Covid and lockdowns surge in SE Asia

Malaysia Reports Record Daily Coronavirus Cases Amid Lockdown | Bloomberg - Yantoultra Ngui:
July 9, 2021 - "Malaysia on Friday reported the biggest single-day increase in new coronavirus cases since the outbreak began, even as authorities impose tighter movement restrictions in several areas to curb infections. The Southeast Asian nation added a record 9,180 Covid-19 cases, as well as 77 deaths... [On August 3 it added 17,105 cases - gd.] Although an accelerated vaccine roll-out has allowed the government to ease virus curbs in six states, providing some breathing space to the economy, much of the country remains under lockdown since June 1."
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-09/malaysia-reports-record-daily-coronavirus-cases-amid-lockdown

Philippines to Reimpose Lockdown in Capital; Stocks Plunge | Bloomberg - Andreo Calonzo & Ditas B. Lopez:
July 29, 2021 - "The Philippines will place its capital region under a strict lockdown from Aug. 6 to Aug. 20 and implement additional movement restrictions in the interim to stem the spread of the coronavirus’ delta variant.... The Manila capital region, which accounts for about a third of the economy, will shift to the strictest restriction called enhanced community quarantine.... Most businesses will be shut, and only essential shops like supermarkets and pharmacies can fully operate while restaurants will only be open for take out and deliveries.... Only authorized persons will be allowed to go in and out of the capital region and surrounding provinces. Personal care services like beauty salons will be allowed at 30% capacity. Religious events aren’t allowed, except those held virtually."
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-30/philippines-reimposes-lockdown-in-capital-for-2-wks-from-aug-6

Cambodia to impose COVID-19 lockdowns in areas bordering Thailand | Reuters - Prak Chan Thul:
July 29, 2021 - "Cambodia is set to launch a lockdown in eight provinces bordering Thailand from midnight on Thursday, in a bid to prevent the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country. Prime Minister Hun Sen signed an order late on Wednesday for the lockdown, which bans people from leaving their homes, gathering in groups and conducting business, except for those involved in operating airlines. Border checkpoints with Thailand will also be closed except to allow for the transport of goods and in emergencies, Hun Sen said, adding the lockdown was due to run until Aug. 12."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/cambodia-impose-covid-19-lockdowns-areas-bordering-thailand-2021-07-29/

Vietnam to extend lockdown throughout southern region as COVID cases soar | Reuters:
July 31, 2021 - "Vietnam will from Monday extend strict curbs on movement in its business hub Ho Chi Minh City and another 18 cities and provinces throughout its south for another two weeks to help combat its worst COVID-19 outbreak, the government said.... The Southeast Asian country reported 8,624 new infections late on Saturday, with most of the confirmed cases detected in the south, especially Ho Chi Minh City where social distancing measures have been enforced since May 31.... The central coastal city of Danang also imposed movement curbs from Saturday until further notice. In the capital Hanoi, in the north, where a lockdown order will expire next weekend, authorities were considering extending restrictions."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/vietnam-extend-lockdown-throughout-southern-region-covid-cases-soar-2021-07-31/

Thailand extends pandemic measures, expands lockdown areas | Reuters - Orathai Sriring & Panarat Thepgumpanat: 
August 1, 2021 - "Thailand on Sunday extended tighter containment measures in the capital and high-risk provinces probably until the end of August in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19 as the country deals with its biggest outbreak to date.... The restrictions, including travel curbs, mall closures and curfews, will be expanded to 29 provinces classified as 'dark red zone' from 13, Apisamai Srirangsan, spokeswoman for the government's COVID-19 task force, told a televised news briefing. The measures will start on Tuesday for 14 days and will be reviewed on Aug. 18, she said. 'If the situation does not improve and is still worrying, the curbs will be extended to Aug. 31,' she added.... Restaurants in shopping malls will be allowed to open only for deliveries, while construction camps can also resume under 'bubble and seal' measures.... The curbs [have] hit economic activity, and the finance ministry on Thursday slashed its 2021 economic growth forecast to 1.3% from 2.3% seen earlier."
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/thailand-extends-stricter-covid-19-measures-until-end-august-2021-08-01/

Indonesia extends lockdown after Covid-19 cases decrease | Straits Times - Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja:
August 2, 2021 - "Indonesia has extended its partial lockdown for a week, after the month-long restrictions successfully lowered the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Java and Bali.... The ongoing lockdown that began on July 3 covers parts of Java and Bali, and 15 other cities and regencies in places such as Sumatra and Sulawesi. It has led to the suspension of most activities and closure of non-essential public places, including malls, places of worship and parks. Java and Bali now report less than half the number of daily confirmed cases reported in mid-July, health minister Budi Sadikin said in an earlier media briefing on Monday. Mr. Budi conceded however that other regions have begun to see surging infections, but noted that these areas were less densely populated compared with Java and Bali, and similar control measures could be applied there."
Read more: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-extends-lockdown-after-covid-19-cases-decrease

COVID-19 lockdown in Laos extended till Aug. 18 | Xinhua:
August 3, 2021 - "The Lao government has decided to extend the current nationwide lockdown to Aug. 18 as ... COVID-19 cases continued to rise. Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Office, Thipphakone Chanthavongsa, told a press conference in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday that the lockdown will be extended as the COVID-19 situation in Laos is not yet fully under control and the situation in neighboring countries remained risky. The current nationwide lockdown, imposed on July 19, was set to expire on Tuesday."
Read more: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/asiapacific/2021-08/03/c_1310104966.htm

Thai navy dismantles world's first seastead

Bitcoin Couple's Seastead Dreams Sunk by Thai Navy - Wes Messamore, CCN:

April 23, 2019 - "By CCN: The Thai Navy has dismantled the floating sea cabin of U.S. bitcoin investor and seasteading advocate Chad Elwartowski. His Thai girlfriend Supranee Thepdet was living with him in the seastead. The Thai Navy boarded the boat over the weekend and returned its pieces to shore in three boats. The Thai government plans to use the dismantled floating home as evidence in a case against Elwartowsi and Thepdet.

"The two are on the run and have engaged the U.S. embassy. The couple says that the Royal Thai Government is pressing to have them tried and killed for violating the Southeast Asian country’s national sovereignty. It’s a crime that carries the death penalty in Thailand. Luckily, when the authorities moved to seize the vessel, the two had fled; Elwartowski had spotted a surveillance plane flying overhead the day before.

"Although the government of Thailand maintains the seasteaders violated its national sovereignty, the couple most certainly did not. They did not engage in sedition against the government. They did not attempt to overthrow it, nor did they encourage anyone to break its laws. They simply chose to peacefully withdraw from its territory. In the style of history’s millions of homesteaders who left their countries and built something for themselves in unexplored and unsettled lands, this couple is a pair of explorers and pioneers. They are obviously not criminals.

"In a statement released Monday, Patri Friedman, the chairman of the Seasteading Institute, 'urged compassion' for the pair. Friedman insists 'their actions were no threat to Thai sovereignty.'

"The Thai government’s response to the seasteading couple has sent shock waves throughout the international community and media. These events have likely spurred the most mainstream media coverage that the burgeoning seasteading movement has ever received. It is unfortunate that this publicity has come at so great and unfair a personal cost to two of the movement’s pioneers."

Read more: https://www.ccn.com/bitcoin-couple-seastead-thai-navy
'via Blog this'

Thai seasteaders charged with capital crime

Bitcoin couple fears death penalty for ‘seasteading’ off Thailand - National | Globalnews.ca - Josh K. Elliott:

April 18, 2019 - "An American investor and his girlfriend have gone into hiding after Thailand declared their floating ocean home in violation of its sovereign territory — a crime punishable by death or life in prison.

"Bitcoin entrepreneurs Chad Elwartowski and Nadia Supranee Thepdet say they’ve fled the floating concrete home where they’d been living as part of a libertarian-inspired movement known as 'seasteading.' 'We lived on a floating houseboat for a few weeks, and now Thailand wants us killed,' Elwartowski wrote in a Facebook post on April 15. He deleted the post and a followup post on Thursday morning.

"Thailand’s government says the two seasteaders were living as a micro-nation inside its sovereign territory in violation of the country’s criminal code. Thai officials are also concerned the seastead might obstruct international shipping lanes and put cargo ships at risk.

"The Third Thai Naval Area Command has filed a police complaint against the couple, the Bangkok Post reports. The Navy says the ocean home is 12 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket and therefore still within Thai territory.

