Trump, on Tape, Presses GA. Official To ‘Find’ Him Votes

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4 January 2021, 09:00

1000 (6) — President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

ATLANTA (AP) — President Donald Trump pressured Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to “find” enough votes to overturn Joe Biden’s win in the state’s presidential election, repeatedly citing disproven claims of fraud and raising the prospect of “criminal offense” if officials did not change the vote count, according to a recording of the conversation.

The phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Saturday was the latest step in an unprecedented effort by a sitting president to pressure a state official to reverse the outcome of a free and fair election that he lost. The president, who has refused to accept his loss to Democratic president-elect Biden, repeatedly argued that Raffensperger could change the certified results.

“All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have,” Trump said. “Because we won the state.”

Georgia counted its votes three times before certifying Biden’s win by a 11,779 margin, Raffensperger noted: “President Trump, we’ve had several lawsuits, and we’ve had to respond in court to the lawsuits and the contentions. We don’t agree that you have won.”

Audio snippets of the conversation were first posted online by The Washington Post. The Associated Press obtained the full audio of Trump’s conversation with Georgia officials from a person on the call. The AP has a policy of not amplifying disinformation and unproven allegations. The AP will be posting the full audio as it annotates a transcript with fact check material.

Trump’s renewed intervention and the persistent and unfounded claims of fraud come nearly two weeks before he leaves office and two days before twin runoff elections in Georgia that will determine political control of the U.S. Senate.

The president used the hourlong conversation to tick through a list of claims about the election in Georgia, including that hundreds of thousands of ballots mysteriously appeared in Fulton County, which includes Atlanta. Officials have said there is no evidence of that happening.

The Georgia officials on the call are heard repeatedly pushing back against the president’s assertions, telling him that he’s relying on debunked theories and, in one case, selectively edited video.

At another point in the conversation, Trump appeared to threaten Raffensperger and Ryan Germany, the secretary of state’s legal counsel, by suggesting both could be criminally liable if they failed to find that thousands of ballots in Fulton County had been illegally destroyed. There is no evidence to support Trump’s claim.

“That’s a criminal offense,” Trump says. “And you can’t let that happen.”

Others on the call included Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, and attorneys assisting Trump, including Washington lawyer Cleta Mitchell.

Democrats and a few Republicans condemned Trump’s actions, while at least one Democrat urged a criminal investigation. Legal experts said Trump’s behavior raised questions about possible election law violations.

Biden senior adviser Bob Bauer called the recording “irrefutable proof” of Trump pressuring and threatening an official in his own party to “rescind a state’s lawful, certified vote count and fabricate another in its place.”

“It captures the whole, disgraceful story about Donald Trump’s assault on American democracy,” Bauer said.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in that chamber, said Trump’s conduct “merits nothing less than a criminal investigation.”

Trump confirmed in a tweet Sunday that he had spoken with Raffensperger. The White House referred questions to Trump’s reelection campaign, which did not respond Sunday to an emailed request for comment. Raffensperger’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump has repeatedly attacked how Raffensperger conducted Georgia’s elections, claiming without evidence that the state’s 16 electoral votes were wrongly given to Biden.

“He has no clue!” Trump tweeted of Raffensperger, saying the state official “was unwilling, or unable” to answer questions.

Raffensperger’s Twitter response: “Respectfully, President Trump: What you’re saying is not true. The truth will come out.”

Various election officials across the country and Trump’s former attorney general, William Barr, have said there was no widespread fraud in the election. Republican governors in Arizona and Georgia, key battleground states crucial to Biden’s victory, have also vouched for the integrity of their state elections. Nearly all the legal challenges from Trump and his allies have been dismissed by judges, including two tossed by the Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated justices.

In Georgia, the ballots were counted three times, including a mandatory hand count and a Trump-requested recount.

Still, Trump has publicly disparaged the election, worrying Republicans that may discourage GOP voters from participating in Tuesday’s runoffs pitting Sen. Kelly Loeffler against Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican David Perdue against Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Rebecca Green, who helps direct the election law program at William and Mary Law School, said that while it is appropriate for a candidate to question the outcome of an election, the processes for doing so for the presidential election have run their course. States have certified their votes.

Green said Trump had raised “lots of questions” about whether he violated any election laws.

Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said Trump is guilty of “reprehensible and, possibly illegal, conduct.”

Trump noted on the call that he intended to repeat his claims about fraud at a Monday night rally in Dalton, a heavily Republican area in north Georgia.

“The people of Georgia are angry, the people of the country are angry,” he says on the recording.

Biden is also due to campaign in Georgia on Monday, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris stumped in Garden City, Georgia, on Sunday, slamming Trump for the call.

“It was a bald, bald-faced, bold abuse of power by the president of the United States,” she said.

Loeffler and Perdue have largely backed Trump in his attempts to overturn election results. But on Sunday, Loeffler said she hadn’t decided whether to join Republican colleagues in challenging the legitimacy of Biden’s victory over Trump when Congress meets Wednesday to affirm Biden’s 306-232 vote win in the Electoral College.

Perdue, who was quarantining after being exposed to a staff member with the coronavirus, said he supports the challenge, although he will not be a sitting senator when the vote happens because his term has expired. Still, he told Fox News Channel he was encouraging his colleagues to object, saying it’s “something that the American people demand right now.”

His rival, Ossoff, speaking at the Garden City rally, attacked Perdue and Loeffler for failing to stand up for Georgia’s voters, specifically saying that the state’s Black voters were being targeted.

“When the president of the United States calls up Georgia’s election officials and tries to intimidate them to change the result of the election, to disenfranchise Georgia voters, to disenfranchise Black voters in Georgia who delivered this state for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, that is a direct attack on our democracy,” he said.

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Superville reported from Washington and Brumback from Atlanta. Associated Press writer Russ Bynum in Garden City, Georgia, contributed to this report.

Thailand to Get Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccines by May

By

Khaosod English

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3 January 2021, 20:50

1000 (2) — System Pharmacy Clinical Manager at Hartford HealthCare Colleen Teevan prepares the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 to give to a front line worker outside of Hartford Hospital, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

BANGKOK — A senior health official said the first batch of a coronavirus vaccine developed by a British pharmaceutical company and Oxford University will be available four months from now.

The vaccine, which has been approved by British regulatory authorities for emergency uses, is being produced by a Thai firm per a technology sharing agreement with AstraZeneca, Medical Sciences Department director Supakit Sirilak told reporters.

He estimated that the medication will be distributed to the public by May, though he hinted that it would take considerable time before a full-fledged vaccination campaign can take place.

“Even in countries where vaccination already began, they cannot take vaccination all at once,” Supakit said at the news conference Sunday. “It’s not a product that can be bought anywhere in the market.”

“What’s also important is there must be a system to ensure quality and safety. We will not buy a vaccine from any substandard factory or any vaccine that is not backed by Phase 3 experiment results.”

It is unclear whether the Thai Food and Drug Administration has approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in Thailand. The agency simply said on Dec. 30 that it was capable and willing to start a validation process for any vaccine, but made no reference to any particular brand. In late December, the Thai FDA already shot down a bid by a hospital in Bangkok to import vaccines made by U.S.-based Moderna, citing insufficient data needed for approval.

Supakit also did not mention how many doses will be available in May, but a representative of the firm that secured a manufacturing license from AstraZeneca said up to 20 million doses of coronavirus vaccine can be made per month, once the production starts in earnest.

“The production capacity is 200 million doses per year, or 15 to 20 million doses per month,” Siam Bioscience Co., Ltd. director Songpon Deechongkit said.

Siam Bioscience began its first production in mid-December after securing a deal with AstraZeneca in October, Songpon said. However, the doses must be tested and formally approved by the Thai FDA before they can be shipped.

