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Bangkok scraps all remaining Covid-19 controls as virus downgraded

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2022

THE NATION

Bangkok scrapped all Covid-19 restrictions on Saturday after the virus was downgraded to a “communicable disease under surveillance” from October 1.

City Governor Chadchart Sittipunt issued a letter cancelling all Covid control measures previously imposed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

Previous controls included the requirements to produce a negative test result to enter some venues and to self-isolate after testing positive.

Chadchart’s letter cited an announcement revoking the disease-related emergency decree on Thursday. The Public Health Ministry declared on September 19 that Covid-19 would be removed from the list of “dangerous communicable diseases” from October 1.

Chadchart gained approval from the Bangkok Communicable Disease Committee on Thursday to cancel all existing Covid-19 prevention measures.

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7 Thai govt agencies join up to help digitise country’s public sector

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Seven government agencies are collaborating to digitise Thailand’s public sector and help other agencies transition towards becoming paperless in the next six months.

Wisit Wisitsora-at, director of the Strategic Transformation Office (STO), which initiated this project, said at a launching ceremony on Friday that the aim is to make the entire bureaucracy digital. The ceremony was held at Sukosol Hotel in Bangkok.

“All agencies in the digital environment are joining hands, including the Digital Economy and Society [DES] Ministry and STO,” he said. 

“With this collaboration, we will ensure that every agency can transition from using paper to an electronic documentation system,” Wisit explained. 

Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam welcomed the collaboration, saying that creating an e-documentation system would provide a critical foundation for a digital government. 

He said this digitising process had been delayed for several years because most agencies lack the impetus for change. 

“I believe it will be easier to create an electronic documentation system if all agencies are open-minded and ready for change,” Wissanu said. 

Meanwhile, Wisit said to help each agency accelerate its use of an e-documentation system, STO and its partners have created an e-document catalogue for each government agency. They have also created a troubleshooting platform and put a help team on standby. 

“We are monitoring the developments and I believe it will be successfully completed within six months,” he said, adding that this digitisation will help make the bureaucracy more efficient.  

Apart from STO, the other agencies involved in the digitising of the Thai government include DES Ministry, Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry, the Public Sector Development Commission, Digital Government Development Agency, Electronic Transactions Development Agency and the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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Pro-democracy groups to gather tomorrow as court rules on Prayut’s PM tenure

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

THE NATION

A host of pro-democracy groups will gather at Pathum Wan district in Bangkok on Friday as the Constitutional Court issues a crucial ruling on General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s tenure as prime minister.

The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group, the Rassadon Group, and Thai Mai Thon (Impatient Thais) said they would gather at the Ratchaprasong skywalk at 2pm to await the court verdict.

Kana Lomruam Prachachon (Melting Pot Group) announced it would gather at Ratchaprasong Intersection at 5pm to “stop any coup leaders” from taking possible action.

Meanwhile, there was a report that National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk told a Defence Council meeting that he had prepared a plan to handle protests. He however believed the situation would not be as bad as the protests in 2009 and 2010.

Army spokesman General Santipong Thampiya said the Royal Thai Army would perform its duties “normally” and it is up to the police to decide whether to request the help of soldiers in handling the situation.

On August 24, the court suspended Prayut as prime minister after accepting an opposition petition for review on whether he had reached his eight-year limit set for prime ministers by the Constitution.

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Smart visa scheme to now cover 18 targeted industries

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

THE NATION

The cabinet has approved a move to expand the smart visa scheme to cover 18 targeted industries from the original 13, Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on Tuesday.

The move was proposed by the Interior Ministry in a bid to attract more foreign specialists, investors, executives and start-up companies to invest in Thailand, facilitate technology transfer and help accelerate development in targeted industries, Anucha said.

The smart visa scheme was launched in February 2018 to attract talent and technologies in 13 targeted S-curve industries under the government’s policy to drive the economy through innovation and technology.

The updated scheme allows specialists, investors, executives and start-up operators in 18 industries to apply for smart visas to stay in Thailand for up to four years. Those who are granted this visa require no permit to work in Thailand, but must report to authorities once a year (expanded from every 90 days). They will also be granted an unlimited re-entry permit, while their spouse and legal children can also stay or work in Thailand for the same period as the visa holder.

Here are the 18 targeted industries under the smart visa scheme, with the last five newly added:

– Automotive

– Electronics

– Quality tourism

– Agricultural, food and biotechnology

– Automation and robotics

– Transport and logistics

– Petrochemical and chemical

– Digital

– Medical

– Human resource development in the fields of science and technology

– Environmental management and alternative energy

– Targeted technology development

– Alternative dispute resolution

– National defence

– Industries that directly support a circular economy, for example, refuse-derived fuel manufacturing, water resources management, etc.

– Aviation and aerospace

– Management of technology, innovation and start-up ecosystem

– International business centres.

The other criteria are that the maximum four years of stay is limited to specialists, executives and investors, while start-up enterprise operators will be granted up to two years of stay. The visa fee for foreigners is 10,000 baht per year, and if the period is less than a year, the fee will be rounded up to one year.

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With promise of insurance cover, Tourism ministry, KTB sign MoU on collecting entry fees from foreign tourists

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

THE NATION

The Tourism and Sports Ministry and Krungthai Bank (KTB) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on collecting entry fees from foreign tourists.

The ministry’s National Tourism Policy Act requires the ministry to collect entry fees for tourism management and development.

The move aims to boost Thailand’s tourism competitiveness in the long term, by developing tourism personnel skills, maintaining the quality of tourist attractions and promoting new tourism products.

“The entry fees will also be used to provide insurance to foreign tourists while travelling in Thailand,” the ministry said, adding that this will help boost the confidence of tourists.

The ministry’s Office of the Permanent Secretary has implemented guidelines on collecting entry fees from tourists via website, mobile application, kiosk and flight tickets.

“Some information obtained from the entry fees will be analysed for setting up plans or policies to meet tourists needs and develop the tourism industry,” the ministry said.

The ministry added that the entry fee payment via the “Krungthai Corporate Online” platform would make it convenient for tourism operators and foreign tourists.

Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan had said earlier that the Cabinet may be requested in October to approve collection of entry fees from foreign tourists, expected to be implemented early next year.

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Emergency decree scrapped next week as Thailand shifts to endemic Covid

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

THE NATION

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday approved scrapping the pandemic emergency decree from October 1 (Saturday).

The CCSA will also cease its role of containing the spread of Covid-19.

The approval came after the National Communicable Disease Committee announced Covid-19 will be downgraded from a dangerous communicable disease to a “communicable disease under surveillance” from October 1.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said his ministry has prepared plans to contain the spread of more than 50 communicable diseases under surveillance once the emergency decree is revoked.

However, the law would not reflect the transition from pandemic to endemic Covid-19.

“The phrase ‘endemic disease’ is used by doctors but does not exist in the Communicable Disease Act,” he explained.

Responsibility for implementing new guidelines to control Covid-19 will shift to the National Communicable Diseases Committee and provincial committees.

The Covid-related emergency decree was imposed in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

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Covid Set To Officially Become A ‘Communicable Disease Under Surveillance’

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

THE NATION

The Royal Gazette Website On Tuesday Published Two Public Health Ministry Announcements That Would Remove Covid-19 From The List Of “Dangerous Communicable Diseases” And List It Among “Communicable Diseases Under Surveillance” From October 1.

The announcements, signed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, stipulated that the downgrade of Covid-19 is due to the decline in infections, severe symptoms and deaths in both Thailand and globally.

“Furthermore, Thailand now has an adequate stock of vaccines and drugs, while the majority of the population has been vaccinated against the virus,” said the announcements.

“The Public Health Ministry therefore announced the new status of Covid-19 that reflects the current situation, so that related regulations and disease control measures can be adjusted accordingly.”

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will meet on Friday to evaluate the situation and discuss measures to be implemented by the government and private sector to ensure the public can safely resume a normal life in the post-pandemic era, deputy government spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul said on Tuesday.

Excluding Covid, 57 diseases are currently on the “communicable diseases under surveillance” list, including Aids, dengue fever, and bird flu. Twelve diseases are classified as dangerous, such as Zika fever, SARS and MERS.

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Duration Of Visitors’ Visas To Be Extended To Boost Tourism

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

THE NATION

The Cabinet On Tuesday Approved An Interior Ministry Draft Granting Longer-Duration Visas For Foreign Visitors From October 1 This Year Until March 31, 2023, In A Bid To Boost Tourism And Accelerate Economic Recovery.

Foreign visitors entering the country with a visa on arrival will be granted a longer stay of 30 days – from 15 days – while those currently entering with a 30-day visitor’s visa will be allowed to stay for 45 days, deputy government spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul said on Tuesday.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will meet on Friday to evaluate the situation and discuss measures to promote tourism, now that there is a decline in confirmed Covid-19 cases, she said.

The number of confirmed patients was below the 1,000 mark for most of last week, except for Wednesday and Thursday, which saw 1,321 and 1,125 patients, respectively. Covid-related deaths too have dropped, to about 10 to 15 people daily, Trisulee said.

On Wednesday, however, Thailand recorded 1,129 confirmed Covid cases and 13 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Earlier on Tuesday the Cabinet also approved a Public Health Ministry draft directive that would remove Covid-19 from the lists of diseases that immigrants and expatriates must be free from.

The amended directive, which will take effect once it is published in the Royal Gazette, says foreigners entering the kingdom must be free from the following diseases:

– Leprosy

– Tuberculosis of a dangerous stage

– Lymphatic filariasis in the stage that is apparent to the public

– Chronic illness caused by drug addiction

– Syphilis, third stage.

The diseases that expats must be free from under the amended draft directive include all of the above, plus alcoholism.

THE NATION