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Two seafood vendors in Onnut fresh market test positive for Covid

NationalDec 25. 2020

By THE NATION

Two seafood vendors in a fresh market in Bangkok’s Onnut area tested positive for Covid-19 and are being treated in hospital.

A post in the market’s Facebook page, “Onnuch Freshmart”, said one of the vendors usually buys seafood from Samut Sakhon province and had been told to quarantine himself. The stall has been closed since Monday.

Later, this vendor was found to be infected and 10 people who had come in close contact with the patient have also been checked for the virus.

One of them tested positive and was identified as another seafood vendor in the market, the announcement said, adding that both are being treated in hospital.

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Samut Sakhon field hospital ‘necessary’, insists minister

NationalDec 25. 2020

By THE NATION

Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda said on Friday that a field hospital must be set up in Samut Sakhon’s Muang district, a hotspot of new Covid-19 cases, to separate infected patients from those who are still under investigation.

Anupong spoke after local residents gathered to protest the plan, over fears that the hospital will increase the infection risk in their communities. On Thursday hundreds of locals showed up at the Thailand National Sports University Samut Sakhon campus to block efforts to turn the campus into a field hospital for Covid-19 patients.

“Public health officials have performed Covid-19 tests on many migrant workers in Samut Sakhon, but this small city has limited facilities to safely separate those who are infected from those who still need further monitoring or testing to confirm their status,” said the minister.

“If we don’t isolate them [in the hospital], these workers could return to their community and spread the virus to others, meaning our efforts would be wasted.”

Anupong revealed that the Labour Ministry will next week ask the Cabinet to approve temporary mandatory registration of migrant workers.

“In the meantime, authorities have ordered employers to report the number of migrant workers they have hired and not to move them out of the area without permission,” he added.

Related Story: Samut Sakhon locals hinder moves to set up Covid-19 field hospitals

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Thai official’s kind words on Myanmar labour gets thumbs-up from netizens

NationalDec 25. 2020

By The Nation

Netizens on Friday shared video clips of Myanmar people thanking the spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), Taweesin Visanuyothin, for his words of encouragement.

Taweesin made his remarks during the Covid-19 situation press conference on Wednesday in response to some netizens’ accusing Myanmar workers sneaking into Thailand as being responsible for the new Covid-19 wave in Samut Sakhon’s shrimp market.

“I would like to ask Thai people to see Myanmar workers as relatives because they came to Thailand to boost the country’s economy. Meanwhile, Thais should take good care of these workers when they are sick to maintain our strong friendship,” Taweesin said.

Later, several netizens, including Gwyn Chatranon, shared video clips of Myanmar people’s appreciation for Taweesin’s remarks on their Facebook page. The posts then went viral on the internet, while other netizens also made posts of encouragement for Myanmar workers.

During the Covid-19 situation report on Friday, Taweesin said he had watched all the video clips by Myanmar people.

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TAT launches online complaints platform to improve tourism

NationalDec 25. 2020

By The Nation

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is launching an online platform designed to improve tourist services and keep travellers safe over the New Year holiday.

Named “Thailand Traveller Voice: Travel with confidence, tell everything”, the platform enables travellers to flag up problems with Covid-19 measures, safety, hygiene or service operators.

The TAT said Thailand Traveller Voice (korbok.com/TTV) is an open platform, receiving information and reports of problems from travellers in real-time. The idea is to help the tourism industry and businesses meet the needs of travellers.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the platform will help create peace of mind and confidence in travelling. All comments from the public will be forwarded directly to the relevant agencies, helping tour operators to improve services and hygiene safety standards, he said. Comments and feedback submitted by travellers will be summarised into insights which the TAT and all tourism sectors can use to develop strategies that meet the needs of tourists. This will give the Thai tourism industry a clear direction for development, said the TAT governor

He also invited all tourism operators to participate in the platform, to generate big data that could be analysed to drive future business development.

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Thailand to launch first moon mission

NationalDec 25. 2020

By THE NATION

Thailand will build a spacecraft within seven years with a budget of around Bt3 billion, according to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation.

