Thailand’s History with Gun Law

Thailand has some of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in its region, with around 10.3
million firearms in public possession according to a 2017 report from the Small Arms Survey. It is
also of importance to note that this report estimates almost half of these firearms are unregistered.
This puts rates at about 15 guns per 100 people, a far higher number than observed in Thailand’s
neighbours Myanmar (1.6 firearms per 100 people) and Cambodia (4.46 firearms per 100 people).

Debsirin is also not the first case of a mass shooting in recent years. In 2020, a soldier killed at least
29 people and injured 57 more after a property deal went wrong. In 2022, an ex-police officer used a
gun and knife to attack a daycare centre, killing 36 people, 22 of which were children. Just earlier this
year, a gunman openfired at a school, killing a female teacher in Hat Yai.

Three days after the Debsirin attack, a former MP shot a former police officer, Thongchai Yenprasert,
and his driver. Yenprasert passed away from his injuries on his way to the hospital. The attack took
place in Nonthaburi, the same region as Debsirin.
As Minister, Anutin had previously tried to tighten gun laws following these incidents. These
measures included temporarily stopping approval for new gun permits and an under-20 ban for
shooting ranges. There were also proposals for regular safety screenings. A lot of the proposals did
not materialise, and the ones that did have had insufficient effects in prevention.

What Next?

Anutin has announced a suspension on possession and purchase of firearms in an effort to prevent
further shootings. This also specifically targets renewals of Por 3, Por 4 and Por 12 licences, which
have been suspended until further notice. A ban was additionally placed on ‘Welfare Guns.’
Immediately following the shooting, Anutin voiced his focus on prohibiting the public carrying of
firearms for civilians and off-duty officers. This law currently exists, but has been challenging to put
into practice. Prasert Jantararuangtong, the Education Minister, has proposed metal screenings and
bag checks at school entry points to ensure no weapons are brought in.

As Minister, Anutin had experienced backlash for his stricter stance on gun laws. Firearm and
ammunition businesses have voiced concern for the commercial losses they could face if more
limitations come into place. To this, Anutin expressed that human life “far outweighs” any business or
financial loss faced.

Unregistered and Illegal Firearms

A major issue facing firearm regulations is the large amount of unregistered and illegally purchased
guns in Thailand. Of the 10,000 civilian firearms in Thailand, over 4,000 are unregistered with local

authorities, making it harder to place restrictions on them. Welfare guns, a targeted programme in the
new suspensions, allowed public officials to purchase firearms at a discounted price. This scheme has
raised issues as many of the guns purchased as Welfare Guns are often resold,
Undoubtedly, Debirin has raised important conversations within the law about gun ownership. As the
victims and their loved ones begin the process of recovery, Thailand too tries to move towards a safer
future. The long-term effects of these new restrictions are still to be seen.

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Origins and Biology

The monitor lizard is a cold blooded reptile found across Asia, Africa, Oceania and some
parts of North America. It is in the Varanidae family, genus in Varanus, and includes over 90
different species, one of which lounges right on Thai land. The Veranus salvator (more
specifically the Varanus salvator macromaculatus, but that’s more of a mouthful) is one of the
largest lizards in the world. They have been recorded to reach lengths of over 300 cm, with
the majority getting to about 230 and under. This makes it second to only the Komodo
dragon, its close cousin in the Varanus genus.

Their bodies are typically a dark brown colour dotted with irregular and rowed yellow spots,
although some have been found to be fully black. These used to be regarded as a subspecies,
but are now considered to just be a differently decorated V. s. macromaculatus . Despite their
scary appearance, they are not dangerous to humans unless they feel threatened, and are able
to coexist peacefully as long as no one gets too close. In the event of an all-too-comfortable
tourist, however, they may defend themselves using their tail, teeth, or claws.

Being carnivorous creatures, their main source of food is fish. Research conducted into their
daily activity shows their main times for hunting is between 06:00 a.m and 08:00 a.m. For the
rest of the morning, they are found lounging in the sun and swimming peacefully until the
late evening, where they switch to scavenging for leftover fish or food left behind by humans.

Lumphini Park

If you ever want to see these reptiles in their own habitat, look no further than Bangkok’s
Lumphini Park. It is conveniently located to the city’s public transport system, with a
leisurely six minute walk from the MRT’s Si Lom station. Be mindful of getting off at Si
Lom and not Lumphini station – understandable mistake to make – if you want to save
yourself an extra two minutes.

Lumphini Park was Bangkok’s first public park. It is filled with greenery, life, and
community: from its fish-filled lakes to its workout classes. The park was originally called
the Sala Daeng field before Rama VI donated it, reforming it from a private garden to a
blooming green space for the public to enjoy. Its new name comes as a reference to Buddha’s
birthplace, Lumbini, in Nepal. It was opened in 1925, and a statue for King Rama was built in
1942, where it remains to this day.

Today, it is home to playgrounds, libraries, the Bangkok Elder Citizen Club, and over a
hundred of Thailand’s monitor lizards.

What’s in a name?

If we’re talking etymology, the monitor lizard’s place in Thailand is quite interesting. The
original name for it is ‘hia’. This is a word that Thai people would prefer not to use, as it is an
insulting and vulgar word. This bad association can be traced back to rural Thailand, where
water monitors would sneak into people’s homes to eat their livestock and domestic animals –

another less popular name for them being “chicken eater”. The term has also been used to
describe humans if you wish to really insult somebody – however this is not recommended
and significantly frowned upon.

Because of the negative associations to ‘hia’, the word is thought to bring bad luck and
negativity. Therefore, a new term emerged for monitor lizards: tua ngoen tua thong. This
name refers to its ‘silver and gold’ colour, and is a much politer euphemism to use in
conversation.

Taking a Walk

To see these creatures with my own eyes, I decided to take a brisk morning walk through
Lumphini park, and see just how easy it is to spot them. I had no trouble – the first one
greeted me just as I walked into the park. While it was fascinating to spot these large lizards
completely free and relaxed in the wild, an entirely different experience to watching them
through the bars of a cage, a different aspect quickly caught my attention. The differences
between tourists and locals in response to the water monitors were astounding. Tourists
would carefully move around the lizards, eyes transfixed, cameras out. One particular tourist
I spoke to voiced a slight fear at their size and alligator-like appearance, yet showed clear
excitement whenever a new or bigger one would appear in the river before us.

Locals had a very different approach. They would watch the tourists with amused and kind
smiles, never even sparing a second glance to the lizards in front of them. “They eat
everything”, one told me, a clear sense of annoyance and exasperation in his voice as a
particularly large lizard cut right in front of us to reach the river.

While the water monitor may be a bit of a pain in the neck for locals, they are also highly
valuable for the city’s pest control, and a clear sign of Bangkok’s glorious variety. So, next
time you’re taking an evening stroll through Lumphini park, make sure to keep an eye out for
long tails and pointy tongues.

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Thailand has long been one of Asia’s most popular destinations for expat families. From world-class international schools and modern healthcare to a lower cost of living than many Western countries, it offers an attractive lifestyle. But while Thailand can provide excellent value, raising a family here isn’t as inexpensive as many first-time movers expect.

If you’re planning to relocate with children, here’s a realistic breakdown of what a family of four can expect to spend in 2026.

International Schools

Education is often the biggest expense for expat families.

Thailand is home to hundreds of international schools offering British, American, IB, Australian and other curricula. Fees vary dramatically depending on the school’s reputation, facilities and location.

Parents can expect annual tuition to range from ฿200,000 to over ฿1.1 million per child.

However, tuition isn’t the only expense. Many schools also charge:

• Registration fees
• Enrollment deposits
• Capital development fees
• School uniforms
• Books and learning materials
• School bus services
• Extracurricular activities

For many families, the first year is the most expensive due to these additional one-time costs.

Housing Costs

Accommodation is usually the second-largest monthly expense.

The amount you’ll pay depends largely on where you choose to live.

Bangkok

Popular family-friendly neighbourhoods such as Sukhumvit, Thong Lo, Ekkamai and Sathorn generally offer three-bedroom apartments with facilities including swimming pools, gyms and 24-hour security.

Typical monthly rent: ฿65,000–150,000

Moving slightly further from the city centre to areas such as On Nut or Bang Na can reduce costs considerably.

Typical monthly rent: ฿25,000–55,000

Chiang Mai

Families looking for more space often choose Chiang Mai, where large houses in gated communities are significantly cheaper.

Typical monthly rent: ฿20,000–35,000

Pattaya

East Pattaya has become increasingly popular among international families due to its international schools and quieter residential communities.

Typical monthly rent: ฿25,000–50,000

Phuket

Pool villas remain popular with expat families relocating to Phuket.

Typical monthly rent: ฿60,000–100,000

Everyday Living Expenses

Thailand still offers excellent value for everyday essentials compared to many Western countries.

A family combining local supermarkets with imported products typically spends:

• Groceries: ฿25,000–40,000/month

Many families also hire domestic help, something that may be unaffordable in their home countries.

Typical costs include:

• Full-time nanny: ฿14,000–25,000/month

Utilities should also be included in your budget.

Typical monthly costs:

• Electricity: ฿5,000–9,000 (up to ฿15,000 during hot season)
• Water: ฿300–800
• Internet: ฿600–1,200
• Mobile plans: ฿400–700 per person

Transport

Transport costs depend entirely on your lifestyle.

Families living close to BTS or MRT lines often rely on public transport and Grab for daily travel.

Others choose to own a vehicle, although cars in Thailand are considerably more expensive than in many countries due to import duties.

Typical monthly transport costs:

• Grab & public transport: ฿5,000–15,000
• Car ownership (loan, fuel, insurance & maintenance): ฿15,000–25,000+

School bus services also add another expense.

School bus: ฿40,000–150,000 per year.

Healthcare

Thailand has one of Southeast Asia’s strongest private healthcare systems.

Hospitals such as Bumrungrad, Samitivej, Bangkok Hospital, MedPark and BNH attract patients from around the world.

While routine consultations are relatively affordable, major medical treatment can become expensive without insurance.

Typical costs include:

• Doctor consultation: ฿500–3,000
• Private health insurance: Varies depending on age, family size and coverage
• Hospital admissions: Can reach hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of baht for serious cases.

For this reason, comprehensive health insurance remains a priority for many expat families.

How Much Should You Budget?

Before international school fees, a comfortable family of four in Bangkok should budget approximately:

฿150,000–250,000 per month

Once international school tuition is included, total monthly living costs often rise to:

฿190,000–330,000+ per month

Families living in Chiang Mai, Pattaya or other regional cities can often reduce these costs substantially thanks to lower housing expenses.

Is Thailand Still Worth It?

Although raising a family in Thailand is no longer considered “cheap,” many expats believe the value outweighs the cost.

Modern housing, international education, excellent private healthcare, affordable domestic help and a warm climate continue to make Thailand one of Asia’s most attractive destinations for families.

The key is planning your budget realistically before making the move. Housing, schooling and healthcare will account for the majority of your expenses, while choosing the right city can dramatically affect your monthly spending.

For many families, Thailand isn’t the cheapest option—but it remains one of the best places in the region to balance quality of life with overall cost.

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A Flavorful Legacy with Modern Twists

Thai street food, rooted in centuries-old traditions from the floating markets of the Ayutthaya period (1350–1767), has evolved into a global phenomenon. Influenced by Chinese, Southeast Asian, and European cuisines, dishes like pad Thai, som tum (green papaya salad), and khao soi (curry noodle soup) showcase the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. In 2025, vendors are embracing sustainability and “newstalgia,” blending classic recipes with modern twists, such as eco-friendly packaging and innovative presentations, while maintaining the authenticity that makes Thai street food iconic.

Top Markets for Street Food in 2025

Thailand’s street food markets are vibrant hubs where locals and visitors alike gather to savor affordable, freshly prepared dishes. Here are some must-visit markets for an unforgettable culinary experience:

• Yaowarat (Chinatown), Bangkok: Bangkok’s Chinatown is a street food paradise, especially after dark. Known for its Michelin-recognized stalls, Yaowarat offers everything from khao pad pu (crab fried rice) to kuay jab (crispy pork noodle soup). Seafood lovers can indulge in grilled prawns and oysters, while dessert seekers can try traditional Thai-Chinese sweets. Prices range from 30–150 THB ($1–$5 USD).
• Chatuchak Weekend Market, Bangkok: This massive market is a foodie’s dream, with hundreds of stalls offering moo ping (grilled pork skewers), pad Thai, and tropical fruit smoothies. The farmers’ market zone is perfect for fresh produce and ready-to-eat snacks, with dishes starting at just 30 THB.
• Sunday Walking Street Market, Chiang Mai: A haven for Northern Thai specialties, this market features khao soi, sai ua (spicy sausage), and nam prik noom (green chili dip). Affordable and vibrant, most dishes here cost under 40 THB, making it one of Thailand’s cheapest street food destinations.
• Hua Hin Night Market, Hua Hin: Famous for fresh seafood like grilled prawns and squid, this market also offers khao niao mamuang (mango sticky rice) and pork skewers. Open from 5 PM, it’s a lively spot for both food and local crafts.
• Pattaya Floating Market, Pattaya: A unique experience where vendors sell from boats, this market serves som tum, grilled fish, and kanom jeen (fermented rice noodles). Prices range from 50–200 THB ($1.50–$6 USD), offering a scenic dining experience.
• Warorot Market, Chiang Mai: Nestled on Tha Phae and Chang Moi roads, this market is a food lover’s paradise with khanom jeen and local snacks. Its morning stalls offer breakfast dishes like jok (rice porridge) for as little as 30 THB.
• Maeklong Railway Market, Samut Songkhram: Known as the “Train Market,” this unique market offers a sensory feast with fresh produce and street food like gui chai tod (fried chive dumplings) and mee krob (crispy rice noodles). Vendors swiftly move stalls as trains pass through, adding to the excitement.
• Chaweng Night Market, Koh Samui: A bustling spot for seafood lovers, this market serves grilled catfish, spicy scallops, and khao niao mamuang. It’s crowded during peak season but offers a relaxed vibe otherwise, with dishes starting at 50 THB.

Safety and Tips for Enjoying Street Food

While Thai street food is generally safe, choosing stalls with high customer turnover ensures freshness. Opt for vendors who prepare food to order and use clean equipment. For drinks, stick to bottled water or factory-sealed beverages, and avoid shaved ice unless it’s made with safe water. Carrying small bills and coins is essential, as change for 1,000 THB notes can be scarce. Learning basic Thai food terms can enhance communication with vendors, many of whom are accustomed to tourists.

Festivals and Cultural Highlights

In 2025, street food takes center stage during festivals like Songkran, where vendors serve special dishes like nam phrik ong (spicy chili dip) for good luck. Markets also host cooking classes and market tours, allowing visitors to dive deeper into Thai culinary traditions.

A Growing Global Influence

Thailand’s street food market, valued at approximately 186 million THB in 2022, continues to grow, driven by its affordability and appeal. With cities like Bangkok earning Michelin Guide recognition and Chiang Mai emerging as a culinary hotspot, Thailand’s street food scene is cementing its status as a global foodie destination in 2025. Whether you’re savoring satay with peanut sauce or indulging in khanom buang (crispy pancakes), every bite offers a taste of Thailand’s vibrant culture.

For those planning a visit, explore these markets to experience the heart of Thai cuisine. From the chaotic charm of Bangkok’s Yaowarat to the serene waterways of Pattaya’s Floating Market, Thailand’s street food scene promises a delicious adventure for every palate.

The post Thailand’s Street Food Scene Thrives in 2025: A Culinary Journey Through Vibrant Markets appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Monkeypox is now considered an infectious disease that must be closely monitored.

The Ministry of Public Health announced on Wednesday that screening efforts are being increased to prevent the spread of the viral disease, despite the fact that no cases have been discovered in the country so far.

According to Dr. Chakrarat Pittayawonganon, director of the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Department of Disease Control, the ministry’s academic council decided on Tuesday to raise the status of monkeypox (DDC).

There have been no reported instances since Thailand began screening overseas travelers on Tuesday, therefore it hasn’t been designated as a serious communicable disease like Covid-19.

He also claims that the sickness is significantly less contagious than the novel coronavirus. Dr. Chakrarat stated, “Actually, Thailand has never reported any instances of monkeypox.”

Although the majority of those who are infected recover without medical assistance, some, particularly immunocompromised youngsters, may endure severe symptoms, he noted.

He went on to say that complications could include deadly infections in the lungs, brain, circulation, and corneas.

Monkeypox has been verified in 131 cases and 106 probable cases in 19 countries, according to WHO records.

The West African clade and the Central African clade are two biological groups to which the virus belongs.

According to Dr. Chakrarat, the former is far less lethal, with a death rate of 1% compared to 10% for the Central African lineage.

Prof Dr. Wasun Chantratita, head of the Centre for Medical Genomics at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine’s Ramathibodi Hospital, said the first monkeypox test kit should be available in two weeks.

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The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has implemented severe screening requirements for travelers arriving from countries where monkeypox has been detected.

Travelers must complete and provide health declaration cards upon arrival. In addition, the cards will include a QR code that must be scanned in order for incoming visitors to receive information on symptoms and report them once they arrive. They can then be directed to medical assistance.

The DDC established an emergency operations center (EOC) to track the virus’s spread, and immigration officers were told to keep an eye out for travelers from Central and West Africa, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal, where the virus had been detected.

Visitors who appear to have symptoms will be admitted to the hospital for testing.

The EOC, according to Dr. Chakkarat Pitayawonganon, director of the department’s epidemiology section, will help screen incoming tourists who may be at risk of contracting the virus after visiting countries where outbreaks have occurred.

Close contact with lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, and contaminated materials can spread it from one person to another.

Despite the fact that no cases have been reported in Thailand, the EOC was established to actively monitor the outbreak elsewhere.

According to him, the EOC’s goal is to keep an eye on instances around the world and keep up with the latest information on how to prevent the infection.

Infected persons may not develop visible signs like rashes and raised patches that evolve into blisters and finally scabs throughout the incubation period, according to Dr Chakkarat.

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The Public Health Ministry has established an emergency operations center to track the spread of the monkeypox virus, which has so far claimed the lives of over 100 people in at least 12 nations.

Despite the fact that the virus has yet to be detected in Thailand, Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), said the center will maintain a careful eye on the outbreak’s growth.

He stressed the importance of monitoring now that the country is reopened to foreign visitors, who may spread the virus while traveling, particularly those from endemic countries like Central and West Africa.

Infections have been verified in nine European nations, as well as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

According to Dr. Opas, there were 13,142 arrivals from the United Kingdom, 1,352 from Spain, and 268 from Portugal between May 1 and 22.

After more than 100 cases were discovered in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) called an emergency conference last Friday to discuss the outbreak.

Monkeypox symptoms are comparable to those of smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980, but they are frequently less severe and less contagious.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked the Public Health Ministry to monitor the monkeypox outbreak and educate the public about the disease to avoid panic, according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

Monkeypox is transferred to people by close contact with an infected person or animal, according to the DDC, however human-to-human transmission is rare.

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The Ministry of Public Health has offered a broad timeline for when the Thailand Pass for foreigners will be phased out.

Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul stated on Friday at an event organized by Chulalongkorn Alumni Associations and its partners that the government requires more reliable information about infected cases resulting from foreign entry before making a decision.

“It’s possible that we will cancel the registration requirement of Thailand Pass for foreigners. We need one more month then we will have a clear answer,” he said.

Mr. Anutin, on the other hand, noted that, as the situation with everyday infections improves, the country is now loosening many of the measures it used to handle Covid-19 infections.

The minister cited the opening of pubs, bars, and karaoke venues in provinces designated as blue and green zones to stimulate tourism next month as an example of the newest softening step.

He expressed confidence that relevant business operators would follow the ministry’s health safety recommendations with vigor.

“We have seen the results of our control measures including having a high percentage of the population receive two doses of Covid-19 vaccines,” he said. “That is the reason why we started to relax some regulations.”

Mr. Anutin lauded the country’s ability to offer people medical care and medications. He went on to say that telemedicine is another crucial step the ministry will take in order to provide medical treatment to all Thais.

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“The Covid-19 situation is improving and new cases are lower than expected. Covid-19 will enter its declining stage a few weeks sooner than anticipation, in late May and early June. However, the date for declaring Covid-19 an endemic disease remains July 1,” said CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin.

On June 1, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration agreed to expand the zones where Covid-19 rules are relaxed, allowing pubs, bars, karaoke businesses, and massage parlors to reopen in 31 provinces.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokeswoman for the CCSA, said 14 provinces will be designated as Covid-19 surveillance (green) zones, while the number of tourist pilot (blue) zones would increase from 12 to 17. The remaining 46 provinces, down from 65, will be close monitoring (yellow) zones.

The 14 green zones will be Chai Nat, Trat, Nakhon Phanom, Nan, Buri Ram, Phichit, Ang Thong, Maha Sarakham, Yasothon, Lampang, Surat Thani, Surin, Udon Thani, and Amnat Charoen.

The 17 blue zones will be Krabi, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Chanthaburi, Chon Buri, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Nonthaburi, Narathiwat, Pathum Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phangnga, Phetchaburi, Phuket, Rayong, and Songkhla.

There will be no limits on meetings or the usage of school buildings and sports facilities in the green and blue zones. The number of persons in each meeting in yellow zones will be limited to 1,000. Disease prevention will be implemented in schools. At indoor stadiums, the number of spectators will be limited to 75 percent of the seats. All seats are available in open-air stadiums.

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For the first time in almost two years, on-site learning has resumed, bringing children and teachers together in a joyful but cautious reunion at the start of the new school year, with health and safety safeguards in place owing to Covid-19.

Nothing beats a face-to-face meeting, which is a wonderful change after nearly two years of being hooked to a computer screen for online classes. Students were confined to their houses by the pandemic, and their connections with classmates were limited to FaceTime and phone conversations.

The disadvantage is that they are more vulnerable to the virus outside the home, and there is no way of knowing whether individuals in public places are sincere about taking precautions against it.

However, there are claims that online classes degrade educational quality. Some students had trouble obtaining WiFi or were not fully suited to study remotely due to poor internet connections.

Wat Ratchanatda, like other schools across the country, was completely prepared for the new academic year.

As part of this, sensor-operated body temperature scanners have been put at the entry, an ATK test area has been designated, and sanitizer gel is provided throughout the facility.

According to Thanakorn Chaisit, a teacher at the school, each table in the canteen has a divider, and pupils arrive for lunch at different times.

Tables are positioned apart in the classroom to create social distance.

Students must wear masks in class at all times, but they can take them off when they go outside.

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People have had to learn to live with the sickness since the Covid-19 outbreak began more than two years ago. Finally, the country’s national communicable disease committee is preparing for what it hopes will be a seamless transfer to endemic status.

People have learned to protect themselves against infection through methods such as frequent hand washing, social distancing, and mask-wearing, according to Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health. A high immunization rate is also beneficial and should encourage the government to press forward. Currently, 81.2 percent of the population has received their first dose, with 74.7 percent receiving a second and 38.9 percent receiving a third.

“We have lived with the disease for a while now and been forced to become accustomed to it. The medical profession now has few problems when treating the disease and over 99% of the Thai population has a right to free medical treatment under the government’s health insurance schemes. There is nothing to be worried about,” he said.

It’s due to a drop in daily infections, which is in line with a ministry prediction that the rate would fall to a point where the country’s public health security would no longer be threatened, he added.

It will add Covid-19 to the list of viruses that must be monitored under the communicable illness law in terms of legal enforcement.

All travel restrictions would be eliminated, and pubs, taverns, and restaurants would be permitted to reopen,” he explained. Meanwhile, a Covid-free environment must adhere to a voluntary code of conduct.

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The Phuket and Koh Samui private sectors have backed a request by the Public Health Ministry to identify Covid-19 as an endemic disease.

The change of designation is long needed, according to Weerawit Krueasombat, head of the Patong entertainment organization, because the pandemic’s severity has been reducing for some time.

Despite the reopening of entertainment places, Mr. Weerawit believes that the midnight closing order remains a sticking point because it neither caters to tourists or the night economy nor contributes to health safety.

Covid-19, according to Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, president of the Southern Thai Hotel Association, is no longer a terrifying threat, and provincial public health infrastructure can now handle any unexpected surge in visitors.

Meanwhile, Thanusak Phuengdet, head of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, believes that tourism enterprises should be permitted to speed up their reopening plans as daily cases continue to fall.

Dr. Muanprae Boonlom, deputy chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, confirmed the decrease in infections, stating that Phuket now has only 19 percent hospital bed occupancy and that 67 percent of residents have received at least one booster vaccine after completing a full course of vaccinations.

Despite the fact that 80 percent of the elderly have been injected at least once, just 52 percent have been reported to have received a booster dose. Authorities, according to Dr. Muanprae, are working to correct the problem.

The island, according to Ratchaporn Poonsawat, head of the Koh Samui Tourism Association, is well adapted to securely adapting to the virus’s endemic status, having previously dealt with a number of sickness outbreaks.

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The four-day holiday this weekend drew a lackluster response from tourism operators, as the economic downturn stymies travel plans, forcing operators to rely on the gradual resumption of international tourists.

Domestic travelers are being put off by rising gasoline and consumer goods prices, according to Phisut Sae-Khu, president of the Thai Hotels Association’s eastern region.

According to Mr. Phisut, hotel occupancy in Pattaya is only 60% because residents have already spent their budget over Songkran and Labour Day.

As local Covid infections begin to fade, the domestic meetings and seminars market is steadily improving, starting with groups of 100-150 visitors, he said.

“Operators expect a weaker domestic market in the second quarter, but there are positive signs from the international market to help support business in June, mostly from Vietnam, Malaysia, and India,” Mr. Phisut said.

He believes that if the country declares Covid-19 an endemic disease and permits Pattaya nightclubs to reopen, the resort will draw more international visitors.

Small and medium-sized hoteliers reported roughly 60% occupancy this weekend, according to Wassana Srikkanchana, head of the Hua Hin-Cha Am Tourism Association.

The rate is lower than typical since families are planning their budgets for the new school term, which begins on May 17, and increasing living costs have harmed their purchasing power, according to her.

Mrs. Wassana said the organization plans to conduct a business-to-business event with tourism providers in Chiang Mai, led by the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, to develop a tourism interchange, in order to boost demand during the low season.

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The Public Health Ministry plans to declare Covid-19 endemic on three key tourist islands in Thailand: Koh Samui in Surat Thani, Koh Chang in Trat, and Phuket, allowing night entertainment establishments to reopen.

Kiattiphum Wongrajit, the ministry’s permanent secretary for health, said on Thursday that the ministry would seek clearance from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for its “endemic sandbox” program, a first step toward declaring Covid-19 an endemic disease across the country.

He noted that decreased infections, medical care readiness, and high vaccination rates among people in specific areas were all criteria for the endemic sandbox.

“We selected the islands that are the country’s top tourist destinations first because of their limited areas so diseases can be more easily controlled there,” Dr. Kiattiphum said.

He expected the initiative’s implementation to result in the government declaring Covid-19 an endemic disease in July.

Nightclubs would be able to reopen in the sandboxes with limited restrictions, he added, adding that patrons would need to be completely vaccinated. These sites should be avoided by anyone with underlying conditions.

Face masks, according to Dr. Kiattiphum, will remain a standard requirement.

The Covid-19 situation is projected to improve later this month and next month, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, therefore the ministry will likely decrease its Covid-19 outbreak alert to Level 2.

“Most people will be able to resume almost all of the activities they used to do before the pandemic,” he said.

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If nightclubs, bars, and other night entertainment facilities are allowed to reopen, the public health committee has ordered the Department of Disease Control (DDC) to pursue effective Covid-19 measures.

Anutin Charnvirakul, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister stated on Wednesday that the country’s daily infection and death rates had decreased, indicating the country’s transition to an endemic phase.

On Wednesday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported 17,386 new cases, with 9,736 positive antigen test findings, while mortality fell below 100 for the first time since May 1. There were 56 fatalities in Covid-19.

“This is the result of the efforts by those who strictly comply with Covid-19 prevention measures and the high ratio of people who have received Covid-19 vaccination,” he said.

To move forward, the ministry met with the DDC to develop ways to assist such venues in resuming operations and to encourage foreign tourists to always use face masks.

“Right now, controlling the disease is not a problem but controlling people’s behavior is. We still need to encourage people to put on face masks,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anutin Charnvirakul, the Minister of Public Health, has agreed to conduct an investigation into why so many individuals have died from Covid-19 after receiving three vaccine doses.

Following a meeting of the national communicable disease committee on Wednesday, he announced the investigation.

According to him, roughly 7% of those infected with three doses died, but no deaths were reported among those who received four doses. The majority of deaths were recorded among senior folks and people with chronic conditions.

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As operators on the island perceive good indicators from the recent loosening of travel restrictions, Phuket hopes to attract 1 million foreign visitor arrivals in the fourth quarter and 3.5 million in total this year.

International arrivals have climbed to 3,000-5,000 per day starting May 1, according to Bhummikitti Raktaengam, head of the Phuket Tourist Association, compared to 400-500 per day during the sandbox period and 2,500 per day under the “Test & Go” plan.

In the first four months of this year, 328,004 tourists visited Phuket.

India, according to Mr. Bhummikitti, is a prospective market because it has contributed the most inbound foreign tourists this month, with an average of 1,000 per day, thanks to direct flights to Phuket.

With roughly 10,000 visitors to Phuket in April, Australia was the second-largest group of international incoming tourists. This number is likely to rise to 15,000 per month.

The United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia were also essential markets for Phuket.

He estimates that hotel occupancy rates in key tourist destinations like Patong, which are popular with Indian and Australian visitors, will reach 60-70 percent this month.

Between October and December, the organization expects that the number of tourists flying direct to the island will remain stable at 9,000 to 10,000 per day, assuming no more difficulties.

“The viral situation should no longer be cause for huge concern, but other economic indicators during the final quarter should be considered, including inflation, the exchange rate, and oil prices, which affect both the supply and demand sides,” Mr. Bhummikitti said.

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According to the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Medical Sciences, at least one foreign individual has been found harboring an Omicron sub-variant that has the potential to cause severe illnesses.

According to Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the DoMS, Omicron has become the dominant coronavirus strain in Thailand, with the BA.2 sub-variant accounting for 97.6% of infections.

According to him, the ministry has heeded the WHO’s warning about the introduction of three infectious Omicron sub-variants: BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.12.1.

BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants were detected for the first time in South Africa in January and February, respectively, he said, while BA.2.12.1 was discovered in the United States in February.

Sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 have now been discovered spreading in a number of nations, including Botswana, South Africa, Germany, and Denmark, while BA.2.12.1 has been discovered in Canada and India, according to him.

According to him, WHO whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in Thailand recently verified that a Brazilian national contracted BA.5, while two others, an Indian and a Canadian, contracted BA.2.12.

Sub-variants BA.2.12.1 and BA.4 have yet to be detected in Thailand, according to Dr Supakit.

According to the WGS results, some sections of the BA.4 genome sequences are comparable to those of the BA.1 and BA.2 sub-strains.

According to him, the spike protein could undergo mutations similar to how the earlier Delta variation arose.

BA.1 infected people have limited immunity to BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, according to Dr. Supakit. He claims that persons who have been fully vaccinated have better immunity to the two sub-variants.

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A new law that went into effect on May 1 removed the obligation for vaccinated travelers to take the Covid test, giving the tourism industry hope after two years of low income.

Tourism operators, on the other hand, are concerned because the epidemic has left them “once bitten, twice shy,” with a variety spreading at any time and local political problems looming larger in many locations.

