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The following graphic appeared in an article about medical tourism. It describes protocol for "bubble tourists" who are not referenced in the article but appear slated to begin entry in September. From The Nation Medical tourism package will go ahead, but under strict control Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said on Thursday (July 16) that Thailand’s medical tourism and wellness programmes will go ahead despite the discovery of two Covid-19 cases this week. The Public Health Ministry is scheduled to announce a list of hospitals that pass its criteria next week, and the first group of medical tourists will land in Thailand in the next two weeks. The spokesman said this programme will be operated under strict guidelines, such as ensuring general patients are safe and visitors are not allowed to enter public spaces. The visitors, arriving under a special visa, will be provided with massage and spa services, fitness programmes, healthy meals and herbal products. According to an announcement on July 3, more than 1,700 medical tourists have registered for the programme. The first batch will come from 17 countries, including Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, China, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These tourists will only be allowed to travel around Thailand once their 14-day quarantine and treatment has been completed. Medical tourists who test positive for Covid-19 will be treated for the virus in special areas prepared for foreigners at private hospitals. Medical tourists will undergo Covid-19 tests three times: before departing for Thailand, upon arrival and before returning home. Only medical tourists travelling by air will be granted entry into Thailand, and they must all have a certificate of entry from a Thai embassy. =============================================================================================================== From Bangkok Post No more SSO payout for jobless subscribers The board of the Social Security Office (SSO) has opposed extending its relief compensation scheme to subscribers made jobless as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a board member. The members of the board, chaired by labour permanent secretary Suthee Sukosol, voiced their opposition at a meeting on Tuesday. They did not want the compensation, drawn from the Social Security Fund (SSF), extended to assist jobless subscribers until the end of the year, as requested by Labour Minister MR Chatu Mongol Sonakul. The SSO had sought additional financial assistance for its 86,128 members who worked less than 26 days before losing jobs. The law limits the office from compensating such workers at 62% of daily wages, which for most is less than 5,000 baht a month. According to the board, the SSF finished paying the compensation three months ago. The compensation had been paid out to allow the employers time to revive their businesses and get back on their feet before they can rehire workers.

From CNBC Taiwan, which has been prepared for a pandemic since SARS, has stood out for its effective response to Covid-19 When Catherine Chou arrived in Taipei after flying from Los Angeles, authorities told her she would need to quarantine for two weeks. For Chou, a citizen, that meant booking herself into a hotel at her own expense, although subsidies are available and the government has paid stipends for some stays. When she first arrived, she got a welcome package including dish soap, nail clippers and laundry detergent. Food was delivered to her doorstep. Several times a day, a representative of the local district’s office phoned her to check in and thank her for doing her part. She’s now almost wrapped up her hotel room stay. Once she’s officially cleared of Covid-19, she’ll be free to go. After living in the U.S., which is still partially closed in various states, she’s looking forward to simple pleasures like visiting her family at home or sitting in a coffee shop with a good book. Taiwan allowed many of its restaurants and bars to reopen in May. “We have this phrase in Taiwan that roughly translates to, ‘This is your country, and it’s up to you to save it,’” she said. “I’m really glad that they’re taking this quarantine seriously.” As of June 22, some business travelers from countries deemed low-risk (the U.S. is not among them) have been exempt from the stringent quarantine. That marks a change in policy from late January, when Taiwan ramped up travel restrictions and set up a home quarantine system using geofencing technology. That helped limit the spread of Covid-19, and Taiwan now has one of the lowest coronavirus death counts in the world. Moreover, visitors who wish to remain on tourist visas have been allowed to without needing to do a visa run every 90 days, said Erin Hale, a journalist based in Taipei. “Taiwan is close to China and could have been a total disaster,” said Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, author of a new book about the best health care systems around the world. “So I see their lack of cases as a truly amazing result.” A clear plan and no exceptions “Taiwan’s population is more than 23 million people — and they have 451 cases with only seven deaths,” said Tsung-Mei Cheng, a health policy research analyst at Princeton University. “That shows how successful they have been at both prevention and control.” Cheng said the key lesson for the rest of the world is that leadership matters. She noted that Taiwan’s government had a strong plan — one that had been in place since the SARS scare of 2003 — for managing a pandemic. And there were no exceptions to the rules. “They have professionals running the show,” she said. “These are people who have trained for years for this.” Taiwan has been excluded from the World Health Organization because China claims Taiwan as its province with no right to its own diplomatic representation on the global stage and in international organizations. As a result, health officials say they were left out of receiving firsthand information on the coronavirus outbreak. William Hsiao, emeritus professor of economics in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, praised Taiwan for its effective early action, noting that health officials had developed a careful advance warning system for diseases around the world. If Taiwan had been a member of the WHO, he said, it might have been able to share its precautions with the organization and help other countries more easily. But it was still able to move forward with a concrete and effective plan of its own. “There was easy access to almost free and rapid testing centers,” said Han Jin, founder of a start-up in Taiwan called LucidPix. “At every building, including restaurants, gyms and offices, they check your temperature — and you cannot enter without face masks.” There’s also enforcement for those who don’t follow the rules. There are huge fines if people are caught not wearing masks in designated areas, such as the subway, and for breaking quarantine. Social pressure also plays a part. Jin said that it’s become part of the culture in Taiwan to name and shame those who are not wearing masks in the subway or are breaking quarantine early. Those who do so might see their face pop up on a social media app. Continues with photos https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/15/how-taiwan-beat-the-coronavirus.html

Today's headlines show increasing controversy over government policies that could further paralyze decision making on international tourism. From The Bangkok Post Visits by foreign diplomats, business reps suspended The government has temporarily banned the entry of foreign diplomats and special business representatives after the young daughter of the Sudanese attache was found to be infected with the coronavirus after the family arrived from Khartoum. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, on Tuesday announced the suspension of arrivals by privileged foreigners and business reps under special arrangements, and foreign diplomats and their families. He said it would remain in force while the CCSA plugged loopholes in its disease control measures. Privileged visitors are people the prime minister or an emergency state supervisor invited to the country. Business reps under special arrangements plan on only short stays. Both categories have been allowed in since July 1. Dr Taweesilp said that in future arriving foreign diplomatic staff and their families would have to stay for 14 days at "alternative state quarantine" facilities that the government would arrange. It would be dangerous for them to stay at embassies, he said. ============================================================================================================ From The Nation Govt condemned for putting people’s lives at risk for comfort of ‘privileged’ foreigners Thai social media on Tuesday (July 14) was filled with messages slamming the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), the Army and the government for allowing Covid-19 patients to enter the country just because they are privileged. More than 30 Egyptian Air Force members were allowed to enter Thailand on July 8 for three nights, and one of them tested positive on Monday. The incident sparked anger as the infected man was allowed to leave his hotel and visit public venues in Rayong province. The Royal Thai Air Force reportedly allowed the Egyptian Air Force personnel to enter Thailand due to military ties between the two countries. Netizens also slammed the authorities for allowing diplomats’ families to self-isolate at embassies or in their residences instead of insisting they be quarantined in state-run facilities. Several people also attacked the authorities for being careless and prioritising the convenience of privileged people ahead of the safety of Thai citizens. Meanwhile, Phumtham Wechayachai, adviser to the opposition leader, said the government should not punish the country’s people with its inefficiency, adding that the confusing statements from state organisations over the last few days only proves how unprofessional they are. He also said that the government should not use this incident to generate fear and extend the state of emergency. =================================================================================================================== From Khaosod English ‘We Really Need a Travel Bubble’ BANGKOK — The director of a major hotel chain in Thailand on Tuesday urged the government to reopen the country’s borders to international tourists under special travel agreements. Hotels in the Minor Group are reopening under “New Normal” operations after being closed for months during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, but its representative said the tourism and hospitality industries still need international tourists if they ever hope to recover. “We really need a travel bubble in place to welcome international travelers,” Thomas Meier, the senior vice president of Minor Hotels’ Asian operations, said. “We can’t open some of our operations because the business is not there, because the location is for international travelers, or it’s a meeting hotel.” “With no meetings, there’s no point to opening them,” he said at a news conference. Minor Group owns hotels under the Anantara, Avani, Four Seasons, Marriott, and Radisson Blu brands, among others. According to Stock Market Exchange of Thailand, Minor Group was one of the hardest-hit hotel groups in Thailand, losing 1.7 billion baht in 2020’s first trimester. Employees had to take leave without pay and of their 29 hotels and residences in Thailand, only three were able to open during the pandemic months, or about 10 percent.

