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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018022

No previous governors should be blamed for the flooding Bangkok experienced on Thursday after overnight rain, Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said.

“Since I’m the governor now, this problem is my responsibility. If you want to blame someone, then blame me,” he said. “I will give my 100 per cent to solve this problem both in the short- and long-term.”

The capital’s Drainage and Sewerage Department reported on Thursday morning that several key roads were under 20 to 30 centimetres of water, including Ratchadaphisek, Pracha Songkhro, Prachasuk, Lat Phrao, Phatthanakan, Navamin, and several sois off Sukhumvit Road.

Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has deployed water pumps in several flooded areas across the city and will use boats to push water from canals into the sea to accelerate draining. He reckoned that if there were no more heavy rains, the floods should be cleared by Friday.

He also said residents should refrain from throwing waste into rivers or canals just because garbage collectors were not able to show up on Thursday due to flooding.

“Please keep your garbage at home and wait for the trucks to come collect it on Friday,” he said.

The governor added that he will coordinate with the Corrections Department to hire more prisoners to clean up blocked sewers in the city, which is one of the reasons behind flooding. He said some 530km of sewers have been cleaned thanks to the department’s cooperation. Residents in several districts have claimed that floods in their area cleared faster than before the sewers were cleaned.

Published : July 22, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018021

The government vows to spend its remaining 250 days in office working hard to pull Thailand out of crisis, even though it insists the economy is stable and can withstand pressures from rising prices and inflation.

During the censure debate on Thursday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha rejected allegations that his government had allowed the country’s economy to collapse. The opposition also accused his government of failing to secure people’s well-being and allowing Thailand to fall behind other Asean countries economically.

“Compared to other Asean countries, Thailand’s GDP is the second highest after Singapore, with per capita income ranking in the fourth place despite suffering from the Covid-19 fallout,” Prayut said. “The International Monetary Fund estimates that this year Thailand’s GDP will expand by 3.3 per cent, in line with the National Economic and Social Development Council’s forecast.

“Plus, our unemployment rate is the lowest in Asean. Thanks to balanced economic administration by the government, Thailand will never experience a crisis like Sri Lanka has,” the premier insisted.

“Thailand still has a high international reserve and low foreign debts, and can therefore withstand economic fluctuations. The government has also been working to attract foreign investments to strengthen our economy.”

In response to allegations that his government has done nothing but borrow money, Prayut said the authorities have already set up a plan to repay all loans and ensure the economy can continue growing smoothly.

“Many businesses shut down due to the economic crisis. But the government has called on the Labour Ministry to provide training and support for both workers and entrepreneurs,” Prayut said. “I have never said this government is the best, but we do the best we can to solve problems as quickly as possible.”

The premier added that through its eight years of administration, this government has achieved a record 179 projects worth over 2.66 trillion baht, notably the high-speed rail and dual-track train projects. He also claimed that his government has paid off 2.6 trillion baht of national debts, far more than any past governments had done.

Prayut also pointed out that some 854 billion baht of the 1.5 trillion baht loan to tackle the Covid-19 crisis had been spent on helping people and businesses affected by the lockdown. Also, he said, another 280 billion baht from the loan was spent on stimulating the economy so people can resume their lives as soon as possible.

“This has resulted in Thailand being ranked third globally as a country that has best handled the Covid-19 crisis,” Prayut said.

“In conclusion, I insist the Thai economy is still stable and can withstand crises despite the impact of rising fuel prices and severe inflation. The government will use its remaining 250 days to do what it can to pull Thailand out of this crisis as soon as possible,” he said.

Published : July 22, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018019

Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces felt tremors from earthquakes in Myanmar in the early hours of Friday. As of press time, there were no reports of property damage or injuries caused by the quakes.

The Thai Meteorological Department’s Earthquake Observation Division said the first 6.4-magnitude earthquake was felt just after midnight in Myanmar at the coordinates of 21.22 degrees North and 99.85 degrees East.

The epicentre was found about 87 kilometres to the Northeast of Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district.

Several milder quakes were registered later, with the last 5.3-magnitude tremor recorded at 5.22am.

The division reported that the quake could be felt in Chiang Rai’s Muang, Mae Chan, Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen districts and in Chiang Mai’s Muang district.

The Meteorological Department said more updates will be available on its website: http://www.earthquake.tmd.go.th/home.php

Published : July 22, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018017

Thailand’s first case of monkeypox was detected last week on a Nigerian man in Phuket, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) announced on Thursday night.

DDC director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong said the department had been alerted by a private hospital in Phuket on July 18 that a patient was suspected to have contracted the disease. A DDC team arrived to learn the patient was a Nigerian national aged 27 who had travelled from his country to Phuket.

“About a week ago, the patient developed fever, cough, runny nose, rashes and pustules spreading from the genitals to the face, arms and rest of the body,” Opas said.

“A PCR test on the collected sample detected the monkeypox virus and the result was confirmed by the Department of Medical Sciences laboratory on July 19.”

Opas added that the lab results were then submitted to the National Communicable Disease Committee on Thursday to confirm that this patient was the first case of monkeypox found in Thailand.

Opas added that DDC has coordinated with the provincial communicable disease committee to track down those who may have been in close contact with the patient to prevent the virus from spreading.

“People should not panic and study the nature of monkeypox to stay safe. The DDC established an emergency centre for monkeypox on May 21 to closely monitor the situation in Thailand. Before this case was confirmed, 19 people had been suspected of having contracted the disease in Thailand, but they all tested negative,” he said. “The DDC has instructed all hospitals, as well as clinics for skin and sexually transmitted diseases to report all suspected patients to the DDC and to monitor their symptoms closely.”

Monkeypox virus can be spread through contact and bodily fluids, eating uncooked meat and touching rodents like rats or squirrels as well as primates that may be carrying the virus.

There are currently more than 15,000 monkeypox cases worldwide with five deaths reported in Africa as per the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Published : July 22, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018015

The Public Health Ministry reported on Friday (July 22) that over the past 24 hours, 2,424 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals.

The death toll has risen by 25, while 1,816 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals. 

The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,347,450.
 

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,570,885 – 4,515,759 of whom have recovered, 24,028 are still in hospitals and 31,098 have died.

Separately, another 7,373 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 16,977 their second shot and 38,835 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 140,954,292.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 572.84 million on Friday, 542.84 million of whom have recovered, 23.6 million are active cases (40,653 in severe condition) and 6.4 million have died (up by 1,603).

Thailand ranks 27th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 91.94 million, followed by India with 43.85 million, Brazil with 33.51 million, France with 33.34 million and Germany with 30.24 million.

Published : July 22, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018007

New electric buses are likely to start operating in the city early next year if a 953-million-baht plan to hire private operators is not delayed, according to the state-run Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

BMTA chief executive Kittikan Chomdoung Charuworapolkul said on Thursday that the terms of reference for electronic bidding would be completed in August and the bidding could be held within September.

“We expect to pick the winners and sign contracts with them around late 2022. You can see EV buses in service within early 2023,” he said.

The BMTA, which operates public buses in Bangkok, plans to hire private firms to operate 224 electric buses to help boost its capacity for serving up to one million passengers per day.

Bus shortages have forced commuters to endure long waits, especially at night. However, the BMTA does not have enough budget to buy new buses to improve its service.

In February, the BMTA’s executive board approved the project to hire private firms to operate 224 electric buses with a budget of 953 million baht.

In order to ensure transparency of the project, the BMTA later decided to join the Integrity Pact of the Comptroller-General’s Department, Kittikan said on Thursday.

He said that the project’s bidding terms would be drafted under the observation of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand, in order to comply with the Integrity Pact.

“The drafted bidding terms will be reviewed in case of objection in order to ensure maximum transparency,” the BMTA chief said.

The use of the 224 EV buses is expected to help the BMTA save about 70 million baht in fuel costs per year, in addition to 160 million baht in annual maintenance costs.

At present, petrol and natural gas cost the BMTA about 1.5 billion baht per year while the maintenance costs are 1.6 billion baht.

Published : July 21, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018004

American fried rice and corn soup at Took Lae Dee (cheap and good) Restaurant have become food items of interest among netizens, thanks to an Asian rapper’s influence.

Jackson Wang praised the two dishes for being delicious during an interview with EFM radio station on Tuesday (July 19).

He explained that he had tasted American fried rice and corn soup at the restaurant in Foodland supermarket near Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok after finishing his concert rehearsal on July 11.

Wang was scheduled to perform in the one-hour opening show at the stadium before the exhibition match between Manchester United and Liverpool on July 12.

“It’s so good, it’s the best!,” he said.

He added that American fried rice is more delicious than tomato fried rice.

In response to the trend, Foodland launched a promotion of a set of American fried rice and corn soup at 99 baht per set at Took Lae Dee restaurants nationwide until Sunday (July 24).

Foodland operates the Took Lae Dee Restaurant business under the slogan “Everyone’s favourite restaurant” since 1972. The restaurant offers a variety of reasonably priced Thai, Chinese and Western dishes.

According to CNN report “World’s Greatest City: 50 reasons why Bangkok is No. 1”, it said Took Lae Dee Restaurant in Foodland, Sukhumvit Soi 5 branch, is a good place for dining anytime.

It also advised people to taste Pad Kaprao Kai (stir fried basil with chicken), saying that it is a delicious dish whose taste is unforgettable.

Currently, there were 25 Foodland branches across the East and Northeast of Thailand, as well as Bangkok and its surrounding areas.

Published : July 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018003

Thailand’s leading mobile network operator Advanced Info Service (AIS) has forged a partnership with The Pokémon Company of Japan to bring the first-ever official Pokémon Unite tournament to the country.

The AIS “5G eSports Open Thailand 2022: Pokémon Unite” contest, starting on September 16, features a prize pool of over 600,000 baht, Rungtip Jarusiripipat, the AIS managing director for entertainment and content partnership, said on Thursday.

She said the event will also serve as a celebration of the online video game’s first anniversary in Thailand, where more than 1 million downloads have been recorded.

Globally, as of April, Pokémon Unite boasted more than 70 million downloads across all the platforms on which the game is available.

Those interested in taking part in the competition may apply from now until September 10 through the Facebook page of AIS eSports Tournament. The contest starts on September 16.

To qualify for the competition, applicants must be aged between 15 and 35. Each team comprises five members.

Applications can be made free of charge.

In addition to the total prize money of over 600,000 baht, the winners will also be eligible for item codes and premium merchandise from The Pokémon Company.

Published : July 21, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018002

Move Forward Party’s former governor candidate, Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, on Thursday expressed his readiness to help Governor Chadchart Sittipunt fix the flood problem in metropolitan areas, while slamming the previous governor of mismanaging the budget earmarked for Bangkok’s Drainage and Sewerage Department.

In a Facebook post, Wiroj, a former party-list MP, said the previous governor, Aswin Kwanmuang, had poorly managed the budget for Bangkok’s water management during his term (2016-2022), resulting in floods and drainage problems plaguing the city almost every time heavy rains hit the city.

“The former governor had approved several water-related projects, including the construction of giant tunnels, flood retention areas, and new drainage facilities. Putting together these projects ended up costing more than the budget, resulting in constructions being delayed and eventually unfinished,” he said.

“Meanwhile, some projects had trouble finding qualified contractors as the specification requirements are too limited, as though they had been set to facilitate certain bidders only.”

Wiroj also pointed out that some of the projects only focus on the outcome without considering the impact on surrounding communities as a result there is a lack of participation from the public.

“The budget of the Drainage and Sewerage Department in 2023 had been set at 7.7 billion baht by Aswin. This time, under new Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, we need to disburse it carefully to fix the problems at their roots,” said Wiroj.

“Move Forward Party’s members of the city council in 13 districts are ready to work with the governor and district officials in surveying flood prone areas and plan the draining drill ahead of heavy rains to make sure that the water is drained as soon as possible.

“Move Forward Party will monitor budget disbursement closely at district and provincial levels to make sure that Bangkok has enough budget to tackle the flood problem,” he insisted.

Wiroj now serves as Move Forward Party’s chief of Bangkok policy taskforce.

Published : July 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018000

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will stick to its schedule of open-air movie screenings despite the possibility that the heavens would open up and soak an already wet capital with more showers.

Bangkok deputy governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said on Thursday the plan to screen films at Benchakitti Park and Bang Khae Phirom Park has not been cancelled because preparations have been made.

The capital was pummelled by heavy downpours on Wednesday night, flooding several parts of the city and leading to questions whether the BMA would be able to go ahead with its open-air movie screenings.

Sanon explained that the screenings would be held under a roof at Bang Khae Phirom. He said the BMA has also prepared buses to evacuate people from the screening site in Benchakitti Park if heavy rains occur.

Movie screens have been set up while vendors have already put up stalls, so the screenings will go ahead, Sanon added.

Published : July 21, 2022

By : THE NATION