#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010567

A bomb exploded near the rear wall of the Army’s 21st Special Forces Command Centre in Ban Ba Le village in Narathiwat’s Reuso district on Wednesday morning, damaging two concrete sheets and a concrete pillar that served as a wall for the structure.

Reuso Station police were alerted to the explosion at 6.15am.

Officials found bits of an improvised explosive device wired to a 20kg LPG canister, whose shells were scattered across the area.

The officers suspect the bomb was set off via radio frequency.

There was no report yet of injuries or deaths from the incident.

Police reviewed CCTV footage from a nearby railway signal pole and found two suspects on a motorcycle pass the rear wall twice just minutes before the explosion, although the camera did not capture exactly when or where the bomb was placed.

“The two suspects are positively male, although the pillion rider disguised himself in female clothes and a hijab,” the police said.

“We suspect they could be the same duo that set off a bomb to ambush border patrol soldiers on December 11 as the soldiers guarded Buddhist monks during morning alms in Reuso district. Witnesses at that time also said the pillion rider was actually a man dressed as a female,” the police added.

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Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010566

The cause of Covid-19 Omicron outbreaks was due to short-range virus aerosols which can easily enter the body through the mouth and nose, Dr Nithiphat Chiarakun, head of the respiratory disease and tuberculosis division at the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Nithiphat said an Omicron cluster occurred at a restaurant in Kalasin on Monday, where more than 20 people contracted the virus from a couple who had travelled back from Belgium. He said a number of musicians at the restaurant were infected even though they did not come into close contact with the couple because the variant can spread easily in a short range.

According to Nithiphat, the size of the Omicron aerosol is up to 50 micrometres in diameter (about the size of a hair), which is 10 times bigger than normal aerosols but can be inhaled through the nose and mouth.

Citing a laboratory study, Nithiphat said the variant residues in the upper respiratory system can easily be spread by talking, yelling, singing, coughing or sneezing.

Therefore, he urged business operators and customers alike to strictly abide by virus prevention measures, especially the quality of face masks used and proper ventilation at venues.

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• This week will be a severity indicator of Omicron outbreaks: lecturer
• 3 possible scenarios with Omicron in Thailand
• Makes sense to live with Omicron and treat it as no different from other Covid-19 variants: Experts

Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010563

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has appointed the Interior and Tourism & Sports ministries to ensure that all organisers of New Year events abide by strict safety measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, the government’s deputy spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said on Wednesday.

She said any events that violate Covid-19 prevention measures would be shut down immediately, citing Prayut’s instructions.

Traisulee went on to say that Thailand is closely monitoring the Omicron variant and strictly screening foreign visitors as well as gatherings during the New Year festival as Omicron is now a dominant strain in many countries.

“The Public Health Ministry said the Covid-19 alert level in Thailand is currently at level 3 [from a total of five], in which people can presently visit restaurants and various venues, but there is still a risk of getting infected,” she said.

“Where New Year events are concerned, the organisers must adhere to Covid-19 Free Setting and universal prevention measures to contain the spread of virus,” she warned.

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• Thai reporters come up with new yearend handles for govt, ministers
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Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010562

The Public Health and Transport ministries have together set up Covid-19 screening points with free antigen test kits (ATKs) at the Bangkok bus terminal and the main railway station from December 28 to January 3.

People who test positive via ATK tests will be retested using the RT-PCR method.

Patients who are confirmed to be infected and are under the Universal Coverage Scheme must call National Health Security Office hotline 1330 extension 14.

Those under the Social Security Scheme must call SSO hotline 1506 extension 6 for treatment if infected.

Patients who would like to be treated in their hometown or other provinces must call 1330 extension 15.

All patients are required to have their ID cards and inform the offices they call of their card number, test result, place, date and symptoms.

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By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010561

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) posted a unique photo of Comet Leonard passing Earth just as the James Webb Space Telescope was being launched into orbit. The photo was taken at Thailand’s famed Doi Inthanon National Park on Monday.

The rare yet thrilling atmospheric event was photographed by Matipon Tangmatitham from the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand.

“Which one of these two streaks is a comet? Although they both have comet-like features, the lower streak is the only real comet,” Nasa said.

The lower streak shows the coma and tail of Comet Leonard, a city-sized block of rocky ice, passing through the inner solar system as it continues its looping orbit around the Sun.

Comet Leonard recently passed its closest point to both Earth and Venus and will reach the Sun next week.

The comet, still visible to the unaided eye, has developed a long and changing tail in recent weeks.

In contrast, the upper streak is the launch plume of the Ariane V rocket that lifted the James Webb telescope into space two days ago.

Nasa’s largest and most powerful space telescope so far will orbit the Sun near the Earth-Sun L2 point and is scheduled to start observing the universe in the summer of 2022 as it peeks further into the past.

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• NASA begins its new discoveries on solar atmosphere for the first time in history

Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010557

The last week before New Year is going to be a severity indicator of Covid-19 Omicron outbreaks in Thailand, Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine lecturer Thira Woratanarat wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

With the biggest holiday season of the year arriving, Thira urged people to celebrate the New Year with extra precautions in a bid to keep the pandemic from spreading yet again.

He said two face masks – a medical face mask and a cloth one – should be worn at all times while each person needs to strictly follow the social distancing rule of at least a metre.

He also said public transportation and group gatherings should be avoided.

Thira said New Year celebrations should be held only within family, with separate sets of food and utensils.

He urged those with signs of Covid-19 symptoms to get tested immediately.

Thira pointed out that a booster dose was the key factor in reducing the severity and spread of Omicron. But follow-up studies are required in order to specify the exact frequency of the vaccination, he added in his post.

Related news:

• Makes sense to live with Omicron and treat it as no different from other Covid-19 variants: Experts
• Covid With Omicron Isn’t Same Disease, Oxford Scientist Says
• Omicron will explode in Thailand soon, warns infectious diseases expert

Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010554

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) advised the government on Tuesday to assist Myanmar refugees and Thai nationals in Mae Hong Son and Tak border areas as soon as possible.

The request came after the battle between Myanmar’s armed forces and the Karen resistance intensified, forcing Myanmar nationals to flee into Thailand while Thai citizens living in border areas were at risk of losing their property and lives.

The NHRC said it was closely monitoring the situation as human rights and safety were a concern.

“To create stability and safety on the Thailand-Myanmar border, the government should prepare for the situation based on the international non-refoulement principle” the commission said.

“Meanwhile, the government should have a clear policy to assist refugees, such as implementing the four necessities of life, disease prevention and treatment. In this Covid-19 crisis, the government should launch measures to enable refugees to be screened for the virus and have access to treatment and vaccines.”

The commission also said the government should promote local mechanisms between the government, private business and civil society to take care of the refugees.

“Related agencies should provide safety for Thai nationals living on the Thailand-Myanmar border, such as building shelters, preparing an emergency plan and creating awareness,” the NHRC explained.

It said its two commissioners, Preeda Kongpan and Sayamon Kaiyurawong, would go to Tak’s Mae Sot district to cooperate with provincial agencies on human rights in the area.

“The commission hopes that assisting victims in line with human rights principles during the unrest will be the first priority for every party,” the commission added.

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• Naresuan Force helps Tak villagers affected by Myanmar conflict
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Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010553

People who have received two vaccine doses against Covid-19 can benefit by getting a third jab, or booster shot, which will significantly boost their immunity against the coronavirus, Chulalongkorn University expert virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan said on Tuesday.

During the virtual seminar “Covid-19 Vaccine Quarterly Outlook”, Yong said using inactivated vaccines (for example Sinovac) as a booster can increase recipients’ immunity by up to 10 times, while a viral vector vaccine such as AstraZeneca will increase immunity by up to 100 times.

“Meanwhile, mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna can boost recipients’ immunity against Covid-19 by up to 200 times,” he said.

“However, a study in Israel found that the immunity of mRNA recipients decreased at a faster rate than that of viral vector vaccine recipients, and can last for about three months,” Yong said. “The country is therefore considering giving a fourth jab to people in high-risk groups to keep their immunity at a high level.”

Yong also said the optimal interval between 2nd and 3rd shots should be from three to six months, but recipients who carry a high risk of contracting Covid-19, like medical professionals, should get a booster jab as soon as they hit the three-month mark after the second jab.

Yong estimated that the Omicron variant would replace Delta in the next 1-2 months in Thailand due to its faster rate of spread.

“Many studies have found that two doses of any vaccine are still not enough to prevent the Omicron variant, therefore everyone should get a booster shot as soon as they can to reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms and death,” he suggested.

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Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010549

Hotels in Chiang Mai that fail to strictly adhere to Test & Go regulations will be removed from the province’s “Charming Chiang Mai” programme, deputy governor Worawit Chaisawat said on Tuesday.

His warning came after reports that some hotels in Chiang Mai had allowed visitors to leave their facilities to travel in the province even before their RT-PCR test results arrived, which would increase the risk of Covid-19 spreading.

“Furthermore, we have received complaints that some hotels under the Charming Chiang Mai programme failed to pick up tourists at the airport according to schedule, while others let their customers visit airport shops instead of remaining in the quarantine zone while awaiting transport,” he said.

“Hotel operators caught relaxing or violating disease control regulations will face punishment, from being issued a warning to being removed entirely from the programme,” Worawit said.

Like the Phuket Sandbox and other schemes launched to boost tourism, Charming Chiang Mai lets tourists choose between spending five days in Chiang Mai before flying back home or dividing their first 14 days between Chiang Mai and Phuket before being allowed to travel elsewhere in Thailand. During their time in Chiang Mai, visitors can travel in sealed routes to selected tourist attractions, including golf courses.

Visitors under the Charming Chiang Mai programme need to follow the regulations of the government’s Test & Go scheme, which include receiving a RT-PCR test upon arrival and again on the 5th or 6th day of their stay in Thailand.

As of Tuesday, the programme had 108 Chiang Mai hotels registered.

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Published : December 29, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010548

The number of Omicron cases has surged across the world, with even Thailand recording over 500 patients so far.

The Public Health Ministry has said that infections will be closely monitored and has tasked the Department of Disease Control to come up with three scenarios:

Least favourable: This is the scenario that nobody wants but will arise if people do not adhere to prevention measures. It will take three to four months to control the disease with 30,000 new patients and as many as 180 deaths expected per day.

Possible: This scenario will occur if people follow the universal prevention measures and businesses follow the VUCA guidelines – vaccine, universal protection, Covid-free setting and antigen test kits. There will be up to 16,000 cases and some 100 deaths daily.

Most favourable: This will occur if people strictly adhere to prevention measures and avoid gatherings. Businesses, including bars and restaurants, strictly follow all prevention and protection measures. There will be some 10,000 new patients and 60 to 70 deaths per day. This will take one or two months to control.

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