Prepare for rain and temperature drop this week: Thai Met Dept
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Heavy to very heavy rain and strong winds will hit upper Thailand from Wednesday to Sunday (November 30-December 4), according to a severe weather warning issued by the Thai Meteorological Department.
The severe weather will be coupled with a sudden temperature drop, it added.
The department advised people to look after their health amid the sudden weather changes.
“People should beware of severe weather conditions that may cause flash floods and overflows, especially along foothills, near waterways and in low-lying areas,” it said.
The temperature will also drop by 3-5C in the Northeast and 2-3C in the North, East and Central regions including Bangkok, it said.
The department said seven provinces in the South are also likely to see heavy rain from Friday (December 2). These are Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
On Saturday and Sunday, heavy downpours will spread to Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, it added.
Waves will be 3 metres in the lower Gulf, rising higher in thundershowers, and 2 metres in the upper Gulf. The department warned that small boats in the lower Gulf should keep ashore on Saturday and Sunday (December 3-4).
New medical treatment instructions for Covid-19 take effect from today
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
New Covid-19 treatment guidelines, which include prescription of antiviral drugs and Long Acting Antibody (LAAB), come into effect on Wednesday, the Department of Medical Services said.
The guidelines are aimed at making Covid-19 treatment guidelines up to date, the department director-general, Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn, said.
He explained that patients who develop mild symptoms without risk of lung inflammation or severe symptoms would receive treatment as outpatients at the discretion of physicians.
“Patients in this group must undergo Covid-19 prevention measures, including social distancing, wearing of masks, washing of hands and testing the temperature for at least five days,” he said.
“Molnupiravir or Favipiravir antiviral drug would be prescribed to children aged 18 years or below.”
He added that patients who develop mild symptoms, but have chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease or diabetes, would receive LAAB and/or antiviral drugs at the discretion of the doctor.
Despite rising Covid-19 cases in Thailand, Thongchai said only 1,468 of 7,564 beds for Covid-19 patients have been used, accounting for 19.4% bed-occupancy rate.
“We do not expect the bed-occupancy rate to hit 50% during the long holidays in December,” he said.
He urged people to receive at least four Covid-19 vaccine jabs to reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms and death.
“Receiving at least four jabs would help build immunity against Covid-19,” he said, adding that immunity would drop three months after receiving the latest jab or being infected with Covid-19.
Where to get a free Covid jab in Bangkok as cases soar
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Bangkok has ramped up its free vaccine drive in response to a surge in Covid-19 infections. Thailand logged over 700 new Covid cases per day last week.
People can get free vaccine jabs at the Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai-Japan) in Din Daeng district at weekends throughout December. All nationalities can reserve jabs via the QueQ app or simply walk into the vaccination centre between 8am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Children aged five and above can also get a free jab.
A walk-in free vaccination service is also available for adults at the following 11 hospitals under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
1. Klang Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm
2. Taksin Hospital service at Platform Wongwianyai shopping mall, Monday to Friday, 8am-2pm
3. Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-2pm
4. Venerable Thawisak Jutindharo Hospital, Monday 1pm-4pm and Tuesday 8am-noon
5. Wetchakarunrasm Hospital, Monday, 1pm-4pm
6. BMA Ladkrabang Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-2pm
7. Ratchaphiphat Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm
8. Sirindhorn Hospital, Friday, 1pm-3pm
9. Bang Khun Thian Elderly Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm
10. Khlong Sam Wa Hospital, Wednesday to Friday, 1pm-2pm
11. BMA Bangna Hospital, Monday to Wednesday, 8am-11am
BTS Skytrain fares on the original Sukhumvit (Mo Chit to On Nut) and Silom (National Stadium to Saphan Taksin and Wong Yai) lines will rise by 1-3 baht from January 1 next year.
The minimum fare (one-station journey) will rise from 16 baht to 17 baht while the maximum (eight stations or more) will go up from 44 baht to 47 baht, train operator Bangkok Transit System Corporation (BTSC) announced on Wednesday.
The price of a one-day pass will also rise from 140 baht to 150 baht from January 1. However, senior-citizen Rabbit Card holders will still receive a discount based on the old fares, said the company.
BTSC chief Surapong Laoha-Unya said the company has increased fares only three times in the 23 years since the Skytrain opened. The last rise was five years ago in 2017, when fares increased from 15-42 baht to 16-44 baht.
“The new fares are still lower than the ceiling price stipulated in the concession contract at 21.52-64.53 baht,” Surapong said.
He cited global inflation, as well as rising electricity costs and minimum wages, as reasons for the latest fare hike.
Fares for Skytrain extension lines overseen by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will not be affected. The BMA manages the routes from On Nut to Kheha, Mo Chit to Khu Khot, and Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa stations.
Bangkok is the most livable city for expats in Asia, survey finds
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Bangkok is the best city in Asia for expatriates to live and work in, according to the latest poll from InterNations, which runs an online portal for selling services to expats globally.
Bangkok came in at number six on InterNations 2022 ranking of best cities for expats to live and work in globally, it said in a press release.
InterNations says it has 4.5 million members. It surveys them annually to select the best and worst cities for expats to live and work in globally.
Singapore, which ranked 10th, was the only other city in Asia to make the top 10 in the poll based on 11,970 responses to the survey, according to the InterNations press release.
Valencia took the top spot. InterNations founder Malte Zeeck was quoted as saying the Spanish city was “a safe place with an excellent climate, a vibrant nightlife and culture, a pleasant urban environment and great travel opportunities”. At the same time Valencia was described as “fairly affordable”.
Dubai was ranked second on the survey, with InterNations attributing its appeal to its thriving social scene, employment prospects and creative business culture.
Mexico City entered the top 10 for the first time, taking third place. InterNations said the metropolis was easy to settle into and quickly felt like home. Lisbon and Madrid were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
InterNations provided a breakdown of the reasons why Bangkok was the top city in Asia for expats, providing the following scores for six categories:
– 79% of expats surveyed in Bangkok were happy with life in general
– 69% were happy with the cost of living
– 54% said it was easy to make friends
– 66% were happy with their work
– 68% were happy with their work-life balance
– 82% were happy with the quality of medical care
Basel, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi were ranked seventh, eighth and ninth respectively, with Singapore taking the final spot on the top 10.
Tinder takes temperature of Thai dating in 2022 (Spoiler: it’s hot)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Young singles in Thailand think dating games are dead in 2022, according to Tinder’s end-of-year study. The dating app said this generation of Thai Tinder users aged 18-25 “Are Done Wasting Their Time” after Covid-19 – with popular date choices including the beach, picnics in the park and jamming at a music festival.
Meanwhile, “Tinder’s Year in Swipe” shared the top flirt flexes of 2022 as it draws to a close.
Here’s what the world’s top dating said about the state of date in Thailand this year:
10 Essential Trends on Tinder in 2022
1. Young singles are owning the situationship as a valid relationship status. Young singles were still down to play the field this year, but they opted for a high-quality roster where everyone was on the same page. More than a hookup, but not quite a traditional relationship, the “situationship” a casual – yet clearly defined – relationship came to rise in 2022. Tinder saw a 49% increase in members adding the new relationship intention to their profiles and over 1 in 102 surveyed young singles said they prefer situationships as a way to develop a relationship with less pressure. Thai daters were keen to keep things casual with almost half (44%) saying they use dating apps for casual dating
2. Positivity was a major plus. Originally known as the parking symbol, 🅿️ has been repurposed to represent Pushin P and was the number 1 trending emoji globally on Tinder this year. An interesting shift from the trending emojis of years past (🤦in 2019, 🤷in 2020, and 👀 in 2021), members turned to 🅿️ to let their matches know positivity and keeping it real is exactly what they’re looking for. That positivity shone through in Thailand where 76% of users polled said they were excited about their dating future and the majority (53%) said they feel free to be themselves on dating apps.
3. The dinner date could soon be dead. It seems the activities we took to during the pandemic are here to stay. With 75% of Thais having been on a virtual date, digital dating remains a popular way for Thais to connect, and for those first IRL dates top choices among Thais are simple dates like taking a walk/ grabbing coffee, classic movie date, and a music date such as going to a gig. Singles are opting for less traditional, more authentic and sometimes sober (see below) ways to get to know one another. Other creative activities like Camping, BBQs, Trying New Things, and Street Food all made it into the top 10 trending global Interests on Tinder.
