Bkk Brian

Yep, same here, my daughter back on Monday, bi weekly ATK tests, all parents and teachers vaccinated

Set up a "National Health Volunteers" day to show appreciation. They've played such an important part in the pandemic in Thailand and continue to do so. Do it yearly and continue to attract people with good intentions to volunteer.

WHO has also not approved Astrazeneca made in Thailand as yet. It has for all the manufacturing sites in Europe and the UK and also for India and South Korea

Covid threat looms over Thailand's plans to open up to tourists Why is the Thai government proceeding so cautiously? The simple answer is vaccines and the limited number of ICU beds. Despite significantly ramping up its orders of vaccines, the government started late and is still a long way short of its official target of inoculating at least 70% of the population. By the end of September just over one quarter had received two doses, and many of those who received the less effective Sinovac vaccine are now having to get booster shots. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58758310

Some Koh Larn residents to get a third Covid-19 vaccine shot as booster prior to planned November “opening” The Pattaya City Mayor Sonthaya Khunplome told The Pattaya News earlier this week, “People on Koh Larn who have already get their first and second dose of a Sinovac vaccine from March to May will receive a third dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This is due to concerns about efficacy over time, as well as the severe importance of Koh Larn to the tourism economy as Pattaya plans to reopen to foreign vaccinated tourists in November.” TPN media notes that the planned “opening” is not yet official and still needs several levels of final approval. https://thepattayanews.com/2021/10/02/some-koh-larn-residents-to-get-a-third-covid-19-vaccine-shot-as-booster-prior-to-planned-november-opening/

Students to start getting their Pfizer jabs from Monday onwards The drive to deliver Pfizer jabs to all students aged between 12 and 17 across the nation kicks off on Monday, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) announced earlier this week. Pfizer is the only brand approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration for children of this age group. The department aims to inoculate 5.4 million students nationwide this month before schools reopen in November. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40006942

Cooperation is the driving force in surviving the pandemic Volunteers have been playing a crucial role in keeping Thailand’s health system working and have helped save lives, admitted Assistant Secretary-General of National Health Security Office, Dr. Yupadee Sirisinsuk. She said that, when the COVID-19 outbreak was at its peak in July this year, the health service system in Thailand was close to collapse. The authorities decided they had to introduce a new model of care, home and community isolation (HI-CI). The volunteers, who had been helping vulnerable people long before that, also helped to close the gaps in the system. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/cooperation-is-the-driving-force-in-surviving-the-pandemic/

I just saw a report in the B.P. that says Vietnam is being urged to recognize its rapid tests as official and that would mean it has an extra 40% cases than being reported.

PCR test positive cases, total of 11,375 official new infections, with 184 of those from prison and 11,191 from the community. 87 official covid deaths recorded. Rapid tests positive cases, 2,906 bringing the unofficial total to 14,281 https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ Rolling 7 day average (up to 30th Sept) which includes prison cases and bar chart of community cases from daily official announcements. https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

Sandbox = quarantine no matter how you dress it up, no matter how many countries you invite in.

I'm surprised the Alpha is still around in such large proportions, 58% Alpha and just 38% Delta? Delta should have ripped through by now with its higher infection rate, either that or they are just not doing enough testing and sequencing to discover whats really going on.

Chonburi Governor orders Covid-19 related temporary targeted closures of work camp The Chonburi Governor, Phakkhrathon Thianchai, has announced this afternoon (October 1st) the temporary closure of a work camp in Si Racha. The order was posted by the Chonburi Public Relations office this afternoon. The orders conclude, “Many Covid -19 confirmed cases were still being found at work camps in Si Racha.” “In order to control the spread of the virus, the Chonburi communicable disease committee has ordered the following temporary closure of the places below.” https://thepattayanews.com/2021/10/01/chonburi-governor-orders-covid-19-related-temporary-targeted-closures-of-work-camp/

I suspect bubble and seals on the way soon. Always used as a reactionary approach due to limited testing.

