The latest Covid restrictions

Anything and everything about Thailand
Post Reply
User avatar
Undaunted
Posts: 2567
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 8:47 am
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 368 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Undaunted »

….

Image
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
User avatar
2lz2p
Posts: 957
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2010 8:08 am
Location: Pattaya, Thailand (Jomtien)
Has thanked: 148 times
Been thanked: 108 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by 2lz2p »

And the source of that information is?
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

2lz2p wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 6:57 am And the source of that information is?
Yes he should have included a link to the source.

I don't know if this is where he got it, but the same information can be found at: https://tpnnational.com/2021/07/12/chon ... overnight/

The bottom line is until further notice virtually everything in Pattaya will have to close by 9:00pm and being home and indoors by 9:00pm is now a requirement - not on your way home, but already home. And if YOU are out after 9:00pm, you will be stopped by the police, checked, and have to explain why you are out. That may be a bit difficult since the average police officer is not exactly proficient in English.

If for some reason you do go out after 9:00pm, you better have a very good reason - a reason acceptable to the police. I suggest making sure you have your passport - your actual passport, not a copy - with you. Right now there is no telling if the police will accept a copy and since they have orders to be strict, I would not advise taking chances.

If you are ordering food delivery, order early. The delivery drivers also have to be home by 9:00pm.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

The Bangkok restrictions now threaten a 40,000 baht fine and/or 2 years in prison for violators. For the time being this applies only to Bangkok and the provinces under the same Bangkok restrictions.
____________________________________________

Image

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnew ... ail-363222
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

There seems to be the usual confusion about what is going on in Pattaya. While they are not calling it a curfew, they might as well. A rose by any other name . . .

My understanding is until further notice you must be in your residence by 9:00pm. Not on your way to your residence, but already there. The police will be checking and if you are caught outside after 9:00pm you could find yourself in trouble unless you have a very good reason, a reason acceptable to the police, for being out.

The parts I'm still confused about include what the penalties are if you are stopped by the police after 9:00pm and you don't have a valid reason. If you are arrested it could be a very long time before you even get a bail hearing. My understanding is the courts are taking more important cases first. A farang arrested for being out past 9:00pm without a valid reason is not going to be considered a high priority important case.

I'm also confused about what time you are allowed out again. I think it is 4:00am, but I'm not sure about that. In any case, by the time most of us are up and ready to go out, that should not be a problem.

Again, if there is any reason you have to be out after 9:00pm (and I can't imagine what that reason might be since virtually everything has to close by 9:00pm), I urge you to have your passport with you. While some news articles are saying copy of your passport, that's not good enough for me and I don't know whether it will be good enough for the police. I suggest carrying your actual passport. And if you are worried about losing it, I think it is much better to be careful with it rather than finding yourself in trouble because you didn't have it. Don't forget - the police are under orders to be strict.

And again, I also suggest if you are ordering food delivery, order early enough so the delivery rider can get to you in time. They too have to be in their residence by 9:00pm - at least that is the way I understand it.

If I am wrong about any of this, feel free to correct me, but make sure you include how you know my information is wrong.
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

Bangkok lockdown instantly chills Pattaya

By Pattaya Mail

July 13, 2021

Even before Chonburi’s governor issued a new stay-at-home order, Pattaya already had felt the effect of Bangkok’s lockdown, getting even quieter than its already quiet state.

Travel restrictions went into effect July 12 in the capital and surrounding provinces (and the Deep South), with army and police personnel manning checkpoints out of the “deep red” coronavirus control zones.

Inside the zones, a curfew was imposed from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. and all non-essential businesses closed and hours cut for those that remained open.

The effect on Pattaya was immediate, with chair vendors on Jomtien Beach sitting alone on Sunday.

Sumalee Aramwong, 50, said the weekends usually brought some Bangkokians to Jomtien, but not this weekend, as people stayed home to avoid checkpoints and curfews.

It won’t matter now, however, as Chonburi has imposed its own quasi lockdown, which is sure to drive another nail in Pattaya’s economic coffin.

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... aya-363268
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

I realize this "voluntary" curfew is hard on those depending on nighttime business, but if they can't bring the spread of Covid under control and get enough people vaccinated - with a vaccine that actually works - that could very well force another serious lockdown. If that happens, in my opinion this time it wouldn't be a lockdown. It would be a meltdown.

Since virtually everything is closed by 9:00pm anyway, I don't understand what this curfew is supposed to accomplish. Oh well, just another item to add to my ever-growing "I Don't Get It" list . . .
__________________________________

Pattaya ‘curfew’ déjà vu all over again

By Jetsada Homklin

July 15, 2021

It was déjà vu all over again as Pattaya fell silent under the second night-time curfew in a year, bringing utter still to an already quiet city.

