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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021299

Tono battles currents and critics to complete first half of Mekong swim

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

Singer-actor Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak shrugged off strong Mekong currents and criticism to complete the first half of his daredevil swim to Laos and back on Saturday.

He stepped into the water in Nakhon Phanom province at 10.19am before reaching Khammouane province in Laos over one and a half hours later at about noon.

The daring “One Man and the River” charity stunt is raising funds for hospitals on either side of the Mekong — Khammouane Hospital in Laos and Nakhon Phanom Hospital in Thailand.

Donations exceeded 41 million baht shortly after Tono touched down on the Lao side of the river at midday, according to organisers.

The star was accompanied on his mission by dozens of local swimmers and former athletes, all under the close watch of emergency teams in boats and kayaks.

Thousands of Lao locals lined the riverbank to greet Tono as he emerged from the river. The Thai celebrity towelled off and took part in a ceremony at a local temple before heading to greet a welcome committee at Khammouane Hospital.

He will swim the return leg to Thailand this afternoon and expects to complete his quest by reaching Nakhon Phanom at about 4.30pm.

Tono is also swimming against a tide of criticism, with detractors condemning him for “making merit with other people’s money” while others blame him for “burdening” rescuers by undertaking the swim.

The haters weighed in with negative comments on social media even as the swim was livestreaming on Saturday.

His supporters said much of the criticism was politically motivated, after Tono had resisted calls to take sides during last year’s crackdown on anti-establishment protesters. Some said his critics were attacking Tono and his project to gain free publicity for their cause.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021296

Instant coffee that poisoned 5 in Tachileik not found in Thailand

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

An instant coffee that sickened five people across the Thai-Myanmar border in Tachileik is not being sold in Thailand, Chiang Rai authorities said.

In a press conference on Friday, the Chiang Rai Provincial Public Health Office said that one monk and four laypersons in Tachileik suffered severe food poisoning and fell unconscious after consuming “Coffee Shop Very Good” coffee with the Chinese label “粉良 8 杯” on Monday.

In response to the report, Chiang Rai governor Pasakorn Boonyalak on Thursday ordered Mae Sai Hospital, Mae Sai Health Office and the public health division of Mae Sai Municipality Office to inspect all four markets in the district.

The coffee was not found in any of the markets and no patients suffering from related symptoms were detected in any hospitals or clinics in the district.

Pasakorn said he was concerned about local people’s health because there is a possibility of the product being smuggled into Thailand.

He has instructed public health officials and relevant agencies to monitor what is being sold and has advised people to only purchase products with a Food and Drug Administration stamp.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021295

Dangerous bacteria rears its head in flooded areas of Thailand

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

Residents in flooded areas have been warned against contaminated soil and water as a bacterial infection has claimed 34 lives and sickened more than 2,300 people this year.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on Saturday that people who come in direct contact with contaminated soil and water risk getting melioidosis, which can prove to be fatal if not treated in time.

He also quoted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressing concern for people at risk, as infections appear to be rising during the rainy season.

The bacteria that causes melioidosis can enter the body through the skin or by drinking unclean water or breathing in contaminated dust, the spokesman said, citing information from the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Disease Control (DDC).

He suggested that people should avoid wading through water or mud in bare feet, and wear boots instead or clean their bodies immediately afterwards.

Anucha said the DDC says the people most at risk are those who live in flooded areas, farmers who work on damp soil as well as patients suffering from diabetes, chronic kidney disease and thalassemia.

Melioidosis, also called Whitmore’s disease, is caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei or B. pseudomallei, which is found in contaminated soil and water, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is predominately a disease of tropical climates and is especially widespread in Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

In Thailand, 2,314 cases of melioidosis had been reported between January 1 and October 10 this year, with 34 deaths.

Most cases are people aged over 65, and the highest number of deaths and infections were reported in the Northeast.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021294

PM2.5 readings in Bangkok generally good today, says BMA

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

Bangkok’s air pollution levels were green or good in most areas except for Phetkasem 81 Road in Nong Khaem district, where it was orange or unhealthy for sensitive people.

According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s PM2.5 readings released at 7am on Saturday, only 14 of 70 areas studied showed orange or moderately unhealthy readings.

The only area where the air pollution had hit unhealthy levels was in Nong Khaem district, where the PM2.5 reading was 51μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre of air).

PM2.5 is fine particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can cause problems for people with breathing problems. According to the World Health Organisation, the acceptable level of PM2.5 is 25μg/m3, though in Thailand 50μg/m3 is considered healthy.

