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Picture Daily News Daily News had two quite different stories online yesterday as the Samui Plus Model reopening to foreign tourists began on the southern Thai island. After tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan welcomed a few journalists off the plane and there appeared to be as many dignitaries as visitors, the media dug down into the numbers. The head of the local Samui tourism association Ratchaporn Phoonsawat put on a brave face and spoke of the future potential rather than the immediate reality. He said that until the end of July there were 33 people booked to arrive on Bangkok Airways from abroad. With three flights a day that makes an average of about 0.67 of a foreigner on each flight. Not to worry, said Ratchaporn, it will go up and up as the Certificates of Entry at embassies around the world get issued and the word gets about that Samui is open. Picture: Daily News To do this he and the private sector will be marketing aggressively. He said that 20 hotels are in the 7 day stay in Samui plan offering 400 rooms. Hotels and villas are onboard and the health department are adding more after inspections. After tourists have completed their seven days on the Samui sealed route they are free to go to 320 other hotels on Samui Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. Meanwhile the same media Daily News quoted the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Yutthasak Suphasorn who was far more gung-ho. He said that the Samui Plus Model would attract 1,000 tourists in the first month and they would be spending 180 million baht. That means of course that on average they will spend 180,000 baht each (about $5,500). -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-16 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: PPTV36 Mainstream Thai media PPTV 36 (Channel 36) has highlighted the plight of foreigners living in Thailand who have been unable to get vaccinated. The story from an Australian couple who have found themselves between a rock and a hard place will be no news at all to thousands who are going on forums like ASEAN Now to voice their frustrations. The message from the Thai government has been "we will take care of everybody" but the reality - the same for many Thais - there is just not the vaccine available. In their news report PPTV spoke to Bronwyn Perry, 56, and her husband Timothy, 52 from Australia. They consider Thailand to be their second home having lived in the kingdom for 14 years. Their employment came to an end in 2019 and they went back to Australia but returned to Thailand again last December on a Special Tourist Visa. Now having tried everything they can to get vaccinated in Thailand they are considering Plan B - returning to Australia to get the jab. But this is fraught with difficulty in itself as Australia has gone into lockdown too after a surge in cases of Covid-19 and they are restricting entry to even their own nationals. This option would mean considerable expense and time wasted and they would then come back to Thailand for the sandbox in Phuket, said Timothy. The couple tried to register on www.thailandintervac.com since the opening announcement on June 7th but it soon closed down. Their page then advised trying to register at Phayathai 2 Hospital this week or Samitivej Sukhumvit (both major Bangkok hospitals) in August. They tried the former that said they had opened registration every day this week from 9 to 12 pm. They called at 11 am but were told that the 100 a day quota was already used up. So even a major hospital like Phayathai 2 only had 500 jabs available for foreigners - nowhere near enough for all the people like the Australian couple who need them. "Out of our friends less than half have been vaccinated," Bronwyn told the media. "The ones who have got vaccinated are mainly ones who work in companies and they have been able to acquire enough vaccine for them". With their status they have been unable to get vaccinated. The reporter suggested that "No one is safe until everyone is safe". The message coming from this couple was a sense of appreciation that they had not been overlooked, but a growing frustration that there was just not enough vaccine to accommodate them. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-15 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Sanook The owner of a mysterious blue gemstone who lives in Rayong reckons it is worth 350 million baht. He wouldn't mind selling it but caveat emptor: anyone buying the gem might get a dose of bad luck. It was in possession of Somsak Suwannasam's dad for 30 years, said the 64 year old when Sanook went calling yesterday. But in the year he'd had it he hadn't been happy at all. He felt as if the evil eye of a spirit was looking out at him. He even had a bike accident when he went to try and find out how much it might be worth and ended up in hospital. His niece Nampetch Tingtoi, 45, said she didn't know about the stone but had a dream about a gem in which a man was in a coffin guarded by a man and a woman. The stiff rose up and said that merry hell would be rained down on anyone who messes with the stone. Then she talked to her uncle and found out he had one just like in the dream. When Somsak tried to make peace with the stone by lighting joss sticks they didn't work properly further fuelling suggestions that mysterious forces are at work. It weighs about 700 grams and he reckons it is worth 100,000 baht a carat meaning about 350 million baht. He wants someone in the industry to give him an assessment. Sanook noted its sparkle saying it was an uncut gem. ASEAN Now notes that it has been noted in the past that Thais can display superstitious tendencies. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-13 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Koh Tanakorn Sangiam SURAT THANI (NNT) - With an ambitious reopening to international tourists scheduled for this Thursday, Koh Samui today trialed its international airport for international arrivals screening, with a group of passengers arriving on a private jet from Switzerland. Right after the touchdown of the private jet from Switzerland, staff at Samui International Airport sprang into action to facilitate the entry and health screening process for international arrivals, as part of the Samui Plus campaign. Today, the group of tourists from Switzerland were temperature screened upon disembarkation, ushered through passport controls, had their documents verified, were screened for COVID-19 symptoms, cleared customs, and transported to their hotel, where they will be serving their quarantine. The protocol for international arrivals is the same as for tourists arriving now, and tourists arriving under the Samui Plus campaign starting 15th July, during which a less stringent quarantine routine will be applied to eligible tourists. International passengers arriving in Samui are required to present a valid Certificate of Entry issued by the respective Royal Thai Embassy or consulate, a medical certificate from a negative COVID-19 test, hotel booking confirmation, eligible health insurance, and a record of their full vaccination against COVID-19. They are also required to install and run a tracking application on their mobile devices throughout their stay. Koh Samui District Chief Theerapong Chuaychu, said today the procedures at Samui airport today are considered a test run for the actual arrivals procedures to be applied from 15th July. He said any issues or obstacles emerging from today’s operations will be worked out to improve the preparedness before the island officially reopens to international arrivals. The Tourism Association of Koh Samui’s President Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, said many places of accommodation are ready to welcome international tourists, with 400 rooms available at accommodations designated an Alternative Local State Quarantine facility, as well as some 320 accommodations now certified for the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration’s SHA Plus standard across Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao. He said tourists can be confident about Samui Plus’ COVID-19 transmission prevention protocol during their stay. The same protocol and standards will be applied in Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao, where visitors can travel interchangeably after a given period of time. -- © Copyright NNT 2021-07-13 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