AstraZeneca’s vaccine, developed in collaboration with Oxford University, was greenlit by a British regulatory body just days ago, on Dec. 30.

The vaccine is reported to be easier to store and distribute, as it can be kept at normal fridge temperature, unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech jab that has to be kept at the subzero temperature of -70C.

Supakit, the Medical Sciences Department director, said the health ministry is also ordering 2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine from a Chinese manufacturer, the first shipment of which is expected to arrive by February.

But unlike AstraZeneca’s doses, the vaccine made by China-based Sinovac has not yet won the coveted “Phase 3” status – a prerequisite for domestic approvals – raising questions of when the Chinese jab will actually be put to use.

“Thailand will only recognize a Phase 3 registration that has clear results,” National Vaccine Institute director Nakorn Premsri said at today’s news conference. “There are only three types of vaccines that are registered and recognized as such: the ones made by Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.”

The health authorities are seemingly racing against time to obtain a vaccine for the coronavirus amid a renewed outbreak that is far more serious than the first wave witnessed in early 2020.

At least 290 new domestic infections were logged on Sunday, with several clusters of outbreak identified across Thailand.

Thailand Reports 1st Case of UK Mutated Coronavirus Strain

By

Khaosod English

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3 January 2021, 13:00

A man receives a coronavirus test on Jan. 3, 2021, at a mobiling testing unit in Rayong province.

BANGKOK — The first known case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus was discovered in Thailand, a top health expert said Sunday.

The variant, called B.1.1.7, was found in a family of four British nationals who arrived in Thailand from the United Kingdom, Yong Poovorawan, a senior virologist from Chulalongkorn University wrote online. The four are being treated inside an isolation ward at a private hospital, he said.

“The strain is more contagious and transmissible,” Yong wrote on his Facebook. “However, it doesn’t cause the disease to be more severe in Thailand or lessen the effectiveness of vaccines. Please be rest assured that all of the four patients are under special care and will only be discharged after they are completely treated.”

He added, “There’s no chance of a transmission in Thailand.”

Read: Fauci Says US Taking Hard Look at Variant of Coronavirus

Yong said the variant was found through genetic sequencing conducted at Chulalongkorn University, in which the data could be used to help trace the origins of the cases found in Thailand.

The government’s pandemic response center has yet to confirm the findings. The new coronavirus strain was first identified in the United Kingdom.

Health officials had said earlier in December that the variant responsible for the new wave of domestic outbreak stemming from the shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province is the GH strain found primarily in India.

Thailand reported 315 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, bringing up the country’s total tally to 7,694, according to the center’s spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin.

More stringent restrictions such as limiting opening hours of establishments, requiring restaurants to offer takeaway only, and discouraging people to travel between provinces are set to be implemented in the coming days; Taweesin said PM Prayut Chan-o-cha will deliberate on the new measures tomorrow.

He maintained that the country will not go in full lockdown mode again, but instead it will be the discretion of provincial Governors to apply appropriate measures in their jurisdiction.

“We have learned a lesson that the use of strict measures across the country will only affect innocent people,” Taweesin said. “Those who disobey the laws continued to do so. We will not let innocent people be hurt again.”

As of Sunday, 3,293 coronavirus patients remain in hospitals across Thailand, while 4,337 patients have recovered so far. The country’s total fatality stands at 64.

Challenges Aplenty Remain for Tokyo’s Pandemic Olympics

By

Kyodo News

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3 January 2021, 09:01

5e2e9751e0e1446f8c2b8cc6 — The Olympic rings glow in the dark after being reinstalled in Tokyo Bay off Odaiba Marine Park on Dec. 1, 2020, after they underwent a safety inspection and maintenance. (Kyodo)

TOKYO (Kyodo) — The Japanese prime minister and International Olympic Committee chief promised the Tokyo Games will demonstrate the world is winning the war against the coronavirus pandemic. But is it really a good idea to go ahead with the Olympics?

