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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024261

New XBB.1.5 subvariant will soon take over, predicts infectious diseases expert

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023

The latest Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, is highly transmissible and may infect many people, a top virologist said in a Facebook post on Monday.

Citing a report published last week on GitHub, Chulalongkorn University’s Assoc Prof Dr Thira Woratanarat said XBB.1.5 will become the main subvariant in the United States by mid-next month.

The variant has already been found in 5% of Covid-19 patients in Europe and due to its easy transmissibility, it can soon become the main subvariant there by the end of February, he said.

Thira, who is chief of Chulalongkorn University’s Information Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, said XBB.1.5 will not be the only subvariant affecting people as countries have started reopening their borders, which is also allowing the spread of other subvariants.

Among them are the XBF found in Australia, CH.1.1 found in New Zealand and the UK and the BQ.1* + S:346T + S:144, which has been common in Denmark, France and the UK.

The trend of a variety of subvariants will also be seen in Thailand, due to the influx of foreign tourists during the high season, which will continue until April, he said.

Though the XBB.1.5 subvariant has been found to be five times more contagious than other variants of the virus, it has not been found to create very serious symptoms in most patients. However, there are still concerns about vulnerable people.

As many as 128,373 new Covid-19 infections were reported globally with 635 deaths on Sunday. So far, 673,294,559 people have contracted Covid-19 across the world and 6,746,068 have succumbed to the disease. Countries that reported the highest number of infections on Sunday were Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia and Mexico, respectively.

In Thailand, the Public Health Ministry reported that 627 Covid-19 patients had been admitted to hospital in the week of January 15 to 21, or about 90 persons per day, with a total of 44 people succumbing to the virus during the said period.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024260

Thai outdoor film tradition flickers to life among cemetery tombs

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023

Dozens of locals settled down among the tombs for outdoor cinema at a cemetery in Phichit province, 350 kilometres north of Bangkok, on Sunday evening.

The Chinese New Year screening was organised by the Phichit Samakkhi Foundation Cemetery and Thai-Chinese locals to make merit for the 330 souls buried in the tombs.

In Chinese belief, the gateway to hell and heaven opens during the Chinese New Year to allow the deceased to receive merit from their descendants.

The event at the Muang district cemetery also featured a Chinese “Eng-Kor” dance of performers dressed as martial artists. The performers then sat down with locals and foundation officials to watch three films – two Chinese and one Thai – projected by outdoor screening company Booncherd Film.

Anusit Limsiriwong from Phichit Samakkhi Foundation said it had been organising the cemetery screenings for the past 58 years.

Mobile outdoor screenings were once a common sight in villages across Thailand but they largely disappeared with the arrival of cinemas and cineplexes in the late 20th century.

However, the annual Phichit cemetery event is keeping the spirit alive, with families chatting and chomping on barbecue for an evening of traditional Thai-style entertainment.

Anusit said the foundation laid on the feast of barbeque pork for Booncherd Film workers, Eng-Kor performers and the local audience.

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Yaowarat Road glitters with light and colour for Chinese New Year

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023

Bangkok’s Chinatown was bustling with visitors on Sunday as hundreds of locals and foreigners arrived to enjoy Chinese New Year celebrations.

Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the celebrations were organised to preserve culture and stimulate the economy in the fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.

Yaowarat Road was awash with colour on Sunday as most celebrants wore red, which is considered auspicious in Chinese belief.

“This year’s celebration was great!” the governor declared.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry had cooperated with its Chinese counterpart and the Chinese embassy to organise the festival.

“Despite restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19, both countries still have strong ties,” he said, thanking Beijing for promoting Thailand as a top destination after almost three years of strict Covid-19 restrictions.

“Thailand is ready to welcome all Chinese people, and they can look at our country as their second home,” he added.

Apart from Chadchart and Phiphat, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn was also present at the celebrations, as were three Hong Kong celebrities – Michelle Yim, Yam Tat Wah and Roger Wu.

Thai alternative rockers “Paper Planes”, whose song “Bad Boy” was a big hit, also took to the stage to the delight of youngsters.

Yaowarat Road, meanwhile, will be sparkling with light and colour from 6pm to midnight every evening until February 15. On display is a 2-metre-tall rabbit at the Royal Jubilee Gate, as this is the Year of the Rabbit in Chinese astrology.

The two countries are marking the 48th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year, and TAT is expecting a steady influx of visitors from China.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024252

Kanchanburi’s Srinagarind Dam closed after tiger sighting

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023

The Srinagarind Dam in Kanchanaburi province was shut to tourists on Sunday after a tiger was sighted prowling nearby.

Dam director Charnnarong Chanmongkhol also ordered his officials to evacuate the area until the big cat is either captured or moves on.

The tiger was caught on a CCTV camera at around 2am on Sunday morning.

Erawan subdistrict mayor Kitthisit Thummas published the footage on Facebook on Sunday, warning villagers and tourists not to approach the area.

Officials from Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi said the big cat, thought to be an Indochinese tiger, was seen roaming around the dam wall. The dam wall is connected to an area of forest that will soon be declared as the Si Sawat Wildlife Sanctuary, they added.

Officials contacted Panthera Thailand, an NGO that studies tigers in Kanchanaburi, to help identify and capture the big cat so it can be returned to the safety of its usual habitat.

Over 20 officials scoured the area on Sunday afternoon but failed to locate the tiger, finding only its footprints, which were 20 centimetres in diameter.

There are thought to be no more than 200 tigers left in Thailand. Conservation efforts were hit by the killing of two tigers last January in Kanchanaburi. Poaching is driven mainly by demand from China and Vietnam for tiger parts used in Chinese traditional medicine.

Opened in 1980, Srinagarind Dam stretches 140 metres high and 610 metres long across the River Kwai in Si Sawat District. The hydroelectric dam has capacity to generate 720 megawatts. It also attracts tourists for its scenic lake views, a 30-rai of national park and a giant 32-metre-wide sundial.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024243

Thai films can shine globally but strategic thinking is required, experts say

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

Jarupong Krisanaraj

Long-term strategies and goals are required to ensure that Thailand’s film industry shines globally, industry experts told a seminar at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre on Saturday.

The seminar was part of the three-day Bangkok Film Festival hosted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) as part of its strategy to promote Bangkok as a capital for creativity. The film festival wraps up on Sunday.

Thanwarin Sukpisit, member of the Thai Film Directors Association’s board of directors, said the emergence of video streaming services gave viewers more alternatives for watching films without diminishing the value of films.

Thanwarin Sukpisit

Thailand’s film industry must be developed with long-term thinking, and it should start with raising awareness of the arts among the general public because awareness levels are low, she said.

She used an analogy to explain that there was too much focus on literal interpretation. “For example, a student who draws an orange with durian skin may get zero points in art class without being given the chance to explain why they drew it that way,” she said.

Thanwarin also said that criticism of films was often based on a lack of awareness about the arts.

Censorship should be eliminated from Thailand so that people can think freely, she added.

Thanwarin also urged the government to provide more support for filmmakers, such as setting up a fund to support making films and helping filmmakers get permission to use locations for shooting.

Making films in Thailand is difficult due to complex regulations and it is not a financially lucrative profession, she said, noting that filmmakers have low incomes compared to other jobs.

She advised filmmakers to pay more attention to attracting audiences. Simply using films as tools to promote Thailand’s soft power by focusing on things like food and places risks making the films meaningless, she warned.

“We can set up our target [to promote Thailand among foreigners], but attracting [Thai] audiences must come first,” she said, adding that audiences will eventually be interested in Thailand’s soft power if the content of the films produced here is appealing enough.

Banjong Pisanthanakun

Thai filmmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun and Thai actress Manatsanun Panlertwongskul said they were facing a hard time careerwise due to the Covid-19 crisis and emergence of video streaming services.

“Thailand’s film industry can be developed similar to South Korea’s, but it must be developed carefully,” Banjong said, adding that the government and filmmakers must work together.

Thai films have the potential to shine globally if the industry receives government support, he said.

Manatsanun Panlertwongskul

Manatsanun said most Thai filmmakers decided to work with overseas agencies due to the complexity in filmmaking regulations and insufficient funds in Thailand.

“Thailand’s film industry needs more assistance in order to move ahead,” she said. The film industry can help promote tourist attractions and culture, as well as create jobs, she added.

Sanon Wangsrangboon

Deputy Bangkok Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said promoting Thailand’s film industry was part of the BMA’s plan to promote the capital as a city for everyone.

Sanon also vowed to cooperate with relevant agencies to promote Thailand’s film industry.

He said the BMA would set up a one-stop service to facilitate requests from filmmakers to shoot in specific locations and create a network to attract students to enter the film industry.

The BMA needs to talk with the Interior Ministry to set up a fund to support Thailand’s film industry, Sanon said.

Related stories:

• Documentary makers offer survival tips in the era of social media
• Bangkok Film Festival opens with seminars, screenings, shopping and shows
• Govt told to focus on film to magnify Thailand’s global appeal

Jarupong Krisanaraj