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Maldives or the Seychelles I think are more family and couples oriented and not exactly affordable. Christianpfc has a blog site where he has reported on his recent long-time stay in Cambodia. As I recall, he found it affordable, relatively safe but not on a par with Thailand. I believe he used the apps a lot.

From The Thaiger / CNN Russians were the most visible travellers heading to Thailand post February 1, 2022, when the Thailand Pass Test & Go option was rebooted. Even with its 2 days of pre-booked SHA+ quarantine and PCR tests, along with US$50,000 Covid insurance (which has since been reduced to $20,000), the Russian travellers were delighted to jump on a plane and take the long trip to the much warmer Land of Smiles. That situation has now radically changed and the world is reverberating to the full impact of Russia’s aggression and the invasion of Ukraine. Now there’s a mere trickle of daily flights between Russia and either Suvarnabhumi or Phuket in Thailand. Whilst much of the rest of the world have said ’nyet’ to the arrival of any planes from Russia, Thailand is still allowing them to arrive. But even if the planes are still coming (albeit in vastly reduced numbers), the pressure of world sanctions, bans and the plunge of the Russian Ruble has already made the decision for any potential Russian travellers. Now, the latest data from ForwardKeys, shows that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now into its 9th day, has prompted an instant spike in flight cancellations to and from Russia, worldwide. On the day after the first tanks rolled into Ukraine, every booking that was made for travel to Russia was outweighed by six cancellations of existing bookings. Russians escaping their bleak winter and heading to sunnier destinations were suddenly cancelling their trips. The cancellation rates between February 24 – 26 were Cyprus (300%), Egypt (234%), Turkey (153%), the UK (153%), Armenia (200%), and Maldives (165%). Bookings for March, April and May were already reaching 32% of the pre-Covid levels of travel for outbound Russians. They were heading to Mexico, Seychelles, Eygpt and Maldives. And Thailand. The outlook for Q3 this year was looking even stronger. All that Russian travel enthusiasm has now collapsed and, given the harsh economic weapons thrown at Vladimir Putin, his banks, his ‘friends’ and his citizens, any recovery will be a long, long way down the track. Even if there was a swift and unexpected reversal of the Ukraine situation, Russia has already been dealt a fatal economic blow – in just one week the country been turned into a pariah state and much of the rest of the world seems happy to punish the entire country for Putin’s violence. For countries like the Seychelles, Maldives and Cyprus, Russian arrivals represented a high percentage of their international arrivals. In Thailand that was about 8% of the total tourist mix. And, whilst the Chinese are still in China for at least the rest of this year, the loss of the Russian travel market probably represented an even higher percentage of tourists that won’t be coming to Thailand in 2022. The world travel industry will be further hit by rising airfares (due to the sharp surge in oil prices), cancellations of routes (across Eastern Europe), a higher resistance to international travel (for perceived safety reasons) and a lingering instability in world politics. While the Thailand Pass is still seen by many potential travellers as a significant barrier to their choice of Thailand as their next travel destination, and the Russian and Chinese traveller-tap turned off, Thailand’s immediate travel future looks bleak. And this follows nearly 2 years of border closures, false restarts, over-hyped TAT arrival projections and the former Thai tourism workforce heading home to find other work. The loss of the Russian travellers underscores a critical need for the Thai government to quickly modify the Thailand Pass, or scrap it completely. With so many other factors now making international travel difficult, Thailand will have to rethink their short to medium term tourism strategies to retain its share of the international travel market. Of course there is no comparison of the humanitarian tragedy underway inside the borders of Ukraine at this time, but Russia’s aggression will likely have much more long-term, and far-reaching, effects than the clear and present danger it poses on the Ukranian nation right now.

From Malay Mail PUTRAJAYA, March 5 ― New air Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) involving Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia will begin on March 15, 2022 as part of joint efforts to reopen international borders. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to travel the designated routes without being required to quarantine upon arrival. Wee said that as for Thailand, designated airlines from both countries will be allowed to mount up to six flights daily on the Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok route and up to four flights daily for the Kuala Lumpur-Phuket route while additional routes may be added subject to mutual agreement by both countries. On Cambodia, he said designated airlines from both countries will be allowed to operate up to two flights daily on the Kuala Lumpur-Phnom Penh route while additional routes may be added subject to market demand. He said the related standard operating procedures (SOP) and health protocols will be released by their respective agencies soon and travellers are expected to comply with the protocols responsibly in order to enjoy the VTL facility.

Moses, I can appreciate that you have a personal view on the Ukraine. But you're surely aware of what your megalomaniac leader is doing to your own country. Attempting to legitimize his actions with a photo array is an exercise in futility. In my book, all Nazis are crazy by definition regardless of where in the world they emerge. Just as crazy as the man who started this war. I accept that you personally know, and speak with, many ethnic Russian refugees who work in an around Moscow. I ask you to accept that most of the world believes that what is happening is an unnecessary and unwarranted tragedy that will end in utter disaster for Russia and the Ukraine, and to some degree for the rest of the world. Readers have come to know you as a good man. But even good men sometimes get the story wrong for any number of reasons.

You can find similar photos of crazies in any major city across the globe. It's not just the Ukraine that's for sure. Moses, your Siam Guides business has a fine reputation with members here. I personally think it's a mistake to get into the propaganda business, especially at this moment in time. You've contributed timely information on many topics from time to time. Please don't allow this to become a mirror of "Brink of War."

Insurance requirement of $20,000 raises questions From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon he latest medical insurance rule for foreign visitors requires cover of only US$20,000 (640,000 baht), reduced from US$50,000 from the beginning of March 2022. The health ministry stated that the lower rate was to encourage international visitors, although it did caution the sum might not be enough. Meanwhile Tourist of Authority of Thailand website recommended that the detail on the insurance document should be checked carefully as inpatient and quarantine provision can vary a great deal. TAT also stressed that the policy could be from Thai or foreign-based companies. The latest rules apply to all Test and Go applicants except Thai nationals or work permit foreigners covered by Thai social security regulations. But ambiguity still surrounds the whole matter. A popular Thai-based option is the multi-company Thai General Insurance Association website https://covid19.tgia.org, popular because costs are reasonable and the age of the applicant is immaterial up to 99 years. The cost is based only on the country of departure. For example, 30 days cover for Covid-only illness from UK is 3,700 baht or about 85 pounds. However, the website’s drop-down box currently restricts applications to 30 days only and still specifies US$50,000, not US$20,000. Some other Thai and foreign-based insurers are advertising policies based on the newly-specified US$20,000. But some have an age limit below 70 or 75 years, whilst others charge extra for compulsory cover for loss of baggage, delayed flights and so on. The important thing is for entrants to Thailand to read policy offers in detail before committing themselves to payment. The better policies allow for cover up to 12 months ahead. Once in Thailand, most visas and permissions of stay do not require either Covid-specific or comprehensive health insurance to obtain an extension of stay at an immigration office. The exceptions currently appear to be O/A annual retirement, nine months Special Tourist Visa and O/X ten years. Foreigners holding these particular options or extensions of stay should contact their local immigration office as each has considerable discretion.

From Thai PBS World The Chao Phraya River is the main artery of Bangkok. In the old days, it was where everything happened, full of life and culture. So, the river’s banks were where everyone wanted to settle when they moved to Bangkok. Walk-A-Tif introduces you to the foreign traders and diplomats who settled along the banks of this mighty river and traces their histories. Starting at the Kudeejeen community, this is where Portuguese settled about 250 years ago, during the Thonburi period. One of the icons of this community is the Santa Cruz Church, which was built around 1770AD, when Christian Portuguese settlers migrated here after the dissolution of Ayutthaya kingdom. It was then the main Catholic Church in Bangkok and served as the seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam until 1821, when Assumption Cathedral was completed. This is where we can find Thai-Portuguese food and desserts, such as Kanom Farung or Kudeejeen Portuguese cake, Portuguese chicken curry noodles and Portuguese custard tarts. Even though this community is known as the Portuguese community, according to an expert, the people who first settled here were actually Thai and Chinese. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Predee Phisphumvidhi, Faculty of Liberal Arts at Mahidol University, said that “This was not originally a European community. It was established by the Chinese as (you can see) there is a Chinese shrine here. Both Thai and Chinese have been here from the beginning, and Europeans moved here to live with them. They choose to live here because, in the past, the government official in charge of international trade lived in this neighbourhood. The name of this community is still Kudeejeen, as it was then.” The next stop on our trip is the Talad Noi neighbourhood, which was established more than 200 years ago. The market was also originally settled by the Portuguese following the fall of Ayutthaya. As Bangkok’s first port, this place was also where Chinese immigrants landed, including Hokkien and Hakka ethnic groups. The church which typifies legacy of the Portuguese community is Holy Rosary Church, a Gothic-style building which has been an iconic structure in the Talad Noi neighbourhood for more than 120 years. Its Thai name, Wat Kalawar, is said to have been taken from the Portuguese word “Calvario” or Calvary, the site where Jesus Christ was crucified. Dr. Predee said the Holy Rosary Church is quite unique and different from many other churches because it is strongly influenced by the Chinese community in Talad Noi as Holy Rosary Church is a Catholic church, but it is located in a Chinese community. So there is a lot of uniqueness here, such as the Mass held in Chinese, decoration with Chinese art and design and Chinese lettering in the church. The architecture is beautiful, with cultural traces, and they still maintain a lot of interesting traditions today. Assumption Cathedral is also a landmark, which reflects the influence of the Western settlement along the river. It is the principal Roman Catholic Church of Thailand and the centre of the Archdiocese of Bangkok. The original building was the result of a request from a French missionary, Father Pascal, in 1809 and the work of a French architect, which saw the cathedral completed in 1821. It was named Assumption in honour of the Assumption of Mary. The cathedral hosted both Papal visits to Thailand, by Pope John Paul II in 1984 and Pope Francis in 2019. Dr. Predee said “This is the headquarters and the centre of the Roman Catholic administration in Thailand. Even though the church was built in the postmodern era, it is very big, exquisite and decorated with elegant and holy installations. It is a truly huge Cathedral.” In the same neighbourhood, there is also a mosque and a temple. This is said to be a symbol of cultural wealth. Father Anucha Chaiyadej, Director of the Catholic Church’s media relations in Thailand, said that the diversity here does not bring conflict, but peace and happiness. Ultimately, it brings a wealth of culture. by Kitipat Chuensukjit

The poll was taken by the same folks who count election ballots 😉.

From Channel News Asia TOKYO: Japan Airlines Co Ltd and ANA Holdings Inc cancelled all flights to and from Europe on Thursday (Mar 3) and cancelled or rerouted flights on Friday as well, citing safety concerns following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. ANA also started to cancel some flights due to run on Saturday. The airlines, which normally use Russian airspace for their Europe flights, join a growing number of carriers that have cancelled or rerouted flights between Europe and north Asia in the wake of the crisis. "We are continuously monitoring the situation, but given the present situation in Ukraine and the different risks, we have decided to cancel flights," a JAL spokesperson told Reuters. ANA Cargo's website said the suspension of flights was due to the "high possibility of its operations not being able to overfly Russia due to the current Ukraine situation". Airlines from the European Union and Canada have been banned from Russian airspace in response to their curbs on Russian airlines, but Japan has not made a similar announcement to date. ANA and JAL operate about 60 flights per week through Russian airspace between Tokyo and London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Helsinki, according to a spokesperson for flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

Those lucky enough to be in the city we love may find this exhibition worth a visit. From Coconuts Bangkok After years roaming the capital to document its architectural glories, many of which now only exist in photographs, a photographer will bring them to a downtown gallery. At Something Was Here: The Fading Memories of Bangkok Modern Architecture, Weerapon “Beer” Singnoi will exhibit photographs of roughly 20 buildings around Bangkok, including Scala theater, which was hastily demolished last year despite promises it would be preserved amid a public outcry. “I hope that this exhibition will raise questions about how we can preserve our architectural heritage,” Weerapon said. “Before something becomes forgotten, how can we balance development and conservation?” It’s a topic Weerapon knows well: He has been archiving such buildings via his Foto_momo project for the past five years. His other photos for the exhibition buildings focus on Bangkok’s concrete cathedrals to versatility and function that defined Bangkok’s midcentury, post-war Thai Modernism, an era being rapidly demolished. Other buildings to be featured are the Indra Regent Hotel, Dusit Thani Hotel (RIP), and Hua Lamphong, aka the endangered Bangkok Train Station. The event is a collaboration between Foto_Momo and its Dutch inspiration, Docomomo, aka the Documentation and Conservation of Buildings, Sites, and Neighborhoods of Modern Movement. Something Was Here will run March 15-27 on the third floor of the Bangkok Cultural and Art Center. The contemporary art gallery is connected to BTS National Stadium by skywalk.

Commentary from Channel News Asia LONDON: Hong Kong’s airport has been a spooky place through much of the pandemic as traveller numbers have dwindled, leaving cavernous arrival halls devoid of their usual bustle. The rest of the world is now opening up to international travel but in Hong Kong, which has some of the toughest COVID-19 quarantines in the world, the airport remains largely empty of incoming passengers. The city has for many years claimed the title of the busiest airport in Asia and is set up as a vital air bridge to the rest of the Asia Pacific for those coming from Europe, and a passage for business travellers into south China, the country’s economic nucleus. But last Tuesday, when leader Carrie Lam said that the ban on flights from nine countries would stay until at least April 20, a now-unremarkable trickle of 229 passengers arrived, down from the typical tens of thousands daily before the pandemic. IS HONG KONG STILL FINANCIALLY ATTRACTIVE? The local government says that the isolation is necessary as it races to control an Omicron outbreak and keep the city in line with Beijing’s zero-COVID policy, but airline bosses in Asia said that the measures are not only having a disastrous impact on business. “A lot of airlines are thinking very hard about the future for Hong Kong — do we still need to fly to Hong Kong?” a North American airline executive said, adding that it was becoming “career suicide” to continue to advocate their head office for flights to be sent to the Asian financial hub. “I’m quite worried Singapore will replace Hong Kong not just as a financial centre but also as an aviation centre,” the executive said, pointing to Singapore Airlines’ move late last year to add new routes, including to Vancouver and Seattle. Singapore’s Changi Airport and Seoul’s Incheon International Airport have overtaken Hong Kong in terms of traffic, and many airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways and Air France, have paused direct flights to Hong Kong altogether. The situation could worsen because of the war in Ukraine. Finnair said, over the weekend, that it could be economically unviable to continue to fly to Asia.

From South China Morning Post Crashing rouble, sanctions deal blow to Thailand bid to revive tourism A plunging rouble, flight cancellations and money-transfer difficulties are prompting Russian and European tourists to cancel trips to Thailand, a blow to the Southeast Asian nation’s tourism-revival efforts. The exclusion of many Russian banks from the Swift payments network has resulted in tour operators running into problems when making transfers, according to Charintip Tiyaphorn, co-owner of Pimalai Resort & Spa in Phuket. Some flights have been cancelled following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and many European airlines are re-routing to get to Southeast Asia, she said. Russians were the largest group of travellers to Thailand in January and top applicants for new visas under a quarantine-free entry programme relaunched last month. About 1.5 million Russians visited in pre-pandemic 2019 and spent US$3.3 billion, the third-highest source of tourism revenue for the country, according to official data. Particularly in seaside destinations such as Phuket and Pattaya, it’s common for restaurants, spas and even property developments to have signs in Cyrillic characters in an effort to make Russians welcome in a country that before Covid-19 generated about a fifth of its gross domestic product from tourism. “We received emails from agents and sales representatives in Russia that they may not be able to transfer money to Thailand due to sanctions, so this will have some future impacts too,” Charintip said. “We are more worried about flights from Europe to Thailand that may have to divert, and this would make it more difficult and costly for European travellers to travel to Thailand.”

From Pattaya News Available daily 07.00-12 noon from 1 March 2022 to 31 December 2022. For those who are traveling abroad and require a pre-departure COVID-19 test, we provide a drive-thru Fit to Fly Service. A minimum of 3-day advanced booking is required and by appointment only, please scan the QR code below or click the following link https://l.ead.me/fittofly Price: – RT-PCR 3,800 THB – Rapid Antigen 1,190 THB Remarks: 1. This price includes doctor fee, medical certificate, and hospital service charge 2. Result available in 24 hours 3. If you are coming for the Drive-Thru COVID-19 screening test you must not be at high risk of COVID-19 infection and have no respiratory symptoms. For more information, please call Bangkok Hospital Pattaya at 038 259999

From The Thaiger Tourism industry pushes for scrapping of Thailand Pass and PCR testing Key figures in Thailand’s tourism industry have renewed their calls for the Thailand Pass and PCR testing on arrival to be scrapped. Speaking at the Thailand Tourism Forum in Bangkok yesterday, the chairman of global hotel operator Minor International, renewed his call for the government to ditch the Thailand Pass system. Bill Heinecke has been vocal on issues affecting tourism’s recovery for some time, penning an open letter to PM Prayut Chan-o-cha at the start of the year, urging him to reinstate the suspended Test & Go entry scheme. Addressing forum attendees yesterday, Heinecke said the government must now lift all restrictions on international visitors immediately if Thailand is to remain competitive. Thailand was the first country in the region to re-open its borders but the near-total lifting of restrictions in other countries now means it’s lagging behind. Neighbouring Cambodia has completely opened up, as have the Philippines, the Middle East, many European countries, and the UK and US. Heinecke has warned that the government’s aim of attracting 10 million tourists this year is in jeopardy if the current rules remain. Instead, Thailand risks only seeing 10% of pre-pandemic numbers, or around 4 million. Despite a recently agreed travel bubble between India and Thailand, Heinecke points out that there are still no flights between the 2 countries. Adding to the existing challenges is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Heinecke says has led to cancellations from all over the world. The president of the Thai Hotels Association also expressed her concern for the industry if the current requirement for PCR testing on arrival remains. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says the number of infected international arrivals is negligible when compared to cases of community transmission. She says if the government really is serious about encouraging its citizens to live with the virus, which it plans to declare endemic by June, it needs to abolish the Test & Go entry scheme and allow people to arrive with proof of vaccination and a pre-departure negative PCR test result. ============================== From Richardbarrow.com The infection rate of all travellers entering Thailand November: 0.13% December: 0.45% January: 3.73% February: 2.25% March: 1.43% · Test & Go: 0.92% · Sandbox: 4.50% · Quarantine: 2.11% ========================================= The Ministry of Public Health’s permanent secretary said 95% of cases are now either asymptomatic or mild, meaning there is no need for most people who are infected to receive medical treatment at hospitals

From The Thaiger Impeccable timing! The Russian Ambassador to Thailand met with officials in Phuket to discuss establishing Russia’s Kamchatka Krai Administrative Region as a sister city and other matters that affect the roughly 8,000 Russian citizens on the island. Vice Governor Pichet Panapong says Thai authorities are in the process of reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding with the region, adding that it is being handled by the Treaty Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior. Ambassador Evgeny Tomikhin also discussed plans for a new Muay Thai camp in Phuket. Information on the meeting released by Phuket’s public relations department says that the boxing camp can be constructed on the island as long as permission is granted by Phuket officials. According to PR Phuket, the ambassador gave a statement on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying Russian officials attempted to negotiate, but the two countries could not come to an agreement. With Russian tourists the top demographic to enter Phuket under the quarantine exemption entry schemes, Sandbox and Test & Go, some have been concerned that the conflict “could lead to less tourists travelling to Thailand”. The President of the Phuket Tourism Association is telling the public not to worry as Russians are still planning trips to the island (although some of the scheduled flights are already being cancelled).

