Pre-booked jabs only at Bang Sue Station, no walk-ins
The vaccination centre at Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok will open on Monday to people who have registered for a jab. No walk-in service will be available at the station, according to the Department of Medical Services (DMS).
Transport employees will be vaccinated at the station up until Sunday.
From Monday, up to 10,000 jabs per day will be administered to members of the public in two groups: 5,000 employees of organisations that have registered via public health officials, and 5,000 people who have registered via DTAC, AIS, TrueMove, and National Telecommunications mobile services.
The vaccination drive at the station is being led by the Institute of Dermatology and will run from June 7 to August 31, said DMS director-general Somsak Akksilp. The objective is to reduce congestion in Bangkok hospitals that provide vaccination services. A free air-conditioned shuttle bus service will run from three locations – Victory Monument, Bang Pho, and Central Ladprao – to the station from Monday.
Over 100,000 transport workers jabbed at Bangkok’s Bang Sue station
The vaccination unit at Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station has inoculated 100,747 people from the transport sector since May 24, while 19,000 people were lined up for their jab on Thursday.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the National Institute of Dermatology has been sending some 400 personnel, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and support team members, to the station daily from 9am to 8pm.
“Delivering Covid-19 vaccines is an important mission for the country and the Public Health Ministry because nobody is safe at the moment. We know that all medical personnel have to work hard and I want to thank everybody who is making sacrifices to ensure people’s safety,” he said.
Anutin visited the station on Thursday with Dr Somsak Ankasil, director-general of the Medical Department.
Over 100,000 transport workers jabbed at Bangkok’s Bang Sue station
Suvarnabhumi tops ranking of global airports threatened by rising sea level
Thailands Suvarnabhumi has a higher risk of flooding from rising sea levels than any other major airport in the world, according to new research.
The research on 14,000 airports was conducted by Aaron N Yesudian and Richard Dawson of Newcastle University in the UK and published in Climate Risk Management Volume 31 last month.
The risk analysis combines information about the location of airports, their exposure to storm surges and current and future sea levels, their connectivity and aircraft traffic (pre-Covid-19), and their current standard of flood protection.
The research showed that of over 14,000 airports worldwide, more than 350 could face flooding by the end of the century – even if the world were to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement. And if climate change continues unchecked, almost 600 airports will be at risk.
Family of Pathum Thani man who died five days after inoculation compensated THB400,000
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) on Wednesday approved compensation of THB400,000 for a 50-year-old Phatum Thani man who died five days after receiving a dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
“The family of the deceased was compensated THB400,000, which is the maximum rate in case of death or total disability, said Chalor Santiwarangkhana, director of NHSO Region 4 office. He added that eight other vaccine recipients under Region 4 – Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Saraburi, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, Ang Thong and Nakhon Nayok – received a total of THB69,000 compensation for adverse reactions.
NHSO criteria for compensation are as follows:
– Maximum THB400,000 for death or total disability
– Maximum THB240,000 for loss of an organ or disability
– Maximum THB100,000 for continuous injury or sickness
Affected recipients or their family members can file a case at public hospitals, provincial public health offices or NHSO branch offices nationwide. Each case takes up to five days of consideration.
“The deceased was a 50-year-old man residing in Pathum Thani. He reportedly had trouble breathing after receiving Covid-19 vaccine and died five days later,” said Chalor. “NHSO agreed to pay compensation of THB400,000 to the man’s family to alleviate their financial burdens as the deceased was the sole earner for the family.”
On Tuesday, NHSO secretary-general Jadet Thammathat-Aree said that compensation was considered preliminary aid during emergency situations, when patients or family members can file cases immediately without an autopsy or medical investigation results.
“Once the compensation is paid it will not be recalled, even if later investigation reveals that the death/injuries are not directly related to the vaccine,” said Jadet.
A news source added that NHSO’s Region 1 office will on Friday give a verdict on compensation for the family of a 46-year-old village headman in Phrae who died on May 18, less than 28 hours after being vaccinated.
