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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021131

Ayutthaya river overflows, washing away road and flooding 3 districts

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Ayutthaya has launched a disaster relief mission after the overflowing Noi River destroyed a road and left three districts flooded on Monday night.

A section of embankment road along the Jao Jed-Bang Yihon canal in Sena district collapsed as a torrent of floodwater flowed into Sena, Bang Sai and Lad Bua Luang districts.

The strong current eroded soil around a large underground drainage pipe, causing the road to collapse, said Nopporn Lorliam, head of Moo 7 village in Tambon Rang Jorake where the road is located.

Fortunately, villagers monitoring the situation managed to drive their vehicles to safety before the road collapsed, the chief said.

Provincial Electricity Authority workers rushed to cut electricity to power poles in flooded areas to protect residents from electrocution.

Nopporn said the water flooded parts of tambons Rang Jorake, Bang Pho and Sena in Sena district and Jao Jed and other tambons in Bang Sai and Lad Bua Luang districts.

The flood also entered Sena Hospital, which is located near the canal.

On Tuesday, Ayutthaya governor Niwat Rungsakhon led a rescue team comprised of Sena district chief Amornrat Kruengkrai, local Royal Irrigation Department (RID) heavy machinery chief Anek Kansangworn and other officials.

Niwat said his administration was working with the RID to relieve the crisis as quickly as possible. He said floodwater was gushing into the canal from the river at a rate of 90 cubic metres per second.

On Sunday, authorities reported that 14 of Ayutthaya’s 16 districts remain flooded.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021128

Community police networks successful in fighting crime, say Thai police

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Community-level crime prevention networks across the country have successfully helped solve more than 14,000 issues, the Royal Thai Police said.

Assistant National Police chief Pol Lt-General Prachuap Wongsuk said on Monday that the project allows people to offer measures and steps that can be taken to prevent criminal activities in their area.

Under the project, 50 local residents work hand in hand with the police station in their area to prevent and tackle crime and other issues.

Prachuap said of the 14,470 cases reported between March 1 and September 30 this year, 14,616 have been successfully solved.

Of them, 10,818 were related to social problems like drugs, illegal racing, loan sharks, illegal firearms and cybercrimes, 2,161 were related to environmental issues, 962 were personal conflicts and 529 were money-related rows.

“The Police Strategy Office and related agencies will continue implementing this action plan to efficiently prevent crime,” he said.

He added that the police force will continue working with communities to maintain peace and order, as well as meet people’s demands effectively.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021123

Thai telecom regulator to approve True-Dtac merger this week: source

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Thailand’s telecom regulator will approve the controversial planned merger between True Corporation and Total Access Communication (Dtac) despite an independent study showing it will hurt competition, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will meet on Thursday to vote on the True-Dtac merger, having received only two of three reports commissioned from its foreign adviser.

The NBTC has hired UK-based SCF Associates to conduct an impact study of the proposed merger. SCF is contracted to submit three reports for the study – on September 14, October 14, and November 14.

However, the NBTC decided to meet on Thursday after insisting it already has enough information to rule on the deal, said the source.

The source quoted the NBTC as saying, “The first and second reports already cover the impact of the merger as well as economic models from other countries that have undergone similar mergers of telecom operators. Furthermore, the NBTC has received additional information from its four subcommittees regarding the merger, which should be enough to make a decision.”

The source said it is thought the NBTC will vote 3:2 to approve the True-Dtac merger.

A copy of the first SCF report obtained by The Nation said the merger would adversely affect competition in the Thai mobile market for data, voice and messaging, as well as the market for bundled services integrated with mobile connectivity, which characterises the country’s current and future mobile market. It also found that uncompetitive market conditions resulting from the merger would be difficult to rectify via the introduction of new operators.

The full story on the UK advisor’s report can be found here.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021118

Starving Ayutthaya monkeys invade homes after months of flooding

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Monkeys facing starvation after months of flooding in one Ayutthaya district are now invading homes in their desperate search for food.

Sena is among Ayutthaya districts that have been inundated by runoff from the upstream Chao Phraya and Pasak Jolasid dams amid heavy rain in northern Thailand since August.

Both dams have now lowered their discharge rate but most of the province remains flooded, including Sena district where the “monkey temple” of Wat Pho is situated.

Locals say the troop of over 100 monkeys are now eating leaves from trees as no tourists have visited the flood-hit temple for months. Usually, tourists and villagers leave eggs and fruit at a small pavilion that the temple has built as a “canteen” for the creatures.

The monkeys are now swimming across the floods to invade monks’ quarters and villagers’ homes in search of food from garbage bins and kitchens.

“The monkey invasion has added another burden for monks and villagers, who are already suffering after months of flooding,” said one villager.

On Sunday, the province reported that 14 of Ayutthaya’s 16 districts are currently flooded, affecting over 66,000 households in 963 communities. Over 13,000 rai of farmland has been damaged by floodwater.

