TallGuyJohninBKK

After pausing some over the weekend, Thailand's daily tallies on its Omicron COVID pandemic continued to set record highs for the year on Thursday, with new deaths, total patients under care, serious condition patients in hospital and total positive ATK tests all reaching their highest levels of 2022. Daily new COVID deaths continued their slow, steady daily upward climb to 49. Serious condition COVID patients in hospital increased from 1,094 to 1,131 for the most recent day, as did COVID patients requiring intubation to breathe, who rose from 310 to 325 for the most recent day. The total count of official new COVID cases increased to 23,618, but remained below the 25,615 peak set on Feb. 26. However, the unofficial cases count reflected in new positive ATK cases more than doubled day-over-day to 42,138. And that pushed the combined tally of official and unofficial new cases to a new record high for the year of 65,756. The total number of current COVID cases in Thailand considered "under care" also continued its steady upward climb to a new yearly record of 223,414. That included 79,412 COVID cases in regular hospitals, which remained below the prior peak, and a new record high 144,002 COVID cases in alternate settings such as hospitels, home and community care. With Thursday's update, today's daily count of official new COVID cases (23,618) once again bounced above the prior high set last fall during the Delta wave of 23,418 official cases. RED color denotes record high numbers for 2022. RED color denotes record high numbers for 2022. https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=main For added context, during the peak of the Delta wave last fall, Thailand's daily COVID case count topped out at 23,418, but the numbers of serious hospital cases and intubated patients peaked above 5,600 and 1,100 respectively, and daily deaths topped 300 for a brief period.

RED color denotes record high numbers for 2022. RED color denotes record high numbers for 2022. https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=main For added context, during the peak of the Delta wave last fall, Thailand's daily COVID case count topped out at 23,418, but the numbers of serious hospital cases and intubated patients peaked above 5,600 and 1,100 respectively, and daily deaths topped 300 for a brief period.

I should have also mentioned, last time a couple months ago, I was blocked from using the online reporting method because their system -- wrongly -- deemed me on overstay, even though I had just gotten my latest annual retirement extension a couple months before, and even done a prior 90-day report in-person at BKK CW as part of that extension appointment. So, last cycle back in December, I ended up having to do a pokey mail-in report instead. This time in March, for who knows whatever reason, my access to the new online system was now granted, and I could report online as I'd always done in the past for many years.

This is weird.... it appears this below has been covered in prior posts here, but it's new to me with this latest report. I just attempted my upcoming 90-day report online using the new Immigration website via a PC. https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/login Got the now familiar "expired certificate" warning for the Immigration website in Firefox. Clicked past that to get into the website itself. Completed all the info on the first page, and clicked submit. Was expecting to then get sent to a second webpage like in the past where they asked for more details. But, no, this time, after the first page was submitted, instead I got a pop-up window on my PC with a partially pre-filled TM47 PDF form with some (but not all) of my details listed. Missing, for example, my arrival card number and tourist or non-Imm visa status, neither of which was requested on the prior webpage. At first, I thought I'd been rejected, and their system instead was giving me a completed TM47 to mail in. But then in reading above some, the pop-up partially completed TM47 form seems to be their acknowledgement of a submitted application. So, I logged back in, chose to check if I had a submitted application pending there, and sure enough, it listed the one I just submitted with the status of "pending." In the past, as posters here would well know, we used to get a more formal "application submitted" or "application pending" type form acknowledging that we'd successfully submitted the 90-day report request. Somehow, getting a partially completed TM47 form back from their system -- the same form you'd usually submit in person or by mail -- isn't quite sending a clear message, IMHO. PS1 - I also got a confirmation email from Immigration a few minutes later saying my request had been submitted and received. PS2 - BTW, made sure at the beginning to log-into the Immigration website using a local Thai IP, not my normal home country IP, as I'm assuming their website still requires a Thai IP address in order to access it.

Apart from Thailand, COVID right now is booming in many parts of Asia, unlike much of the rest of the world. From Johns Hopkins' March 1 COVID update: "In Hong Kong, an Omicron variant-fueled surge has overwhelmed the city’s “dynamic zero” strategy—the same as mainland China’s—raising panic and fear among residents who emptied grocery store shelves over the weekend. The COVID-19 fatality rate in Hong Kong is now the highest in the developed world, leaving the healthcare system overloaded with patients and mortuaries at capacity." Also in South Korea: "The number of new COVID-19 cases and related deaths also are soaring in South Korea, with the nation setting a single-day mortality record on February 28 with 114 deaths." source link Just like last fall with the peaks of the Delta wave, the current Omicon wave in Asia is occurring after the peaks that have already occurred in places such as the U.S. and U.K. Cases and related there have been falling in recent weeks, but are still rising in many parts of Asia.

Brutal onslaught rages in Ukraine as Zelensky calls for more international support Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN)Russia's brutal onslaught of Ukraine is raging on multiple fronts, but despite desperate pleas for more international assistance, the country faces Moscow's offensive largely alone. ... Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, has mounted a fierce reistance, but in a rare interview from a Kyiv bunker Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that his country -- which has a much smaller military than Russia -- needs more help to prevent the crisis from spreading across Europe. Zelensky told CNN's Matthew Chance.... "And I've told them many times that Ukraine will resist and fight stronger than anyone else but on our own against Russia we won't manage it." (more) https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/02/europe/ukraine-russia-invasion-wednesday-intl-hnk/index.html

Even as newly reported COVID case numbers fluctuated, the health toll for infected patients continued to worsen on Wednesday, as the Thai government reported more increases and record high daily numbers for the year of COVID deaths and COVID patients hospitalized in serious condition. The government reported 45 new COVID deaths for the most recent day, a statistic that has continued a slow but steady upward climb. In addition, the tally of COVID cases hospitalized in serious condition (1,094) rose substantially, passing the 1,000 mark for the first time this year, while the number of patients requiring intubation to breathe (310) also rose substantially and passed the 300 mark for the first time this year. Total patients under care also set a new record high for the year at 218,784. The situation was somewhat better regarding newly reported COVID cases. The official case count rose to 22,197, but remained below its yearly peak of 25,615 set on Feb. 26. The number of positive ATK tests dropped markedly for the day to 17,514, down from more than 25,000 yesterday. As a result, the combined daily tally of confirmed RT-PCR cases and positive ATK cases, which are considered unofficial, fell significantly for the day to 39,711, well below the year's peak of 47,549 also set on Feb.26. Another statistic that continued improving on Wednesday was the seven-day average infection positives rate for COVID testing, which fell to a very high 27%, albeit one that was down from a year's high of more than 30% set late last month. (Record high numbers for the year below are shown in RED.) For added context, during the peak of the Delta wave last fall, Thailand's daily COVID case count topped out at 23,418, but the numbers of serious hospital cases and intubated patients peaked above 5,600 and 1,100 respectively, and daily deaths topped 300 for a brief period. https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/?dashboard=main

Russia’s Initial Failures Don’t Mean Ukraine Will Survive "The first hint that something was off with the initial Russian war effort came in the very first hours. As violent as the strikes looked on television, I knew they were nothing compared with the kinds of aerial and artillery campaigns that typically begin attacks on sovereign nations with intact armies, as is the case with Ukraine. Then, as the days wore on, that sense that something was off hardened into a consensus. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russias-initial-failures-dont-mean-ukraine-will-survive/ar-AAUtFkI

The fog of war... Hard to tell what's really going on there with all the conflicting reports and propaganda efforts: Russian Forces Abandoning Their Vehicles and Surrendering, Videos Show Footage shared on social media shows military vehicles apparently abandoned by Russian soldiers, some of whom are seen surrendering to Ukrainian forces. Images tweeted by open-source intelligence monitor, OSINT Defender and the Ukraine Information Army show destroyed equipment they say belongs to the Russian army. OSINT Defender tweeted that Russian forces were reported to have abandoned an outpost in the Sumy Region and fled into the woods during the night, leaving military vehicles behind." (more) https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-kyiv-army-tanks-abandoned-1683584

Russia has been accused of using 'vacuum bombs' in Ukraine. What are those? "Russian forces have been accused of using the widely banned and dangerous weapons known as vacuum bombs that "obliterate" their victims. Amnesty International accused Russia of using the vacuum bombs, or thermobaric weapons, to attack a preschool in northeastern Ukraine while civilians took shelter inside. While CNN reported that one of its teams had spotted a Russian thermobaric multiple rocket launcher near the Ukrainian border early on Saturday afternoon. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-has-been-accused-of-using-vacuum-bombs-in-ukraine-what-are-those/ar-AAUsS0G?li=BBorjTa&ocid

Operator of Nord Stream 2 files for bankruptcy and fires all employees The Swiss-based company behind the Nord Stream 2 pipeline has filed for bankruptcy and fired all 106 of its employees, a local official confirmed to Swiss radio broadcaster SRF. Why it matters: Long viewed as a Kremlin influence project that would increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia, Nord Stream 2 was one of the first targets of the flurry of Western sanctions triggered by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the certification of the $11 billion natural gas pipeline would be suspended last Tuesday, a day after Putin ordered Russian troops into eastern Ukraine for a "peacekeeping" mission. The U.S. followed up by rescinding sanctions waivers on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers, dealing what was likely the death blow to a project that had caused major headaches for President Biden and the trans-Atlantic alliance. (more) https://www.axios.com/nord-stream-2-bankruptcy-05fe10e2-a312-4f44-ab59-0b6e2629e222.html

Dr. Gerald Harmon, president of the American Medical Association: "But even as some jurisdictions lift masking requirements, we must grapple with the fact that millions of people in the U.S. are immunocompromised, more susceptible to severe COVID outcomes, or still too young to be eligible for the vaccine. In light of those facts, I personally will continue to wear a mask in most indoor public settings, and I urge all Americans to consider doing the same, especially in places like pharmacies, grocery stores, on public transportation -- locations all of us, regardless of vaccination status or risk factors, must visit regularly," Harmon said. "Although masks may no longer be required indoors in many parts of the U.S., we know that wearing a well-fitted mask is an effective way to protect ourselves and our communities, including the most vulnerable, from COVID-19—particularly in indoor settings when physical distancing is not possible." https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/25/health/cdc-covid-metrics-mask-guidance/index.html

Russian column bears down on Kyiv, raising fear for civilians ... "Britain's defence ministry said in an intelligence update that the Russian advance on Kyiv had made little progress in the past 24 hours, probably due to logistical problems. But it also warned of a shift in Russian tactics that could worsen the plight of civilians. "The use of heavy artillery in densely populated urban areas greatly increases the risk of civilian casualties," it said. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-isolation-intensifies-ukraine-fighting-rages-2022-03-01/

Russia pummels Ukraine’s No. 2 city as convoy nears Kyiv KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian strikes pounded the central square in Ukraine’s second-largest city and other civilian sites Tuesday in what the country’s president condemned as a blatant campaign of terror by Moscow. “Nobody will forgive. Nobody will forget,” vowed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, a 40-mile convoy of hundreds of Russian tanks and other vehicles advanced on the capital, Kyiv, in what the West feared was a bid to topple Ukraine’s government and install a Kremlin-friendly regime. (more) https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-kyiv-business-europe-abc3e297725e57e6052529d844b5ee2f

Zelensky makes dramatic plea to European Parliament as Russian forces bear down and surround key Ukrainian cities A Russian column more than 40 miles long is closing in on Kyiv, with US officials warning the sheer number of Putin's troops could overcome Ukraine's resistance. Latest: Why military analyst is concerned about next 48 hours Kharkiv: Videos offer clues as to how Ukrainian forces are fighting On the ground: Erin Burnett describes scene at checkpoint 'worse than all the others' Boris Johnson: Invasion of Ukraine is 'worse than our predictions' https://www.cnn.com/

Analysis: Putin’s claim that war on Ukraine is to target Nazis is absurd. Here’s why "The victims of the genocide claimed by Putin are Russian speakers; the Nazis he referenced are the elected representatives of the Ukrainian people. While Ukraine’s new language laws have upset some minorities, independent news media have uncovered no evidence of genocide against Russian speakers. In fact, as the historian Timothy Snyder has pointed out, Russian speakers have more freedom in Ukraine than they have in Russia, where Putin’s authoritarian government routinely suppresses political dissent. And while far right groups have been growing in Ukraine, their electoral power is limited. ... First, it is worth pointing out that Ukraine today is a vibrant, pluralistic democracy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky won a five-year term in the 2019 presidential election with a landslide majority, defeating 39 candidates." https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/analysis-putins-claim-that-war-on-ukraine-is-to-target-nazis-is-absurd-heres-why By — Jeffrey Veidlinger, The Conversation Jeffrey Veidlinger is Joseph Brodsky Collegiate Professor of History and Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan.

Well, unlike Ukraine, some countries just decide to surrender and go along with the tyrants.

I was going to say... in the future, the next time some country decides to invade Thailand again, I hope he's still around to urge everyone not to judge and that it's just the natural path of countries with varied interests.... ????

PATHETIC.... and predictable... From a country that has a long and rich history of autocracy, and only a fleeting brief taste of democracy. Truth be told, they have more common thinking with Putin and those like him, than they do with the U.S., EU, and other democratic countries around the world.

Kinda sounds like a Thai based business association is recommending locals evade sanctions imposed by some of their largest trading partners (U.S., Europe, Japan, etc.) Hopefully, if they try any such stunts, the exports involved end up getting seized before they reach their destination, and the senders sanctioned.

In light of the rising numbers of ATK positive tests being reported, while official RT-PCR positives are falling, I'll be doing a revised charts format starting tomorrow that separates cases and deaths into one chart, and the various under care and hospitalization numbers into a second chart. Within the first chart on cases, I'll now be listing separately the official RT-PCR cases, the unofficial ATK cases, the combined total of the two, along with the new daily deaths. Below is an example of what the new daily cases and deaths chart will look like [year high numbers are highlighted in RED].

I can't tell from the two images you've posted above... But, testing has shown that the nasal swab ATK tests are slow to pick up new Omicron infections (i.e. give false negative readings), and that the saliva-based tests do a much better job of catching Omicron infections in their early stages. Then, of course, there's the added potential that ATK test kits Thailand may have imported from China on the cheap may not be particularly reliable.

Daily vaccinations update: 71.5% of the population overall has received two vaccine doses, but only 29.5% has received the third dose booster recommended against the Omicron COVID variant. https://www.facebook.com/informationcovid19/posts/513158316969164

Officially reported new COVID cases in Thailand dropped for a third consecutive day to 20,420 on Tuesday, with the past weekend's decline extending into weekdays, even while total COVID deaths, total patients under care, and those hospitalized in serious condition and requiring intubation to breathe continued to increase and set new record highs for the year. At the same time, though, newly reported "unofficial" COVID cases based on ATK testing rose substantially to 25,339 for the day, outnumbering the number of "official" cases. That was up from 21,497 the day before. MoPH records show this was the first time in at least in the past month that daily unofficial ATK positives outnumbered daily official RT-PCR positives. Combining the new daily official case numbers with those from the unofficial ATK cases, assuming no duplicates between the two, produces a total for the day of 45,759 newly reported cases. Newly reported COVID deaths increased by one to 43 for the past day, while total COVID cases under care rose to 215,725. COVID cases hospitalized in serious condition increased by 10 to 990. COVID cases hospitalized and requiring intubation to breathe rose by 4 to 284. New deaths, total cases under care and the two categories of COVID cases in serious condition in hospital all reached record highs for 2022. But within the patients under care category, COVID patients in regular hospitals dropped significantly to 78,684, while those in alternate care arrangements increased even more to 137,041. In a further breakdown, among COVID cases under care, 61,683 were listed as being in "hospitel" facilities (hotels serving as quarantine-care rooms), while another 73,970 were listed as being in home or community isolation centers. *pandemic high daily totals https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/ For added context, during the peak of the Delta wave last fall, Thailand's daily COVID case count topped out at 23,418, but the numbers of serious hospital cases and intubated patients peaked above 5,600 and 1,100 respectively, and daily deaths topped 300 for a brief period.

Levels in BKK are much better today, and actually out of both the red and orange levels in most areas. http://aqicn.org/city/thailand/bangkok/chulalongkorn-hospital/