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Excerpted from Bangkok Post Nationwide night curfew starts Friday All people in Thailand are banned from leaving home from 10pm to 4am starting Friday in the government’s latest move to contain the spread of coronavirus. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced the curfew on Thursday evening. Exempted from the curfew are medical and banking personnel, as well as logistic workers handling consumer products, farm goods, pharmaceutical products, medical supplies and equipment, newspapers, petrol, postal parcels, or products to be imported or exported. Movements of people to quarantine places are also allowed. Other exemptions are people working normal night shifts or those heading to or from airports with necessary documents stating the purposes, or officials working by the announcements or orders and those allowed by officials to leave the house on emergencies. Violation will result in a jail term of not more than two years and/or a fine not more than 40,000 baht. Existing curfew orders or announcements in any province with stricter requirements shall remain in effect. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1891810/nationwide-night-curfew-starts-friday

From Khaosod English More Papers Required for Visa Extensions BANGKOK — Nine separate documents are now required for foreigners stranded in Thailand to extend their stay for up to 30 days, the immigration said Thursday. Immigration spokesman Phakkhaphong Saiubon defended the inconvenience on the grounds of “national security.” New requirements include land deeds, rent contracts, and even selfies of foreigners with their accommodations, even as scenes of disarray and massive queues at immigration continue unabated. “Indeed, we are requiring more documents than usual because there are those who want to exploit the opportunity,” Col. Phakkhaphong said. “We are doing our best to provide the best service, but bearing in mind that national security is our utmost priority.” https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/04/02/more-papers-required-for-visa-extensions-due-to-national-security/

From Bangkok Post Govt temporarily blocks all travel The government will block all travel to Thailand, including by Thais, for half a month to prepare "state quarantine" facilities after more local patients have been linked to imported cases. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the government needs time to properly prepare for state quarantine. "Related agencies will in the meantime prepare the places and coordinate with Thai embassies to ensure all Thais returning home will be quarantined and get proper medical checks," he said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1891790/govt-temporarily-blocks-all-travel

The Department of Immigration is shutting offices for the foreseeable future, but foreigners needing visa renewals should not be overly concerned. Hanoi (VNA) - The Department of Immigration is shutting offices for the foreseeable future, but foreigners needing visa renewals should not be overly concerned. As the nation ‘stays at home’ to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the department office will close from April 2 until further notice, according to a source from the department. However, if a visa belonging to any foreigner staying in Vietnam right now expires while their offices are closed, the holder will not be penalised. Instead, visas can be renewed when the office reopens. https://en.vietnamplus.vn/foreigners-not-penalised-for-overstaying-during-national-social-distancing/171073.vnp

From Khaosod English Long Lines Continue at Immigration Despite Extra Venue BANGKOK — Long lines continued to form at the Immigration Bureau in spite of the agency’s decision to open another venue for extending foreigners’ stay in Thailand for 30 days. Immigration Bureau spokesman Phakkhaphong Saiubonsaid said the new facility is now open at the Central Investigation Bureau headquarters in Muang Thong Thani. Yet a large queue is still seen at the new facility even at the same time the government is promoting the measure of social distancing. “We have opened the new facility in Muang Thong Thani to cope with massive queues at our Chaengwattana office,” Col. Phakkhaphong said. “The new office has more space, so social distancing can be fully implemented.” However, in a photo posted today by well-known blogger and longtime British expat Richard Barrow showed that people are still flocking to the new office to extend their stays. “We are really hoping that a visa amnesty will be announced today after the weekly cabinet meeting,” he wrote in a caption. “Many other countries have done this already as it’s crazy and dangerous to queue up like this during a pandemic.” Phakkhaphong said the bureau has done its best to manage the overcrowding problem. He also added that the visa amnesty, as well fine exemption for overstays, are still being discussed in the Cabinet. “What you have seen is from the early morning, when people would scramble to get their visas extended. I ask visitors to come later on the day to avoid congestion,” Phakkhaphong said. “We also have to wait for the Cabinet to decide on visa amnesty and fine exemptions. What we can do now is to follow the protocols.” The new facility – located a few kilometers up in the north from the bureau’s main office – is taking applications for 90-day reports, alien’s residing reports, and 30-day tourist visa extensions, the spokesman said. All other matters still have to be processed at the main office. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2020/03/31/long-lines-continue-at-immigration-despite-extra-venue/ ============================================================================================= From The Thaiager Immigration: Beware online swindlers claiming they can extend your visa After a wave of complaints, the Immigration Bureau yesterday issued urgent advice to tourists and visitors about extending their visas amid the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis. While some immigration offices have requested that expats to file their 90 day residence reports reports online to promote social distancing and avoid crowded conditions, officers say fraudsters have been going online on Facebook and other social media platforms telling gullible users there’s no need to go to an immigration office for a visa extension, that it can all be done for you for a fee of 1200 baht. his is false. You must go in person for a visa extension. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/immigration-beware-online-swindlers-claiming-they-can-extend-your-visa ===================================================================================== Stranded. Nearly 21,000 Russians struggling to get home The Russian Ambassador to Thailand claims there are about 20,800 Russian citizens stranded in the Land of Smiles. Ambassador Tomikhin says they’re desperate to get home. He says that most of them are stuck in Phuket and neighbouring provinces (Phuket is in virtual lockdown with the airport being closed to all passenger flights on April 10). Another 8,000 in and around Pattaya, 5,00 around Bangkok and Hua Hin, 4,400 in and around Koh Samui and another 2,500 scattered around the country, according to Khaosod English. “We have received some 20,800 requests from people who have found themselves in this situation. Less than half of them are those who have tickets to cancelled flights by third countries’ air companies.” The Russian embassy stopped receiving requests from Russian nationals on March 30. According to the Ambassador, there were about 70,000 Russians in Thailand by early March. “About 40,000 of them were package-tour vacationers who came here by charter flights from various Russian cities. When the situation began to worsen, most of them returned home.” https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/stranded-nearly-21000-russians-struggling-to-get-home

Today's Bangkok Post carried a few articles that reflect a bit of optimism. The daily reported count of new infections was 127. Although that in itself is nothing to celebrate, the number doesn't indicate exponential growth and is generally in line with the last five or so days. Another article shines light on the success of Lampang province that has managed to keep the virus at bay. ============================================================= From Bangkok Post Tham Luang hero defends Lampang from coronavirus flood LAMPANG: Residents in this northern province have taken to social media in praise of their governor for his well-planned fight against the coronavirus. No infections have yet been reported anywhere in Lampang. "The success so far is because of trust and confidence in him to move the plan forward in one direction," a user named Ungde Amin commented on the Lampang13 Facebook page that posted an interview with governor Narongsak Osottanakorn on Sunday. "He shows leadership and the measures are well prepared," Pun Pun wrote. "I envy people in Lampang," added Wassana Wisassai. The interview drew almost 3,000 comments and 57,000 shares on social media. Mr Narongsak was known for his decisive command of the international operation to rescue 12 young footballers and their coach trapped inside the Tham Luang cave in Mae Sai district two years ago, when he was the governor of Chiang Rai. He was later transferred to Phayao and then Lampang. Rescuers and others who participated in the cave operation in Chiang Rai have commended him for clear directions, decisiveness and leadership, saying he effectively coordinated all the units from various agencies under his command. The country has recorded 1,651 coronavirus cases in 61 provinces as of Tuesday, but Lampang is not one of them. The Provincial Public Health Office in Lampang on Tuesday denied reports on social media that one person in the province had been infected with Covid-19. Mr Narongsak called an informal meeting with all officials in the province on Jan 23 when the Chinese government decided to lock down Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus at the time. He said the lockdown of the Chinese city signalled the seriousness of the disease, and the province started preparing immediately. "We closely monitored the situation in Wuhan," the governor said in the interview with local online media. The province has prepared medical facilities for health personnel and patients, including 140 respirators and 10 negative pressure rooms. It has assigned 50 hospital beds for virus-infected patients and could expand that number to 400. "Health personnel are the most important group," he said. "If they fall ill, nobody will take care of people in the province." The province has also made preparations in the field, recruiting health volunteers and villagers to respond to any outbreak in the province. "We have designed the process to prepare for the situation and fine-tuned it with people on the ground," he said. The governor on Monday said he did not expect the province to remain virus-free but was confident that the preparations were adequate to take the local fight to the pandemic. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1890230/tham-luang-hero-defends-lampang-from-coronavirus-flood ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thailand reports 127 new coronavirus cases, 1 death Tuesday Thailand reported 127 new coronavirus cases and one death on Tuesday, a health official said. On Monday the country reported 136 new infections and two deaths. Tuesday's announcement raises the number of confirmed infections in Thailand to 1,651 since the country's first case was reported in January. Ten people who tested positive for the coronavirus have died. Bangkok topped the list of confirmed cases with 796, followed by Nonthaburi (79), Phuket (55) and Yala (48), permanent secretary for public health Sukhum Karnchanapimai told a press briefing at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1890170/thailand-reports-127-new-coronavirus-cases-1-death-tuesday

