The Thai government is expected to announce on Friday that 18 provinces will be declared ‘red zones’ and under the highest COVID-19 controls.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, said that at a meeting on Thursday Thailand’s National Communicable Diseases Committee (NCDC) has agreed, in principle, to declare 18 provinces as ‘red zones’ and 59 other provinces as ‘orange zones’.

 

According to Daily News, the provinces to become red zones are:

 

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Samut Prakan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nonthaburi, Songkhla, Tak, Udon Thani, Suphanburi, Sa Kaeo, Rayong and Khon Kaen.

 

All other provinces will be orange zones.

 

In red zones, restaurants will be allowed to open but must close by 9pm or 11pm in the orange zone.

 

All other restrictions will largely be the same in either zone, such as schools closed and no alcohol in restaurants, while pubs, bars, karaoke and massage parlours will be closed.

 

People will be told to refrain from activities that involve large numbers of people and no parties should take place apart from family events (presumably means weddings, monk ordinations and funerals). No activities with more than 50 attendees will be permitted, while amusepark parks and attractions at malls, such as children’s play areas will also need to be closed.

 

However, according to Daily News, there will be no lockdown, although details regarding provincial travel restrictions will be confirmed on Friday (16 April).

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-15

 

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Shut the whole country down with obviously some exceptions such as Government Ministers with their mia nois, mia nois in their own gifted car willing to give freebies to the police, those that drive cars valued more than 15 million baht, those that give bribes to anybody in government and of course anybody else who can say whilst drunk in their car "do you know who I am".  That should cover most.

5 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

although details regarding provincial travel restrictions will be confirmed on Friday (16 April).

they still have time to totally screw it up and more than enough ability

so alcohol in restaurants will stay, just limited hours.

what time are they allowed to start serving it?

7 minutes ago, realfunster said:

 

It says clearly in the article no alcohol in restaurants.

YMMV.

Another loop hole closed, so the satanic alcohol can not propagate the virus ????‍♂️

The short term recklessness will now lead to longterm containment, economic losses and suffering for the population in Thailand. 

 

Instead of being pro active, these reactive decisions are inevitable but so unavoidable had they acted sooner in targeted lockdowns. Its not like this was difficult to forecast. A 12 year old child in science class could have done better and still only got a c mark.

 

Its not like they did not see this happening in other countries with this new variant, or did they think they were immune or are they just plain stupid. 

57 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

although details regarding provincial travel restrictions will be confirmed on Friday (16 April).

total bozos; you dont do this in the middle of songkran when bangkok is empty ! should have cancelled songkran; TOTAL idiots

6 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

total bozos; you dont do this in the middle of songkran when bangkok is empty ! should have cancelled songkran; TOTAL idiots

 

I have to agree. this comes a week too late.

Too late 

Mr TAT has been awfully quiet lately. Inactive post?

Time for that creep Anutin to step up and do some explaining, he's still in isolation at home but that shouldn't stop him speaking if he's got the balls. 

2 hours ago, Excel said:

Shut the whole country down with obviously some exceptions such as Government Ministers with their mia nois, mia nois in their own gifted car willing to give freebies to the police, those that drive cars valued more than 15 million baht, those that give bribes to anybody in government and of course anybody else who can say whilst drunk in their car "do you know who I am".  That should cover most.

It’s so sad to read, but oh so true. 

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Time for that creep Anutin to step up and do some explaining, he's still in isolation at home but that shouldn't stop him speaking if he's got the balls. 

No. he swapped them for the doctors tunic...

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

<snip>

Its not like they did not see this happening in other countries with this new variant, or did they think they were immune or are they just plain stupid. 

Sarcasm alert: Is that a rhetorical question or are you seriously in doubt?

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Mr TAT has been awfully quiet lately. Inactive post?

 

 

Time for TAT to up the anti in attracting high quality tourisits and and allow visits without quarantine from tourists who can dump a non-refundable  US$1 million deposit in cash or gold bullion with the Immigration officer.  

Better to lock down the whole country.  All provinces will be red within two weeks as a result of the Songkran exodus.

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

All other restrictions will largely be the same in either zone, such as schools closed

Please don't shut the schools. I just paid for the next term before the holidays and between term holidays, public holidays and covid shutdowns she's never there.

 

 

11 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Please don't shut the schools. I just paid for the next term before the holidays and between term holidays, public holidays and covid shutdowns she's never there.

 

 

I really feel for you. It is a bxmmer.

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Mr TAT has been awfully quiet lately. Inactive post?

No. In Home office. 

4 hours ago, internationalism said:

so alcohol in restaurants will stay, just limited hours.

what time are they allowed to start serving it?

Reading can be difficult for some: "no alcohol in restaurants,"

It's taken UK nearly four months and vaccine rollout in high numbers to contain this UK variant. Also saw I think it was a Turkish minister commenting on tourism in his country been asked why they were opening up to tourists in the current wave they have, his reply " We think this variant cannot be controlled by lockdowns alone, we need vaccination too, so what difference is letting tourists in when we have high infections". Take what you want from his comment.

Inflammatory troll post reported and removed.  

 

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Mr TAT has been awfully quiet lately. Inactive post?

Hope so.... ????????

Just checking I've been following developments accurately:

 

A 'cluster-event' in Thonglor and Ekkamai HiSo knocking shops sparks publicity about an outbreak just before the main holiday period when everyone has travel plans

 

People are told they may or may not need to quarantine when they travel, but getting a negative test result will avoid any quarantine requirements 

 

Tests cost 600 THB, but are free if you claim to have bonked in Thanglor or Ekkamai

 

There's a surge in testing as people want free tests to avoid quarantine over Songkran 

 

The inevitable high level of sympromless cases in the community is revealed by the increase in testing

 

All positive cases must be isolated in a hospital - so hospitals fill up with healthy people enjoying a free lunch

 

The self-generated spike in cases prompts the government to close bars to reduce the spread and to close shopping centres at 9:00 pm because, erm, I've no idea

 

Hospitals ask people to not come for tests as beds are full and they can't afford any more free lunches

 

The few genuinely sick people can't get a hospital bed or a test

 

The UK gets the blame for mutating the virus into a variants that is no more serious than the original Chinese strain, but may spread a bit easier

 

Still no sign of a serious vaccination campaign, but Denmark halts their vaccination program because they are wusses

 

Did I miss anything?

 

 

Country is heading for a full lockdown. 

2 hours ago, Petey11 said:

It's taken UK nearly four months and vaccine rollout in high numbers to contain this UK variant. Also saw I think it was a Turkish minister commenting on tourism in his country been asked why they were opening up to tourists in the current wave they have, his reply " We think this variant cannot be controlled by lockdowns alone, we need vaccination too, so what difference is letting tourists in when we have high infections". Take what you want from his comment.

That's pretty fatalistic, isn't it? Who knows, maybe it will come to that. "It's everywhere so why not let everybody in without quarantine?"

22 minutes ago, mbenson said:

That's pretty fatalistic, isn't it? Who knows, maybe it will come to that. "It's everywhere so why not let everybody in without quarantine?"

Hence the recent choice to allow it to spread, it's being normalised.

 

Things will resume, virus or not.

 

However the risk to tourists is lockdowns - if there is a danger of lockdowns when travelling then nobody will come, quarantine or not.

Thailand readies restrictions as coronavirus cases surge

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Orathai Sriring

 

FILE PHOTO: Local residents queue for a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) nasal swab test, in Bangkok, Thailand, April 14, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand reported 1,543 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the sharpest increase since the start of the pandemic and the fourth record rise this week, prompting authorities to prepare new restrictions that would include closing schools and clubs.

 

Thailand has so far managed to contain the number of cases relative to other countries, but the new outbreak comes as many have travelled during the country's Songkran new year holidays and as vaccination rates are still low.

 

Asked whether lockdowns would be imposed, health official Chawetsan Namwat said measures were being formulated based on case numbers in each area and would be proposed to the coronavirus taskforce for approval on Friday.

 

"We have to divide up the areas based on seriousness, which is different and so measures have to be suitable for each area," Chawetsan told a briefing.

 

The measures include closing entertainment venues, clubs, bars, massage parlours and schools nationwide for at least two weeks, health minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a statement.

 

Activities involving over 50 people would be prohibited and 18 provinces, including Bangkok, classified as red zones and the remaining 59 provinces as orange.

 

Restaurants would not be able to serve alcohol and must close by 9 p.m. in red zones.

 

Authorities have already urged people to limit travel and begin working from home. Shopping malls will also close at 9 p.m and the banking association said branches outside malls will shut at 3:30 p.m. and limit customer numbers.

 

Thailand's last major lockdown was in late March last year, with a curfew imposed in April, before months of relatively relaxed curbs as cases were mainly contained.

 

Of the new infections reported on Thursday, 409 were in Bangkok, the outbreak's epicentre.

 

The new cases took total infections to 37,453, with deaths remaining at 97.

 

All positive cases have to be admitted into care under Thai rules, with 8,973 patients currently being treated, which could stretch a healthcare system already strained by the last outbreak.

 

In a statement, the government said there was sufficient space to accommodate patients, especially in Bangkok and nearby provinces, with more than 6,000 beds arranged and 2,200 more planned including in field hospitals.

 

Chawetsan denied the rate of vaccination was slow, but said the country had received a limited number of doses. Government data showed about 2,000 additional vaccinations by Thursday from a day earlier out a total of 581,308.

 

Thailand has vaccinated less than 0.4% of its population, trailing neighbours including Malaysia, with 1.5%, and 14.6% in Singapore, a Reuters estimate found.

 

The government's main vaccination strategy relies on locally-produced AstraZeneca shots, which are expected to start being delivered in June, with the aim of inoculating half of the adult population by the end of the year.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Orathai SiringEditing by Ed Davies and Barbara Lewis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-16

 

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1 hour ago, mbenson said:

That's pretty fatalistic, isn't it? Who knows, maybe it will come to that. "It's everywhere so why not let everybody in without quarantine?"

Variants are good reason. There are still more dangerous variant strains (Brazil, South Africa, etc) which could make this avoidable and dangerous situation even worse.

I am affraid that now is the time for the Thai government to be humbled by this little virus.

seems like this virus was sent from hell to humble governments all around the world.

First it started in china, than moved quickly to italy, than brought the u..s. and u.k. to their

knees, while skapping whole latine america with its tail.

 

now, is the time of Thailand. The measures announced are obviously insuficient.

daily infections will soon rise to 20-30 000 a day. if they are not allready there.