Minister Anek Laothamatas announced on Thursday that Thailand will produce high-tech satellites in four years, before advancing to build a spaceship with a weight of 300 kilograms for a mission to the moon.

The ship will be powered by a xenon ion thruster, the same propulsion method used by Nasa for interplanetary space missions. The spacecraft will travel at 11 kilometres per hour to the moon, before slowing to enter lunar orbit at 2kph.

Thailand’s first lunar mission will be officially announced in January, Anek said.

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Classes in Prince of Songkhla cancelled after lecturer tests positive for Covid

NationalDec 25. 2020

By The Nation

A lecturer at the Prince of Songkhla University’s Hat Yai campus has tested positive for Covid-19, exposing 150 students to the virus.

The discovery on Friday resulted in the cancellation of classes and closure of several buildings and facilities in the university.

The lecturer had conducted some classes before he was tested and had come in contact with some 150 students.

The university is getting ready to hold online classes to curb further infections.

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Over 200 Myanmar workers set to return home across Mae Sot border

NationalDec 25. 2020

By The Nation

More than 200 Burmese workers are returning to Myanmar via the Mae Sot district border in Tak province on Friday before entering the quarantine process after crossing the border.

Tak public health officials with the help of other responsible organisations have screened all the workers prior to their travel to Myawaddy.

They will be later checked for body temperature again and will be placed in 11 quarantine locations for 21 days.

However, Thai authorities said that if there was a new order to prevent the movement of labourers, they would not be allowed to leave the country.

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Myanmar man’s pilot fantasy doesn’t fly

NationalDec 25. 2020

By THE NATION

Suvarnabhumi Airport issued a statement on Thursday saying the story of a Myanmar national trying to pass himself off as a pilot at the airport was true and that the suspect has been sentenced to eight months in jail for the offence.

Suthirawat Suwanawat, the airport’s general manager, said the suspect called Ye Min Thu was also prosecuted on Tuesday for overstay.

The man apparently had dressed like a pilot and tried to use a fake pilot ID to enter the domestic passenger area.

Guards, however, were unconvinced and sent him to the airport’s police station. Upon interrogation, police found out that the man had told his family and girlfriend that he was a pilot, when in reality he is only an aviation student.

Ye Min Thu lives in a condo in Bangkok’s Hua Mark area, and has not applied for a visa extension since the beginning of this year.

The pretend pilot has been charged for trespassing and overstay, and hit with a jail sentence of eight months.

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Remains of rare animals confiscated from high-end Sukhumvit hotel

NationalDec 25. 2020

By The Nation

The Royal Forest Department confiscated 32 animal remains showcased at a high-end hotel in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area on Thursday.

Turtle shells of different species, skins of two Bengal tigers, three leopards and two clouded leopards, as well as tiger skeletons, were found put up as decorations around the premises.

The authorities confiscated everything after management was unable to provide permits for the possession of these items.

Initial investigation showed that the hotel is owned by Thai and foreign businessmen, who were not available when police arrived.

The illegal possession of wildlife remains violates Section 17 of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, and further investigation will be conducted to prosecute those involved in the crime.

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PM2.5 levels exceed safe levels in several areas of Bangkok

NationalDec 25. 2020

By The Nation

Air pollution exceeded safe levels in 13 spots in Bangkok, with records at 7am showing the range of PM2.5 dust particles in the capital and its vicinity at between 35 to 57 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3).

PM2.5 are dust particles that are less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (more than 100 times thinner than human hair) and can lead to serious health problems. The safe level set by the World Health Organisation is 25μg/m3, though Thailand’s safe level is 50μg/m3.

The 13 areas in Bangkok where air pollution has crossed the safe limit include Thonburi, Nong Khaem, Khlong San, Samphanthawong, Phra Khanong, Bangkok Yai, Prawet, Klong Toei, Bang Khunthien, Yannawa, Phasi Charoen, Pathum Wan and Bueng Kum.

People in these areas are advised to avoid outdoor activities, especially the elderly, children and people suffering from respiratory disorders.

The Thai Meteorological Department has reported that 10 per cent of Bangkok will get some rain, adding that rain may reduce dust pollution.