Thailand plans to close schools, bars and theatres to curb coronavirus - spokeswoman

[webfact]

Thailand plans to close schools, bars and theatres to curb coronavirus - spokeswoman

 

Passengers wear protective masks due to the coronavirus outbreak, in a train in Bangkok, Thailand March 16, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand plans to close down schools, bars, theatres and other entertainment centres to curb the spread of coronavirus as well as to postpone next month's Thai New Year holiday to limit travel, a government spokeswoman said on Monday.

 

The government will ask the cabinet on Tuesday to consider postponing the traditional Songkran New Year holiday, which falls on April 13 to 15, to limit travel inside and outside of the country, deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said on Twitter.

 

The government will also ask the cabinet to consider closing of universities, schools, international schools, boxing arenas, cock fighting arenas, bars and theatre nationwide to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, she said.

 

Thailand reported 32 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing its total tally to 114. One person has died of the virus in Thailand. Thirty seven people have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Toby Chopra)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-16

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[tlandtday]

Quote

It's probably too little too late. This should have been done months ago.

 

[justaphase]

Why did China shut Wuhan immediately, but Thailand still hasn't stopped flights from China or S. Korea?

Far far far too late

[poohy]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

The government will also ask the cabinet to consider closing of universities, schools, international schools, boxing arenas, cock fighting arenas, bars and theatre nationwide to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, she said.

The cock fighting arena by me is field in the middle of nowhere, i suspect they wont get the memo

[brewsterbudgen]

Just now, justaphase said:

Why did China shut Wuhan immediately, but Thailand still hasn't stopped flights from China or S. Korea?

Far far far too late

It wouldn't have made much difference and WHO advise not to issue travel bans.  The US did it - but it didn't do them much good.  A global pandemic can't be prevented by travel bans.

[Puchaiyank]

What? No mention of those unsanitary massage parlors where you are sure to catch pink eye among other things...

[Ian Nagle]

Thailands response... No more cock fighting. That will fix the problem for sure.

[glennb6]

26 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

 

my god yes, they might have been able to have saved that one person who died...

[glennb6]

what comes next? limit discussion on the WuFlu terror? make it illegal to contradict the party line? armed soldiers on the streets? (wait, they already did that before). censorship of the internet? an increase in VAT to cover the losses of govt revenues from shutting everything down?

 

If they keep playing this game and the economy tanks because of it, I would not be surprised at all when there is a revolt against the current regime. Killing peoples livelyhoods and income comes with high risk of consequences. Wait a few months and see.

[Nyezhov]

1 minute ago, glennb6 said:

Wait a few months and see.

I have said before in other posts and in messages to my friends there and will say again here: its a tinderbox and its going to blow.

 

Personally, Ive cleaned out my Thai Bank account of anything over $200. 

[URMySunshine]

I fear Thailand is on the brink of revolution. Hopefully it will be a people's one. Lancet saying a real mortality rate of 5%. Basically SARS + pandemic which is off the scale of 'bad'. 

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30195-X/fulltext

[bluesofa]

9 minutes ago, glennb6 said:

{snipped}

If they keep playing this game and the economy tanks because of it, I would not be surprised at all when there is a revolt against the current regime. Killing peoples livelyhoods and income comes with high risk of consequences. Wait a few months and see.

'economy tanks' I can't see the army being interested in those. They'll want luxury tanks, for sure.

[Airalee]

Should close massage shops too.

[Chazar]

48 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

 

my  guess is they really knew  the figures  but were waiting until europe started  announcing theirs first to make them look better......also useful for saying its the filthy foreigners

[Chazar]

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

'economy tanks' I can't see the army being interested in those. They'll want luxury tanks, for sure.

Thomas the tank

[Bruce Aussie]

True figures will never be announced.

Australia, USA and much of Europe have many testing stations without charge. Therefore getting truer figures.

Here best self quarantine and don't get fleeced of your baht.

Bulk buy your beer, lol.

❤????????????????????????

[Nyezhov]

25 minutes ago, URMySunshine said:

Hopefully it will be a people's one. 

Havent been many of those in history, and they usually end in bloodbaths.

 

Meet the new Boss. Same as the old Boss.

[URMySunshine]

5 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Havent been many of those in history, and they usually end in bloodbaths.

 

Meet the new Boss. Same as the old Boss.

Local warlords it is then. 

[MikeyScars]

This is good news!

Officials finally started watching World News!! (CNN, BBC, ABC, etc)

They are at least learning!!!

 

[Shoeless Joe]

1 hour ago, glennb6 said:

what comes next? limit discussion on the WuFlu terror? make it illegal to contradict the party line? armed soldiers on the streets? (wait, they already did that before). censorship of the internet? an increase in VAT to cover the losses of govt revenues from shutting everything down?

 

If they keep playing this game and the economy tanks because of it, I would not be surprised at all when there is a revolt against the current regime. Killing peoples livelyhoods and income comes with high risk of consequences. Wait a few months and see.

Steady tiger you'll be giving yourself a heart attack! Aren't the Thai government only proposing to do what other countries are already doing? I don't see you railing against them...take a chill pill man!

[ParkerN]

2 hours ago, tlandtday said:

 

Indeed it should. Let's get real, closing schools? where will the kids go? Playing with their mates on streets and vacant blocks. Or riding their parents'motorcycles (sans crash hats).

 

Closing bars? Limited usefulness I suspect. Closing theatres? Given the cultural position in Thailand, I doubt this will be very useful. Cinemas maybe, but not theatres.

 

Football/volleyball/tecraw (I can never remember the correct spelling for this unbelievably silly game so beloved of Thais for some reason) matches would likely be more useful but would likely trigger protests if Somchai can't get out there and bang his snare drum.

 

I sense the Thai government is climbing on a bandwagon without much thought as to the likely impact or usefulness of the measures proposed to be taken. Still, when they don't work, I suppose they can always blame farang countries. Silver lining...

 

 

[ParkerN]

1 hour ago, MikeyScars said:

This is good news!

Officials finally started watching World News!! (CNN, BBC, ABC, etc)

They are at least learning!!!

 

Learning or copying wihout much underlying understanding? Methinks that's one of the problems with the education system as a whole in LOS. Still, mustn't grumble, Thais know best.

[Pedrogaz]

Ordinary masks have been shown ineffective against the virus. Will TV please stop spreading the myth that there is something protective or noble about wearing one unless you have symptoms and wish to reduce transmission to others....in which masks do not a very good job either.

[grumpy 4680]

            CLOSING SCHOOLS.

 

    Brilliant, now the kids will be running around Towns and Village's, with no control of contacts made or where they have been.

    There would be more control if kept together in classes

[Isaan sailor]

How about closing down the government? They kept border open for China when they should have closed it.

And how about some blame for The Chinese Communist government?  They covered up and silenced their doctors until it was was too late.

[Boon Mee]

1 hour ago, URMySunshine said:

I fear Thailand is on the brink of revolution. Hopefully it will be a people's one. Lancet saying a real mortality rate of 5%. Basically SARS + pandemic which is off the scale of 'bad'. 

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30195-X/fulltext

On the brink of revolution? 

Are you sure? 

 

 

 

[smedly]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

as well as to postpone next month's Thai New Year holiday to limit travel

if they close all the bars there will be a mass exodus of people back to the north

[ukrules]

33 minutes ago, smedly said:

if they close all the bars there will be a mass exodus of people back to the north

All the bars will close, it's just a matter of when and for how long as far as I'm concerned.

[DLock]

The Government failed to learn from South Korea on how to contain and control.

 

They thought they could play the virus down, tell us it all under control, limit testing and that the hot summer winds would blow it away...

 

...until they are seeing what happens in Italy, Iran or Spain if you don't take it seriously.

 

Now it's too late. Thailand is a lesson that will be a chapter in a PhD Thesis one day, just after South Korea - a chapter of how to deal with the virus successful.

 

 

[Ketyo]

"The government will also ask the cabinet to consider closing of universities, schools, international schools, boxing arenas, cock fighting arenas, bars and theatre nationwide to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, she said."

 

The stupid UK health spokesman said they weren't banning sporting events because stadiums are big and the virus only transmits between people who are together in confined spaces. What a moron.

 

Is cockfighting not already banned?