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From Bangkok Post SINGAPORE: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the European Union have concluded the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement, Asean said, to allow their airlines to easier expand services to and within the respective regions. The agreement, once formalised, will mean that airlines of the combined 37 member states can fly any number of non-stop flights between countries in both regions, Asean said on Friday. Additionally, airlines will be permitted to fly up to 14 weekly passenger services with one stop within the other region to pick up passengers on the return leg. There will no limits on flights with one stop to pick up cargo. The agreement “provides essential guarantees of fair competition for our European airlines and industry, while strengthening reciprocal prospects for trade and investment”, said Adina Valean, the European Commissioner for Transport, according to the Asean statement. The Asean-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (AE Cata), as it will be known, will be submitted for review by lawyers and signed at a later date, the statement said. Brendan Sobie, a Singapore-based independent aviation analyst, said the deal was a positive step for the airlines but issues like securing slots could still be a challenge. “The general idea here is to make Asean and EU airlines more competitive compared to airlines from other regions, which have been aggressively gaining market share in the Asean-EU market,” he said. “There may be issues that prevent these kind of routes from actually operating. Slots have always been an issue in this region which can make traffic rights irrelevant.”

From Bloomberg News United Airlines Holdings Inc. is jumping into the potential market for supersonic travel with the first firm order for Boom Technology Inc.’s Overture aircraft, wagering that business flyers will pay top dollar for speedier trips across oceans. The airline will buy 15 of the supersonic jets, which are expected to carry passengers in 2029, the companies said in a statement Thursday. At $200 million a plane, the deal is valued at $3 billion at list prices and Boom doesn’t offer discounts, said Blake Scholl, the aircraft developer’s founder and chief executive officer. United also took purchase options for 35 more planes. United plans to be the debut operator of the Overture, which will be able to seat as many as 88 people. The airline’s coastal hubs in leading business-travel markets make the jet “uniquely useful” for United, said Mike Leskinen, vice president of corporate development. While supersonic flight is banned over land in the U.S., United sees three and-a-half hour jaunts to London from Newark, New Jersey, and six-hour trips to Tokyo from San Francisco. “It has a tremendous amount of value for a big chunk of our high-end business customers,” Leskinen said. “We’ve got our eyes firmly on New York to London for inaugural service and we will evaluate opportunities beyond that.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-03/united-bets-on-supersonic-future-with-3-billion-boom-jet-order

From Nikkei Asia Vietnam's 'new COVID variant' part of existing Indian strain: WHO HANOI -- As Vietnam's northern manufacturing hub fights COVID-19 variants, the World Health Organization's main representative in the country is urging authorities and companies critical to supply chains to continue containment efforts because vaccinations of factory workers are falling behind needs. Since late April, Vietnam has been struggling to contain multiple COVID-19 outbreaks at factories located in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, two neighboring provinces near Hanoi, the capital. On Wednesday, authorities reported 241 new cases in the country, with 157 in Bac Giang and 31 in Bac Ninh. Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long shocked global investors on Saturday, hinting that a newly discovered variant could have contributed to outbreaks in the heart of the country's economic engine. Long said the government uncovered "a new COVID-19 variant" that combines characteristics of two existing variants first found in India and the U.K. "There is no new hybrid variant in Vietnam at this moment based on WHO definition," Kidong Park, the WHO representative in Vietnam, told Nikkei Asia on Wednesday in an online interview. "The variant detected is Delta variant, with additional mutations, and needs more observation. We need to monitor during next couple of weeks," he said referring to the newly labeled "delta" variant which was first detected in India and appeared in other countries. "This is within the existing [delta] variant. It is an additional mutation" Park explained, adding "as for now, there is no alarming alert from WHO. Park also stressed the delta variant is dangerous as it is highly contagious and spreads very quickly. Son Nghiem, a senior research fellow at Griffith University's Centre for Applied Health Economics in Australia, agreed there is no need for new WHO alert at this time. "To my knowledge, the Bac Giang and Bac Ninh outbreaks were mostly associated with the Indian variant," Nghiem told Nikkei Asia last week. Park said it is difficult to tell when Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, home to factories for international manufacturers including Samsung Electronics, will be able to end the outbreaks. Since late April, more than 400 companies -- with 65,000 workers -- have halted production in Bac Ninh. In Bac Giang, four out of six industrial parks were forced to shut down on May 18, affecting at least 140,000 workers. Local authorities also ordered COVID-hit factory operators to keep workers inside facilities to contain the virus. Employees were asked to eat, sleep and work in factories, with tents set up as temporary accommodations. Since vaccinations for factory workers just started this week in the two provinces, authorities and operators will have to continue stringent containment measures including testing, contact tracing and isolation "for a certain period of time," Park said. Vietnam had been one of the most successful countries in preventing the spread of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The challenge now is to accelerate vaccinations amid a shortage of doses as Asian economies rush to secure supply. https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Vietnam-s-new-COVID-variant-part-of-existing-Indian-strain-WHO ========================================== From Bloomberg News / Bangkok Post Vietnam to have 125m doses this year Vietnam’s health ministry said the country will have nearly 125 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this year after initially reporting it expects 120 million vaccine doses, according to an updated post on the government’s website. The total includes 5 million doses from Moderna Inc, 20 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and 31 million doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, it said. Vietnam, with a popultaion of 96.5 million, will also acquire 30 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses and 38.9 million doses through the Covax initiative, the World Health Organization-backed effort to buy and distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income nations. Vietnam is nearing its goal of purchasing 150 million vaccine doses this year for 75% of the population, according to the post, which cited Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long. Vietnam continues to negotiate with vaccine manufacturers to boost vaccine supplies to reach its herd immunity target by the end of this year or early 2022, Long said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2126251/vietnam-to-have-125m-doses-this-year

From The Thaiger / Bangkok Post The operator of the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores has confirmed it will open another 700 shops in the Kingdom this year. According to a Bangkok Post report this morning, CP All plans to spend between 11.5 and 12 billion baht on expansion in 2021. The company has opened 155 new 7-Eleven stores so far this year, meaning there were 12,587 CP All-operated stores by the end of the first quarter of 2021. Chief Financial Officer Kriengchai Boonboapichart says around 4 billion baht will be invested in new projects, subsidiaries, and distribution centres. Between 3.8 and 4 billion will be spent on store expansion, around 2.5 billion on renovating existing 7-Eleven stores, and around 1.4 billion on IT systems and fixed assets. 2020 total reported revenue for CP All was 547 billion baht, down 4.3% from 2019, and net profit was down by 27.9% at 16.1 billion baht. During the first quarter of 2021, total revenue has dropped by 8.5% year-on-year, with net profit dropping by 54%. The fall is largely attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to decreased consumption and purchasing power, as well as the drop in tourism. Customers habits are also shifting to favour online shopping, and CP All is continuing to focus on offerings such as 7-Eleven Delivery, All Online, and 24Shopping. https://thethaiger.com/news/business/another-700-7-eleven-stores-to-open-across-thailand

From Bangkok Post Some foreigners get jab next week The government has assured that all foreign nationals living in the kingdom who have registered for vaccination will start receiving the Covid-19 vaccine from next Monday. Sophon Iamsirithaworn, Disease Control Department deputy director general, said on Wednesday that vaccination for all foreign diplomats in the country would be carried out the same day as the government's mass vaccination programme, based upon an advanced reservation system. "Currently, we have started vaccinating diplomats and their families, and international organisations -- such as UN staff, in which they have registered in advance to get a vaccine from designated hospitals," Dr Sophon said. According to Dr Sophon, all diplomatic staff, consular representatives and staff from international organisations in Thailand were required to register from June 1–6 via www.ThailandIntervac.com/diplomats. "For general foreigners, they can get the jab on the same day as Thais," Dr Sophon told an online forum titled "Briefing for Thailand Journalists on the National Vaccine Rollout". "Emphasis should be given to the elderly and those who have seven underlying diseases." The forum was co-hosted by the Public Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) to equip the media with vaccine scheme information so they work in sync with the government. Dr Sophon went on to say that foreigners who want to get vaccinated are also required to register via www.ThailandIntervac.com. Those who have booked via the Mor Prom Application would get an AstraZeneca jab. Dr Sophon said there would be more vaccines assigned to Bangkok than other provinces as the population in the capital is dense and the spread of Covid-19 still relatively high. "There will be almost one million doses of AstraZeneca and Sinovac altogether assigned to Bangkok," Dr Sophon said. "In the first two weeks, around five hundred thousand doses should be administered. The government expects 61 million doses from AstraZeneca and around 10–15 million dozes from Sinovac. The department is also negotiating with Pfizer to supply another 20 million doses and Johnson & Johnson for 5 million dozes of their vaccine, he said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2125855/foreigners-get-jab-next-week ================================ Americans plead for jabs A group of prominent US citizens in Thailand has submitted an open letter to visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman asking their government to arrange Covid-19 vaccinations for its expatriate citizens. "Don't abandon us!" was the plea. "The US continues to have a growing vaccine surplus, yet many Americans abroad are still without access to vaccines and their lives are at risk," said the letter, written by Democrats Abroad Thailand chairman Paul Risley, Republicans Overseas Asia VP Tony Rodriguez, Veterans of Foreign Wars commander Carl Manchester and American Women's Club of Thailand president Ambreen Miraly. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2125903/americans-plead-for-jabs ======================================= From Tourism Authority of Thailand

Apologies for an error in my previous post. The fourth paragraph should read: "Even many of those who stand to benefit from victory appear undecided on the cure. The same percentage (about one third) of the population in both the US and Thailand are reluctant to receive a vaccine."

From The Nation US pledges to help Thailand procure vaccines The United States is ready to help Thailand procure Covid-19 vaccines, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said during a meeting with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House in Bangkok on Wednesday. Prayut congratulated Sherman on taking up her post, and US President Joe Biden for his victory in the election, expressing hope that the US and Thailand would continue building stronger friendship and cooperation, according to government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri. Sherman also praised friendship between the two countries that has lasted for over 188 years, Anucha said. "She said the US has a policy to help many countries, including Thailand, in seeking Covid-19 vaccines in a bid to enable them to overcome the crisis." He added that Prayut appreciated the US offer and was willing to commence operations under the vaccine import process. Anucha said Sherman and Prayut also talked about the climate, bio-circular-green (BCG) economy, human trafficking and the situation in Myanmar. https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001595

The above posts reflect both the the good and not-so-good of policies put forward as the world attempts to come to grips with the real enemy: the virus itself. The last time the world attempted to defeat a threat on this scale was in WWII. And that battle was accompanied by the same interplay of political, regional and industrial interests. It was successful only to the degree that individual nations sublimated some of their own priorities and arrived at a grand compromise. As in that war, the opponent, the Axis powers, helped shape how the war was conducted. Now, it's the virus itself that is shaping the same political, regional and industrial responses. It's not always--or even rarely--a comforting process to witness. But its success or failure will be measured in the same way: was the threat defeated. At this moment, that remains undecided. Even many of those who stand to benefit from victory appear undecided on the cure. The same percentage (about two-thirds) of the population in both the US and Thailand are reluctant to receive a vaccine. The only thing all of us have in common is the desire for victory. And with such daunting odds, it's easy to get side tracked with the differences.

From the Thai Enquirer Thailand will launch a quarantine-free travel program for its ten top provinces for tourism starting in October, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the tourism and sports minister, said on Wednesday. The provinces are Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Chonburi, Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phang-nga and Buriram. Phiphat insisted on opening Phuket this July as planned despite a resurgence of Covid-19 infections. Phuket must achieve a vaccination rate of 70 per cent by this month, he said. The first group of foreign tourists is set to arrive at Phuket on July 3 from North America, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The estimated number of foreign visitors in the third quarter is predicted to be around 129,000. The minister said these ten provinces generated up to 1.5 trillion baht of tourism income, accounting for 75 per cent of total income, and brought about 40 million foreign visitors in 2019, prior to the pandemic. https://www.thaienquirer.com/28182/country-to-reopen-tourist-provinces-in-october-minister-says/ ============================= From The Tourism Authority of Thailand

From The Thaiger The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced some specific flight rules on the procedure for international travellers flying into Phuket after July 1. This comes just after the Tourism Authority of Thailand laid out more general rules for travel within Thailand for international tourists. Tourism officials from TAT and the island have been steadfastly determined to reopen under its tourism “sandbox” plan, despite the current surge in cases and daily new cases still appearing in Phuket. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will be evaluating Phuket’s readiness and reporting to the cabinet for a meeting Friday to approve or deny the July 1 reopening. The flight rules for passengers arriving into Phuket from abroad will require all arrivals to be fully vaccinated, receiving 2 doses of those vaccines that require it. Notably, an exception is made for AstraZeneca, only requiring a traveller to have received the first of 2 jabs for just that brand. Another exception for requiring the immunity that vaccination provides is that of natural immunity. People with documentation that they have fully recovered from a Covid-19 infection within the previous 90 days before their arrival will also be allowed to enter. New flight rules will require all passengers to have paperwork confirming that they have been tested for Covid-19 within the last 7 days and have returned a negative result. Any travellers attempting to board a plane without documents meeting these flight rules – proof of a negative test within a week and either 1 AstraZeneca shot, full inoculation, or full recovery from Covid-19 within the past 3 months – will be denied boarding by the airlines and not allowed to travel. https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/civil-aviation-authority-details-international-flight-rules =================================== Qatar to fly to Phuket 4 times weekly From The Thaiger Qatar Airways is going all-in on the Phuket sandbox plan to reopen the tourist island to international travellers on July 1. The airline has confirmed that they will run flights 4 times per week between the Qatari capital city of Doha and Phuket. This new route is in addition to the airline’s current 12 flights a week to Bangkok. The flights will be run using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a large plane capable of carrying a total of 254 passengers to Phuket, 232 in Economy Class and 22 in Business Class. The airline said in a press release yesterday that they believe the Bangkok and Phuket routes will connect the Middle East, Europe and the United States to Thailand. The flights will leave Doha at 2:55 am on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, arriving in the afternoon at Phuket International Airport at 1:30 pm. Return flights will leave Phuket 13 hours later, at 2:30 am, the early mornings of Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/transport/qatar-airways-will-fly-4-times-weekly-to-phuket-starting-july-1

Totally agree. Let's hope Biden makes good on his vow to send millions of doses overseas by the end of this month. From NBC News May 17, 2021, 12:57 PM EDT / Updated May 17, 2021, 2:23 PM EDT By Lauren Egan WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Monday that his administration will send an additional 20 million Covid-19 vaccines abroad by the end of June, including for the first time vaccines that have been approved for use in the United States. "Our vaccination program has led the world, and today we are taking an additional step to help the world," Biden said in a speech at the White House. "No ocean is wide enough, no wall is high enough to keep us safe. Rampant disease and death in other countries can destabilize them — those countries — and pose a risk to us as well," he added. The 20 million doses of U.S.-approved shots are in addition to Biden's previous commitment to give 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to other countries, meaning that 80 million doses are expected to be shared with the world within the next few weeks. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-send-20-million-u-s-approved-vaccines-abroad-end-n1267596 ====================================== COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization.

