International school ordered close after students' trip to high-risk country

[webfact]

International school ordered close after students' trip to high-risk country

By THE NATION

 

Attapon Truektrong

 

Secretary general of Private Education Commission Attapon Truektrong said on Thursday (February 27) that he was informed 505 students and 60 teachers of an international school located in Don Mueang province arrived back on Sunday (February 23) from a school trip to a high-risk country.

 

“The school 's administration then ordered those students and teachers to stay at home after their travel ” he added.

 

The international school has over 1,000 students. It has since been ordered to delay starting the new semester, although the returnees have not been there this week.

 

“The current semester of most schools will end soon. The commission is collaborating with related agencies to monitor the Covid-19 situation, in accordance with instructions from the Public Health Ministry,” he said.

 

“However, I am concerned with the different semester of international schools, and their trips abroad ”.

 

These schools have been told to suspend their travel plans, especially to high-risk countries, he added. 

 

On Friday (February 28), Private Education Commission will brief representatives of private schools nationwide on the preventive measures of Covid-19, he said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30382955

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-02-28

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[webfact]

Covid-19: Major international school in Bangkok temporarily shuts its doors

 

File photo

 

The prestigious Harrow International School in Don Muang, Bangkok, has announced that it is closing for at least the next week. 

 

The school said it is a health and safety issue to prevent the spread of Covid-19. There is no suggestion that anyone is infected and the school has said they have been taking "all necessary steps"

 

The move comes after reports in The Nation that trips were made abroad by hundreds of students and staff. Details in that report have been questioned by staff at the school in online messages.

 

A Thai school in the area - the 2,500 attended Phraharuthai Donmuang School - closed temporarily on Wednesday after a student and his grandparents contracted the virus. The student reportedly attended classes since Monday.

 

Harrow is connected to the world famous Harrow School in England and has several other international branches across Asia including in Hong Kong and mainland China.

 

The school in Bangkok has well in excess of 1,000 students including extensive boarding facilities. They said they would be closed all next week and review their plans later.

 

The following has appeared on their website today:

 

"We have decided in the interests of both our school community and the local community, for Harrow Bangkok to close for the next six school days, from 28th February until 6th March 2020, inclusive. 

 

This is in the interests of health and safety, to prevent the potential spread of Covid-19 in our community. Harrow Bangkok has taken all necessary steps as required to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Neither student nor staff in our School has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

 

This decision has been taken in consultation with the Secretary of the Office of Private Education Commission.

 

We will review this decision on Friday, 6^th March, taking a view as to whether it is possible to reopen the school on Monday, 9^th March".

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-02-28

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[Assurancetourix]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“The school 's administration then ordered those students and teachers to stay at home after their travel ” he added.

 

It still looks like very big anything;
I guess they returned by plane;

they therefore rubbed shoulders with many people, including the cabin crew;
I would also like to know by what means (s) they came back  home.
and last question,
once at home, how will they be fed?
by robots?

 

"We have decided in the interests of both our school community and the local community, for Harrow Bangkok to close for the next six school days, from 28th February until 6th March 2020, inclusive. "

 

Why 8 days when we know that the incubation period can go up to 23 days (and not 14 as it was written)

Edited February 28, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[bluesofa]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

The move comes after reports in The Nation that trips were made abroad by hundreds of students and staff. Details in that report have been questioned by staff at the school in online messages.

Is this the way the article has been written, or does it really mean the school only closed after the details were published in the press?

[RBOP]

Well, they are in the 500 meter circle of that Thai school with the Covid19 case. 

[spiekerjozef]

They've been to Iceland?

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

They've been to Iceland?

I think they shop at Big C.

(Iceland Foods is a British supermarket chain)

[NCC1701A]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday asked all elementary, junior high and high schools nationwide to close from Monday through the students’ spring break, which typically ends in early April.

 

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/27/national/hokkaido-coronavirus-school/

 

#BREAKING Tokyo Disney parks closing for two weeks on virus fears: statement

 

Iran’s Coronavirus Epidemic Becoming Chaotic and Catastrophic. Reported Death Toll 27, Infected 245

 

https://twitter.com/THAILANDMEDICA1/status/1233219345943121920

 

South Korea reported 256 new cases #coronavirus Total now 2,022 confirmed cases.

Edited February 28, 2020 by NCC1701A

[brain150]

Madness !!!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And meanwhile, Thailand says, let's invite all the Chinese, South Korean, Singaporean, etc tourists that we can beg borrow or steal, have them arrive at our airports, and then immediately travel out into Thailand without a single day of quarantine.... 

 

Thai school students and teachers returning from overseas trips to "high risk" areas -- two weeks quarantine at home.  Tourists from those same "high risk" countries -- quick check at the airport at most and then out into Thailand to spread their cheer.  Someone explain any public health logic to that...

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[spiekerjozef]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

And meanwhile, Thailand says, let's invite all the Chinese, South Korean, Singaporean, etc tourists that we can beg borrow or steal, have them arrive at our airports, and then immediately travel out into Thailand without a single day of quarantine....

 

Every European is also a risk, so what are you on about?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

Every European is also a risk, so what are you on about?

 

That's why I included an "etc." at the end of my countries list... European countries fall under the "etc." category... 

 

This is, by the way, THAI Visa Forum, not European Visa Forum. So I think we're generally talking here about risks in/to Thailand, including those from tourists traveling from "high risk" areas wherever they may be.

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[spiekerjozef]

Europeans are now a risk coming into Thailand

[yankee99]

Regents school in Pattaya is shutdown too

[Nomadicranget]

Absolute BS  all trips overseas were cancelled before Feb 7th. Some trips within Thailand took place. This is complete fake news otherwise known as lies

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Nomadicranget said:

Absolute BS  all trips overseas were cancelled before Feb 7th. Some trips within Thailand took place. This is complete fake news otherwise known as lies

Would you care to clarify that remark.

Which school are you talking about - Harrow School, Regents School, or both of them and how are you qualified to know it's 'BS'?

[emptypockets]

5 hours ago, brain150 said:

Madness !!!

What is?

[blackcab]

3 hours ago, Nomadicranget said:

Absolute BS  all trips overseas were cancelled before Feb 7th. Some trips within Thailand took place. This is complete fake news otherwise known as lies

 

This is from Harrow's website:

 

[yankee99]

4 hours ago, Nomadicranget said:

Absolute BS  all trips overseas were cancelled before Feb 7th. Some trips within Thailand took place. This is complete fake news otherwise known as lies

Guess people that were already overseas and returning to Thailand count too. 

[Hanuman2547]

What about some other International Schools like Bangkok Pattana, ISB, and NIST?  Are they closing as well?

[jaffas21]

this is all a bit silly its summer for normal thai schools, i know its an international school and has different holidays, but many schools are no closing for summer so its not really a worry is it. The only reason this is in the news is because it follows a different holiday pattern. and how is 6 days a 14 day isolation period?? or am i missing something.

[paddypower]

Spoke with a few International school senior teachers yesterday. safety practices adopted include termal checks daily, masks and all public events cancelled. All these international schools are more proactive than our useless, foul mouthed Health MInister.

[BobbyL]

On 2/29/2020 at 12:49 PM, Hanuman2547 said:

What about some other International Schools like Bangkok Pattana, ISB, and NIST?  Are they closing as well?

No. Harrow is the only one. We're open as usual just with more safety measures implemented.