Ministry of Public Health reported on Saturday (January 8) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 8,263 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 110 of whom have been found in prisons.
Death toll increased by 14, while 2,865 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country (since April 1, 2021) are at 2,232,176 with 21,813 total deaths.
The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Saturday (January 8) that another moderate high-pressure system from China covers the Northeast of Thailand and the South China Sea. Cool to cold weather in the morning is forecast in the North and the Northeast, while the Central and the East regions will experience cool morning with light fog.
Mountaintops in the North and the Northeast are cold to very cold with temperature ranging from 5 to 15 °C.
The Department also mentioned that the weak northeast monsoon prevails across the Gulf of Thailand and the South and brings isolated thundershowers to the lower South.
The weather forecast for the next 24 hours is as follows:
North: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 14-19 degrees and highs of 30-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 5-14 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Cool to cold weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 14-18 degrees and highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 8-15 degrees Celsius.
Central: Cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 19-20 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
East: Cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 19-23 degrees, highs of 32-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and over a meter high offshore.
South (east coast): Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 20-25 degrees, highs of 30-32 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 meters high and about 2 meters high during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 33-34 degrees Celsius; waves a meter high and over a meter high offshore.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 21-23 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
Bangkok will open six isolation centres for young children in preparation for the surge in Omicron cases expected this month.
Dr Somsak Akkasilp, chief of the Medical Service Department, said children under the age of 11 are vulnerable to catching the infectious Omicron variant as they are not yet vaccinated. His department is now cooperating with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to open community isolation centres for infected children and their families, Somsak said. The BMA has been asked to open one family isolation centre in each of its six zones. Somsak said the variant mostly causes only mild disease, so most children could be safely cared for in isolation centres. The department has also prepared 100 hospital beds for children who develop serious Covid symptoms. Meanwhile the Public Health Ministry is worried that Omicron will spark new clusters in factories, said Somsak. Owners of infection-hit factories will be asked to set up isolation centres at their factories or inside workers camps, he added. The BMA will also be asked to set up at least one isolation centre for immigrant workers in the capital – and one any or all six zones if required. The Medical Services Department chief insisted that hospitals would be able to cope with any Omicron surge. Most people infected with the new strain people had not developed severe symptoms so could isolate at home, he said. Only 20 per cent of Thailand’s 100,000 available beds are currently occupied by Covid-19 patients, according to Somsak. This left enough remaining beds to cope with a worst-case scenario of 30,000 new cases per day, he added.
Voice of The Nation live-streams Monday to Friday, from 8am. It premieres on January 10, 2022.
The Nation’s new Live! stream makes it easier to stay up to date with the latest news and information from Thailand’s premier English-language news source.
Live-streaming via http://www.nationathailand.com, Facebook and other social media platforms, Voice of The Nation covers politics, business, current affairs, culture, viral issues, Twitter trends, and interviews.
“We’d love to reach out to viewers, speak to them, and get their voices heard. Voice of The Nation is not our voice, but the voice of everyone who cares about a better society and a better country,” said Vitaya Saeng-Aroon, newly-appointed Managing Editor and veteran journalist at The Nation.
Programmes will also be helmed by veteran Nation news anchors. Neeracha Malisak (Neena), The Nation Editor, has extensive experience as a news reporter and television host. She has anchored ASEAN TV and served as a scriptwriter for documentary shows. Thitapa Siripipat (Pink) will host The Nation’s already successful video segments, including The Nation Talk and Editor’s Choice.
“Not just covering headline news, we will also discuss current affairs, update trends around Thailand, gather the region’s big developments from our partner Asia News Network, and present human-interest stories in a conversational style,” said Neena.
Asia News Network (ANN) is the leading regional media alliance, sharing breaking news from countries across the world’s fastest-growing region.
Cofounded by The Nation in 1999, ANN now includes 23 leading titles based in major capitals across Asia. The network’s members hail from the 10 Southeast Asian economies as well as other locations in East and South Asia.
Voice of The Nation live-streams Monday to Friday, from 8am. It premieres on January 10, 2022.
Five soldiers were injured when suspected insurgents launched a bomb attack in Pattani province on Friday morning, officials said.
The Fourth Army Area said the patrol was ambushed at 9am on Highway 418 in Tambon Borthong of Pattani’s Nongchik district. The bomb was detonated by an unknown number of assailants as the five rangers passed in a six-wheel truck on the way to their Ingkhayut Borihan base. The injured soldiers were identified as Surasak Urairak, Thira Limpasakul, Krithapol Prompradu, Piyanat Phanduang and Khirirat Tintachart. They were rushed to a field hospital at the base but none suffered life-threatening injuries. The bomb was hidden under a pile of dirt left by road repairs. Fourth Army Area commander Lt-General Kriangkrai Srilak ordered an investigation at the scene in a bid to catch the assailants. He said the explosion was an attempt to create unrest in the deep South.
No cases of so-called “Flurona” have been detected in Thailand yet, Department of Medical Sciences chief Suphakit Sirilak said on Friday.
Flurona is the term used to describe a simultaneous infection with the Covid-19 and influenza viruses.
Flurona symptoms are similar to Covid-19 symptoms but the number of cases globally remains low. Cases of the dual-infection have been found in Israel, Brazil, Hungary and the Philippines.
Suphakit advised people to take the same precautions against both diseases: wear masks, wash hands, and keep their distance from others.
The National Health Security Office has prepared 6 million doses of flu vaccine to protect vulnerable people, while the Covid-19 vaccination programme covers the entire population
Suphakit said flu vaccine should be administered one to two weeks after a Covid-19 jab to separate any side-effects.