Luckyboys and Freshboys

From The Nation Prawit seeks crackdown on illegal migrants as they could spread Covid-19 Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has asked the Army and other agencies to strictly monitor border crossings and industries for any illegal migrant workers as they could spread Covid-19 to Thais. Prawit’s spokeman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantawanich said the deputy PM instructed the Internal Security Operations Command, the Army, police, and the Labour Ministry to deal with illegal migrant workers at borders areas as well as inside the country. He also wanted migrant labourers in each industry to be checked. Kongcheep said more illegal workers were found after the lockdown was lifted. The Army has also been asked to coordinate with the border troops of neighbouring countries, especially Myanmar and Cambodia, to tackle the problem. At the same time, police have been ordered to crack down on illegal migrants and networks transporting them from the borders to cities. =========================================================================================================================== From Bangkok Post Health scare in Rayong, visiting Egyptian delegate had Covid-19 Health authorities are checking all venues visited by an Egyptian soldier and other members of his delegation during their stay in Rayong, after he tested positive for the coronavirus. The visit has also revealed lax screening procedures at U-tapao airport in Rayong. The visitors stayed here en route to a one-day trip to China, where they had unexplained military business, and again on the way back. They were allowed to go outside the hotel where they were staying during their visit. The group did not need state quarantine because they were here less than 14 days, but they were required to undergo a virus test. The places they went to included a shopping centre, which has not been identified. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokesman, said on Monday officials from Bangkok will join local staff in the eastern province in checking for coronavirus contagion at all places they went to, and people who were in close contact. The health scare follows a positive result returned from the lab on Sunday after tests on a swab taken from the 43-year-old soldier. It showed he was infected with the Covid-19 virus. He was one of the three new confirmed cases announced by the CCSA on Monday. The other two were Thais returning from working in Kuwait and Bahrain. The soldier and 30 others, including crew of their aircraft, departed Egypt on July 6 and went to the United Arab Emirates. They went on to Pakistan the following day, Tuesday, and arrived at U-tapao airport in Rayong on Wednesday. The UAE, Pakistan and Egypt are all hotspots for Covid-19 infections found in Thais returning home from overseas. The information posted on the CCSA Facebook page said the group stayed at a hotel in the province. The team left U-tapao for Chengdu, China, on Thursday. They returned shortly before midnight the same day, and went to stay at the same hotel. Dr Taweesilp said health officials tested them on Friday, and there were unconfirmed signs that the soldier might have caught the virus. The group returned to Egypt on Saturday. The test result confirming the infection came back from the lab on Sunday. The spokesman said the hotel where he and other members of the delegation stayed was being cleaned . They visited other places during their stay in the province, including a shopping centre, he said. He would not name the places.

From The Thaiger Myanmar puts a hold on international flights until at least October According to Myanmar’s National Tourism Development Central Committee vice-president, Myanmar’s airports are unlikely to re-open to international commercial flights until at least October this year. There is no guarantee, however, that even if the country opens its skies to international flights, there will be any takers other than airlines offering repatriation flights. Border closures around the world have grounded entire fleets of planes and put smaller airlines in financial peril. Domestic flights are currently operating, as in Thailand, but are restricted to Burmese citizens and foreign residents registered to stay and work in the country. Since the end of March, foreign tourists have been stranded in the country waiting for repatriation flights home. Hundreds of Burmese are also waiting overseas for an opportunity to return home with scant flights returning to Myanmar. Myanmar ‘s government said that when it reopens commercial flights, it will be restricted to routes serving neighboring cities in the ASEAN region and perhaps later, countries across Asia. Initially, officials hoped that “travel bubbles” or corridors could be established with Thailand and Vietnam to resume direct flights with passengers who would be exempt from the 14 day quarantine rules, but that is now unlikely to happen. Thailand’s ‘travel bubble’ scheme is also ‘on hold’ as the Government continue to assess the risks whilst repatriating its own citizens – many testing positive after their arrival in Thailand. Second and third wave infections have occurred in countries such as Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan , and Australia, making it almost impossible to establish a partnership with low-risk countries. Only freight, medical evacuation and special flights are approved by the Department of Civil Aviation in Myanmar at this stage. But the Government of Myanmar is operating a few repatriation flights, bringing Myanmar citizens back from Thailand, Singapore , India and Korea. Myanmar has reported 321 confirmed cases of Covid-19, 250 of which have reportedly recovered. Hardly any serious testing is taking place.

From South China Morning Post Thailand eyes vaccine roll-out in late 2021 as it prepares for human trials Thai researchers plan to begin human trials of a potential vaccine for the new coronavirus in November and are preparing 10,000 doses, a senior official said on Sunday, aiming for a vaccine that could be ready for use by late next year. Following favourable results in trials on primates, the next step is to manufacture doses for human trials, said Kiat Ruxrungtham, director of the Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University vaccine development programme. “At first we were going to send them in June, but it was not easy to plan everything,” Kiat told a news conference. There are no approved vaccines for the virus that causes Covid-19, but 19 candidates are being trailed in humans globally. China is leading the race, with an experimental vaccine by Sinovac Biotech Thailand’s first facility should complete production in October and send the products to a second facility, which should finish by November, he said. Originally the earliest target was September, but Kiat said not enough vaccine can be ready by then. Facilities in San Diego and Vancouver will produce 10,000 doses for the trials for 5,000 people. The first group, aged 18 to 60, will receive different doses of the vaccine, he said. .