While reading The Nation news today, I came across this headline: Tourist dollars only came from foreign film crew this year "The tourism sector’s only income this year has been from foreign filmmakers and crew, the Department of Tourism said recently." https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001539 Whoa, I thought. What about all those tourists who entered the Kingdom on Special Tourist Visas (STV) or other visas. Some have posted on this board. Sure enough, a brief search determined that 7,694 foreign tourists entered Thailand during January alone. https://www.bernama.com/en/general/news_covid-19.php?id=1945387 This raises the larger issue of a government agency that tosses out a press release and a media all too willing to publish anything that comes over the transom without feeling obliged to do some due diligence.

From Laotian Times Laos is to receive a shipment of some 100,620 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine through the COVAX facility. To prepare for the arrival of the vaccine, the National Immunisation Programme has been provided with special freezers because the Pfizer vaccine requires special ultra cold chain storage conditions to preserve it and maintain its viability, according to the Center for Information and Education for Health. The equipment was provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) with support from the German Federal Ministry of Health. Laos will roll out vaccinations with the Pfizer vaccine to three priority groups, including medical personnel, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses. https://laotiantimes.com/2021/06/01/laos-expecting-shipment-of-pfizer-vaccine/

Visions of the gang that couldn't shoot straight If the consequences weren't so dire , if the confusion didn't threaten the country's recovery, the debate below would be almost comical. Perhaps they'd be wise to adopt the proverb "It's better to seek forgiveness than ask permission." From The Thaiger / Bangkok Post In what could put yet another spanner in the works, the Thai government is questioning if local authorities can purchase vaccines and whether state-allocated budgets can be used for this purpose. The Bangkok Post reports that officials at the Interior Ministry fear a chaotic rollout, with several local administrative organisations racing to order supplies of Sinopharm, the latest vaccine to be approved for emergency use. Last week, the Chulabhorn Royal Academy confirmed its intention to order Sinopharm doses directly from China, which it says will supplement the government’s vaccine allocation for the national rollout, set to begin next Monday. The ministry has now referred the question of LOAs purchasing vaccines to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The PM has also expressed concerns about how or if LOAs can afford to purchase vaccines and if they can legally use their allocated budgets to do so. Prayut Chan-o-cha insists he has no objection in theory, but points out that there may be restrictions in place which prevent them using funds for the purchase of vaccines. He says the laws governing the matter need to be checked. “If they can undo this (restriction), by all means go ahead and do it. I don’t want the issue to become politicised.” According to deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam, LAOs would need to ask the Interior Ministry to lift the restriction on how state-allocated funds can be spent. “Otherwise, the LAOs will be in trouble with the State Audit Office for wrongful utilisation of state funds.” He adds that LAOs cannot buy vaccines directly from manufacturers, but would need to order from their appointed representatives. In the case of Sinopharm this would be the CRA. However, the Interior Ministry remains concerned about the potential chaos resulting from over 7,000 LAOs across the country trying to buy their own vaccines. Minister Anupong Paojinda points out that some are wealthier than others, and the CCSA must decide if purchasing power can be devolved or if the government should obtain the vaccines for them. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/government-unsure-if-local-administration-budgets-can-be-used-to-buy-vaccines ====================================== From the Tourism Authority of Thailand

From The Thaiger Deadline to apply for the 60-day “Covid” visa extension now July 29 The deadline to apply for a 60-day visa “Covid” extension has been pushed to July 29, now allowing stays up until late-September. The extensions are intended for foreigners who are unable to leave Thailand and return to their home country due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. The deadline to apply has been extended by the Thai Immigration Bureau several times, typically announced at the last minute. The previous deadline was May 29. The 60-day visa extension program was launched late last year to allowing foreigners to stay in Thailand due to the global Covid-19 situation and limited international flights. The extension can be granted if… A foreigner cannot return to their home country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There are no return flights available. The foreigner has a letter from their embassy requesting temporary stay. https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/visa/deadline-to-apply-for-the-60-day-covid-visa-extension-now-july-29

From Thai Enquirer Hospitals restrict vaccine registration amid supply concerns The Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA) and several private hospitals were closing their registration procedures for vaccination against the Covid-19 virus on Monday. The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) last week asked people to “slow down” their vaccine registration via the Mor Phrom Application due to limited supply of vaccines. The locally produced AstraZeneca vaccine will reportedly not be delivered in June as scheduled. The CRA announced online that their registration has reached capacity, and it will not be registering any new patients to ensure vaccines are allocated to those who have registered. ================================================= Opinion: Corporations have chosen to remain open, it will cost lives and suffering By Cod Satrusayang Over the last two weeks, Thai companies have been questioned over Covid-19 outbreaks in their workplace. Construction firms have seen a spike in the number of cases in construction sites while factories have been closed due to outbreaks. The biggest names in Thai industry have been implicated including Sino-Thai Constructions, Italian-Thai Development, and now Charoen Pokphand. On Sunday, CP Foods announced the closure of one of its factories in Saraburi after 245 people tested positive for the virus. Their other 18 factories will remain open. It is interesting to note that even at the height of the Covid-19 crisis, firms like Sino-Thai and CP kept their factories and sites open to keep the bottom line as unaffected and their shareholders as happy as possible. Even when there are real human costs. The Covid-19 pandemic currently has a mortality rate of around 2 per cent. That number is less in Thailand but that is a testament to the fine doctors and nurses in our public health services. But the fact remains, people will die. Thousands have now been infected because these factories have stayed open, because best practices in keeping the workplaces safe have not been introduced, and because of corporate greed. Choosing to remain open, to keep building, keep processing, and keep working will cost people their lives. People have died, are dying, and will keep dying because these CEOs and business leaders that we venerate in the back pages of Thailand Tatler have chosen to value the bottom line more than human lives. It should not be surprising for longtime observers of Thailand that his is happening. This is a country where corporations rule supreme. Above politics, above government, above the rule of law, corporations operate on another plain in Thai society. But unlike other abuses in the past, both human and environmental – the effects of corporate greed have been laid bare for all to see during the coronavirus pandemic. The human costs aren’t hidden away in the margins of court rulings and knock-on environmental effects that manifest themselves decades later. So far, these corporations have not said whether or not they would support the families of workers who died through their negligence. Continues at https://www.thaienquirer.com/28050/opinion-corporations-have-chosen-to-remain-open-it-will-cost-lives-and-suffering/ ================================================== From Bangkok Post Bangkok spa, parks, beauty clinics to open Tuesday Five groups of places allowed to operate with some restrictions City Hall has allowed some places with no reports of Covid clusters to open from Tuesday, including spas and beauty clinics. Its communicable disease committee met on Monday to consider easing Covid-19 measures for businesses. The panel decided that since the Covid clusters to date were found in communities, markets and construction workers’ camps, measures for other places should be eased to help operators. The places allowed to operate from Tuesday are: museums, learning centres, with strict measures in place such as a ban on group visits tattoo shops, or shops providing any kind of skin-piercing services, and nail salons beauty and weight-control clinics and shops spas and massage shops, except sauna and facial massage services public parks, botanical or floral gardens, with strict measures in place such as a ban on group sitting and consumption of food and drinks, except drinking water Other places remain temporarily closed until June 14. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2124511/bangkok-spa-parks-beauty-clinics-to-open-tuesday ========================================== From Tourism Authority of Thailand ===================================================== From The Thaiger Tim and Bill of "Good Morning Thailand" go through all the latest news from around Thailand including an interview about the Bangkok slums areas of high density housing, also the latest in the Phuket Sandbox and Thailand reopening plans, Malaysia’s new ‘lockdown’. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/good-morning-thailand-the-situation-in-bangkok-slums-thailand-re-opening-plans

From Vietnam News Nội Bài International Airport to stop receiving passengers from abroad from June 1 HÀ NỘI — Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội will stop receiving foreign arrivals from Tuesday until June 7 amid the complicated development of COVID-19. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, outbound flights from Nội Bài Airport are allowed to take off as normal. The move followed orders of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control and the Ministry of Transport to curb the virus transmission. The CAAV has also extended the suspension of receiving foreign arrivals at HCM City’s Tân Sơn Nhất Airport until June 14. Earlier the airport was ordered to stop receiving passengers entering the country from May 27 to June 4. Việt Nam has suspended international commercial flights to the country since early 2020 to prevention the coronavirus spreading. Foreign experts, workers and Vietnamese citizens on repatriation flights were earlier allowed to enter Việt Nam at Nội Bài, Tân Sơn Nhất, Đà Nẵng, Vân Đồn airports and must be in 21-day quarantine at centralised sites. Hà Nội has recorded more than 200 cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak resurged in late April. The city has taken strict preventive measures like ordering the closure of restaurants, public parks and suspended non-essential services like karaoke venues, bars and massage parlours. Meanwhile, 14-day social distancing under Directive 15 has been applied in the majority of HCM City’s districts from Monday. — VNS ============================================= From Vietnam Express Vietnam Airlines signs up for international vaccine passport program Vietnam Airlines has signed an agreement with the International Air Transport Association to trial a vaccine passport next month. It will implement the IATA Travel Pass initiative that allows people to store verified Covid-19-test and vaccination certificates on a smartphone app. They must be issued by authorized facilities registered with IATA. Le Hong Ha, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, said: "The most important goal of the initiative is to revive people’s faith in air transport and ensure safe and smooth travel." Nick Careen, an IATA board member, said it is a solution for facilitating international travel during the pandemic. Three countries have signed up for the use of the IATA Travel Pass, Singapore, Panama and Estonia, and 30 airlines.

From the BBC A gay rights group in the Catalonia region of north-eastern Spain has warned of increasing incidents of homophobia following attacks in Barcelona over the weekend. The Observatory Against Homophobia (OCH) said five gay men had been injured in three separate attacks. In the most serious incident, a man needed facial surgery after he and his friends were attacked on a beach. Police are investigating but have not made any arrests, local media reported. Local politicians took to social media to condemn the attacks. "We will never normalise this situation," tweeted the city council's head of citizenship rights, Marc Serra Solé. OCH president Eugeni Rodríguez said the incident on Barcelona's Somorrostro Beach involved two gay couples who were set upon by three men. The men approached them and insulted them and then attacked them after checking no police officers were in the area, Mr Rodríguez said, according to the Spanish EFE news agency. The most seriously injured victim underwent surgery on Sunday. Mr Rodríguez called the incident "barbaric" and said the number of homophobic attacks was rising. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57300640

I have not read any reference to this article in other news sources. Hope it to bears fruit. ============================================ From the Phnom Penh Post Five of the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries – Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam – are willing to welcome tourists fully-vaccinated against Covid-19 to their shores amid the pandemic, in an effort to kick-start a recovery in the tourism market dampened by Covid-19. The commitment was conveyed on May 27 during the 47th meeting of the tourism working group, comprised of representatives of GMS countries and Metro Manila-based Asian Development Bank. Myanmar seemingly took no part in the meeting. At the meeting, Ministry of Tourism director-general for Tourism Development and International Cooperation Sieng Neak shared Cambodia’s key strategies, as outlined in the 2021-2025 three-phased national tourism roadmap – approved by Prime Minister Hun Sen on April 1, and ministerial plans to allow fully-vaccinated international tourists to enter the Kingdom with little or no quarantine stay. “The meeting has agreed upon the draft of the Mekong Tourism Communication Recovery Plan to produce the right messages about tourism and select the right channels in order to promote tourism in the subregion to the right market,” he said later that day. Neak also presented an update on tourism infrastructure and management capacity in coastal areas in Cambodia’s southwest, stressing that all work is being carried out in line with ASEAN tourism standards. Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association president Khieu Thy told The Post that reopening the Kingdom to foreign tourists would be a dream for the tourism industry. Suffering a dearth of international visitors for well over a year, Thy pointed out that the tourism sector also faces an unprecedented shortage of professionals and skilled tradespeople. "If Cambodia were to reopen to foreign tourists in the fourth quarter, that'd likely restore jobs and income for those working in the sector," he said. A tourism ministry report revealed that 1,306,143 international tourists visited Cambodia last year, down 80.2 per cent from 6,610,592 in 2019. Last year’s decline in international tourist arrivals cost the Cambodian tourism industry more than $3 billion lost in revenue, with revenues from international tourism generating only $1.023 billion in 2020, down 79.2 per cent compared to $4.919 billion in 2019. https://phnompenhpost.com/business/gms-countries-mull-welcoming-vaccinated-visitors

From The Thaiger / Thai Examiner PHOTO: Chinese media argues with Thai police over the handling of last week's luxury mansion raid. (via Facebook/ ตำรวจห้วยใหญ่) Controversy is swirling around the police raid on the Pattaya luxury mansion last week where a Chinese National shot 2 police officers, as the man and Chinese media claim that the raid was “executed poorly”. Senior Thai police officers claim the raid was carried out appropriately, while the Chinese man claims he panicked after being approached by suspicious men who were not clearly identified as police officers. The Chinese media has claimed that proper procedures were not followed and a search warrant was not obtained in advance. Video footage has been circling online showing a group of plain-clothes men coming through the rear of the property, where the owner was relaxing by the pool before fleeing to lock himself in his home. From the upstairs bedroom, he shot more than 60 rounds from a 9mm automatic pistol licensed to his Thai girlfriend. He also released tear gas on the storming police officers, and investigations later revealed that another Chinese man in the house had a concealed gun. 2 police officers were critically injured, one shot in the stomach and 1 shot in the leg, though the most recent information is that both will recover from being shot. The deputy spokesman for the Royal Thai police says that the court issued a search warrant after reviewing the evidence from a special operations squad, so police would have prior knowledge of who might be inside and what to expect during a raid. He argues that raid procedure was followed with uniformed police officers and 4 police cars at the front of the property while police entered from the rear to stop anyone from fleeing. The shooter in custody, a Chinese man known as Leo carrying a passport for investment haven Saint Kitts and Nevis, claims that he fired on the intruders for fear of being kidnapped or harmed with no knowledge that the people storming his property were police. The police contradict his statement and argue that all officers had proper ID displayed during the raid and had already identified themselves to a gardener when they entered the property. While Leo’s lawyer maintains that the search was executed without a warrant and run improperly, police maintain they had gone through proper procedures while investigating money laundering and illegal online gambling operations believed to be going on in the luxury mansion. His lawyer claims that Leo has no involvement with any illegal business or organised crime, and is merely a businessman who made money in gold, property, Bitcoin, and is in Thailand to develop a luxury real estate market. Police argue that bulletproof vests found during the raid and the use of teargas imply more nefarious activities. Continues at https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/crime/chinese-media-thai-police-argue-over-handling-of-mansion-raid

From the Tourism Authority of Thailand Bangkok, 30 May, 2021 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide the latest update that the Thai Cabinet agreed to extend the Emergency Decree nationwide for two more months until 31 July, 2021. Approved by the Cabinet on 25 May, 2021, and officially published in the Royal Thai Government Gazette on 27 May, 2021, Thai Prime Minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the announcement on the twelfth consecutive extension of the state of emergency for two more months after it expires on 31 May, 2021. =========================== ============================================= From Bangkok Post 73% of Thais feel 'hopeless' amid pandemic About three-quarters of the population feel anxious and hopeless about their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the result of an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll. The poll was conducted online on 1,713 people throughout the country during May 24-27 to gauge the population's mental state in the "Covid-19 era". Regarding their state of mind, 75.35% said they were under stress and worried; 72.95% felt hopeless; 58.27% felt irritated; 45.19% frightened; and 13.50% were in a normal mental condition. Asked about the causes, 88.33% cited the worsened Covid-19 pandemic; 74.53% pointed to the economic slump; 51.89% cited concerns over vaccination; 36.50% mentioned travel and traffic conditions; and 15.98% cited health concerns.

From Thai PBS World Govt move to restrict freedom of information is a mandate for corruption, critics warn Proposed amendments to the Official Information Act are aimed at protecting state secrets, contrary to the law’s original goal of securing the public’s right to access government data, critics warn. The draft amendments would prohibit the disclosure of any official information deemed potentially damaging to the monarchy or its security. They also cover information on military affairs and national security, among others. The prohibitions are listed in an added chapter titled “Information Prohibited from Disclosure”. The controversial bill also sets much harsher penalties for violators of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of Bt200,000, compared to the current maximum three months jail time and Bt5,000 fine. Critics say the tougher punishment is likely to act as a deterrent against disclosure of official information, as officials opt to err on the side of safety. Proposed by the Prime Minister’s Office, the bill gained Cabinet approval on March 24 and could be debated during the new parliamentary session, which started on May 22. The Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) on May 20 asked the government to review the draft amendment following widespread opposition and claims that it violated constitutional clauses requiring transparency of the state. In an open letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, ACT warned that preventing transparent disclosure of official information would undermine his government’s policy of fighting corruption. ACT secretary-general Mana Nimitmongkol, who sits on the regulatory Official Information Board set up under the law, said state agencies and politicians often attempted to delay or limit disclosure when asked for official information like government budget spending. “The current law is a serious obstacle. State agencies and politicians intentionally interpret the law and regulations in a way that benefits them,” he said. Already unhappy with the current law’s limits on access to official information, critics warn the amendments will restrict freedom of information for Thai citizens even further. Law Professor Worachet Pakeerut of Thammasat University said he was “rather shocked” on reading the contents of the draft bill. “The state is going to control the flow of news and information more intensely,” said Prof Worachet, who sat on the regulatory Official Information Board for 16 years. Continues at https://www.thaipbsworld.com/govt-moves-to-restrict-freedom-of-information-is-a-mandate-for-corruption-critics-warn/

From Channel News Asia COVID-19 sweeps through Thailand's overcrowded prisons The Thai prison population stood at around 311,000 earlier in 2021, more than two-and-a-half times the system's official capacity. (Photo: AFP/WILLIAM DAVIES) BANGKOK: A coronavirus surge sweeping through Thailand's prisons has thrown the spotlight on the kingdom's overcrowded penal system, where some inmates have less space to sleep than the inside of a coffin. More than 22,000 people have tested positive inside jails, where inmates living cheek by jowl have been encouraged to keep wearing their masks even while they sleep. Authorities have floated plans to give early releases to prisoners with underlying medical conditions and have announced funding for more testing and medical care in recent days. But those behind bars say they have been kept in the dark about the seriousness of the outbreak. "Prisoners don't have the knowledge to protect themselves," said Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a high-profile activist facing charges under Thailand's harsh royal defamation law. Somyot was bailed last month and told AFP that he had not been tested for COVID-19 once during his 10-week stint in custody. He was not worried about contracting the disease while in jail because he had no idea about the level of risk. "But after this I'm so scared (for everyone still inside) ... if you are inside the prison you are at risk, it's unavoidable," he said. Thailand's prison outbreak has skyrocketed from just 10 publicly announced cases a month ago and sparked growing public concern after a handful of prominent activists contracted the illness. The Thai prison population stood at around 311,000 earlier this year, the International Federation for Human Rights said - more than two-and-a-half times the system's official capacity. Four inmates in every five are serving time for drug charges because of harsh anti-narcotics laws that can see offenders jailed for a decade for possessing just a few methamphetamine pills. Many cells are so packed with bodies that some inmates only have half a metre of space. "That is less room for a body than the inside of a coffin," Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin told local media in February. Somsak said he was examining ways to give early releases to prisoners with underlying medical conditions, possibly through a royal pardon. Even if the plan goes ahead, prisoners will still have to complete a quarantine before returning home. "For us to bail anyone or do anything, it has to be done properly," Somsak told reporters on Monday. "We can't allow them to spread infections." Rights groups say the plan should go further and urged authorities to also free non-violent offenders in order to reduce overcrowding. "Authorities should reduce the detainee population... of those held on politically motivated charges or for minor offences," said Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-thailand-prison-jail-overcrowded-outbreak-14909396 ================================= From Tourism Authority of Thailand

From Channel News Asia KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will close all economic and social sectors by implementing a "total lockdown” throughout the country. The first phase of the lockdown will last from Jun 1 to Jun 14. This move was announced in a media statement posted on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Facebook page on Friday (May 28) night. Only essential economic and service sectors listed by the National Security Council will be allowed to operate during Phase 1 of the lockdown, said the statement issued by Prime Minister's Office (PMO). “This decision was made after taking into account the current situation of COVID-19 transmission in Malaysia with daily case numbers exceeding 8,000 and active cases exceeding 70,000,” the statement read. More than 2,550 people in Malaysia have died from the disease. The emergence of more virulent COVID-19 variants also influenced the National Security Council's decision to implement the lockdown. With the sharp rise in the daily number of COVID-19 cases, hospitals' capacity to treat patients throughout the country are "becoming more limited", the statement added. If the phase 1 total lockdown is successful in reducing daily COVID-19 cases, the government will implement a four-week phase 2 lockdown by allowing the reopening of a few economic sectors that do not involve large gatherings. Phase 2 lockdown will last four weeks. “Once the phase 2 lockdown ends, the next step is phase 3, which is implementing a movement control order (MCO) similar to the current one in effect, where social activities are not allowed and nearly all economic sectors are allowed to operate subject to strict standard operating procedures and limited physical presence at workplaces,” the PMO said. PMO's announcement came as Malaysia set a COVID-19 case record for the fourth straight day with 8,290 new infections, bringing the national total past 549,000. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-total-lockdown-jun-1-14-muhyiddin-covid-19-cases-record-14905394

From Coconuts Bangkok Cal-Comp workers staged a protest Thursday night to complain about conditions and demand action by the factory’s management and health officials. Photo: Petchpoom Hot News By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee Sealed inside a factory to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, hundreds of frustrated and angry migrant workers say they’ve been left in the dark by power outages without adequate food and no medical care. The poor conditions that led more than 1,300 workers at the Cal-Comp Electronics factory in Phetchaburi province to protest, including loss of electricity for 12 hours, had not been addressed as of today, according to workers and an NGO there, and no Thai authorities had arrived to help. “We take care of each other. No officers here,” Tlay Nyo, one of the Burmese workers stuck at the site, said by phone in Thai. “There was no electricity for hours yesterday and we don’t know if it will happen again today.” The actual number of workers stuck at the factory is unclear. While media reports put it at 1,300, Tlay Nyo said there are at least 1,500 Burmese workers plus others who are Cambodian. While he said that he had received enough food, others said they did not. “At around 9am today, a worker told me they had not been given breakfast,” Than Zaw Htike of the Migrant Workers Rights Network, who is currently at the site, told Coconuts Bangkok. He confirmed Tlay Nyo’s assertion that there were no Thai officials present as of Monday morning. The number of infected workers has ballooned in the past week. Labor rights campaigner Andy Hall said the most recent count had put it at more than 3,500 people. Calls to Cal-Comp went unanswered as of publication time. It is owned by Taiwanese manufacturing concern New Kinpo Group. It supplies electronics to U.S. computer maker HP as well as Japan’s Hitachi and Konica Minolta, according to the Migrant Workers Rights Network. Two years ago it paid compensation to workers who were led into virtual slavery by large debts to the recruiters who got them jobs there. The Cal-Comp Electronics factory was ordered shut from May 21 through June 4 after nearly 700 of its 3,300 workers tested positive for COVID-19. Phetchaburi provincial health chief, Petcharuek Tansawat, said the closure of the factory was a “voluntary decision” by the management, who promised to care for the employees quarantined inside. Than Zaw Htike shared photos taken inside of the workers taking care of their own by checking each other’s blood pressure along with images of uncooked meat the workers were forced to eat last night because the electricity had been cut for hours. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/left-to-eat-raw-meat-in-the-dark-workers-sealed-in-thai-factory-protest-mistreatment/