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Image: Reuters, file photo by Jonathan Fairfield The UK’s current travel rules regarding COVID-19 and the ongoing refusal to recognise vaccines administered in Thailand is a significant blow to British expats wishing to return to their home country. Travel between Thailand and the UK is affected by two issues: Thailand being on the UK’s ‘red list’ The UK govt’s refusal to recognise vaccines administered in Thailand The issues remain despite the UK government earlier this month announcing major changes to the country’s international travel and health rules related to COVID-19. On Sept 17, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that from October, it will increase the number of countries from which travellers’ vaccination certification will be recognised. “From 4 October, England will welcome fully vaccinated travellers from a host of new countries – who will be treated like returning fully vaccinated UK travellers – including 17 countries and territories such as Japan and Singapore, following the success of an existing pilot with the US and Europe,” read a DfT statement. At the same time, the UK has also confirmed it will start recognising people who have received so-called ‘mix and match’ vaccines as being fully vaccinated. However, none of the above applies to people who have been vaccinated in Thailand. Thailand remains on the UK’s red list, meaning people travelling to the UK are forced to enter mandatory quarantine for 10 days. The cost to quarantine in a dedicated facility in the UK is in the region of £2,000 per person. In addition, the UK still does not consider people who have been vaccinated in Thailand, even if they have received two doses of the same vaccine, as being “fully vaccinated”. The rules currently being implemented by the UK government are a severe blow to British expats in Thailand who have spent the best part of 18 months separated from their friends and families in the UK because of the pandemic. Several ASEAN NOW readers have highlighted the issue, with many failing to see the justification for the UK government implementing such a policy, especially to people who have received two doses of the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine. “It is like the British government is punishing me for being an expat in Thailand”, a reader told ASEAN NOW. “I have received two doses of AstraZeneca in Bangkok, which means I am fully vaccinated. “But they (the UK govt) still won’t let me visit without going into quarantine. “There is no rhyme nor reason to this policy”, they added. The issue doesn’t only affect British expats in Thailand. The UK does not recognise vaccines administered in close to 100 countries, mainly those located in south Asia, Africa and Latin America. Furthermore, the fact Thailand remains on the UK’s ‘red list’ all but rules out Thailand as a destination for tourists from the UK. The UK is on Thailand’s list of countries approved for its ‘Sandbox’ program. But under the UK government’s rules, even if a British tourist is fully vaccinated, they would still be required to enter mandatory quarantine for 10 days upon their return to the UK from Thailand. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-24 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Naew Na The Immigration Bureau's spokesman Pol Col Phakkapong Sai-ubol told the press yesterday that his chief Pol Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang had ordered action after a video was given to the IB. It purported to show a foreign national putting his feet on bread that was about to be packaged for sale. Apart from being unhygienic this use of the feet was sickening to Thais, suggested Naew Na in their report. Picture: Naew Na The public wanted to know if this foreigner was legally in Thailand and did he even have a work permit. ASEAN NOW notes that Thais have an aversion to the foot though it frequently appears inserted in the mouths of officials. On this occasion the IB is still searching high and low in Bangkok to find the miscreant and the public were urged to call 1178 if they have information about the baker with the feet. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-22 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Image: Reuters, file photo. ASEAN NOW has spoken to a 47 year old British man who has lived on Koh Samui for many years who claims he received what he believes are threatening emails and telephone calls from a well known hospital on the holiday island after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 last month. Following a one night stay in the hospital he was obliged to quarantine for two weeks in the Aura "hospitel". He was not seriously ill. He wanted to isolate at home but was allegedly told this was not possible. The expat said he wouldn't have money to pay the bill. After being backed into a corner, and having his passport taken from him he eventually decided to pay a 60,000 plus bill as his visa expires this coming week. In one email seen by ASEAN NOW after he said he would be unable to pay, the foreign customer service center said: "We can't change any rules and law enforcement. The violation of the Communicable Disease Act has a maximum fine of 100,000 THB and imprisonment maximum of 1 year". They said this was "management in a crisis healthcare situation". A subsequent email said: "This treatment is not for free. If the foreigner can't pay the bill then you are not qualify to leave (sic, probably live) in Thailand any more". The email goes on to say they are a government hospital who follows the law. They continued: "If you (don't) take responsibility to