From Beach Road to Third Road, South to North Road, streets emptied after 9 p.m. July 13, the first official night of the voluntary curfew that, in truth, was hardly voluntary. Police harassed anyone outside before 4 a.m., demanding to know why they weren’t at home, hiding from Covid-19, which many people mocked the government for thinking only comes out after dark.

Motorcycle-taxi driver Anurak got a rush of business after 8 p.m. as people scrambled to get home and avoid hassles, but his overall income is taking another hit. Anuruk said he used to make up to 1,000 baht a day in the “before times” but now was lucky to earn 300.

The ”voluntary” stay-at-home order differs from 2020’s hard curfew, which carried stiff fines and even jail time for violators. It shows how little progress Thailand has made against the coronavirus pandemic, with the country basically in the same dire situation as a year ago, even though a solution – Covid-19 vaccines – have been available for eight months.

Pattaya resident Jenjura said she supports the stay-at-home order, but believes it should have been introduced at the same time as a compensatory relief program for those put out of work by the pandemic and the government restrictions.

She said there will be no end to the restrictions until enough people are vaccinated and the government is doing a poor job of obtaining enough vaccines.

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/news/pattay ... ain-363495
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

While obviously this move will hurt Pattaya's economic strife even further, my opinion is the powers-that-be really have no choice and are doing the right thing considering the fast growing numbers of Covid cases here. My only objection is I think they should have done this quite some time ago, but the economic problems have been so severe that it was come one, come all in hopes that would work and would substantially help Pattaya's economic problems. Along with all the other schemes, it didn't work and many more people contracted Covid and many died. But I suppose the powers-that-be were caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place and felt keeping Pattaya open had to be tried.'

"Let them tell that to the Marines."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (Fireside Chat, February 23, 1942)
___________________________________________________________________

Pattaya-Chonburi relent, impose 2-week quarantine on interprovincial arrivals

By Boonlua Chatree

July 16, 2021

After stubbornly keeping Pattaya open to all comers even as other provinces imposed quarantines on tourists, Chonburi has relented and now will require visitors to self-isolate for 14 days.

Travelers were informed of the new quarantine requirements July 13 as soldiers, police and volunteers manned six checkpoints at provincial borders, including Sukhumvit Road at the Banglamung Police Station. Other checkpoints are set up checkpoints in five districts in Chonburi, including Muang, Sattahip, Phanat Nikhom and Ban Bung districts.

Gov. Pakarathorn Thienchai, flanked by Banglamung District Chief Wuttisak Singhadecho and Pattaya Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya inspected the Sukhumvit Soi 2 checkpoint July 13, the first night they became operational from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The governor acknowledged that the coronavirus situation is worsening in Chonburi and stricter measures need to be imposed, including imposing quarantines in Pattaya, which had welcomed anyone from any provinces – deep red, red, yellow, orange or green – in order to generate tourism revenue.

But Chonburi reported 523 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, 93 of which were in Banglamung District, which includes Pattaya. It was the second straight day of 500-plus cases in the province, although Pattaya’s number fell from Wednesday’s 128.

People are not being taken from checkpoints to quarantine – random checks of passenger cars and trucks only are being done – but subdistrict mayors and village headmen are tasked with informing arrivals of the need to self-isolate for two weeks and not leave their accommodations.

Migrant workers, as usual, are getting it worse. Continuing the incessant scapegoating of factory, construction and market workers, Pakarathorn said all factory workers are confined to their employer’s facility for a month if a case is found there.

Migrant workers have made up a tiny share of Chonburi’s cases, with Thais spreading the disease through market interaction, shopping mall visits and family get-togethers. But the poorest in society from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar are being caged like animals with little attention paid to their well-being during forced confinement.

Pakarathorn said the factories closed will serve as field hospitals, with 2,500 beds now available for those with no or minor symptoms.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... als-363517
User avatar
Gaybutton
Posts: 21459
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
Location: Thailand
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 1306 times

Re: The latest Covid restrictions

Post by Gaybutton »

It looks like more restrictions are about to be imposed. I don't like some of the wording in these articles that refer to the decision makers as "experts". Experts? What experts? There are no experts. Nothing like this has ever happened in all of human history. There have been plagues and pandemics before, yes, but never before in a such a mobile society and record high global population.

In Pattaya, somewhere along the line the gay scene here had its last perfect day. Then things began to decline until now, when the gay scene has all but disappeared. Will there be a comeback or is it just gone and doomed only be consigned to history like the sex life of ancient Rome and Greece?

If things get much worse, in Pattaya businesses and individuals still here and struggling might just as well rise up and cry out
"Morituri te salutant".
__________________________________________________________________________________

Thai Prime Minister states further Covid-19 restrictions and controls coming, says it is necessary

By Adam Judd

16 July 2021

The Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan O’Cha, posted on his social media accounts in the past hour, directly addressing speculation over the past several hours about further restrictions, closure measures, regulations, and other moves to control the Covid-19 coronavirus, especially in Bangkok and maximum control (Dark red, by a Thai color-coding system) provinces.

The PM confirmed in his post that after a meeting with the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, and relevant agencies, doctors, and experts, that further measures were needed.

This comes after measures enacted on Monday of this week were seen by experts from the Public Health Ministry and Department of Disease Control as “not enough”. The spokesperson for the CCSA, Apisamai Srirangsan, said at a press conference this afternoon that people were not taking overnight “stay at home” restrictions in Bangkok and other areas seriously enough and many people continued to gather, socialize, gamble, drink alcohol, and other behaviors that could continue to spread the Covid-19 virus.

Apisamai was the first to state that the CCSA was considering stricter measures, as well as changing color codes in some provinces.

According to Prime Minister Prayut’s post, there is a need to urgently increase public travel restrictions as much as possible to stop the spread of Covid-19, based on advice from medical experts from the CCSA. There is also a need to close more businesses and places where people gather, unfortunately. The CCSA is currently debating and deciding what measures to implement.

A timeframe on when they would formally announce these measures or what they would be was not stated.

The PM also stated that governor’s in every province had been instructed to strengthen the rules to stop the spread of Covid-19, especially in maximum control areas like Bangkok and surrounding provinces, as well as the deep South.

The PM also stated the following-

-There will be more discussions around economic assistance and financial aid for those affected

-One of the items being discussed is education costs, which many parents will be happy to hear.

-As we have previously stated, Rapid Antigen tests are now available at applicable Bangkok clinics (Check in advance) and can be used for proactive screening.

-Processes for home or community isolation for asymptomatic or mild patients were being implemented, especially in Bangkok, to relieve pressure on hospitals. (Thailand previously has had the policy that anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 must undergo medical supervision at a hospital/field hospital/similar facility.

-Thailand will move ahead with combining Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines, despite some concerns.

-The PM understands that going into further restrictions and measures is very difficult but stressed that Thailand must fight the current round of Covid-19 as quickly as possible and that Thailand would “fight together.”

https://tpnnational.com/2021/07/16/thai ... necessary/
________________________________

Harsher Covid controls on the horizon

Most comply, but too many don't

16 July, 2021

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration is looking at harsher controls to contain the spread of Covid-19 because some people and businesses continue to ignore existing measures.

CCSA spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson said on Friday that some people still broke the curfew and ban on gatherings in maximum and strict control zones, even though most people complied.

"The Department of Disease Control has found people who violated the curfew and gathered to play cards on the back of pickup trucks and did not wear face masks," she said.

From July 5 to 14 there were complaints about 92 defiant gatherings and 102 business premises that breached opening hours restrictions. Complaints were filed through police hotline numbers 191 and 1599 and hotline 1138 of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, Dr Apisamai said.

Security authorities reported 159 cases of curfew violation and 59 illegal gatherings. Forty-five people were prosecuted and the rest received warnings, Dr Apisamai said.

The Transport Ministry reported that people continued to leave maximum and strict Covid-19 control zones even though it was prohibited, she said.

"The CCSA is concerned about this and may have to intensify measures and suspend more business activities, or as many as possible... It will be announced soon," Dr Apisamai said.

"Area-based lockdowns and maximum and strict controls are imposed in only 10 provinces to minimise the impact, but there is concern about compliance. The CCSA director (the prime minister) ordered medical advisers to present their recommendations as soon as possible."

The spokeswoman said people's failure to comply with disease control measures had led to the current high number of new Covid-19 cases.

"Harsh measures that may cause difficulties and limit travel are intended to reduce the number of infected people and the mortality rate," Dr Apisamai said.

The government has declared Greater Bangkok (the city and the five adjoining provinces) and four southern border provinces maximum and strict Covid-19 control zones and imposed partial lockdowns from June 28. Parties and dining-in at restaurants are prohibited.

Since Monday the government has imposed a 9pm-4am curfew in these zones in a further effort to prevent crowd gatherings and transmission of the disease virus.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... he-horizon
Post Reply