Each Apec leader attending summit will be presented with seven gifts
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
The Foreign Ministry has prepared seven gifts for each Apec leader who will attend the summit in Bangkok on November 18 and 19, the Protocol Department chief said on Wednesday.
Department director-general Pakawat Tansakul said each of the Apec leaders will receive seven souvenirs, which are:
– A metal engraved picture from Wat Sri Suphan community in Chiang Mai
– A box for storing accessories, decorated and engraved with pictures. The boxes, which are made from the same community, will be given to spouses of the Apec leaders in attendance.
– Handmade products made of silk dyed with natural dyes and made in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Thong Chai district. The products include neckties, handkerchiefs, face masks and shawls. These gifts will carry the Apec logo of “chalom”, or a woven basket.
– Special editions of a directory of silk cloth makers around the country and a directory of silk cloth sellers. The two directories are printed by the National Identity Office and counted as one gift from the Protocol Department, Pakawat said.
– An Apec commemorative coin made by the Treasury Department.
– A photo frame made of silver niello ware granted by His Majesty the King. Pakawat said the frame will carry the photo of the Apec leader taken when he or she is granted a royal audience with His Majesty.
– A silver-edged box made from lygodium. These boxes will also be granted by His Majesty the King, Pakawat said.
Are you going in for beauty treatment such as botox? Beware, you could become resistant, with the treatment having no effect whatsoever.
But here’s where leading Thai hospital Siriraj is stepping in to help. The hospital has “solved” the mystery of botox resistance by opening Southeast Asia’s first Botulinum Neurotoxin-A (BoNT-A) Immunoresistance Diagnosis Centre.
The lab will present evidence that some patients develop BoNT-A immunoresistance, resulting in the use of BoNT-A, also known as botox, having no therapeutic effect.
Apichat Asavamongkolkul, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, said at the launch ceremony on Wednesday that the lab is a collaboration between the Dermatology Department, the Immunology Department, the Internal Medicine Department and Merz Aesthetics Thailand.
He noted that BoNT-A injections have grown in popularity in Thailand, resulting in many people going in for the procedure but with little knowledge, potentially increasing the risk of a patient developing BoNT-A immunoresistance.
This is a public health concern for patients who may require BoNT-A in the future for neuromuscular disease therapeutic treatments.
“We have known about the prevalence of BoNT-A immunoresistance for a long time and are determined to formally develop a body of knowledge in treating this condition for aesthetic practice,” Apichart said.
Rungsima Wanitphakdeedecha from the Dermatology Department pointed out that there is already an excuse in the aesthetic field when patients show no effect from botox after a long history of BoNT-A immunoresitance.
Fortunately, the Siriraj lab can now demonstrate that such symptoms do exist.
Rungsima Wanitphakdeedecha speaks on the stage.
The centre has invented a test to detect the presence of antibodies or immunity in the blood of patients who have failed BoNT-A treatment, as well as a body of knowledge for physicians involved in the treatment to help prevent BoNT-A immunoresistance.
The general public can now access this knowledge and receive proper diagnosis with maximum safety and efficacy. At the same time, aesthetics practitioners can gain a better understanding of the procedures, said Rungsima.
“The incidence of BoNT-A immunoresistance has been recognised for some time now but has not gained much attention among the medical community. This is largely caused by BoNT-A’s structural components stimulating body immunity,” she explained.
According to Yuvadee Pitakpatapee of the Internal Medicine Department, the public are aware that BoNT-A is used for facial reshaping and removing wrinkles. However, few people are aware of the significance of BoNT-A in the treatment of neurological diseases, particularly hemifacial spasms and neck muscle spasms.
(From Left) Kittiwan Rattanachandr and Yuvadee Pitakpatapee
The lab can determine which type of BoNT-A a patient has immunoresistance to, so that the doctor can prescribe the right type and amount of BoNT-A in terms of treatment efficacy and drug duration.
The most recent data from blood tests on 137 patients with suspected BoNT-A immunoresistance from 2011 to 2022 show that 79 of the patients tested positive, accounting for 58 per cent of the total.
Immunoresistance can be classified based on two protein structures of immunity: 48% is resistant to core neurotoxins, 18% to complexing proteins, and 8% to both core neurotoxins and complexing proteins.