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
Nation Multimedia Group (NMG)’s top execs and staff members, led by chairman Shine Bunnag, handed out 200 “survival bags” to members of the Khlong Manao community in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district on Thursday.
The “survival bags” contained rice, dried food, drinking water and other necessities.
This is part of NMG’s “Nation Pun Namjai”, or Kindness from Nation Group, corporate social responsibility programme, which aims to help people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
“Khlong Manao is one of Bangkok’s slums where locals are suffering due to lockdown measures and economic fallout of the outbreak,” said a Nation TV reporter. “About 70 per cent of the community members are labourers, who have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet.”
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
Nation staffers also explored every alley in the community to see if anybody, especially older people, required medical attention.
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
Residents in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district continued arriving for their second Covid-19 jab on Thursday at the Polo Football Park and Holy Redeemer Church.
The two inoculation sites, aiming to deliver up to 1,000 jabs daily, have been set up for residents in high-risk communities, namely Pattana Bonkai, Kheha Bonkai, Polo, Phra Jen, Ruamrudee and Kularb Daeng.
The residents had been given their first jab between May 7 and 13 and their second jab from May 28 to June 3. The venues operate from 8am to 4pm.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s deputy permanent secretary Wanlaya Wattanarat was present to oversee the operation on Thursday.
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jabMembers of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jabMembers of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Thursday saw 146,917 people getting their first Covid-19 shot, and 58,721 their second shot. This brought the total number of Covid-19 shots administered in Thailand to 3,959,356.
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jabMembers of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
The first phase of Bangkok’s newest public park being built in Thawee Watthana district should be ready for visitors by the end of this month.
The 98-rai park, built by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s Environment Department’s Green Bangkok project, aims to give Bangkokians a new place for exercise and rest.
As per the project, BMA hopes each resident in the capital will have at least 10 square metres of greenery by 2030.
Silapasuay Raweesangsoon, BMA’s permanent secretary, visited the park on Wednesday and presided over the planting of trees and rice.
The land for the park was provided by businessman Vichai Kanchanasevee.
Bangkokians to get new public park by month-endBangkokians to get new public park by month-end
Thailand logs 39 deaths, 3,886 new confirmed cases
Thailand recorded 3,886 Covid-19 cases, including 1,230 inmates and 49 returnees, and 39 deaths on Thursday.
Bangkok again leads the list with 955 infections, followed by 380 in Phetchaburi, 336 in Nonthaburi, 232 in Samut Prakan, and 92 in Trang.
Meanwhile, 3,626 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.
As of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 169,348. So far, 118,204 have recovered and been discharged, 49,998 patients are still in hospitals and 1,146 have died.
Separately, 146,917 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 58,721 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccines administered in Thailand to 3,959,356.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Thursday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 172.42 million (up by 489,890), 155.05 million of whom have recovered, 13.67 million are active cases ( 89,935 in severe condition) and 3.70 million have died (up by 10,952).
Thailand ranks 81 on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 34.15 million, followed by India 28.44 million, Brazil 16.72 million, France 5.68 million and Turkey 5.26 million.
FAO calls for action against food loss, waste in Asia-Pacific
Food loss and waste is a major issue in the Asia-Pacific region and coordinated, strategic actions are needed to address the impact it is having on climate change, food security and the region’s overall economy, 18 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) member countries concluded during a two-day series of virtual discussions.
According to the FAO’s most recent estimates (2019), the amount of food either lost or wasted range from 5-6 per cent in Australia and New Zealand and 20-21 per cent in Central and South Asia. Globally, food losses and food waste represent nearly a quarter of all blue water used in agricultural production and approximately US$940 billion (Bt29.2 trillion) in economic losses.
