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From The Irrawaddy and Global Voices Out of work, out of options: Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand scrape by during COVID-19 Migrant workers at this construction camp work for a Chinese company but their pay has been docked and is always late. They don’t want to make any claims against their employer because they are afraid they will get fired. If they are thrown out of the job, they won’t be able to find other work and won’t be able to return home because borders are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Chiang Mai, Thailand, March 2020. Photo and caption by Jittrapon Kaicome/The Irrawaddy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article by Jittrapon Kaicome is from The Irrawaddy, an independent news website in Myanmar, edited and republished on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement. With the decline in the Thai and worldwide economy, businesses and factories have closed and migrant workers have been among the first people laid off. As Thailand has entered the worst economic recession in its history, migrants who normally work for daily wages are facing tough times. After Thailand announced an Emergency Decree to control the outbreak of COVID-19 in late March, the country closed its borders, leaving millions of migrant workers stranded in the country. Some workers were later able to head back across into Myanmar but many are still in Thailand, trapped without jobs and few options to help them get by. Myanmar migrant workers in northern Thailand are among them. These workers are also faced with the challenge of overcoming local language barriers. Many lack the technical and computer skills to access useful information and guidance or support. They have limited rights to access government social welfare schemes, including those intended to help people through the coronavirus crisis. Their lives hang on uncertainties. Along the Thailand-Myanmar border in Tak Province, villages went into lockdown and the crisis forced migrant workers from Myanmar to abandon their farms, becoming largely dependent on food handouts. They said the amount of rice handed out wasn’t enough to feed them, lasting only around three days. Twenty-six-year-old migrant worker Cho Zin Win said: "The villagers have come to buy sacks of rice on credit five times already, and it will take at least a year for them to pay back the installments." In the city of Chiang Mai (located northeast of Thailand) during lockdown, it became a common sight to see people, a mixture of local people and migrant workers, lining up for food handouts. A visit to one of the construction camps in Chiang Mai showed that business closures have forced the wives of construction workers out of their jobs as housekeepers at hotels, while only a few of their husbands have been hired. Some families have less than 1,000 baht left (US$32.08), but they still have to bear the burden of expenses and debts. By July, restrictions on businesses were lifted and most businesses reopened. But with the economic collapse brought by the coronavirus crisis, businesses are still unable to hire back many of their workers. Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in the country—if not more—are still unemployed and many are unable to adapt to the economy’s “new normal.” Continues with photos https://globalvoices.org/2020/07/22/out-of-work-out-of-options-myanmar-migrant-workers-in-thailand-scrape-by-during-covid-19/

I have a rave for Singapore Airlines. My flight for BKK in June was cancelled. Received full refund back into my credit card account last week.

From The Nation Migrant labour from neighbouring countries now allowed to return The Ministry of Labour has been given the nod to allow migrant labour into the country and it has clarified on the guidelines. Department of Employment director-general Suchat Pornchaiwiseskul said that the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Wednesday had approved bringing foreign labourers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to work as per the Department’s proposal. CCSA has approved two groups of foreign workers: ▪︎ 69,235 foreign workers who have work permits and work visas who have requested a re-entry visa to return to the country and have not returned; ▪︎ 42,168 foreign workers who do not have a work permit and visa but whose employers have submitted a demand letter to the country of origin. Both groups of foreign workers must obtain a certificate that facilitates entry into the Kingdom and a medical certificate (Fit to Travel). In the case of a foreign worker with a re-entry visa and a work permit, after Immigration provides them an entry permit and visa, the foreign workers must undergo Covid-19 examination at the Disease Control checkpoint immediately and must be quarantined for 14 days at Alternate Local Quarantine (ALQ).In the case of foreign workers who do not yet have a work permit submitted by the employer for re-entry, once the immigration checkpoint has checked the immigration permit, the workers must be tested for Covid-19 and undergo six health check-ups, buy a two-year health insurance (in case they do not have social security) or three months of health insurance (in case they have social security) and spend 14 days in ALQ. During quarantine period, there will be training to give knowledge about regulations and living in Thailand to foreigners before starting work. Upon the expiration of 14 days in quarantine, the visa will be granted by the Immigration officer. When both groups of migrant workers have been quarantined as required and no infection is found, employers can accept foreign workers to work including reporting to the provincial employment office in the area. Cambodian workers are allowed to travel via Sa Kaeo province, Lao nationals via Nong Khai and Mukdahan provinces, Myanmar via Tak and Ranong provinces while Vietnamese workers must come by air and arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Employers and entrepreneurs are responsible for the cost of Covid-19 testing and the 14-day quarantine, approximately Bt13,200 to Bt19,300 per foreign worker, said Suchat.

