Coronavirus (Covid-19)
No nationwide lockdown, Covid-19 outbreak is not severe – Deputy PM
As a new wave of Covid-19 infections sweeps across Thailand, no nationwide lockdown will be imposed… yet. Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam says the government decided not to call a lockdown because the outbreak is “not severe,” adding that the government will review the situation again before Children’s Day on January 9.
Thailand currently has a record high of 2,195 active Covid-19 cases. In the first wave of infections, active cases peaked at 1,451 in April when schools and businesses were closed, flights were banned and curfews were imposed. While the last lockdown was effective in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, it put Thai economy into a recession.
While no nationwide lockdown has been set, Wissanu says provincial governors have the power to set local disease control measures under the Emergency Decree and Communicable Disease Act.
In Bangkok, city officials ordered all entertainment venues to close until January 4 with the exception of bars and restaurants serving food and drinks. Pubs and restaurants serving food and drinks can remain open until midnight and they must observe strict hygiene measures.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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The Thai government is taking full control of the Mor Chana application, which is used to trace Covid-19 infections and alert users if they are in a high risk area. The Digital Economy and Society Minister says the government will still be working closely with the app developers, adding that users can be assured that their data will be kept private.
The Mor Chana Volunteer Team, the app developer, made a post on their Facebook page saying the Mor Chana contact tracing application will be 100% under government management and control from now. The team will be responsible only for the open source programme development. The post has prompted public comments about the reason behind the application handover to the government.
Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta says the government will take full responsibility for the application management and control measures, but the collaboration with the app developers will continue. The developer team’s announcement is just to inform the public about the app.
He also says some app functions will be redesigned and adjusted to be more friendly to use and won’t violate users’ data privacy. Personal information such as users’ names and mobile numbers for registration won’t be required anymore.
SOURCE: Post Today
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People arriving Phuket from the “highest risk” areas are required to take a swab test by the staff at emergency operation centres (EOC) or show the test result document endorsed by the EOC staff made within 72 hours of their arrival. The revised order is effective from now until January 31, according to the Phuket Governor.
Those people who are on a brief business trip to Phuket need to show certificates from their employers describing the reason and necessity of their trips. If they want to leave their accommodations, they have to make a request to the EOC and clearly explain the reason as well as the time and destination. Visitors are also asked to avoid going to the community areas to avoid crowded gatherings.
It is noted that the revised order by the governor has not been officially promoted by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department. However, all visitors are still asked to register online via the Mor Chana contact tracing application and via www.gophuget.com according to the order re-issued on Friday.
SOURCE: Phuket News
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With the increasing demands for health insurance due to people’s worries over Covid-19, health insurance premiums are expected to grow 1.59% this year, according to the Insurance Commission.
Commission secretary-general Suthipol Taweechaikarn says total premiums will see 101 billion baht revenues this year, an increase from 99 billion baht last year. He adds that the Covid-19 situation is a major factor in higher demand for health insurance policies as medical expenses are likely to increase every year.
Some insurance companies in Thailand have also found an increasing demand for health coverage policies among their customers, especially those with high purchasing power.
Deputy CEO of Tokio Marine Life Insurance Thailand says the company will offer annual premiums starting at 15,000 baht.
“The company aims to increase health insurance premiums to 50% this year from 40% last year.”
Cigna Insurance CEO says the company will use digital technology for product and service development to meet customers’ demands in the new normal lifestyle.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Peter
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 2:55 pm
They just want money. Greedy Thai crooks.
Even Pauper John and Mrs Stretch can’t defend this decision.
Can they?
Mister Stretch
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 5:41 pm
Can’t defend what? The partial lockdown, which everyone else here seems to be clamoring for, in order to keep from paralyzing the economy even further?
I think it’s a stupid decision to allow entertainment venues open in the current situation. Seoul’s nightlife problems should have taught us that limited nightlife, in the event of an unknown amount of virus carriers is a recipe for disaster.
Bars and clubs and social distancing don’t seem to mix well, so I understand closing them.
I supported closing them down the first time around, and would again if it came to my city.
preesy chepuce
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:49 pm
Lockdown is futile.
Issan John
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:27 pm
I wouldn’t even try.
barry
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 2:58 pm
Might be time to reconsider this domestic travel incentive though:
https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/domestic-tourism-subsidy-extended-200000-rooms-booked-in-first-12-hours
Frank Leboeuf
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:02 pm
My crystal ball tells me that in less than 2 weeks we’ll have reports of the new strain of SARS-CoV-2 reaching Thailand, and we might all be dancing to a slightly different tune….
John Brown
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 4:10 pm
It would violate the emergency decree and coming national health law to comment truthfully about this topic. But given how rapidly those antibody-resistant strains have spread, and how transparent other countries have been this past month about announcing its presence within their borders, the safe assumption should be obvious, even if no one is able to say it.
indisPC
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 7:22 pm
What evidence is there that new strains are “antibody-resistant”?
Issan John
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:29 pm
Agree with you, indisPC – the experts say they “probably” aren’t.
John Brown
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 12:25 pm
See below.
John Brown
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 1:09 am
As I understand, links are not allowed to be posted in comments. However, you may look up “Neutralising antibodies drive Spike mediated SARS-CoV-2 evasion” (Gupta et al, 2020). The known deletion of primary concern is ΔH69/ΔV70 which is immune evasive. This is what’s in the “UK strain” everyone else is trying to target-shut their borders to (to little avail as viruses can catch connecting flights). The article doi is 10.1101/2020.12.05.20241927
The reason many public-facing experts say that the new strains “probably” aren’t antibody-resistant is because the B.1.1.7 strain they’re mostly looking at doesn’t also contain a spike protein mutation (D796H) found in the study – meanwhile, they are playing off the many other deletions and mutations in B.1.1.7 that *are* also strong candidates for antibody-resistance. And so, because they are – like many of the people who listen to them, admittedly – emotionally childish, they believe everyone else should be comforted by denial-oriented sci-comms, despite the unbelievably wide tail risk. Not only is this psychologically crippling, it is directly against the WHO pandemic planning guidelines for crisis communications developed over the last 15 years.
This is no less bad than Western public health communicators who were saying this spring that the public do not need to wear masks and that masks do not help, who admitted later that they did so knowingly because they were worried there would not be enough masks for health care workers. It was a coordinated propaganda campaign that was abhorrently dangerous and disrespectful to the entire human population and what they are doing right now regarding antibody-resistance (and how we got here!) is no less bad, not one bit.
indisPC
Friday, January 1, 2021 at 10:50 am
I honestly feel the reverse of every sentiment you expressed here.
Rasputin
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 9:32 pm
Antibody resistant? that’s a load of cobblers. It’s NOT antibody resistant, its just 70% more virulent, not the same thing at all
John Brown
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 12:25 pm
See above.
London Al
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 7:59 pm
New variants are like buses, nothing for 9 months then 3 come along at the same time, the first remarkably being unique to UK and coinciding exactly with the loss of control of the virus due to government incompetence, now other poorly performing countries are using it as an excuse.
John Brown
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:05 pm
This is a disastrous mistake. Have we learnt nothing from this past year?
What use is getting someone with a better understanding of science to be the spokesperson (Dr. Taweesin) if the PM’s office won’t listen to him?
Issan John
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:33 pm
Exactly. We’re now entering Bluffer Boris territory, where despite all the scientific advice every Brit had an inalienable right to go to the pub and it would have been inhuman to lockdown over Christmas, and look what happened in the UK.
preesy chepuce
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:50 pm
Bluffer Issan John territory, you’re not a scientist, and you haven’t got a clue.
Jim
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:05 pm
Excellent, let’s start the countdown! Place your bets. Not sure when the actual announcement was made but let’s say 1430, 21 minutes to proof and publish. Now how long before a nationwide lockdown is put into effect? Will be a case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing or did they learn their lesson after all of the initial cock-ups.
Kristof
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:15 pm
Unless he’s looking at different data than i am, i’d think this decision is a mistake. I only hope that i am the one who’s wrong in this instance. Pray it does not lead to a lockdown during next Songkran.
Toby Andrews
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 3:17 pm
Before the government imposed a lockdown to establish a dictatorship. Now that they have that and the protests went nowhere, they cannot have another lockdown because Thailand cannot afford it.
Plus, they have learned a few thousand cases of covid, is not going to wipe out the population of Thailand.
Maag
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 4:18 pm
Our king will protect us….I am not afraid !
Galaxy
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 4:40 pm
ERROR! He is on the way to go to Germany. Yes AGAIN!
Mr cynic
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 8:18 pm
Can you confirm this?
I’ve had a hunt around on the internet about this today and can find nothing however would not be in the slightest bit surprised if it is correct.
Tim Houston
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 4:46 pm
Meanwhile in Thailand, 58.903 people die annually from air pollution, over 20.000 road fatalities, but yeah you’ve got to worry about this flu that has already killed an astronomical 60 people.
Let’s wait for reply from Issan Johnny, he’s got all figured out already.
