Songkran exodus: Thais told not to lower their guard against COVID-19

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Chief of the health department of the Ministry of Public Health Dr Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai has urged his compatriots to not let down their guard when they go home and travel as tourists at Songkran. 

 

He told them to be the armor against the spread of Covid-19. He said that DPM and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul was concerned about Songkran movement, reported Daily News.

 

Dr Suwannachai said that bus stations will be crowded and people would spend a long time on public transport creating the potential for virus spread.

 

He called on operators of public transport to follow all the hand washing, social distancing and number limiting protocols. 

 

He urged them to sell tickets in advance via phones, websites and apps to limit overcrowding.

 

Toilets should be cleaned every two hours, vehicles must be cleaned regularly and airflow at bus stations created by opening doors and windows and following proper service schedules of air-conditioners. 

 

Staff and passengers must play their part by wearing masks at all times, social distancing and hand washing. Better still bring your own gel, he said. 

 

Cleaners should wear gloves and masks and appropriate footwear. 

 

In addition passengers should not talk to other people unnecessarily.

 

And if they have fever they should not travel at all and go and see the doctor instead, especially if they are coming from a high risk area. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-29

 

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[internationalism]

just don't encourage people to travel inter provincially - there won't be exodus and subsequent armageddon 

[mtls2005]

Bascially, if you get sick it's your fault.

 

 

[CelticBhoy]

"Better still bring your own gel ...."

This sounds like an interesting twist to Songkhran   .  .  .  ????

[Surelynot]

Well....this is reaching a new low (or high?) in terms of stupidity.......mass inter-provincial travel with evidence of numerous covid outbreaks, but then warned 'not to lower their guard'.......is there a term for beyond stupid?

[Thaiwrath]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said that DPM and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul was concerned about Songkran movement,

He can't be that concerned, or he would have suggested stronger measures to avoid it.

More hot air from him.

[colinneil]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

Staff and passengers must play their part by wearing masks at all times, social distancing and hand washing. Better still bring your own gel,

Social distancing on buses, well he certainly is another government mouth piece who is living in cloud cuckoo land.????????????????

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Social distancing on buses, well he certainly is another government mouth piece who is living in cloud cuckoo land.????????????????

Are diseased farangs allowed on the buses?.....they were banned at one time weren't they?

[Daithi85]

1 hour ago, Surelynot said:

Are diseased farangs allowed on the buses?.....they were banned at one time weren't they?

????????????????

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, Daithi85 said:

????????????????

Is that an answer?....it was genuine question.

[Aomelia]

So let’s stop inter -province travel and Songkran 

[bdenner]

If major events like the Olympic Games can be rescheduled then heavily restricted surely the powers to be here can stop Songkran again this year.

A little common sense has to prevail - or maybe not!

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

He told them to be the armor against the spread of Covid-19. He said that DPM and health minister Anutin Charnvirakul was concerned about Songkran movement, reported Daily News.

If Anutin is so concerned about Songkrak Movement, why has he allowed it to happen.

Weak Minister.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, bdenner said:

If major events like the Olympic Games can be rescheduled then heavily restricted surely the powers to be here can stop Songkran again this year.

A little common sense has to prevail - or maybe not!

The difference is that the many Japanese people [especially those in the host city] didn't want the games to go ahead, here many people want songkran to go ahead.

[Nojohndoe]

Damned if they do and  damned if they don't is it?

If it is not posts about the "stupidity" of no restrictions then it would be the wailing about the "stupidity" of restrictions.

If it can be accepted that the recent outbreak that undeniably was the result of stupid greed and systemic official selfishness re' the illegal Myanmar  border incursions but that it seems to have been successfully contained to a great degree the test of the risk for Songkran interprovincial travel has just occurred over the last weekend as many have traveled  to home locations  to vote  in local Government elections. I did not witness any chorus  about that !

[Yorkshire Tea]

39 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

The difference is that the many Japanese people [especially those in the host city] didn't want the games to go ahead, here many people want songkran to go ahead.

Celebrate songkran at home.  No need for bangkokkers to travel to Chiang Mai!

[Bluespunk]

6 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Celebrate songkran at home.  No need for bangkokkers to travel to Chiang Mai!

True enough, never said there was.

[Moonlover]

35 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

Celebrate songkran at home.  No need for bangkokkers to travel to Chiang Mai!

'Home' for most Thais is where the family is and for many Bangkokians, the family is in their home towns and villages. It's no different from the exodus during Chinese new year or, indeed westerners wanting to be 'home' with their families.

 

The Covid situation now seems to be well under control and the health services have a vast field of experience at dealing with outbreaks when they do occur.

 

it's time Thailand was allowed to get back to a normal life again, taking the proper precautions of course.

 

 

[metisdead]

Some troll posts have been removed. 

[unblocktheplanet]

2 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

The difference is that the many Japanese people [especially those in the host city] didn't want the games to go ahead, here many people want songkran to go ahead.

When did Thai "govt" ever listen to the people?!? Folks will do what govt allows & we'll all bear the consequences.

[ikke1959]

Don't lower your guard, but travel with washed hands in crowded busses, have extra holidays to go to your family, sit together with friends and eat, but don't drink alcohol, because of COVID 19. Enjoy yourself with masks.. Don't worry about the death and injured on the road in a lot of accidents. Maybe there are 5 deaths of Covid and that is what counts. al the other injured and deaths didn't die of Covid or lower their guards. And we are happy...Use water not to play  Songkran but for wash your hands . Prayuth and Government knows how to bring happiness to the people 

[Oldie]

It might not allways be possible to lower the guard anymore. What I see here at many places in Pattaya especially at the entertainment industry - Covid is for sure not a big topic there. Also many people (especially Farangs) are not using masks when they walk around. Is it the same at other locations? I only see what happens in Central Pattaya. Perhaps it is completely different everywhere else. 

[RobU]

Songkran is the proper Thai new year and is celebrated throughout the country despite the fact that Thailand has adopted January 1st as the start of the year to conform with international standards for business purposes. It is one of the major holidays of the year and will be almost impossible to stop people travelling to celebrate with their families. Any government that tries to restrict travel is in for a major kicking by ordinary people who would normally be indifferent or actually support it.

[Moonlover]

10 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Well....this is reaching a new low (or high?) in terms of stupidity.......mass inter-provincial travel with evidence of numerous covid outbreaks, but then warned 'not to lower their guard'.......is there a term for beyond stupid?

Excuse me, but where are all these numerous Covid outbreaks?

[spidermike007]

There is barely any Covid at all here. Can we stop with the Zombie panic mongering? Can we allow the people to simply enjoy a holiday, and stop inflicting apocalyptic prognostications upon them? 

 

And who's fault is all of this anyway? Had Anutin and Prayuth done their jobs back in December, we would not have had a second wave, at all. Where is the blame? Where is the anger? Where is the demand of accountability?