FILE PHOTO: A child stands near health workers at the airport, as Phuket reopens to overseas tourists, allowing foreigners fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to visit the resort island without quarantine, in Phuket, Thailand July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's health ministry said on Thursday it had proposed new travel curbs and tighter restrictions in high-risk areas to contain COVID-19 cases, as the country reported a daily record of 75 deaths from the coronavirus. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is due to consider the new restrictions in a meeting on Friday. "The health ministry will propose measures first to limit travel and so that people do not leave their homes unless necessary," the ministry's permanent secretary, Kiatiphum Wongrajit, told reporters, noting a halt to inter-provincial travel was also being proposed. Other measures being proposed include closing down non-essential venues and areas that attract crowds, Kiatiphum said. The rules would be in place for 14 days and would cover the Bangkok metropolitan area and "buffer zones", Kiatiphum said, without elaborating. "This has similar intensity as April 2020," he said referring to lockdown measures last year that included a nationwide curfew. Currently, Thailand has in place measures in "high-risk zones", including Bangkok and surrounding provinces, to close malls early and prohibit dining in at restaurants, but they have not been able to halt an acceleration of infections in the past month. Thailand's COVID-19 task force on Thursday reported 7,058 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number in the country to 308,230. The country has recorded 2,462 fatalities since the pandemic started last year. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Ed Davies) -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-08 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Microsoft has urged Windows users to install an essential update for a damaging new exploit SOPA IMAGES/LIGHTROCKET Gordon Kelly Senior Contributor Windows 10’s one billion users need to be on high alert because Microsoft has issued a serious update warning and everyone needs to take action. The warning is in response to ‘PrintNightmare’, a critical zero day flaw in the Windows Print Spooler service which is actively being exploited by hackers to remotely execute code with system-level privileges (the ultimate goal for attacks). Now Microsoft has issued a series of fixes which, while flawed, are essential updates for all Windows users. Full story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2021/07/07/microsoft-windows-10-security-warning-printnightmare-fix-patch-free-windows-10-upgrade/ -- © Copyright Forbes 2021-07-08

