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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004787

Phetchabun governor dismisses rumours of infection cluster

Residents of Phetchabun province began panicking after learning that 10 of the 6,000 or so elderly and vulnerable people who had received their Covid-19 jab last Thursday had tested positive.

However, provincial governor Krit Kongmuang dismissed the rumour, saying only the assistant village headman who had been driving people to the vaccination site, his wife and son had tested positive for Covid-19.

Another 20 people who had been in contact with the driver have also been told to isolate themselves and will undergo Covid-19 tests within seven days.

The assistant village headman and his wife had both received Sinovac as their first shot and AstraZeneca as their second.

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Phetchabun governor dismisses rumours of infection clusterMeanwhile, a Phetchabun doctor attacked the media for reporting that having thousands of people queue up for their Covid-19 vaccine would spark a new cluster of infections. Her Facebook post attracted many comments both agreeing and disagreeing with her.

Phetchabun governor dismisses rumours of infection cluster

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004786

Khao Yai closes 2 key attractions over rainy season

Khao Yai National Park has closed its two main attractions – the Haew Narok Waterfall and the Pa Deo Dai cliff viewpoint – because they are dangerous during the rainy season.

Khao Yai, which is about a three-hour drive from Bangkok, is one of the few national parks in Thailand that has remained open during the Covid-19 crisis. However, it has kept some tourist points closed to reduce the risk of infection.

The national park now only allows day trips from 8am to 6pm and visitors are required to always wear facemasks.

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Khao Yai closes 2 key attractions over rainy seasonKhao Yai closes 2 key attractions over rainy seasonKhao Yai closes 2 key attractions over rainy season

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004785

Nakhon Si Thammarat doctor quits after sneaking Pfizer shot for her sister

A doctor at a state hospital in Nakhon Si Thammarat has resigned after she was caught giving her sister a Pfizer shot, the provincial public health office announced on Monday.

Provincial public health Dr Charaspong Sukkri and the director of Noppitum Hospital held a press conference on Monday to clarify the incident. 
The doctor had allegedly invited her family members to the hospital on Friday to get Pfizer shots. Her resignation is currently being considered by the provincial governor. 

The doctor admitted that she had given her sister the seventh remaining dose in the vial. Each vial of the Pfizer vaccine can provide six doses, but a seventh dose can be drawn out using the low dead space syringe method.  

The doctor’s mother and other relatives did not get a jab because a hospital staff reported the incident to the hospital director who immediately issued an order banning Pfizer jabs from being given to anyone other than frontline medics. 

The hospital has also set up a committee to investigate the case and determine disciplinary action. 

“The Pfizer vaccine is only meant for frontline medical personnel. As chief of the Nakhon Si Thammarat public health office, I apologise to everybody for what has happened,” Dr Charaspong said.

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Nakhon Si Thammarat doctor quits after sneaking Pfizer shot for her sister

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004784

Thailand hits new record with 239 deaths, 20,128 infections

Thailand’s toll from Covid-19 hit a new high on Tuesday with 239 deaths, while new infections stood at 20,128.

Of the new cases, 272 were found in prisons

Meanwhile, 20,791 patients have recovered and been discharged over the past 24 hours.

Since the epidemic kicked off last year, Thailand has had 948,442 Covid-19 cases, 730,437 of whom have recovered, 210,032 are still in hospitals and 7,973 have died.

Separately, another 374,171 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 118,681 their second shot, and 15,646 their third shot, bringing the total Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 24,100,631.

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According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, confirmed cases globally had risen to 208.71 million, 187.10 million of whom have recovered, 17.23 million are active cases (107,165 in severe condition) and 4.38 million have died (up by 7,627).

Thailand ranks 34th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 37.74 million, followed by India with 32.25 million, Brazil with 20.38 million, Russia with 6.62 million and France with 6.48 million.

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004783

Two pro-democracy protesters shot in Din Daeng fracas, one in critical condition

Two protesters with the “Thalu Fah” pro-democracy group sustained gunshot wounds during a clash with police in Bangkok’s Din Daeng area on Monday. One of them is in critical condition.

The “Thalu Fah” pro-democracy group had gathered at Victory Monument on Monday afternoon in a bid to march to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s home and demand his resignation.

Crowd-control police blocked the protesters in the Din Daeng area before a violent clash broke out.

Reports say that after the protesters dispersed at curfew time, one 20-year-old protester was shot in the back of his head. He fell immediately and was later taken to Rajavithi Hospital. Reports say he is still in a coma.

At around 9.30pm another protester was reportedly shot in his right arm and is being treated at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Pro-democracy supporters have slammed the police for using live bullets against protesters, though police representatives insist only barriers and rubber bullets were used during the clash.