News of a major cabinet reshuffle and events surrounding Covid-19 in Thailand appearing in today's daily English-language media. From The Thaiger “I already lost heart years ago” – Thailand’s economic Tzar ponders his fate Thailand’s Deputy PM and leading economic advisor, Somkid Jatusripitak, has acknowledged his fate if PM Prayut Chan-o-cha decides to reshuffle the cabinet. “A decision to shake up the cabinet is the prerogative of the prime minister.” “I have been prepared for a long time. I am old now. I already lost heart years ago.” Mr Somkid has long been proclaimed as the country’s economic ‘Tzar’ and has contributed to Thailand’s economic stability over 2 tumultuous decades. The 66 year old has served in various cabinets as an economic philosopher and advisor since 2003 when he worked with PM Thaksin Shinawatra. He was banned from political activities for five years after the 2006 coup d’état but is recognised as one of Thailand’s few highly educated economists. “When it comes to appointing cabinet ministers, the prime minister will have to choose the right person for the right job and put the national interest first… it is normal for cabinet ministers to come and go in a government.” Discussing the resignation from the ruling Palang Pracharath Party of three cabinet ministers, Mr Somkid said this was “an internal affair of the party, and it will not affect the government’s work”. Kobsak Pootrakul, deputy secretary-general of the PM, also resigned. Two weeks ago the 74 year old Prawit Wongsuwon, loyal side-kick of Prayut, became the leader of Palang Pracharat Party. He is also a long-term deputy prime minister and has broad political and Army connections. He was put into the top spot of the ruling party to quell dissent amongst some of the coalitions 20+ parties, all pushing for their own agendas. The problems for Somkid Jatusripitak is that all 4 members who resigned from Palang Pracharat are part of the economic cabinet put together under his mentorship. With a reshuffle on the cards his future heading up Thailand’s fiscal leadership is now in doubt. The resignations of the 3 ministers follows a mini-coup within the ruling party in the middle of June. Some Palang Pracharat members backing new party leader Prawit Wongsuwan are demanding a cabinet reshuffle. The PM has stayed out of the fray at this stage and hasn’t announced whether a shuffle will happen or not. Prawit has spent the past two weeks trying to call for unity and subdue the simmering tensions from the minority members of the coalition. “I love you all equally. I want everyone to stop quarrelling. I know that everyone wants justice and equality. There must be an answer to inequality. The party must be unified without factions. Whatever happened in the past, you must put all this behind you. From now on, I will take responsibility.” ========================================================================================================= From The Nation Nearly one-third of tourism-related businesses 'may shut down permanently' About one-third of tourism business operators in Thailand will run out of liquidity to keep their businesses afloat in the second half of 2020, Tourism Council of Thailand president Chairat Trirattanajarasporn has warned. “The impact of Covid-19 will become most serious in the third quarter this year after many operators had tried to cut costs by letting some of their employees go, but after more than a million positions cut the situation still hasn’t improved, as no foreign tourists are allowed into the country yet,” he said. “The council estimates that in the next three months up to 30 per cent of tourism-related businesses in Thailand are at risk of shutting down permanently.” Chairat added that some operators are starting to sell their establishments, such as hotels, resorts, restaurants and gift shops to investors who wish to turn them into other business. “However, since the real estate business is also affected by the economic crisis, the hope of selling their properties is still bleak for these owners,” he added. “The council had a meeting with Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday (July 10) and proposed five measures to help tourism business operators,” said Chairat. “These measures are: providing soft loans to tourism entrepreneurs; considering moving the schedule up to open the country to foreign tourists under a practice similar to the travel bubble scheme; offering discount on electricity bills, one of the main costs of hotel operators; having the Social Security Office extend the compensation payment to temporarily unemployed staff from June to December, and reducing the employer’s contribution to Social Security Fund from 4 per cent to 1 per cent.” ==================================================================================================================== From Khaosod English Visa Amnesty Extension Unlikely, Immigration Spox Says BANGKOK — Another round of visa amnesty for foreigners residing or stranded in Thailand is unlikely, an immigration spokesman said Friday. The amnesty, extended back in April, will expire at the end of this month. Spokesman Col. Phakkhaphong Saiubon said there’s a need to “clear out people” as the situation of global pandemic starts to wind down. The government issued automatic extensions of stays earlier this year only after hundreds of foreigners queued up at immigration centers throughout the country. “There most likely will not be an extension. It’s all quiet on that front. It’s been a long time and we need to clear out people,” Phakkaphong said. “Thailand and the Thai government are already generous. No other country has this long of a visa amnesty.” Foreigners wishing to extend their stay will also have to journey as far as the Impact Muang Thong Thani exhibition hall from July 13 onwards; immigration offices will temporarily move there to ensure physical distancing, the spokesman said.

