Thai police in Omicron alert - crackdowns nationwide to stop spread of variant after PM's order

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

Daily News reported that Thailand was finally getting tough with the Omicron variant with orders issued by the prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

 

This comes more than a month after the emergence of the easily spread and fast spreading variant was identified in South Africa then swept through Europe and the US.

 

Many have said Thailand was slow to react because of a lack of testing despite the fact that Omicron soon showed up in the kingdom.

 

Now cases are surging in Thailand the Royal Thai Police has been instructed to ensure that Rule 9 of the emergency decree in particular is followed to the letter.

 

This was contained in a Government Gazette announcement to be followed as of yesterday, January 9th.

 

RTP spokesman Pol Col Krissana Patanacharoen said that chief Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk had instructed his deputies nationwide to make sure that everyone - especially businesses - were following established Covid-19 protocols.

 

This will mean that the loophole that allowed bars and pubs to act as restaurants will be scrutinized and prosecutions for law breaking will follow.

 

The serving of alcohol will be stopped in places and at times when it is illegal and vigilance in this matter will be a priority.

 

Many establishments in Thailand have sought to open under SHA and SHA+ rules - these will be closely checked.

 

9 pm closing will be strictly enforced. 

 

Pubs, bars, massage places and the like will be closely checked to make sure there is no law breaking. 

 

ASEAN NOW notes that there was a certain amount of laissez-faire going on in Thailand especially in tourist areas like Pattaya, nightlife areas of Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

 

That attitude in the coming days is expected to end as law enforcement cracks down under established rules at least until the end of January. 

 

Aetna Platinum+ Light on premium, great on coverage

 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-01-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

[mtls2005]

Police ordered to enforce the law, now.

 

Amazing.

 

 

[Thaiwrath]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand was finally getting tough with the Omicron variant

 

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

9 pm closing will be strictly enforced. 

That ain't getting tough with any variant, just getting even tougher on people trying to make a living to feed their families !

Very sad.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Thaiwrath

[RandiRona]

Big Boss has spoketh!! New year targets has been provided, double or nothing!!

[KhunBENQ]

This can't be "stopped".

How mentally confused can one be!

Slowed down at best for a very high price.

Edited January 10, 2022 by KhunBENQ

[ikke1959]

Enforcing the law must be done everyday.. People need to follow the rules to make live comfortable for everyone.. Not just as yesterday a movie at a temple at least 1km away which we could follow in my living room... Probably too many people and too much noise..and a Karaoke bar they switch into a barbeque restaurant singing till 0.00 every day...customers or not....I will never understand 

[Oblomov]

12 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

 

That ain't getting tough with any variant, just getting even tougher on people trying to make a living to feed their families !

Very sad.

Terrified of a wiry flu type virus with 99% recovery rate (We can all hope in vain for a similarly high recovery rate in so many of the other more serious medical conditions that will undoubtedly carry most of us off) yet unconcerned by poverty in the demographics that don't matter to the wealthy in power. Unconcerned by the young missing education and the hard working being ruined.

 

As you say, sad and insane.

 

 

[asiasurfer]

TIT.  Holiday destination of the crackdowns.

[SooKee]

This equates to 'Learning to live with Covid' how exactly? ????????

[LivinLOS]

So the media will livestream a walk down bangla rd at 10pm will they ?? 

All just lip service and announcements. 

[trainman34014]

Meanwhile at our Local Police Station...........ZZzzzzzzz.

[NicholasTH]

Honestly this is all a good way to recoup some of the money they lost in the hospital / hotel industry.. from the government..

 

 

In all, private hospitals in Thailand bring in around 500 billion baht a year. The industry already depends on foreigners for nearly 30% of its revenue. The need to pull in more cash from foreign patients to offset falls in income from Thais has accelerated the trend.

 

 

In 2020, the total revenue of listed hotels in Thailand amounted to approximately 92.6 billion Thai baht, which was a decrease from the past years. The hotel industry in the country was heavily affected by Covid 

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by NicholasTH

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk had instructed his deputies nationwide to make sure that everyone - especially businesses - were following established Covid-19 protocols.

I am not sure about that, because it seems that a certain minister and his family are not included in that "everyone"...

