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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019666

The government says the last 500 billion baht of its 1.5 trillion in Covid-relief borrowing has now been allocated, with 37 billion baht covering treatment costs and allowances for medics.

“The loans obtained under the government borrowing decree have now been spent,” said Danucha Pichayanan, secretary-general of National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) on Friday.

Of the remaining 37 billion baht, 27 billion was allocated to cover the costs of treating Covid-19 patients, as requested by the National Health Security Office, and 10 billion as “risk allowances” for doctors and nurses.

During the pandemic, the state provided free treatment to all Covid-19 patients in the country. The government passed two emergency decrees to borrow a total of 1.5 trillion baht to tackle the pandemic and alleviate its impact on the Thai economy.

The 500 billion baht was borrowed under the second loan decree.

Danucha said that about 70 per cent of the allocated budget has been paid out, with 100 per cent to be paid before yearend.

Additional Covid budget requests will be covered by the emergency central fund in the 2023 state budget, he said.

Danucha, whose agency is tasked with national economic planning, added that for the rest of the year economy-related state agencies should focus on helping “vulnerable groups” rather than stimulating the economy.

Economy-related agencies include the NESDC, Finance Ministry and Bank of Thailand.

“People in vulnerable groups should receive help as they are affected by the rising cost of living and higher utility prices. The impacts must be lowered for them,” Danucha said.

Published : September 02, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019665

More than 4.6 million tourists visited Thailand in the first eight months of the year, with the largest groups coming from neighbouring countries, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

However, the number is still less than half of the 10 million arrivals targeted by TAT this year, with only four months left.

The TAT has placed its hope on a tourist surge in the last three months of the year, Thailand’s high season, aiming to draw at least 1 million visitors per month.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said on Friday that Thailand saw 4,635,418 international arrivals between January 1 and August 31.

The top contributor of tourists over the first eight months was Thailand’s southern neighbour Malaysia, with 647,648 arrivals.

Second is India, with 449,236 arrivals, followed by Laos (276,924), Singapore (242,220), and Cambodia (228,846).

The United Kingdom is the sixth on the list, with 211,016 tourists, followed by Vietnam (205,687), the United States (191,404), South Korea (187,792), and Germany (159,639), according to the TAT.

Most visitors arrived through the country’s three major airports — Suvarnabhumi (2,596,319 arrivals), Phuket (719,886), and Bangkok’s Don Mueang (313,520).

The list of popular land entry points is topped by seven immigration checkpoints in the South, Northeast and East.

They are Sadao, with 223,776 tourists, followed by Nong Khai (129,699), Sa Kaeo (101,031), Sungai Kolok (75,238), Padang Besar (73,055), Betong (70,182), and Mukdahan (51,803).

Published : September 02, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019660

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is sending aircraft to get aerial images of flood-hit areas so as to be able to offer help to the affected people.

The RTAF reported on Friday that it was planning to help people in the Air Force’s areas, in the Chao Phraya river basin and the Northeastern region.

It will collect aerial and satellite images of flooded areas in Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, and Ayutthaya provinces.

The images will be used to analyse and gauge the direction of the floods to be able to make appropriate plans to evacuate people and goods.

The RTAF has also ordered Wing units and Flying Training Schools in the areas to prepare to evacuate people.

Previously, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency had reported on Thursday that 749,396 rai (119,903 hectares) along the Chao Phraya, Pa Sak, Bang Pakong and Mun rivers were affected by floods.

Published : September 02, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019657

Phuket’s Thalang district was hit by flooding after heavy rain on Friday.

Images shared on social media show locations including a golf course, filling station, school and a condominium close to Phuket Airport submerged under water.

More than 40 cars and 20 motorcycles were damaged by the floods.

Worawit Sisakhukram, a village headman in Phuket, said he was inspecting the area with district officials to assess the damage and find ways to help victims.

Worawit reported that the floodwaters are receding slowly. He also asked the local Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office to help drain the inundated condominium.

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew also inspected the flooded areas as part of aid efforts for victims.

