Bangkok, 7 January 2022 (TDI): The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) program aim to provide support to the Thailand government to combat the spike in COVID-19 cases due to the new omicron variant.
Earlier this week the government’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) suspended the travel and go initiative in order to curb rising cases. Thailand reported 2,063 cases on the 4th of January up from 63 on the 20th of December.
The CARES program provides monetary assistance worth 1.5 billion to the government’s COVID-19 responses, including cash payments to individuals exposed to the virus.
The program also includes high-level policy dialogue between the Asian development bank and the Thai government on the health, social, and economic impacts of the pandemic. These dialogues were held in December and August 2021.
These talks brought to light the ongoing fiscal and policy measures by the government to control and prevent more infections along with how the pandemic had affected poor and vulnerable groups.
The CARES program is part of the government’s emergency decree worth 30.4 billion USD. This allows the Finance Minister to raise loans to support the economic and social recovery of the country from the impacts of COVID-19.
ADB is working with the Thai government to disseminate their experiences regarding the COVID-19 pandemic to other countries. Through the use of channels such as Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT–GT) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Additionally, the ADB is also working with the government so as to develop knowledge around social and economic issues as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Thailand’s Test & Go Scheme
Thailand’s Test & Go scheme allowed fully vaccinated international travelers to quarantine for a single night before being allowed to freely move within the country. This scheme was implemented in November last year and was suspended earlier this week.
