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TOT-CAT merger to make new firm ‘3rd biggest service provider, surpassing Dtac’

NationalDec 24. 2020

By THE NATION

TOT’s merger with CAT Telecom to become one entity called the National Telecom Public Company Limited, or NT Telecom, will be completed on January 7, while the mobile telephone and broadband Internet businesses of the two companies will also be combined into one brand, said Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta.

“We are planning to rebrand the businesses as either NT Mobile or NT Broadband, which will be officially launched on January 7 as well,” he said.

“TOT Mobile has more than 180,000 customers while CAT’s My has 2.5 million customers. When combined they will become a large telecom company. We expect this new company to compete with and eventually surpass the market’s third-biggest player, Total Access Communication [Dtac],” Buddhipongse said.

“The brand combination will not affect existing users. Whether you are using TOT or CAT sim cards, the system will automatically match the roaming services and let you continue using your mobile phone and mobile Internet with no interruptions,” he said.

“As for broadband service, TOT currently has 1.5 million users while CAT has about 300,000. We aim to bundle broadband packages with a mobile plan to attract new users,” Buddhipongse said.

“The combined assets of the two will be worth more than Bt300 billion, including over 25,000 telecom poles nationwide, nine international underwater cable systems, six mobile frequency bands, 4,000km of underground cables, 4 million core kilometres of optical fibre cables, 13 data centres and an international telephone system that is accessible from any number in the world,” he said.

“The DES will set policies for NT Telecom to undertake new projects with a focus on 5G and satellite technology,” he added. “You can expect to see some new services by NT Telecom around February-March next year.”

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Ang Thong seafood vendor tests positive for Covid-19

NationalDec 24. 2020

By THE NATION

A 44-year-old female seafood vendor in Ang Thong’s Muang province has tested positive for Covid-19, Governor Khajornkiat Rakpanichmanee said on Wednesday.

“On December 20 the patient travelled to Samut Sakhon, which is a hotspot of new mass infections, in a personal vehicle with her husband.” he said. “She was tested on December 21 after she came back. The test was positive while the patient had shown no symptoms.”

The governor said public health officials have traced and tested six persons who came into close contact with the patient. Three of the tests have come back negative while the others are awaited.

“Officials have also closed down the market where her seafood stall is and undertook a thorough cleaning and disinfection,” he added. “The province will provide regular updates on the case. People can be sure there will be no withholding of information.”

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Upper Thailand gets warmer, South to see more rain

NationalDec 24. 2020

By THE NATION

More rain and isolated heavy showers are likely in the South, while a weakening high-pressure system covering upper Thailand will see a temperature rise of 1-3°C with morning fog, but mountaintops will remain cold to very cold with frost in some areas, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

The department advised people in the South to beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods. With waves in the Gulf being 2-3 metres high and above 3 metres during thundershowers, it warned all ships to proceed with caution while small boats should stay ashore until December 26.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Cold to cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 10-16 degrees and highs of 27-30 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 2-10 degrees Celsius with frost in some areas.

Northeast: Cold to cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 13-18 degrees and highs of 30-31 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 6-14 degrees.

Central: Cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 17-19 degrees, highs of 30-32 degrees Celsius.

East: Cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 18-22 degrees, highs of 31-32 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres offshore.

South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area and isolated heavy rain; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 26-32 degrees Celsius; waves 2-3 metres high and over 3 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area and isolated heavy rain; temperature lows of 21-24 degrees, highs of 30-33 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool weather with light fog in the morning; temperature lows of 20-22 degrees, highs of 30-31 degrees Celsius.

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Officials check for overpricing, hoarding of masks as demand spikes

NationalDec 24. 2020

By The Nation

The Commerce Ministry has instructed its provincial offices countrywide to check whether shops are breaking the law by selling overpriced face masks, said permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit.

The move follows a spike in demand for face masks following a new outbreak of Covid-19.

Commerce officials on Wednesday visited a total of 573 pharmacies, shops and convenience stores but found no violations. Masks there were being sold for Bt2.50 apiece, or Bt50-Bt125 per pack of 50 depending on brand and quality.

