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Thai currency to move within Bt29.80 and Bt30.30 range this week

NationalDec 28. 2020

By THE NATION

Between December 28 and January 1, Kasikornbank expects the baht to move within the range of Bt29.80 and Bt30.30 against the US dollar.

KResearch said the key factors to be monitored closely are the global Covid-19 situation, the central bank’s report on economic and monetary conditions for November and foreign fund flows into the country.

Meanwhile, the US economic data to be released this week include October property price index, November pending home sales data and weekly unemployment claims report. Market participants may also eye the Chinese purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for December, which may shed light on the state of the private sector.

The baht fell early last week in line with other regional currencies, while the dollar strengthened as a safe-haven currency amid heightened concerns about the Covid-19 situation both at home and overseas.

The baht, however, pared some losses, while the greenback suffered sell-offs amid position adjustment after the Thai government announced Covid-19 control zoning, but did not enforce a national lockdown.

On Friday, the baht stood at Bt30.08 to the US dollar compared to Bt29.83 on the previous Friday (December 18).

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Samut Sakhon governor tests positive, Anutin awaits results

NationalDec 28. 2020Veerasak Vichitsangsri

By The Nation

Samut Sakhon governor Veerasak Vichitsangsri reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday and people who had been his close contact with him will soon be tested for the virus.

Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said several high-ranking civil servants are believed to be infected and said everybody at risk should report to public health officials immediately.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is currently isolated and waiting for test results.

On Sunday, Veerasak had led Anutin and other public health officials to visit a hospital in Samut Sakhon.

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500 migrant workers cured of Covid-19 to receive certificate from ministry

NationalDec 28. 2020

By The Nation

Five hundred migrant workers have been successfully treated for Covid-19 and will be handed certificates of recovery, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said.

.Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the DDC, on Monday said that the Public Health Ministry has handed over a document certifying Covid-19 immunity to some migrant workers who have recovered. The documents were given on Sunday to some as a proof of their recovery.

However, there are many other people who have recovered in the Central Shrimp Market Community. The ministry is preparing to hand over documents to confirm their recovery.

However, they will still have to be quarantined in a designated area.

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Baht moving in narrow range but expected to gain from movement of gold price

NationalDec 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 30.07 to the US dollar on Monday, strengthening from 30.09 at close on Friday.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.90 and 30.10 on Monday and between 29.80 to 30.20 this week, said Jitipol Puksamatanan, senior director of the chief investment office at SCB Securities.

He explained that the baht presently was moving in a narrow range, and the only factor pressuring the currency was the new wave of Covid-19 in Thailand.

He advised investors to monitor the direction of gold price, which has started to recover and could support Asian currencies including the baht. Besides, the political situation in the US, as well as the Brexit issue between the UK and EU, were worth monitoring this week.

He expected Thailand to end 2020 with foreign exchange reserves of $260 billion, or around 50 per cent of the gross domestic product.

The dollar index this week would tend to move between 89.5 to 90.5 points, from the present 90.2 points, he said.

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Democrat MP tells PM, ministers to take responsibility for gambling dens in Rayong

NationalDec 28. 2020

By THE NATION

A Democrat MP blamed the prime minister and two ministers for letting gambling dens exist in Rayong, which has resulted in 85 cases of Covid-19 infections.

Dr Banyat Jetanajan, Democrat member of the House of Representatives for Rayong province, said on Sunday that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan and Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda must take responsibility for letting gambling dens exist in Rayong, which had led to the infection among local people. He warned the real number of infections could be even higher.

“I have raised the issue of gambling dens in Rayong for discussion in Parliament meetings many times, so I believe the PM and related ministries must be aware of the problem,” he said. “After the crackdown on a large gambling den in the Map Ta Phut area in June, how come there are still gambling dens in the province, making Rayong the second biggest hotspot after Samut Sakhon in the new wave of Covid-19?”

“As a Rayong resident, I am highly concerned about the economy, tourism and well-being of the people of Rayong that would be severely affected by the new outbreak,” he added. “But as an MP in the government coalition, I want the government to clarify why there are still gambling dens as well as show sincerity in solving the problem for good.

“I sympathise with local residents who have sacrificed greatly to keep the province safe from Covid-19 since the outbreak started, but due to the irresponsibility of some government officials who failed to rid the province of gambling dens, they have to suffer the consequence from these mass infections,” added Banyat.

“The government must bring those who neglected their duty to face justice and make sure that Rayong has no gambling dens,” Banyat said.

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Health agency urges people against believing offers of Covid-19 vaccine

NationalDec 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not provided any certification for the use of Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand and warned people against believing any person or establishment that promises to get them vaccines by reservation.

Dr Thares Krainairawiwong, Department of Health Service Support, said that

“On December 26, a private hospital in Bangkok announced its offer of Covid-19 vaccines at Bt4,000 per person for the first 1,000 customers who made reservations before January 31,” he said. “Currently the FDA has not permitted any healthcare operator to provide Covid-19 vaccine to patients and such an advertisement by the hospital could be an exaggeration.

“The Department has contacted the hospital and ordered them to take down the advertisement,” he added.

“We will launch an investigation into the hospital for possible violation of Health Facility Act BE 2541 under Section 38 Paragraph 1, for posting an unauthorised advertisement, and Section 38 Paragraph 2, for providing false or exaggerated information that could lead to misunderstanding about the health facility’s operations.”

The violator of Paragraph 1 will face a maximum fine of Bt20,000 and an extra Bt10,000 per day until the advertisement is taken down, while the violator of Paragraph 2 will face a similar fine plus a maximum one-year imprisonment.

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Woman from Rayong ‘first Covid-19 case in Chiang Mai’

NationalDec 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Chiang Mai public health office held an emergency meeting on Sunday evening at City Hall regarding a new case of Covid-19 found since mass infections were reported in Samut Sakhon province earlier this month and in Rayong province a few days ago, a source said.

“Dr Kittiphan Chalom, Chiang Mai’s public health deputy chief, said that the patient is a 46-year-old woman, a resident of Rayong’s Muang district, who had arrived in Chiang Mai on December 26,” said the source. “She showed symptoms, such as dryness in the throat and 37.4 degrees temperature and received testing on December 27. She was found positive.”

Kittiphan added that she is now being treated in a negative pressure room at Nakornping Hospital in Mae Rim district.

“This is considered an imported case from another province. There is still no local outbreak within Chiang Mai at the moment,” he said.

The source speculated that the CCSA would make an official announcement about this case on Monday.

According to Kittiphan, preliminary tracing of the patient’s travel history revealed that she had visited a fitness centre in Rayong province on December 24 and had close contact with a trainer who was later confirmed as infected. On December 26, she travelled from U-Tapao Airport to Chiang Mai International Airport on Thai AirAsia flight FD101, seat 22C, with her husband, her two children and a babysitter.

“In total, 127 persons have been found to have had contact with her l and carry a risk of infection, 30 of whom carry high risk that health officials had already contacted them to collect samples for testing,” he said. “The rest 97 persons were told to stay in self-quarantine to monitor their symptoms for 14 days.”

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North and Northeast remain cool, rains ease in the South

NationalDec 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Monday that the weak high-pressure system covering upper Thailand and the South China Sea would cause morning fog, with dense fog in some areas. Cool weather continues in the North and the Northeast, while mountaintops are cold to very cold.

Motorists in upper Thailand should proceed with caution due to poor visibility, the department said.

Meanwhile, the weakening northeast monsoon over the Gulf and the South results in less rain over the South.

The department also said that from December 30 to January 3, the strong high pressure from China will extend to cover upper Thailand. Cool to cold weather will be likely over upper Thailand with a 4-6 degrees Celsius drop in temperature and strong winds.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Cool weather with fog in the morning and dense fog in some areas; minimum temperature 16-22 degrees Celsius, maximum 31-36°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 6-13°C.

Northeast: Cool weather with fog in the morning and dense fog in some areas; minimum temperature 18-23°C, maximum 34-35°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 12-16°C.

Central: Fog in the morning and dense fog in some areas; minimum temperature 23-25°C, maximum 35-37°C.

East: Partly cloudy with fog in the morning; minimum temperature 24-26°C, maximum 32-36°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres off shore.

South (east coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; minimum temperature 23-24°C, maximum 31-33°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; minimum temperature 22-26°C, maximum 31-34°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Fog in the morning; minimum temperature 25-27°C, maximum 33-36°C.

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Rayong finds 49 more Covid-19 cases, many linked to gambling den

NationalDec 28. 2020

By The Nation

The governor of Rayong said 49 additional cases of Covid-19 were found in the province, taking the total to 85. 

He said many of the new cases were linked to a gambling den. He said the province was considering opening a field hospital to accommodate the increasing number of patients.

Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha said at the press conference that Rayong needs more “strong medicine”, asking people at risk to take a test for free. Temporarily Covid-19 checkpoints are set up at Noen Urai Flea Market with 400 tests offered per day.

Rayong governor Charnna Iamsaeng said that the numbers were expected to increase due to proactive testing. The timeline of patients is set to be published soon. 

In the future, Rayong may have to set up a field hospital to accommodate the growing number of patients, he said.

“Rayong has not locked down. People can travel in and out normally, without quarantine. “Tourist attractions are still open because the infected people live in Muang district, while no cases have been found in other districts,” the governor said.

Rayong provincial public health office chief Sunthorn Rheanpumikankit said that at the moment they are accelerating the timeline data of everyone. They have prepared all three hospitals — Rayong Hospital, Klaeng Hospital, and Map Ta Phut Hospital — for treatment. 

At the moment, the symptoms of the patients are not severe, the governor said.

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Police probing case of woman who fell to her death from quarantine hotel

NationalDec 27. 2020

By The Nation

Huamak Police Station is investigating the case of a 51-year-old woman who fell to her death from an eight-storey hotel in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi district on Sunday.

The hotel is serving as a state quarantine centre.

Police in protective suit found the woman’s body on the second floor awning of the hotel. Outsiders were immediately blocked from entering the area.

According to the case history of the deceased, she had taken a flight from South Korea at 11.10pm on December 24 and checked in at the hotel at 1.52am on December 25 to undergo quarantine. Her first Covid-19 test was negative.

Police are investigating the scene and interrogating witnesses to determine whether the deceased had jumped or fallen before sending the body for autopsy.