With the recent approval and rollout of vaccines in Britain, the United States and elsewhere, as well as the indication that Japan could be doing the same in the early months of 2021, signs are that an end could be in sight.

Contine reading the story here.

California Funeral Homes Run Out of Space as COVID-19 Rages

By

Associated Press

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3 January 2021, 09:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As communities across the country feel the pain of a surge in coronavirus cases, funeral homes in the hot spot of Southern California say they must turn away grieving families as they run out of space for the bodies piling up.

The head of the state funeral directors association says mortuaries are being inundated as the United States nears a grim tally of 350,000 COVID-19 deaths. More than 20 million people in the country have been infected, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

“I’ve been in the funeral industry for 40 years and never in my life did I think that this could happen, that I’d have to tell a family, ‘No, we can’t take your family member,’” said Magda Maldonado, owner of Continental Funeral Home in Los Angeles.

Continental is averaging about 30 body removals a day — six times its normal rate. Mortuary owners are calling one another to see whether anyone can handle overflow, and the answer is always the same: They’re full, too.

In order to keep up with the flood of bodies, Maldonado has rented extra 50-foot (15-meter) refrigerators for two of the four facilities she runs in LA and surrounding counties. Continental has also been delaying pickups at hospitals for a day or two while they deal with residential clients.

Bob Achermann, executive director of the California Funeral Directors Association, said that the whole process of burying and cremating bodies has slowed down, including embalming bodies and obtaining death certificates. During normal times, cremation might happen within a day or two; now it takes at least a week or longer.

Achermann said that in the southern part of the state, “every funeral home I talk to says, ‘We’re paddling as fast as we can.’”

“The volume is just incredible and they fear that they won’t be able to keep up,” he said. “And the worst of the surge could still be ahead of us.”

Los Angeles County, the epicenter of the crisis in California, has surpassed 10,000 COVID-19 deaths alone. Hospitals in the area are overwhelmed, and are struggling to keep up with basics such as oxygen as they treat an unprecedented number of patients with respiratory issues. On Saturday, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crews arrived to update some hospital’s oxygen delivery systems.

Nationally, an average of just over 2,500 people have died of COVID-19 over the past seven days, according to Johns Hopkins data. The number of daily newly reported cases in that period has averaged close to 195,000, a decline from two weeks earlier.

It’s feared that holiday gatherings could fuel yet another rise in cases.

Arkansas officials reported a record of more than 4,300 new COVID-19 cases Friday. Gov. Asa Hutchinson tweeted that the state is “certainly in the surge after Christmas travel and gatherings” and added, “As we enter this new year, our first resolution should be to follow guidelines.”

North Carolina officials also reported a record 9,527 confirmed cases New Year’s Day. That’s more than 1,000 cases above the previous daily high.

In Louisiana, a funeral was being held Saturday for a congressman-elect who died of COVID-19 complications. Republican Luke Letlow died Tuesday at age 41. His swearing-in had been scheduled Sunday. He leaves behind his wife, Julia Letlow, and two children, ages 1 and 3.

In Texas, state officials say they have only 580 intensive care beds available as staff treat more than 12,480 hospitalized coronavirus patients, a number that has risen steadily since September and has set record highs this past week.

In Window Rock, Arizona, the Navajo Nation remained in the midst of a weekend lockdown to try to slow the rate of infection. The tribe late Friday reported another seven deaths, bringing its totals since the pandemic began to 23,429 cases and 813 deaths. The reservation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher than reported because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

Arizona on Saturday reported 18,943 new cases Friday and Saturday, a record for the state in any two-day period. It also reported 46 new deaths Saturday.

Bangkok and 28 Provinces to be Designated ‘Red Zones’

By

Khaosod English

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2 January 2021, 13:30

S__31326420 — Worshippers pray at Bangkok's City Pillar Shrine on Jan. 1, 2021.

