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Private hospitals can import Covid vaccine: Thai FDA

NationalJan 13. 2021

By The Nation

The government will not block private hospitals from importing Covid-19 vaccines, said the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday. However, the vaccines must be approved and registered with the FDA, said its secretary-general Dr Paisan Dankhum.

The FDA chief confirmed that AstraZeneca (Thailand) and Sinovac Biotech have submitted approval applications with the FDA for their vaccines, which are being purchased by the government.

Manufacturers or importers of other vaccines that have already been registered by foreign food and drug agencies could also apply for approval, said Paisan. The state does not have a monopoly on Covid-19 vaccines and would not block their import, he added. Private hospitals could purchase a vaccine that is registered with the FDA or, as licensees, register the vaccine themselves.

“People can be confident that vaccines registered by the FDA are safe, high-quality, effective, and can prevent disease. In order to protect consumers, the FDA is preparing to tightly monitor vaccines for safety,” he said.

To register vaccines with the FDA, Thai licence holders are required to present safety information, plans for use, and contingencies in case of side effects.

The FDA’s safety assessment will consider results from the vaccine study, including dosage size and vaccination period, plus quality control in the production process. Paisan said the FDA would not be responsible for the price of vaccines offered by private companies.

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Fourth Samut Sakhon field hospital to open on Friday

NationalJan 13. 2021

By The Nation

A fourth field hospital has been set up in Samut Sakhon and will be ready to receive patients from Friday, vice governor Surasak Phonyangsong said on Tuesday.

Located in the Nadee area of Muang district, the hospital is a two-building facility of 350 beds which will treat asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Covid-19 patients.

Surasak revealed that 180 migrant workers had completed 14-day quarantine and been discharged from Samut Sakhon’s first field hospital, located in the Central Shrimp Market where the outbreak was first detected in mid-December. As of Tuesday, the total number of quarantine-stayers discharged from the hospitals was 472.

Samut Sakhon had recorded 3,341 news cases of Covid-19 since mid-December, as of Monday. Of these, 811 have recovered but need to complete quarantine.

Most of the infected were working-age people, according to Samut Sakhon chief public health officer Naretrit Khatthasima. Very few had developed serious symptoms, and only one had died. The test and trace operation in Samut Sakhon has detected an infection rate of less than 2 per cent, said Naretrit.

Infections in provinces hit hard by the outbreak were still concentrated mainly in factories and related areas.

Of the 30,000 people targeted by the case-search operation, more than 9,000 in 109 factories have already been tested, while the remaining 20,000 will be tested within two weeks.

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Cabinet sets aside Bt1.47 bn to buy school milk from affected farmers

NationalJan 13. 2021

By The Nation

The Cabinet on Tuesday earmarked Bt1.47 billion to purchase 213 million cartons of school milk to help ease dairy farmers’ suffering after their earnings dropped once schools were closed due to the new wave of Covid-19 infections.

Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Mananya Thaiset said the sale of dairy products has also dropped because the outbreak has weakened people’s purchasing power, while foreigners are not able to enter Thailand due to restrictions.

She added that the closure of schools has had an impact on dairy farmers because school milk cannot be sold commercially.

“The only way to ease dairy farmers’ suffering is to purchase 213 million cartons of school milk at Bt7 per carton,” she said.

The Cabinet has also instructed the ministry to come up with ways of increasing the value of the milk, such as processing it into whipped cream or cheese, and promoting the consumption of dairy products.

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More cash handouts in pipeline as new virus wave takes toll  

NationalJan 12. 2021Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith

By The Nation

A new round of cash handouts to help people burdened by the fresh wave of Covid-19 will be proposed to Cabinet next Tuesday (January 19), said finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith on Tuesday. 

Speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Arkhom said that under the plan, a payment of Bt3,500 would be made in February and March to low-income groups including farmers and freelancers who register for the RaoChana (We Win) campaign. Registration for the cash handouts is set to open at the end of January.

Arkhom added that he would also ask the Cabinet in the next two weeks to cut the land and construction tax by 90 per cent and cut the property transfer fee to 0.01 per cent.

