Another THB12.6 bn approved for Public Health Ministry personnel
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved THB12.66 billion for Public Health Ministry personnel who have played an important role in tackling the Covid-19 crisis.
The payment covers compensation, overtime, expenses, wages, etc from July to September this year, said government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri.
He said the Cabinet on May 5 had approved a payment of THB12.57 billion for Public Health Ministry personnel from April to June.
“As the Public Health Ministry still has to continue various operations, we decided to extend the operation period and payment for ministry personnel in order to mitigate the Covid-19 impact between April and September this year,” he added.
The overall Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) in July shrank to 36.7 from 42.7 in June in response to the worsening Covid-19 situation, according to a survey by the Commerce Ministry’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO).
“The increasing number of new infections as well as the government’s move in placing 29 provinces in the ‘dark red’ zone under maximum disease control measures, which include business lockdowns and nighttime curfew, has affected consumers’ confidence in the economy,” TPSO director Phusit Rattanakul said on Tuesday.
“The current CCI has gone down from 34.4 in June to 29.8 in July, while the future CCI also dropped from 48.1 to 41.3,” he said. “The southern region saw the biggest drop in CCI from a month before, or from 44.7 to 36.8. Besides the worsening Covid-19 situation, the region also suffered from plummeting prices of agricultural produce such as rubber, durian and mangosteen,” Phusit said.
The CCI in the northern region dropped from 41.1 to 34.7, in Bangkok and its perimeter from 41.6 to 35.8, in the Northeast from 44.2 to 38.7 and in Central region from 41.3 to 36.1.
When categorised by profession, the CCI among students saw the biggest drop, from 43.0 to 33.1, due to worry over finding a job after graduation as several businesses have cut down hiring amid the pandemic. Meanwhile, the CCI among business employees dropped from 41.9 to 35.2, state employees from 48.6 to 42.8, entrepreneurs from 41.9 to 36.3, agriculturists from 43.7 to 38.1 and freelancers from 39.7 to 34.2.
The group whose CCI remains at the lowest level is unemployed people. Their CCI dropped from 36.6 in June to 32.2 in July.
Koh Lan shut to tourists for 14 days to curb Covid-19 from spreading
Chonburi’s famous tourist attraction Koh Lan island will be closed to tourists from August 11 to 24 in a bid to curb Covid-19 from spreading further after the island has been hit by new infections, the Koh Lan community announced on Tuesday.
The community has also set the following criteria:
– Hotel and resort operators are required to ensure guests leave the island by August 10 and no additional bookings should be taken.
– Speed-boat operators have been told to suspend services, with people required to seek permission from the Covid-19 administration centre if they wish to use one.
– Ferry services to and from Pattaya City have been cut down to twice a day – 7.30am and 5pm from Monday to Friday. No ferry services will be provided on weekends except in cases of emergency.
– Non-residents who wish to enter the island for work or business must inform officials at least 24 hours in advance and provide a negative Covid-19 test result upon entry.
– Ships transporting food and goods must not carry passengers other than delivery personnel.
– Postal and courier services must drop off mail or parcels in front of the receiver’s house without going to the door.
– Island residents must strictly follow guidelines announced by Chonburi’s Communicable Disease Committee as well as other related announcements by the province.
Koh Lan reported its first new case on August 1, after which the virus has spread to 20 others.
The island currently has a population of more than 6,000 – 3,000 are residents and the rest enter for work or business.
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Koh Lan shut to tourists for 14 days to curb Covid-19 from spreading
Nearly 130,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine have been administered
From February 28 to August 9, Thailand administered more than 21 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, with 10.26 million being Sinovac, 9.23 million AstraZeneca, 1.54 million Sinopharm and 129,834 Pfizer, which were recently donated by the United States, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) revealed on Tuesday.
“The allotment of Pfizer vaccine will be prioritised for frontline medics as a booster shot to improve the immunity of those who have already received two jabs of Sinovac,” said Dr Chawetsan Namwat, director of the DDC’s emergency disease and health hazards control division.
“We have been delivering the vaccine to target hospitals in dark red provinces since September 3.”
Chawetsan said the number of Pfizer vaccines to be delivered to each hospital will be based on the vaccination rate and the number of frontline medics on duty.
“If a hospital requests the vaccine for less than 50 per cent of their medical staff, the DDC will still provide them with 50 per cent in case more people need jabs. However, if a hospital requests vaccines for more than 75 per cent of their staff, we will provide them with exactly 75 per cent first to prevent the vaccine going to waste due to inadequate storage space. Once the hospital uses up the delivered vaccines, the DDC will send another lot to meet demand,” Chawetsan said.
“The DDC insists that all medical professionals who fit the criteria will receive Pfizer as a booster shot. The allotment and delivery of the vaccine are all documented and verifiable,” he said.
The Pfizer vaccine can be stored in a normal refrigerator for up to a month. After it is taken out of the refrigerator and mixed with saline for use, it must be administered within six hours or it will expire, Chawetsan explained.
