Thailand further eases COVID-19 restrictions despite record-high cases

STORY: Thailand further eases COVID-19 restrictions despite record-high cases DATELINE: March 19, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:48 LOCATION: Bangkok CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. cutaways of Thai people's lives, markets 2. cutaways of Thai shopping markets, street view 3. People waiting for COVID-19 test 4. Thai people receiving COVID-19 vaccine injections STORYLINE: Despite record-high daily COVID-19 cases, Thailand on Friday announced further easing of social distancing rules nationwide, allowing more businesses to resume operations. The government is also considering to cancel the requirement of pre-departure COVID-19 tests for inbound travelers from April 1, as part of relaxed border control measures to boost tourism, Natapanu Nopakun, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a daily news briefing of the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). Aiming to help the economy recover from the pandemic, Thailand plans to declare COVID-19 an endemic disease by July 1, regardless of a recent