Officials also found no evidence of hoarding. However, some shops were running short of face mask supplies due to the rising demand.

Boonyarit said there was no need to panic-buy or hoard masks, adding that supplies in Samut Sakhon where the latest outbreak emerged were still sufficient despite a spike in demand.

Thailand has 30 surgical face-mask factories capable of producing a total of 5 million masks per day.

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Transport Ministry expands budget for SRT’s Dark Red suburban railway line

NationalDec 24. 2020

By The Nation

The Transport Ministry is planning to double the investment for the new Dark Red Railway Line and extend it to also cover Ayutthaya, a source from the ministry revealed.

The new Dark Red Line will run from Bang Sue to Rangsit in Pathum Thani in the first phase before being extended to cover Ayutthaya. The project is expected to cost Bt42.61 billion in total.

The Dark Red Line, part of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT)’s suburban railway extension, will initially cover 8.48 kilometres from Bang Sue to terminate at the Thammasat Rangsit campus. This will cost about Bt6.57 billion and is currently being analysed based on the 2019 Joint State-Private Investment Act.

SRT expects to procure private investment by the end of 2022, before it starts construction with the aim of opening for service by 2025.

“In the first year, the railway is expected to service some 28,150 commuters per day, and this will increase once the line is extended from Thammasat’s Rangsit campus to Phachi terminal in Ayutthaya. There will be four stations on this line, namely Khlong Nueng, Bangkok University, Chiang Rak and Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus,” the source said.

The Dark Red Line will be further extended to cover two routes, Ayutthaya-Phachi and Thammasat Rangsit-Ayutthaya.

The Ayutthaya-Phachi route will cover 19.7km and require an investment of Bt13.07 billion. The environmental impact of this route is currently being assessed. This route will cover four stations, namely Ban Ma, Mab Phrachan, Phra Kaew and Phachi. It is expected to be open for service in October 2034.

The Thammasat Rangsit-Ayutthaya route will cover 31.2km and require about Bt22.97 billion. This route is expected to open in October 2030.

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Defence deputy hunting corrupt border officials who open door for Covid

NationalDec 24. 2020

By The NationPrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday tasked Deputy Defence Minister Chaichan Changmongkol with the job of catching corrupt Thai officials who allow illegal immigrants to enter Thailand.

Chaichan will lead the crackdown on border corruption thought to be behind Thailand’s latest outbreak of Covid-19, detected last week among Myanmar migrant workers in Samut Sakhon.

The country has six immigration offices and 93 checkpoints screening people who cross the border, but poorly guarded natural routes open a loophole for trafficking of migrant workers.

The locations of greatest concern are two points in Chiang Rai province, Tak’s Mae Sot district, and three points in Ranong province – all bordering Myanmar.

National police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk said that information about a trafficking gang helping immigrants cross the border was being investigated.

Royal Thai Armed Forces spokesman Chaowalit Sangkarit said initial investigations cleared Thai Army troops of involvement with the traffickers since the gang mostly operated by boat across the marine border in Ranong province.

A Royal Thai Navy spokesman insisted that all immigrants found crossing into Thailand by sea were documented and legal.

However, a source said the traffickers use regular border routes but bribe officials at the checkpoints to remain silent.

Prayut is thought to have a list of Thai officials suspected of being involved in the people-trafficking trade and is waiting for more evidence in their cases.

Chaichan will reportedly reveal the names of the suspects soon.

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Education Ministry cancels O-NET exams after virus disruption (nationthailand.com)

Education Ministry cancels O-NET exams after virus disruption

NationalDec 23. 2020

By THE NATION

The Education Ministry has cancelled this year’s ordinary national educational tests (O-NET), explaining that the Covid-19 crisis had prevented schools nationwide from providing sufficient lessons to students.

Education Minister Natthapol Teepsuwan said he gave the order on Tuesday to cancel the tests for students in Grade 6 and Grade 9.

The decision to suspend the exams would also reduce anxiety among students, said the order.

Natthapol added that the ministry was also planning to upgrade school curriculums to cater to differences in schools and students’ interests across the country. The O-NET would be changed in future to reflect this more localised approach to education, he said.