This was mentioned in the WHO situation report that I posted earlier: "In addition increases in case numbers are now being reported in Southern Provinces, with the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th highest Provincial case counts for today being reported from Narathiwat (617 cases), Songkhla (566 cases), Yala (561 cases and Nakhon Si Thammarat (458 cases). The reason for these increases are not currently very clear, with transmission likely occurring in both community and occupational settings" That was published yesterday and reads to me that much more testing needs to be done in these provinces to determine the cause.

Ah ha, so thats why a couple of the vaccine trackers including ourworldindata have not updated for many days

There's a list of normal vaccine development but here's a couple of the oddities Tobacco vaccines and lizard blood: Meet Thailand’s contenders to tackle COVID-19 Lizard Blood No rundown of vaccines would be complete without a mention of one of the projects on the more experimental end of the spectrum. Jitkamol Thanasak, a professor at Mahidol University, is currently carrying out studies on monitor lizard blood as a potential cure for COVID. Alternative Medicine Complementing Thailand’s research into vaccines are studies into alternative medicines to treat COVID. Amid efforts by the government to promote their use, demand for fingerroot (krachai khao) and green chiretta (fah talai jone) has boomed. But while the herbs have been used for centuries across Asia to treat various infections and ailments, like the flu, their ability to treat coronavirus remains in doubt. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/tobacco-vaccines-and-lizard-blood-meet-thailands-contenders-to-tackle-covid-19/

Frigging expensive, works out more than Uni in the UK, I pay over 450k a year

They've been collecting it anyway, they never closed just went online

Over 114,000 children in Thailand contracted Covid-19 since April The Royal College of Pediatricians of Thailand revealed on Thursday (September 30) that since April 1 until August 25, 114,039 children aged under 18 have tested positive for Covid-19. “Since the third wave of Covid-19 emerged in Thailand on April 1 until August 25, there are 1,073,505 patients who tested positive for the new coronavirus, while 10,085 people had died,” said Radeewilai Samkoses, vice president of the royal college. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40006882

The magical number 35 seems to be a continuing artifact™️ "The report marked that of the COVID patients in care only 35 were designated as ‘Red patients’ (zero change since Sept 15 report)," More details...........https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-marks-188-new-covid-cases-no-new-deaths-81568.php

Latest WHO Thailand situation Update: The relative proportion of all cases that are being reported in Bangkok remains high. In addition increases in case numbers are now being reported in Southern Provinces, with the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th highest Provincial case counts for today being reported from Narathiwat (617 cases), Songkhla (566 cases), Yala (561 cases and Nakhon Si Thammarat (458 cases). The reason for these increases are not currently very clear, with transmission likely occurring in both community and occupational settings. The number of new community acquired COVID-19 cases continues the downward trend seen for the last six-weeks, although case counts remain high. • The number of deaths continues a four-week decreasing trend with an average of 120 deaths per day. However the rate of decrease (10%) has slowed down and halved compared to the previous week (21%, 24%, 10%) • The numbers of severe and ventilated cases remain high, but continue to show a downward trend (severe cases decreasing by 9% and ventilated cases by 4%). . https://www.who.int/thailand/emergencies/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports

Rapid tests positive cases, 5,150 bringing the unofficial total to 16,904, highest since 21st Sept https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ PCR test positive cases, total of 11,754 official new infections, with 501 of those from prison and 11,253 from the community. 123 official covid deaths recorded. Rolling 7 day average (up to 29th Sept) which includes prison cases and bar chart of community cases from daily official announcements. https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/thailand

Amazing Thailand: “Open seven days a week and weekends why go elsewhere to be cheated, when you can come here?"

No need to worry, it will not affect you. Its being carried out in Phuket only and only as a booster shot to those that have received 2 doses of Sinovac. Its the result of a small trial they had at a Phuket hospital and are now doing this against the advice from AZ and WHO

To be fair they are not opening up in the true sense at all, just extending the sandbox experiment to other Provinces with a reduced mandatory stay in SHA hotels now down to 7 nights, unless you happen to have unvaccinated children then its 10 nights. Still with COE and 2 pcr tests while here, stay in the same zone as the SHA hotel for 7 nights. Great for expats and returning Thai's but doubtful there will be any large volumes of real tourists. The problems going to be for hotels and businesses to staff up, pay wages etc with little if any income to cover the expected influx Finer details not even been published yet. They need to concentrate on opening up to its own people first.