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April
Thailand starts stricter COVID-19 shutdown, but experts say not enough
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Thailand’s government slapped restrictions on travel from India on Monday over concerns of imported coronavirus cases and closed more venues in Bangkok, even as it came under fire for not doing enough to contain a spike in infections.
The government has ordered parks, gyms, cinemas and day-care centres in its capital, the epicentre of the latest wave of infections, to shut from April 26 until May 9.
It has also introduced a fine of up to 20,000 baht ($635) for not wearing masks in public, with even the prime minister falling foul of mask-wearing rules. read more
But unlike last year, malls and restaurants have been allowed to operate with earlier closing times, fuelling concerns this could quickly lead to more infection clusters and prompting calls for the resignation of the country's health minister.
Comparing the government's COVID-19 response to playing a game of Whac-A-Mole, Thira Woratanarat, a professor at Chulalongkorn University's Preventive and Social Medicine, warned "shutting places and activities one at a time would not be enough".
People should prepare for more clusters especially in work places, food courts and public transportation, he cautioned in a post on Facebook.
Thailand has managed to keep its caseload lower than many countries, but the latest outbreak has resulted in 57,508 infections and 148 deaths in just under 30 days. It reported 2,048 new cases on Monday, of which 901 were in Bangkok.
"They shouldn't wait until there is a new outbreak to come up with regulations," said Ungkana Kesornphud, who owns a massage shop in Bangkok.
The president of Thailand's Thoracic Society, Nithiphat Chiarakun, also urged the government to take "decisive measures to stop the movement of people as quickly as possible".
An online petition on Change.org calling for the resignation of health minister Anutin Charnvirankul had garnered over 160,000 signatures in two days.
Anutin has said he will not resign.
The city of Bangkok fined Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha 6,000 baht ($190) after he posted a photo of him not wearing a mask during a meeting. read more
The photo was later removed.
Thailand plans to procure more vaccines from several producers with a vaccination goal of 300,000 doses per day to inoculate at least 50 million people by end-2021, the prime minister posted. read more
Thailand has a population of about 66.1 million.
INDIA TRAVEL CURBS
Thailand will consider additional restrictions later this week, Apisamai Srirangsan, a spokeswoman for its coronavirus taskforce said at a briefing, after the country announced curbs on travel from India where infections have set a global record for a fifth straight day. read more
The Thai embassy in New Delhi said in a statement that certificates of entry for non-Thai nationals travelling from India will be suspended until further notice.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) denied reports that private jets carrying wealthy people from India were flying into Thailand.
"We confirm that no chartered flights from Indian millionaires have sought permission from the CAAT to come to Thailand," it said in a statement over the weekend. (Reuters)
April
Japan's defense ministry to open mass vaccination centre in Tokyo
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Japan will open a mass vaccination centre in central Tokyo next month, officials said on Tuesday, part of the country's bid to speed up its COVID-19 inoculation campaign as the Olympic Games looms.
Japan imposed a third state of emergency in its major population centres on Sunday, as the country attempts to combat a fourth wave of infections with just 87 days remaining until the scheduled start of the Games.
The Defense Ministry tweeted it had been asked by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to set up the Tokyo vaccination centre by May 24 with plans for it to operate for three months. The facility will service residents in the capital and the surrounding prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa. read more
Local media reported the government planned to use Moderna Inc's (MRNA.O) vaccine to inoculate about 10,000 people each day at the centre. However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said those decisions had not yet been made.
Meanwhile, Toyota City in central Japan said it was setting up vaccination centres with the help of Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T). The carmaker will offer up about 450 staff and four sites to start operations on May 30, city officials said in a statement.
Japan began vaccinating its sizable elderly population this month but only about 1.5% of the country's entire 126 million population has been inoculated, according to a Reuters tracker.
Officials have so far been dependent on limited imported doses of Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N) vaccine, but vaccine minister Taro Kono has said he expects the programme to pick up in May when Pfizer shipments are due to accelerate.
Kono is also hopeful that regulators will soon approve Moderna's vaccine and AstraZeneca Plc's (AZN.L) vaccine - of which it has ordered 50 million and 120 million doses respectively. read more
Japan has recorded about 564,000 COVID-19 cases, including 9,969 deaths. (Reuters)
April
Myanmar's junta to 'positively' consider ASEAN suggestion on ending crisis
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Myanmar's junta will give "careful consideration to constructive suggestions" from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on ways to resolve violent turmoil triggered by a Feb. 1 coup, the junta said.
"The suggestions would be positively considered if it ... serves the interests of the country and was based on purposes and principles enshrined in" ASEAN, it said in a statement published on Tuesday.
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing attended an ASEAN meeting in Indonesia on the weekend at which the bloc issued a so-called five-point consensus on steps to end the violence and promote dialogue between the rival Myanmar sides. (Reuters)
April
Rush to hospitals, big gatherings worsen India COVID crisis - WHO
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. People in India are rushing unnecessarily to hospital, exacerbating a crisis over surging COVID-19 infections caused by mass gatherings, more contagious variants and low vaccination rates, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
India's death toll is now pushing towards 200,000, and hospitals that do not have enough oxygen supplies and beds are turning away coronavirus patients. read more
The WHO is providing critical equipment and supplies to India, including 4,000 oxygen concentrators, which only require an energy source, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said.
Less than 15% of people infected with COVID-19 actually need hospital care and even fewer will need oxygen, he said.
"Currently, part of the problem is that many people rush to the hospital (also because they do not have access to information/advice), even though home-based care monitoring at home can be managed very safely," Jasarevic said.
Community-level centres should screen and triage patients and provide advice on safe home care, while information is also made available via hotlines or dashboards, he said.
"As is true in any country, WHO has said the combination of relaxing of personal protective measures, mass gatherings and more contagious variants while vaccine coverage is still low can create a perfect storm," he said. (Reuters)
April
Explosive-laden boat destroyed off Yanbu port - Saudi state TV
Written by Nur YasminJakarta. The Saudi navy has intercepted and destroyed a remote-controlled explosive- laden boat off the Red Sea port of Yanbu, Saudi state TV reported on Tuesday, citing the Saudi defense ministry.
Investigations are ongoing to identify those behind the attack, it added. (Reuters)
April
Denmark firm on returning refugees to war-torn Syria
Written by Nur YasminJakarta. Despite mounting pressure from lawmakers and civil society organisations, Denmark is determined to push ahead with efforts to return Syrian refugees to war-torn Syria as it claims conditions in parts of the country have improved.
The Nordic country decided last year to review hundreds of residency permits for Syrian asylum seekers after immigration authorities said conditions in the capital Damascus and surrounding areas had improved.
In response, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Danish parliament last week to protest the move to revoke residency permits, echoing calls from NGOs and EU-lawmakers, who say Syria is not safe to return to.
"Denmark has been open and honest from day one. We have made it clear to the Syrian refugees that their residence permit is temporary and that the permit can be revoked if the need for protection ceases to exist," Immigration Minister Mattias Tesfaye told Reuters on Tuesday.
Since 2019, more than 200 Syrian nationals from the Damascus region have had their residency permit revoked by Denmark out of more than 600 cases, that were reviewed, according to the Danish Immigration Service.
The same year, the government started offering Syrians money for leaving the country, around 175,000 Danish crowns ($28,427) per person.
At least 250 Syrian nationals have voluntarily returned to Syria with financial support from Denmark since 2019.
"When the conditions in their home country have improved, former refugees should return to the home country and re-establish their life there," Tesfaye said.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, EU-lawmakers on Friday expressed regret at Denmark's efforts to "expel Syrian refugees" and urged Frederiksen to make a "180-degree turnaround" in the country's asylum policy.
"Deportations to a country at war must never be normal. Denmark should not take a vanguard role here," it said in the letter signed by 33 lawmakers from 12 member states, including Germany and France.
Sweden and the United Kingdom have also concluded that the general conditions in Syria's capital region have improved.
But the Danish Refugee Council, an NGO, said Denmark was the only country in Europe to start systematically rescinding Syrian refugees' residence permits on those grounds.
Both the European Council and the European Parliament have issued declarations saying conditions are not in place for the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees.
Similarly, the United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, has called on states not to forcibly return Syrian nationals to any part of Syria, even those areas controlled by the government, such as the capital region. (Reuters)
April
Thailand starts stricter COVID-19 shutdown, but experts say not enough
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Thailand's government slapped restrictions on travel from India on Monday over concerns of imported coronavirus cases and closed more venues in Bangkok, even as it came under fire for not doing enough to contain a spike in infections.
The government has ordered parks, gyms, cinemas and day-care centres in its capital, the epicentre of the latest wave of infections, to shut from April 26 until May 9.
It has also introduced a fine of up to 20,000 baht ($635) for not wearing masks in public, with even the prime minister falling foul of mask-wearing rules. read more
But unlike last year, malls and restaurants have been allowed to operate with earlier closing times, fuelling concerns this could quickly lead to more infection clusters and prompting calls for the resignation of the country's health minister.
Comparing the government's COVID-19 response to playing a game of Whac-A-Mole, Thira Woratanarat, a professor at Chulalongkorn University's Preventive and Social Medicine, warned "shutting places and activities one at a time would not be enough".
People should prepare for more clusters especially in work places, food courts and pubic transportation, he cautioned in a post on Facebook.
Thailand has managed to keep its caseload lower than many countries, but the latest outbreak has resulted in 57,508 infections and 148 deaths in just under 30 days. It reported 2,048 new cases on Monday, of which 901 were in Bangkok.
"They shouldn't wait until there is a new outbreak to come up with regulations," said Ungkana Kesornphud, who owns a massage shop in Bangkok.
The president of Thailand's Thoracic Society, Nithiphat Chiarakun, also urged the government to take "decisive measures to stop the movement of people as quickly as possible".
An online petition on Change.org calling for the resignation of health minister Anutin Charnvirankul had garnered over 160,000 signatures in two days.
Anutin has said he will not resign.
The city of Bangkok fined Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha 6,000 baht ($190) after he posted a photo of him not wearing a mask during a meeting. read more
The photo was later removed.
Thailand plans to procure more vaccines from several producers with a vaccination goal of 300,000 doses per day to inoculate at least 50 million people by end-2021, the prime minister posted. read more
Thailand has a population of about 66.1 million.
INDIA TRAVEL CURBS
Thailand will consider additional restrictions later this week, Apisamai Srirangsan, a spokeswoman for its coronavirus taskforce said at a briefing, after the country announced curbs on travel from India where infections have set a global record for a fifth straight day. read more
The Thai embassy in New Delhi said in a statement that certificates of entry for non-Thai nationals travelling from India will be suspended until further notice.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) denied reports that private jets carrying wealthy people from India were flying into Thailand.
"We confirm that no chartered flights from Indian millionaires have sought permission from the CAAT to come to Thailand," it said in a statement over the weekend. (Reuters)
April
Malaysia says AstraZeneca vaccine safe, will be used for over 60s
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Malaysian health authorities on Monday said the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca (AZN.L) is safe for use, three days after the Southeast Asian nation received its first batch of the shots bought through the global COVAX facility.
Some countries have limited or halted its use over possible links to blood clotting. AstraZeneca says regulatory reviews in Britain and Europe have noted its vaccine offers a high level of protection and that its benefits far outweigh any risks
"I confirm the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca is safe, and it will be administered to those aged 60 years and older," Health Minister Adham Baba said in a televised news conference.
Malaysia received its first shipment of nearly 270,000 doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Friday. read more
Ministry officials said the vaccine was found to be "suitable for use" for those aged 60 and older, and were looking into the available data before approving it for use for other age groups.
Malaysia secured a total of 12.8 million doses from AstraZeneca, half of which will come via the COVAX facility. It was slated to receive the first 600,000 doses in June. (Reuters)
April
Hong Kong-Singapore air travel bubble to start on May 26 - Bloomberg News
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Hong Kong and Singapore will announce a May 26 start to their long-delayed air travel bubble between the two cities, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The announcement could come as soon as Monday, the report said.