“One vial of vaccine can provide jabs to six people. If there are less than six people coming in to get the jab in six hours, the vaccine will go to waste. This is why we need to consider each hospital’s vaccination rate,” he pointed out.
Thailand recorded 21,038 Covid-19 cases and 207 deaths on Wednesday
Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday (August 11) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 21,038 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 173 of whom have been found in prisons.
Death toll increased by 207, while 22,012 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country are at 816,989 with 6,795 total deaths.
Thundershowers, isolated heavy rains forecast for most of Thailand
The North, the upper Northeast, the East and the South’s west coast will experience thundershowers with isolated heavy rain as the southwest monsoon prevails over the country, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.
It advised all ships to proceed with caution as waves in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand are 1-2 metres high and more than 2 metres during thundershowers.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 25-27 degrees and highs of 29-35 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees and highs of 30-35 degrees Celsius.
Central: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-26 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
East: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 26-28 degrees, highs of 28-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (east coast): Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-27 degrees, highs of 32-35 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 29-31 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 26-28 degrees, highs of 32-35 degrees Celsius.
Red Line to launch contactless card payment by December
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Red Line will launch contactless payment by credit and debit cards by December, the Transport Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Passengers will be able to pay their fares via an EMV (Europay Mastercard and Visa) ticketing system for journeys on the Bang Sue-Rangsit and Bang Sue-Taling Chan lines.
The EMV system will be operated with Krung Thai Bank.
Meanwhile, cross-system ticketing that also covers the MRT Blue Line and Purple Line is expected to launch around February next year. The Transport Ministry has asked the SRT and MRTA to determine conditions for a single-payment system that covers both networks.
The Red Line fare rate has been set at 12-42 baht, though the fare structure per kilometre will be finalised after passenger data is examined next month. For example, it may cost 12 baht to travel one station and 14 baht to travel two stations. However, the fare to travel the entire line must not exceed 42 baht.
8 Covid patients caught for partying in Buri Ram field hospital
Eight Covid-19 patients put up at a field hospital in Buri Ram were caught on CCTV having a booze-fuelled party on August 5.
This was in clear violation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which carries a penalty of up to six months in prison and/or up to 10,000 baht in fine as well as the Emergency Decree, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison and/or a fine of 40,000 baht.
Four members of the party have confessed, two said they were only chatting, one denies allegations, while one is in critical condition in hospital and cannot be reached.
The patients will be summoned for interrogation and legal action once they have been discharged from the hospital.
Thailand plugs electric vehicle mission into Asean energy plan
The Cabinet acknowledged the results of the June 21 “Meeting on Energy” between the ministers of Asean and Japan, government spokesman Ratchada Thanadirek said on Tuesday.
“Asean countries have a common aim in implementing the Asean Cooperation Action Plan on Energy Phase 2, which will help transform the region’s energy into a clean, resilient and suitable [resource] for the global energy environment,” said Ratchada.
Thailand has adopted the following guidelines under the plan:
1. Adjust long-term strategic plans and approaches to reduce carbon emissions through key policies.
2. Increase low-carbon electricity generation by boosting the proportion of renewable energy, aided by the BCG (bio-economic policy, circular economy and green economy) to add value to local resources and increase people’s well-being.
3. Develop the electric vehicle industry by 2025 so that EVs account for 30 per cent of total car production, as well as supporting the adoption of innovations and clean energy technologies.
4. Support urgent plans for reforestation to increase the carbon-absorbing area and achieve the goal of reducing carbon dioxide in line with the Paris climate agreement.
The meeting also delivered a common intention to promote energy transition in Asean through exchange of information and expertise with Japan in the development and use of various clean energy technologies such as clean coal technology, carbon capture, and utilisation and storage.
Contagion in Thai prisons subsiding, with 398 new cases but 710 recovered
Thai prisons reported 398 new cases of Covid-19 and one fatality on Tuesday, as the Corrections Department logged a reduced rate of infection in its facilities.
Ayuth Sintoppant, director-general of the department, said 395 cases were found in Covid hotspot prisons and the other three in quarantine rooms. Meanwhile, 710 inmates had recovered from the virus.
A total of 7,313 infected inmates and staff are still under the care of the Corrections Department – 383 in Bangkok, 2,012 in the metropolitan area, and 4,918 in other provinces.
Most of these (82.9 per cent) are Green-coded patients with mild or no symptoms. Meanwhile, 16.7 per cent of patients are Yellow-coded (moderate symptoms) and 0.4 per cent are Red (severe symptoms).
Of the accumulated 51,097 Covid-19 cases in prisons, 43,098 (84.3%) have recovered while 75 (0.1%) have died.
Ayuth also revealed the department is poised to release more inmates under a royal amnesty. The inmates will receive Royal Project training before their release. Those who are infected with Covid-19 will be quarantined for 14 days at prisons or correctional institutes, or shelters or medical facilities outside prison.
Uninfected prisoners will be tested, quarantined for 14 days, and then retested before their release.
Koh Lan shut to tourists for 14 days to curb Covid-19 from spreading
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