Pattaya-The Pattaya City Mayor addressed the current situation in the city after photos of hundreds of needy people sitting down on Pattaya beach in queues waiting for food went viral on Thai and English social media last week. The Pattaya City Mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem told The Pattaya News, “Photos of needy people and those needing charity have gone viral on social media. Many people replied with negative comments and claim the city is not trying to help or resolve the vaccination situation or reopen force closed businesses (due to Covid19 restrictions) and that is not true.” “However these photos do show that many people have been affected from the Covid-19 crisis in Pattaya, having lost jobs and income due to measures that have had to be taken to protect the health of the overall community while we resolve the Covid-19 crisis. If we see the positive side, many people have also opened their hearts and pockets and are still donating food to the needy. They are helping each other and showing a true sense of community to those in need in Pattaya.” The Mayor noted. “In the most recent viral photos people who donated food specifically contacted my office to see how they could help and the event was put together with social distancing and city municipal staff to assist . Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2021/07/05/pattaya-city-mayor-addresses-viral-photos-of-massive-food-donation-charity-lines-in-the-city-on-social-media/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2021-07-06

The first foreign tourists arrive at the airport as Phuket reopens to overseas tourists, allowing foreigners fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to visit the resort island without quarantine, in Phuket, Thailand July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva BANGKOK (Reuters) -Vaccinated foreign tourists are due to fly into the Thai resort island of Phuket on Thursday, the first to return to its beaches and golf courses under a pilot programme to revive a tourism industry devastated by the novel coronavirus. Under the "Phuket sandbox" plan, foreign tourists vaccinated against COVID-19 will not have to spend any time in quarantine and can move around the island freely. After 14 days, provided three coronavirus tests they must take are negative, they can travel elsewhere in the country. Millions of people visited Phuket every year before the pandemic and the government and tourism industry hope the reopening will help save its battered economy. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has flown to Phuket to oversee the reopening, with 249 tourists due to arrive on flights from Israel, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. A plane carrying the first foreign tourists to arrive at the airport as Phuket reopens to overseas tourists, allowing foreigners fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to visit the resort island without quarantine, receives a water cannon salute from fire trucks in Phuket, Thailand July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva "Most Israelis have been vaccinated and they will be the main group of tourists entering Thailand this time around,” said Taweesin Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's COVID-19 taskforce. The government expects about 100,000 foreign tourists to visit Phuket in the third quarter of this year and generate 8.9 billion baht ($278 million) in revenue. Thailand lost about $50 billion in tourism revenue last year as foreign arrivals plunged 83% to 6.7 million, from a record 39.9 million in 2019. Phuket was hit particularly hard by job losses and business closures. While Phuket has seen few COVID-19 cases ahead of its reopening, Thailand on Thursday reported a daily record of 57 deaths from the coronavirus, the second day in a row of record-high fatalities as authorities struggle to control a worrying third wave of infections. The latest deaths take Thailand's total fatalities to 2,080 since the pandemic started last year. The COVID-19 task force also reported 5,533 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 264,834. ($1 = 32.0200 baht) (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um, Writing by Kay JohnsonEditing by Ed Davies, Robert Birsel) All 230 Sandbox Hotels in Phuket - Book Now! -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-01 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa 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

Picture: Daily News Thai media Daily News reported from Government House yesterday where a cabinet video-conference meeting chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha took place. In the light of decisions to re-open the country to the Phuket Sandbox scheme on July 1st - and subsequent opening of three islands in Surat Thani - the PM accepted that the economy in Thailand was in a mess. It was therefore necessary to re-open the country before it was completely ruined. In order to do this he admitted that some risks must be taken. He based his comments on the state of the economy on his Digital Economy and Science ministry analysis. He said that all his ministries were pulling together. In comments related to possible amendments to the constitution he ruled out the possibility of a referendum. He said that amendments must be reasonable. The issue is being debated today and tomorrow. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-23 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

By Pear Maneechote Seven people infected with Covid-19 who made headlines around the country for camping outside their flats in Din Daeng due to the lack of hospital beds has been given help, an official told Thai Enquirer on Tuesday. “They have now been transferred to the Hospitel at Baiyoke Tower II,” Wan Uthaisri, the Head of Environment and Sanitation of the Din Daeng District Office told Thai Enquirer. The District worked with the National Housing Authority of Thailand in relocating the patients and the tents have been removed. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/28850/covid-19-patients-who-had-to-live-in-tents-due-to-lack-of-hospital-beds-finally-finds-care/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-06-23 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

