Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Investigation underway after 77 migrants allegedly contract Covid-19 at Thai immigration centres

Published

4 weeks ago

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Maya Taylor

Investigation underway after 77 migrants allegedly contract Covid-19 at Thai immigration centres | Thaiger

PHOTO: Facebook / Thai Immigration

The Disease Control Department has launched an investigation after 77 migrants seemingly contracted Covid-19 while being held at Thai immigration centres in Bangkok. It’s understood around 68 of the illegal migrants are Burmese, while the others are Laotian and Cambodian nationals. They are being detained at immigration offices in the Bangkok districts of Bang Khen and Lak Si. According to a Bangkok Post report, officers are also holding a number of Rohingya refugees at a facility in the Don Muang district of the capital.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says the migrants who have tested positive were being held together in a small cell. Immigration chief Sompong Chingduang says none of his staff have contracted Covid-19 as a result of contact with the detainees. He adds that the Immigration Bureau has asked health officials for help in setting up a field hospital where more detainees can be tested. The bureau is currently holding over 2,000 illegal migrants at various detention centres nationwide. It’s understood half of these are at the Suan Phlu centre and so far, none have tested positive for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, local residents in the southern province of Ranong have voiced their concerns over reports that temporary shelters will be created in the province to house Burmese refugees fleeing the violent fallout from the military coup in Myanmar. Nit Auytekkheng from the Ranong Chamber of Commerce says locals are worried the province will become a permanent centre for refugees.

The Royal Thai Army has confirmed plans to create refugee shelters in Ranong and the neighbouring province of Chumphon, insisting they will be temporary. The announcement comes after Human Rights Watch called on Thailand to stop deporting asylum seekers at the border.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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2 Comments

Issan John

Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 12:14 pm

This shouldn’t have come as any sort of surprise – even in UK prisons inmates are three times as likely to contract Covid as those “on the outside”, and obviously with the rates of Covid known in Burma this was inevitable given the crowded conditions.

Reply
Richard

Friday, March 19, 2021 at 10:48 am

Human Rights Watch need to piss off

Reply

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Maya Taylor

A seasoned writer, with a degree in Creative Writing. Over ten years' experience in producing blog and magazine articles, news reports and website content.

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

13 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

21 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