Emergency could be extended

By THE NATION

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha

 

The government, if need be, will extend the state of emergency for another month or two depending on the Covid-19 situation, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said today (March 31) after a cabinet meeting.

 

He said the government is reviewing the situation each week.

 

The premier announced the state of emergency, which took effect from March 26 and goes on until April 30.

 

Prayut said that at the moment the government is unlikely to lift the state of emergency soon.

 

He added that some rules under the emergency can be relaxed if the situation gets better. State agencies will consider tightening some rules in areas that show no improvement.

 

The premier said the rising numbers of confirmed cases over past seven days reflected the fact that the government was ramping up screening and that more people with symptoms were turning up at hospitals nationwide.

 

While many are concerned that more people travelling back to their hometowns will heighten the risk of virus infection and want to see a complete shutdown of public transportation networks, Prayut said the consequence of such an order must be taken into consideration before a decision is made.

 

He has also asked involved state agencies to see if the government should limit the frequency and capacity of public bus service on a daily basis.

 

If most people still failed to shelter in place, the government might have to suspend all public transportation systems.

 

The total number of Covid-19 cases in Thailand rose to 1,651 with 127 new infections confirmed over a 24-hour period while one person died, Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Tuesday (March 31).

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385145

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-31

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4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The premier said the rising numbers of confirmed cases over past seven days reflected the fact that the government was ramping up screening and that more people with symptoms were turning up at hospitals nationwide.

 

As we have said all along!  The government are now admitting that the only reason that the number of cases has grown (and hovered around the 100+ mark) is due to the number, or lack of, tests.  No-one really knows how many cases their are in the remote parts of Thailand!

25 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

If most people still failed to shelter in place, the government might have to suspend all public transportation systems.

Shame this option didn't enter their minds a couple of months back, when it was absolutely containable, especially if they had shut down flights from China and subsequently other infected countries quicker.

The people will suffer from the continued incompetency and lack of willing to make unpopular decisions at the appropriate time.

Thought they could dodge a bullet to keep tourism flowing and instead, trod on a land mine.

16 minutes ago, graemeaylward said:

As we have said all along!  The government are now admitting that the only reason that the number of cases has grown (and hovered around the 100+ mark) is due to the number, or lack of, tests.  No-one really knows how many cases their are in the remote parts of Thailand!

been saying it for weeks

 

also how many people that die are being tested 

5 minutes ago, smedly said:

been saying it for weeks

 

also how many people that die are being tested 

Too many of them are not even under the category being Covid 19 victims.

 

I've seen enough little hospitals here when I had to visit sick people and I also know how incompetent many of these doctors and nurses are. 

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by Isaanbiker

4 minutes ago, smedly said:

also how many people that die are being tested

Exactly!!! As in the early days of HIV/AIDS thousands of causes of deaths were put down to other causes, pneumonia caused by having no immune system being one of them!! 

When I saw the initial bar closure in Pattaya and saw a notice saying reopening April 1st, I had a quiet chuckle to myself, thinking "No you won't." I mean April fools day? Come on?

Biggest concern of repressive governments of course, is actual subsequent lifting of ALL conditions in due course. Civil liberties are hard gained and easily lost.

The idea of reopening the places like Pattaya bars and massage saloons any time soon is idiotic in itself. Even if they will be allowed to open again (the will not be) - where will they get their customers from?

Or maybe a year or ten. Why not, the sweet powwah. And of course do sod all to the virus situation, it has better uses.

36 minutes ago, smedly said:

also how many people that die are being tested 

None, unless you were already confirmed. The deaths that have been reported come from the confirmed pool, which itself fills very slowly thanks to the slow testing and even getting to be a PUI and tested is a strictly filtered process. Add all of this up and you'll have a filter that nearly eliminates the number of deaths. The reported ones, that is.

Edited March 31, 20206 yr by DrTuner

Let's hope that all the remaining freedoms they have taken away because of this situation are reinstated fully at a reasonable time when it's over and not endlessly drag on in a diluted form for month after month with lame half-arsed excuses.

3 minutes ago, Brigand said:

Let's hope that all the remaining freedoms they have taken away because of this situation are reinstated fully at a reasonable time when it's over and not endlessly drag on in a diluted form for month after month with lame half-arsed excuses.

Would you like to guess at the outcome of that?

Sadly, I can see some people using this as an excuse to get something they've always dreamed of.

The wifes daughter rang a few minutes ago to say Phitsanulok is in lock down.  Don't know if it's just Mueang or the whole province.   

This isn't China so if bodies start piling up and the sick bring the medical system crashing down the truth will surface. What's needed is honesty from the junta. How many tests are happening? I'm fairly sure, though might be wrong, the infected numbers are only from people presenting to hospital. I have seen no random or organised testing of the population. Goes without saying temperature testing is not what I'm talking about.

4 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

The people will suffer from the continued incompetency and lack of willing to make unpopular decisions at the appropriate time.

Thought they could dodge a bullet to keep tourism flowing and instead, trod on a land mine.

Good comment. Due to lack of testing and typical Thai cover up and incompetency, I suspect we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

from one side I understand that all this is nonsense , statistically it makes no sense to even take it serious as medical problem, a lot more different problems in world, so it is political and  economic tool professionally managed, turn off the internet and virus will be over fast. I personally can adjust to everything, and will find something positive in every situation, so go on , don't be shy, lets continue this emergency for some year or two :)) I am just looking how much money I save not going out spending at bars so that's good for my wallet 

So the state of emergency will be extended. 

Will this happen every 3 months like the one in the southern provinces?

 

I wonder how many thais are prepared for say...a six month loss of income (or a year)

Most think  it will be over in a month or two

 

I was talkin to a thai woman on the day Malaysia closed the border (16 March)

...'but it's only for two weeks!' she replied, full of confidence

I barely managed to hold back my laughter

 

Peopla are so naive, it's frightening

Yes, that includes some farangs too

I think the PM and the Bangkok governor need to speak to each other. These are conflicting messages for sure.

8 hours ago, dinsdale said:

This isn't China so if bodies start piling up and the sick bring the medical system crashing down the truth will surface. What's needed is honesty from the junta. How many tests are happening? I'm fairly sure, though might be wrong, the infected numbers are only from people presenting to hospital. I have seen no random or organised testing of the population. Goes without saying temperature testing is not what I'm talking about.

You say, whats needed is honesty, ha ha, aint gonna happen with Prayut and his cronies.

They have never been honest about anything, and never will be.

Wind bag.   Stifling Pattaya and Bangkok lead to many going back to their rural homes to infect their elderly relatives.  Testing is far from 100% accurate, so few countries have a handle on the number of infected or the number who are immune.  Is cha cha claiming he knows?  That rings of an April 1st. statement.

“While many are concerned that more people travelling back to their hometowns will heighten the risk of virus infection and want to see a complete shutdown of public transportation networks, Prayut said the consequence of such an order must be taken into consideration before a decision is made.“
 

isn’t this the wrong way round? Shouldn’t the consequence of NOT giving such an order be taken into consideration before a decision is made?

12 hours ago, darksidedog said:

When I saw the initial bar closure in Pattaya and saw a notice saying reopening April 1st, I had a quiet chuckle to myself, thinking "No you won't." I mean April fools day? Come on?

Biggest concern of repressive governments of course, is actual subsequent lifting of ALL conditions in due course. Civil liberties are hard gained and easily lost.

There's nothing as permanent as a temporary government program

12 hours ago, Zikomat said:

The idea of reopening the places like Pattaya bars and massage saloons any time soon is idiotic in itself. Even if they will be allowed to open again (the will not be) - where will they get their customers from?

Nice point but I suggest there's plenty of low intelligence farang and Thais who will readily rush to Pattaya, for no reason other that 'bars are open' and with no other thoughts. 

I was unable to board my fight as Thailand locked down last week, just as well. There must be so many thais who have lost their work in Pattaya and suffering financial crisis to cover food and rent. Not covered by welfare. Greatly concerning and feedback appreciated.

There seems to be no increase in funerals in my area of Isaan. So they ain't all dyin' yet!

As long as he doesn't go full Orban, oh wait he already did in 2014, another "month or two" seems reasonable, if things look dire mid-this month.

 

 

12 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

Too many of them are not even under the category being Covid 19 victims.

 

I've seen enough little hospitals here when I had to visit sick people and I also know how incompetent many of these doctors and nurses are. 

Please volunteer to show them your medical expertise.

Even if Thailand tries to reopen the tourism, the airlines have cancelled their

international routes, and will not be starting up very quickly.  It may be China

and India that  go back for their vacations,  but I believe  they have also

cancelled their airlines.  People are still trying to get back to their home

countries and are still stranded abroad.  Good luck to all who are living or are

stranded in Thailand.

Geezer

13 hours ago, graemeaylward said:

As we have said all along!  The government are now admitting that the only reason that the number of cases has grown (and hovered around the 100+ mark) is due to the number, or lack of, tests.  No-one really knows how many cases their are in the remote parts of Thailand!

I think that applies to the whole world. Even in places like the UK only 0.3% of the population have been tested. So the number of claimed cases is meaningless. The actual number could be in the millions.