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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002210

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

Immigration Police arrested two suspects for operating a loan business without licence at a house in Nonthaburi province.

Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingduang announced the arrests on Friday in the Bangrak Phattana subdistrict.

Lian Bin Bin, a Chinese national, was arrested along with his Thai business partner Natchuta Kullachet.

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

Police also confiscated 13 mobile telephones, 15 bank passbooks and 10 credit cards found in the house.

The two suspects reportedly confessed that they had been running a loan shark business from a home office in Nonthaburi’s Bang Kraso district.

Police detained 66 employees who were working in the building for questioning, and confiscated over 100 items of desktop and laptop computers and mobile phones.

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

Bin Bin reportedly said that he had entered Thailand about a year ago to run a loan shark business with a Thai partner. The gang operates six mobile applications that provide loans of THB2,500 to THB10,000 per customer. It collects a borrowing fee up front at 30-42 per cent and charges interest at 5 per cent per day if the customer fails to pay back in seven days on top of a 12 per cent fine.

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the gang has around 70,000 customers,” said Somphong.

“Some of them were harassed via telephone by the gang’s debt collectors, prompting them to file complaints at Thung Mahamek Police Station, which eventually led to the issuance of the arrest warrants by the Criminal Court for the suspects.”

Published : June 19, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002196

Lesser showers forecast for all regions today as monsoon weakens

The weak southwest monsoon prevailing across the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand will bring less rain across the country on Saturday.

Weak winds prevail across the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Saturday.

All ships in the upper Andaman Sea should proceed with caution during thundershowers, the department said.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees Celsius, highs of 33-36°C.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25°C, highs of 35-37°C.

Central: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-25°C, highs of 36-38°C.

East: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-26°C, highs of 32-37°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25°C, highs of 33-36°C; waves less than a metre high and a metre during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 21-25°C, highs of 31-33°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 26-27°C, highs of 34-38°C.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : June 19, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002194

3 million Chinese jabs heading to Thailand this month: PM

Two million doses of Sinovac and one million doses of Sinopharm vaccines will be arriving in Thailand this month, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced on Friday while presiding over the daily meeting with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

He said he had confirmed the delivery with China’s charge d’affaires Yang Xin.

Separately, government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri explained that Prayut’s promise on Wednesday to reopen the country in 120 days should not be seen as a countdown. He said the aim was to open the country to foreign tourists gradually.

“Hence government officials nationwide must prepare for the reopening,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prayut and his close aides will be heading to Phuket on June 25 to check on sandbox preparations.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002193

CCSA eases some restrictions, recalibrates zoning measures

Some restrictions will be lifted in maximum and strictly controlled areas from Monday onwards, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced on Friday.

The easing of restrictions includes people being allowed to dine in restaurants until 11pm, though air-conditioned eateries can only fill 50 per cent of seats at any given period.

Some restrictions have also been lifted for making films and TV shows.

Taweesin Visanuyothin, CCSA spokesperson, also announced that provinces have been split into four new zones, with Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Pathum Thani coming under maximum, strict control.

The next level, maximum control, covers Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Trang, Nakhon Pathom, Pattani, Phetchaburi, Songkhla, Samut Sakhon, Saraburi, Yala and Narathiwat.

Meanwhile, Chanthaburi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ayutthaya, Ranong, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Sa Kaew and Samut Songkhram have been marked control zones.

The remaining 53 provinces are high-surveillance areas.

When it comes to making films and TV shows, no more than 50 people are allowed to be present at any given time. They must also take RT-PCR Covid-19 tests within 72 hours and maintain social distancing and hygiene measures.

Actors can remove their face mask when in front of the camera, while contestants in singing competitions can remove their mask in specified areas.

Game show participants can remove their masks one person at a time.

News reporters can remove their masks provided they are at least two metres apart from each other and partitions are set up.

In case the film or TV show is being made in a public area, the crew must wear facemasks at all times.

Each person involved in the production of TV shows or films is required to produce a timeline seven days before and after the production is completed.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002190

Phuket gets ready to open under sandbox scheme

Phuket will kick off Thailand’s drive to revive its tourism industry by allowing foreigners to arrive under a “sandbox” scheme.

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

After 14 days in Phuket, the tourists can then travel to other provinces in Thailand.

Recently Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said Phuket authorities have been working hard to ensure the province can reopen without a hitch on July 1.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his team are scheduled to visit the province on June 25 to check out the preparations.

Phuket gets ready to open under sandbox scheme

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002188

Thailand’s longest dual-track tunnel excavated

Excavation for Thailand’s longest tunnel, which is part of the Northeast dual-track railway, is mostly finished, the tunnelling company announced on Friday.

The 5.2-kilometre tunnel is part of the Northeast dual-track railway running from Mab Kabao in Saraburi to Nakhon Ratchasima’s Thanon Chira junction.

“The Mab Kabao-Thanon Chira junction project covers 134km and is being built as part of a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development and Right Tunnelling [RT],” said RT’s chief executive officer Chawalit Thanomthin.

Thailand’s longest dual-track tunnel excavated

“The route will have three tunnels, with Mab Kabao being the longest at 5.2km. The other two are Muak Lek at 0.26km and Khananjit at 1.17km.”

Chawalit added that once the excavation of the tunnel is complete, the company will start working on the tunnel’s concrete structure.

“The project has been affected by the outbreak in the past few months, but the company has a risk-management plan that will ensure the project is completed within this year as per the contract,” he said. “The project is more than 80 per cent complete and RT stands to earn a total of 2.29 billion baht from this project.”

Published : June 18, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002187

Thailand rises one place in world competitiveness rankings

Thailand rose one place to 28th in this year’s world competitiveness rankings compiled by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

The IMD’s 2021 ranking of 64 countries was topped by Switzerland, followed by Sweden and Denmark, the Thailand Management Association reported on Friday.

Singapore (5th) was ranked first in Asean, ahead of Malaysia (25th), Thailand (28th), Indonesia (37th) and the Philippines (52nd). Singapore dropped five places after topping the global list last year.

China made the biggest gains in Asia, rising four places to 16th. The United States remained in 10th place

Thailand’s rise of one place reflected gains in employment and public finances. However, the Kingdom plummeted in the sub-ranking of international trade, falling from 5th last year to 21st.

The IMD uses official data and industry surveys to measure countries’ economic health through a variety of criteria, including innovation, digitalisation, welfare benefits, and social cohesion.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002186

Transport Ministry revving up for reopening of 10 tourist cities

The Transport Ministry is getting ready for the reopening of tourist cities in 10 provinces to foreign tourists in the third and fourth quarters of the year.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob on Thursday held a videoconference with ministry executives.

“Ten cities that are tourist destinations are scheduled to reopen to overseas visitors in the second half of the year, starting with Phuket on July 1, under the Phuket Sandbox scheme,” he said.

“If the scheme is successful, tourist cities in nine other provinces — Phang Nga, Krabi, Surat Thani (Koh Samui), Chon Buri (Pattaya), Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Phetchaburi (Cha Am), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin), and Buri Ram — will adopt the same practices.”

Under the sandbox scheme, foreign tourists who can verify they have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely in the province without having to quarantine.

After staying in Phuket for 14 days and testing negative, the tourists can then travel to other provinces in Thailand.

“To take part in this reopening, agencies under the ministry responsible for air, sea and land transport, such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, Airports of Thailand Plc, Department of Airports, Marine Department, Department of Land Transport, Department of Rail Transport and State Railway of Thailand, would be actively involved,” Saksayam said.

“I have instructed these agencies to follow the checklist for disease control readiness as suggested by the Ministry of Public Health to ensure that foreign visitors are safe during their stay in Thailand. All frontline officials have been told to maintain a service mind to create a positive first impression as well as be prepared for emergency cases.

“Most importantly, agencies are instructed to prioritise vaccinating 100 per cent of the frontline officials against Covid-19 to ensure their safety,” added Saksayam.

“The ministry is considering performing immunity tests after two doses of vaccine have been administered to determine if the staff need an extra jab.”

Published : June 18, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002185

PM, close aides test negative for Covid-19

The prime minister, his close aides and other government officials underwent Covid-19 tests on Friday after a housekeeper at the Cabinet lounge tested positive on Wednesday.

The woman had been serving lawmakers between May 31 and June 2 while they were considering the 2022 national budget and then again on June 9 during the consideration of the 500-billion-baht loan decree.

Though the premier tested negative, he will still attend the daily meeting with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration via video conferencing.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002184

Bang Phli temple serves as vaccine site in Samut Prakan

People queue up in Samut Prakan’s Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang temple this morning to get their anti-Covid jabs.

The vaccine venue was shifted from Bangplee Hospital to the temple compound due to space problems. A vaccination team member explained that the temple complex was far bigger and had more parking space than the hospital.
 

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation