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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011346

In a Facebook post on Thursday, expert virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan said that many people have been asking how many Covid-19 shots are necessary for protection against the novel coronavirus.

“Some people are so concerned that they have already had five jabs – the first two Sinovac, followed by one AstraZeneca and then two Moderna shots,” Yong said. “The jab recipients claim Sinovac should not be counted as an effective vaccine because it offers significantly low immunity against the virus.

“In reality, getting vaccinated to boost immunity is like filling a container with water,” Yong said. “A container can only hold a certain amount of liquid based on its capacity. Adding more water after it has been filled is only wasteful.

“To stay safe from Covid-19, getting the first two jabs is mandatory. After an appropriate time, the recipient should get a booster shot to keep their immunity high,” Yong said. “One should not get a fourth or fifth shot too soon, as the immunity built by the third shot has not reduced and the additional doses will be a waste.”

Yong added that the fourth shot should only be taken three to six months after the third shot, and if it is an mRNA vaccine, then a six-month waiting period is recommended.

“Though there is no such thing as a vaccine overdose, vaccines can still have adverse side effects,” Yong added.

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Published : January 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011344

Gubernatorial candidate Suchatvee Suwansawas said in a Facebook post on Thursday that he has no plans to shift the country’s capital to avoid floods that have been plaguing Bangkok for decades.

Suchatvee, former president of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, is running for the Bangkok governor’s position under the Democrat Party’s banner.

“I have learned that Indonesia is planning to move the capital from Jakarta to an East Kalimantan province to avoid the yearly flooding problem. The new capital will be called ‘Nusantara’,” he said. “I will not criticise Indonesia’s move because I believe their government has studied this issue thoroughly.

“However, this news made me think of Bangkok, which suffers similar problems,” he said. “If we don’t do anything now, it may be too late for our capital.

“Bangkok is my home and I have no plans to move the capital elsewhere,” he pointed out. “The flooding problem is on top of my agenda, and that’s why I have decided to run as a governor. I believe we can fix Bangkok’s flooding problem without having to move away.”

The Bangkok gubernatorial elections are expected to be held this year, though the exact date is yet to be announced by the Election Commission.

Though a Bangkok governor’s term lasts no more than four years, the incumbent – Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang – has been in office since October 18, 2016. Gubernatorial elections have been pushed back indefinitely due to the Covid-19 outbreak and political rallies.

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Published : January 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011343

Netizens on Thursday were amazed by images from Phayao’s Phu Kamyao district showing roads covered in what looks like a dusting of snow after the area was bombarded by a hailstorm, leaving a layer of crushed ice on the ground.

Though many netizens compared the scene to something out of a Hollywood film, many others put the storm down to climate change, which may signify the end of the world is nigh.

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Thursday that the westerly trough had moved through the North and upper Central Thailand, forecasting thundershowers, gusty winds and hailstorms. It also warned people to stay indoors and avoid large trees and unsecured billboards.

Phayao local Som Boonjaroen, 59, said that apart from several roads being covered with ice, a tree and power pole knocked down by the storm were now blocking the Padaed-Phukamyao Road near his house. He called on relevant authorities to remove the obstacles immediately so traffic can be restored.

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Published : January 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011337

Ministry of Public Health reported on Friday (January 21) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 8,640 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 195 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 13, while 8,641 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,361,702 – 2,256,982 of whom have recovered, 82,720 are still in hospitals and 22,000 have died.

Separately, another 46,078 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 110,971 their second shot and 366,041 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 111,323,026.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 343.27 million on Friday, 276.42 million of whom have recovered, 61.26 million are active cases (95,913 in severe condition) and 5.59 million have died (up by 9,084).

Thailand ranks 26th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 70.54 million, followed by India with 38.56 million, Brazil with 23.59 million, the UK with 15.61 million and France with 15.6 million.

Published : January 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011336

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Friday (January 21) that the westerly trough moves through the North, the Northeast, the Central and the East. Thundershowers, gusty winds and hails are likely in these areas. People should beware of the severe condition by keeping off outdoor places, big trees and unsecured billboards. Farmers should prevent for crop damage.

Meanwhile, the weak high pressure-system covers the South China Sea while the weak northeast monsoon prevails over the Gulf and the South, bringing isolated thundershowers to the South.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours is as follows:

North: Cool to cold weather with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the areas, gusty winds and hails; temperature lows of 15-20 degrees and highs of 25-29 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 7-14 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Cool weather with thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas, gusty winds and hails; temperature lows of 16-20 degrees and highs of 26-32 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 10-15 degrees Celsius.