To deal with such uncertainty, tourism operators are pressing for a better government plan to avoid making the same mistakes that have seen them struggle to stay afloat in recent years.

Visitors will be able to travel with fewer barriers and misunderstandings thanks to industry demand for a clearer, stronger reopening policy.

The openness of Thailand to tourists was beset by regulatory snags before reaching its current form, which is devoid of most restrictions.

In July 2021, Phuket was the first location to reopen under a sandbox program, with additional destinations following suit in November with a flexible Test & Go plan.

Only 503,468 tourists visited Phuket in 304 days, including 194,689 from the sandbox program and 246,938 from the Test & Go scheme, with the rest following the quarantine regimen.

The robust version of the Test & Go program required a pre-travel RT-PCR negative result as well as one night in an approved hotel upon arrival in Thailand while awaiting the results of a second RT-PCR test. From January to March, this program registered 497,693 international tourists or more than 165,000 arrivals per month on average.

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On Friday, the government agreed to extend two travel packages until the end of September in order to encourage people to go on vacation and support the struggling tourism industry.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over a meeting of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration that reached the decision.

After the discussion, the government decided to add one million extra room privileges to We Travel Together, a hotel subsidy scheme, and extend it from the end of this month to the end of September, according to government spokeswoman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

The government will cover 40% of the accommodation charge, up to 3,000 baht per night, and 40% of the plane ticket, up to 2,000 baht.

The Tour Teaw Thai package, according to Mr. Thanakorn, would be extended from the end of April to the end of September.

This initiative is designed to assist tour group operators by providing a 40% subsidy on trip packages.

The Association of Domestic Tourism, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Thailand’s Tourism Authority have joined forces to urge the government to keep subsidy programs in place to encourage domestic travel.

According to Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha, the Public Health Ministry hopes to identify Covid-19 as an endemic disease by July.

Mr. Sathit, speaking at the annual conference of the Private Hospital Association on the government’s Covid-19 policy, stated that if the conditions are met, the ministry should proceed with declaring Covid-19 an endemic disease on July 1 as planned.

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The Thai government is anticipated to propose eliminating the necessity for Thais returning from overseas to register for a Thailand Pass.

Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health said the government will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to reconsider the rule.

It was preserved for international arrivals, but Mr. Anutin said the CCSA will be requested to delete it in the future.

When asked if the emergency measure established to stop Covid-19 should be prolonged, Mr. Anutin said it was up to the prime minister to decide.

He, on the other hand, sees no problem with the decree being kept because it supports steps to limit the virus.

However, once the pandemic is dropped to endemic status, Mr. Anutin believes there would be no need for it because the country’s public health system is well-equipped to handle the situation.

Between April 29 and May 4, according to Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint, assistant spokeswoman for the CCSA, 213,958 people registered for Thailand Pass.

Dr. Sumanee said that 202,878 (94.8 percent) of them got their registrations authorized since the system has been made more convenient and the pass has been easier to obtain.

From May 1, the Test & Go program will be discontinued, and fully vaccinated travelers will not be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival. During their stay, they are encouraged to self-test with antigen kits.

Daily caseloads are lessening, according to Dr. Sumanee, with hospital room occupancy rates for severe cases down 20.1 percent, compared to a drop of 25 percent reported last week.

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Prior to experiencing depression, her husband Hamish Magoffin recalls how quickly she calls fall asleep. “She would lie down and get ready for bed, and she’d be asleep within a minute,” he said.

When Arthur was born in March 2021, sleep took a pinch, but the Thailand-based family quickly fell into a rhythm. Apart from the usual stresses of having a newborn, everything appeared to be in order, according to Magoffin.

Pranaiya, on the other hand, began to struggle after a few months. Breastfeeding was difficult, and the new mother thought she wasn’t able to provide her kid with enough milk.

Her milk ducts continued to clog, and life became a never-ending cycle of breastfeeding and pumping to get enough milk. “She grew fixated on it and began putting pressure on herself to get as much breast milk as she could,” Magoffin said.

After weeks of this, the couple decided to switch to formula in the hopes of lowering Pranaiya’s anxiety and improving her sleep. However, it did not work.

“It was just terrible. Her sleep just unraveled,” said Magoffin, explaining that instead of getting rest his wife of four years developed insomnia.

Pranaiya’s worry engulfed her, making it difficult for her to do anything.

The 37-year-old, who was once a busy mother, battled to get out of bed and was plagued by gloomy thoughts that eventually seized over.

Pranaiya killed herself and her baby Arthur on September 1, less than six months after giving birth and a month after being diagnosed with postpartum depression.

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A big study in the United States has discovered that the Omicron version of the SARS-CoV2 virus is intrinsically as virulent as prior variations, contrary to previous studies’ expectations that it was more transmissible but less deadly.

“We discovered that the risks of hospitalization and mortality were essentially comparable between eras,” stated four scientists who conducted the study based on 130,000 Covid-19 patient records, alluding to times in the last two years when different variations were dominant around the world.

The study, which was published on Research Square on May 2 and is currently undergoing peer review at Nature Portfolio, was adjusted for confounders such as demographics, vaccination status, and the Charlson comorbidity index, which predicts the risk of death within a year of hospitalization for patients with specific comorbid conditions.

According to the scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital, Minerva University, and Harvard Medical School, investigations assuming that the Omicron version was less severe were undertaken in a variety of locations, including South Africa, Scotland, England, and Canada.

They noted that their study could have numerous flaws, including the likelihood that it overestimated the number of vaccinated patients and the total number of illnesses in more recent Covid waves since it excluded patients who did at-home quick testing.

The best preventive measures to avoid catching the COVID virus are still vaccination, wearing masks, social distancing, and frequent washing of hands. If these basic measures are applied, the chances and severity of contracting the virus are greatly lessened.

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Following the loosening of Covid-19 limitations, Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority expects 83,500 flights per month at all airports by the end of the year, up from 44,500 now, according to deputy government spokesman Traisuree Taisaranakul.

Both international and domestic flights are projected to see significant increases, she added.

On Sunday, the Test & Go admission criteria were removed in an effort to attract more international tourists and help the kingdom compete with regional tourism-dependent rivals such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore.

Tourism operators and vacationers have expressed dissatisfaction with the requirement to register for the Thailand Pass before entering the country, and have urged the government to do away with it as well.

According to the Transport Ministry, over 17,000 passengers arrived on 96 international flights at Suvarnabhumi Airport on the first day after Test & Go’s departure, with another 4,000 arriving on 27 landings at Phuket Airport.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was pleased with the swift screening and document-checking process at international airports on Sunday, according to Ms. Traisuree, and praised all officials for a smooth changeover.

As of Sunday, 129,068 patients had received Covid-19 therapy, with 34,168 of them in hospitals. According to the Department of Disease Control’s daily update, the rest were in hospital facilities/field hospitals (15,870) or in-home/community isolation.

There were 1,751 extremely ill patients with lung inflammation at the hospital, with 824 on ventilators.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) stated on Monday afternoon that Bangkok had the most dangerously ill patients, with 149, followed by 89 in Nakhon Ratchasima, 68 in Kanchanaburi, 67 in Khon Kaen, and 61 in Ubon Ratchathani.

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Despite the downward trend in both categories, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the government would not rush to declare the coronavirus an endemic disease until the number of new cases falls below 10,000 and the death rate falls below 0.1 percent of patients treated in hospitals, according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

By July 1, the government aims to declare Covid-19 endemic.

Tourists have reacted positively to the government’s decision to repeal the Test & Go program, which took effect on Sunday.

Justin Chines, a 28-year-old American tourist, said he had previously visited Thailand in January and thought that his travel this time was easier because he needed to submit less documentation. He completed the Thailand Pass process in a matter of days, as opposed to three weeks the last time he came.

“I would say that it is very easy this time. I don’t need to show my RT-PCR result and apply for a hotel quarantine. It is very convenient. But I think it would be great if there was no longer a requirement for health insurance as it has put up the cost of travel,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chayatham Phromsorn, the Transport Ministry’s permanent secretary, examined the airport’s readiness on Sunday.

With the country reopened, he said foreign airports were ready to welcome more travelers.

He predicts that by 2024, the number of visitors will have increased to almost 100,000 people per day at Suvarnabhumi airport or 36.5 million passengers per year.

“All state agencies are now working together to smooth arrivals and departures and eliminate queues at Thailand Pass and immigration checkpoints,” he said.

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The cases along with the fatalities have begun to fall as the daily cases tally fall below 15,000 and the deaths fall below 100. This is a positive sign for the country’s desire to declare covid as endemic by July 1. Despite the downward trend in both categories, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the government would not rush to declare the coronavirus an endemic disease until the number of new cases falls below 10,000 and the death rate falls below 0.1 percent of patients treated in hospitals, according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

The 91 patients who died ranged in age from 28 to 101, with an average age of 79, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. One of them was a British citizen.

Seven people died as a result of the coronavirus in Nakhon Ratchasima, one more than in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Bangkok had only one death, but the capital’s neighboring provinces had ten. There were 22 deaths in other central plains provinces that were further away from the capital.

Vaccinations are still going strong, with 133.57 million doses given out as of Saturday. According to the government, 80.9 percent of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, 73.8 percent has received two doses, and 37.3 percent has received a booster shot.

A total of 35,325 patients were receiving Covid-19 therapy in hospitals as of Saturday. According to the department’s daily update, the rest were in hospital facilities/field hospitals (15,720) or in-home/community isolation (89,480).

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Southeast Asia is gradually shaking off the shackles of Covid-19 and reopening for travel, with airlines filling a growing number of seats as holiday-starved masses plan their first international vacation in two years.

While the region lags behind other parts of the world, such as North America and Europe, which reopened sooner, the increasing trend picked up speed in April. Ticket sales are on the rise as major tourist destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia reintroduce quarantine-free entrance for vaccinated visitors.

According to data compiled by analysts at Maybank Investment Bank Bhd, Google searches for travel to Singapore have increased, particularly from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Australia. Since the last week of March, the number of searches has increased by nearly 20%.

According to the country’s civil aviation authority, air passenger traffic to Singapore surpassed 400,000, or 31% more than pre-Covid levels, in the week ending April 17 after most travel restrictions for fully vaccinated people were relaxed at the beginning of the month.

According to the tourism ministry in Thailand, where international tourism accounts for around 15% of the country’s GDP, the number of foreign visitors increased by 38% in March compared to February following the relaxation of testing and health insurance requirements. Thailand relaxed entrance requirements for vaccinated travellers on April 1 and aims to replace required polymerase chain reaction testing for foreign visitors with antigen tests on May 1.

According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the number of tourists to Thailand increased by 358,364 from April 1 to April 27. (CCSA). Singaporeans were the most numerous, followed by visitors from the United Kingdom, and India.

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Many tourists still prefer Thailand’s regional counterparts for vacations such as Vietnam due to the less complicated process. Most of them do not favor the Thailand Pass requirement which became very confusing and expensive. They also mentioned that the process is hard to navigate.

An assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), Dr Sumanee Wacharasint, the government will vow to make the process smoother.

“The procedure involves checking vaccination certificates, proof of hotel bookings, insurance documents, and documents for booking RT-PCR tests upon arrival,” said Dr. Sumanee said.

Beginning May 1, the Test and Go program has been canceled. Meaning tourists no longer need to book the expensive RT-PCR packages to enter the country. It is now been replaced by an ATK test upon arrival for fully vaccinated passengers. This has become a problem for hotels that have had bookings since April since they would now need to refund the customers.

The option for ATK testing is only available for fully vaccinated people. “Therefore, Thailand Pass registration has remained in place, and there should be no problems from May 1. But the CCSA will monitor the situation regularly. If the situation improves, a further easing of entry rules is expected to follow,” she said.

From May 1, fully vaccinated visitors will not be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival. They will be urged to self-test with antigen kits during their stay. Vaccinated travelers must register for entry via Thailand Pass and present proof of vaccination. If they test positive, they can enter their Covid-19 insurance process or take care of their own treatment.

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Individuals and organizations who donate to the government, import medications, medical supplies, and medical equipment for public charity, and buy antigen test kits (ATK) for their staff will see their tax benefits extended by the cabinet on Tuesday.

All of these are recognized as aiding the government’s virus-containment efforts.

The cabinet authorized a draught of three royal decrees relating to revenue exemptions, according to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

A proposed royal decree would extend a corporate income tax deduction and a personal income tax deduction for companies and individuals that donate to the government’s efforts to reduce Covid-19 infections using the Excise Department’s e-donation system, from March 5, 2022, to December 31, 2023.

Individuals can claim a personal income tax deduction of up to 10% of their net income, while businesses can claim a corporate income tax deduction of up to 2% of their net profit.

The second royal decree extends from March 5, 2022, to December 31, 2023, a value-added tax exemption for corporations or legal partnerships that import medical supplies intended to cure or prevent infections for state clinical facilities, public healthcare units, and public organizations.

The third royal order extends the 50% corporate income tax benefit for enterprises that buy ATKs for their employees for another nine months, from April 1, 2022, until December 31, 2022. On September 14, 2021, the cabinet approved a draught royal decree regarding a revenue exemption to support ATK procurement.

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The country is planning to declare the disease endemic however threats of a fresh wave may hamper its progress. Dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Prasit Watanapa said in his message on Monday.

Many want to see an end to the pandemic as it has hampered many movements and progress. It has shut down borders and countries struggled economically as they try to cope with the changes. During the Siriraj Hospital Facebook session, he said the virus is still spreading and could still lead to an outbreak. The best defense the country could have is to fully vaccinate everyone to reduce severe symptoms and deaths.

“This is a critical point,” he said pertaining to the relaxation of measures. “Several countries are still battling infections.”

“[Steps] to stimulate the economy and bring in money could bring back COVID-19,” he said. “So we must mitigate the risks by focusing on prevention and treatment.” He also noted that “it is best to vaccinate people and give boosters [for protection].”

He mentioned that more than 2 million Thais are not vaccinated and 10% have received one dose. The reasons for the low death rate are that Omicron has less severe symptoms and that a lot of people are already vaccinated. Omicron is notably more transmissible but less deadly than the Delta variant.

Declaring the disease endemic does not mean COVID-19 is no longer life-threatening. It could be compared to dengue and malaria which is not a pandemic but hundreds of thousands of deaths a year can be attributed to it. Malaria alone claims about 400,000 lives a year.

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15 provinces aim to declare COVID as endemic but require the approval of the Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Dr. Suthep Petchmak, inspector-general of the ministry, said that approval is necessary before making any announcement.

He didn’t say who the 15 were, but Songkhla was one of them. Because 80 percent of the population has got a Covid-19 vaccine and 30 percent has received boosters, the southern province is ready to declare Covid-19 endemic.

Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent-secretary for public health informed Dr. Suthep Petchmark of this requirement. The Department of Disease Control has already drafted the criteria but was not yet discussed them with EOC.

According to the National Communicable Disease Committee, provinces with less than 10,000 new cases per day and a death rate of less than 0.1 percent can be designated as endemic. Another need is that over 80% of persons who are at risk have received coronavirus vaccination doses. Dr. Suthep believes Covid-19 will be labeled an endemic disease by July 1 if no new coronavirus variants develop.

Meanwhile, Kittipong Kittikachorn, the director of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said the airport will examine extending its ability to accept more international passengers from other organizations.

Health restrictions have been removed by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. International arrivals are expected to increase beginning May 1, and the airport wants to avoid overcrowding, according to Mr. Kittipong.

The country is currently monitoring the post-Songkran wave as it tries to ensure that it is on track to declare that the disease is endemic by July 1.

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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha approved the proposal submitted to the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). “Tourism is recovering and antigen tests will be more convenient and faster for visitors,” Gen Prayut said.

“Many countries are relaxing travel restrictions significantly and our country depends considerably on tourism to support our economy,” the prime minister said.

Despite calls by tourist executives to abolish it because it is cumbersome and time-consuming, the Thailand Pass registration system remains in place. According to a website update made on Friday, applications under the revised conditions will be accepted beginning April 29.

Visitors who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 will no longer be screened when they arrive. During their stay, it is suggested that they self-test utilizing antigen kits. He indicated that if they tested positive, they may start the Covid-19 insurance process or handle their own therapy.

Unvaccinated travelers would be welcome if they could show documentation of a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of their departure.

They’d be isolated for five days, with another RT-PCR test on the fourth or fifth day. During their stay, they should also conduct self-antigen testing.

Visitors who pose a high danger would be quarantined for five days. For all foreign entrants, the minimum Covid-19 insurance coverage would be $10,000.

Visitors arriving by land must be properly vaccinated and pass self-antigen tests if they plan to remain for less than two days. They wouldn’t be able to enter the country otherwise.

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The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) approved the replacement of the RT-PCR test with an ATK Test. As the country is on track to fully reopen, the government decides to retain the Thailand Pass system but forgo the PCR test. This would help attract more tourists to come to the country.

Operators say that Thailand is looking to meet a goal of 1.5 trillion baht this year from the tourism industry. Many operators are not happy that the Thailand Pass was retained since the insurance could deter other travelers. Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Yuthasak Supasorn, the ATK test is unnecessary, it is only a recommendation.

On May 1, entry rules are based on immunization status. Everyone who has been immunized, regardless of country, can utilize the “vaccinated travel free lane” to have their Thailand Pass registration checked and then exit the airport without having to undergo any tests.

Those who have not been vaccinated have two choices: show a negative RT-PCR test upon arrival or make a reservation for alternate quarantine (AQ) lodging for a five-day period of isolation. Arrivals into AQ lodging accounted for less than 5% of total arrivals in the last few months.

“Half of the tourism revenue tally in 2019 of 3 trillion baht is our target this year,” Mr. Yuthasak said. “However, we need to push the domestic market more. Early next month, we will decide how to extend the ‘We Travel Together’ stimulus scheme to maintain positive momentum for the low season.”

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Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will discuss the easing of COVID-19 measures. This includes the possible removal or easing of the Test and Go scheme and Thailand Pass. Part of the changes suggested is to change the RT-PCR test on arrival into an ATK test. Also, for unvaccinated travelers, the quarantine period could be reduced.

Gen Supoj Malaniyom, chief of the CCSA’s operations center said that it is highly likely that the Thailand Pass process will remain in place. This is for safety reasons as the country faces a surge in cases and the constant threat of new variants. The process will be adjusted to make it more convenient for all travelers.

William E Heinecke, founder, and chairman of Minor International sent a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha requesting to terminate the Thailand Pass and Test and Go scheme like other countries. These processes have greatly hampered the expected revival of the tourism industry.

“It is time for Thailand to follow suit, remove all travel obstacles and resume pre-pandemic entry rules,” he wrote.

If the CCSA approves, it is likely that the changes will be implemented by May 1. It will apply to all borders of Thailand on both air and land travel.

The CCSA will also reassess the zoning of the provinces accordingly. They will base it on the latest data of a number of cases. Based on this, they will plan on further easing the restrictions as well as moving towards categorizing COVID-19 as endemic.

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The fatalities recorded yesterday equaled the peak record of the omicron wave at 129 fatalities. The cases are expected to rise after the Songkran Holidays due to the massive movement of people heading back to their provinces. The government has prepared for the expected cases with an estimate of 50,000 a day. Hospital beds are prepared as well as medicines for those who will be recommended to self-isolate.

Many local governments were preparing for this scenario as there were reported incidents of violations regarding the recommended COVID measures. Among them were water splashing events that happened without proper event permits.

Many relaxations of measures highly depend on the management of the Songkran holidays. Among the possible relaxation is the removal of the Test and Go package and the Thailand pass. They will be replaced by COVID vaccination passports. However, if the cases surge above the estimated number, there is a high chance that these measures remain in place.

A proposal was sent by the Tourism Authority of Thailand requesting the Test and Go package to be removed like other countries. This would help revive the ailing tourism industry of the country. The current Test and Go package prove to be cumbersome for many tourists. The price of the package is too high for some who decided to put off their summer vacations.

TAT estimates that removing these measures could generate up to 11 million tourists to arrive in the country before the end of the year.

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The Department of Disease Control (DoDC) estimates that the country’s herd immunity is at 50%. This is far from the recommended 80%. DoDC epidemiology division Director Dr. Chakkarat Pitayowonganon tallied the reports based on recorded data. About 10% of the total population has contracted the virus thus far. He added these numbers to those who are fully vaccinated with a booster shot and the total reached 50%.

He said that the best solution is to continue to push everyone to obtain booster shots. This goes especially for the elderly and those with underlying illnesses.

Most of the people who were vaccinated were of the working age, during the Songkran holidays, it was also the time when most of them attended gatherings. The risk of them contracting the virus is minimal since they have mostly received their booster shots. On the other hand, for the elderly and those at risk, only 55% of them are vaccinated. They are the ones at risk of contracting the virus which raises concerns of high caseloads, post-Songkran.

Although the cases are falling, it can also stem from lesser RT-PCR tests and ATK tests conducted. There might be cases that are active but not recorded. There are many things that are riding on the results of the Songkran holidays. If it is successfully contained, among the changes that could be implemented is the easing of restrictions and full reopening of the country. This could mean that the Test and Go package could be replaced by an ATK test as early as May 1.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 20, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The seven dangerous days closed with 1,917 accidents resulting in 1,869 injuries and 278 fatalities. Nirat Pongsitthithaworn, deputy interior permanent secretary reported the figures. On Sunday there were 188 traffic accidents, injuring 171 people and killing 31.

The province of Chiang Rai had the most accidents, with 66. Chiang Mai had the most injured individuals (63), while Bangkok had the greatest death toll (13). Mr. Nirat claimed Nakhon Phanom, Pattani, Yala, Ranong, Samut Sakhon, and Sing Buri provinces were devoid of traffic fatalities.

Thirteen of the 7,141 people charged with drunk driving were ordered by the court to wear an electronic monitoring device and be barred from leaving their homes for seven days from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. – ten in Ubon Ratchathani and three in Sukhothai.

During the same year, Mr. Witthawal added, the number of drivers charged with drink-driving increased by 1,080 from 6,061 in 2021.

He stated that everyone found guilty of drunk driving will be evaluated. Those judged to be at danger of developing an alcohol addiction would be referred to a Public Health Ministry-run medical institution for treatment.

Those who are determined to be in danger of repeating the offense will be placed in a three-day rehabilitation and behavioral modification camp. They would also have to report to probation officials on a regular basis and undertake community work for a fixed amount of time, according to Mr. Witthawal.

The post Drunk Driving Tops the Seven Dangerous Days appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The plan to declare the disease as an endemic by July is still on track according to the Ministry of Public Health. The Director of the epidemiology division of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Dr. Chakkarat Pitayowonganon said that at least 2-4 weeks are needed to evaluate if the cases will increase or not. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) gave a worst-case scenario of 100,000 cases a day.

“Right now, we see a decline in the number of daily infections from about 30,000 RT-PCR tests per day before the Songkran festival to only 16,000 cases per day,” Dr. Chakkarat said.

Currently, the number of cases requiring ventilators and hospital beds has also increased. Based on the data obtained by the ministry, for the past seven days, the average number of fatalities is 107. 90% of the 107 cases are among the elderly.

“Personally, I am not much worried about the infections after the festival because the risk group is working people who develop fewer symptoms,” Dr. Chakkarat said.

“Many have already received one or two booster doses. But the problem is that they can transmit the disease to old people in their families. We may see more deaths among the elderly,” he said.

He also said that if there are new variants that would appear, there is a chance it could be endemic. Among the things the government must do is to convince 2 million elderly citizens to complete their vaccinations. Some of them have not yet obtained their first shot. Having both shots, reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 19, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Interior Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Nirat Pongsithithavorn said the figures were reported by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and concerned agencies.

Based on the data reported, the main cause of the accidents is speeding at 41.49% and drunk driving at 25.31%. In addition, out of the 1,720 accidents, motorcycles account for 84.34% and pick-up trucks for 6.43%. The report added that the accidents commonly peat from 6:01 PM – 7:00 PM with an average of 10.37% of the total accidents.

Most of the accidents have been reported from Highway Department roads at 38.59% followed by village roads at 38.17%. It is also noted that most of the accidents occurred on straight roads with an average of 80.91%.

Chiang Rai recorded the most accidents at 11 and deaths at 3 and Lampang with the most injuries at 11.

A total of 56,324 officials were deployed to man 1,900 checkpoints across the country. 410,818 vehicles were pulled over for safety checks and 70,180 drivers were charged. 19,264 of those charged were due to not wearing a helmet while 18,388 were not carrying a driver’s license.

The final record of the seven dangerous days will be disclosed in the next few days. Sunday marks the last day of the seven dangerous days and is also expected to record the most accidents. This is partly due to the massive number of people returning to work on Monday.

The post Thailand Songkran Updates – Day 6 Results in 241 Additional Accidents appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Ministry of Public Health urges businesses and organizations to ask employees to work from home for the next seven days. This is to prevent a sharp rise in cases after the Songkran holidays. Director of the Department of Disease Control’s Epidemiology Division Chakrarat Pittawawonganon estimates a 20%-30% rise in cases if no measures are taken.

He advised businesses to allow 5-7 days to work from home as well as urge employees to take an ATK test. This will prevent the spread of COVID-19 in workplaces. He added that a booster shot is recommended for those who belong to at-risk groups. These include the elderly and those with underlying health concerns. At this time, only 37% of this population have received a booster shot, 23% below the government’s target of 60%.

According to the secretary-general of the National Security Council and director of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), Supot Malaniyom the agency will meet this week to evaluate the trends and decide what measures must be implemented.

The discussions will discuss a possible reopening of schools and a change in travel policies to attract more tourists. These are plans in place to declare the disease as endemic by July, as initially estimated by the agency.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed various health-related bodies and agencies to ramp up testing. He also urged them to ensure that enough beds are available for isolation as well as for those with critical conditions. The government foresees an uptick of cases after the holidays and the effectiveness of its handling will affect many decisions for the next few months.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 18, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

From April 11-15, there were 1,478 road accidents resulting in 1,452 people’s injuries and 204 fatalities. Interior Ministry deputy permanent secretary Nirat Pongsithithavorn said on Saturday, citing a report from the Road Safety Centre. The accidents were 18% lower than the recorded accidents last year. Last year recorded 2,400 accidents resulting in 2,357 injuries and 277 deaths during the seven dangerous days.

On Friday, there were 277 recorded accidents resulting in 263 injuries and 44 deaths nationwide.

The main cause of these accidents remains to be speeding (39.35%), followed by drunk driving (28.5%). Motorcycles accounted for 77.7% of the accidents as in previous years.

Chiang Mai recorded the highest number of accidents at 60 resulting in 58 injuries and 8 deaths.

Twelve provinces have reported zero deaths so far: Trang, Nakhon Phanom, Bueng Kan, Prachin Buri, Pattani, Yala, Ranong, Lamphun, Samut Songkhram, Sing Buri, Nong Bua Lam Phu, and Amnat Charoen.

Heavy traffic is expected in Bangkok as many returns to the capital as the holidays come to a close. This is the day that the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation expects the most accidents. In response, they have closed the areas that are prone to accidents that will congest other roads. Those traveling back to Bangkok would expect to be met with heavy traffic.

The seven dangerous days conclude today as the holidays come to an end.

The post Thailand Songkran Updates – Death Toll Passed 200 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Ministry of Public Health has been ordered to prepare for a COVID surge upon people’s return to work. The long Songkran Holidays have prompted many to back home to their provinces and are set to return today. Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha have given the order to the ministry.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that the PM instructed them to prepare their response. There will be clusters of COVID cases when people come back to the capital. The PM instructed various health bodies to be prepared to respond.

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) increased its manpower to prepare for the surge in cases. They also advised everyone to observe their symptoms for the next few days. People are asked to look out for fever, cough, or runny nose, he said.

It is also recommended that people could conduct regular antigen tests to see if they are positive or not. Also, they want to ensure that patients keep a record of their travel history to make it easier to trace.

The government is confident that there are enough medical supplies as well as hospital beds for the patients. The PM also wants the Ministry of Public Health to inform the public about the “long COVID”

“Long Covid is real. Don’t be fooled by the illusion that Covid-19 is more or less like the common flu, takes a little time to recover from, and will soon become an endemic disease,” said Dr. Thira Woratanarat, an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 17, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Chiang Mai leads the most accidents at 14 resulting in 16 injuries while Lampang and Sa Keo provinces lead the fatalities at 3 each.

The current tally for the country since the seven dangerous days began is 1,195 road accidents, with 157 killed and 1,185 injuries. Chiang Mai leads with the most accidents at 44 while Nakhon Si Thammarat reported the most injuries at 43. Lampang had the most fatalities standing at 7. Only sixteen provinces remain accident-free.

Speeding was the most common issue in accidents. Department director-general Boontham Lertsukheekasem said that they are focusing on areas that people tend to visit a lot. These are areas where checkpoints are in the place where police check the alcohol level of drivers.

This is significantly lower than the peak of Songkran back when the pandemic haven not spread. After two years of hiatus from the pandemic, this is the first year people could travel back to their provinces to visit their loved ones.

The authorities are expecting the number of accidents to rise by Sunday when people will be traveling back to their homes. They expect the accidents to peak on this day and in preparation, they will tighten the measures to ensure road safety.

The seven dangerous days is a tally of accidents that occur in the country during the Songkran festival. This is due to the large number of people going back home to their provinces to celebrate.

The post Thailand Songkran Updates – The Seven Dangerous Days appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

In a recent study of COVID transmissibility in public spaces such as public toilets and elevators, experts found that people could get infected easily. This prompted experts to warn the public not to remove face masks when in such places.

A team of researchers from Chulabhorn Research Institute led by Researcher Kwanrawee Sirikanchana conducted the study. Public spaces like public toilets increase the risk of airborne transmission. The study was published in the Journal of Water and Health. The study focuses on the effects of facemasks and ventilation on the transmissibility of COVID in public toilets.

The study focused on the scenario of using public toilets after an infected person has used them. One subject used a face mask while the other used an N95 or surgical face mask. The study concluded that there is a 10% chance that the next person could catch COVID. It shows a 100% possibility if the person was not wearing any masks. The risk is reduced to 0.01% when a mask is worn or of there is a 10-minute wait time in between. Face masks offered the best solution when in such public places.

Thammanitchpol Denpetkul, a lecturer at the faculty of tropical medicine at Mahidol University said that the COVID particles are as small as that of the PM 2.5 dust particles. In such instances, N95, KN95, KF94, and FFP2 offer the most effective protection.

“Some cloth masks may not be good enough to protect against the virus … but if someone uses an N95 mask and wears it properly, the risk is one in 100,000,” he said.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 16, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported 237 accidents on Monday, 301 on Tuesday, and 331 on Wednesday. On Monday there were 26 deaths associated with these accidents and 47 on Tuesday. The number dropped to 40 by Wednesday.

The so-called Seven Dangerous days began on Monday, marking the week of the Songkran Festival where many people will be traveling back to their provinces to be with their families to celebrate. The massive exodus has seen a huge number of accidents for the past years and it has formed the perception of these deadly days.

Police said earlier that those 1,937 checkpoints were set up for strict traffic law enforcement and 1,430 for alcohol checks, with about 80,000 officers on duty across all departments.

In the first three days, there were 869 accidents, 113 accident-related deaths, and 835 injuries reported.

Khon Kaen and Nakon Si Thammarat had reported the most accidents, at 33 each, while the southern province also led in total injuries, at 36. Samut Sakhon had the most road deaths from Monday-Wednesday, with six.

Department director-general Boontham Lertsukheekasem said on Thursday that attention was being shifted to bringing down road accidents on secondary routes, as most travelers had now reached home or tourist destinations.

He expected small roads would see more accidents until people were heading back at the end of the holiday.