make payment then we will report to immigration to consider your status of living in Thailand. "And as you are a case against the law then deport process will follow." Such heavy handed emails left the expat feeling threatened, he said. He told us: "The hospital is using the Covid laws to profit out of foreigners who get admitted (to) the system". He said that an English speaking lady from customer service was not willing to negotiate. "She tried to bully me and threatened to contact immigration, have my visa cancelled, jailed and deported if I didn't pay the bill". He consulted a lawyer and took these alleged threats seriously. He is currently on a volunteer visa after the collapse of a restaurant business (in partnership with a local) due to the pandemic. He said that the British Embassy contacted the hospital and informed him that the hospital acted within the Covid laws except when they held his passport. He had originally paid a 10,000 baht deposit then was given three months to come up with the rest of the money. He ended up paying just over 50,000 baht more as his volunteer visa was due to be extended and he didn't want further trouble. He said that prior to this the hospital would not let him go until he surrendered his passport and signed a payment contract. The expat used to be in the social security scheme but he said this lapsed after he lost his business. He added a claim that it was totally wrong that the hospital was using the pandemic to make money. "Originally all the hospital staff and all my local friends told me not to worry because Covid treatment is free for everyone in Thailand. "Many of my Thai friends were outraged when I got billed". He told us that he is considering returning to the UK next year. ASEAN NOW has contacted the foreigner center at the hospital concerned for comment about the expat's claims of being harassed. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-22 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

US President Joe Biden participates is a virtual press conference on national security with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 15, 2021. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) By Kavi Chongkittavorn The new military alliance among three Anglo-Saxon countries – the US, the UK and Australia, known as AUKUS – for the sharing of nuclear submarine technology is a bad move. It will have far-reaching ramifications for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and ratchet up the arms race. It will turn Southeast Asia into the new battleground of the “Hot and Sour War”. Forget the old description of the Cold War, this is a war of attrition and intimidation in the ocean with feverish maneuverings. Major and mid-sized powers need to absorb this sudden shift of nuclear-power realignment quickly. One thing is clear, Southeast Asia, situated at the heart of the Indo-Pacific region, cannot remain passive and become a pawn for the nuclear powers. In a way, thanks to President Joe Biden’s quick reaction to the post-Afghanistan chaos, the region has seen his administration’s true colours – jumping from one debacle to create a new one. The tripartite alliance will change the way the region perceives the US for the rest of 21st century. Thailand, a US ally which enjoys excellent ties with China, has been dropped onto the proverbial race track because one small miscalculation could see the strategic balance of their most important bilateral ties crashing into the barriers. As a country with coastlines in both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, Bangkok views the latest US move as a destabilising factor, as it will put every nation in the region on high alert. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/op-ed-thai-view-on-the-new-aukus-alliance/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-09-21 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

file photo A leading figure in real estate has thrown his weight behind the government's plans to attract foreigners to buy property in Thailand but with three main caveats. Those foreigners need to be loaded with money, limited to where they can buy and potentially stopped from having a vote if more than 50% of a condo project is owned by them. Dr Wichai Wiratkaphan said the government's one million foreigners, one trillion baht investment and economic stimulus plan was a great idea. Picture: Daily News The acting director of the influential Agency for Real Estate Affairs was insistent, however, there must be restrictions, reported Daily News yesterday. The issue has cause a major row in Thailand with 'clarifications' issue by government spokespeople only muddying the waters. Critics see Thailand as overly protectionist while many who live in the country and support Thai spouses and children feel they are being overlooked. Under the doctor's ideas retirees owning a little bit of Isaan and building a home to look after their family remains further away than ever. Dr Wichai proposes: Only foreigners with ten million baht and more should qualify. They should be prevented from buying in the 3 - 8 million baht range favored by most Thai employees as this would lead to pricing Thais out of the market. Foreigners should be restricted to buying houses in the Thai capital Bangkok, the island of Phuket in the south and areas of the so called Eastern Economic Corridor (that's Pattaya mainly). "They should not be free to buy everywhere," he said, a move that will stop foreigners "cornering the market". Lastly if more than 49% of condos end up being allowed to be sold to foreigners - as mooted in the cabinet's plans - foreigners should not be allowed to vote. He said that Thais should keep more than 50% of voting rights irrespective of how many own units in buildings. "Thais need to stay in control" in such circumstances, he said. He was also in favor of leases going up in increments of 30 years rather than 90 year or 99 year leases being offered off the bat. Careful consideration of all factors was important, a beaming Dr Wichai told the media. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-21 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Bangkok Business News The measures to try and encourage a million wealthy foreign visitors to come to Thailand over the next five years are set to have a broader impact for consumers of imported alcohol. The customs department are reportedly going to slash import duty on wine and spirits and cigars maybe by as much as half. Wine drinkers in particular in Thailand have often complained about the cost of foreign imported beverages. What a 50% reduction in import duty would mean at the till remains to be seen. Bangkok Business News quoted the director-general of the Customs Department Patchara Anantasin as saying that the changes would be part of the mix to attract foreign investors. This was announced last Tuesday and includes long term visas, tax breaks and easing in property ownership rules. Details can be seen here. Thailand wants to get a million foreigners to invest a trillion baht in five years in a move to kickstart the post-pandemic economy. A bugbear would be the high cost of imported items like wine, spirits and cigars, hence the proposed changes. Various media outlets are reporting that the changes might only last for five years. But as with condo and land ownership rules this could always be extended. Changes to the excise tax on cigarettes are also in the offing though both this and slashing of alcohol duty has not pleased everyone. Roengrudee Patanavanich of Ramathibodi Hospital who is a researcher on tobacco control said that the proposals are bad news for groups wanting to stop smoking and the consumption of alcoholic beverages. They would prefer to see steady 4% increases in tax on cigarettes rather than flat rates charges. The changes to customs duty would also see revision of customs procedures and duty for personal items for arriving and departing passengers. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-20 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Sanook A leading figure in the real estate business has urged caution regarding the Thai government’s plans to relax laws regarding foreigners owning condos and land in Thailand. likened relaxing rules about condo and land ownership for foreign investors to allow them to live in Thailand to treason. Plans are afoot to allow 100% of condo developments to be owned by foreigners and even allow foreigners to own land and buy their own homes on that land in certain areas, reported Sanook. But Dr Sophon Pornchokchai, who is chairman of the Agency for Real Estate Affairs cautioned in an online rant that it was not necessarily a good idea. He even went as far to say the plans were treasonous. Dr Sophon warned that Thailand did not have the preventative measures in place like other countries to prevent the widespread purchase of land in Thailand by foreigners. He called for all sides to engage in debate about the issue and for the government not to just listen to the views of foreign investors who want the laws changed. All sides and all views need to be aired and considered. In other reports on ASEAN NOW today we report that changes to land and condo ownership laws could be pushed through as early as next year. Thailand wants to kickstart the economy and attract a million wealthy foreigners including retirees and digital nomads to spend a trillion baht over the next five years. The issue is likely to stir strong feelings and the use of expressions like "khai chart" (selling out the country or treason) will doubtless be bandied about as both genuinely held beliefs and political attack weapons. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-20 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

file photo By Paul Andrews Health officials on Sunday (Sept 19) reported 76 new COVID-19 cases, 19 were found in Hua Hin, of those infected in Hua Hin 15 were detected at clusters. Elsewhere in the province, 27 cases were found in Pranburi, 14 cases in Sam Roi Yot, 9 cases in Kuiburi, zero cases in Thap Sakae, 4 cases in Bang Saphan, 1 case in Bang Saphan Noi, and 2 cases in Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan. Health officials said they were dealing clusters at the following locations: Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/hua-hin-news/sept-19-prachuap-reports-59-new-covid-19-cases-22-cases-in-hua-hin/ -- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2021-09-20 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

By Pear Maneechote The Progressive Movement, led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has registered an official foundation under the same name, confirmed in the Royal Gazette Friday. Thanathorn was the leader of the now-dissolved Future Forward Party (FFP), the predecessor to the current opposition Move Forward Party. The director of the new foundation is Thai academic and former FFP secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokku. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/32816/progressive-movement-foundation-registered-with-thanathorn-as-chairman/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-09-18 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

