Hunt on for creators of fake social media accounts in police chief’s name
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) on Wednesday warned that legal action will be taken against people who have set up fake accounts on Twitter and Facebook in the name of National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk.
“These accounts have been created by other parties and are not owned by the chief,” said RTP spokesman Pol Maj-General Yingyos Thepjamnong. “The owners of these accounts have posted inappropriate pictures and comments. Sharing or forwarding these posts will cause public confusion.”
Yingyos added that the RTP has contacted relevant authorities to shut down the accounts and is tracking down the creators.
“Entering false data into a computer system in a manner that can hurt national security or stir public agitation is a violation of the Computer Crimes Act, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or Bt100,000 fine. Sharing or forwarding such data also carries the same punishment,” added Yongyos.
Missing toddler ‘Gina’ saved from being sacrificed to forest spirits
The missing Chiang Mai toddler “Gina” was found safe in a hut near her neighbourhood at around noon on Wednesday.
The toddler had been missing for more than three days, and a Myanmar national confessed he had kidnapped the child and left her at a cave some 3 kilometres away as a sacrifice to spirits.
The rescue procedure was streamed live on Facebook, showing how officers found 23-month-old Ponsiri “Gina” Wongsilaroongruang, who had gone missing from her home since Sunday evening.
The toddler had gone from her home in the remote village of Ban Huay Fak Dab in Chiang Mai’s Mae Taeng district.
Police officers, along with villages, had been searching for the child over the past three days but to no avail. Search teams had also brought in police dogs, aerial search drones and helicopters to comb the area, but were unsuccessful.
However, police only made progress when Gina’s father, Suriya, told police about his neighbour, a 44-year-old Myanmar national who goes by the name Siew. Apparently, Gina liked Siew and was often seen walking in and out of his house.
On Wednesday, after hours of intense questioning, the suspect eventually confessed that he had taken Gina to a cave some 3km away as a sacrifice to the forest and mountain spirits. The baby was found in a hut nearby with no signs of injury.
Missing toddler ‘Gina’ saved from being sacrificed to forest spiritsMissing toddler ‘Gina’ saved from being sacrificed to forest spiritsPhoto Credit: The Public Relations Department Region 3 Chiangmai
Phuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governor
Phuket authorities announced on Wednesday that the ongoing Covid situation should be resolved within two weeks and the Phuket Sandbox scheme will continue uninterrupted.
Provincial governor Narong Woonciew said Phuket has been recording up to 200 new Covid-19 infections daily over the past two weeks, and that tests are being regularly conducted among migrants, fishing communities and slums.
Of the daily cases, 85 per cent are in the “green” group, or asymptomatic as most have received both jabs of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The governor said he expects the situation to be resolved soon, especially since he has tasked local officials and village headmen to monitor communities, especially those with residents in the risk group. They have also been instructed to immediately inform the authorities when anybody tests positive.
The governor has also come up with a guideline for managing “green” patients by getting them to isolate at home. This will also keep hospital beds free for patients in the “yellow” or “red” groups.
He said more patients in the risk group are being vaccinated, adding that people who received two Sinovac jabs in April will get a booster dose this month.
Narong added that 29,077 foreigners had arrived under the Phuket Sandbox scheme from July 1 to September 6, and 88 of them had tested positive. The project has generated 1.6 billion baht in revenue and put 3.8 billion baht in circulation.
Meanwhile, 492,405 room nights have been booked since the project was launched, with 24 per cent or 125,434 nights in September. Another 40,312 nights have been reserved from October to February next year.
Surveys show that 84 per cent of tourists were satisfied with the service of SHA-plus hotels, while 81 per cent were happy with the hospitality of locals.
Phuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governorPhuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governorPhuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governor
Most of the tourists had come from the US, followed by the UK, Israel, Germany and France.
Apart from Phuket, tourists also showed interest in travelling to Bangkok, Surat Thani, Chiang Mai, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Krabi.
Thailand marks rise in infections with 14,176 new cases, 288 deaths
Thailand’s daily Covid-19 caseload over the past 24 hours on Wednesday rose to 14,176 new infections and 228 deaths. Of the new cases, 506 were found in prisons.
Meanwhile, 16,769 patients have recovered and been discharged over the past 24 hours.
Thailand’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 1,322,519 – 1,166,364 of whom have recovered, 142,644 are still in hospitals and 13,511 have died.
Separately, another 399,650 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 424,676 their second shot, and 1,687 a booster shot, bringing the total Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 37,461,284.
According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 222.78 million on Wednesday, 199.30 million of whom have recovered, 18.88 million are active cases (104,636 in severe condition) and 4.60 million have died (up by 8,448).
Thailand ranks 29th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 41.21 million, followed by India with 33.10 million, Brazil with 20.91 million, the UK with 7.06 million and Russia with 7.05 million.
