In a bizarre accident early on Tuesday, some 34 parked motorcycles were knocked down like dominoes by a Honda SUV, which swerved after rear-ending a pick-up truck.Police arrived to find the Honda flipped over and passenger, 44-year-old Sotsee Seesetuan, slightly injured.The drivers of both the pick-up and SUV were taken in police for interrogation, while the SUV driver was checked for inebriation.
Anutin dismisses rumour of epidemic, backs plan to sue illegal border crossers
NationalDec 08. 2020Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
By The Nation
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told the press on Tuesday that the Covid-19 situation in Thailand has not reached the epidemic level yet.
He said most infections have been brought in from outside and the recent illegal border crossers have only infected those close to them.
Last week 10 women sneaked across the border from Tachilek in Myanmar and travelled to other provinces, including Bangkok, before testing positive. Anutin said the women who entered illegally to avoid the 14-day mandatory quarantine were selfish, immoral and lacked a sense of responsibility.
He added that the authorities will take legal action against these women, adding that people returning to the country should follow laws and public health regulations.
He also said that he fully supports Chiang Rai tourism operators who are planning to sue the illegal border crossers for Bt20 million in compensation for loss of business.
Anutin said nobody should be allowed to get away with such selfish behaviour.
“They should all be sued. The government also has to take legal action against them, otherwise they will not learn,” he said.
He also said no province has been put under lockdown so far. As for concern that some 500 Thais may have sneaked across from Laos, he said he believes provincial officials and border security have the situation under control. However, he said, ensuring complete safety requires cooperation from returnees, who should take responsibility and enter the country through correct channels.
He also advised people to monitor announcements from the Department of Disease Control.
“The Public Health Ministry holds a press conference on the situation every day. Don’t listen to rumours [of an epidemic]. The ministry and other government agencies are trying to fix the situation,” Anutin said.
A driver smuggling a large shipment of drugs across the Mekong River from Laos on Sunday was shocked to find a posse of police waiting for them on the Thai side.
On Tuesday, police in the Northeast border province of Mukdahan announced they had seized 384 kilogrammes of crystal meth worth Bt150 million after being tipped off.
Responding to a report that a smuggling operation was underway, officers began searching a secluded spot by the river on Sunday.
They then received another report that a 10-wheeler truck had been spotted by the riverside. Officers raced to the spot and opened the truck to discover the huge haul of drugs piled inside.
Police arrested the driver and are now hunting for two more suspects.
Teenage monkey business came to a horrifying end in Phitsanulok province on Monday night when four schoolgirls lost control of their motorbike and fell off a bridge.
The girls, all aged 16, were found in a pool of blood at about 8pm. Two had apparently died immediately, while the other two sustained severe injuries.
Police suspect they were speeding when they lost control and fell off the bridge, hitting the ground below at high impact.
An inappropriate joke about her role as a drag queen has landed actress Karnklao Duaysianklao in deep trouble.When talking to the press about her roles in the TV series “Drag, I Love You” as a drag queen and as a woman who impersonates the drag queen, she said: “I play LGBTQI with purple hair and purple pee”, before adding “just kidding”.This comment drew criticism from people in the LGBTQI community, with many accusing her of making fun of the third gender. Some people also accused her of linking the LGBTQI to drug abuse. In fact, the clip of her interview was shared on the net many times.The actress was also slammed for stereotyping LGBTQI people by saying they were always cheerful.Many netizens also panned the Thai entertainment industry for choosing actors of the wrong gender to play LGBTQI roles instead of actual LGBTQI persons.LGBTQI covers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex.
A couple in Kalasin province filed a police report on Tuesday for being tricked out of Bt20,000 on November 27 by a man who sounded just like their son.
Damrong Siriwat,62, said he received a call from someone pretending to be his son who works in Chonburi province saying he was falsely arrested for drug possession and that police wanted Bt20,000 for his release.
Initially, he said, he did not believe the caller because the number was unfamiliar, but began changing his mind when the caller shared some information about the family. He said his wife, Maithong, 59, also said the caller sounded very much like their youngest son.
They eventually transferred money to this man, but became suspicious when he asked for another Bt300 for the phone call. That’s when they called their son and learned that he had not asked for the money.
Police have contacted the bank to trace the transaction, and have said it will take a while before the crook can be identified.
The Ratsadon group urged protesters to gather outside police stations where the leaders go to hear the charge of lese majeste.