From Channel News Asia High Court judge dismisses all three challenges to Section 377A SINGAPORE: Three men have failed in their challenges against Section 377A of the penal code, after a High Court judge dismissed their court actions against the law that criminalises sex between men on Monday (Mar 30). In a case summary released by the court, Justice See Kee Oon rejected arguments that the law is unconstitutional, and defended the decision not to pro-actively enforce Section 377A. He said that Section 377A "serves the purpose of safeguarding public morality by showing societal moral disapproval of male homosexual acts". It cannot be said to be redundant simply because of its non-enforcement, he added. According to Section 377A of the Penal Code, any man who commits any act of gross indecency with another man in public or in private can be jailed for up to two years. This extends to any man who abets such an act, procures or attempts to procure such an act. The verdict was delivered in chambers, four months after arguments were made by the lawyers for the three men: Disc jockey Johnson Ong Ming, retired general practitioner Roy Tan Seng Kee and Bryan Choong Chee Hoong, the former executive director of LGBT non-profit organisation Oogachaga. Continues at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/377a-challenge-dismissed-high-court-judge-penal-code-12588738

Excerpted from Khaosod English What It’s Like to Catch, and Survive, the Coronavirus in Thailand BANGKOK — Speaking from his condo, Singaporean expat Jay Feng asked other people currently in self-isolation at their homes to stay calm and not to panic. He knew a thing or two about the coronavirus; in fact, he survived it. Feng, who recovered several weeks after he first tested positive earlier this month, said he beat the virus by monitoring his symptoms early on, keeping a positive mindset even when he was in enormous physical pain, and relying on the sheer strength of his immune system. Plus a well-covered insurance plan. “The most important thing is to not panic. The Thai healthcare system is actually very good,” Feng said in a telephone interview. “The authorities are fairly decent. Even if you don’t speak Thai, communicate your symptoms and medical history very clearly.” Feng, 36, is the owner of Ohana Poke restaurant on Wireless Road, and leads what he describes as a very healthy, active lifestyle – he never smoked, exercised regularly, eats a very healthy diet, and gets lots of sleep. But on March 8, he woke up with a strange body ache. He bought a thermometer at a nearby pharmacy and stayed at home the whole day, but it didn’t go away. “Usually I get well quickly, even if I don’t get sick often,” he said. “But it was a body ache not like I bumped into something, but like my whole body crashed into something.” The next day, he decided to get checked out at Bangkok Christian Hospital, even though he didn’t have a fever. After about 20 or so tests for other diseases, the doctors asked if he would also like to get a test for COVID-19, but be admitted for the night. However, Feng did not meet the criteria for free coronavirus test, which include a fever over 37.5C, recent visit to a high-risk country, or close contact with a proven case. Still, he chose to get tested out of an abundance of caution. “I chose to pay out of my pocket because I see people every day have it. I just admit myself and do the test, lah,” he said. Feng was wheeled to the quarantine area and nurses stuck swabs about 20 centimeters down his nose and throat (“It’s a terrible feeling, very unpleasant. But you get used to it.”) as well as a blood sample. Feng was feeling relatively well – until 1am that night. He woke up, inexplicably cold, with a dull pain in his left lung. He got some paracetamol from the nurses. At 3am, he woke up dazed, incoherent, with his hospital gown drenched in sweat, with the pain increasing. He measured a 37.7C fever. “This is when it hit me. I was completely, completely, shocked. I was lost for 30 seconds, don’t know how to react. I was completely dazed,” Feng recalled. “I started shaking because of the sickness and receiving this news and battling my emotions.” While nurses were quickly packing his things, Feng mentally ran through the people he had been in close contact with. He called and messaged his family, loved ones, and employees. “I tested positive, you need to get tested and isolate yourself,” he said. Feng was sent to the state-owned Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute on March 10, where “The VIP treatment continued. I was in a wheelchair, and all the lift and pathways were cleared for you,” he said. He would spend the next two weeks in a negative pressure isolation ward. His ward was separated from the corridor by a containment room where nurses would leave medicine and the mae baan would leave his food. He could only go in if there was no one else in it. The ward itself had his hospital bed, a sofa bed, three windows with blinds, a table, and a chair. The bathroom was spacious and the shower had a heater. “It was new equipment, excellent, and clean. High tech, with lots of motion sensors. There were few physical buttons to press,” Feng said. Doctors told him that he would get tested every two days for the virus. If he tested negative twice consecutively, then he would be discharged. The doctors could only treat his symptoms from now on – his immune system had to do the heavy lifting. The next few days were the worst, Feng recalled. His lungs were in pain, he was chronically tired, he was incoherent. “I had a dry cough, not like the scratchy kind or the kind with phlegm. It was like coughing my lungs out. I couldn’t sleep because of the aches,” he said. COVID-19 also came with a mental burden of guilt. Days four to seven, Feng was feeling slightly better but still very lethargic. Nurses took his vitals every four hours. He remembered high-tech equipment that would digitally capture his stats and send them online to the cloud, while doctors monitoring from afar would speak to him via speakerphone with excellent English. Feng was very disappointed on days 9 and 10 when he continued to test positive, even though he had no more symptoms. “The isolation really kicked in. You didn’t see anyone or the outside world, the air, the sun. I was mentally looking forward to going back to my regular life,” he said. “I felt lousy about it.” Fortunately, he tested negative on Day 11. “Just one more, and I can go home,” he told himself. And he did on Day 12. After a negotiation with his insurance agent at Krungthai Axa, the entirety of his 147,000 baht medical costs were covered by the firm. It would have been a considerable bill otherwise. His one day stay at Bangkok Christian Hospital alone amounted to 50,000 baht, and his 12-day stay at Bamrasnaradura cost about 97,000 baht. His close contacts also received free coronavirus tests due to their history of coming in close proximity with Feng. https://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2020/03/30/what-its-like-to-catch-and-survive-the-coronavirus-in-thailand/

Inspiring

Glad to relieve you of some of the chubby ones. Never rejected a masculine guy with a bit of paunch.

Trying to predict the future is often an exercise in futility but I won't let that keep me from giving it a try. When what eventually became known as Covid19 first began to get the attention of posters, the general sentiment of the board was that it's being overblown and the Silom/Patong scene would muddle through. Not an unreasonable assumption because at the time it was almost exclusively a China-centric issue. The first indications that it might be a bit more serious than that was a steady decline in tourists arriving into Bangkok. But most, myself included, assumed it would be a temporary setback. Fast forward a few months and we know that was short-sighted. I decided the best way to go out trying to discern the future was to look to the past. First--and probably most important--was the 1997 Asian financial Crisis. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia (specific to Thailand's experience) I believe is noteworthy: From 1985 to 1996, Thailand's economy grew at an average of over 9% per year, the highest economic growth rate of any country at the time. Inflation was kept reasonably low within a range of 3.4–5.7%.[32] The baht was pegged at 25 to the U.S. dollar. On 14 May and 15 May 1997, the Thai baht was hit by massive speculative attacks. On 30 June 1997, Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said that he would not devalue the baht. However, Thailand lacked the foreign reserves to support the USD–Baht currency peg, and the Thai government was eventually forced to float the Baht, on 2 July 1997, allowing the value of the Baht to be set by the currency market. This caused a chain reaction of events, eventually culminating into a region-wide crisis.[33] Thailand's booming economy came to a halt amid massive layoffs in finance, real estate, and construction that resulted in huge numbers of workers returning to their villages in the countryside and 600,000 foreign workers being sent back to their home countries. The baht devalued swiftly and lost more than half of its value. The baht reached its lowest point of 56 units to the U.S. dollar in January 1998. The Thai stock market dropped 75%. Finance One, the largest Thai finance company until then, collapsed.[35] On 11 August 1997, the IMF unveiled a rescue package for Thailand with more than $17 billion, subject to conditions such as passing laws relating to bankruptcy (reorganizing and restructuring) procedures and establishing strong regulation frameworks for banks and other financial institutions. The IMF approved on 20 August 1997, another bailout package of $2.9 billion. Right after the 1997 Asian financial crisis income in the northeast, the poorest part of the country, rose by 46 percent from 1998 to 2006. Nationwide poverty fell from 21.3 to 11.3 percent.[ By 2001, Thailand's economy had recovered. The increasing tax revenues allowed the country to balance its budget and repay its debts to the IMF in 2003, four years ahead of schedule. The Thai baht continued to appreciate to 29 Baht to the U.S. dollar in October 2010. I'm not saying that the Covid19 crisis will rise to this level. It could very well run a course not unlike it is doing now in China. Yes, it was a crushing blow to the Chinese economy but conditions appear to be on the rebound. Although it's likely there will be hiccups along the way, we'd like to believe that the worst is behind them. If we agree that the first cases were detected (but not widely reported) in November that means the episode has taken roughly four months to stabilize. If Thailand can continue to pursue strong containment measures, there's little reason not to believe that it can have a similar outcome. But Thailand is a least a few months behind the curve compared to China so a it seems reasonable that it could achieve stabilization by June. But what would "stabilization" look like on the ground? I think we know what it won't be like: a magical return to business as usual overnight. More likely, it will be a slow rebound that may track track China's evolving progress as it claws its way back. The government announced yesterday that it's prepared to borrow heavily to stimulate the Thai economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) could once again emerge as a prime source of the needed funds. So how would this all translate to the status of the bars and other venues in the Silom/Patpong? That I find a bit more challenging because all jobs are not going to return at the same time or at the same rate. I'd think that jobs in the malls and food vending might be among the first to start climbing. Tourism would lag for several reasons. Tourists who would normally be counted upon return again may have lost their jobs or had their incomes reduced. Some of those who are able to travel may still have lingering fears about the virus. As airlines begin to slowly ramp up service, they'll likely be very cautious about increasing capacity. Although they'll all be looking for cash flow, there main objective will be optimum fleet utilization as opposed to engaging in fare wars with competitors. In other words, don't necessarily look for huge bargains. So aviation-related jobs will definitely tick up but at a restrained pace. The same with hotels. The results will be that those who made their living in these industries could well decide to look elsewhere. As for the entertainment zones and massage shops get the go-ahead to resume business, it's not impossible that young Thai men and women may look upon these occupations more favorably. They did, after all, once dominate these jobs. But what actually happens may be altogether different.

From Bangkok Post World's largest producer idled for last 10 days by Malaysian lockdown KUALA LUMPUR: A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world’s biggest producer warns, as a coronavirus lockdown has forced it to shut down production. Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms used globally. It has not produced a single condom from its three Malaysian factories in the past 10 days because of the lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the virus. That’s already a shortfall of 100 million condoms, normally marketed internationally by brands such as Durex, supplied to state healthcare systems such as Britain’s National Health Service or distributed by aid programmes including the UN Population Fund. The other major condom-producing countries are China, where the virus originated and led to widespread factory shutdowns, and India and Thailand, which are seeing infections spiking only now. “We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary,” Karex chief executive Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters this week. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/1887890/global-condom-shortage-looms

CNN Headline of the day: Why Walmart is seeing a rise in sales for tops, but not bottoms during the coronavirus crisis

From South China Morning Post European, US travellers scramble for flights as Asia’s key transit hubs close Phil Hopkins found himself dashing to find new flights after Hong Kong, one of Asia’s busiest transit hubs, on Monday announced it was banning stopovers and closing its borders to visitors. While his 25-hour flight from Surabaya back to Boston was meant to be a simple one, with a single stop in Hong Kong as he was flying Cathay Pacific, his journey swelled to four flights via Jakarta, Tokyo and Chicago – lasting a mammoth 34 hours and 30 minutes. “This is a very difficult situation. I was very surprised that they closed a major airport to all transit,” the 30-year-old American said. “Luckily I have been watching the news closely.” sia’s key transit airports are now no-go zones, swept up by lockdowns and sweeping travel restrictions as governments look to curb the spread of Covid-19. Hong Kong has joined Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia in banning short-term visitors, while major airlines have announced plans to cut all but a handful of flights. Katie Wingfield, 49, was coming to the end of a six-week trip across New Zealand and Australia, but the closure of Hong Kong as a transit hub meant her flight to London via Perth was no longer possible. There was a “mad scramble to find flights”, the British national said, as Hong Kong and Singapore were both closed to transit – the island nation having closed its borders to short-term visitors on March 22. Wingfield’s only remaining option was to pay A$19,000 (US$11,380) for two business-class tickets on Qatar Airways to London via Doha, the last major transit hub that is still open. In fact, Qatar Airways has in recent days been adding more flights on top of the 150 daily services it currently operates to get more people home, particularly those living in Australia. David Flynn, founder of online travel news website Executive Traveller, said: “As more and more airlines reduce flights and in many cases abandon routes, having a major gateway airport suddenly declared off-limits to transit passengers is sheer travel trauma.” Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, two major Asian carriers reliant on transfer passengers, have already slashed flight schedules and by next month will operate just 4 per cent of their planned services. In other virus-stricken countries in the region, including mainland China and South Korea, travel options via major airlines are few and far between. Emirates and Etihad this week grounded all flights, cutting off two connector airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Hong Kong is the worst-affected airport in terms of the number of flights cut so far, with an 81 per cent reduction in passenger capacity, according to aviation data company OAG. The airport is still the world’s busiest cargo airport, however, and has had more freighter flights than passenger flights over the past week. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3077252/coronavirus-european-us-travellers-scramble-flights-asias-key

From Coconuts Bangkok Health minister under fire again After scolding foreigners who don’t wear masks and saying that they’re “dirty”, the public health minister was in hot water again yesterday when he criticized healthcare workers who are infected with COVID-19. Answering a question to a reporter on Thursday regarding measures to prevent medical personnel from becoming infected with COVID-19, Anutin Charnvirakul criticized infected medical staff for not “taking good care of themselves.” “We’re not happy,” Anutin said. “Health personnel should set an example for the public [on how to protect themselves against the virus]. They should always be on alert and, especially at this time of an outbreak, they should best protect themselves.” Eleven healthcare professionals in total were reported to have been infected with COVID-19. https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/health-minister-under-fire-again-saying-infected-medical-staff-werent-being-careful/

From Bangkok Post Pattaya pub becomes community kitchen PATTAYA: The coronavirus pandemic has turned a pub in this resort city into a community kitchen serving free food for workers who have lost jobs when the global tourism industry ground to a halt. Surajai Attanart, owner of the Differ Night Pub, and his workers feed up to 1,000 residents who have fallen on hard times due to the pandemic that has infected 530,000 worldwide, killed more than 24,000 and prompted many countries including Thailand to close their borders. Thailand’s measures to suppress the spread of the disease have left many without jobs as many businesses, mainly in entertainment and spas, were closed down. Like many others, Surajai’s business is hurting, but he wanted to contribute to the community. “On our part, we’re giving out free food to people who have borne the brunt of the situation. At least, (this way), they can save around 40 to 50 baht for a meal per day, adding a lifeline for them,” Surajai, 43, told Reuters. About a thousand lunch boxes are packed daily in the pub’s kitchen, where dozens of the remaining workers gather to prepare ready-to-eat meals. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1887855/pattaya-pub-becomes-community-kitchen

From The Nation Bus ticket sales suspended until April 30 Ticket sales for all public transport buses will be suspended from March 26 to April 30 in compliance with the government’s declaration of a state of emergency which takes effect on Thursday (March 26), the president of Transport Co Ltd, Jirasak Yaovatsakul, said He added that the company will also enforce social distancing by leaving empty alternate seats on the buses and keep a distance of at least one metre between persons at all bus terminals. After the state of emergency was announced on Tuesday (March 24), people rushed to buy bus tickets. All tickets have been sold out beyond April 30. “We cannot provide additional buses and all available buses have been used. Complying with the social distancing policy halves the number of passengers per bus,” added Jirasak. “Those who haven’t reserved tickets should refrain from coming down to bus terminals hoping to get one, since all ticket booths will be closed until April 30,” he said. “Those who had bought tickets earlier can still travel as per schedule. You can also postpone or cancel your trip and apply for refund as per the conditions of Transport Co.” Jirasak added that some operators of private buses and vans have submitted appeals to suspend their service during the state of emergency. “If you have already bought tickets from these operators, please contact them directly to ask for refund or postponement of your trip.” https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384845

From Bangkok Post Vietnam quarantines tens of thousands in camps HANOI: Vietnam has sent tens of thousands of people to quarantine camps as waves of overseas citizens return home to escape a coronavirus pandemic spreading in Europe and the United States. Even though Vietnam is one of Southeast Asia's poorer nations, its efforts against the virus, praised at home, have ensured its tally of infections is lower than those of many neighbours. By Thursday, those quarantined numbered 44,955, including nearly half in military-run centres, down about 15% from Monday's figure, official data showed, as many among the first influx to return home early in March were discharged. "All passengers undergo quick screening," a medical official at Hanoi's Noi Bai airport told Reuters. "Those with symptoms are taken to hospital, and the rest are sent to quarantine camps, where they will share a room with 10 to 20 others on the same flight." Vietnam has reported just 148 infections, its health ministry says, with no deaths. Its proven infection rate is lower than any regional nations except Myanmar and Laos, where testing has been limited. Official figures show Vietnam has tested more than 30,000 people. The current phase of the battle against the virus is "decisive", Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said, in an effort government statements describe as the "spring general offensive of 2020". Vietnam took a textbook approach in its early response strategy, based on its experience as the first country outside China to be hit by the Sars outbreak of 2003, said Todd Pollack, an infectious diseases specialist at Harvard Medical School. "Quarantine of individuals who have contact with a case or are coming from a high-risk area is definitely a key strategy, especially since people infected seem to be infectious at the very start of symptoms," added Mr Pollack, who works with a Harvard initiative in Hanoi, Health Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN). Vietnam began its mass quarantine programme on March 16, when it began compulsory testing and quarantine measures for arrivals from virus-hit areas. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/1887100/vietnam-quarantines-tens-of-thousands-in-camps

From NYTimes Can you become immune to the coronavirus? As the number of people infected with the coronavirus surpasses 450,000 worldwide, and more than 1 billion are locked in their homes, scientists are wrestling with one of the most pressing questions of the pandemic: Do people who survive the infection become immune to the virus? The answer is a qualified yes, with some significant unknowns. That’s important for several reasons. People who are confirmed to be immune could venture from their homes and help shore up the workforce until a vaccine becomes available, for example. In particular, health care workers who are known to be immune could continue to care for the severely ill. Growing immunity in the community also is the way the epidemic ends: With fewer and fewer people to infect, the coronavirus will lose its toehold and even the most vulnerable citizens become more insulated from the threat. Immunity may also bring an early treatment. Antibodies gathered from the bodies of those who have recovered may be used to aid those struggling with the illness caused by the coronavirus, called COVID-19. On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of plasma from recovered patients to treat some severe cases. A day earlier, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New York would become the first state to begin testing serum from people who have recovered from COVID-19 to treat those who are seriously ill. “It’s a trial for people who are in serious condition, but the New York State Department of Health has been working on this with some of New York’s best health care agencies, and we think it shows promise,” Cuomo said. The body’s first line of defense against an infectious virus is an antibody called immunoglobulin M, whose job is to stay vigilant in the body and alert the rest of the immune system to intruders like viruses and bacteria. Continues at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/health/coronavirus-immunity-antibodies.html

From South China Morning Post Long-term look at coronavirus impact on male sex hormone Doctors in the central Chinese city of Wuhan plan to embark on a long-term study of the effects of the coronavirus on the male reproductive system, building on small-scale research indicating that the pathogen could affect sex hormone levels in men. Though still preliminary and not peer reviewed, the study is the first clinical observation of the potential impact of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, on the male reproductive system, especially among younger groups. In a paper published on the preprint research platform, the researchers – from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and the Hubei Clinical Research Centre for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Health – said they analysed blood samples from 81 men aged 20 to 54 who tested positive for the coronavirus and were hospitalised in January. Using the samples, the team looked at the ratio of testosterone to luteinising hormone (T/LH). A low T/LH ratio can be a sign of hypogonadism, which in men is a malfunction of the testicles that could lead to lower sex hormone production. Testosterone is the main male sex hormone critical for the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics including testes, muscle, bone mass and body hair. Luteinising hormone is found in both men and women, and best known for its ability to trigger ovulation. The median age of the participants was 38 and roughly 90 per cent of them had only mild symptoms. The samples were collected in the last days of their stay in hospital. Common symptoms of hypogonadism in men include abnormally large breasts and erectile dysfunction. The condition can be cured. Erectile disorders caused by a T/LH ratio lower than 0.87 can be relieved effectively by testosterone treatment, according to a study in peer-reviewed journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour in 1997. “Since more than half of the people with Covid-19 were reproductive-aged, more attention should be paid to the effect of Sars-CoV-2 on the reproductive system,” the Wuhan researchers said in their paper, referring to the official name for the new coronavirus. Continues at https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3077113/wuhan-doctors-plan-long-term-look-coronavirus-impact-male-sex

From Nation Multimedia Foreigners in transit given grace period on documents Covid-19 preventive measures have been relaxed for the next few days for foreign travellers transiting via Thailand to a third country within 24 hours. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) announced on Wednesday (March 25) that transiting foreigners no longer need to produce a medical certificate proving they are free from infection and an insurance policy to cover medical treatment. They do, however, need to show a “Fit to Fly’’ health certificate and must remain in a designated transit area and strictly comply with applicable disease-control measures. The exemption takes immediate effect and will be withdrawn on March 31. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384815?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=internal_referral

