Thailand to declare state of emergency on March 26
Thailand will declare a state of emergency and introduce new countermeasures against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on March 26, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on March 24.
A restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, was closed on March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand will declare a state ofemergency and introduce new countermeasures against the novel coronavirusdisease (COVID-19) on March 26, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on March24.
In his live televised announcement, the leadersaid the enactment of the 2005 Royal Decree of Emergency Situations isnecessary to stem the pandemic which claimed four lives in Thailand as of thelatest count.
Under the decree, the Prime Minister will havethe sole authority in implementing policies designed to combat the pandemicthrough the Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation, Prayut said.
The centre will meet daily at 9:30am to monitorthe epidemic and take necessary actions.
He said specific measures concerning the publicwill be detailed at a later date, though the emergency decree empowersauthorities to impose curfews, ban travels, and close down buildings withoutwarrants.
Security officers will also have the power tocensor and shut down media if deemed necessary.
The emergency situation will be in place throughApril 30, according to the Prime Minister.
Besides, Thailand's cabinet on March 24 approvedadditional stimulus package worth 107 billion THB (3.25 billion USD) in a bidto ease the blow of the coronavirus outbreak.
On the same day, the Southeast Asian countryreported another 106 confirmed cases with three new deaths, bringing the totalinfections in the nation to 827.
A total of 57 coronavirus patients in Thailandhave fully recovered while 766 cases have remained in hospitals fortreatment./.
Bangkok's Governor Asawin Kwanmuang on March 21 announced a 22-day closure of shopping malls, markets and beauty salons in the capital city of Thailand from March 22 to April 12 amid the worsening COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has further cut its basic interest rate by 25 percentage point to the record low of 0.75 percent in an effort to buffer impact on the economy.
The Director-General of the Department of Disease Control of Thailand has informed regional administrations to plan for further outbreaks of COVID-19 as more people than expected have been traveling to their hometowns under the “Work from Home” policy.
Thai Royal Police on March 24 announced temporary closure of borders with Myanmar and Malaysia adjacent to Thailand's deep southern provinces to contain the COVID-19 epidemic.
The firefighters found an active blaze at the lorry depot located in the city of Pasir Gudang near the state capital of Johor Bahru, with flames spreading quickly due to strong winds and igniting a neighboring disused oil storage area.
Investigators believe the operation is part of a broader scam network involving romance scams, where victims are lured into fake relationships and persuaded to transfer money.
Ambassadors, Consuls General, along with staff and their families, joined traditional sports and cultural activities of Southeast Asia and performances bearing regional identity, thus contributing to strengthening unity and the ASEAN community spirit in New York.
In his post on social media the same day, Hun Manet said energy companies would be able to import sufficiently from other sources to meet domestic fuel and gas demands in the country.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
A restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, was closed on March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
