At least 356,000 expats in Thailand vaccinated once
According to the Thai Ministry of Public Health, the 356,337 expats in Thailand have been vaccinated with the coronavirus vaccine at least one dose and 107,106 people completing the second dose. as of August 14th.
By nationality, Myanmar was the most common, followed by Chinese, Lao, Japanese, and Indian.
The total number of vaccinations, including Thais, was 25,167,060 up to the 18th August.
Thai airlines continue to deteriorate business conditions with coronavirus crisis
Thai airlines continue to face strict business conditions due to behavioral restrictions and immigration restrictions for measures against the coronavirus infection.
Thai Airways International, which is undergoing restructuring, saw sales fall 74.8% year-on-year to THB 10.22 billion in the January-June quarter. The number of passengers decreased by 84.2% to 720,000. The average passager load factor remains at 16.2%. Most of the sales depended on international cargo and special return flights. The operating balance was a deficit of 14.34 billion baht.
Thai Bangkok Airways posted sales of 2.8 billion baht in the January-June quarter, down 61.8%. The final loss is 3.33 billion baht.
Low-cost airline Thai AirAsia's January-June sales fell 75% to THB 2.43 billion. It posted an operating deficit of 5.97 billion baht. The number of passengers decreased by 65% to 1.7 million.
Strict business restrictions are imposed on airlines and some industries to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infection, but they have not contributed to the control of infection at all. That restrictions only result in getting worse of the business situation of those desgnated industries which are imposed restrictions on. It is hoped that the policy will be changed to measures that emphasize results as soon as possible.
Sleeper trains at Bangkok Bang Sue Station used as a isolation facility for COVID-19-infected patients
Bangkok refurbished the sleeper train at Bang Sue Grand Station into an isolation facility for asymptomatic and mild cases of coronavirus infection patients, and they started operation on August 17. The number of beds is 400.
As of August 17, about 210,000 people are hospitalized (including temporary beds) for coronavirus infections throughout Thailand, and 1169 patients are equipped with respirators. Medical treatment in the Bangkok metropolitan area is tight extremely.
Thailand and Indonesia can mutually make QR code international payment
Bank of Thailand (BOT) announced on August 17th that they have launched an international payment service using a QR code between Thailand and Indonesia.
When traveling from Thailand to Indonesia or from Indonesia to Thailand, QR code payment using a smartphone will be available. Bangkok Bank of Thailand (BBL) and others will provide services using mobile banking apps.
Restrictions on the Phuket Sandbox has been relaxed. After the 8th day, it is possible to move to Koh Samui, Phi Phi Island, etc.
The Thai government has announced that it has relaxed some of its movement restrictions on the "Phuket Sandbox" a program that allow foreign tourists into Phuket without quarantine.
The travelers entering Phuket under the program had to stay in Phuket for at least 14 days in order to move to another provinces, but Thai government officially approved that all travelers unde Sandbox Program are possible to move to some designated provinces and areas after 8 days stay and later now.
The designated area is below.
Phuket ⇒ Khao Lak (Phang Nga Province)
Phuket ⇒ Yao Yai Island, Yao Yai Island (Phang Nga Province)
Phuket ⇒ Phi Phi Island (Krabi Province)
Phuket ⇒ Riley (Krabi Province)
Phuket ⇒ Guy Island (Krabi Province)
Phuket ⇒ Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao (Surat Thani Province)
(* For Riley and Guy Island, move by boat from Phi Phi Island)
Traveloer can move to other areas such as Bangkok on the 15th day or later.
320 tourists visited Koh Samui after "Samui Plus" started
Just one month has passed since the program "Samui Plus", which accepts foreign tourists, started in Koh Samui.
Only 320 travelers (including Thai travelers) used the program during the period from July 15th to August 14th on Koh Samui. With 19 people on Koh Phangan and 15 people on Koh Tao (both including Thai travelers), the number of tourists has very little impact on the revival of the tourism industry.
A similar program "Phuket Sandbox" in Phuket had about 14,000 users in the month from July 1st to 31st, which is a tenth of that. ..
Compared to the 14,000 people in the "Phuket Sandbox", the 320 people in the "Samui Plus" were very few.
Unlike in Phuket, Samui Plus enforces tourists to stay in the hotel for the first few days. This also highlights the need to completely abolish quarantine in order to bring back foreign tourists.
Currently, in order to enter Koh Samui under the program, tourisits need to use either a dedicated flight (2 flights a day) between Bangkok Airways' Suvarnabhumi Airport and Koh Samui or a Singapore-Koh Samui route (3 flights a week).