Meanwhile, 70 temples and historical sites in the Unesco world heritage city are at risk of collapse from flooding, according to the director of Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Pattarapong Kao-ngern said on Saturday that the at-risk structures are located outside the old city walls in low-lying areas.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021117

Thailand to escape typhoon Nesat but South gets flash flood warning

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

Severe tropical storm Nesat strengthened to a typhoon in the South China Sea at 4pm on Monday, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) reports.

TMD said the typhoon is expected to move through China’s southern Hainan to the coast of upper Vietnam from Wednesday to Thursday, bringing sustained winds of around 120 kilometres per hour.

However, Thailand will barely feel its effects as a high-pressure system will see the storm decline rapidly in strength, it added.

“This phenomenon will cause isolated light rain in upper Thailand,” the TMD said.

The South will see torrential rain from Tuesday to Friday due to the monsoon trough and southwesterly wind from the Andaman Sea.

Wave heights will be 1-2 metres in the lower Gulf and 2-3 metres in the Andaman but rising higher during thunderstorms.

“People should beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods and overflows,” the TMD said. People on the southwest coast should beware of inshore surges, it added.

The department advised all ships to proceed with caution, while small boats on the Andaman coast should keep ashore until Friday.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/thailand/general/40021109

Unicef’s appeal to Thailand

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

Thailand must increase its investment in children and take further measures to tackle the high prevalence of poverty among families with children who have been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, Unicef said on the occasion of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Despite a series of positive measures taken by the government to mitigate its impact, the pandemic has laid bare vulnerabilities and exacerbated inequalities. Families with children have been hit hardest and are more likely to face a higher cost of living and loss of income. Recent higher food and energy prices are worsening the situation and slowing down the gains that Thailand has made in its poverty reduction and human capital investment.

According to the National Economic and Development Council, in 2021, the poverty rate among children stood at 9.9 per cent, which is significantly higher than that of the overall population at 6.3 per cent.

“While the Thai economy continues to pick up, not all groups of people are recovering equally from the far-reaching impact of Covid-19.  Families with children are at risk of being left behind,” said Kyungsun Kim, Unicef Representative for Thailand.

“Tackling childhood poverty is a pressing priority for Thailand not only because the pandemic has pushed thousands below the poverty line but also because its population is rapidly ageing. This requires a policy response that focuses on the needs of children and the most vulnerable to ensure an inclusive and sustainable recovery. Beyond quick-impact economic growth, we must also turn our attention to building human capital for long-term growth and prosperity.”

Thailand has made remarkable progress in poverty reduction over the past decades, with people living below the poverty line decreasing from 67 per cent in 1986 to 6.3 per cent in 2021.

Moreover, government policies have effectively curbed the negative impacts of Covid-19 right from the start. Studies have shown that without the social protection measures taken at the early stages of the pandemic, such as the emergency top-up of the Child Support Grant, the poverty rate in Thailand would have increased by several folds.

With its impressive track record, Thailand must continue to tackle child poverty through continued investment and action for the most vulnerable. For example, any benefits targeted at the child population can not only effectively address poverty across the population, but can also guarantee higher gains for human capital.

“Investing in children is no longer an option,” Kim emphasized. “There is no choice to be made between long-term economic growth and supporting children because providing a decent start for the children of Thailand is the best investment in securing a prosperous future for generations to come.”

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021103

Thailand records first cases of highly infectious XBB Covid

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

Thailand has recorded its first two cases of the new Covid-19 subvariant XBB, the Public Health Ministry said on Monday.

Two women – one Thai and one foreigner – tested positive for the new and highly transmissible strain of Omicron, according to the ministry’s Medical Sciences Department (MSD).

MSD chief Dr Supakit Sirilak said there was no need to panic since the XBB strain, like other Omicron subvariants, is a weak version of the virus.

He added that in Singapore, XBB is now the dominant Covid strain of Covid but there had been no spike in the ratio of cases with severe symptoms.

Thailand’s first XBB case is a 48-year-old Thai woman who developed a cough and blocked nose before visiting hospital on September 27. She tested positive for Covid but did not develop fever and recovered on October 6 after two weeks of home isolation.

The second case was a 60-year-old foreign woman who developed a cough and tested positive with an ATK kit a day before visiting hospital the next day on September 28.

A recent arrival from Hong Kong, she recovered after hotel isolation from September 28 to October 7. She had neither a cough nor a fever during isolation.

Supakit said XBB strain is a recombinant strain of BJ.1 (BA.2.10.11) and BM.1.1.1 (BA.2.75.3.1.1.1) – both offshoots of Omicron BA.2 variant.

On Saturday, Supakit announced Thailand was screening arrivals for XBB after three people from Thailand tested positive in Hong Kong last week.

The XBB strain was first detected in Singapore and the United States in August. So far, over 260 XBB cases have been reported globally.