Stay tuned for daily updates on the Thailand Songkran updates.

The post Thailand Songkran Updates – Road Accidents Caused by Alcohol appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The government is urging foreigners and locals to abide by the COVID preventive measures during the Songkran period. In Bangkok and Phuket, tourists and locals were found joining water splashing events without any COVID measures in place. The government responded by increasing patrols to supervise places commonly attended by foreigners.

“The government and the CCSA would like to ask for the full cooperation of locals and tourists instead of strictly enforcing the ban as we do not want to ruin the festive spirit,” said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

“We hope to not see anyone splashing water along Khao San Road and any other public spaces.”

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned about the possible spike in cases after Songkran. Without any measures in place, experts fear it could reach 100,000 a day. This can overload health systems and hamper the plans of the country to ease measures.

Among the plans that are in place is the scrapping of the Thailand Pass and Test and Go scheme to attract more tourists. An increase in local cases could delay these plans by months and the economy will suffer.

Business operators and local governments are advised to inform tourists that water-splashing events are banned. There are other Songkran activities that are allowed but in a designated COVID-controlled area.

“Those who are going to celebrate the festival, especially young people, are advised to carefully observe their health and avoid having close contact with children, elderly people, and sick people when they come back home,” he said.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 15, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will present the proposal. If approved, the changes will take effect by May 1, 2022. The aim would be to attract more tourists to revive the tourism industry.

Part of the changes will be the use of vaccine passports instead of applying through the Thailand Pass system. Mr. Phiphat said the ministry estimates that at least 10 million tourist arrivals, and 1-1.5 trillion baht in tourism income. This hinges on what travel policies each country formulates at this stage of the pandemic.

“Thailand is ready to welcome back foreign visitors as our public health system is adequately equipped,” he said.

“However, there has been concern about the number of domestic deaths caused by Covid-19, while daily caseloads of infections after Songkran will also be taken into account when the government considers further reopening the country to tourists,” Mr. Phiphat said.

On April 1, 2022, the government scrapped the requirement of an RT-PCR test prior to traveling to the country. Also, RT-PCR tests on arrival for foreign visitors are also expected to be replaced by antigen tests from next month.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said more than 100,000 hotel rooms have been booked under the government’s “We Travel Together” scheme during Songkran. The scheme allows participants to pay only 60% off normal room rates, with the government responsible for the rest. The subsidy was initially capped at 3,000 baht per night for up to five consecutive nights in the first stage but has now been stretched to 10 nights.

The post Thailand Travel Updates – Test and Go appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Soi Bang La at Patong beach in Phuket held a water-splashing event despite the ban. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed the local government to advise tourists about the ban. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the PM expressed concerns regarding the event.

Aside from Phuket, other local governments were also advised regarding the water-splashing ban and to monitor their areas. The ban was in place to avoid large gatherings and a possible surge in cases. There were instances where people were not wearing masks during the event.

The water-splashing is the main highlight of the famous festival and there are designated areas to perform it. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has put in place measures to ensure that Songkran will not result in a surge in cases. Among the measures is to perform a self-test (ATK Test) prior to meeting up with elders to avoid putting them at risk.

Phuket deputy governor Anupab Yodrabam responded with units in place to monitor and ban the splash. He said that the Bang La incident will not be repeated again.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj Gen Yingyot Thepjamnong said there are designated areas where events may take place. These areas are controlled with COVID-19 preventive measures. For areas holding massive events, powder dabbing, foam parties, and the sale of alcohol will not be allowed.

These areas require a test prior to entering the event and upon exiting the event. Social distancing is strictly observed with one person for every 4 sq meters is allowed. Also, only those who are fully vaccinated may access the venue.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 14, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Starting next month, the length of the home isolation stay will be reduced from seven days to five days. Director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Opas Karnkawinpong said that the National Communicable Disease Committee (NCDC) agreed on Monday to reduce the isolation period.

“The decision is in line with the global situation,” Dr. Opas told a media briefing. He added that the people isolated at home are not considered patients. Currently, the procedure is to self-isolate for seven days and further monitor for three days. During the three days, there is allowed freedom of movement but with strict regulations. This includes social distancing and wearing a mask.

Despite the threat of cases surging after the Songkran period, the government understands that they have to reopen as soon as possible to revive the economy. Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that the government has to relax rules like other countries. This will help the ailing economy from the pandemic that ruled for 2 years.

The government is set to change the status of COVID-19 from a pandemic to an endemic. This is currently threatened by a spike in cases after the Songkran festival. Also, an emergence of a new variant could stop the status change. Among the things that the government has to continue to push is the vaccination of the population. There are still a number of people who have not received their second dose or booster shot. Another possible threat is the overwhelming of the health care systems due to a large spike in cases.

Any relaxation of rules depends on how the public will cooperate during the Songkran season.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 13, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The government urges the public to obtain their booster shots as the 2+1 formula is proven to be effective against COVID. The Department of Medical Sciences (DoMS) said that this formula is particularly good against the BA.2 sub-lineage.

A study was conducted on volunteers from Siriraj Hospital who monitored the immune response to BA.1 and BA.2 variants. DoMS director-general Supakit Sirilak only 70% of the total vaccines distributed were including a second dose or a booster.

They also expect that in the next coming weeks, BA.2 will become the dominant strain as BA.1 is not as contagious. Delta has now disappeared from the daily cases.

Dr. Supakit said the two-week study revealed double doses plus a booster shot of most mix-and-match formulas provided more effective immunity against BA.2 than BA.1. The findings confirmed that BA.2 cannot evade an immune response after a full vaccination and a booster shot. This should allay many people’s earlier fears, according to the director-general.

A booster is given as part of the mix-and-match vaccine format — such as two doses of Sinovac plus an AstraZeneca booster shot — has proven to deliver a sustained immunity at high levels, even three months after having received the booster shot. Dr Supakit said the immunity increase from two AstraZeneca doses plus a Pfizer booster shot was being studied.

According to research, double doses reduce fatalities up to fivefold while a double dose with a booster shot can achieve 31 times greater protection.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 12, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Dr. Prasit Watanapa, dean of Siriraj Hospital’s medical school under Mahidol University says cases could soar to 100,000 daily after the Songkran festival. According to the Public Ministry, most of the casualties are from those who have not received any vaccine. Also, underlying health concerns came as a factor.

The government continued to urge the population to complete their vaccinations before the Songkran festival. The massive exodus of people going home to their respective provinces could put the elderly at risk. He also added that around a million of those aged 60 and above have not yet been vaccinated.

“The message is: Don’t think one can be safe from the virus by staying at home. The virus can come knocking on your door during the festival when children and grandchildren come for a visit,” he said.

Before declaring COVID an endemic, the accepted casualty rate is at 0.01% which means for every 10,000 cases, there will be 10 casualties. At the moment, the fatality rate is 4 times above the acceptable rate. He then added that after Songkran, the estimated daily caseloads are at 50,000 – 100,000  a day.

To avoid overwhelming the health support system, the deaths should be kept below 200. He also added that the number of cases should be controlled to avoid overwhelming medical facilities.

Meanwhile, there are no additional reports of the XE variant in the country. It was initially expected to be more contagious but no cases have been reported recently.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 11, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The full moon night party returns to Koh Phangan this month in the hopes of boosting tourism. The full moon party is held once a month in Koh Phangan, Surat Thani. It has been a major draw for party seekers. This all-night party can draw up to 30,000 attendees.

The last party was held on February 8, 2022, before the COVID pandemic struck the nation. There were many attempts to relaunch the party but were unsuccessful. As travel restrictions are being eased, the local tourism team tried to slowly revive the event.

This year, the country plans to declare COVDI-19 as an endemic by July. Part of the restrictions lifted was the Songkran travel ban that was active for two years. Also, the government is slowly removing restrictions from the Thailand pass to encourage more tourists.

Thawit Somwang, president of the Haad Rin Tourism Association, said the April 16 party will stick to the “Back to the Roots” concept. Organizers have sought permission from local authorities to go ahead with the party and they were confident the request will be granted.

“But to be honest, we don’t have high hopes [for the April 16 party] since it is now the low tourist season and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has caused a significant drop in visitors from Israel, France, and the US,” he said.

The party must comply with the regulations issued by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), meaning it must wind down by 11 pm. However, Mr. Thawit said that in his view, the authorities should allow the party to continue until 1 am or 2 am the next morning.

The post Thailand COVID Update April 10, 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Mr. Sathit said that foreigners arriving in Thailand will take an ATK test at the airport. He added that additional airport staff will be deployed to ensure that procedures will be followed. Tourists will be able to wait for the results as the test will only take 15-30 minutes to complete. There will be no need to book SHA plus hotels to take an RT-PCR test and wait 24 hours in.

This decision was made to attract more tourists and revive the tourism economy of the country.

“The CCSA meeting discussed a number of measures as well as the easing of entry rules which will take effect next month,” he said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that they will consider easing travel restrictions to allow more tourists in the country.

“We will try our best to balance public health and the economy,” the prime minister said.

The easing of travel restrictions will depend heavily on the situation after the Songkran festival.

CCSA spokesman, Taweesilp Wisanuyothin said that they have agreed in principle but are yet to finalize.

“The prime minister wants to evaluate infection rates after the long break,” he said.

The rate of new infections from tourists entering Thailand from the beginning of this month would also be taken into consideration.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 25,298 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 98 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 22,033 patients recovered from the COVID-19 virus.

The post Thailand Travel Update April-May appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

On Friday, the government will consider dropping the on-arrival RT-PCR test requirement for tourists. This is in line with the further plan to ease restrictions towards a full reopening of the country.

Deputy prime minister and public health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul talked about the proposal. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) will submit a proposal to end RT-PCR tests to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

“If approved [by the CCSA], foreign travelers would only need to take antigen tests upon arrival,” Mr. Anutin said.

Director-general of the DDC, Opas Karnkawinpong, said the new rules will apply after the Songkran festival. However, a source at the CCSA said the shift to antigen tests may take effect next month.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will chair the CCSA meeting on Friday to assess the Songkran Covid-19 situation.

Large numbers of people are expected to join the festival this year when they return to their home provinces.

“Precautions will be put in place to prepare for inter-provincial travel and activities during the festival,” Mr. Thanakorn said.

The Director of the DDC’s epidemiology division, Jakkarat Pittayawong-anont said that the Public Health Ministry predicts that the cases would top at 50,000 a day four days after Songkran. This is if there are no precautions taken.

“The situation after Songkran could worsen as a result of social gatherings, inter-provincial travel, and the vulnerability of unvaccinated elderly people being exposed to infections during the festival,” Dr. Jakkarat said.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 8, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Patients suffering from lung inflammation that would require the use of ventilators may spike after Songkran. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) warned of the possible consequences of not following the measures in place during the festival.

The Director of the DDC’s Risk Communication and Health Behavioral Development Bureau, Dr. Sumanee Wacharasint provided the details. Currently, 781 patients are on ventilators out of 1,862 experiencing lung inflammation.

During the press briefing, she said the number “continues its rising trend and is expected to increase further after Songkran.”

Based on the graphics provided, the cases are expected to peak during the first week of May. The estimate shows that 1,600 patients could end up using ventilators. This is if the universal COVID prevention measures are not followed.

For the past 7 days, the daily deaths have surpassed 80 a day. Many of the fatalities had underlying health issues and the elderly. About half of the fatalities have not received any vaccination.

“Vaccine immunity wears off after around three months. Therefore, it is necessary, particularly for the elderly and at-risk groups, to get boosters to prevent the worst effects of the virus,” Dr. Sumanee said.

People who plan to return to their home provinces during the festival have been urged to monitor and observe their health conditions in advance, including taking self-antigen tests.

Jakkarat Pittayawong-anont, director of the DDC’s epidemiology division, said that more Covid-19 infections and deaths have been detected among young children recently — including 27 deaths among children aged under five in the latest wave caused by the Omicron variant.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 7, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

There were also an additional 10,884 cases that tested positive through an ATK test. This was not added to the daily tally reported. The 91 fatalities included a Myanmar national and a five-month-old baby. The range of their ages is between five months and 96 years old.

Bangkok had 17 new deaths while there were also four in adjacent Samut Prakan province. Other central plain provinces further from the capital recorded 22 deaths – six in Lop Buri, three each in Sa Kaeo, Chon Buri, and Rayong, two in Trat, and one each in Saraburi, Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Phetchaburi, and Suphan Buri.

The Northeast had 19 fatalities – six in Si Sa Ket, two each in Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram, Sakon Nakhon, Yasothon, and Ubon Ratchathani, and one each in Nong Bua Lam Phu, Surin, and Loei. The South reported 15 deaths – three each in Phatthalung and Songkhla, two in Nakhon Si Thammarat, and one each in Krabi, Surat Thani, Trang, Satun, Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani.

The North saw 14 more coronavirus-related fatalities – four in Kamphaeng Phet, three in Sukhothai, two in Phetchabun, and one each in Tak, Lampang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Phayao.

Of the new infections in the general population, 20,710 were confirmed at hospitals and 261 via mass testing.

Bangkok had the most cases at 3,286, followed by 1,076 in Chon Buri, 925 in Nonthaburi, 884 in Samut Prakan, and 679 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 629 in Samut Sakhon, 583 in Nakhon Pathom, 518 in Buri Ram, 517 in Rayong and 491 in Songkhla.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 5, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

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For most parents, the future of their children is a key issue, and right from the start, it’s important to choose a school that will guarantee their success when they become school leavers, and ready for university.

Yet, in the early years, it’s impossible to guess whether your child would be better suited to the all-inclusive International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or to the UK A-Level system, which allows a choice of subjects, best suited to their chosen future.

Regents, with 25 years of academic success, is the first in the area to offer 16 to 18-year-old pupils both choices, allowing parents and pupils, with the guidance of their teachers, to choose which path will guarantee the child’s achievement in life.
 
A level students choose their key best subjects, specifically selected for their choice of a university course, whilst the IB Diploma offers a breadth of subjects ideal for students who want to develop skills in a wide range of subjects, along with critical thinking skills and is accepted by universities globally.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family to our campus. If you have any questions, please send them to admissions@regents-pattaya.co.th.

Our school prioritizes the safety of our students, families, and staff. To support this and ensure our community stays safe, please supply a negative ATK test prior to your visit, and maintain a 1.5m distance while wearing a mask during your time with us.

The post Regents International School Pattaya appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

आशीष करपे ( कार्यवाह ) अद्रीश ब्रम्हदत्ता  ( सहकार्यवाह) दिपक पाण्डेय ( सहकार्यवाह ) 

कपिल राय  ( बौद्धिक प्रमुख) विनय पाण्डेय  (शारीरिक प्रमुख )  जीमी मिश्रा ( प्रचार प्रमुख  ) एवं दिनेश मुंड्रा जी ( संपर्क प्रमुख)  सहित अन्य नियुक्तियो सहित  तीन राज्यो के विभाग प्रमुख तथा सह विभाग प्रमुख कि नियुक्ति घोषणा कि गयी । उत्सव में हिन्दू नूतन वर्ष उत्सव तथा आद्यसरसंघचालक प्रणाम पर  प्रेरणारायी बौद्धिक विश्व विभाग के सहसंयोजक अनिल वर्तक जी द्वारा रखी गयी ।

      उत्सव आनलाइन रहा जिसमें सैकड़ो स्वयंसेवक तथा सेविका बहन जुड़ी रहीं उक्त जानकारी प्रचार प्रमुख ज़िम्मी द्वारा दी गई

The post हिन्दू स्वयंसेवक संघ थाईलैंड वर्ष प्रतिपदा उत्सव ऑनलाइन मनाया appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Thailand celebrated the Pratipada festival like every year, this year also according to the federal system.  In the Pratipada festival, before the flag hoisting, the Adyasarsanghchalak salute was done.  During the festival, as usual, appointments were also announced in the federal approach, in which today the appointment of the Honorable Sanghchalak of Thailand was announced by the Honorable World Department co-convenor Anil Vartak, the same Honorable Sanghchalak Naveen Sharma Ji also announced the appointments of the National Executive in which

 Ashish Karpe (Professor) Adrish Bramhadatta (Sahkaryavaah) Deepak Pandey (Sahkaryavah)

 Kapil Rai (Intellectual Head) Vinay Pandey (Physical Head) Jimmy Mishra (Propaganda Head) and Dinesh Mundra Ji (Contact Head) along with other appointments were announced as the Head of Department and Co-Department Head of three states.  The festival, the inspiration for the Hindu New Year festival and Aadisarsanghchalak Pranam was laid by the co-convener of the Intellectual World Department, Anil Vartak Ji.

       The festival was online in which hundreds of volunteers and sevika sisters were associated, the above information was given by the head of the campaign.

The post Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Celebrated Thailand Varsha Pratipada Festival Online appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

On Saturday, the Center for Medical Genomics in Ramathibodi Hospital reported the mutant hybrid of the BA.1 and BA.2 variants. The XE subvariant mutation was found in one Thai patient.

The government in response said that there is no need to panic as it is not believed to result in as many complications. The patient where the sample was found had already fully recovered from COVID.

Dr. Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) said that the rise in cases is due to Deltacron. It is a subvariant that is a combination of Omicron and Delta variants.

In the case of XE, it is a combination of two subvariants of Omicron, BA.1 and BA.2. Both variants are more contagious but not as deadly as the other variants. So it is most likely that this new mutation could be more contagious but not that deadly.

The DMS is performing genomic sequencing on about 500 virus samples a week. They will be holding a press briefing today to provide more information about the XE case and its implications.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had also on Saturday issued a warning over the XE Omicron variant. They said that many in the medical field fear could be the most transmissible yet. The XE recombinant was first detected in the UK on Jan 19 and less than 600 sequences have been reported.

Anan Jongkaewwattana, an expert with the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec) said that those recovered from BA.2 variant may carry immunity. “Don’t be more afraid of XE than BA.2 as that strain has already been around town,” he said.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 4, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

On Saturday, Thailand reported the first case of Omicron XE, a combination of the previous variants of Omicron. The World Health Organization announced the variant on the same day. The Center for Medical Genomics in Ramathibodi Hospital reported the mutant hybrid of the BA.1 and BA.2 variants.

The center announced the discovery through its Facebook page. The sample was taken from a Thai patient. The XE mutant is different from Deltacron which is the combination of Omicron and Delta.

The WHO announced that the XE variant is more transmissible than the original strains of Omicron. There are no additional data on its virulence as well as if it is more fatal than the main strain.

Deltacron, a hybrid of the Delta and Omicron strains, does not spread quickly or cause severe symptoms. Massarray Genotyping has studied the sequence and reported its findings.

Omicron XE was first detected in the United Kingdom on Jan 19 this year and more than 600 sequences were reported. UK Health Services Agency (UKHSA) said Omicron XE is 10% more transmissible than BA.2 and 43% more transmissible than the original Omicron (B.1.1.529). It remains to be seen if Omicron XE will become the dominant strain, the center said.

According to Phylogenetic Assignment of Named Global Outbreak Lineages (Pangolin), there are two recombinants of Delta and BA.1, which are XD and XF, and there are six recombinants of BA.1 and BA.2, which are XE, XG, XH, XJ, XK, and XL.

The government warned that COVID measures should be in place during the Songkran festival. The emergence of a new strain could delay the downgrading of COVID to an endemic status.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 3, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called on businesses and the public to ensure that COVID-19 measures stay in place. Under the Test & Go, Sandbox, and quarantine programs, RT-PCR tests and certificate requirements ended.

“From now on, if anything happens, we must accept collective responsibility. But we have made full preparations. I listened to the pros and cons and have eased restrictions wherever possible. But if anything [untoward] comes to pass, we will have to go back to square one. This is the difficult part of running the country,” Gen Prayut said.

From Friday, for people who enter the country through Test and Go an RT-PCR test will be given on arrival. They also will be required to perform an antigen self-test on Day 5 after arrival and provide the results to their hotel. They also will be required to perform an antigen self-test on Day 5 after arrival and provide the results to their hotel. Visitors in the quarantine scheme, including people caught entering the country unlawfully, will be kept in isolation for five days and have an RT-PCR test on Day 4 or 5 after arrival.

The new rules are intended to help resuscitate the economy, in particular the tourism sector, which was among the worst hit, he said. However, everyone must still comply with health precautions prescribed by the Public Health Ministry spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that the ministry will this month ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to consider further easing entry rules, such as replacing on-arrival RT-PCR tests with simpler and quicker antigen alternatives.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 2, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Pattaya City hall Mayoral elections. – Four candidates running for mayor of Pattaya in the May election registered their candidacy at Pattaya City Hall this morning (Thursday) and drew lots for their candidate numbers. Candidates for the governor and city councilors in Pattaya must register at the same time as those for the governor and city councilors in Bangkok. On May 22nd, both cities will have elections.

At 8:30 am at  Pattaya City Hall. Lt. Pramote Tubtim, Director of the Pattaya City Election as chairman of the lottery to select the number of candidates for the mayor of Pattaya City In order for the lottery candidates to choose a candidate identification number

The results are as follows:

No 1, Paramet Ngampichet, We Love Pattaya group

No 2, Sakchai Tanghoh applied for “Independent Candidate”,

No 3, Kittisak Nilwattanathochai, Progressive Movement Pattaya

No 4, Sinchai Wattanasartsathorn, Pattaya Ruam Jai group

On April 11, 2022, the Election Commission will announce the list of candidates and on April 26, 2022, the Election Commission will announce the list of voters. On May 6, 2022, the Election Commission has set it to be the last day to send a notice to the host, and May 11, 2022, is the last day to add names and withdraw names for those who can come to vote in the elections of Pattaya City Councilors and Pattaya City Mayor. Voting day is set on 22nd May and on same day result also be declared.

Team Indo Thai News – Pattaya

The post Pattaya City hall Mayoral elections, 4 Candidates file nominations today appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration confirmed that travelers arriving in Thailand will no longer require pre-travel Covid-19 tests. This came in effect today, April 1, 2022, for Test & Go Sandbox and quarantine programs.

Tourists arriving under TEST AND GO will be required an RT PCR Test at an SHA Extra plus hotel. They will stay in the room for the next 24 hours until the results are out. Those who tested negative may proceed to their local destination right after the 24-hour quarantine. The ones who tested positive will be checked by a medical doctor. The doctor will decide the severity of the case and recommend hospitalization or self-isolation. In case of hospitalization, the tourist will be brought to the hospital accredited by their insurance.

On the fifth day, they are required to take a monitored (at the hotel) ATK test and report the results. Those who are negative may proceed with their holidays. For those who are positive, they might be required self-isolation or an additional RT-PCR test.

Sandbox visitors must remain in their designated area for five days. Visitors in the quarantine scheme, including people caught entering the country unlawfully, will be kept in isolation for five days and have an RT-PCR test on the fourth or fifth day after arrival. As the country aims to declare COVID-19 endemic by July, there are more relaxations expected. Among them is replacing RT-PCR with ATK test by May.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases April 1, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The communicable diseases committee of Prachuap Khiri Khan issued restrictions on activities to celebrate the Songkran festival. The ban is imposed on alcohol and water splashing to control the spread of COVID-19.

Prachuap Khiri Khan deputy governor Prompiriya Kitnuson also added that the participants of Songkran should be fully vaccinated. He gave the option to pass an antigen test 72 prior to the event for those not fully vaccinated.

Organizers of Songkran activities must seek prior permission from the committee and comply strictly with Covid Free Setting measures. Activities could include concerts and traditional activities in communities and religious places.

The committee prohibited water fights, powder smearing, foam and alcohol sales, and consumption at festive venues, Mr. Prompiriya said.

Water fights, powder smearing, and foam parties were also banned elsewhere, including on roadsides.

Access to festive venues must be restricted and requires health screening, and organizers must prevent crowding, the deputy governor said.

As Thailand prepares for the Songkran festival, local governments are instructed to prepare COVID-19 measures. Public health officials had previously warned that new infections could reach 100,000 per day unless precautions are taken during the festival.

The public health minister also called on those who plan to visit their families during the Songkran holiday to exercise extreme caution and avoid risky activities at least one week before travel to help keep their families, especially the elderly, safe from the virus.

“We are preparing to classify Covid-19 as an endemic disease, so we need to have the cooperation of all stakeholders.”

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 31, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the Songkran rules and regulations set by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) permanent secretary Khajit Chatchawanich announced the guidelines.

Traditional water sprinkling under the Covid-free setting is allowed.

Alcohol consumption in organizing venues will not be permitted.

Venues are limited to one person per four square meters.

Participants are required to wear face masks at all times

Water splashing, powder smearing, and foam parties are prohibited on roads and other public areas.

Families can take part in activities, such as pouring water on the hands of the elderly to show respect and seek their blessings, could be held, but wearing a face mask remains compulsory. People are advised to refrain from engaging in activities that involve close contact or shared objects.

Yesterday, Khao San Road business operators appealed to reconsider the “no water splashing” order. They said they could potentially lose a huge opportunity to recover their losses during the COVID lockdowns.

Mr. Khajit said that organizers are required to obtain permission from the BMA’s Health Department if participants exceed 1,000 people. If lower, they must seek permission from district authorities.

He said the administration had received seven to eight requests seeking permission to hold Songkran activities in areas run by private firms and temples.

Currently, 46 out of 50 district offices in Bangkok had notified that they would not hold Songkran celebrations, while the remaining four district offices had yet to give confirmation, he said.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 30, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand – March 29, 2022: To celebrate the Thai New Year and welcome international travelers back to Thailand, the Governor’s Mansion in Phuket – the largest icon of Sino-Portuguese baroque architecture – will be listed on Airbnb for the ultimate designer stay. Renowned for its magnificent beaches and rich cultural heritage, Phuket has long been an incredible draw for millions of travelers from around the world. The lush tropical island is now leading the way for Thailand’s long-anticipated travel rebound.

As the country gears up for its biggest cultural festival, Songkran, one group of four lucky guests will get to soak up the vibrant festivities with an island getaway of a lifetime, only on Airbnb. The majestic Governor’s Mansion will be bookable on airbnb.com/governorsmansion for US$50* (approx. 1,700THB) for a two-night stay from 15-17 April 2022, welcoming overnight guests for the first time in more than 50 years. Bookings open at 8 AM ICT on April 5, 2022. Travelers from Thailand or any of the countries that currently allow international travel to and from Thailand can apply.** Guests will be hosted by popular Phuket-born model-actress Patricia Tanchanok Good who rose to fame in one of Netflix’s most popular Thai dramas last year, Girl From Nowhere 2, and national ambassador for royal Thai cuisine and Blue Elephant founder, master chef Nooror Somany Steppe. Programming for this special stay is supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Built at the end of King Rama V’s era by successful local businessman Pra Pitak Chinpracha, the 119-year-old Governor’s Mansion welcomed many out-of-town dignitaries and remains one of several neoclassical heritage mansions on Phuket today. The sprawling white and mustard heritage home is located in the historic heart of Old Phuket Town and has been exquisitely restored to preserve its original fixtures, including richly patterned tiles and teakwood floors. Its first floor is now home to the Blue Elephant Restaurant – a Michelin Plate awardee and long-running stalwart of Thailand’s culinary industry.

On the second floor, renowned Thai designer Saran Yen Panya has created a memorable, visually stunning space that pays homage to Thailand’s rich heritage and buzzing contemporary design scene. The stay features statement pieces by Yothaka – widely revered as Thailand’s master of design – in addition to bespoke handcrafted items by up-and-coming designers Kitt Ta Khon, Masaya, Sumphat Gallery, Thaniya, and Mo Jirachaisakul, paired with Phuketian antiques from some of the island’s most distinguished homes and museums.

Guests will be immersed in a quintessentially Phuketian experience, including:

• A personal welcome at check-in by Thai superstar Patricia ‘Good’ Tanchanok, who will share her favorite hidden gems in Phuket and tips for exploring the island
• Exclusive access to a two-bedroom suite on the Mansion’s expansive second floor, including a private reception lounge and living room
• A bespoke, multi-course ‘Songkran’ tasting menu prepared and hosted by master Chef Nooror Somany Steppe
• A scuba diving and snorkeling adventure around the sparkling reefs and islands that dot the Andaman Sea
• A gibbon rehabilitation social impact experience in Phuket’s last rainforest, Khao Pra Taew Wildlife Sanctuary

“Songkran is a special moment for all Thais, as we give thanks and celebrate the dawn of a new year. As Thailand reopens, we are incredibly thrilled to partner with Airbnb to warmly welcome the world back to our country. We invite travelers from around the world to experience the “Amazing New Chapters” of Thailand under ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022’, with this iconic stay that shines a light on some of our finest Thai designers; as well as Phuket’s natural wonders, unique heritage, and architecture, and delicious local cuisine,” shared Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

“Thailand is an extraordinary country with unparalleled warmth and hospitality, and some of the most beautiful destinations. As more of us begin to travel further from home and for longer durations, we are working with our Host community to welcome the world back to Thailand safely. We are delighted to add the majestic Governor’s Mansion to our collection of unique stays throughout the Kingdom,” said Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb General Manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

The post Phuket’s Iconic Heritage Mansion Listed on Airbnb appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul discourage business in Khao San to plan water-splashing events. He added that their patience and cooperation will help avoid any resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

Business operators located on Khao San road requested a review of the government’s decision to ban water-splashing. They said that it will impact business operations and their ability to attract tourists to take part in the festival. Water splashing has become a trademark event of the Songkran festival. They said that without it, there are not many tourists who can take part.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had earlier banned water-splashing and other celebrations associated with the holiday. These activities increase the risk of getting infected with COVID.

President of the Association of Business Operators on Khao San Road, Sa-nga Ruangwatthanakul talked about the impacts. The participants are expected to contribute a revenue of 50-80 million baht during the 4-day holiday. Without such activities, this revenue will be compromised. Mr. Anutin said the ban on water-splashing is necessary to reduce the risk of contagion.

“This year, other social activities aren’t prohibited, so please be patient for another year,” he said.

“We are preparing to classify Covid-19 as an endemic disease, so we need to have the cooperation of all stakeholders.”

Public health officials had previously warned that new infections could reach 100,000 per day unless precautions are taken during the festival.

The public health minister also called on those who plan to visit their families during the Songkran holiday to exercise extreme caution and avoid risky activities at least one week before travel to help keep their families, especially the elderly, safe from the virus.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 29, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Three months ahead of the national target of June to proclaim COVID-19 “endemic”, Surin plans to announce it on Friday. Provincial governor Suwongpong Kitipattharapiboon says that the people of the province have made it possible. Everyone cooperated with the Public Health Ministry’s Covid-free setting guidelines.

The provincial PR office of Surin says they are ready to shift the status of Covid-19 to an endemic. This will be starting on April 1. The office also urged people to get booster shots to build their immunity.

Surin reported 16,354 infections with 29 fatalities from Dec 24 to Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that 11 provinces reported more than 600 cases on average. This is an increase from the previous daily average.

From April to May, officials must keep caseloads down, while from the end of May to the end of June, officials must push daily infection numbers down to between 1,000 and 2,000 in each province.

Hospitalizations must also remain under 3% of the total confirmed cases. Also, at least 70% of the citizens must have at least 2 vaccine doses. Locals must continuously follow the general guidelines for COVID such as frequent washing of hands, wearing of masks, social distancing, and obtaining booster shots.

This is if they want to reach the endemic status by June 1. From March 12 to early next month, officials say the severity of infections is likely to reduce under a goal they have set.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 28, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered to inoculate those who are vulnerable to the COVD virus at a faster rate. Ahead of the Songkran celebrations next month, the premier would like to ensure the safety of those prone to infection.

It will be the first Songkran celebrations in two years since the pandemic began. Previously, celebrations were canceled especially inter-provincial travels. This is the first time that families will be able to reunite.

