57 deaths, 5,533 infections mark another day of record highs for Thailand
Thailand logged another record high of 57 deaths and 5,533 new infections, pushing the country’s total caseload to 264,834 infections and 2,080 deaths.
Of the new cases, 3,788 were tested in hospitals, 1,689 were found through proactive testing, 44 tested positive in prisons and 12 came from overseas.
Bangkok again led the list with a record 1,960 cases, followed by Samut Prakan (435), Pathum Thani (321), Samut Sakhon (298), Songkhla (272), Chonburi (261), Nakhon Pathom (231), Nonthaburi (224), Pattani (180) and Yala (136).
Meanwhile, 3,223 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.
Of the total 264,834 infections, 210,702 have recovered and been discharged, 52,052 are still in hospitals, and 2,080 have died.
Meanwhile, another 200,685 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 54,307 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 9,927,698.
According to Worldometer, as of 11am on Thursday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 182.97 million (up by 389,637), 167.55 million of whom have recovered, 11.46 million are active cases (79,223 in severe condition) and 3.96 million have died (up by 8,482).
Thailand ranks 72th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 34.54 million, followed by India with 30.41 million, Brazil with 18.55 million, France with 5.77 million, and Russia 5.51 million.
Phuket Sandbox attracts over 4,000 COE applications
Some 4,100 potential travellers have applied for a Certificate of Entry (COE) via the Foreign Ministry’s website since opened on June 28 to accept applications for visitors under the Phuket Sandbox scheme.
Under the scheme, which kicks off today, foreigners who can verify they have been fully inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into the province and move around freely without having to quarantine.
After staying in Phuket for 14 days, they can travel to other provinces if they test negative for a second time.
“Those who have applied for COE will need to attach their certificate of vaccination, which the Department of Disease Control will check for validity and give approval,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said. “So far, more than 500 people have been approved.”
Registrants also need to present evidence of payment for three Covid-19 tests at the hotel they are booked to stay at. The cost of tests is approximately 8,000 baht per person.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, 300 foreigners are scheduled to land in Phuket on the first day of opening. The flights landing today include Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, El Al Israel Airlines and Singapore Airlines.
Registration for Moderna jabs opens online, via Line
People interested in getting a Moderna jab against Covid-19 can as of Thursday register at https://register.princhealth.com or via the Line account @Dr.PRINC.
The jabs will be provided at hospitals under the company or at Klai Baan Klai Jai Clinics nearby.
From July 5, people will get to pay for an alternative vaccine at 1,700 baht per dose and can also decide if they want a booster shot.
“The number of doses procured will depend on the number of bookings made,” the company said.
The company, Principal Healthcare, also plans to launch a vaccination drive from October.
Moderna was approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration on May 13.
Desperate father’s bid to kill himself foiled by caring local
A grilled squid vendor in Ayutthaya tried to kill himself due to financial difficulties but was saved just in time by a local resident.
On Wednesday, Chaiwat (surname withheld), posted a clip on Tik Tok saying his earnings had gone down to nothing and that he needed someone to take care of his daughters, aged eight and nine, in this cruel world.
He made the clip at his stall near Bansang School in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in district and then tried to kill himself by consuming poison. His young daughters were also at the scene.
However, his bid for suicide was foiled when a local showed and took him to hospital.
Thaksin Pimklang told the press that he decided to visit the stall after seeing the Tik Tok clip on social media. Upon arrival, he saw the vendor crying with his children before swallowing the poison.
Chaiwat’s wife said her husband worked as a delivery man earlier but quit after his salary was reduced due to the Covid-19 crisis.
However, she said, selling grilled squid was no better, as there were hardly any customers.
She said their car was also confiscated because they could not meet the payments, adding that Chaiwat had tried to hang himself earlier.
As of press time, there was no information if anything had been done to help the family.
PM highlights 7-point plan to drive the country forward
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha sent a special article to Nation Multimedia Group on the occasion of The Nation newspaper’s 50th anniversary on July 1, writing that 2021 is a challenging year for the government as “we have to rehabilitate the economy amid the uncertainty of the Covid-19 situation” both domestic and overseas.
