Covid-19 testing around Samut Sakhon’s Central Shrimp Market has been increased in a bid to stamp out the nationwide outbreak at its source.
The area is being disinfected again after 1,217 tests revealed 113 new cases of Covid-19 among market workers and local residents in recent days. A Siriraj Hospital team and local health officials will descend on the area to collect 60,000 samples from people and workers this week. On Monday, 400 samples were collected and sent to the Siriraj Hospital Lab, with results expected tomorrow. The province has reported 5,332 Covid-129 cases since the outbreak was discovered at the Central Shrimp Market in mid-December. The market has been closed until further notice.
Deputy governor Surasak Pholyangsong said this week’s case search would focus on local factories in Ban Phaeo and Krathum Baen districts, where more than 10 per cent of workers have tested positive. Authorities would consider relaxing some restrictions following the latest case search, he added.
Siam Bioscience on Monday released a statement following criticism by Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit over its role in Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccine programme.
Last Monday Thanathorn slammed the government for slowness in providing vaccines, and questioned the transparency of giving a company owned by the Crown Property Bureau – Siam Bioscience – the right to manufacture the AstraZeneca vaccine locally. Thanathorn alleged documents show there was no selection process or comparison made between companies before Siam Bioscience was handed the task. Last Wednesday, the government filed a charge of lese majeste against Thanathorn over his comments.
On Monday, Siam Bioscience clarified steps that led to the deal, though did not respond directly to Thanathorn’s allegations.
“In October 2020 Siam Bioscience, SCG [Siam Cement Group], AstraZeneca and the Public Health Ministry signed a Letter of Intent to demonstrate their joint commitment to make this vaccine available in Southeast Asia,” said the company statement. “This was followed by a contract manufacturing agreement between AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience. This agreement also signifies that Siam Bioscience met AstraZeneca’s high technical, operational and ethical standards. Through technology transfer from AstraZeneca, Siam Bioscience is now part of AstraZeneca’s worldwide network of vaccine manufacturing partners.”
Siam Bioscience also outlined its relevant experience:
“AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine is a modified adenoviral vector grown in mammalian cells. Siam Bioscience has experience with manufacturing and exporting products that use such mammalian cell technology. Our facilities comply with multiple international standards, provide an integrated solution for every step of the process and, as the largest biopharmaceutical manufacturer in Thailand, we have the potential to expand our capacity in the future.”
The company said it was manufacturing the vaccine under a “no profit, no loss” policy for the duration of the pandemic, in line with AstraZeneca’s own commitment.
“The mission to manufacture Covid-19 vaccine is supported by the National Vaccine Institute, Public Health Ministry with a budget of almost Bt600 million, and an additional Bt100 million budget from Siam Cement Group in order to prepare the facilities for manufacturing AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as possible.”
Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) announced recently that fares for the Orange Line will start from Bt15 and be charged at an average of Bt2.50 per station.
This fare is based on the assumption that the consumer price index will rise by 2 per cent every year.
Meanwhile, MRTA governor Pakapong Sirikantaramas said despite a court ruling postponing bids for the project, a winner of the bid should be confirmed by March.
He also said the Orange Line will open for service as scheduled because construction should take less time than expected.
Pakapong added that once the bidding process is completed, MRTA will call on the operator to maintain fares for the line between Bt15-Bt45 in a bid to motivate Bangkokians to travel by train.
The MRT Orange Line is divided into two sections – the Eastern section from Suwinthawong to Thailand Cultural Centre (22.5 kilometres) and the second-phase Western section from Thailand Cultural Centre to Bang Khun Non (17.5km).
The Eastern section is scheduled to open in March 2024.
Samut Sakhon’s Central Shrimp Market was hosed down with disinfectant in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19 on Monday.
Firefighters used two fire trucks to spray roads with a chlorine mixture, while government officials and workers washed down the market and residential areas.
This big clean is in line with the province’s plan to reopen the market by the end of this month.
As of Tuesday, train services to and from several routes will be suspended in line with measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Nirut Maneepan said on Monday.
This announcement, however, was met by complaints, with many people posting comments on the SRT Facebook page saying the move was unwarranted as the Covid-19 situation is getting better. They also pointed out that it would be an added burden for people facing financial difficulties, as trains were the cheapest travel option, while some suggested that the service only be stopped at the weekends.
Separately, SRT said it was ready to comply with the Transport Ministry’s guidelines on the use of Bangkok’s main Hua Lamphong Railway Station once the Bang Sue Grand Station is opened.
The SRT has been tasked with coming up with new routes to reduce the number of trains running through the city to avoid traffic jams near railway junctions.
Construction of the Bang Sue Grand Station, which will be Thailand’s largest railway hub, is almost complete, with just the installation of electrical and mechanical systems, and the setting up of a van operator pending.
Meanwhile, the SRT Red Line serving Greater Bangkok will be open to the public in July and up for commercial services from November. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob recently said the Hua Lamphong Station should be closed as soon as the Red Line opens, so no trains run through the capital.
Meanwhile, the trains and routes that will be suspended for the time being are:
Thailand’s PM2.5 pollution eased on Monday with Bangkok, the Central, East and South regions all declared “safe” by the government’s Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM).
“However, the air quality in 25 North and Northeast provinces – Chiang Rai, Phayao, Chiang Mai, Nan, Lampang, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Uthai Thani, Lopburi, Saraburi, Prachin Buri, Nong Khai, Loei, Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Roi Et, Chaiyaphum, Ubon Ratchathani and Nakhon Ratchasima – is unsafe,” said CAPM deputy spokeswoman Siwaporn Rangsiyanon.
Chiang Mai on Monday suffered PM2.5 levels as a high as 66 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3), according to the CAPM, though the popular aqicn.org website measured levels as high as 164μg/m3 over the past 48 hours. Thailand’s safe level is set at 50μg/m3, twice that of the World Health Organisation.
The air quality in Bangkok and its vicinity would hit unsafe levels again on Wednesday and Thursday, according the CAPM forecast. Air quality in other regions is likely to improve.
“Therefore, we ask people to refrain from burning crops in the open air, reduce time spent on outdoor activities, use protective accessories and see a doctor if they have symptoms [such as breathing difficulties],” said the spokeswoman.
The CAPM is cooperating with other government agencies to tackle the PM2.5 situation.
“The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has ordered its officials to collect information related to wildfire, smog and PM2.5 for provincial governors, while the Department of Local Administration has instructed its officials to prevent and resolve problems related to PM2.5 in their area, especially agricultural and community areas,” Siwaporn said.
She added that PM2.5 levels can be monitored via the Air4Thai.com website or smartphone app, or the CAPM Facebook page. Other pollution-monitoring websites are available.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) revealed that the party cluster involving a Radio DJ, which had now infected 19 people, was linked to an entertainment venue in Chiang Mai
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, the DDC director-general, reported on Sunday that an investigation into the case of Techin Ploypetch, also known as DJ Matoom, revealed that an infected man who attended the DJ’s birthday party had travelled to Chiang Mai during the New Year festival (January 1-5 ).
The first infected patient, 33, went to DJ Matoom’s condominium on January 9 and talked with him for 30-60 minutes without a mask on. The asymptomatic DJ then brought the virus to the party.
Another cluster was started when a suit shop owner came into contact with the first patients and developed symptoms on January 18, which later spread to at least three businessmen.
The last cluster from the Chiang-Mai-club linked patient began on January 16 when the infected suit shop owner joined a real estate agent’s 25th birthday party on January 16 with 12 people joining the party. Of them, four have tested positive, including the NBT news anchor.
Chart shows how the superspreader carried the virus to three clusters in Bangkok. Photo Credit: Department of Disease Control
Meanwhile, the first patient started to get sick on January 16.
Dr Opas said there were around 19 infected patients from various professions, including a 26-year-old airline employee, a 23-year-old singer and actor, a 34-year-old police officer, a 43-year-old PR manager, a 34-year-old stylist, found in three clusters. He said parties posed a virus risk, especially those held in closed and badly ventilated areas, where participants drink alcohol, smoke and do not wear masks.
There are concerns that such clusters would affect the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration meeting to consider lifting the strict measures in place, as the new clusters have the potential to spread widely.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) announced on Monday that 2,500 of the 9,138 CCTV cameras planned for Bangkok have been installed.
The new CCTV project, expected to be completed by March, is part of moves to prevent crimes in the capital.
MPB deputy chief Pol Maj-General Jirapat Phumjit said the new cameras had been installed as a backup for the old ones. Also, officers can monitor the new cameras via their phones or monitors set up in their station.
Jirapat also said that each officer will be put in charge of eight to 10 cameras in their area of jurisdiction.
The installation will cost around Bt36 million and will be funded by the MPB, he added.
A recent poll shows that more than 97 per cent of Thais back the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry’s decision to hit Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit with lese majeste charges for linking Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccine plans to a royally owned pharmaceutical firm, said Asst Prof Noppadon Kannika, director of Super Poll Research Centre.
Thanathorn on January 18 went on Facebook Live to slam the government for its tardiness in providing Covid-19 vaccines and pointed out that the company – Siam Bioscience – tasked with manufacturing the vaccine locally is owned by the Crown Property Bureau.
“A Super Poll survey conducted from January 21 to 24 among 1,807 Thais nationwide revealed that 97.4 per cent of respondents agreed with DES’s move, and only 2.6 per cent disagree,” Noppadon said.
“Moreover, 93 per cent of respondents believe Article 112 helps maintain peace in the country, while only 7 per cent disagree.”
Besides, 98.4 per cent of the respondents said they support DES Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta’s move to crack down on persons who defame, insult or threaten the monarch via the net and social media, while 1.6 per cent refuse to support him, Noppadon said.
When asked what would happen if politicians, business people, media, foreigners or some Thais were allowed to criticise, insult or threaten the monarch, 75 per cent said this would deepen the divide in society, while 14.3 per cent saw moderate effects and 10.7 per cent said there would be low to zero effects.
The Criminal Code’s Article 112 states: “Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years.”
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Monday reported two deaths and 187 new cases, including 10 people who had travelled from abroad, in the past 24 hours,
Of the new cases, 61 were exposed to the virus while visiting high-risk areas. The province with the highest number of infections was Samut Sakhon (35), followed by Bangkok (20) and Rayong (5).
Proactive testing led to the discovery of 116 cases — 104 foreigners and 9 Thais in Samut Sakhon, two Myanmar nationals in Bangkok and a Thai in Rayong.
Of the overseas travellers who tested positive in quarantine, seven are Thai nationals returning from the United Kingdom (5), and one each from Malaysia and Bahrain. Also testing positive were a British man, a Russian woman and a German man who flew in from their respective nations.
A female bedridden patient, 56, succumbed to the virus on January 21 after a cardiac arrest. She was the first death in Samut Songkhram province linked to Covid-19. The patient had epilepsy and stroke. On January 21, she felt suffocation and was taken to Somdet Phra Phutthaloetla Hospital. She was put on a ventilator but succumbed. Two high-risk close contacts who lived in the same house have tested positive. One of the two is her husband who had once travelled to Samut Sakhon.
A British man, 61, passed away on January 24. He arrived on December 25, developed symptoms on December 28 and the positive result was confirmed on December 29. He reportedly avoided a ventilator until it became difficult for him to breathe on January 9.
Meanwhile, 95 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Monday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 13,687. Of these, 11,313 contracted the virus domestically, including 4,684 who were found via proactive testing, and 2,374 are returnees. So far, 10,662 have recovered and been discharged, 2,950 patients are still in hospital and the death toll has risen to 75.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Monday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 99.77 million (increasing by 455,867), 73.9 million have recovered, 25.88 million are active cases (110,510 in severe condition) and 2.14 million have died (up by 9,511).
Thailand ranks 125th on the global list of most cases. The US tops the list with 25.7 million, followed by India 10.67 million, Brazil 8.84 million, Russia 3.71 million and the United Kingdom 3.64 million.
Apisamai Srirangsan, CCSA, assistant spokeswoman, said the number of cases in Bangkok had increased to 700 since December 15. She said a new cluster had been found from the cases of a superspreader who joined DJ Matoom’s birthday party.
Total cases in Samut Sakhon had risen to 5,480 cases.
Medical teams from other provinces, including from the military, will join active case-finding operation. She hinted at some 800 new cases being reported on Monday afternoon.
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