Thailand raises COVID-19 alert level amid rising new infections
The Public Health Ministry of Thailand on February 21 raised its COVID-19 alert to Level 4 - the second-highest tier, following a sharp increase in Omicron variant infections nationwide.
A boy gets swabbed for a COVID-19 test at Poonsap community in Bangkok's Sai Mai district on February 21 (Photo: Bangkokpost)
Bangkok(VNA) – The Public Health Ministry of Thailand on February 21 raised its COVID-19 alertto Level 4 - the second-highest tier, following asharp increase in Omicron variant infections nationwide.
Ministry spokesman Rungrueng Kijphati posted on Facebook on the same day thata meeting of the ministry's Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) decided that thealert level will be raised nationwide and containment measures stepped up inhigh-risk areas.
Under the new alert, people are advised to workfrom home, avoid non-essential inter-provincial travels, suspend overseas trips,close at-risk venues, and avoid large gatherings.
Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the armed forces toagain prepare field hospitals amid surging COVID-19 cases nationwide.
According to Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantravanich, the PM haddirected all hospitals under the army, navy and airforce to stand ready toreopen their field hospitals due to concerns about the continued spread of theOmicron variant.
Field hospitals of the forces provided about 7,000 beds when they opened toease the workload of public and private hospitals with the emergence of theDelta variant last year. They closed after the Delta outbreak subsided.
The armed forces will work closely with the Public Health Ministry onthe revival date of the military facilities, the spokesman said.
PM Prayut's order came after the daily number of COVID-19 cases in Thailandrose to over 18,000 for three consecutive days. The Interior Ministry of Thailand on February 20also asked all provincial governors to tighten measures after the infectionsituation spiked.
On February 22 morni꧟ng, Thailand reported additional 18,363 COVID-19 caseꩵs and35 fatalities, lifting the total infections and deaths in the Southeast Asiannation to 2,749,561 and 22,691 deaths,respectively./.
Thailand will soon launch a travel bubble with India, aiming to attract high-value young Indian visitors who can make a significant contribution to the recovery of its tourism-dependent economy.
The National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee (NEVPC) of Thailand planned to submit a proposal on incentive for investment in developing electric vehicle (EV) industry to the Thai government on February 15.
The Royal Thai Police has established a special taskforce, called “IUU Hunter”, to monitor and control the fishing industry and stop illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) in Thailand's territorial waters.
The Trade Negotiations Department of Thailand targets concluding the negotiation framework on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU this year and wrapping up FTA negotiations with Turkey and Pakistan.
A low birth rate in the years to come could affect Thailand's financial stability due to an increasing number of senior citizens, the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) has said.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
A boy gets swabbed for a COVID-19 test at Poonsap community in Bangkok's Sai Mai district on February 21 (Photo: Bangkokpost) 