“The Asia-Pacific region continues to lose and waste too much food,” said Anthony Bennett, FAO senior food systems officer at the regional office for Asia and the Pacific. “Government and non-state actors, working together, must deliver on Sustainable Development Goal 12, which aims to halve global food waste at the retail and consumer levels, and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses by 2030.”
Covid-19 has contributed to regional food losses, but solutions are becoming clearer.
The pandemic has highlighted existing gaps in food systems that lead to food loss and waste, such as unreliable infrastructure for storage and transportation, and access to electricity. The region also faces challenges in terms of logistics for local producer-to-consumer markets and scaling-up of networks for recovery and redistribution of safe and nutritious food for human consumption.
Food losses and food waste from all food systems lead to an increase in greenhouse gasses and also impact heavily on smallholders who rely on their produce for both their livelihoods and their families’ food security.
However, food security can be improved through reduction of food loss, particularly on small farms in low-income countries, the FAO meeting felt.
These reductions can help farmers improve their own diets due to increased food availability and gain higher incomes when selling part of their produce.
China’s clean your plate campaign
Indeed some Asia-Pacific FAO members have taken numerous steps to scale up measures to counter food loss and waste at the retail and consumer level – among them being China.
“Measures for food loss and waste reduction are being implemented in China,” said Zhang Chengzhi, deputy director-general of the Department of Storage Safety and Science, National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, China. “Public education activities such as ‘The Clean Your Plate Campaign’ are working very well to activate anti-food-waste behaviour. Food business operators are adapting their models to encourage consumers’ change of attitude toward food consumption with the support of technology,” he said.
“Lower food loss from production to wholesale, and less food waste from retail to households, mean more income for consumers to spend on other purchases and more profit for involved businesses. It’s a win-win strategy that should involve all society,” Zhang added.
The FAO’s Asia-Pacific Food Loss and Waste Strategy
based on a thorough literature review and appraisal of other regional approaches, new data and analysis on food loss and waste in Thailand, China and Nepal has five key pillars:
> Raise awareness and enable state and non-state collaborations and partnerships on food loss and waste prevention and reduction.
> Identify and address food loss and waste critical points along supply chains and at the consumer level.
> Enable investments for food loss and waste prevention and reduction.
> Monitor and facilitate national and regional progress towards SDG 12.3.1.
> Support Asia-Pacific member countries towards coherent governance frameworks integrating or directly addressing food loss and waste prevention and reduction.
Participants in the regional consultation agreed that it is essential to improve measurement of food loss and waste, as well as data comparability, quality, and availability. Improved data supports prevention and reduction of human nutrition losses and impacts on climate change.
The FAO’s Asia-Pacific office has also developed a road map for the implementation of its strategy to counter food loss and waste, based upon the direction of its members.
It says it will also continue to work with regional organisations, such as Asean, in developing, sharing, and applying better knowledge and practices on prevention and reduction of food loss and waste on the production and distribution side as well as by consumers.
Pfizer says it is discussing vaccine purchases only with govt agencies
Pfizer (Thailand) emphasised on Wednesday that it is commencing negotiations only with government agencies on procuring Covid-19 vaccines.
The announcement came on the heels of news that a private company would import 20 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine into Thailand.
Pfizer said it is currently discussing with the Department of Disease Control to ensure that its vaccine is available to all Thai nationals.
“Pfizer would like to emphasise that the company is commencing negotiations only with government agencies on procuring Covid-19 vaccines because this is the best way to ensure the vaccine is distributed to all people in each country,” the announcement read.
“Also, we would like to confirm that Pfizer has not appointed any private organisation or agency as yet to be the importer of the company’s vaccine.”
The statement added that no private firm has been allowed so far to distribute the Pfizer vaccine.
Over 100,000 transport workers jabbed at Bangkok’s Bang Sue station
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
NMG lends a helping hand to slum dwellers in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat area
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
Members of 6 Pathumwan communities get their second jab
Bangkokians to get new public park by month-end
Bangkokians to get new public park by month-end
Bangkokians to get new public park by month-end