AirAsia Update From Reuters Malaysia's AirAsia seeks nearly $500 million in funding KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia’s AirAsia Group Bhd is looking to raise 2 billion ringgit ($469 million), its CEO was quoted as saying by the Nikkei Asian Review on Thursday, a day after its auditor cast doubt on the airline’s ability to continue as a going concern. AirAsia (AIRA.KL) said in a statement some financial institutions had indicated they would support a funding request of over 1 billion ringgit and that it was also considering various fundraising options, including debt and equity. In an interview with the Nikkei Asian Review, Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said the airline would look to raise a total of 2 billion ringgit in the next six months. “At 1 billion ringgit, we are comfortable. But if we can raise 2 billion ringgit, we would be in a very comfortable position,” Fernandes said in the interview. ============================================================================================================= From The Nation Thai AirAsia eyes flights out of Suvarnabhumi In a bid to compete directly with Thai Vietjet Air, Thai AirAsia is planning to fly out of both Bangkok airports. “We aim to deploy three to four planes from our fleet of 60 to operate direct flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport to provinces like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani,” said Tassapol Bijleveld, chief executive officer at Asia Aviation Plc (AAV). “Currently, Thai Vietjet Air is the only budget airline to fly out of Suvarnabhumi, and we see this as a good opportunity, now that the government has eased lockdown measures and allowed domestic flights to continue.

From Channel News Asia Myanmar attitudes to sex undressed in textbook row YANGON: Unchaperoned teens, gay partners and sex workers - fictional characters in a new curriculum for Myanmar schools are causing a real-world tussle over morality in a deeply conservative nation. In Myanmar, sex out of wedlock is illegal, teenage dating is frowned upon by censorious elders and same-sex relations are still officially illegal. Yet sex education is urgently needed, say advocates. Nearly 8,000 people died in 2018 from AIDS-related diseases. The country also has the second-highest maternal death rate in Asia after Afghanistan and women's rights group IPAS estimates around a quarter of a million unsafe abortions are undertaken every year. Teenagers have only been taught sex ed since 2016, when the new government of Aung San Suu Kyi vowed to overhaul the country's outdated curriculum. But embarrassed teachers often sideline a subject tackling everything from periods and contraception to sexually-transmitted diseases. A new textbook for the coming academic year - slated to start in July - included scenarios such as teenagers feeling intimate over homework, a gay couple whose condom breaks, and a customer at a karaoke bar offering a waitress money for sex. Conservatives in the Buddhist-majority country were outraged. Continues at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/myanmar-sex-education-controversy-12916676

As part of an economic stimulus package, the Tourism and Sports Ministry will designate five attractions across the country as "tourist safety zones." --Bangkok's China Town --Asiatique in Bangkok --Chonburi’s Bang Saen beach --Ban Rai Kong King village in northern Chiang Mai --Nan province’s old town The ministry did not say what or whom the tourists will be kept safe from. To read the article from The Nation: https://www.nationthailand.com/

From Bangkok Post AirAsia's future in doubt due to virus Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia's future is in "significant doubt" due to the collapse in demand for air travel caused by coronavirus, its auditor has warned. The aviation industry is facing its biggest-ever crisis due to the outbreak, with airlines worldwide laying off huge numbers of staff while some have already gone out of business. AirAsia, which shook up Southeast Asian budget air travel with its slogan "Now everyone can fly", Monday reported a record quarterly loss of 803 million ringgit ($187 million) for the first three months of the year. Auditor Ernst & Young said Tuesday that "travel and border restrictions implemented by countries around the world has led to a significant fall in demand for air travel which impacted the group's financial performance and cash flows". It noted the "existence of material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt on the group's and the company's ability to continue as a going concern", in an unqualified audit opinion statement to the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange. Trading in AirAsia's shares was halted on Wednesday morning but resumed in the afternoon. AirAsia Group Bhd shares slumped nearly 18% when trading resumed following the suspension. The budget airline pared its loss to 12% as of 3.40pm local time (2.40pm in Thailand). Trading was halted Wednesday until 2.30pm local time.

From South China Morning Post Indonesia’s Bali to welcome back foreign tourists on September 11 Bali, Indonesia’s most popular holiday destination, will welcome back domestic visitors from the end of this month as pressure mounts on authorities to rescue the battered tourism industry. Local tourists can visit the beaches, temples and the popular surfing spots across the island from July 31, while foreign visitors will be allowed from September 11, the Bali government said in a statement. The reopening of the tourism industry is part of a plan to restart the economy in a phased manner, it said. Bali, popular with backpackers from Australia to China, had some success in containing the virus outbreak in its early phase, but saw infections soar in June with the return of more migrant workers and a ramp-up in testing. The island’s tourism-dependent economy was ravaged by the nearly four-month shutdown of hundreds of resorts and hotels. With foreign and domestic tourists absent from the island, hotel occupancy in Bali slumped to 2.1 per cent in May from 52 per cent a year ago, according to official data. “We must continue to make the best efforts to handle Covid-19, while at the same time we must begin to carry out activities for the sake of community life,” Bali’s Governor Wayan Koster said in the statement. Indonesia still remains under the grip of the pandemic with new cases mounting by more than a 1,000 every day in the past two weeks. It has reported some 65,000 infections since early March, and has a death toll to 3,241, official data showed Monday. The world’s fourth-most populous country has the most number of infections and fatalities in Southeast Asia, forcing authorities to impose mobility restrictions and mandatory virus testing before flights, discouraging fliers.

