Cruise ship 'Westerdam' can have help but no berth, Thai Health Minister Anutin insists

[webfact]

Cruise ship can have help but no berth, Anutin insists

By THE NATION

 

 

The government is willing to provide humanitarian aid to the passengers and crew of the cruise ship Westerdam but will not allow them to dock at Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi lest anyone on board be carrying the Covid-19 coronavirus, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reaffirmed on Wednesday (February 12).

 

The Holland America Line vessel lists a disembarking at Laem Chabang Port on Thursday on its online itinerary as part of a cruise taking in Taiwan and Japan.

 

Passengers were scheduled to be transported from there to Don Mueang International Airport to board planes taking them home.

 

But Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister, said there had been no formal request from the ship’s captain to enter Thai waters and insisted Thailand was not on the vessel’s original route.

 

“The government will provide humanitarian aid to the passengers and crew, who include 19 Thais,” he said. “The aid would include food, medicines and fuel to continue its course."

 

“Although the World Health Organisation has said there are no Covid-19 infections on the ship, the Thai government would need to inspect the ship and confirm it’s clean before allowing it to dock at the port.”

 

The Westerdam left Singapore on January 16 for a month’s tour of Asia, picking up 600 passengers in Hong Kong on February 1.

 

It has also been denied berthing privileges in the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan out of fear of contagion.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30382016

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-12

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[DLock]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

"The government will provide humanitarian aid to the passengers and crew, who include 19 Thais,” he said.

 

That's interesting, and probably quite a conflict for Anutin.

 

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

But Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister, said there had been no formal request from the ship’s captain to enter Thai waters and insisted Thailand was not on the vessel’s original route.

 

...as is this....so perhaps he has not officially denied, because they have not officially asked.

[Vacuum]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

“The aid would include food, medicines and fuel to continue its course."

No masks?

[darksidedog]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

But Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister, said there had been no formal request from the ship’s captain to enter Thai waters and insisted Thailand was not on the vessel’s original route.

And from another Thai Visa story: In a statement on Wednesday (February 12), the association noted that permission to dock at Laem Chabang Port had been requested on Monday. Westerdam: Cruise trade association asks for mercy

The ship also states they have no cases and have been at sea for a lengthy enough period of time for any infected to show up.

I see Anutin held a proviso, "the Thai government would need to inspect the ship and confirm it’s clean before allowing it to dock at the port.”

And I suspect at the end of the day, something like that will happen. Poor folks on the cruise must feel like lepers right now though.

 

[smedly]

why would they want to get off this ship - it is the safest place in Thailand right now with zero infections 

 

If I was a passenger I'd be demanding that nobody from Thailand boards the ship 

 

Carefully decontaminate everything that comes from Thailand would be my message 

[Thian]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

But Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister, said there had been no formal request from the ship’s captain to enter Thai waters and insisted Thailand was not on the vessel’s original route.

Then why did the passengers buy airtickets from BKK to home?

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/ships/ms-westerdam/statement-regarding-westerdam-in-japan/

 

Update: 2/10/2020 12:45am Pacific Time

Westerdam is sailing for Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand, where the current cruise that departed Feb. 1 will end on Thursday, February 13. Guests will be disembarking in Laem Chabang and transfer to Bangkok for their forward travel home. This new schedule has been communicated to guests on board. The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan.

 

Edited February 13, 2020 by metisdead
Edited as per fair use policy.

[snoop1130]

Preparations under way to evacuate 21 Thais on Westerdam cruise ship

 

Photo from www.hollandamerica.com

 

Preparations are under way to evacuate 21 Thai citizens on board Holland America’s MS Westerdam cruise ship and to provide necessary supplies to the ship, once there is a greenlight from the Thai government.

 

An informed source in the Marine Department said that, for the time being, there has been no permission received from the Government for the cruise ship to dock at Laem Chabang port in Thailand’s Chon Buri province, but medical and evacuation teams are being prepared.

 

“Everything now depends on the Government and its decision,” said Dr. Suthep Petmark, inspector-general of public health.

 

The Directorate for the Protection of Marine Interests met this morning at the Sattahip naval base to discuss contingency plans to cope with all eventualities pertaining to the cruise ship, including evacuation of Thai nationals on board, provision of necessary supplies and docking of the cruise ship.

 

The Royal Thai Navy has sent a patrol boat to survey sea route, in case evacuation of the Thai citizens is ordered.

 

There are 19 Thai passengers and two Thai crew members stranded on board the cruise liner, which is currently heading out into the Gulf of Thailand, according to Dr. Piti Srisangnam, a lecturer at the Economics Faculty of Chulalongkorn University.

 

In his Facebook post today, he pleaded with the Thai government to review its decision and allow the ship to dock, for humanitarian reasons.

 

The Cruise Ship Professional Association issued a statement today, urging the Thai government to reconsider its refusal to allow docking, urging the it to help by allowing the ship into port, so all on board can be screened, in accordance with international standards of practice in case of an infectious disease.

 

The association added that it has confidence in the capability of the medical system to cope with the situation and to contain coronavirus.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has said Thailand will not allow the ship to dock, but it will provide necessary supplies, such as fuel, food and water.

 

The ship has been at the sea for more than 20 days after being turned away from the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Guam and now Thailand.

 

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/preparations-under-way-to-evacuate-21-thais-on-westerdam-cruise-ship/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-02-12

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[BestB]

Perhaps dear health minister does not realise that this is making international news and sure as hell making Thailand look bad. This is not going to be swept away under the carpet when Thailand is one of very few if not the only one who kept and keeps door open for chinese from mainland. 

[Beggar]

"The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan." 

 

So why do they bother Thailand? There are many other countries where they can go. 

[stouricks]

10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Royal Thai Navy has sent a patrol boat to survey sea route,

Testing the waters!    555

 

[ratcatcher]

21 hours ago, Thian said:

Then why did the passengers buy airtickets from BKK to home?

 

Update: 2/10/2020 12:45am Pacific Time

Westerdam is sailing for Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand, where the current cruise that departed Feb. 1 will end on Thursday, February 13. Guests will be disembarking in Laem Chabang and transfer to Bangkok for their forward travel home. This new schedule has been communicated to guests on board. The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan.

[Thian]

1 minute ago, Beggar said:

"The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan." 

 

So why do they bother Thailand? There are many other countries where they can go. 

Because Japan doesn't want them, after that thailand said they could berth here but later they revoked that....and now only the thai passengers can berth, the rest not.

[DLock]

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Preparations under way to evacuate 21 Thais on Westerdam cruise ship

 

I called this on the very first post.

 

You could read between the lines that although Anutin does not want to help, the conflict of the 21 Thai's on board became too much.

 

My bet, he will backflip and allow the ship to dock and passengers escape.

[Thian]

19 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Update: 2/10/2020 12:45am Pacific Time

Westerdam is sailing for Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand, where the current cruise that departed Feb. 1 will end on Thursday, February 13. Guests will be disembarking in Laem Chabang and transfer to Bangkok for their forward travel home. This new schedule has been communicated to guests on board. The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan.

You guys missed a lot...they bought the air tickets after thailand said it was okay to come here and berth.....later they revoked that but then the tickets were bought, families back home all happy....you can imagine it....this is very serious in europe, they are feared to death..not like here in thailand where nobody wears a mask or does anything different now.

[rkidlad]

3 minutes ago, Beggar said:

"The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan." 

 

So why do they bother Thailand? There are many other countries where they can go. 

Maybe they thought Thailand would let them in after they kept allowing flights in from mainland China. Little did they know:

 

[YetAnother]

14 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

In his Facebook post today, he pleaded with the Thai government to review its decision and allow the ship to dock, for humanitarian reasons.

 

does he not know he is dealing with anutin ? guy is as far far from humanitarian as a health minister can get

[Just1Voice]

Thailand...making a fool of themselves on the world stage...again. 

[steven100]

as usual....everything about the story is wrong according to TV farang ...you lot are beginning to sound like a broken record .. lol  

why bother whinging at everything .... 

i don't always agree with what he says but you lot have lost the plot imo.  lol

Edited February 12, 2020 by steven100

[Thian]

7 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

does he not know he is dealing with anutin ? guy is as far far from humanitarian as a health minister can get

This cruiseship belongs to the Holland America line......sure they will follow it closely.....and many more europeans are on board.

[Thian]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

as usual....everything about the story is wrong according to TV farang ...you lot are beginning to sound like a broken record .. lol  

why bother whinging at everything .... 

So you think it's normal to invite a cruiseship in panic with 3000 passengers to berth and some hours later the invitation is revoked?? Stop drinking Steven...

[rvaviator]

3 hours ago, darksidedog said:

And from another Thai Visa story: In a statement on Wednesday (February 12), the association noted that permission to dock at Laem Chabang Port had been requested on Monday. Westerdam: Cruise trade association asks for mercy

The ship also states they have no cases and have been at sea for a lengthy enough period of time for any infected to show up.

I see Anutin held a proviso, "the Thai government would need to inspect the ship and confirm it’s clean before allowing it to dock at the port.”

And I suspect at the end of the day, something like that will happen. Poor folks on the cruise must feel like lepers right now though.

 

I wonder if the fly a yellow flag then .....

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, Thian said:

So you think it's normal to invite a cruiseship in panic with 3000 passengers to berth and some hours later the invitation is revoked?? Stop drinking Steven...

was the ship ever allowed to dock  ??  has he responded in a practical way to prevent the spread  ???

 

enough said ....

[Thian]

1 minute ago, steven100 said:

was the ship ever allowed to dock  ??  has he responded in a practical way to prevent the spread  ???

 

enough said ....

What about reading before you reply Steven??? You are really offending people..

[rkidlad]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

was the ship ever allowed to dock  ??  has he responded in a practical way to prevent the spread  ???

 

enough said ....

And the planes coming in from mainland China? 

[steven100]

4 minutes ago, steven100 said:

was the ship ever allowed to dock  ??  has he responded in a practical way to prevent the spread  ???

 

enough said ....

 

9 minutes ago, Thian said:

So you think it's normal to invite a cruiseship in panic with 3000 passengers to berth and some hours later the invitation is revoked?? Stop drinking Steven...

Thain ..... again ... please just answer ...

was the ship ever allowed to dock  ??  has he responded in a practical way to prevent the spread  ???

[Thian]

19 hours ago, steven100 said:

 

Thain ..... again ... please just answer ...

was the ship ever allowed to dock  ??  has he responded in a practical way to prevent the spread  ???

Yes they were invited to dock

[steven100]

2 minutes ago, Thian said:

Yes they were invited to dock

please just answer yes or no ....  lol 

did the ship dock   ?

has he responded in a practical way to help prevent the spread ?

 

 

[NCC1701A]

LATEST: #Westerdam now on the way to #Cambodia. Scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning. Appears more than 2,000 passengers may be allowed to disembark. #Thailand #Japan #Philippines #Taiwan have all refused the cruise ship to dock at its ports

 

https://twitter.com/MayWongCNA/status/1227559814915489793

[Drees]

In Dutch news it says they are allowed to dock in Cambodia now.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Drees

[Peterbilt]

According to vesselfinder.com they are already outside Thai waters heading for Cambodia.