Thai govt to launch Covid-19 contact-tracing app

[webfact]

Thai govt to launch Covid-19 contact-tracing app

By The Nation

 

Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)

 

The government will soon launch a Covid-19 contact-tracing app as part of its latest efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, and the government will regularly organise virus testing for six risk groups, Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said on Sunday (May 10).

 

China, South Korea and other countries have introduced contact-tracing applications as part of their efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

 

China was very successful because the government launched an app that could trace those who had contact with a person carrying the coronavirus, he said.

 

The Thai government will soon launch one application. More details will be given out during Monday’s report of the Covid-19 situation, he said.

 

“We intend to monitor those who have had contact with the virus and aim to bring only such patients for treatment, “ he said. He was responding to concerns over privacy. He urged people to download the app which is expected to be announced later on Sunday.

 

The new approach to deal with the virus has currently shifted from location targeting to testing of high-risk groups, he said. The regular test will target six at-risk groups -- medical personnel, newly suspected persons or those in state quarantine, car drivers in public transport, parcel deliverers, immigrant workers and those working in pubs, bars or other entertainment venues.

 

Thailand will shift from targeting the virus in the provinces to targeting high-risk groups, he added.

 

There were five new cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 3,009 -- 159 remain under treatment in hospitals, fatalities remain at 56 and the rest have recovered. Thailand has maintained new cases in single digits for several days.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30387615

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-11

 

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[mbenson]

I'm glad they will be organizing regularly. What they need is to test regularly, I guess. 

 

These test sound mandatory. On whose dime will they be?

[tiocfaidh]

We don't trust the British government to not take all the data and use it against us so would you trust the Thai government???

[mr mr]

anyone else absolutely love this idea ? 

[Curt1591]

Thailand's cheaper version of the "chip" ?

[cornishcarlos]

I was wondering when the App would appear in Thailand... Lots of other countries taking the opportunity to check who's hanging out together as well..

Surprised there was never a "who's had hayfever" app or "have you cut your finger" app !! 

[mrfill]

Easy now to 'contact' those customers who use the facilities provided by 'other entertainment venues'.

Kerrrching!

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, tiocfaidh said:

We don't trust the British government to not take all the data and use it against us so would you trust the Thai government???

UK can get whatever they want already through 5 eyes and GCHQ etc..having an app on your phone that is actually beneficial to not only yourself but the whole country seems a good idea, it's worked in Australia. I take it you don't have Facebook, Line, WhatsApp, any shopping apps or even a mobile or land line or email address if you are that worried about MI5 spying on you...

[cornishcarlos]

20 minutes ago, baansgr said:

it's worked in Australia.

 

Has it ?? 

 

"More than four million Australians have downloaded the government's CovidSafe tracing App, but officials insist many more need to sign on to make it effective."

 

Not yet...

Edited May 11, 2020 by cornishcarlos

[KC 71]

28 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Easy now to 'contact' those customers who use the facilities provided by 'other entertainment venues'.

Kerrrching!

Ii doubt that will be many entertainment venues left at this rate.

[OneMoreFarang]

I think such an app is a good idea. 

Something has to be done to prevent the spread of the virus. The question is what.

Should lots of places continue to be closed? Should the curfew continue? Or what is the best way forward from here?

Such app could be a tremendous help to track people's location. And if a confirmed Covid case was at the same location at the same time then details can be, and probably should be, checked.

Can such an app be misused? Sure.

But please look at all the other apps which you have now on your phone, and which came preinstalled on your phone.

As far I know every Android phone come preinstalled with this little app and you can check for every minute of the last years where you have been. Try it!

https://www.google.com/maps/timeline

And then think about if you trust Google to keep that data secret...

 

And for those who think: You can switch that off.

Are you sure? What are you actually switching off? The GPS sensor? Or are you just not able to see your location information anymore? And does that mean if you don't see it Google can't see it? Think again.

[cornishcarlos]

7 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think such an app is a good idea. 

Something has to be done to prevent the spread of the virus. The question is what.

 

If it actually works ?? You would need to make it mandatory, I guess...

Extract from ABC news article in Australia;

 

"But according to Dr Dunn, benefits are likely to be small even if the Government's initial target of 40 per cent uptake in the population is met. The app only records a contact if the other person also has the app.

"If 40 per cent of people download the app, and if we're optimistic, half of those people are using it properly at all times — including having it running and open in the foreground on iPhones — then the likelihood of actually identifying a contact in a random encounter is 4 per cent," he said.

"What that means is that fewer than one in 20 potential contacts would be captured by that app."

But Dr Dunn said if 70 per cent of Australians downloaded the app and used it properly at all times, then up to half of all encounters could be captured by the app."

 

 

[sweatalot]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

he government will soon launch a Covid-19 contact-tracing app as part of its latest efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus

No!             ... as a part to get more control over the people and tighten its grip

[JonnyF]

Another great example of governments using COVID19 as an excuse to roll out measures to track the movements of their citizens.

 

I certainly don't want to be put under house arrest for 2-3 weeks because I happened to walk past someone who later tested positive. So it's a No from me. 

[Emdog]

Have to look for some old school phone that app wouldn't work on....

Will government  make it illegal to leave home without smart phone?

