Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha is preparing to officially sign and announce the reopening of the country no later than tomorrow (October 22) after the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration considers final criteria on Thursday.
The CCSA committee is still reviewing the list of countries from which tourists will be allowed to enter Thailand when it starts reopening from November 1.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn has revealed initial guidelines for accepting tourists from various countries from November 1.
TAT has divided tourists into three groups:
1. Fully vaccinated tourists from low-risk countries with high economic value can travel without quarantine throughout the country.
2. Tourists that don’t arrive from low-risk countries can travel without quarantine for 7 days in a specific area (so-called “blue zone”).
3. Tourists who are not vaccinated according to the criteria will have to go into “alternative quarantine”. Tourists who arrive by plane will be quarantined for 10 days, while those entering through land borders will be quarantined for 14 days.
Thailand will open pilot areas (blue zones without quarantine) in 45 provinces. Such zones are currently in operation in four provinces – Phuket, Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao), Phang-nga (Khao Lak, Koh Yao), and Krabi (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai, Railay beach).
Under phase 1, blue zones will be opened in another 15 provinces between November 1 and 30. The 15 are Bangkok, Samut Prakan. (Suvarnabhumi Airport), Phang-nga (the whole province), Krabi (the whole province), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin, Nong Kae), Phetchaburi (Cha-am municipality), Chonburi (Pattaya, Bang Lamung districts, Na Chom Thian subdistrict, Bang Saray subdistrict, Koh Si Chang district, Si Racha district), Chiang Mai (Mueang district, Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Doi Tao), Ranong (Koh Phayam), Nong Khai (Mueang, Si Chiang Mai, Tha Bo, Sangkom), Loei (Chiang Khan), Buriram (Mueang), Udon Thani (Mueang, Na Yung, Nong Han, Prajaksilpakom, Kumphawapi, Ban Dung), Rayong (Koh Samet), and Trat (Koh Chang).
Under phase 2, more blue zones will be opened between December 1 and 31: in Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun, Phrae, Sukhothai, Phetchabun, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Yala, and Narathiwat.
And under phase 3, blue zones will be created from January 1 in Surin, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, Tak, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Bueng Kan, Ubon Ratchathani, Nan, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, and Satun.
Miss Universe Thailand 2021 contestants took part in high-profile activities at Pattaya’s Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden on Thursday, a day before they compete in the next round of the contest on Friday.
The contestants of the Miss Universe Thailand 2021 travelled to Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden in Chonburi province to participate in activities with the pageant. All the 30 beauties also took a tram ride through the gardens in different beautifully designed zones, including sky garden, cactus nursery and dinosaur valley zones at the SHA-Plus standards botanical garden.
The 30 contestants will compete in the preliminary round on Friday, from 6pm to 8pm, and the finals on Sunday from 5.30pm to 7.45pm. More updates are provided and encouragement for these contestants can be sent through every official online channel.
Precisely 8,331 operators of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have registered for the Employment Department’s latest subsidy scheme “Job Retention & SMEs Boost Up” after registration opened via the http://www.doe.go.th website on Wednesday.
The Cabinet earlier this week approved the Labour Ministry’s proposal to launch the programme to help SME operators stay afloat in the present economic recession due to the Covid-19 crisis.
By providing a subsidy of Bt3,000 per employee per month from November 2021 to January 2022, (capped at 200 employees per business), employers can continue hiring staff and thus help reduce the unemployment rate.
The Cabinet has granted a total budget of Bt37.52 billion for the scheme.
To be eligible, SME operators must be under the Social Security system and have a combined workforce across all branches of not more than 200 employees as of October 16. From November to January next year, the approved employers must keep their employment rate above 95 per cent or they will not be given the subsidy for that month.
A Labour Ministry source revealed that as of Thursday 8,331 SMEs with a total of 194,409 Thai employees have registered.
Registrations close on November 20.
“The Covid-19 crisis has affected several businesses and forced some to shut down,” Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin pointed out on Wednesday. “Many SME operators are trying to keep their staffers on the payroll for as long as they can,” he said.
“We hope this programme will help many operators get back on their feet faster. Meanwhile, employees can use this three-month period to seek additional training to increase their skills and maximise their chance of getting a new job should their current business remain closed after the programme ends,” he added.
Two hunters in Tak province were arrested by Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary rangers for illegal hunting.
On Thursday, the rangers raided a hut belonging to four hunters on learning about their illegal actions. Of the four, two were arrested while two escaped.
The rangers found parts of a bear and an Indochinese flying squirrel, in addition to guns, bullets and other belongings in the hut.
Sanctuary officials aim to ask a local court for arrest warrants to nab the two hunters on the run.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha praised the Thailand Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai after it reached a target of more than 100,000 visitors in two weeks, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Thursday.
The Thailand Pavilion at the United Arab Emirates expo saw 63,371 visitors during the first 10 days, or from October 1 – 15 per cent of total visitors to the event. The number of visitors passed 100,000 in two weeks.
According to Expo 2020 Dubai Thailand’s Facebook page, the pavilion welcomed Luca Van Erk as its 100,000th visitor. He hails from the Netherlands but was born in Bangkok.
Thanakorn said the guests from a number of countries were impressed and praised the Thailand Pavilion especially for its animation presentation, Thai food presentation, and “Rak and Mali” mascots.
