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Thailand Moves a Step Closer to Welcoming Back Foreign Tourists
Thailand will start issuing special visas to foreign tourists starting October, easing a more than five-month-old ban on visitors to revive the nation’s ailing tourism-reliant economy. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha’s cabinet approved a proposal to issue visas to tourists planning to stay between 90 and 280 days in Thailand, according to government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul. The tourists will undergo a mandatory 14-day state quarantine on arrival at partner hotels or hospitals and follow health and safety regulations, she said. The government expects about 1,200 visitors to avail themselves of these visas each month, generating about 1.2 billion baht ($38.5 million) in revenue. The easing of border restrictions may boost the nation’s pandemic-battered tourism industry and cushion the blow to an economy projected to contract 8.5% this year. The news of cabinet approval for special visas triggered a rally among hotel and travel operators in Bangkok. A measure of Thai tourism and leisure stocks jumped 4.5%, the biggest gainer among the Stock Exchange of Thailand’s 28 industry groups. It was also the index’s largest increase since May 26. While Hotel operators Erawan Group Pcl and Central Plaza Hotel Pcl surged more than 8%, Minor International Pcl advanced 5.5%. Thailand’s tourism and hospitality sectors are counting on the return of international visitors, who contributed to two-thirds of tourism income before the pandemic, to reverse the slump in businesses and save millions of jobs. A government campaign to boost travel by locals through hotel and air travel concessions has failed to make up for the slump in earnings, but the move to allow foreigners in small batches will still be a relief to the industry. “There will not be a huge economic impact from this as it still can’t compensate for the revenue lost, but it will help,” Somprawin Manprasert, chief economist at Bank of Ayudhya Pcl said. “This plan still targets a higher-spending group of foreign visitors which will not benefit tourism industry operators that have lower to mid-price points, who will still suffer.” The move to relax curbs on foreign tourists also follows Thailand’s relative success in containing the coronavirus outbreak. The nation went without a local transmission for 100 days before the virus-free run was ended early this month. Though Thailand was the first country outside China to report the deadly virus, its cumulative cases stand at 3,480 with most patients already discharged from hospitals. The reopening to foreign tourists may be risky, but it is a manageable risk worth taking, Bank of Thailand’s Senior Director Don Nakornthab wrote in an article on the central bank’s website. The country may be headed for a second straight year of contraction in 2021 if it continued to restrict foreign visitor arrivals, Don wrote......»»
Philippines logs 40 pertussis deaths this year
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Forty children have died of whopping cough, a respiratory infection also called pertussis, since this year, the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) has reported. The DOH said in a statement on Wednesday that cases have continued to increase since the start of this year, recording 568 cases from Jan. 1 to March 16. "The total number of cases for the same period in 2023 was.....»»
DOH: Pertussis cases 20 times higher since January
The number of pertussis cases nationwide has increased 20-fold this year from 2023, according to the Department of Hea.....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
PMI, ARQ, ZIP Sanman boxers feted in first Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Central Visayas was well-represented during the inaugural Elorde-Pacquiao Boxing Awards at Okada Manila last Sunday, March 24th. This was after 13 of Central Visayas’ best boxers from Cebu and Bohol were feted for their achievements in 2023. They were headed by none other than former World Boxing Organization (WBO) world minimumweight.....»»
50,000 cops nationwide, including 2,100 from Central Visayas, promoted to higher positions
50,000 cops nationwide, including 2,100 from Central Visayas, promoted to higher positions.....»»
One more city in Philippines declares pertussis outbreak
MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The government of Iloilo, a city in central Philippines, on Monday declared an outbreak of pertussis after it confirmed seven out of 15 reported cases, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Iloilo is the third city to declare an outbreak of pertussis, or whopping cough, after Quezon and Pasig, two cities in the capital region, announced last week that they hav.....»»
LTO-7 on high alert for Holy Week
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) is on high alert starting March 24 to 31, for the Holy Week. The LTO-7 announced their “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2024” in a press release last Friday. Director Glen Galario has instructed all LTO-7 district and extension offices.....»»
PSA-7: Report to us if PhilSys ID not accepted
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Statistics Authority in Central Visayas (PSA-7) urged Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) ID holders to report to the agency if some entities do not accept their IDs. PSA-7 chief administrative officer of Edwina Carriaga told CDN Digital in a phone interview that the agency is urging PhilSys ID (National ID).....»»
Bill seeks review of rules on reckless imprudence
The country’s road safety laws must be reviewed to address the liability of drivers in cases of traffic violations and accidents, a lawmaker from Bukidnon said yesterday, citing the high number of vehicular crashes in Metro Manila......»»
PRO-7 warns against use of marijuana-flavored vapes
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has issued a stern warning against the use and proliferation of marijuana-flavored vape products. Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, the PRO-7 spokesperson, said that they will arrest individuals who sell vapes mixed with marijuana oil. The sale and use of marijuana remains.....»»
Region 1 records 40% rise in measles cases, 1 confirmed pertussis case
Region 1 records 40% rise in measles cases, 1 confirmed pertussis case.....»»
OFW aspirants told: Engage with licensed recruitment agencies only
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The regional director of the Department of Migrant Workers in Central Visayas (DMW-7) warned aspiring Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to engage with only legitimate and licensed recruitment agencies. Lawyer Karl Arriola, DMW-7 director, told CDN Digital that even if he was a lawyer, he still subscribed to the doctors’ advice: Prevention.....»»
PDEA-7: No marijuana-flavored vapes in Central Visayas
CEBU CITY, Philippines – No marijuana-flavored vapes have been monitored so far in Central Visayas, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the region, said. This was according to Intelligence Agent IlI Jonar V. Cuayzon, chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Section of PDEA Regional Office 7. Cuayzon, however, said that they are not discounting the.....»»
One Central Eagles Regional chess tilt set
CEBU CITY, Philippines — On a very rare occasion, three institutions in Cebu have joined hands to organize one of the biggest chess tournaments happening this year. Dubbed the “One Central Eagles Region Annual Chess Tournament” this will happen on March 2 at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu. The tournament is organized by the Fraternal Order.....»»
4 large-scale dealers busted in separate Central Mindanao PDEA operations
Anti-narcotics operatives arrested three drug den operators and a dealer implicated in more than a dozen criminal cases in separate operations in Cotabato City and in Surallah, South Cotabato on Monday......»»
PRO-7: Rules on anti-terror law to boost efforts against terrorism in CV
CEBU CITY, Philippines — An official of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) said that they were preparing to make the necessary adjustments in line with the newly-implemented rules on anti-terrorism cases. On January 15, 2024, the “Rules on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 and Related Laws” officially took effect. This.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 1
TOKYO -- Multiple cases of damage and injuries have been reported after strong earthquakes rocked Japan's western coast on Monday amidst the country's New Year celebrations, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in several prefectures. The series of strong earthquakes with major ones of up to a preliminary 7.6 magnitude have been hitting a wide area on the Sea of Japan coast in central Japan since Mo.....»»
Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Jan. 1
TOKYO -- Multiple cases of damage and injuries have been reported after strong earthquakes rocked Japan's western coast on Monday amidst the country's New Year celebrations, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in several prefectures. The series of strong earthquakes with major ones of up to a preliminary 7.6 magnitude have been hitting a wide area on the Sea of Japan coast in central Japan since Mo.....»»
DOH-7 hopes for lower cases of firecracker-related injuries
CEBU CITY, Philippines- The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) has recorded 14 firecracker-related injuries from December 21 to December 27, 2023. According to the data issued by DOH-7, eight cases were reported in Bohol Province, three in Cebu Province, two in Cebu City, and one in Mandaue City. Dr. Eugenia Mercedes Cañal, the.....»»