He added that he had already discussed the measure with the Interior Ministry.

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Sign of hope for flooded Pattani as dam pressure eases

NationalJan 12. 2021

By The Nation

Flood levels began to drop in Pattani city on Tuesday as water pressure eased on the dam that guards the southern metropolis.

The spillway of Pattani Dam, which controls water from the upstream Bang Lang Dam, was visible for the first time in days, with people in neighbouring Yarang District able to resume travel.

Locals were also able to resume fishing, while children grabbed the chance to play in the spillway after its torrent turned to a trickle.

Authorities advise that floods in Pattani will recede in two to three days if there is no more rainfall, though lowland and flood-prone areas will remain under water for longer.

However, Muang district remains flooded in many areas after being hit by three days of runoff. Some 20 roads in the city are still under about 1 metre of water, with the 2-kilometre-square business district flooded.

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Cabinet okays new phase of shopping co-payment scheme

NationalJan 12. 2021

By THE NATION

The Cabinet has approved the launch of the next phase of the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) co-payment scheme this month, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said on Tuesday.

The Cabinet will review the proposal again on January 19, before the Finance Ministry opens registration for another one million people on January 20, he added.

Successful registrants will receive government-subsidised shopping discounts of up to Bt150 per day from January 25.

However, registrants who do not shop at participating stores within 14 days will automatically lose their rights to the co-payment.

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BTS runs more trains to help maintain social distancing

NationalJan 12. 2021

By The Nation

Surapong Laoha-Unya, chairman and chief executive officer of BTS Group, said the company had increased train frequency to 2:25 minutes per arrival from 2.40 minutes to support social distancing despite the drop in the number of passengers recently.

The temperature of all passengers will be checked before entry with alcohol gel offered to clean the hands.

BTS has also recommended that all passenger register on ThaiChana for travel record.

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Alcohol ban in Phuket from midnight

NationalJan 12. 2021

By THE NATION

The Phuket provincial authority has curbed the opening hours of entertainment venues until midnight, from January 12 to 20, in order to control the Covid-19 situation in the province.

Issued on Monday, the order also prohibits diners from consuming alcoholic beverages in restaurants and at food stalls after midnight.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Tuesday confirmed three cases in Phuket after the second wave in December.

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Thammasat University sets up field hospital in Pathum Thani

NationalJan 12. 2021

By THE NATION

Thammasat University Hospital in Pathum Thani province has set up a field hospital in the province to serve asymptomatic patients or those having mild symptoms.

The hospital will take care of cases from seven provinces — Pathum Thani,

Nonthaburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Singburi, Nakhon Nayok, Lopburi and Saraburi provinces

The field hospital has 308 beds and over 2,500 personnel to serve patients. Next month, the hospital intends to add 48 more beds.

There are also interpreters in several languages to deal with foreign patients. ICU rooms with negative pressure are also ready.

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Reduced water, electricity bills among relief measures approved by Cabinet

NationalJan 12. 2021

By THE NATION

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved measures proposed by the Office of the National Economics and Social Development Council (NESDC) to help alleviate the people’s financial burden during the latest Covid-19 outbreak, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha announced after the meeting.

“The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority and Provincial Waterworks Authority will reduce water bills for February to March by 10 per cent to users in Bangkok and other provinces,” he said. “Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and Provincial Electricity Authority will offer 90 units of electricity free to residential users and 50 units for small business users during the same period.”

The Cabinet has also told the Ministry of Finance to prepare the details of a new cash handout programme, with initial proposal to pay Bt3,500 per person per month for two months to those who have been affected by the outbreak or shutdown measures, including self-employed persons and farmers.

“The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission and internet service providers also would offer free speed adjustment to users of fixed broadband or home internet in order to promote working from home,” added Prayut. “Moreover, users of “MorChana” tracing application will not be charged mobile data fee.”

The prime minister added that the “Let’s Go Halves” co-payment shopping campaign will open for registration for another 1 million users by the end of January.