Phuket Airport asked passengers to arrive three to four hours ahead of their scheduled departure time. Passengers can call 076 351111 for updates on airport and flight information.

Published : September 02, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019649

Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan is scheduled to visit Krabi province on Monday to inspect and monitor water-management projects.

He will be accompanied by Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn and Deputy Defence Minister Chaichan Changmongkol.

Prawit is scheduled to preside over a meeting on water management with the Office of National Water Resources, Royal Irrigation Department and the Agricultural Land Reform Office at City Hall in Krabi’s Muang district.

The Office of Agricultural Economics is also expected to present the local palm oil situation at the meeting.

Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn

Also on Prawit’s itinerary is a visit to the Khlong Haeng reservoir and Ban Song Phraek community’s water-resource development for agriculture. He is also set to hand out Sor Por Kor 4-01 title deeds for agricultural land to eligible members of the public.

Chaichan Changmongkol

Prawit visited Chachoengsao on Thursday to inspect a tap-water-making plant to monitor the progress of a water-management project in the eastern province.

Published : September 02, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019637

Booster shots are necessary to help our bodies fight off “invading diseases” like Covid-19, a top virologist advised.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, expert virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan said: “Getting vaccinated is like training the body’s immune system to become frontline soldiers to fight off invading diseases.

“However, the Covid-19 virus does not just invade our body head-on, but also mutates or disguises itself, so the soldiers cannot identify it as a threat and the virus eventually sneaks past our defence,” he said.

“This means you can contract Covid-19 no matter how many jabs you have had.”

Yong said those who received their first two jabs, should get booster shots because it’s like reinforcing your defence. These soldiers will help fight off enemies that enter our bodies as soon as possible to prevent severe symptoms.

“Booster shots have proven to be highly effective in preventing severe symptoms, hospitalisation and death, especially among the ‘608’ group,” Dr Yong said.

The 608 group refers to elderly people aged 60 and above, patients with seven chronic diseases or underlying conditions and women 12 weeks or more into their pregnancy.

“Those whose immunity cannot be boosted via vaccines, such as patients with chronic kidney disease and those on immunosuppressants, are advised to opt for the long-acting antibody [LAAB], which is now widely available in Thailand,” Yong added.

Published : September 02, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019635

More than 55,000 Covid-19 patients have registered with the National Health Security Office (NHSO) scheme to have relevant medications delivered to them from local pharmacies.

The scheme was launched on March 24 with 532 pharmacies participating nationwide to help ease the burden on hospitals. As of August 29, as many as 55,482 people who tested positive for Covid-19 registered for the drug-delivery service, government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said on Thursday.

Most of the patients are in Bangkok (21,200), followed by Nonthaburi (4,564), Chonburi (4,367), Chiang Mai (2,806) and Nakhon Pathum (2,651).

The NHSO also launched Covid-19 telemedicine services on July 11 via three applications for patients under self-isolation.

These applications are “Clicknic”, which focuses on patients in the vulnerable group (those over 60 or suffering from any of eight underlying conditions), “MorDee” which only accepts “green” patients or those with mild symptoms, and “Good Doctor” that focuses on green patients in Greater Bangkok and Chonburi.

“From July 11 to August 30, 9,043 people have used the NHSO’s Covid-19 telemedicine services,” Ratchada said. “Of them, 4,942 people used Good Doctor, while 2,151 and 1,950 used Clicknic and MorDee applications, respectively.

“NHSO will continue providing telemedicine and drug delivery services to ensure Covid-19 patients have access to treatment without having to go to a hospital,” Ratchada said.

“However, these services are only suitable for patients with mild or no symptoms. To effectively prevent severe symptoms, people are advised to get booster shots at appropriate intervals, especially those in vulnerable groups,” she added.

On Friday, Thailand recorded 2,046 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 24 deaths, while 1,565 patients had recovered and discharged from hospitals.

The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, stands at 2,431,534 with 10,654 deaths.

As of August 31, more than 142.75 million Covid-19 vaccines had been administered in Thailand. Of them, 57.26 million are first jabs covering 82.3 per cent of the population, 53.72 million second jabs covering 77.2 per cent of the population, and 31.77 million boosters covering 45.7 per cent of the population.

Published : September 02, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019631

More than 3 million people spent over 630 million baht on Thursday, the first day of the government’s new phase of three subsidy programmes, according to the Finance Ministry.

As of noon, 2.03 million holders of the “state welfare cards” spent 404.5 million baht at the start of the fifth phase of the subsidy programme launched since the outbreak of the pandemic, Finance Ministry spokesman Pornchai Thiraveja said on Thursday.

A total of 91,592 people in “fragile groups” eligible for special state assistance spent 18.08 million as of noon on Thursday in the third phase of the subsidy programme.

Another 1.01 million people eligible for the “Kon La Krueng” co-payment scheme spent 209 million baht at the start of the fifth phase on Thursday. Of all the spending, those eligible spent 105.31 million baht and the government co-paid 103.69 million.

Altogether, 3.13 million people spent 631.58 million baht on the first day of the new phase, according to Pornchai, who doubles as director-general of the Finance Ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office.

In the fifth phase of the “Kon La Krueng” scheme, users are allowed an 800-baht subsidy to be spent until October 31. The government covers half of the price but not more than 150 baht per day.

Users can make their payments through the Pao Tang mobile app when buying food and other products at shops and stalls that take part in the scheme. They can also make purchases through five food delivery online platforms, namely Shopee Food, Lineman, Grab Food, Food Panda, and True Food.

The spokesman also reminded those eligible for the co-payment scheme of the condition that requires them to make their first payment by September 14, or they will be stripped of the right.

He also said that as many as 7 million people eligible for the programme have yet to confirm their rights with the Pao Tang app. All 21 million users from the scheme’s phase 4 are eligible for phase 5.

Published : September 01, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019626

The Highways Department will next week ask the Cabinet to approve an additional budget of 6.7 billion baht for the construction of the remaining parts of the Bang Pa-in-Saraburi-Nakhon Ratchasima motorway.

Asource from the department said it has informed the Transport Ministry and the Budget Bureau that 16 remaining parts of the motorway project needed change in construction designs, hence an additional budget of 6.755 billion baht would be required.

The source said Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob is expected to ask the Cabinet during the weekly meeting on Tuesday to approve the request for the additional budget.

The project was approved by the Cabinet on July 14, 2015 to construct a 196-kilometre-long motorway linking Bang Pa-in in Ayutthaya to Saraburi province and to Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The project was approved with an initial budget of 84.6 billion baht and the project was divided into 40 parts. Construction started in 2016 and so far, 24 parts have been completed.

The source said the remaining 16 parts have not been done because construction was hampered with issues related to the geology of the areas, requiring new designs for the pending parts. The conditions of the areas have changed since the initial project survey in 2018, the source explained.

The source said the designs had to be changed to respond to public utilities in the area as well public complaints.

Parts of the motorway, which have been done, are expected to be open for public testing late next year. The toll gate system is expected to be tested in 2024 and the entire motorway route will be opened to traffic in 2025.

Published : September 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40019620

Caretaker Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has ordered the Education Ministry to find a solution to the problem of school van incidents that have even caused fatalities.

Aseven-year-old girl was found suffocated to death inside a school van in Phan Thong district of Chonburi province on Tuesday after she was accidentally left behind in the vehicle.

In a move to prevent such incidents from happening again, Defence Ministry spokesman General Kongcheep Tantravanich said on Thursday that Prawit told Education Minister Treenuch Thienthong to invite every sector to find a solution together with lessons from previous incidents.

Prawit also ordered the ministry to contact the police to investigate the case while also taking care of the victim’s family. Prawit said he wanted preventive measures and a safe environment in places where children could not protect themselves.

Meanwhile, Treenuch said that she had told Peerasak Rattana, secretary-general of the Office of the Private Education Commission, to investigate the school in Chonburi where the latest incident had occurred.

She also ordered the Office of the Private Education Commission to set up a committee to find the person responsible for this tragedy.

Published : September 01, 2022

By : THE NATION