reader

From South China Morning Post Queer Malaysian singer Alextbh on embracing his sexuality, living in a conservative society and going global Living in conservative Malaysia has not stopped the proudly queer Alex Bong from making waves in the music industry. Going by the stage name Alextbh, he writes songs that deal with relationships and heartbreak, and are mostly inspired by experiences in the modern-day dating world. The Sarawak native got his first taste of music production when he was only 14. After his mother gave him an iPad, he started experimenting with the music software Garage Band. The first song he posted to YouTube received just four reactions. Ten years on, the 24-year-old has appeared at festivals across Asia, opened for international stars including US singer Khalid and British electronic band Clean Bandit, and toured with Australian soul/R&B sensation Jess Connelly. With a sound that straddles minimalist R&B and dream pop, Bong has notched up more than 400,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. The singer’s most played single, Stoop So Low, has so far been streamed more than 20 million times on the platform. Bong says Stoop So Low track represented a turning point in his career. Moving away from soundscapes inspired by electronic dance music (EDM), Stoop So Low became his first venture into R&B genre. “I started with EDM because a lot of YouTube tutorials revolved around very loud, ‘synthy’ soundscape designs,” he tells the Post. “Once I made Stoop So Low, I realised the beauty of minimalist R&B and putting [my] vocals centre stage. [My musical style] has settled on R&B and I’ve been sitting here comfortably since then.” Alex says that his recent tracks have pushed the envelope further, with lyrics that unapologetically embrace his sexuality. Between, released in April, is accompanied by an enigmatic lyric video, featuring close-up shots of male bodies and blossoming flowers. This is the first track in which he discusses sex, using words such as “guy” and “boy” to refer to his lover. Continues with three videos (recommended) https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3086290/queer-malaysian-singer-alextbh-embracing-his-sexuality

From Viet Nam News Việt Nam approves a list of countries applicable for e-visa HÀ NỘI — From the beginning of July, residents from a number of countries worldwide will be allowed to enter Việt Nam using e-visas. Government also revealed a list of border gates and airports that will accept electronic entry. Eighty countries that will benefit include Austria, Poland, Portugal, UAE, Germany, India, the Republic of Korea, Japan, US, Italy, Poland, France, China, Russia and the UK. Eight airports that will accept e-visas are Nội Bài, Tân Sơn Nhất, Cam Ranh, Đà Nẵng, Cát Bi, Cần Thơ, Phú Quốc and Phú Bài. Việt Nam started a two-year e-visa pilot programme for foreigners from 40 countries on February 1, 2017. The pilot scheme did not require foreigners to be sponsored or invited by organisations or individuals in Việt Nam to be applicable for the e-visas, as long as they have valid passports and are citizens of one of the 40 listed countries. Foreigners are not required to be present at representative agencies of Việt Nam in their countries, get interviewed or scan their fingers to apply for e-visas. They can go directly to the website https://immigration.gov.vn and apply for e-visas themselves. Applications are processed within three working days. Each applicant will be provided with a digital code, with which they can check the application progress and print their e-visas once they have been issued. They can also present the codes at border gates and airports for scanning of their e-visas. The e-visas are valid for 30 days. Each applicant must pay a non-refundable application fee of US$25 via bank transfer. https://vietnamnews.vn/society/717263/viet-nam-approves-a-list-of-countries-applicable-for-e-visa.html

From the BBC Elephants on 'great migration' to survive coronavirus starvation With the collapse of the tourism industry due to coronavirus, many of Thailand's captive elephants are now at risk of starvation. BBC Thai follows one group of elephant keepers journeying into the mountains to find food. Continues with video https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-52780258/thailand-elephants-on-great-migration-to-survive-coronavirus-starvation

Got that haircut today (first since leaving BKK) and I think the barber got more off my ears and eyebrows than he did off my scalp.

Hope "staff" doesn't include the guys on stage. How will we know if they're smiling at us. LOL. That's good news about barber shops in LOS. Just made an appointment here for my first haircut since February and was reminded that the both client and barber has to be masked. Go figure.