By Erich Parpart Doctors on Thursday slammed the government’s plan to reopen Thailand within the next 120 days. “To reopen while knowing that people inside the country have yet to comprehensively receive good vaccines is like climbing a mountain at night without a light,” Dr Thira Woratanarat, Chulalongkorn University’s professor of medicine, wrote on his social media page on Thursday. According to the Health Ministry’s Immunization Center, 4.95 million people have received their first dose as of June 15. Thailand’s population is 69 million. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/28676/doctors-sound-alarm-over-plan-to-reopen-borders-by-october/ -- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-06-17 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Daily News Daily News reported that "Big Police" descended on the area of the pool at the five star resort in Koh Tao yesterday where two Thai/Indian billionaires died on Friday. And now it has emerged that the couple and their son decided to change hotels because one they had previously booked had a swimming pool that was too small. In addition the husband was found first and only some time later was the wife discovered under the water in a different location. Rakeswar, 59, and Anshoo Sachathamakul, 55, were found dead at the pool on Friday. They had earlier arrived with their 34 year old son Ratich for a holiday. Yesterday, Region 8 chief Lt-Gen Kitrat Phanpetch and his entourage carried out investigations and reenactments at the scene of what staff found. Daily News Daily News had pictures of a man apparently playing the part of Rakeswar in the pool while in another top cops and local police looked in the pool while media observed. Daily News said that originally the parents and their son had arrived at room P3 in another resort. But they decided to change after finding that the pool was too small unlike what had been advertised on the website and there was construction work going on. The son contacted the resort where the incident occurred by phone to change their plans and driver Pheerathorn Janthao went to pick them all up at 11 am. They were now given what the media called a "pool villa" to stay in. At this point the son and his mother enjoyed a bottle of beer each and some food before they went to their room at 12.17. Hotel staff then got a call from the son who wanted to rent a kayak. They took his phone and bag for safekeeping. The parents then asked for the direction to the pool. Later the son asked for his possessions to be returned to him. At 3.49 pm hotel staffer Airadar Jaimen heard the son calling in a panic four or five times from the pool area. She looked out but didn't see anyone. At 4.01 pm she heard cries for help and went there and then alerted others to retrieve the body of the father who was lying unconscious on the steps leading into the pool. He was unconscious. Two fellow staffers from Myanmar came to help and rescue calls were made to a foundation. Hospital staff over the phone gave basic instructions on how to perform CPR. Then the son enquired as to the location of his mother. She was then found under the water on another side of the pool. Both were taken to hospital but had died. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-09 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

File photo Thai media has reported that foreign and domestic tourists will bring in 27 billion baht to the Chiang Mai economy after four provinces are opened up come August first. The key is to get 70% or more of the population vaccinated. Manager reported yesterday that the vaccine rollout was proceeding well at the meeting hall of Chiang Mai University under the auspices of Maharat Nakhon Chiang Mai Hospital. It was the second day of jabs for those aged 60+ and people with underlying health conditions. The jabs and document checks were taking just 12 minutes with a thirty minute waiting period after so it was all done in three quarters of an hour. Health personnel reminded people to be well rested and hydrated before arriving. Meanwhile Nawaphol Khantawanich of the "We Love Chiang Mai" investment fund was bullish about domestic and foreign tourism in the northern capital. He said that Chiang Mai would be adopting the "sandbox" model with tourists on sealed routes come August 1st. It would all be done with proper operating procedures and participating outlets and be limited to Muang district as well as three others: Mae Rim, Mae Taeng and Doi Tao. He anticipated that more than 70% of the population in these districts would be vaccinated by mid July ahead of the big reopening. And by the end of the year his estimation was that tourists would have contributed 27 billion baht to the local economy. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-06-09 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Ban Muang Ban Muang reported that the Korat Hall on the fourth floor of Central Nakhon Ratchasima was lively yesterday as Thai nationals and foreigners turned up to register and receive their first doses of vaccine for Covid-19. The media talked to two British people, an American and a Swede who expressed their thanks and confidence in the Thai rollout saying "it didn't hurt at all - like an ant bite". They were married to Thais or language teachers. Drinks company Ososapha had a booth and ten employees handing out tonic drink M-150 and vitamin supplement beverages for free. Picture: Ban Muang The event came as the province that is the gateway to Thailand's north eastern region reported one new death bringing the total from Covid-19 to 9. The latest case was a 39 year old male in Muang district who was not overweight or suffering from underlying health conditions and had contracted the virus from a friend in Rayong. There have now been 898 cases in Korat. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-24 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