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
Many areas in Pattaya and other parts of Chonburi province were inundated on Wednesday due to non-stop rain overnight.
The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast continuous rainfall across Thailand with isolated heavy to very heavy showers in lower Northeast, Central, East and South, with the strong southwest monsoon prevailing across the country.
The severe tropical storm Jolina (Conson) is currently over central Philippines and moving west-northwest to the South China Sea. It is expected to arrive at the Gulf of Tonkin by September 12-13, affecting Vietnam and some parts of China.
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
Meanwhile, many parts of Pattaya are inundated in 30 to 70 centimetres of water, namely Sukhumvit, South Pattaya, Central Pattaya, North Pattaya and Naklua roads.
Though no injuries or fatalities have been reported so far, floods have damaged people’s properties such as cars, motorbikes and furniture.
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
People have been urged to move their assets to higher ground and told to avoid using flooded roads. Chonburi’s Bang Lamung district is expected to suffer heavy rain for a while.
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
Green light given to new names for some electric train stations
The committee for railway supervision and management has approved new names for some Orange, Purple, Pink and Yellow Line electric train stations.
This came during a teleconference meeting on Monday chaired by Department of Rail Transport director-general Kittiphan Panchan.
Several related organisations such as the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, the State Railway of Thailand, BTS and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reportedly attended the meeting.
Green light given to new names for some electric train stations
Green light given to new names for some electric train stations
The committee also endorsed improvement of the physical environment and facilities at the Red Line suburban railway system (Don Mueang and Lak Hok stations) and the tactile surface at the Airport Rail Link.
The committee additionally approved guidelines to specify colour codes of various train routes to meet certain standards and enable related authorities to utilise them effectively.
Economy at risk of contraction in Q3: Krungsri Research
Thailand’s overall economy is at risk of contraction in the third quarter due to restrictions on economic activities to curb Covid-19 from spreading further, Krungsri Research revealed on Wednesday.
In its monthly economic report, Krungsri Research said the private sector’s consumption index in July contracted -5.3 per cent from the previous month after weakened purchasing power due to restricted economic activities under the government’s anti-Covid orders.
“This has also brought down the consumer confidence index and private investment index, the later by -3.8 per cent month on month, especially in the machinery and construction sectors,” it said.
“Exports still have the potential to expand although the trend started to slow down due to a surge in Covid-19 infections in some of the countries which are our trade partners,” Krungsri Research said.
“Meanwhile, the industrial output index has contracted -5.1 per cent from the previous month due to low demand and a temporary halt in operations at factories where clusters have been found.”
Krungsri said that although the Phuket tourism sandbox opened in July, the number of foreign visitors to the province so far has been recorded at only 18,056, significantly lower than its tourist statistics before the outbreak.
“We estimate there is a high probability that the economy in the third quarter will contract from the previous quarter, which will be the first contraction since the second quarter of last year,” said Krungsri Research.
“The major contributing factor is the government’s use of strict disease control measures in 29 ‘dark red’ provinces in early August, as most of these provinces are manufacturing bases.”
Krungsri Research also estimated that without further government aid, up to 27.6 per cent of businesses will suffer from liquidity problems, which may eventually lead to permanent shut-downs, while 9.3 million workers are at risk of either having their salaries reduced or losing their jobs altogether.
Nine Hat Yai tour guides commit suicide as pandemic brings travel industry to its knees
The pandemic is having such a monstrous impact on Hat Yais travel industry that as many as nine tour guides have committed suicide since 2019 and more than 600 in the Songkhla district have lost their jobs.
Some have been hit by depression while some have been caught for petty theft. Many survive only on donated food each day.
Songkhla Professional Guides Association president Wittaya Lim painted the gruesome picture to reporters on Tuesday. He said there were more than 600 unemployed tour guides in the district. Each day some of them have to closely follow social media to see where food is being distributed.
Wittaya revealed that since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, nine guides have committed suicide after losing their jobs and going back to their hometowns. Some guides returned to Bangkok and are suffering from depression and some have even got caught stealing.
“The Tourism and Sports Ministry needs to provide help to guides nationwide due to unemployment. There should be some sort of compensation and full vaccination measures for them as they are also front-line personnel who have been directly impacted by the pandemic,” Wittaya pleaded.
Nine Hat Yai tour guides commit suicide as pandemic brings travel industry to its kneesNine Hat Yai tour guides commit suicide as pandemic brings travel industry to its knees
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild Elephants
The Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project originated from a concern shared by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Majesty Queen Suthida, having learned of the conflict between local communities and wild elephants as the animals encroached upon farmland and houses to forage for food which was otherwise inadequate in their natural habitat.
Limited food sources have forced wild elephants to such behavioural pattern, posing risks to the lives of the elephants as well as humans, particularly in five eastern provinces of Thailand, namely Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Sakaew. To ensure the successful implementation of this project, Their Majesties appointed Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha as Chair of the Committee on the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project and accepted the project under Royal Patronage on 2 August 2019.
While the name of the project literally means “an elixir that strengthens elephants to be as strong as diamonds,” the project’s true objective equally focuses on the welfare of both wild elephants and humans alike, and to strike that delicate balance where both species can comfortably exist side by side.
The project also aims to create a natural setting where local folks and the pachyderms can share resources in nearby habitats, through safe, lasting and practical solutions that can be maintained by the communities themselves. It seeks to build on the lifelong work of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, on the conservation of natural resources and improvement of living standards for communities adjacent to forests in the said five eastern provinces.
To achieve this aspiration, the areas bordering forests in the five eastern provinces have been divided into three zones. The zoning approach creates a sustainable solution for co-existence between humans and wildlife, as natural separations enable seamless transitions between the two worlds. Therefore, the risk of possible confrontations between the two species is significantly reduced and become manageable. The zones include a forest conservation area as a natural dwelling for wild elephants, a buffer or in-between zone for both animals and humans, and a community zone. Since the start of the project, careful action plans have been implemented and can be summarised as follows.
1. Forest Conservation Zones for Elephants: designated water sources have been provided for wild elephants within this zone to dissuade them from venturing out of their natural habitat in search for food. The aim is to improve and to build a total of 60 large-scale, medium-scale, and small-scale water sources, with a combined capacity of approximately 1,800,000 cubic metres. Thus far, 23 water sources have already been established.
In addition, the forest reforestation efforts in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary of Chachoengsao Province, Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary of Chanthaburi Province, as well as other forest conservation areas have indeed helped replenish natural food sources for wild elephants. Fifteen plots of grassy meadows now grow on a total area of 448 hectares. Other suitable food crops and edible flora have also been carefully planted for the wild elephants and their wild peers. These include lush bamboo forests, delectable local fruits such as mangoes, bananas, as well as artificial salt licks in the natural corridor connecting Khao Chamao-Khao Wong National Park in Rayong Province, with Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary in Chachoengsao Province.
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild ElephantsPhoto: Grassy meadow in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary, Chachoengsao Province, under the care of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (Source: Royal Office)
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild Elephants
Photo: Baan Na Yao Reservoir, Sanam Chai Khet District, Chachoengsao Province, under the care of the Royal Forest Department (Source: Royal Office)
2. Buffer Zones: natural corridors connecting different ecosystems have been created to serve as temporary dwelling places for wild elephants. These buffer zones dissuade elephants from venturing out to forage in local communities, and from there they would be safely guided back to the forest conservation zones. The buffer zones offer moist, grassy meadows and food sources for wild elephants. Water flow is controlled by check dams constructed to keep the land moist. As a result, the buffer zones have been transformed into rich, nutritious food reserves for not only elephants, but all sorts of wildlife, be they banteng, gaur or Indian bison, and barking deer. Some community forests have even been converted into buffer zones as they host a wide range of biodiversity and crop species, useful for both humans and wildlife. These include inter alia, dipterocarpus alatus, rattan, and paduak. In addition, medicinal plants such as red galangal, pepper, cardamom, and water tubes, have been included in the buffer zones for household use. Strong scented plants which elephants find repugnant, such as climbing wattle and cassia, are also cleverly added at the boundary of the zones, as a natural perimeter to deter elephants from straying into local communities and damaging homes.
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild ElephantsPhoto: Designated area for planting medicinal herbs at the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project in Baan Sa Luang, Sakaew Province (Source: Gajanurak Baan Sa Luang Faceboook page)
Comprehensive elephant surveillance systems equipped with artificial intelligence technology are set up within the buffer zones. These are called Gajanurak Operation Centres and can track and monitor elephant movements via automated cameras. When the surveillance system detects elephants, an alert signal will be sent via the LINE chat application to local villagers and the volunteer team, tasked with returning the wild elephants to their natural habitat. The first Gajanurak Operation Centre was set up in Khao Chamao National Park, Rayong Province, with personal funds from His Majesty the King. Since then, a similar centre has been established in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary, Chachoengsao Province, to record and collect information from other automated surveillance systems set up in the five eastern provinces, and to create a database for future collaboration among related agencies.