Some cases with complexing protein resistance may still be able to use high-purity dosages of BoNT-A free of complexing proteins, but those with core neurotoxin resistance require time for antibody levels to drop.
Rungsima highly recommends treatments from trustworthy and quality aesthetic practitioners to reduce the risk and prevent potential BoNT-A immunoresistance.
“We recommended using a small amount once every 3-4 months,” Rungsima said.
Yuttana Srinoulprasert from the Immunology Department said the centre is an integration between a clinic and a pre-clinic that uses clinical data – a patient’s history of type, dosage, and non-responsiveness of BoNT-A injections to effectively select a suitable treatment or the right BoNT-A type so that patients can safely receive continued treatment.
The cost of the test is around 1,600 baht, said Yuttana.
Meanwhile, Siriraj Hospital has joined forces with Merz Aesthetics Thailand, a world leading manufacturer and distributor of Altera and pharmaceuticals for aesthetics clinics, to officially inaugurate the BoNT-A Immunoresistance Diagnosis Centre.
This collaboration aims to provide channels for Thais to conveniently access testing programmes. It also creates a network for data collection, including blood samples of patients who may develop BoNT-A immunoresistance and guides patients through professional assessment and management of the condition.
The network now has 40 partnered aesthetics clinics across Bangkok. The goal for the coming year is 100 aesthetics clinics.
Merz Aesthetics Thailand plans to open new communication channels for patients and customers to receive BoNT-A immunoresistance consultations in the near future, CEO Kittiwan Rattanachandr said.
The centre is meant to enhance Thailand’s medical tourism.
The country’s aesthetics medicine market was worth US$1.52 billion (57.4 billion baht) in 2021, according to grandviewresearch.com, and is expected to grow by 9.7% from 2022 to 2030.
The shifting trend toward maintaining optimal aesthetic beauty is one of the major motivators for the use of aesthetic procedures. Additionally, rising medical tourism and an aging population are expected to propel market growth.
Prayut gets a taste of ‘future foods’ to be served during Apec Summit
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday tasted future foods to be served to leaders and delegates attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit 2022 that Thailand will host from November 14-19.
The future food showcase event “APEC Future Food for Sustainability” took place on Tuesday at the Government House before a Cabinet meeting, government spokesman Anucha Buraphachaisri said on Wednesday.
The government has been organising a competition for Thai food startups under the concept “Plate to Planet”, aiming at finding new dishes that highlight sustainability and Thai elements to show the country’s potential in food as a soft power to drive the economy.
Eight newly created Thai dishes from the 21 finalist teams were presented at the fair and to be tasted by the prime minister and members of the Cabinet. They were: Southern-style chickpea rice salad with five vegetables; carb-free ramen from egg white protein; milk-free ice cream with kale and passion fruit; vegan Hor Mok (steamed fish with curry paste); layered sweetmeat with fiber and probiotics; plant-base croquette Phanaeng (dry curry); low-sodium sandworm noodle, and ice cream made of protein from crickets.
Anucha said the winning teams will receive prizes valued at 2.5 million baht, and their dishes will be served to leaders and delegates from the 21 Apec economies during Apec Economic Leaders’ Week from November 14-19.
The Apec Gala Dinner on November 18 and 19, however, will be prepared by celebrity chief Chumpol Chaengprai under the concept of “Sustainable Thai Gastronomy Gala Dinner”. The food will highlight the theme of the Apec Summit this year, which is “Open. Connect. Balance.”
“The gala dinner dishes will open new experiences to Thai cuisine by featuring all eight tastes of Thai foods,” said Anucha. “Ingredients have been selected from all parts of Thailand that possess unique geographical indications, while the presentation will reflect the balance between the nature and sustainable development guided by the concept of sufficiency economy.”
Tono’s charity swim raised nearly 83 million baht on Thai side
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
Contributions to Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak’s charity swim totalled nearly 83 million baht as the donation window closed.
The singer-actor’s daring “One Man and the River” charity swim to Laos and back on October 22 raised funds for hospitals on either side of the Mekong — Khammouane Hospital in Laos and Nakhon Phanom Hospital in Thailand.
