Thailand reports 559 new COVID-19 cases, 1 more death

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/richardbarrowthailand/posts/309373740548896

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Why do you use the term rogue governors? 

Because they're going against the government's policy of unrestricted travel over Songkran. 

 

"Going rogue": The expression today is more likely to be used to indicate that someone is displaying some degree of independence or failing to follow an expected script.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/were-going-rogue#:~:text=When going rogue was first,to follow an expected script.

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by brewsterbudgen

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

Because they're going against the government's policy of unrestricted travel over Songkran. 

 

He also said this:

 

 Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has allowed governors and communicable disease committees in each province to use measures depending on the situation in their areas. The outbreak situation may vary from province to province, so each governor should be able to issue measures suitable for their community

 

So thats exactly what they are doing. You call that rogue behaviour, wow................

[rabas]

44 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Thailand’s new Covid wave ‘10 times worse’ | The Nation Thailand

 

 

Sinovac's vaccine based on old old Wuhan strain is no use, he said.

 

Probably why China is selling it overseas.  

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

He also said this:

 

 Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has allowed governors and communicable disease committees in each province to use measures depending on the situation in their areas. The outbreak situation may vary from province to province, so each governor should be able to issue measures suitable for their community

 

So thats exactly what they are doing. You call that rogue behaviour, wow................

Did you read the definition I posted of "going rogue"?  It was an edit, so you may have missed it.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

Did you read the definition I posted of "going rogue"?  It was an edit, so you may have missed it.

The edit...............................how convenient.

 

However they are following his directives by making their own decisions so despite the definition they are still not going rogue no matter how you try to use it.

[brewsterbudgen]

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

The edit...............................how convenient.

 

However they are following his directives by making their own decisions so despite the definition they are still not going rogue no matter how you try to use it.

 

Well it's "rogue" to me and to the countless people who took the government at their word when they announced that there would be no travel restrictions over the extended Songkran holiday.  The "rogue" Governors are just playing politics in their province as the majority of their restrictions are unenforceable, especially for those driving home for the holiday.

Edited April 9, 2021 by brewsterbudgen

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From the prior reporting here, both the PM and the Health Minister Anutin have said in recent days that there would NOT be any restrictions on domestic travel....

 

Yes, the local governors were given the authority to make local rules regarding businesses and activities in their jurisdictions. But supposedly, that wasn't supposed to include the notion of imposing 14 day quarantines on incoming domestic travelers from BKK or other COVID areas.

 

How any of them, to the extent the various social media reports are correct, expect to enforce a 14 day quarantine against Song Kran holiday travelers remains a mystery to me. And I've heard no details of how they'd expect to enforce such a thing.

 

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

 

Well it's "rogue" to me 

aaah thats better.

 

So in turn I would actually call it a rogue government not taking leadership and not following what is clearly the best course of action to contain an outbreak. 

 

However I'll agree to disagree with you on that.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A slideshow of photos and details from a Thai journalist on the Army actually setting up 2000+ beds worth of field hospital facilities in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4228688687164171&set=pcb.4228697310496642

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[brewsterbudgen]

6 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

aaah thats better.

 

So in turn I would actually call it a rogue government not taking leadership and not following what is clearly the best course of action to contain an outbreak. 

 

However I'll agree to disagree with you on that.

No, I agree with you that the current government is rogue (and illegitimate) in all respects.

[brewsterbudgen]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

A slideshow of photos and details from a Thai journalist on the Army actually setting up 2000+ beds worth of field hospital facilities in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4228688687164171&set=pcb.4228697310496642

 

My God that looks grim and to be avoided at all costs! 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

More reporting of local travel restrictions/test requirements:

 

Is the current COVID tests shortage, apart from the actual outbreak, also being driven by Thais who believe they need a test in order to travel home for Song Kran?

 

Bangkok’s hospitals run out of COVID tests as new rules create travel crunch

...

After a slew of travel restrictions went up around Bangkok, holiday travelers in need of testing certificates today were left to call around to hospitals in hope of finding any with remaining tests, a situation changing by the moment.

 

So far, private hospitals to suspend testing include Samitivej Srinakarin, Sukhumvit, Phyathai 1, Paolo Kaset, Praram 9, BNH, Piyavate and MedPark.

 

In the past 24 hours, officials throughout the kingdom announced mandatory quarantine for anyone arriving without proof of a recent COVID test from the capital and four provinces comprising metropolitan Bangkok – Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Nakhon Pathom.

 

So far those restrictions have been announced in popular destinations including Chiang Mai, Trang, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Khon Kaen, Songkhla, Surat Thani’s Koh Samui, and Buriram.

 

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/bangkoks-hospitals-run-out-of-covid-tests-as-new-rules-create-travel-crunch/

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

My God that looks grim and to be avoided at all costs! 

 

One of the things I've never been clear on, throughout this entire ordeal, is...  if someone actually tests positive for COVID somewhere, do they get to choose where they want to be "hospitalized," are they hospitalized wherever the test was done, or they automatically get assigned somewhere.

 

It seems to me in the past, I heard of some of the high end private hospitals saying they were doing COVID testing, but they weren't accepting any COVID patients for treatments, and that they would be referred to government hospitals... But that was back in the prior waves.

 

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

More reporting of local travel restrictions/test requirements:

 

Bangkok’s hospitals run out of COVID tests as new rules create travel crunch

...

After a slew of travel restrictions went up around Bangkok, holiday travelers in need of testing certificates today were left to call around to hospitals in hope of finding any with remaining tests, a situation changing by the moment.

 

So far, private hospitals to suspend testing include Samitivej Srinakarin, Sukhumvit, Phyathai 1, Paolo Kaset, Praram 9, BNH, Piyavate and MedPark.

 

In the past 24 hours, officials throughout the kingdom announced mandatory quarantine for anyone arriving without proof of a recent COVID test from the capital and four provinces comprising metropolitan Bangkok – Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Nakhon Pathom.

 

So far those restrictions have been announced in popular destinations including Chiang Mai, Trang, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Khon Kaen, Songkhla, Surat Thani’s Koh Samui, and Buriram. There were unconfirmed reports of passengers already in the air being told they would be taken from the airport on Koh Samui for testing.

 

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/bangkoks-hospitals-run-out-of-covid-tests-as-new-rules-create-travel-crunch/

 

I'll add Phuket to that, there's large waiting lists for booking covid tests in government hospitals, so they could well be running out soon to.

 

Not sure about the private hospitals though.

 

This could soon be a Thailand wide problem getting tested.

[bkk6060]

I wish I could curse on here.

 

I just got back to my condo I live off Pattaya Nua road.  There was an ambulance out front.  I asked the office and they said Covid positive male being taken to the hospital.  He apparently has a condo here and has been here for one day, I just assume he came from Bangkok.  I am pis..d off.  He lives on a different floor them I do.  But, the elevators, door handles, etc. all exposed...

I guess I will have to go get a test now at some point.

 

So, it is here people.  Be very careful and stay safe!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The Associated Press, via Khaosod English, has a good and long summary on COVID developments in Thailand, including the following excerpt (full article linked below):

 

"Thailand has vaccinated well under 1% of its 69 million people and has on hand a relatively small supply of the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines. While there have been some high-profile vaccination events — including most recently inoculations for workers at now-closed entertainment venues in areas affected by the latest outbreak — there is still no clear time table for when the general public will be able to get a vaccine."

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/04/09/thailand-faces-growing-outbreak-ahead-of-new-year-travel/

 

Note: the TH government has been saying their local AstraZeneca vaccine supply should start to become available by June.

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, bkk6060 said:

 He lives on a different floor them I do.  But, the elevators, door handles, etc. all exposed...

I guess I will have to go get a test now at some point.

 

 

The public health authorities around the world lately have been much more reserved on the prospect of people becoming infected with the virus via casual/normal surface contacts. They're really scaled back on the likelihood of that occurring via casual living contacts.   Airborne respiratory exposure is by far and away the primary means of transmission.

 

But they're still advising folks to regularly wash their hands, maintain distancing, wear masks, etc etc.

 

[brewsterbudgen]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The Associated Press, via Khaosod English, has a good and long summary on COVID developments in Thailand, including the following excerpt (full article linked below):

 

"Thailand has vaccinated well under 1% of its 69 million people and has on hand a relatively small supply of the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines. While there have been some high-profile vaccination events — including most recently inoculations for workers at now-closed entertainment venues in areas affected by the latest outbreak — there is still no clear time table for when the general public will be able to get a vaccine."

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/04/09/thailand-faces-growing-outbreak-ahead-of-new-year-travel/

 

That is a depressing read.  The British Council managed to vaccinate all their Bangkok teachers and support staff, both Thai and non-Thai, yesterday but I would guess that was with vaccine imported by them from the UK.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Three more venues added to list of Bangkok hotspots

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has added three new nightspots to the list of venues being temporarily closed for sparking a cluster of nearly 400 Covid-19 cases recently.

 

In a Facebook post on Friday, BMA spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang called on people who visited Snail Thonglor, Babyface Superclub in Ekkamai and THAY Ekkamai since March 22 to contact the BMA via http://bkkcovid19.bangkok.go.th/ or call (02) 203 2393, (02) 203 2396 or (02) 203 2883.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404718

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/earthpongsakornk/posts/498527528223814

 

 

[FarFlungFalang]

15 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The Associated Press, via Khaosod English, has a good and long summary on COVID developments in Thailand, including the following excerpt (full article linked below):

 

"Thailand has vaccinated well under 1% of its 69 million people and has on hand a relatively small supply of the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines. While there have been some high-profile vaccination events — including most recently inoculations for workers at now-closed entertainment venues in areas affected by the latest outbreak — there is still no clear time table for when the general public will be able to get a vaccine."

