Coronavirus (Covid-19)
No lockdown in Phuket, governor calls for more disease control measures

There’s no lockdown in Phuket, the provincial governor says, but protective measures are in place to prevent the spread of the Covid-19. The province currently has 3 confirmed Covid-19 cases, classifying it as a “yellow zone,” a high surveillance area.
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew says Phuket’s borders are still open to outside visitors, but all of them must be screened at checkpoints along the province’s border. While it’s not official, the governor has also asked travellers from high risk areas to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving on the island. He says those who have symptoms must see a doctor as soon as possible.
“Every person has to follow the ‘D-M-H-T-T’ measure: D- Social Distancing, M- Mask wearing, H-Hand washing, T-Temperature checking, and T- Thai Chana scanning… For those who did travel to the high risk areas, please quarantine yourselves for 14 days and see a doctor as soon as possible if having symptoms.”
Other Covid-19 protection measures have been implemented across the province. Walking street markets are now closed until January 20. Flea markets and fresh markets are still open, but must follow health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The provincial transport office is closed, providing online services only. Department stores can remain open, but should make sure they have hand sanitiser available for customers. Schools, gyms and fitness centres can also stay open, but the governor says they must abide by disease control measures.
The governor says the public should follow basic disease control practices like wearing a mask, social distancing, hand washing, temperature checking, and scanning the Thai Chana QR code.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Hong Kong partially locks down, forcing thousands to undergo Covid screening

Hong Kong’s government is forcing a partial lockdown until 10,000 residents of an area in the Kowloon peninsula, complete a Covid-19 test. The 2 day lockdown in the city’s poorest neighbourhood of Jordan, comes after a new strain of the coronavirus was identified, making it the 1st lockdown that the city has seen.
The area, which features many deteriorating buildings and 150 stacked housing blocks, has confirmed 162 confirmed cases of Covid-19 this month, with the ratio of virus detected in sewage samples from buildings there was higher than that of other areas.
Over the last 2 months the city has been hit by a 4th wave of infections with authorities struggling to bring the daily numbers down. Such clusters have hit the low-income neighbourhoods the most, which are notorious for cramped conditions in districts such as Yau Tsim Mong.
In recent days, health officials began mandatory testing in some 70 buildings in the area but the government has now decided to test everyone much to the confusion of local residents. As rumours of a lockdown were leaked to the local media, the government didn’t officially announce the measure until this morning. The area is also home to many ethnic minorities, mainly South Asian Hong Kongers, a community that often faces discrimination and poverty.
Earlier in the week a senior health official was criticised when he suggested ethnic minority residents might be spreading the virus more readily because “they like to share food, smoke, drink alcohol and chat together.”
The health official’s comments also came as a video was released of predominantly white migrants dancing at a packed brunch on the more affluent Hong Kong Island. But those who agreed with the health official pointed to cramped conditions, not race or culture, as being the cause of the virus spreading more easily.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket wants Bangkok arrivals to skip quarantine to help tourism revenue

Phuket’s tourism representatives are calling for an end to the mandatory quarantine levied at tourists arriving to the province from Bangkok. The tourism delegation have also told Phuket’s provincial government to be prepared to start receiving international tourists starting in October.
According to The Phuket News, such a plan would include a requirement for all international travellers to Thailand to have the Covid-19 vaccine. By that time, it is expected that Phuket will have 70% of its population vaccinated, with the timeline possibly being sped up by the province planning to buy the vaccines with its own funds. Such a move would bypass the national government’s timeline with the hopes of innoculating registered residents quicker. Governor Narong says such quarantine measures in place currently are preventing the province from profitting off domestic tourism.
“Phuket has been hit hard by the 2nd epidemic. Thai tourists do not come because they do not want to quarantine and follow the difficult steps to enter the province, not to mention there are no foreign tourists at this time.”
In a meeting, the PTA President Bhummikitti, said the Covid-19 vaccine was “the last ticket and the last hope” for Phuket tourism, “because Phuket tourism has no way out at this time.”
“Thai people are unable to travel due to the second outbreak, and foreign tourists are not to be mentioned at all. Vaccines are the hope of the Phuket tourism sector.”
“The private sector wants to get clarity from the government whether we can follow this plan or not, because if it is left like this – open, close, lockdown and so on, as in the past – local businesses are all dead.”
Bhummikitti pointed out that the government had promised to work with local industry on all matters related to Covid-19 and keeping the local economy alive. He said that the move would “allow tourism and the Phuket economy to be able to walk once more from having fewer Thai tourists.”
Governor Narong said tracking systems will be in place when tourists do come back to the province.
“In order to ensure tourists that Phuket citizens as well as incoming tourists are safe from the Covid-19 virus, there will be a tracking system, and a fund established to be used as a remedy [sic] to help those affected if there is an infection from incoming tourists.”
SOURCE: The Phuket News
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Eastern provinces growing impatient with safety measures as Covid cases decrease

