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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015642

Students of Bangkok University will get to learn from leading film directors, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and leading actress Natalie Portman among other well-known figures, because of its cooperation with a leading US online education subscription platform.

Petch Osathanugrah, rector of Bangkok University, said his university is now cooperating with the MasterClass platform to provide over 150 streamed classes to Bangkok University students.

The streamed courses will allow the students to learn from leading figures in certain professions, who are internationally renowned, the rector added.

He said the students will not have to pay extra to access the online courses, which are aimed at inspiring them to study more in a way that would suit their own interest.

The rector said the teachers of courses about movie and documentary production would include leading directors like Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Werner Herzog.

And the lecturer for the online acting class will include Natalie Portman.

Students interested in designing and arts will get to learn from Marc Jacobs, while those interested in taking cooking classes will learn from Gordon Ramsay, Petch said.

He added that former US president Bill Clinton will also teach classes about strategic planning.

The rector said the university will select online classes suitable for certain faculties and their departments and lecturers of the departments will act as coaches to set up groups of students to study from the online classes of MasterClass.

Petch said Bangkok University, beyond teaching normal courses, would encourage students to find inspiration for further developing their skills and performance from leading teachers through online classes.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015635

Thai schools opened for on-site learning on Tuesday, while students, teachers and educational personnel must follow prevention measures by evaluating and screening themselves often.

Every school has been told to strictly follow Covid-19 prevention measures by preparing classrooms, the school compound, and areas around the school. They must also prepare and practice plans to deal with any urgent situation.

Schools do not have to close if anyone tests positive, but they must follow a plan accurately and quickly. The main goal is for students to be able to learn fully and reduce the learning loss problem.

If a patient is found in a classroom, the room should be closed for cleaning for three days and classes should be held online, on-air, on-hand, and on school Line. Meanwhile, other classes can resume normally.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015629

People planning to visit Koh Chang this week are advised to allow for extra travel time as few ferries will be operating due to low tide.

Trat Port Authority reported on Monday that over the long Visakha Puja weekend, some 40,000 travellers in more than 4,000 vehicles boarded ferries to Koh Chang.

“People were heading back to the mainland on Monday, but due to low tide, some ferries had to suspend operation,” a port authority official said. “There was a 2.8-kilometre-long queue of cars waiting to get on the ferries, which caused a traffic jam at Ao Sapparot Pier [Pineapple Bay Pier]. Some travellers said they had been waiting for more than two hours to get to the mainland.”

Meanwhile, the operator of Koh Chang Ferry Pier at Ao Thammachat said on Monday that they expected to use only three out of five boats due to low tide all this week. Two ferries will be added to the fleet as soon as the tide rises to the normal level, which is usually from 3pm daily. The operator also called on travellers to monitor updates via facebook.com/FerryKohChang/ and plan their trips accordingly.

The 212.94 square kilometre Koh Chang in the eastern province of Trat is Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket and is part of the Mu Koh Chang National Park. The island, located in the Gulf of Thailand, is famous for its coral reefs, diving spots and diversity in marine life.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015626

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Monday unveiled its plan to tackle flooding in the capital during the rainy season.

Drainage and Sewerage Department officials at flood prevention system stations are ready to tackle floods in Bangkok all the time, said BMA deputy permanent secretary Narong Ruengsri.

He added that the department will follow weather forecasts and monitor the water situation using water level, rain volume and flood detection systems set up across the capital.

Narong Ruengsri

“The Drainage and Sewerage Department will check efficiency of four drainage tunnels, 190 pumping stations, 244 floodgates and 316 pumping wells,” he said.

“Also, the department will reduce the water level at canals and ponds, set up pumps at flood prone areas, clean drainage pipes and dredge canals.”

He added that the department will prepare electricity generating cars and cooperate with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority in case of power outages to prevent impact on motorists.

He revealed that the construction of a pumping well on Phahonyothin and and Senanikom 1 roads, as well as a pipe jacking system and a pumping well at the Kasetsart intersection were completed.

Meanwhile, the construction of a reinforced concrete dam at Rang Or-Rang Kaew canal, a pumping station and a floodgate at Lum Phai canal and a pumping station at Bang Sue canal were nearly 98 per cent completed, and were expected to be finished this month, he added.

Separately, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) has warned of possible flash floods in Bangkok and 16 other provinces from Tuesday to next Monday (May 17-23).

The other provinces at risk are: Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat.

“The water level in rivers is expected to rise due to high sea levels and strong southwesterly winds in the Gulf of Thailand,” the department said, citing the Royal Thai Navy’s Hydrographic Department.

Local authorities have been told to set up makeshift flood walls in at-risk areas, and prepare disaster-relief teams and equipment.

Updates are available via the Thai Disaster Alert application, while people in need of assistance can contact the @1784DDPM Line account, the “PhonPhai” (Safe) application, or the department hotline at 1784.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015625

Covid-infected voters with mild symptoms will be allowed to cast their ballots in the Bangkok governor and council elections on Sunday (May 22), according to the Election Commission (EC).

This won’t be the first election held during the virus crisis, with the EC having conducted several local votes and by-elections during the pandemic.

On Sunday, polling stations will be specially prepared to handle Covid-positive voters.

Polling station officials will wear gloves, face shields and masks. They will also be told to social distance, avoid touching their faces, wash their hands regularly, bathe on returning home and monitor for symptoms for seven days.

Polling officials who are exposed to infection or develop symptoms will be advised to suspend duties and take a rapid antigen test.

All voters must take the following anti-Covid precautions:

1. Prepare alcohol gel and personal pen for marking vote.

2. Wear face mask in polling station.

3. Have temperature screened and hands cleansed at entrance of polling station. People with symptoms should cast their ballot at special polling booth.

4. Keep at least 1 metre away from others.

5. Cast ballot under official’s supervision.

6. Cleanse hands with alcohol gel before leaving.

Meanwhile, Covid-infected and at-risk voters must also do the following:

1. Avoid public transport and use personal car or specially provided vehicle if possible.

2. Follow instructions, such as leaving home/quarantine facility at specified time and voting at special polling station.

3. Return to home/quarantine facility immediately after voting.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015623

A medical lecturer at Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine has successfully treated a hereditary disease that causes blindness in a laboratory experiment using a diabetes drug, he announced.

Asst Prof Dr Chayanon Peerapittayamongkol, a resident physician at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, said the discovery of the use of metformin, a Type-2 diabetes medicine, to treat Leber heredity optic neuropathy (LHON) has been published in the MethodsX-journal elsevier (open access), which is a leading medical journal.

Chayanon said his study to use metformin to cure LHON disease in cultured cells from a LHON patient in his laboratory experiment was the first in the world.

Although it’s still at the laboratory trials stage, he is confident that the finding will lead to the development of a medicine to cure the hereditary disease so that people born with mutated gene that caused LHON would not have to suffer blindness in their later years, Chayanon added.

He explained that the blindness was caused by the mutation of a gene called mitochondria, which has functions of breathing and creating energy in the cellular level. He said mutated mitochondria genes cannot properly pass on electrons, affecting vision nerves that require a lot of energy, eventually resulting in blindness.

The heredity disease is mostly passed on from mother to child in her pregnancy, the doctor added.

Chayanon said metformin can rehabilitate mitochondria cells, and help the cells to better organise themselves as energy networks and live longer.

He said the medicine should help defer the hereditary blindness in people with the mutated genes. Such people normally start suffering from blurred vision at the age of 10 on one eye before the symptoms develop on the other eye and they eventually suffer total blindness.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015620

National parks covering the Similan Islands and Surin Islands in Phang Nga province are shutting their doors for five months to allow the natural surroundings to recover.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation announced the closure of both tourist destinations on Monday after the last 100 visitors returned from the Andaman Sea islands.

The department imposes the five-month rest period every year to allow rehabilitation of the parks’ fragile ecosystem, which includes coral reefs and some of Thailand’s most pristine beaches.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon brings heavy sea conditions from June to October, making boat trips to the islands unsafe.

During the closure period, the department will deploy patrol boats to prevent illegal fishing in park areas.

The Similans are an archipelago of 11 islands in the Andaman Sea, 70 kilometres off the coast of Phang Nga and covering 140 square kilometres of which only 26sqkm is land. With a rich marine life consisting of hard and soft coral reefs, crystal clear waters and white beaches, the Similan Islands are considered among the best diving sites in the world.

Surin Islands form an archipelago of five islands located 55km off the coast, about 100km north of the Similans and just 18km from the marine border with Myanmar. The national park covers an area of 135sqkm of which 76 per cent is sea. The islands are also world famous diving destinations, prized for diverse marine life and untouched natural riches.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015616

Overruling objections from some sections of the private sector, the government has decided to enforce the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) from June 1.

Thienchai na Nakorn, chairman of the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC), said the Act has already been delayed beyond the two-year time frame, hence there would be no more delay in implementing it.

He added that even after the regulations come into effect, the PDPC would keep talking to all related parties, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to ensure they have a deep understanding of the law.

He explained that most of the objections were a result of not fully understanding the law, and the fear of punishment. He said the PDPC will explain the law to all parties. Meanwhile, during the first stage of the enforcement, compliance with the law will minimise the impact on businesses.

The committee has established a subcommittee to draft a set of subordinate laws and formed other panels to receive complaints and act on them to improve the enforcement of the PDPA.

“Our expectation is to strengthen the security system to protect people’s personal data. This is not only to make business owners aware of privacy issues but to also raise Thailand’s corporate governance”, said Thienchai.

According to the PDPC, an entrepreneur who violates the law will face penalties ranging from a fine of not more than THB5 million to a one-year imprisonment. The jail term is effective only in cases where a business intentionally breaks the law and it can be proved that the business carelessly leaked clients’ data.

Apart from that condition, if business operators manage to properly create protection measures but still experience data leaks, Theinchai assured that they did not need to worry about being jailed.

Theinchai also said that if there was some misuse of the law, businesses could directly report to the PDPC Office.

This confirmation came a few days after the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking called for the postponement of full enforcement of the PDPA, citing lack of preparedness of many businesses, particularly SMEs. The committee argued that enforcing the law could hurt businesses that were already suffering in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015614

Thailand’s aviation industry has seen steady recovery in the first four months of 2022 with domestic flights at almost 100 per cent but international flights at only 20 per cent of pre-Covid levels, the Thai Airlines Association said.

Association president Putthiphong Prasatthong-Osot said international and domestic passenger numbers had been boosted by relaxed travel restrictions and the government’s economic and tourism stimulus campaigns. However, it could take years before the industry recovers to pre-Covid levels, he added.

“We expect airlines to restore more domestic routes and also new routes to tourist destinations in the remaining eight months of the year,” he said. “This is more likely to happen after the Thailand Pass is cancelled.”

Thai airlines this year were likely to focus on short-haul travel to destinations such as Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Japan and Maldives. He expects them to start adding more long-haul flights from 2023.

“Opening of international flights still depends on the Covid-19 situation and screening policy of destination countries, especially in major markets such as China, India, Japan, Europe and the Middle East,” Putthipong said.

The impact of Covid-19 would linger despite travel bans being lifted in many countries and most people being vaccinated, he added.

“It could take years for the airline industry to recover to the same level as before the outbreak.”

Thailand has seen a surge of foreign tourists since May 1, when it scrapped the pre-travel test requirement and lowered mandatory Covid insurance from $50,000 to $10,000.

However, visitors are still required to register via the Thailand Pass system and present proof of vaccination.

Only unvaccinated tourists without a pre-travel test now need to quarantine in a hotel for five days.

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015613

Ministry of Public Health reported on Tuesday (May 17) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 3,893 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 3 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 38, while 7,323 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 2,159,542.
 

Published : May 17, 2022

By : THE NATION