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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021588

Esteemed Thai wine to be served to Apec leaders attending summit

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

Two brands of Thai wine will be served to economic leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit in Bangkok in November in a bid to promote Thai products.

The first brand is “GranMonte” whose NV GranMonte Crémant Méthode Traditionnelle Extra Brut received a gold medal and an additional seven silver medals at Europe’s biggest wine competition, AWC Vienna 2022.

GranMonte is considered 100 per cent Thai wine, produced by GranMonte Vineyard and Winery in Pak Chong district of Nakhon Ratchasima province.

Renowned winemaker Nikki (Visootha) Lohitnavy

Renowned winemaker Nikki (Visootha) Lohitnavy is GranMonte Vineyard and Winery’s general manager.

Another Thai brand is Monsoon Valley, which had won honour on many international stages. Monsoon Valley Cuvée De Siam Rouge received five gold medals at three world-class wine competitions.

Many kinds of Monsoon Valley wine are produced at a vineyard in Hua Hin district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

Both GranMonte and Monsoon Valley will be served to economic leaders during the gala dinner at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall.

The Apec Summit, scheduled to be held at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre from November 18 to 19, will be organised under the theme “Open. Connect. Balance.”

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021587

Bangkok’s ‘Hulk’ Chadchart pulls a victory in weekend tug-of-war

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

Bangkok’s law enforcement department led by Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, who is often referred to as “The Hulk”, proved to be better at tug-of-war than Chana Songkhram Police Station.

The tug-of-war on Saturday was part of a festival held last weekend at the Lan Khon Muang grounds opposite City Hall.

The event, organised to attract tourists and generate revenue, featured outdoor films as well as several fun activities including races, competitions and concerts.

The event also showcased products unique to each of Bangkok’s 50 districts.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021585

Xi Jinping to attend Apec Summit in Bangkok, no news yet on Putin

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai confirmed on Monday that China’s President Xi Jinping will attend the Apec Summit in Bangkok on November 18-19.

Don said Xi will be among leaders of six countries that will also pay an official visit to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during the summit.

Don said the decision on who represents a member country depends often on the local situation.

For example, Don said, the Malaysian prime minister will not attend the summit because the country is preparing for a general election.

The Thai foreign minister added that Mexico’s leader also would not attend the Bangkok summit because of an internal reason.

“So far, we can unveil only this information,” Don said.

The Foreign Ministry said it was still uncertain whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would attend the Apec Summit, while US President Joe Biden has reportedly decided to send his vice president.

Don also affirmed that the summit would be attended by three special guests who are not members of Apec – French President Emmanuel Macron, Saudi Arabia’s Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The foreign minister revealed that several nations have proposed bilateral meetings with Prayut and the Foreign Ministry has yet to schedule the requested meetings.

Don said the Thai government would ensure maximum security for leaders of the Apec members while also making sure the attendants do not contract Covid.

The government would also make sure that traffic around the meeting venue would be clear, while at the same time not inconveniencing local people.

The Cabinet has declared extra holidays from November 16 to 18 to free Bangkok streets from traffic during the summit, hoping Bangkokians would visit the provinces during the long weekend.

The foreign minister added that although the summit is being held late in the tenure of the Prayut government, foreign countries still have confidence in the Thai government as many have asked for special meetings with the Thai prime minister.

Related stories:

US Vice President Harris to face off with Putin at Apec Summit

Security measures mapped out for Apec Summit

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021584

ThaiHealth ‘mourns ghosts’ to highlight perils faced by Thailand’s youth

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) used Halloween as an opportunity to “gather ghosts” and “mourn” the children and youth lost to addictions.

In a special event at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre on Sunday, the foundation’s director Rungarun Limlahaphan said more and more youngsters in Thailand are getting addicted to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and gambling. She also said that Thailand also loses hundreds of children yearly to road accidents.

Rungarun, who oversees social and health risk issues for the foundation, said some 100,000 youngsters have dropped out of school in the country and at least 60 per cent of them have landed in detention centres.

“Hence it is time for all parties to tackle the risks faced by the young,” she added.

Bangkok deputy governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said adults were to blame for children having such easy access to booze, cigarettes and other vices. In a bid to combat this, he said, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was looking into setting up areas where children can play safely.

Anulak Iamsri, who leads a network on mitigating risks among the young, said there are far too many temptations for the young in Thailand.

For instance, he said, plans to set up casinos and gambling websites as well as the legalisation of cannabis pose unnecessary risks for the young.

“The government should come up with clear regulations to protect children and youth from alcohol, narcotics, road accidents and gambling,” he said.

He suggested that the government set up a special committee that can focus on these issues and come up with solutions. He said that young people should be given opportunities to develop knowledge and life skills, while strict action should be taken against entertainment venues that violate the law by serving minors.