Central: Cool weather in the morning with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas and gusty winds; temperature lows of 20-22 degrees, highs of 27-30 degrees Celsius.

East: Cool weather in the morning with thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas and gusty winds; temperature lows of 20-23 degrees, highs of 29-31 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and about a meter high offshore.

South (east coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 21-24 degrees, highs of 28-33 degrees Celsius; waves a meter high and 1-2 meters high during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and about a meter high offshore.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas and gusty winds; temperature lows of 21-24 degrees, highs of 30-31 degrees Celsius.
 

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : January 21, 2022

By : THE NATION

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The Public Health Ministry’s controlled drugs committee on Thursday approved the removal of cannabis from the list of illicit drugs.

The revised Narcotics Code in force since January 9 no longer has cannabis and hemp on it, but people have been arrested for growing marijuana.

The panel meeting, chaired by Public Health Ministry deputy permanent secretary Dr Thongchai Keeratihatthayakon, agreed to remove marijuana from the Category 5 narcotics list.

The decision will be referred to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, which is chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, for approval. If approved at the board’s next meeting on January 25, the change will be stated in an annoucement to be signed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

The announcement is expected to exclude cannabis from the list of illicit drugs, except the cannabidiol extracts with tetrahydrocannabinol of more than 0.2 per cent, Food and Drug Administration secretary-general Dr Paisarn Dunkum said.

He added that the legal exemption applies only to cannabis grown in the country.

Panthep Pongpuapan, a specialist in herbal plants, said he expected additional measures to restrict the use of marijuana in the future, similar to cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.

Published : January 20, 2022

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A political scientist of Thammasat University sees the expulsion of a group of 21 Palang Pracharat Party MPs as a sign of rift that could land Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha in hot waters.

Dr. Charupol Ruangsuwan from the Faculty of Political Science Thammasat University said Prayut would eventually have to dissolve the House before a censure showdown in the House.

Charupol was commenting on the decision of the Palang Pracharath’s executive board on Wednesday to expel the party’s former secretary-general Thamanat Prompow and 20 other MPs from the party.

Although a party source said the move was just a tactic to allow the 21 MPs to stay in the new New Economics Party while they would still be a part of the coalition, some observers see it as a sign of severe rifts between Prayut and Thamanat.

Prayut had earlier removed Thamanat from his Cabinet, suspecting the Phayao MP of trying to engineer his ouster in a no-confidence debate.

Charupol said if the rifts, as perceived by political observers, were true the new party of Thamanat would not support Prayut in Parliament and would pressure the prime minister to consider dissolving the House.

Prayut said on Thursday that he had no intention of dissolving the House as the government had yet to enact key legislation.

Charupol said that without support from the 21 MPs, the government would have to try its best to buy time and stay in office for as long as possible.

The lecturer said although the government would definitely want to complete its term, the expulsion of the 21 Palang Pracharat MPs could be a crucial factor for the government to plan its game accordingly.

“If the government can last until the next censure debate, which may be held around the middle of the year, the coalition will be in a very risky situation by then,” Charupol said.

He explained that the situation could be very volatile as both sides in the House would lobby hard for MPs to sway support.

“Anything can happen in politics,” Charupol said.

By that time, Prayut may have to think about whether to dissolve the House before a censure motion is submitted against him or he will have to risk losing the censure vote, the lecturer added.

“The prime minister cannot afford to lose a censure vote. If he sees the likelihood of losing a no-confidence vote, House dissolution will be a better choice,” Charupol said.

“In this scenario, the prime minister may dissolve the House around the middle of the year and call a general election within this year.”

But if the expulsion of the group of MPs is just a tactic for MPs to move to another party, the government would stay until the end of its term or whenever the coalition sees it is ready to contest the next election, Charupol said.

But the lecturer pointed to a report that Watcharawat Wongsuwan, a brother of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, would be an adviser of the Thai Economy Party.

Charupol said if it were true, Watcharawat’s presence in the new party could be a sign of rifts between Prayut and Prawit, two of three key generals in the previous coup.

“If that happens as reported, we may witness a conflict between the two generals, Charupol concluded.

Published : January 20, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011329

Israel’s ambassador-designate, Ms. Orna Sagiv, visited the offices of The Nation and Krungthep Turakij, seeking cooperation and providing information to the editorial teams regarding opportunities to explore a vast array of Israeli expertise in startups and technology, among others.

The delegation was accompanied by Ariel Seidman, the embassy’s charge d’affaires, and welcomed by The Nation’s Managing Editor Vitaya Saeng-Aroon and Krungthep Turakij’s Managing Editor Weerasak Pongaksorn.

Sagiv said the embassy wished to work closely with media representatives and foster a good relationship with Thailand through social contribution programmes and other activities.

Last year, the embassy donated 1,000 survival bags filled with dry food. With assistance from the office of Nakhon Ratchasima’s governor and local administrators, the delegation helped distribute the survival bags to families severely affected by floods.

Israel and Thailand have had close cooperation in various fields, including knowledge exchange, agriculture technology, water management. Israel also expects to sign a free trade agreement with Thailand.

Before the Covid-19 outbreak at the end of 2019, Israelis topped the total number of tourists from the Middle East visiting Thailand.

The Nation is undergoing a rebranding process aimed at providing more diverse digital content to meet the changing needs of its audience.

Sagiv graduated in diplomacy and defence from Tel Aviv University in Israel. Before being designated to Thailand last year, she served her country’s diplomatic missions in Taiwan, China, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

Photo caption:
Israel’s delegation led by ambassador-designate Orna Sagiv visits the offices of The Nation and Krungthep Turakij.

Published : January 20, 2022

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More than 200,000 kilograms of frozen pork were found stored at a rented cold storage in southern Songkhla province, sources said on Thursday.

The discovery comes amid a sharp spike in pork prices following a suspected outbreak of the highly contagious African swine fever (ASF), which was initially denied by relevant authorities.

Officials found that the Songkhla cold storage, where 200,000kg of frozen pork had been discovered, had failed to report its pork stocks as required by the Commerce Ministry’s January 10 order.

Songkhla’s chief commerce official, Chatsuda Chumsang, said legal action would be taken against the cold storage owner, Piti Seafood Co Ltd, for the lapse. The company claims it was unaware of the ministerial order, she added.

However, the official clarified that no charge of hoarding would be filed against the company as its records showed regular distribution of pork from its cold storage.

Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit has ordered ministry officials to conduct checks on pork stocks at cold storages in their provinces across the country.

The owner of any cold storage who fails to correctly report the quantity of frozen pork at their facilities risks a maximum imprisonment of one year or a fine not exceeding Bt20,000, in addition to a daily fine of Bt2,000 until they can meet the requirement.

Anyone found to be hoarding goods faces a jail term of up to seven years, a maximum fine of Bt140,000, or both.

The Central Committee on the Price of Goods and Services recently set a requirement for raisers of 500 pigs or more and people having or storing at least 5,000 kilograms of pork to report the volume and price every seven days, from January 10 onwards.

In Songkhla, provincial governor Jessada Jitrat on Thursday led a team of officials, including local police, to inspect a cold storage in Chana district following a tipoff that a massive amount of pork was hoarded there.

A total of 201,650kg of pork valued at over Bt50 million was found at the cold storage. The pork was linked to a company in southern Phatthalung province.

After the discovery, Songkhla authorities said they would conduct checks at all cold storages in the province as a deterrent against hoarding.

Meanwhile in Bangkok, similar checks were conducted by a team of Commerce Ministry officials led by permanent secretary Boonyarit Kalayanamit.

The ministry’s officials and police from Consumer Protection Police Division inspected the Pitcha Meat Group cold storage in Min Buri district but found nothing suspicious.

Published : January 20, 2022

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The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday approved Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for children 5-11 years old.

CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the children will be inoculated with orange-cap formula vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech.

The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11 years of age, which comes in a multiple-dose vial with orange cap and a label with orange border, has been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration.

Taweesilp said the CCSA agreed with the plan to revive and merge databases of various agencies to a unified online database of 69.60 million Thais and foreigners in the country who are eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccine from the government. The number includes 68.60 million Thais and foreigners who have the right to receive medical treatment from the National Health Security Office and 0.9 million Thais and people without nationality who do not have the right.

The CCSA has also approved the vaccine administration plan of 11.6 million doses for February that includes vaccinating sixth-graders nationwide with the Pfizer orange cap vaccine, which is scheduled to arrive by the end of this month.

A part of the 11.6 million doses will be used to vaccinate people in tourism pilot provinces and in orange-zone provinces. Some of the vaccine doses will be sent to Singapore and Bhutan after the two countries had earlier loaned vaccines to Thailand and some would be donated to some neighbouring and African countries, Taweesilp added.

Published : January 20, 2022

By : THE NATION