Since I left Bangkok in the second week of March, my thinking about this has evolved a lot. I wore a facemask for the first time during my taxi ride to the airport and on the flights home (more out of courtesy to the flight attendants than worries of contracting the virus). But fast forward about 10 days, I began to view things differently after seeing it ravage through Italy. And a few weeks later, when it began to explode in New York, the impending doom was obvious. I had intended to return to BKK in June but those flights have of course been cancelled. And although I still plan to make it back as soon as it’s feasible, this conversation has me thinking about my expectations. The biggest reason is to meet up with my regular guy who I’ve been with going on three years now. Everything else comes in a distant second. But I freely admit I’ve come to really enjoy the atmosphere of Patpong 2. The vibe is great and possibilities are endless. And when I return, whenever that might be, I hope to spend a lot of time there. But when I think about what it may be like I get a bit apprehensive. I have no problem wearing a mask on the street but if they’re required in the bars or massage shops, I’d be inclined to take a pass. The workers have every right to expect customers—particularly foreigners--to wear one because we pose the greatest threat to them. And with at least a third asymptomatic, there’s absolutely no way to know one’s status for sure unless they’ve had a diagnostic or antibody test. We have an obligation to respect the the well being of others and if that means I go without some of the finer experiences I've come to enjoy then it's the price I'm willing to pay, As others have mentioned, finding guys you’ve known from the past may turn out to be the prudent way to go. It doesn’t eliminate the risks for ether party; it simply diminishes the odds. Maybe a vaccine will set things back to normal (not the new normal), or as some predict maybe just time itself will resolve the matter. If someone said three months ago that we’d be discussing matters of ethics and moral philosophy here, few would have believed it. Back then the biggest item on the board was whether of not Babe would return to Moonlight. Those were the days.

From Bangkok Post Fake Thai Chana websites phish for personal data The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has warned that fraudulent websites bearing the name of the government's Thai Chana platform are trying to steal personal information from shoppers. The government launched www.thaichana.com and the QR code for use when people enter and leave stores and shopping centres as some businesses were given the green light to reopen on May 17. Shops are encouraged to register with the website and customers are required to scan the displayed QR code with their mobile phone as they enter and leave the premises. It was created to monitor the density of people on the premises and alert people if a coronavirus patient is found in a place they visited. Several fake websites have been found, include thaichana.pro, thai-chana.asia and thaichaia-asia. They ask users to download their apps in order to steal their information, according to the CCSA. Some people have received SMS messages on their mobile phones asking them to go to their websites to download the fake app. Thai Chana has 11 million users and has enrolled 106,000 shops and other places.

Probably about the same as other western countries (i.e, France, Italy, UK and Spain). But I'm basing this primarily on what I experience in the Northeast. What do you think from experience in your neck of the woods?

From The Thaiger Thailand scores highest for mask-wearing in survey of ASEAN nations A survey carried out by internet-based market research firm YouGov reveals that Thais are the most likely to wear face masks and to use hand sanitiser. Khaosod English reports that the survey examined the habits of citizens from 6 ASEAN member-states and found that 95% of Thais always wear a face mask in public. Vietnamese citizens were a close second at 94%, followed by the Philippines (93%), Malaysia (89%), and Indonesia (87%). Singapore came in last with just 66% of people saying they always wear a face mask in public. Those surveyed were chosen based on age, income, education level and gender to ensure a wide representation for each country.

From Bangkok Post Demands reportedly made by people claiming they could ensure properties would be chosen as quarantine centres Pattaya hoteliers claim a group of people have demanded kickbacks from them if they want their facilities to be chosen as state quarantine centres. They have urged the government to look into the issue, but officials were quick to deny any involvement by legitimate state authorities. Government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said on Saturday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had ordered an investigation into the claim. He vowed to take tough action against wrongdoers who were taking advantage of people and business operators during this difficult time, she said. The government pays participating hotels 1,000 baht per person per day for hosting people serving 14-day quarantine periods. To date, around 80,000 Thais who have returned home from abroad have been placed in quarantine facilities nationwide as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus disease. State agencies choose quarantine sites based on a set of criteria that include hotel licences, more than 200 non-carpeted rooms, and separate air-conditioners for each room. There are several hotels that meet the criteria in Pattaya, where about 10,000 rooms have been used for the purpose. Ekkasit Ngampichet, chairman of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA), confirmed the kickback demand at rates between 30% and 40%.

From Bangkok Post Line app has come under criticism after its recent update includes a new feature that shows which Line Official Accounts (OA) users are following as well as users' followers for others to see. OA is commonly used by brands and businesses to stay connected with Line users. Dr Nawanan Theera-Ampornpunt, a newly appointed member of the Personal Data Protection Committee, told the Bangkok Post Line's latest update conflicts with the "privacy by design" principle. Line did not inform users of the app or update them about new features, he said, noting the app was updated several days ago. If this affects only small groups, that would not be a major issue, but Line has a massive user base, particularly in Thailand, where 45 million users have access and the app is commonly used for communication in daily life, said Dr Nawanan. "Whether to disclose that data should be the right of the user," he said. "This is not the developer's business." Line should turn off this feature by default to ensure privacy protection and let users decide whether they want to opt in, said Dr Nawanan. To manually turn off the feature, users are recommended to go to the app's settings, profile, and tick out the "Show follow info" box. Line Thailand issued a statement saying this feature would make it easier for users to check the number and OA names, along with other Line users that he or she follows. It lets others see users' followed accounts to "suggest these accounts to others with shared interests". "Only the number and names of the Line Official Accounts as well as names of other Line users followed by each user are shown, " said Line. Line apologised for the delayed communication and explanation for the "following" feature. "Line Thailand takes all the blame and aims to solve this matter as quickly as possible," it indicated.