Meanwhile, the BMA said that cold air from China will keep the temperature cool in upper Thailand until Sunday.

Separately, the Thai Meteorological Department has forecast isolated to scattered rain in Bangkok this weekend.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021290

Tono donations soar to 36 million baht as daredevil swim begins

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

Donations for actor-cum-singer Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak’s “One Man and the River” charity swim soared past the 10-million-baht target, recording 36 million baht as of press time.

His mission was to put his life on the line and swim both ways across the Mekong River on Saturday to raise funds for two hospitals – one in Nakhon Phanom in Thailand and another in Laos’s Khammounane province.

The event kicked off at 8am on Saturday with a prayer ceremony at Wat Phrathat Phanom Woramahawihan in Nakhon Phanom’s That Phanom district. Also present were many of Phakin’s celebrity friends. By 8.50am the donations had hit 26 million baht and rose by another 3 million in about 20 minutes after he jumped into the river at 10.09am.

Phakin began his mission at Nakhon Phanom’s Naga Monument and swam along the coast to the Wat Klang pier 800 metres away, where he made a 15-minute stop to greet people.

He then swam 400 metres to the Saeng Singkaew pier for another 15-minute stop before heading to the other side of the Mekong. As of press time, Phakin and his team were swimming toward Laos, where they are expected to arrive by 1pm. Upon arrival, the star and his team are scheduled to walk to Wat Phathat Si Khottabong to pray and greet supporters before meeting the management at the hospital receiving the donation.

He will then rest at a hotel for a couple of hours before being driven to the Ban Na Muang pier, from where he will swim the 6 kilometres to the Naga Monument. He is expected to start this swim at 3pm.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021283

Door-to-door Covid vaccination push to jab 2 million vulnerable Thais by year-end

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

Worried by the low rate of Covid-19 vaccination among vulnerable people, the Public Health Ministry wants to jab 2 million Thais in the 608 group by the end of this year.

The 608 group covers people aged 60-plus, those with seven underlying conditions, and women 12 weeks pregnant or more.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered local hospitals and village health volunteers to visit high-risk people in communities to give the jabs, focusing on those who have not yet been vaccinated or received a booster shot.

“The 608 group has higher risk of severe symptoms or death if they contract Covid-19. The vaccine will help reduce this risk significantly,” he said on Friday.

“We aim to get at least 2 million people, or 70 per cent of this group, vaccinated by December 31.”

He also urged all health professionals and volunteers to get fully vaccinated with at least one booster to protect themselves and set an example for villagers.

The Public Health Ministry said about 15,000 people per day or half a million per month are now being vaccinated in Thailand.

However, only about 43.4 per cent of the high-risk group are fully vaccinated.

Most of those who have yet to be vaccinated are elderly people who have trouble visiting vaccination units, so health officials and volunteers will go door to door and persuade them to get the jabs for the safety of all family members.

Thailand had administered 143.34 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of October 1, according to the Department of Disease Control.

Of these, 57.32 million were first jabs, covering 82.4 per cent of the population, 53.84 million were second jabs (77.4 per cent), and 32.18 million were booster shots (46.3 per cent).

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021282

Phuket highway hit by landslide may be unrepairable in blow to tourism

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2022

Phuket authorities say it will take several days to discover whether Highway 4029 running inland from Patong beach to Kathu is repairable after a landslide.

The road, which was closed to traffic on Wednesday, leads from the coast to the tourism destination of Patong Hill and has economic significance for the southern holiday island.

The landslide ate into a 500-metre section of the road, said Yutthana Phithak, director of Phuket District Highway Office. He said the road was built on a soil slope that had been undermined by heavy rain since last week.

Yutthana said officials have taken sampled soil layers at the site to determine their strength and will decide whether the road can be fixed and safely used or must be rebuilt entirely. The tests should take a few days, he added.

In the meantime, motorists heading to Patong are advised to use highways 4028, 4025 or 4030.

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said the province will try to make part of Highway 4029 usable as soon as possible, as it was the gateway to Patong Hill and an economic route used daily by both locals and tourists.

The province expects to see an influx of Thai and foreign tourists at local attractions over the year-end high season after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021277

Instant noodles recalled in Singapore not imported to Thailand, says FDA

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022

The Indonesia-made instant noodle products recalled in Singapore due to pesticide contamination have not been imported into Thailand, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday.

FDA deputy secretary-general Weerachai Nolwachai said the agency has learned that none of the four Mie Sedaap products recalled in Singapore had been imported to Thailand.

He said the FDA has tested samples of Mie Sedaap products imported into Thailand for traces of ethylene oxide, a pesticide that cannot be used in food products, and instructed provincial public health offices across the country to monitor the sale of the products.

Weerachai maintained that the FDA has strict measures to control the import of food products and closely monitor incidences of food safety overseas.

He added that the FDA has asked Thai businesses to suspend their import and sale of eight Mie Sedaap instant noodle products, namely Korean Spicy Chicken, Korean Spicy Chicken Cup, Mi Goreng Perisa Asli, Mi Goreng Cup, Mi Goreng Ayam Krispi, Korean Spicy Soup, Korean Spicy Soup Cup and Mi Goreng Spicylicious.

Earlier this month, the Singapore Food Agency recalled four Mie Sedaap products from Indonesia due to the presence of ethylene oxide. The products were Mie Sedaap Soto, Curry flavour, Korean Spicy Soup and Korean Spicy Chicken.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021275

Wayward teens said to be behind stone-throwing attack on Bangkok canal boat

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022

An attack on a canal boat plying Bangkok’s Saen Saep Canal, in which at least one passenger was injured, has been blamed on wayward youngsters.

The Thai social media was abuzz on Friday after popular Twitter account called “Red Skull” highlighted the incident that took place on Thursday with the picture of a blood-stained shirt.

“A group of young people like throwing stones and firecrackers at boat passengers,” the tweet read.

The event reportedly took place near a boat stop located next to the Nualjit community in Bangkok’s Ekkamai area.

A resident, who wanted to be only identified as “Noo”, said similar incidents had taken place “many times already”. She said the perpetrators were mostly teenagers aged 13 to 17 living in the community who often gathered at an abandoned water pumping station near the pier in the evening until late at night.

“Sometimes they throw stones into the water or at passing boats,” she said, adding that they are probably doing this for fun.

She also said that she was concerned for her own safety as she takes canal boats regularly.

A boat fare collector said the latest incident took place on Thursday, though he could not say the exact time. He said he had seen some young residents of a canal-side community throw stones at passing boats.

One resident said the children may be annoyed because speeding boats sometimes splash them and make their uniforms wet while they head to school. “You can’t put the blame on the children alone,” the person said.

Another resident, however, said youngsters from two nearby communities often gathered at the abandoned pumping station in the evening to smoke marijuana and drink kratom tea.

“Sometimes they spit at passing boats or throw stones at passengers. Those who do this often are dubbed ‘cool’ by their peers,” the resident said.

He also showed a video recording of a noisy group of youngsters annoying community residents.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021272

NBTC taken to task by former commissioner over ‘ambiguous’ decision on True-Dtac merger

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022

Slamming the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for its “ambiguous” decision, ex-commissioner Supinya Klangnarong said the True-Dtac merger would bring back a duopoly seen in Thailand two decades ago.

Supinya, who served as an NBTC commissioner between 2011 and 2017, said many consumers could not afford mobile phone services when they were first available in Thailand over three decades ago.

“It took several years before the second and third players came into the market. It was then that prices came down and most people could afford telecom services. We are now going back in time to more than 20 years before,” she said.

She said what left her “dumbfounded” were the views of some NBTC commissioners that this was not a merger by businesses of the same type.

“What was the logic used by some NBTC members to vote that way? I’d like an explanation,” she demanded.

Supinya said such a decision would severely affect public confidence in the telecom watchdog and trigger questions as to whether the decision was based on public interest.

The former commissioner, who is also a consumer rights activist, called on the NBTC to do its duty as a regulator and not just as a registrar. She said its duty is to promote free and fair competition as well as protect consumers as required by the Constitution.

The NBTC voted 3:2 to acknowledge the True-Dtac merger with conditions for their merged entity to follow.

Pointing out that the NBTC is generally viewed as a “paper tiger”, Supinya said that with only two players left in the market, consumers will end up being taken advantage of when there is a duopoly.

She added that she saw no future for Thai consumers after NBTC’s decision on Thursday night to “acknowledge” a merger between the country’s second and third-largest mobile network operators with conditions.

“There is no one Thai consumers can turn to after the commissioners have said that they only have a duty to acknowledge and allow the players to revise the rules as they like,” she said.

Supinya is now chairperson of the Thailand Consumers Council’s telecom and information technology subcommittee.