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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002341

Isolated heavy rains forecast for East, South west coast

Outbreaks of thundershowers will hit the Central region, the East and the South, with isolated heavy rains in the East and the South’s west coast as the southwest monsoon prevails across the country, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

It advised all ships to proceed with caution as waves in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand are 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres in areas that will experience thundershowers.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees and highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-27 degrees and highs of 35-37 degrees Celsius.

Central: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-26 degrees, highs of 35-38 degrees Celsius.

East: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-28 degrees, highs of 29-36 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees, highs of 34-35 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 20-26 degrees, highs of 30-34 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 26-27 degrees, highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : June 23, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002328

Ministry cuts interval between AZ jabs to combat raging Delta infections

The second dose of AstraZeneca can be administered after eight weeks instead of 10-12 weeks in areas where Covid-19’s Delta variant is spreading fast, the Public Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

As of June 20, the Delta strain first found in India accounted for over 10 per cent of all Covid-19 infections in Thailand, according to samples analysed by the Department of Medical Sciences. Department chief Dr Supakit Sirilak said 6,000 samples had been tested since the third wave of infections began on April 1. The Alpha (UK) variant accounted for 88.97 per cent or 5,641 cases, while Delta accounted for 10.43 per cent or 661 cases. Most new Delta Covid cases were found in Bangkok.

Renowned virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan on Tuesday predicted that Delta would become the dominant strain in Thailand within four months.

Dr Supakit said that the Beta variant first detected in South Africa was still confined to the southern province of Narathiwat and accounts for just one per cent of Thai infections. Health officials are concerned that Delta is spreading fast despite only being detected in Thailand last month, long after Beta arrived.

The ministry said it has so far allocated 8.5 million doses since the nationwide vaccination drive launched on June 7.

As of June 21, a total of 7,906,696 doses had been administered – 5,678,848 first shots and 2,227,848 second shots. Of these, 5,550,891 were Sinovac and 2,355,805 were AstraZeneca.

Published : June 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002327

Delta will be Thailand’s dominant variant in four months: virologist

The fast-spreading Delta variant will become the dominant strain of Covid-19 in Thailand within four months, a leading virologist warned on Tuesday.

Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University, said cases of the Delta variant first found in India would overtake Alpha cases in four months at the current infection rate. He also warned of the likely emergence of other variants.

While the Alpha, Beta and Delta variants do not affect the severity of the disease, they do blunt the efficacy of vaccines, Yong added.

For example, the efficacy of two doses of Pfizer vaccine drops from 90 per cent to 79 per cent when faced with Delta while AstraZeneca falls from 73 to 60 per cent.

There is limited data on the efficacy of Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines against Delta, but early research at the Centre of Excellence suggests it might fall to as low as 30 per cent.

Administering a third dose of vaccine after 3-6 months has been proposed to help boost immunity.

Dr Yong said the infection rate must be reduced if Thailand is to meet the government’s deadline of reopening the country by October. Vaccination and people’s hygiene habits were key in achieving that goal, he added.

Published : June 23, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002329

Bangkok jab vans deployed to 5 infection hotspots

Mobile vaccination units have been rolled out in Bangkok in a bid to halt the wave of Covid-19 infections sweeping the capital. On Tuesday, Bangkok logged 1,154 new cases.

The units will target areas with high infection rates, including Lak Si, Khlong Toei, Pathum Wan, Dusit and Bang Khae.

A construction camp in Lak Si has spawned hundreds of cases, with hundreds more detected in the dense neighbourhoods of Khlong Toei.

The vaccination units will be deployed to administer second doses at Bang Khen School in Lak Si on June 21-23; at Wat Sunthon Thammathan in Pom Prab (Sattru Phai) district on June 25-26; at Din Daeng’s Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai-Japanese) on June 29-31; at Khlong Toei’s Port Authority of Thailand building on July 14-18; and at Wat Sunthon Thammathan again on July 21-22.

Meanwhile health officials report more than 2,000 hospitel and field hospital beds are still available for Covid-19 patients in Bangkok. However, they expect those beds to fill up quickly due to the rising daily infection rate. Officials say they are coordinating with hotels to provide more beds for virus patients.

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002325

Staying safe from Covid at work

Many people are returning to work in Thailand now that the Covid-19 situation has eased in some areas.

However, this does not mean that the risk of infection is down to zero.

The Nation Thailand has compiled some advice based on the Department of Disease Control (DDC)’s guidelines
 

Staying safe from Covid at work

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002323

Relics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungle

Two 63-year-old locomotives given to Thailand by Japan as part of World War II reparations have been restored to their former glory in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 

The diesel locomotives had been left abandoned in forest near Thung Song railway station before being lovingly restored and put on display in the station’s rail yard.

Relics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungleRelics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungleRelics of Thai railway history retrieved from the jungle

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Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002322

Cabinet gives green light to reopen Phuket on July 1

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)s proposal to reopen Phuket on July 1 and three islands in Surat Thani – Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao – on July 15.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said a command centre would now be established to monitor arrivals and departures of foreign tourists in Phuket.

“For Surat Thani, tourism personnel will follow guidelines to monitor foreign tourists in accommodation and on sealed routes, while government officials will screen tourists as they enter and depart the three islands,” he said.

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002321

Woman jumps to her death from Phra Khanong BTS station after catching Covid-19

A woman jumped to her death from the Phra Khanong BTS station in downtown Bangkok on Monday afternoon for allegedly losing her job after contracting Covid-19.

Officers from Klong Tan Police Station and rescuers tried to resuscitate the woman, who had sustained serious head injuries, before taking her to Police General Hospital. However, she succumbed on the way.

The victim was later identified as Nongnuch (last name withheld) aged 38.

Woman jumps to her death from Phra Khanong BTS station after catching Covid-19

Police also reportedly found two notes on the woman’s body. The first one addressed to her parents said: “I don’t know what else to do. Since I contracted Covid, I lost my job. Please forgive me, mom and dad.”

The other note addressed to a police officer who the victim referred to as Phi Muad or Brother Lieutenant, read: “My future is now ruined. Please come and pick up my body. I am surrendering to fate.”

Pol Colonel Somsak Mongkholkunakorn, chief of Klong Tan Police Station, said on Tuesday that officials have contacted the hospital where the victim had been treated and were told she had been cured of Covid-19 and discharged before the incident.

“We are also interviewing the lieutenant mentioned in the note to find out more about their relationship,” he said. “The lieutenant, who is working with the Bangkok Metropolitan Police Bureau, has received two jabs of the Covid-19 vaccine but was ordered to get tested again as a precaution.”

Published : June 22, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002320

Shopping stimulus scheme hit by low registrations on first day

The government’s latest shopping stimulus scheme got off to an underwhelming start on Monday, with only 296,003 people registering for “Ying Chai Ying Dai” (Spend More, Get More).

The scheme is targeting 4 million people with cashback e-vouchers worth 10-15 per cent on spending of up to 60,000 baht.

The cashback is capped at 7,000 baht per person and stored in registrants’ Pao Tang digital wallets to spend at participating shops.

The campaign aims to encourage high-income people to spend more to boost the economy, Finance Ministry permanent secretary Krisada Chinavicharana said on Tuesday.

“However, we understand that some wealthy people may not register because they want to help the government save budget.”

He added that if the scheme failed to hit its registration target, the money saved would not be allotted to other shopping subsidy schemes, such as “Kon La Kreung” (Lets Go Halves), which has more registrants.

Kon La Kreung targets 31 million people and had over 27.7 million registrants as of June 20.

Meanwhile registration for Ying Chai Ying Dai will remain open until the target of 4 million registrants is met. The scheme covers spending from July 1 to September 31. Registrants will get 10 per cent back on the first 40,000 baht they spend, capped at 4,000 baht, and 15 per cent back on spending of 40,001-60,000 baht, capped at 3,000 baht. The e-vouchers can be spent from August 7 to December 31 at participating shops.

Published : June 22, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002319

Phuket partially lifts lockdown, booze ban to prepare for sandbox tourists

Nine types of venues in Phuket are allowed to reopen before its sandbox tourism scheme kicks off on July 1.

The venues allowed to open as of Monday are:

• Schools and tuition centres

• Shopping complexes and community malls (gaming centres, children’s zones remain closed)

• Restaurants and cafes (alcohol can be consumed until 11pm)

• Convenience stores and supermarkets

• Stadiums, fitness centres and badminton courts

• Hair salons and barbers

• Snooker clubs (3pm to 11pm)

• Internet cafes

• Cinemas, theatres and waterparks (6am to 8pm)

Phuket residents are also allowed to consume alcoholic beverages in public areas like the beach or parks, and celebrations or religious gatherings can be held provided there are no more than 200 participants.

However, entertainment venues, boxing stadiums and animal fighting arenas remain closed.

From July 1, Phuket will be the first province to kick off Thailand’s drive to revive its tourism industry by allowing foreigners to arrive under a “sandbox” scheme.

Under the scheme, tourists who can prove they are fully inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely without having to quarantine.

After 14 days in Phuket, tourists can then travel to other parts of Thailand.

Deputy PM Supattanapong Punmeechaow said recently that Phuket authorities are working hard to ensure the province can reopen without a hitch on July 1.

Published : June 22, 2021

By : The Nation