The Ministry of Public Health will vaccinate as many as 100,000 pregnant women against COVID-19 between today (Monday September 13th) and October 13th, said Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha today. He said that pregnant women are vulnerable as they are likely to develop severe symptoms, which may lead to death or cause premature birth, which will have long-term effects on the development of the babies and high medical bills. According to a survey of COVID-19 infections among pregnant women, after 6 weeks of giving birth in the period after April 1st this year, 3,223 women were found to be infected, 73 died (2.26%) and 154 new-born babies were found to be infected (8.89%). 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/thailand-begins-mass-vaccination-of-pregnant-women/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-09-14 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Hotel industry leader Phisut Sae-khu has called for a suspension of debt repayment for hotel owners in Pattaya until the foreign tourism industry returns to normal as he warned that they face extreme financial difficulty and are ready to sell out to investors from China. It comes as efforts to relaunch foreign tourism in October under ‘new normal’ arrangements and Sandbox schemes appear to be losing momentum with the country still well behind on its vaccination targets and a lack of interest from visitors. by James Morris and Son Nguyen The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mr Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, last week talked of a nationwide reopening to foreign tourists without quarantine based on the kingdom achieving herd immunity as defined by the Thai government. The minister also raised the prospect of resurrecting the old travel bubble concept or allowing entry from countries with high vaccination rates and low levels of infection from the 1st of January 2022. In Phuket, a hotel industry representative has called for the relaxation of alcohol restrictions which are turning off prospective visitors from booking holidays. A leading hotel and tourism industry leader in Pattaya has warned the government that many property owners are on the verge of selling out to foreign investors, particularly in China, as prospects for a recovery of foreign tourism are again receding. Mr Phisut Sae-khu of the Thai Hotels Association said such an outcome would mean a permanent, ongoing and irrecoverable loss to the wider Thai economy going forward. Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2021/09/11/pattaya-hotel-boss-warns-of-chinese-takeover/ -- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2021-09-11 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

By Tanakorn Sangiam BANGKOK (NNT) - The State Railway of Thailand has stressed the used trains from Japan it is receiving as a donation are still in good condition. The state railway operator will need to pay for the transportation of the 17 train carriages at a cost of 42.5 million baht. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has announced outcomes of the inspection of the 17 multiple unit diesel train carriages being donated by Japan, finding them all in good condition. Japan’s rail operator JR Hokkaido is donating the train cars decommissioned since 2016 to Thailand, with the cost of transportation and refurbishment covered by the SRT. Mr Aekkarat Sriarayanpong, the SRT’s Public Relations director, said today the SRT will conduct a safety inspection and refurbishment of these trains on their arrival, to make the trains suitable for operations in Thailand as tourism trains. The SRT had earlier in October 2018 received 10 train cars from Japan. These carriages are also being refurbished to serve as a tourism train. The trains, expected to enter service next year, will include three regular passenger carriages, a family car, and a recreational car, with the livery reflecting areas the tourist train passes through. -- © Copyright NNT 2021-09-11 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

The country has implemented changes to attract wealthy foreigners By Cristian Angeloni When Brits think about retiring or moving abroad, more often then not, picturesque landscapes of beaches with cloudless skies are cited as features they want. While usual suspects Spain, Portugal, France and Italy are always top of the list, many have been looking further afield to find a place in the sun. And these prospective expats are drawing the attention of several countries around the world that have been passing favourable tax rules and opening up opportunities for them to either move or retire there. Full story: https://international-adviser.com/are-expats-being-tempted-by-thailand/ -- © Copyright International Adviser 2021-09-10 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Daily News Daily News reported from Koh Samui after a nine year old child died on Koh Phangan as a result of stings from a deadly box jellyfish. Nets have been installed by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources on Lamai and Chaweng Beaches to add to signs about the danger and posts containing vinegar - a standard first response treatment for stings. At Koh Phangan itself the media said the net there at Had Rin beach had been upgraded. Various kinds of jellyfish including boy jellyfish that can kill are particularly prevalent in the area from July to October, said Krissana Phromkoh the owner of Lamai Wantha Hotel as the net was installed outside her property. Stings should be washed continually with vinegar and never touched as this can spread the toxin. Medical help must be sought immediately after a serious attack. She said that tentacles from jellyfish can stretch 5 meters from the main body of the jellyfish. It is always safest to swim in areas surrounded by nets especially at this time of the year. Daily News also published figures from Koh Samui Hospital for the number of stings from all kinds of jellyfish that were treated there: 2016 42 cases 2017 47 cases 2018 17 vases 2019 and 2020 8 cases each 2021 9 cases so far. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-09-01 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Channel 7 Bangkok's governor Aswin Kwanmuang told the media that obstacles to opening restaurants in the Thai capital more fully had been removed. He said that from September 1st to 30th it will not be necessary that patrons will have to have been vaccinated to use restaurants. Staff will also not have to take ATK tests every 7 days. These obstacles were seen as problematic when they were mooted because only around 10% of the Thai population has been double vaxxed and restaurants complained that ATK testing would eat into their already devastated bottom line, notes ASEAN NOW. Aswin said that from Wednesday it is back to mask wearing, temperature checking and 2 meter social distancing protocols, reported Channel 7. These measures are familiar to everyone by now. He said that where 2 meter SD could not be guaranteed then screens and barriers need to be in place. Schools will also be allowed to open without restrictions from Wednesday with teaching, training and testing for large groups allowed. It remains to be seen what protocols will be in place in each school and how many will reopen but the suprise decision of the CCSA will be a mostly welcome relief to parents who have had their children at home since Songkran. Beauty salons, hairdressing shops and health massage can also reopen - the latter being foot massage only. Restaurants can open to 8 pm, the same as malls and shopping centers. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-08-30 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Sanook The chief of the Royal Thai Police General Suwat Chaengyodsuk sent in Pol Maj-Gen Noppasin Phoonsawat to try and find a fugitive police colonel at the center of a murder inquiry. Instead they found luxury cars - lots of them. Pol Col Thitisan Utthanaphol was not at his Ram Inthra home in Bangkok but there were 13 sports and supercars including Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari and Mercedes Benz models. The provenance of the vehicles is being investigated. Graphic: Sanook Later Sanook discovered an inventory of all the vehicles owned by the former chief of the Muang Nakhon Sawan police in the north of Thailand. It contained the names of 29 models amounting to hundreds of millions of baht. Not bad for someone who Daily News reported yesterday as earning just 43,330 baht a month. The cop known by the nickname of "Joe Ferrari" was one of the leading lights in the fight against drugs until his abrupt removal from the force after a drug suspect died in custody. The suspect was shown on a video being tortured by placing plastic bags on his head in an alleged extortion incident involving several officers. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Reuters file photo for reference only The Tourism Authority of Thailand's newest director of Asia and the south Pacific told Bangkok Business News that tourists are clearly desperate to come to Thailand. But Thanes Petchsuwan noted that many countries have a requirement that returning tourists need to quarantine for 14 days and this is hindering matters due to its expense. Some have suggested that if Thailand paid part of their 14 day quarantine costs then they would visit. A case in point was Singapore, said Thanes, where information received has shown that if Thailand helped tourists in this regard their nationals would be prepared to visit Thailand. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-08-20 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

By Cod Satrusayang Thai police are seeking software that would help it monitor chat applications and social media private messages, a police source told Thai Enquirer on Tuesday. The Royal Thai Police have reached out to several companies selling software similar to the Pegasus software developed by an Israeli defense company. Police have approached vendors looking for technology that could be used to monitor messages sent between popular chat applications like LINE, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Police will use the application to monitor and prevent political protest as well as go after members of organized crime and drug smugglers, the source told Thai Enquirer on the condition of anonymity. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/31061/thai-police-seeking-spyware-that-will-help-it-monitor-chat-applications/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-08-10 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

