? give each customer a number?
then what, the customer goes to the next bar. does that not pose a greater risk of spreading any infection?
what next, a drive thu?
i suggest a conveyor belt system. big long belt that goes round the town in a big loop. you sit with your group and order from your table. drinks are served from small bars around the loop.
or
beer taxis. you get in the back of a converted van, drinks are brought to the van. your beer taxi drives pub to pub and even drives you home.
or
drink at home. seriously, if i want to listen to a group of people talking nonsense, i dont need to visit the pub and wait for people to get drunk… i can just talk to myself
Toby Andrews
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 3:11 pm
banning dancing and toasts!
Well as craft beer is the preferred drink of persons with exquisite tastes, the craft beer should only be drunk from a glass, when the gourmet extends his little finger.
James
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 4:53 pm
Typical that the leg work of creating sound ideas and problem solving is NOT coming from this tea-toddler government. I think the ideas by the craft crowd are creative, and could work outside a dictatorship.
Brian Harding Dunbar
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 6:59 pm
This idea is only going to fall on deaf ears. I am convinced this governments only plan is to ruin this country, which they have done. You can’t even buy a beer on a golf course now, which makes absolutely no sense to me.
Bill
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 8:55 pm
2 drinks?!?!? What’s the point.
deelee
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 9:11 pm
Or go buy your poison from 7-eleven
chad
Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 10:17 pm
Simpler rule: pay 10k to the police for them to ignore that you reopened while it is still banned. Just go take a stroll around Nana/Asok and you’ll see many beer bars and sports bars have already been open and serving all this week!
Alec Grolimund
Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 2:53 am
I need more beer! BEER BEER BEER BEER!