From Flyertalk Wait Before You Take a Voucher for Your Canceled Flight Was your flight canceled by the coronavirus outbreak? Airlines have made it easy to get a voucher for your canceled flight. But, warn the very frequent fliers on FlyerTalk, by doing that, you could be disqualifying yourself from a cash refund. “After reading several airline coronavirus policies,” one FlyerTalker pointed out earlier this week, “I noticed that there are no mentions of refunds for flights or routes canceled by the airline. They only mention that you will get a credit that can be used later if the customer decides to cancel. “Don’t fall for it, the airlines are trying to get customers to cancel first, which would disqualify from a refund.” While a voucher is an easy way to settle over a canceled flight–some airlines will even do it automatically–it restricts your options. Airlines like them because they can settle with you without you or them having to hop on the phone. But, if you prefer cash you should know that you don’t have to take a voucher instead. The Law Is on Your Side Laws in the United States and the European Union outline when customers are entitled to cash refunds. In the US, the Department of Transportation (DOT) explains: “If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation – even for non-refundable tickets. You are also entitled to a refund for any bag fee that you paid, and any extras you may have purchased, such as a seat assignment.” In the European Union, interpretative guidelines for EU261 has been released since the COVID-19 crisis surfaced. The guidelines state: “It appears that various carriers are offering vouchers to passengers, who do not want to (or are not authorized to) travel anymore as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19. Passengers can use these vouchers for another trip with the same carrier within a timeframe established by the carrier. This situation has to be distinguished from the situation where the carrier cancels the journey and offers only a voucher instead of the choice between reimbursement and rerouting. If the carrier proposes a voucher, this offer cannot affect the passenger’s right to opt for reimbursement instead.” The full interpretation can be read here. The same passenger rights exist in Canada as well, and it is suggested that customers check the local laws to determine if they are entitled to a refund for airlines operating in countries other than the US and EU. How to Get Cash for Your Canceled Flight To avoid getting stuck with a voucher, the very frequent fliers in the FlyerTalk forum advise that you wait it out. One said, “Don’t cancel, let the airline cancel the flights, then you can demand a refund. With the current coronavirus crisis, most flights will be canceled or incur significant schedule changes that qualify for a full refund.” Another explained how the waiting game has worked out for them: “This is exactly what I am doing, waiting out the airlines. When this began I had 8 non-refundable tickets across American Airlines, United Airlines, Swiss International, Turkish Airlines, KLM, and EasyJet. At the beginning, none of the airlines would give a refund, only vouchers. Now a couple of weeks later I have recovered about $3000 as airlines cancel flights and adjust their schedules.” What If My Flight Isn’t Canceled? The one con of waiting out the airlines is if the carrier does not end up canceling the flight. At this point, if you do not wish to fly, your options are to rebook travel for a later date or take the voucher. In some cases, your credit card company may be able to help you out and reimburse your flight, but it is not guaranteed. https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/dont-take-a-voucher-for-your-canceled-flight.html

From Bloomberg News Thailand Faces Biggest Economic Contraction Since Asian Crisis The Bank of Thailand left its benchmark interest rate unchanged after an emergency cut last week, while projecting the worst contraction in the economy since the Asian financial crisis more than two decades ago. The bank slashed its growth forecast for this year, now expecting the economy to shrink 5.3% compared with an earlier estimate of 2.8% expansion. Exports and tourism, the key drivers of Thailand’s economy, have both been hard hit as the coronavirus outbreak spreads around the world. The policy rate was maintained at a record low 0.75% Wednesday following a 25 basis-point reduction at an unscheduled meeting March 20. Four of the seven monetary policy committee members voted to hold, two called for a cut and one wasn’t able to attend. “We believe they can cut by another 25 basis points. They could have used all the space they have now,” said Burin Adulwattana, chief economist at Bangkok Bank Pcl. “The economy is on the brink of a recession with huge downside risk, so it’s time to do all they can.” Bank of Thailand Assistant Governor Titanun Mallikamas said Wednesday that policy makers stand ready to lower rates further if needed and will keep a close watch on markets, including the baht exchange rate. In a statement delivered through the Bank of Thailand’s Facebook page due to social-distancing precautions, he said the economy would recover only next year. The benchmark SET Index extended gains after the decision, surging 6.3% to 1,099.32 as of 3:32 p.m. in Bangkok. The baht fell 0.3% against the dollar, paring an earlier loss of as much as 0.5%. Quantitative easing is looking more likely for Thailand’s central bank, in our view. Conventional policy ammunition is running low. The road ahead is long for the recovery of the country’s all-important tourism sector. https://www.msn.com/en-us/finance/markets/thailand-faces-biggest-economic-contraction-since-asian-crisis/ar-BB11FKx5

From Bangkok Post Emergency decree bans entry to foreigners Foreigners will be banned from entering the country under the emergency decree being invoked to combat at the coronavirus pandemic. The emergency decree comes into effect at midnight on Wednesday, and remains in force through April 30. The decree bans all foreigners from entry at all entry points - the exceptions being shippers, diplomats, drivers, pilots and others permitted by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Thais stranded in other countries will be allowed to return, it added. People under the age of five years and over 70 are encouraged to stay home, and public gatherings are banned, under the announcement. The decree authorises Gen Prayut to chair the centre to fight the virus, with the permanent secretaries of public health, interior, commerce and foreign affairs to help him. The supreme commander of the armed forces has been given responsibility for security affairs. "Only necessary measures will be issued, to prevent the spread of the virus," the announcement said. Gen Prayut said all shops selling food and essential consumer goods can remain open. He warned that anybody taking advantage of the situation for their own benefit will face stern action - an apparent reference to hoarders. More measures are expected to be announced. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1886270/emergency-decree-bans-entry-to-foreigners