On Wednesday, the Facebook page “เก็บรักษ์” (Keb Ruk), which has been tracking the collections, said the donations were now closed and a total of 82.92 million baht had been received from donors on the Thailand side.
The page thanked all people who had contributed to the charity project, adding that it would add donations from the Laos side to the total within 15 days.
Phakin recently said on his Instagram that Nakhon Phanom Hospital has submitted the list of crucial medical equipment that it is still lacking. He promised to post the list so that donors can see how their money would be helping the work of doctors and nurses there.
Last month Phakin said he planned to be ordained as a Buddhist monk at a Nakhon Phanom temple as a gesture of his gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from fans in both Thailand and Laos. His ordination was scheduled after New Year 2023.
Phakin reportedly had set the fundraising target from his charity swim at only 17 million baht.
Funds to secure World Cup football broadcast rights to come from NBTC budget
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
The national telecom watchdog will foot the bill to acquire the broadcast rights for Fifa World Cup 2022 to ensure that people in Thailand can watch the matches for free, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said on Wednesday.
Prawit said that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will use its budget to purchase the broadcast rights for the World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar from November 21 to December 18.
“The deal has yet to be finalised, but the budget will come from the NBTC,” the deputy PM said.
The World Cup is one of the sport events under the “must-have” rule imposed by the NBTC since 2012 to be made available for free on television.
Other sport events covered by this rule are: the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, SEA Games, Asean Para Games, Asian Games and Asian Para Games.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin clarified on Wednesday that he was not aware of the details as he was not responsible for the deal, although he had been involved in broadcast deal negotiations in the past.
Somsak estimated the licence fee to be under 1 billion baht, adding that the government still has around 300 million baht leftover budget from previous broadcasting deals.
It is best to finish negotiating the deal as soon as possible, because the price will usually go up closer to the event, he said.
Motorists advised to avoid certain roads during Apec motorcade rehearsals
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
The Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that several roads will be closed this Sunday and November 12 when the ministry rehearses the movement of Apec leaders’ motorcades.
Protocol Department director-general Pakawat Tansakul said the rehearsal of transporting Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders will commence at 7pm on both days.
He said several roads and expressways will be closed during the rehearsals, but did not specify which ones exactly while mentioning general routes.
He added that the Foreign Ministry would like to apologise to the public for the inconvenience.
On Sunday, November 6, the rehearsal will start from Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, with the motorcades driving to 20 hotels where Apec leaders will stay.
The motorcades will also be driven to Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, the Royal Thai Navy auditorium and back to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
On November 12, the rehearsal commences from the centre, with the motorcades heading to Don Mueang International Airport, the Don Mueang military airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport as well as to various hotels, before returning to the convention centre.
Army chief orders border security boost ahead of Apec Summit
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
Army Commander-in-Chief General Narongpan Jitkaewthae on Wednesday instructed all Army battle commands in charge of border protection to step up security along Thailand’s borders ahead of the Apec summit in two weeks.
Royal Thai Army deputy spokeswoman Maj-General Sirichan Ngathong said Narongpan gave the order during a monthly meeting of commanders in charge of the Army’s key battle commands at Army Headquarters.
Sirichan quoted Narongpan as instructing his subordinates to lend full support to the government in keeping tight security ahead of and during the summit on November 18 and 19.
Narongpan told the meeting the Army can help the government during the summit by using appropriate measures to tighten border security to prevent illegal entry into the kingdom.
He also instructed his subordinates to step up measures to prevent the smuggling of narcotics across borders.
The Army chief told the meeting all units must be ready to support the government to ensure the summit goes off smoothly so Thailand can win confidence among the international community.
He thanked the commands in charge of overseeing the borders for seizing up to 1.89 million methamphetamine pills and one kilogramme of crystal meth in the past month alone.
Narongpan additionally instructed all commands to “take good care of Army conscripts” during their period in service.
He asked the Army Training Command to provide suitable career training to the conscripts so they can make a living after they are discharged.
All commands were also instructed to monitor conscripts’ health during training and find out if they have problems back home and provide assistance accordingly. For example, if the draftees have to take care of elderly parents, their commanders must find a way to help the parents who may be left alone during that period.