From Bangkok Post Task force to be formed to track tourists The Royal Thai Police is forming a special task force to track down tourists infected with Covid-19 as Thailand prepares to reopen its airspace to travellers. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) will be in charge of tracking tourists, according to a source. National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda has appointed Pol Lt Gen Sutin Suppuang, commissioner of the CIB to establish a "Covid-19 Investigation Division" to avoid any potential future outbreaks, the source said. Pol Lt Gen Sutin admitted to the formation of this special division. Even though the government has yet to open its airspace to international flights, he said he has a blueprint on how the division will operate. Staff will be recruited from the Thai Marine Police Division, Highway Police and Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division which normally work with the tourism sector. He added that police from the Crime Suppression Division will not be asked to join because they have their hands full. "The nature of the Covid-19 Investigation Division will mainly involve tourist destinations and transport," said Pol Lt Gen Sutin. Marine Police Division commander Pol Maj Gen Sithatkhet Kruwattanaset said marine police usually oversee passenger ships along the Chao Phraya River but after joining the Covid-19 division, they will be asked to watch over tourists on the rivers and seas and record where they travel. Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Chaisangkha said his division can supply tourists with information about the force to ensure compliance. It is unclear how closely the authorities intend following tourists though to some extent they can rely on the help of online apps. Pol Col Charoonkiat Pankaew, deputy commander of the Highway Police, said highway police may also set up checkpoints along roads to inspect tourists by measuring their temperature and noting their destinations. In addition, the help of investigators to track the travel history of tourists may also be enlisted. Pol Maj Gen Worapong Thongpaibul, commander of Tourist Police Subdivision 1, said he will also propose the creation of an online application to track tourist movement. He said the app will enable travellers to easily contact the police if they need help and that it can work alongside with another tracking tool, the Thai Chana platform.

I was in Bangkok when this event unfolded. The international response was overwhelming and the seemingly impossible was achieved through that effort. Although only two years ago, it seems like a lifetime given he events that have taken place since. When I walked around Silom the night that the last ones were rescued, the euphoria was palatable. Everyone was Thai that night. From The Nation Thai Navy Seal who lost life in Tham Luang rescue remembered Current Wild Boar team footballers Two years after the famous cave rescue in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, people living near the Tham Luang Nang Non Cave National Park got together to give alms to 108 monks as well as make ritualistic offerings at the Nang Non Shrine on Monday (July 6). The merit-making ceremony was held in memory of Thai Navy Seal Sergeant Saman 'Sam' Kunan, who lost his life on July 6, 2018 as he was trying to rescue 13 members of the Wild Boars football team, who were stranded inside a cave in the Tham Luang cave complex. Waleeporn Kunan, wife of posthumously honoured Lt-Commander Saman, young members of the Wild Boars team and their coach, were also present at the ceremony. Two years after the famous cave rescue in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, people living near the Tham Luang Nang Non Cave National Park got together to give alms to 108 monks as well as make ritualistic offerings at the Nang Non Shrine on Monday (July 6 The merit-making ceremony was held in memory of Thai Navy Seal Sergeant Saman 'Sam' Kunan, who lost his life on July 6, 2018 as he was trying to rescue 13 members of the Wild Boars football team, who were stranded inside a cave in the Tham Luang cave complex. Waleeporn Kunan, wife of posthumously honoured Lt-Commander Saman, young members of the Wild Boars team and their coach, were also present at the ceremony.

From The Nation Some 5 million Gen Y, Z employees staring at possible job losses Approximately 5 million Generation Y and Z employees face economic uncertainty as they risk being laid off because they do not have enough working experience, and their salaries were between Bt10,000 and Bt20,000, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce pointed out. Thanavath Phonvichai, the university president and adviser to the Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting, said that the Bank of Thailand also had concerns about this issue. "If these employees are laid off, they would face difficulties in their daily lives because they have a lot of debt and they do not save money," he said. "These employees may borrow from loan sharks that charge extremely high rates of interests, so we would like to urge related authorities to supervise their spending." He said the government's fifth phase of lockdown easing would help stimulate the economy and maintain employment because this move would encourage people to spend up to Bt9 billion per day or Bt250 billion per month which means Gen Y and Z employees who work at entertainment venues can return to work. "However, the value of domestic spending this year is expected to be at Bt20 billion per day. If the government wants to maintain the money circulation as in the previous year, they will have to allow foreign tourists to travel to Thailand because foreign tourists spend approximately Bt8 billion per day, more than Thai tourists who spend Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion per day," he said. He added that if people in the country do not travel across provinces due to uncertainty following the Covid-19 pandemic, the government should instruct government authorities to hold seminars and activities to gain the confidence of people and maintain tourism. "Many parties are worried about the global economy as the Covid-19 fallout has forced employers to close businesses, lay off employees, and cut employees' salaries," he added. "If many countries worldwide cannot prevent the second coronavirus wave and maintain their economy, the virus crisis may turn into a financial crisis in the future."

