Covid-19 News & Updates

[PeteC]

I think they're scared to death that if the virus hits the country hard they won't be able to cope, IMO.

[HHTel]

Well with 600+ current infections, 48 deaths across the whole country (bearing in mind that the majority was in BKK and it's neighbours). 45 virus free provinces, 9 of which have never had an infection. A one day peak of 188 a month ago. No restrictions at all until March 19th (they weren't worried then whilst promoting tourism)
The only restriction, IMO, that has had an effect was the eventual closing of borders. Most infections were traced to imports. It can only escalate from outside not from within. Restrictions on the public have little effect, if any.

[STEVE G]

A small easing of lock-down where I am in Europe caused it's own problems!:

Police intervention at McDonalds drive-thru as crowds swarm to fast food re-opening
https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/1502983.html

Seriously...... FFS.

Yes, although the "crowds" were in cars, so it's not as dangerous as it sounds but they blocked several roads.
It didn't bother me, I commute to work by Ebike!
There have been other easings of the lockdown here, last week some factories restarted and this week construction companies went back to work, with facemasks.
Incidentally, after wearing a facemask for up to ten hours a day here at my work, you know you're getting used to it when you try to eat a sandwich through one!

[HHTel]

you know you're getting used to it when you try to eat a sandwich through one!

[PeteC]

We're probably going to see a spike in the numbers in a week or so.

Immigration officers at Sadao infected with Covid-19

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... h-covid-19

SONGKHLA: Two immigration officers at the border checkpoint in Sadao district were reported to have been infected with Covid-19, putting about 70 others at risk, the provincial communicable disease committee said on Wednesday.

The two new cases, after two weeks with no new infections, brought the provincial tally to 39.

The first of the new infections was detected on April 20 - an immigration officer returning from visiting relatives in Pattani. He was sent to Songkhlanagarind Hospital for treatment.

The second had tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday morning and was admitted to the same hospital.

The first officer had been in close contact with 10 provincial police officers - a lieutenant colonel, three with the rank of captain and six with the rank of senior sergeant major. All 10 had been placed in home isolation for 14 days.

About 60 others at the Sadao immigration checkpoint had also been classified as being at risk. Samples had been taken from them for testing at the same hospital, the committee reported.

[Big Boy]

[Nereus]

What is the point of this "distance keeping"? Shopping in BigC Rama 4 in Bangkok this morning. The area in front of the complete row of check outs, all 26 of them, is now occupied with individual stalls joined up end to end, selling all sorts of crap, but mostly fresh fruit and such like. On one side it is just possible to push a shopping cart along the line of them, the other side a bit wider as it is blocking the outlets from the tills.

The people manning these stalls are NOT BigC staff as all staff wear some BigC ID. They are obviously small traders, probably dislodged from where they normally sell, so it may be a help to them. But having met the ignoramus that owns BigC do not expect me to believe for one minute that he has allowed them into what SHOULD be public space free of charge! The lifts have big signs in Thai printing saying something that is 100%. The floors now have squares painted on them, which I assume is meant to provide spacing. It is just not possible to walk down the new stalls and maintain ANY semblance of spacing! Idiots!

[HHTel]

Is this what they call a relaxation of restrictions? Bangkok have scrapped 37 of it's 89 checkpoints effective immediately.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30386527

[Dannie Boy]

The only checkpoint I have passed in Hua Hin is the one just before Makro coming from Cha Am. on the three occasions I have gone through, twice there was nobody checking cars and on the third occasion, they were stopping maybe one car in ten - total waste of time


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[Big Boy]

I've been through 2 checkpoints a number of times. On all but one occasion they all had their noses in the trough. On the other occasion, they were all too busy on their phones to worry about traffic. Useless, but history will show it as having been very effective.

[caller]

I've got to the stage where I'm avoiding 95% of TV news (in the UK) due to Covid-19 overload. It's not so much informing any more as depressing. Am I alone?

I subscribe to The Telegraph and Times and check out The Guardian. I now only read The Times, no sensationalist reporting and very matter of fact.

I don't look at the beeb and Sky News are letting themselves down badly.

I hear from friends and reading other forums, a general disconnect with the media's reporting of the pandemic.

I can't be the only one here was has friends and family who work at various levels in the NHS. I hear good and bad about how they are managing. But only one side seems to get reported, which is how it has always been - bad news sells copies.

[STEVE G]

you know you're getting used to it when you try to eat a sandwich through one!

Discarded masks with a brown stain in the middle have become a common sight in the bin by the coffee machine!

[Nereus]

I don't look at the beeb and Sky News are letting themselves down badly.

I watch the BBC on cable TV in Bangkok. Why do they only give numbers for England and Wales?
I know the Picts have probably waved their kilts at the virus, or had that loud mouthed woman threaten it.
Maybe the Irish in Northern Ireland have done the same?

[PeteC]

What is the point of this "distance keeping"? Shopping in BigC Rama 4 in Bangkok this morning. The area in front of the complete row of check outs, all 26 of them, is now occupied with individual stalls joined up end to end, selling all sorts of crap, but mostly fresh fruit and such like. On one side it is just possible to push a shopping cart along the line of them, the other side a bit wider as it is blocking the outlets from the tills.

The people manning these stalls are NOT BigC staff as all staff wear some BigC ID. They are obviously small traders, probably dislodged from where they normally sell, so it may be a help to them. But having met the ignoramus that owns BigC do not expect me to believe for one minute that he has allowed them into what SHOULD be public space free of charge! The lifts have big signs in Thai printing saying something that is 100%. The floors now have squares painted on them, which I assume is meant to provide spacing. It is just not possible to walk down the new stalls and maintain ANY semblance of spacing! Idiots!

You and all of us need to stay away from places like that.

[Nereus]

About 10,000 foreigners stranded on Surat Thani islands

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ni-islands

published : 22 Apr 2020 at 14:15

SURAT THANI: About 10,000 foreign tourists were left stranded on three islands of this southern province, including about 5,700 on Koh Samui, when passenger flights were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tikamporn Sutti-udomrat, tourism and sports chief of Surat Thani, said on Wednesday that apart from the 5,700 visitors on Koh Samui, some 3,300 other foreign tourists were on Koh Phangan and about 1,000 on Koh Tao.

"They have accommodation, travel and growing expense problems. I have sought help from the Tourism and Sports Ministry," he said.

Mr Tikamporn asked local officials and hoteliers to let the foreigners stay until they can leave Surat Thani.

His office arranged for accommodation for the foreigners who had urgent problems but they would have to pass health screenings, he said.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand's branch on Koh Samui said that the Turkish embassy in Thailand has prepared a chartered flight, Turkish Airlines flight THY 6102/59, to repatriate Turkish tourists. The flight was scheduled to leave Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province at 6pm on Thursday.