Thai Olympians to be jabbed before flying to Tokyo
Thailand’s Olympic athletes will receive their Covid-19 jabs from Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital staff before catching their flight to Tokyo for the July 23-August 8 Games.
Minister of Tourism and Sport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Monday that vaccine for the athletes was allocated by the Public Health Ministry.
The operation to vaccinate Thailand’s Olympians will run outside hospital, with Samitivej Srinakarin staff assigned to administer the jabs at a date still to be finalised.
Once they get to Tokyo, the athletes will enter the Olympic bubble, confined to their hotels and official transport with regular Covid-19 tests every few days.
Thai Olympians to be jabbed before flying to Tokyo
Govt to borrow additional THB500 billion to remedy fallout of Covid-19
The Royal Gazette website on Tuesday published an emergency decree allowing the Ministry of Finance to borrow money to tackle social and economic problems caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.
The emergency decree stipulates that the money to be borrowed shall not exceed THB500 billion and is aimed at providing necessary aid and compensation to people in all occupations who have been affected by the new wave of the pandemic.
A news source added that the THB500 billion would be allocated for three areas:
▪︎ THB30 billion for buying drugs, vaccines, medical equipment as well as for research and development of domestic vaccine manufacturing and other medical-related expenditure.
▪︎ THB300 billion to offer handout money to alleviate people’s financial burden during the Covid-19 crisis.
▪︎ THB170 billion will be for economic stimulus, employment generation and investment promotional campaigns to rehabilitate the economy after the pandemic crisis is resolved.
Attack on Thai national in Chicago spurs warning from consulate
The Thai Consulate in Chicago urged Thai nationals to be careful after a Thai was attacked by some 15 to 20 people outside the city’s Millennium Park on Saturday evening. The victim’s smartphone was also stolen.
The announcement, posted on Facebook on Tuesday, said attacks in Chicago’s public areas are likely to rise now that Covid-19 preventive measures have been eased and the weather suitable for gatherings.
“We would like to ask Thais in the area to keep important documents and valuables safe and be careful when moving in public areas,” the announcement read.
At a meeting with government and opposition whips on Monday, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai said the followers of some MPs had behaved badly with medics providing Covid-19 jabs to parliament staff.
“There have been complaints that the staff of some MPs have been jumping queues at vaccination venues, and some have also yelled at doctors and nurses administering the shots over the past two days,” Chuan said.
“Though MPs are behaving themselves, they need to keep their staff in line too, as they are a reflection on all of us who have been elected by the people.”
Chuan met the whips to set an agenda for the May 27-28 Parliament session being held to discuss the two new emergency decrees.
The House speaker said the Parliament meeting to consider the 2022 national budget will be held as scheduled from May 31 to June 2, and that Covid-19 preventive measures will be employed in all areas of the complex.
“We estimate that the debate will take 47 hours and 30 minutes. Government and opposition MPs will get 22 hours of debate time each, while the chairman will take three hours 30 minutes,” he added.
“Since vaccination is voluntary, MPs who have not been vaccinated will be allowed to attend provided they strictly follow the Covid-19 preventive measures,” Chuan added.
Police break up party at sauna, one of 60 suspects tests positive for Covid-19
Of the 60 partygoers nabbed on Saturday at the Faros Sauna in Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng area, one tested positive for Covid-19.
Pol Colonel Ekkaphop Tanprayoon, Wang Thong Lang Police Station’s superintendent, said on Monday that the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will provide details on the case.
“To ensure officers’ safety, the police station will be disinfected, and the 30 members of the police raid team will be tested for Covid-19,” he said.
He added that all police officers received their second Covid-19 jab on Monday. “We will find out on Tuesday if any of the officers have been infected and if they need to be isolated,” he added.
The raid was conducted after people in the area told police that the sauna was allegedly used as a site for drug trafficking and could be a source of Covid-19 infections.
At the raid, officers reportedly found packs of methamphetamine, other drugs, a syringe and used condoms.
The suspects, including party organisers Surat Jitpuengtham, 41, and Nathachpong Saengkaew, 38, and Jinna Kritjinda, 63, who claimed to be the sauna owner. They have been charged with violating the state of emergency, the Communicable Disease Act and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s measures. Those who tested positive for drug usage will face additional charges under the narcotics laws.
However, seven suspects denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.
The suspects stand to face up to 30,000 baht in fines and/or up to seven months in prison based on their wrongdoing.
BTSC, KT discussing THB30-billion debt, expect to resolve problem in 2 weeks
The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) and Krungthep Thanakom (KT) are looking for ways to solve the 30-billion-baht debt problem related to the extension of the BTS Green Line and expect to come to an agreement within two weeks.
Surapong Laoha-Unya, chief executive officer of BTSC, said the two sides had not reached any agreements during negotiations on Monday.