Government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said that the Prime Minister asked agencies to ensure that the elderly, or those with underlying health problems be vaccinated. This is to ensure that they have enough protection before the celebrations begin.

The main goal is to ensure that 70% of the elderly population have their booster shot. They will be at most risk when families travel to reunite. Close contact with relatives would be very risky if not vaccinated.

The government also advises limited activity and holding events in a well-ventilated area. They also advised that the water splashing events are not allowed. Also, taking an ATK test before and after attending an event is advised.

Dr. Korakrit Limsommut, director of the ministry’s Health Administration Division, has listed the medications to treat people with varying degrees of Covid-19 symptoms. Those suffering from mild symptoms will get general drugs like paracetamol. Those in the moderate symptom group will receive green chiretta capsules and those vulnerable will receive the anti-viral drugs.

As of Friday, provinces across the kingdom had received 10 million favipiravir pills, while 3 million were distributed in Bangkok. Dr. Korakrit added that authorities are moving to address favipiravir shortages.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 27, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered governors to prepare COVID measures to contain the spread of the virus. As Songkran approaches, the massive movement of people anticipates a surge in cases. Health officials are concerned that cases could reach 100,000 a day if no measures are applied.

Songkran celebrations have been minimized for the past two years with many strict curbs applied to prevent travel. This is the first time it has relaunched and many would be traveling back home to reunite with their families. Among the famous activities is water splashing which was not approved for this year. Experts fear that such an event could bring a new wave of cases. Also, everyone is encouraged to wear masks, socially distance, wash hands and complete their vaccinations.

Families are also encouraged to hold ceremonies in a well-ventilated area and take an ATK test before beginning the event. The elderly will be at risk during this event and they are encouraged to complete their vaccinations.

Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Health (DOH) shared the forecast. According to the report, the Public Health Ministry estimates that cases could reach 100,000 daily. In this scenario, no proper measures are applied during the events.

Precautions include refraining from group activities where possible, working from home more, delaying non-essential travel, maintaining a high vaccination rate, and practicing the VUCA (Vaccine, Universal Prevention, Covid-19 Free Setting and ATK) measures.

DOH’s health impact assessment division director, Somchai Tukaew said Songkran will be allowed to proceed partly because more than 70% of Thais have been vaccinated. Also, the symptoms caused by the virus are becoming less severe.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 26, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry says that there is a high chance that the travel restrictions would be lifted. The country is expecting to scrap the Test and Go and Thailand Pass schemes by June if there are no case surges. Thailand will be celebrating Songkran in April which health experts say could cause a new wave of cases.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Thai tourism has to move forward.

“Thailand started like a rabbit, running quickly last year as we reopened to visitors. We cannot let the country fall behind as many nations are opening borders and have fewer restrictions than us,” Mr. Phiphat said.

With a target of 7 million arrivals this year, the government and tourism agencies have to work together to loosen restrictions. This will allow more tourists to visit the country. Among the current reasons as to why the tourists hesitate are the additional expenses involved in traveling.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) recently dropped the 72-hour pre-travel RT-PCR test for international arrivals starting from April 1.

On May 1, the government is expecting to replace the RT-PCR test with an ATK Test kit instead. The test will be conducted by a medical professional to ensure its reliability.

Songkran will be a critical test for the country in terms of easing restrictions. The number of cases including the ATK tests should remain at 50,000 – 60,000 cases. The fatalities should also remain under 100 to prove that the easing of measures could be acceptable.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 25, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

For most parents, the future of their children is a key issue, and right from the start, it’s important to choose a school that will guarantee their success when they become school leavers, and ready for university.

Yet, in the early years, it’s impossible to guess whether your child would be better suited to the all-inclusive International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or to the UK A-Level system, which allows a choice of subjects, best suited to their chosen future.

Regents, with 25 years of academic success, is the first in the area to offer 16 to 18-year-old pupils both choices, allowing parents and pupils, with the guidance of their teachers, to choose which path will guarantee the child’s achievement in life.

A-level students choose their key best subjects, specifically selected for their choice of a university course, whilst the IB Diploma offers a breadth of subjects ideal for students who want to develop skills in a wide range of subjects, along with critical thinking skills, and is accepted by universities globally.

Secure your place at the event now
Date: Monday 28th March 2022
Time: 4.45pm
At Regents International School Pattaya
 
We look forward to welcoming you and your family to our campus. If you have any questions, please send them to admissions@regents-pattaya.co.th.

Our school prioritizes the safety of our students, families, and staff. To support this and ensure our community stays safe, please supply a negative ATK test prior to your visit, and maintain a 1.5m distance while wearing a mask during your time with us.

The post Join our A-Level Introduction Event on Campus appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) reported 73 cases of the deltacron strain. DMS director-general Supakit Sirilak said Deltacron was found in the ministry’s weekly genomic sequencing. The samples have already been submitted to GISAID for confirmation. All the cases have already fully recovered.

The omicron and delta variants have combined to create a new strain. This is only possible if both are circulating at the same time. The samples were taken from December of last year and early January of this year. This was the time when both variants were causing a surge in cases.

“The full genome sequencing showed the 73 cases fit the profile of Deltacron. This usually happens when the Delta and Omicron variants are spreading. The samples weren’t from the past one to two weeks and most were from December last year and January this year when the two variants were spreading,” he said.

World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring the strain but there are no signs it is more contagious or deadlier. There is also no suggestion that it can evade immunity from vaccinations.

“There’s no need to panic. If cases of the Delta variant drop further, the chances of the two strains combining also falls. However, if Deltacron is highly transmissible, it may replace Omicron. But there is no sign of that and there is no information about its virulence,” he said.

There are about 2000 samples from March 12-18. Only one case demonstrated a sequence like that of the delta variant. 406 are from the BA.1 omicron strain and 1479 were BA.2 or deltacron sequence. BA.3 is not yet found in the Kingdom.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 24, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Mr. Gurnam Singh (Gama) & Mr. Gurcharan Singh (Guri) previously worked as promoters of walking street. They allegedly took him to Jomtien beach to party and drink until midnight. At some point after the party, Mr. Dey lent them his phone to ask for assistance in booking a cab. According to Mr. Dey’s testimony, the men said that one of their friends needed urgent help and they took off with their bike.

When he realized that his phone was with them and he had no transportation, he asked locals to assist him. He then managed to get a ride back to his hotel. He waited for a day for his friends to return his phone. Their phones could not be reached and they have not come to his hotel. At some point, he called the K Bank Customer Care hotline to check on his account. He was informed that his balance is 46 baht.

Mr. Dey asked for details and found out that about 1.6 million baht has been debited on March 19, 2022. The bank informed him three withdrawals of 500,000 each and a 127,000 withdrawal has been made. He contacted his friends who know Guri & Gama to track them and was told that they flew back to India on March 19, 2022.

The local police launched an investigation to track the routing of the transfers and will provide details soon.

Reported by: Indo Thai News – Pattaya Team

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Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul urge everyone to complete their vaccinations. In preparation for the Songkran Festival, all elderly are encouraged to get their vaccinations done.

The Department of Disease Control will be working with the local public health offices to get about 2.1 million vaccinated. He urges everyone to do it as early as possible since it takes some time for immunity to build up.

Infections are expected to go up during the Songkran Festival as many will travel to their provinces to reunite with family. It has been about 2 years since the festival was suspended due to the COVID pandemic. It is also advised for those coming home not to take part in activities that would put them at risk of infection.

The Public Ministry of Health said that most of the deaths associated with COVID are due to not being vaccinated. It is risky not to get vaccinated if you have an underlying health problem.

According to the dean of Siriraj Hospital’s medical school, Dr. Prasit Watanapa, this year’s celebrations are not as worrisome. Even if the factors of people, places, activities, and timing, the vaccination percentage of the country is high. Also, the omicron variant, although contagious, mostly exhibits mild symptoms.

With all these said, it is important to keep in mind that basic practices can prevent the spread of COVID. Wearing masks, frequent washing of hands, social distancing, and vaccination can help reduce the risk. Also, it is wise not to attend events that would be crowdy or held in poorly ventilated places.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 23, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

A logo unveiling ceremony was held today in Icon Siam Mall, Bangkok. H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, and Ms. Suchitra Durai, Ambassador of India to Thailand, jointly presided over the logo unveiling ceremony and felicitated the winners of the logo design contest.  Around 50 dignitaries and guests, representing the Thai Parliament, the Thai government, diplomatic corps, Indian Diaspora, businesses, and media, attended the ceremony. The winner of the logo design contest, Ms. Chanida Hengkhuntod, was awarded a cash prize of THB 50,000. The 1st runner-up, Mr. G. Shashidhar Reddy, who is based in Hyderabad, was awarded a cash prize of THB 32,000 and the 2nd runner up Mr. Somchai Nilkaew, was awarded THB 16,000.

            The celebrations included two cultural performances, one each from the Indian and the Thai side. A photo exhibition showcasing 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Thailand was also organized on the sidelines of the ceremony.

The post 75 Years of India-Thailand Diplomatic Relations – Logo Unveiling Ceremony appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

70% is the target for elderly vaccination before Songkran according to the Ministry of Public Health. They are the most vulnerable population due to their age and underlying issues. Director of the general communicable diseases division, Wicharn Pawan identified it as a factor in last year’s surge in cases. After the Songkran celebrations in the previous years, and slow vaccination rollouts, the cases surged across the country. Now that the Songkran celebrations are back, the government would like to prevent this scenario from happening.

“The ministry won’t be taking any chances this year and will speed up the rollout of booster shots for the elderly before the holiday exodus begins,” he said.

“Elderly citizens who are due for a booster shot should get them before Songkran. About three million doses have been prepared for this age group,” he said.

In Western Europe, the “perfect storm” has resulted in a more contagious Omicron BA. 2 subvariant. Britain, France, and Germany have seen the return of the pandemic after curbs have been lifted. Despite the increase in cases, these countries have pushed to remove their remaining curbs. They have also lifter part of their travel restrictions.

The new omicron subvariant has “stealth capabilities” as it is most times, hard to detect. It is also said to be 30% more contagious than the original subvariant. Most experts say that the lifting restrictions and reopening of borders created a “perfect storm” for the virus to mutate. This would also open the doors for more variants to develop in the near future. World Health Organization also encourages wealthy countries to donate vaccines to those unfortunate ones.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 22, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Community members throw brightly colored powder and water balloons at each other community organized performances such as singing, dancing, and cultural events.

In India, the festival is held over two days. On the first, families pray and sing and dance around a bonfire which symbolizes cleansing. On the second day, participants take to the streets to douse each other with colored powder while firing water pistols and throwing water balloons.

The colored powders, known as gulal, were traditionally made from natural sources like turmeric and indigo and believed to have healing properties.

Now they are typically made from synthetic materials and are colored bright yellow, pink, green, red, blue, and various colors of the rainbow.

The Holi celebration has cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent’s Hindu traditions. It is a joyful day to reflect on and correct previous mistakes, to resolve issues by meeting new people, and to forget and forgive. Debts are paid or forgiven, and people begin over with others in their life. Holi also celebrates the beginning of spring, a time for people to celebrate the changing seasons and meet new people.

The post ITBC Celebrates Holi FESTIVAL 2022 appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

To all Netflix users out there – Netflix plans to charge extra for sharing accounts with other households. Netflix announced that they will charge an additional fee to users who share their accounts with people from other households.

After a recent increase in Netflix fees in Europe and the US, the streaming platform announced a new policy. It is currently running in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru and without a doubt would be launched globally.

The Policy

“When a device outside of your household signs in to an account or if an account is accessed persistently from a location outside of your household, we may ask you to verify that device before it can be used to watch Netflix,” said Netflix.

“We do this to confirm that the device using the account is authorized to do so.”

The sharing of accounts is common for families staying apart. The most common example is a son or daughter off to college. Sharing the accounts is actually against their policies.

“The Netflix service and any content accessed through the service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household,” its terms read.

According to Netflix, sharing your password with others, not in your household “impacts its ability to invest in great new TV and films.”

“As a result, accounts are being shared between households – impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”

The Charges

“Members on our Standard and Premium plans will be able to add sub-accounts for up to two people they don’t live with – each with their own profile, personalized recommendations, login, and password – at a lower price: 2,380 CLP in Chile, 2.99 USD in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN in Peru,” Ms. Long said.

Users in these countries will also have the option to transfer profile information for anyone outside their household to a new account.

“We recognize that people have many entertainment choices, so we want to ensure any new features are flexible and useful for members, whose subscriptions fund all our great TV and films,” Ms. Long added.

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The Department of Disease Control says that favipiravir is highly effective against COVID-19. It is also now available for bulk purchase and the treatment will cost about 800 baht.

Siriraj Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine has observed its efficacy for the past two years. When Thailand was experiencing COVID waves, the hospital observed patients who have taken the medicine. Director-general of the DDC, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong said that its value should not be disregarded.

Secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, Srisuwan Janya, criticized the use of the pill. He petitioned the Administrative Court over the use of the pill as the main treatment for COVID-19. The petition was for Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and some other executives.

By August-September, the ministry is set to buy 254 million favipiravir pills and another 300 million by October-December. The total cost will be around 6 million baht. The manufacturer of favipiravir has been warned not to market that it’s the most effective against omicron.

Deputy director-general of the Department of Medical Services, Dr. Manus Potaporn said that a systematic review was conducted. The review process includes a formal guideline on the use of favipiravir pills. Other medicines for COVID like remdesivir, molnupiravir and paxlovid has been studied through the same process. He also added that each of them has an advantage and a disadvantage.

He also said that “Molnupiravir and paxlovid are both new drugs which … cost up to 10,000 baht per treatment course.”

Favipiravir has also been studied by many laboratories and hospitals across the globe. Thailand is not the only country that uses it as the main treatment.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 20, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Khao San Business operators have objected to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s ban on water splashing. They said that this would have a negative impact on their income expected from the peak season.

The CCSA decided that the annual celebrations may proceed provided there is no alcohol during the events. They also encouraged people to continue to celebrate traditional activities minus the water splashing.

Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Business Association said that water splashing should not be banned. “If the government wants to ease measures to allow Songkran festivities to be held, it must not prohibit water splashing.”

If you remove the trademark element, “tourists would have no idea why they should visit,” he said.

He added that the Khao San Road business operators will not likely plan any event for Songkran this year. They are also planning to submit a proposal to review the decision of the water ban.

Many businesses are looking forward to the festival hoping to boost income after two years of shutting down. The recent surge in cases has also caused many tourists not to travel to the country. Mr. Sanga added that the hotel bookings only increased by 20% despite the reopening of the country.

A number of nighttime venues like pubs and bars have changed their operations to a restaurant to comply with the measures. This has somehow revived their business.

“If the Songkran festival is banned, we could lose many tourists to other ASEAN countries,” he added. April and May are the peak seasons for tourist travels and Songkran is among the main attraction of the country.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 19, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration approved the discontinuation of the RT-PCR test required prior to boarding. Starting April 1, the Test and Go scheme will no longer require travelers to take an RT-PCR test prior to boarding.

CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin announced the end of the pre-travel tests for all visitors. This includes the Test & Go Sandbox or quarantine channels. People who will enter the kingdom are required to take an RT-PCR test on arrival. This will be followed by an antigen test monitored by the hotel on the 5^th day.

For the Sandbox scheme, visitors will remain at the reception areas for five days. Those who will be on quarantine will be kept for 5 days and an additional RT-PCR test on the 4^th or 5^th day. Also, all visitors are required to have insurance coverage of $20,000 which will be reduced later on.

Songkran celebrations are allowed however, there will be curbs in place to help contain the spread of the virus. Among the proposed measures are the traditional activities being held in special areas. These areas will be under strict COVID preventive measures. It is also advised to keep social distancing during reunions. When asked about the reopening of the nighttime venues, the government said that they would need to consider it carefully. The past COVID waves in Thailand have been largely due to open nighttime venues that lacked social distancing. There will be proposals on the board on how these venues can open and have COVID measures.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 18, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The government plans to allow tourists to enter the kingdom without an RT-PCR test prior to boarding a flight. The Test & Go scheme will be modified and will lower the required insurance. The government will only require an RT-PCR test on arrival and an ATK test on the 5^th day. This is in line with the plan to downgrade the status to endemic by July.

Permanent secretary for Public Health, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, said the ministry is proposing to ease travel requirements. They are set to present it to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday.

“Under the proposed entry rules, travelers under the Test & Go scheme would no longer be required to show negative RT-PCR test results up to 72 hours before departure to the kingdom,” he said on Wednesday.

In addition, they will lower the insurance requirement from $50,000 t0 $10,000.

He will also present plans to lower the status of COVID-19 from pandemic to endemic. The actual announcement may vary depending on the World Health Organization.

Among the changes is proposed that the emergency decree will be replaced by a Communicable Disease Act. The plan is essentially divided into four phases which will be a step-by-step process towards the endemic status. This is provided that there are no new mutations that would appear.  

CCSA is also considering allowing night entertainment to resume which is welcomed by business operators. Many of them have been asking for the government to let them resume their normal operating hours but to no avail. Since the pandemic began, night venues have been shut and have caused many businesses to close.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 17, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (Ucep) Plus scheme comes into effect today. The government outlines the process for cases with moderate to severe symptoms.

The permanent secretary for Public Health Ministry, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit said that these cases will receive treatment at any hospital. The moderate, or yellow category, and the severe, or red category, may seek treatment at any private or public hospital. The treatment will be for free.

Those who have mild to no symptoms, or green category, will not be eligible for this free treatment. The treatment will be based on medical insurance, social security, or a 30-baht universal health care scheme. They may also choose to self-isolate, stay at a community isolation facility, or hospitels.

The National Institute for Emergency Medicine has provided doctors with the criteria for categorizing COVID patients. Especially for the red and yellow categories. The Department of Health Service Support relayed the UCEP process to the private hospitals.

A COVID patient stays at a hospital for 10 days, Dr. Kiattiphum said. Other countries have an average stay of 3-5 days. Public Health Ministry is considering revising this to 7+3 format. This means the patient stays at the hospital for 7 days and 3 days on home isolation. This is to help alleviate the hospital’s capacity and be able to accommodate more cases.

Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek also announced the 35 billion baht reimbursement to NHSO. The National Health Security Office (NHSO) contracted the hospitals that accommodated the cases from December to February. The reimbursement covered the expenses shouldered by NHSO.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 16, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The Public Health Ministry reports 4 cases of COVID infections that were of the new mutant strain found in Hong Kong. They assured it is of no grave concern at the moment.

Director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, Supakit Sirilak said that most of the cases now are of the BA.2 subvariant.

There were 2000 samples sent for genome sequencing last week. 99.7% are of the omicron variant whereas 68% are from the BA.2. subvariant. The original strain, BA.1 accounted for 32% of the total samples. However, four of them were suspected to be the BA.2.2 subvariant causing an outbreak in Hong Kong.

These samples will be submitted to the international database compiled by  GISAID to confirm the sequence.

The four suspected cases were from 3 Thais and 1 foreigner. All of them have already fully recovered from COVID.

“There is no need to panic as there are no worrying signs. But we have to be vigilant and answer three questions. Does it spread more quickly? Will it cause more deaths and can it evade our efforts to boost immunity?” Dr. Supakit said.

Hong Kong is currently facing a wave that has recorded the highest fatality rate so far. He says it is too early to say if it was truly caused by the new mutation.

“The Omicron strain is highly transmissible, so when the public health system is unable to cope with the surge, it may result in more deaths,” he said.

Deputy director-general of the DMS, Banlang Uppapong said that there are other factors to consider. The age of those who died, vaccination record, health history, and healthcare system capacity.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 15, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 22,130 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 69 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 23,508 recovered patients.

Health experts are now concerned with a new omicron subvariant in Hong Kong. The country records the worst wave since the pandemic began. They have also recorded the highest death rate so far.

New Variant

Deputy chairman of a Senate committee on public health, Dr. Chalermchai Boonyaleephan reported that the omicron has mutated. So, far there were three variants known which were BA.1, BA.2, and BA. 3. He also noted that the days with the highest death rate in Hong Kong coincides with the emergence of BA.2.2. This original variant mutated to this subvariant due to the continuous rise in cases. For every 1 million people, 5,000 were infected and 30 of them would die.

The high number of cases partnered with the high mortality rate was observed with the subvariant BA.2.2. This is what we are seeing in Hong Kong at the moment.

”It is necessary to keep a close watch on the situation,” he posted.

The Centre for Medical Genomics at Mahidol University also shared their observation on the Hong Kong outbreak. The fatalities were mostly associated with the elderly and the unvaccinated. This subvariant is not yet found in Thailand.

The Director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, Supakit Sirilak, said that this is yet to be confirmed. The Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (Gisaid), the database for COVID sequencing has not yet confirmed anything.

“Currently, Gisaid has not accepted it. [BA 2.2] has only been referred to as such among Hong Kong scientists,” he said.

“Actually, another variant named BA.2.3 is found in the Philippines and is much more common than BA.2.2.

There is a process when declaring a new variant. It will take some time. GSAID will also raise awareness if it was a threatening subvariant. They have sounded alarms on subvariants like deltacron 14 days after it was found.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 14, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 23,584 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 66 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 23,517 recovered patients.

In a recent survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration, the majority are worried about the Omicron variant. Most are concerned about its ability to spread quickly and put the elderly and those with underlying issues at risk.

The poll consisted of 1,320 participants surveyed through phone calls on the current COVID situation. It was conducted on March 7-9 and compiles the participant’s opinion on the surge of cases.

Survey Results

56.36% said yes, 34.54% said that they are moderately worried and 21.7% are highly concerned. Most are saying that the Omicron variant puts the elderly and those with underlying issues at risk.

22.20% are not worried at all considering they are fully vaccinated and do not live in high-risk areas. 21.44% also said they are not quite worried since they do not have to travel to risky areas and are fully vaccinated.

They also have varied opinions on why the virus has been spreading in the country. 52.95% said people are not careful enough and omicron is not severe. 46.29% also sighted that the omicron variant is highly contagious. 15.76% say that the pandemic is worldwide and inevitable. 13.41% blame the management of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. 11.41% said that the surge is due to the high number of people being tested with COVID. 9.70% raised the issue that the spread is due to illegal migrants. 9.62% said that it was because of people not getting any vaccinations or partial vaccination.

They were also asked how often do they test themselves through RT-PCR or ATK testing. 41.14% said they do it once in a while 16. 82% say they do it once a week. 23.79% say they do not do it at all while 5.83% do it every three days. Only 1.44% test daily and 0.98% test every other day.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 13, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

About

In Thai, “Sawang Sawai” means bright, and by continually connecting people to new experiences, we at SIWILAI aspire to shine a bright light of hope into the unknown future. Taking place from 3-27 March 2022, our latest initiative, SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI, is an in-person community platform aimed at cultivating positivity, creativity, and conversation through the power of art and culture.

The multiweek art festival sees all SIWILAI venues (SIWILAI Store, SIWILAI Café, SIWILAI City Club and SIWILAI Sound Club) and designated areas throughout Central Embassy as well as Central: The Original Store in Charoenkrung, activated as living, breathing art spaces. Proudly presenting a nearly all-Thai artist roster, SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI is a one-of-a-kind gathering, extensive and eclectic in its support and amplification of the local art scene.

Art and Culture

SIWILAI founder Barom Bhicharnchitr explains: “We at SIWILAI are conscious of the role we can play in promoting progress and positivity within our society and local communities. We strongly believe in the power of art and culture as vehicles of hope, of a future worth striving for, especially in the face of current circumstances. Therefore, we are honored to be able to provide a central platform where the works and voices of Thai artists can be more widely seen and heard.”

He continues: “One of the main objectives of SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI is to spark new, dynamic ways of contemplating, appreciating, and engaging with art that is accessible to all. The festival also offers art collectors of all levels a unique opportunity to support homegrown talents by investing in one-off pieces that poignantly capture a defining moment in contemporary Thai art. In order to ensure a comprehensive representation of artists and artworks, SIWILAI has teamed up with three of the country’s leading contemporary art galleries to jointly curate this very special exhibition. Gallery VER, ARTIST+RUN, and Bangkok CityCity Gallery will be our co-hosts throughout this deep dive into the present and future of contemporary Thai art, bringing together some of the industry’s most influential and up-and-coming names.”

“Furthermore, we’ve collectively put together live events, workshops, and limited-edition collectibles created by the artists just for this occasion, providing infinite possibilities for everyone to experience art in their own unique way. We hope that SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI will be just the first of many future endeavours doing its part to drive contemporary Thai art forward, domestically, and internationally—all the while, spreading happiness, hope, and inspiration through the power of art and culture.”

Festival

Founder of ARTIST+RUN, Angrit Ajchariyasophon adds: “An event like SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI helps to create an open environment for collaboration and participation. The festival’s multifaceted format gives rise to fresh, exciting opportunities for experiencing contemporary art in a way that values freedom and creative critical thinking.”

For 25 days only, the public audience is invited into the private minds and personal processes of fifteen of the country’s foremost artists, including painters, sculptors, videographers, animators, installation artists, and performance artists. Rare as well as newly commissioned works from the likes of Rirkrit Tiravanija, Thaiwijit Puengkasemsomboon, Mit Jai Inn, Thasnai Sethaseree, Haritorn Akarapat, Jakkai Siributr, Eiji Sumi, Som Supaparinya, Korakrit Arunanondchai, Dhanut Tungsuwan, Harit Srikhao, Nutdanai Jitbunjong, Nuttapon Sawasdee, Saroot Supasuthivech, Alisa Chunchue and more are to be unveiled, many for the first time.

The festival’s theme of ‘Freedom’ takes inspiration from the graffitied artwork Untitled 2016 (freedom cannot be simulated/August 20, 2015) by Rirkrit Tiravanija, the Relational Aesthetics pioneer now widely recognized as one of the most influential artists of his generation. For SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI, Rirkrit has created an interactive station in SIWILAI Store wherein participants can silkscreen and take home DIY T-shirts boldly bearing his piece’s namesake phrase, “Freedom cannot be simulated.’ For the artist, the text-on-T-shirt acts like a road sign, eliciting individualized responses that can be recontextualized depending on what is going on in our daily life. By wearing the T-shirts in public spaces, the text responds to the current situation where freedom has become increasingly suppressed.

Thaiwijit Puengkasemsomboon

Rikrit is joined by his internationally renowned contemporary, the abstract painter and sculptor, Thaiwijit Puengkasemsomboon who presents three sets of works that succinctly capture his whimsical-yet-functional aesthetics. Sawang Sawai Siwilai (2021) comprises abstract acrylic-based paintings created especially for this eponymous exhibition and utilizes the essence of bright lights as a metaphor for the hope for life. Soulid Ground (2021) features pots sculpted from scrap materials, housing Euphorbia plants selected by the artist himself. Adapted for survival in harsh, arid conditions, these beautiful, unusually shaped succulents are in themselves living sculptures made by nature. The Leftover (2020) is a series of small sculptures each made from steel and plastic to form the shape of a squatting chair. Like much of his work, these sculpted seats, while playful in appearance, speak to deeper concerns on the impact of manmade waste on the natural environment.

Mit Jai Inn

Yet another established name in the Thai art scene is painter Mit Jai Inn, whose works defy the conventional boundaries of painting. True to form, Mit’s creation for SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI, titled Siam Rainbow Republic, disregards traditional methods of display. Unstretched, unframed two-sided paintings hang suspended in an open space, creating an area of freedom where viewers are invited to immerse themselves beneath without any confining walls. Created through a physically rigorous and repetitive labor cycle of mixing, applying, overlaying, and eroding pigments, his paintings don’t merely serve as an object of sight but are transformed into giant sunblinds. Constantly changing their colour based on the time of day, the site-specific pieces become an ever-evolving meditation on light and time.

Thasnai Sethaseree

In the realm of installation art, Thasnai Sethaseree’s  make it like home . . . anywhere? (2002 – 2014) comprises and contemplates on the personal effects and positive memories shared with the artist by Thai migrants living in Chicago. The work reveals the nagging tensions between the nostalgic image of a graceful past and the yearning for a dazzling future; the fight for a better life versus the longing to return home—a home that they used to know yet a home that they no longer belong to. Mixed feelings push migrants into making critical decisions where choices are few. This further reflects the crisis of life in the modern world in a broader sense where the constant of time is torn apart.

Haritorn Akarapat

Sculptor, Haritorn Akarapat, whose own commentary on the modern age and its effects on humankind can be seen in his large-scale work, On Human Nature (2016). In it, a series of hypnotic free-hand sculptures resembling human heads peer out menacingly at passers-by in a commercial setting. Their raw, almost repulsive expressions are in direct contrast to their glossy surroundings selling alluring images of parallel-dreamed lifestyles. His works seem to awaken viewers from the consumerist maze, reminding them of the dangers caused by modern-day delusions.

Jakkai Siributr

Initiated in 2021 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Jakkai Siributr’s community art project Phayao-a-Porter continues to support the artisans of Phayao on their road towards economic recovery. What started as bespoke jackets commissioned by the artist’s friends—often bearing the likeness of their beloved pets—have evolved into one-of-a-kind wearable works of art, each one intricately embroidered by Phayao’s local seamstresses. In addition to fair wages, 30 percent of the sales of each jacket go back to the community as scholarships, welfare, and emergency funds. For SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI, Jakkai will be creating a limited number of bespoke embroidered jackets with proceeds being unneled directly back into the community.

Eiji Sumi

The Tokyo-born-Bangkok-based visual artist, Eiji Sumi is known for his light-filled, interactive urban installations that merge art-science practices and social issues with his eclectic sensibility. Using the playground as a metaphor for exploring the political landscape, Here and There (2018) features a stage with a seesaw-like mechanism that plays with weight and gravity as per classical physics. Under the law of momentum, the beam structure needs ‘force’ to support the circular stage that inevitably has two sides that need to stay balanced. A commentary on Thailand’s societal and political history, the stage represents the situations where things aren’t always what they seem, where perceived solutions for some may be the source of problems for others. Furthermore, the stage’s round shape creates difficulty in deciphering left from right, giving rise to unclear directions or sides. Regardless of where we stand, on the stage or as a spectator, we are reminded that the differences depend on how we look at things. 

Som Supaparinya

Visual artist, Som Supaparinya, whoose more recent projects focus on the history and impact of human activities on other existences as well as landscapes presents 10 Places in Tokyo [RGB] (2021); a revision of the original 2016 version which featured video footage of the top ten locations in Tokyo that reportedly consumed the most electricity in 2010. Despite the Fukushima disaster in 2011, the city remains reliant on nuclear power, and in her polychromatic color videos, Som incorporates the effects of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, which caused an enormous white flash in the sky. The space is also suffused with an eerie red glow as if making visible the hidden radioactivity from Fukushima. By combining two historical events that were triggered by nuclear technology, the work raises concerns over issues related to local and global energy demand and consumption.  

Korakrit Arunanondchai

Visual artist, filmmaker, and storyteller, Korakrit Arunanondchai employs a versatile practice to tell stories embedded in cultural transplantation and hybridity. He produces reality-bending, cross-sensory experiences spanning a multitude of mediums and subject matters primarily based on the lives of family members, friends, and colleagues as much as taking inspiration from local myths. Far from being a solitary artist, he has created videos, performances, and music with an extensive list of collaborators, as evident in his piece, There will be no music in this room, only scars left on the face of this planet, 2021. Alongside this, the artist has chosen to exhibit two additional video and performance based pieces. Taking its numerical name from the Buddhist calendar, ​Painting with History Archive – 2556 (2013)​ he weighs in on the age-old dispute as to what art is and what it is not, simultaneously illuminating on the artist’s own process of self-actualisation. Meanwhile, Painting with history in a room filled with people with funny names 3, 2015 ​centres around a conversation between ‘The Denim Painter’, an amalgamated representation of the artist, and ‘Chantri’, an omniscient spirit. Within his intimate letter to the latter, fragments of Korakirt’s thoughts on spirituality, technology, and geopolitics fuse to narrate his views towards contemporary society.

Dhanut Thungsuwan

Emerging artist, Dhanut Thungsuwan blends imagery and information gleaned from films, the Internet, and other modern-day media with fragments of his own memories, the two often becoming indistinguishable. His longtime love for sci-fi films, with their exciting escapades into far-flung dimensions, collides with personal experiences as a young creator existing in this era of hyperconnectivity and information overload wherein technological advances have become borderline invasive. What results are vivid oil-on-canvas paintings that are flatly, yet deftly applied with emotionally charged brushstrokes, juxtaposing familiar and outlandish images that traverse time and spaces.

Harit Srikhao

Upon discovering that much of his adolescent memories were built on media-spawned nationalistic propaganda, new gen artist, Harit Srikhao took to photography as an outlet for expressing his dismay. In Mt. Meru (2017), Harit uses surrealism and fetishism to create an alternate reality to that of Thailand’s political history between 2007-2010: one of intense political and social disruptions following the 2006 coup. Some photographs are recreations of iconic mythological imagery, while others feature unknown figures in gimp suits. Others still highlight the imposition of colonialism throughout the country’s history. These striking visuals ultimately raise questions on faith and morality in Thai society.

Nutdanai Jitbunjong

Nutdanai Jitbunjong uses a research-based and process-oriented artistic approach to explore power structures within the sociopolitical context. His Pillars Babel (2021) takes inspiration from the Tower of Babel, built in the second millennium B.C. in the ancient city of Babylon (present-day Iraq). The tall edifice aimed towards the heavens has become a well-known symbol of human ambition, one ultimately disrupted and brought down by God. As the origin myth goes, the city was never completed; its citizens were dispersed all over the earth, giving rise to different languages. Nutdanai’s version—comprising 112 con-blocks positioned circularly in the shape of a tower nearly touching the ceiling—similarly symbolises the ambition of the people to embark on the path towards true democracy and freedom of expression that has long been suppressed.

Nuttapon Sawasdee

Nuttapon Sawasdee works with diverse media, including film, sound, installation, and performance, to examine personal values and beliefs as well as current social issues. His sound installation, entitled Never wish to exist, yet never hope to disappear (2021), uses the soundscapes of various Bangkok-based locations to reflect the identity of said spaces where economics and politics overlap. The soundscapes vary greatly, ranging from the sound of people to the sound of poverty to the sound of anger to sounds that are sometimes inaudible. Conflictingly, while trying to save these sounds, the artist simultaneously wishes them to somehow disappear.

Saroot Supasuthivech

Mixed-media artist, Saroot Supasuthivech is interested in the oral histories and personal narratives of places that have never been recorded before. CCTV OF THE SECURITY GUARD (2019) builds upon the artist’s previous work, Security Guard (2017), a video installation exploring the memories of a security guard at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). Divided into multiple screens similar to a CCTV monitor, the footage recalls ghost stories and other tales of mystery encountered by the secret guard—this time with additional images that capture the after-hour emptiness from different areas throughout the art centre. The convergence of the site-specific history with the memories of the security guard evokes senses that the art centre as a living organism, while the CCTV footage naturally shifts the viewers to a surveilling point of view.

Alisa Chunchue

Alisa Chunchue’s works are an investigation into the body and self. By unearthing the unique essence of her chosen materials, be they synthetics or liquids, the visual artist enters into a deep exploration of the physical world at its most fundamental levels. Her site-responsive, public art project Muscle and Pharynx (2020-2021), situated at SIWILAI City Club, aims to merge art and everyday life. Focusing on the senses of touch and taste as primal, physiological human needs, the work consists of objects found in the artist’s home; pieces of jewellery, textiles, utensils, and bronze sculptures have been reinvented and cast in the shape of her mouth. The objects, created by Bangkok-based craftswomen, function as tableware with which diners-turned-participants can enjoy specially curated dishes and drinks while reflecting on the dichotomies of privacy and sociability, intimacy, and aloofness.

Emphasising immersive and interactive experiences, SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI puts forth a four-weekend series of artist talks, workshops, musical performances, art tours, art markets, and food-and-art based collaborations. Highlights include a dinner dreamt up by two world-renowned creators, artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and chef, David Thompson; a night of live performances by artists Korakrit Arunanondchai and Dhanut Tungsuwan, together with their musical guests; a pasta-making masterclass by Nam Nam Pasta and Tapas, inspired by the works of Mit Jai Inn; a drawing workshop with illustrator, Juli Baker; and Thaiwijit Puengkasemsomboon’s takeover and transformation of the Siwilai Cafe into an artistically inspired ‘Soulid Ground’ Cafe. Plus, musical happenings and lively events from the likes of Quay Records, Horoza, and other creative collectives complete this comprehensive line-up.

Additionally, property developer AP THAILAND has transformed Central Embassy’s Level 4 gallery into ‘THE IDEAL WORLD STORE,’ a mixed-use concept space posing the profound question: “Are we suffering from forgetting how to dream of a better world?” Rather than proposing a singular answer, the interactive exhibition explores not one but millions of versions of the ideal world in which all lives can represent a form of ideal living, just in different ways.

Join us for this unprecedented gathering, taking place 3-27 March 2022 at all SIWILAI venues (SIWILAI Store, SIWILAI Café, SIWILAI City Club, and SIWILAI Sound Club) and designated areas throughout Central Embassy as well as Central: The Original Store in Charoenkrung. Entry to the festival is free of charge and open to all. To ensure the safety of all our participants, we will be stringently observing official COVID-19 health and safety protocols. For updates and additional information on festival happenings, including workshop and event schedules, be sure to follow www.facebook.com/SawangSawaiSiwilai

About SIWILAI

SIWILAI is a continuously forward-thinking multi-purpose platform that anticipates the ever-changing tastes of a cosmopolitan lifestyle. Offering from some of the world’s and local best-known brands, to fresh and locally sourced coffee, modern Thai and international cuisine and social experience, SIWILAI’s purpose is to be the centre of all things culturally relevant.

Our platform enables us to express our pride in what Thailand has to offer, whilst still being able to showcase the finer things in life from all corners of the world.

Whether it is the Store, Café, or Social Clubs, Siwilai is designed to capture the sense and style of an authentic, yet contemporary luxury lifestyle in a Thai way.

The post SAWANG SAWAI SIWILAI – A gathering of Art & Culture by SIWILAI appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 24,592 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 68 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 21,371 recovered patients.

The government plans to declare COVID-19 an endemic by July of this year. In line with their plans, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is planning to relax travel measures.

TAT Measures

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said that the tourism revenue goals this year might be lowered. This is due to the surging oil prices stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Part of the planned relaxation is the removal of Thailand pass by July. This would also mean other relaxations will be implemented. This would mark a milestone for the ailing industry.  Over the next four months, the agency will be working on the new protocols.

One of the requirements that will remain essential is an RT-PCR test due to the overwhelming number of cases in the country. He also added that Thailand should learn from other countries that have fully re-opened to remain competitive. International travel remains dull as the world is being ravaged by the pandemic and is battling rising oil prices.

TAT is expected to present the proposal to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on March 18.

For Europe, July is the summer season, many of them will prefer intra-regional travel. Thailand expects tourists from neighboring countries.

Land Borders and Travel

India remains a key source of travel for the country due to the travel bubble agreed between the nations. Southeast Asian countries are also planning to relax travel measures. Vietnam is expected to open on March 15. By April 1, Malaysia will reopen its land border with Thailand.

At the moment, the agency’s primary concern is the Russian-Ukraine conflict. This has directly impacted airline costs due to the rising oil prices. TAT will be observing developments till the end of the month before they provide any forecast.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 12, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 24,792 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 63 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 22,065 recovered patients.

The Public Ministry also announced that they will revise the recording of COVID-19 fatalities. This is after the findings that 30% of those who died from COVID had underlying causes.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said that the Ministry wants to accurately determine the cause of death. Especially the fatalities that are related to COVID-19 infections.

Permanent Secretary for public health, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit added that 10-30% of COVID fatalities have serious underlying illnesses. An example of this is cancer, a serious illness that is often fatal in itself.

The highest tallied deaths on the current wave are 74 compared to the all-time high of 312. The infections are also rising as ATK tests are taken into consideration. Cases reach a high of 70,000 cases daily.

NHSO

Secretary-general of the National Health Security Office said that the hotline missed over 3500 calls and messages. The service is overwhelmed with the number of cases they receive on a daily basis. In an early attempt at the volume of calls, they partnered with officers, volunteers, and government agencies. However, it was not enough as the hotline was still overwhelmed.

He advised those with mild symptoms that home isolation is recommended. The Public Health Ministry is also distributing medicine for those in home isolation.

Currently, the NHSO is following up on missed calls to ask patients about their symptoms. Those with mild cases will be provided Favipiravir and will be advised to stay at home for 10 days. Green chiretta is also distributed among the communities as alternative medicine.

It is anticipated that the call back will be completed within 5 days. This is within Bangkok and the neighboring provinces.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 11, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Central Vaccination Centre (CVC) at Bang Sue Grand Station is now open for walk-in vaccinations. They will no longer require additional requirements regardless of what number of doses. This is open for both Thais and Foreign nationals.

Previously, you would need to book an appointment and wait for the text message confirmation. They will check if you are scheduled for the day prior to getting a shot. Due to the surge in cases and the upcoming festival, CVC has opened the vaccination for everyone.

Last month, the cases that suffered from lung infections rose to 1.5 times. The fatalities particularly with the unvaccinated elderly also rose. According to a study, elderly people who are fully vaccinated are 41% less likely to die from COVID.

CVC is increasing the vaccinations due to the upcoming Songkran celebrations. The country’s largest vaccination center is now open for walk-ins. Both Thais and foreigners are welcome and can choose which vaccine they would require.

The Bang Sue Grand Station will be closed on April 6 for Chakri Memorial Day and during the Songkran festival. It is expected to reopen on April 18.

Deputy Provincial Director for Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trairat Chairat recently chaired a meeting regarding the case surge. He followed up on the COVID-19 outbreaks in the area. He was joined by the provincial communicable disease committee.

Last month, the province has seen 95 cases to 2,283 cases. An average of 1,900 people tested positive from an RT-PCR or ATK test daily. This has raised additional concerns with public safety.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 10, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 22,703 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 69 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 24,247 recovered patients.

COVID Care for moderate to severe cases will remain free under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (Ucep) Plus scheme. This begins on March 16. National Institute for Emergency Medicine criteria will be used to guide the qualification of a case. Deputy government spokesperson, Traisuree Taisaranakul said that patients can seek treatment at any medical facility. After three days, they will be transferred to a hospital where their insurance is accepted.

As of today, all COVID cases can seek treatment anywhere. However, beginning March 16, the mild status cases will have a different treatment.

“We want to reserve beds in hospitals for the yellow [moderate] and red [severe] groups of patients,” she said.

COVID Care

The demand for COVID care has increased to the point where the hotline is getting overwhelmed. National Health Security Office (NHSO) assured everyone they are working on decreasing the waiting time. Due to the surge in cases, the hotline has been overwhelmed with calls regarding hospital beds and treatments.

Due to the uptick of cases, the medical system is trying to reserve hospital beds for severe cases. This is also in preparation for the approval of Songkran celebrations that could increase cases further.

Songkran

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has assured that inter-provincial travel and celebrations will go ahead. The Songkran Festival will be from April 13-15. During this time, Vaccine, Universal Prevention, Covid free-setting, and ATK testing – measures will be implemented. Also, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will meet to discuss public safety measures.

The Prime Minister strongly suggests that everyone get their third dose as well as perform ATK tests before and after celebrations. A full vaccination is also recommended for the elderly and those with underlying problems.

Follow us for more Thailand COVID updates.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 9, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Yesterday, 24,236 positive results from antigen test kits were added to the tally. The total number reached 45,398 according to the Department of Disease Control. Dr. Sumanee Wacharasin, hazard communication director of the DDC acknowledged increasing case numbers.

“New daily cases are slowly increasing. The number of patients with lung inflammation and dependent on ventilators is also increasing as daily new cases rise,” Dr. Sumanee said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the health care system to provide treatment for those testing positive. This comes after a number of people complained they could not access the healthcare system. He called Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang to inquire more about the issue.

Beginning March 1, the outpatient care of COVID-19 patients took effect. Under the new scheme, people who have mild to no symptoms can be prescribed favipiravir or fah talai jone. Additional medications are also available if the doctor deems it necessary.

For those infected with COVID and with underlying health issues, self-isolation with a telecare system can be arranged. Community isolation and hospitels are also available. For those with severe symptoms, they will be admitted to the hospital right away.

The outpatient service is to avoid overwhelming the healthcare systems and reserving hospital beds for those who really need it.

In Washington, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has added Thailand, Hong Kong, and New Zealand to high alert countries. This means that it is not recommended to visit the country at the moment due to the COVID cases.

Follow us for more Thailand COVID updates.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 8, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

เมื่อ 5 เดือนที่ผ่านมา นายราช การันย์ กุมาร ได้เกิดอุบัติเหตุล้มลงทำให้เป็นเขาอัมพาต โชคไม่ดีที่ไม่มีใครพาเขาไปส่งโรงพยาบาลได้ทัน เขาจึงขอความช่วยเหลือจาก สภ.ราชบุรี ต่อมาเขาได้เข้ารับการรักษาตัวทันทีที่โรงพยาบาลราชบุรี นายราช การันย์ กุมาร รักษาตัวที่โรงพยาบาลระยะหนึ่ง ทางโรงพยาบาลจึงให้ทำการกลับมารักษาตัวต่อที่บ้าน ณ ช่วงเวลานั้น นายราช การันย์ กุมารก็ได้มีสุขภาพร่างกายที่แย่ลง เนื่องจากครอบครัวของเขาอยู่อินเดียไม่ทราบถึงอาการป่วยของเขา และไม่สามารถติดต่อเพื่อนที่อยู่ในประเทศไทยได้

เขาจึงกลับไปที่สถานีตำรวจราชบุรีอีกครั้งเพื่อขอความช่วยเหลือ ทางเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจจึงขอความช่วยเหลือจากนักสังคมสงเคราะห์อย่าง คุณจิมมี่ มิสรา ตัวแทนบริษัท อินโดไทยนิวส์ จำกัด และ มูลนิธิจัยย์ชีริราม

คุณจิมมี่เคยเจอเหตุการณ์นี้กับเพื่อนชาวอินเดียคล้ายคลึงกันมาก่อนจึงขอความช่วยเหลือ คุณจิมมี่ มิสรา ตัวแทนบริษัท อินโดไทยนิวส์ จำกัด และ มูลนิธิจัยย์ชีริรามได้ให้ความช่วยเหลือ ต่อมานายราช การันย์ กุมารได้รับการช่วยเหลือและได้พักฟื้นอยู่บ้านพักคนชราโดยอยู่ในความดูแลของพยาบาลมืออาชีพ
คุณจิมมี่ คิดว่าการฟื้นตัวจะรวดเร็วยิ่งขึ้น ถ้าหาก นายราช การันย์ กุมาร ได้อยู่ใกล้ชิดกับครอบครัวของเขาที่อินเดีย

เขาได้ปรึกษากับทางบริษัท อินโดไทยนิวส์ จำกัด และ มูลนิธิจัยย์ชีริรามทันทีเกี่ยวกับการเดินทางกลับไปพบครอบครัวของนายราช การันย์ กุมาร ขณะเดียวกันทางเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจก็ช่วยดำเนินเรื่องของเอกสาร
ขณะที่ทุกสิ่งทุกอย่างเตรียมพร้อมสำหรับการกลับประเทศของ นายราช การันย์ กุมาร เรียบร้อยแล้วก็เกิดเรื่องขึ้นเนื่องจากทุกคนไม่ได้ตระหนักถึงการที่นายราช การันย์ กุมาร ช่วยเหลือตัวเองไม่ได้ จึงถูกยกเลิกการบิน ทำให้ นายราช การันย์ กุมาร ต้องกลับมาอยู่ในความดูแลของบ้านพักคนชราต่อ 2-3 วัน เพื่อจัดเตรียมเอกสารให้พร้อมอีกครั้งสำหรับการเดินทางกลับประเทศอินเดีย “ทุกอย่างจะจบลงด้วยดี” ตามคำกล่าว

นายราช การันย์ กุมาร ได้กลับไปอยู่บ้านเกิดกับครอบครัวของเขาอีกครั้ง
ตอนนี้ นายราช การันย์ กุมาร ได้อยู่กับครอบครัว ที่เมืองเดลี ประเทศอินเดีย อาการของเขาฟื้นตัวเร็วมาก
เรื่องนี้มีข้อคิดในตอนจบที่ดีคือมนุษย์ที่ยังคงเต็มไปด้วยความเห็นอกเห็นใจ มีเมตตากรุณา เช่นเรื่องราวของ นายราช การันย์ กุมาร แสดงให้เห็นว่าแม้เป็นคนแปลกหน้าซึ่งกันและกัน ทั้งหมดรวมตัวกันเพื่อช่วยเหลือเพื่อนมนุษย์ด้วยกัน นอกจากนี้ยังมีความช่วยเหลือจากเจ้าหน้าที่ตำรวจ สภ.ราชบุรี และการช่วยเหลือจากคุณ จิมมี่ มิสรา ที่ทำให้เกิดปาฏิหารย์  ทำให้เห็นว่าทุกคนล้วนแล้วแต่ยังมีความดี

The post เรื่องราวนี้ไม่ต่างจากภาพยนตร์โศกนาฏกรรม appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

एक भारतीय श्री राजकुमार, उम्र 49, खमुआह भट्ट गांव, गोरखपुर निवासी कई वर्षों से थाईलैंड में रह रहे थे। लगभग 5 महीने पहले श्री राजकुमार को लकवा मार दिया और नियति की क्रूर चोट ने उन्हें लाचार बना दिया। उन्हें अस्पताल ले जाने वाला भी कोई नही था। ऐसे कठिन समय में राचाबुरी पुलिस स्टेशन ने मानवीय संवेदनाओं की लाज रखते हुए उन्हें आनन-फानन में राचाबुरी अस्पताल में भर्ती कराया। श्री राजकुमार काफी समय बिस्तर पर सीमित थे और अस्पताल ने भी उन्हें बाकी इलाज घर से चलाये रखने की सलाह देते हुए डिस्चार्ज कर दिया।
वक़्त की मार ने कुछ ही समय में श्री राजकजमार की मुश्किलें बढ़ दीं और उनकी बिगड़ती तबीयत को देखते हुए उनके भारत वापस जाने की नौबत तक आ गयी। भारत में उनके परिवार को इसकी जानकारी न थी और यहां थाईलैंड के उनके मित्र या तो मदद को सामने नही आये या कुछ उन तक पहुंच नही पाए। ऐसे समय में एक बार फिर राचाबुरी पुलिस स्टेशन श्री राजकुमार के साथ खड़ा था परंतु वो भी समझ नही पा रहे थे कि आगे क्या किया जाए। उन्होंने इंडो-थाई न्यूज़ के प्रतिनिधि श्री जिमी मिश्रा जो जय श्री राम संस्थान के युवा सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता से संपर्क किया।

श्री जिम्मी कुछ ऐसी ही परिस्तिथियों का सामना पूर्व में कर चुके थे और वह समझते थी कि ऐसे में क्या किया जा सकता है। श्री जिम्मी जी के साहस और इंडो-थाई न्यूज़ और जय श्री राम संस्थान की मदद से श्री राजकुमार को निकटतम वृद्धाश्रम में शिफ्ट कराया गया। वृद्धाश्रम के कर्मचारियों के समर्पित सेवा भावना से श्री राजकुमार की सेहत में सुधार दिखने लगा। श्री जिम्मी ये समझ रहे थे कि श्री राजकुमार की सेहत में सुधार परिवार के बीच उत्तरोत्तर हो सकती है। इस संबंध में इंडो-थाई न्यूज़ और जय श्री राम संस्थान से परामर्श करके श्री जिम्मी ने इस कार्य का बीड़ा उठाया। राचाबुरी पुलिस स्टेशन ने कागज़ी कार्यवाही दुरुस्त करने में मदद की और श्री राजकुमार के किये सब अच्छा होता दिख रहा था। ऐसे में काफी कठिनाइयों के बाद श्री राजकुमार सभी कागज़ात के साथ एयरलाइन से उड़ान भरने को तैयार थे। इस आपाधापी में ‘फिट टू फ्लाई’ सर्टिफिकेट के खो जाने के चलते श्री राजकुमार को फ्लाइट न सिर्फ छोड़नी पड़ी बल्कि कुछ दिन और वृद्धाश्रम में समय काटना पड़ा जबतक सारे जरूरी कागजात फिरसे तैयार न किये जा सकें। ईश्वर की कृपा दृष्टि और सबके अथक प्रयास ने रंग लाया और अंततः श्री राजकुमार सारे कागज़ात के साथ अपने वतन वापस लौटे और अपने परिवार के बीच पहुंच गए।

श्री राजकुमार अब अपने परिवार के साथ दिल्ली, भारत में हैं और उनकी सेहत में भी काफी सुधार है। इस घटना से विश्वास होता है कि मानवता अभी भी करुणा और दया की भावना बचाये हुए है। श्री राजकुमार की कहानी यह दिखाती है कि बुरे वक्त में अक्सर अनजान भी मदद को आगे आते हैं। राचाबुरी पुलिस विभाग के त्वरित प्रक्रिया और श्री जिम्मी मिश्रा जैसे जिम्मेदार नागरिक के प्रयास ने चमत्कार ही कर दिया। फ़रिश्ते इंसानी दिल में आज भी बस्ते हैं।

The post राचाबुरी: मानवीय संवेदना की एक कहानी appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Mr. Raj Karan Kumar, 49, an Indian national from a village named ‘ Khamuaah Bhatt’, Gorakhpur, India has been residing in Thailand for years.

5 months ago, Mr. Kumar was unfortunately hit by paralysis and was helpless. He had no one around him to take him to the hospital.

It was the Ratchaburi police station who showed up and fought to get him immediately admitted to the Ratchaburi local hospital. Mr. Kumar have been bed-ridden for quite some time by then and the hospital had to discharge him as the hospital deemed that further treatment could be done at home.

At that time, Mr. Kumar’s stars are not in his favor, his health started to deteriorate as his family in India was unaware of his condition and his friends in Thailand could not reach him or backed out from taking the responsibility.

It was again the Ratchaburi police station which stood by Mr. Kumar but yet didn’t know how to take it forward from there. The police station then contacted a young aspiring social worker and a representative of Indo Thai news and Jai Shri Ram Foundation, Mr. Jimmy Mishra.

Mr. Mishra, a fellow Indian national had encountered similar situations in the past and knew what exactly needs to be done in this case. With Mr. Mishra’s courage and support from Indo Thai News and Jai Shri Ram Foundation, Mr. Kumar was admitted to the old age home where he was looked after by a dedicated staff and showed signs of improvement in his health.

Mr. Mishra quickly learned that the recovery could be even more swift if Mr. Kumar is close to his family members in India.

He immediately conferred with Indo Thai News and Jai Shri Ram Foundation with regards to Mr. Kumar’s reunion with his family. Meanwhile, the super cops of Ratchaburi assisted with the paperwork.

As everything was looking up for Mr. Kumar’s departures, a series of hiccups occurred as all the ones involved were unaware of the bumpy ride ahead. With all the documents in place, somehow the fit-to-fly certificate got missed and Mr. Kumar was taken off the flight to spend a few more days in the old age home until all the paperwork is in place.

As the saying goes “all is well that ends well”, it was not long enough till everything got figured out and Mr. Kumar left for his homeland to reunite with his family without further complications.

Mr. Kumar is now with his family in Delhi, India, and recovering pretty fast.

The story could not have a better ending. Humanity is still full of compassion and kindness. Mr. Kumar’s story has shown how complete strangers come together to help people in need. The relentless efforts of the Ratchaburi police department and the quick response of Jimmy Mishra have resulted in a miracle. Angels do exist in every human heart.

The post A Miracle in Ratchaburi appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

The hotels have posted huge losses during the pandemic. According to the survey, 63% of the hotels recorded an average occupancy rate of less than 30%. This is despite the Test and Go scheme revived recently.

Thai Hotels Association (THA) president Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi said that 75% of the hotels project a 30% occupancy rate. However, 37% of the hotels were the ones who were able to reach the target.

The average occupancy rate increased from 32% to 34% in the month of January. This is largely due to the We Travel Together and Test and Go schemes.

“Even though the Test & Go scheme has resumed, local tourists were still the majority of our customers. Almost half of the hoteliers who took the survey said international guests made up less than 10% of their bookings,” Mrs. Marisa said.

Only 20% of the hotels registered international guests and accounted for 50% of the total number of guests. The small number of tourists traveling is largely in part of the Test and Go and Thailand Pass complications. The RT-PCR tests are particularly costly for many.

Due to the uncertainty faced by the hotels with the pandemic situation, the THA is asking for some help. They are requesting the government to reduce the land and building tax by 90% until 2023. Right after Songkran will be the off-peak season. The unemployment rate increased to 59.8% for most hotels.

At the moment, 43% of the hotels are struggling to find qualified personnel. Some of the positions lacking skilled workers are the front office, food and beverage, kitchen, and marketing. Due to the low occupancy rate, most hotels resorted to hiring part-time staff. Some resorted to increasing the permanent staff salary instead.

Follow us for more Thailand COVID updates.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 7, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

According to Chatchai Viriyavejakul, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of Consular Affairs, the second group of 45 landed at Suvarnabhumi around 12:05 p.m. on Emirates aircraft EK 384 from Warsaw.

As part of Covid-19 prevention efforts, everyone was given RT-PCR testing upon arrival. They then boarded buses for a one-day quarantine at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Disease Institute in Nonthaburi, pending test results.

Mr. Chatchai stated that the Thai embassies in Bucharest and Warsaw have been aiding the 256 Thais who have tried to leave Ukraine, with 203 having returned home thus far.

The Russian embassy in Bangkok has issued a warning to Thai people from fighting alongside Ukrainians. The Russian Defense Ministry strongly cautions against such engagement in foreign military actions. This is according to a message posted on the embassy’s Facebook page on Saturday.

Last week, Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, issued a plea to international nationals to assist the country in fighting Russia’s incursion, which some have compared to a war. According to the Russian embassy, such mercenaries do not qualify as combatants under international humanitarian law and hence cannot be awarded prisoner-of-war status.

The post Thais Arrive from Ukraine and Russia Asks Thais Not to Join the Fight appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Yesterday, the country has crossed the 3 million mark with 22,818 cases according to the Public Health Ministry. This is excluding the 33,085 who tested positive with an ATK test kit.

Bangkok leads the tally with 2,809 cases followed by Chon Buri at 1,126 and Nakhon Si Thammarat at 1,067. The current wave began in January and is now at 781,376 cases and 1,478 deaths. A total of 589,997 cases have recovered.

Yesterday Thailand has an overall total of 3,004,814 cases since the pandemic began with 23,179 fatalities.

National Health Security Office (NHSO) currently reports 60,000-70,000 try to contact their hotline daily. The number increased due to the current wave of omicron cases. Most people are contacting the hotline for assistance in terms of treatment. Due to the high volume of calls, some could not go through.

NHSO recruited volunteers to help answer their hotline and also opened social media channels. They are asking those seeking treatment to contact the service through social media.

For those who tested positive yet prefer not to go to a hospital, the NHSO can arrange medical facilities to assist. If the patients are not among the high-risk group, like the elderly or those with underlying health conditions, can self-isolate. They will be looked after via a telehealth phone app.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul said that those with mild symptoms can seek treatment as an outpatient. The treatment will be covered by the Social Security Funds. Patients can also use the NHSO’s universal health coverage scheme or the Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme.

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The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 6, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Shane Warne dies at 52 from a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand. The Australian cricket star is considered to be one of the greatest test players of all time. An outpouring of grief from friends, fans, and fellow cricketers for his untimely passing.

The leg-breaker was born on 13 September 1969 in Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia was grossly known for his extraordinary spin and often bamboozled top-class batsmen with surprise unorthodox deliveries. Shane has a tally of 708 test wickets in his larger-than-life career. He is known to be the one to revive the art of leg-spin. He has helped his team win the 1999 limited-overs World Cup.

“Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived,” a statement from his management company said. He was found in a luxury resort in Koh Samui. Companions and medical staff performed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation but could not revive him.

His death came hours after the announcement of Rod Marsh’s death. He was a fellow Australian cricketer and an outstanding wicketkeeper.

A handy batsman, safe hands in a close-in fielding position, a witty commentator, a great personality have sadly passed away.

Messages

Pat Cummins, the current Australian captain said he was “a hero” to the current players. “The loss that we are all trying to wrap our heads around is huge. The game was never the same after Warnie emerged, and the game will never be the same after his passing.”

One of the greatest players, Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar tweeted “Shocked, stunned & miserable… I will miss you Warnie. There was never a dull moment with you around.”

Adam Gilchrist tweeted “The highlight of my cricketing career was to keep wicket to Warnie. Best seat in the house to watch the maestro at work.”

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As the cases are expected to soar during the Songkran celebrations, the government is urging the elderly to get vaccinated. There is about 2 million elderly population who haven’t got any vaccinations. During the festival, families are expected to reunite which could cause COVID-19 infections.

Not getting vaccinations can jeopardize the health of the elderly. 2.17 million senior citizens have not been vaccinated yet, the government is urging them to get it done. Department of Disease Control, Deputy Chief, Dr. Sophon Iamsirithavorn voiced these concerns.

“Getting vaccinated can save their lives and certainly minimize any severe symptoms if they catch Covid,” he said. “A large percentage of the elderly demographic in Thailand is now vaccinated with at least one shot, with coverage now extending to 83% of the elderly population or 10.54 million people.”

“But more than two million people in that age bracket still haven’t had any shots at all. They need to get vaccinated as quickly as possible,” Dr. Sophon added.

“We don’t want to see a tragic loss of life among older generations of families due to this disease during the Songkran festival.”

Previously, the department released possible scenarios should there be no preventive measures. In their worst-case scenario, they predicted that cases will reach 100,000 a day. If some measures will be in place, it could be at 50,000.

Meanwhile, hospitality businesses in Pattaya are urging the government to allow them to serve alcohol past midnight. They are also asking to extend dine-in services past 11:00 PM.

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The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 5, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Most of the cases that are being recorded are from the RT-PCR tests conducted. If the additional antigen test kits will be accounted for, the total increase to 65,756 cases. Department of Disease Control Hazard Communication Director, Sumanee Wacharasin confirmed yesterday.

She also added that the cases are expected to peak in mid-April. “Please do your best to refrain from attending meetings, and work from home as much as possible,” she said.

Dr. Sumanee also provided details on the recorded fatalities. She cited that 67% of the fatalities were unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated. 27% have received only two doses more than three months ago. Bangkok logged the most fatalities at 10 followed by Nakhon Pathom at 2.

Director-general of the Department of Medical Services, Dr. Somsak Akksilp said that ATK testing is actually 95% accurate.

The Public Health Ministry is mobilizing provincial hospitals near the capital to help handle the rising COVID cases. The current healthcare system of the capital is being overwhelmed by new cases every day. Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit announced that thousands are seeking assistance. Patients call the National Health Security Office (NHSO) hotline for Home Isolation assistance.

