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From Thai Enquirer Government inaction blocking private hospital vaccine purchase Despite promises made by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, government hurdles and red-tape have made it impossible for private hospitals to acquire vaccines on their own despite having the agency and connections to make it happen. Thailand is currently fighting its most severe wave of the Covid-19 pandemic with infection rates climbing into the quadruple digits and the death toll mounting. Among the major criticisms aimed at the government from political opponents and erstwhile allies is the current national vaccination plan which has lagged behind other countries. Local media have been reporting since last year that private hospitals seeking to independently acquire vaccines were being rejected by the public health ministry on the grounds that the government would be able to source enough vaccines for the country. But with the rise of the third wave, that vaccination plan seems to have failed in its entirety with the population not inoculated in any substantial way. As a result, Prayut promised in a nationally-televised address to set up a committee to help the private sector bring in vaccines to supplement the government’s effort. Thai Enquirer has learned, however, that in the two-weeks since Prime Minister Prayut made the statement there has been no change on the ground and private hospitals are still frustrated by the lack of government communication and agency on the matter. “At the moment, it is impossible for the private sector to bring in vaccines due to the government’s inaction,” said Dr Suwadee Puntpanich, a director at Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital which is part of the Thonburi Healthcare Group. Coninues at https://www.thaienquirer.com/26891/exclusive-government-inaction-blocking-private-hospital-vaccine-purchase-despite-prayut-promise/ ======================================= From Channel News Asia China's Sinovac and Sinopharm consider mixing COVID-19 vaccines, adding booster shots TAIPEI: Chinese vaccine makers are looking at mixing their jabs and whether a booster shot could help better protect against COVID-19. Sinovac and Sinopharm, the two Chinese manufacturers that combined have exported hundreds of millions of doses all over the world, say they are are considering combining their vaccines with those from other companies. Earlier this month, the head of China's Center for Disease Control, Gao Fu, said that current vaccines offer low protection against the coronavirus and mixing them is among strategies being considered to boost their effectiveness. Gao later tried to walk back his comments, saying he was talking in general about improving vaccine efficacy. China National Biotech Group has a plan for future “sequential use” of their vaccines, Li Meng, the head of international cooperation for the company, said Wednesday at an international conference. The company, a subsidiary of state-owned Sinopharm, made two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines and a third in clinical trials. Continues at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/china-sinovac-sinopharm-mixing-covid-19-vaccines-booster-14710138 ==================================== From South China Morning Post Prayuth faces crisis of confidence stoked by Thaksin, Clubhouse and ‘fed-up doctors’ Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is to meet industry and tourism leaders on Wednesday to discuss how the country, in the thick of a coronavirus flare-up and a month-long lockdown of Bangkok, can ramp up its vaccination drive as it seeks to welcome foreign travellers to Phuket by July 1. Thailand has received 2.5 million Sinovac doses and expects a further one million in May. Sixty-one million locally produced AstraZeneca doses are set to be delivered between June and December. Prayuth said last week that Russia and Pfizer had each promised between five and 10 million doses but offered no delivery timeline. With only about one per cent of the 66 million population – mostly health workers and those at higher risk of infection – inoculated so far, the private sector has ramped up pressure on the government to procure more vaccines. The Thai Chamber of Commerce on Monday began taking vaccine orders from members, at their own expense, as a step toward speeding the recovery, Bloomberg reported. On social media, people have documented the difficulties in finding hospital beds for Covid-19 patients while over the weekend a group called Mor Mai Ton (“fed-up doctors”) called on Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to step down. More than 100,000 people signed the petition on Change.org in a matter of hours on Sunday. In the first 25 days of April Thailand reported more than 26,000 Covid-19 infections – compared to less than 7,000 cases detected throughout all of 2020. The emergence of the doctors group follows that of a movement known as Thai Mai Ton (“fed-up Thais”), which was recently formed by supporters of the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was deposed in a military coup in 2006 and has been in self-exile since 2008. A police officer turned telecoms billionaire before he became prime minister, Thaksin himself has been active on the social media platform Clubhouse using the nickname Tony Woodsome, with some 200,000 people following him and being alerted to discussions involving him. In a session on April 20, thousands of Clubhouse users tuned in as he suggested he could bank on his ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to help Thailand procure its Sputnik V vaccine. Included in the proposal, apart from holding a private talk with Putin, was that Thai billionaires like Dhanin Chearavanont, of Charoen Pokphand Group, and Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, the founder of Singapore Exchange-listed company ThaiBev, could use their connections in China and Singapore respectively to source vaccines for Thailand. Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a self-exiled academic and prominent long-time critic of the Thai monarchy now based at Kyoto University and active on Clubhouse, said Thaksin’s “outward-looking focus and confidence in business” was in stark contrast to Prayuth’s military background. Continues at https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3131330/covid-19-surges-thailand-prayuth-faces-crisis

From Tuoi Tre News (VCPN), a network which seeks to highlight the importance of advancing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) rights and workplace inclusion practices in Vietnam, has launched an official website after hosting its first networking event on Wednesday. The VCPN is a joint collaborative effort of KPMG Vietnam and the ICS Center, with active support from the Consulates General of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and the Australia-Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue (AVYLD). The VCPN will be driven by ICS, a Vietnamese nonprofit that runs local and national inclusion programs for the LGBTI community. KPMG Vietnam, the Consulates General of Australia, the UK, and the U.S., and AVYLD will provide ongoing strategic direction. The network brings together corporate organizations to promote inclusive workplace cultures and initiatives where LGBTI people can be themselves and are valued in their places of employment. At their first networking event in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday night, VCPN invited employees from several organizations to share the personal stories of working in inclusive workplaces that celebrate and promotes LGBTI diversity. These stories were not just shared from the perspective of corporate leaders but also from employees who hope to inspire other companies to do more for employee welfare in their office spaces. During the event, the network also announced the launch of their first official website, resources, and tool kits. Continues at https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20210409/vietnam-corporate-pride-network-launches-first-online-platform/60264.html Visit the VCPN site https://www.vcpn.net/

From Bangkok Post Hua Hin is ready to follow the government's reopening plan and target vaccinated tourists without quarantine requirements in October under the Hua Hin Recharge campaign. Krod Rojanastien, a member of the committee of Thai Chamber of Commerce, who is leading the collaboration from the private sector, said Hua Hin has the potential to be included in the reopening plan due to its reputation for wellness tourism and as a long-stay destination only a few hours away from Bangkok. Under Hua Hin Recharge plan, the pilot areas will cover Hua Hin Municipality and the Nong Kae district, a total area of 86.36 sq km with 182 registered hotels. Similar to the Phuket sandbox model, tourists with proof of vaccination will be able to take flights to Suvarnabhumi Airport or a private jet to Hua Hin airport. They will have to pass an RT-PCR test upon arrival and must activate Thailand Plus, a tracing application before transferring to hotels via private vehicle. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2105995/hua-hin-may-allow-foreign-tourists-soon

These events seem to occur more frequently then some might think.

The opening post was the news article from the Bangkok Post, my dear friend. Your post immediately above was your 7th, the most of any respondent in the thread. And I'm the troll?

OMG, my dear friend, this is truly classic stuff. You're persuaded that it's a monorail and not your ravings that's at issue here? I suppose I should be flattered by the attention you shower on me. With all the bigger fish you have to fry, you still find so much time for me. You still have to straighten out the inefficiencies in Thai bureaucracy, educate readers in how to get the cheapest dates on line, classify modes of rail transport, point out the many flaws in the bars and go-go's, and glorify the apps. It's a good thing you're not paranoid.

Your error, my friend, is your belief that having the last word magically makes all your preceding words true.

Oh, you mean like yourself of course. You automatically assume that anything you post has to be the only accurate information on the topic. You always demand to have the final word. Sorry, z, but it would be impolite if I neglected to point our your error. Please don't go paranoid now and think I'm being rude.

From NYTimes By Hannah Beech Photographs by Adam Dean A shop keeper waited for customers next to two shuttered bars on Patong’s famous Bangla Walking Street PHUKET, Thailand — Around the corner from the teeth-whitening clinic and the tattoo parlor with offerings in Russian, Hebrew and Chinese, near the outdoor eatery with indifferent fried rice meant to fuel sunburned tourists or tired go-go dancers, the Hooters sign has lost its H. The sign, in that unmistakable orange cartoon font, now simply reads, “ooters.” Like so much at Patong Beach, the sleazy epicenter of sybaritic Thailand, Hooters is “temporarily closed.” Other establishments around the beach, on Phuket Island, are more firmly shuttered, their metal grills and padlocks rusted or their contents ripped out, down to the fixtures, leaving only the carcasses of a tourism industry ravaged by the coronavirus epidemic. The sun, which usually draws 15 million people to Phuket each year, stays unforgiving in a downturn. The rays bleach “For Rent” signs on secluded villas and scorch greens on untended golf courses. They lay bare the emptiness of Patong streets where tuk-tuk drivers once prowled, doubling as touts for snorkeling trips or peep shows or Thai massages. Only a few weeks ago, Phuket seemed poised for a comeback. After a year of practically no foreign tourists arriving in Thailand, the national government decided that Phuket would start welcoming vaccinated visitors in July, without requiring them to go through quarantine. The project was called Phuket Sandbox. But Thailand is now gripped by its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the pandemic began, spread in part by well-heeled Thais who partied in Phuket and Bangkok with no social distancing. The confirmed daily caseload — albeit low by global standards — has increased from 26 on April 1 to more than 2,000 three weeks later, this in a country that had about 4,000 total cases in early December. Continues with photos https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/25/world/asia/thailand-phuket-tourism-coronavirus.html

You just did hear about 10 of them. Not necessarily. Members are more likely to offer comments about a disappointing meal, lousy hotel experience or a bad flight. But when it comes to being humiliated and scammed by another man they'd invited to their room for the promise of sex, not so much. It's akin to admitting to "how could I have been so dumb?" Or, even more threatening to the male ego, "how could I allow another man to take advantage of me?" Many may choose to keep quiet about it and chalk it up to experience. This news hopefully serves as a wake up call to all of us impatiently waiting for an opportunity to return. The overwhelming majority of guys we meet will never be a problem but we have to be mindful of the risks of inviting strangers into our rooms. We all have to have our mental check lists: some things can turn out to be too good to be true.

From South China Morning Post By Kok Xinghui Social media, K-pop, boys love dramas and gay characters on Netflix – all have played a part in bringing LGBT issues into the mainstream, activists say But greater visibility has also brought a backlash. On Facebook, people troll newlywed Thai men, in Indonesia, a woman was burned to death Joshua Simon. Photo: Handout In 2019, Simon became one of the faces for Pink Dot. That same year, he pulled out of a TEDx talk hosted by a local university after he was asked not to make “sensitive” comments about his sexuality. That made headlines in Singapore and Simon “pretty much had to then come out to the rest of the country”. Today, he is one of three men who call themselves the SG Boys and run a podcast on gay issues, discussing everything from loneliness to what it was like coming out to their families. Simon is not alone. Across Southeast Asia, activists are noticing people are more willing to come out, talk about and campaign for LGBT issues and right. The shift, they say, began about a decade ago but has accelerated in the past five years or so. Simon attributes his increasing willingness to talk about LGBT issues to a number of things: the crowds at Pink Dot showing him it was okay to openly identify as a gay man; shows on Netflix portraying LGBT characters as regular, normal people and an increasing number of straight people in Singapore showing support. As Southeast Asia is largely conservative, advocating for LGBT rights can be an uphill battle. Thailand is an exception. It is considering allowing same sex marriages and while there still isn’t full acceptance of LGBT people, a 2019 study by the United Nations. Development Programme found that 69 per cent of non-LGBT Thais reported generally positive attitudes towards LGBT people. Thailand is also a key producer of Boys Love dramas, a subgenre depicting erotic relationships between male characters that is popular across Asia and portrays gay relationships as normal. And while Vietnam has decriminalised gay marriage and allows same-sex couples to live together, homosexuality is a crime in other countries. Malaysia and Indonesia have Islamic laws that are even more prohibitive. In Indonesia’s Aceh province, gay men are publicly caned for having same sex relationships. Continues with photos https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3130704/why-southeast-asias-lgbt-community-finally-coming-out

From Channel News Asia PHNOM PENH: Cambodia closed all markets in the capital Phnom Penh on Saturday (Apr 24) to contain a spike in coronavirus infections as thousands of families plead for food during a two-week lockdown. The Southeast Asian country has one of the world's smallest coronavirus caseloads, but an outbreak that started in late February has seen overall cases spike to 8,848 and 61 deaths. Phnom Penh went into lockdown on Apr 15 and has declared some districts "red zones", banning people from leaving their homes except for medical reasons. In a new order issued on late Friday, Phnom Penh City Hall said all markets are to be closed from Saturday until May 7, saying that they have seen rising infections in markets and urged vendors and guards to get tested for COVID-19.

From Bangkok Post Red-zone shopping hours cut further Operating hours of shopping malls, supermarkets and convenience stores will be shortened further in 18 high-risk provinces in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19, the Thai Retailers Association (TRA) said on Saturday. In addition, 42 provinces have now made mask-wearing in public mandatory, while officials in Nonthaburi are asking — but not yet ordering — residents to stay home from 9pm to 4am. Starting on Sunday, the TRA said, shopping malls and community malls in 18 provinces will be open from 11am to 8pm; supermarkets and food courts must close at 9pm, and convenience stores must close from 10pm to 5am. The new hours will be in effect until May 2. The changes apply in the following “red zone” provinces: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phuket, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Rayong, Sa Kaew, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Songkhla, Suphan Buri, Tak and Udon Thani. Eight Covid deaths, record 2,839 new cases Eight Covid-19 deaths and a record 2,839 new cases, 1,582 of them in Bangkok, were reported on Saturday, bringing the totals to 129 deaths and 53,022 cases. The current outbreak since April 1 has now infected 26,998 people and killed 43.

I believe that this occurs more often than we learn about because many victims are frequently reluctant to report them to police for the obvious reasons. Given what we know from what police do say in the article and accompanying graphic, the suspect admits that he "had stolen from at least 10 foreign men, making off with more than one million baht. " We also know that he used multiple apps. If he admits to 10, how many did he not admit to? As to how he managed to trick and manipulate his victims, I think Spoon has suggested the possible ways (i.e.,drugs, blackmail, violence). I'm much more comfortable taking a stranger to my room from one of the bars or massage shops. Taking someone from the apps, or chance met elsewhere, involves certain inherent risks. Granted, the large majority of these affairs do not end up like ones described above. That is, however, of little comfort to victims of those which do go south These events may be infrequent but are not rarities. The article discusses just one person who committed multiple crimes and says nothing about those who have done the same but have not been apprehended. Caveat emptor.

I've been quite satisfied with service and fees from Wise (formerly known as Transfer Wise). Although it's great for USA outgoing transfers, I've never tried to use it to move funds out of Thailand. You can choose a bank transfer or ACH (automated clearing house) methods. You can view all fees before approving transfer. (I've only used this for USA to SE Asia transfers.) https://wise.com

Nakarat's FB page has a notice that the owner has moved the shop to Nakhon Ratchasima Province (aka Isan). I was a regular customer over several years and enjoyed a similar experience that Vinapu describes above. In its heyday, Nakarat was staffed by a friendly group of guys from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. I miss it already.

From Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Laos locked down its capital and closed its international borders to most traffic Thursday after identifying a COVID-19 cluster connected to its bigger neighbor Thailand. Residents of the capital Vientiane are barred from leaving the city and outsiders must get permission to enter. Its international borders were closed except to trucks carrying goods and in cases allowed by the nation’s COVID-19 taskforce, state news agency KPL reported. It said the lockdown order signed by Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh also prohibits all Vientiane residents from leaving their homes except for essential food shopping, hospital visits and other authorized tasks. The restrictions last until May 5. The report said they were ordered after 28 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed Wednesday, bringing the country’s total to 88. The total population of Laos is about 7.5 million, including about 700,000 in Vientiane. The government-owned Vientiane Times reported on its website that 26 of the 28 new cases are residents of the capital who had contact with a student at the National University of Laos who had caught the virus from a Thai man. It said the other two were workers who had returned from Thailand to the southern province of Champassak.

From The Thaiger The Thai Immigration’s online system for 90 day checks for foreigners living in Thailand is back up and running. So we’re told anyway. Expats should now be able to report their address every 3 months online rather than in person or by mail. The announcement was made on the immigration bureau’s Facebook page and was written in Thai. Just yesterday, a spokesperson from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said they recommend that foreigners mail in their 90 day reports while the system is down. Some of our readers say the website has been down for months. “The recommendation is that foreign nationals who have to report their residence every 3 months to immigration should do this by post… by writing a letter to confirm and report their residence every 3 months.” Foreigners who have received a temporary stay permit must notify the immigration bureau of their residence every 90 days. https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/visa/thai-immigration-says-online-system-for-90-day-reports-is-back-up-and-running

From Bangkok Post A 29-year-old man who picked up gay foreigners on dating apps and slept with them in hotel rooms has been charged with stealing from his "lovers". Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang on Friday announced the arrest of Sirawit on a warrant issued by the Bangkok South Criminal Court. He did not give a surname for the suspect. He said police had received complaints from several foreigners that a Thai man using a pseudonym had approached them via dating chat apps for gays, such as Grindr, Blued, Romeo, Aloha and Homet. The man slept with them in hotel rooms, then stole from them. Investigators learned that the suspect stayed at a condominium room in Chong Nonsi area. He was arrested, and about 10 bank account books and cash cards were seized from his room. During questioning, Sirawit admitted preying on wealthy foreign men. He approached them using a pseudonym. After persuading them to sleep with him in hotel rooms, he tricked them into revealing the passwords for the internet banking apps they used. He then used them to transfer money into his own bank accounts. He also drugged some of his victims and stole their cash and other valuables. He admitted to police he had been doing it for more than a year. Pol Lt Gen Sompong said the man had stolen from at least 10 foreign men, making off with more than one million baht. The suspect was held in police custody for legal action. Continues with photos https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2104487/man-used-gay-dating-app-to-steal-from-foreigners

DISCLAIMER -- The following should be considered the requirements that are current as of this moment only and always subject to change at any succeeding moment. From The Nation The Immigration Bureau has urged people to make an online queue for visa extension due to the virus and apply before January 29. Applicants who require visa service, such as foreigners who have stayed in the Kingdom for over 90 days and tourists who needs short-term visa extension service for Tourist visa (TR 60) and Special Tourist Visa (STV) are urged to join the online queue before the service date. The move is aimed at conforming with the government's policy on precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, by reducing overcrowding, maintaining social distancing and facilitating customer service. An applicant can make an online queue reservation for a pre-service appointment at www.bangkokimmigration.com and follow these steps: ▪︎Fill in all required information. ▪︎Wait for an email reply. ▪︎Print out a confirmation document from email. ▪︎Submit the documents for visa extension on the appointment date and time. However, services for a walk-in queue are still available at Muang Thong Thani Temporary Service Centre on the official working date and time. ▪︎Fill in all required information ▪︎Wait for an email reply ▪︎Print out a confirmation document from email and ▪︎Prepare all required documents ▪︎Submit an application for visa extension 1-2 weeks before the visa expiry date. In the case of visa extension due to Covid-19, the application must be submitted before January 29. Short-term visa extension service at counter K will provide service only to online queue applicants. In order to reduce overcrowding amid the pandemic, an applicant can make an online queue reservation for pre-service appointment and follow the steps below:

Perot's campaign as an independent steadily gained traction because of his no nonsense approach to the issues of the day. He was actually ahead in several polls when he temporarily withdrew from the race, leaving some supporters disenchanted. But he rejoined the fray and the chase was on again. He drew many voters away from the the incumbent Bush (who pushed his foreign policy credentials), while Clinton (whose campaign mantra was "it's the economy, stupid") swept to victory, winning 32 states and 370 electoral votes. Although he didn't win any states, Perot managed to garner 18.9% of voters. Clinton's victory marked the first time in US electoral history that a candidate won without taking Florida until 2020.

Most of the guys I dated more than once were good or better the second time and beyond but three exceptions stand out. All were in their early to mid 20's and all came from Twilight or Patpong 2. Took all to eat before and/or after. If they stayed overnight, gave them cab fare. 1. First time great, second and subsequent times OK but not quite as good. He is gay. I might see him again if I ran into him 2. First time good, second time great but subsequent times progressively less satisfying despite increasing bonus. I believe he was bi. Would not see him again. 3. First two times very good but subsequent four times not quite as satisfying. But I got along with him better than either of the two above. He is married. Because the chemistry between us is good I'd see him again. +1

It's a regrettable situation for sure. However, when you view the numbers of how two other industrialized western nations are currently faring on the standardized per capita basis, you see things from another view. Death per million United Kingdom 1,422 Italy 1,393 United States 1,285 Does this mean the citizens of any of these countries are better or worse than those of the others. Of course not. What it does mean is that this virus doesn't care where you're from, or whether you're gay or straight. It kills indiscriminately. Dividing one against the other was the tactic Trump used. We're all citizens of the same world. We're far better off reminding each other of what we share in common: our humanity, not our differences. If any group of individuals has learned that over the past half century, it's our LGBT community.

From Bangkok Post Tour firm exits peak last month The pandemic continues to ravage tourism operators as the number of tour companies withdrawing their licences reached its peak in December, while 65-70% of outbound agents closed indefinitely amid the tight border restrictions. Around 10% of outbound operators gave up their licences with the Tourism Department, particularly after the resurgent virus hit local communities on Dec 15, said Suthiphong Pheunphiphop, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA). According to the Tourism Department, 2,598 tour operators quit the market permanently last year by returning their licences in order to get their guarantee deposits back. According to the TTAA, there were around 1 million outbound Thai tourists who spent around 50 billion baht abroad in 2020, a nosedive compared to 11 million tourists with a total spending of 430 billion baht in 2019. ============================================== Money changers explore related services Money changer companies are exploring new foreign exchange-related businesses to seek new income sources after their businesses have been drastically affected by the pandemic. SuperRich Currency Exchange (1965), a leading local money changer, has submitted an application for a money transfer and e-money licence with the Bank of Thailand and is awaiting regulatory approval. The company is also in talks with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about the possibility of operating foreign exchange services for digital asset exchanges in Thailand, said Piya Tantivachayanon, SuperRich's president. The company's foreign exchange volume has plunged to around 800 million baht per month compared with 9 billion baht registered before the crisis emerged. In 2018, Mr Piya commented on the company's business opportunity in the digital asset realm, saying the company would "offer digital asset exchange [services] for travellers" and had plans to offer an e-wallet service, with a potential business partner helping to develop the technology.

I can't see the basis for testing tourists before extending their visa. In this case, the tourist has already been in the country for nearly two months and was tested multiple times before being release from quarantine. He has remained in Thailand and not traveled abroad. If they are going to test tourists at the 60-day mark, then why not test all citizens every two months if the goal is to register more "positives'? It must be clear by now that all available assets should be directed at inoculating the maximum number of people. Do that and the rationale for testing greatly diminishes. Officials advocating for ideas like 60-day testing all have one thing in common: they all have good jobs. They haven't been made redundant by the decimation of the hospitality industry.