“Despite all these obstacles, the government is committed to moving the country forward and ensuring the economy can grow steadily again after the crisis is over,” he wrote. “Looking forward into the future, the government has outlined a 7-point plan to achieve long-term goals under six national strategies – national security, social cohesion, sustainable development, human capital enhancement, good governance and competitiveness promotion,” he added.
The highlights of the plans are:
Plan 1: Reduce economic disparity and promote social equality. The government aims to expand the coverage of social benefits for low-income earners that includes a newborn allowance, 15-year free education, free lunch and milk for schoolchildren, universal healthcare, and a state welfare card as well as benefits for the disabled and senior citizens. The government will also provide soft loans and other financial aid to solve the debt problem of people in all groups in a sustainable manner. Also included in this plan is the “Ban Suk Pracha” project, which aims to build 100,000 houses in Bangkok and 10,000 houses in other provinces for low-income earners at a low rental rate of only THB999 per month.
Plan 2: Increase investment in infrastructure projects. Over the past six years, the government has promoted investment in infrastructure projects throughout the country and will continue to do so. Projects that are of high priority include sea, air, land and rail transportation, a national power grid (gas & electricity) and the establishment of an innovation and digital centre in the Eastern Economic Corridor. The government will also increase investment in economic corridors in the northern, northeastern, central and southern regions with focus on a creative economy, a bio-industry, a health and medical food industry, logistics and tourism.
Plan 3: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming and drive Thailand on the path to becoming a low-carbon society. The government has set a target of reaching peak carbon emissions in 2030 and then achieving net zero emissions in 2065, which will help reduce the risk of being banned by trade partners and help secure more free trade agreements in the future. This goal can be achieved through the promotion of electric vehicles and use of renewable energy in the industrial sector, among other measures.
Plan 4: Strengthen existing industries by using advanced technology and innovation. These industries include processed food and agricultural products, healthcare and medical services, logistics and innovative tourism such as medical and eco-friendly tourism. One of the measures to promote this goal is launching tourism sandbox programmes in selected provinces to attract foreign tourists despite the Covid-19 situation.
Plan 5: Promote new industries for the future, also known as the new S-curve industries, to improve Thailand’s competitive edge globally. The government will focus on promoting three new industries with high potential – digital manufacturing and services, smart electronics and electrical vehicles, and biochemistry and bioplastic. These industries will help prepare Thailand for a digital transformation and become one of the digital hubs in the region.
Plan 6: Strengthen SMEs – the backbone of the economy. With more than 3 million small and medium businesses registered in 2020, SMEs are responsible for 42 per cent of the country’s GDP and 82 per cent of total employment. The government will make sure SMEs are fully supported with maximised accessibility to capital and markets, and will ensure that more SMEs are considered for government contracts which have a combined valued of over THB1.3 trillion per year.
Plan 7: Improve government services. Government service is a key factor that helps facilitate business operations and attracts foreign investors. The government aims to propel Thailand into the group of top ten countries with the highest ease of doing business in 2022 by offering services that are fast, traceable and increase user satisfaction.
Daily Covid-19 deaths reach new high on Thursday at 57 deaths with 5,533 new infections
Ministry of Public Health reported on Thursday morning that in the past 24 hours there are 5,533 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 127 of whom have been found in prisons.
Death toll increased by 57, which is the country’s new high, while 3,223 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country are at 264,834 with 2,080 total deaths.
Daily Covid-19 deaths reach new high on Thursday at 57 deaths with 5,533 new infections
The Nation Thailand’s message to readers on its 50th birthday
Fifty years ago, on July 1, 1971, the first Thai-owned English language newspaper rolled off the presses in Thailand.
