Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Officials fix online class glitches, schools may wait on opening

Schools are set to open July 1, but it could change if it seems too risky to have students, teachers and parents crowding schools so soon after the country was in the middle of its Covid-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, the government is working on getting kids set up with virtual classrooms after glitches in the system and many without access to the learning platforms.
Schools have one of the highest risk of disease transmission, according to Bangkok Post. Inspections are underway to see if schools should reopen in July. Schools in infection-free areas will probably be allowed to reopen first, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday.
“Students must study online until the pandemic is more under control.”
For now, the government is working on providing 2 million TV signal recievers for its distance learning television, or DLTV, making sure those in remote villages can access the programs. Most students have not been able to tune into the DLTV programs since it went live this week, an Office of Basic Education Commission, or Obec, official told the Bangkok Post. Many children do not have a smartphone or internet access.
The distance learning programs faced criticism after many could not tune in on Monday and after a video of an English lesson with poor pronunciation went viral on the internet.
The education minister told the Post that officials prefer learning in person, but they need to have a plan if it is still to dangerous to open schools in July. Schools were originally going to open in mid-May, but the start date was postponed to July 1.
Incoming international flights remain banned until at least the end of June, leaving some potential foreign English teachers stuck in their home countries and unable to start work.
SOURCES: Bangkok Post | Chiang Rai Times | Nation Thailand
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Thailand
High demand for health insurance due to Covid-19 worries, premiums expected to rise

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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Thailand
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha considers legalising gambling

In the midst of a nationwide crackdown on gambling, an effort driven to contain Covid-19 by stopping the illegal gatherings after an outbreak at a Rayong gambling den, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says now he will consider the legalisation of gambling. He says he’ll start by staging discussions about the pros and cons.
In the recent wave of Covid-19, major clusters of the virus infections have been reported at illegal gambling dens. Elusive gamblers have been problematic for health officials who have been trying to track down those who may have come in contact with the virus. Some health officials have also been concerned with compulsive gamblers who are known to frequent many different venues.
PM Prayut says it is time to begin discussing the possibility of legalising gambling in Thailand, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The prime minister says the key question is whether legalised gambling will be considered acceptable by most Thais, adding that some may say it is immoral.
SOURCE: Phuket News
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
CCSA Update: 369 new Covid-19 cases

369 new Covid-19 cases were reported today in the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s daily briefing. Most cases were detected in Samut Sakhon in a mass testing campaign. Thailand now has 3,147 active Covid-19 cases. Since the started of the pandemic, the CCSA has reported 12,423 cases – 8,186 of those cases were reported in the new wave of infections.
Out of the 369 new Covid-19 cases, 275 were detected in proactive testing, 82 were local transmissions and 12 cases were detected in quarantine for those arriving from overseas.
The 82 local cases were exposed to the virus while visiting high risk locations including 51 cases in Samut Sakhon and 12 cases in Bangkok.
Out of the 12,423 total reported cases since last year, 10,134 were local transmissions, 3,982 cases were found in proactive testing and 2,289 cases were from people entering the country. There have been 70 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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