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Thailand’s eastern provinces are growing impatient as local businesses and residents await a relaxation in Covid-19 safety measures after seeing a decreasing amount of cases reported. Such provinces as Chonburi, Chanthaburi, Trat and Rayong are currently under a “highly controlled” status that has been set by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Such a status deems these provinces, along with Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakarn, as “high risk” which puts them under the strictest control measures in the country.

The cause of such tough measures levied upon the provinces was due to a spike in Covid cases after illegal gambling operations in Rayong and Chonburi were found to feature participants with the Covid-19 virus. But now, those areas are reporting very few cases of the virus leaving residents frustrated as they are unable to make a living or travel.

There has been only 1 case in the past 2 days in all 4 of the Eastern provinces. That case was in Rayong, with all other cases being in the low single digits. On top of the low cases, any new cases have been promptly dealt with by requiring contact-tracing, tracking and quarantine. But any hopes of the measures relaxing has been pushed back to the end of the month, with many questioning such a delay.

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Thailand’s opposition party members are preparing to provide evidence to back the charges being made against the government in an upcoming censure debate. The government is accused of policy-oriented corruption and of playing a part in structural conflicts. The allowance of illegal immigrants into the country and illegal gambling dens is expected to be discussed as it has been attributed to the 2nd wave of Covid-19 sweeping the nation.

Chief opposition whip Sutin Klungsang said the opposition parties have proof of wrongdoing that has played a part in damaging the country through mismanagement and hardship to the people. Sutin says more than 1 minister will be questioned.

“Several. At least seven.”

He says they will finalise who will be censured this week based on the information they have gathered, and says they will meet again on Sunday to discuss their debate strategy and time allocation.

The opposition camp is planning to introduce a “no-confidence” motion against the government tomorrow, marking the 2nd of its kind to ever be lodged.

Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, leader of the opposition Seri Ruam Thai Party and former police chief says his information will deliver a “serious blow” to the PM after he was criticised for saying “even a hundred prime ministers will not be able to rid Thailand of illegal gambling dens.”

“I made a crusade against illegal gambling dens long before I was the national police chief. What did the PM mean when he said things like that? Did they make the arrests or not? So, sit back and wait for the debate.”

He says he is not sure if Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon would be grilled in the upcoming debate, but named Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, PM and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Deputy Interior Minister Niphon Bunyamanee are among the targets.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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After a week of high and lows in the reporting of the latest clusters, Thailand officials are reporting 198 new infections of Covid-19today, with 180 being locally transmitted. 69 of those local infections were found via tests at medical facilities and 111 were found by proactive testing. Most of the proactive tests were found in Samut Sakhon, where the 2nd wave of the virus is thought to have began.

Of the 180 local infections reported on Saturday, 163 were found in Samut Sakhon followed by Bangkok with 9 cases and Samut Songkhram with 5. 18 cases, out of the newly reported bunch, were found in quarantine facilities, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

The new cases bring the total number of infections to 13,302 since the pandemic began last year. 10,448 people have recovered and 2,782 patients are currently being treated for the virus. The total number of deaths has risen by 1 to 72 people. The new death was of a 81 year old male patient from Phichit who had diabetes. He contracted the virus from a family member who visited Samut Sakhon.

Since the 2nd wave of infections has begun, there have been 9,065 cases confirmed between December 15 and January 23, which have brought on travel restrictions in 28 provinces. Such provinces are considered “highly controlled” with those entering and leaving required to pass through checkpoints.

The 2nd wave of the outbreak brought the virus to 63 out of 77 provinces in Thailand with the hardest-hit province continuing to be Samut Sakhon, which reported 5,184 confirmed cases between December 18 and January 23.

This was followed by Bangkok (657), Chonburi (648), Rayong (573), Samut Prakan (322), Chanthaburi (220), Nonthaburi (159) and Ang Thong (110).

Yesterday, Bangkok, including 4 north-western districts listed as “highly controlled” allowed 13 types of businesses to reopen, in a signal that partial lockdown measures in the capital were being relaxed.

Panprapa Yongtrakul, CCSA’s deputy spokeswoman, said the potential of finding new cases via tests in medical facilities has been decreasing in the past few weeks but the number of new cases being found through proactive tests is still in the three-digit numbers.

SOURCE: Thai Enquirer

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