Ian
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 4:57 pm
The captain fleeing the sinking ship and going to Germany never will he have enough room to store is 40 billion in the hotel might have to take less women this time it’s shameful if this is true, show your country you stand with them in these times not runaway
Mr cynic
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 5:58 pm
imagine the people famous for toblerone will probably help with the loot so no need to worry about that bit,the family also own several freehold properties in their own names in cuckoo clock land so nothing to worry about if the sons and daughters of the kaiser start making noise again either.
his nibs might not be quite as dull as i thought he was.
Jake Pattaya
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 9:08 pm
Killed 60 people only because we prevent it by wearing masks and social distancing. How many people this what you called ” flu” killed where you come from thanks to the attitude like yours?
ipfunnyjohns
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 5:30 pm
Cycle threshold for pcr testing not included in the media reports… not important. PovertyJohn? Your thoughts?
indisPC
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 7:30 pm
I don’t think I will ever understand why so many people have made such an obnoxious stink over this virus that has a 0.2% fatality rate. It’s like mass brainwashing or something…
Jake Pattaya
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 9:14 pm
It’s not 0.2% but let’s say theoretically it was. 0.2% of 60 mln Thais makes 120 THOUSAND DEAD and that is when we all are able to get a treatment in hospitals so go back to studying math Indi
preesy chepuce
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 10:52 pm
It’s more like 0.1%… collapse the world economy, legalise fascist police states, and help the CCP take over, nice one… all in the name of “saiyuns” and moronic media hysteria and 2-bit pseudointellectuals on little forums spouting incessantly like they’re experts.
indisPC
Friday, January 1, 2021 at 10:53 am
So why don’t 60 thousand Thais die from seasonal flu every year? It has a 0.1% fatality rate according to some “experts” (though that’s probably an exaggeration).
It’s because:
Viruses don’t infect an entire population in a single year.
Viruses tend to weaken into less deadly forms.
Populations tend to develop immunity quickly or in the case of CV19 may already have partial immunity.
Rasputin
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 9:53 pm
Your brain has certainly suffered a brain washing, not a lengthy process in your case though, I would think.
indisPC
Friday, January 1, 2021 at 10:47 am
Ok, professor snide. Explain to me why we didn’t lockdown in 1957 when H1N1 killed about as many people relative to the size of the population.
Al Martin
Tuesday, December 29, 2020 at 9:26 pm
indisPC – I tip my hat to you sir or madame 😉
The (often attributed to) Mark Twain quote “it’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled”, springs to mind…..
It even seems at times as if some folk out there actually relish the whole con-vid caper! Maybe their lives and minds are that jaded otherwise?
Tim Houston
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 4:06 am
It is killing 0,2% of the people infected !!! not 0,2% of the entire population !
David Mann
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 6:42 am
Where on earth do people get these figures from? The percentage of people dying compared to infected is highly reliant on the testing regime in a particular country. Taking the U.K. figures today, there were approximately 53,000 infections and 414 deaths. The equates to 0.78%. Given the U.K. is testing many more than most countries and far more than in the first wave, this 0.78% is also only an estimate. If you take figures from the first wave it was more like 20,000 infections and 600 deaths, 3%! In Thailand they have had 6,441 cases and 61 deaths. Even with these figures it equates to over 0.9%. So where does 0.1% or 0.2% come from?
indisPC
Friday, January 1, 2021 at 10:59 am
“So where does 0.1% or 0.2% come from?”
This is the best scientific estimate based on the data:
“…in October, the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) reported a ‘presumed estimate’ of global IFR at between 0.10% to 0.35%, noting that this will vary between populations due to differences in demographics.”
“In September 2020, a Bulletin of the World Health Organization article by John Ioannidis estimated global IFR inferred from seroprevalence data at 0.23% overall… Ioannides criticized prior ‘average IFR … irresponsibly circulated widely in media and social media’ as ‘probably extremely flawed’ as they depended on erroneous modeling assumptions, and/or focused only on selecting mostly studies from countries high death burden (that indeed have higher IFRs), and/or were done by inexperienced authors who used overtly wrong meta-analysis methods in a situation where there is extreme between-study heterogeneity. As the data for his analysis was drawn ‘predominantly from hard-hit epicenters’, Ioannides indicates that even lower ‘average values of 0.15–0.25% … and 0.03–0.04% for <70 years) as of October 2020 are plausible.' He also notes that in European countries with a large numbers of cases and deaths and in the U.S., 'many, and in many cases most, deaths occurred in nursing homes.'"
James Pate
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 6:59 am
So if a girly bar starts selling sandwiches(the food kind),they can stay open? Yeah, makes sense to me. They won’t call it a lockdown, but a lockdown by some other name is coming soon. People will be “kindly invited” to stay home.
Fred glue
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 at 7:58 am
Funny, I like it.😂