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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001559

Cabinet approves 10bn baht for Covid tests, treatment

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a fresh budget of 10.56 billion baht to pay for Covid-19 testing and treatment.

Of the total, 6.35 billion baht will fund service fees for testing via the RT-PCR, pooled RT-PCR, pooled saliva, antibody, and antigen methods. Thailand has capacity for 50,000 tests per day.

Another 3.42 billion baht goes to treating patients in state quarantine and hospitals, following the rise in admissions during the third wave of infections.

Meanwhile, 760 million baht will go to vaccination service fees, after the Public Health Ministry asked for the per-vaccination budget to be raised from the standard 20 baht to 40 baht to cover the cost of extra staff required.

Thirty-million baht will be spent on treatment for adverse reactions, including 9.28 million baht for detection and treatment of blood clots.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001558

Thailand adopts ‘National Convention and Exhibition Day’ on April 26

The Cabinet has chosen April 26 as the annual “National Convention and Exhibition Day” to promote awareness of the value and importance of Thailand’s MICE industry.

The date commemorates the Kingdom’s first trade fair, held 139 years ago in Bangkok.

The first national exhibition was held on April 26, 1882 at Sanam Luang in response to King Rama V’s desire to promote Thai products from all over the country, said Chiruit Isarangkun na Ayuthaya, president of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

The country’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) industry has expanded its roles in economic development and also reducing inequality, he added.

Thailand ranks number one in Asean for organising international conferences, and fourth in Asia after Japan, China and South Korea.

TCEB records show Thailand’s MICE sector has attracted almost 192 million Thai and foreign participants over the past 16 years, generating income of 1.76 trillion baht.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001557

Cabinet injects another 140bn baht to defend Thai economy from virus surge

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved 140 billion baht for Covid-19 relief measures, including cash handouts and co-payment subsidies as the country suffers its largest wave of infections so far.

The third wave that rose in April now accounts for over 80 per cent of total infections and more than 90 per cent of deaths. Money for the latest relief package will be drawn from the 1.1-trillion-baht programme of borrowing agreed last year to combat Covid impacts. Last month, the Cabinet approved a relief package worth 85.5 billion drawn from the same borrowing programme. The Finance Ministry said the latest package will cover 51 million people and help sustain purchasing power and support the economy in the second half of 2021. Measures under the package announced on Tuesday are as follows: ¬– 93 billion baht in co-payments for consumer purchases of around 31 million people. – 16.4 billion baht in cash handouts to people on low income and 3 billion baht to those with special needs. – 28 billion baht cash-back measure for 4 million people on high income. The state planning agency cut its 2021 economic growth outlook to 1.5-2.5 per cent from 2.5-3.5 per cent following the third-wave outbreak. The Bank of Thailand says it could now take until 2023 for the economy to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001556

ONCB to tighten noose on Thai drug gangs with foreign links

The Office of Narcotics Control (ONCB) has been instructed to urgently launch an investigation into possible international drug-trafficking links after a Thai national was caught in Seoul with a cache of methamphetamine in May.

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said on Tuesday that he wants ONCB to check whether local drug traffickers monitored by police have a hand in crimes overseas.

“The officials will speed up the investigation and confiscate drug-related assets,” he warned.

Yonhap news agency reported that a 32-year-old Thai national had been arrested and indicted for allegedly smuggling about 4 kilos of methamphetamine pills into South Korea. The seized drugs have a street value of up to 13.4 billion won or 380.6 million baht.

The suspect apparently received the drugs hidden in bags of protein supplements through an air shipment on May 6 in exchange for a payment of 200,000 baht, Yonhap reported.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001553

National Museum unveils 1,000-year-old stolen art treasures returned by US

The National Museum in Bangkok has unveiled two 1,000-year-old art treasures returned to Thailand after being stolen and smuggled abroad in the 1960s. The ancient lintels looted from Thai temples were welcomed back home in a ceremony arranged by the Culture Ministry on Monday.

The lintels, depicting the Hindu deity Vishnu (Phra Narai in Thai), were stolen from Prasat Khao Lon in Sa Kaeo and Prasat Nong Hong in Buri Ram and had been on show at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum for decades.

They show the influence of the ancient Khmer Kingdom, which spread across the region from Angkor Wat in modern-day Cambodia.

The US Department of Justice handed back the ornately carved stone features to Thai authorities in San Francisco, and the items were shipped back to Thailand on May 28.

The artefacts will be exhibited at the National Museum for around three months.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001549

An artist in green uniform

Suphakit Nanta never gave up his first love – painting – despite donning a sergeant’s uniform and badge to report for duty in the troubled province of Narathiwat.

The Surin-native says he has loved art since he was a child and began sketching from a very young age. His talent also won him several awards, including a national one.

He joined the Army after graduating from vocational school, and as a soldier, was often enlisted to paint monuments, etc. His supervisor has also been providing him with painting tools.

Always humble, the artist said he did not expect his work to be noticed, adding that the deep South was not as scary as people think.

“Smiles and friendship are very visible here,” he said.

An artist in green uniformAn artist in green uniformAn artist in green uniform

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001547

State of the airline industry in Covid era

The airline industry was the hardest hit by the pandemic after Thailand suspended all flights last year, and only began to gradually reopen skies once infection rates became more controllable.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), the first quarter of this year only saw 6.66 million people taking either domestic or international flights in Thailand. This marked a sharp drop of 79.1 per cent compared to 25.27 million passengers in the same period last year.

International flights saw just 195,799 passengers, 98.8 per cent fewer than the same period last year, while domestic passengers dropped by 60.1 per cent to 6.47 million.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on March 30 approved measures to boost tourism.

State of the airline industry in Covid era

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001546

Local Covid vaccine ‘ready for clinical trials’

The locally developed Covid-19 vaccine – ChulaCov19 – will be ready for human trials this month after proving to be effective in lab tests.

In a Facebook post, deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul said the vaccine, developed by Dr Kiat Ruxrungtham from Chulalongkorn University, will be tested on 100 volunteers this month.

The clinical trial also aims to work out the right dosage for immunization. Once the trial is successfully completed, the first lot of vaccines will be produced in the US, before Thailand’s BioNet-Asia begins mass production in September.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001542

SRT maintains red signal for suspended train services

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has extended the suspension of 121 long and short train services until the Covid-19 situation is resolved, SRT Governor Nirut Maneephan said on Monday.

He said the decision was in line with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s move to ask people to avoid or delay their travel plans and extend the state of emergency for another two months from June 1 to July 31 in a bid to contain the virus.

“However, 115 long and short train services are still available to meet people’s demand for travel,” he said.

“To gain confidence among passengers throughout the journey, SRT has implemented measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 as well.”

He added that people who had already bought tickets for the suspended train services can request a full refund at train stations nationwide.

For more information, please contact SRT call centre: 1690.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001539

Tourist dollars only came from foreign film crew this year

The tourism sector’s only income this year has been from foreign filmmakers and crew, the Department of Tourism said recently.

Anan Wongbenjarat, the department’s director-general, said 1.21 billion baht was generated from 31 foreign films being produced in Thailand from January to April.

Last year, though 123 foreign films were produced in Thailand, they only generated 589.12 million baht.

This year the Tourism Department hopes foreign film production and related businesses will generate 2.5 billion to 3 billion baht.

Anan said foreign film production crew strictly followed the health and safety measures put in place by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

He also said that his organisation is planning to launch an incentive programme to draw more filmmakers to Thailand.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation