but also if "The holiday will no longer fall on April 13 to April 15" does this mean that these days are no longer public holidays this year?
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but also if "The holiday will no longer fall on April 13 to April 15" does this mean that these days are no longer public holidays this year?
Thailand plans to close bars, schools, halt cockfights to curb coronavirus
BANGKOK, March 16 (Reuters) - Thailand plans to close down schools, bars, movie theatres, cockfighting arenas and other entertainment centres to curb the spread of coronavirus as well as to postpone next month's Thai New Year holiday to limit travel, officials said on Monday.
The planned measures come after new cases jumped by nearly threefold in the space of a week and reached 147.
The government will ask the cabinet on Tuesday to approve closing of universities, public and private schools, kick-boxing rings, cockfighting arenas, bars and theatres nationwide, deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek said on Twitter.
Cockfighting is legal and hugely popular in Thailand.
The government also plans to postpone the traditional Songkran new year holiday, which falls on April 13 to 15, to limit travel inside and outside of the country for the traditional water festival.
Restaurants likely would be allowed to remain open if they took precautions on social distancing, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said.
But he added that two clusters of infections linked to a bar and a crowded boxing match showed the need to limit public gatherings.
"In this situation, prevention and treatment are the number one priorities. We have to prioritize people's lives over tourism and economic impacts. We don't know how tough the upcoming battle will be," Wissanu said.
He also recommended that government employees work from home if they can.
The new measures were decided on by a special coronavirus task force chaired by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
Thailand reported 33 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, bringing its total tally to 147. One person has died of the virus in Thailand.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...us/ar-BB11fFN2
heheh.
Had me @ cockfights
Today, I highlight two reports from the Bangkok Post and two reports from BBC News:
For the full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...id-to-songkranQuote:
Virus puts paid to Songkran
Govt insists country hasn’t hit Stage 3 yet
published : 17 Mar 2020 at 06:54
writer: Post Reporters
The government will postpone the Songkran holiday and ban large public gatherings, including entertainment venues, sport and education activities, in fresh efforts to handle the spread of Covid-19.
Still, it insists that the country has not yet entered Stage 3, when community transmission of the virus becomes widespread.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, meanwhile, called for calm and assured that efforts to delay the spread of the virus were not in vain.
“The virus will be with us for some time. I understand the difficulties and the pain, but we must be patient in fighting and surviving this crisis. I thank everyone who has been working and the Thai people. Thailand will prevail,” said Gen Prayut who appeared in a televised broadcast.
He said the number of confirmed cases rose sharply over two days but fake news had exaggerated the numbers. This had led some people to go out panic buying. He insisted that there was no need to hoard goods . . .
For the full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...after-kl-eventQuote:
Thais test positive for Covid-19 after KL event
published : 17 Mar 2020 at 05:09
writer: Post Reporters
Two out of the 132 Thais who attended a religious event in Malaysia that has been linked to a series of coronavirus infections have tested positive for Covid-19.
The latest infections were announced by the Public Health Ministry’s Division for Communicable Diseases, Sophon Iamsirithawon, who said both patients are currently under the care of doctors, but stopped short of saying whether the patients are from Narathiwat, Yala or Pattani.
The disease hasn’t spread to others, he said.
The Office of the Chularatchamontri has demanded a list of all 132 Thai participants, after scores of people who attended the “Qudamak Ulama Malaysia” event — held at Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur between Feb 27-Mar 2 — tested positive for Covid-19 . . .
And from BBC News . . .
For the full report see: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51918596Quote:
Coronavirus: Germany and France announce strict measures
17 March 2020
Germany and France have imposed stringent new measures to limit social contact as countries across Europe try to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced an enforced lockdown, a step similar to curbs imposed by Italy and Spain, saying: "We're in a health war".
Mr Macron also said the European Union's external borders would be closed to travellers from Tuesday.
In Germany, most non-grocery shops and venues have been ordered to shut.
Chancellor Angela Merkel also banned religious services and told people to cancel any domestic or foreign holiday travel. Schools across the country have already been shut.
In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not announce compulsory restrictions but urged people to avoid pubs and clubs and refrain from non-essential travel or having contact with others . . .
For the full report see: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51917562Quote:
Coronavirus: PM says everyone should avoid office, pubs and travelling
17 March 2020
The PM has said everyone in the UK should avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus - as the country's death toll hit 55.
Boris Johnson said people should work from home where possible as part of a range of stringent new measures.
Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions should consider the advice "particularly important", he said.
People in at-risk groups will be asked within days to stay home for 12 weeks.
More than 1,500 people have tested positive for the virus in the UK - but the actual number of cases is estimated to be between 35,000 and 50,000.
The key new government measures are:
• Everyone should avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres
• Everyone should work from home if they can
• All "unnecessary" visits to friends and relatives in care homes should cease
• People should only use the NHS "where we really need to" - and can reduce the burden on workers by getting advice on the NHS website where possible
• By next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks"
• The UK is now "three weeks" behind Italy - the worst-hit country in Europe
• If one person in any household has a persistent cough or fever, everyone living there must stay at home for 14 days
• Those people should, if possible, avoid leaving the house "even to buy food or essentials" - but they may leave the house "for exercise and, in that case, at a safe distance from others"
• Schools will not be closed for the moment
An interesting if scary article. The numbers on human population growth are staggering.
http://m.nautil.us/issue/83/intellig...=pocket-newtab
Let me begin by saying that last night I received the following email message from the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO):
Yet again I am left wondering if it would be better to remain in Thailand for the next four weeks or should I curtail my holiday and return to the UK early.Quote:
As countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including travel and border restrictions, the FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. Any country or area may restrict travel without notice.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-a...el-coronavirus
And today, I highlight two reports from the Bangkok Post and two reports from BBC News:
For the full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...l-beds-readiedQuote:
Hundreds of hospital beds readied
Ministry prepares for Covid-19 'crisis level'
published : 18 Mar 2020 at 04:40
newspaper section: News
writer: Apinya Wipatayotin
The Ministry of Public Health insists there will be sufficient hospital beds to accommodate Covid-19 patients, saying 400 will be ready in hospitals in Bangkok by this week.
Dr Somsak Akhasilp, director-general of the Department of Medical Services under the ministry, told media on Tuesday that the public had no reason to worry about a shortage of hospital beds to accommodate virus victims . . .
Link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...cases#cxrecs_sQuote:
30 new Covid-19 cases
published : 18 Mar 2020 at 04:00
newspaper section: News
writer: Post Reporters
Thailand reported 30 new coronavirus cases -- including three foreigners -- yesterday, raising the total to 177, Sukhum Karnchanapimai, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health said.
Dr Sukhum divided the new infections into two groups. The first comprised 14 people who were in close contact with previous patients or were associated with places previous patients had visited: 11 cases from a boxing stadium, one from an entertainment venue and two people who were in close contact with previous patients.
The second group involved 16 new patients, including nine who recently arrived from other countries and one who worked closely with foreigners. Six other patients in this group were under investigation . . .
And from BBC News . . .
For the full report see: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51927790Quote:
Coronavirus: European Union seals borders to most outsiders
18 March 2020
The European Union will ban travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days in an unprecedented move to seal its borders amid the coronavirus crisis.
The measure is expected to apply to 26 EU states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. UK citizens will be unaffected.
The ban came as deaths continued to soar in Italy and Spain, and France began a strict lockdown.
Europe has been badly hit by the virus, which has killed 7,500 globally.
Meanwhile, the Euro 2020 football competition has been postponed by a year.
The virus has infected more than 185,000 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization . . .
For the full report see: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51933410Quote:
Coronavirus: Emergency cash to help businesses, while operations delayed
18 March 2020
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled an "unprecedented" set of financial measures to support the UK economy through the coronavirus pandemic.
They include mortgage "holidays" for those in financial difficulty as well as £330bn in loans and £20bn in other aid to protect businesses facing losses as a result of the virus.
Meanwhile all non-urgent operations in England and Scotland will be postponed to free up beds for virus patients.
It comes as the UK death toll hit 71.
The government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said it would be a "good outcome" for the UK if the number of deaths from the virus could be kept below 20,000.
"Never in peacetime have we faced an economic fight like this one," Mr Sunak said at a Downing Street press conference, as he detailed measures to ease financial burdens caused by the virus . . .
And lastly, I attach another item I saw on facebook, it’s a public notice dated 19th October 1918 from the City of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, which could, over 100 years later, be just as applicable today:
Attachment 9763
[QUOTE=arsenal;265648]An interesting if scary article. The numbers on human population growth are staggering.
How true indeed, as a result of too much sexual activities of the wrong kind...!?
The Australian government is telling those overseas to return home asap. The reason is that the country they are presently in may close its borders and you would be stuck there.Quote:
Yet again I am left wondering if it would be better to remain in Thailand for the next four weeks or should I curtail my holiday and return to the UK early.
The other implication is that the home country might close its borders and you'd be shut out for who knows how long.
Would you really want to be stuck in Thailand? At the end of the day, that's the question that needs answering, IMHO.
I knowthe W H 0 is saying to keep social distance but this will never happen in thailand , when you get many boys living in the same room , some times up to 3 in the same bed
Hopefully bar closings, frequent showers, mask wearing, humidity, UV, and heat will have some limiting effect.
An update from the Bangkok Post:
For the full report see: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...ywide-lockdownQuote:
PM: Third-stage Covid-19 would justify countrywide lockdown
Thailand still at stage 2, he says
published : 18 Mar 2020 at 16:59
writer: Mongkol Bangprapa
The government is making preparations to cope with a third-stage outbreak of the coronavirus, should it come to that - and it would include a countrywide lockdown, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday.
"The third stage means disease transmission to a second person, third person and so on. Thailand remains at a controllable stage," he said . . .