BANGKOK — The government on Saturday said Bangkok and 28 provinces will be declared a “Red Zone” where travel and businesses will be severely curtailed, following a new coronavirus fatality and confirmed 216 infections.

Areas put under the “Red Zone” will be subject to intense public health measures, the COVID-19 Situation Administration spokesman Taweesin Wisanuyothin said, citing the need to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Employees will be asked to work from home, business hours adjusted, large gatherings banned, and inter-provincial travel discouraged.

Although no curfew will be announced yet, Taweesin suggests more measures could be imposed if the situation does not improve in the days and weeks ahead. He added that the health authorities can no longer trace the origin of at least one infection in Bangkok.

“There could be a lockdown, but we won’t call it a lockdown,” said Taweesin during the news conference.

The first round of restrictions in the Red Zones will last for a month and will likely take effect on Monday, pending PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s formal approval, Taweesin said.

The move came after Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang late Friday night ordered the temporary shutdown of pubs, bars, schools and universities, flea market, sports grounds, entertainment venues and more in a bid to control the pandemic. The capital reported 18 new infections on Saturday.

One additional death from the coronavirus was recorded on Saturday, pushing the total death toll to 64.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri also said PM Prayut is concerned that some people are not cooperating with safety measures to curb the coronavirus, which led to more infections.

Anucha said the premier has urged people to wear masks, maintain social distancing, check-in when entering malls and buildings through the government’s Thai Chana tracing application, and avoid crowded areas.

In a related development, Samut Sakhon Gov. Veerasak Vichitsangsri, who tested positive for the coronavirus last week, remains in critical condition at Siriraj Hospital.

The 59-year-old governor continues to rely on a ventilator, though the level of oxygen in his blood is improving and his overall condition is more stable on Saturday, Prasit Wattanapha, Dean of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, told reporters.

Veerasak’s wife was also infected with the coronavirus but she is not suffering from any severe illness, Prasit said.

Bangkok Shuts Schools, Entertainment Venues to Curb Outbreak

By

Associated Press

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2 January 2021, 11:30

S__21676151 — Lumpinee Boxing Stadium is closed down on Jan. 2, 2021.

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s capital is shutting down venues including schools and entertainment areas as coronavirus cases continue to spread.

Thailand reported 279 new cases on Friday including two deaths.

Seven provinces including Bangkok have been designated red zones where places including entertainment venues, boxing rings, gyms and flea markets are ordered closed. Restaurants are allowed to serve only takeout food. The restrictions are in place until mid-January.

A new outbreak has spread from the country’s largest wholesale seafood market in Samut Sakhon south of Bangkok and from a gambling den in Rayong, and both places continue to log the highest number of infections. Bangkok reported 180 cases in the last 24 hours.

A spokesman for the COVID-19 center, Dr. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, said the Health Ministry has contacted Oxford-AstraZeneca to purchase a second batch of 26 million doses of their vaccine. The deal would double the number of doses to be supplied by the British vaccine manufacturer.

The first 2 million doses are expected in February and March and will be given to medical staff.

Cops Crack Down on Activist ‘Shrimp Market,’ Arrest 16 People

By

Khaosod English

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31 December 2020, 16:30

BANGKOK — At least 16 people were taken into custody after riot police broke up an impromptu prawn market set up by pro-democracy activists on Thursday.

The stunt was marked as a “New Year’s Eve surprise” by the campaigners, who said they want to help seafood businesses that bore the brunt of the new coronavirus outbreak. But police declared the gathering illegal and moved in to make arrests.

BREAKING: Apparently selling seafood is illegal now? Police move in to arrest pro-democracy activists while they were selling shrimp at Sanam Luang earlier today. The stall was set up by We Volunteer, a group of protester volunteer guards. #Thailand #KE pic.twitter.com/tn5IbVuVfz

— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) December 31, 2020

Activist leader Piyarat “Toto” Chongthep is one of the 16 people detained by the police. Reports say they will be charged with violating the Emergency Decree’s ban on gatherings, breaching public health regulations, and using loudspeakers without permission.

Demonstrators initially gathered on Sanam Luang with their shrimp stall on Thursday morning, but police soon arrived and dispersed them from the field. Scuffles also broke out as police made arrests. One woman said she would file an assault complaint against the police for beating her during the operation.

The protesters later moved to Ratchadamnoen Avenue, where they were selling the shrimps at the price of 359 baht per kilogram to pedestrians. By afternoon, riot police armed with shields moved in and made more arrests.

Citing threats of the coronavirus, the government on Tuesday bans all gatherings unless they receive special exemptions from the authorities. Health officials report over 180 new coronavirus cases on Thursday as the second wave of the outbreak continued to spread across the country.

Thailand has confirmed a total of 6,884 coronavirus cases and 61 deaths.

The virus resurgence, which has been traced to a shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province, also plunged the seafood industry into a slump. A seafood vendor also killed himself last week after suffering dire financial losses.

Thailand in Pandemic: Remembering the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By

Khaosod English

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31 December 2020, 12:00

48704 — PM Prayut Chan-o-cha greets his supporters during his inspection tour of anti-coronavirus measures in Chonburi on Dec. 30, 2020.

BANGKOK — The pandemic brought out all sides of the Thai smile, from smirks of xenophobia to beams of charity.

Our response to the coronavirus – whether aiding the needy or leaving them behind – showed us our true mettle, in the year when an entire nation is tested (literally and figuratively).

The Good: Frontline health workers

Dubbed “heroes in the white gowns,” the medical professionals and rural health volunteers worked day and night to contain the coronavirus outbreak, even if it meant putting themselves at the risk of infection.

*Nurses bid farewell to a patient who recovered from coronavirus in Krabi province on May 12, 2020.*

The Bad and the Ugly: Anutin threatening to punish them if they catch COVID.

Back in March, Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul publicly threatened to “whip” medical personnel who caught the virus for being “careless” and setting a bad example to the public. The backlash was swift, and it was Anutin who was forced to apologize after social media gave him a good whipping.

The Good: Government’s prompt response that stemmed the outbreak

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha was presented by experts in March with the “worst case scenario”, warning him that the country may see as high of 350,000 cases of infection should he choose to do nothing.

He decided to impose a nationwide curfew from April to June and a raft of other measures, which apparently helped lower the daily case numbers from triple to single digit levels within a single month. By the end of April, the country logged 2,954 cases – eight times less than the most optimistic forecast at 24,269 cases, and an achievement that sets Thailand apart on the global stage.

800 4 — In this photo released by Government Spokesman Office, a health official checks the body temperature of Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha before he delivers policy to the drought management at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 2, 2020.

The Bad and the Ugly: Officials implicated in mask hoarding scandals

The government’s decisive actions were overshadowed by some politicians who were involved in a conspiracy that led to the scarcity and inflated price of face masks in Thailand. The shortage was so severe that some hospitals had to stop issuing face masks to surgeons.

An aide of the controversial minister Thammanat Prompao was accused of hoarding 200 million masks for export to China – at the time they were needed the most in Thailand – but no legal action has been taken against him to date.

The Good: Expats helping Thais in need

Regardless of the passport issuing country, hearts from all nations were warmed with stories of expats lending their hands to Thais who were left adrift by the virus. One Italian engineer volunteered for traffic cop duty, while an Indian fine dining chef handed out food to the homeless.

The Bad and the Ugly: Anutin calling farangs “dirty”

A series of xenophobic statements by the health minister left other Thais feeling a burning loss of face. In February, he said farangs who don’t wear masks “should be kicked out,” and later tweeted that “dirty” Europeans who never shower posed more of a virus risk than other races.

37 1 — *Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul receives a donation of face masks and other protective equipment from Chinese representatives on April 13, 2020.*

Good: Thais’ charity spirit

Many Thais donated to the less fortunate during the pandemic, as evident in the popular campaign of food donation pantries for people to take what they need amid the peak of the business shutdowns.

The Bad and the Ugly: Thais shutting their doors to foreigners

Racism reared its ugly head when some restaurants and hotels started putting up “No Chinese” signs – which aren’t actually illegal. Some bars and banks also refused to serve foreigners, expats included, regardless of their travel history.

What’s worse, during the early outbreak in March, some hospitals continued to charge dual pricing for foreigners seeking COVID tests.

*An immigration officer disinfects an immigration desk at Suvarnabhumi Airport on March 11, 2020.*

The Good: Diplomats who bring Thais home

Members of the Thai diplomatic corps, as confused as the rest of Thais overseas, worked hours over their shift to clear a backlog of desperate citizens who in some cases queued up in front of the embassies in hope of getting the documents they needed to return home.

The Bad and the Ugly: Confusing regulations that keep out Thai nationals

When Thailand shut down its borders, it also shut out their own citizens, in a possible violation of the Constitution. Ever changing and contradicting policies demanded an increasing number of certifications from Thais overseas, many of which are near impossible to acquire. Some ended up suing the government for stranding its own citizens abroad.

1000 2 5 — *Empty beach chairs on Koh Larn on June 1, 2020.*

The Good: Subsidy programs

With the absence of foreign tourists due to travel restrictions, the trillion-baht tourism industry pinned their hopes on domestic travelers. Hotels went all in with discounts on once unthinkable suites, while the government rolled out travel subsidy schemes to stimulate spending and keep the crippled industry running.

“No One Left Behind” cash handout packages and the “Half-Half” co-payment program were also introduced to help citizens affected by the pandemic.

The Bad and the Ugly: Subsidy program debacles

Turns out a lot of people were left behind. In April, PM Prayut admitted that the treasury was able to pay only one month of the promised three-month cash relief package for workers not covered by the social security system. Many applicants were also shut out even though they qualify for the money.

Greedy hoteliers were later caught gouging the price to rip off government’s money, resulting in the “We Travel Together” program to be put on hold and ruining the fun for everyone.

media 3 4 — *Workers disinfect a temple in Bangkok amid the coronavirus pandemic on March 26, 2020.*

Good: Celeb raised red flag about COVID-19

It was actor and boxer Matthew Deane Chanthavanij who broke the news that he tested positive for infection after he attended a match at the crowded Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. His initiative set out an example for others to voluntarily disclose their results and travel history.

The Bad and the Ugly: VIPs skipped quarantine, ignored closure orders

And it was a senior health official who threatened to sue him for spreading panic. The army, which owns the stadium, then attempted to push off any responsibility after it emerged that they flouted a government shutdown order and proceeded with the match on March 6. The decision resulted in at least 140 cases of infection.

Thais were also in an uproar after “VIP” diplomatic guests were allowed to leave quarantine upon their arrival in Thailand. Well yes, we’re talking about those Egyptian pilots. Not the German ones.

S 21676151 6 — *A musician gets his temperature checked at a bar in Chumphon province, Dec. 30, 2020.*

Good: Thai and foreign residents keeping everyone safe.

Despite what a certain Thai minister thinks, an overwhelming majority of both local and foreign residents in Thailand wore masks in public, practiced social distancing, and complied with other COVID measures. Their habit contributed to the relatively low numbers nationwide for many months. A survey found that 95 percent of Thais wear face masks in public places – the highest percentage in all of ASEAN.

The Bad and the Ugly: Social media nutjobs

News about COVID-19 case numbers, latest outbreak situations, and helpful information about health and safety measures almost always draws a large number of self-proclaimed “experts” in the comments section who’re convinced the COVID pandemic is a “hoax,” a “bioweapon,” or simply “not that dangerous.”

They are all wrong, of course. COVID was actually engineered by the Lizard people. Duh.

Opinion: 2020 is a Year to Reflect on What We Have, and What We May Lose

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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31 December 2020, 09:30

If anything, 2020 which is coming to an end, or rather coronavirus, taught us how unpredictable life is.

Who would have thought that global travel has basically grind to a halt, over 81 million people infected around the globe and 1.7 million killed and counting?

In Thailand, 61 died over the past 10 months and less than 7,000 were infected, a very low figure compared to the fact that 43 people have been killed in road-related accidents on Tuesday, one day alone, in the kingdom.

The economic toll has been massive with three million rendered unemployed in 2020, however. Also, as the countdown begins, the government is hinting to the public to be prepared for another possible nationwide lockdown. Many look forward to the New Year with less hope and more gloom.

I am reminded of the Buddhist saying that nothing is permanent. Again, my rational faculty urged me to wonder if nothing is truly permanent, then how could the above particular Buddhist teaching be permanent? Is that not contradictory? Well, I will leave that philosophical examination for yet another time and column and will focus on the loss of both lives and livelihood of many over this passing year instead.

For those who have lost their loved ones, you have my empathy and condolences. For those who are still alive but either became unemployed or have had to shut down shops, I feel your pain.

In hope we find a reason, a raison d’e tre, to continue our transitory existence on earth. Yes, we all shall die, sooner or later. But it’s what we do while we are still alive that counts.

One can look at this fact both ways. Some take this transitory nature of life as a reason to not care about anyone or anything and become nihilist in a most negative sense. Others could take this as a reminder in finding inner peace and happiness in what they do in their livelihood and what they can do for others while they’re still around. Life is short, do what you think is beneficial to society and the world at large, enjoy yourself a bit along the way, and then sooner than you realize or want, your time on earth will be over.

I do not know if there’s life after death, I am a skeptic and do not count on being reincarnated, so to me, life in the here and now is precious, priceless and pretty much all I have on the brief journey on earth. We can make a little or more than a little positive difference, make the world a little better, if we try.

Be prepared as 2021 for Thais and many people will likely be yet another tumultuous, challenging and unpredictable year.
Treasure in what you have. The ending of the year 2020 is a good time to reflect, mourn and gather strength to face 2021.

I saw many shops shut in Bangkok and beyond due to COVID-19 in 2020, some for good others with a lingering sign stating that they are under ‘temporary renovation’. A put a sign promising to be back after the first business lockdown but clearly have never managed. Many individuals and families are on their financial last straw and another lockdown may just be the last nail in their coffins. I feel sorry for them and let us who are still afloat be compassionate and do what we can to help those in need. It’s time to think less as an individual and more as a member of society.

The unpredictability of 2020 reminds us to treasure whatever we have while we still can.

Like the falling autumn leaves, short-lived cherry blossom flowers, some won’t be with us in 2021. They, humans as well as businesses, shall be sorely missed by those who love or know them.

For businesses gone, my regular watch repair man, an elderly gentleman, suddenly closed down his small shop on BTS Chit Lom station weeks ago without any announcement on what’s left at the place after a long bout of fighting the economic impact of COVID-19 and the decline in the number of people strapping mechanical watches on their wrists. I will miss the conversations I had with him about whether Germany or Japan can make better mechanical watches than the Swiss.

Another, Oscar Denim, selling selvedge jeans from Japan and pricey US-made cordovan-leather shoes from Alden at Siam 1 closed down on Dec 13 after years in business.

In its farewell note on its Facebook page, the proprietor stated that it was due to the economic impacts of COVID-19 and changing sartorial preference.

“The shop would like to thank you all for your past support,” Oscar Denim stoically stated with no drama.

For the rest who are still in business, healthy, financially and health wise, we should be grateful. Treasure and appreciate the here and now, treasure what we still have and be thankful. We shall never know if our meetings with someone, our visit to some places faraway or not, or our time on earth may be the last today.

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