From The Thaiger 'Anti-Covid-19' nasal spray will be available later this year A new “anti-Covid-19” nasal spray is being developed by Thai scientists and the medication, which is said to prevent a coronavirus infection, is expected to be available to the public later this year. In studies using lab animals, the nasal spray has been shown to block the virus from entering the body. The Health Systems Research Institute, Silpakorn University, Chulalongkorn University, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and an unnamed private bioscience organisation are working together to produce the spray. The spray is expected to be ready to buy in the third quarter of this year, according to the the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University. The spray is based on a previous study that used a monoclonal antibody collected from recovered Covid-19 patients.

From The Thaiger Hoteliers asked to issue refunds to Test & Go travellers for Day 5 packages With the government scrapping the Day 5 requirements for Test & Go travellers, more than 2,000 hotels and their partner hospitals or test centres are being asked to refund the costs of a night stay with Covid-19 RT-PCR testing. Under the revised entry requirements, travellers can take a self-administered antigen test instead of a PCR test on the fifth day of their stay and they are no longer required to book a stay at an approved hotel while they wait for the results. The hotels are being asked to voluntarily refund the cost of the room, or at least convert the pre-paid booking into credits. Hoteliers are also being asked to work with their partner hospitals and testing centres to refund the 2,000 baht for a PCR test. The Thai government has said they will not require hoteliers to issue refunds for the Test & Go packages, but an official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand argues that some hoteliers have said they need a legal order from the government as their cancellation policies do not cover the refund. If a full refund isn’t possible, they will be asked to convert the payments into credits, according to TAT’s deputy governor for marketing communications, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot. “The Tourism and Sports Ministry will issue an announcement asking cooperation from hotels to refund the fifth day expense to their guests. This rule is definitely not mandatory. Hotels are encouraged to manage those bookings according to their own cancellation policy. If refund is not possible, they should consider converting payments into credits or vouchers for in-house services or restaurants.”

From Channel News Asia SINGAPORE: The Court of Appeal on Monday (Feb 28) upheld a lower court's decision to dismiss three challenges to Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises sex between men. The challenges were mounted by: Disc jockey Johnson Ong Ming, retired general practitioner Roy Tan Seng Kee and Bryan Choong Chee Hoong, the former executive director of LGBT non-profit organisation Oogachaga. High Court judge See Kee Oon had dismissed their challenges in March 2020, and the three men turned to the Apex Court to appeal against the decision. According to Section 377A of the Penal Code, any man who commits any act of gross indecency with another man in public or in private can be jailed for up to two years. This extends to any man who abets such an act, procures or attempts to procure such an act. In a 152-page written judgment delivered by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon on behalf of a five-judge panel, the Court of Appeal stressed that the appeals are "not about whether Section 377A should be retained or repealed", as this was "a matter beyond our remit". "Nor are they about the moral worth of homosexual individuals," said the Chief Justice. He quoted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's words that homosexual individuals are "part of our society" and "our kith and kin". The appeals are also "not about the fundamental nature of sexual orientation (whether immutable or not)", this being an "extra-legal question well beyond the purview of the courts", he said. The Court of Appeal held that the entirety of Section 377A is "unenforceable" unless and until the Attorney-General of the day provides clear notice that he, in his capacity as the public prosecutor, intends to reassert his right to enforce the law by way of prosecution and will no longer abide by representations made by the then-AG in 2018 as to the prosecutorial policy that applies to certain conduct. Chief Justice Menon said it is therefore "unnecessary" for the Court of Appeal to address the constitutional questions raised by the appellants. "They do not face any real and credible threat of prosecution under Section 377A at this time and therefore do not have standing to pursue their constitutional challenges to that provision," said the Chief Justice. "First, although Section 377A was retained in our statute books, this was on the terms that it would not be proactively enforced," said the Chief Justice. "The Government's evident unwillingness to repeal Section 377A signals its assessment that society has yet to adequately integrate the opposing views of mainstream conservatives and the homosexual community, as well as its awareness that our multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious community remains vulnerable along such fault lines. The Government was especially cognisant that forcing the issue would polarise those who are 'presently willing to live and let live'." Second, the retention of Section 377A in 2007 "was directed at addressing a deeply divisive socio-political issue in a pragmatic way", the court said.

From The Nation The first batch of 236 Thai evacuees from Ukraine are due to arrive back in Thailand from Tuesday to Friday (March 1-4), the Royal Thai Embassy in Warsaw said. he embassy said 47 Thais are currently at the evacuation centre in the city of Lviv, western Ukraine, while another 43 Thais are on their way there from cities across the war-torn nation. However, it said about 100 Thai nationals are unable to travel due to curfews or unsafe conditions in the cities where they live. Among this group are seven Thais in Mykolaiv and 12 in Kharkiv. Fighting between Russian troops and Ukrainian defence forces has been reported in both cities. Thais in other cities were safe, the embassy said. Fighting has also reached the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv. The embassy said that 102 out of 148 Thais in Kyiv had been able to leave the city, adding that 43 had already arrived at the Lviv operations centre. The Warsaw embassy said it will organise a bus to take 41 Thais from Odessa in western Ukraine to Romania's Bucharest on Sunday. "After that, the Royal Thai Embassy in Bucharest will send them back to Thailand by commercial flight on March 1 and 2," the embassy said. It said it was also organising a bus to take 43 Thais from the Lviv operation centre across the border to Warsaw on Sunday, followed by a second batch on Monday.

From Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) UTravellers can arrive in Thailand by air, land, and water with the required prepaid accommodation reduced to 1 night and the COVID-19 tests revised to 1 RT-PCR and 1 self-ATK. The health insurance coverage has also been reduced to no less than US$20,000.PDATED! TEST & GO rules from 1 March 2022 The following rules will be in effect from 1 March, 2022, and will also apply to travellers who have applied/obtained the TEST & GO Thailand Pass or Certificate of Entry with scheduled arrivals from this date. Points of entry: By air (direct international flight or transit domestically via dedicated flights.) By land (at the border checkpoints in Nong Khai, Udon Thani, and Songkhla.) By water (yachts.) Eligible travellers / countries: For arrivals by air and water: Fully vaccinated Thai citizens and foreign travellers from all countries/territories. For arrivals by land: Fully vaccinated Thai citizens and foreign travellers from neighbouring countries connecting with the reopened border checkpoints (Nong Khai, Udon Thani, and Songkhla). Pre-Arrival Requirements All travellers must have the following documents for entering Thailand: A Thailand Pass (via https://tp.consular.go.th/) for arrivals by air and land; or a Certificate of Entry (via a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General) for arrivals by water. A Medical Certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected issued no more than 72 hours before travelling. Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents with a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before travelling, are not required to have a pre-arrival negative RT-PCR test result and can have a saliva test when entering the Kingdom. For arrivals by water, everyone on board the vessels must have a medical certificate with an RT-PCR lab result indicating that COVID-19 is not detected within the officially specified time frame. Anyone on aboard with a history of COVID-19 infection within a period between 14-90 days must have a medical certificate of recovery. An insurance policy with coverage no less than US$20,000. Thais and foreign expatriates under Thailand’s national healthcare coverage are exempt from this requirement. TAT recommends that travellers make sure to check the small print of any COVID-19 insurance policy before purchasing. Ultimately, the policy should cover the cost of treatment and other medical expenses associated with being infected with COVID-19, including in-patient hospitalisation, hospital isolation, hotel isolation, or related quarantine. The insurance policy should also cover the whole duration that travellers are planning to stay in Thailand, plus at least 10 extra days as a precautionary measure in the event that the traveller’s second swab test result returns as positive. A proof of prepayment for 1 night of accommodation at government-approved hotel/s; such as, SHA Extra Plus (SHA++) on Day 1, which should also include the expenses for 1 RT-PCR test on Day 1 and 1 Antigen Self-Test Kit (self-ATK) on Day 5. A Certificate of COVID-19 Vaccination/Recovery Everyone 18 years of age and older must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with an approved vaccine at least 14 days before travelling to Thailand. Travellers 12-17 years of age travelling to Thailand unaccompanied must get vaccinated with at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine. Those travelling with parents are exempt from this requirement. Travellers 6-11 years of age, travelling with parents, are exempt from this requirement. For arrivals by water, everyone on board must be fully vaccinated. This is except for travellers under 18 years of age, travelling with parents or guardians. Travellers with a history of COVID-19 infection who have recovered by medical treatment, and travellers who have received at least 1 dose of an approved vaccine after post-infection must have a certificate of COVID-19 recovery. All travellers must undergo ‘exit screening’ at the point of departure, i.e., at the airline check-in counter and present the required documents to the person-in-charge to carry out the checks. On-Arrival Requirements / During the Stay All travellers must undergo entry screening including body temperature check, and presenting the required documents to the Immigration/Health Control officer to carry out the checks. 1.1 Arrivals by air: Arrivals on a direct flight to Thailand’s international airport: At the point of entry. Arrivals with domestic connecting flights: At either the first point of entry before boarding the transit flight, or at the final airport. 1.2 Arrivals by land and water: at the point of entry. Proceed to the prearranged accommodation or medical facility to undergo the Day 1 RT-PCR test. *Travellers under 6 years of age, travelling with parents, can have a saliva test. 2.1 Arrivals by air and land: The trip must be by a prearranged vehicle on a sealed route within a travelling time of no longer than 5 hours. Then, all travellers must wait for the test result within the hotel only. 2.2 Arrivals by water: All travellers must wait for the test result on board the travelling vessel (yacht). Travellers whose test result returns as negative are free to go anywhere in Thailand, but will be provided with 1 Antigen Self-Test Kit for a self-test on Day 5 and be required to report/record the result via the MorChana application or another specified application. Travellers whose test result returns as positive will be referred for appropriate medical treatment in accordance with Thailand’s Communicable Diseases Act B.E. 2558 (2015). The expenses must be covered by the required insurance / own expense for foreign travellers, or national healthcare coverage for Thais and eligible foreign expatriates. Pending on their conditions, they may be medically advised to receive treatment in either hospital hotel isolation or community isolation. During receiving the medical treatment – at least 10 days, they must remain in their accommodation only. They should not leave their accommodation unless utmost necessary, and must notify the Communicable Disease Control officer in-charge. After having recovered from COVID-19, they will receive a medical certificate of recovery. While in Thailand, travellers are advised to strictly follow standard, good personal hygiene practices; such as, wear a mask in public, maintain hand hygiene (washing with soap and water or using hand sanitiser), and keep physical distance of at least 1 metre from others. Travellers who are experiencing COVID-like symptoms should get tested. If testing positive they must get appropriate medical treatment. All travellers must download and install the MorChana application, and set it on at all times for the COVID-19 precautionary measures and to record the self-ATK result on Day 5 in the application. The self-ATK on Day 5 will not be required if the traveller’s length of stay is less than 5 nights, or his/her scheduled international departure date out of Thailand is on Day 5 or before. For example, if the traveller plans to stay in Thailand for 3 days, then he/she does not have to report the self-ATK result, but he/she must leave for another country immediately. However, the traveller may be required to take another test depending on the airline and the final international destination. Guidelines for Domestic/International Departure For domestic departure, travellers must show proof that they have received a negative result for their Day 1 RT-PCR test. For international departure, it is the responsibility of travellers or their organisations to make sure that the travellers meet the requirements of their specific international destination regardless of the point of departure. Kindly note the information is to serve as reference only. It is especially important to check in regularly on www.tatnews.org to stay current on what remains a very fluid and fast changing situation. ======================================= For updated Sandbox requirements: https://www.tatnews.org/2022/02/thailand-reopening-living-in-the-blue-zone-17-sandbox-destinations/

From news.com.au By Alex Carlton The odd small food cart, usually without customers. Street dogs snuffling in gutters, sometimes outnumbering people. The Koh Samui of 2022 is Thailand like you’ve never seen it before. The tiny island off the east coast of the mainland, around a 90-minute flight from Bangkok, has been hit hard by Covid shutdowns and border closures. In a normal year, Thailand welcomes around 40 million tourists, making up 11 per cent of its GDP. The country is a big favourite with Australians, with around 800,000 of us visiting each year, pre-pandemic. And for islands like Koh Samui, usually buzzing with music, cheap and delicious food and beer, nightclubs and hostels, the effect of tourism shutting down has taken a huge toll. “Many people simply couldn’t stay in the cities; they returned to their family farms and lived very simply,” one local told me. “It’s been absolutely devastating.” Thailand, like so many places in South East Asia are only just beginning to recover from the effects of the last two years. But borders are now open to Australians – you need to be vaccinated, apply for the Thailand pass and have a Covid test on arrival and isolate until you get a result (in my case, under 12 hours which is standard) but otherwise there’s no quarantine. And that’s exactly why you should consider travelling to Thailand right now. It’s the only chance any of us will ever get to see and experience this beautiful country without its usual crowds. And it’s a way to do your part to support the Thai people – who are always so welcoming to people from all over the world – to get back on their feet.

I had posted this in the Beer Bar but I believe it's a better fit here because of its importance to gay sexual health. From AFP US authorizes first condom for use in anal sex The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday authorized the first condom for use during anal intercourse, in what was hailed as a victory for sexual health by experts. Although people already use condoms for anal sex -- as is recommended by health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- regulators across the world had only previously allowed companies to officially market their products as "safe and effective" for vaginal use. Sexual health advocates considered this an unmet public health need since unprotected anal intercourse carries the greatest risk of HIV transmission via sexual exposure, with one study finding that 69 percent of men who have sex with men would use condoms more frequently if they were FDA-indicated. Wednesday's authorization of Global Protection Corp's One Male Condom follows a clinical trial involving more than 500 people, carried out by Emory University. "The FDA's authorization of a condom that is specifically indicated, evaluated and labeled for anal intercourse may improve the likelihood of condom use during anal intercourse," said agency scientist Courtney Lias in a statement. The condom is also indicated to prevent sexually transmitted infections -- and as a contraceptive -- during vaginal sex. The researchers behind the study, which was published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine, said one of the reasons the trial succeeded where others failed in the past was likely due to the provision of lubricant and inclusion of instructions on how to use the product. Lubricant reduces friction, which in turn causes condom failure from slippage and breakage. Another reason could be that participants were asked to keep mobile phone-based daily diaries, whereas past trials had asked volunteers to recall failure events up to several months later. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and medical director of an HIV clinic in San Francisco, welcomed the finding. "The important thing about condoms is they don't just prevent HIV, but they prevent gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis," she told AFP, adding it was surprising that such an authorization had taken so long to achieve. Quote

From Channel News Asia BANGKOK: Thailand and Malaysia agreed to expedite quarantine-free travels across the borders for travellers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Friday (Feb 25) after meeting his Malaysian counterpart Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Bangkok. “We share the hope that fully vaccinated people will soon be able to travel between Thailand and Malaysia without quarantine, while following public health measures of both sides,” stated Gen Prayut during a joint press conference at the Government House in Bangkok. According to Mr Ismail Sabri, quarantine-free air travels (VTL-Air) between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok will first become available for fully vaccinated travellers before other destinations are added later.

From AFP US authorizes first condom for use in anal sex The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday authorized the first condom for use during anal intercourse, in what was hailed as a victory for sexual health by experts. Although people already use condoms for anal sex -- as is recommended by health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- regulators across the world had only previously allowed companies to officially market their products as "safe and effective" for vaginal use. Sexual health advocates considered this an unmet public health need since unprotected anal intercourse carries the greatest risk of HIV transmission via sexual exposure, with one study finding that 69 percent of men who have sex with men would use condoms more frequently if they were FDA-indicated. Wednesday's authorization of Global Protection Corp's One Male Condom follows a clinical trial involving more than 500 people, carried out by Emory University. "The FDA's authorization of a condom that is specifically indicated, evaluated and labeled for anal intercourse may improve the likelihood of condom use during anal intercourse," said agency scientist Courtney Lias in a statement. The condom is also indicated to prevent sexually transmitted infections -- and as a contraceptive -- during vaginal sex. The researchers behind the study, which was published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine, said one of the reasons the trial succeeded where others failed in the past was likely due to the provision of lubricant and inclusion of instructions on how to use the product. Lubricant reduces friction, which in turn causes condom failure from slippage and breakage. Another reason could be that participants were asked to keep mobile phone-based daily diaries, whereas past trials had asked volunteers to recall failure events up to several months later. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and medical director of an HIV clinic in San Francisco, welcomed the finding. "The important thing about condoms is they don't just prevent HIV, but they prevent gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis," she told AFP, adding it was surprising that such an authorization had taken so long to achieve.

From Thai PBS World No travel restrictions will be imposed when the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meets next week to discuss measures to be introduced during the annual Songkran festival in mid-April, said National Security Council Secretary-General Gen. Supot Malaniyom today (Thursday). In his capacity as chair of the CCSA operations centre, General Supot said it is expected that the ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections will level out during March and that, during the Songkran festival, people will be able to celebrate the traditional Thai New Year’s Day in a way as close to normal as possible. He said, however, that it is not possible for the celebration to be totally normal, noting that social gatherings, parties and other high-risk activities will still be prohibited, but inter-provincial travel will not. The NSC chief also said that the CCSA operations centre will develop a contingency plan, in case daily COVID-19 infections reach about 100,000 cases, in which case more health facilities will be needed, besides field hospitals, to accommodate patients. Thailand’s daily COVID-19 infection number has been on the rise and reached a record 23,557 cases today. ================================ From The Thaiger Health ministry wants to declare Covid-19 endemic within 4 months Thailand’s health ministry wants to declare Covid 19 as endemic in the next 4 months, according to a Bangkok Post report. Senior ministry official Kiattiphum Wongrajit says the Omicron variant has resulted in a much lower fatality rate than in previous waves and while lung infections are increasing, cases of severe illness are still lower than earlier waves of the coronavirus. Health officials say deaths are also 10 times lower and could be lowered further if 60% – 70% of the elderly population get their booster vaccine dose. The health ministry says it plans to hold a press conference to confirm the plan for transitioning the country out of pandemic status and on to managing an endemic illness. At the start of this year, the ministry confirmed its intention to declare Covid-19 endemic this year. Kiattiphum says that as part of the move, the duration of Covid treatment will be adjusted and the quarantine period for high-risk contacts will be reduced. At this stage, officials say a return to lockdowns is extremely unlikely, even with the current surge in cases.