Makan in Thailand

[Mooose]

10 hours ago, steveluv said:

So lucky t have a dinner one day before partial lockdown 

We are getting used to fine wine being served in non-see-through glass

Love 'em buns in this retaurants

Caesar salad

Starters, fresh, soft and succulent scallops

also foie gras

Chilian seabass

French onion soup for me

end up with lava

looks really yummy!

good you got to dine out before the powers to be who worked late into the night made the midnight announcement 🤭

[Mooose]

[steveluv]

New Record

Thailand 5,489 ( +830 )
Prison 44 ( -83 )
———————————————-
Total 5,533 ( +747)

Deaths 57 ( +4 )

[Meanmachine]

@steveluv That is bad indeed  once the border open to tourists, the new cases figure is staggering high.

[steveluv]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Phuket-welcomes-1st-quarantine-free-tourists-in-more-than-a-year?utm_campaign=GL_coronavirus_latest&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=10&pub_date=20210701150000&seq_num=9&si=44594

Phuket welcomes 1st quarantine-free tourists in more than a year
Thailand experiment begins with arrival of Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi

Phuket gives a water cannon salute to the first plane arriving with foreign tourists who do not have to be quarantined as the Thai tourist island on July 1 begins a crucial experiment to rescue its economy.   © Reuters
MASAYUKI YUDA, Nikkei staff writerJuly 1, 2021 14:09 JST

BANGKOK -- Thailand's ambitious quarantine-free tourism experiment began on Thursday morning as an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi carrying fully vaccinated passengers landed at Phuket's airport.

After clearing immigration, the visitors were taken straight to their accommodations, where they will undergo PCR testing for COVID-19. If negative results come back, those tourists will be free to roam the entire island.

A Qatar Airways flight from Doha, an El Al Israel Airlines jetliner from Tel Aviv, and a Singapore Airlines plane from the city-state are scheduled to arrive later on Thursday. The four flights are to drop off a total of 249 passengers, according to the Thai government.

"Today is the day we have been waiting for," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told local officers welcoming him as he arrived at Phuket airport to observe the reopening. "I am pleased to come to meet all of you," he added.

The prime minister's visit reflects the importance of the Phuket sandbox experiment. The Thai government intends to use the island as a steppingstone, with tourists gradually allowed to land in other spots as the country methodically reopens to vaccinated international tourists. Plans are for a full reopening by mid-October.

Koh Samui, a touristy island in the Gulf of Thailand and roughly 250 km northeast of Phuket, is scheduled to reopen on July 15.

A beachfront area in Phuket on June 29, 2021. The Thai government was slow to finalize details of the sandbox, so the experiment begins with only a trickle of tourists.   © Reuters

A tourism recovery is key to salvaging the Thai economy, now suffering through a coronavirus-induced crisis. Tourism and related businesses used to account for 20% of the country's gross domestic product. Without international arrivals, Southeast Asia's second largest economy in 2020 shrank 6.1%.

On June 23, the Bank of Thailand lowered its economic outlook for 2021 to 1% from 3%, while also downwardly adjusting its 2022 forecast to 3.9% from 4.7%, as an ongoing third COVID wave is expected to reduce the number of tourists the country can accommodate.

The tourists who began arriving on Thursday will not have to spend a day in quarantine if they fulfill certain requirements, one of which is that they be fully inoculated for at least 14 days before their departure with a vaccine registered with Thailand's Ministry of Public Health or approved by the World Health Organization.

A vaccine certificate must be presented as proof. A negative PCR test result received no more than 72 hours before departure and insurance for COVID-19 expenses with minimum coverage of $100,000 are also required. Visitors must arrive on a direct flight from a low- to medium-risk country as categorized by Thailand's Ministry of Public Health.

Tourists entering via the sandbox can continue on to another destination in the kingdom only after spending at least 14 nights in Phuket. They also must undergo three PCR tests at their own expense, first upon arrival, then on Day 6 or 7, and finally on Day 12 or 13. All tests must come back negative.

According to government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri, bookings made with six commercial airlines suggest that 11,894 tourists and 426 flights will arrive in July under the Phuket sandbox scheme. The expected tourist and flight totals for Thursday show the program getting off to a slow start.

