Thailand recorded 14,956 Covid-19 cases and 262 deaths on Thursday
Ministry of Public Health reported on Thursday (September 2) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 14,956 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 356 of whom have been found in prisons.
Death toll increased by 262, while 17,936 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country are at 1,234,487 with 12,103 total deaths.
Army files complaint against Move Forward MP for allegedly falsifying documents
Representatives of the Second Army Area filed a complaint against Move Forward Party MP Nattacha Boonchaiinsawat at Nakhon Ratchasima police station on Wednesday for allegedly presenting fake documents during a no-confidence debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
“During the debate, which started on Monday, Nattacha presented documents titled ‘Royal Thai Army’s Information Operation’, that referred to the Second Army Area but had several suspicious details,” Second Army Area spokesman Maj-General Sawarat Saengphol said.
“The documents which he claimed were issued from March to July 2021 carry the signatures of the Second Army Area commander and sub-commander but they do not match the real signatures of both individuals. Moreover, one of the documents misspelled the commander’s last name,” Sawarat said.
Army files complaint against Move Forward MP for allegedly falsifying documents
“The documents also listed the wrong ranks and misspelled names of some other officers. These mistakes would not happen if the documents were real as there would be proof-readers to cross-check with the agency issuing the documents,” he pointed out.
Sawarat said the Second Army Area is also investigating photos that Nattacha presented during the debate while claiming them as evidence that the Army had disbursed extra allowances to soldiers during the Covid-19 situation.
“The Second Army Area has never received any such budget from the government as he claimed. We suspect the pictures could have been taken before the Covid-19 outbreak as personnel in the photos were not wearing face masks,” he added.
Thundershowers forecast to whip Thailand, with heavy rains in some regions
Thundershowers are forecast to hammer Thailand, with isolated heavy rains in some areas as the southwest monsoon prevails across the country, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand while a monsoon trough lies across the lower North, the upper Central region and the Northeast, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.
It warned people in risky areas to beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.
North: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees and highs of 32-35 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees and highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius.
Central: Thundershowers in 80 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
East: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (east coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 30-32 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.
Bangkokians can dine in restaurants, but no buffets allowed
With the daily number of new Covid-19 cases dropping, the authorities have relaxed some measures.
Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, Department of Health director-general, said as of Wednesday (September 1) restaurants in 29 “dark red” provinces can serve diners, but only until 8pm. Air-conditioned restaurants are allowed to fill 50 per cent of their seats, while open-air eateries are allowed 75 per cent.
Alcoholic drinks and buffets are still prohibited.
Every table is required to have a bottle of sanitising gel, and diners are required to maintain a distance of one or two metres. Each restaurant, especially air-conditioned ones, is required to open windows and doors frequently for ventilation. Diners are allowed to spend no more than one hour inside a restaurant.
Dr Suwanchai said that currently it is not necessary for restaurant staff to be fully vaccinated and customers to show proof of vaccination, but that requirement may be applied next month.
The 29 provinces under maximum control include Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chonburi, Rayong, Samut Prakan among others.
Meanwhile, restaurants in the 37 maximum-control provinces are allowed to serve until 11pm. However, they cannot serve more than 50 people at any given time.
In the 11 “controlled” provinces, restaurants can open as usual, but have no more than 100 diners on the premises.
Phuket to lift ban on domestic travellers next week
Fully vaccinated domestic travellers will be able to visit Phuket from September 8, when the island will lift its lockdown.
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said visitors from other parts of Thailand would be screened under new measures effective from next Wednesday.
Under the new measures, domestic tourists will need proof of their hotel or accommodation reservation on Phuket, paid in advance. Domestic travellers who stay on the island for longer than nine days must also get a Covid-19 test at their own expense on the fifth day.
All visitors must also show proof of vaccination with two shots of Sinovac, Sinopharm, Sputnik V, mixed Sinovac-AstraZeneca jabs, or one jab of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson at least 14 days before entry. They must also have a negative result from a Covid-19 RT-PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival.
Phuket to lift ban on domestic travellers next week
Exodus from Bangkok as national bus service resumes after 1 month
Interprovincial buses began operating again from Bangkok on Wednesday (September 1) after the service was shut down for a month due to the Delta outbreak. The service is a vital link between Bangkok’s army of migrant workers and their hometowns upcountry.
Bus operator Transport Co said its services had resumed on eight routes to the North, 10 routes to the Northeast/East and eight routes to the South. However, the number of trips was still down 30-40 per cent on normal levels.
On Wednesday morning, passengers had booked 44 per cent of seats on Northern buses and 20 per cent on Northeast/East buses, said Transport Co president Sanyalux Panwattanalikit.
The buses are allowed to operate at 75 per cent passenger capacity with Covid controls, including a ban on eating.
The curfew in 29 Dark Red Zone provinces including Bangkok may be shortened or cancelled, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday.
Speaking on the day when Dark Red Zone restrictions were eased to allow restaurants and some shops to reopen, Prayut said Covid-19 infection rates were being monitored closely as authorities mull their next move.
New daily cases dropped for the 16th day in a row on Wednesday, falling to below 15,000. The PM said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will talk to nightlife business owners about lifting more restrictions. However, he said he was still concerned about people flocking to venues.
Speaking before the second day of the censure debate in Parliament against his government, the PM said lifting or reducing the 9pm-4am curfew was currently under consideration. “In the meantime, we are monitoring infection rates closely,” he said. “[Nightlife] associations or entrepreneurs will need to talk with the CCSA before information is passed on to public health and medical officials.”
Asked about the government’s controversial purchase of 8.5 million Lepu antigen test kits (ATK)s, the PM urged the public to trust the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has approved the kits. Test kits registered by the FDA are used in many other countries and the main goal is to find the best and the cheapest ATKs, he said. The 8.5 million Lepu ATKs will be distributed free of charge in the Dark Red Zone, he added.
Private sector ups 2021 GDP forecast as Thailand’s Covid-19 situation improves
A joint private sector committee has adjusted Thailand’s estimated gross domestic product (GDP) growth for this year to between -0.05 and 1 per cent, higher than the previous estimate of -1.5 to 0 per cent.
The committee is comprised of three private sector organisations, namely the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA).
“The committee estimates that exports this year will expand 12 to 14 per cent due to a recovering world economy and the government’s support of the business sector. The general inflation rate is estimated at 1 to 1.2 per cent,” said Payong Srivanich, TBA chairperson who led the committee’s virtual meeting on Tuesday.
“Comprehensive distribution of Covid-19 vaccines among labourers and free availability of rapid test kits will effectively control infections in the manufacturing sector.
“If the daily infection rate continues dropping and Thailand can procure more vaccines, lockdown measures should be eased from September,” he added.
“Thailand’s recovery for the rest of the year will depend on two important factors: Protecting the supply chain of the manufacturing sector from an outbreak among workers and the government’s economic stimulus measures like co-payment shopping schemes and promotion of tourism during the high season to boost local spending.”
However, he said, if the Covid-19 situation worsens, these measures will likely not be launched, and the country’s economy will spiral back into recession.
As for the official 3-5 per cent estimate of GDP growth in 2022, the committee said this was too low and that the government should aim for a more challenging target of 6 to 8 per cent. It said the 6-8 per cent target would be easily achievable once more than 50 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated.
Private sector ups 2021 GDP forecast as Thailand’s Covid-19 situation improves
“The government should also increase the ratio of public debt against the GDP from 60 per cent to 70-80 per cent, which will allow some 1.5 trillion baht to be added to the economy,” Phayong said. “The government, meanwhile, should continue to promote employment and ensure that small and medium enterprises have access to the 150-billion-baht fund so they can stay afloat if the outbreak lasts longer than estimated.”
Thailand’s daily caseload under 15,000 for 2nd day
Thailand logged 14,802 new infections and 252 deaths over the past 24 hours on Wednesday. Of the new infections, 217 were found in prisons.
Meanwhile, 18,996 patients have recovered and been discharged over the past 24 hours.
Thailand’s total caseload from Covid stands at 1,219,531 – 1,040,768 of whom have recovered, 166,922 are still in hospitals and 11,841 have died.
Separately, another 393,633 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 431,777 their second shot, and 2,772 their third shot, bringing the total Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 32,600,001.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Wednesday, confirmed cases globally had risen to 218.56 million, 195.40 million of whom have recovered, 18.63 million are active cases (106,153 in severe condition) and 4.53 million have died (up by 8,938).
Thailand ranks 29th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 40.11 million, followed by India 32.81 million, Brazil 20.78 million, Russia 6.92 million and the UK 6.79 million.
Thailand plans to open Hua Hin from October 1 under the “Hua Hin Recharge” scheme which allows foreigners to visit without having to quarantine.
Krod Rojanasatien, president of the Thai Spa Association who will lead the “Hua Hin Recharge” scheme, said he and his team will meet Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Sunday.
The key topics to be discussed at the meeting will be the administration of vaccines in Hua Hin and its sub-district Nong Kae, which covers 86.36 square kilometres. The aim will be to provide jabs to 90,564 people or 70 per cent of the population in the area to create herd immunity. So far, 75,740 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the area.
The meeting will also discuss the standard operating procedure for tourists under the scheme. The current plan is for them to undergo an RT-PCR test upon arrival and check into a SHA-plus hotel while waiting for the test result.
If the result is negative, they can move freely within Hua Hin.
They will undergo another two tests – one on the seventh day of arrival, after which they can move out of the SHA-plus hotel. And then again on their 13th day in Thailand. If they test negative in the last test, they can then travel to other areas in Thailand.
Tourism agencies are preparing special activities and tour packages to keep travellers busy, Krod said. The main target is Europeans because they usually visit Thailand during the high season to escape freezing temperatures back home.
Krod said Hua Hin can expect as many as 100,000 tourists on the day of opening and should be able to generate up to 1.2 billion baht in revenue from the programme.
Army files complaint against Move Forward MP for allegedly falsifying documents
Phuket to lift ban on domestic travellers next week
Private sector ups 2021 GDP forecast as Thailand’s Covid-19 situation improves