“We have been concerned because there are around 50,000 pending cases waiting to access our outpatient self-isolation service in the capital. To ease their difficulties, we have decided to open acute respiratory infection [ARI] clinics in our hospitals in 14 provinces near the capital so that patients who meet with difficulty in contacting the 1330 service can go there directly to access our medical treatment system,” he said.

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The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 4, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand Ministry of Health reports 23,618 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 49 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 19,093 recovered patients.

Public Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul plans to present an overhaul to the COVID treatment scheme. Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (Ucep) Plus will be presented next week for review. It is expected to show how it will cover the treatment of moderate to severe cases of COVID-19.

UCEP

Under the new rule, people will be divided into categories depending on the severity of the cases. Green is for mild to no symptoms, yellow is for moderate, and red for those who are severe. Each category has a different coverage in terms of treatment. Doctors will be the ones to diagnose and categorize each patient.

Mr. Anutin that the new scheme will help reserve hospitalization for those in need of the treatment. “It is not right for people who do not need to be hospitalized to scramble for beds reserved for those who require more intensive care,” Mr. Anutin said.

“When we know how to control the pandemic and treat people appropriately, we should manage hospital resources to ensure their optimal use so people who need hospital care can access it straight away.”

The current UCEP scheme allows everyone to see treatment anywhere for the first three days. After which, patients will be transferred to hospitals accredited by their insurance. Initially, it was to be implemented by March 1 however, due to the surge in cases, it was delayed.

Self-isolation is still strongly recommended for mild to no symptoms to avoid overwhelming the system. The hospitalization is reserved for the at-risk groups or those with critical symptoms. Many countries suffered waves of COVID that caused the shortage of hospital beds.

Follow us for more Thailand COVID updates.

The post Thailand COVID-19 Cases March 3, 2022 Update appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

ที่รีเจ้นท์ บุตรหลานของท่านจะเติบโตในสภาพแวดล้อมการเรียนรู้ที่สงบและปลอดภัย ซึ่งได้รับการออกแบบมาเพื่อจุดประกายความอยากรู้ของเขา และส่งเสริมความรักในการเรียนรู้ตั้งแต่เล็กจนโต ครูผู้เชี่ยวชาญของเราสนับสนุนนักเรียนทุกคนให้พัฒนาทักษะที่สำคัญและความคิดสากลที่จะช่วยให้เขาประสบความสำเร็จได้ในโลกที่เปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างรวดเร็ว

ชมโรงเรียนของเราเพื่อสัมผัสบรรยากาศ พบกับทีมผู้บริหารที่มีประสบการณ์สูง และเรียนรู้เพิ่มเติมเกี่ยวกับหลักสูตรของเรา สมัครเรียนในวันงานเพื่อรับโปรโมชั่นพิเศษ

โรงเรียนนานาชาติรีเจ้นท์พัทยาขอเชิญชวนท่านและครอบครัวมาร่วมงาน Thai Open Day เพื่อให้ท่านได้สัมผัสด้วยตัวเองว่าโรงเรียนของเราพิเศษแค่ไหน

ลงทะเบียนเข้าร่วมงาน: https://rb.gy/cqfpq0

วันเสาร์ที่ 26 มีนาคม 2565

สามารถเลือกได้สองเวลา 08:30น.-10:30น. หรือ 11:00น.-13:00น.

เราหวังเป็นอย่างยิ่งที่จะได้ต้อนรับท่านและครอบครัวมายังโรงเรียนของเรา หากท่านมีคำถามใดๆ กรุณาติดต่อ Admissions@regents-pattaya.co.th

โรงเรียนของเรามอบความสำคัญให้แก่ความปลอดภัยของนักเรียน ครอบครัว และพนักงานของเราเป็นอย่างสูง ดังนั้น เพื่อเป็นการมอบความมั่นใจในการดูแลชุมชนของเราให้ปลอดภัย เราจึงขอความร่วมมือจากท่านในการส่งผลการตรวจโควิด ATK ที่เป็นลบถึงเราก่อนงานเริ่ม และรักษาระยะห่าง 1.5 เมตร พร้อมสวมหน้ากากอนามัยในระหว่างการเดินชมโรงเรียน

The post Regents Thailand Open Day appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

At Regents, your child will thrive in our quiet and safe learning environment, designed to spark their curiosity and nurture a lifetime love of learning. Our specialist teachers know how to support our students to develop the right skills and a global mindset to thrive in a changing world.

Visit our campus to experience the atmosphere, meet our highly experienced leadership team, and learn more about our curriculum. Enroll your child on the day to receive an exclusive special offer.

Join us to see what makes our school special at our Thai Open Day.

Register now: https://rb.gy/cqfpq0

Saturday 26^th March 2022

Choose your preferred time to visit us

8.30am-10.30am OR 11am-1pm

We look forward to welcoming you and your family to our campus. If you have any questions, please send them to admissions@regents-pattaya.co.th.

Our school prioritizes the safety of our students, families, and staff. To support this and ensure our community stays safe, please supply a negative ATK test prior to your visit, and maintain a 1.5m distance while wearing a mask during your campus tour.

The post Regents Thailand Open Day appeared first on Indo Thai News Channel - Travel l Culture l News & Event l Food.

Thailand remains neutral on the Russian-Ukraine conflict according to Prime Minister Prayut Cha-o-cha.

According to the source, a cabinet meeting on Tuesday examined the subject extensively. 25 diplomats based in Thailand pressed the government to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. General Prayut cited the long-standing relations with Russia. He asked everyone to tread carefully. His priority is the safe return of Thai citizens who were in Ukraine.

“We need to be composed and make decisions carefully. Thailand must maintain a neutral stance and bring Thais in Ukraine back home quickly,” he said.

ASEAN

Thailand would support ASEAN’s stance on the dispute between Russia and Ukraine. ASEAN called for discussion between the parties involved in order to settle the issue in Ukraine.

25 ambassadors met with Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Thani Thongphakdi on Monday. They called for support for the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) resolution. The ambassadors said that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a violation of the UN Charter. All UN members including Thailand are asked to “speak up to save our rules-based international order and vote for the UN Resolution”.

“It is about the regional grouping’s decision. We need to keep a balance. But most importantly, we have been concerned about the safety of people in countries involved in the conflict. We also have to ensure Thais in those countries are safe. We also support the peace process to end the conflict and war. [Thailand] We need to tread carefully and act through ASEAN’s mechanisms,” Prime Minister Prayut said.

“We call on all relevant parties to exercise maximum restraint and make utmost efforts to pursue dialogue through all channels, including diplomatic means to contain the situation,” the ASEAN ministers said.

“[ASEAN] We believe that there is still room for a peaceful dialogue to prevent the situation from getting out of control,” they added.

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Public Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit is hoping to increase awareness on COVID-19 treatment. As 95% of the cases are now asymptomatic or mild symptoms, there is no urgent need for hospitalization. Most people are not aware that non-severe cases do not require hospital confinement. The Ministry hopes to introduce the Self Isolation service as it transitions COVID-19 as endemic.

“We need people to change their mindset when it comes to the right medical treatment for Covid-19 as an endemic disease,” he said.

Home Isolation is suitable for asymptomatic and mild symptoms. Self Isolation is slightly different as patients will receive prescription drugs. There is also a facility transfer assistance and a one-time follow-up call. They will then stay at home for seven days and monitor their progress through an ATK test.

This is an additional option while Community Isolation and Home Isolation remain active.

Meanwhile, hoteliers are asking to scrap the RT-PCR test and the Thailand Pass as a whole. With the conflict in Russia and Ukraine costing many economies, the tourism sector outlook is not so good.

Founder and Chairman of Minor Internation, William Heinecke says that if the government would like to recover, they would need to scrap the Thailand Pass system. This will resume the regular travel requirements to Thailand. It could open the doors to more tourists and increase the arrivals.

He sighted examples such as the UK, the US, the majority of Europe, the Philippines, Cambodia, and the Middle East. The current Travel Pass rules will make it a bit more difficult for tourists. Also, the additional cost of traveling while economies tumble could be an issue.

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On Mahashivratri, devotees observe a day-long fast and seek blessings. All devotees pray from the morning in the temple. In the daytime, there was a huge roadshow at the Main Pattaya Beach Road, Beach Road & Sukhumvit road.

In the evening prayers, Thai Thailand’s Deputy cultural Minister Khun Paramase Ngampiches also joined the event and artists also performed a cultural show. The temple officials made elaborate arrangements to ensure hassle-free darshan of the presiding deity.

Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honor of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Lord Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava.

It is a major festival in Hinduism, and this festival is solemn and marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Lord Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Lord Shiva.

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The Thai National Library offers a large collection of Thai manuscripts, printed publications, audio-visual materials, and digital resources on a wide range of topics. It also has a large collection of books on world history, current events, and foreign language literature.

Ambassador Suchitra Durai presented a collection of well-known and respected publications on Buddhism, Indian epics, history, culture, literature, and notable people in English, Hindi, and 21 Indian regional languages. Several big Thai institutions have received similar bundles of books.

In her remarks, the Ambassador expressed her delight at the opportunity to gift these volumes to Thailand’s National Library on diverse aspects of India. She also expressed India’s intention to cooperate closely with Thailand and develop stronger relationships with the Thai people. India has had tremendous progress in the last decade, not just in the digital technology sector but also in other vital socioeconomic areas, opening up countless opportunities for India and Thailand to strengthen and nurture their partnership.

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The Department of Disease Control predicts that the cases could hit up to 100,000 daily by Songkran. This is based on the worst cases scenario. They also added that the cases could drop or rise for the next few weeks. This would depend on how strict the COVID prevention measures are implemented.

The measures include avoiding group activities, non-essential travel, and working from home. Maintaining a high vaccination rate is also very important. VUCA (Vaccine, Universal Prevention, COVID-19 free setting, and ATK) preventive measures are recommended.

The best-case scenario is when the precautions are fully implemented. This will result in the cases staying within the 20,000 marks. This could also mean that it would peak by the middle of the month.

If the current preventive measures will continue as it is, they predict that the cases will reach about 50,000 daily. This would be until the Songkran festival.

The worst prediction would be if there are no measures implemented at all. In this scenario, the cases will reach 100,000 daily until the middle of next month.

Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokeswoman, Apisamai Srirangson said that there are 213,645 cases being treated. 83,479 are currently hospitalized with 08% of them with mild symptoms.

She also recommended that those will little to no symptoms should stay at home. Seeking hospital admission would not be necessary. The hospital beds are reserved for severe cases.

Test and Go scheme has also revised the entry requirement. The fifth-day RT-PCR test initially required will be replaced by an ATK test starting today.

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Green chiretta production will be ramped up by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. Fah talai jone is a famous alternative medicine for favipiravir for those with mild to no symptoms.

Green chiretta has been found to be able to cure mild symptoms of COVID-19. During the first wave of the pandemic in the country, many studies were conducted on its effectiveness. Many COVID patients have fully recovered because of herbal medicine. There are qualities in the plant that could help eliminate the virus inside the body.

Department director-general, Dr. Yongyot Thammawut announced the distribution of over 30,000 packs of green chiretta. Other tens of thousands are distributed to the provinces.

Fah talai jone comes either as an extract or as a capsule. A larger than usual dose is used for people with mild to no symptoms. Dr. Yongyot said that those who are taking the green chiretta should not combine it with favipiravir.

Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a government spokesman announced that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered that all who are suffering COVID-19 must have unrestricted access to healthcare.

It is also suggested to take home isolation as an initial step rather than hospitalization. This will help not to overload the health care system. It is recommended to reserve hospital beds for severe cases. Overwhelming the healthcare system unnecessarily will cause more fatalities.

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The Rural Doctor Society (RDF) Facebook page posted a message saying several hospitals are short of COVID-19 medication. The Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) on Saturday announced that there is no shortage.

GPO Deputy Director, Sirikul Methivirangsan said that there are 24 million Favipiravir pills on reserved. There are also another 60 million currently being produced. In total the GPO has 84 million to be distributed across the nation. Aside from these, local GPO units have a reserve of their own.

RDS claimed that back in September, GPO began producing the pills and access was easy. In October, when the Delta cases begin to decline, there was a good number of reserves. This prompted the Public Health Ministry to allow access to everyone who tested positive to obtain the pills.

Recently, the shortage was so severe that hospitals are only left a few of the pills. Most of the pills left are being reserved for critical cases and the elderly. The formerly open distribution of the pills became stricter. Hospitals have to verify the patient’s need for the pill before handing it.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit said “Outpatient care will be provided for patients who cannot access the two systems. It will be an alternative service to be available at certain respiratory infection clinics.”

“Outpatient care will be available at every hospital from March 1 because coverage for Covid-19 patients remains unchanged under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients scheme,” Dr. Kiattiphum said.

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Central Retail hits record-high performance in Q4, turning 2021 into a profitable year and yielding THB 0.30 in dividends. Chief Executive Officer of Central Retail Corporation PCL (CRC) Mr. Yol Phokasub announced “Central Retail has achieved success hitting record-high in Q4/2021 performance, with revenue of THB 58,765 million +15%. EBITDA THB 8,031 million +42% and a net profit of THB 2,464 million +124%. We ended 2021 on a high note with a profit of THB 277 million. EBITDA THB 20,059 million and total revenue of THB 195,654 million. Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the spread of COVID-19 for extended periods across Thailand, Vietnam, and Italy, Central Retail achieved profitability and generated positive returns to shareholders, with dividend payment of THB 0.30 per share.”

Central Retail’s 2021 achievements

Thailand

Sales in 2021 were greater than pre-pandemic levels, excluding tourist spending. Central Retail’s Multi-Category Platform, which provides portfolio flexibility and adaptation to changing client demands, is responsible for this success. In 2021, the hardline category was the emphasis, as it aligned with consumer tastes during the pandemic, allowing the segment to rapidly increase and boost sales to levels that were 26% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Five new Thai Watsadu locations have opened, as well as new store formats. WOW banner of 15 branches in three months in 2021, all of which were well greeted by clients, highlighting the company’s leadership position in the Omnichannel Home Improvement Platform. In addition, Central Retail has completed the acquisition of COL, which includes OfficeMate and B2S, and is planning to list MEB, the market leader in the e-book sector and a novel website for Thais, on the Thai stock exchange in 2022. Central Retail retains its #1 status as Thailand’s Best Food Destination and plans to expand its company by establishing 46 new locations in 2021 to further solidify its leading position in the category. Influential Brand Singapore and Neo Target, a pioneer in corporate reputation consultancy in Thailand, also gave Tops Supermarket the Top Influential Brands award. From the end of last year to the first quarter of this year, the corporation established fixed prices for consumer items to relieve consumers’ financial difficulties amid difficult times. When compared to prior quarters in the last two years, the company’s fashion section had the highest levels of growth in the fourth quarter, and the category is currently growing well.

Vietnam

Despite the impact of COVID-19, Central Retail continued to invest in renovations and company expansion to maintain its position as a leader in the hypermarket and lifestyle mall industry in both urban and rural locations. The firm also entered the food industry by creating the small go! store concept, which is aimed at mass customers, as well as Tops Market, which caters to all client segments in Vietnam. Despite the fact that Vietnam had a challenging scenario during the pandemic, which led stores to close in the second and third quarters, our sales increased by 8% in 2019, and our EBITDA increased by 9%.

Italy

Rinascente’s three flagship stores in Milan, Florence, and Rome were renovated by Central Retail. The modifications took place during the Italian shutdown and were finished in time for the reopening of the border in mid-2021, which drew an increasing number of consumers and resulted in great company development. Domestic consumers’ buying power, along with the return of European visitors, bolstered sales growth in the fourth quarter, matching 99 percent of pre-pandemic levels. In Italy, the company’s yearly revenues increased by 30% year over year, while EBITDA increased fourfold.

Property

Renovated and opened new branches in Thailand and Vietnam, including GO! lifestyle mall in Vietnam and Robinson Lifestyle in Thailand, for a total of six locations. The occupancy rate at Robinson Lifestyle was above 90%, and the number of consumers has been steadily growing. By the end of 2021, Central Retail will have 69 locations throughout Robinson Lifestyle, Tops Plaza, and GO! lifestyle malls, totaling approximately 650,000 square meters of net leasable space, up 10% from the previous year.

Technology and Digital Transformation

By implementing a digital-first mindset and developing on the most complete omnichannel platforms, Central Retail improved technological integration across the organization and its employees, safeguarding Central Retail’s distinctive leadership in omnichannel retailing. As a consequence of these efforts, omnichannel sales now account for 20% of overall revenues, representing a 109 percent increase. To enable rapid growth and consolidate its position as the retailer of the future, the firm expanded on the CRC Data Ecosystem and established new technology platforms for every business category.

“2021 was the year that put Central Retail through rigorous-resilience tests. With antifragility in the DNA, we were able to thrive amid the widespread uncertainty to emerge first and stronger. Through this, we have proven that the ability of the organization and our people to adapt and move quickly is key in overcoming obstacles. I would like to express my gratitude to our customers, partners, and our employees who joined forces in driving leaping growth for the company. We are ready to charge ahead with the CRC Retailligence strategy in full force by harnessing the power of digital technologies to enhance our omnichannel platforms, and accelerating business growth in Thailand and internationally. We also aim to move ahead in unity with world-class partners to seize new business opportunities and tap into changing consumer needs and global trends. And in everything we do, we stand by the commitment to inclusive growth, driving collective and sustainable success with all our partners,” concluded Mr. Yol.

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Thailand has had a total of 2,844,897 cases since the pandemic began. A total of 2,621,004 has recovered and the country logged a total of 22,852 deaths. There are 201,041 active cases and 687 are on a critical status.

As part of attempts to declare the virus endemic within the next four months, the Public Health Ministry will enable hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients as outpatients. The outpatient plan for persons infected with Covid-19, according to Kiatiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, is set to start on March 1.

People suspected of being infected will be tested using an antigen test kit (ATK), and if the results are positive, doctors may consider giving favipiravir or fah talai jone, as well as other drugs, based on their symptoms. According to him, the proposed outpatient service is part of the ministry’s goal to downgrade Covid-19 to a self-care illness.

Several Covid-19 patients are receiving therapy at home in Chiang Mai and Phuket, according to Dr. Kiatiphum, and Siriraj Hospital is creating a similar scheme in which individuals with minor symptoms will be isolated at home.

He also stated that, based on their doctors’ assessments, at-risk populations can be treated as outpatients.

Somsak Akkasilp, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, said the ministry is in negotiations with three medical societies about developing standards for medical treatment for Covid-19 outpatients.

He said that the decision was made in accordance with Thai Paediatric Society recommendations for the care of young Covid-19 patients, which provide that children under the age of 15 can be treated as outpatients.

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COVID-19 cases among children aged 5 and below have risen to 100,000 accounting for 5% of the total cases. Since April of last year, reports have come in of children contracting the virus. The official tally is at 107,059 and 29 children have died.

The children mostly got the virus from contact with family members. Also, at that time, there were no vaccines available for the children.

“If there are vulnerable groups in their houses, people should assess the risk. If the risk is high, they should take antigen tests. However, they may show no symptoms,” Dr. Ekachai Piansriwatchara said. He is the deputy director-general of the Department of Health.

Health officials advise those coming home from work to assess their contact and level of risk. This would help protect vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, or pregnant women.

The Public Health Ministry is looking to downgrade COVID-19 into an endemic status in 4 months. There are no future lockdowns that are considered. This is due to the low fatality rate of the new omicron sub-variant BA.2.

The Ministry is hoping to outline steps on how it can transition into an endemic situation where people live with the virus. This could help balance the economy as the country begins recovering from the economic cost of lockdowns.

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April is just around the corner, it’s considered to be Thailand’s peak season as it is when Songkran is celebrated. The Thai New Year festival is among the most important annual events in the nation. For the past two years, the celebrations were minimized due to the lockdowns. This year, everyone is unsure if it will be the long-awaited return to normal or would be canceled.

This is usually the time of the year when the local and international tourists flock to famous Thai destinations. Year after year before the pandemic, it has brought in billions in revenue. This year, tourism operators are hoping for it not to be a dry one.

As the country continues to battle a resurgence of cases, many ask if a lockdown will happen. The current surge is expected to peak by March. The current alert level is raised to level 4. The government said previously that lockdowns will not be needed, however, due to the increase in cases, many are in doubt.

The recent announcement of the government of increasing the alert level to four was slammed by tourist operators. The alert level did not come to a lockdown but it discouraged unnecessary inter-provincial travels. This has greatly affected the businesses that were expecting an influx of local tourists after a long dry season. They are quick to suggest that the country should begin to live with the virus. They also sighted examples such as the European nations who lifted all restrictions.

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Central Pattana has expressed a commitment to better futures and a stance as a place builder who creates spaces for people and the world to commemorate its 40th anniversary.

To achieve sustainability goals, the organization focuses on three tactics. There are three goals: 1) SYNERGY for New Solutions with its retail-led mixed-use business, partners, communities, and other stakeholders; 2) PIONEER for Better Lives to develop new standards for project development based on Green & Well-being concepts, and 3) OPPORTUNITIES with a Purpose to become an organization that develops people and elevates Thailand’s real estate and retail industries.

The company’s five-year business plan for 2022-2026 aims to make a big impact, with investments in new mixed-use projects and revamps of existing projects across over 30 provinces, including 50 shopping centers with new formats and trends, 68 residential projects that will solidify the company’s position as the top developer, 13 office buildings catering to the new lifestyle, and 37 hotels, including a new hotel brand.

It is unveiling a new brand identity for the corporation and its retail complexes around the country, based on local characteristics and distinct modernism created by a famous design firm.

In 2022, the corporation is forming a ‘Business & Digital Transformation’ team with a 450 million investment budget, as well as a ‘Partner Champions’ team that will assure growth by offering end-to-end solutions to partners.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will hold a meeting to assess the test and go package. The government is weighing the option to replace the second PCR Test requirement with an ATK test kit instead. The Department of Disease Control and Emergency Operation Centre will present proposals for the scheme.

The current Test and Go package require fully vaccinated tourists to take a PCR test on the first and fifth day. The reason for looking into the second test is that the virus is already on community spread. The infections are mostly local and not imported.

The country is currently facing new challenges as the cases continue to surge. The government announced the increase of the alert level to 4. This does not mean that a lockdown will be implemented however inter-provincial travel is discouraged.

The announcement of alert level 4 has worried many tourism operators. They said that this decision could affect the economy and those ailing businesses. They cited examples like Maldives and Europe for allowing people to love the virus. This new alert will cause anxiety to potential customers and could cancel plans to travel.

The inconsistent opening and closing of tourism-related businesses could cause worrisome situations for the sector. They ask the government to come up with a decisive action to address tourism at the same time keeping the public safe.

They ask to see how other countries are coping with the virus and still continue to stimulate their economies. This is in the hopes to balance the pandemic and the economic stability of the country.

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“I know that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand has got some kind of plan in case of further deterioration of the [Russia-Ukraine situation],” he said. “[In this regard], the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is ready and has been in contact with the Thai embassy in Warsaw, Poland, which is responsible for Thai people in Ukraine.”

“Our government is in contact with them in case there are any Thai nationals needing assistance, and we will provide [them] with assistance,” Mr. Orel said.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry announced that the embassy in Poland has laid out a plan on how to evacuate Thais living in Ukraine. If the Russian invasion takes place, they have a plan to keep these citizens safe. Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat announced their concern for 230 Thais living in Ukraine.

They have set up a LINE group chat to keep communications open as well as to announce updates. They have also secured conversations with the governments of Ukraine and Poland to assist if the attacks begin. A warning has also been issued to avoid traveling to Ukraine until the situation has been fixed.

The current plan is to use the western city of Lviv as a waypoint into Poland. This is according to the Thai ambassador in Poland, Chetthaphan Maksamphan.

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Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul approved the changes to the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) scheme. Part of the scheme is to delist COVID-19 treatment from the covered illnesses. The changes will take effect on March 1, 2022.

Under the previous scheme, patients can seek treatment for the first three days. After the initial treatment, they will be transferred to a hospital where the universal coverage is registered. Under the changes, if a patient seeks medical help from a private hospital, they would have to pay for the bill.

Mr. Anutin also announced the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) Plus for patients with moderate to severe symptoms. These changes were done to improve budget management but still provide standard COVID treatment.

“We have to make necessary adjustments [to the UCEP scheme] for the sake of giving fair and effective treatment while also considering budgetary factors,” he said.

For those who were recently infected by the omicron variant, most of the cases are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms. Most of the cases could be addressed through home isolation. Even under home isolation, the cases are still monitored by health professionals. In cases where it becomes severe, they can be admitted to hospitals for treatment.

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As the cases continue to rise once again, virologists issues a warning that cases could reach 30,000 – 50,000. This is the most likely scenario if there are no measures taken to curb the spread.

The Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary, Suttipong Juljarern ordered provincial governors to come up with COVID measures. These are plans to help curb the virus spread and will be strictly enforced. He also advised provinces located near the border to tighten security measures. Part of their concerns are migrants crossing borders illegally.

In addition, they are also required to raise public awareness about the COVID conditions. They would also like to seek public cooperation to contain the spread. Local leaders are asked to prepare contingency plans in case of an outbreak.

Chulalongkorn University’s Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Yong Poovorawan posted a message on Facebook. “Covid-19 cases are also on an upward trend in Thailand and the country may see daily cases reach 30,000-50,000,” he said. He also noted that if antigen kit results are added to the daily count, it would probably show 25,000 a day.

He urged those who tested positive through an ATK test and are asymptomatic to isolate right away. There is no need to take an RT-PCR test. This will help reduce a load of laboratories on running tests. If all ATK tests will be retested through an RT-PCR test, the cost will increase.  

With the Songkran Festival on the horizon, health experts continue to suggest following the universal measures. These are vaccination, social distancing, wearing of masks, and frequent washing of hands.

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Thailand Ministry of Health reports 18,953 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 30 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 13,962 recovered patients.

Department of Medical Sciences director-general Dr. Supakit Sirilak says they are studying the virulence of the BA 2 subvariant. They wanted to see if it is deadlier than the previous variants alpha, beta, and delta. This is in response to the growing concerns about the rising number of cases in Thailand.

Omicron Subvariant

”Normally it takes at least 14 days to follow up on the condition of Covid-19 patients to determine how severe their disease is, while it is actually best to monitor them until they fully recover,” he said.

The treatment seems to be the same as the other variants. The doctors treat the patients based on their symptoms. It is not necessary for them to know the sub-lineage prior to treatment.

“We’re treating patients based on their symptoms. And [once again] Covid-19 vaccines are capable of preventing severe disease, whether it be Delta or Omicron,” he said.

Delta variant has a fatality rate of 200 lives for every 10,000 cases while omicron’s original variant kills about 20 per 10,000 cases. “A great virus is one that kills only between 3% and 5% of the people it infects while it continues to spread,” he added.

”Whether Omicron’s BA.2 sub-variant will be the same or worse remains to be seen,” he said.

Current studies suggest that BA.2 subvariant is more contagious, this has been corroborated by many health experts. All of them are conducting studies on its virulence. It is unknown if it will be resistant to the immunity provided by the vaccinations.

With the Songkran Festival on the horizon, health experts continue to suggest following the universal measures. These are vaccination, social distancing, wearing of masks, and frequent washing of hands.

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The Department of Disease Control assured that there were few cases of side effects among the administered doses. There were 120 million doses administered in the country. This comprises 26.4 million Sinovac, 46.8 million AstraZeneca, 14.7 million Sinopharm, 27.6 million Pfizer, and 4.3 million Moderna doses.

Director of the Emergency Health Hazard and Disease Control, Dr. Chawetsan Namwat confirmed the data. He said that 79 people developed allergies with their vaccines. 43 affected by Sinovac and 22 by AstraZeneca. 31 people suffered from pericarditis after receiving doses. 29 attributed to Pfizer and one to Astrazeneca and one to Sinopharm. Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia was found in six people. Five of them received AstraZeneca jabs while one with Pfizer.

There were 2.081 complaints regarding deaths associated with vaccination. Only four were confirmed. Two from thrombosis with thrombocytopenia, one due to severe shock and one associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

The other 177 deaths were associated with heart disease, intracerebral hemorrhage, and thrombosis. The other 938 were due to infected nervous system, pneumonitis, and other factors. The cause of death for the other complaints was not confirmed.

The Tourism Industry proposed to remove the second RT-PCR test required by the Test and Go scheme. The proposal was submitted to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration. The Tourism and Sports Ministry will propose to replace the second PCR test with an antigen test. If approved, it will be applied by March 1.

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Nakhon Si Thammarat has become a new hotspot logging in nearly 1500 COVID cases. The Provincial Public Health reported 1,436 total cases. 750 cases were detected through the RT-PCR tests and 686 were detected from ATK test kits.

The asymptomatic cases were advised to undergo home isolation. Those who have mild to severe symptoms, there were asked to take hospital treatments. Muang, Thung Song, Tha Sala, Bang Khan, Ron Phibun, Chulabhorn and Sichon were among the hotspots.

Chief of the Provincial Health Office Dr. Charasphong Sukkree said that 80% of the cases were identified as the Omicron variant. Most of the cases were obtained through contact with family members who were infected.

“Before that, we were more concerned about it spreading within gambling circles, at ordination ceremonies, funerals, and marriage ceremonies,” he said.

“But from this January, Omicron has been prevalent and it’s hard to trace the origin, especially as many cases are asymptomatic. When people contract the virus, it spreads quickly among their family members.”

320 schools located in the province previously resumed onsite learning. However, due to the increasing number of cases, some had to close once again.

In Nakhon Sawan, Sangsawan school decided to cancel onsite learning after 38 students tested positive. The closure was to allow about 60 staff members to quarantine themselves.

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Mr. Sanan Ang-Ubolkul, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and revealed that the Council has met Mr. Stanley Kang, President of the Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce. They also met with representatives from the Foreign Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. 36 countries attended and discussed with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha about the current trading and investment situation including various obstacles in business operations and possible resolutions.

The Foreign Chamber of Commerce is part of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. It acts as an intermediary regarding issues of foreign businessmen in Thailand. It works closely with the Chamber of Commerce. These groups of people live and do business in Thailand which is important for driving the country’s economy, especially in terms of giving advice and promoting trade and investment between each other.

In the past, both groups have exchanged opinions and closely followed up on the progress of resolving problems in order to reduce obstacles in doing business for foreigners. The particular focus is on the facilitation of doing business (Ease of Doing Business) of foreigners who come to do business in Thailand. They also included suggestions to restore the country’s economy in terms of controlling the epidemic, remedies for entrepreneurs and people’s economic stimulus and the revival of the country.

During the meeting, Prime Minister discussed the importance of foreign trade, investment, and tourism in Thailand. He also included the goals of the 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan that is about to start Including highlighting the issue of using Digital Transformation to keep up with the changes of the world. The Prime Minister has given importance to human capital development and technology transfer to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness. In addition, at present, the government has a clear intention to focus on the development of innovation to add value to Thailand’s products and services.

Mr. Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), thanked the Thai government including all sectors involved in the allocation of vaccines to foreign businessmen. He also said that during the last 2 to 3 years of the coronavirus situation, the Foreign Chamber of Commerce focused to drive Digital Transformation and Economic Modernization.

In addition, the government should have the policy to create sustainability and Green Policies that are integrated with the competitiveness of the Thai economy. He also suggested actively supporting and promoting BCG and ESG by paying close attention and monitoring the government’s policies to find ways to make the Thai economy more competitive.

“Thank you to the government for always supporting foreign businessmen in Thailand, especially the cooperation between by the Foreign Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. It plays an important role in helping, advising and promoting foreign trade and investment in Thailand. which is an important part of driving Thailand’s economy,” said Mr. Stanley.