“During the discussion, we proposed ways of cutting down operating expenses and boosting KT’s revenue, such as reducing the number of trips outside rush hour and collecting fare from commuters using the BTS Green Line extension,” he said.
He added that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had proposed three options for solving the debt problem: Seeking funds from the government, setting up a joint investment under the 2019 Public-Private Partnership Act, or shifting the debt back to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA).
BTSC is planning to sue both KT and BMA over the 30 billion baht it is owed for the extension of the BTS Green Line if there is no conclusion on the issue.
Of the 30 billion baht, 10 billion is owed for the operation of the BTS system and the remainder for the installation of the train line’s electrical and mechanical systems.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Tuesday reported 3,226 new cases, including 19 returnees, and 26 deaths over a 24-hour period.
Bangkok led the list with 872 cases, followed by 590 in Nonthaburi, 227 in Phetchaburi and 126 in Samut Prakan.
The capital also led the list of fatalities with 15 dead, followed by two each in Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, and one each in Nonthaburi, Petchaburi, Nonthaburi, Buri Ram, Amnat Charoen, Kalasin and Nakhon Sawan.
Of the 19 returnees, 17 were Thai nationals – seven from Saudi Arabia, four from Malaysia, two each from India and Cambodia, and one each from Indonesia and the US. Other infected arrivals were an Indian from India and a South African from Egypt.
Meanwhile, 3,094 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.
As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 135,439. So far, 89,194 people have recovered and been discharged, 45,413 patients are still in hospitals and 832 have died.
Meanwhile, another 102,558 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 11,091 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 3,024,313.
According to Worldometer, as of 11am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 167.98 million (up by 442,798), 149.3 million of whom have recovered, 15.2 million are active cases (97,620 in severe condition) and 3.48 million have died (up by 8,865).
Thailand ranks 86th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 33.92 million, followed by India 26.94 million, Brazil 16.12 million, France 5.6 million and Turkey 5.19 million.
AK102 assault rifles go missing from Narathiwat arms depot
A total of 28 AK102 assault rifles have gone missing from the arms depot of the territorial defence office in Narathiwat province.
Muang Narathiwat police have confirmed the case after a complaint was lodged by Muang’s district permanent secretary on May 19.
In addition to the AK102 guns, the police added that some guns in three districts of the province — Rusoh, Si Sakhon and Su-ngai Padi – were also missing.
Security forces have been battling an insurgency in the deep South province for nearly two decades.
Government increases interval between AstraZeneca vaccine doses to 16 weeks
The Public Health Ministry said on Monday it is adjusting its Covid-19 vaccination plan to administer first jabs to as many people as possible due to the current outbreak.
“We decided to increase the interval between AstraZenecca vaccine doses from 10 weeks to 16 weeks. This means those who get their first jabs in June will get their second jabs in October,” ministry permanent secretary Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit said.
“There is also an academic research that says such a move will improve the recipients’ immunity.”
Regarding the rumours that the increase in gap between doses is due to the government’s inability to import enough vaccines in time for the second jabs, he said they had already discussed this new plan with the manufacturer and they have promised to deliver the vaccines accordingly starting from June.
“In June the ministry will order an additional 3 million doses of Sinovac vaccine to be provided alongside the AstraZenecca vaccine,” Dr Kiattiphum said.
“People can rest assured that the ministry is still following the goal of providing vaccination to all citizens to create herd immunity against Covid-19,” he added.
Sinopharm’s vaccine on track for approval after Thai importer submits documents
Complete documents to register Sinopharm’s Covilo vaccine for use against Covid-19 in Thailand have been submitted, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) secretary-general Dr Paisan Dankhum said on Monday.
Sinopharm is a state-owned company in China that manufactures the inactivated Covid-19 vaccine.
The documents were submitted by the vaccine’s importer, Bio Genetech Ltd.
So far, four vaccines have been approved and registered for use in Thailand by the FDA — AstraZeneca, imported by AstraZeneca (Thailand) Ltd and manufactured domestically by Siam Bioscience Ltd; CoronaVac or Sinovac, imported by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation; Johnson & Johnson vaccine, imported by Janssen-Cilag Ltd; and Moderna vaccine, imported by Zuellig Pharma Ltd.
“Two more importers are in the process of vaccine registration — Bio Genetech Ltd, and Kingen Biotech Ltd, which will import the Sputnik V vaccine,” he said.
“With complete documents submitted, the FDA will evaluate Bio Genetech’s application and complete the registration as soon as possible.”
Phaisan added that it usually takes the FDA 30 days to finish the approval process after all the documents have been submitted.
“The FDA will carefully consider the quality, efficacy and safety of the Covid-19 vaccines to make sure they can be used in Thailand as soon as possible while following international standards of vaccine approval,” he said.
Thai Olympians to be jabbed before flying to Tokyo