3. Community Zones: the final zonal designation focuses on community development as well as raising awareness and creating understanding among local villagers on the behaviour of wild elephants. This is necessary as it helps encourage participation of local villagers to work with authorities in reducing the risk of confrontation with wild elephants. In addition, community zones support training for volunteers to learn how to properly rehabilitate wild elephants back to their habitat. Eight “Gajanurak Villages” or pilot villages have been set up towards this end, with an additional 43 villages within the network to expand the activities of the pilot villages to an even broader audience. The network currently includes 51 villages, or 17 per cent of the 299 villages affected by foraging wild elephants. Additionally, Their Majesties the King and Queen have made personal contributions to establish the Gajanurak Fund and to purchase elephant surveillance equipment, alarm systems, radio communications systems and torchlights for volunteers tasked with alerting the villagers of any possible elephant confrontations.
Such community development activities have deepened the understanding amongst the villagers on nature preservation and co-existence with wildlife. The villagers have also been empowered with skillsets to improve their livelihoods as well as management of village funds. In conjunction with strengthening the capacity of local communities, there have also been efforts to restore water sources for villagers in all the five eastern provinces, to store enough water for consumption and agriculture to maintain a sustainable livelihood. Through such efforts, the villagers are united in solidarity, sharing with one another their knowledge on a variety of alternative livelihoods, including moving away from single-cropping to multiple cropping. As a result, the local villagers have established 33 groups or associations to assist one another in earning income from different sources. These include medicinal herbs, basketry, and food processing in the Gajanurak Villages and network villages. Such local congregations serve as models for sustainable adaptation to living with natural surroundings and wildlife. The approach enhances local communities’ quality of life while offering them peace of mind and protection from wild animals through the use of alert and surveillance systems.
The implementation of the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project thus far has made progress in all aspects as it seeks to solve the problems at their root causes in a sustainable manner, as advocated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great. Key to future success is the commitment from all stakeholders, particularly local ownership. Nevertheless, since the conflict between elephants and local communities has been a longstanding issue, and the wild elephants have grown accustomed to foraging on villagers’ farmland, it will naturally take time to change these elephants’ behaviour and assist their return to the forest.
Brewing an elixir that works is never easy. Hopefully, the current success of the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project will inspire many more to quest for their own magic potion that will make a difference.
By H.E. General Chalermchai Sitthisad (Ret.), Privy Councillor
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H.E. General Chalermchai Sitthisad was appointed Privy Councillor on 2 October 2018 and currently oversees various projects under royal patronage, including the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project. Privy Councillor Sitthisad serves on the Executive Committee of the Ananda Mahidol Foundation and the Committee on Education Scholarships Under Royal Patronage. Prior to this, he served the military in a number of key positions in the Royal Thai Armed Forces including Commander of the Armed Forces Section on Specialised Warfare, Assistant to the Chief Commander of the Armed Forces, and Chief Commander of the Armed Forces.
Top court suspends two more govt MPs in voting case
The Supreme Court has suspended from duty two more members of Parliament in the government coalition over a misconduct case filed by the National Anti-Corruption Commission back in 2020, former Democrat MP Nipit Intharasombat posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
Chalong Toedweerapong and Phumisit Khongmee, both Bhumjaithai MPs from Phatthalung province, have been ordered to suspend their duties after the court found they had been allegedly involved in an incident in which some MPs cast votes for other members who were not present at a key parliamentary meeting on January 10 and 11, 2020. The meeting had considered the budget bill for fiscal 2020.
Two others who were also allegedly involved in the incident are Bhumjaithai party-list MP Natee Ratchakitprakarn and Thanikarn Phornphongsaroj, Palang Pracharath MP from Bangkok. Both have been suspended by the court since August 11 this year.
The four must stop performing their MP duties until the court passes a verdict in the case.
The court has set November 11 as the first hearing.
The four MPs face charges under the Organic Act on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption of 2018, with a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison or a Bt200,000 fine, or both.
Missing toddler ‘Gina’ saved from being sacrificed to forest spirits
Missing toddler ‘Gina’ saved from being sacrificed to forest spiritsPhoto Credit: The Public Relations Department Region 3 Chiangmai
Phuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governor
Phuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governor
Phuket’s Covid situation will be resolved in 2 weeks, vows governor
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
Heavy continuous rainfall inundates Pattaya, some parts of Chonburi
Green light given to new names for some electric train stations
Green light given to new names for some electric train stations
Nine Hat Yai tour guides commit suicide as pandemic brings travel industry to its knees
Nine Hat Yai tour guides commit suicide as pandemic brings travel industry to its knees
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild ElephantsPhoto: Grassy meadow in Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary, Chachoengsao Province, under the care of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (Source: Royal Office)
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild Elephants
Bajrasudha Gajanurak : A Royal Elixir to Strengthen Wild ElephantsPhoto: Designated area for planting medicinal herbs at the Bajrasudha Gajanurak Project in Baan Sa Luang, Sakaew Province (Source: Gajanurak Baan Sa Luang Faceboook page)
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