After reading numerous news sources daily for several years I have yet to find any single site that offers a more objective and concise report than that offered by the Thai Enquirer. a publication the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT). Issued Monday through Friday in a newsletter format, the report presents unbiased coverage all aspects of major national news, particularly economic, political, military and current events, in a style reminiscent of The Economist. It also provides English language versions of select articles published in Thai language media. Selecting the "HOME" tab allows readers to view some articles in a more traditional media format, including special reports and commentary pieces. https://www.thaienquirer.com/category/news-summary/

From Bangkok Post Five select groups of foreigners and migrant workers are expected to be allowed to enter the country as the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will consider the 6th phase of Covid-19 easing this week. However, although the country has been free of local transmissions for 55 days, an opinion survey issued yesterday showed that public sentiment was still against plans to open the doors to foreigners. The CCSA spokesman said on Sunday that a committee assigned to consider the easing of Covid-19 restrictions has discussed the 6th phase of relaxation and the issue will be tabled to a full meeting of the CCSA this week. The relaxation will cover migrant workers in the construction business and food export industry, foreign visitors who organise trade exhibitions, foreign visitors in film production crews, and foreign travellers who are members of the Thailand Elite Card scheme, he said. He insisted the government still gives top priority to public health safety, while keeping the economy functioning is of secondary importance. Effective disease control measures will restore public confidence, he said. ======================================================================================================= From Bangkok Post Foreign inmates should teach English in prisons: Minister Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin suggested the Corrections Department could consider using foreign inmates to teach English to fellow prisoners to supplement their occupational training. Mr Somsak floated the idea on Monday when he and Labour Minister M.R. Chatu Mongol Sonakul signed an agreement to step up cooperation between the Justice and Labour ministries to address the problem of ex-convict unemployment. M.R. Chatu Mongol said that under the agreement, the Employment and Skill Development departments of the Labour Ministry will provide training courses in various occupations for inmates before they are released and issue them a certificate to convince business operators to hire them. The Labour Ministry is also looking for employers, both inside and outside the country, to accept trained inmates who suit their requirements, he said. M.R. Chatu Mongol said the two ministries are already cooperating to provide skills training for inmates. In 2019, 8,084 inmates received occupational training and 70-80% of them found jobs after being released. In 2020, the two ministries aim to train 1,840 inmates for jobs that are in demand, such as construction workers, carpenters and electricians. Mr Somsak said the Corrections Department is responsible for selecting inmates for training. Between 20,000-30,000 inmates have been targeted. Those seeking jobs abroad need to learn English or other languages used in countries where jobs are available, he said. As there are now about 2,000 foreign inmates in prisons, the Corrections Department has been assigned to select some of them with potential to teach English to other inmates.