By Pear Maneechote Influential star Araya “Chompoo” A. Hargate was going viral again Tuesday, this time for sharing her experience of receiving the government-approved Sinovac vaccine. Prompted by fans, Araya’s review came amid countrywide doubts and conspiracies regarding the vaccine against the Covid-19 virus produced by Beijing-based biopharmaceutical Sinovac, and as the country is facing its third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Many Thais have sworn off the Sinovac jab and vowed to wait for the arrival of other vaccines, such as Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnson. However, experts, doctors, and health professionals have encouraged citizens to get whatever inoculation is available and confirmed their safety, stressing that getting immunized is the only means for the country to get out of this pandemic. Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/27643/sinovac-review-by-thai-superstar-chompoo-araya-goes-viral/ -- © Copyright Thai Inquirer 2021-05-19 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Image: Daily News Daily News reported on how Thais would be able to get their so-called "Vaccine Passports" or more formally "International Vaccination Certificate". It gives an indication of how the process may be for non-Thais. They'd need to show proof they were travelling like an air ticket, their passport, proof of vaccination and pay 50 baht. There are four places or kinds of places to apply to though they may need to register in advance. These are at international disease control Suvarnabhumi airport, the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Unit in Nonthaburi, the Urban Institute for Disease Prevention and Control in Bang Khen (northern Bangkok) or the department of disease control offices elsewhere. Times of application vary. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-18 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Picture: Spring News In the clearest statement yet about foreigners getting vaccinated in Thailand the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration spokesman has said that it is definitely going to happen. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said that foreigners should register for their Covid-19 jabs from August. He said that it was true that Thais would go first but foreigners then the homeless or tramps would go next, reported Spring News. "All people in Thailand will be vaccinated irrespective of who they are," he affirmed yesterday in a press call with medical staff. He was specifically asked about both foreigners and the homeless or "rayron" and he confirmed that the vaccination program was for everyone, period. He was slightly more evasive about questions whether people could roll up for a vaccination without registering. He urged people to register as this was best for data gathering and monitoring. He said that the registration process would be updated and streamlined shortly. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-05-14 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Illustration only - Credit: pichitstocker/AdobeStock By OE Staff Offshore drilling company Valaris, which last week emerged from bankruptcy, has won a contract extension for its Valaris JU-115 jack-up rig offshore Thailand. Valaris said Monday that the oil and gas company Mubadala Petroleum had extended the jack-up rig charter by around 240 days. The extension will begin in the first quarter of 2022, and the heavy-duty jack-up rig will remain with Mubadala off the coast of Thailand until September 2022. Full story: https://www.oedigital.com/news/487509-valaris-ju-115-jack-up-rig-to-stay-off-thailand-until-sept-2022 -- © Copyright Offshore Engineer 2021-05-11 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

REUTERS FILE PHOTO for reference only Thailand’s third wave of COVID-19 infections has already peaked and the overall situation is stabilizing, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Thursday. “The peak was on April 24 and it is stabilizing downwards,” said CCSA spokesperson Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin. The third wave of infections began on April 1 and could be traced to a number of bars and clubs in the Thonglor and Ekkamai districts in Bangkok. Infection clusters in those venues could then be directly linked to clusters discovered in Hua Hin and Pattaya and numerous other provinces. As of Friday (April 30) the third wave of infections in Thailand has resulted in a total of 36,290 cases and 109 deaths, while 28,696 patients continue to receive medical treatment. Also on Friday, Thailand reported 1,583 new coronavirus cases, the fewest number of cases in more than one week. This brings the country's total number of confirmed infections to 65,153 since the pandemic began last year. Fifteen new deaths were reported, taking the total number of fatalities to 203. -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-30 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

A man passes a Citibank bank branch in San Francisco on Tuesday//Photo: Bloomberg Citigroup Inc plans to exit retail banking in 13 markets across Asia, and the region of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The bank would instead operate its consumer-banking franchise in both regions from four wealth centers in Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and London, it said yesterday in a statement. The move is part of an ongoing review of the company’s strategy by chief executive officer Jane Fraser, who took over last month. Full story: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2021/04/16/2003755788 -- © Copyright Taipe Times 2021-04-17 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Vehicles emitting black smoke to face fine up to Bt5,000, department warns By THE NATION In an attempt to reduce PM2.5 pollution, the Department of Land Transport will impose heavy fines on the owners of vehicles that emit black smoke exceeding the safety standard. Department director-general Jirut Wisanjit said on Sunday that the maximum would be Bt5,000 and suspension of vehicle use until it was fixed. Jirut said that his department had been implementing the Ministry of Transport’s policy to reduce dust particles less than 2.5 micrometres in the air in Bangkok. “Since the beginning of fiscal year 2019 until January 2021, the department has inspected 689,333 vehicles in Bangkok areas and has suspended 8,762 vehicles from usage until they have their emission system fixed,” he said. “As for vehicles that emit high volume of black smoke but do not exceed the safety limit, the department issues warnings to the owners and urges them to inspect their vehicle condition and make sure they were properly maintained. “The department has opened vehicle inspection centres that also accept motor-vehicle tax payment at Phutthamonthon, Romklao and Khlong Luang product distribution centres, in a bid to help reduce the number of large vehicles entering inner Bangkok to have their vehicle inspected and pay tax,” he added. “Motorists can help reduce air pollution caused by black smoke and PM2.5 dust particles by having their vehicles regularly serviced at department-certified vehicle inspection centres nationwide,” said Jirut. “Alternately, they can switch to using electric or NGV-powered vehicles which have low to zero emission. The department has promoted the latter approach by reducing the annual motor-vehicle tax on low-emission vehicles under the Vehicle Act BE 2522.” People who witness vehicles emitting black smoke, can contact hotline 1584, Line: @1584DLT or via DLT GPS mobile application. Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30401750 -- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-25 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

