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Lawyer calls for arrest of chairman of Kalasin football club and his wife for alleged near billion baht lottery fraud Picture: Sanook A lawyer called Bisa Biabangkert who works for a law foundation took 12 victims of an alleged lottery fraud to file a case at Khon Kaen police yesterday. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246826-lawyer-calls-for-arrest-of-chairman-of-kalasin-football-club-and-his-wife-for-alleged-near-billion-baht-lottery-fraud/

Picture: Sanook A lawyer called Bisa Biabangkert who works for a law foundation took 12 victims of an alleged lottery fraud to file a case at Khon Kaen police yesterday. They lost 12 million baht but it is alleged that there are hundreds of victims of the scheme to invest in a lottery that didn't exist. At the center of the claims are the well known chairman of a Kalasin (north east Thailand) football club and his wife and seven facilitators. They used Line and Facebook to allegedly swingle hundreds of people under false pretenses. One woman in Udon Thani lost 40 million. Total losses, reported Sanook, are claimed to be nearly one BILLION baht. It was reported that many victims have not come forward after they were told that if they went to police they could forget ever getting their investments back. Khon Kaen police accepted the case for investigation. Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Thai mum leaves 7 year old with gran - step-granddad, a security guard, rapes her and threatens to kill her if she tells Picture: Sanook Sanook reported on a horrific case of child rape in Samut Prakan south east of the Thai capital Bangkok. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246825-thai-mum-leaves-7-year-old-with-gran-step-granddad-a-security-guard-rapes-her-and-threatens-to-kill-her-if-she-tells/

Picture: Sanook Sanook reported on a horrific case of child rape in Samut Prakan south east of the Thai capital Bangkok. It came to the attention of Paveena Hongsakul who runs a foundation to help women and children who are abused. A woman called Sri who has three children broke up with her husband. She needed to work to support them so on January 8th she left the children in the care of her mother. But while the children's gran was out delivering food packets the seven year old girl in the family was repeatedly raped by a step-grandfather called Ek, aged 56. Paveena helped the mother and child and arranged with the Bang Poo police to arrest Ek who was at his job as a security guard. He is now in custody. Sanook reported that the child had told her gran that if she spoke up about the abuse she would be killed. Paveena said that many cases of abuse involved security guards. She added her voice to calls for them to be vetted before getting their jobs. Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Rooster’s Special Theory of Positivity! You don't need to be Einstein to know Thailand’s the best! Having reread my columns in the last few weeks - especially since the turn of the year - it is clear I am becoming something of a curmudgeon, Thai moaners and bashers whom I usually criticize. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246821-rooster’s-special-theory-of-positivity-you-dont-need-to-be-einstein-to-know-thailand’s-the-best/

Having reread my columns in the last few weeks - especially since the turn of the year - it is clear I am becoming something of a curmudgeon, Thai moaners and bashers whom I usually criticize. It’s time to redress the balance and knock the forum’s “General Theory of Negativity” into touch and replace it with “Rooster’s Special Theory of Positivity”. Hopefully after reading the inherent positivity behind this week’s news your cup will also overfloweth like mine - or at the very least be half full rather than half empty. After all you don’t need to be Einstein to know that Thailand really is the best place to be, pandemic or no pandemic. This flurry of optimism was caused by the news that Thailand was named the best retirement destination in Asia and the 11th best in the whole world. This well deserved accolade was celebrated by the PM at Government House. Coming on the back of news about his enormous popularity, January is turning into a month to remember after the best part of a decade to forget. Oops, there I go. I mean a decade of marvelous achievement for the erstwhile junta that is now a fully functioning democracy that would make Plato and his pals envious. That’s better, Rooster, get with the positivity program. To wit, brand new roads and railways lines are stretching out from Bangkok to every nook and cranny the kingdom has to offer. High speed rail linking lucrative Chinese markets that will propel the Thai economy and its people to new, unimagined heights are within touching distance. Khun Prayut has returned happiness to the people as He foretold in Thailand’s darkest, pre-enlightened days of 2014. With interest. His and Anutin’s handling of the pandemic has saved countless lives that will almost make up for the carnage on the roads (that is the fault of lao khao guzzling country bumpkins anyway). Apropos, they have encouraged the RTP to give free helmets for all. If there are not enough to go round (due to the requirements of the constabulary) the RTP will provide much needed roadside exercise in the form of jumping jacks instead of paying fines. Is there no end to their bountiful munificence? Surely the next election will see Prayut’s welcome reelection - it is after all called a General Election so precisely what it says on the tin. It is sad that the death toll on the roads continues but there is positivity even in that. Four may have died in Kalasin on Tuesday, 25,000 throughout last year but bear in mind that reincarnation awaits all of those. They’ll be back for another go and hopefully drive sober, put on a lid and actually look where they are going next time. This in turn will educate the next generation. For those who don’t believe in all the evidence for reincarnation and ghosts - devout, atheist fools like Rooster - we can rest safe in the knowledge that we’ll provide the worms with a great dinner. Having a great meal in Uthai Thani this week was a tiger that escaped from a wildlife sanctuary. He guzzled down a soi dog. Yippee! The Soi Dog Foundation won’t be too happy but there are still 49,999,999 left for them to coo over. (This number can be used for the state lottery providing guaranteed riches). (A few years ago I killed a dog in my Civic. In the back of the car was a soi dog activist who went purple/green with shock and dismay as I examined the front of my vehicle and expressed delight that there was little damage. Meanwhile my front seat passenger noted the roadkill I’d left behind….every little helps, as the saying goes). The authorities announced there had been no Swine Flu cover up at the nation's abattoirs. Whoever, heard of such an outrageous thing - Thailand and cover-ups, no way! This all came as the kingdom reported that pork prices were sky-rocketing. Hopefully they’ll get higher than the Thai space program (itself a wonderful and appropriate use of money every bit as valuable as expenditure on submarines for defence from marauding Laotians and the four fighter jets procured by the RTAF for a snip at 13.8billion this week). Pork prices are a concern but this is more than offset by the fact that porking prices in Thailand remain very reasonable, a friend told me this week. The Narcotics Control Board reminded us that jail awaits anyone who thinks they can plant ganja seeds and roll up the proceeds. Thanks to Piyasiri at the NCB and thanks to Anutin for ensuring that production of marijuana remains firmly in the hands of the elites and our betters who know best. And thanks for giving us the opportunity for a delightful prison stay. We’ll get free food and not too much of it enabling us to lose weight and save at the same time. The Bhumjaithai leader has come through on all his manifesto promises and deserves to be the next PM in the unlikely and terrible event of our great leader not ruling until he’s 100. And quite frankly Anutin shouldn’t have to wear a mask like us who are unworthy of him. He is far too handsome to warrant covering up even a small part of his billionaire looks. What about Anutin’s subsequent and confusing pronouncements on what the ganja law actually means, I hear you say. Don’t be so negative. Having a completely unsure law open to interpretation means that the RTP can adjust it to suit the needs of their “pee nong”. “Pee nong” that police spokesman Yingyot warned this week not to say a bad thing about his comrades in khaki. Apparently defaming the wonderful rozzers has spawned copycats. They are indeed blameless, and if they do get things wrong (there is a quarter of a million of them after all) they will always say it with baskets of fruit and flowers. As the Samrong Neua chief did on Wednesday after a man was locked up for possessing camphor not heroin. Such mistakes are inevitable - both are white powders. Any questions about that ask the Minister for Flour who incidentally spent four years in Bondi, not clink. In Phrapradaeng warring college students armed with guns, swords and ping-pong bombs delighted the rush hour crowds. Now there is no need to waste money at the cinema and Mrs Rooster can just look at Sanook.com rather than Gratuitous Violence 3 on Netflix. There were many busts of places serving alcoholic beverages this week. One in Pattaya shut down Jacky Karaoke. Stopping that awful singing and saving countless livers from cirrhosis, well done Pattaya plod. In Aranyaprathet the local constabulary managed to miss the fact that locals were getting plastered and watching semi-nude shows just 200 meters from their door at a place called “Rong Phak Aran” (Aran police station!). It seems the cops were tricked by a photocopied bit of paper that said no drinking could go on there. Obviously. This will doubtless lead to local plod getting some extra holidays at HQ, shuffling paper rather than wasting valuable shoe leather running after criminals. Win-Win. Large numbers of people caught Omicron. Many news outlets around the world are now reporting that this is a good thing creating herd immunity without the need to even get jabbed! Not that that is a problem in Thailand. Locally produced vaccines are world leaders, like Prayut. Meanwhile Novax won the second set in Australia. At the time of writing it was unsure whether he’d get away with all his double faults, however. In other international news a desperately ill man in the US got a pig’s heart transplant. For now at least it saved his bacon. In London Boris was urged to quit solely because people couldn’t go to funerals when he had a drinks party to thank his staff. Why are the public and those muck-raking journalists so mean to him? Didn’t he go to public school? Something that in the good old days of Pathe News used to garner a bit of respect. On Wednesday the Thai government said they were pushing ahead with the 300 baht tourist tax. This is a highly sensible time to be doing that, bearing in mind there are so few tourists to annoy. Then on Thursday rangers in Kanchanaburi found two tigers on the BBQ grilling away succulently. Tigers are dangerous animals who’ll kill you as soon as look at you. Poachers like Ital Thai Premchai - and the five that fled the scene on this occasion - should be praised for their initiative in finding a tasty food source, not locked up at taxpayer expense. In Ubon a man carked it surrounded by five bottles of Lao Khao. The wife didn’t blame his Covid vaccination, it was the booze. Yet further evidence of the efficacy of the Thai education system in churning out people with highly adapted reasoning capabilities. Even the closure of schools for the last two years has been good. Mrs R has learned how to teach and Rooster gets a discount. The kids get to live the dream I had of never having to go to school and not suffering school dinners. Win-win ad nauseam win. Proving that the Land of Smiles is beaming from ear to ear, 24/7 even at 7-Eleven. Finally the man who I often refer to as my editor is leaving ASEAN NOW for new journalistic pastures in Hua Hin. No names, no pack drill, but the clientele of Thaivisa and now ASEAN NOW owe him a debt of gratitude for helping to bring a much broader range of Thai news and informative articles to readers. Our organization takes a bit of stick sometimes but we do our best to bring you a varied and interesting choice of news and features that I am sure will continue under a rejig of leadership. How’s that for positivity! Rooster -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Is Thailand rushing to categorize COVID-19 an endemic disease? By Thai PBS World’s General Desk Thailand is preparing to declare COVID-19 an endemic disease this year despite a rising number of infections and warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO). Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246818-is-thailand-rushing-to-categorize-covid-19-an-endemic-disease/