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The Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Education approved covid zones for Mathayom 6 students. Students who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms will be able to take the university entrance examinations.

Department of Health Deputy Chief Dr. Sarawut Boonsuk made the announcement on Wednesday. “Any student who is infected with Covid-19 [with mild symptoms] will not be denied the opportunity to take an entrance examination. Each university must arrange a special area for them.”

Universities are required to have three exam zones for the students. “The first zone should be reserved for confirmed Covid-negative students. The second zone should be for students considered a possible health risk. The third will be for confirmed Covid-1 infected students who have shown mild or no symptoms. This is part of the understanding that all students will be treated equally,” he said.

Apart from zoning, the ministry also discussed possible solutions for COVID-19 that do not involve the closing of schools. He added that it was agreed that both boarding and non-boarding schools should carry on with onsite classes despite the detected presence of Covid-19 cases in schools. He added the present isolation system will continue at boarding schools where infected students can learn onsite in isolated buildings until they recover from the disease. They will all the while be under close medical supervision by public health teams. These will all be submitted to Gen Supoj Malaniyom, head of operations at the CCSA for approval. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

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BA.2 subvariant of Covid-19’s Omicron variant accounted for 18.5% of Omicron cases for the past week. The  Department of Medical Sciences examined the lineages of the samples. Director-general Supakit Sirilak reported that they found 18.5% were of the BA.2 subvariant. These are from 567 Omicron cases obtained from Feb 5 to 11.

“There are some signs that BA.2 spreads faster than BA.1 looking at cases in other countries but there has not been any significant difference from BA.1 when it comes to severity and vaccine avoidance,” he said.

BA.2 has been detected in 57 countries and is likely to replace BA.1 in India, Denmark, and Sweden. It has already superseded BA.1 in Denmark. BA.2 was first recorded in Thailand among visitors early this year.

Omicron is already a dominant variant of Covid-19 worldwide and booster vaccine shots could prevent infection, severe illness, and fatalities caused by BA.2 according to overseas papers.

Bangkok had the largest number of accumulated Omicron infections with 6,641 cases including 2,132 local infections, followed by 1,286 cases in Phuket, 1,240 in Chon Buri, 670 cases in Roi Et, 590 in Samut Prakan, 534 in Nong Khai, 511 in Surat Thani, 508 in Maha Sarakham, 419 in Kalasin and 410 in Khon Kaen.

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The government will move ahead with the planned change for COVID-19 treatment. Even if a few members urged to delay the implementation due to the current surge in cases. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said this is in line with the planned downgrade of the virus.

The Ministry plans to remove COVID-19 from the coverage of the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP). This will take effect on March 1, 2022. Those who will test positive for covid but not in a critical state must go to their registered hospital for treatment. Previously, any hospital is open for treatment for both mild and critical conditions.

Mr. Anutin affirmed that COVID will be reduced from pandemic to an endemic by the end of the year. He insisted before that we must live with COVID. Also, the most recent variants are less deadly. This is largely due to the vaccination.

The CCSA also advised that the number of cases should be leveling out soon. This is due to the increase in cases in the past few days. Apisamai Srirangson, CCSA spokeswoman said that the cases should stabilize soon and should begin falling by this week. This is the same globally as cases begin to fall.

She also commented on the recorded deaths. “All of them had underlying illnesses. Fourteen were unvaccinated. Two had received one vaccine dose. Two others had their second dose more than four months ago. Two had already received their third dose but had not reached the time when their immunity would peak yet,” she said.

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The government is being urged to continue covering the treatment for COVID-19. This comes after the Ministry of Public Health’s decision to delist it under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP). Previously, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that COVID will not be covered by the scheme. The only exception will be for those in critical condition.

Due to the rise in daily cases, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha urged the ministry to delay the implementation. March 1 was the set date for the scheme to take effect however, he is urging the government to delay it to April. Pheu Thai Party also urged the government to reconsider the move. They said it could complicate efforts to contain the outbreak.

The announcement will apply on March 1. For those with critical conditions, secondary COVID infections will be the only ones covered.

The number of hospitals the health insurance is applicable to will decrease. Patients who tested positive for COVID must seek a hospital where the UCEP is accepted.

National Health Security Office (NHSO) secretary-general Jadej Thammatacharee said that the power to change the scheme is with the Department of Health Service Support. He said free and/or subsidized treatment for Covid-19 will remain available to the public. Even if the disease has been removed from the list of conditions covered by the UCEP.

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The World Health organization continues to track new variants appearing worldwide. Dr. Andrew Freedman from Cardiff University Medical School said that viruses “tend to become milder” as they evolve. However, he continued to say “isn’t always the case.”

“It may well be with future variants that they are even more contagious. They may be milder, but we can’t say that with certainty,” he added.  “Until the whole world is vaccinated, not just rich Western countries, I think we are going to remain in danger of new variants coming along and some of those could be more virulent than omicron.”

Thailand is on track to be one of the countries that have 70% of the population vaccinated according to WHO data. This is a great effort by the country. This is not the case for other countries. Some countries are nowhere near the 70% vaccination requirements.

The WHO has released the data for fully vaccinated 70% of their population by mid-2022. The green tag represents those who are already above 70%. Yellow shows the countries on track to be at 70%. The red tag is for countries that are nowhere near 70%.

Among those on the green zones are Canada, China, Japan, Australia, France, Germany, and Switzerland. There are about 40% of countries that are in the yellow zone. This includes the UK, Thailand, India, Russia, Brazil, Columbia, and Mexico. About 50% of the countries are still in the red zone. These include Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania, and most of South Africa. The only countries that are tagged yellow in South Africa are Tunisia, Mauritania, Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Djibouti. The rest are on red zones.

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Thailand is planning to initiate a travel bubble with India with the goal of attracting high-value young Indian visitors. They are a valuable market in terms of the contributions they can make to the recovery of the economy.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday approved a proposal on the Thai-Indian Air Travel Bubble (ATB). CCSA spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin cited extra convenience will be offered to air passengers traveling between the two countries.

“Indian visitors represent Thailand’s hope for the recovery of tourism,” said the VP of the Tourism Council of Thailand and the Indian-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Somsong Sachaphimukh. “India is a high-value tourism market given it has 600-700 million people aged 29 years and under,” she added. “The country also has a growing number of new millionaires.”

Many of the young Indian tourists have a preference for the beaches of Thailand which remains to be their top destination. The beaches of Pattaya, Koh Samui, and the other islands are on top of their lists. This could help revive the economy.

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The government has raised concerns regarding the increasing number of COVID cases. They are now considering tightening measures for Valentine’s Day and Songkran.

The head of operations at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), Gen Supoj Malaniyom chaired the discussion. They expressed their concerns regarding the rise of cases above 10,000. A meeting will be chaired today by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to discuss tougher measures. These curbs will help reduce the cases during Valentine’s Day and Songkran.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will also begin their campaign for “Start Safe Sex, Use Condom”. Their aim is to reduce the transmission of covid and sexually transmitted diseases among the youth. There was a considerable rise in cases last year for STD cases.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he will provide updates. They are aiming to revise the insisting measures to help curb the infections.

Mr. Anutin said, “People who have been fully vaccinated and still test positive are mostly asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, as predicted by medical experts”. “However, they are still required to follow precautions strictly and get their booster shot as quickly as possible. It may take about a month and a half before case numbers go down. We have to try to co-exist with Covid,” he added.

He will also include a proposal to remove COVID-19 from the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (Ucep) scheme. The current scheme allows patients to seek treatment from a private or public hospital for the first 24 hours.

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Department of Disease Control (DDC) says that the number of cases could reach up to 2000 a day in Bangkok. Most infections will be adolescents and those who are of working ages.

The main cause will be coming in contact with infected patients through group activities. Especially if they are conducted in an area with poor airflow. Examples would be pubs and bars.

Dr. Suthat Chottanapund, director of the department’s Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention commented. “We have found the main cause of infections remains unchanged, and we have seen more infections within families as the Omicron variant is easily spread”.

Senior citizens, unvaccinated people, and those living with chronic diseases still account for most deaths.

Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, Department of Health chief advised precautions when on fresh markets. This is due to clusters appearing regularly in the markets. He also advised the markets to follow the department guidelines. These include social distancing, frequent washing of hands, and wearing masks.

The number of cases has been increasing for the past three days. However, the dominant variant is the omicron which has mild symptoms. Home isolation is enough for most cases. Some would require intensive care, especially those who are immune-compromised.

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Mr. Anutin hailed the signing as a “historic” moment as it means people will be able to legally use cannabis for both medical and economic purposes in Thailand. The delisting allows cannabis and hemp to be grown for personal consumption and sold with limits. They will be identified by-laws as economic or commercial plants.

This excludes cannabis and hemp extracts containing more than 0.2% by weight of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It will come into force 120 days after the announcement is published in the Royal Gazette, the date of which has not yet been set.

This was also approved by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) prior to being returned to the Public Health Ministry.

“This marks a new chapter in the history of cannabis. We have reached a crucial juncture where narcotics are transitioning to legal plants able to serve medical and industrial purposes,” Mr. Anutin said.

Cannabis and hemp will still be tightly regulated. There will be rules in place that when violated will incur legal punishments. A draft bill categorizing cannabis and hemp as financial will require final approval from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. It will be further deliberated in the parliament.

Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, public health permanent secretary said that the bill has been passed to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai. The bill pertains to the specific manner and methods in which cannabis and hemp are grown, harvested, extracted, and researched.

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The global cases are now at 400,428,718 cases since the pandemic began. There were 5,781,769 total casualties and 320,737,052 recoveries. At the moment there are 73,909,897 active cases of which, 89,919 are in critical condition.

The US has recorded the most cases standing at 78,556,139. This is followed by India at 42,409,052. Third is Brazil at 26,776,620 followed by France at 20,804,372. The UK stands at number five with 17,932,803.

The world continues to tackle the latest wave of COVID 19 which is dominated by the omicron variant. WHO has announced a variant of concern in November of 2021. There are fresh reports from over 54 countries of a new sub-lineage called BA.2. This variant is said to be more contagious than the original one. Additional studies are on the way to see if it is deadlier than previously identified variants.

Many countries are also relaxing measures against COVID. Although the new variant is contagious it is less deadly. Many borders are reopening along with business capacity increasing. The World Health Organization advises keeping basic measures in place. These include social distancing, wearing a mask, frequent washing of hands, and vaccination. Their main concern is the virus mutating into a deadlier lineage.

Countries are also beginning to distribute vaccinations for children below the age of 12. They are also encouraging adults to get a booster shot to increase immunity. If there a no new variants of covid, it could be declared an endemic this year.

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Thailand Ministry of Health reports 10,398 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 17 deaths since yesterday. The ministry also announced an additional 8,922 recovered patients.

The government is planning to open talks with China and Malaysia this month regarding a travel bubble. This would help boost the tourism economy after a successful Test and Go resumption. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the government spokesperson, talked about discussing an agreement with  China’s minister for culture and tourism.

Travel Bubble

There will be a limit on the number of tourists that will arrive in Thailand. Their traveling will also be limited in some areas of the country. This is to prevent any COVID-19 outbreaks.

No quarantine is required for the tourists however special protocols will apply. Protocols like their visa, accommodation, and flights will be limited.

Mr. Wangboonkongchana said “The prime minister is confident that Thailand will remain one of the world’s top tourist destinations despite the pandemic, and the government will support efforts to revitalize tourism with an emphasis on public health and safety,”

International arrivals may reach 5 million this year if the government would launch the travel bubbles. This is according to The Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta). The current Test and Go and sandbox programs will not be enough.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said they will not propose lifting all the curbs. This is in light of the high case numbers reported daily. The ministry also said that they will suggest the way they deliver the report to not cause worry. He insisted that they will still be based on facts.

“Therefore, we don’t need to bring back lockdowns. Only nightlife venues, such as pubs, bars, and karaoke parlors won’t be allowed to reopen just yet,” Mr. Anutin said.

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The Public Health Ministry is also proposing to ease the COVID measures. This is to encourage people to live with the virus as opposed to imposing lockdown measures.

Department of Disease Control (DDC) Director-General Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong did not provide many details. “The global situation of Covid-19 seems to be moving in the same direction. Many countries have started to ease measures despite spikes in daily infections,” he said.

Thailand is reflecting the global trend where cases might be high however the mortality rate remains low. Many health officials are hoping to declare COVID as an endemic this year. The cases Thailand is reporting are relatively low compared to the rest of the world.

“We need to get people to understand that the number of daily new cases is nothing to worry about,” he said. The majority of cases are now due to the omicron variant. It is more contagious but less deadly than the delta variant. “We’ve lived with the disease for two years already, so it’s about time to move on together.”

Home isolation has been very effective for COVID patients and prevents them to overwhelm the health system. The most recent deaths recorded are all attributed to the high-risk category. The category involves those aged 60 or older or those with chronic diseases.

Despite the general trend towards easing curbs, Maha Sarakham has announced the prohibition of dining activities. This includes weddings, meetings, ordinations, and funerals, which became effective on Saturday. Violators are liable to imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to 40,000 baht under the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations, in addition to a fine of up to 20,000 baht.

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Bill Heinecke, the founder and chairman of Minor International PLC said that the entry should be relaxed. He sighted that the current procedures are “cumbersome”. “If you’re vaccinated and tested you must be allowed to travel without so much paperwork,” said Mr. Heinecke. He said that tourism is “going to be tough and challenging for a while until the government changes its position”.

He sighted that the current requirements are too heavy for some tourists. Multiple Covid tests, the need to use an online registration system, and having an insurance policy with at least $50,000 cover is “cumbersome”. The United States is among the examples he sighted. “These are the bright spots — we don’t see difficulties or roadblocks stopping tourism from the rest of the world”.

A government spokesman defended the current scheme. “In reopening the country again this time, we have to make sure it’s safe for all,” said Anucha Burapachaisri. Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office said “These travel requirements won’t be the norm forever, but only until the outbreak situation improves.”

While reopening is important to the economy, the current surge in cases should also be taken into consideration. Ensuring the health and safety of the public is still the priority. As WHO has stated, we must stay vigilant since this virus has the ability to mutate. Relaxing of measures could give it a chance to spread and evolve.

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The Department of Disease Control forecasts that the cases should begin to decline by mid-year. The daily infections should be down by 200 a day by August. DDC Director-General Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong predicted this outcome if no new variants emerge. The model shows that the cases will be down by 4000 a day in June. This will fall further to 1000 by July and eventually 100 by August.

A new surge in cases since yesterday prompted the government to remind the public of the measures. They asked the public to continue to tighten measures. The urge is attributed to the relaxing of entry measures as well as clusters. As the Test and Go were revived, some of the cases counted are from tourists. They were tested at the airport prior to their entry.

“Please do not worry about the figure. It is not important as long as our public health system can effectively manage the outbreak,” Dr. Opas said. “The most important point is that we have large-scale vaccination, especially of booster doses now having reached 21.4% [of the population],” he added.

The government is planning to declare COVID-19 as an endemic this year. This is due to the falling number of cases as well as the severeness of the symptoms. This scenario is possible if there is a new stronger variant that will emerge.

Omicron BA. 2 is now in 54 countries however further studies are needed to see its difference from the original. So far scientists confirmed that it is more contagious but not necessarily deadlier.

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Phuket issues an alert regarding an alarming number of arrivals testing positive. The local government asks the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) for stricter measures. The request was to better screen pre-departure documents.

The local government suspects that some of the documents submitted during the application were inaccurate. As a result, when they are tested on arrival, they show as positive. Phuket Deputy Governor Pichet Panapong made the call.

Due to the rising number of arrivals testing positive, it falls on the government to find hospitels for them. There will be a massive demand for isolation centers which the island did not anticipate. This number is due to the rise in Test and Go applications. “False Covid-19 RT-PCR test results are assumed to have something to do with the sharp rise in the number of post-arrival positive tests among tourists,” he stated.

Some travelers might have used a rapid antigen test to meet the requirement. It is widely noted that the results of the antigen test are not as accurate as of the RT PCR test. The local government also asked air carriers to properly verify the test results prior to departure.

Phuket has the capacity to test 3,000 tourists a day and can increase to 10,000 if needed. As of the moment, over 40,000 tourists are applying under the Test and Go scheme. 40 % of the applications chose Phuket.

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Phuket issued an order for a repeat test on the fifth day for all tourists arriving on the island. This comes after a large number of tourists tested positive upon arrival. Dr. Koosak Kookiatkul, provincial chief health officer made the announcement.

“This means Test & Go tourists coming to Phuket will have to pay for their two Covid-19 tests and book their hotel rooms on the first and fifth days in advance,” Dr. Koosak said. “In case they test negative for Covid-19 in the first test, they may undergo the second test and stay in a hotel while waiting for the test result of the repeat test,” he added.

During the first day of the Test and Go program, the island received 17 visitors. Another 2,439 were under the sandbox scheme. 2 of those under the Test and Go and another 104 from the Phuket Sandbox tested positive. Most of the infected cases were from Russia and Kazakhstan. It worries health and government officials that it will affect the overall tourism program.

Phuket governor Narong Woonciew said that out of 300 recorded cases in a day 100 of them are from tourists. The tourists arriving from the two nations account for most of the infection. Russian tourists account for a vast majority of international tourists arriving in Thailand through Phuket,” the governor said.

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Around 2500 passengers arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday. Airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn that test and go package arrivals come from Malaysia, Singapore, and Europe. Renovations made to the airport allowed a smoother process for the tourists as they checked in for quarantine.

Hotels were also advised to respond to the Thailand Pass booking verification within 30 hours. In cases that the hotel failed to respond, the application will be automatically rejected. The tight measure prevents any infected tourist from roaming around. Thailand Pass Hotel & Swap System (TPHS) is designed to help track tourists and contain the possible spread of Covid-19. It connects data from all related parties and updates it for effective analysis.

Tourists were sometimes granted a QR code from Thailand Pass to enter the country. This is despite lacking a hotel, airport transfer, or an RT-PCR test booking. Thailand Pass Hotel & Swap System (TPHS) prevents that since all data is updated in real-time.

The changes made to the Test and Go program is showing that it is now able to address previous flaws. It has better measures not just to protect the local residents but also the tourists.

Stay tuned for more Thailand COVID updates.

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The Test and Go program resumes today. Unlike the previous version where one RT PCR test is required on arrival, this time tourists need 2. The second one will take place on the fifth day. Previously, 24 hours stay in a certified hotel is required. The revised program advises that tourists need to wait for the second test result too. This is an added precaution since the scheme is now open to all countries.

Another revision added is the coverage of the insurance policies. Previously, the government shouldered expenses beyond the coverage. This time, tourists must have full coverage prior to being awarded a Thailand Pass.

Previous programs have seen the weaknesses of the old models for tourism. Among them are tourists escaping quarantine or not returning for the second test. Insurances in some instances also failed to cover all bills. Another issue was a few tourists able to enter the country without insurance coverage.

The revisions made were necessary to address the shortcomings of the previous version. This also ensures the domestic population they are properly protected.

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Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited (SPRC) reported a leaking pipeline last Tuesday. They were able to bring it under control however 50,000 liters (13,209 gallons) of oil escaped into the ocean 20 km (12 miles) from the coastline of eastern Thailand.

Rayong province declared a disaster area after some oil reached the shores of Mae Ramphueng Beach last Friday. Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) showed the oil spill has spread to cover 67 sq km (25.87 sq miles) area of the sea.

The Royal Thai Navy, which is working to contain the spill at sea, said it may take over a month to restore affected beach areas. Officials from the navy, SPRC, and other trained volunteers will help clean the oil from the beach.

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Suvarnabhumi Airport staff is preparing for the Test and Go reopening. Part of the preparations is their 4^th vaccine shot to increase protection against COVID-19. Over 450,000 domestic and international travel will be expected over the Chinese New Year period. Part of the precautions in place are the testing centers at the airport.

Mr. Kittipong Kittikachorn, Suvarnabhumi Airport director announced that they are strictly following the “COVID free” rules. The airport collaborated with Emergency Operation Centre, the International Communicable Disease Control, the Immigration Police Bureau, the Tourist Police Bureau, airlines, and hotel operators. This is to ensure that measures an in place to avoid any case surge. All staff members are also regularly tested. There are also SHA plus certified transportations ready to take tourists to their hotels.

The government is currently discussing downgrading the COVID 19 pandemic to endemic this year. WHO has suggested not to do it for now since the virus is still mutating. Classifying it as an endemic would mean that things may go back to normal. Schools will reopen and people will be going back to work. These action plans are still under review by the CCSA.

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Cases remain to be steady on the 6000-8000 mark and most cases appear to be minor. This suggests that even if the omicron variant appears to be contagious, the symptoms are manageable. Basic COVID safety measures are still recommended. This includes frequent washing of hands, earing masks, and social distancing.

The lunar new year is expected to provide a breathing space for tourism. The reopening of the Test and Go scheme along with the expanded sandbox is about to resume. Many business operators are waiting for this opportunity for quite some time.

There are no current updates on the curbs in terms of curfews or serving alcohol at this time. Even if the tourism industry is reopening, the government is also cautious in terms of the pandemic.

Cases continue to rise across the world as curbs begin to ease up. WHO still advises everyone to remain vigilant and to keep up with vaccinations. They have warned that this might not be over yet. Their greatest concern remains to be the ability of the virus to mutate over time.

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Test and go is expected to resume on February 1, 2022, Tuesday. This is just in time for the Lunar New Year celebrations. About 450,000 tourists are expected to arrive in Thailand for the holiday.

Airport General Manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn said that the majority of the flights would be domestic passengers. The international flights comprised only 115,931 out of the 450,000 expected arrivals.

Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the government’s spokesperson expressed their confidence in the test and go program. He said that the measures and processes in place ensure that they are prepared for the holiday events. This will greatly help the tourism industry bounce back after it has been battered for two years.

Both the test and go and the expansion of the sandbox program are expected to stimulate the tourism economy. With the continuous threat of the omicron variant across the globe, measures were added. Instead of just one RT-PCR test, tourists will need 2 tests. Also, the quarantine period is extended to 7 days as opposed to the original 1 day.

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The cases continue to fluctuate as today shows a slight increase from yesterday’s cases. The vaccination drive continues as more people are scheduled for their booster shots.

The Test and Go package along with the extended sandbox scheme are hoping to turn the markets around. As many as 5 million tourists are expected to visit the country. Tourism is among the largest economic source in the country. Two years of COVID pandemic has pushed markets to depend upon domestic consumers.

The reopening sparks concerns that the virus may evolve. This view is shared around the globe as COVID measures begin to relax. The current wave of cases is mostly due to the omicron variant. Omicron is very contagious but not as deadly as the previous variants. This could be because of the vaccinations that the population has received.

The future of many industries depends on how quickly a new variant will emerge. They will also be dependent on how fast governments around the world will respond.

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The Ministry of Public Health announced that they will be providing the first round of Pfizer vaccines to children. Those who are aged 5 to 11 may get vaccinated at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health.

Chief of the Department of Disease Control Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong has set up guidelines on administering vaccines. There is also a support system in place for those who show side effects. He recommended that healthy children may get vaccinated at schools. However, those who are suffering health conditions must be vaccinated at a hospital.

“We are ready to kick off the Covid-19 vaccine for kids on Jan 31 at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health. Children suffering from chronic diseases will be our priority,” Dr. Opas announced.

The ministry has ordered 10 million doses of Pfizer’s mRNA-based vaccine. Over a third is expected to arrive during the first quarter. The vaccines for children will require different preparatory procedures. They will arrive with an orange label to differentiate them from the adult versions.

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The celebrations were joined by the Indian diaspora and various association representatives from different parts of India. The program included a short cultural program including patriotic songs by the Indian Women’s Club and Bharatanatyam dance performance. Shri Gurmokh Singh Sachdev of the Indian Association of Thailand was acknowledged for his numerous contributions to the service of the community. Indian motorbikes- Royal Enfield and Bajaj organized a photo exhibit on  Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Azad Hind Fauj, and his connection with Thailand.

Happy Republic Day India!

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As the opening of the Test and Go scheme approaches, the government is ramping up the 4^th vaccine rollout. The plan is to ensure that the residents of the areas where tourists visit are protected from possible transmission.

Bangkok is currently the center of most infections. Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that the capital registered 1,150 infections. Samut Sakhon had the second-most new infections during the 24-hour period with 688 cases, followed by 412 in Phuket, 394 in Chon Buri, 325 in Nonthaburi, 275 in Khon Kaen, 253 in Pathum Thani, 155 in Ubon Ratchathani, 141 in Lop Buri, and 125 in Chiang Mai.

As part of the effort to contain the virus, Bangkok is ramping up the vaccination rollouts for residents. This is also to ensure protection during the re-opening of the country to tourists. Bangkok remains a hotspot for tourists in Thailand. It is also the business center of the country where the biggest companies locally and globally have their headquarters.

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As the opening of the Test and Go scheme approaches, the government is ramping up the 4^th vaccine rollout. The plan is to ensure that the residents of the areas where tourists visit are protected from possible transmission.

Rachada Dhnadirek, deputy government spokeswoman that the doses will be distributed to 10 provinces — four popular tourist destinations and six others with relatively high infection rates.

The four tourism-reliant provinces are Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi and Phangnga. The six others are either tourist destinations and/or provinces with high infection rates: Bangkok, Chonburi, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Kanchanaburi, and Pathum Thani.

The government’s initial plan is to reserve the fourth shots for medical personnel and front-line responders. However, since the re-opening was approved, they have decided to include the local population. This is to provide protection as the tourism industry reopens.

Stay tuned for Thailand COVID updates.

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As the cases of omicron are stabilizing, the government is proposing to offer additional insurance options for tourists. As the sandbox and test and go programs are about to relaunch, there was a stipulation added. The insurance should be able to cover all the expenses related to covid hospitalization.

Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn is in discussions with the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC). They wanted to provide insurance options to tourists. Currently, if a hospitel lets a patient slip through the quarantine or a tourist who cannot pay for their medical expenses will face legal actions.

Ideally, the premiums need to cover up to 800 baht a day, these premiums are currently priced at 30,000 baht. Previous problems with the earlier versions of the travel programs were tourists refusing to be confined. These are the current challenges the government is addressing to change.

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Over the weekend, Thailand reports its first death that is associated with the omicron virus. The Songkhla public health officials reported the death of an 86-year-old woman. The woman was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and was bedridden at the time. The lady was pronounced dead at Hat Yai Hospital.

The woman tested positive for COVID and was later been discovered to be suffering from the omicron strain. She was a resident of Khlong Hae and was believed to have contracted the virus from her nephew. Her nephew recently returned from Phuket.

Director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC) Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong sighted that the woman has received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. However, her underlying illness compromised her immune system.

Public Health Ministry spokesperson Rungrueng Kitphati stated “even though Thailand has suffered its first death from the Omicron variant, the situation remains under control and the public remains urged to receive booster shots”.

Stay tuned for more Thailand COVID updates

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The Ministry encourages those who have visited Khao San Road for the new year celebrations to get tested and monitor their conditions. This is in response to 11 people who attended the weekend celebrations testing positive for COVID-19.

The organizers of the event took precautions for those who would attend the party. Everyone had to show proof that they have been fully vaccinated. The alternatives were to show that they had tested negative for the past 72 hours. The health workers also set up an area on the street that also administered rapid tests throughout the celebration.

One man tested positive for COVID 19 on the 3^rd of January along with 10 of his friends who were with him at Khao San Road on December 30 from midnight until 3 in the morning. All of them are now undergoing RT-PCR tests to confirm their initial results. Attendees who have been in the celebration at the said time frame are encouraged to take RT-PCR tests.

Thailand COVID cases are fluctuating for the past few days. This prompts the government to suspend the TEST and GO program. The program was suspended on November 21, 2021, to keep the omicron variant at bay. All tourists who plan to enter Thailand (except for the Phuket Sandbox scheme) are required a mandatory quarantine.

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As Thailand struggled to contain the worst of COVID pandemic, Bangkok made it mandatory for residents to wear masks publicly as of Monday. The Thai government is now trying to purchase vaccines from a growing global supply, as many hospitals report nearly full, setting up field hospitals in sports arenas and elsewhere. As infections increased earlier this month, he nevertheless decided to let Thais continue to travel on the Sonoran holidays. Only 0.3% of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the New York Times database.

Aswin Kwanmuang, the governor of Bangkok, came on Monday with key police officers to help collect a fine of  6,000 thb ($190) . “I informed the Prime Minister that this was a violation of the rules,” the governor wrote on Facebook. The fine penalty goes to a maximum of 20k thb but as a first time offender the charge is 6,000 thb.

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Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world by not only the people who love travel but also those who are seeking wellness and wellbeing retreats. A large number of people visit Thailand in search of peace, tranquillity and relaxation. Before diving into the pool of Thailand’s amazing wellness services and amenities, let us take a look at what is the wellness tourism and why people are looking at Thailand as the star location for wellness tourism.

A Gist of Wellness Tourism

Seeing the increasing chaos and anarchy in everyday life, a significant number of people look for destinations where they can relax their mind, body and soul. Besides, there are a lot of people who travel to Thailand for seeking various medical treatments. Thailand is home to thousands of such accommodations where you not only find a place to stay during your trip to Thailand but also get a wide range of complete health and wellbeing services within the accommodations you are choosing. This solves a great purpose of people to travel and have the best health and wellbeing services under the same roof.

Now, let us take a look at those reasons that makes Thailand a country of the best beauty and wellness services.

Thailand Offers the Best and Affordable Massages in the World

When it comes to offering the best massages in the world, the first country that comes to our mind is Thailand. And, there is a reason why we always think of Thailand as the best country for massage. Thai massage holds great value as it is not some average massage that you will get everywhere across the world. Thai massage is a perfect amalgamation of acupressure techniques and yoga postures that heals your mind, body and soul. Thailand offers tons of elite massage parlours within your reach and budget and this is one of the reasons what makes Thailand a country of the best beauty and wellness.

Thailand is Home to Organic Fruits and Vegetables

No matter where you travel in Thailand, you just can’t miss the vendors offering you organic fruits and vegetables. If you visit the countries in the west, you will find the fresh fruits and vegetables are labelled as “organic”. However, this is not the case in Thailand. Here, having organic fruits and vegetables is the norm. You will find a wide range of fresh and perfectly ripe mangoes, lychee, durian, pomelo and rambutan etc.

Thai Cuisines are Cooked with Various Natural Herbs and Spices

Thailand is the country where you find numerous herbs, spices and vegetables are being used to cook various delicious cuisines. Thailand is famous for its Thai food around the globe. You will find Thai food not only delicious but rich with a number of nutrients and vitamins. Thai food is another factor that makes Thailand a country of the best beauty and wellness. The reason being is that Thai food is cooked with various natural herbs and spices that have medicinal and herbal properties.

Thailand Offers Affordable Yoga and Tai Chi Classes

Since Yoga has been becoming famous day by day all across the world, you can find yoga classes nowadays almost everywhere. However, Thailand is the country – apart from India, of course – that offers secluded yoga practices that help calm your mind, body and soul. Along with Yoga, Thailand also offers much effective Tai Chi classes that not only help improve your mood but also increase the stamina, energy, strength, flexibility and balance of your body.

Thailand Offers World-Renowned Cosmetic Surgery treatments

Thailand offers a significant number of cosmetic surgery treatments at affordable prices. Bangkok is quite famous for its safe, authentic and inexpensive cosmetic treatment that helps beautify skin and enhance your reproductive health. You can also have the laser teeth whitening treatment and breast augmentation within your means. Such world-renowned cosmetic surgery treatment also makes Thailand a country of the best beauty and wellness.