FILE PHOTO: A general view of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia September 30, 2014. REUTERS/Tami Chappell By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on Monday against travel to Israel, France, Thailand, Iceland and several other countries because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases in those nations. The CDC has been adding to its highest "Level 4: Very High" COVID-19 level as cases spread around the globe. The United States added Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, along with other places, including Aruba and French Polynesia. The U.S. State Department also issued its parallel Level 4: Do Not Travel" advisories for Iceland and France on Monday. In July, the CDC had raised concerns about Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, lifting its travel health notice by two levels to "Level 3: High." The CDC also hiked alert levels to "Level 3: High" for Austria, Croatia, El Salvador, Azerbaijan, Guam, Kenya and Jamaica. The CDC says unvaccinated travelers should avoid nonessential travel to those countries. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Marguerita Choy) -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-10 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Sanook Thailand's Department of Health has come up with nine measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 through sexual practices. Couples and lovers should refrain from face to face contact and wear face masks. There should be no kissing or oral sex, no group sex and cleanliness should be a priority. The departmental rep responsible for sanitation and sex Dr Pheerayuth Sanugoon spoke to Daily News at the weekend after a young prostitute in Kanchanaburi tested positive raising concerns of a cluster. Picture Daily News Dr Pheerayuth said the issue of safe sex practices was especially important during the pandemic as the consequences for people, their partners and society in general can be serious. People waiting on a test result should refrain from all sex, for example, and all pay-for-play should be avoided. Indeed, sex with strangers at parties could constitute an illegal gathering and be prosecuted under Article 9 of the emergency decree. That means fines and even prison. Restrictions are in place stopping gatherings. Dr Pheerayuth said that husbands and wives and lovers could still have sex, but they needed to follow nine protocols, which included washing hands and body with lots of soap before and after sex and no kissing or sharing of saliva as this has been shown to contain the virus. Wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask covering nose and mouth securely was also advised, as practicing safe sex such as wearing a condom reported Sanook. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-08-09 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Daily News Daily News reported on a TikTok clip that is going viral on Thai social media that they said epitomized the battle against Covid-19 being waged in Thailand. The clip on @oomnattarat showed a female nurse in PPE gear collapsing as she attended patients who were not yet admitted to the covid ward at a facility in Samut Sakhon. Colleagues rushed to her aid and took off the protective gear before she was taken to recover in a bed of her own. This is all accompanied by Thai music. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-08-03 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates download.mp4

Picture: Daily News The penny has finally dropped for Thailand's billionaire tourism and sports minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan. He has had to admit that the raging pandemic in Thailand has dealt a hammer blow to his plans and that of the government to welcome millions of foreign tourists. The voices have been loud and clear online and in "letters to the editor" that his predictions and that of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) were pie in the sky nonsense. But he insisted they were going to happen nonetheless. Until now. And of course he is blaming the pandemic situation in Thailand that is worsening by the day. "Yes," he told Daily News. "We won't be seeing three million foreign tourists by the end of the year. "About 500,000 to 700,000 is the best we can hope for now". As far as the Phuket Sandbox predictions went, those too have gone out of the window though he expected the sandbox to press on regardless. "100,000 tourists in Phuket in three months will not be met," he admitted. "July went as we hoped but targets for August of 40,000 will not be happening. There will be about 15,000 - about the same as July". The first month of the sandbox saw 14,000 foreigners visit Phuket though many of these were returning expats or even Thais added to the figures, notes ASEAN NOW. Pipat told the media that if the situation in Bangkok does not improve by the last three months of the year many sporting events could be rescheduled to Phuket. These include golf, E-sports, the 7-a-side Asian Rugby championships and the King's Cup football. A big event planned by the TAT to mark the 17th anniversary of the Asian Tsunami planned for Boxing Day December 26th will also have to be reassessed. The TAT were hoping to attract many Scandinavians in particular to that. For now Pipat said that he was working with the interior ministry on coming up with some "Sky Blue Zones" where foreign tourism could take place. These would be announced in the next couple of weeks, he noted. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-08-03 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Naew Na Thailand's immigration bureau in the shape of chief Lt-Gen Sompong Chingduang decided to take action after a video at the soft opening of Taco Bell in Pattaya showed a man of color arguing with a white man over wearing a mask. It was felt that the IB should act in the case as the issue of wearing a mask is very serious at this stage of the pandemic with the potential for a 20,000 baht fine, reported Naew Na. It was further felt that an example should be made especially as the man, an American national, had allegedly threatened violence in the store with staffers prepared to call the police after refusing him service. Picture: Naew Na The IB with the Chonburi provincial police went to Taco Bell where the incident occurred earlier this month and then to a condo on Pratumnak Hill