The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will extend the opening hours of three main parks on Monday.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Wednesday that he had already signed the order to change the opening hours of the three parks – Lumpini, Chatuchak and Benchasiri. The three will open at 4.30am and close 10pm from Monday.
He explained that he wanted to increase the opportunity to use public parks and help Bangkokians gain a better life.
Chadchart said the three parks have been chosen due to demand and because others are not ready for security reasons.
The Public Health Ministry revoked its letter of instructions to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to take legal action against cannabis lawbreakers, saying it was revising the order.
The ministry handed the letter to the RTP on Tuesday, asking police to arrest and take legal action against offenders according to Section 4 of the Protection and Promotion of Knowledge on Thai Traditional Medicine Act.
However, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Dr Narong Saiwong, said on Wednesday that Dr Yongyot Thammavudhi, director-general of the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department, wanted to review the order first and send it for further consideration before any action was taken.
Yongyot said the notification to the police needed to be revised because there were four topics to consider:
People who use cannabis for medical use should not be affected
Past offences are not punishable
Clarity of operational procedures for officials
Cannabis is important for the economy and medical services
Yongyot said cannabis should not be listed again as a narcotics substance so the subcommittee agreed to declare cannabis buds as a controlled herb while other parts of the plant could be used normally.
The director-general expects the review to be completed within the next week after Dr Kiatiphum Wongrajit, the ministry’s permanent secretary, has considered the matter and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signs the order.
Police will not arrest offenders any time soon except for people who sell “rolled” cannabis on the street, as the ministry is already trying to control recreational use of the plant, Yongyot added.
Airlines, staff and facilities at Suvarnabhumi Airport are all on cloud nine and ready to cope with the extra rush expected during the long holiday weekend starting today, Thursday.
Today is His Majesty the King’s birthday, while Friday is a special public holiday specified by the government. Along with Saturday and Sunday, there’s a total four days of holidays this week.
Suvarnabhumi general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn expects the airport to see 95,000 passengers and 600 flights per day during the period.
He said the airport and the Airline Operators Committee in Bangkok had urged airlines and ground staff to be prepared to serve the soaring number of passengers during the long weekend.
Kittipong Kittikachorn
Kittipong said 318 check-in counters, 196 automatic self-check-in systems and 42 automatic self-bag-drop-off systems are now available for passengers.
Zone C parking is free until August 1, he went on to say, adding that taxi, limousine and bus operators have been asked to prepare enough vehicles to meet passenger demand.
As part of Covid-19 prevention measures, airport staff would frequently clean surfaces that are touched often and provide alcohol gel to passengers, he said.
Staff have also been instructed to wear face masks and maintain social distancing while in the passenger terminal.
Kittipong urged passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure time for international flights and at least two hours before domestic flights.
For more information, contact Airports of Thailand call centre 1722.
Motorway No 6 in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Sikhiu and Kham Thale Sor districts was opened on Thursday to smoothen traffic flow for the current long weekend until Sunday.
Today, Thursday, is His Majesty the King’s birthday, while Friday is a special public holiday specified by the government. Along with Saturday and Sunday, there’s a total four days of holidays this week.
Nakhon Ratchasima Highway 2 district director Chitpol Lao-an said on Wednesday that opening Motorway No 6 is aimed at facilitating motorists travelling in the Northeast and preventing congestion on Highway No 2 (Mittraphap Road).
He said motorists can use the outbound route near Nakhonchai Burin Stray Dog Shelter in Pak Chong district on Thursday and Friday.
“People driving to Chaiyaphum and Buriram can exit the motorway at the grade separation in Sikhio district,” Chitpol said.
“Meanwhile, those heading to the Northeast can exit the motorway at Kham Thale Sor district.”
The motorway’s inbound route will be opened on Saturday and Sunday.
Vehicles can enter the motorway at Kham Thale Sor district and the grade separation in Sikhio district that will lead them to the exit near Nakhonchai Burin Stray Dog Shelter in Pak Chong district, Chitpol said.
“Nakhon Ratchasima Highway 2 district has set up traffic signs to direct people,” he added.
For safety sake, he asked drivers not to park their vehicles on the motorway to click pictures.
The Cabinet has approved a budget of 16 million baht for buying vehicles and other equipment as well as other costs to enable drug suppression operations in four neighbouring countries.
The budget was approved as proposed by the Justice Ministry during the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The ministry reasoned that the budget would be spent to increase cooperation with Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam in operations to destroy drug-making sites and eliminating cross-border drug-trafficking networks.
The budget would come from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) for fiscal year 2022 and would be spent between now and December.
According to the Justice Ministry, the budget would be spent for four activities:
▪︎suppression of drug and precursor chemicals in the Mekong basin nations;
▪︎interception of drug and precursor chemicals in the Mekong nations;
▪︎increasing the potential of drug suppression in the Mekong nations;
▪︎management operations of drug suppression coordination centres of Mekong nations.
The budget would be distributed to the four nations as follows:
• 5.1 million baht for Myanmar
The budget for Myanmar would be for procurement of a chemical analysing machine, a 4×4 double cap pickup, and a 3,500-cc sedan car.
• 6.15 million baht for Laos
The budget would include cost of K9 dogs handling in three provinces and in Vientiane. The budget would also be spent for procurement of a 4×4 double cap pickup, four motorcycles, a drone, 30 GPS devices, and three security cameras.
• 2.15 million baht for Cambodia
The budget would include petrol cost of petrol boats and daily allowances for drug suppression units in eight provinces.
The money would also be spent for buying a chemical analysing machine for the National Authority for Combating Drugs, and 320 kits of urine drug test kits, as well as maintenance cost for four chemical analysing machines.
• 2.6 million baht for Vietnam
The money would include allowance for patrol officials along the borders and money rewards for 120 informants as well as allowance for checkpoint officials in Hoa Binh province.
The money would also be spent to buy 10 motorcycles.
The ministry said the ONCB would disburse the money to the four countries as soon as possible.
Deputy PM and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow visited Saudi Arabia to improve bilateral relations and seek cooperation on tourism, agriculture and energy.
Supattanapong travelled to Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday with Thailand Trade Representative ML Chayotid Kridakon, and government officials.
On Monday, he met with Saudi Arabian Investment Minister Khalid Abdulaziz al-Falih and Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud to discuss investment in several industries.
They discussed cooperation in energy, especially clean energy and renewable energy, electric vehicles, health tourism, creative economy, and sustainable agriculture.
The discussions were in line with Saudi Arabia’s strategic framework “Saudi Vision 2030”, while it was an opportunity for Thailand to expand its investment in Saudi Arabid and vice versa.
The two sides discussed making a structured guideline for working together to improve the relationship between the two countries with a clear operation plan for continuous and concrete success.
They also met with Mohammad Abdullah Abunayyan, chairman of ACWA Power which is a developer, investor, co-owner and operator of a portfolio of power generation companies.
They discussed cooperation between the two countries on how to develop Thailand as the centre for clean energy in Southeast Asia. They also sought investment in renewable energy, which is in line with Thailand’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality within 2050.
An exhibition of films titled “Hong Kong cinema makes waves in Thailand” is being held to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the special administrative region.
The exhibition is a collaboration between Hong Kong government agency Create Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok and SF Corporation.
Screenings are open to the public at SFX Cinema in Chiang Mai’s Maya Lifestyle Shopping Centre until July 31.
A similar exhibition will be held at SF Cinema, Central Khon Kaen, between August 5 and 7.
The exhibition features six Hong Kong films that the public can watch for free – One Second Champion, Rouge, Keep Rolling, Anita, The First Girl I Loved and Time.
Meanwhile, an exhibition of photographs to do with Hong Kong’s film industry is being held at SF World Cinema at Bangkok’s CentralWorld until July 31.
Bangkok deputy governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said Hong Kong and Thailand have enjoyed a good relationship for a long time, especially in art, culture, tourism and films.
“This exhibition will strengthen the relationship between Thailand and Hong Kong via films,” he said.
Those interested can receive tickets at the exhibition’s public relations booth in front of participating theatres.
For more information, visit the SF Cinema website www.sfcinema.com or social media platforms.
Police are warning users of online dating platforms to shy away from making false claims because this could violate the Criminal Code or Computer-Related Crime Act.
“Nowadays more people are using social media or online dating sites to find love due to their convenience and expanding user base,” deputy police spokesperson Pol Colonel Siriwat Deepor said on Wednesday.
“However, using such services could make you unknowingly liable to violating the Criminal Code or Computer-Related Crime Act,” he warned.
The police have received several complaints from victims of these dating sites, while the suspects admitted that they wanted to make their dating profiles look “more interesting”.
Siriwat advised users not to make the five following claims on dating platforms:
1. Claim you are rich or possess property that you do not actually own.
2. Claim to be a government official or an employee of a private organisation, or wear the uniform of an organisation without permission.
3. Claim to be a student or a graduate of an institute when you are not.
4. Claim to be single, despite being married or having a life partner.
5. Posting overly retouched photos, or using other people’s photos while claiming these to be your own.
If you live along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Nonthaburi or Samut Prakan, expect flooding from Thursday to Monday.
The National Water Command Centre warned on Wednesday that rising sea levels during the period would affect Chao Phraya communities from 7pm to 10pm.
The Royal Irrigation Department previously announced it would drain between 1,000 to 1,250 cubic metres per second of water from the Chao Phraya Dam.
The centre expected water levels during the period to be around 1.9 to 2.1 metres high from mean sea level. It will affect communities in the capital, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has teamed up with the Royal Thai Army to prepare for flooding in Bangkok, the centre reported.
They will remove garbage at pumping stations and drainage areas, dredge canals, and help residents affected by any flooding, according to the centre.
It also announced that 30 households in Mueang Loei district have been affected by floods. The situation will return to normal in three days if there is no more rain.
Some 610 rai in Chaiyaphum’s Khon San district and 429 rai in Khon Kaen’s Chumphae district were also affected by flooding, with water expected to recede, the centre said.
It said that from Wednesday to Friday fewer rains with isolated thundershowers are likely in upper Thailand, while isolated heavy showers could occur in the South. Waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are roughly 1 metre high but will rise above this level in areas experiencing thundershowers.
However, from Saturday to Monday, more showers are likely across the country, with isolated heavy rain possible in the North, the East and the South’s west coast.
Kittipong Kittikachorn
The budget would be distributed to the four nations as follows:
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