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk Thailand is preparing to declare COVID-19 an endemic disease this year despite a rising number of infections and warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr Opart Karnkawinpong, head of the Disease Control Department, insisted on Friday (Jan 14) that Thailand was not standing in opposition to the world health agency and its advice. The fact was, he continued, that when it came to management of COVID-19, Thailand is merely a step ahead of WHO and many other nations. “We have been pioneers on this front in many aspects,” said Opart, citing the cross-vaccination program and reopening of the country via the Phuket Sandbox tourism scheme. “This is because we look ahead,” he explained. He added that Thailand would not declare COVID-19 an endemic disease right away. But with foresight, the government was working to build public understanding of what an endemic means and how they can transition out of a pandemic that has killed millions and wreaked financial havoc over the past two years. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/is-thailand-rushing-to-categorize-covid-19-an-endemic-disease/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Thailand Road Carnage: Driver crushed to death by ice after slamming into tree Picture: Snook Sanook reported on a horrific accident in which a pick-up carrying blocks of ice smashed into a tree. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246817-thailand-road-carnage-driver-crushed-to-death-by-ice-after-slamming-into-tree/

Picture: Snook Sanook reported on a horrific accident in which a pick-up carrying blocks of ice smashed into a tree. The driver was crushed to death when the ice smashed through the rear window into his body. Chonmdaen police attended the scene on Route 113, the Taphanhin - Lomsak Road in Phetchabun in Thailand's north eastern region. They found a Toyota with its front smashed in against a tree at a bend. Thanachote, 40, was dead behind the wheel. He had been to collect ice at a nearby market and had a full load. Microsleep - "Lap Nai" in Thai - is suspected. There are signs up all over Thailand warning drivers of falling asleep at the wheel, notes ASEAN NOW. Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Mother arrested after stealing from Mini Big C - she stabbed female staffer after being detained for 59B theft Picture: Daily News Bang Maenang police have arrested a 37 year old Thai mother after she stabbed a female staffer in a Mini Big C store at the Phreuksa 26 housing estate on December 29th. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246815-mother-arrested-after-stealing-from-mini-big-c-she-stabbed-female-staffer-after-being-detained-for-59b-theft/

Picture: Daily News Bang Maenang police have arrested a 37 year old Thai mother after she stabbed a female staffer in a Mini Big C store at the Phreuksa 26 housing estate on December 29th. Sutharin was arrested at a gas station at Petchkasem Soi 81 yesterday. She was named in a warrant for theft, attempted murder and weapons offences. She admitted that she had been with her two children who complained of being hungry when they were all on the way to see her new lover. She said she had no money so she stole two bottles of fizzy drink, a couple of bread items and some jelly that came to just 59 baht, reported Daily News. Busaba, 23, a female store employee caught her and detained her. As they waited for police Sutharin grabbed a knife on sale in the store and stabbed the staffer grievously wounding her. She then fled the store with her children. Police tracked her down using CCTV and a warrant was issued. Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Thai authorities searching for infected Russian tourist who broke Covid quarantine in Phuket Picture: Daily News Daily News reported on yet another foreign tourist who has broken Covid quarantine after being infected with the virus. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246813-thai-authorities-searching-for-infected-russian-tourist-who-broke-covid-quarantine-in-phuket/

Picture: Daily News Daily News reported on yet another foreign tourist who has broken Covid quarantine after being infected with the virus. Thai authorities are now looking for a Russian tourist who was staying at the Sunwing Kamala Beach Hotel. He is Mr Anastasiia T. aged 30, according to a name printed in the Thai media. He began his stay on January 3rd and tested positive for Covid on the 8th. It is thought he left the hotel premises yesterday. Two phone numbers were given for information on his whereabouts. Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

COVID-19: Thailand reports 7,793 new coronavirus cases, 18 deaths, 5,202 recoveries File photo Thailand on Saturday (January 15) reported 7,793 new COVID-19 cases, 5,202 recoveries and 18 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246808-covid-19-thailand-reports-7793-new-coronavirus-cases-18-deaths-5202-recoveries/ //CLOSED// /Admin

COVID-19: Thailand reports 7,793 new coronavirus cases, 18 deaths, 5,202 recoveries File photo Thailand on Saturday (January 15) reported 7,793 new COVID-19 cases, 5,202 recoveries and 18 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246808-covid-19-thailand-reports-7793-new-coronavirus-cases-18-deaths-5202-recoveries/

File photo Thailand on Saturday (January 15) reported 7,793 new COVID-19 cases, 5,202 recoveries and 18 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. ▶︎ Infections outside prisons: 7,523. Prisons: 270 ▶︎ Recoveries: 5,202 Saturday’s cases bring the total number of COVID-19 infections in Thailand to 2,316,408 with 21,916 deaths. The news comes as due to the recent announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) which stated that it may be too early to categorize Covid-19 as an endemic within this year, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, responded that the Ministry of Public Health is not against the announcement. He said the ministry did not mean to categorize Coronavirus as an endemic immediately. He stressed the disease can only become an endemic when it has less severity, when people’s immunity rises significantly, and when the country’s medical system is highly capable of handling it. According to Dr. Opas, Thailand will consider Covid-19 an endemic when the fatality rate is low and controllable, and when people strictly follow the VUCA measures. VUCA stands for vaccine, universal prevention, Covid free setting, and ATK. *NNT contributed to this report Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Pattaya Police raid pool party with over fifty customers allegedly breaking Covid-19 rules By Adam Judd Pattaya, Thailand-Pattaya police along with Banglamung authorities and officials raided what they described as a tavern converted into a pool venue late last night for allegedly violating Covid19 rules. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246806-pattaya-police-raid-pool-party-with-over-fifty-customers-allegedly-breaking-covid-19-rules/

By Adam Judd Pattaya, Thailand-Pattaya police along with Banglamung authorities and officials raided what they described as a tavern converted into a pool venue late last night for allegedly violating Covid19 rules. This is only the latest in what has been nightly raids on venues allegedly breaking strict rules in place in Banglamung that officials say are designed to help stop the spread of Covid-19 and discourage gatherings. The raid took place at 10:30 PM last night, January 14th, 2022, at a tavern/villa style venue near Moo 10 in Nongprue that police stated had been converted into a pool style club. Police stated the venue was open after legal closing time, serving alcohol, playing loud music, and allowing dozens of customers to gather without social distancing, wearing masks, or other Covid19 precautions. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/01/15/pattaya-police-raid-pool-party-with-over-fifty-customers-allegedly-breaking-covid-19-rules/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Truck driver carrying construction equipment knocks down 11 power poles, damages houses in Chonburi, driver blames the wire height By Goong Nang(GN) PHOTO: Wisarn Sangjaroen / Top News Chonburi – A 68-year-old truck driver who was carrying construction equipment knocked down 11 power poles in Mueang Chonburi, which also collapsed into nearby homes. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246800-truck-driver-carrying-construction-equipment-knocks-down-11-power-poles-damages-houses-in-chonburi-driver-blames-the-wire-height/

