Northern Thailand
Laos Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Now a Hotbed of Covid-19
Health officials in Laos are struggling to contain an outbreak of covid-19 in their Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in a popular tourist destination for Chinese gamblers.
Dr. Sisavath Southanilaxay, deputy director of Laos’ Department of Infectious Disease, and a representative of the country’s COVID-19 protection unit, told RFA Monday that the country had confirmed 47 new cases of the covid-19 coronavirus.
Of these, 38 were in Bokeo province, home to the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Casino’s which caters to Chinese tourists.
Bokeo is one of Laos’ hotspots for local COVID-19 transmission. Local media reported Monday that of the northwestern province’s 345 confirmed cases, 199 were Laotians, and 95 were Chinese. The rest were 41 Myanmar citizens, nine Thais and one Vietnamese.
The Thailand-based Manager Online news website Friday reported that most of the province’s transmissions have occurred within the SEZ, with the rest occurring in nearby Tonpheung district.
A member of the province’s Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said that lax enforcement on movement restrictions were to blame for increasing caseloads.
“A lot of workers sneak out of the SEZ and spread COVID-19 in the community,” the taskforce member said.
“Our doctors and nurses from all five districts of the province are now focusing on the SEZ trying to contain the spread. The biggest problem is that there are up to 5,000 workers of many different nationalities in the SEZ and almost all of them are not working because of the lockdown, so they have nothing to do and nothing to eat. That’s why they sneak out,” the taskforce member said.
An official of the Health Department of Bokeo Province told RFA, “Because the number of new cases keeps increasing in the SEZ and Tongpheung District, we’re spraying and disinfecting in many places including the market, offices and homes where infected people live.”
A worker who is stranded in the SEZin Laos told RFA that police were blocking the roads that lead to the outside.
“If they see workers sneak out from the SEZ, the police will take them straight to a quarantine center,” said the SEZ worker. A resident of Tonpheung told RFA, “We’re just waiting at home for the vaccine rollout.”
Border security increased in Northern Thailand
Meanwhile, Border police and army soldiers are stepping up patrols in Northern Thailand to prevent border jumpers with covid-19. Authorities are trying to stop people entering the country illegally and halt the spread of Covid-19.
Pol Maj Gen Trairong Piewpan, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 6 in Northern Thailand, visited Tak province on last week.
He inspected border checkpoints in the district, checking their readiness to prevent illegal entry.
Pol Maj Gen Trairong said checkpoints had been set up along roads, waterways and natural foot trails to block all possible channels for illegal border crossings from Myanmar. Border patrols have also been strengthened in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai,Nan Provinces and above all the Golden triangle in Chiang Rai province.
In northeastern Thailand an army patrol arrested 49 illegal Myanmar migrants from Myanmar and their three Myanmar guides early on Tuesday morning near a border village in Kanchanaburi province.
A patrol from the Lat Ya Task Force, guided by information from local informants, found the 25 men and 24 women and their three Myanmar guides hiding near Ban Pratudan, Moo 14 village, in tambon Ban Kao.
Illegal border crossers, both Thai and foreign nationals, have been caught trying to avoid the Covid-19 screening process and 14-day quarantine.
Health experts have expressed concern over the coronavirus variant first identified in India being carried into Thailand unchecked by illegal migrants, saying border security needs to be heightened.
The Governor of Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand has sought stricter rules for tourist tubing on the Pai River, following allegations of tourists sneaking into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police reports and considerable criticism online.
After a resort owner in Pai protested about the existing situation of tubing activities along the Pai River, the Governor became aware of the matter. According to the accusations, wine and beer are discreetly offered to tourists while disguised in plastic water bottles to prevent detection.
After their tubing adventures, these tourists, both men and women, would walk around Pai town in their swimsuits. Men often wear one pair of swim briefs, but most women wear two-piece swimsuits or bikinis.
This behavior was considered derogatory to local culture. Recently, there were instances of tourists slipping into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police investigations and considerable online criticism.
Following the complaint, provincial governor Chuchip Pongchai requested a meeting of the police and allied authorities on July 16 to explore further tourism restrictions.
The province already restricts the selling of alcohol to tourists who go tubing, which involves floating down a river on inner tubes made of rubber tires. Most people observe the guidelines, but others, including some store owners, break them by concealing the alcohol by pouring it in water bottles.
According to TNA, Pai is one of Northern Thailand’s most popular tourist spots, attracting 40,000 visitors each year and strengthening Thailand’s economy.
Tubing in the Pai River has become a favorite activity among foreigners. However, the governor stated that the attitude of some tourists has jeopardised the province’s image.
Tourists Tubing on Pai River
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Police in northern Thailand’s Phayao province have arrested a 40-year-old pregnant mother for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm.
Phayao Police report they were called after a woman and her daughter had been stabbed and beaten by a family member to a house number 206, Soi 7, Village No. 3, Ban San Nong Niao Subdistrict. Tom, Mueang District.
When officers arrived they found Ms. Chayada Chaiyawan, age 45, and her daughter Ms. Patida Chaiyawan, age 19, with injuries to their bodies and heads. Blood was spread all over the bedroom, and they found Mrs. Sakulkarn, aged 40 years, who was a relative living next door, tied up.
The police then transported all of them to Phayao Hospital for treatment. Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice. Both also sustained head injuries, according to Phayao police.
Ms. Chayada told police the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. She was sleeping in the room with her young son, when she heard someone opened the bedroom door. She said at that time it was still dark and all she saw a shadow of a person lifting what she though was a hammer.
She said the got up and fought until she fell after being hit in the head and stabbed with a knife, in fear for her life she screamed for her daughter to come and help. When the daughter entered the room the assailant proceeded to hit her in the head and stabbed her also.
The assailant ran out of the room and was immediately restrained by a neighbour who heard the screaming and ran into the house to help. Mrs. Sakulkarn who was 7 months pregnant was tied up and police and rescue workers were called to the scene. The neighbour told police that all the time they were waiting for the police.
Police said Mrs. Sakulkarn is being held in Hospital and is under psychiatric care. Ms. Chayada and her daughter were treated for their injuries and sent home.
According to Thai Media, Police said charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm will be filed against Mrs. Sakulkarn after she is released from Hospital.
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Five people were killed and two others badly injured when a pickup truck was hit by a north-bound train at an unguarded railway crossing in Phitchit province on Monday evening.
Phitchit police reported the horrific crash occurred around 6 pm at Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Thang of Muang district of Phitchit.
Police said the 201 passenger train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok approached the crossing, which was unguarded and had no safety barriers.
A four-door pickup truck plates drove across the tracks and into the path of oncoming the train which was was unable to stop or slowdown in time to avoid hitting the pickup truck.
The force of the crash drove the pickup about 30 metres down the railway crossing and off to the side. All passengers on the pickup were thrown from the vehicle.
Three women passengers died immediately and two more passengers died later at Phichit Hospital. Two others including the driver of the pickup were seriously injured.
Police investigators said truck driver Pratya Khongthat, 40, was taking relatives, including a 14-yea-old girl, to a funeral at Wat Ratchangkhwan in tambon Pak Thang, approximately one kilometer from the accident scene.
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