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Thailand confirms 104 new coronavirus cases (Thursday)

Thailand now has at total of 1,875 Covid-19 coronavirus cases, another drop in newly announced cases.

104 new cases were confirmed over the last 24 hours and 3 more patients died. Total deaths now stand at 15. This continues a hopeful trend of new cases in Thailand dropping as restrictions tighten across the country. 120 new cases were reported yesterday, 127 on Tuesday.

Bangkok, Phuket order convenience stores closed overnight to battle virus

To fight the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, Bangkok’s convenience stores and food shops will be closing overnight. They will be closed from midnight to 5am, effective from now until end of April.

• All public and private parks in communities, housing estates and condos will also be closed from tomorrow until April 30.

• Official document services, usually performed at district offices, will also be suspended (except for the issuance of birth and death certificates, marriage registrations, divorce certificates and approval of household certificate and ID card copies).

• The Interior Ministry has extended the validity of expired ID cards until the end of July.

• Rents paid by vendors in 10 markets owned by City Hall will be waived until the situation has returned to normal.

Meanwhile, down south in Phuket, island officials have taken similar measures.

All 24 hour convenience stores must close from 8pm to 3am until April 30, and all motorbike shops are ordered closed. Violators face up to a year in jail and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht

Thai Airways goes into hibernation until end of May, others ground fleets too

After a decade of financial struggles and corporate upheaval, Thailand’s national flag carrier, Thai Airways, with a previous reputation as one of Asia’s premier airlines, is ceasing all flights for a period of at least two months.

The once proud airline made the initial announcement a week ago, suspending some flights at that time. Then the acting president said yesterday that employees have been asked to take two months off from tomorrow until May 31. Some staff salaries are being reduced by 10-50%.

Phuket rooftop party busted, drugs seized

Police have arrested 9 foreigners and 5 Thai women for partying in Patong in violation of orders against gathering in crowds, to control the spread of coronavirus disease. They were arrested on the rooftop of a rental house on Sirirat Road in Patong last night after police received a complaint about a loud party. Those arrested included Australians, British, Americans, Ukrainians and Thais.

Police officers seized 4 grams of cannabis and 0.94 gram of cocaine. They also seized several bottles of liquor and loudspeakers. 

Thailand’s food delivery services are booming

Whilst most businesses have been turned upside down by the disruptions caused by the Thai government’s reaction to Covid-19, at least one business is booming at this crazy time.

With restaurants closed to sit-down customers, the delivery services are providing a valuable service getting food to customers stranded at home whilst applying social distancing for the safety of their drivers and hungry customers.

Last year Kasikorn Bank Research reported that Thailand’s food delivery business in 2019 was worth 33-35 billion baht, up 14% from the previous year. Now most of the Food Panda and Grab Food drivers are anecdotally reporting their business is up 100% compared to a few weeks ago, sometimes making 15 deliveries over a two hour period.

Thailand coronavirus cases rise to 1771, two more deaths

Thailand’s now has 1,771 Covid-19 coronavirus cases, with 120 new cases confirmed over the last 24 hours and 2 more patients succumbing to the disease.

As of today 1,429 patients are under treatment, 23 are in critical condition. 342 have recovered and been discharged. There has now been a total of 12 deaths in Thailand. Of the five new cases in Phuket, all had become infected around the island’s Bangla Road red light district.

Thai PM says tourists will get automatic visa extensions

Cabinet is going to extend a virtual amnesty for tourists who will overstay their visa because they’ve become stranded.

Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s concerned that foreigners seeking visa extensions have been gathering in their hundreds at Thailand’s immigration offices each day, at a time when social distancing is needed.

A deputy ministry spokesman announced that the Thai cabinet has responded with a move to grant automatic renewal of tourist visas for visitors who arrived in Thailand after March 1. People who hold other types of visa, or who arrived before March 1, still need to go visit their nearest immigration office for extensions.

We’ll publish more information about the announcement when it becomes available.

Bangkok Airways cancels all domestic flights from April 7

Bangkok Airways has announced today that they will cancel all it domestic flights from April 7 – 30. The company’s vice president says the flights that are being cancelled are…

Bangkok – Chiang Mai

Bangkok – Phuket

Bangkok – Trat

Bangkok – Sukhothai

Bangkok – Samui

Samui – Phuket

Thailand’s reservoirs and dams reaching critically low levels

The start of the annual wet season isn’t far away, maybe this month, but Thailand’s water sources are running on empty.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported today, that Thailand has seen a large drop of useable water in dams and reservoirs by an average of 30% of their capacity, due to the lack of rain in the first three months of the year.

21 dams in these provinces have reported critically low water levels. Meanwhile, 187 reservoirs nationwide also reported water levels at below 30% including 50 reservoirs in the North, 100 in the Northeast, 33 in Central and four in the South.” 

Lampang, Tak, Uttaradit, Chiang Mai, Uthai Thani, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Buriram, Suphan Buri, Lop Buri, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Chonburi and Rayong .

Regional round-up

PHILIPPINES

Philippines awaits Chinese expert team as cases rise to more than 2,000

Police lock up ‘curfew breakers’ in dog cage in Philippines

SINGAPORE

Boom time for golf in Singapore with courses full; spending time outdoors seen as ‘safe’

INDONESIA

Indonesia declares health emergency. President Joko Widodo announces $24.7 billion package to minimise virus’ impact

VIETNAM

Vietnam has announced a national lockdown to fight Covid-19, with nearly 100 million people ordered not to go outside except for food and medical needs

VIETNAM

The state-run Vietnam News Agency stopped printing English-language newspaper until April 15, after one of its reporters tested positive for Covid-19

MALAYSIA

The Malaysian government urges women to ‘dress up and stop nagging husbands’ during lockdown, then apologises for post

15 minute coronavirus tests now on trial in Thailand

As promised, Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University has rolled out a new 15 minute Covid-19 coronavirus test strip.

The test is aimed at increasing the number of people that can be screened for the Covid-19 virus and easing the burden on Thailand’s health system. The new rapid strip tests detect antibodies in the blood serum or plasma which could indicate that a patient either currently or previously had Covid-19. It works with a drop of blood and gives a first positive or negative result in 10 – 15 minutes.

The start of the annual wet season isn’t far away, maybe this month, but Thailand’s water sources are running on empty.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported today, that Thailand has seen a large drop of useable water in dams and reservoirs by an average of 30% of their capacity, due to the lack of rain in the first three months of the year.

“21 dams in provinces of Lampang, Tak, Uttaradit, Chiang Mai, Uthai Thani, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Buriram, Suphan Buri, Lop Buri, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Chonburi and Rayong have reported critically low water levels. Meanwhile, 187 reservoirs nationwide also reported water levels at below 30% including 50 reservoirs in the North, 100 in the Northeast, 33 in Central and four in the South.”

“It is expected that 6,065 villages in 139 districts and 714 subdistricts are currently being affected by the drought.”

So far there have been reports that 23 provinces declared as drought areas requiring emergency financial support by the Ministry of Finance. These provinces include Phayao, Nan, Chiang Rai, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phetchaboon, Uthai Thani, Nongkhai, Nakhon Sawan, Beung Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin, Mahasarakham, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Chaiyaphum, Sisaket, Chainat, Kanjanaburi, Suphanburi, Chachoengsao, and Prachinburi.

Phuket reservoirs are also at critically low levels, only surviving because of the drop in tourists to the island since January.

Songkran, the Thai New Year, on April 13, is usually the annual celebration of the end of the country’s hot season and the start of the annual wet season. The formal celebrations for Songkran have been postponed by the Thai government.

SOURCE: The Nation