OBITUARY Legendary nightlife columnist Bernard Trink dead at 89 A legendary Thailand based journalist and columnist of a bygone era, Bernard Trink, has died aged 89. For many decades from the 1960s to 2003 Mr Trink was a columnist commenting on the nightlife in Bangkok and Pattaya in the Bangkok World and when that publication closed in the mid 1980s in the Bangkok Post. Mr Trink was a controversial figure with strident views that delighted and irked in equal measure. But it was fair to say that most expats who followed his column would always read it even if they disagreed with him or didn't appreciate his content. A New Yorker born in 1931, Mr Trink served in the Korean war and later was a journalist in India, Hong Kong and Japan before settling in Bangkok in 1962. He started his famous "Nite Owl" column in the now defunct Bangkok World in 1966. Every Friday evening there would be news about the bar scene usually accompanied by gyrating go-go dancers whom he might describe as "comely lasses". His lack of political correctness - in an era when that expression had not yet been coined - angered many and ultimately led to the end of the column. After the Bangkok World closed his column moved to the Bangkok Post first as a full page then just a half page. In the late 1999's the management of the post cut the column but there was a public outcry and it was restored until it was finally shelved in 2003. Mr Trink was well known in the bars and clubs of Bangkok and Pattaya, famous for "doing his rounds" with pants hitched high up and a medallion on his chest. He was often accompanied by his wife Aree Trink. Despite promoting the bar scene he always warned foreigners not to hitch up with Thai "demimondaines" (his word for bar girls and hostesses) whom he invariably described as untrustworthy. He was famous for what could be described as "Trinkisms" - words and expressions that are still used by many expats today. One was "T.I.T." (This Is Thailand) that explained away baffling occurrences in the kingdom. He always signed off his column with "And I don't give a hoot". The Bangkok Post management eventually did give a hoot and he was sidelined though he continued to go to the office to work on book and film reviews. One controversial thing that angered people and the Post management was his oddball claim that HIV did not lead to AIDS. But he also campaigned fervently for the removal of the Patpong night market saying that fire engines would not be able to gain access if there was a "conflagration" in one of the bars or discos of what was Thailand's leading red light area of the time. A close associate of the legendary columnist told Thaivisa that it was always hard to pin down Mr Trink because he had no phone or computer. Mr Trink, who passed away at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from a blood infection, is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Rooster -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-12 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

What can you buy for 1,000 baht in Thailand? By Dan Cheeseman Let’s start this blog with some exchange rate conversions for you, 1,000 baht converts to £22.68 and US$32. So, just as a bit of fun initially, I posted on my Twitter and Facebook pages asking people what they buy for 1,000 baht. It must have hit a nerve with people as the answers kept coming and coming. Some were silly, others a tad rude (well, I had to expect that) and others were altogether quite insightful and interesting. There was also some differentiation in the answers between platforms, with Facebook proving far more cheeky in it replies gathered than Twitter (so much so I deleted the post afterwards in the name of clean moderation!). So what can you buy? One expat on Twitter from Surin said 1,000 baht is his daily budget. Whereas one of my Thai followers said it would equate to 2 bottles of Australian Shiraz from Wine Connection. Hotel accommodation in Thailand can be great value so many commented that this can a cheap room for the night. Simon from Pattaya said a 1,000 baht gets him a Thai green curry, coconut rice and some beer whilst he can watch the sunset along Pattaya beach. Full story: https://danaboutthailand.com/2018/04/10/what-can-you-buy-for-1000-baht-in-thailand/ -- DAN ABOUT THAILAND 2018-04-12