The Fish Market Organisation reported that the first day of fish trade in Phuket had gone well, with around 123 tonnes brought to land.
Fishing boats have been allowed to dock for loading and unloading aquatic animals and open trading of aquatic animals since September 3, after being closed for 14 days to screen, clean and disinfect.
From midnight to 9am, 44 fishing boats entered the port with 123,117 kilograms of fish. It is expected that the fisheries sector will help revive Phuket’s economy, which also depends heavily on tourism.
Phuket province has 352 commercial fishing boats, 17 berths and 3,159 commercial fishing boat workers. Of the 1,731 workers, 1,528 are Thais and the rest Myanmar, Cambodian and Laotian. In addition, there are 400 fish sorting workers, as well as a total of about 5,000 others.
Government to give away 8.5 million antigen test kits from Sept 15
Antigen Test Kits (ATKs) to help the public test for Covid-19 infection is expected to be distributed from September 15, deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul said.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has told the Ministry of Public Health and the National Health Security Office (NHSO) to make arrangements to distribute the ATKs after a contract for the purchase of 8.5 million test kits had been signed, she said.
The NHSO will distribute the ATKs through service units under the health insurance system.
The prime minister also asked for cooperation from people to refrain from travelling unnecessarily, especially between provinces. Even though the government has eased travel measures, it has sought cooperation from people to travel only when necessary because travel is an important factor in spreading the infection to different areas.
Criticism of Chinas vaccine for political gains could hurt bilateral ties: Don
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has expressed concern that criticism of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for political benefits could affect the relationship between Thailand and China.
The criticism by the House of Representatives panellists of the vaccine only aimed to seek political benefits without concern for facts, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat quoted the minister as saying on Saturday.
“Sinovac vaccine was approved by the World Health Organization and 39 other countries,” Don said. “Currently, over 100 million people worldwide had received the vaccine.”
Don added that despite the price of inactivated vaccines being high, China was able to produce them quickly and enable many countries overcome the first phase of the Covid-19 crisis, according to the spokesman.
“Hence, criticism of the Sinovac vaccine is not only distorting facts, but it also affects the relationship between the two countries,” the spokesman quoted the minister as saying.
Don added that the Foreign Ministry has cooperated with embassies and consulates worldwide to enable Thai citizens to seek Covid-19 vaccines as much as possible in line with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s policy, the spokesman said.
Don also rejected the House of Representatives panellists’ criticism on cooperation between the Foreign and Public Health ministries, adding that both ministries were working closely so far, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
550 ethnic groups in Nan given Sinopharm Covid vaccine
Public Health officials in Nan province on Saturday administered the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine to 550 ethnic groups living in the area in a bid to create herd immunity.
Deputy director of Nan Hospital Dr Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon said that the Chulabhorn Royal Academy had delivered 10,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines to inoculate the elderly, disabled and ethnic groups.
He said the ethnic groups included Tong Luang (Mlabri), Hmong, Mien, Tin, Lua and Muser.
“There were no side-effects after the vaccination,” he said.
Heavy rains forecast for North, Northeast, thundershowers in most of the country
Isolated heavy rains are likely in the North and the Northeast, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Sunday.
Amonsoon trough lies across the North, the upper Northeast of Thailand and upper Laos changing into a low-pressure cell over upper Vietnam.
A moderate southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand, the department said.
People should beware of severe rains that may cause overflows and flash floods, the department said.
The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Fairly widespread thundershowers and isolated heavy rains in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Pichit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun provinces; minimum temperature 23-25 degrees Celsius, maximum 31-34°C; southeasterly winds 10-20 km/hr.
Northeast: Fairly widespread thundershowers and isolated heavy rains in Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces; minimum temperature 23-24°C, maximum 30-34°C; southwesterly winds 10-20 km/hr.
Central: Scattered thundershowers mostly in Nakhon Sawan, Lopburi, Uthai Thani, Chainat, Suphanburi, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Songkhram provinces; minimum temperature 23-25°C, maximum 31-34°C; southwesterly winds 10-20 km/hr.
East: Scattered thundershowers in Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chanthaburi and Trat provinces; minimum temperature 24-26°C, maximum 28-33°C; southwesterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.
South (east coast): Isolated thundershowers mostly in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces; minimum temperature 23-25°C, maximum 31-34°C; southwesterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.
South (west coast): Isolated thundershowers mostly in Ranong Phang Nga and Satun provinces; minimum temperature 20-25°C, maximum 30-34°C.
Ranong northward: Southwesterly winds 15-35 km/hr; waves 1-2 metres high and about two metres in thundershowers.
Phang Nga southward: Southwesterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Scattered thundershowers; minimum temperature 24-25°C, maximum 32-34°C; southwesterly winds 10-20 km/hr.
Thailand recorded 15,452 Covid-19 cases and 224 deaths on Sunday
Ministry of Public Health reported on Sunday (September 5) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 15,452 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 468 of whom have been found in prisons.
Death toll increased by 224, while 18,257 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country are at 1,280,534 with 12,855 total deaths.
British man, 73, stranded in Khon Kaen mountain, rescued after three days
A 73-year-old British man, missing for three days, was rescued on Friday from the mountain in Khon Kaen province.
Barry Leonard Weller left his house on Tuesday to meet a friend in another village. It was raining heavily that evening and he did not return to his house.
His girlfriend Tawee Chaisanrit, 49, searched for him the next morning. She found his motorcycle so she called rescue workers to help. She thought that Weller had lost his way and could not ask for directions as he could not speak Thai. She confirmed that there was no altercation between them.
Weller was found exhausted with injuries on both his feet after walking in the mountain for days. Rescuers spent three hours rescuing him from the mountain.
Weller said that he could not remember much. He just kept walking and slept when it was nighttime. He thanked the rescuers for helping him.
Weller and his girlfriend hugged each other and wept with happiness in an emotional reunion. He was taken to Khao Suan Kwang hospital for a physical checkup.
Salons in Bangkok malls allowed to cater to pre-booked customers
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) allowed salons in complexes or community malls to open for customers who book in advance, until the end of this month.
On Wednesday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had announced that salons in the specific places can reopen with conditions:
•They must receive customers with bookings.
•Each customer must be served as quickly as possible, or within two hours
After the announcement, the communicable disease committee of Bangkok considered and agreed that the permission for salon service could be implemented in the capital.
Restructured tobacco tax regime expected to be effective from Oct 1
A new tobacco tax structure effective from October 1 will bring more than THB60 billion revenue per year, according to the Excise Departments estimates.
The department’s director-general, Lavaron Sangsnit, said that the Minister of Finance would consider the new tobacco tax structure.
It is expected to be presented for Cabinet approval in the last two weeks of September, to be effective on October 1.
Lavaron added that current revenue from cigarette tax is THB60 billion per year. He confirmed that the tax rate will not be lower.
The tax rate was lowered to 20 per cent for cigarette packs priced THB60 or lower. This rate will be used until September 30. The old tax rate was 40 per cent, effective from October 2017. Many cigarette companies decreased their retail price to lower than THB60, to reduce the tax burden.
Meanwhile, many parties have called for an increase in the tax of roll-your-own (RYO) cigarettes to be closer to the cigarette tax, as it is lower by 6 to 7 times. The price of RYO cigarettes is THB10-12 per carton.
Lawaron said there was a discussion on this issue but confirmed that the same rate would be used. He did not want to affect the target group, which was a low-income group, he said.
Bangkok among 5 provinces in phase 2 of tourism reopening plan
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is going ahead with the phase 2 of reopening selected tourist areas in five provinces to foreign visitors from October 1, Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday.
Thailand has piloted the reopening of tourist provinces under the tourism “sandbox” scheme since July 1 in Phuket, followed by the “Samui Plus Model” on July 15 that links to the “7+7 Phuket Extension” scheme. Under the scheme, vaccinated visitors of the sandbox programme, who stayed in Phuket for seven days and test negative for Covid-19, can travel to seven tourist attractions in Surat Thani, Krabi and Phang Nga provinces. After the tourists stay in these provinces for 14 days and test negative, they can then travel to other provinces of Thailand.
“The reopening of Phuket and nearby provinces has been successful so far, while the planned reopening of Buri Ram has been put on hold following the postponement of the Moto GP tournament to 2022,” said Pipat.
“In the second phase of the reopening, five more provinces — Bangkok, Chiang Mai (Muang, Mae Rim and Doi Tao districts), Prachuap Khiri Khan (only Hua Hin), Phetchaburi (only Cha-Am) and Chonburi (Pattaya, Banglamung and Sattahip districts), will join the scheme.”
Pipat added that the third phase will start on October 15 and cover 22 provinces, namely Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Phrae, Nan, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Ubon Ratchathani, Loei, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Ranong, Trang, Satun, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Ayutthaya.
“The fourth phase, which is expected to start from January 2022, will focus on extending the travel bubble scheme in border provinces to facilitate cross-border travel with neighbouring countries such as Surin, Sa Kaew, Trat, Chiang Rai, Ranong, Nakhon Phanom, Nong Khai, Mukdahan, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun,” said Pipat.
“The reopening of a province must be approved by the provincial public health office, which will consider the areas’ readiness based on Covid-19 situation, vaccination rate of local population at over 70 per cent and employed disease control measures,” the minister added.
Phuket fisheries up and running as lockdown ends
550 ethnic groups in Nan given Sinopharm Covid vaccine
550 ethnic groups in Nan given Sinopharm Covid vaccine
