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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003660

Anutin visits Bangkok communities in bid to rebuild trust

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and a team of ministry officials visited Covid-19 patients in several Bangkok communities on Thursday.

This was after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called for ways of cutting down on patients having to wait for hospital beds and to prevent the tragedy of people dying on Bangkok streets.

The government has been under fire after three people were found dead on Bangkok streets on Tuesday, one of whom tested positive for Covid-19.

Deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said health officials will check symptoms, provide medical supplies and give advice to people isolating at home.

“Those who develop severe symptoms will be taken to an isolation centre, field hospital or hospital depending on the patient’s state,” she said, adding that four patients had been transferred to the hospital during the minister’s visit on Thursday. She added that more rapid tests will be employed in communities.

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Anutin visits Bangkok communities in bid to rebuild trust

Anutin and his team visited homes in Nang Linchee Soi 2, Phatthanasin, Taksin Soi 7, Thoed Thai 19 and Ratchadamnoen Klang communities.

Anutin visits Bangkok communities in bid to rebuild trust

Published : July 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003658

BTS passengers down 80 per cent from pre-Covid numbers

There is an 80 per cent decline in passengers using the BTS Skytrain compared to their numbers before the Covid-19 crisis, the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) said.

BTSC director Surapong Laoha-Unya revealed that from an average of 800,000 passengers/trip/day during normal times, the number had fallen to 170,000 to 180,000 per trip on a day.

He said the decrease in traffic would have only a slight impact on BTSC’s annual revenue, as the company had received THB40 billion from the government for constructing the Yellow and Pink Line of MRT railways. The revenue from the construction would be acknowledged next year, he added.

Surapong also said that the opening of the Pink Line would be delayed from March 2022 to the middle of that year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the Yellow Line service will be opened in March 2022 instead of December this year.

Published : July 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003652

Asymptomatic or mild Covid-19 cases to isolate at home or community facilities

From July 12, Covid-19 patients with no or only mild symptoms in Bangkok and surrounding provinces will be cared for in home isolation or community isolation. These include 2,500 patients who called the 1330 hotline of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) and have not yet been allotted hospital beds.

NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadej Thammathach-aree said home and community isolation is a recent public health measure to handle the shortage of hospital beds and influx of patients amid the rising daily caseload.

In recent months, the NHSO hotline has been a contact point for coronavirus patients to book hospital beds. But many patients calling the hotline are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms (classified as “green”) which can be treated at home under the guidance of medical staff.

Admitting all of them to hospitals would exhaust public health resources and medical staff while lowering the chances for patients with moderate and severe symptoms (classified as yellow and red, respectively) to access care and hospital facilities.

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From now on, patients in the green category will be placed into home or community isolation. The latter operates in facilities – including temple buildings and community halls – set up and managed by local communities.

Patients will be cared for by medical staff from 204 community or private clinics partnered with the NHSO. Each clinic can look after 200 patients.

Clinic staff will contact the patients within 48 hours of calling the NHSO hotline, then deliver thermometers, oxygen saturation monitors, and green chiretta (fah talai jone) capsules to treat fever.

They will also closely monitor patients via video calls while also delivering three meals a day to each patient at home or in community isolation facilities.

Clinic staff will assist in transferring patients to hospitals if their condition deteriorates. These patients will receive Favipiravir while waiting for the transfer.

“Home and community isolation will help Covid-19 patients access care and medicines faster. It’s better than leaving them in uncertainty while waiting for hospital beds,” said Dr Jadej.

In addition, the NHSO, Urban Institute for Disease Prevention and Control, and Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medical Technology have worked together to launch a rapid antigen test service at several locations across Bangkok from July 14.

The service has capacity to test 10,000 people per day. Anyone who tests positive and has mild or no symptoms will be sent into home or community isolation.

Published : July 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003649

Phuket economy gets THB400 million boost from tourism sandbox programme

The tourism sandbox program has generated an estimated THB400 million income directly and indirectly for Phuket within a month.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s Phuket Office on Wednesday reported that since the launch of the sandbox program on July 1, the province has welcomed 9,358 foreign tourists.

“The top five countries with most tourists visiting Phuket in the past 20 days are United States, United Kingdom, Israel, Germany and France,” added the office.

Phuket economy gets THB400 million boost from tourism sandbox programme

Under the sandbox programme, tourists who have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely in the province without having to quarantine. After spending 14 days in Phuket, if they still test negative, the tourists can travel to other parts of Thailand.

Meanwhile, staff from Honeymoon Tour Ltd, an operator of boat services in Phuket has said that tourists have been booking the company’s one-day trip almost every day at 1-2 trips per day since the start of the sandbox program. “Most of the tourists are visiting Koh Racha and Koh He,” he said.

Phuket economy gets THB400 million boost from tourism sandbox programme

“The number of tourists, although not as high as before the Covid-19 outbreak, is still a huge improvement compared to when foreign visitors were not allowed in.

“We hope that the sandbox programme will be a starting step to rehabilitating the province’s economy, which relies heavily on revenue from foreign tourists,” he added.

Published : July 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003647

Japan urges Thai government to arrange more vaccination for foreigners

The Embassy of Japan in Thailand has urged the Thai government to increase vaccination for foreigners after the recent deaths of Japanese nationals due to Covid-19.

“In the last 10 days, we have received reports that several Japanese citizens have died due to Covid-19 in Thailand, taking total deaths in the country to six,” the Embassy’s Department of Consular Affairs told Krungthep Turakij newspaper on Thursday.

“We are employing our best efforts to protect Japanese nationals living in Thailand, including urging the government to increase vaccination provided to foreigners,” the embassy said.

Earlier this month, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had invited foreigners living in Thailand aged 60-74 (born before 1961) who reside in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, namely Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon, to register for Covid-19 vaccine via https://forms.gle/ULAqvx8eiDoX3v5Q9.

As for foreigners living in other provinces, they were advised to contact the public health office or provincial hospital to reserve a vaccine.

Walk-in vaccination at Bang Sue Grand Station, which is open from 9am to 4pm, is currently limited to foreigners aged over 75 years.

Published : July 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003640

Daily infections reach new high on Friday at 14,575 infections and 114 deaths

Ministry of Public Health reported on Friday (July 23) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 14,575 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 1,072 of whom have been found in prisons.

Death toll increased by 114, while 7,775 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country are at 467,707 with 3,811 total deaths.
 

Published : July 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003638

Isolated heavy rains with risk of flash floods forecast for upper Thailand

The Thailand Meteorological Department on Friday forecast isolated heavy rains for the upper North, the upper Northeast and the East regions.

Amonsoon trough lies across Myanmar, upper North of Thailand and upper Vietnam, while the southwest monsoon across the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand is intensifying, the department said.

People in upper Thailand should beware of the severe conditions and possible flash floods, the department said.

Waves in the upper Andaman Sea are likely to rise 2-3 metres high and more than three metres during thundershowers. All ships should proceed with caution and small boats should keep ashore, the department said.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees Celsius, highs of 30-33°C.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25°C, highs of 30-34°C.

Central: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-25°C, highs of 32-34°C.

East: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 25-27°C, highs of 31-35°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-26°C, highs of 33-35°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-26°C, highs of 32-34°C; waves 2-3 metres high and over three metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 25-27°C, highs of 32-35°C.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : July 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003626

Royal Academy imports another 5 million doses of Sinopharm

he Chulabhorn Royal Academy announced on Thursday that it has received 3 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine and will receive another 2 million doses in the next couple of weeks.

These shipments are part of its objective to procure 9 million doses of the vaccine to meet demands in the country. It also aims to fill the gap where certain groups, such as the disabled, clergy, elderly and expecting mothers, are concerned.

Meanwhile, another 246,287 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 33,289 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 15,084,696.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003625

Low margin of error proves rapid test kits are very effective: NHSO

Only 3 per cent of the 5,000 or so positive results from the rapid test kits were false, which makes it a very effective testing method, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) said on Thursday.

Over the past two weeks, NHSO has tested 50,000 people in Bangkok using the rapid antigen test kits.

Dr Jadej Thammatacharee, NHSO secretary-general, said these kits will be made more accessible and even distributed widely, so people can test themselves.

If people get a positive result, they will be told to isolate themselves at home or at a community isolation unit, while those at high risk will be admitted to the hospital.

“We have expedited communication with more than 200 community clinics in Bangkok to start conducting rapid tests. Meanwhile, 69 healthcare centres have already started testing more people,” Dr Jadej said.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40003624

Six more islands to join Phuket Sandbox on Aug 1

Six more islands are set to open for foreign tourists on August 1 under the Phuket Sandbox scheme for quarantine-free travel.

Given the green light on Thursday were Koh Phi Phi, Koh Ngai and Koh Railay in Krabi province and Khao Lak, Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai in Phang Nga province.

The proposal to open the islands under a “7+7” format was granted in principle by a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. The CCSA said it will review the proposal before making an official announcement.

According to the proposal, foreign tourists who stay on Phuket for seven days and test negative for Covid-19 will be free to go island hopping for seven days.

Other areas proposed for the Phuket Sandbox were rejected as only about 30 per cent of their local have been vaccinated.

The meeting also urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up registration of Sputnik V vaccine to allow tourists from Russia and Europe who have had Sputnik V jabs to travel to Thailand.

Published : July 22, 2021

By : The Nation