From The Nation Wealthy returnees are being given the choice of a luxury upgrade for their mandatory quarantine, the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) revealed on Thursday (May 21). State officials have been providing the alternative state quarantine for people “who need more options” during the 14-day quarantine period, said CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin. Currently, returnees are either sent to local quarantine (provided by provincial authorities) or state quarantine (government facilities provided for people who arrive on planes). However, a third option is available for people who are willing to pay more for a luxury, high-end service. The government calls it “alternate state quarantine”, and is collaborating with luxury hotel operators and hospitals to provide the special privilege. Among those who can take advantage of the option are foreign returnees with Thai work permits – mostly businesspeople and diplomats. Many are willing to pay more for the quarantine upgrade. Dr Taweesin added that the government may not be able to continue providing free state quarantine once the state of emergency was lifted and more people began arriving from other countries. However, travellers would be able to choose paid accommodation at hotels that had partnered with hospitals to provide healthcare services. The standard of hotels would range from two-star to luxury. He also invited interested hotels and hospitals to join the programme by contacting the CCSA with details of the preparations they have made. Meanwhile, foreign students and others have asked the government to lift the travel ban against low-risk countries when the third phase of lockdown easing is implemented. They point out that the government has a tracking system that can call people up for testing, so it might be possible for foreigners to visit Thailand for purposes other than business, including students who attend international schools in Bangkok, which are scheduled to open on June 1.

From Khmer Times The government announced the lifting of the travel ban for people from six countries but they need health certificates issued by their individual country to confirm they are free of coronavirus. To prevent imported cases from entering Cambodia, the government in March temporarily barred people from six countries from entering the Kingdom, such as the United States, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Iran. A statement signed by Health Minister Mam Bun Heng, who is also head of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for Combating COVID-19, said that Prime Minister Hun Sen approved a request made by Health and Foreign Affairs Ministries to lift the travel bans. “[We] lift the ban for foreigners from Iran, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United States, which has been listed in the Ministry of Heath’s announcement on March 14 and 15, 2020,” the statement said. However, Mr Bun Heng said both Cambodian and foreigners who enter the Kingdom need health certificates which are issued no longer than 72 hours to confirm that they contract no COVID-19. He said that foreigners need health insurance with $50,000 during their stays in Cambodia. “For all passengers, both Cambodian and foreigners who enter Cambodia must be sent to waiting centres to have their specimens tested for COVID-19 and wait for the test results from the Pasteur Institute,” he added. He said in case one passenger is found positive, the rests who travelled with him will be placed under 14-day quarantine. ========================================================================================================================================= From Phnom Penh Post. Kingdom wants direct flights to US Cambodia welcomes any US airline that wishes to operate direct flights to the Kingdom and promote trade, tourism and investment with the world’s largest economy, said Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) Mao Havanall. Havannall was speaking at a meeting with US Ambassador to Cambodia W Patrick Murphy at the SSCA office on Monday. SSCA spokesman Sin Chansereyvutha told The Post on Tuesday that Murphy had proposed allowing US-produced Boeing Co aircraft to operate in Cambodian airspace and expediting work on an air service agreement between the two countries – under discussion since 2014. “In regard to a Cambodia-US air service agreement, only two issues remain – first is technical terminology, which we may interpret differently but we can still open up to negotiation. “Secondly, US companies want to conduct aircraft ground handling procedures themselves – this poses a bit of a challenge,” said Chansereyvutha, adding that the government has authorised private companies to do so. He said US airlines want US companies to service their aircrafts while on the ground, due to security concerns.

From Reuters Thailand Says It Expects Coronavirus Vaccine Next Year After Tests in Mice BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand expects to have a vaccine for the novel coronavirus ready next year, a senior official said on Wednesday, after finding positive trial results in mice. Thailand will begin testing the mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccine in monkeys next week after successful trials in mice, said Taweesin Wisanuyothin, spokesman for the government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration. "The Thai vaccine is expected to be used next year,” he said. More than 100 potential vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, are being developed, including several in clinical trials, but the World Health Organization in April had warned that a vaccine would take at least 12 months. The Thai vaccine is being developed by the National Vaccine Institute, the Department of Medical Science and Chulalongkorn University’s vaccine research centre. Messenger RNA prompts body cells to produce so-called antigens, molecules on the surface of viruses, that spur the immune system into action. Thailand was ranked fifth globally, just ahead of South Korea, for rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic in the Johns Hopkins Global Health Security Index report in 2019. U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc's experimental COVID-19 vaccine, the first to be tested in the United States, produced protective antibodies in a small group of healthy volunteers, according to very early data released by the company on Monday. Drugmakers such as Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer Inc, which is working with Germany's BioNTech SE, are also working to develop vaccines for the novel coronavirus.

From Bangkok Post BoT cuts key rate to 0.50% The Bank of Thailand cut its policy rate by 25 basis points to a record low of 0.50% on Wednesday, to help soften the economic impact of the pandemic and social distancing measures. The central bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 4-3 at Wednesday's meeting to lower the one-day repurchase rate, with the three dissenters preferring a steady rate. It was the fifth cut since August last year. The MPC had kept the rate steady at its last meeting after a 25-basis-point cut at an emergency meeting on March 20. "The Thai economy is likely to contract at a deeper pace than previously predicted and the committee considered that the right relief measures, launched in a timely manner, will help cushion some impacts," MPC secretary Titanun Mallikamas said. The economy is heading for recession after shrinking 1.8% year-on-year in the first quarter, the deepest contraction since the flood-hit fourth quarter of 2011.

Judging by the gussy upped old scheme authorities rolled out today--one that seems doomed to fail because it ignores the obvious, Thailand again wants to prove that it can perform a grand makeover and revive tourism by catering to the well heeled who come the country to enjoy the beautiful seaside and culture. Consider these excerpts from today's Post: Thailand plans to rebrand tourism in the post-coronavirus era to "Amazing Trusted Thailand", aimed at selective markets and destinations in the country that can guarantee health and safety standards for both tourists and locals. "Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha suggested we use this opportunity to rebrand Thai tourism as a quality destination where we care more about trust than carrying capacity." With Thailand looking to exit lockdown this month, TAT is preparing a strategy for the second stage -- matching foreign tourists from countries that were removed from the list of "Disease-Infected Zones for Covid-19" with select provinces that never reported infections, or provinces that have not had a new case in the past 28 days. Islands such as Phuket or Samui may be the first batch of destinations to welcome international tourists as their geography allows authorities to more easily control and keep track of tourists. Thailand is looking at high spenders within the region, such as Singapore, China and Vietnam, to visit designated areas in Thailand under a quota. These tourists can visit selected destinations without being subjected to 14-day quarantine measures, but they have to provide health certification, fit-to-fly certificates and buy health insurance before visiting Thailand, while rapid testing will be available upon arrival. It's built partially on the assumption that tourists from these countries have no place else to go so they'll obviously pour into Thailand. That's based on the highly unlikely assumption that other nations--also seeking to revive tourism--will sit on their hands while everyone with money packs off to the LOS. It also assumes that this will put a sizeable dent in lost tourism income. Readers who've been coming to Thailand for more than a few years know that those aren't the tourists who fill the hotels, buy the street food and patronize the traditional entertainment areas. Those tourists come from far and wide and without them the ecosystem of bars, restaurants, clubs and other venues that they support will disappear. The idea that Thailand can somehow alter a formula that has created an industry responsible for 20% of its GDP is a wet dream a minority of hi-so planners keep returning to whenever they see an new opportunity presenting itself. But neglecting the livelihood of thousands of day-to-day earners has never proven a plan--in any nation--that's conducive to good public order and preventing political unrest. Tourism rather will be revived when people believe that the Thailand they know from the past will still be there when they arrive.

Extracted from Bloomberg News Emirates Considers Cutting 30,000 Jobs, Retire A380s Faster Emirates Group is considering slashing about 30,000 jobs, the deepest cuts yet in a global airline industry that’s been forced into near-hibernation by the coronavirus pandemic. The world’s biggest long-haul carrier could shrink a payroll that stood at 105,000 in March by as much as 30% as it reduces costs and realigns its operation to cope with a travel downturn expected to last for years, according to people familiar with the matter. The state-owned group raised $1.2 billion in new financing in the first quarter and is seeking aid from Dubai. Emirates is also considering accelerating the retirement of its fleet of A380s, the massive double-decker jets that can seat more than 500 passengers, some of the people said, asking not to be identified because the information hasn’t been made public. Emirates, the biggest operator of the Airbus SE super-jumbo aircraft, said it is reviewing “costs and resourcing” levels against projections as it prepares to resume service after an almost two-month grounding. The early retirement of some A380s -- the linchpin of a strategy that made Dubai the leading hub for flights around the globe -- could potentially speed the end-game for the biggest-ever commercial jetliner. Airbus was forced to end the program last year after failing to agree with Emirates on terms, though it still has eight more to deliver. State-owned Emirates, the biggest customer for the A380, dropped it from its long-term plans, ordered smaller wide-body aircraft and reviewed its route network, while increasing cooperation with regional discount carrier Flydubai -- also state-owned. Emirates plans to mostly rely on its Boeing Co. 777 wide-body jets during the recuperation period, said one of the people. The airline has 155 of the smaller U.S. planes in its fleet, compared with 115 of A380s.

Extracted from The Financial Times Thailand’s travel industry readies for relaunch At Bangkok’s flower-garlanded Erawan shrine, right downstairs from my FT office, the female dancers who have figured in decades’ worth of tourist snaps are back in action. They are wearing the same spired, bejewelled, gold hats but their faces are masked behind plastic shields. Just down the block, staff at the Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel are being trained in the deep cleaning of a hotel room, using hospital-grade disinfectants, in preparation for reopening. In the reception, plexiglass shields have been erected at the counter, chairs and tables carefully spaced, and discreet red Xs taped on the floor to mark the spots where guests will wait to check in. Thailand was the first country after China to report coronavirus cases and is among the first to be exiting lockdown. Bangkok is the world’s most visited city, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index, and it is also home to international hospitality groups such as Minor Hotels (whose brands include Anantara, Tivoli, Avani and NH) and Sansiri, owner of The Standard Hotels, known for its flagship property straddling New York’s High Line and its recently opened St Pancras hotel. As such, what happens in Thailand can perhaps be seen as a bellwether of global things to come. “Before this hit, tourism was booming; it was a heaven for all nationalities — Europeans, Americans, Chinese, Indians, they all love Thailand,” says Srettha Thavisin, Sansiri’s president and Standard Hotels’ chairman. “When this thing is over . . . my guess is people will feel safe to come here again, maybe in the third quarter, when flights return to normal.” Thailand earned a name and a global niche for itself with exotic, tactile experiences, from beach raves to Chinatown street meals, Thai boxing matches, jungle treks and traditional massages. As the industry prepares to reopen, the question is whether the masks, temperature checks and abundant hand sanitiser won’t be the ultimate mood killer. Thailand hosted a record 39m visitors last year, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects just 16m to come in 2020, and many in the industry think it will be lucky to get 10m. Hoteliers and restaurateurs insist that returning guests can still expect the familiar pleasures, albeit with some new additions. Contactless technology — cards, touch-free buttons, even facial recognition — will increasingly be used at check-in, to operate lifts and open doors or rubbish bins. Hotels’ public spaces will be reconfigured or redesigned to let more ventilation and sunlight in. Breakfast buffets will mostly be replaced by table service; servers will have their smiles hidden behind masks, and will be wearing gloves when they serve you your som tam (spicy papaya salad). For long-haul visitors, extended stays in one place will be more common than multi-destination jaunts around Thailand and south-east Asia. Private villas promising socially distanced seclusion will command a bigger premium than before over high-rise hotel rooms. And hospital-quality levels of hygiene and cleanliness, and minimised but bespoke human contact, will become not just a feature but an integral part of the product, especially at the high end. “The same level of personalisation will be there, but we will minimise the number of staff guests meet,” says Thomas Harlander, managing director of the luxury group Rosewood’s Bangkok hotel. Like Anantara, the hotel is promising a “seamless” experience for guests from their arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport. Vehicles carrying guests will be disinfected, and a note put in the car saying it was professionally cleaned. “It’s going to be even more seamless, and fewer people, fewer touchpoints, less intrusive,” Harlander says. Anantara is planning to offer gym services, but on an individual basis, with equipment carefully sanitised and private training sessions booked in advance. Room service will continue, but servers will roll the trolleys up to guests’ rooms without entering themselves. “You don’t want a stranger in your room,” says Thomas Meier, the group’s senior vice-president for Asia. “We will help you push it in, and then you will set it up yourself.” Now, after two months of lockdown, Thai beaches are their cleanest in years and are being visited by otherwise seldom seen wildlife such as hornbills, pink dolphins and dugongs. In a recent call with journalists, Bill Heinecke, Minor’s chief executive, marvelled at the corals now visible off Thai beaches and water clarity “like I’ve never seen before”. “I think we’re going through a reset,” he said. Thai authorities are now also speaking of easing international travel, starting with Asian countries such as China and South Korea that have brought their coronavirus caseloads under control. Hotel groups expect that the Chinese in particular, newly freed from lockdown, will be keen to come back. “If they are looking to travel again, one of their first destinations will be Thailand,” says Suphajee Suthumpun, chief executive of Dusit International. Dusit has nine hotels in China and, as such, a preview of the group psychology of tourists recently freed from home quarantines. “When they lifted lockdown situations, people got excited and began to travel,” Suthumpun says. “Then they realised they shouldn’t do it so much, and became more rational.” For its 12 Thai hotels, Dusit is preparing a “comeback campaign”. Alongside the shampoo and soap offered in guest rooms, there will be a “personal protection pack” that includes hand sanitiser, a mask and gloves. At its Hua Hin and other properties, the chain will be offering guests the option of getting local food, handicrafts or other “must-try” items in their rooms via concierge service. Gyms will be moved outdoors. Sansiri is doing “minor to major renovations” of its two Thai hotels, opening them up to sunlight and the gardens more, and enlarging communal areas. Similar design features are being incorporated into Standard’s planned properties in Hua Hin, Ko Samui, Pattaya and Phuket. “The feeling of being too close together won’t be desirable,” says Thavisin. On entering hotels, guests may be given something to disinfect the soles of their feet, or an ultraviolet light that “cleanses you”, he says. Hoteliers are resisting the urge to discount at a time when they face lower occupancy and higher health-and-safety related costs, but are adding some extra inducements to come. In Ayutthaya, the Unesco World Heritage site a 90-minute drive outside Bangkok, the boutique Iudia hotel is maintaining room rates but offering free dinners, in part because many restaurants remain closed. The ruined city’s monumental plazas, stupas and temples — ordinarily swamped by day-trippers from Bangkok — are now being enjoyed by a handful of Thai tourists, and that is unlikely to change until airlines restore more long-haul flights.

