Chiang Mai
Narcotics Control Board say they’ve prevented 300 million meth pills coming into Thailand

PHOTO: Niyom Termsrisuk, ONCB secretary-general – The Nation
“During the period, the ONCB led officials to search 84,000 villages and arrested 90,000 suspects in some 80,000 cases.”
The Office of Narcotics Control Board says that it’s managed to prevent 300 million methamphetamine pills from flowing into the country in Q4, 2018.
The ONCB secretary-general Niyom Termsrisuk says the agency also continues to work with counterparts in Myanmar, Laos and China to form operational teams of more than 1,000 officials. He claimed that, together, they had also blocked the flow of 2 million tonnes of precursor chemicals (ingredients for the production of drugs) from being smuggled into the Golden Triangle region.
The precursor chemicals could have been used to produce another 30 million meth pills, he added.
He claimed that ONCB officials had managed to block around 300 million meth pills into the country via the northern border with help from the three countries during the same period.
The ONCB had collaborated with other agencies to suppress drug trafficking in the Kingdom during the three-month period and managed to seize 200 million meth pills and freeze assets worth 243 million baht from traffickers.
During the period, the ONCB led officials to search 84,000 villages and arrested 90,000 suspects in some 80,000 cases, he said, adding that 30,000 drug abusers had been sent to receive mandatory rehabilitation.
ONCB-assigned officers also waded through the sites of social media-based drug trafficking gangs and identified more than 10,000 such gangs for police action.
Many such gangs reportedly applied a method of supplying drugs first and collecting payments later and often resorted to violence when customers refused to pay, he said. The gangs also lured youths to be their drug runners, supplying them in advance with 200-1,000 meth pills at a time via the post, with the youths selling the drugs and then paying the gangs.
Niyom urged parents to monitor their children’s use of smartphones and social media to prevent them from becoming victims of the gangs.
The secretary-general said meth pills remained the most troublesome drug for Thailand, followed by “ice”, or crystal meth, although most of the ice was smuggled in for re-exporting.
The ONCB is also monitoring against ketamine which is widely used at Thai entertainment venues.
SOURCE: The Nation
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Chiang Mai
Tourism officials slash Songkran travel expectations by half

The TAT, ever the optimists regarding anything tourism related, even domestic tourism, predict that the Bangkok clusters that have emerged in the week before the Songkran break could reduce traffic and spending by up to half.
Today the CCSA is reporting 789 new infections and one additional death. 522 were local infections, mostly walk-ins to Bangkok hospitals, 259 were discovered through track and tracing. The remaining 8 were found in quarantine from overseas arrivals. In Phuket, another 17 cases have been reported today, taking the island’s week total to 43.
GRAPH: Worldometer figures for Thailand, up to April 9
A 68 year old man from Nakhon Pathom province died on April 4 but wasn’t reported until today. The CCSA report that he died from Covid and “complications”. 33 other former patients have recovered and been discharged.
Last week the TAT estimated 3.2 million domestic trips would circulate 12 billion baht for the Thai economy. But the Tourism Authority has now slashed their estimates by half after hotels, airlines and bus companies reported mass cancellations in the last few days. Other provinces are reporting less than 20% cancellations. Although this weekend will see a lot of travel, Songkran doesn’t formally start until next Tuesday and the TAT expect there could be additional fallout as travellers decide to have a staycation for Songkran instead heading home.
Bangkok Post reports that 70% of travellers to Prachuap Khiri Khan and Hua Hin have already cancelled hotel bookings. Similar cancellations have been reported in Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Many other provinces, particularly in the north east and north, are also enforcing quarantine on arrivals or additional paperwork to try and protect their provinces from any of the Bangkok clusters.
8 north eastern provinces rare now requiring 10 or 14 day quarantine periods for anyone arriving from areas where new clusters have been reported. Chiang Mai provincial officials say that tourists from Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi – basically Bangkok and surrounding provinces – must complete a 14 day mandatory quarantine or conduct a test for Covid when they arrive.
The reality is that the travel and quarantine changes are outstripping the ability to communicate them all. Anyone crossing into other provinces in the next few day, especially if you’re travelling from Bangkok and surrounding provincial ‘red zones’ can expect some additional paperwork or a Covid test. Or even quarantine.
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
All new Covid-19 infections in Chiang Mai are linked to nightlife venues

All of the new Covid-19 infections reported by health officials in Chiang Mai yesterday are linked to local nightlife venues. Over the past few days, 47 cases linked to bars and nightclubs have been confirmed, including the 36 new cases reported yesterday by the provincial communicable disease control panel.
With the rise of infections linked to entertainment venues, Chiang Mai authorities decided to close clubs, pubs, karaoke bars and other entertainment venues for the next week. Alcohol sales are also banned for the next 7 days. A field hospital has been set up at the Chiang Mai International Exhibition and Convention Centre to care for a potential influx of Covid-19 patients.
“Those travelling to Chiang Mai from provinces considered the highest risk of infection, including Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Pathom, must self-isolate for 14 days.”
The recent infections are linked to 7 venues in the area including Warm Up Cafe Chiang Mai, Tha Chang Café Chiang Mai, DC Chiang Mai, Infinity Club Chiang Mai, Ground, Living Machine and Consol’s Garden.
“Those who visited the venues are asked to go to a local hospital for a Covid-19 test.”
SOURCES: Bangkok Post | Nation Thailand
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Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai records 6 new infections after nearly 3 months virus-free

After nearly 3 months without any Covid-19 infections, the northern province of Chiang Mai is once again having to implement measures to suppress the virus after recording 6 new cases. 4 cases were reported on Monday, 3 of which are linked to nightlife venues in Bangkok and the central province of Nonthaburi. Another 2 cases were recorded yesterday, bringing the total in the province to 75.
The Bangkok Post reports that health officials are using a mobile testing unit to test around 90 employees at various nightlife venues, in an effort to boost confidence among visitors to the area. Panlop Saechiew from Chiang Mai’s tourism industry council says his team is working with tourism operators to assess the situation, admitting that the resurgence of the virus after 83 days will have a negative impact on the sector.
However, he points out that none of the patients visited nightlife venues in Chiang Mai or attended any other large gatherings while infected. Some went to a shopping mall, where disease prevention measures are usually quite strict, and some visited an outdoor market, where the chances of transmission are low due to the well-ventilated environment. Panlop says he’s hopeful the situation can be brought under control soon, adding that Songkran bookings appear unaffected for now.
Meanwhile, Chiang Mai health officials have ordered bars and restaurants serving alcohol to close by 11pm from now until April 30.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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