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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016842

The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) on Monday began seeking arrest warrants for motorists who haven’t paid Bangkok traffic fines.

The policy to arrest fine-dodgers came after many motorists simply ignored the fines, meaning they were likely to continue violating traffic laws, the MPB said.

“This could lead to loss of life and property, as well as damage to the country’s image,” said MPB deputy chief Pol Maj-General Jirasan Kaewsang-ek.

Thailand’s roads are among the most dangerous in the world, with an average of around 60 people killed in traffic accidents each day. Lax enforcement of traffic laws and fines is cited as a major reason for the high death toll.

Under the new policy, motorists who fail to pay fines before the deadline on the ticket will be sent a police non-compliance warning to pay up within 15 days

Traffic fines can be paid at police stations, counters with Police Ticket Management (PTM) logo, post offices nationwide, and via Krungthai Bank’s e-payment channels.

“Violators who fail to pay the fine within 15 days of non-compliance notice will be issued with a summons [to visit a police station],” Jirasan said.

“If a violator ignores the police summons two times, police will request an arrest warrant from the relevant district court.”

They must then attend the police station that issued the warrant and pay the ticket plus fine for missing the payment deadline.

Jirasan said officers will be able to arrest fine-dodgers nationwide as warrants will be recorded in the police database. The charge would be dismissed once violators obey the police summons and pay the fine.

He added that people can check police e-tickets issued to them at https://ptm.police.go.th/eTicket/#/.

“We would like to ask people to comply with traffic laws in a bid to reduce accidents and other traffic problems,” he said.

For more information, call the Metropolitan Police Traffic Control Centre’s 1197 hotline or visit Facebook @1197Callcenter and Twitter @Traffic_1197.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016839

Cannabis cultivation for treating diseases will be limited to 10 plants per household, the House of Representatives’ extraordinary commission considering the draft cannabis-hemp act said on Monday.

Entrepreneurs growing the plants for commercial use will be classified into three groups: small — not more than 5 rai (0.8 hectare), medium (not more than 20 rai) and large with plantation area more than 20 rai.

“The government will facilitate small entrepreneurs more than others, while large entrepreneurs must contribute to the society and government more than others,” the commission’s spokesman, Panthep Puapongphan, said

He added that hospitals will be able to cultivate cannabis on not more than 5 rai for medical use.

Meanwhile, the commission’s deputy chairman, Kanok Wongtrangan, said the commission hadn’t reached a conclusion on which laws should be amended yet.

He said the commission’s approval to allow a household to cultivate no more than 10 cannabis plants aims to allow people to grow and use cannabis to treat diseases.

He added that the classification of entrepreneurs aims to determine the criteria for collection of fees.

The Public Health Ministry removed cannabis from the list of prohibited narcotics on June 9, allowing it to be used for medical purposes and as a cash crop.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016836

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt made time on Monday to personally thank the 72 inmates tasked with cleaning up blocked sewers in Din Daeng district.

Prisoners are usually hired by City Hall via the Corrections Department for odd jobs, but their services were not used over the past two years due to the pandemic.

Chadchart checked out the spot where inmates from Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and the Bangkok Remand Prison were removing garbage, sludge and congealed fat from sewers on Pracha Songkroah Road near the Huay Kwang fresh market.

The governor won smiles when he personally thanked them for working hard to improve the lives of Bangkokians and handed them food and drink.

Inmates noted for their good behaviour were chosen for the job. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had stopped hiring prisoners to clear sewers over the pandemic, hiring some private firms to do the job instead.

Noting that the sewers were filled with garbage and congealed fat, Chadchart said he would look into building fat traps to prevent sewers from getting clogged.

He added that BMA plans to clean up some 2,856 kilometres of sewers in the capital and the Corrections Department has been tasked to cover 530km.

He said BMA had signed the contract with the department on June 7 and most of the work would start on July 1. He reckoned that the capital’s chronic problem of flooding should be eased once the sewers are cleared.

Published : June 20, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016835

The Administrative Court has dismissed a petition against the 2018 National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) regulation allowing mergers to take place without seeking the regulator’s approval, a source revealed on Monday.

The petition was filed by Napat Winitchaikul, a member of the “superboard” monitoring the performance of NBTC, in a bid to seek a court injunction against the planned merger of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (Dtac).

Napat’s claim was that the merger would result in a monopoly and cause unrecoverable damage to the country’s telecom industry.

NBTC has been struggling with whether or not to intervene in the merger, as its 2006 anti-monopoly directive stipulates that mergers must be approved by the regulator, while the 2018 regulation enforced later contradicts this.

The source said the court ruled on June 16 that the enforcement of NBTC’s 2018 regulation was lawful and that the deal would not cause unrecoverable damage to the telecom sector as True and Dtac will create a new juristic entity to supervise the merged business.

Napat’s petition was hence dismissed and since the court’s decision is final, it cannot be repealed

The NBTC superboard had said earlier that Napat was filing the petition on his own and not under the panel’s order. The board also said Napat had not brought this issue up in any of the committee’s meetings.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016831

Thailand recorded 9.7 billion real-time electronic payment transactions last year, putting it in the third position globally after India (48.6 billion times) and China (18.5 billion times).

This data was revealed in a study by ACI Worldwide, Global Data, and Centre for Economics and Business Research.

“Real-time e-payments have helped boost Thailand’s GDP in 2021 by 2.08 per cent, the second-largest GDP increase out of 30 countries covered in the report,” deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said on Monday.

“In 2020 and 2019, Thailand had recorded only 5.24 billion and 2.57 billion real-time payments, respectively.”

She said e-payments in Thailand have risen significantly because they have been adopted by people of all ages and businesses of all sizes. In addition, Thailand has a comprehensive payment infrastructure that made the transition from cash payment easy.

“The widespread adoption of real-time e-payment is a result of the national e-payment policy which was first introduced in 2015. Since then, we have launched several successful projects that use the e-payment infrastructure, including the state welfare card, government wallet [G-wallet], and the Pao Tang application, which was used in economic stimulus campaigns such as Let’s Go Halves, We Travel Together, and Eat, Shop, Spend,” she added. “The pandemic is also a factor contributing to the surge in popularity of real-time e-payments.”

Ratchada said the government will continue promoting the national e-payment policy by covering more applications. “This policy has helped the public and business sector with economic activities, which will eventually enhance people’s quality of life, boost the country’s competitiveness and improve the ease of doing business in Thailand. The government thanks all public and private parties, financial institutes and the Bank of Thailand for making this policy a reality,” she added.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016827

Thai Air Force cadets won the Student Unmanned Aerial System (SUAS) 2022 in the US, surpassing some 70 other teams from around the world.

The competition was held by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) in Maryland, the United States, from June 15 to 18 for the development of automation systems in robots and aircraft.

Air Force spokesman AVM Boonlert Andara said on Sunday that Air Chief Marshal Napadej Dhupatemiya had praised the ‘Pegasus’ team that got first place for total score.

The team secured 21st place in the Technical Design Paper part but they topped Flight Readiness Review, and Mission Demonstration.

The Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Thai Air Force Academy formed the team to design, test, and modify the unmanned aerial system from March to May.

They also simulated situations and made reserve equipment for use in several situations with accuracy.

The academy’s superintendent, Narongsak Pichitchaloton, said a Thai team that had competed two years ago had finished ninth.

The Thai cadets modified and developed strategies and techniques from their previous experience and errors and won the competition this year.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016826

The Health Department has come up with guidelines on how to best protect yourself once the mask mandate is scrapped on July 1.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that from July 1, people will not be required to wear a mask in open areas.

However, many are wondering when or where they can take their mask off.

Here are some pointers:

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016824

Thai women can register for 404 nurse positions in Saudi Arabia that offer a monthly salary ranging from 30,000 baht to over 100,000 baht.

They can register from June 24 to July 4, the Labour Ministry said on Sunday.

The move is among the positive results from the upswing in bilateral ties between Thailand and Saudi Arabia since January this year ending a freeze in diplomatic relations for nearly three decades.

Riyadh cut trade and diplomatic ties with Bangkok after the so-called Blue Diamond affair, following theft of jewels by a Thai worker from a Saudi palace in 1989 followed by killings of Saudi representatives in Thailand.

Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said two Saudi Arabian companies, King Fahad Medical City and Bright Medical Company, will recruit 400 and four nurses, respectively.

He explained that the employment period of each position is two years and it can be renewed.

“Employers will pay employees the first flight ticket to Saudi Arabia, accommodation, transportation to and from accommodation and workplace, medical expenses and health insurance in line with each company’s policy,” he explained.

He said the registration for 404 nurse positions in Saudi Arabia is the second time after the registration for 309 positions, including 300 nurses and nine technicians, between June 15 and June 23.

“Apart from the increasing demand for nurses, this registration also requires a variety of nurse practitioners, while employers are ready to provide monthly salaries based on registrants’ experience,” he said.

He added that this is a good opportunity for Thai nurses to apply for jobs, which is in line with the Labour Ministry’s policy to promote employment among all groups of Thais to enable them to generate income and improve their quality of life.

Meanwhile, Department of Employment director-general Pairoj Chotikasatien said registrants must be women aged between 20 and 60 years, able to communicate in English and must have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

He said the available nurse positions are:

• Nurse manager, 20 positions, monthly salary of 8,135 and 11,824 riyals (74,400 and 108,100 baht), 10 years’ experience for bachelor’s degree and four years for master’s and doctoral degree
• Head nurse, 30 positions, monthly salary of 6,145 and 8,320 riyals (56,200 and 76,100 baht), nine years’ experience for bachelor’s degree and six years for master’s degree
• Charge nurse, 50 positions, monthly salary of 5,155 and 6,978 riyals (47,100 and 63,800 baht), seven years’ experience for bachelor’s degree and four years for master’s degree
• Staff nurse 1, 200 positions, monthly salary of 4,320 and 5,850 riyals (39,500 and 53,500 baht), five years’ experience for bachelor’s degree and two years for master’s degree
• Staff nurse 2, 100 positions, monthly salary of 3,625 and 4,423 riyals (33,150 and 40,450 baht), two years’ experience
• Nurse, four positions, monthly salary of 4,200 riyals (38,400 baht)

“Those interested can apply for the jobs at Provincial Labour Offices nationwide, as well as Overseas Employment Adiministration Division at Social Security Office Area 3 in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district during working hours,” he said.

He added that employers will conduct interviews of eligible registrants online.

For more information, contact Labour Ministry’s hotline: 1506 press 2 and Department of Employment’s hotline: 1694.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016817

Pro-democracy activists calling themselves “independent citizens” marched from Victory Monument to Din Daeng intersection on Sunday to demand the PM’s resignation, the release of 11 protesters and abolition of the lese-majeste law.

The 11 protesters who were nabbed during earlier protests at the Din Daeng intersection are being held without bail in the Bangkok Remand Prison.

The protesters said an earlier announcement that they would hold a car rally from Democracy Monument to the 1st Infantry Regiment barracks where Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha lives was meant to bluff the police.

The protesters instead gathered at Victory Monument at 4.30pm before heading to Din Daeng at 5pm where riot police were stationed to prevent protesters from heading to the 1st Infantry Regiment barracks.

Those unable to break the police line held up their banners, though a clash was sparked at about 7pm when some protesters began lobbing firecrackers at police.

The police then began using an amplifier asking protesters to call off the protest as they were violating the emergency decree. After more than 10 minutes of clashing, heavy rains forced the protesters to disperse and the intersection was opened to traffic again at 8.35pm.

Reports say Sunday night’s protest was limited to a small number of people.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016815

The Airports of Thailand (AOT)’s board of directors will meet on Wednesday to adjust its estimation of arrivals in line with the October to March flight schedule.

“Since Thailand is lifting restrictions, we believe that in October, Suvarnabhumi Airport will see up to 100,000 passengers per day, which is about 50 per cent of the pre-Covid levels,” AOT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said on Sunday. “The AOT board will adjust its estimates accordingly to prepare for the surge in arrivals in time for the winter or the high season.”

Nitinai added that AOT expects to see more arrivals from India and Singapore, as well as some passengers from China, which has started allowing business people and students to travel overseas.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport is currently welcoming up to 80,000 passengers daily, 50,000 of whom are international arrivals.

Six airports come under AOT’s jurisdiction, namely Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Chiang Rai.

“Airports upcountry are also seeing a surge in passengers. Hat Yai Airport has reported an 85 per cent increase, while Phuket and Chiang Mai are also seeing more chartered flights from South Korea,” Nitinai added. “We believe these six airports could see more than 200,000 passengers per day during the winter season.”

To cope with this increase in passengers, AOT has instructed all airports to open more check-in counters as well as increase the number of self-service and bag drop counters to allow passengers to check in and drop off their luggage automatically.

Published : June 20, 2022

By : THE NATION