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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From National Public Radio Universal Health Care Supports Thailand's Coronavirus Strategy Thailand was the first country outside of China to confirm a case of coronavirus. That was back in January. Since then, while the pandemic has raged in the U.S. and Europe, Thailand has been able to control its epidemic with a caseload among the lowest in the world - just 58 deaths. Thai epidemiologists say the country's universal health care system played a major role. NPR's Malaka Gharib has more. To explain how Thailand's Health System worked to keep the coronavirus under control, let's start with the first Thai citizen to test positive for the virus, a taxi driver. Krit Pongpirul is a professor at Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine. He says the driver's route involved picking up and dropping off Chinese tourists around Bangkok. Listen to interview or read the transcript https://www.npr.org/2020/06/28/884458999/universal-health-care-supports-thailands-coronavirus-strategy

From South China Morning Post Hongkongers’ son brings American-style Chinese food to Bangkok James Au of the Lazy Panda restaurant in Bangkok. Photo: Vincent Vichit-Vadakan James Au used to tell his parents he would never work in the catering industry. But now the 31-year-old son of first-generation Hong Kong emigrants to the US operates an American-style Chinese restaurant in Bangkok. His journey to the Thai capital began in Minneapolis, where his family had worked its way up to owning a chain of seven Chinese-American restaurants. Au, however, got his start in software. Before turning 20, he had already sold his first start-up – an online community for video-game betting – for US$100,000, which he invested in buying, renovating and flipping properties following the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, after which he turned his attention to rental properties. By the time he was 25, he had a small portfolio of rental properties and was looking to try something different. A short stint of consulting work in Hong Kong set Au’s sights on Asia– though he opted to move to Bangkok rather than stay in the city of his parents after visiting the Thai capital in 2017 and finding it to be “way more chill”. For a while, he worked in digital marketing, but the “crazy drama” he experienced at the company – combined with a visit from his mother Lorna – would soon see him change career paths. By this time, Au’s parents had already sold their restaurant business to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. Noting the absence of American-style Chinese food in Bangkok, mother and son discussed the possibility of filling the gap in the market. “I didn’t know if it would really work,” Au says, adding that his feasibility study consisted of a few social media posts, such as on the “Bangkok Foodies” Facebook page, “to feel out the market”. In the end, he decided to follow his intuition and heeded the advice tattooed on his left arm: “Trust yourself”. Obtaining the necessary permits and overcoming obstacles such as hiring builders, drawing up contracts and navigating Thailand’s bureaucracy proved a challenge, but in July last year Au and his mother finally opened their new restaurant called Lazy Panda. The menu borrows heavily from his parents, whose Ah Sa Wan restaurants in Minneapolis’ elevated Skyway System proved very popular with the US city’s hungry office workers. Some of the recipes can even be traced back to Au’s maternal grandfather, such as the batter used for the sweet and sour chicken. Chatty and opinionated, Au has an engagingly geeky eye for detail. His preferred thickener for sauces is potato starch, he says, because it has “a longer protein chain so it’s thicker and more viscous and it holds together better on the heat”. The hybrid comfort food that Lazy Panda serves has proved a hit with both foreign and Thai customers, leaving Au to focus his attention on fine-tuning the website and finalising new menu items to be introduced in the coming months, such as his grandfather’s recipes for roast pork. Thoughts of expansion have been tempered somewhat by the coronavirus pandemic, although Au notes that his restaurant has “definitely not been hurt as much” as those places that are more heavily reliant on tourists. In fact, interest in Lazy Panda’s delivery-friendly menu surged during the weeks when eat-in dining was banned – “we lucked out”, he said. Not bad for someone who, by his own admission, was “horrible in school, never paid attention [and] always did my own thing”. Lazy Panda is located at 245/6 Soi Sukhumvit 31, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Before declaring Bangkok as Armageddon, there is a simple solution: test would-be travelers at their point of departure before they even begin their journey. This way Thai officialdom knows it's getting only those passengers who tested negative prior to departure. Transit airports are aware of the same and a 1998 like financial catastrophe is averted. Not everything has to be complicated. P.S. Welcome back after such a long absence.

From Khaosod English Survey Says 3 in 5 Thais Want Borders to Reopen BANGKOK — A survey found that Thais are cautiously leaning towards reopening borders for tourists as the coronavirus pandemic appears to be winding down. According to a survey by UK-based market research company YouGov, three in five subject interviews (63 percent) want the border to reopen after 3 months of ban on most international flights to Thailand. Of all interviewees, a fourth (26 percent) said that the border should reopen in the next three months. A remaining quarter (26 percent) answered that the border should reopen within the next six months to a year, while one in ten (11 percent) said that the border should remain closed until after a year. =========================================================================================================================== From Khaosod English Survey: 1 in 4 Workers Lost Jobs, Put on Leave in Pandemic BANGKOK — A survey found that a quarter of employees across the country either lost their jobs or were put on temporary leave during the coronavirus pandemic. The survey, which interviewed more than 1,400 Thai employees and 400 employers, was released by job search firm JobsDB earlier this week. It confirmed what many analysts have dreaded: that the pandemic is yet another nail in the coffin for the struggling economy. “The hardest hit groups are those with a monthly salary below 16,000 baht,” JobsDB country manager Pornladda Dathratwibul said. According to the report, 9 percent of the interviewees say they have lost their jobs, and another 16 percent say they are placed on temporary leave. 45 percent of workers who survived the layoff say they still suffer an impact on their paychecks. About one-fourth of interview subjects receive no bonus, while one-fifth of them get no salary increase. The data also indicate that wages are slashed by 11 to 20 percent for those who take a salary cut.

From Bangkok Post Regional budget carrier says it can't recover from pandemic impact The regional budget airline NokScoot is shutting down, saying it cannot recover from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The carrier said its board of directors decided on Friday to liquidate the airline, with the decision to be announced in a general meeting of shareholders to be held in two weeks. The decision will leave 450 staff members unemployed, save for some who will work on the liquidation process. The company promised to pay them full benefits in accordance with Thai law. NokScoot operated medium- and long-haul Asian routes serving seven cities in China and three in Japan, as well as New Delhi, Singapore and Taipei, from its base at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok. Even before the coronavirus outbreak began, it was struggling in the market due to intense competitive from other low-cost carriers.

From The Guardian Cambodia tourism chiefs call for end to Covid-19 healthcare and funeral deposit Tourism chiefs in Cambodia say they hope officials will drop a $3,000 (£2,400) coronavirus deposit scheme under which travellers have to make a downpayment for potential medical costs – including their funeral – arguing it is likely to deter potential visitors. The government announced earlier this month that all foreigners entering the country must have an insurance package worth $50,000 and make a deposit of $3,000 in cash or by credit card. The deposit covers possible expenses in the event a person catches Covid-19, including healthcare, laundry services, meals and a funeral. Chhay Sivlin, the president of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said the deposit was introduced because insurance companies had previously refused to cover the cost of coronavirus treatment. “Our government has exhausted our resources and can no longer provide for any tourists tested positive for the disease,” she said. The new policy was understandable, she said, but she hoped officials would introduce stricter regulation of insurance policies instead, and a requirement for travellers to carry a minimum amount of cash. Cambodia has so far managed to contain the coronavirus, recording 130 cases and no deaths, but the pandemic has devastated the tourism industry, leaving vast numbers of people without work. About 13% of Cambodians are employed in the tourism sector and 30% work in related industries, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

It's a shame those who took their lives in desperation didn't consult you first. They would have been spared the inconvenience. It's easy for those of us who don't wait in lines for our meals, have income to pay our bills and the means to travel to judge those without those benefits.