Supakit said the health officials last week screened the DNA of 128 Covid samples and found 126 were Omicron BA.4 or BA.5 subvariants, mostly BA.5. The remaining two were BA.2 while the Delta, Alpha and Beta variants were not found.

Apart from the XBB subvariants, other strains that have been detected in Thailand include BA.2.75.2 (eight cases), BN.1 or BA.2.75.5.1 (10 cases) and BF.7 (two cases).

Supakit said Thailand would upload data on the two XBB cases to the global Covid tracking project GISAID.

He said data on the two BF.7 cases was uploaded last month. The first case was a 16-year-old foreign child living in Bangkok and the second a 62-year-old female Thai medical worker in Bangkok. Neither developed severe symptoms, Supakit added.

Of the 53 people who died of Covid in Thailand last week, most had underlying illnesses and/or were unvaccinated, said Dr Jakkarat Pitthayawong-anan, director of epidemiology at the Disease Control Department.

Only 4.9 per cent of hospital beds were occupied by Covid patients while the number being treated for lung problems was 2,200.

National Institute of Health director Dr Archawin Rojanawiwat advised people who develop symptoms during the upcoming flu season after the monsoon to test themselves with ATK kits to check whether an Omicron infection is responsible.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021098

Why is Bangkok being buzzed by low-flying passenger jets? Mystery solved…

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

Bangkok residents surprised at the sudden appearance of passenger jets flying low over their homes got the explanation on Monday.

Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports switched the direction of take-offs and landings on Saturday due to the change of wind direction during the cold season.

The change means people in Bangkok may see airliners flying low in downtown skies, said the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aero Thai) on Monday.

Aero Thai chief Nopasit Chakpitak said the reversed runway directions came into effect on Saturday and would last until February. Planes taking off and landing at Don Mueang have switched from Runway 21 to Runway 03, he added.

The switch is necessary because the prevailing northeasterly wind changes direction and strengthens to 10-15 knots (20-30 kilometres per hour) during the cold season, potentially affecting aircrafts’ manoeuvrability.

“From October to February, aircraft at Don Muang will take off from the north side and land on the south side of the airport, giving Bangkokians the unusual sight of planes approaching over the downtown area. Suvarnabhumi Airport will adopt the same practice,” said Nopasit.

If the wind weakens to below 10 knots (18kph), Aero Thai will consider allowing passenger jets to switch back to their usual landing and take-off routine.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021096

Thailand to nominate beloved King Bhumibol as Unesco world personality

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

The Education Ministry will next year ask Unesco to add Thailand’s beloved monarch, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, to the list of the world’s eminent personalities.

Education Minister Trinuch Theinthong said on Monday that her ministry hopes the late monarch will be globally honoured for the work he has done for his subjects as well as the world community. For instance, she said, King Bhumibol’s philosophy of sufficiency economy is now being adopted across the world.

Trinuch said her ministry will call on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to add King Bhumibol to the list before his centennial birthday is marked on December 5, 2027.

Dr Atthapol Sangkhawasi, permanent secretary for the Education Ministry, said Unesco considers names for its list of eminent personalities every year, and so far two Thai figureheads have been added to the list.

In November last year, Unesco added Her Royal Highness Princess Galayani Vadhana and renowned writer and scholar Phrya Sisunthornwohan to the eminent list.

Princess Galayani Vadhana, the older sister of King Bhumibol, passed away in 2008 at the age of 84.

King Bhumibol passed away on October 13, 2016, aged 88.

Atthapol said the Education Ministry will get the late monarch’s nomination details ready for the Cabinet to deliberate upon within this year before it seeks approval from King Rama X.

The aim, he said, was to put the late monarch’s name forward at the Unesco assembly in France early next year.

The ministry said the nomination is based on the many achievements of King Rama IX, including his talent in painting, sculpture, engineering, innovation and technology, photography, sports, music, language and literature.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40021095

Crowds pay respects before new King Rama IX statue at Chalerm Phrakiat Park

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

People in great numbers flocked to the new Chalerm Phrakiat Park in Bangkok’s Dusit district to pay their respects in front of the statue of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great on Sunday.

People in Bangkok and other provinces offered yellow roses and other flowers on trays in front of the statue to commemorate the late King’s royal rein for over 70 years from June 9, 1946, to October 13, 2016.

The Bureau of the Royal Household has allowed people to pay their respects before the statue in Chalerm Phrakiat Park from Friday to Sunday (October 14-16).

The new statue in Chalerm Phrakiat Park is 7.7 metres high and faces Chitralada Villa Royal Residence in Dusit district.

The statue stands on an elevated octagonal pedestal, each side of which is inscribed with details of the late King’s royal projects.

Chalerm Phrakiat Park, which formerly housed the Royal Turf Club of Thailand, is being closed for landscape improvement to ensure maximum benefit for Bangkokians.

The 279-rai (44.6-hectare) park, filled with thousands of trees to serve as a green lung for the city, is expected to open to the public at the end of 2024.