I'd agree that the government should be interested in opening borders to Chinese travelers, but somehow I don't think there are many who'd be willing to quarantine for 14 days if that's one of the requirements. Chinese tourists tend to come for long weekends or week-long group tours. The drawbacks of the travel bubble concept are already becoming becoming apparent. It has taken the government about six weeks to negotiate the small number of restrictive bubbles and they won;t begin until August. And a lot can happen between the time a bubble is finalized and it actually goes into effect. Countries that look like a sure thing today can look altogether different if a new surge emerges.

From The Thaiger Hospital director proposes importing overseas Covid-19 patients for treatment With the Covid-19 situation in Thailand apparently well in hand (there have been no locally transmitted cases for well over a month), a hospital director in Bangkok is proposing flying in patients from abroad for treatment at his hospital. The director of Mongkutwattana Hospital is considering medical flights to bring international Covid-19 cases to the hospital for treatment, in an effort to stimulate the economy. In a Facebook post, Dr Rienthong Nanna said flights would carry 60 passengers and be specially adapted to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outside the cabin. Under his proposal, the hospital would act as a state quarantine facility, caring for foreign patients until they are certified virus-free and allowed to travel in Thailand as tourists. The proposal has the support of several clinics that treat international patients. Accommodation providers who want to collaborate with the hospital to prepare medical flights and state quarantine are invited to contact the director of Mongkutwattana Hospital’s office. The Ministry of Public Health Ministry has not announced whether Thailand will consider accepting Covid-19 patients from overseas.

A light (4-8 passenger) jet rents for between $2600-$3500 per hour. Departing from most ASEAN nations would put flight time inside a two-hour range of BKK. Most charter services will offer to "pool" passengers with common destinations and departure dates. Create your own travel bubbles. LOL.

Here's the ticket. From Bloomberg News Thailand Plans Open Borders for High-Spenders on Private Planes (Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s plan to target high-spending foreigners to kick-start its travel sector has a green light after winning Cabinet approval and additional support from the nation’s aviation regulator. The Southeast Asian nation lifted on July 1 a near-total ban on foreign travelers. The majority of arrivals in the initial phase will be foreigners with direct ties to Thailand -- such as those with businesses, major investments or family in the country. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand added a clause to also allow those who have “special arrangements” with the government. “Many in the high-spending, high-income groups avoided direct impact from the pandemic, but couldn’t come here because of travel restrictions,” Chula Sukmanop, director general of the CAAT, said in an interview Tuesday. “I’ve spoken with private aircraft operators who said they have plenty of potential customers looking to charter a plane to here.” The “special arrangement” group widens the market for “big spenders,” whose applications could be treated on a “fast-track basis that requires case-by-case approval,” Chula said. The biggest proportion of visitors in the initial phase will qualify through one of the travel-bubble agreements Thailand makes with other nations, he said.

From South China Morning Post Life under lockdown: tourist street in Vietnam hit hard by shutdown to stop Covid-19 Vietnam has been praised by international health experts for implementing one of the world’s best-organised epidemic control measures amid the Covid-19 pandemic. On March 31, 2020, the Vietnam government ordered a nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus, and as of the end of June the country had reported just over 300 infections and zero deaths. But the measures have taken a toll on the tourism and hospitality industry. Bui Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh City is filled with restaurants, bars and clubs that normally cater to foreign tourists. But amid travel restrictions, the lights and music are gone, and local people who rely on tourism are left struggling to get by. Continue to view video https://www.scmp.com/video/scmp-films/3091162/life-under-lockdown-tourist-street-vietnam-hit-hard-shutdown-stop-covid-19