[alyx]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

UK can get whatever they want already through 5 eyes and GCHQ etc..having an app on your phone that is actually beneficial to not only yourself but the whole country seems a good idea, it's worked in Australia. I take it you don't have Facebook, Line, WhatsApp, any shopping apps or even a mobile or land line or email address if you are that worried about MI5 spying on you...

Well, the difference is that one chooses to disclose or not their location and that is restricted also to when one is using these means of communications 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

If it actually works ?? You would need to make it mandatory, I guess...

Extract from ABC news article in Australia;

 

"But according to Dr Dunn, benefits are likely to be small even if the Government's initial target of 40 per cent uptake in the population is met. The app only records a contact if the other person also has the app.

"If 40 per cent of people download the app, and if we're optimistic, half of those people are using it properly at all times — including having it running and open in the foreground on iPhones — then the likelihood of actually identifying a contact in a random encounter is 4 per cent," he said.

"What that means is that fewer than one in 20 potential contacts would be captured by that app."

But Dr Dunn said if 70 per cent of Australians downloaded the app and used it properly at all times, then up to half of all encounters could be captured by the app."

Maybe they should include cute Kitten pictures in the Thai apps. And for the farangs pictures of those girls who like cute kitten pictures. I am sure that will be a huge success. ????

 

 

[bbi1]

3 hours ago, mr mr said:

anyone else absolutely love this idea ? 

Only a total idiot thinks it's a good idea.

[JayBird]

Question 1)  Will this be mandatory to enter places, like malls, 7, etc. Already requested(possibly mandatory) at big c Pattaya.

 

Question 2)  what if you don't have an Android or iPhone?  (Dumb phone. Windows, Symbian).

[redwood1]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Another great example of governments using COVID19 as an excuse to roll out measures to track the movements of their citizens.

 

I certainly don't want to be put under house arrest for 2-3 weeks because I happened to walk past someone who later tested positive. So it's a No from me. 

 

Contract tracing.....

 

 

 

[4MyEgo]

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Has it ?? 

 

"More than four million Australians have downloaded the government's CovidSafe tracing App, but officials insist many more need to sign on to make it effective."

 

Not yet...

Just goes to show that the fellas back home aren't trusting what big brother are up to.

 

I mean isn't it eerie that all of the countries around the world seem to follow not long after the other, could it be that there was a plan in the making for years, who know what goes on at these G20 summits and the rest, is this a tool that is part of controlling the masses, I don't know, sounds like a good idea, but I did read somewhere the ScoMo the PM in Oz said something about, if we don't get people onto it, the lockdown won't be lifted for a while, so what is that saying in itself, "control", where is the influenza app and many many more, don't those diseases spread to people as well ?

 

Personally, I will take my chances of not downloading an app of any kind that the government knows my movements, it's my privacy, so far Thailand has my fingerprints when I have to travel, that is enough, if they tried that back in Oz for Oz citizens there would be an uproar I would hope, as we enjoy our privacy.

 

Dwon with government apps I say.

[jaf3]

just promise me the app will work better than the online TM30 reporting.....

[Krataiboy]

7 hours ago, mbenson said:

I'm glad they will be organizing regularly. What they need is to test regularly, I guess. 

 

These test sound mandatory. On whose dime will they be?

Nothing to lose but your chains.

[White Christmas13]

3 hours ago, sweatalot said:

No!             ... as a part to get more control over the people and tighten its grip

Rubbish

[Enlil]

No Covid tracker app for me. Pass

[Krataiboy]

2 hours ago, JayBird said:

what if you don't have an Android or iPhone?  (Dumb phone. Windows, Symbian).

Isn't the solution obvious? Just make owning a trackable phone compulsory, along with downloading the "pandemic" app.

 

Voila!

 

This should more than satisfy all those gullible expat turkeys queuing up (two meters apart, of course) to vote for Christmas?

 

Alternatively, of course, we could avoid digital feudalism simply by ditching our smartphones and telling them where to stick their 5G.

 

Nothing to lose but your self-imposed chains, brothers.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by Krataiboy

[revup]

Great! I wonder if they will consult with a native English speaker so that the ENG-interface is a positive experience. So many (all?) government apps I have needed to use so far have required some guess-work on the part of the user.

[PumpkinEater]

We all lost a lot of freedoms from the 911 Bush/Cheney debacle. Phone taps, banking tracking, etc.

 

This is another blatant destruction of personal freedom! Wake up people!

99.9% chance that you WILL LIVE even if you DO catch this virus.

 

 

[Saltire]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I think such an app is a good idea. 

Something has to be done to prevent the spread of the virus. The question is what.

Should lots of places continue to be closed? Should the curfew continue? Or what is the best way forward from here?

Such app could be a tremendous help to track people's location. And if a confirmed Covid case was at the same location at the same time then details can be, and probably should be, checked.

Can such an app be misused? Sure.

But please look at all the other apps which you have now on your phone, and which came preinstalled on your phone.

As far I know every Android phone come preinstalled with this little app and you can check for every minute of the last years where you have been. Try it!

https://www.google.com/maps/timeline

And then think about if you trust Google to keep that data secret...

 

And for those who think: You can switch that off.

Are you sure? What are you actually switching off? The GPS sensor? Or are you just not able to see your location information anymore? And does that mean if you don't see it Google can't see it? Think again.

Not to mention how useful the app will be if (when?) the next virus is unleashed. I agree, good idea, there are many already know everything about you.

[Saltire]

The time to complain about being tracked was 20 years ago.