Train hits car in Chiang Mai, family survives

The northern city of Chiang Mai has confirmed 4 new cases of coronavirus, all of which are linked to the Warm Up café in the Muang district. The province of Chiang Mai now has 11 active cases and has recorded 57 cases in total, according to deputy governor, Weerapan Dee-on.

“The 54th patient in Chiang Mai is a Thai man aged 23 from Sansai district. He displayed no symptoms. The 55th patient is another Thai man aged 28 from Muang district. He also showed no Covid-19 symptoms. The 56th patient is a Thai woman aged 28, who works in Bangkok but recently returned home to Sankamphaeng district. She had symptoms of coughing and a blocked nose. The 57th patient is another Thai woman aged 22 from Muang district. She displayed symptoms of coughing and tiredness.”

According to a Nation Thailand report, all 4 frequented the Warm Up café on New Year’s Eve.

Earlier this week, the province confirmed a 25 year old woman who’d been socialising at multiple entertainment venues had tested positive for the virus. At that stage, her infection brought the total number of cases detected in the province to 50. Following her positive diagnosis, officials embarked on a track and trace process, to determine who may have had contact with the patient. Through this, a 28 year old man who works at the Warm Up café also tested positive. On December 31, he worked from 3pm – 1am.

Officials have now tested 283 contacts who were at the venue that night and results are pending. All bars and other nightlife venues have been closed for 14 days by order of the provincial communicable disease committee. Deputy governor Weerapan says anyone else who was at the Warm Up café between December 31 and January 3 must come forward for testing.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand

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Chiang Mai, a city which some say is a “rite of passage” for digital nomads, is a top location in the world to work remotely, according to the global travel site Big 7 Travel. In the list of “50 Best Places for Remote Working in 2021,” Chiang Mai ranked 5th out of 50 places. The site says the city has the “perfect makeup of affordability, visa flexibility, fast internet speed and overall atmosphere.”

The travel site also notes that Chiang Mai is very affordable with studios for rent in the city centre at around $300 to $400 USD. There’s also various co-working spaces.

There’s no visa in Thailand for digital nomads… yet. At the moment, many digital nomads living in Thailand are on volunteer visas or education visas, which can both get fairly expensive. The Thai Board of Investment, or BOI, recently proposed changes to the Smart Visa to allow foreign freelancers to apply, allowing an up to 4 year stay, but are not any new developments.

As the global shift to remote working shows no sign of switching back, workers across the world are leaving behind the traditional office setup to work from home. For many, that means they can relocate. In the United States, at least, 20% of the current workforce are freelance workers and that number has been predicted to grow to 40% by the mid-2020s.

Other best places to work remotely in 2021 include Tallinn, Estonia; Bali, Indonesia; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Rankings took into account core data of affordability and internet access that is gathered from Nomad List alongside other variables, including countries offering specific Digital Nomad visas, and where to find the coolest co-working spaces and expat-friendly communities.

SOURCE: Big 7 Travel

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Provincial authorities are stepping up disease control measures as Covid-19 spreads throughout the country. 55 of Thailand’s 77 provinces have reported at least 1 Covid-19 case since the new wave of the coronavirus.

Here’s a run down of Covid-19 measures and advisories in some Thailand provinces, posted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Bangkok

• Closure of educational institutions at all levels including tuition schools are to be extended until January 31.
• Dining in at food outlets and restaurants of all types (except at airports) will be allowed from 6am-9pm. Alcoholic drinks cannot be consumed at food outlets or restaurants, though takeaway is allowed.
• Meetings, seminars and banquets with more than 200 participants must seek permission from the provincial health authorities with strict disease control measures.
• Closure of 25 non-essential businesses and places where people gather in areas including entertainment venues, theme parks, playgrounds, nurseries, boxing and martial art gyms and stadiums, horse racetracks, massage parlors, tattoo studios, beauty clinics, fitness centres. Other businesses and venues like museums, shopping centres and hotels must follow strict disease control measures.
• All food and beverage outlets including street food stalls, restaurants, food courts and centres and cafeterias (excluding pubs and bars which are ordered closed) are prohibited from selling alcoholic beverages on premises.
• Venues allowed to operate must include body temperature screening points, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing rules, alcohol gel and handwashing stations, regular cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, and mandatory register visits via the Thai Chana contact tracing application.
• The public are urged to wear a mask when going outside.

Nonthaburi

• Fresh markets as well as migrant worker residence buildings have been ordered to be closed temporarily until January 12.
• Wat Laharn in Bang Bua Thong district has been ordered to be closed until January 14.
• All educational institutions at all levels including tuition schools are to be closed until January 17 and are advised to apply e-learning systems.
• Closure of fighting cock-fish venues and similar fighting venues or racetracks, snooker and billiard shops, fishing and shrimp fishing parks or similar activities, game stations, games and Internet shops, water and theme parks as well as children’s playgrounds or stations at markets, boxing stadiums and gyms, Buddha amulet stalls and centres, massage and bath parlours, elderly care centres (except for regular overnight cares).
• The following venues and businesses are ordered to close from 10pm to 5am daily and are prohibited from selling any alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises: Restaurants, food parks, hotel restaurants, food and beverage outlets, food centres, cafeterias all food and beverage outlets in shopping malls, street food stalls as well as pubs, bars and karaoke venues.
• A ban on gatherings including concerts and music performances at any venues as well as activities that would draw crowds. Household gatherings can be held while government activities can take place under strict social distancing rules. Religious ceremonies can be held under strict public health measures or should consider a virtual event format.
• The public and venue operators are ordered to strictly follow public health guidelines. These include body temperature screening points, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing rules, alcohol gel and handwashing stations; regular cleaning and disinfecting surfaces; and mandatory register visits via the Thai Chana or Mor Chana contact tracing applications.

Pathum Thani

• Closure of educational institutions at all levels, games and Internet shops, boxing stadiums, fighting cock and bull facilities, until January 15.
• Cinemas, theatres, shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience marts, and markets are to strictly follow the public health guidelines.

Chiang Mai

• Entertainment businesses of all types (pubs, bars, or karaoke) must close from 11pm to 5am. All customers are required to scan Thai Chana QR code. Number of customers must be limited to 75% of the venue’s capacity.
• All self-service food outlets (shabu and BBQ) to switch to table service or seek prior approval for self-service option. Alcoholic drinks cannot be consumed at food outlets or restaurants, from 11pm to 5am.
• A ban on gatherings and events with more than 50 participants.
• All arrivals at any points of entry must register with the CM-Chana contact tracing application and self-monitor their health for 14 days.
• Arrivals from the highly controlled areas are required to enter a 14-day quarantine or be tested for Covid-19.
• Operators of accommodation of all types must collect the contact information of all guests and re-check their CM-Chana registration.

Krabi

• Mass gathering events and activities can only be held under the approval from the local public health office.
• Travellers are welcomed but must strictly follow the public health guidelines.

Surat Thani

• Arrivals from Samut Sakhon are to report to the local public health office.
• Individuals who visited the COVID-19 risk areas are to enter a 14-day quarantine. Mass gathering events with more than 300 participants must strictly follow the public health guidelines.

For a full list of control measures by province, click HERE to read the update from the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

SOURCE: TAT

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