However, there is one thing that you must ensure before going ahead for such treatment. You must find the surgeons and doctors that are experienced, have credibility in performing such surgeries and possess a license to practice. Another thing that you must be aware of is that the plastic surgeries are always associated with risks and when there is a language barrier, it can add more troubles. Hence, you must pay attention to these instructions. Other than that,

Thailand Offers Quality Hospitality Experience and Stress-Free Environment

Thailand is also renowned for its quality hospitality that makes you addicted to its culture, traditions and people. Owing to revitalising sea breeze blowing off the coastal areas across the country, Thailand offers many such places where you find a calm and stress-free environment. Along with that, Thai people are quite pleasant to be with and it also adds value to your trip to Thailand.

All in all, Thailand is a great country to be in. And, these all things that we mentioned above make Thailand a country of the best beauty and wellness. There are a lot of places such as the hotels, resorts, fitness centres, and cruises that offer various health and wellness programs to make your trip to Thailand a memorable one. Besides, Thailand is naturally quite beautiful and has a significant number of incredible beaches, magnificent mountains, lovable landscapes, revering rivers, and wonderful wildlife sanctuaries that take you closer to Mother Nature. So, if you are planning for a vacation that comprises of a lot of relaxing and tranquillity, you must note that Thailand is one such idyllic vacation spot that provides you with perfect peace and harmony that your mind, heart, body and soul requires.

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One of the main tasks that cause us panic while planning for a trip is to pack your bags. And, the panic raises even more when it is an international trip. If you are someone who is visiting Thailand for the 1st time, here is our guide to avoiding mistakes when visiting thailand for the 1st time. The reason being is that we do not want to miss out anything that we might require during the trip and forget to carry along. And, if we include everything that we might need during our trip, the bags become so heavy that it creates unnecessary chaos and becomes an obstacle to enjoyment of your trip.

Hence, you must be cautious about the stuff you want to carry on your trip and if it is a place that you have never been before, you must be extra careful about your luggage. So, to help you out with planning your trip to Thailand better, we would like to give you some tips to packing your bags for a Thailand trip.

Packing tips for a trip to Thailand

Pack Light for a Thailand Trip

The first and foremost thing that you must do when planning for a trip to Thailand while packing your bags for a Thailand trip is to follow the thumb rule of half packed bags. Initially, pack everything that you think you would require for the trip. And, then remove half of the stuff that you have packed. This way, you would be cutting half of the unnecessary stuff that you can manage without during your trip. Once done, follow the next tips to packing your bags for a Thailand trip.

Pack Based on the Season in Which You Are Visiting Thailand

You might be thinking that this is a no brainer! You always pack your bags for a trip based on the season you are visiting any place, right? However, there is a catch! Are you aware of the range of the temperature in Thailand every season? If not, let us help you with the frequency of temperature and what types of cloths are appropriate for each season. If you’re on a tight budget, fret not! Here are some places in Thailand to visit which are inexpensive and enjoyable!

Packing Your Bags for Rainy Season in Thailand

The rainy season in Thailand occurs between the months of July and October in Thailand. So, if you are planning to visit Thailand during these months, we have a few tips to packing your bags for a Thailand trip. The first thing that you need is the umbrella – an obvious decision, right? Well, another important thing that you must pack in your bag during the rainy season in Thailand is to have a light rain jacket or a poncho. This will avoid the chances of getting wet in rain. Other than that, you can carry your regular clothes and stuff while visiting Thailand in rainy season. Do remember that the beautiful beaches, landscapes, seas, wildlife sanctuaries, waterfalls and other places seem more attractive in Thailand during the rainy season. Hence, you would not want to miss the splendour and majesty of Thailand because of the fear of getting caught out in rain.

Packing Your Bags for Cool and Dry Season in Thailand

The cool and dry season in Thailand occurs between the months of November and February in Thailand. This is the time when Thailand gets a large number of tourists from across the world. Even in the cool and dry season in Thailand, you can carry a couple of shorts and tank top. The reason being is that the temperature in Thailand during these months ranges somewhere between 28°C to 34°C. Being an Indian, especially if you live in the cooler places in India, you would not get chills in this range of temperature.

Besides, among all the tips to packing your bags for a Thailand trip, there is another thing that you must be cautious about during your trip to Thailand. The local Thai people usually cover their knees and shoulders no matter how much heat there is. Though as a tourist, you do not have to do this. However, if you are visiting some religious places like temples in Thailand, you must abide by the rules.

Packing Your Bags for Hot Season in Thailand

The hot season in Thailand occurs between the months of March and June in Thailand. These are the months where you will find Thailand to be a scorching place to be in. So, this is the time when most of the tourists avoid visiting Thailand. However, this is also the time when Thailand celebrates most of their festivals including Songkran. This is the Thai festival which is celebrated with splashing water on one another. The festival is celebrated on the 13^th day of April and lasts for 2 to 3 days. So, if you are visiting during these days, you must carry your stuff accordingly.

And, if your trip to Thailand does not clash with these dates, you should pack your bags for the high temperature. One of the important tips to packing your bags for a Thailand trip that we would like to convey to you is that you should include breathable clothing while visiting Thailand during hot season.

These are some of the important tips to packing your bags for a Thailand trip depending on the season you are visiting the country. However, some common tips to packing your bags for vising any country or place include:

Pack Light

You must not include anything and everything while being on a trip. The less luggage you carry, the more you will be able to enjoy the trip. Many traveller make this mistake of over packing for their trips. Some travellers assume that Thailand is comparatively a small country and might not have loads of markets and shopping malls. On the contrary, Thailand is a country that has a wide range of local markets and shopping malls where you can get any stuff of your choice during your trip.

Dress Code

Thailand is quite strict about the clothing style and fashion sense, especially when you are visiting a bar or a temple. You will not be allowed to enter in the temples or the bars if anything you are wearing is not considered elegant in the country. Hence, you must be aware of the fashion sense and the dress code of the places in Thailand you are planning to visit. Along with the clothing and outfit, you must be very cautious about the stock of your medicines. Though there are various hospitals and medical health care centres in Thailand; however, it is always good to carry your prescribed medicines while having a trip to Thailand or any other place.

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Bangkok is one of the most visited cities not only in Thailand but also in the world. Every year, millions of tourists visit Bangkok from around the globe and explore tons of tourist attractions that the city offers. A significant number of tourists among them are from India only. Thailand, being a country of sacred destinations, beliefs and traditions, attracts tons of thousands of tourists from India. Bangkok is among those cities in the world where there are tons of markets, shopping malls and night bazaars. The reason why markets and shopping malls in Bangkok, Thailand attract a considerable number of tourists from across the world is their high-quality goods and the variety of products they possess. Since a large number of tourists that visit Bangkok are from India, the city established many Indian Shops in Bangkok for the ease of Indian tourists.

Therefore, if you are planning to visit Bangkok, Thailand we would like to recommend you some of the best markets and Indian shops in Bangkok, Thailand that you would love to explore while being in the city.

Best Indian Shops & Markets you must visit when you are in Bangkok, Thailand

Phahurat Market – Little India, Bangkok

Talking about Indian shops in Bangkok and not starting the list with Phahurat Market? No, that is not going to happen here. The reason why we are saying that is because Phahurat Market in Bangkok is considered as Little India. A large proportion of the tourists that visit Bangkok must explore at least once during their trip. Here, you will find a lot of amazing Indian and Thai dishes and fashionable clothes and accessories. Phahurat Market is one of the most reputed and highly recommended fashion markets with Indian shops in Bangkok. Tourists from around the world appreciate and have high regard for the products they buy from Phahurat Market, Bangkok, Thailand.

Phahurat Market in Bangkok is also known as the finest jewellery and textile markets in Bangkok. The reason why Phahurat Market has high quality and authentic Indian products is that it is located in the neighbourhood known as Little India. A significant number of Indians live in the neighbourhood.

What makes the Phahurat Market a must visit market for Indian shops in Bangkok is because the market has a large variety of jewellery, delicious foods, and branded, designer and authentic clothing etc. Here, you will find the best quality of fabrics and readymade clothes as well.

Phahurat Market has so much to explore that you would get a feel of wandering in one of the Indian markets in your own country. Moreover, if you get tired of exploring Indian shops and vendors within Phahurat Market, you can stopover to any of the neighbouring restaurants. These restaurants offer a wide range of Indian meals, snacks and your favourite beverages.

You will get almost everything that you want from Phahurat Market. Apart from that, there are many other markets in Bangkok, which Indian tourists love to explore while being on the trip to Bangkok.

Indra Square Shopping Mall, Bangkok

Indra Square Shopping Mall, Bangkok also known as the Indra Market, is one of the most reputable and decent shopping malls with Indian shops in Bangkok, Thailand. It is an indoor shopping mall where you will get as many as 300 retail and wholesale outlets. Here, you will get high quality products at reasonable prices. There are several floors in Indra Square Shopping Mall, Bangkok that has a great number of retail shops, fashion outlets, stores for kids’ clothes, restaurants etc.

Indra Square Shopping Mall has many key highlights that attract a lot of tourists from across the world, especially Indians. The mall consists of exclusive Indian jewellery, silk clothes, cosmetics, trousers and jeans, toys, handbags, fashionable clothes at very reasonable prices.

You can also buy the latest smartphones, tablets, televisions, iPads and other branded electronic gadgets from Indra Square Shopping Mall, Bangkok. On top of that, you will get authentic Indian foods and multi-cuisine food corners within the mall.

Chatuchak Market, Bangkok

Chatuchak Market is among the largest markets in not only in Thailand but also across the world. Here, you will find the best quality products such as the branded and designer clothes, shoes, handbags, books, household items, books, crockery, items for home decoration and Thai handicrafts etc. The best thing about Chatuchak Market, Bangkok is that you will find high-quality products at reasonable prices. Moreover, if you are good at bargaining – like most of Indians are – then you will get the best deals in Chatuchak Market. Besides, there is one important thing that you must keep in your mind while planning your trip to Bangkok. Chatuchak Market does not open every day. Rather, Chatuchak market opens Friday night every week and closes on Sunday night. Hence, you will get three nights a week to explore the market.

The popularity of Chatuchak Market, Bangkok is so high that this is one of the most visited markets with Indian shops in Bangkok. Therefore, if you prepare your itinerary for visiting Bangkok, you must plan your trip in a way that you get the chance to visit Chatuchak Market.

Platinum Fashion Mall, Bangkok

If you are not so keen on luxury shopping and branded products, Platinum Fashion Mall is one such market where you get a few good Indian shops in Bangkok. Well, not specifically Indian but here you will find various styles and fashion clothes from Japan, China, Korea and Hong Kong as well. Platinum Fashion Mall, Bangkok follows a unique trend of the indoor flea market and offers a lot of high quality products at reasonable prices.

Platinum Fashion Mall, Bankok is a hub for many types of clothing, cosmetics, jewellery, handbags and other stuff for the people of all the age groups. In the Platinum Fashion Mall, you will get the feel of street shopping and get a number of great deals. If you are good at bargaining then you can save a lot many good deals.

All in all, Bangkok offers a great number of shopping malls and markets that tourists throughout the world enjoy exploring. And if you are from India, we assure you that you are going to love these markets and Indian shops in Bangkok that we just mentioned here in this article! So, happy shopping!

If you are in Bangkok, you must not forget to visit the famous Floating Pattaya market location in Pattaya, which is 150 km away from Bangkok.

Looking for some European style restaurants, visit Chocolate ville, Bangkok and get the feel of what it is like eating out in European village.

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What Exactly is Siam Niramit?

In a basic description, Siam Niramit is a magnificent, state-pf-the-art 200-seat theatre located in the centre of Bangkok that has become synonymous with a lavish show and performance devoted to the art and culture of Thailand. Siam Niramit show includes some spectacular performances and live shows, with dancing and even featuring elephants.

Why Siam Niramit show in Bangkok Can’t be Missed?

You are an avid art and culture lover and want to explore much about a certain society, of its past and present. And even if you are not much into cultural history, this show is something that will definitely blow you away simple because of its sheer and extravagant presentation.

There is so much about Siam Niramit shows & performances that puts in a different class of its own:

1. Siam Niramit is one of the largest stage show productions in the world; open every day throughout the year, all decked in contemporary Thai style. When you visit Siam Niramit, Bangkok, you will definitely be awed the huge demonstration of architecture and events in place, which I assume you wouldn’t have experienced anywhere else.
2. The show is held on a huge stage, which incidentally holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest proscenium theatre arch – staggering 11.95 metre. This makes Siam Niramit an awe-inspiring sight and makes you wonder the incredible effort the event organisers, and more importantly the performers put in.
3. There are about 150 plus performers in traditional costumes presenting live performances woven around the past and present Thai life, threading into different aspects of their life. The Siam Niramit show runs for about an hour and a half bringing some amazing spectacle in front of you.
4. It’s not that there are random performances or a plot that doesn’t sync. The entire show is structured into three acts or phases, as you can call – Journey Back into History, Journey Beyond Imagination: The Three Realms and Journey Through Joyous Festivals
5. The settings are mystical and historical with an eye-catching blend of colourful and beautiful costumes and sights everywhere inside the theatre. There is a touch of rich Thai cultural and historical touch in every aspect and object. If one has to get a wider experience of Thai life from the past, then this is the one place, and the 90-minute duration best suited to give you the answers amidst a fanfare and pomp of splendour.
6. The Rtchada Theatre stage is the epitome or core of the activities and performances, covering more than half of the entire theatre space. This panoramic stage is full with monumental pieces, and with a legion of dazzling performances takes you back to Siam of hundreds of years ago, in a truly realistic way.
7. The theatre hosts 3 traditional Thai restaurants, which brings to you authentic and delightful Thai food. When you are there, remember to get inside the Sawasdee restaurant and try their delicacies, a must-have for every visitor.
8. There is also a miniature Thai village in the ground level of the theatre that brings you up and close to what Thai life was in bygone times. You will also get a glimpse of Kinnaree sculptures (a popular mythical winged creature of Thai fables), along with small ‘salas’ (gazebos).
9. Feed the elephants, take photos with them as well as the performers and local people, an experience you won’t get as such anywhere else.
10. The fact that the Siam Niramit has won several entertainment awards will definitely make you pay a visit here, when you are in Bangkok. And the credit for it all goes to the combined team of event stage planners, designers, the team of performers, and everyone else involved with this venue, in any small to major role.
11. Not just the main show, but even the pre-show open-air performance with dance, music and cultural presentation is a class in itself, including the ‘ranad’ band (Thai xylophone band). So, you are bound to get betrothed to right from the go.
12. If you are wondering that Siam Niramit is a kind of educational show and place, and you have to be familiar with Thai culture a bit more, then you are wrong. White it showcases Thai culture, it is more about fascinating visuals, captivating performances, fabulous visuals, mysticism and more which will bind you, without having to put your mind to serious thought.
13. Apart from food exploration and stage performances, there is a lot more you can explore and get engaged at Siam Niramit, Bangkok – silk making and weaving, Kao Mao (local dessert) making, rice pounding, Batik painting and even Thai massage. And with the presence of souvenir shops there are plentiful options for you to buy an exotic Thai culture related item and take home for your family and friends.
14. In all, Siam Niramit is an amalgamation of art, culture, history and splendid visuals that will be with you in your memories forever – definitely a colossal show not to be missed at all. You will get to know diligently people in this historically-affluent country used to live and go by their traditions and customs.

This spectacular show, capturing the 7-century history of Thailand majestically, seems like a visual novel you are hooked onto. With marvellous structural formation, Monuments, remarkable facilities and a team of professionally profound performers putting in flawless acts, this is one unfailing presentation that will catch you right from your entrance time, up to the time you leave, and way beyond that.

Siam Niramit Location in Bangkok

For all those visiting Thailand, reaching this theatre is easy. Siam Niramit is situated opposite Thailand Cultural Centre on the Tiamruammit Road. And if you are wondering about the entrance fee; then just relax; it is very affordable and very reasonable for the kind of experience you are bound to get inside.

So, make the itinerary including a day-visit to Siam Niramit and the make the most of your visit, capturing this superb presentation yourself.

In Bangkok for travel? Explore other must-visit places: Chocolate ville, Bangkok – An European-style restaurant park. Best markets & Indian shops to explore in Bangkok

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Whenever we see some form of martial arts going on in sports channel, we suddenly gets pumped up. There is a bit of physical fighter in everyone, and this is the reason why different types of fight forms, like martial arts and so, have become popular over centuries and have ideally evolved into different forms.While you may be familiar with kickboxing aspect, there is one un-denying popular form of this that has become the most popular and followed type of martial arts in Thailand – Muay Thay, the country’s national sport.

What is Muay Thai?

Muay Thai is a kind of Martial Arts form which is a bit more aggressive form. Unlike the western form of fight where the participants are allowed only two limbs to use, and unlike other martial art forms where 4 limbs’ use is permitted, Muay Thai makes use of varying parts including punches, kicks, elbow strikes and knees, as well as holding of the head. This is why it is also termed as ‘The Science of Eight Limbs’.

What Impact Does it Have on Someone’s Physical Shape?

There’s more to Muay Thai than simple fighting. While in a fight it may seem to be violent or belligerent, there are different benefits to the physical body of a person who undergoes Muay Thai training.

It leads to development of more stronger and lean muscle build with defined muscle form. As this form involves use of different parts of body and muscles, a few minutes of Muay Thai training is highly demanding, and therefore the results. This fight training has become a key form for many who want to lose weight or enhance their body’s metabolism. You also get to improve your fitness levels, power and speed, along with cardiovascular stamina.

On the mental level, Muay Thai helps in improving the syncing between mind and body, increasing focus and concentration.

For those who are looking at some highly significant and effective form of self-defence training, I would definitely pitch for Muay Thai.

Some Key facts Related to Muay Thai

• There are some form of Muay Thai competitions and bouts you can witness in Thailand, from small places to bigger stadiums.
• ‘The Science of Eight Limbs’ was coined as Muay Thai was meant to emulate weapons of war – kicks for spears, punches for swords, elbows for hammers, knees for daggers, forearm blocks for armor.
• The origin of Muay Thai is believed to be in 13^th century, when ‘Siam’, the first Thai army was formed to defend the city of Sukhothai against other kingdoms and warring tribes. They gained training in hand-to-hand combat to kill their enemies, which consequently evolved into a fight art known as Muay Thai today.
• While Muay Thai is popular in Thailand, it still has to pick the pace on a global level, a key reason why there is yet not grand money involved for fighters. A professional fighter would earn about $100 per fight, and the semi-pro ones less.
• Usually, in Thailand, children as small as 8-10 years start their training in Muay Thai and they become high professionals by the time they reach their teenage or twenties.
• Suan Kalap is the first modern Muay Thai boxing ring in Thailand, set up in 1921 in Suan Khoolab School.
• Two most popular places to catch a glimpse of Muay Thai fights or competitions are Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok (hub of this sport), run by Royal Thai Army and Rajadamnern Stadium.

Whether you want to get self-defence training in Muay Thai, or experience some fight competitions when in Thailand, the options are galore for you in numerous camps, gyms and stadiums.

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The expense of a five-star resort in Koh Phangan, Koh Samui and Koh Samed has stretched around $500 per room every late evening including American breakfast. Thai hotels and resorts are making tactical offers that holiday prices to Thailand generally remain in line or better than other Far East destinations. This is like the expense of a five-star seashore resort in places like Greece, Italy and Spain, and more valuable than a practically identical property in Turkey or Egypt, which costs $350 every night, as per Diethelm Travel Group.  Diethelm is Thailand’s traditional and most influential inbound touring experts with conventional utility guide and gives several pictures voyaging Skift.

Skift.com talks about the expenses for planning a trip to Thailand that are similar to a retreat in Europe approximately. Shooting up to $450 per room in July/August, the soaring period for Westerners. This has led to an immense increase in the number of travellers opting for Thailand as a touristic stop with its currency rage among the international spenders. With this shifting change, Thailand has also extended its visa-on-arrival fee disclaimer for nationals of 20 countries for an additional six months. The charge of 2,000 baht for a single-entry recreation trip in Thailand beyond 15 days has been deferred active from November, 2019.

Symbolising that the people are striving to attain its mark of guests this year and hoping that the listing for which the visa fee is deferred, Thailand is completely depending on China, India and rising demands to make up for the short-lived from popular syndicates such as Europe.

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It was honoured and declared at the start of the 2020 Michelin Guide for Thailand, starring award-winning eateries in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Phang-nga. It’s the third release of the guide for the people.

Twenty eateries over the realm, which won a star a year ago, held their honours, including Bo.lan, Canvas, Chim by Siam Wisdom, Elements, and numerous others, and 94 packed away the Bib Gourmand present, with 27 new segments identifying eight for Bangkok, 17 in Chiang Mai and 2 in Phang-nga.

“The ‘locavore’ movement, or the purpose of regionally sourced elements, has converted the authentic favourite of Thailand’s food culture,” according to the Michelin Guide’s global manager.

“The drift shows Thailand’s vibrant variety and high calibre of regional food. What’s more, we see the radiant ascent of customary Thai cooking, as, just because all around, two conventional Thai cafés, both advanced from one star, are on the Michelin Guide’s two-star list.”

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Flashback: I was sitting with my Travel Consultant, going through many options of Honeymoon Packages. My priorities were clear. I wanted to go Outside India, at a peaceful space, but did not wanted to spend much time in flight. So yes, something near to India which would be peaceful as well as exciting. My eyes went on to the Thailand Holiday Catalogue, where I saw pictures of mesmerizing beaches, nightlife, great food, market places, and many more. The cherry on the cake was the expense. Yes, the hotels, flight tickets, food all under my budget. I finalized my bookings after glancing at many itineraries on Thailand, to choose the best one.

The bags were all set (keeping in mind the restricted weight that we could carry in flight), the camera was fully charged, passport ready, currency was already exchanged, I was super excited to head towards the airport. I choose Air-India flight, as it serves meal inclusive of flight cost. The flight journey was good without any hassle. Reaching the Bangkok Airport, the first striking feature which every Indian notice is this huge sculpture of ‘Samudra Manthan’, a sheer symbol of Thailand and Indian Cultural ties. Moving further for Visa, well Thailand offers you the option for Visa on arrival for 15 days with minimal costing.

After coming out of the airport our first concern was to get a taxi and head towards our hotel. The taxis are easily available and rates are also not much high. We straightaway headed to our luxurious stay in Marriot Hotel, Bangkok as we decided to spend 2 days here. Bangkok has got high rising offices and apartments but at the same time it preserves its beauty with traditional houses and mansions. You can also see sky train all over the city. My bucket list was already ready, and I know where to head first. Shopping…nooo before that I wanted to buy a local sim which we got by showing our passports so that I could make calls. Take more internet pack so that you can do video callings to your family.  We then headed to the prominent shopping malls of Bangkok (which I googled) Platinum Mall, China town, Chatuchak (weekend market), Bangna Centre Mall, Siam Square and lastly Asiatque riverfront, where I choose to dine. All the mall in Bangkok have great varieties and good food. Electronics and make up lovers get immense options at good price. We booked our table in a cruise for dinner (Bangkok has got many cruises running on the long river) with great music and food. I completely enjoyed it. On the second day I covered the Jungle Safari, Skywalk and Sea World, but before heading to these places, you need to check the timing and tickets. Bangkok has got great varieties of Sea Food but if you are a vegetarian, don’t worry, you have options of many Veg Thai food or you can even get Indian foods at some places. The Challenge comes when you have to order your food as most locals don’t speak English or even understand. So, I downloaded a google translator for at least I could communicate with the locals.

Next day morning, we decided to leave for Hua Hin, around 5 hrs. drive from Bangkok city. City buses and local trains are cheap options but since I wanted to enjoy my drive and have little privacy, we choose to book a taxi.  We stayed at an amazing beachfront resort perfect for peace and relaxation. It’s ideal for a long romantic walk by the sea or more adventuresome water activities if you like; along with the golf courses that are renowned across the world. While returning from Hua Hin (after staying there for two days), our plan was move to Pattaya. Pattaya is famous for the lively lanes jammed with beer bars, buffet eateries, evening markets, street food, massage parlor and the boardwalk vendors, it is an exhilarating experience, to begin with. Famously known as the “Las Vegas of Asia” Pattaya has numerous things to do that was a punch to my trip, such as the underwater museum, sriracha tiger zoo and the famous floating market.

I was very much enjoying at Pattaya but I had to rush back to Bangkok to catch my flight to Krabi Known for Opulent Rendezvous. Beautiful white sandy seashores, cerulean lagoons, isolated caves, coral beaches, waterfalls and more than 130 islands – this one is my ultimate get away from the world and to find a peaceful little heaven of my own. The sunset view from Krabi will make you fall in love all over again.

My Last stoppage was Phuket, known for the Wild Parties and a famous destination for modern young couples. Exotic white sand beach, South of Thailand has got all-natural beauties.  I covered Big Buddha, Snake Show, Siam Niramit Cultural Village and ended up partying hard at the famous Bangla Road in Patong. For the last day I decided to simply rest at the beach and enjoy the world-famous Thai relaxing massage. I never wanted to come back but good things always come in small packages and it was time for me to come back home. My bag was full with gifts for my family and my mind with beautiful memories.  

Thailand was easy on the pocket and it certainly packed many honeymoon ideas that were complete joyful. Surely a sensible and reasonable decision!!!

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Ceremonies

Multiple ceremonies that are significant to Thai culture have been adopted from Indian folklore, including celebrations of marriage, classification, merit-making, and incineration. Thai cultures’ most prominent influence comes from the Lord Buddha but is also inspired by Hindu idols and Hindu rituals, especially those involving the grand commemorations.

Religion

Buddhism was born in ancient Hindustan before reaching beyond Asia. Today over 95% of Thailand’s culture practise Theravada Buddhism, which has blended with folk faith and Chinese beliefs. The Thai Constitution includes a religious right for its people, however, still to this day the King of Thailand is needed by law to be Theravada Buddhist.

Language

The language was created by King Ramkhamhaeng the Great by moulding it on ancient Indian Sanskrit and Pali alphabets. The Thai language was also heavily inspired by Khmer, Malay, English, and Chinese. Refined over the past 700 years, the Thai alphabet consists today of 59 characters. It is a tonal language, saying the same word in a different expression has a separate definition.

Literature & Dance

Folkloric Thai literature and theatre have been massively inspired by the arts and legends of India. Thai literature was only affected with a few subjects; with religion, nobility and royalty, before a turn where prose became one of the chosen modes of writing. The Ramakien is one of the most famous Thai literary themes which originated from the Hindu epic Ramayana from India. This involves the ‘Khon’ and ‘Lakhon’ classical Thai dances from the Ramakien.

Food

With its own set of unique cuisine which includes rich, pungent, sour, and tangy tastes. It has emerged from India and Chinese influences. The impacts of international trade played an active part and it is gathered that Buddhist monks from India, first got the curry to Thailand. The most famous curries now are the Thai red curry which comprises of dried spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon and many more savouries.

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About the Chef:

Tarek El Hosari is a 33-year-old Lebanese living in Dubai. His profession is a Pastry Chef with more than 10 years of experience in various organizations.

Despite being a hearing impaired, he made a career commitment to the pastry industry, and now starting a tutorial career through his YouTube Channel “Deaf Chef Tarek Hosari.” His videos are targeting mainly the deaf community in the Middle East and across the World.

Words of Wisdom: “With hard work and dedication, you will turn pain into opportunities.”

Slogan: “I speak to you with my hands to hear me with your eyes.”

And as he visited the land of smiles, Indo Thai News in collaboration with Universal Foundation for Persons with Disabilities organized a 3-hour session of Pastry class with him and invited kids from Setsatian School for the Deaf, young adults and adults alike to join this fun event as they also learn to bake and meet him in person.

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Beach Holidays can be of tremendous fun, particularly when you are going to fascinating beaches of Thailand & India, for example, Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Baga, Calangute, etc. It is an incredible chance to gain extremely valuable experiences with loved ones. Appreciating the sun, unwinding and recreational is something that we as a whole need.

In any case, making arrangements for a beach trip is the most significant thing you should do before taking off. What’s more, try to keep your hat on, regardless of the amount you plan you will consistently overlook a certain something or the other. In any case, don’t stress! I present you ten important beach essentials that will guarantee your experience fun and memorable.

Glasses

Get yourself a decent pair of shades to shield yourself from the sun’s UV beams. When on the sea shore it is prescribed to wear shades that have bigger focal points. In the event that you intend to wear these glasses in the water, make certain to purchase ties, with the goal that you don’t lose them. We prescribe that children wear shades too.

Hat

A beach hat acts as a fashionable accessory to save yourself from harmful or striking UV rays. There are many designs and styles of Hats available, opt for one that suits your dress and face. The purpose of the hat should be to cover your head and face from direct sunlight.

Sunscreen

Make this your closest companion for the span of your vacation. No matter, it might be a much fun it to absorb the sun, you have to load up on sun insurance. Convey a decent sunscreen with SPF 50+ that you can reapply regularly. Remember to apply lip ointment with SPF also.

Sunscreen, these days, isn’t what it used to be, you can discover an assortment of sunscreens fitting your skin type and in astounding scents. High SPF is prescribed if going to the sea shore. Be that as it may, in any circumstance, sunscreen is an unquestionable requirement!

Pack Light

Whenever you travel, it always important to pack light since you have to carry the weight while travelling. Similarly, when travelling to beach areas, its even more important to pack limited. When going for an excursion remember the goal you are visiting. There are additionally numerous DIY pressing hacks accessible online to assist you with. In case you’re heading off to a sea shore goal, make a point to pack light. Flaunting extravagant outfits and heels is superfluous in light of the fact that a large portion of them will be destroyed in the sand. Most presumably you won’t wear them. It is prudent to pack something light, for example, shorts, tank tops, maxis, swim wear, sarong, and so forth.

Toiletries & Ziplock Bags/Pouches

Towels, Shampoo, Condition, Body Wash, Ear Buds, Comb, Tissues, etc. are some of the essential toiletries that have to be kept has swimming the beach requires immediate shower. So basic toiletries have to be carried in a Ziplock pouch.

Mobile Pouch

The common trouble every traveler faces while going to the beach holiday is that they accidentally drop their mobile phones either in water or the water gets splashed on their mobile phone. In either case, it is losing of the mobile phone. Therefore, always carry a transparent pouch for mobile phone which can be wearied around the neck.

Flip Flops/ Croc

In case you’re going for first time on the sea shore, don’t commit the error that I made! I lost multiple sets of footwear on my first sea shore trip. It’s smarter to wear either flip lemon or crocs on the sea shore with the goal that the sand and water doesn’t remain from your point of view and ruin your preferred pair of footwear. Wear the most convenient footwear when on a beach. Flip Flops or crocks are the best option as they are not only light weight and comfortable to walk in, but are also easy to rinse off.

Camera

The sea shore will offer numerous photograph views that you would prefer not to pass up. Convey your camera alongside an extra memory card. You can likewise utilize your telephone’s camera yet make certain to keep the battery charged and convey your telephone charger. Try to capture the moments in a way that even after years it brings a smile on your face.

Beach Mats

Even though there are shacks and benches around the beach, it is always sensible to carry your personal mats with you as sometimes one likes to relax on the ground or may be due to rush shacks may be occupied. Having your own mat makes it feasible to sit on any side of the beach and not look for empty spaces.

Travel Insurance & Medical Kit

Medical emergency can come anytime without knocking. Therefore, while travelling its always advisable to carry the medical kit for small injuries and travel insurance in case you are admitted in the hospital.

Enjoy the Beach!!!

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