Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Today’s latest news from the Bangkok Post on the coronavirus:
Quote:
Thailand denies Westerdam cruise ship entry, China virus toll passes 1,000
published : 11 Feb 2020 at 07:56
writer: Bangkok Post and agencies
Thailand will not allow a cruise ship from Japan to let passengers disembark at the Laem Chabang port, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday.
Mr Anutin posted a short Facebook message saying he has directed authorities not to allow the Westerdam ship to dock in Thailand.
The Bhumjaithai Party leader is the deputy prime minister in charge of transport.
The message was posted after the operator of the vessel announced on Monday the ship will let passengers off at the deep-sea port in Chon Buri on Thursday, Kyodo News reported.
The vessel carrying 1,455 passengers -- including four Japanese nationals -- and 802 crew members was scheduled to enter Naha Port in Okinawa prefecture on Saturday. But following Japan's order, the plan was cancelled . . .
For the full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...l-passes-1-000
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Covid-19 is the new official name for the coronavirus, as reported yesterday on The Times website:
Quote:
The World Health Organisation has given the new coronavirus an official name: Covid-19, a shortened version of coronavirus disease 2019. The worldwide death toll stood at 1,113 last night.
And from today’s edition of The Times:
Quote:
Coronavirus hits London as infected woman flies in from China
Ben Ellery, Chris Smyth, Tom Ball, Charlotte Wace
Thursday February 13 2020, 12.01am GMT, The Times
The first case of coronavirus in London was confirmed last night as the number of people infected in Britain rose to nine.
A Chinese woman who flew into the capital a few days ago is believed to be the latest victim. She is thought to have developed symptoms of the virus, known officially as Covid-19, after landing at Heathrow.
Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said that she was moved to the specialist centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS trust in central London, from which Steve Walsh, the “super-spreader”, was discharged yesterday. Professor Whitty said that the woman contracted the virus in China. It is not known if she went to Wuhan or Hubei province, where the outbreak originated. Health officials said that they were tracing anyone with whom the woman might have been in contact.
Patients and doctors were expressing anger that they had not been informed earlier after it emerged on Tuesday night that a doctor in the accident and emergency unit at Worthing Hospital, West Sussex, had tested positive for the illness. Members of staff at the hospital said that they had not been told about the case until Tuesday, although they saw people in hazmat suits last week.
Earlier in the day Mr Walsh, the British businessman who has been the only one of the nine UK cases of coronavirus to have been identified, left hospital fully recovered. NHS England said that Mr Walsh, 53, from Hove in East Sussex, posed “no risk”.
Link to website: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/n...hina-dvhx79m8t
And, as reported today in the Bangkok Post:
Quote:
Cambodia welcomes liner
Anutin not convinced cruise ship virus-free
published : 13 Feb 2020 at 07:11
A cruise ship carrying 1,455 guests and 802 crew that was turned away by Thailand and four other countries on concerns over coronavirus, was finally given permission on Wednesday to dock in Cambodia, its operator announced.
A senior Cambodian government official told Kyodo News that the decision to let the Westerdam cruise ship operated by Holland America Line to dock in the southwestern seaport of Sihanoukville was based on humanitarian grounds . . .
For full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...welcomes-liner
Also reported in the Bangkok Post:
Quote:
Commerce Ministry halts mask exports
published : 13 Feb 2020 at 06:01
newspaper section: Business
writer: Phusadee Arunmas
The Commerce Ministry has put the brakes on face mask exports to ensure sufficient domestic supply, just three working days after exporters asked to ship as many as 18 million pieces.
Whichai Phochanakij, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said the department has yet to grant permission to any exporters because the priority is to ensure adequate supply in this country . . .
For full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...s-mask-exports
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Jellybean ,thanks for these updates its very handy having them all on one thread for easy reading. In my situation I have a friend in Cambodia 'freaking out" at the moment regarding that Cruise ship that docked recently. I was able to come to this thread to get some details and then search further to try and reassure him he's not going to die!
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
I've got 2 Japanese friends on the Diamond Princess. They give me an update every day as to what's going on.
Luckily, they have an outside cabin with a balcony, but today the ship turned around and they don't get the sun any more.
They are bored shitless and are wondering why at first they didn't get much Japanese food. Not that it really mattered because they say lack of exercise means they aren't hungry and a lot of the food goes to waste. But they can now arrange to have food delivered to the boat.
Their main concern is - are we next in line to get the virus?
They were saying that all the staff on the ship will be getting 2 months leave on full pay. I think they deserve it.
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
That means only the very basic low garanteed wages-not the fat tips etc where they make most of their income from. And it seems for the coming 2-3 month at least the whole cruise ´industry´ (wat a nasty word for that) has to take a break after these 2 mishaps -at least outside of the Caribbeans where anyway 70-80% of such ships go merry around.
The Westerdam has/had 21 Thai onboard, but 19 of them were staff. In general 80/90% of serving staff at such ships are Pinoy or Indonesia.
Which would one lead to suspect they would be rich hunting grounds for single gay elder males, though there are too few reports about that to comfirm What does is true is that several US cruising firms charter/offer elder and polite/nice/entertaining/wellclad single elder males near free passage or even a little more renumeration as they are thus expected to fill up the desires of many single elder females from ditto. Which probably thus excludes our Patters compatriots to step in that role.
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zebedee
Jellybean ,thanks for these updates its very handy having them all on one thread for easy reading. In my situation I have a friend in Cambodia 'freaking out" at the moment regarding that Cruise ship that docked recently. I was able to come to this thread to get some details and then search further to try and reassure him he's not going to die!
Thanks for your kind words Zebedee. It's great to know my updates are appreciated.
Oh, and by the way, if you wouldn’t mind, do tell Florence the next time you see her that . . . it’s time for bed. She’ll know what you mean. Cheers! ;)
Right, to continue with the updating, the Bangkok Post reported today about passengers and crew from two cruise liners being allowed to alight at Phuket:
Quote:
Phuket liner let-in cops flak
Critics level claims of double standards
published : 14 Feb 2020 at 04:01
newspaper section: News
writer: Post Reporters
More than 4,000 passengers and crew members from two cruise liners were allowed to alight in Phuket on Thursday, after public health officials said they had cleared them of the deadly coronavirus, prompting criticism of double standards after the Netherlands-flagged MS Westerdam cruise ship was turned away on Wednesday.
The Bahamas-flagged Seabourn Ovation, which has 495 vacationers and 470 staff on board, anchored at the Phuket deep-sea port on Thursday. It was returning from Malaysia's Langkawi Island. Everybody onboard, most of them European, were screened by public health officials before being given permission to step ashore . . .
For full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...t-in-cops-flak
Now for those worried about the drop in Chinese tourists, fear not, this is what was also reported in today’s Bangkok Post:
Quote:
Officials mull visa-free entry for China market
Move aims to revive battered industry
published : 14 Feb 2020 at 06:41
newspaper section: Business
writer: Dusida Worrachaddejchai and Narumon Kasemsuk
Tourism officials are again proposing visa-free entry for Chinese citizens as part of a tourism revival scheme, following an estimation by the central bank that the economy may grow by less than 2% this year as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the number of international tourist arrivals during Feb 1-9 fell by 43.4% year-on-year to 730,213 as the number of Chinese tourists plunged 86.6% . . .
For full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business...r-china-market
And the BBC produced ten very helpful maps and graphics that they say will help you understand what is going on:
Quote:
Coronavirus: A visual guide to the outbreak
By The Visual and Data Journalism Team BBC News
• 13 February 2020
Link to BBC website: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105?xtor=ES-211-
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Update from today’s Bangkok Post on the screening of passengers from the MS Westerdam and other people arriving on flights and by land from Cambodia, after the cruise ship was allowed to berth in Sihanoukville on Thursday:
Quote:
Screening for arrivals from Cambodia
published : 14 Feb 2020 at 16:56
writer: Apinya Wipatayotin
Health authorities have ordered strict screening of passengers from the MS Westerdam and other people arriving on flights and by land from Cambodia, after the cruise ship was allowed to berth in Sihanoukville on Thursday.
Dr Sukhum Kanchanapimai, the health permanent secretary, said on Friday they had received a list of all people aboard the ship and forwarded it to immigration, so that they would be screened for symptoms of the novel coronavirus if they arrive in the country.
"We have implemented the same measures we imposed on people from Wuhan city. People aboard all flights from Phnom Penh will be checked. This also covers visitors by land from Cambodia," he said . . .
For full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...-from-cambodia
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pong
...... The Westerdam has/had 21 Thai onboard, but 19 of them were staff. In general 80/90% of serving staff at such ships are Pinoy or Indonesia. Which would one lead to suspect they would be rich hunting grounds for single gay elder males, though there are too few reports about that to comfirm.
From a Flipino friend who has worked on cruise ships for several years ( and is a proud slut) under NO circumstances would he ( or his co workers) go with a passenger to their cabin ( or take them to theirs) as to be found doing so would have meant instant dismissal from the ship and resulted in them having a damned hard time getting a placement on any other vessel, that being as the cruise industry is of course a very tightly knit and incestuous industry and doing "that" apparently is akin to breaking one of the cardinal sins on board ship !
( Me now knowing that of course just makes me want to try all the harder to try and corrupt one of the usually very cute staff all the more when told " sorry cannot" DAMN THEM ! :-)
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pong
In general 80/90% of serving staff at such ships are Pinoy or Indonesia.
Which would one lead to suspect they would be rich hunting grounds for single gay elder males, though there are too few reports about that to comfirm...
A friend of mine goes on cruises regularly and says there is a rule that the cabin door has to been open when staff is in the room.
Re: Coronavirus - Thailand
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nirish guy
Me knowing that of course just makes me want to try all the harder to try and corrupt one of the usually very cute staff all the more when told " sorry cannot" DAMN THEM ! :-)
Seamen, seamen everywhere but not a cum drop to suck on.