Embassy offers aid to Thai student isolated in Wuhan

By THE NATION

 

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday (January 27) acknowledged a social media posting by a Thai student in Wuhan city of China's Hubei province, which has been in lock down to contain the spread of coronavirus.

 

Pasnicha Krutdamrongchai raised the issue of food shortage in the city on her Facebook page on Sunday (January 26), said Busdee Santipitak, the ministry’s spokesperson and director general of the Department of Information.

 

“We instructed the Embassy of Thailand in Beijing to contact her and solve her problem with food supply” she said.

 

Pasnicha was living in Wuhan when the city was cordoned off by the Chinese government. 

 

The Thai embassy, Busdee said, has asked other Thai students in China to offer their assistance, and assured that all 64 Thais living in Wuhan were unaffected by the virus.

 

“The embassy is collaborating with related Chinese agencies to ensure the well-being of Thai nationals in the city," he said.

 

Meanwhile, the foreign office in Hubei province, said canteens and shops in Wuhan University remain open. 

 

“The Thai embassy in Beijing is in regular contact with Thais in Wuhan and other cities in Hubei province” she added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381135

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-27

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In virus-hit 'ghost town', stranded Thai student waits for help

By Juarawee Kittisilpa and Panu Wongcha-um

 

Thai medical student Badeephak Kaosala is seen on a computer screen as he speaks in an interview about being stranded in Wuhan, China, which is under lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak, January 27, 2020 in this still image taken from social media video . Badeephak Kaosala/via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - When Thai medical student Badeephak Kaosala dares to leave his rented apartment in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, he puts on a mask, gloves, a hat and layers of clothing to try to avoid infection with the coronavirus that has the city on lockdown.

 

"Anywhere you go, you are always self-conscious of touching someone or you always have to keep in mind that you have to keep a distance from the person you're walking next to - when he sneezes, when he coughs, even when he breathes," said the 23-year-old student at Wuhan's Tongji Medical College.

 

Lately, he has had trouble finding basic supplies such as milk and eggs in the city of 11 million since it became the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak that has killed 81 and infected 2,740 people in China.

 

"There's a shortage. Everyone wants to stock up, but it is already too late," Badeephak told Reuters via Skype.

 

"There are no vehicles on the road except private vehicles, which I only see going to pharmacies and hospitals," he added.

 

Badeephak wants to go home to Thailand, he has little choice but to wait.

 

The Thai government has put a military plane on standby for a possible evacuation of its citizens, but Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday they do not yet have Beijing's permission for the airlift.

 

Most commercial flights out of Wuhan were halted last week to try to contain the virus.

 

"At the moment the Chinese authorities have said the situation is still under control, so we have prepared a plan. ... Once it's time we will seek permission to fly in," Prayuth said.

 

Thailand's Foreign Ministry says there are 64 Thais in Wuhan. Badeephak said the Thai Embassy told him there were 118 Thais in all of Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital.

 

The Thai government has faced criticism both at home and abroad over its handling of the illness, with many taking to social media to accuse the government of not doing enough.

 

Thailand has reported eight cases of coronavirus, including seven Chinese tourists from Wuhan and a Thai woman who visited there.

 

Prayuth said on Monday most Thais in Wuhan wanted to stay.

 

But Badeephak said: "I am pretty sure that more than 70-80% (of Thais)... want to go back home because everyone of us here knows that staying here is not safe."

 

"How I am doing right now is not good," he said. "The town has become a ghost town."

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Juarawee Kittisilpa; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-28

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cha cha should do something to make sure he has food and water.   The Thai army can't send a car around to pick him up and take him someplace safe or deliver food?   

Off topic and unhelpful video removed

9 hours ago, webfact said:

But Badeephak said: "I am pretty sure that more than 70-80% (of Thais)... want to go back home because everyone of us here knows that staying here is not safe."

Quarantine :  Badeephak should look it up?