From The Thaiger Thailand is proposing a “travel bubble” pilot scheme featuring a proposed five areas of the country to be tested before international tourists are officially allowed to enter. The move is reportedly to focus on safely reopening by using the areas of Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Krabi, Phuket, and Pattaya, as experimental locations, which would allow tourists to enter at a maximum of 1,000 per day, without having to fulfill a 14. day quarantine period. A travel pact or “bubble” with 3 distinct stages, is expected to be agreed to with countries that have had similar success to Thailand in suppressing the Covid-19 virus and that have gone at least 30 days without recording any new cases. Initially, it’s understood the arrangement will include China, Japan, and Taiwan. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says that in phase 1 of the agreement, which could begin in August, only those touring in groups would be admitted, due to it being easier to manage group activities and travel. If no new infections arise within one month of phase 1 getting underway, Thailand can move to phase 2. The second phase would see more regions of the country opened up to international tourists and a higher number of foreign visitors admitted. Similarly, Phase 3 would roll out upon the success of Phase 2, seeing all of the Kingdom open once again to both international tour groups and individual travelers. The proposal, which has yet to be approved by the Public Health Ministry, comes as the government has approved a stimulus package for domestic tourism to help the country’s decimated hospitality sector. Currently, only those who fall under six groups of travellers are allowed to enter Thailand, but they must apply and receive proper approval before entering.

From Khaosod English Pattaya Bars and Nightclubs Reopen, But Few Customers Return PATTAYA — Nightlife establishments in the resort town of Pattaya were back in business on Wednesday night for the first time in more than three months, though operators said there was little change. Beginning Wednesday, all bars and nightclubs may open until midnight, but they must practice social distancing measures within the venue. While business operators welcomed the lift of closing orders they had been yearning for, a bar owner in Pattaya said she only had three customers on the first night of reopening. “Only three customers came to my bar last night. I could only make less than 500 baht,” Saifon Kayanyeam, the owner of a bar on Pattaya Soi 6, said. “I will keep the bar open for 15 days to see whether the situation is getting better. If not, I have to close it since the cost is mounting.” A survey by a Khaosod reporter found that only 15 percent of all bars in Pattaya returned to business last night. Let alone on Pattaya’s famed Walking Street, only 13 ‘beer bars’ were opened, barely any customers. Nightclubs remained closed. For Chaiyot Thammasunthorn, who owns a nightclub on the Walking Street, he decided to keep his establishment closed until the pandemic is fully over. “Nightlife operators in the city have decided not to open their businesses because there’s not enough purchasing power,” Chaiyot said. “On top of that, there’s virus control measures imposed by the government, so we will wait until the situation becomes better domestically and internationally.”

From The Nation BTS new normal: no phone chatting or face-to-face riding The BTS Skytrain system has cancelled its seat-spacing measure in order to increase passenger capacity after schools and colleges reopened on Wednesday (July 1). Social distancing has been relaxed to boost convenience for passengers, said Surapong Laoha-Unya, Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) chief executive officer. However, stations and trains will limit the number of passengers to 70 per cent of normal capacity so as to prevent overcrowding on the system. The BTS is also operating “group release” measures for passengers in the morning and evening rush hours, to prevent overcrowding on platforms. Meanwhile, passengers are being advised not to talk on their phones and to avoid facing each other at close proximity. Frequency of rush-hour service is 2 minutes, 25 seconds for trains on the Sukhumvit Line, and 3 minutes, 45 seconds for the Silom Line, said the operator. Temperature checks and ThaiChana scanning remain in place on the system.

From Bangkok Post IATA urges rethink over quarantine for tourists Governments should avoid quarantine measures when re-opening their economies, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Imposing quarantine on arriving travellers keeps countries in isolation and the travel and tourism sector in lockdown, said the association, which represents 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic. "We are proposing a framework with layers of protection to keep sick people from travelling and mitigate the risk of transmission should a traveller discover they were infected after arrival," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's director-general and CEO. Mandatory quarantine measures stop people from travelling, with a recent public opinion poll revealing that 83% of respondents would not even consider travelling if quarantine was imposed at their destination, said Mr de Juniac, adding an analysis of trends during the lockdown period shows that countries imposing quarantine saw arrivals drop by more than 90% -- an outcome similar to countries that banned foreign arrivals altogether. "Safely restarting the economy is a priority. That includes travel and tourism. Quarantine measures may play a role in keeping people safe, but they will also keep many unemployed." Mr de Juniac added that the IATA supports reducing the risk of imported cases by discouraging symptomatic passengers from travelling, implementing health risk mitigation measures, such as screening via non-intrusive temperature checks, and providing Covid-19 testing for travellers from countries perceived to be "higher risk". The IATA said it recommended that tests are undertaken prior to arrival at the departure airport so as not to add to airport congestion and avoid the potential for contagion. Tests would need to be widely available and highly accurate, with results delivered quickly. Test data would need to be independently validated so as to be mutually recognised by governments and securely transmitted to the authorities. Also, in cases where an infected person does travel, the IATA said there should be universal implementation of the Take-Off guidelines published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) including mask-wearing during the travel process, sanitisation, health declarations and social distancing where possible. The measures should be backed up by contact-tracing for people detected as infected after arrival. New mobile technology has the potential to automate part of the contact-tracing process, provided privacy concerns can be addressed, said the association.