Under the agreement, people will be allowed to travel quarantine-free between the financial hubs.
The report did not specify how many flights would take place under the agreement, but cited one person as saying the number will be increased by June 26 if there are no further outbreaks in either city.
Singapore's transport ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The travel bubble was delayed after a spike in coronavirus cases in Hong Kong late last year. (Reuters)
April
Myanmar activists deride ASEAN-junta consensus, vow to continue protests
Written by Nur Yasmin
Jakarta. Myanmar's pro-democracy activists sharply criticised an agreement between the country's junta chief and Southeast Asian leaders to end a violent post-coup crisis and vowed on Sunday to continue protesting.
Some scattered protests took place in Myanmar's big cities on Sunday, a day after the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Indonesia reached a consensus to end the turmoil in Myanmar, but gave no timeline.
"Whether it is ASEAN or the U.N., they will only speak from outside saying 'don’t fight but negotiate and solve the issues'. But that doesn’t reflect Myanmar’s ground situation," said Khin Sandar from a protest group called the General Strikes Collaboration Committee.
"We will continue the protests," she told Reuters by phone.
According to a statement from ASEAN chair Brunei, a consensus was reached in Indonesia's capital Jakarta on five points - ending violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, a special ASEAN envoy, acceptance of aid and a visit by the envoy to Myanmar.
The five-point consensus did not mention political prisoners, although the statement said the meeting heard calls for their release.
A draft statement circulating the day before the summit included the release of political prisoners as a consensus point, said three sources familiar with the document. But in the final statement, the language on political prisoners was unexpectedly watered down, they added. read more
As Saturday's statement was issued in Jakarta, at least three soldiers were killed and several injured in an armed clash with a local militia in the town of Mindat in western Myanmar, the Chin state Human Rights Organisation said.
The militia, armed with hunting rifles, attacked the troops after several protesters were arrested, it said.
ASEAN leaders had wanted a commitment from Min Aung Hlaing to restrain his security forces, which the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) says have killed 748 people since a civil disobedience movement erupted to challenge his Feb. 1 coup against the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
AAPP, a Myanmar activist group, says over 3,300 are in detention.
"We realized that whatever the outcome from the ASEAN meeting, it will not reflect what people want," said Wai Aung a protest organiser in Yangon. "We will keep up protests and strikes till the military regime completely fails."
'SLAP ON THE FACE'
Several people took to social media to criticise the deal.
"ASEAN's statement is a slap on the face of the people who have been abused, killed and terrorised by the military," said a Facebook user called Mawchi Tun. "We do not need your help with that mindset and approach."
Aaron Htwe, another Facebook user, wrote: "Who will pay the price for the over 700 innocent lives?"
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said it was unfortunate that only the junta chief represented Myanmar at the meeting.
"Not only were the representatives of the Myanmar people not invited to the Jakarta meeting but they also got left out of the consensus that ASEAN is now patting itself on the back for reaching," he said in a statement.
"The lack of a clear timeline for action, and ASEAN's well known weakness in implementing the decisions and plans that it issues, are real concerns that no one should overlook."
The ASEAN gathering was the first coordinated international effort to ease the crisis in Myanmar, an impoverished country that neighbours China, India and Thailand and has been in turmoil since the coup. Besides the protests, deaths and arrests, a nationwide strike has crippled economic activity.
Myanmar's parallel National Unity Government (NUG), comprised of pro-democracy figures, remnants of Suu Kyi's ousted administration and representatives of armed ethnic groups, said it welcomed the consensus reached but added the junta had to be held to its promises.
"We look forward to firm action by ASEAN to follow up its decisions and to restore our democracy," said Dr. Sasa, spokesman for the NUG.
Besides the junta chief, the leaders of Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Brunei were at the meeting, along with the foreign ministers of Laos, Thailand and the Philippines. The NUG was not invited but spoke privately to some of the participating countries before the meeting. (Reuters)