Public Health Ministry ready to address COVID-19 after reopening to foreign tourists

[webfact]

Public Health Ministry ready to address COVID-19 after reopening to foreign tourists

 

   

BANGKOK(NNT) - The Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Dr. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, has commented on measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as the government is making preparations to reopen the country to long-stay visitors. The Ministry of Public Health will submit a proposal to reduce the quarantine period to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) in the next two weeks.

 

With many countries starting to ease their restrictions, Dr. Kiattiphum said that Thailand has prepared measures to oversee international visitors who plan to stay in the country for up to nine months.

 

They are still required to complete a 14-day quarantine period. The Ministry of Public Health has had discussions and will announce more quarantine measures. Public safety has to be taken into consideration because it is the country’s selling point for tourists.

 

Travelers from countries with low infection rates, such as China, may have their quarantine period cut to seven to 10 days, but COVID-19 testing will be conducted more frequently. The issue will be proposed to the CCSA in the next two weeks.

 

Health officials believe that Thailand will be able to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 infections because 85 percent of the population is now living in the ’new normal’. If an outbreak occurs, the health authorities will be able to control the situation promptly by implementing four measures. They include inspection, treatment, gathering information from patients and communicating with the public.

 

The Department of Medical Sciences has developed an accurate COVID-19 saliva-based test, which is similar to a swab test. Meanwhile, Samut Prakan, Chon Buri and Bang Lamung hospitals, which are under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health, have initially reported that using green chiretta to treat COVID-19 is safe, with no side-effects.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-10-08

 

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[ThailandRyan]

If they believe they are so prepared why not throw caution to the wind and open up.  Should it go pear shaped and they end up shutting back down like some of the other countries have, at least they made a valiant attempt instead of acting like ostrich's with there heads stuck in the sand or chicken little screaming "The sky is falling".  Unless they open up they will never truly know if they are truly prepared.

[RotBenz8888]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

quarantine period cut to seven to 10 days,

I'm not sure that will entice more tourists....

[keith101]

There have been so many positive tests from people after day seven i am very surprised by this act of desperation to cut the quarantine time down just to try and get tourists back into Thailand and a second wave is a high probability if they do .

[petermik]

7 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

I'm not sure that will entice more tourists....

that,s only for the "safe" countries....China 

[Forza2002]

"Health officials believe that Thailand will be able to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 infections because 85 percent of the population is now living in the ’new normal’."

 

So what life are the other 15% (10 million people) living?

[zib]

That the goverment promotes a plant to treat covid makes me so confident.

[johng]

18 minutes ago, Forza2002 said:

So what life are the other 15% (10 million people) living?

Abject poverty ?

[Kadilo]

2 minutes ago, zib said:

That the goverment promotes a plant to treat covid makes me so confident.

It actually highlights how Ill prepared they are which is probably why they are so paranoid. 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

"They are still required to complete a 14-day quarantine period. The Ministry of Public Health has had discussions and will announce more quarantine measures."

 

So we can expect more crazy rules coming? For those few "tourists" applying for this new STV Visa it must be like walking into a minefield blindfolded.

[DrTuner]

Fiddling with a few days in quarantine will do nada, zilch. As long as it's onerous and there is a quarantine that's not at home, forget it.

Edited October 8, 2020 by DrTuner
typo

[Flying Saucage]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Health officials believe that Thailand will be able to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 infections because 85 percent of the population is now living in the ’new normal’. If an outbreak occurs, the health authorities will be able to control the situation promptly by implementing four measures. They include inspection, treatment, gathering information from patients and communicating with the public.

 

Slowly, common sense seems to return at least to a few of the Thai officials.

 

However, they are still politically brainwashed about and biased towards China:

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Travelers from countries with low infection rates, such as China, may have their quarantine period cut to seven to 10 days

 

[Flying Saucage]

56 minutes ago, keith101 said:

There have been so many positive tests from people after day seven i am very surprised by this act of desperation to cut the quarantine time down just to try and get tourists back into Thailand and a second wave is a high probability if they do .

They claim they habe been testing hundreds of retournees positive during the recent months, but the number of deaths stubbornly stays at 59 (they claim) and also no severe cases are reported. 

 

So where exactly is the danger exactly coming from? There are obviously numerous points which make Thailand less vulnerable than other countries. So yes, I agree that Thailand very well could handle a so called "second wave".

[JusticeGB]

What planet is he on the first arrivals have been delayed until after the 25th which is in 18 days time!

[toolpush]

1 hour ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

"They are still required to complete a 14-day quarantine period. The Ministry of Public Health has had discussions and will announce more quarantine measures."

 

So we can expect more crazy rules coming? For those few "tourists" applying for this new STV Visa it must be like walking into a minefield blindfolded.

When walking into a well prepared minefield, does it make much difference whether one is blindfolded or not? Asking for a friend......

[DLock]

Trump did it in 3 days.

[Cake Monster]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

If they believe they are so prepared why not throw caution to the wind and open up.  Should it go pear shaped and they end up shutting back down like some of the other countries have, at least they made a valiant attempt instead of acting like ostrich's with there heads stuck in the sand or chicken little screaming "The sky is falling".  Unless they open up they will never truly know if they are truly prepared.

I personally think ( rightly or wrongly ) that Thailands Authorities are absolutely terrified of opening up the Country to Tourists.

The first reason is that they really have little idea on how to manage the issue of Tourists again on Thai soil.

The Government have demonstrated this so well with their will the Tourists come/ not come/ STV Etc Etc 

Secondly, the Government is terrified of a public backlash should they open the Country up, and there be a Massive Covid Outbreak in the country.

[Geoffggi]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Travelers from countries with low infection rates, such as China, may have their quarantine period cut to seven to 10 days, but COVID-19 testing will be conducted more frequently. The issue will be proposed to the CCSA in the next two weeks.

As I have stated previously this is wrong which ever way you look at it, the government are treading on dangerous ground by this way of looking at things, the quarantine should be the same for everyone instead of creating even more bad feeling towards the Chinese.

[from the home of CC]

On 10/8/2020 at 12:14 PM, ThailandRyan said:

If they believe they are so prepared why not throw caution to the wind and open up.  Should it go pear shaped and they end up shutting back down like some of the other countries have, at least they made a valiant attempt instead of acting like ostrich's with there heads stuck in the sand or chicken little screaming "The sky is falling".  Unless they open up they will never truly know if they are truly prepared.

a valiant attempt? and experience the 200k+ deaths of the US? or the 50k+ deaths of the UK? I believe you have the word valiant confused with the term stupidity..