Thailand calls on the elderly to receive COVID-19 jabs before Songkran festival
Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (CDC) has urged more than 2 million elderly people to get COVID-19 shots before the Songkran festival as infections may soar during the festive period.
Nurses vaccinate elderly people against COVID-19 on their row bus in Samut Prakan, Thailand (Photo: www.bangkokpost.com)
Hanoi (VNA) - Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (CDC) has urged more than 2 million elderly people to get COVID-19 shots before the Songkran festival as infections may soar during the festive period.
CDC deputy chief Sophon Iamsirithavorn said on March 4 that the department has voiced strong concern that 2.17 million senior citizens still have not received any COVID-19 vaccines, meaning their health could be jeopardised if they get infected.
About 83 percent of the elderly demographic in Thailand is now vaccinated with at least one shot, he said.
Statistics provided by the department show that out of every 100,000 senior citizens in Thailand aged 60 to 69, 521 contract COVID-19. The number is slightly lower for those above 70 at 444.
Thailand reported 22,818 new cases and 52 deaths in the past 24 hours to March 5 morning, raising the national count to more than 3 million and 23,176, respectively.
🌌 Meanwhile, authorities of Bali resort island of Indonesia have decided to remove quarantine for foreign tourists starting March 7, one week earlier than the initial plan.
Tourists must test for COVID-19 using RT-PCR method before arriving and are allowed to travel to all destinations in Bali if they test negative. They must take the test again on their third day in Bali.
♋ If the result turns out to be positive, they will be quarantined at a hotel or hospitalised./.
Indonesia’s State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (AP I) has received applications from three international airline companies to resume flights to I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali this March.
The Indonesian government will conduct quarantine-free on a trial basis for travellers who want to vacation in Bali from March 14 under certain conditions, a senior minister has said.
COVID-19 daily caseloads in Thailand may top 100,000 by the Songkran festival in the middle of March in the worst-case scenario, according to the country’s Department of Disease Control (DDC).
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a target of attracting at least 1.5 million tourists from short-haul destinations to compensate for the Chinese market by shaking hands with airlines to spur demand.
Thai Vietjet, an affiliate of Vietnamese budget airline Vietjet Air, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for cooperation in the field of tourism as strategic partners in implementing joint marketing activities, to promote and increase the number of inbound tourists, specifically from Vietnam and Cambodia markets, to Thailand.
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
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The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
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Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
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Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
Nurses vaccinate elderly people against COVID-19 on their row bus in Samut Prakan, Thailand (Photo: www.bangkokpost.com) 