Phuket is ready to deal with the Omicron variant and serve as a frontline for the tourism industry, provincial governor Narong Woonciew declared earlier this week.
He said this was possible because Phuket’s economy is improving and every measure to curb the contagion is being strictly adhered to.
Narong, meanwhile, said the rising number of travellers has also resulted in an increase in new infections, with Phuket recording 256 Covid-19 cases on Thursday.
Despite this, he said, businesses and residents want the Phuket Sandbox scheme to continue, so the economy can keep ticking over.
He added that people in Phuket are not so worried about catching the virus because more than 50 per cent have received their booster and another 150,000 doses will be administered between January and February.
In the first four days of 2022, Phuket welcomed 13,000 foreigners or an average of about 4000 daily. It is speculated that this may be because travellers prefer to enter Thailand via the Phuket Sandbox scheme instead of having to quarantine in Bangkok after the government suspended the Test & Go scheme on December 22.
Narong said this also shows that foreigners trust the Phuket Sandbox scheme despite concerns over the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
He said 66 hotels in Phuket have been earmarked for infected tourists to isolate in without being transferred to hospitals or “hospitels”, while the province has given the go-ahead to more hospitels to deal with more infected travellers.
Narong said Phuket should eventually have another 1,000 rooms earmarked for isolation and treatment. A call centre has also been set up in Phuket to provide help to tourists and answer questions.
More than 100 Bangkok schools have been ordered to suspend onsite classes until at least January 16, the city administration announced Friday.
Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said 109 city-run secondary schools will close their gates until the Covid-19 situation improves. Aswin ordered the closure after a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant. A total of 7,526 new cases were reported on Friday morning. The governor said each school would offer online teaching until January 16 before reassessing the Covid-19 situation in their area. School managers had to prioritise the safety of their pupils, teachers and staff, he added. Aswin said Bangkok has prepared Pfizer jabs to vaccinate 16,391 students aged 12 and above this month. Jabs for children aged 5-11 will be offered in February. This age group will receive a lower dose of 10 micrograms, compared to 30mgs for the 12-plus group. Parents must give consent for vaccination of children aged 5-11.
This years National Childrens Day is extra special for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha thanks to the scores of greeting cards he has received from youngsters.
The cards, several of which were put on display in Government House on Friday, were addressed to “Uncle Tu” and wished him good health and happiness. “Please stay with us for a long time,” read one card, and “please take some rest after working so hard” read another, while one warned him against Covid-19. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Prayut is scheduled to meet some youngsters to mark National Children’s Day on Saturday and the meeting will be broadcast live from 10am on the government-run NBT TV channel. The live broadcast will follow Prayut as he takes five children on a tour around the premises and then to his office in the Thai Khu Fah building, where the youngsters will be given a chance to sit on the prime minister’s chair. Later he will meet 19 outstanding youths and listen to their four-point proposal. The broadcast will also include musical performances by four groups of youngsters as well as a lesson on climate change provided by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the spokesman said. The broadcast will wrap up with an announcement of children’s achievements under a special project that kicked off on Children’s Day last year. Separately, Prayut is scheduled to meet the governors of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat and have them hand out presents to orphans and underprivileged youngsters on his behalf in the three southern border provinces, Thanakorn added.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday put another 30 provinces under control or the “orange” list amid concerns over the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Meanwhile, nightlife may return to the eight “blue zone” provinces provided the venues have won an official approval before January 15, the CCSA said.
The decision was made during a CCSA meeting held specially to assess concerns over Omicron sparking the fifth wave in Thailand. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The CCSA has also instructed civil servants to work from home for another 14 days as part of measures to curb the contagion, though all public services should remain available.
Meanwhile, restaurants in the 69 provinces will not be allowed to serve booze, though drinking will be allowed in pubs and bars of the eight “blue zone” provinces provided all safety controls are met.
Restaurants and department stores in the 69 tightly controlled provinces will operate as normal.
The 69 provinces are Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Khon Kaen, Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao, Chumphon, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Trang, Trat, Tak, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nakhon Sawan, Narathiwat, Nan, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Prachinburi, Pattani, Ayutthaya, Phayao, Phatthalung, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phetchaburi, Phetchabun, Phrae, Mahasarakham, Mukdahan, Mae Hong Son, Yasothon, Yala, Roi Et, Ranong, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Lopburi, Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Si Sa Ket, Sakhon Nakhon, Songkhla, Satun, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkram, Samut Sakhon, Sa Kaew, Saraburi, Singburi, Sukhothai, Suphanburi, Surat Thani, Surin, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu, Ang Thong, Amnat Charoen, Udon Thani, Uttaradit, Uthai Thani and Ubon Ratchathani.
All fresh markets and convenience stores in these provinces can operate as per normal and there is no curfew.
CCSA has also maintained the number of “blue zone” or tourism-pilot provinces at eight. They are Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Chonburi, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phang Nga and Phuket.
From January 16, pubs and bars in the eight blue zone provinces can serve alcoholic drinks until 9pm.
However, dancing, karaoke or any activities requiring close contact will not be allowed. Bars and pubs in these eight provinces can only operate provided they strictly comply with the Covid Free Setting regulations.
As per regulations, all members of staff must be fully vaccinated and undergo rapid antigen tests for Covid-19 every three days.
Entertainment venues will also be closely monitored to prevent infection clusters, and any location found to have sparked infections will be closed.
The CCSA said entertainment businesses in the eight “blue zone” provinces can reopen on January 16 if they have received official approval by January 15.
The Public Health Ministry announced on Friday morning that Thailand had logged 7,526 new Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours, compared to 5,775 cases recorded in the previous 24-hour period.
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