PM puts decision on lockdown off by a week

By THE NATION

 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday (April 21) that he will decide in a week’s time whether the state of emergency should be extended beyond April 30.

 

He added that people’s collaboration in curbing the infections and updated information from the Public Health Ministry will be key to his decision.

 

Though the situation appears to be improving, he said he does not want to lift the restrictions in a rush. He added that he will not be pressured into anything and will instead rely on medical information and on whether the country prepared to handle the situation after restrictions are lifted.

 

He said that if things get worse after the easing of restrictions, all the good work in curbing the contagion will be a waste of time. The prime minister also called on business operators to propose measures they will take after the lockdown is relaxed.

 

Businesses are hoping that the government will ease some restrictions this week to give them some breathing space after it has been hit badly by the Covid-19 outbreak.

 

The government put the country under a state of emergency from March 26 to April 30 and imposed a 10pm to 4am curfew on April 3 until further notice.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30386480

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-21

 

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First, we see photos where he is looking scared.

Now the photos are shrinking in size.

I am starting to worry for Mr. P.

1 minute ago, z42 said:

The next pandemic WILL come anytime bacause people continue to demand flesh. 

Please don't blame me. She told me she had her flu shot!

Waiting one more week and giving establishments time to prepare makes sense, but I'm really hoping for the lifting of restrictions come May 1st I'm talking about every province too including Bangkok, Chon Buri, Phuket and Chiang Mai. 

One wonders how bad things have to get before Prayut wakes up and smells the coffee. There are millions starving with no work and no  money. The authorities seem to be spending more time closing down food handouts than doing anything constructive.

Right now the people need some hope and light at the end of the tunnel, which they will get when they know the end is in sight. Pushing the date back and holding people in suspense is really not helpful, especially given the current new case  numbers.

3 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

One wonders how bad things have to get before Prayut wakes up and smells the coffee.

It is beginning to look like we might just find out.

Just read the news about a mother hanging herself because she couldn't afford buying milk for her child.. His flip-flip antics are costing lives already.

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

Though the situation appears to be improving, he said he does not want to lift the restrictions in a rush.

These are the same people who wanted the pavements purged of street food vendors. Empty sidewalks with the unwashed masses out of sight and under curfew must have been a dream come true for them. 

Well he aint spending anything so what's the hurry it's the cheapest place in the world for a pandemic just a few million hungry people but never mind all that???? 

11 minutes ago, kotsak said:

Just read the news about a mother hanging herself because she couldn't afford buying milk for her child.. His flip-flip antics are costing lives already.

She need help and didn't know where to go. I thought that's what village heads were for.

It is prudent to maintain the restrictions for another week and perhaps longer .. It was the 2nd infection wave of the 1918 flu pandemic that caused more deaths than the first .. There are infected people as yet undetected within the communities of Thailand who could kickatart a 2nd wave of infections if it is eased too soon ..

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

One wonders how bad things have to get before Prayut wakes up and smells the coffee. There are millions starving with no work and no  money. The authorities seem to be spending more time closing down food handouts than doing anything constructive.

Right now the people need some hope and light at the end of the tunnel, which they will get when they know the end is in sight. Pushing the date back and holding people in suspense is really not helpful, especially given the current new case  numbers.

 

I understand your point and I am really hoping that restrictions will start being lifted next week.

 

In this case, I actually agree with the government about delaying any such announcement.

 

If you announce it today then people will just start changing their behaviour tomorrow and not on 1st May (or whenever). That is what we don’t need at this stage.

 

Thinking about it, there’s still a decision to be made about the end date.

Next week and week after have several public holidays (1/5, 4/5 & 6/6) so if you give the ‘all clear’ on 1/5 then we might expect a lot of travelling and socializing from 1/5-6/6, which is probably not the best way to come out of this....

I for one hope he keeps the lockdown for as long as possible, to stop the spread of the virus, with the caveat that the Govt. must step up the relief efforts for those affected.

 

Opening the borders... well, let's see after another three months how the situation is.

He's done a good job.

5 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

He's done a good job.

Just spilt a Virgin Mary on my white tshirt. ( could not buy the vodka)

Let's get real he is going to flip flop again he just hasn't got the balls to say it . to be fair the UK just announced a probable lock down for the rest of the year and the whole world is changing rules on the fly. Thais have strong family ties, they will pull through

 

What worries! me is he will force extensions of booze bans since that is now part of the solution, getting sick of diet coke

A post with questionable unsupported content has been removed.

There must be a compromise to get some people back to work and get money flowing in the ecomony again, maintain some businesses and lock down high-risk people another few months. And open beaches and parks with reasonable social distancing.

 

But you know that there are hordes of fools about to make a mockery of the situation when they open everything up wholesale - Thais and Farangs.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

he said he does not want to lift the restrictions in a rush.

Yeah, let's wait for end of May before any decision to reopen in a week.

Usually, that's the way he run the country.

 

Edited April 21, 20206 yr by xtof2

2 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

He's done a good job.

Say it again and keep saying it.

 

The key to a great con is repetition.

 

'The lie, oft enough told, becomes the truth'.

 

 

 

Edited April 21, 20206 yr by ParkerN

I not like Prayut.

 

But this sensible, only stupid leader promise open before covid gone. Will loose all the benefit we already get. 

 

Better idea, wait two more week, and it gone. If not gone and come back a lot same in England and Italy, we do now for what. 

 

Also prayut not control everything himself. Every province governor different, in Phuket now very strict rules, in Ranong not same etc. 

3 hours ago, overt2016 said:

She need help and didn't know where to go. I thought that's what village heads were for.

Some "Pui yai bahn" are better/more conscientious than others. God rest her soul.

2 hours ago, madmen said:

UK just announced a probable lock down for the rest of the year

 

Where did you read or hear that ???

8 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Where did you read or hear that ???

https://www.mirror.co.uk

 

About half way down 

1 hour ago, Yinn said:

I not like Prayut.

 

But this sensible, only stupid leader promise open before covid gone. Will loose all the benefit we already get. 

 

Better idea, wait two more week, and it gone. If not gone and come back a lot same in England and Italy, we do now for what. 

 

Also prayut not control everything himself. Every province governor different, in Phuket now very strict rules, in Ranong not same etc. 

Sorry Yinn. Unfortunately with no vaccine that is not true and the virus is always going to be there. People are also getting it twice i.e. re-infected. Their biggest concern and quest is to open for tourism again, and guess who is in 1rst pole position to come in and save the day? Chinese. And it is no-where finished in China. And unfortunately they are Big P's picked clones to flap their traps and order directives as an egocentrically unfit person usually will do spinning their wheels until Big P removes them to another post as they flapped their trap and exceeded their power too far. well for the most part. Anutin and the heroin dealer are still going strong... so anyway, where is the Phuket big mouth now? 

Edited April 21, 20206 yr by holy cow cm

6 minutes ago, madmen said:

https://www.mirror.co.uk

 

About half way down 

Probably only for highly infected countries not contained or still with many outbreaks. Makes sense if you think of it.

15 hours ago, webfact said:

He said that if things get worse after the easing of restrictions, all the good work in curbing the contagion will be a waste of time. The prime minister also called on business operators to propose measures they will take after the lockdown is relaxed.

I really do hope he remembers this statement when he opens the doors to the Chinese..!!

He is right to be cautious and there is absolutely no benefit him coming out Trump-esque and saying we will back to normal next month.

 

However, as the 'elected PM' this is his time to now show all those important planning and leadership skills he honed in the military. Allowing individual governors to decide what they do is a recipe for disaster. The government need to outline what this relaxing of the lockdown could look like rather than letting people know 'next week'.  

 

As for this, 'The prime minister also called on business operators to propose measures they will take after the lockdown is relaxed'. No they shouldn't, that should be your government planning and implementing these policies for businesses to follow or face penalties. 

14 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

It is prudent to maintain the restrictions for another week and perhaps longer .. It was the 2nd infection wave of the 1918 flu pandemic that caused more deaths than the first .. There are infected people as yet undetected within the communities of Thailand who could kickatart a 2nd wave of infections if it is eased too soon ..

Correct about the second wave - and that hit in August 1918, 8 months after the initial outbreak. An extra couple of weeks wouldn't be enough. There might never be a second wave. There again, there might be a third, fourth and fifth wave. Nobody knows. Its a new virus and its properties are only being discovered as and when they appear. There is no reference point as such.

15 hours ago, darksidedog said:

One wonders how bad things have to get before Prayut wakes up and smells the coffee. There are millions starving with no work and no  money. The authorities seem to be spending more time closing down food handouts than doing anything constructive.

Right now the people need some hope and light at the end of the tunnel, which they will get when they know the end is in sight. Pushing the date back and holding people in suspense is really not helpful, especially given the current new case  numbers.

Don't forget, in some ways him and his Junta cronies are loving this!! It took the pressure off them over the s..t economy caused by the them and their persecution of the FFP!!!????????????????????????????????