A former juvenile detainee, who only wanted to be known as Mr C, said his addiction to drugs and cigarettes had made him very aggressive. He also said he regrets introducing these vices to his friends, who are now unstable mentally.

As a youngster who has turned a new leaf, he advised his peers to stay away from drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, and instead opt for creative pastimes.

“I support cannabis for medical use, but am worried about what will happen if cannabis is used for recreation,” he said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021581

Thai police bust ‘Tinder’ scam gang after trafficked call centre workers escape

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

Thai police said on Monday they had arrested the Chinese leader of a transnational gang that trafficked people to work at scam call centres on the border.

Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), said the suspect founded the 19-member gang to staff call centres that scammed people with bogus cryptocurrency investments via dating apps.

Jiraphob said the suspect, named only as Huang or Yong, 32, first placed online job advertisements to trick people into working on the Thai-Myanmar border. The workers were met at the Mae Sot border in Tak before being made to cross to Myawaddy in Myanmar on foot.

Victims were then forced to trick Thai customers into fake investments in digital assets or bitcoin. Seven of the call centre workers were rescued after alerting authorities.

The workers said that the crime ring created fake accounts on apps including Tinder and Badoo. They contacted the target, tricked them into investing and then handed them on to Malay or Filipino call centre workers to close the deal.

Victims were forced to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week and pressured to meet targets.

Jirabhop said police were still probing how workers were punished for failing to meet their quotas – whether by solitary confinement, torture, head-shaving, or electric shocks.

Workers had also asked their relatives to mortgage their land or cars to obtain the 50,000 baht needed for release and travel back home, he added.

After the seven victims were rescued, police monitored the gang before securing arrest warrants for all 19 members – three Chinese, one Malay, one Filipino, three Myanmar, and 11 Thai nationals.

Police identified Yong as the gang’s leader and financier after discovering he had travelled to Thailand in May this year and opened a boxing camp and boxing promotion business to launder money.

He was detained in the parking lot of Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok on Saturday and charged with human trafficking and membership of an organised human trafficking gang benefitting from forced labour.

He denied all charges.

Police said they had so far caught eight of the 19 gang members. They added that call centre workers trafficked by the gang victims would be charged with illegal immigration.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021569

Autopsy reveals plastic cup inside Phuket’s dead Bruda whale

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

A plastic cup was found inside the corpse of a Bruda whale found floating off Phuket, the Marine and Coastal Resources director-general said on Monday.

Atthapol Charoenchansa, the department director-general, said the rotting carcass of the 13-metre-long female Bruda whale was found floating in Laem Sai Bay to the south of Koh Racha on Saturday.

Attapol said though it is not believed that the plastic cup blocked the whale’s digestive system, it was difficult to identify the exact cause of death because the organs were very badly rotted.

Two Nipa palm fruits were also found in the whale’s stomach as well as parasites in the intestines. Nipa palm is not part of a whale’s diet.

Atthapol said that though the plastic cup may not have been the main cause of death, people should still desist from throwing garbage in the sea because it kills marine creatures.

Instead, he said, people should help collect trash seen floating in the sea or call the 24-hour 1362 hotline to report if anyone is seen dumping garbage in the sea.

Attapol said the Upper Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre was alerted of the floating carcass by Koh Racha Yai’s network for marine resources conservation. He added that the centre dispatched two boats to tow the carcass to Phuket for autopsy.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021562

Khaosan Road ups security for Halloween party after deadly Seoul stampede

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

Bangkok’s tourism hub of Khaosan Road has tightened safety measures ahead of tonight’s Halloween celebrations after more than 150 people were killed at a similar event in South Korea on Saturday.

About 20,000 visitors are expected to party on the road tonight, Khaosan Road Business Association president Sanga Ruangwattanakul said.

Local businesses will cooperate with police, Bangkok officials and volunteers to ensure safety in the crowded area, he said.

Sanga explained that ambulances would be stationed to tackle any emergencies, adding that Khaosan had dealt safely with much larger crowds in the past.

“Ensuring safety among 20,000 visitors is not a worry as Khaosan Road sees more than 50,000 visitors during the Songkran festival.”

He added that safety-awareness noticeboards in Thai, English and Chinese will be set up along the road.

Khaosan Road Business Association president Sanga Ruangwattanakul

Sanga also pointed out that the layout of Khaosan Road is different from South Korea’s Itaewon district, where the deadly stampede took place on Saturday night.

“Itaewon district has uneven ground and a 6-metre-wide road whereas Khaosan Road is flat and more than 14 metres wide,” he explained.

He said visitors could be confident of their safety on Khaosan Road, inviting them to wear Halloween costumes and join the international party.

The death toll from Seoul’s Halloween stampede rose to 153 as of Sunday night. Two-thirds of those killed were women and 80 per cent of victims were aged 20-30.

A Thai woman was among the victims, the Royal Thai Embassy in South Korea reported on Sunday.

Related stories:

• Bangkok tightens tourism safety after Seoul Halloween crush kills 153
• First Thai death confirmed in South Korean Halloween stampede
• Shops in Itaewon closed for 3 days as Seoul mourns Halloween victims

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021561

Bangkok tightens tourism safety after Seoul Halloween crush kills 153

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2022

City Hall has ordered all 50 Bangkok district offices to tighten safety measures to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s deadly stampede in South Korea.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said it has prepared a plan to deal with emergencies ahead of the tourism high season, when Thailand is forecast to receive over 2 million foreign visitors per month.

BMA spokesperson Aekwaranyoo Amrapal said officials in tourist-crowded Bangkok entertainment districts such as Khaosan Road, Ekkamai and Thonglor have been ordered to monitor safety provisions.

“District offices, police and volunteers are being deployed to create awareness of safety among building owners and users and ensure they obey safety rules,” he explained.

“Bangkok’s disaster prevention and mitigation department has also instructed entertainment venues to impose measures to prevent emergencies, especially fire.”

Entertainment venues have been told to ensure they have alarms, fire extinguishers and fire escape routes, and that customers are aware of safety measures, he said.

Meanwhile, Bangkok’s city law officers are partnering with police and volunteers to help with crowd control and prevent crime such as theft and deception.

“In addition, first-responders, ambulances and life-saving tools have been prepared to tackle unexpected situations,” he added.

Aekwaranyoo also expressed condolences to families of victims of the stampede in Seoul’s Itaewon district.

A Thai woman was among 153 killed in the Halloween crush in Seoul on Saturday night, the Royal Thai Embassy in South Korea reported on Sunday.

South Korea’s fire department told AFP news agency that 19 of the victims were foreigners. Yonhap news agency added that nationals from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway were among the dead.

Related stories:

• First Thai death confirmed in South Korean Halloween stampede
• Halloween stampede in South Korea leaves at least 151 dead
• Dozens in cardiac arrest in Itaewon amid Halloween celebrations: officials

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021554

Thailand’s tourism industry revving up thanks to Covid-19 downgrade, say pollsters

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2022

Most people believe Thailand’s tourism industry will start picking up now that the government has declared Covid-19 a “communicable disease under surveillance”.

Most of the 1,148 Suan Dusit Poll respondents said that downgrading the virus’s status on October 1 will also help stimulate the economy.

The results of the survey conducted nationwide between October 23 and 28 were announced on Sunday.

In the survey, 79.88% of the respondents said tourism will improve during the rest of the year, while 17.94% expect it to remain unchanged and 2.18% say it will worsen.

As for the most attractive province during the New Year break, 38.85% chose Chiang Mai, followed by Chiang Rai (19.30%), Nan (15.79%), Phuket (13.28%) and Prachuap Khiri Khan (12.78%).

As for what sort of trips are most attractive, 55.62% chose relaxing in fancy hotels, 51.41% preferred beaches, while 45.43% opted for visiting temples and holy sites.

As for what motivates them to travel upcountry, 71.65% said it was affordable, 68.50% put it down to convenience, while 46.98% said they were attracted by discounts.

As for suggestions to stimulate tourism, 60.16% suggested the government introduce new measures, followed by promoting secondary cities (57.34%) and opening new routes (56.29%).

Many of these questions offered several choices.

Regarding travel this year, 54.01% said they had trips planned for this year. Of them, 87.58% said they will travel within the country, while 12.42% plan to go overseas.

“People will spend more if the government makes travelling easier and creates new routes and destinations,” Pornphan Buathong, who led the study, said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021548

Bangkok’s Saen Saeb boat fare to rise on Monday

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2022

The operator of the popular shuttle boat service on Bangkok’s Saen Saeb Canal will raise fares by one baht, starting on November 1.

The Family Transport Company put up signs at its piers announcing that the high price of diesel had prompted it to raise fares by one baht to 12 baht, 14 baht, 16 baht, 18 baht, 20 baht and a maximum 22 baht for the full trip from end to end.

It said the rise was permitted by the Marine Department’s June 9 announcement on fare-capping. The new fare rate is based on a diesel price of 31 to 33 baht per litre.

The Family Transport Co said the current diesel price is even higher, at 34.94 baht per litre.

The Saen Saeb boat service is popular among Bangkok commuters during rush hours as a way of beating road congestion to get to their offices in time.

The company said it would lower fares immediately if it receives a fuel subsidy from the government or if the diesel price falls.

It also apologised to passengers for having to raise the fare.

The price of diesel and other fuels has soared on the world market after sanctions were imposed on Russian energy exports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February.