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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001534

38 deaths, 2,230 confirmed infections in another day of highs

Thailand logged 2,230 confirmed cases, including 77 inmates and 21 returnees, and 38 deaths.

Bangkok again leads the list with 864 infections, followed by 253 in Samut Prakan, 166 in Phetchaburi, 164 in Trang and 112 in Nonthaburi.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration provided no details on the returnees.

Meanwhile, 3,390 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.

As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 162,022. So far, 111,735 have recovered and been discharged, 49,218 patients are still in hospitals and 1,069 have died.

Separately, 40,562 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 14,415 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 3,644,859.

According to Worldometer, as of 11am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 171.46 million (up by 359,544), 153.73 million of whom have recovered, 14.17 million are active cases (91,751 in severe condition) and 3.56 million have died (up by 7,886).

Thailand ranks 82nd on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 34.11 million, followed by India 28.17 million, Brazil 16.54 million, France 5.66 million and Turkey 5.24 million.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001522

A few thundershowers forecast for all regions as monsoon spell weakens

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Tuesday that the weak southwest monsoon prevailing over the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand, would bring less rain all over the country.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees Celsius, highs of 35-38°C.

Northeast: Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 25-27°C, highs of 37-38°C.

Central: Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-27°C, highs of 36-38°C.

East: Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-28°C, highs of 34-37°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 24-26°C, highs of 32-36°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-26°C, highs of 32-35°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 27-28°C, highs of 33-38°C.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : June 01, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001521

Prayut admits there have been glitches in vaccine rollout

While visiting the vaccine station on the eighth floor of CentralWorld on Monday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha admitted that there have been problems in the mass rollout.

However, he said, everybody in Thailand has the right to be vaccinated and that his government’s aim is to provide 50 million jabs in the first phase.

He also admitted that there has been a delay in the delivery of doses as the Covid-19 vaccine is in high demand globally. Besides, he said, it takes the authorities three to four days to check each lot of vaccines for efficacy. Prayut said the rollout has to be managed monthly as the doses are delivered in small lots.

Separately, Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said Siam Biotech has sent AstraZeneca vaccine samples from five lots for testing and they have all passed the test. This means there are 14 lots of AstraZeneca jabs ready for use from June 7, he said. Each lot comprises 1 to 2 million doses.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001520

Chiang Mai to open jab booking after reservation app suspended

Vaccination booking is opening in Chiang Mai this week ahead of the nationwide jab rollout from next Monday (June 7).

The new booking service will replace the national Mor Prom registration app, which was shut down last week after a series of glitches.

More than 189,000 at-risk people – those over 60 or with chronic conditions – have already registered for jabs in Chiang Mai. City health officials say residents can book vaccinations at their nearest hospital or via health workers.

Meanwhile, Chiang Mai logged an infection rate of only 0.63 per cent during proactive screening of 9,406 residents from April 18 to May 28, according to provincial disease control chief Songyos Khamchai.

He urged residents to keep their guard up despite the drop in cases, warning there was still risk of outbreaks spreading from other provinces.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001519

PTT partners with Foxconn to make electric vehicles in Thailand

National oil and gas conglomerate PTT has partnered with Taiwan’s Foxconn in a deal to produce electric vehicles (EVs) in Thailand.

On Monday, the two companies announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding to manufacture EVs and components at an online ceremony overseen by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

The deal is for an “open platform” that provides hardware and software to Thailand-based automakers, though no details of the size of investment were given.

Foxconn said will tap its own MIH industry-wide alliance of EV manufacturers to boost the platform in Thailand.

“This cooperation with PTT and the Thai government to realise the vision of sustainable development of the EV industry, demonstrates that the MIH ecosystem is growing,” said Foxconn chairman Liu Young-way, as quoted by Reuters.

EV is among Thailand’s S-Curve industries being promoted via Board of Investment (BOI) incentives in areas such as the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

The BOI approved EV projects worth 161 billion baht in 2020, up 9 per cent from 2018.

Thailand’s National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee has targeted production of 603,000 EVs in 2025 and 1.4 million in 2030.

The country is also eyeing production of lithium-ion batteries – in demand for EVs and renewable power.

Solar power generation is projected to grow 13.9 per cent per year, and wind power generation to grow 13.5 per cent from 2020 to 2027, according to Allied Market Research. Both use lithium-ion batteries.