From the BBC The greatest summer novels ever written It’s a season when normal rules are suspended and the temperature rises in more ways than one. So it’s no surprise that it inspires heady literature, writes Neil Armstrong. Novelist Meg Rosoff has an indelible memory from a summer in the early 1970s. She was 16 and on holiday with her family on Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She had met a boy who was also spending summer on the island, and she was mad about him. “He would just show up and then we would go off at night to these completely deserted beaches,” recalls Rosoff. “It was the most romantic thing in the entire world. I remember us swimming late one night and then lying on our backs on the sand afterwards looking up at the sky which was suddenly full of shooting stars. It was the Perseid meteor shower, which happens every year, though I didn’t know it then. It just seemed like our personal miracle.” Elements of the experience found their way into her new book, The Great Godden, a coming-of-age love story which spans a summer holiday in England, and is being marketed as a “summer novel”. There might not be a special section for the classic summer novel in bookshops but there should be because, although its precise lineaments are slightly hazy, like something seen in the distance on a dog day in August, it’s definitely identifiable as a distinct genre, characterised by particular tropes. For a book to be a classic summer novel, key plot points must occur during that season. If it’s a long, hot summer – the sort of summer no-one thought would ever end, the sort of summer during which time seems to stand still – so much the better. Because that’s the sort of summer during which the usual rules are suspended. People do things they wouldn’t normally do. All bets are off. Ideally, there will be a love story – maybe young love, maybe unrequited – and possibly a sexual awakening. There is often a loss of innocence. There should be a feeling of transition; one part of life’s journey is coming to an end. Nothing will ever be the same again. Often there is a sense of unreality, “the feeling of being in a dream” as Rumer Godden said of the real-life experience that inspired her classic of the genre, The Greengage Summer. And sometimes the story is told in the form of a recollection. The narrator is looking back with a twinge of wistfulness on the events of a summer long ago, the effects of which might still be rippling out. “I think the main appeal for this kind of novel lies in its ability to play into readers’ nostalgia,” says Waterstones fiction buyer, Bea Carvalho. “Most readers can relate to a long, lonely school break, a family holiday, or a summer romance.” A summer novel doesn’t necessarily need all of these factors but it does need some. Examples might include LP Hartley’s The Go-Between, Alan Garner’s The Owl Service, or JL Carr’s A Month in the Country. “A classic example that springs to mind is André Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name which displays all of the tropes: the beautiful summer setting, the sexual awakening, the brilliant sense of nostalgia,” says Carvalho. Ian McEwan’s Atonement – heavily influenced by The Go-Between – sneaks in because of its first part, set on an oppressively sultry day in the middle of a heatwave. Five all-time summer classics The Go-Between by LP Hartley In this mid-century British classic, the narrator remembers the hot, golden childhood summer, spent at his schoolmate’s family estate, when he helped facilitate an illicit romance. The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden Two teenaged sisters of an English family holidaying in France fall in with a charming Englishman who is especially interested in the older of the pair. The Owl Service by Alan Garner An ancient myth threatens to repeat itself as cultures clash and adolescent tensions reach boiling point in a secluded Welsh valley. The Magus by John Fowles An arrogant English teacher working on a Greek island is caught up in an elaborate, theatrical game – or is it a psychological experiment? Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead “There was summer, and then there was the rest of the time.” It’s 1985, and awkward, 15-year-old Benji is on vacation in the Hamptons, and intent on reinventing himself. Continues with photos https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200717-what-makes-a-great-summer-novel