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Bangkok schools closed for 12 days to contain outbreak (nationthailand.com)

Bangkok schools closed for 12 days to contain outbreak

NationalDec 23. 2020

By The Nation

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Wednesday ordered all 437 schools and 299 kindergartens under its jurisdiction to close for 12 days from tomorrow to contain the latest Covid-19 outbreak. 

The order comes after the Communicable Disease Committee (CDC) announced 10 measures to prevent the virus from spreading in crowded areas such as entertainment venues, markets and boxing stadiums, said BMA spokesperson Pongsakorn Kwanmuang.

The BMA is conducting Covid-19 tests at 478 markets in the capital, following an outbreak at a wholesale prawn market just 45 kilometres south of Bangkok in Samut Sakhon. Testing at about 100 Bangkok markets had so far been completed, Pongsakorn said.

“We only have four weeks to control the disease. Global statics show that 88 per cent of outbreaks spread to become more severe. But if we can control [the Samut Sakhon outbreak] in four weeks, we may join the 12 per cent that snuffed out the threat. Hence the meeting passed a resolution that 437 BMA-run schools and 299 child centres will be closed for 12 days to reduce social mixing, starting from 24 December”, he said.

He also advised government and private sector staff to work from home during the 12 days.

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Troops sent to border after outbreak, Army setting up Samut Sakhon field hospital (nationthailand.com)

Troops sent to border after outbreak, Army setting up Samut Sakhon field hospital

NationalDec 23. 2020Kongcheep Tantravanich. 

By The Nation

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday ordered a military operation to patrol Thailand’s borders, following an outbreak of Covid-19 linked to illegal migrants from Myanmar.

The order came after Wednesday’s meeting of the Defence Council, which was chaired by Prayut in his capacity as defence minister

The PM ordered military personnel to help in patrol the border and prevent entry of illegal migrant workers both by land and sea, said Defence spokesman Kongcheep Tantravanich.   

He also ordered the police to set up a special committee to investigate corrupt officials at all levels involved in the smuggling of migrant workers into the country.

Meanwhile police and soldiers were ordered to set up checkpoints on known migrant-trafficking routes to protect at-risk border provinces.

The Army and Navy were also ordered to deploy personnel and medical equipment to establish a 1,000-bed field hospital in Samut Sakhon, where the latest has spawned more than 1,200 cases. The military is currently seeking a suitable factory or residential building to house the hospital close to the outbreak’s epicentre in order to contain the spread of the disease.  

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Outbreak in Samut Sakhon rises above 1,200 cases (nationthailand.com)

Outbreak in Samut Sakhon rises above 1,200 cases

NationalDec 23. 2020

By The Nation

Health authorities on Wednesday announced that more than 1,200 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Samut Sakhon, after an outbreak in the seaside province last week.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) said 1,202 infections had been confirmed in migrant workers and locals living around the Central Shrimp Market and other risk areas in the province since testing began last Thursday. Almost one in five (19 per cent) of the total 6,314 samples taken had so far come back positive for Covid-19, said Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, director-general of the DDC’s Communicable Diseases Division.

Tests conducted on 2,052 people in a 2-kilometre radius around the Central Shrimp Market found 901 “positives” or an infection rate of 44 per cent. Of the 653 samples taken around the Talay Thai market, 137 came back positive (14 per cent). Meanwhile of the 2,074 samples taken in the nearby Soi Setthakit 13 community, 134 came back positive (6.5 per cent). Two infections were confirmed from 491 tests around the Saphan Pla market (0.4 per cent) and 18 of 449 tests in the nearby Tha Chin community were positive (4 per cent).

Cases were divided into three groups: cases self-admitted to hospital, cases detected by community testing and now confined at local hospitals and quarantine facilities, and cases staying in dormitories overseen by health officials.

The Public Health Ministry and local officials are now seeking ways to prevent crowding in worker dormitories that risks further spread of the virus.

Samut Sakhon’s border is till open but checkpoints are being set up to provide temperature checks and other disease controls.