The newspaper reported on Thailand’s economy, politics and society, with coverage extending to world affairs and commentary. Journalistic ethics and commitment to accurate reporting were founding principles of the paper. Over the past half-century, The Nation has covered numerous landmarks in the Kingdom’s turbulent modern history. Nation reporters were on hand to cover no less than three coups, several popular uprisings, the 1997 Tom Yam Kung financial crisis, the 2004 tsunami, and the passing of King Bhumibol the Great in 2016, followed by the coronation of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn in 2019. The newspaper was both a historical record and a voice of the people, while also serving as a window on Thailand for the international community. After 48 years in print, the final edition of the newspaper hit the streets on June 28, 2019. From a print-only operation, The Nation expanded into TV news and then a website and social media to meet changing demands of consumers. Today, The Nation Thailand is still going strong with a reputation for speed, accuracy and sharp-eyed reporting built on 50 years of experience. With a core mission to deliver a wealth of trustworthy news updates and content, our professional team delivers a fast-changing menu of stories to read on the website and videos to watch on social media. Half a century on, we are still here and still serious about our mission to serve the country and all of its people. Here’s to another 50 years as Thailand’s trusted source of news in English! The Nation Thailand
PM orders 1,500 more beds for Bussarakham Field Hospital
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Public Health Ministry to add 1,500 beds to the Bussarakham Field Hospital in Nonthaburi’s Impact Muang Thong Thani for patients in the red and yellow groups to cope with rising daily infections, Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday.
Patients in the red group are those with severe symptoms that require respirators, while yellow group patients are those who display moderate symptoms but have underlying health problems that require close monitoring.
“Of the 1,500 beds to be added, 125 will be for the red group patients with severe symptoms,” Anutin said. “This addition will increase the field hospital’s capacity to 3,700 beds and reduce crowding at hospitals in metropolitan areas.”
Anutin also said Prayut would visit Phuket today (July 1) to inspect the reopening of the province on the first day of its tourism sandbox programme, which will allow vaccinated foreigners to fly into Phuket and move around freely in the province without having to quarantine.
“The prime minister is concerned about a piece of fake news that five new infections have been found in Phuket just before the reopening,” Anutin said.
“The province’s public health chief has clarified that the new patients are persons who travelled from Bangkok and not Phuket locals. They have been quarantined and transported to hospitals for treatment under the province’s patient screening system,” he added.
Thundershowers forecast for upper Thailand; Central region, South to see less rains
Thundershowers are forecast over the North, the Northeast and the East while the Central region and the South will experience less rains as a weak southwest monsoon prevails over the country, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees and highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-26 degrees and highs of 32-38 degrees Celsius.
Central: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-26 degrees, highs of 36-37 degrees Celsius.
East: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-28 degrees, highs of 32-36 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (east coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-27 degrees, highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 33-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-27 degrees, highs of 33-37 degrees Celsius.
Health Ministry warns ivermectin untested as Covid treatment
Health authorities have warned Thais not to use the drug ivermectin as protection against Covid-19. Responding to social media rumours about ivermectin’s supposed anti-viral effects, Medical Services Department chief Dr Somsak Ankasil noted the drug can be dangerous as it is designed to kill parasites in animals, not viruses in humans.
However, a trial of the drug as a possible anti-Covid medication is underway in Thailand.
Early research abroad indicates it may inhibit the coronavirus, though ivermectin is not yet among official treatments being used by Thailand, Somsak said.
A June 25 meeting on Covid-19 treatment guidelines attended by specialists at the Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease and Urological Society noted that preliminary in-vitro studies suggest ivermectin works with favipiravir to inhibit the coronavirus. However, results from clinical trials in Thailand have yet to be delivered, so it is not a standard treatment.
Use of ivermectin to treat Covid-19 is at the discretion of physicians because data from research is unclear and conflicting, Somsak said.
The Department of Medicine and Siriraj Hospital are currently conducting a study on ivermectin. Thousands of Covid-19 patients in the Bangkok area have been divided into two groups. One is receiving standard treatment with favipiravir and the other is taking favipiravir plus ivermectin. Results from the two groups will be compared to assess whether ivermectin is a viable treatment.
“This is for the sake of research,” warned Dr Somsak.
“Do not buy this drug for your own use, because it can be dangerous.”
Daily Covid-19 deaths reach new high on Thursday at 57 deaths with 5,533 new infections