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004780

Thammasat set to import Covid-19 vaccines independently

Thammasat University Council announced on Monday that university councillors have unanimously agreed to invoke a regulation that allows it to source medicines and equipment necessary for treating patients.

The regulation stipulates that all relevant departments have the right to offer proposals to independently manufacture, procure, import, distribute and register drugs, medical supplies and equipment necessary for patient care.

The councillors resolved to invoke the regulation because the Thammasat University Hospital has been overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients and the supply of vaccines from the government has been slow.

Signed by university council president Noraniti Setthabut on Monday, the regulation went into effect immediately and will be forwarded to the Cabinet secretariat. This regulation makes Thammasat the second academic institute to import Covid-19 vaccines independently after the Chulabhorn Royal Academy.

Published : August 17, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004779

Covid on durian packages imported from Thailand

A market in China’s Ganzhou city has reportedly found Covid-19 on the surface of durian packages imported from Thailand, the Office of Agricultural Affairs under the Thai Embassy in Beijing reported.

The office explained that the checking and discovery of the virus happened at the Haudongcheng market on August 13.

All people who had touched the packages had already been quarantined and they had tested negative for the virus.

Also, all durian packages were stored for safety, while some fruit and related areas of the market were sterilised.

The office revealed that it had discussed this matter with China’s General Administration of Customs. The authorities said that import of products from the Thai supplier will not be suspended, as the checking result was found in the local area and not at the checkpoint.

However, this discovery would inevitably affect the demand for durian in China, as the report has been shared via social media.

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004776

Marium Project kicks off 2 years after baby dugong dies from ingesting plastic

The Natural Resource and Environment Ministry launched the “Marium Project” on Monday, two years after the death of eight-month-old dugong “Marium”.

The dugong died in a nursery tank on August 17, 2019 – three days after she was rescued by the Trang marine park authorities.

The orphaned dugong succumbed after going into shock and efforts to resuscitate her failed. Several pieces of plastic were found in her intestines later, and vets said she also suffered from a blood infection.

Natural Resource and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa announced that the aim of the “Marium Project” is to put in place serious measures to protect marine animals.

He said with the new measures put in place, Thailand’s dugong population should rise to at least 280 next year. The minister also said serious efforts will be made to reduce plastic waste in the sea.

Meanwhile, Trang has marked August 17-23 as dugong preservation week this year.

Published : August 17, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004771

BOT suggests additional THB1 trillion borrowing, hike in VAT for economic recovery

The Bank of Thailand (BOT) estimates loss in revenue caused by the Covid-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022 at Bt2.6 trillion.

BOT Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnaruepu said on Monday that the prolonging and escalation of the pandemic had hit small and medium-sized operators and people who had lost their jobs the hardest.

“The government reserves will not be enough to stimulate the economy to recover in time and this will leave a huge economic scar that will hinder the country’s economic growth even after the outbreak ends,” he warned.

“The government therefore needs to borrow at least THB1 trillion, or 7 per cent of GDP, and inject it into the economy, which will make long-term public debt decrease faster than not adding the money at all.

“The central bank estimates that public debt will peak at 70 per cent of GDP in 2024 and then start to decline due to economic recovery,” said Sethaput.

“By borrowing THB1 trillion, public debt should remain stable at 62.6 per cent of GDP by 2031. However, without the THB1 trillion injection, the public debt in 2031 could remain at 67.6 per cent.”

Sethaput added that borrowing THB1 trillion would need a specific plan to make the country’s finances stronger again, and one of the main measures would be to increase taxes, especially the value added tax (VAT).

“Increasing VAT is unavoidable since Thailand has kept it at 7 per cent since the financial crisis in 1997 when it should have been 10 per cent,” he said.

“By increasing taxes, it is estimated that the government would have an additional income of THB60 billion per year.”

Published : August 17, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004769

CCSA gives nod to buy 32 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines

The governments Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Tuesday approved the procurement of an additional 32 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to cope with the spreading delta variant of the virus, CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin said.

“The 32 million doses will comprise 12 million doses of Sinovac, 10 million of Pfizer and 10 million other brands the government is negotiating with, depending on who could deliver the fastest,” he said.

“We expect the negotiations to be completed before the end of September so that Thailand can achieve the target of vaccinating 100 million doses within 2021.”

Taweesilp also said that so far 23.59 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine had been administered. Some 17.9 million people have received their first jab (25 per cent of the population), while 5.1 million people have received their second jabs (7.1 per cent).

“A total of 974,563 people received Sinovac as the first jab and AstraZeneca as the second jab. So far none has shown severe reactions and there are no deaths linked to the mix-and-match pattern of vaccination,” added Taweesilp.

Published : August 17, 2021

By : THE NATION