From Bangkok Post Donations pour in for jobless man in Pattaya PATTAYA: Donations and public sympathy have poured in for a Si Sa Ket man who was down to his last five baht after losing his job in Pattaya because of the coronavirus outbreak. Now, Sarawut “Ton” Wongthee, 22, has almost 90,000 baht in his bank account and a job at a factory in Rayong. Mr Sarawut on Saturday thanked all the people who had helped him overcome the hardship he was facing, including the local reporters whose stories caught the public’s attention. He said the cash donations — 89,281 baht as of Saturday — were very high and he did not want to accept any more. There were other people suffering hardship during the coronavirus outbreak and they needed help, he added. “This amount is enough for me and I don’t want to receive any more. However, people keep transferring money to me. There are other people who are still facing tough lives. Foundations and hospitals are also affected by the coronavirus outbreak,” he said. Mr Sarawut spent some of the donations to rent a room, sent some money to his family in Si Sa Ket, and gave some to alleviate the hardship of friends who were made jobless during the lockdown. He also set aside 10,000 baht for needy people to get food at a stall in Pattaya that offered dishes at 20 baht each, and another 9,000 baht for the Baan Khu Ja child welfare foundation. He is now looking forward to going to work in Rayong as Thai International Labour Co has given him a job at its factory. Mr Sarawut earlier worked at a pub on the Pattaya Walking Street in South Pattaya. After entertainment venues were closed to prevent the spread of the virus, he and many others became jobless. He later earned a living by renting mats to visitors at Pattaya beach to make ends meet. But when Pattaya closed all its beaches as part of its coronavirus containment drive, that job also disappeared. Mr Sarawut spent weeks looking in vain for work in the resort town and took shelter in a deserted bar when his money ran out. He had been left with only five baht and had to beg for food from people when a reporter learned of his plight. Sarawut Wongthee (in grey T-shirt) talks to a food vendor in Pattaya. He has set aside 10,000 baht of the donated money he received to provide free food to people in need. (Photo by Chaiyot Pupattanapong)

From The Nation Too-tight virus policy is strangling economy, experts warn Thailand should overcome concern of a second wave of Covid-19 and instead relax restrictions on foreign investors and tourists in order to shore up its falling economy, say a prominent investor and leading economist. “We should not worry too much about the threat of a second wave of infections, since the first wave of Covid-19 is generating far fewer cases compared with other countries,” prominent local investor Niwes Hemvachiravarakorn said on Thursday. Thailand has implemented tight safety measures to combat the virus, but the Covid-19 issue has two dimensions – disease control and economic activities, he said. Thailand may need to accept a low level of cases and develop a system to handle this, he said, referring to the absence of local infections for more than 50 days and only a handful of daily imported cases. He suggested Thailand’s hot weather may be helping to keep the infection rate low, while Thais know now how to protect themselves as almost everyone wears a face mask in public. Niwes warned that fear of a second-wave contagion was discouraging people from resuming business activities, resulting in a slower economic recovery. In Vietnam, public life is almost back to normal, with even large gatherings for sports events now permitted, he added. Somchai Jitsuchon, research director at Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), is also pushing for resumption of more economic activities. Thailand should learn how to live with a few daily Covid cases, because policies aimed at eradicating the virus completely were having a high economic cost, he said on Facebook. Income from foreign investment and tourism represents about 20 per cent of Thailand’s annual GDP, the economist noted. The government should focus on the “trace, test and isolate (TTI)” policy so that foreigners can be gradually welcomed back to the country, he added. =============================================================================================== From Bangkok Post Tourists will trickle back 'once a virus cure is found' The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) is predicting the hard-hit tourism sector will start to recover once a Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out late next year. Kirida Bhaopichitr, the Institute's research director for International Research and Advisory Service, was speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) and addressed the notion that people were overreacting to the pandemic. She said that in the first phase of the tourism recovery most visitors were likely to come from China and Asean as it was cheaper to travel within the region and it was also more friendly to them. "We can expect more Chinese tourists in the post-Covid-19 world," she told a forum titled "Thailand's post-Covid-19 economy and the most vulnerable". According to the TDRI, domestic tourism was already recovering but would not return to the pre-Covid-19 level [6% of GDP] due to safety and financial concerns. At the same time, international tourism had dropped from 12% of GDP to zero. Jonathan Head, BBC Southeast Asia correspondent and FCCT vice president, asked panellists about the level of public fear, which he said "has gone beyond anything else I have ever seen in other countries". He also remarked on what he characterised as the government's draconian measures, including turning its back on mass tourism and even putting off travel bubbles, despite the fact that it had managed to curb the spread of the virus well.

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

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

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

Luckyboys and Freshboys

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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