Thailand News: The Week In 5 Headlines

Thailand News Recap (May 18th – May 24th). The top national stories this week focus on the fine line between keeping the public safe and saving their businesses. With the economy spiraling, many are concerned about monumental job losses across the Kingdom if the relaxation measures are not commenced in a timely manner. As of now, the Emergency Decree has been extended by another month in a move that has many upset over its all-inclusive restrictions on businesses despite daily Covid-19 infections dropping to single digits.

 

Wednesday May 20

Thai English Teacher Showcases ‘Bad’ English Online

Thailand parents and students alike tuned in online after a Thai teacher’s online English class went viral. The teacher was heavily criticised by netizens after appearing to teach ‘bad’ English. Many said her pronunciation and grammar was incorrect, leading to what some have called online bullying. Her presentation may further support Thailand’s low ranking in ASEAN for English language proficiency.

 

Thursday May 21

Bar, Pubs and Clubs May Re-open

The CCSA is still undecided on whether pubs, bars and clubs can re-open. However, the most logical date seems to be on or before June 15, when Thailand’s phase 4 of relaxing measures is set to roll out. Of course, the re-opening is dependent upon how the public responds to safety measures during the first three phases of the Kingdom’s relaxation measures. Critics say it could be diastrous as a second wave of infections would be sure to come.

 

Thursday May 21

WHO Reports Record Number Of Covid-19 Infections

The largest number of daily infections was recorded by the WHO at 106,000 on Thursday May 21 concerning many authorities worldwide. With the amount of cases piling up daily, the WHO said the world would see upwards of five million cases soon-a catastrophic consequence of how different nations have handled the Covid-19 outbreak. Additionally, the WHO is under threat from US President Donald Trump after he implied withdrawing the organisation’s financial aid.

Friday May 22

Covid-19 Tracing App Not Fully Working

In the wake of rolling out several phases of relaxation measures, Thailand’s new contact-tracing app is not doing its job as expected. Despite having over 5 million registered on the ‘Thailand Wins’ app, authorties say the app is not currently able to alert registrants via SMS of areas with positive Covid-19 infections. Currently, the app is recording where people go, which has some people worried about privacy violations.

 

Friday May 22

Thailand’s Emergency Decree Extended Until End Of June

After going back and forth regarding the extension of Thailand’s Emergency Decree, PM Gen Prayut has decided to extend it until the end of June. The move has many upset as the consequences of shutting businesses has led Thailand’s economy into a dangerous downfall. Despite noting that the extension is to keep everyone safe from Covid-19 transmissions, many have criticised the PM’s move stating that he is only looking to extend his over-reaching powers under the emergency law. However, authorities say that this kind of criticism is illogical.

 

The next weekly Thailand recap will be on Sunday, May 31

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