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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018573

The Chonburi pub that caught fire in the early hours of Friday, killing 14 and injuring 41 others, had no fire insurance, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) said.

OIC secretary-general Suthipol Taweechaikarn said the 552sqm one-storey building had been illegally altered and had not been insured against fire.

Meanwhile, he said, four of the deceased have life insurance with coverage totalling 4.76 million baht, while 14 of the injured have accident coverage totalling 12.99 million baht.

Suthipol said the OIC’s Chonburi Office has been coordinating with insurance companies to provide compensation to victims as soon as possible. The OIC has also established an ad hoc centre at the Plutalung Subdistrict Administration Office to provide aid and advice to victims.

“Entertainment venues are expected to be insured against fire and other damages and should also be insured for liability to third parties,” he said.

People wishing to find out more about insurance can call the OIC hotline at 1186.

The Mountain B Pub opened about a month ago and quickly became popular among the youth in Sattahip.

Firefighters blamed the blaze, which began at about 1.25am, on overheated fibre-optic cables. They said that when they arrived at the scene, the inferno had engulfed the building’s roof.

Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said initial investigation found that the operators did not have a pub licence and the outlet was built in an area where entertainment venues are prohibited.

Published : August 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018571

Heavy to very heavy rain is expected to hit the North, Northeast, East, South and Central regions, including Greater Bangkok, from Sunday to Tuesday.

In a weather warning on Saturday, the Thai Meteorological Department said the rains were being brought by a monsoon trough lying across the upper North and upper Northeast, as well as the low-pressure cell over upper Vietnam.

The department also issued a warning of flash floods, runoffs and heavy thundershowers.

It also expects the southwest monsoon prevailing over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand to strengthen, forcing waves to rise up to 3 metres high in the upper Andaman and even higher during thundershowers. Waves in the upper Gulf are expected to be 2 metres high and even higher during thundershowers.

Ships have been advised to proceed with caution and small boats told to keep ashore until Tuesday.

Heavy rain can be expected in the following areas:

August 7

North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Lampang, Tak, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.

Northeast: Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani.

Central: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok and its vicinity.

East: Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.

South: Ranong, Phang Nga and Phuket.

August 8

North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit and Tak.

Northeast: Loei, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Kalasin and Ubon Ratchathani.

Central: Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Nakhon Prathom, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi, Bangkok and its vicinity.

East: Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.

South: Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi.

August 9

North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit and Tak.

Northeast: Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani.

Central: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, including Bangkok and its vicinity.

East: Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.

South: Ranong and Phang Nga.

Published : August 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018570

The Foreign Ministry said on Friday that all 112 Thai nationals deported from South Korea have returned to Thailand safely.

On Tuesday morning, a planeload of Thais arrived at Jeju Island, and 112 of them were denied entry as immigration officials suspected they had arrived intending to look for work.

“The immigration authorities interviewed 125 of the 184 Thai arrivals and concluded that 112 may have arrived to work illegally in South Korea,” Natapanu Nopakun, the ministry’s deputy spokesman, said. “The 112 persons were detained while waiting for a plane to return them to Thailand. As of now, they have all returned to Thailand safely.”

All foreigners are required to obtain a Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) at least one week before arrival. This “visa” grants them a stay of no more than 90 days if their purpose for visit is tourism, business meetings, short-term courses etc.

“Thais travelling to South Korea are also required to prepare documents on their purpose of visit, especially the K-ETA document,” he said.

South Korea has been cracking down hard on illegal migrant workers since reopening to tourists on July 25. So far, as many as 10,000 Thais have travelled to South Korea and nearly half of them have been refused entry and sent home.

The country has had a long-standing problem with illegal migrant workers, referred to as “little ghosts”. They usually enter South Korea as tourists but pick up illegal jobs as labourers, which can earn them as much as 60,000 baht a month.

For more information visit https://www.immigration.go.kr/immigration_eng/index.do, or call the Thai Embassy in Seoul at (+82) 10 6747 0095 and (+82) 10 7275 2955.

Published : August 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018562

The Public Health Ministry reported on Saturday (August 6) that over the past 24 hours, 2,381 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals.

The death toll has risen by 35, while 2,209 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals. 

The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,379,924 with 9,863 deaths.
 

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,603,359 – 4,550,548 of whom have recovered, 21,250 are still in hospitals and 31,561 have died.

Separately, another 5,444 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 10,303 their second shot and 36,348 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 141,814,894.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 587.91 million on Saturday, 558.89 million of whom have recovered, 22.58 million are active cases (43,844 in severe condition) and 6.43 million have died (up by 1,953).

Thailand ranks 28th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 93.87 million, followed by India with 44.13 million, Brazil with 34.02 million, France with 33.99 million and Germany with 31.23 million.

Published : August 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018558

People with symptoms of long Covid can now seek treatment at special clinics set up by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) at nine hospitals in the city.

Dr Suksan Kittisupakorn, director of the BMA’s Medical Service Department, said on Friday that the Long Covid Clinics would serve patients who are still suffering from the effects of coronavirus weeks or months after the initial illness.

He said many former Covid-19 patients had breathing difficulties, which could be caused by scarring or other long-term damage to their lungs.

“Early diagnosis and proper treatment can get rid of the condition and allow them to live a normal life,” Dr Suksan said.

People with post-Covid syndrome can visit the special BMA clinics at Taksin Hospital, Lat Krabang Hospital, Sirindhorn Hospital, Charoen Krung Pracharak Hospital, Ratchaphiphat Hospital, Bang Khun Thian Geriatric Hospital, BMA General Hospital (Klang Hospital), Luang Phor Taweesak Chutinataro Uthit Hospital, and Wetchakarunrasm Hospital.

The clinics are open Monday to Thursday during the working hours of the hospital where they are located.

Patients must make appointments via the Bangkok Fast & Clear (BFC) system.

Diagnosis and treatment from the clinics would soon be available through the MorBMA mobile telemedicine application, Dr Suksan said.

Covid-19 primarily affects the lungs but it can also damage other organs, resulting in increased risks of long-term health problems.

Common symptoms of long Covid include chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, headache, diarrhoea, chest pain or discomfort, impaired concentration, and memory problems.

Published : August 05, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018555

A deadly Chonburi pub blaze in the early hours of Friday was intensified by so-called backdraughts as superheated gasses ignited explosively.

The blaze left 14 people dead and 41 others injured, 14 of them seriously.

Nine of the dead victims were male and four female, while the sex of the remaining fatality has yet to be identified.

Rescue workers fighting the fire at the Mountain B pub in Chonburi’s Bang Lamung district said the blaze surged after someone opened the building’s front door.

The backdraught caused flames to surge explosively, engulfing pub patrons fleeing the blaze. Video clips of the scene show people emerging from the building with their clothes on fire, resulting in severe burns to their skin.

Backdraught occurs when oxygen suddenly enters to feed an oxygen-depleted fire in a confined space.

Firefighters blamed the blaze, which began at about 1.25am, on overheating fibre-optic cables. They said that when they arrived at the scene, the inferno had engulfed the building’s roof up to a height of five metres.

Among the dead were two members of the band Taewwaew, who were performing on stage when the fire broke out. Three other band members are in intensive care with severe burns.

The two dead musicians were the lead singer and a keyboardist, both of whom were temporary replacements for permanent band members, said the band’s lead singer, Thanapat Puangpae.

The 24-year-old said he had missed the performance because he was ill.

“I am shocked to learn what happened. I was supposed to sing that night,” he said. “I feel bad that the singer and keyboardist died. My condolences to their families.”

He added that the band’s bassist, drummer and guitarist were being treated for severe burns.

Police say Mountain B was operating illegally without a liquor licence. Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda has ordered officials to find out what caused the fire and who is to blame.

Published : August 05, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018551

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department issued a flood warning for three more provinces on Friday as heavy rain lashed the country.

Residents have been advised to prepare for floods in Udon Thani (Kut Chap district), Nakhon Phanom (That Phanom district), and Trat (Muang, Khlong Yai, and Khao Saming districts).

Meanwhile, Chiang Khan district in Loei province is also threatened by rising levels in the Mekong River.

The department advised residents to follow updates from government agencies and warned them to beware of dangers from electrocution, venomous snakes and insects washed out by the floods. Drivers should also be cautious of being caught in strong floodwater currents.

So far, five provinces across the country have reported flooding this week.

The flood-hit provinces range from Mae Hong Son and Mukdahan in the North to Udon Thani in the Northeast, Pathum Thani in Central Region and Phuket in the South.

A total of 87 households in eight districts have been inundated by floodwater since Tuesday, said the department. However, the floodwater was receding and no injuries or deaths had been reported in the eight districts.

The department said it was coordinating with local agencies to mount rescue efforts. Meanwhile officials are assessing flood damage for remedial measures from the Finance Ministry.

The public can report flooding via the department’s 1784 hotline or Line ID @1784DDPM.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018545

A 22-year-old Thai woman has been confirmed as the fourth monkeypox case in Thailand. All previously confirmed cases are men — Nigerian, Thai and German nationals.

Department of Disease Control director general Dr Opart Karnkawinpong said on Friday that the woman frequented Bangkok entertainment venues popular among foreign tourists. She is believed to have contracted the disease through physical contact with an infected case, he said.

The woman told health officials she had a fever on July 29 but visited an entertainment venue the following day with Thai and foreign friends.

Later, blisters appeared on her limbs before spreading to other parts of her body including the genital area. She was admitted to a hospital in Samut Prakan province on Wednesday (August 3).

Tests the following day by the Department of Medical Sciences and Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine confirmed she had contracted monkeypox virus, according to Dr Opart.

She is being treated at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Bangkok. Health authorities are attempting to locate people who had close contact with the woman.

Dr Opart stressed that it is not easy to contract monkeypox. However, close physical contact with strangers is a risk factor, he added.

Meanwhile, the chief public health official in Phuket province, Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon, said on Friday that the Thai girlfriend of a 25-year-old German man diagnosed with monkeypox had tested negative for the virus. Her family members are being monitored by medics.

The German man is Phuket’s second monkeypox case and Thailand’s third.

The country’s first case was discovered on July 18, when a 27-year-old Nigerian man who had overstayed his visa tested positive in Phuket. He then fled to Cambodia, where he was detained and treated in Phnom Penh.

A 47-year-old Thai man was the second confirmed monkeypox case. He is believed to have caught the virus from a Belgian man who has already left Thailand.

As of Thursday, there have been 26,208 confirmed cases of monkeypox in 83 countries. The United States tops the global list with 6,617 cases, followed by Spain (4,806), Germany (2,781), the United Kingdom (2,672), and France (2,239).

Published : August 05, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018542

Several state organisations have received orders from the Transport Ministry to improve rail transportation between Thailand, Laos and China.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said on Thursday after the meeting with the committee to connect railways between the three countries.

He said the committee had approved the guidelines for related organisations and ordered the Highways Department to ask for a budget to study the construction of a new bridge across the Mekong River for both cars and trains.

Meanwhile, the committee approved orders for the State Railway of Thailand to hasten construction of the Bangkok – Nong Khai high-speed railway and to propose the Khon Kaen – Nong Khai dual-track railway project to the Cabinet.

The committee also approved turning the Nong Khai railway station to become a products transfer area.

The committee will also study the potential for public-private partnership at Na Tha station in Nong Khai to prepare for transportation in the future, including an action plan to create a balance between demand and current capacity.

The committee will also consider the freight rate and time cost to support rail as the main transportation of choice between Thailand, Laos, and China.

Saksayam said that the committee had told the Customs Department to find mobile x-ray systems for the Nongkhai border checkpoint.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has been told to gather information on the development in Laos to exchange and integrate with related organisations in Thailand to make an export strategy.

The committee also told the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to negotiate with the Chinese government on opening six land checkpoints for movement of fruits, while the Commerce Ministry will monitor the trading situation between Thailand and China and utilise rail transportation to support trade.

The Industry Ministry has been told to hasten the construction of the Udon Thani Industrial City, while the Public Health Ministry has been told to facilitate checking of passengers’ baggage and health products.

Saksayam added that the committee had ordered Team Thailand (government agencies in foreign countries) to visit Laos from August 30 to September 1. They will study the conditions and potential of the Nong Khai – Vientiane route to evaluate transportation and make a plan to connect infrastructure.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018540

Hotel occupancy in the South is expected to surge during the high season this year thanks to the removal of the Thailand Pass and improving Covid-19 situation.

Sueksit Suwandissakul, president of the Thai Hotels Association (Southern Chapter), said recently that hotels in Phuket reported about 40 per cent occupancy rate in the first six months of the year. However, he said only half of the 1,500 registered hotels and rental properties are actually open for business.

“Most hostels and small hotels are still shut as they target mostly foreign visitors, but this group has only bounced back by 20 per cent compared to before the pandemic,” he said.

Sueksit believes hotel occupancy in the South will rise in the second half of the year, though foreign arrivals may not increase significantly. This is because China is still prohibiting its citizens from travelling overseas, except students and those for whom it is necessary.

“As the economy starts recovering in the second half, I hope to see more hotels reopening. This will also be a good time for people to sell off their businesses as they are bound to get a better offer compared to during the pandemic,” he added.

Meanwhile, some 80 per cent of hotels in the deep South province of Songkhla have reopened thanks to the influx of Malaysian tourists from July 1 – the date the Thailand Pass was cancelled, the Songkhla Tourism Industry Council said.

“The council believes that more than 90 per cent of operators will resume their business this year,” the council’s president Somphol Cheewawattanapong said.

“Songkhla is expected to attract about 800,000 foreign visitors in 2022 or about 40 per cent of the 2 million visitors per year before the pandemic.”

Similarly, tourism on the famous resort island of Samui has recovered by up to 70 per cent.

Ratchaporn Phoonsawat from the Samui Tourism Promotion Board said the hotel occupancy rate on the island is expected to jump to 80 to 90 per cent during the October-December high season.

“Some 30 per cent of hotels on Koh Samui have yet to open due to lack of liquidity. So, we urge the government to provide soft loans to these operators so the island can return to operating at full potential,” he said.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said recently that 1.07 million foreigners had entered Thailand in July – the first time that monthly arrivals exceeded the 1 million mark since the pandemic. He said he expects some 1 million arrivals in August and September and 1.5 million per month during the high season. Phiphat said he was confident that the number of total foreigners landing in Thailand this year will exceed 10 million.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION