The Education Ministry on Saturday announced the closure of state and private schools in 28 provinces from January 4-31 in its efforts to curb the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak.
They are mostly the provinces that the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has classified as red code.
The provinces are: Bangkok, Tak, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Singburi, Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Suphan Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Chachoeangsao, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Samut Prakarn, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Trat, Rayong, Chumphon and Ranong.
During the closure, the schools will have to provide courses via a long-distance learning method or an online channel.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has ordered districts in the province to set up checkpoints on the routes that connect Bangkok to other provinces in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 during the New Year holidays.
BMA permanent secretary Silapasuay Raweesangsoon on Saturday named the 14 checkpoints to be established at the following locations:
1. In front of Big C, Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi district
2. Warehouse Gate 7, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Don Muang district
3. Don Muang Tollway entrance, Don Muang district
4. Intersection under Maha Nakhon Expressway, Suwintawong Road, Nong Jok district
5. Near BTS Bearing station, Sukhumvit Road, Bangna district
6. In front of Interlink Tower (formerly Nation Tower), Bangna-Trad Road, Bangna district
7. Bangchak entrance of Burapha Withi Expressway, Phra Khanong district
8. In front of Toyota service centre, Ratchaphreuk Road, Taling Chan district
9. Phutthamonthon Sai 3 intersection, Borommaratchachonnani Road, Thawi Watthana district
10. Under Bhumibol Bridge, Suksawat Road, Ratburana district
11. In front of PTT gas station, Rama II Road Soi 92, Bang Khuntian district
12. In front of Bangkok Local Museum, Liab Khlong Phitthayalongkorn Road, Bang Khuntian district
13. In front of Asia University, Phetkasem Road, Nong Khaem district
14. In front of Suksa Naree Wittaya School, Ekachai Road, Bang Bon district.
“The checkpoints will be set up from January 2 and will operate 24 hours a day. Travellers passing through the checkpoints must undergo Covid-19 screening procedures,” she added.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concerns about the increasing number of road accidents during the New Year holidays with drunk driving emerging as the leading cause, Government Spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on Saturday.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported on Friday that 186 people were killed and over 1,600 injured in road accidents during December 29-31, with 38.04 per cent of accidents caused by drunk driving.
“The PM has urged officials at police checkpoints to strictly follow the screening protocols in inspecting travellers to make sure that their vehicles are in safe condition, motorcyclists wear helmets, the legal speeding limit is respected and there is no drunk driving,” said Anucha. “Officials have also been told to monitor sellers of alcoholic beverages to make sure that they are following the laws.”
Police checkpoints nationwide will also serve Covid-19 preventive efforts, as officials will scan the temperature of the motorists as well as enforce the mandatory face mask policy in public vehicles.
“General Prayut also urged all citizens to prevent road accidents by being extra careful on the road and taking it easy on partying during the New Year festivities,” added Anucha. “Never drive if you had a drink, and always think about your family and the safety of other road users whenever you are behind the wheel.”
People arriving in Buriram province from provinces at risk of Covid-19 will have to quarantine themselves.The decision was made by the communicable disease committee of Buriram province on Friday.
The order takes effect from Saturday. The committee classified as high-risk, red-coded provinces with over 50 confirmed cases, such as Samut Sakhon, Rayong, Chonburi, Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, Trat, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Chanthaburi.
As of Friday, Buriram was a green province, without any case.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced 216 confirmed cases and one death on Saturday.
Of the 214 domestic cases, 182 were Thai nationals and 32 were migrant workers. There were only two cases in quarantine facilities.
Of the Thai patients, 37 were in Samut Sakhon, 32 in Chonburi, 27 in Rayong, 25 in Nonthaburi, 23 in Samut Prakarn, 18 in Bangkok, 10 in Chanthaburi, two each in Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ang Thong, and one each in Chainat, Ratchaburi, Ayutthaya and Suphanburi.
Of the 32 infected migrant workers, 30 were in Samut Sakhon and one each in Tak and Pathum Thani. As of Saturday, 53 provinces have reported cases in the latest outbreak.
The patients in quarantine facilities were an Indian flying in from India, and a Thai national arriving from the US.
CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said that a female patient aged 47 had died on Friday in a local hotel serving as a hospital in Bang Lamung district of Chonburi province.
The spokesperson said that more serious measures would be implemented in the country to deal with the outbreak. The CCSA has updated its colour code map as follows:
Red provinces: Tak, Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Singburi, Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Suphanburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Chachoengsao, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Samut Prakarn, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Trat, Rayong, Chumphon, Ranong and Bangkok.
Orange: Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chainat, Phetchabun, Chaiyaphum, Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surat Thani and Phang Nga. All other provinces have been classified as yellow, while green classification has been cancelled.
In red provinces, serious measures, sich as partial lockdown, will be implemented from January 4. Under the measures some places will be closed temporarily, while the opening hours of some venues will be limited.
People will be required not to travel between provinces and would be allowed to work from home, Taweesin said, adding that more serious measures – or the second phase – would be implemented in case the aforementioned measures are ineffective.
The total number of confirmed cases in Thailand has risen to 7,379 – 5,356 of which were contracted domestically, comprising 1,440 migrant workers and 2,023 returnees. So far, 4,299 have recovered and been discharged, while 64 people have died.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Saturday, the total number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 84.37 million (up by 561,913), 59.63 million have recovered, 24.74 million are active cases (106,561 in severe condition) and 1.83 million have died (up by 9,470).
Thailand ranks 136 in the global list of most cases, while the US tops the ranking with 20.61 million, followed by India 10.3 million, Brazil 7.7 million, Russia 3.18 million and France 2.63 million.
The authorities in Nonthaburi province have closed Wat Lahan Temple in Bang Bua Thong district and other risk venues in the province, to contain the spread of Covid-19.
According to a document issued on Friday, the temple was ordered closed from January 1 to 14, after a Covid-19 patient was found living in the temple premises.
However, venues located near the temple have not been closed. The authority’s document did not inform about the number of people contacted by this patient who are at risk.
Another document issued on the same day announced a closure of some places in the province, including specific markets and buildings where confirmed cases had been found previously, schools, tuition centres, child development centres, nurseries, fitness clubs, cockfight rings, internet cafes, game centres, amulet markets, massage parlours, boxing stadiums and camps and snooker clubs.
The governor of Chumphon province, Theera Anantaseriwittha, has assured that no rules were violated after a photo of a group of people gathering in a cockfighting ring in the province went viral on the internet.
Netizens widely criticised the violation of social distancing norms and warned it could be a new hotspot for Covid-19.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday to clarify the photo, the governor said: “The cockfighting ring is located in Hadphankrai subdistrict in Chumphon’s Muang district, with Suwapha Suksin listed as the permit holder,” he said. “The photo was taken on December 30, 2020, when the province had allowed the organisation of cockfighting during the New Year festival.”
According to the governor, the province had given permission on December 1, before the new wave of outbreak had been discovered in Samut Sakhon and other provinces.
“The ring was allowed to open as it already followed measures set out by the Ministry of Public Health at that time, including having thermo-scanning checkpoints, handwashing stations and proper ventilation in the ring,” he said.
The governor added that he had received the order from the Ministry of Interior to shut down rings for cockfighting, bullfighting, fish fighting, boxing rings, horse racing and Phong Thai card games on December 30, and had announced the order on that day.
“From December 31, there has been no organisation of animal fighting by any permit holder in the province,” he assured.
Theera added that he had ordered local police officials to patrol every area of the province for any unauthorised organisation of animal fighting and gambling.
The Digital Economy and Society Ministry has warned people not to believe or share news and Internet posts that claim eating Japanese mountain yams in ginger water will help prevent Covid-19 infection.
“The ministry’s Anti-Fake News Centre contacted the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine and the Ministry of Public Health to verify this information and was told that there was no concrete evidence to substantiate the claim that the potion could help immumise against the new coronavirus.
“Dioscorea japonica, or Japanese mountain yams, in yellow colour are high in beta-carotene, which helps improve eyesight and the immunity system, while those in purple colour are high in anthocyanin, an antioxidant that could help prevent the occurrence of cancer,” said the department.
“Meanwhile, ginger could help relive heartburns, colic and in some cases improve appetite. They are both good for your health but cannot immunise against Covid-19.”
For more information, please contact Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine at tel. 02 5917007, or www.dtam.moph.go.th. To report any fake news, visit website www.antifakenewscenter.com.
The Social Security Office (SSO) has increased the antenatal care allowance for visits to an obstetrician to up to five times from the current three times, along with a hike in the amount for each visit.
SSO secretary-general Thossaphol Kritwongwiman said the allowance would be increased to Bt1,500 for each visit to an obstetrician.
The current allowance is Bt1,000 for up to three visits.
The details of the payment are as follows:
– Bt500 allowance for a visit to an obstetrician before 12 weeks of pregnancy
– Bt300 allowance for a visit during 12th-20th week
– Bt300 allowance for a visit during 21st-28th week
– Bt200 allowance for a visit during 29th-32nd week
– Bt200 allowance for a visit after 32nd week
“The SSO will also increase the child birthing allowance from Bt13,000 to Bt15,000,” he said.
“Insured persons can get this allowance every time they have a child, but maternal leave compensation at 50 per cent of daily wages for a maximum of 90 days can be obtained for only two childbirths.”
Maternal leave compensation will not be available for insured females who do not have a marriage certificate, or for insured males whose wives are not insured under the social security scheme. They will receive only Bt15,000 child birthing allowance.
The new rate will be effective from January 1. For further information, contact Call Centre 1506 or visit http://www.sso.go.th
Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang on Friday evening ordered the temporary closure of 25 types of venues in the province to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
The order, which was approved by the provincial communicable disease prevention committee, takes effect on Saturday until further notice, except for educational institutions, which were ordered to close until January 17.
The 25 places are:
1. Entertainment venues such as pubs, bars
2. Theme parks, water parks
3. Children’s playgrounds
4. Snooker halls
5. Game kiosks
6. Internet cafes
7. Cockfighting rings
8. Nurseries and nursing homes for elders
9. Boxing rings
10. Martial art schools
11. Horse racetracks
12. Public shower rooms
13. Massage parlours
14. All types of sport stadiums
15. Banquet rooms
16. Bullfighting and fish fighting rings
17. Amulet centres
18. Pre-school children development centres
19. Beauty parlours and tattoo shops
20. Fitness centres
21. Boxing gyms
22. Spa, traditional Thai massage centres
23. Bowling lanes, skating and rollerblade rinks
24. Dancing schools
25. Tutorial centres and all types of educational institutions
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration also urged people to wear face masks when leaving their residence and check in and out of places they visit using the government’s tracing platform.
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