Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Thailand’s 4-phase reopening, starting today

Published

4 weeks ago

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Neill Fronde

Thailand’s 4-phase reopening, starting today | Thaiger

Flickr Jernej Furman - Vaccine Passports will allow travelers to enter Thailand and avoid long quarantines.

This is not an April fool’s joke. Thailand has set a tentative 4-phase plan starting April 1 for reopening the borders, lifting restrictions, and relaxing quarantine periods, allowing international travel to recommence in a safe manner. As always, this a currently a PLAN and has not been confirmed by the Thai government at this stage.

The planned rollout has a metered approach and aims to allow tourism to rebuild without opening the floodgates to a potential new wave of Covid-19 clusters. The PM’s spokesman outlined the 4 phases, starting today, and completing the transition at the start of next year.

The first phase of Thailand’s reopening scheme, will begin the gradual reduction of the quarantine period for foreign travellers who have already received a Covid-19 vaccination and can present a vaccine certificate. For those who qualify and travel to one of the earmarked tourist destinations of Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or Phang Nga, the mandatory 14 day quarantine length will be reduced.

Tentatively scheduled for July 1, the second phase of the plan focuses on Phuket’s massive tourism market, as chartered flights from China are expected to begin arriving in July (despite the Chinese government’s current restrictions on external travel). International travellers arriving to Phuket after this date will no longer need to quarantine at all, according to the proposal, provided they carry paperwork certifying their vaccination.

The next step in reopening Thailand would see the 4 other tourist destinations in the ‘sandbox’ scheme to join Phuket in waiving all quarantine restrictions. Phase 3 is planned to launch October 1, and would allow vaccinated foreign tourists to holiday in Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Chiang Mai or Phang Nga without any quarantine. Bangkok has also been discussed as part of this proposal.

The final fourth phase would start on New Year’s Day, 2022, and would be the final step to reopening Thailand’s borders. After January 1, all foreign travellers that have received a Covid-19 vaccination and a vaccine passport will be allowed to enter anywhere in the kingdom without any quarantine period.

Barring any new outbreaks or negative developments in the pandemic, hopefully Thailand will be safely reopened to the world by the new year.

These are just proposals at this stage and you should check with the embassy in your country before making any flight or hotel bookings.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

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15 Comments

Robert. R

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 9:27 am

what about families with kids? There is no approved vaccine for under 16s, so will kids (who cannot be vaccinated) be allowed to enter the country (without quarantine) if their parents have been vaccinated. This seems to be a pretty crucial issue for the Government to address , otherwise Thailand will remain effectively closed for families even after 1/2022.

Reply
EdwardV

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:03 am

The first phase reducing the quarantine to 7 days is meaningless. However the second phase with no quarantine in Phuket is very doable. Not a big fan of the island but it’s a small enough price to pay. Hope the plan happens.

Reply
Issan John

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:28 am

Looking at the four planned phases (not as reported here or by Thai PBS World, but the ACTUAL four phases), it seems that after the resounding success in controlling the spread of the virus last year the lunatics have taken over the asylum – whether that’s down to stupidity, complacency, or greed by the few at the expense of the many is in the eye of the beholder.

PHASE ONE, starting today, reduces the quarantine period from 14 days to 10 for those unvaccinated from most countries, relaxes the internal quarantine regs in SQ / ASQ, and reportedly reduces quarantine to only 7 days for those vaccinated.

The last year has proved, world-wide –
i) that the incubation period is 14 days and
ii) that relaxing hotel quarantine rules increases risks exponentially (as the recent “cook” case in Thailand shows).
Nothing has changed to justify any reduction – all that’s changed is that variants have made the virus MORE contagious, not less.
The Sinovac vaccine is only 51% effective at preventing mild symptoms or below, so in all probability only 51% effective at preventing transmission, so from the POV of the unvaccinated (99% of Thailand) half those vaccinated with Sinovac, quarantined for 7 days, may as well not have been vaccinated at all.

Completely without justification – and none has ever been given.

PHASE TWO relies on Phuket vaccinating “at least 70% of the local population” by 1 July. Highly unlikely given that 17% of the population are under 18 so not eligible for a vaccine, so take up would have to be at least 85%.

PHASE THREE, due 1 October, extends the “sandbox” to Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phang Nga. The attempt to “cordon off” Pattaya last year lasted less than 24 hours before it was realised that in practice it was impossible to enforce; Chiang Mai is unlikely to be any easier. The idea of making Bangkok a “sandbox” just defies belief, even if vaccinations were available which appears highly unlikely at best.

PHASE FOUR, due 1 january, opens the border to the vaccinated without restriction. It ignores that the main tourist target (Chinese) will have been vaccinated with Sinovac which is only 51% effective at preventing mild symptoms or below, so in all probability only 51% effective at preventing transmission, so from the POV of the unvaccinated (still at least half of Thailand, if not more) half those vaccinated with Sinovac and coming in with no quarantine may as well not have been vaccinated at all.

PHASE FIVE ??? etc would allow in those under 18 without restriction. How many families will visit Thailand when their children still have to quarantine?

Reply
Bill

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:35 am

I propose a 30-day quarantine. People want to go to Thailand so bad that they will sacrifice any amount of time.

Reply
Jeff A

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 1:15 pm

Two recent announcements in the USA: 1) the Pfizer vaccine has been shown to be 100% effective on 12-15 year olds in phase 3 trials so expect approval of that vaccine for children in the near future; and 2) the CDC reports that data suggests that vaccinated individuals don’t carry the virus even if exposed to it, so it essentially blocks a vaccinated person from transmitting the Covid virus to anyone else. These are important developments. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine have proven very effective.

Reply
Exile Dave

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 1:57 pm

Fully concur with Issan John, especially on the total folly of “phase 1”: Not a hint of justification – neither to rationalize the effectiveness of the randomly relaxed quarantine regime nor to argue realistic economic upsides that this policy would bring. It’s foreseeable disaster for zero benefit…

The only consolation: The next wave triggered by phase 1 will render obsolete any subsequent phases…

Reply
Thomas

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 4:01 pm

What if the vaccine passport won’t be introduced in a large scale from other nations? Also according Euronews and AFP (15.01.21) WHO is against vaccine passports as a travel condition. Why Thailand assumes that all nations will have the vaccine passport installed? They seem to heavily rely on Chinese tourists. And as a sidenote, vaccines are not protecting people from spreading the virus, nor they guarantee 100% immunity. Besides, there’s not long-term study available to proof their efficacy or side-effects at all.

Reply
luca

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 5:07 pm

these seem desperate moves, especially useless until phase 4 is reached, allowing the Chinese who are the main target of the Thais to enter would produce the effect said by Issan John, also I’m not sure that China will allow its subjects to leave from the country if they risk returning infected, what I seem to understand is that without international tourism the Thai economy is in serious trouble, will a war break out between the Thais who need it and those who don’t need it?

Reply
Mister Stretch

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 5:14 pm

If I read it right, and I want to travel to Hat Yai from abroad…I fly into Phuket with my vaccination certificate, am not required to quarantine, hop on a Bangkok Airways to Hat Yai, and Bob’s your uncle.

Wise…very wise.

Reply
Andrew Whyte

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 5:27 pm

So no further news of a Phuket/China travel bubble? Can’t imagine Chinese tourists leading the charge back to Phuket if they have a two week quarantine waiting from them back in China. Pretty certain Chinese tourists would rather go to Hainan.

Reply
Andrew Whyte

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 8:01 pm

Phuket/China travel bubble? For Chinese tourists to lead the revitalization of Phuket’s tourism industry then surely there would need to be a Phuket/China travel bubble.

Reply
Apolo Jr. Estrada

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:02 pm

There will be another outbreak coming up between now until January 1, 2022 so stop saying that “After January 1, all foreign travellers that have received a Covid-19 vaccination and a vaccine passport will be allowed to enter anywhere in the kingdom without any quarantine period”. Because we have no idea what will happen next, it’s the COVID-19, the one who makes the decision not us..

Reply
Jack Sombra

Friday, April 2, 2021 at 3:03 am

Would like to take a moment to congratulate Thaiger in their success in finding the ability to ‘report’ rather than just lift article’s wholesale from elsewhere. Sure you are not big enough to have tons of reporters out in the field but you do have the ability to add to artcles “commentary” like you have on this one and others recently. Especially good to highlight things like contradictions and logic issues in policies and “plans”. You have been only place to highlight that what most of what gov has said over last 2 weeks are not concrete plans but rather proposals/targets at best. Keep up the good work and maybe other news sources will not only stop issueing you with legal threats but actualy start to copy your style of reporting, which would be to a huge benefit to the country

Reply
- Thaiger
  
  Friday, April 2, 2021 at 9:40 am
  
  Thank you. We will accept, with humility, the infrequent praise.
  
  Reply
Amy Sukwan

Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at 3:36 pm

LOL!

Reply

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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10 years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

50 Buddhist nuns positive for Covid at Chiang Mai dharma practice centre

Published

1 day ago

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Ann Carter

50 Buddhist nuns positive for Covid at Chiang Mai dharma practice centre | Thaiger

Stock photo via Wikimedia Commons

50 Buddhist nuns have tested positive for Covid-19, causing the Chiang Mai dharma practice centre, where they live, to be closed. The Chiang Mai public health office closed the centre, located in the main city district for 2 weeks from Saturday. People who took part in activities at the centre from April 7 are being asked to take a Covid test at the field hospital in the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The dharma practice centre is also being investigated for allegedly providing other services without permission, including free traditional disease treatments like herniated discs, knee pain, and tendinitis. 20 patients that were first linked to the Covid cluster at the centre have been under care since Friday. Yesterday saw 14 more infections linked to the centre, totalling 34. Today, that number has risen to 50.

Daily cases in Chiang Mai have reached 151, with an investigation into clusters linked to the dharma meditation centre, a nursery in Doi Saket district and a nursery in Muang district, showing most patients contracted the virus from social activities.

3 more clusters were identified with the first being at a company where 13 workers in the same division tested positive for the virus. One of the workers who visited an entertainment venue is thought to have spread the virus to his coworkers. He was asymptomatic and went to work infected, ate meals with coworkers and attended meetings. The workers says he did not know he was infected.

The second cluster sprouted from a funeral in Om Koi district. An infected person participated in the funeral, passing the virus to 7 others. Now, 200 people who were in close contact with the infected person are being tested. The third cluster arose from a party in a direct-sales firm where 25 people were infected.

Today, there are another 2,438 new Covid-19 infections reported in Thailand. The number is a sight drop on Saturday’s total of 2,839 new infections. But Sunday’s totals are often lower due to the reporting from provinces.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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Thailand

Biochar could solve smoke pollution problem in Chiang Mai

Published

3 days ago

Friday, April 23, 2021

Neill Fronde

Biochar could solve smoke pollution problem in Chiang Mai | Thaiger

FILE PHOTO: Could biochar clear Chiang Mai's smoky skies?

The emerging technology of biochar may be at the forefront of dealing with Chiang Mai and its globally infamous smoke and air pollution. After another terrible burn season where the air quality was rated among the worst in the world, Chiang Mai is often rated the most polluted city in the world.

As scientists worldwide tackle climate change, Chiang Mai stands out as an example of how animal agriculture is a major and often overlooked part of the climate crisis. While coal burning and gas-guzzling automobiles tend to get the most attention in the climate change debate, food production is a massive contributor to the problem.

Michael Schaefer, an American university professor now running Chiang Mai’s Warm Heart Foundation explains that as people earn more money, they want to indulge in costlier foods such as meat and dairy. With the increased demand for these animal products comes an equally increased need for the staple crops that feed these animals like corn.

Corn growth has become a linchpin of farming in Chiang Mai as well as Myanmar and Laos. This farming feeds animals like chickens and pigs, whose consumption is unlikely to wane in popularity anytime soon. But burning the waste from the corn to feed livestock is what creates Chiang Mai’s massive smoke problem.

Corn is an inefficient crop with only 22% of the plant being edible making the amount of waste to be burned off problematic. The husk, cob, and corn stock have to be cleared before you can plant the next year’s crop. Other methods of clearing the land like tractors or hand picking are just too time-consuming and inefficient when a fire can do the job quickly.

The Warm Heart Foundation has proposed turning this waste in Chiang Mai into biochar, a version of charcoal that’s far more eco-friendly. Biochar can be used to make smokeless briquettes for our barbecues, as well as soil decontaminant and fertilizer. By using the waste from the burn off to create byproducts farmers can essentially have a secondary income source.

Creating biochar does not require expensive high-tech machinery, as smokeless incinerators can be built out of old oil drums or livestock feeding troughs. Putting that carbon-rich biochar back into the soil in Chiang Mai will last for thousands of years and remove it from the atmosphere.

Animal agriculture and food systems contribute 25 to 30% of the greenhouse emissions in the world according to the Our World in Data project from Oxford University. Agriculture accounts for half the usable land on the planet and 77% of that land is farming livestock, even though the animals raised only provide about 18% of the calories the world’s population consumes. Half of all the farming harvests go to feed these animals being raised for consumption. Animal agriculture also uses 15 times more land, 13 times more water, and 11 times more fossil fuel to generate protein.

It’s not a perfect solution for the environment, but a step in the right direction as converting the world to a plant-based diet is not likely anytime soon. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimated that farmlands roughly the size of North America and Brazil combined could be returned to nature if everyone stopped eating meat.

Letting nature take its course is still the best way to remove carbon from the atmosphere, but without a vegan revolution, this is not likely. If Chiang Mai could start using this biochar production model it would remove hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and create more fertile fields allowing farming land to potentially be decreased and returning some land to nature.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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Thailand

37 inmates at Chiang Mai prison test positive for Covid-19

Published

4 days ago

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Thaiger

Chiang Mai Central Prison/ Photo via Facebook/ เรือนจำกลางเชียงใหม่

At least 37 new inmates at Chiang Mai Central Prison have tested positive for Covid-19 in routine testing during the quarantine period for new inmates before they enter the general prison population. Provincial public health chief Jatchuchai Maeerat said the inmates who tested positive for the virus were sent to a field hospital at the prison in Chiang Mai’s Mae Taeng district.

The Chiang Mai public health office is now urging other prisons in the area, particularly the Chiang Mai Women Correctional Institution and the Fang District Prison, to follow similar protocols as the Central Prison to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among the general prison population and the staff, Jatchuchai says.

“We test new inmates after they have been monitored for symptoms during a 14-day quarantine and then sent to the inner zone… All infected prisoners are separated and sent to a field hospital within the prison.”

Since April 1, there have been 2,448 Covid-19 cases reported in Chiang Mai. So far, 134 patients have recovered and have been released from the hospital. The Chiang Mai public health department has 16,000 tablets of the antiviral medication Favipiravir. He says it’s enough to treat the patients in Chiang Mai.

Earlier this month, there was a Covid-19 outbreak at a prison in the southern province Narathawit. The outbreak prompted prison officials to cancel visits to contain the virus.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand