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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018962

The Public Health Ministry will ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to downgrade the status of the disease at its next meeting expected on Friday, the minister said on Tuesday.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said when the CCSA meets, it would be informed of the decision of the National Communicable Disease Committee to downgrade Covid’s status from a “dangerous communicable disease” to a “communicable disease under surveillance”.

Anutin said the ministry wants to hear the CCSA’s opinion on the decision.

He said although the government had returned the authority to the ministry to lead operations on controlling Covid, the ministry still wanted to coordinate with the CCSA and other government agencies for the operations.

Anutin was not clear on the status of the CCSA once Covid is downgraded to a “communicable disease under surveillance”.

“Let’s put it this way. All persons on the CCSA came together to help with the work. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha took it upon himself to command the CCSA so that all government agencies can work together,” Anutin said.

“When it’s clear that everything has returned to normalcy and when the ministry is certain that it no longer needs the authority of other government agencies, the prime minister would make a decision based on the situation.”

Meanwhile, Dr Kiattiphum Wongrachit, permanent secretary for Public Health, said the meeting of the Public Health and Medical Emergency Operation Centre on Monday was informed of the National Communicable Disease Committee’s decision to downgrade Covid’s status.

Kiattiphum said the ministry would have to adjust its operation plan accordingly that will be enforced until December.

As part of the new operation plan, the ministry will ensure that Covid medicine will be accessible from drug stores but require prescription by doctors.

Kiattiphum said the committee had also decided to change the treatment and surveillance period of Covid patients from seven days for treatment and three days for surveillance to five days for treatment and five days for surveillance.

The permanent secretary said the antiviral Molnupiravir drug will be the main medicine for Covid treatment and the ministry is certain the drug would be adequate.

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018952

Police arrested a Dutch national in Phuket on Monday for allegedly hunting rare parrotfish in Krabi’s national park.

The foreigner was hunted down after he posted a TikTok clip posing with a catch of three parrotfish, one moray eel and two other unidentified fish in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. The clip sparked outrage on Thai social media.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said the suspect, Roslan Benedia, has pleaded guilty.

Benedia said he had rented a boat and speargun at Phi Phi Don Island at before heading to Phi Phi Leh at 1pm on August 9. The boat was captained by Krisana Todting.

The suspect claimed he did not know the area had gone fishing in was protected.

Varawut said Phi Phi Island police will collect evidence and take legal action against Benedia. Police will also look into arresting the boat and speargun rental service providers.

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018950

Water resources near Doi Suthep mountain are being checked for bacteria after a Chiang Mai University lecturer warned people that the Rab Sadet Waterfall is contaminated with E.coli.

Rungsrit Kanjanavanit, a lecturer at the university’s Faculty of Medicine, said in a Facebook post that the waterfall was contaminated due to poor wastewater management in the community living further up. The community lives above the waterfall near the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple.

Pollution Control Department director-general Attapon Charoenchansa said the Environmental and Pollution Control Office 1 and Regional Health Promotion Centre 1 collected samples at three water resources on Monday, namely Peen Pak Pai and Rab Sadet waterfalls and Wat Pha Lat Bridge.

“The Pollution Control Office 1 will conduct tests for E.coli, which will take seven days,” he said. “The Environmental and Pollution Control Office 1 will, meanwhile, check for total coliform bacteria and faecal coliform bacteria.”

He said that Rungsrit had cited a study conducted by Chiang Mai University students, but it did not include E.coli tests. He also claimed that the lecturer’s Facebook post can cause confusion and panic among people.

“Hence, it is necessary to boost awareness,” he said, adding that the concept of launching public awareness campaigns has been discussed with related agencies.

He added that the Environmental and Pollution Control Office 1 will cooperate with other agencies to help tackle the issue if the waterfall is found to be contaminated.

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018945

In the wake of the fatal Chonburi pub blaze that killed 19 and injured dozens of others earlier this month, the Bangkok governor is planning to revise regulations for nightspots here.

At a meeting with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) executives on Monday, Chadchart Sittipunt said the Mountain B pub fire in Sattahip district is a valuable lesson. He also pointed out that the blaze has affected the confidence of tourists just as the tourism industry has started to recover.

The nightclub went up in flames at about 1am on August 5, killing 13 people on the spot and injuring scores of others. Since then, six victims have succumbed to their third-degree burn injuries. The pub was found to have been operating illegally as an entertainment venue despite only having a restaurant permit.

The building had also been illegally altered.

Chadchart said his aim is to revise all regulations related to entertainment venues in metropolitan areas with a focus on updating outdated clauses and eliminating overlapping regulations.

“The current regulations involving the building’s permit, safety and structural issues have been in use for over 20 years and are now due revision. We will also combine related regulations to reduce confusion,” he said.

Chadchart added that the BMA will also coordinate with the police to ensure legal compliance regarding opening and closing hours and noise created by entertainment venues. Though these factors are not under BMA’s jurisdiction, the city will work with police to prevent these venues from being a nuisance to surrounding communities, he said.

The governor added an initial survey shows that more than 90 per cent of nightspot owners are willing to comply with the BMA regarding fire safety, including adding more exits and fire extinguishers.

The governor said BMA has no immediate plans to revise the city’s zoning of entertainment venues.

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018944

Passport services will once again be available for Thai nationals at Central Plaza Westgate and MBK Centre from August 20 onwards.

The Department of Consular Affairs announced on Monday that the Bang Yai and Pathum Wan passport offices located in the two malls will reopen on Saturday after being closed for almost two years due to the Covid pandemic.

It said that since travel restrictions are being lifted in most countries, more Thais are planning to travel overseas. Hence, it has decided to resume offering passport services on Saturdays for people who are not free on weekdays.

The Saturday service will not cover diplomatic or government passports, and the one-day service is also not available.

Those seeking services can either walk in or book a queue via www.qpassport.in.th or by scanning the QR code.

The Central Westgate office can accept 500 applications per day, while the MBK Centre office can serve 1,000 daily.

The department has also advised people against paying anyone for a queue number, saying they can either walk in or reserve a slot themselves at the website. The website also shows how many queues have been served and how many are pending.

Automatic passport kiosks will also be available at both offices for walk-in applicants over 20 years old who have held a passport before.

The offices operate from 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.

For more information, call (02) 572 8442.

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018941

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced that the city is expected to be hit by heavy rain and subsequent flooding until Wednesday.

Citing the Thai Meteorological Department’s weather forecast, the BMA said in a Facebook post that isolated heavy to very heavy rain is expected to hit upper and central Thailand, including Bangkok and its vicinity until August 17. The rain is being brought by the monsoon trough lying across upper Laos and upper North and the active low-pressure cell over the upper South China Sea.

BMA warned people living outside the flood levee in Nong Chok-Lat Krabang districts to move their properties to higher ground and advised those living near the river and canals to closely follow updates on the water level from the Drainage and Sewerage Department at https://dds.bangkok.go.th.

BMA said city workers armed with water pumps have been sent to flood-prone areas to prevent water from entering people’s homes and to clear roads.

Heavy rain on Monday evening left many roads flooded but the water was expected to go down by Tuesday morning. The flooded roads are Chaloem Phra Kiat Rama 9 Soi 48, Prawet Intersection, Motorway frontage road, Theparak Road KM1, Debaratana Road (near King Kaew Market), Soi Suanplu and Lasalle intersection.

Call BMA’s flood prevention centre at (02) 248 5115 for more information.

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018936

The Public Health Ministry reported on Tuesday (August 16) that over the past 24 hours, 1,508 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals.

The death toll has risen by 29, while 2,023 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals. 

The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,400,161 with 10,189 deaths.
 

Published : August 16, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018931

More than 360,000 tourists visited Phuket, a significant increase since the government eased Covid-19 restrictions.

The number of visitors in Phuket from May 1 to August 12 was 367,881, both locals and foreigners, officials said. The top five foreign visitors came from India, Australia, Singapore, Britain and Malaysia.

Apart from food and beverages, visitors at Lard Yai or The Old Phuket Town Walking Street were interested in handicrafts, such as batik painting and gel candle making.

Visitors also showed interest in street performances by local youths, covering both individuals and groups.

A local entrepreneur in Lard Yai said that trade on the walking street was bustling, similar to pre-Covid-19 levels, thanks to foreign visitors’ high purchasing power.

The entrepreneur added that the number of visitors had increased significantly over the past three weeks.

Meanwhile, the walking street owner said more than 20,000 visitors came to the street on Sunday compared to between 1,000 and 10,000 soon after the reopening.

Published : August 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018928

Five manufacturers of instant noodles are pleading with the government to let them hike the price to 8 baht per packet as they have been shouldering increasing costs.

The executives of five companies — Thai Preserved Food, Nissin Foods, Thai President Foods, Wan Thai Foods Industry, and Chokchaipibul Co Ltd — on Monday together asked the government to consider allowing price adjustment for instant noodles, a popular food among low-income people.

Weera Naphaphreugchart, deputy managing director of Thai Preserved Food, manufacturer of “Wai Wai” noodles, said the company has faced inflation and rising transport cost in the past year, causing some of its products to run losses. “Also, we have not adjusted the price of our noodles for 14 years due to the price-fixing policy imposed by the Department of Internal Trade. It is therefore the time to revise the price to reflect the actual cost,” he said.

Kittiphos Charnphaworakit, deputy vice president of Wan Thai Foods, manufacturer of “Yum Yum” noodles, said the cost of key raw materials, such as wheat flour and palm oil, have been rising since the Covid-19 outbreak and is currently 40 per cent higher than the cost in 2019. He added that the company had already adjusted the prices of Yum Yum noodles in overseas markets, which are now sold at almost twice the price of Yum Yum in Thailand.

“Nissin” noodles manufacturer Nissin Foods (Thailand) has also adopted the strategy of hiking prices of its exports to stay afloat amid the rising cost crisis. The company has raised prices in overseas markets by 5-12 per cent since June, according to managing director Hijiri Fukuoka.

Phan Paniangwet, administration manager of “Mama” noodles manufacturer Thai President Foods, added that this is the first time that the five manufacturers are on board with the common plea to adjust the price, because everyone is already at their limit with shouldering the increasing cost.

“We urge the Department of Internal Trade to consider allowing the price adjustment so that our business can continue, as we are now suffering beyond just the loss in profit,” added Parinya Sitthidamrong, director of Chokchaipibul Co Ltd, manufacturer of “Seusat” noodles.

Instant noodles are among 18 consumer products and services that cannot raise their prices without approval from the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Internal Trade. The other 17 are: eggs and meat, canned foods, bagged rice, seasoning sauces, vegetable oils, carbonated drinks, milk and dairy products, electrical appliances, cleaning products (including detergents), fertilisers, insecticides, animal feed, iron, cement, paper, drugs and medical equipment, and services of wholesale and retail shops.

Published : August 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/national/40018925

Malaysia is considering legalising cannabis and kratom for medical use, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday.

He made the remark after a discussion with Malaysia’s ambassador to Thailand, Jojie Samuel, on the issue at the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi province.

The discussion is considered a preparation to welcome Malaysia’s health minister who will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Thailand of ministers responsible for health.

Anutin said Thailand and Malaysia have studied and exchanged knowledge about the two herbs so far. He added that Malaysia is studying its laws to legalise cannabis.

“If Malaysia announces cannabis legalisation for medical use, it will be the second Asian country to remove cannabis from the narcotics list,” he said.

He reiterated that Thailand’s cannabis legalisation had not been a burden on anyone, arguing that the ministry has laws related to cannabis use in public areas.

He added that a parliamentary commission would finish consideration of the cannabis usage draft act this week.

He also thanked Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt for informing them about the problem of cannabis smoke in public areas.

“We have worked with related government agencies to investigate the issue,” he added.

Published : August 15, 2022

By : THE NATION