"Elwartowski argues the home is more than 13 nautical miles offshore and therefore in international waters.... He says he’s gone into hiding with Thepdet and that they now fear for their lives. They’re also worried about losing all of their possessions if the Thai navy decides to destroy the tiny structure.

"Thailand has not publicly threatened to execute the couple.

"Seasteaders seek to live free of government interference on international waters, according to Ocean Builders, the company that built Elwartowski’s home.... Ocean Builders says it designed and paid for the seastead and it’s concerned for the safety of the building’s first occupants....

"Ocean Builders had planned to start collecting money for 20 new seasteads on April 15, according to its website. However, the company has postponed the collection process until it gets 'everything straightened out' with the Thai government."

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/5180644/seasteading-thailand-american-death-penalty/
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World's 1st seastead home launched in Thailand

Couple Uses Bitcoin Wealth to Build World's First "Seastead" | NewsBTC - Rick D.:

March 1, 2019 - "An early Bitcoin investor and self-confessed libertarian has built the first 'seastead' with his BTC profits. For those who do not know, a seastead is a floating home designed to stay in international waters, thus allowing its inhabitants to live outside of the laws of any nation....

"Chad Elwartowski and Nadia Summergirl have become the first two reported individuals to permanently cast of the shackles of land and the laws enforced on it in favour of a life on the open sea. The pair have built the first seastead with help from Ocean Builders, a start-up dedicated to helping individuals move their lives to the ocean.

"The couple have financed the building of their floating home using money made from early Bitcoin investments. The structure cost them around $150,000, ... $30,000 more than they originally budgeted for. It measures six metres square and is octagonal in shape. The pair’s new home is spread across two floors.

"According to a report in Reason, Elwartowski had previously explored other avenues to satisfy his cravings for a truly free life. These included ​'Free State Project, Libertarian Party elections, and the Ron Paul campaign'....

"Summergirl is equally passionate about the idea. She says she was sick of hearing people talking about the concept of building floating communities whilst no one was actually going through with it. The Thai-born woman was also happy that the first project of its kind was happening close to where she grew up....

"Elwartowski and Summergirl’s new home has been out at sea since early February. The pair say they are continuing to commute back and forth to land for now though. They still have various commitments that need tying up before they hit the open waves for good. A recently purchased commuter boat should help them speed up their permanent relocation, however.

"Elwartowski states that the couple has made no effort to seek approval from the Thai government for their new home. He commented:

“'We have been keeping under the radar so far, but we follow all the laws of Thailand so it’s as if we’re just living on a boat in the water as far as they’re concerned.... All we expect from the Thai government is that they follow international law. We will be doing the same. But Nadia and I aren’t doing anything we can’t do on land.'”

Read more: https://www.newsbtc.com/2019/03/01/bitcoin-seastead/
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Thais vote for legal medical cannabis & kratom

Thailand legislature legalises medical cannabis and kratom - Al Jazeera:

December 25, 2018 - "Thailand's legislature has agreed to amend the country's drug law to allow the licensed medical use of cannabis, as well as kratom, a locally grown plant traditionally used as a stimulant and painkiller. The Thai legislation on Tuesday passed its final reading at the National Legislative Assembly by a vote of 166-0 with 13 abstentions....

"The changes, which become law when published in the Royal Gazette, legalise the production, import, export, possession and use of cannabis and kratom products for medical purposes.

"Purveyors, producers and researchers will need licenses to handle the drugs, while end-users will need prescriptions.

"Thailand is the first country to take such action in Southeast Asia, a region with some of the world’s strictest drug laws. The move is under consideration in neighbouring Malaysia, while New Zealand's government earlier this month enacted a law liberalising the medical use of cannabis, which had previously been tightly restricted.

"Recreational use of the drugs remains illegal in Thailand and subject to prison terms and fines....

"While countries from Colombia to Canada have legalised cannabis for medical or even recreational use, the drug remains illegal and taboo across much of Southeast Asia, which has some of the world’s harshest punishments for drug law violations. Cannabis traffickers can be subject to the death penalty in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

"Some said they hoped Tuesday's approval would pave the way for legalisation for recreational use.

"'This is the first baby step forward,' said Chokwan Chopaka, an activist with Highland Network, a cannabis legalization advocacy group in Thailand."

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/thailand-legislature-legalises-medical-cannabis-kratom-181226010249208.html