 

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/04/09/thailand-faces-growing-outbreak-ahead-of-new-year-travel/

 

Note: the TH government has been saying their local AstraZeneca vaccine supply should start to become available by June.

 

So they vaccinate hospitality workers before frontline medical staff?Strange strategy especially when they then close the hospitality venues where the vaccinated hospitality workers were working so what's the point in that?Strange dayz indeed. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

https://www.facebook.com/ThaiPBSWorld/posts/4301271749918122

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

Private hospitals given green light to acquire vaccines on their own

 

"Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha instructed government agencies to facilitate the private sector’s efforts to procure coronavirus vaccines, the government said on Friday.

...

“The PM is concerned about the news that the government’s vaccine procuring plan is providing benefit to one person or a large company so there was a discussion at the CCSA’s meeting today,” said Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

 

“The PM, as head of the CCSA, had agreed with all the proposals that the private sector have proposed today, which is mainly the policy for the private sector to help procure more vaccines and they have asked for the government to facilitate them,” he added."

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/26343/private-hospitals-given-green-light-to-acquire-vaccines-on-their-own/

 

Note: there was prior mention by a government spokesman that the PM met earlier today with representatives of Thailand's Private Hospitals Association, a discussion that also supposedly focused on the issue of COVID test and hospital bed shortages.

 

According to the article, Thailand with its current orders and expected production of its own AstraZeneca vaccine later this year expects to have 70 million doses by year-end.

 

But official say the country needs at least 80 million doses, enough two-dose vaccines for 40 million people, in order to achieve so-called herd immunity and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Still no mention of any planned government purchases of the J&J vaccine that the government approved late last month.

 

[sathornlover]

1 hour ago, rabas said:

 

Sinovac's vaccine based on old old Wuhan strain is no use, he said.

 

Probably why China is selling it overseas.  

 

 

For example Chile:

"Chile, which started targeted inoculations late last year for front-line health workers, has been rolling vaccines out to older adults and essential workers after receiving nearly four million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine in February.

Today (27. March 2021), more than 33 percent of the more 18 million Chileans has one or both jabs, which makes the country one of the world leaders in terms of the percentage of people who have received vaccines."

 

Chile: Alarming rise in COVID cases despite vaccination efforts

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There was an extended discussion of Bangkok's hospital bed supply during this afternoon's COVID briefing by the government. There were several slides presented, including the following:

 

 

I believe it's an inventory of COVID case suitable hospital beds for the Bangkok area as of fall 2020, and includes a reference that private hospitals, the last horizontal line of the chart, make up about 65% of the total. The prior horizontal columns represent various government department-run facilities.

 

I believe, the second vertical column is the number of hospital facilities and the third vertical column is the numbers of hospital beds.

 

But, I don't read Thai, and have to rely on Google Translate, so if anyone can fill in better info or correct me, please do so.

 

Sorry, there was no EN version of these documents.

 

 

[rabas]

11 minutes ago, sathornlover said:

For example Chile:

"Chile, which started targeted inoculations late last year for front-line health workers, has been rolling vaccines out to older adults and essential workers after receiving nearly four million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine in February.

Today (27. March 2021), more than 33 percent of the more 18 million Chileans has one or both jabs, which makes the country one of the world leaders in terms of the percentage of people who have received vaccines."

 

Chile: Alarming rise in COVID cases despite vaccination efforts

 

Excellent find. 

 

[LosLobo]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The public health authorities around the world lately have been much more reserved on the prospect of people becoming infected with the virus via casual/normal surface contacts. They're really scaled back on the likelihood of that occurring via casual living contacts.   Airborne respiratory exposure is by far and away the primary means of transmission.

 

But they're still advising folks to regularly wash their hands, maintain distancing, wear masks, etc etc.

 

Good article in the New York Times today, the CDC has changed its guidelines on contaminated surfaces.

 

The New York Times (nytimes.com)

 

Second article down. Free login.

[trainman34014]

5 hours ago, TooBigToFit said:

When I see the way the beds are set up in these field hospitals and quarantine places, I can't imagine how that would work with infected people actually getting healthy there and keeping the virus contained.

If they are or will be as we see them then they are Death Camps !

[2 is 1]

How much case's already missing from coverment list!? Coz our province (Loei) report case also but not see in coverment list! I just say misses that not go gym anymore, there was just huge party yesterday!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Then there was this list of BKK area private hospital facilities and their bed availability as of recent times:

 

The yellow horizontal column at the top is the total for the listed hospitals, and the two vertical columns, I believe, are total beds and available beds.  Again, please correct if I'm mistaken.