On Tuesday, the Ratsadon supporters were told to visit Tung Maha Mek Police Station at 9.30am where eight protesters, including Passarawalee “Mind” Thanakitvibulphol, were to be charged.Passarawalee “Mind” Thanakitvibulphol by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit
They were to gather at Muang Nonthaburi police station at 10am where Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Panupong “Mike Rayong” Chadnok and Chinnawat Chankrachang were summoned.
Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul and Chinnawat Chankrachang by Korbphuk Phromrekha.Panupong “Mike Rayong” Chadnok by Korbphuk Phromrekha.Two activists, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk and Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa,were expected to be at Chanasongkram Police Station at noon.
The aim is for the supporters to show their backing for the activists who stand accused of violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code.
There will be another gathering on Wednesday in which more protesters will be summoned to Tung Maha Mek Police Station. They were a group of protesters who had gone to the Embassy of Germany on October 26 and delivered speeches about the Thai monarch.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Tuesday reported 19 new cases in quarantine facilities over a 24-hour period.
The new cases included four locally transmitted cases.
The overseas arrivals who tested positive included:
A Thai businesswoman, 38, who returned from Turkey on November 23; a Bulgarian businessman, 53, who arrived on November 27; a Thai female student, 24, who flew back from Morocco on December 1; a Thai man, 62, and a woman, 61, who returned from the United States on December 2; a Swiss tourist, 65, who arrived on December 2; a Danish tourist, 73, who arrived on December 2 after taking a connecting flight in the United Arab Emirates; a Thai female prisoner, 32, who returned on December 6 and was recognised as a re-active case on the day of arrival after her first infection occurred on November 23.
Six Thai women, aged 24-37, travelled back from Myanmar on December 2 and December 5. Each of them developed symptoms such as loss of sense of smell, muscle ache, diarrhoea, sore throat, fever, runny nose, etc. in local state quarantine. They were transported to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.
A Thai woman, 21, who admitted to entering the country illegally on November 29 with a Ratchaburi woman, a current patient, was found positive in a private hospital on December 5 and brought to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.
Four health officers, including a nurse, aged 25-40, who went to perform duties in an alternative state quarantine (ASQ) hotel and partnered private hospitals, tested positive on December 4-5 after suffering from fever and headache. As for this cluster, there are 280 close contacts (51 high-risk and 228 low-risk). All the high-risk close contacts have tested negative while results are awaited of the low-risk contacts.
The public health authority is now investigating flaws or the source of infection of this group because health officers working in ASQ usually test themselves every three days.
Meanwhile, six patients have recovered and been discharged.
The total number of confirmed cases in Thailand increased to 4,126 since the outbreak (1,139 in state quarantine), 192 are in hospital, 3,874 have recovered and been discharged and 60 have died.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, the total number of confirmed cases had reached 67.93 million (up by 527,209), 47 million have recovered, 19.37 million are active cases (106,184 in severe condition) and 1.55 million have died (up by 8,105).
Thailand ranks 151st for most cases in the world, while the US has the most number with 15.36 million, followed by India 9.7 million, Brazil 6.63 million, Russia 2.49 million and France 2.3 million.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) says the virus situation in Myanmar has reached worrying levels, and has sought cooperation to stop trespassing on the border. The DDC added that food service on planes have now been halted because of the risk of infection spreading from drinking or eating.
The baht opened at 30.16 to the US dollar on Tuesday, weakening from the previous day’s 30.14.The Thai currency is likely to move between 30.10 and 30.30, said Jitipol Puksamatanan, senior director of the chief investment office at SCB Securities.On Monday night, the S&P 500 and Stoxx 600 indices fell by 0.2 and 0.3 per cent, respectively. The factors related to the stock index included the economic stimulus package to be launched in the future, Brexit, and the high Covid-19 infection rate that has already infected 67 million people globally.In the financial markets, the pound fluctuated the most. Its present rate of 1 pound per 1.33 US dollar was near its highest.Also, the US Ten-Year Treasury yield dropped by 5 basis points to 0.92 per cent.Meanwhile, the baht has strengthened despite moving in a narrow range.Jitipol advised investors to monitor the direction of Brexit discussions, which could strengthen the dollar at the end of this year.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul 
Passarawalee “Mind” Thanakitvibulphol by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit
They were to gather at Muang Nonthaburi police station at 10am where Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Panupong “Mike Rayong” Chadnok and Chinnawat Chankrachang were summoned. 
Panupong “Mike Rayong” Chadnok by Korbphuk Phromrekha.
Two activists, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk and Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa,were expected to be at Chanasongkram Police Station at noon.
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