Krungthai Compass research centre expects the semiconductor business to grow along with the lithium-ion battery market, opening the way for Thailand’s diode and transistor sector, which ranks as the world’s 11th largest exporter.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001518

School, hospital solar rooftops can sell power to grid from next year

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has announced it will purchase a total of 50 megawatts of electricity next year from solar systems installed at schools, educational institutions and hospitals, and hydro-generators in the agricultural sector.

The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) will buy the electricity at a rate of 1 baht per unit, said ERC secretary-general Komkrit Tantravanich.

The MEA will purchase 6MW from schools and 6MW from hospitals while the PEA will buy 14MW from schools, 14MW from hospitals, and 10MW agricultural hydro-generators.

“I expect applications for power-purchase agreements to exceed the 50MW limit because schools and hospital groups are showing a lot of interest,” said Komkrit.

Applications will be granted on a first come, first served basis, with the names of successful applicants finalised by December 30, 2021. Power producers under the agreement must be generating electricity for the grid by December 31, 2021.

Published : June 01, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001517

No businesses in Bangkok opening until June 14: CCSA

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Monday rescinded the order to allow some businesses to reopen, saying all must remain shut until June 14.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had decided to allow five types of businesses in Bangkok to reopen under strict conditions as of Tuesday. Its aim was to ease the burden on business owners affected by the third wave of the outbreak.

The types of businesses set to reopen on Tuesday were:

• Museums, learning centres, science parks, historic sites and art galleries (no group visits allowed)

• Tattoo parlours and nail salons (must close for 14 days if any Covid-19 cases are discovered) • Beauty/weight loss clinics or parlours

• Spa, massage parlour and healthcare-related venues (no steam baths or facial massage allowed)

• Public parks and botanical gardens (no food or picnicking allowed)

Meanwhile, measures to curb the spread of the virus in communities, markets and workers’ camps are continuing, BMA said.

Published : May 31, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001516

Strict checks on travellers to Phuket

Every domestic traveller heading to Phuket will be strictly screened for Covid and must provide relevant documentation, the provincial governor announced recently. According to the new regulations, all travellers must have evidence showing they are:

• Fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or have received at least one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine;

• Have had no sign of Covid-19 infection for at least 90 days;

• Have tested negative for Covid-19 via an RT-PCR or Antigen Rapid Test no more than seven days before flying. Travellers who fail to provide this evidence will not be allowed to board flights to Phuket.

However, this rule does not apply to children up to the age of five.

Travellers to Phuket are also required to:

• Download the MorChana app on their smartphone and keep the location turned on at all times; • Register and provide all entry information on http://www.gophuget.com;

• Ensure self-monitoring under the Covid-19 prevention and control measures and also avoid entering communities or crowded areas.

Travellers are encouraged to check with the airline before flying.

Published : May 31, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001514

Police snare cannabis smugglers outside Bangkok mall

Cannabis-smugglers drove into the car park of a Bangkok mall on Monday, only to fall into a trap set by the Crime Suppression Division.

Police lying in wait at the department store’s parking lot in Chatuchak district pounced as a truck and car arrived with three men inside. Officers then searched the truck and uncovered 300 kilos of marijuana. Police seized the drugs and vehicles and arrested Pattana Wannakij (36), Somkiat Inkong (44) and a 17-year-old suspect. All three were charged with trafficking cannabis.

“A source informed us that smugglers would ferry cannabis from a neighbouring country to Bangkok, so we investigated and found out that they planned to change vehicles at a department store’s parking lot in Lat Phrao,” said police.

Police snare cannabis smugglers outside Bangkok mall

The suspects confessed they had been hired by “Mr B” to deliver cannabis from Nakhon Phanom on the Laos border to a client in Bangkok for 90,000 baht, police added. The three males were charged with possessing Category 5 narcotics (cannabis) for sale.

Police snare cannabis smugglers outside Bangkok mall

Published : May 31, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001512

Majority want schools closed until teachers, students get jabs: survey

A nationwide survey conducted by the Department of Health shows most people agree that schools should stay closed until teachers and students get Covid-19 jabs.

The new school term is scheduled to start on June 14, except in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan where reopening has been delayed due to high infection rates.

The department said the survey was conducted in all four regions of the country, but it declined to give details on dates or the number of respondents.

According to the survey, 54.8 per cent of respondents wanted schools and educational institutions to remain closed, while 40.5 per cent did not. However, 66.2 per cent of people in the North wanted schools to reopen.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has announced that all schools should refund fees for tuition and other services that they cannot provide at this time. Where fees must be collected, payment deadlines should be extended or rates reduced.

Published : May 31, 2021

By : The Nation