The pavilion reflects typical Thai uniqueness and culture, which foreigners could feel and understand easily, he said.
It also promotes the country’s health services and digital industry.
PM lauds Thailand Pavilion at Dubai expo after it reaches target of 100,000 visitors
The pavilion presents Thai identity at the international level, which is in line with the government’s policy to drive the economy and society with innovations especially in this Covid-19 situation. It also promotes Thai tourism, which will hopefully help the tourism business to recover.
The expo runs until March 31, 2022.
PM lauds Thailand Pavilion at Dubai expo after it reaches target of 100,000 visitors
The end of Buddhist Lent Day on Thursday is not expected to be as lively as it has normally been due to the present Covid-19 pandemic and floods, while many cultural ceremonies have been cancelled in a bid to prevent more virus outbreaks from occurring.
In Songkhla, some of the locals gathered at Wachira market in Muang district on Thursday morning to make merit and offer food to the monks, as well as make royal merit for Somdej Phra Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother, on the occasion of her birthday, which falls on Buddhist Lent Day on October 21 this year.
Both the locals and monks strictly wore a face mask and all Buddhist Lent activities have been cancelled as there are increased virus infection cases daily in the province.
As well as in Uthai Thani where not many Buddhists came out to participate on this holy day and all the traditional activities have been suspended due to the pandemic, coupled with floods in some areas.
Some tourists travelled to Sakae Krang River market at Uthai Thani municipal to make merit and shop local organic produces along the river. However, the boat cruise activity to experience the traditional houseboat community has also been suspended due to the high water and flooding in some areas along the river banks.
Famous actor Russell Crowe visited Michelin-star restaurant Jay Fai in Bangkok. Crowe is in Thailand shooting a movie.
The Hollywood actor arrived in the kingdom in late September via the Phuket Sandbox, before moving to Bangkok after spending some days in island quarantine.
Among the places he has visited in the capital is well-known street food restaurant Jay Fai in the Samranrat area.
A photo of Crowe standing with owner Supinya “Jay Fai” Junsuta was proudly posted on the restaurant’s Instagram account.
According to Michelin guide website, “Jay Fai has long been a street food icon, and for good reason — the begoggled chef’s signature crispy golden-brown crab omelets are simply unparalleled”.
On Wednesday, Crowe’s clip video of a water monitor in Thailand – captioned as his “new buddy” – drew huge attention from Thai netizens.
A 26-year-old man jumped to his death from Bhumibol 2 Bridge in Samut Prakan province on Tuesday. His wife suspected the suicide stemmed from anxiety caused by a financial crisis after he was previously infected with Covid-19.
On Wednesday, his corpse was found floating on the water surface at around 8pm. Local boat driver reportedly took to the land and informed Samrong Tai police.
The body was identified as Charoenchok Pentamwa, by his wife Kanmanee Ratsawang.
The woman suspected that her husband committed suicide due to anxiety about the financial crisis. She explained that Charoenchok had infected Covid-19 previously, and his savings had been completely spent for the treatment.
Financial problems drive man to commit suicideFinancial problems drive man to commit suicide
A representative of various citizen networks went to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday to submit a letter objecting to the push to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), claiming that capitalists will be the main ones to benefit.
Stop Drink Network coordinator Kamron Chudecha, a representative for a host of citizen networks, handed a letter addressed to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai, who is also a chairman of the International Economic Policy Committee.
Don is reportedly pushing for Thailand to join the CPTPP and will present this case at a Cabinet meeting next week.
Department of International Economic Affairs deputy director Rujikorn Saengchantr received the letter on behalf of Don.
Kamron claimed Don ignored objections from government agencies, the academic sector, the Thailand Consumers Council and civil society, and also ignored a suggestion by the extraordinary committee that the government must listen and take into account citizens’ opinions.
Kamron voiced concern that joining the CPTPP might affect the country’s public health policy.
Citizen networks come out against push to join CPTPP
He said he was also worried that it would widely affect Thai society, for instance making alcoholic beverages cheaper while medicines would become more expensive and there would be a monopoly on seeds.
Kamron also claimed that the minister previously made a “significant mistake” with the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement in 2008, as that country could freely transport recyclable and non-recyclable industrial chemical waste to Thailand.
Kamron claimed the agreement had caused Thailand to almost become one of the world’s litter bins.
The ministry however denied at first that the agreement was related to the transport of hazardous wastes.
Kamron added that Japan had also signed an agreement with the Philippines and Malaysia but those nations did not have to receive any waste like Thailand has had to.
He said the ministry should take past problems into account as a lesson for not joining the CPTPP.
Citizen networks come out against push to join CPTPP
Pageant beauties grace Nong Nooch
Pageant beauties grace Nong Nooch
Pageant beauties grace Nong Nooch
Pageant beauties grace Nong Nooch
Tak sanctuary rangers nab 2 for illegal hunting
PM lauds Thailand Pavilion at Dubai expo after it reaches target of 100,000 visitors
PM lauds Thailand Pavilion at Dubai expo after it reaches target of 100,000 visitors
Low-key Buddhist Lent
Financial problems drive man to commit suicide
Financial problems drive man to commit suicide
Citizen networks come out against push to join CPTPP
Citizen networks come out against push to join CPTPP
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