9,224 new Covid cases, 88 deathsAn official monitors patients at a field hospital in Klong Toey district of Bangkok on Wednesday. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)Thailand logged 9,224 new Covid-19 cases and 88 new fatalities on Friday, up from 8,968 cases and 64 deaths on the previous day, according to Public Health Ministry data on Saturday morning. On Friday, 8,305 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus disease. Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 1,903,165 Covid-19 cases. The single-day records peaked two months ago, at 23,418 cases on Aug 13 and 312 deaths on Aug 18.

'Loan sharks' had seized 163 vehiclesPHITSANULOK: Police have arrested four men on suspicion of charging exorbitant interest on loans and impounded 163 vehicles they are said to have kept as collateral. One of the vehicles had been reported stolen in Malaysia. Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said the suspected loan shark illegally charged 10% monthly interest and kept the vehicles as collateral. The lender forced debtors to sign ownership transfer agreements, with the group having run the scam, with a turnover that had hit nearly 50 million baht, since early last year, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said. The 163 impounded vehicles included a car reportedly stolen in Malaysia, two vehicles with fake licence plates and two with forged ownership documents, he said.

US authorizes Pfizer Covid vaccine for children 5-11Aiden Arthurs receives the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine from Pharmacist Andrew Mac (R) at the Jewish Federation/JARC's offices in Bloomfield Hills, MichiganWASHINGTON - The United States on Friday authorized the Pfizer Covid vaccine for children aged five-to-11, paving the way for 28 million young Americans to soon get immunized. The United States follows only a handful of other countries including China, Chile, Cuba and the United Arab Emirates that are inoculating younger children with various vaccines. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced this week the US government had bought 50 million more doses as it works to protect children, including eventually those under five. According to the CDC, there have been 8,300 Covid hospitalizations of children aged five-to-11 since the start of the pandemic, and 146 deaths. The United States is emerging from its latest coronavirus wave, driven by the Delta-variant.

Govt bans rallies ahead of kingdom's reopeningA protester flashes a three finger salute during a memorial for Warit Somnoi, a protester who has died two months after being shot during an anti-government rally, outside Din Daeng police station on Friday. The government issued an order banning rallies and activities from Monday. (AFP photo)The government has issued a fresh order banning rallies and activities deemed at risk of spreading Covid-19 across the country ahead of the kingdom's upcoming reopening to international travellers. The new order replaces the Sept 30 announcement on the ban on mass gatherings and activities deemed at risk of spreading the virus. Under the new order, rallies and risky activities, especially in the 17 provinces designated for tourism reopening, are prohibited unless permitted by the authorities concerned.

Protesters gather to mourn teen who died after two months in coma following unsolved shootingPolice try to take a megaphone and candles from protesters at a memorial for a 15-year-old protester who died on Thursday, two months after being shot, outside the Din Daeng police station in Bangkok. (AFP Photo)Police pushed back pro-democracy supporters who had gathered at the Din Daeng police station in Bangkok on Friday to hold a candlelit vigil for a young protester who died a day earlier. Around 50 police holding riot shields cleared out about 100 protesters who had gathered at the station, where activists had gathered to lay flowers and candles on Friday. The Din Daeng intersection has become a flashpoint between protesters and security forces. Clashes have often resulted in violence, with protesters throwing rocks, and police using water cannons and firing rubber bullets.

Merck will share formula for its Covid pill with poor countriesAn undated photo provided by Merck shows Merck's experimental oral Covid-19 antiviral drug, molnupiravir. Merck has promised assistance with technology transfer to any generic licensee that requires help to make the drug. Charles Gore, director of the Medicines Patent Pool, said the new agreement with Merck is the first transparent public health license for a COVID-19 medicine. Molnupiravir was developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics of Miami, based on a molecule first studied at Emory University in Atlanta. Merck has submitted its clinical trial data to the Food and Drug Administration seeking emergency-use authorisation; a decision could come in early December.

FDA to hear proposals to vaccinate younger kidsOpas: Wants more testingMoves are afoot to seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to administer Covid-19 vaccines to younger children, officials said on Thursday. China's Sinopharm has been tested on sample groups of children and the manufacturer is concluding its study before meeting the FDA soon. Meanwhile, Sinovac has already been used to vaccinate children in a number of countries. As the kingdom has sufficient stocks of all three vaccines, if the FDA approves their use for younger demographics, vaccination drives could begin immediately, officials said. Thailand has also asked Pfizer to secure a new generation of their vaccine for children to safely use.

The FPO estimated an economic contraction of 3.5% in the third quarter this year, due to the resurgence of infections. It projected economic expansion of 3% in the fourth quarter this year after the country's reopening. The FPO predicted the expansion of private consumption at 0.8% this year and the growth of private investment at 4%. Next year, the government will disburse the remaining loan of 350 billion baht out of the total loan of 500 billion baht under the second emergency loan decree. Kasikorn Research Center (KResearch) on Wednesday said it had upgraded its 2021 economic growth projection for Thailand to an expansion of 0.2% from the previously forecast 0.5% contraction, and with the projection of next year's growth at 3.7%.

Govt urged to include IndiansTourists pose for pictures at Phra Tamnak Hill in Pattaya, a prime spot for enjoying panoramic views of Pattaya City and Pattaya Bay, on Jan 31, 2019. Under this plan, fully vaccinated visitors from these countries will not have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. "Indians of the Bharatas are one of the top five spenders who contribute to Thailand tourism and the world," Mr Sehgal said. "The average spending for the marriage party among Indian hosts is millions of baht per person," Mr Sehgal said. "If they do not adjust the measure, Indians will change their marriage destination," Mr Sehgal said.

Rules for travellers clarifiedA worker cleans a walkway at Patong Beach on Phuket island on Thursday. (AFP photo)The Department of Consular Affairs and the Tourism Authority of Thailand have clarified rules governing international arrivals when the country opens on Monday. The second group is fully vaccinated visitors from countries not on the list of 46. The total is 21 days, then they can fly to Thailand, Mr Naruechai said. If the result is positive, they will be sent to a hospital or a quarantine hotel, Mr Naurechai said.

Officials at Suvarnabhumi airport conduct an exercise on the Thailand Pass process on Wednesday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The government will launch the "Thailand Pass" system to fast-track procedures for foreign visitors when the country reopens on Monday. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Thailand is ready to reopen with the Thailand Pass system set to replace certificates of entry (CoE) and reduce unnecessary paperwork. Foreign tourists and Thais who wish to enter Thailand can register for Thailand Pass online at tp.consular.go.th from Monday. Once they have received approval, travellers can download the Thailand Pass QR code to show to airline and screening officers.

PM gets booster shot ahead of tripPrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday received the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine as his booster shot before attending the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, public health secretary-general, administered the shot at Government House before Gen Prayut took part in the 13th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit. He received doses of AstraZeneca on March 16 and May 24. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the PM was among the first in Thailand to receive two doses of AstraZeneca and a booster shot of Pfizer, an mRNA vaccine. Mr Anutin received the Sinovac vaccine on March 1, becoming the first person in the country to do so.

Boy shot outside police station diesA 15-year-old boy who was seriously wounded by a bullet in chaotic scenes in front of Din Daeng police station in August died yesterday morning, according to Amnesty International Thailand. He was shot in the neck with a bullet lodged in the upper part of his spine. Piyanut Kotsan, director of Amnesty International Thailand, yesterday expressed condolences to the boy's family and called on authorities to speed up the investigation into the shooting. The boy was the first protester shot when anti-government demonstrators confronted police in Din Daeng on that August night. Meanwhile, police said yesterday that 15 people have been summoned to answer charges related to violent protests taking place in the Din Daeng area.

The future of Palang Pracharath secretary-general Capt Thamanat Prompow is the main agenda in a key party meeting on Thursday. Asked if there was any connection between the party's overhaul and its secretary-general Capt Thamanat Prompow, Mr Chaiwut admitted there was a problem with Capt Thamanat. PPRP deputy leader Wirach Ratanasate also denied a report that nine PPRP executive committee members had tendered their resignations. Mr Wirach said Deputy Prime Minister and PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon had not sent any signal regarding the replacement of the party's secretary-general. On Tuesday, Capt Thamanat met for talks with Gen Prawit at the Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation, party sources said.

Covid fears mount as Bangkok eyes touristsA worker cleans Don Mueang, one of the airports to reopen for fully vaccinated travellers on Monday. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)About 300,000 foreign tourists are expected to visit Bangkok in each of the next two months after the capital reopens, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Bangkok governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang chaired a meeting via teleconference of a committee steering the plan to reopen Bangkok to fully vaccinated tourists. Practice run: Airport staff yesterday took part in a drill to practise screening arrivals at Suvarnabhumi airport in preparation for the country’s reopening to foreign visitors on Nov 1. High on the agenda will be the reopening plan and moves to revise the colour-coding system used to identify the severity outbreak in, a source said.