[The Hammer2021]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

Enforcing the law must be done everyday.. People need to follow the rules to make live comfortable for everyone.. Not just as yesterday a movie at a temple at least 1km away which we could follow in my living room... Probably too many people and too much noise..and a Karaoke bar they switch into a barbeque restaurant singing till 0.00 every day...customers or not....I will never understand 

Laws need to be applied not forced on people without the support  of the community  and society. It's called policing by consent. So often the people have more sense than the lawmakers and police

[WEBBYB808]

Isn't  it obvious  to the world that they left it open to make money at the busy season?  Isn't  it obvious to the world that its too late to attempt to put a finger in the damn?  The only thing that worked and showed that it worked,  was a strict lockdown.  This is an annual cycle now.  The local  business  say dont lock down, we need the money!  Almost, like they only want the money and not worry about people getting infected.   In fairness though 80% of cases in Thailand  are Delta, not many are fatal from the Omicron.    

[BangkokReady]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Many have said Thailand was slow to react because of a lack of testing despite the fact that Omicron soon showed up in the kingdom.

Surely they just wanted to let people enjoy Christmas and New Year rather than face backlash?!!

[Denim]

Talk about shutting the door after the horse has bolted.

 

The horse has not only long gone it is now breeding 

like a rabbit !

 

All the measures mentioned in the OP are now  a waste of time and just going through the motion of being seen to do something.

 

It's out there and it is going to spread fast. Hopefully , it will prove the boon that experts have predicted and it will see covid diminish in both danger and importance. Who really knows 

 

Bigger question is , has covids doll finally done dancing or will it remain a case of not being over until the fat lady sings.

 

A new strain has apparently been detected in Cyprus.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10384049/Scientists-Cyprus-identify-new-Deltacron-Covid-strain-combines-Delta-Omicron.html

 

_{Scientists in Cyprus identify new 'Deltacron' Covid strain in 25 patients that combines elements of Delta and Omicron variants}

[Excel]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Police ordered to enforce the law, now.

 

Amazing.

 

 

Certainly is but even more amassing would be if the RTP  do not insist on larger brown envelopes to allow illegal trading to continue.

[Bangkokian2019]

Pattaya Police checking last night to see if any bars serve alcohol past 9 p.

m.:

 

 

 

 

 

[sandrew33]

None of this will slow Omicron. Like various other places in the World have learned nothing really will stop it. 

 

Its going to surge, the overwhelming majority of people (particularly the vaccinated) will get a nothing or a solid cold and they’ll have enhanced natural immunity as a result. But it’ll be a crazy month to 6 weeks. 

 

These steps just cripple business even harder on way through. 

[Thaifly88]

3 hours ago, SooKee said:

This equates to 'Learning to live with Covid' how exactly? ????????

Variants will continue to crop up at inconvenient and unexpected intervals, this what we must learn to live with - and the associated restrictions will ease up and then tighten up again - ‘Living With Covid’

[david555]

in the video none of the service staff wearing mask ......where they all eating or drinking ?..... no surprise the rules start enforced more !

[jerrymahoney]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

All the measures mentioned in the OP are now  a waste of time and just going through the motion of being seen to do something.

When will they learn not to put forward any directives or proclamations, etc. without running them by the AN/TV faithful first?

[NE1]

Why are the faces blurred in the photos but shown in the video......????

[IamNoone88]

Thai police in Omicron alert - crackdowns nationwide to stop spread of variant after PM's order.

Silly headline. It is not possible to stop the spread of Omicron.

[Orinoco]

I'm sure all the PC plonkers of Thailand  will sort it all out.

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by Orinoco

[Swampy999]

4 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Police ordered to enforce the law, now.

 

Amazing.

 

 

The law will be enforced up until the moment the brown paper envelopes appear. 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Supreme Leader Orders Cops To Beat Omicron Into Submission With Nightsticks ????‍♂️????‍♂️????‍♂️

[RoyLee]

1 hour ago, WEBBYB808 said:

Isn't  it obvious  to the world that they left it open to make money at the busy season?  Isn't  it obvious to the world that its too late to attempt to put a finger in the damn?  The only thing that worked and showed that it worked,  was a strict lockdown.  This is an annual cycle now.  The local  business  say dont lock down, we need the money!  Almost, like they only want the money and not worry about people getting infected.   In fairness though 80% of cases in Thailand  are Delta, not many are fatal from the Omicron.    

Lockdowns kill far more than covid. Sweden, which famously did not lockdown, had the lowest rate of excess deaths in Europe last year. Statistics Canada reported that after the initial wave in spring 2020, lockdowns caused more deaths than covid due to suicides, drug od, untreated cancers etc.  

 

Antarctica had an outbreak despite quarantines, 100% vax and multiple PCR tests.  Avoiding contact with others might help but all other measures are just theater.

[catch104]

oh, that's an order... Yeah, that is the ultimate solution, why no one ever think about issuing such order earlier, we, the world, would be in much better by now....