Thailand’s eastern provinces are growing impatient as local businesses and residents await a relaxation in Covid-19 safety measures after seeing a drop in cases. Chonburi, Chanthaburi, Trat and Rayong are under a “highly controlled” status set by the CCSA (Samut Sakhon, south west of Bangkok, also falls into the same category at this time). These provinces, along with Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakarn, are under the strictest control measures in the country.
The cause of such tough measures levied upon the provinces was due to a spike in Covid cases after illegal gambling operations in Rayong and Chonburi were found to feature participants with the Covid-19 virus. But now, those areas are reporting very few cases of the virus leaving residents frustrated as they are unable to make a living or travel.
There has been only 1 case in the past 2 days in all 4 of the Eastern provinces. That case was in Rayong, with all other cases being in the low single digits. On top of the low cases, any new cases have been promptly dealt with by requiring contact-tracing, tracking and quarantine. But any hopes of the measures relaxing has been pushed back to the end of the month, with many questioning such a delay.
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
- Politics3 days ago
US Ambassador to Thailand quits after Biden inaugurated
- Bangkok3 days ago
13 Bangkok businesses allowed to reopen tomorrow
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
Pattaya hotels take food to the streets in bid to survive
- Pattaya3 days ago
Pattaya cleaning up its Walking Street act in time for Chinese New Year
- Air Pollution3 days ago
Air pollution in Bangkok expected to get worse due to “cold spell”
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to arrive in Thailand in early February, more ahead
- World3 days ago
US President Biden reverses Trump’s policies on first day of presidency
- Economy3 days ago
210 billion baht stimulus confirmed for “Rao Chana”
Frank Leboeuf
Monday, January 4, 2021 at 3:57 pm
Love the “D-M-H-T-T” acronym. Let’s make it more mnemotechnic:
Do Me a Hot Turn Too?
Drive Me Higher To the Top?
Dance My Hot Tall Tale?
Jayce
Monday, January 4, 2021 at 4:02 pm
Drink my Hennesey till totaled
preesy chepuce
Monday, January 4, 2021 at 5:21 pm
D… I… S… C… O…?
Toby Andrews
Monday, January 4, 2021 at 5:43 pm
Don’t Make High-spending Tourists Take-off.
Toby Andrews
Monday, January 4, 2021 at 6:17 pm
Hey this governor has the Red Cross Medal of Appreciation First Class, so if he states it is alright for visitors, he is qualified to do so.
The Health minister Autin has no red cross medals – not one, but still the health minister.
Issan John
Monday, January 4, 2021 at 7:00 pm
“PLEASE quarantine”?
The lessons from asking, not telling, can be seen in any mortuary in the West.
… and what “screening”?????
Alte Ledertasche
Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 10:17 am
Close down Sarasin bridge and close the airport for 2 month would be the right approach. Access to Phuket is easy to control.
Frank Leboeuf
Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 11:41 am
Absolutely. It should have been done before the new year long weekend, when the outbreak was already spreading… Now we’ll have clusters in the next couple of weeks, and unavoidable restrictions