4. More singles are raising a glass to sober dates. Alcohol-free dates have become a way for singles to be more authentic on dates and challenge traditional dating norms. Over 25% of surveyed young singles on Tinder said they drink less on dates compared with last year and when describing their drinking habits 72% of members said on their Tinder profiles that they don’t drink or only drink occasionally. In fact, the 🍻and 🍷 emojis each decreased (40% and 25% respectively) on Tinder profiles YoY.
5. Being Funny, Fresh, and Forward was sexy AF. A sense of humour was what members looked for most when reading a potential match’s profile, and 73% of young singles surveyed across all genders said they were looking for someone who is clear about what they want and has good hygiene. When asked what the most important characteristics are in a potential date, young singles prioritised value-based qualities like loyalty (79%), respect (78%) and open-mindedness (61%) over looks (56%). With bios like “ถ้าได้ใครมาลากไปฟิตเนสบ่อยๆจะเป็นพระคุณมาก” (If I find someone to drag me to the gym, I would be highly grateful) and “เมื่อไหร่ จะถึงคิวหุ่นหมีละคร๊าฟฟฟ” (when will it be this bear’s body turn to date?) it’s unsurprising that Thais are looking for people who can make them laugh (57%). They are also looking for people who they can trust and confide in (57%) and share similar interests with (53%).
6. Stances on social issues could make or break a match. Three-quarters (75%) of singles were looking for a match who is respectful of or invested in social issues. In fact, so many Tinder members added the Ukrainian flag to their profiles in support of Ukraine this year, that it ranked within the top 10 trending emojis on the app at one point. Additionally, the Activism and Voters Rights Interests both increased (84% and 37% respectively) in Tinder profiles this year.
According to Thai Tinder Member Luktao, “It’s important that when I connect with someone I learn about their values, their interests and their position on certain issues. It’s important to me that we have these things in common. Popular social topics such as the environment, politics, LGBTQ and inclusivity are common conversations amongst young Thais right now who are committed to creating a better future for a young generation. If my date and I had very different views on these we’d probably spend more time disagreeing than enjoying our time together – I don’t think that would work!”
7. Nostalgia stanning was a flex. Young singles are getting inspiration from ’90s and noughties dating trends. The fastest growing interests on Tinder were blasts from the past like 90’s Kid, Anime, and Sneakers. Even everyone’s favourite new old song, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” made a comeback and was in the top 10 Spotify Anthems noted on Tinder profiles. Tinder’s modern take on the traditional blind date also launched for the hotter months. The Blind Date feature on Tinder paired members before allowing them to view each other’s profile and was used 200,000 times a day on average. It’s been a tough few years, and it looks like singles are turning to the authenticity and good vibes of a pre-smartphone world.
8. The 🚩(red flag) & 🌫️(gaslighting) emojis were trending for good reason. Toxic relationships aren’t new, but all of the tips and psychoanalysis on social media show that young singles are more clued up about the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to dating. Over half (58%) of surveyed young singles said they were confident they could identify a green or red flag when dating. In 2022, singles have finally had enough and are dishing on what they consider red and green flags, and all of our BS radars have gotten better because of it. A true public service. In fact, long-term relationship and Skinship were two of the top dating rules mentioned by Thais in their bios this year.
Thai Tinder member Bee shares that “Trust is very important. If there is no trust then the relationship will not see a day of happiness, the couple will not be as close as they could be, and you will always be paranoid. Being able to confide in each other is also very important – it’s a great sign of intimacy that you feel comfortable with someone.”
9. Revenge travel racked up the miles on Tinder. After two pandemic-filled trips around the sun, singles were finally able to get back to exploring new horizons with fewer or no restrictions. 18-25 year-olds passported on average nine times a month with top international passport destinations for Thais including Seoul (South Korea), London (UK) and New York (USA). Locally, the most popular passport destinations after Bangkok this year are Chiang Mai, Phuket and Khon Kae.
10. Amidst uncertainty and a triple mercury retrograde in 2022 singles were looking to the stars for guidance. Star signs were the most popular type of descriptor added to Tinder bios behind smoking preferences, pets and diet. Leos, Scorpios and Cancers were the signs most likely to include their sign in their bios, and surprisingly, all star signs were most likely to match with the exact same zodiac sign.
“2022 has been a busy dating year for single Thais with trends from the pandemic such as virtual dates being carried over and fused with an increase in IRL dating opportunities,” said Papri Dev, APAC Communications Head at Tinder. “As Thailand opened up, we saw young Thai adults being more creative in their choices of dates, looking for new and interesting activities to experience together. The desire for authenticity amongst Thai members was coupled with people looking for positivity and humour from their dates this year. With the majority of Thais excited about their dating prospects, Tinder will continue to spark new connections and play an important role in the dating journey of young adult Thai singletons.”
Aed Carabao accused of encroaching on national forest
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Yuenyong “Aed” Ophakul, lead singer of legendary songs-for-life band Carabao, is under scrutiny for alleged encroachment on national forest in Saraburi province.
Anti-corruption activist Veera Somkwamkid on Monday filed a police complaint in Saraburi’s Kaeng Khoi district, claiming Yuenyong’s 35-rai plot encroaches on the Tab Kwang- Muak Lek Forest Reserve.
Veera, secretary-general of the People’s Network Against Corruption, also filed a complaint of malfeasance against Royal Forest Department officials for allegedly colluding in the land deal.
Saraburi Forest Resource Management officials and police visited the plot on Tuesday and used GPS to measure its size and location. The results will be sent to related authorities to determine if it is encroaching on national forest.
Yuenyong leases the land to a woman, who told officials she has rented it for 120,000 baht per year for five years. She has also built a fence around the plot.
Veera alleged the land was used for tourism.
Yuenyong reportedly bought the land from a man named Jamras Jullapa in 1992. Jamras had reportedly held a land-occupation claim form (Sor Khor 1) for the plot, but never the land-use deed (Nor Sor 3 Kor).
A representative of Yuenyong has denied the accusation and said the musician will fight to clear his name.
Frozen food business heats up with surge of new entrants
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
The number of new companies entering the frozen food business in Thailand is surging, Deputy Commerce Minister Sinit Lertkrai said on Wednesday, adding that the segment was unscathed by the pandemic.
Sinit said that 92 new frozen food companies registered with his ministry during the first nine months of this year – an 84% surge over the same period last year when 50 new frozen food companies registered with the ministry.
The new companies are also getting bigger. The combined registered capital of the 92 frozen food firms that registered this year was 299.3 million baht, compared to 78 million baht for the 50 companies that registered in the same period last year, Sinit said.
The frozen food business attracted high levels of domestic and foreign investment even during the pandemic, the deputy minister added, noting that annual revenues in the segment rose from about 7 billion baht in 2019 to more than 10.5 billion baht last year.
The market capitalisation of the frozen food segment has hovered near 300 billion baht over the past three years, according to official data.
Thai investors dominate the segment, accounting for 86.20%. The major foreign investors are Japanese (6.51%), Chinese (1.86%) and Singaporean (1.46%). Investors from other countries own a combined 3.97% of the segment, according to official data.
Sinit said exports of eight frozen food products in the first nine months of this year were valued at 87.896 billion baht. These included fish and poultry to vegetable and fruit products.
There were 833 frozen food companies in Thailand as of the end of October, Sinit said, adding that most of them (89.5%) are small companies. A handful (6.3%) are mid-sized companies, while 4.2% are large, he added.
Although the companies’ combined revenues fell slightly last year, profits rose significantly, Sinit said. He explained that businesses in the segment have been adept at managing costs as demand for their products rises at home and abroad.
DES Ministry in major push for digital economy as driving force for growth
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
A digital economy will be Thailand’s main driving force for growth in the next couple of decades, the top official of the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry said on Monday.
Wisit Wisitsora-at, permanent secretary at the ministry, said businesses and industries such as fintech firms, health tech companies, and those using education technologies will benefit the most from the digital economy.
Wisit was speaking at the opening ceremony of “Thailand 4.0 – the Future and Beyond” seminar and exhibition held at the Centara Grand at Centra Plaza Ladprao Hotel on Monday.
He told the seminar that the ministry has policies to promote the development and usage of digital technologies to push Thailand beyond the middle-income trap.
The ministry has enacted an act on digital development for economy and society this year.
He said the act would promote investments in digital industries and innovations that can be applied for development of the economy and society as part of steering the country to Thailand 4.0.
Speaking at the same seminar, Puchong Nodethaisong, secretary-general of the Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission, said the seminar also aimed to encourage members of the society to catch up with digital technologies.
He said the promotion of digital technologies would not only benefit the economy but it would also benefit society by changing the behaviour of the people and increase utilisation of digital technologies.
Trip by Hong Kong importers lands Thailand 81,200 tonnes rice export orders
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Thailand has secured orders for 81,200 tonnes of jasmine rice from Hong Kong during a special trip to Thailand last week by importers from China’s Special Administrative Region, the Commerce Ministry said.
Kirati Ratchano, permanent secretary at the Commerce Ministry, said the ministry had organised a trip for 34 major rice importers from Hong Kong from November 21 to 24.
The trip was a proactive strategy of the ministry as instructed by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit to expand rice exports to Hong Kong, Kirati said.
He said the trip secured initial orders of 81,200 tonnes of jasmine rice worth 2.7 billion baht and also provided good opportunities for Thai rice exporters to meet the Hong Kong importers for further trade negotiations.
“As a result, sales of Thai rice to Hong Kong should improve next year,” Kirati said.
He said Hong Kong has reopened to foreign tourists after the Covid-19 pandemic, so the consumption of Thai rice was expected to increase to the pre-Covid level soon.
According to the Commerce Ministry, Hong Kong is Thailand’s fifth largest rice export market. Last year, Thailand exported 174,932 tonnes of rice to Hong Kong worth US$158.04 million.
The ministry said Hong Kong people like to eat new-crop rice, which constitutes 80 per cent of rice imported from Thailand. The ministry said each Hong Kong resident consumes about 44 kilograms of rice per year and Thailand was behind the United States for rice exports to Hong Kong in term of quantity.
Apart from organising the trip, Kirati said the Commerce Ministry has also been using soft power to promote the image of Thai rice by seeking help from Hong Kong entertainers and influencers. The campaign is aimed at promoting the recognition of Thai Hom Mali Rice Certification Mark for Hong Kong people to recognise that packages with the mark are premium quality rice.
Chananpas Pisalapipong, the director of the foreign trade promotion office in Hong Kong, said the trip by Hong Kong rice importers and the visit by an official Hong Kong delegation during the Apec Summit on November 18-19 provided good opportunities for Thai exporters to try to secure export deals to Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Siribut Ungphakorn, director of rice trade management division of the Foreign Trade Department, said Hong Kong rice importers have also expressed interest in a healthier strain of jasmine rice, especially the RD (Rice Department) 43 strain. She said the RD43 hom mali rice is soft and is much lower on the glycemic index.
She said Hong Kong importers had also expressed interest in the Riceberry strain, which is good for consumers who have health concerns.
He said the promotion of digital technologies would not only benefit the economy but it would also benefit society by changing the behaviour of the people and increase utilisation of digital technologies.
“As a result, sales of Thai rice to Hong Kong should improve next year,” Kirati said.
Apart from organising the trip, Kirati said the Commerce Ministry has also been using soft power to promote the image of Thai rice by seeking help from Hong Kong entertainers and influencers. The campaign is aimed at promoting the recognition of Thai Hom Mali Rice Certification Mark for Hong Kong people to recognise that packages with the mark are premium quality rice.
Meanwhile, Siribut Ungphakorn, director of rice trade management division of the Foreign Trade Department, said Hong Kong rice importers have also expressed interest in a healthier strain of jasmine rice, especially the RD (Rice Department) 43 strain. She said the RD43 hom mali rice is soft and is much lower on the glycemic index.
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