Police officers have deployed containers and barbed wires around Sanam Luang in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district on Saturday in anticipation of the rally scheduled by the Restart Democracy (Redem) group at 6pm.
The group announced on Saturday that they would hold a rally at Sanam Luang to urge the authorities to release leaders of the Ratsadon protest group who had been arrested earlier and charged with sedition and illegal gathering, among others.
The Coalition of Salaya for Democracy movement, a branch of the Ratsadon group, posted on their Facebook that the activities on Saturday would include writing on a white giant banner by rally participants urging the release of protest leaders.
“The banner will later be hung in front of Bangkok Remand Person on March 25,” it said.
A source revealed that the Redem group insisted that their rally would have no leader and no marching, and anticipated that it would end at around 9pm.
Deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol General Jirasan Kaewsaeng-Ake said that police have prepared 22 companies of officers to monitor the situation and prevent it from escalating.
He urged motorists to avoid the following roads from 4pm until the rally ends: Rajini Road, Rajdamnoen Nai Road, Na Phra Lan Road, Kalayana Maitri Road, Sanam Chai Road, Tai Wang Road, Maharaj Road, Prachan Road, Na Phra That Road.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Saturday reported 119 new cases, seven of them overseas travellers in quarantine facilities.
Three provinces accounted for three-fourths of the local patients with Bangkok and Samut Sakhon 38 each and Samut Prakan (15).
The overseas travellers in state quarantine included three Thais and four foreigners.
The Thai nationals came from Poland, Sweden and Russia.
The foreigners were two Myanmar, and each Russia and Indian from their home country. Meanwhile, 62 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Saturday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 27,713. Of these, 24,745 had been contracted locally, including 15,412 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,968 were returnees. So far, 26,512 have recovered and been discharged, 1,111 patients are still in hospitals, and the death toll has increased to 90.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Saturday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 122.88 million (up by 514,038), 99.04 million have recovered, 21.13 million are active cases (89,348 in severe condition) and 2.71 million have died (up by 9,895).
Thailand ranks 115th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 30.42 million, followed by Brazil 11.87 million, India 11.55 million, Russia 4.43 million and the United Kingdom 4.28 million.
Another batch of Sinovac vaccine has arrived in Thailand, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday.
In a post on Facebook, Anutin said the latest batch of 800,000 doses would be distributed to medical personnel nationwide, as well as to people who live in Bangkok’s hotspot — Bangkhae districr.
The minister added that another one million doses of the vaccine would arrive in April.
He said his ministry planned to buy more than 5 milliion doses of vaccine from Sinovac. The order was under discussion between the government and the company.
The Election Commission (EC) has allowed people to notify the EC via electronic channels of their inability to exercise their voting right in local elections, it was announced on the Royal Gazette website on Friday.
The announcement, signed by EC chairman Itthiporn Boonprakong, said that voters can go to www.bora.dopa.go.th or www.ect.go.th, or download the Smart Vote mobile application and notify the EC of the reason that prevented them from voting seven days before or after the election date.
The regulation, while aiming to help the voters and reduce unnecessary travel to the local election office, can be applied only for the election of members or executives of local administrative organisations.
Previously voters had to notify the EC in person or via mail within seven days before or after the election date.
According to the Local Election Act, people who did not vote and failed to give a plausible reason to the EC within seven days, would be barred from running for a member of the House of Representatives, senator, village headman, district chief, member or executive of local administrative organisation for up to two years.
Sixty-three Miss Grand International contestants from around the globe on Friday visited Bangkok’s famous canal, Khlong Ong Ang, in Phra Nakhon district prior to the pageant final round, which will be held on March 27 at Show DC Hall in Bangkok.
The canal recently won the 2020 Asian Townscape Award for Landscape Improvement Project.
UN Habitat Fukuoka selected Khlong Ong Ang as one of six places in Asia that demonstrated outstanding improvement in landscape, art, culture, safety and quality of life of people in surrounding communities.
Khlong Ong Ang weekend market and walking street opens Friday through Sunday from 4pm until 10pm. It features live music performances, street art exhibitions and a variety of products and street foods from local retailers, as well as a free kayaking trip in the canal.
On Friday, 1,006 people at risk of contracting Covid-19 in Bang Khae district were given the Sinovac vaccine, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said.
The vaccine drive started on Wednesday after the BMA established a mobile vaccination unit in Sirisetthanont Market in Bang Khae district, which is a hotspot of recent cluster cases.
The Public Health Ministry and BMA aim to inoculate 6,000 people facing the risk of infection by March 21.
Chawin Sirinak, BMA’s deputy permanent secretary, said 1,006 of the 1,025 registrants were vaccinated on Friday and 19 people did not get the jab either due to physical condition or a change of mind.
“Three people who got vaccinated on Friday have shown non-severe side-effects, such as dizziness and being lightheaded. The patients got better after about 30 minutes of rest,” he added.
So far, the BMA has vaccinated 2,672 people in the Bang Khae area. From Saturday onwards, the mobile unit will move to in front of Inmanoradee Temple in Phasi Charoen district, which neighbours Bang Khae, to facilitate vaccination to a wider group.
Chawin added that those who had been vaccinated would receive their second jab between April 7 and 11.
What happened to the famous Soi Cowboy after Covid-19 hit Thailand?
It’s a question being asked by night owls all over the world, many of whom will be desperate to find out if Bangkok’s honeypot survived the virus when the country reopens later this year.
Thursday was the first anniversary of Thailand’s first national lockdown on March 18. So it seemed a fitting time to get a review of Soi Cowboy’s rough ride through Covid from Thawatchai Tutthayayut – manager of Country Road music bar.
Known to friends and customers as Tee, Thawatchai has been a resident of the soi for over 40 years, witnessing its birth as a Bangkok attraction back in the 1970s.
Soi Cowboy
He kicked off his Covid tale by recounting how last year’s travel ban had robbed Country Road and other Soi Cowboy businesses of the tourists they depend on. Country Road’s revenue has plummeted by over 70 per cent since the country was closed.
“What we earn nowadays is only enough for running costs – staff salary, electricity and water bills, and rent,” he said. The bar’s shareholders, him included, had to dip into their own savings to keep Country Road running in some months, he added.
Recalling the first lockdown, he said officials gave Soi Cowboy businesses just 24 hours notice to prepare for the shutdown on March 18.
It was downhill from there. To survive, Thawatchai rejigged Country Road’s costs, sending staff back to their hometowns on monthly pay of Bt5,000 for the four months of lockdown.
The good news is that almost all of Soi Cowboy’s bars were back in business as soon as restrictions lifted last year. However, with so few customers visiting the neon-splashed alley, staying afloat remained a tough challenge.
“A bar might only sell three bottles of beer per day,” Thawatchai said. “Some bars decided to operate from their entrances and keep their interiors shut to save on expenses.”
As revenue dropped, staff and musicians had to take a pay cut in the middle of last year, though they understood the bar had no other choice, he said.
Country Road managed to survive thanks to its landlord, who lowered the rent for several months. Other Soi Cowboy businesses got similar relief.
Thawatchai also had a special word of thanks for his regular customers – expats who braved the pandemic to visit the bar at least once a week.
Country Road
“My friend’s bar lost around Bt300,000 a month” he said. “But we were lucky enough to have the expats.”
Asked about the second lockdown in December, Thawatchai said the situation was even worse than before. He and the shareholders are now sacrificing their savings to keep the bar open. Closing Country Road would put 20 staff out of work so it wasn’t an option, he added.
As far as Thawatchai is concerned, Thailand can’t reopen soon enough to foreign tourists. In the meantime, all he can do is stay patient and keep the business running to his best ability.
On the day The Nation visited, Country Road was advertising beer at just Bt80 per bottle. Other bars are using similar discount promotions in a bid to lure the trickle of customers on Soi Cowboy.
However, Thawatchai is optimistic that foreign tourists will flood back once the country reopens. He said his confidence came from old customers abroad who had contacted him or his staff personally over the past few months.
Thawatchai Tutthayayut
He added that some foreigners were even willing to endure the 14-day quarantine to visit Thailand. They might not have to for much longer, though.
A vaccine passport measure due to launch in April or May will reduce the number of days in quarantine for travellers to seven. After that, the government plans to reopen the country fully in October.
Meanwhile, the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown have affected not just businesses that depend on foreigners, but also the small businesses that depend on the bars.
Soi Cowboy food vendor Boonma told us her earnings had dropped by 70 per cent during the pandemic, as many of her customers – Thai staff – had still not returned to the bars.
The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Saturday that a heat low covers the lower North and the upper Central regions, while the southerly and the southeasterly winds prevail over the lower North, the Northeast, the Central and the East.
A hot to very hot day with haze is forecast for the upper country, while isolated thundershowers are expected in some areas. People in upper Thailand should take care of their health due to the hot conditions, the department said.
The department also forecast that from March 21 to 22, another strong high pressure area from China would extend to cover upper Thailand and the South China Sea, bringing hot to very hot weather conditions to the upper part of the country. Summer storms, thunderstorms with gusty winds and hail are expected in the Northeast, the North, the Central including Bangkok and its vicinity, the East and the upper South regions. People should stay safe from the severe conditions by keeping away from open areas, big trees and unsecured billboards, the department said. Farmers were warned of damage to crop.
The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Hot to very hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 19-27 degrees Celsius, highs of 37-41°C.
Northeast: Hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-26°C, highs of 36-39°C.
Central: Hot to very day with haze; temperature lows of 23-27°C, highs of 37-40°C.
East: Hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 25-28°C, highs of 32-37°C; waves less than a metre high and a metre during thundershowers.
South (east coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 21-26°C, highs of 32-36°C; waves a metre high.
South (west coast): Hot day with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 21-26°C, highs of 34-37°C; waves less than a metre high and a metre offshore.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Hot day with haze; temperature lows of 27-28°C, highs of 34-37°C.
Some owlets and wild chicks managed to escape the Sri Lanna National Park fire in Chiang Mai, which officials believe had been sparked by humans to smoke out and hunt wildlife.
The fire was brought under control on Thursday, but after it managed to destroy up to 40-rai of forested land.
Thai FM tells border camps to gear up as Myanmar crisis escalates
NationalMar 19. 2021Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai
By The Nation
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai on Friday urged government officials in border provinces to prepare camps for an influx of refugees from Myanmar.
However, Don said he hoped that unrest in Myanmar would not trigger a mass exodus of its citizens to Thailand.
He told press he had discussed the Myanmar crisis with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
“We hope the unrest in Myanmar will be ended as soon as possible to benefit Thailand and other Asean countries,” he said. Meanwhile the Thai government would continue to monitor the situation, Don added.
Local media and agencies report that at least 220 civilians have been killed and 2,000 arrested since junta forces launched a brutal crackdown following the February 1 military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. Eight more killings were reported on Friday.
Thawatchai Tutthayayut
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai
