Bangkok (VNA) – Several Southeast Asian countries are takingdrastic measures with a view to preventing and controlling the COVID-19pandemic.

The Thai Government on December 29 documented 155 new COVID-19 cases, raisingthe total in the nation to 6,440, including 134 local infections, 11 migrantsand 10 quarantined arrivals.

One day earlier, Thailand announced its first coronavirus death in nearly twomonths, and tightened restrictions on entertainment activities in its capitalin a bid to contain an outbreak that has reached more than half of thecountry's provinces.

Authorities put in place a ban in Bangkok on betting businessesand closure of its bars, nightclubs and music venues until January 4.

Thailand, the first country outside China toreport a coronavirus infection, has recorded just 6,440 cases and 61 COVID-19deaths, having brought earlier outbreaks under control. Its success has beenattributed to tight restrictions on inbound travel and swift testing andcontact-tracing.

Bangkok's tighter measures follow similar regulations in some ofthe 43 provinces with cases since a big outbreak was discovered 11 days agoamong migrant workers at a seafood market in Samut Sakhon, a province near thecapital.

The outbreak could hamper efforts to revive acrucial tourist industry devastated by the pandemic, as authorities ease some restrictions on foreigners and offer incentivesto boost domestic travel.

While in Indonesia, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on December 28 thatinternational visitors will be barred from entering the nation for a two-weekperiod to keep out a new potentially more contagious variant of thecoronavirus.

The regulation, effective in January 8, comes days after Indonesia bannedtravelers from the UK, and tightened rules for those arriving from Europe andAustralia to limit the spread of the new variant.

Indonesia earlier this year banned all foreign tourists from entry but someexemptions have been made for business travelers. The new regulation applies toall foreign visitors, except for high-level government officials or foreignerswith residency permits, she said.

Since the country recorded its first infection 10 months ago, Indonesia hasbecome the nation hardest hit by the pandemic, with over 719,000 COVID-19 casesand 21,400 related deaths.

Meanwhile, the Philippines on December 29 announced it will ban travelers from19 countries and territories until mid-January 2021 as a measure to keep out anew variant of the coronavirus.

The regulation will be effective from midnight of December 29 to January 15,and cover Filipinos and foreigners arriving from the flagged countries.

The country previously imposed and later extended a flight ban from the UKuntil mid-January.

With 471,000 cases and 9,000 fatalities, the Philippines ranks second inSoutheast Asia in the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths./.