From Viet Nam News Foreigners stuck in country due to COVID-19 can stay until June 30 HÀ NỘI — Foreigners entering the country under visa waiver programmes, e-visas or tourism visas after March 1 will be automatically given stay permit extension until June 30 free of charge. The Immigration Department announced on Monday all stay permits for these people will be automatically extended and do not need to be renewed.This means from now until June 30, they can stay or leave the country without doing any paperwork. The move is aimed to help those stuck in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreigners who entered the country before March 1 will also be considered for this permit extension as long as they can prove they cannot leave the country due to the pandemic. In these cases they need certification by their diplomatic mission in Việt Nam through an official diplomatic note with a translation in Vietnamese. Those who obtained documents from the Vietnamese authorities certifying that they have undergone quarantine or treatment for COVID-19 or are stuck here due to reasons beyond their control are also eligible for the stay permit extension.

From Bangkok Post Bangkok traffic back to gridlock as coronavirus measures ease Cars, trucks and motorcycles jostled on Monday in a return of the capital's familiar gridlock as commuters headed back to work in the second phase of easing coronavirus restrictions to get the economy back on track. As snarl-ups grew in Bangkok's notoriously congested streets, travellers headed to its northern bus terminal to get out to the provinces for the first time since March, most sitting beside empty seats, in line with social distancing rules. Queues formed on Sunday at the reopening of the country’s malls, where some operators are using touch-less elevators and deploying robots to take customers' temperatures. Even though Thailand has been reporting fewer coronavirus cases in recent weeks, the government is keeping closed places that typically attract large groups of people, such as cinemas. "Do not sit" signs have been posted on many of the seats on Bangkok's elevated train network to give sufficient gaps between passengers, and floor markers are in place to control lines.

From Khaosod English BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s flag carrier Thai Airways International will file a plan for restructuring its business with the Central Bankruptcy Court, a government spokeswoman said Monday. Narumon Pinyosinwat said the plan submitted by the State Enterprise Policy Office to salvage the airline will be submitted Tuesday to for Cabinet approval. She said she had no details of the plan. Thai Airways had been suffering financially even before the coronavirus crisis brought travel and tourism in the country to a near standstill. The airline initially sought a 54 billion baht ($1.7 billion) bailout loan from the government. There is speculation that its reorganization under bankruptcy could take the government’s ownership share below 50%, effecting a form of privatization. All rescue options were likely to lead in cuts in staff, fleet and flights. Thai Airways logged losses of 12 billion baht ($374.3 million) in 2019, 11.6 billion baht ($361.9 million) in 2018 and 2.11 billion baht ($65.8 million) in 2017. Thai media reports say it is carrying a debt burden of almost 300 billion baht ($9.4 billion). The airline stopped all its flights at the beginning of April as Thailand imposed strict precautions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Almost all its staff were put on leave at greatly reduced salaries. The government last week extended to the end of June a ban on arrivals on international passenger flights, ruling out their immediate resumption.

From The Nation Department explains reasons for removing some countries from high-risk list The Department of Disease Control has explained the reasons for removing China, South Korea as well as Hong Kong and Macau from the list of countries with high risk of Covid-19 infection. The announcement, signed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, has been published in the Royal Gazette on Friday (May 15) and will go into effect as of May 16. “The criteria that we use to consider lifting the status ‘high risk of infection’ are: The territory must have less than 20 internal cases in the past 14 days, and that it must have medical and public health readiness to effectively handle the outbreak,” said Dr Walairat Chaifoo, the department’s head of epidemiology, on Friday (May 15). Walairat added that China has reported less than 12 new patients per day since April 23, except on April 29 when there were 21 new cases from overseas and one local case. South Korea has reported less than 14 new cases per day since April 20. However, the Itaewon cluster cases that recently emerged have raised the country’s new patients to 20-30 persons per day as a result of aggressive testing. Macau has reported no new cases since April 9, while Hong Kong has reported less than 5 new cases since April 12. “As for Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, which had been previously announced as at high risk for infection, they will continue to remain under this status although some fit the criteria of having no to fewer new cases reported,” Walairat added. “This is because these countries have connecting borders with Thailand, some of which are still active, which pose a high risk of Covid-19 spreading.”

From CNBC Delta to retire Boeing 777s, seeks to burn zero cash by end of 2020 Delta Air Lines said Thursday it aims to eliminate its daily cash burn by the end of the year and will retire its fleet of Boeing 777s, a sign it doesn’t expect a quick return of long-haul international travel as coronavirus continues to batter demand. The Atlanta-based airline said it has halved its daily cash burn to $50 million a day, on schedule, as it cut flights and reduced other expenses amid the pandemic. “Our principal financial goal for 2020 is to reduce our cash burn to zero by the end of the year, which will mean, for the next two to three years, a smaller network, fleet and operation in response to substantially reduced customer demand,” CEO Ed Bastian said in a staff memo. Demand for international flights has plunged because of the disease, travel restrictions and shelter-in-place orders, and airlines have slashed those routes. “With international travel expected to return slowly, we’ve also made the difficult decision to permanently retire our Boeing 777 fleet – 18 aircraft – by the end of the year,” Bastian told staff. He said more “fuel-efficient and cost-effective” A330s and A350-900 planes, made by Airbus will be used instead. “Retiring a fleet as iconic as the 777 is not an easy decision – I know it has a direct impact on many of you who fly, crew and service these jets.”

