Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that Thailand is in talks for travel bubbles with several countries.
Passengers' body temperature checked at Phuket International Airport (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of PublicHealth Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that Thailand is in talks for travelbubbles with several countries.
He said on March 24 that those with two COVID-19 jabs will receive acertificate which acts as a vaccine passport to keep them with wherever theygo.
The Southeast Asian country is negotiating with many countries for travelbubbles that will begin operating when more people have been vaccinated.
Thailand kicked off its vaccination programme on February 28, with the first phasecarried out in 13 provinces having the highest rate of infections. It aims toinoculate 10 million doses each month from June.
The Thai Government has secured at least 63 million COVID-19 doses to vaccinatesome 60 percent of its population by the end of this year. Asmany as 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccine are being shipped to the nationbetween February and April. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca will supply the nation with26 million doses from June to August, and 35 million others from September toDecember.
Thailand has a plan to buy another 5 million doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac forApril-June.
As of March 24, the number of COVID-19 infections in Thailand stood at 28,346cases, including 92 deaths.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has issued strict measures tocontain COVID-19 during the Songkran festival from April 10 to 15. Violatorsmay be imprisoned for up to two years or fined up to 40,000 THB (1,290 USD) orboth.
Traditional Songkranactivities such as religious ceremonies and paying respects to one’s elders canproceed as normal. However, anyactivity with 🍬more than 300 persons needs to first gain permission from the BMAdistrict office.
Meanwhile, organisers of any other activitiesduring Songkran, such as a banquet with more than 100 participants, must submitan event plan and disease control measures to the district office before theevent./.
The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on March 19 decided to gradually ease COVID-19 controls for foreign arrivals beginning on April 1, shortening or lifting quarantine periods and increasing the range of activities allowed them.
Immediately after Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign began at the end of last month, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered officials to look into the future use of vaccine passports, reported the Bangkok Post.
The Government of Thailand has decided to extend the “We Travel Together” programme and approve a parallel tourism campaign in efforts shore up its tourism industry hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Thai Cabinet on March 24 approved financial support measures worth a total of 350 billion Baht (11.3 billion USD) to assist businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Passengers' body temperature checked at Phuket International Airport (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
