Thailand suspends incoming passenger flights to fight coronavirus

 

Thai military police officers wearing protective masks stand at a checkpoint, as Thailand will impose a nationwide night curfew from Friday April 3, to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangkok, Thailand April 3, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will temporarily ban all passenger flights from landing in the country to curb the outbreak of the new coronavirus, the country's aviation agency said on Friday.

 

The ban on incoming flights will come into effect on Saturday morning and run until the end of Monday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said in an order published late on Friday.

 

Anyone arriving on a flight that took off before the order came into effect will need to be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival in Thailand, the order said.

 

It came just hours after a commotion at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport when more than 100 Thai nationals arrived on different flights on Friday, a Thai immigration officer told Reuters.

 

"A public health officer allowed them to quarantine themselves at home. There was a commotion because they said they weren't aware they had to be put in a state quarantine," the officer said.

 

Thailand, which has reported 1,978 cases of the coronavirus and 19 deaths so far, wants to avoid importing more cases.

 

Since March 1, there has been a rising number of people who were infected abroad before returning home. The authorities have put nearly 2,000 people who came into contact with them in quarantine.

 

The ban on incoming air travel came a day after the Thai government asked citizens abroad to delay returning home until after April 15 in a bid to stop imported cases.

 

Thailand has six international airports, including in the capital Bangkok, which is under a curfew from Friday, and the popular tourist island Phuket, which was planning to shut its airport from April 10 to April 30.

 

Earlier on Friday, the country reported 103 new coronavirus cases and four more deaths.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Panarat Thepgumpanat, and Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by David Clarke and Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-04

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"A public health officer allowed them to quarantine themselves at home. There was a commotion because they said they weren't aware they had to be put in a state quarantine," the officer said.

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This will never happen.

10 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

"A public health officer allowed them to quarantine themselves at home.

He should be transferred to road traffic duties in Songkla. 
No one in their right mind is going to believe that everyone will dutifully obey this.

13 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The ban on incoming flights will come into effect on Saturday morning and run until the end of Monday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said in an order published late on Friday.

After Monday there is no risk of infected people entering?

8 minutes ago, jackdd said:

After Monday there is no risk of infected people entering?

Gives them a couple of days to work up a more practical policy/formalise this one?

Another barn door story.

How to do nothing useful and appear to be doing something. It's all about appearances

A war wouldn't have been as heavy as this Covid 19 ...

Up to now , Thailand is reporting a linear growth in cases . That is a bit surprising as the ' self discipline ' and obeyance to government orders of the average Thai person is certainly lower than f.e. in China .

Exponential growth was expected here , but due to government sources , did not happen . ( May be due to the hot weather ? )

Anyway , blocking new arrivals is ok , but what is worrying more is the situation in Isarn , where ' social distancing ' of all the people returning from BKK is much less practiced ...?

1. 4th

Those officials should be fined & fired!  2.  What difference will 3 days make?

19 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Up to now , Thailand is reporting a linear growth in cases . That is a bit surprising as the ' self discipline ' and obeyance to government orders of the average Thai person is certainly lower than f.e. in China .

Exponential growth was expected here , but due to government sources , did not happen . ( May be due to the hot weather ? )

Anyway , blocking new arrivals is ok , but what is worrying more is the situation in Isarn , where ' social distancing ' of all the people returning from BKK is much less practiced ...?

They're only testing 700 a day that's why. And every day finding 100-120. It doesn't make sense.

 

Too little too late for that now I think amazing Thailand TIT

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

"A public health officer allowed them to quarantine themselves at home. There was a commotion because they said they weren't aware they had to be put in a state quarantine," the officer said

 

According to OTHER media sources, these Very Important People, just went home, ignoring the police and health people. No quarantine or self isolation for them. No no. In such situations, Thai Authorities best tactic is IGNORE and pretend nothing happened maybe no one will notice. 

If in luck they will spot some dirty foreigners, and pounce. 

 

Edited April 4, 20206 yr by Dcheech

This, in effect, means no outbound flights either. No planes in, then where are the outbound planes coming from?  I suppose it can be done for a couple of days, but watch for the new policy announcement Monday. 

Any incoming flights are only carrying returning thai citizens now since last week.

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

After Monday there is no risk of infected people entering?

May as well throw the fit to fly certificate out the window,if they are going to test and quarantine people on arrival!!! OR Vice Versa!!! TIT.

It came just hours after a commotion at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport when more than 100 Thai nationals arrived on different flights on Friday, a Thai immigration officer told Reuters.

 

"A public health officer allowed them to quarantine themselves at home. There was a commotion because they said they weren't aware they had to be put in a state quarantine," the officer said.

 

And therein lies the problem - the rules apply to everybody else ... except "me".

https://www.icao.int/safety/Pages/COVID-19-Airport-Status.aspx

 

BANGKOK (VTBB) airspace:

COVID-19: TEMPORARY BAN ON ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO THAILAND 1. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST NOTIFICATION OF THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY OF THAILAND, ALL INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER FLIGHTS TO THAILAND WILL BE BANNED FROM 3 APRIL 2020 AT 1700 UTC TO 6 APRIL 2020 AT 1700 UTC. ALL FLIGHT PERMITS GRANTED FOR SUCH PERIOD WILL BE CANCELED. 2. THE BAN DOES NOT APPLY TO STATE OR MILITARY AIRCRAFT, EMERGENCY LANDING, TECHNICAL LANDING WITHOUT DISEMBARKATION, HUMANITARIAN, MEDICAL OR RELIEF FLIGHTS, REPATRIATION FLIGHTS AND CARGO FLIGHTS. 3. THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT LEAVING THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE BEFORE THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE NOTIFICATION WILL SUBJECT TO 14 DAY QUARANTINE UNDER THE CONTIGUOUS DISEASE LAW AND THE REGULATION UNDER THE EMERGENCY DECREE ON STATE OF EMERGENCY CREATED: 03 Apr 2020 16:39:00 SOURCE: VTBDYNYX

COVID-19: THAILAND UNDER CURFEW RESTRICTIONS FROM 1500-2100 UTC EVERYDAY AIRLINE ARE ADVISED TO RE-SCHEDULE OR ADJUST OPERATIONS ACCORDING TO CURFEW SITUATION. AIRLINES ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE RESTRICTIONS ON PASSENGERS ENTERING THAILAND UNDER THE REGULATION ISSUED UNDER THE EMERGENCY DECREE. THOSE PERMISSIBLE PASSENGERS MUST FULFIL DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS TO BE PRESENTED AT THE TIME OF CHECK-IN: FIT TO FLY HEALTH CERTIFICATE ISSUED NO MORE THAN 72 HOURS AND CERTIFYING LETTER OF THE THAI EMBASSY, CONSULATE OFFICE OR MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. WITHOUT THE PROPER DOCUMENTS, THE BOARDING MUST BE DENIED. THE PASS ENGERS WILL ALSO BE SUBJECT TO DISEASE CONTROL MEASURES APPLICABLE AT THE AIRPORT OF ARRIVAL, WHICH MAY BE VARIED ACCORDING TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION. CREATED: 03 Apr 2020 12:33:00 SOURCE: VTBDYNYX

Surely they vote for Prayut party.... this virus will nuke prayut big time.. all am waiting for..

Quote:-

 

"after a commotion at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport when more than 100 Thai nationals arrived on different flights on Friday"

Ah, at last! No mention of any dirty" westerners - 100% Thais!

A linear growth of an infection is absolut not possible. I am always worked that Thailand isn't looking abroad and learn from other countries but follow their mostly ridiculous THAI way that must lead to a disaster! God save all people in this country who has suffer due to the stupud decision of their so called leaders!

55 minutes ago, LawrenceN said:

This, in effect, means no outbound flights either. No planes in, then where are the outbound planes coming from?  I suppose it can be done for a couple of days, but watch for the new policy announcement Monday. 

eva air from Taipei is coming into bkk empty and then loading and going to UK, bypassing bkk on way back to Taipei, will they allow that with the crew remaining on board. from iata site - 

 This does not apply to state or military aircraft, emergency landing, technical landing without disembarkation, humanitarian medical or relief flights, repatriation flights and cargo flights. Passengers will be subject to 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

 

edit post 18 is not easy on the eyes to read in all caps.

Edited April 4, 20206 yr by steve187

1 hour ago, 30la said:

A war wouldn't have been as heavy as this Covid 19 ...

And their asses would be handed to them in Both situations. ????

9 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Quote:-

 

"after a commotion at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport when more than 100 Thai nationals arrived on different flights on Friday"

Ah, at last! No mention of any dirty" westerners - 100% Thais!

Good grief - they sure missed an opportunity to blame the country they flew from, if and when they contract the virus. Apart from not self-isolating enforcement these passengers are high risk to their family, friends and others who come into contact with them. 

26 minutes ago, Jimbo53 said:

May as well throw the fit to fly certificate out the window,if they are going to test and quarantine people on arrival!!! OR Vice Versa!!! TIT.

A "fit to fly" certificate is not the same as the "free from Covid-19" certificate as was required for foreigners entering Thailand. Fairly standard certificate which clears you from having  a fever but not much else.

First off it's unconscionable that Thailand does not allow their own citizens to return during this crisis. I can't think of any civilized country that doesn't allow citizens to return. Placing these onerous restrictions on people is just a sleazy way to say you can't come back.

Secondly, Singapore, Taiwan, HK and Vietnam for example all impose 14-day strict curfews on those who return. Singapore for instance tracks you via the GPS on your phone and if you break curfew the police show up very quickly, same with Taiwan. Vietnam just puts you into a government hospital for 14 days - simple. HK gives a tracking bracelet and there was a story last week of a girl with the bracelet eating in a restaurant and the other patrons called the police.

I know it is foreign to the Thai Brain, but some thinking is required. Instead of trying to fashion a Thai Solution, just copy one of the ones I just mentioned. Heck there are plenty of empty hotels in Bangkok that would appreciate the business (and I'm sure some are owned by connected people so they can continue to steal from the government as always).

Suspend all commercial incoming flights for at least one month, subject to relaxing or extending the lock-down. Otherwise they'll be an ever increasing risk of mass infection rates, that Thailand, unlike other Asian countries, is incapable of managing. 

"A public health officer allowed them to quarantine themselves at home. There was a commotion because they said they weren't aware they had to be put in a state quarantine," the officer said”.

 

Typical fudge.

Richard Barrow 

 

@RichardBarrow

·

6m

 

The PM has authorized soldiers & police to find & quarantine 166 Thais who arrived in #Thailand last night:

 

TG 641 from Japan, 16 people

 

NH 847 from Japan, 19 people

 

JL 31 from Japan, 76 people

 

SQ 976 from Singapore, 44 people

 

GR 832 from Qatar, 11 people

“According to OTHER media sources, these Very Important People, just went home, ignoring thepolice and health people. No quarantine or self isolation for them. No no. In such situations, Thai Authorities best tactic is IGNORE and pretend nothing happened maybe no one will notice. “

I am absolutely amazed at the lack of decisive actions taken by the PM! Fire the Foreign Minister and the Officer at the airport today!

First it was in Aus that health officials let over 2000 passengers from a ship disembark with no quarantine or testing! Now we have towns in lockdown in South Australia!

Find them and lock them in quarantine NOW!