Local reports attribute the quiet reopening to the government's delay in finalizing the scheme. The sandbox received final cabinet approval on June 22, with details only enacted on Tuesday, when they were spelled out in the Thai government's Royal Gazette public journal.

A measurable number of potential visitors from Europe and the U.S. had to postpone or cancel visits as relevant embassies or consulates for those long-haul travelers failed to issue the required certificates of entry in time due to Thailand's late enactment of the details, according to the reports.

The experiment comes with risks. The Thai government has prepared contingencies to delay or cancel the sandbox if it detects 90 confirmed cases per week, transmissions across three districts and six subdistricts, or an occurrence of untraceable super spreads. A halt would also be triggered if an uncontrollable superspreader situation results in 80% or more of the island's hospital beds being occupied.

Bangla walking street, which used to be a popular nighttime hangout in Patong Beach, is dark on June 30, 2021. (Photo by Masayuki Yuda)

Locals have mixed feelings about the reopening. Representatives of domestic and international hotel chains are projecting confidence in their ability to safely serve incoming tourists, while proprietors of and workers at small local shops harbor low expectations. "Chances for the reopening to be successful are only 10 out of 100," said a 45-year-old server named Jeab at a noodle restaurant in Mueang Phuket district. "People are still afraid of the coronavirus."

The island itself might have become less attractive to some travelers as many restaurants and shops have closed their doors for good. Pubs and bars are not allowed to operate under current regulations meant to control the pandemic. Bangla walking street, one of the busiest nightlife districts on popular Patong Beach pre-COVID, was virtually empty on Wednesday, with few places open.

[Didu]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/thailand-phuket-reopens-international-tourism-covid-15123878

[steveluv]

 

[Wt_know]

ok la ... did not lose his cool ... never point finger and take "umbrage" .... muahahahaha

[Mooose]

16 hours ago, steveluv said:

 

someone will say "Isn't the government offering help? It's compensating half of the monthly income for all. What else do you want?" 🤪

Edited July 2, 2021 by Mooose

[Mooose]

On 7/1/2021 at 1:15 PM, Meanmachine said:

@steveluv That is bad indeed  once the border open to tourists, the new cases figure is staggering high.

if that is bad, today is badder .. 6087 new cases 61 deaths ..

[Mooose]

.. and today saturday is badder still .. 6230 new infections (and 41 more deaths) ..

whilst some people think unmasked celebrations with booze is all fine and dandy .. 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2142591/govt-defends-phuket-beach-booze-photos

[steveluv]

New Cases

Thailand 5,877 ( -59)
Prison 39 ( -255 )
———————————————-
Total 5,916 ( -314)

Deaths 44 ( +3 )

[Mooose]

3 hours ago, steveluv said:

New Cases

Thailand 5,877 ( -59)
Prison 39 ( -255 )
———————————————-
Total 5,916 ( -314)

Deaths 44 ( +3 )

no sign of control ..

and just saw the news a passenger to the phuket sandbox tested positive .. 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/phuket-on-alert-after-airline-passenger-from-bangkok-found-infected-with-covid-19/

Phuket on alert after airline passenger from Bangkok found infected with COVID-19

July 4, 2021

Phuket is on the alert after a passenger, who arrived on the island aboard a Thai Smile flight from Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok on July 1st, was found to be infected with COVID-19. 

All the passengers on board flight WE201, which left Suvarnabhumi international airport at 7.04am on July 1st, have been told to report to their nearest hospital or health office for COVID-19 testing.

The provincial administration also issued a statement on Saturday, via its Facebook page, urging those who visited the Central Floresta Phuket and Central Phuket Starbucks branches between June 25th and 29th to report for COVID-19 screening.

At Central Floresta Phuket, those required to undergo tests visited the Starbucks outlet on the ground floor of the mall on June 25th between 12.30pm and 1.50pm, June 27th between 9am and noon, June 28th between 10am and 7pm or on June 29th between 10am to 1pm.

At Central Phuket mall, customers should be tested if they visited Starbucks on the ground floor on June 27th between 1pm and 1.45pm.

Many netizens have criticized the provincial administration for being too slow in alerting visitors about the Starbucks customers and the air passengers from Bangkok, pointing out that the infected customers had visited the outlets as long ago as June 25th, but the administration only issued the alert yesterday (Saturday).

They said that many of them might have left Phuket already.

Phuket reopened to foreign arrivals from 66 countries, regarded as low and moderate risk, who are fully inoculated and go through COVID-19 screening on the day of their arrival.  They are required to stay at least 14 days in Phuket during which they will be subject to two tests before they can travel to other provinces.

The next tourist areas scheduled to reopen to foreign travellers on July 15th are Samui, Pha-ngan and Tao islands in the southern province of Surat Thani.

[steveluv]

New Cases

Thailand 6,082 ( +205)
Prison 84 ( +45 )
———————————————-
Total 6,166 ( +250)

Deaths 50 ( +6 )

[steveluv]

Huge explosion at chemical factory in Samut Prakan
published : 5 Jul 2021 at 09:53 writer: Online Reporters

An explosion and fire levels Ming Dih Chemical Co factory in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan on Monday morning. (Photo: Poh Teck Tung Khamrop 51 Foundation via @fm91trafficpro Twitter account๗

SAMUT PRAKAN: A huge explosion and fire destroyed a factory producing plastic foam and caused extensive damage to surrounding communities in Bang Phli district early Monday morning

Twenty-one people were injured, according to early media reports.

The explosion occurred about 2.50am at the Ming Dih Chemical Co factory in Soi King Kaew 21 at Moo 15 village in tambon Rachathewa.

There were five or six warehouses in the factory compound, where 50 tonnes of chemicals were stored.

The explosion was followed by a massive fire which engulfed the entire factory and caused extensive damage to buildings and houses within in a one-kilometre radius.

More than 30 fire engines from the Rachathewa tambon administration organisation and other local administrations were rushed to the scene.

The fire was finally declared under control around dawn. Black smoke continued to rise above the gutted ruins.

The cause of the explosion was unknown.

 

 

[Meanmachine]

Seems like Thailand & Malaysia are competing for No.1 spot of new cases, with the poor in rural part of KL waving the white flag for shortages of foods, whereby the cash relief funds of RM1.3K will only be deposited into their account in August/21.

 

We would urged Asian countries do not jump onto the bandwagon of air travel as the resurgence of clusters need to be closely monitored  and trace the main source of infection, the infected person need to be quarantined asap. We do understand many citizens are stressed and the needs to travel for work and assignment, in term of Open air travel needs to be closely collaborated once the C-19 figures dropped further. Currently the outlook do not look healthy, slowly but surely, things can be better.

[Mooose]

2 minutes ago, Meanmachine said:

Seems like Thailand & Malaysia are competing for No.1 spot of new cases, with the poor in rural part of KL waving the white flag for shortages of foods, whereby the cash relief funds of RM1.3K will only be deposited into their account in August/21.

We would urged Asian countries do not jump onto the bandwagon of air travel as the resurgence of clusters need to be closely monitored  and trace the main source of infection, the infected person need to be quarantined asap. We do understand many citizens are stressed and the needs to travel for work and assignment, in term of Open air travel needs to be closely collaborated once the C-19 figures dropped further. Currently the outlook do not look healthy, slowly but surely, things can be better.

i think it is just the thai gov that seems to be in their own world pushing for good news to be in the media with the opening of borders to tourists .. phuket now and the whole country in october-ish, but with the numbers yet to be vaccinated still very high how can genuine tourists be persuaded to go?

for the majority of tourists to want to go, they must be persuaded that their risk of being infected whilst in thailand is low - and this must mean that the number of locals vaccinated must be high - high enough to have herd immunity practically ..

and then the hurdles the gov must be manageable ..

at least malaysia is seemingly trying to control the spread instead of also pushing for border opening ..

[Mooose]

2 hours ago, steveluv said:

New Cases

Thailand 6,082 ( +205)
Prison 84 ( +45 )
———————————————-
Total 6,166 ( +250)

Deaths 50 ( +6 )

of these numbers 2199 are in icu and 603 are on ventilators needing oxygen as at today ..

and to add to the numbers (for tomorrow?) just saw the news that surin chamber of commerce director who was at the phuket sandbox opening event where he took a selfie with prayut has now tested positive for covid 19 ..

Edited July 5, 2021 by Mooose