The commands were also instructed to use innovation and apps to monitor conscripts’ health after the Army recently organised a competition of such apps, Sirichan said.
Narongpan went on to thank all commands for having earlier dispatched soldiers to help alleviate the plight of flood victims.
He told commanders to deploy troops to help clean up houses and roads after floodwaters subside.
The Army chief told his subordinates to provide troops to help keep security when this is requested by organisers of key events for the rest of the year, including Loy Krathong.
Furthermore, the commanders were instructed to provide support for tourism activities so that the economy recovers soon, the spokeswoman added.
Open: The opening at the top represents open-ended investments among Apec economies.
Connect: A “chalom” is traditionally used to carry goods while travelling and thus signifies the connection between Apec members.
Balance: A “chalom” is traditionally made of cane, which is environmentally friendly and matches the bio-circular-green economy concept – a key agenda of the summit.
The 21 spaces between the weaves represent the 21 Apec members.
Blue represents “Open”
Pink represents “Connect”
Green represents “Balance”
The logo was designed by Chawanon Wongtrakuljong, an architecture student from Chulalongkorn University.
Naga becomes Thailand’s official national mythological creature
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2022
A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the Naga as Thailand’s national mythological creature in a bid to promote the study and conservation of history and culture and drive the creative economy using the creature as a symbol of Thai culture.
Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said the move had been proposed by The National Culture Committee, which had earlier tasked the Fine Arts Department with drawing a prototype picture of the Naga, a half-human, half-serpentine being, based on folklore to be used as a mythological national animal.
According to the National Culture Committee, Thais believe there are four royal families of Nagas, namely Virupakkhas (golden Nagas), Erapatha (green Nagas), Chabbyaputtas (rainbow-colour Nagas), and Kanhagotamakas (black Nagas). The department’s drawing includes the largest Naga in Thai folklore called Vasuki, who had close relationships with Buddhism and ancient kings.
Ratchada said Nagas have been present in Thai culture, traditions and rituals since ancient times, such as the popular Naga fireball festival and “Lai Reua Fai”, or illuminated boat procession to mark the end of Buddhist lent.
Nagas are often depicted as symbols of water and abundance. They are also believed to be protectors of Buddhism and are often used to decorate staircase rails leading to sacred Buddhist establishments, which feature Buddha’s footprints or relics.
Ratchada added that based on data from the Culture Ministry, there are 157 countries which have announced 229 animals as national mythological creatures, with some nations having more than one mythological animal.
A country can have both a national and a mythological national animal, such as China which has a panda and a dragon, Indonesia a komodo dragon and a garuda, Greece a dolphin and a phoenix. As for Thailand, elephants have been the kingdom’s national animal following a declaration by the Office of the Prime Minister dated October 26, 2001.
Enthusiasts rush to pick up 20-baht coins marking 2022 Apec Summit
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 01, 2022
Collectors in Chiang Mai snapped up more than 1,200 coins commemorating the 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit on the first day of its release.
The 20-baht coin featuring an image of King Rama X on one side and the 2022 Apec Summit logo on the other was released nationwide on Tuesday.
Hundreds of coin collectors flocked to provincial treasury offices on Tuesday morning to pick up the special coin.
A Chiang Mai resident, who had been queuing up since 10.30am, said he has been collecting coins for nearly 50 years now and would add this to his ever-growing collection.
Korachak Chuthip, Chiang Mai provincial treasury office chief, said most collectors preferred to show up in person to buy the coins, adding that he expects all 7,500 coins allocated to his office to be bought up in the next day or two.
“The office has limited the purchase of the coins to 50 per person so more people can collect them,” he said.
The 20-baht coins can be bought at:
• Bureau of Monetary Management, Pathum Thani
• Coin Exchange Centre, Chakrabongse Road, Bangkok
• Coin Exchange Centre, Rama VI Road, Bangkok
• Treasury offices nationwide
The coin can also be purchased online via www.treasury.go.th. Buyers can choose to pick it up at one of the exchange centres or have it sent by post.
Rungsima Wanitphakdeedecha speaks on the stage.
(From Left) Kittiwan Rattanachandr and Yuvadee Pitakpatapee
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