PHOTO: Wisarn Sangjaroen / Top News By Goong Nang(GN) Chonburi – A 68-year-old truck driver who was carrying construction equipment knocked down 11 power poles in Mueang Chonburi, which also collapsed into nearby homes. The Samet Police were notified of the incident earlier this week in the Huay Kapi sub-district in the early afternoon. They arrived at the location of the accident to find a chaotic scene in which a total of eleven power poles had been knocked down due to construction equipment being carried on the trailer truck catching wires above the road and causing a chain reaction. Two homes were damaged when power poles fell onto their roofs. Electricity was shut off for many hours while staffers repaired power poles and wires. No injuries were reported. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/01/14/truck-driver-carrying-construction-equipment-knocks-down-11-power-poles-damages-houses-in-chonburi-driver-blames-the-wire-height/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Pattaya Mayor says city will still hold a Chinese New Year festival event under strict Covid-19 rules By Goong Nang(GN) FILE PHOTO Pattaya – Pattaya, according to the Mayor, will still hold a Chinese New Year festival under strict Covid-19 measurements to boost tourism despite high cases of Covid-19 locally. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246799-pattaya-mayor-says-city-will-still-hold-a-chinese-new-year-festival-event-under-strict-covid-19-rules/

FILE PHOTO By Goong Nang(GN) Pattaya – Pattaya, according to the Mayor, will still hold a Chinese New Year festival under strict Covid-19 measurements to boost tourism despite high cases of Covid-19 locally. The Pattaya City Mayor Sontaya Kunplome told local media this week, “The annual Chinese New Year festival WILL be held this year from January 30th to February 1st.” “The festival preserves the precious tradition of Thai-Chinese people who live in Pattaya and the Banglamung area as well as to boost tourism, especially domestic as due to suspension of Test and Go and the Pattaya Sandbox there are not as many tourists in the area as before New Year’s.” The Mayor stated. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/01/14/pattaya-mayor-says-city-will-still-hold-a-chinese-new-year-festival-event-under-strict-covid-19-rules/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Leading tourism and business association president still pushing for Pattaya to be a “Sandbox” By Goong Nang(GN) PHOTO: Sophon Cable TV (STV) Pattaya – A leading Pattaya business and tourism association president is still pushing for Pattaya to be a sandbox to attract foreign tourists. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1246798-leading-tourism-and-business-association-president-still-pushing-for-pattaya-to-be-a-“sandbox”/

PHOTO: Sophon Cable TV (STV) By Goong Nang(GN) Pattaya – A leading Pattaya business and tourism association president is still pushing for Pattaya to be a sandbox to attract foreign tourists. A sandbox is a program that allows international tourists to enter a district or city and stay at certified hotels for seven days while having freedom to roam the local area, with certain rules and Covid19 testing. The program was suspended in Pattaya and most areas last month due to concerns of Omicron, a Covid-19 variant that is fast spreading, but is still in place in Koh Samui, Phuket, and some other mostly island areas. Test and Go, a program allowing rapid entry to the country with a Covid19 test, is also currently suspended, limiting entry access to tourists overall to Thailand. The only options in play at this time for foreign tourists to enter Thailand are sandboxes on the aforementioned islands or strict hotel quarantine for seven to ten days depending on vaccination status. In turn, this hurts Pattaya which is highly reliant on tourism for the majority of its economy. Mr. Boonanan Pattanasin, the president of the Pattaya Businessmen and Tourism Association, told TPN media, “We are pushing for Pattaya to be a ‘Sandbox’ same as Phuket. The Pattaya City Hall has volunteered to be a command center, track down tourists, and manage business venues. The sandbox provides more health safety measures than the Test & Go scheme with an effective ‘SHA Manager’ tracking system.” Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/01/15/leading-tourism-and-business-association-president-still-pushing-for-pattaya-to-be-a-sandbox/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-01-15 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates