Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thai Restaurant Association asks PM not to restrict in-dining services
As the 4 day New Year long weekend comes to a close, there are a number of proposed restrictions looming as the CCSA battles to contain the latest outbreaks of cases, particularly in and around Bangkok and the nearby easter provinces.
There is currently a proposal to restrict Bangkok’s restaurants to take away services only, as well as full travel restrictions for the residents of Rayong, Chanthaburi and Chon Buri, including Pattaya.
Now the President of the Thai Restaurant Association has addressed the issue of banning in-dining at Bangkok restaurants with an open letter to the Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, asking him to consider not restricting Bangkok’s restaurants to take away services only.
The letter is one of many protesting more strict restrictions and measures to control the current Covid-19 outbreak claiming that, without financial aid and support, the industry won’t be able to handle another shutdown. Today the CCSA will meet to discuss increasing measures and restrictions that have been proposed by the Public Health Ministry. But the country’s restaurant industry says they cannot cope with another set of lockdowns without significant financial help from the government.
Association President, Thaniwan Kulamongkol says the restaurant industry was already imposing strict Covid-19 preventative measures and were willing to implement even stricter health standards and compromises to stay open, even reintroducing table partitions, stricter controls on social distancing etc.
“A total take-out-only option would devastate many workers, especially those informal workers and without much money who would be facing for some a second layoff or furlough of the year.”
She also says that many restaurants were not setup for takeout and would have no choice but to close, further devastating the economy, especially if the order hit Bangkok.
She says that if restaurants close or move to take-away-only services this will put a significant strain on the Thai farming industry, due to restaurants and retailers not ordering as many food items.
Thaniwan said in the letter that there wasn’t sufficient proof that current clusters of infections were coming from restaurants and the CCSA had been unable to provide scientific proof of restaurants, especially outdoor dining and street food, being high risk for spreading the virus.
The PM has not yet responded to the letter. Last Friday the Bangkok Metropolitan Association proposed that they “may” have to restrict the city’s restaurants to take away services only of the number of local cases continued to rise.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
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Air pollution in Bangkok is expected to get worse over the next few days as pollutants are getting trapped in the atmosphere thanks to a recent cold spell and a lack of wind to blow the haze away from the city. In response to the unhealthy hair pollution, The PM’s Office permanent secretary says he has asked several ministries to step up efforts in combatting the PM2.5 micron ‘dust’ particulate that has blanketed the city.
He says, so far, that the issue has been contained so far due to Covid-19 measures which have made many people work from home.
“But vehicle exhaust fumes, construction sites and burning garbage in open areas is not helping.”
“To add to the problem, the cold spell is creating an “inversion layer” as meteorologists call it, which stops air below it from rising and trapping pollutants.”
As usual, Bangkok officials are looking to some of the smaller, localised traffic issues to blame, although the annual “smoke from the north” problem is the key and overriding issue regarding Bangkok’s smog problem months. The local traffic pollutants, whilst ever-present, don’t cause the skyline smog and haze for the rest of the year.
And when the Thais refer to a “cold spell” it usually means the ambient temperature has dropped to the low 20s. In other parts of the world that would be considered a heat wave!
The secretary says police and other officials are being asked to curb traffic build-ups at intersections as some had seen a sharp increase in dust pollution. Motorists are also being advised to take their cars for routine engine check-ups but some owners are refusing, saying their cars are new and not releasing black smoke. Public transportation vehicles are also being checked for emissions that could further add to the pollution issue in the country’s capital.
Meanwhile, PM Prayut has recently asked people to avoid large gatherings out of what he says is “concern” for their health after the recent cold spell from China hit the nation. But, more particularly, he pointed out political gatherings and has also asked everyone to adhere to social distancing and mask wearing to help curb the recent outbreak of Covid-19 that has swept the country in the past couple of months.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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A 42 year old Chinese man was arrested for allegedly importing fake designer sunglasses after police raided 2 locations in Bangkok’s Thonburi area and seized 3 million pairs of fake designer sunglasses worth around 300 million baht.
Officers from the Department of Special Investigation raided multiple rooms at the Dao Khanong Condominium and the BMC Dao Khanong Cinema. The department posted photos of the raids showing rooms filled with boxes stacked to the ceiling.
Police say the sunglasses had major designer brand names like Ray Ban, Gucci, Oakley, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Cartier, Mont Blanc, Marc Jacobs, Armani, Fendi and Versace.
SOURCE: Thai Visa
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A man suspected of selling the ketamine-based drug cocktail, which is said to be tied to at least 10 deaths in Bangkok, was shot and killed in a shootout with police in Nakhon Pathom, just west of the capital. The narcotic cocktail, known as “K powdered milk,” is ketamine laced with methamphetamine, heroin and the anti-anxiety medication diazepam, all crushed up together resembling powdered milk.
Police tracked down 41 year old Wasan Khiaohom yesterday. He was in a pickup truck parked next to another car on a roadside in Nakhon Pathom’s Mueang district. As officers moved in to investigate, Wasan, who also went by the name Ple Kampangsaen, got out of a pickup and pulled out a gun, firing shots at the officers. Police fired back, shooting him. Wasan tried to flee the area, but collapsed and died in a wooded area by the road.
Police say they searched Wasan’s pockets and found a small bag of “K powdered milk” and 40 ecstasy pills. Police also arrested 2 alleged accomplices who were driving the car and pickup truck.
Police have been cracking down on illicit drugs after 10 people died reportedly after taking the narcotic drug cocktail while others were hospitalised. From January 13 to 18, police arrested 592 people in the drug crackdown. In a series of busts, police say they seized a total of 8,644,825 baht worth of drugs including methamphetamine pills, crystal methamphetamine, cannabis, ketamine, kratom leaves, kratom drink and ecstasy pills.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 9:37 am
Selfishness, that’s all this is.
Research in other countries has confirmed that restaurants are one of the most prolific coronavirus distribution locations. The fact that no one has conducted similar research here is no reason to assume that Thai restaurant patrons are magically protected from virus spread, unlike every other country in which research has been done.
The Thai Restaurant Association doesn’t give a flying **** for the health of its patrons. Rather than work with the restrictions that restaurateurs around the world have been trying…they would rather you get a dose of virus.
The lack of conscience is unbelievable. I’d be inclined to boycott every restaurant I know that belongs to this trade group.
babble
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 9:58 am
“Research in other countries has confirmed that restaurants are one of the most prolific coronavirus distribution locations.”
Which research? In which countries? Source needed.
Btw that is rather misleading. Any closed place with high concentration of people and ,ow ventilation is equally a potential focus of spreading. And considering that many restaurants in Thailand are open space, your sentence is also quite inaccurate.
Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 12:24 pm
Source needed.
Use Google, you lazy fishwife!
For god’s sake, why is everyone so goddamned lazy?
Two very definitive studies were done in Wuhan and in South Korea…but then again, I’m sure you don’t read any scientific research papers, do you?
I read them both, on a scientific aggregate website, because I like to be informed of fact, rather than just spout out hyperbole.
babble
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:43 pm
Such an obnoxious answer makes nit only me, but everybody, thibks that you do not have any idea what a research paoer really is… Oh yeah two studies in city x and y… get a life, karen
Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 12:25 pm
considering that many restaurants in Thailand are open space, your sentence is also quite inaccurate.
Really? What research? Sources needed.
Go eff yourself with your suppositions and criticism.
babble
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:45 pm
It does not need a research for public domain knowledge. If you were really here, you should know, dear my ignorant troll
Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 3:58 pm
I am here, babble boy.
This has been my home for more than 15 years.
I haven’t been out of the country since November of 2019.
I live it, and see it every day, babble boy.
Your “public domain knowledge” and 30 baht will get you a cup of coffee in a plastic bag. It means nothing.
Slugger
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 12:44 pm
So they talk from a selfish point of view? There’s ten statements a day which do the same. Not everyone can afford to be self righteous like you.
Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:05 pm
Not trying to be self-righteous. How have I done that?
Restaurants and other places where people congregate are especially dangerous for being super-spreader environments.
For months we’ve heard trade associations beg the government to open up for foreign tourists, while millions die outside of Thailand’s borders, and now for restaurants to remain open while a new wave of infections is taking hold in the Kingdom.
Commenting on that is not me being self-righteous, in any way, it’s condemning them for putting their baht before people’s health.
Issan John
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:19 pm
Oh come on – there’s so much conclusive research on this.
… and actually very few restaurants IN BANGKOK are “open space” now, so what’s “misleading” is you deliberately changing the goalposts from “Bangkok” to “Thailand”.
Issan John
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:42 pm
… but to be fair, @babble moving the goalposts from restaurants in Bangkok to “many restaurants in Thailand are open space” pales into insignificance compared to the Thai Restaurant Association president Thaniwan Kulamongkol when she includes “outdoor dining and street food” which are very clearly unaffected and says that it will “put a significant strain on the Thai farming industry, due to restaurants and retailers not ordering as many food items” as obviously those “not ordering as many food items” in restaurants will be ordering them elsewhere.
Smoke, mirrors and BS to protect their businesses, not their staff or anyone else.
Maverick
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 10:49 am
Source please I have relatives in US, UK and NZ, their experience suggests home gatherings and schools are a far greater source of recent spread of the virus, only NZ has been able to eliminate……UK is not a big eating out culture and they have one of the worst outbreaks – and it sure ain’t coming from restaraunts…..
Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 12:33 pm
Higher Risk: On-site dining with indoor seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart. And/or on-site dining with outdoor seating, but tables not spaced at least six feet apart.
Highest Risk: On-site dining with indoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart. – USA CDC
Don’t Eat Inside a Restaurant
The risk of catching the coronavirus is much higher indoors. – The Atlantic, Nov 20, 2020
How to stop restaurants from driving COVID infections
US mobile data suggests restaurants, gyms and cafes can be COVID hotspots — and reveals strategies for limiting spread. – Nature, 10 November 2020
This Is How Quickly Covid-19 Can Spread In A Restaurant, Per New Study – Forbes, Dec 15, 2020
Enough? Restaurants…regardless of open-air or not, are unacceptable risk locations. While “open” may be less risky…the risk is greater than not eating in a restaurant.
Issan John
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:26 pm
School opening in Bangkok has already been postponed.
“Home gatherings”? Agreed, but it’s far easier to regulate restaurants than “home gatherings”.
Those in the US and the UK are as responsible for their predicament as their governments are – far from everyone, but a sizeable and selfish minority.
Issan John
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:15 pm
100% correct, Mr S, but the government DO need to do more to support those affected.
Staff fully employed by restaurants told to close as a result of Covid will be covered (half pay for up to 90 days), but the problem is where restaurants choose to close as it’s not profitable, and casual staff – they have no government safety net at all.
It’s not the restaurants and businesses that need support, which is what they’re asking for and which is “selfish”, but the staff.
babble
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:46 pm
Again here, mr. Fake news? Lol
John Brown
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 3:15 pm
What the state doesn’t say is that when they spread their “support the businesses” subsidy propaganda, the real goal is to support the businesses’ creditors, i.e. the banks and landlords. The autocratic military dictatorship currently ruling is so hopelessly stupid (and I mean this literally, not pejoratively) that they can’t even get it together to enact populist policies, because they fear losing the support of the economic factions and the families supporting it would destabilize the tenuous grasp they currently have on their already-illegitimate rule. Meanwhile, the economic groups are operating on a myopic understanding of what supports their bottom line, and perverse incentives in corporate structures allow their decision-makers to personally insulate themselves from the highest orders of risk. These bandits never go down with the ship.
Just as Amazon in the US implicitly supports the dismantling of public postal services so that they effectively gain a monopoly on lockdown goods, the companies that run “essential” services in Thailand like 7-11 and app-based deliverymen have no economic incentive to oppose the unchecked spread of disease; and with no medical or epidemic complexity planning expertise, they think they can find a way to privately cope somehow.
Mister Stretch
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 1:01 pm
You boys want sources? You need to read more than just comic books.
Higher Risk: On-site dining with indoor seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart. And/or on-site dining with outdoor seating, but tables not spaced at least six feet apart.
Highest Risk: On-site dining with indoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart. – US CDC
Don’t Eat Inside a Restaurant
The risk of catching the coronavirus is much higher indoors. – The Atlantic, Nov 20, 2020
How to stop restaurants from driving COVID infections
US mobile data suggests restaurants, gyms and cafes can be COVID hotspots — and reveals strategies for limiting spread. – Nature, Nov 10, 2020
This Is How Quickly Covid-19 Can Spread In A Restaurant, Per New Study – Forbes, Dec 15, 2020
Covid-19: Bars, restaurants and dining with friends among high-risk activities, French study finds – France 24, Dec 18, 2020
Indoor dining major cause of COVID-19 ‘superspreader’ events, Stanford-led study suggests – Nation’s Restaurant News, Nov 13, 2020
Restaurants May Be Key Component to COVID-19 Spread, Medscape, Sep 15, 2020
Alte Ledertasche
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 3:25 pm
Just had a nice Sunday Brunch with my family. Despite the staff nobody was wearing a mask. Place was relatively empty due to lack of customers. Lovely food.
Peter
Sunday, January 3, 2021 at 8:25 pm
You can hardly eat your meal with a mask on can you? LOL