where the man was residing. They arrested him outside and he admitted that he was the person in the video. He was named as Cxarence, 33, from the US, according to a board at IB HQ. He was taken to Muang Pattaya police station and charged with unhiegenic activity potentially spreading a dangerous infection, essentially not wearing a mask in public. Naew Na did not say how much he was fined - a first offence is generally considered to be 6,000 baht with the fine rising to 20,000 for a third offence notes ASEAN NOW. The media further reported that the American accepted what he did was wrong and that he intended to be the "eyes and ears" of society in future in promoting the wearing of masks. The case was reported at the IB's press conference at Suan Phlu, Bangkok yesterday with a large vinyl board erected that referred to the US man's skin color saying that he had tried to pick a fight. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-24 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updatesv

File photo for reference only By Jonathan Fairfield Plans to offer 10 year visas to “rich” foreigners, which would also enable them to own land and work without a work permit, are set to be put to Cabinet for approval. Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow has said the plans were already approved in principle by the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) on June 4. The proposals, which were first mooted back in April, will go before Cabinet as part of a series of plans designed to boost investment into Thailand. Previously it had been reported that the government planned to attract one million foreigners to become expats in Thailand. The would-be expats would have healthy bank balances or pension pots and would generate up to one trillion baht for the Thai economy, it was estimated. The expats would be divided into four groups: 1. ‘Rich’ global citizens 2. ‘Wealthy’ retirees 3. Digital nomads - or professionals working from Thailand 4. Highly skilled professionals ‘Rich’ global citizens would need to be able to prove income of at least $80,000 over the last two years and have $1 million in assets. They would also need to be able to invest at least 16 million baht in property or government bonds. The ‘wealthy’ retirees are defined as those who are aged 50 or over and who can invest 8 million baht in property or government baht, while also being able to show a minimum annual income of $40,000. The digital nomads would need to be earning $80,000 for the last two years or $40,000 a year and would be self employed or employed by a company overseas but which are able to use Thailand as a location to work from. They would be able to ‘work’ in Thailand without needing a work permit. They would also need to show educational qualifications of a master’s degree or higher or at least five years experience in their field. The final group are the highly skilled professionals SET-listed companies or from a company with an annual income of more than $50 million. However, it is not clear exactly what ‘land ownership’ for foreigners would mean in reality. It had previously been suggested that laws similar to the Condo Act of 2008 would be used to allow foreigners to own land plots in housing developments. Leasehold of land upto 50 years were also being considered. Thai news site Manager reported that the proposals to lure foreigners with 10 year visas and land ownership are part of wider plans designed to boost investment into Thailand. The plans, backed by the Board of Investment, would also see Thailand become a hub for the electric vehicle industry (EV). In the report buzzwords such as “Digitalization”, “Decarbonization”, “Decentralization” and “D-risk” were used to describe the plans which would help Thailand reap the benefits of moving towards clean technology. DPM Supattanapong also touted the country’s good healthcare system as a boon in helping attract up to one million high-income foreigners to buy second homes in Thailand. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-17 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Reuters file photo for reference only A meeting of 35 foreign Chambers of Commerce unanimously declared Friday the need for the Thai government to vaccinate foreign businessmen, foreign employees and their families as a matter of priority. Chairman of the JFCCT (Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce Thailand) Stanley Kang said there were 500,000 foreign businessmen an their families and 2 million foreign employees and their families. These two and a half million people need to be prioritised and vaccinated before the end of the third quarter (that's the start of October at the latest), reported Thai business media. So far the registration on the ThaiIntervac.com site had only allowed registration for those holding work permits so it did not include the families of the foreigners or people over the age of 60. Mr Kang thought a better plan would be to organise the vaccine registration utilizing passports and visas rather than work permits. It was noted at the meeting by the Thai-Chinese CoC that nationals from China are being vaccinated by their government. Mr Kang said there was agreement that Thailand is a great country to live in and invest in, but red tape experienced by foreign companies needs to be cut in order to make it more competitive with ASEAN rivals. There were calls for an upgrade of Board of Investment privileges and for talks about extending Social Security to foreigners working and residing in Thailand. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-28 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates