Foreign tourism: Anutin says 14 day quarantine over, but it remains in some form for now

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

Thailand's DPM and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul was pressed by the Thai press yesterday for answers about when quarantine for foreign tourists will end.

He gave an answer that looked like stalling, notes Thaivisa. 

The embattled minister was talking after the small committee of the CCSA met yesterday chaired by PM Prayuth Chan-ocha ahead of today's main CCSA decision making body. 

Anutin said that the 14 day quarantine was over and would be replaced by 10 days and 7 days for tourists who had been vaccinated but where Thailand goes from here depends on the vaccine rollout.

He conceded when pressed that quarantine could be lowered to 5 days, even three, even none. 

He assured that everything was being done to get back to normal, reported Thai Rath. 

Regarding the vaccine rollout in Thailand they quoted him as saying that "our vaccine is enough - we have no shortage here".

He pointed to supplies of Sinovac from China and claimed that locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine would be coming at the rate of 10 million doses a month in two or three months. 

He insisted that government hospitals can cope but again he was pressed by the media about the rollout in the private sector. 

He insisted that everything was being done by agencies and the FDA to speed up the registration process but said that first and foremost companies wanted to sell vaccine to the government.

However, he conceded that the private sector could play an important role in adding to the rollout providing choice and increased speed of vaccine delivery.

He was asked why Pfizer and Moderna vaccine registration was so slow and he suggested that the companies wanted to deal directly with the government and cited concerns about the emergency decree hindering progress. 

Regarding travel bubbles with other countries he had little progress to report saying he had spoken to none but was quoted as saying "if they accept us we'll accept them". 

But he wasn't going to let people in from countries with high risk and said those that have had two doses would still have to quarantine for 10 days. 

While further clarity might be expected at the main CCSA steering committee today, the health minister's comments are a clear indication that the government is under pressure, suggest Thaivisa.

The lack of any clear guidelines and wide parameters in areas like quarantine and vaccine rollout indicate that more confusion is likely to follow no matter what the CCSA announce today.

As with many countries around the world the ever changing goalposts of the pandemic are playing their part every bit as much as the capabilities of governments. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-19

 

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[darksidedog]

I suspect everyone present came away more confused about what the hell is going on than they were before Anutin opened his mouth.

[Thaiwrath]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand's DPM and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul was pressed by the Thai press yesterday for answers about when quarantine for foreign tourists will end.

"We don't know" would have been the obvious answer, instead of rambling on as usual ! 

[YetAnother]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

The lack of any clear guidelines and wide parameters in areas like quarantine and vaccine rollout indicate that more confusion is likely to follow no matter what the CCSA announce today.

leaders who cant

[mtls2005]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

He conceded when pressed that quarantine could be lowered to 5 days, even three, even none. 

 

Buffalo continue to roam government house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NCC1701A]

 

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Regarding the vaccine rollout in Thailand they quoted him as saying that "our vaccine is enough - we have no shortage here".

 

[Misterwhisper]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

Anutin Charnvirakul was pressed by the Thai press

I finally understand why they call themselves the Thai press. It's because of all that pressing that's emanating from their rows.

[PatOngo]

Pick a card.....any card......!

[AlfHuy]

They got away with the 14 days quarantine.

It's called now:

 

Pay for 7 days quarantine and get 7 days free.

[kotsak]

And the fact that this tool may be the next PM is frightening..

[ThailandRyan]

"I think it could be none, but then it could be 3, or 5 or 7 or 10 or maybe 14, but then vaccination rollout will dictate moving forward".  What the fecal matter is he saying.  Must have been smoking some of the Buriram product he is growing.

[petermik]

The only way tourists in significant numbers will return is when any form of quarantine is forgotten about....10/7/3 days is a guessing game played by folk who don`t have the sense to know when to keep their mouths shut

[Moonlover]

I did spot 1 contradiction. (there are no doubt others) Here it says:

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine would be coming at the rate of 10 million doses a month in two or three months. 

Over on the post from yesterday it said: (AstraZeneca) 'will send the first batch of raw materials for vaccine production in June'.

Now I don't know how long it takes to turn the raw materials into the finished product, but they sure won't be rolling out the doors in 2 or 3 months!

 

[mtls2005]

22 minutes ago, kotsak said:

And the fact that this tool may be the next PM is frightening..

 

Given his 'outburst' re: the charter amendment fiasco, not seein' this happening near-term.

 

A non-RTA PM seems remote for the next 50-ish years.

 

[ezzra]

The motto of every politician "Tell them everything but mean nothing"...

[ChipButty]

I get the feeling people are ready to come back, I know a few that are not willing to do the 14 day nonsense 

We have been getting a few inquiries this week,

Last night we took a booking for 53 days Im not sure where they are whether they are in Thailand or what, until they reply back to me 

[fondue zoo]

[ThailandRyan]

38 minutes ago, ezzra said:

The motto of every politician "Tell them everything but mean nothing"...

You meant Lie then Deny right?

[Big Yuley]

just pathetic reading all this <deleted>.

What a totally inept pathetic government Thailand has.

[Artisi]

34 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

You meant Lie then Deny right?

Think the OP was trying to say, "tell them nothing as we know nothing" 

[Cake Monster]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Regarding travel bubbles with other countries he had little progress to report saying he had spoken to none but was quoted as saying "if they accept us we'll accept them". 

If we send Somchai and Noi to China for a few Days, will you recipricate and send us back 20 Million of your finest for a Holiday

This Guy is priceless entertainment.

[Petey11]

I pity the Thai populous with this fool in charge of their health system.

[Dialemco]

Doubt if any significant International tourism this year. 

[radjag]

 

Ah! So it is the drug companies who want to deal directly with Government. Not certain representatives who insist that the Drug Companies deal through them? Right! 

[sammieuk1]

Everything is being done all right to rinse every last baht out of ASQ from this highwayman????  

[Pedrogaz]

Anutin, as ever, the font of wisdom, truth and clarity.

[Guderian]

Prayut: "We've got this system in Thailand that has been tried and tested over the last year, and it works very well at keeping the virus under control if infected people arrive from overseas. It's probably already saved thousands, if not tens of thousands of Thai lives, and hundreds of billions, if not trillions of Baht for businesses that would have had to shut down or curtail their activities if there had been a major outbreak. Not only that, but the Thai government has been applauded by governments and health professional around the world for its effective handling of the Covid situation."

Anutin: "Chai krup, it has been a great success, so now I propose that we abandon it and return to our normally stupid and disjointed behaviour by dropping the quarantine requirement for anybody who can buy a piece of paper resembling a vaccination certificate on the internet. What could possibly go wrong?" 

[Chicken George]

This will all depend surely on vaccine roll out here... 

[chang1]

1 hour ago, radjag said:

 

Ah! So it is the drug companies who want to deal directly with Government. Not certain representatives who insist that the Drug Companies deal through them? Right! 

If Pfizer and Moderna want to get registered surly they can only deal directly with the government. 

[eastendanto]

"The embattled minister...." seems par for every minister when interviewed.....part of their job description ????