Excerpted from CNN Travel How expensive will air travel be after the Covid-19 crisis? (CNN) — When the state of Florida began enacting stay-at-home measures and closing beaches in mid-March, in response to the threat of Covid-19, Miami-based real estate agent and artist Nadia Bouzid was in the middle of painting a mural inside a new hotel in Cancun, Mexico. Putting down the paintbrush, she picked up her phone and began searching airfares to return home. "I watched a seat on the flight I wanted go from $200 to $70, to $350," Bouzid tells CNN Travel. "I booked it and flew, but the flight was spookily empty. I was panicking, and the changing price made me wonder how much I'd be paying to return to finish my work, when all this is over." As countries formulate plans towards reopening borders and businesses, and airlines begin to see a return of passenger traffic, Bouzid's question is pertinent. What will airfares be like, when "all this" is over? Social distancing means fewer seats sold, so will airfares go higher? Delta Air Lines is blocking middle seats and capping flight loads through June 30 for social distancing, allowing only 50 to 60% of available seats on a flight to be booked. Other airlines adopting similar controls include Emirates, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, United, Wizz Air and more. Many other airlines are allowing bookings as normal, with one going so far as attempting to have passengers pay to observe social distancing. On May 4, ultra-low-cost US carrier Frontier Airlines announced a "More Room" fee, purchasable for flights between May 8 and August 31. With this fee, a passenger could pay from $39 each way to guarantee that the middle seat stays unoccupied. The fee lasted all of 48 hours; late on May 6, the airline rescinded the plan after it received criticism from members of the United States Congress. Nonetheless, it's IATA, the global airline trade association, that wants to have the last word on the issue of social distancing on aircraft. Its May 5 press release advocates against forcing airlines to block middle seats. "IATA is essentially saying that airlines' financial health matters more than the health of their employees or customers," says Henry Harteveldt, airline analyst at Atmosphere Research Group. "That press release includes an estimate that airfares will have to increase if carriers are required to leave middle seats open. If demand remains low, and airlines have to compete for a limited number of travelers, airfares will likely use low fares to attract as many travelers as they're able." "Fear and trust will be the two emotions at the forefront of people's minds when planning a trip, and if a person doesn't feel an airline adequately respects their health, they will find an airline that does." Oil prices are dropping, so will airfares go lower? Blended and refined, crude oil becomes the jet fuel needed to literally power aviation. Airlines levy fuel surcharges to help pay for it, which are included in the final ticket price as a "YQ" fee, which accounts for variations in fuel cost. At the end of April, prices for barrels of crude oil dropped off a cliff. For a standard British Airways economy round-trip ticket between London and Johannesburg for a trip in August 2020, the YQ fuel surcharge is £189, 30% of the total £610 airfare (that's a $229 surcharge making up a $737 fare). Would British Airways seek to pass potential savings on jet fuel prices to passengers, by removing or lessening fuel surcharges? If only it was so simple. "Jet fuel typically accounts for 20-25% of an airline's operating expenses," Manoel Suhet tells CNN Travel. Suhet, CEO at Business Traveler Deals and a former airline executive with a background in international oil distribution, weighs that if crude oil and jet fuel prices continue to decline, air carriers may benefit from this lower price environment, but it will hardly be immediate. "Many airlines use fuel hedging to minimize the risk of fuel price volatility by agreeing to purchase a certain amount of oil in the future at a set price," says Suhet. "And the airlines are adapting these strategies to the current climate, to improve cash-flow position by streamlining costs." In other words, even though oil is cheap, jet fuel still needs to be refined from it, a process that adds to the price, and laying out cash right now to buy future fuel isn't exactly at the top of an airline's to-do list. Destinations need tourism, so will there be airfare deals? Uncertainty breeds hesitation and, for some, even shockingly low airfares may not be enough to inspire bookings until the health and economic situations of destinations stabilize. Kathy Kass, a New York City lawyer and fitness blogger, typically travels internationally every month and likes to monitor airfare deals. In March, she began canceling planned trips and holding off on planning others: "I was rebooking for late June into early July, thinking things have to be okay by then, but now I'm sitting with vouchers for a few airlines and I don't really want to collect more." She has been tempted, however. On April 29, travel blogs kicked up a frenzy over an $840 round-trip business class deal from Canada or Mexico to Bali, Indonesia, a ticket that typically prices more than four times that amount. Kass decided not to book. "I've always wanted to visit Bali, but I just don't know what the situation will be," she tells CNN Travel. "I don't want to put myself in harm's way. I also don't know what's going on in Indonesia, and don't know when Bali will again be ready for guests." Such sentiments will prove major obstacles to tourism revival, and the Italian island of Sicily has already announced their plan to overcome this hesitation and grease a return for holidaymakers. The Times of London reports that Sicily's regional government has set aside €50 million for paying half of airfares and one of every three hotel nights for visitors, while also including free entry to museums and archaeological sites. The caveat? Travelers willing to take advantage must holiday in Sicily this year, following the opening of Italy's borders to foreign tourists, and that date hasn't yet been set. Asiana Airlines is taking a similarly forgiving stance, promoting ticket sales with the promise of "buy now, fly any date." Book a flight from the United States to South Korea on Asiana and the airline will waive change fees not only once, a conciliation that has become standard among airlines during COVID, but up to three times. Airlines are adjusting for demand, so will airfares stay the same? In the heart of Australia's red center, at an airport more accustomed to welcoming tour groups bound for Uluru, the tarmac has transformed into a museum to modern Singaporean commercial aviation. More than $5 billion worth of aircraft are parked at Alice Springs Airport, from Singapore A380s and 777s, to Scoot 787s and SilkAir 737s. It's hopefully not "goodbye," but "see you later" for these planes, as the arid environment of the Outback helps keep them ready to resume service. But, for many other aircraft, the Covid-19 crisis will see them go gently into a good night. Virgin Atlantic has sped up the retirement of their 747 and A340-600 fleets, while also closing a base at London-Gatwick. KLM is saying goodbye to its iconic 747s sooner than planned, and American Airlines had a busy April retiring its 757, 767, E190 and A330-300 fleets (though some AA 767s are still flying as makeshift cargo planes). And, as planes leave the skies, so do flight and cabin crew. In a May note to the pilots of United Airlines, as obtained by Simple Flying, Bryan Quigley, senior vice president of flight operations at United, shares the sobering fact that United pilots currently outnumber passengers: "On average we are only carrying about 10,000 passengers per day...we currently have more pilots than passengers on any given day." This is hardly the leading edge of aviation sector jobs cuts; some airlines have been slicing staff for weeks, with Ryanair planning to lay off 3,000, British Airways furloughing more than 30,000, and Lufthansa Group placing 80,000 workers on reduced hours, all by the start of May. The note went on to state that United would be "displacing" 4,457 out of 12,250 pilots as of June 30. So, how expensive will air travel be? After the Covid-19 crisis ends and Nadia Bouzid goes to book a one-way economy flight back to Cancun to finish her mural, the price of the ticket may be $70, but it could also be $200 or $350. Airfares will continue to respond to supply and demand, but the possibility of tourism promotions or the need to purchase social distance on planes are emerging -- provisionally, at least -- as forces destined to push prices a little lower, or a little higher. Opinions on what are or are not good deals on tickets and the decision to purchase will, as before, still be up to you, the traveler.

Not too encouraging excerpt from above link: "Most foreign nationals will not be allowed to enter Thailand for most of this year, though it is believed that Chinese tourists may be allowed into the country by July as the number of infections in the country is under control. Operators believe there will be a large influx of Chinese tourists because they are not able to travel anywhere else."