Novice monks wearing face shields and protective face masks attend a lesson at Wat Molilokayaram monastic educational institute in Bangkok on April 22. (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA)- Thailand reported 13 new COVID-19 patients and one more death on April 23,raising the total cases to 2,839 and death toll to 50.
It is the lowest number of new infection by day since March 14.
It is a small success, but it is not over yet because the crisis is worldwideand will continue, spokesman of the Thai Government’s Centre for COVID-19Situation Administation Taweesilp Visanuyothin said.
Thailand is under an emergency decree from March 26 until the end of April todeal with the COVID-19 outbreak. The decree includes a ban of mass gatheringsand a nationwide curfew from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am.
The country has also added Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Myanmar tothe list of countries and territories considered to have high risk for COVID-19infection published on the Royal Gazette website.
Meanwhile, theIndonesian capital of Jakarta has decided to extend the partial lockdown in thecity as the COVID-19 continues spreading.
Jakarta's Governor Anies Baswedan announced that the partial lockdown, whichwas planned to end on April 23, will be extended to May 22.
The partial lockdown was imposed on Jakarta on April 10.
On the implementation of the restrictions, the governor said that there hadbeen many violations including gatherings and operations of firms with staffworking in offices.
He called on people in the capital city to obey the restriction rules. /.
The Thai cabinet on April 21 approved to transfer 10 percent of the fiscal 2020 budgets of each ministry to be allocated to a central fund to fight the pandemic and rehabilitate the economy.
The Thai government’s COVID-19 center has asked the public to continue working from home and refrain from travelling despite a decline in newly reported cases each day, in order to prevent a second wave of infections, and aimed at easing lockdown measures in some cases.
Changes in the Indonesia Crude Price (ICP) will have an impact on the State budget deficit of the country in 2020, according to the Indonesian Ministry of Finance.
Indonesian Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita has said the ministry had coordinated with four major local producers to develop ventilators to meet skyrocketing demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Novice monks wearing face shields and protective face masks attend a lesson at Wat Molilokayaram monastic educational institute in Bangkok on April 22. (Photo: Reuters) 
