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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000281

City bus service cut as Bangkok enters partial lockdown

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) will cut the number of bus trips on routes with few passengers from Wednesday, in a bid to contain the surge of Covid-19 infections.

BMTA director Surachai Iamwachirasakul explained that the Land Transport Department on April 17 asked transport operators to reduce services in red-zone provinces as much as possible.

A partial lockdown was imposed in Bangkok on Monday, with 31 types of business ordered to shut for two weeks as daily infections in Thailand rose past 2,000.

“Since many government and private agencies have allowed staff to work from home, while many educational institutions have organised online courses, the BMTA will reduce the number of bus services where passenger numbers have dropped,” he said.

He added that BMTA had imposed Covid controls to gain confidence among travellers, including temperature checks on all staff, frequent cleaning of buses, social distancing onboard and use of the ThaiChana and MorChana apps.

“As banknotes and coins may help spread Covid-19, passengers can pay their fare via BMTA electronic tickets, contactless debit or credit cards, state welfare cards, or mobile banking apps,” he added.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000280

Egat to make more positive pressure cabinets for Covid testing

As the country struggles with a fresh wave of infections, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) has announced it will make more positive pressure cabinets for conducting Covid-19 tests.

The third wave has driven Thailand’s cumulative cases to nearly 60,000 and Tuesday saw the highest number of deaths at 15.

“Egat has been making the Covid-19 test cabinets since the outbreak started last year,” Egat governor Boonyanit Wongrukmit said. “So far, we have made 500 such cabinets and provided them to hospitals, field hospitals and mobile testing units nationwide to ensure the safety of medical professionals.”

Egat to make more positive pressure cabinets for Covid testing

Boonyarit added that Egat has been working with Dr Anawat Sermsawan, deputy dean of Faculty of Medicine at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, who helped design the cabinets in such a way that they provide maximum protection and can be cheaply produced.

Egat to make more positive pressure cabinets for Covid testing

“The cabinets, which are almost as big as phone booths, are made from acrylic panels and have sealed holes for gloves,” he said. “Each cabinet is equipped with a high-quality ventilation, disinfection and air-filtration system as well as a microphone and speaker to communicate with patients. The cabinets are strengthened with a stainless-steel frame and are easy to transport.”

He added that Egat has been making the cabinets with the help of its staff and volunteers and providing them to medical units for free.

Hospitals or medical facilities can order theirs at arthit.u@egat.co.th.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000279

Covid deaths hit new high with 15, 2,179 new cases confirmed

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Tuesday reported 2,179 new cases and 15 deaths, the highest since the arrival of Covid-19. The new fatalities included nine cases in Bangkok, two in Nakhon Sawan and one each in Saraburi, Chaiyaphum, Phetchaburi and Samut Prakan.

The ages of those who succumbed to the virus ranged between 24 and 88, and all of them reportedly suffered from chronic conditions.

Meanwhile, of the 2,179 new cases, the highest number or 993 were in Bangkok, followed by 149 in Nonthaburi, 93 each in Samut Prakan and Pathum Thani, and 80 in Chonburi.

The new infections also included five arrivals from overseas, including three Thais, two from the UAE and one from Indonesia. The other two arrivals were an Indian from the US and a French national from Switzerland.

Meanwhile, 1,958 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.

As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 59,687. Of these, 56,401 had been contracted locally, including 21,732 who were found via proactive testing, while 3,286 were returnees.

So far, 33,551 have recovered and been discharged, 25,973 patients are still in hospitals, and 163 have died.

Since April 1, 69 people have succumbed to the virus, CCSA said. Thailand’s third wave of Covid-19 infections was sparked by some cluster cases in mid-March.

According to Worldometer, as of 11am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 148.44 million (up by 649,117), 126.07 million have recovered, 19.24 million are active cases (110,946 in severe condition) and 3.13 million have died (up by 9,923).

Thailand ranks 105th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 32.87 million, followed by India 17.62 million, Brazil 14.37 million, France 5.50 million, and Russia 4.77 million.

Separately, another 40,184 people were given their first shot of vaccine in the last 24 hours, while 37,182 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccines administered in Thailand to 1,227,032.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000277

Fifty-four provinces fining people for not wearing face mask

In response to the third wave of Covid-19 in Thailand, some provinces have ordered people to wear face masks in public. The penalty for violating this order is a fine of up to THB20,000, according to the Communicable Disease Act.

AMinistry of Interior announcment at 9.55pm on Tuesday said the following provinces have made it mandatory to wear masks in public: Kanchanaburi, Prachinburi, Phetchaburi, Suphanburi, Ayutthaya, Samut Sakhon, Lopburi, Samut Prakan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chonburi, Saraburi, Trat, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Chanthaburi, Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Pathum Thani, Sa Kaew, Ang Thong, Nakhon Nayok, Surat Thani, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang Nga, Phuket, Ranong, Satun, Songkhla, Yala, Sukhothai, Tak, Phetchabun, Uttaradit, Lamphun, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Yasothon, Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Udon Thani, Loei, Amnat Charoen, Buri Ram, Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen and Kalasin.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000275

Police confess to error in letting maskless vendor off with low fine

Police in Ayutthaya province have admitted to making a mistake by levying a low fine on a vendor for violating the face mask rule. Provincial Police Region 1 clarified on Monday about a fine document issued by Bang Pahan Police Station to a coconut milk vendor who had not worn a face mask.

The document, issued on April 25, and later posted on social media, showed the vendor was fined THB500, instead of at least THB6,000.

Provincial Police Region 1 explained that Bang Pahan officers misunderstood the fine rate under the Communicable Disease Act.

The organisation has revoked the fine and asked the local court to consider and fine the vendor at the proper rate.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000274

Wild elephant found dead in Chachoengsao rubber plantation

A wild elephant was found dead in a rubber plantation in Chachoengsao province, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation posted on its Facebook page on Monday.

The cause if death is unknown yet.

“Officials from Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary were alerted to the body of a wild elephant found in a rubber plantation located in Sanam Chaikhet district on Monday morning,” said the post. “They rushed to investigate and found a male elephant aged around 10 years and weighing around 1.3 tonne. The animal was lying face down with a powerline in its mouth.”

Wild elephant found dead in Chachoengsao rubber plantation

Officials speculated that the elephant might have been electrocuted after touching the power line that the plantation owner might have installed from an electricity pole to his house without permission from the authority.

“Officials are working to transport the elephant’s body to the sanctuary head office to perform a detailed autopsy to find out the cause of death,” said the post.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000272

Baht opens unchanged, markets wary of Covid-19 situation

The baht opened at 31.43 to the US dollar on Tuesday, unchanged from its close on Monday. The Thai currency is likely to move between 31.35 and 31.50 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

Poon said that if the dollar remained stable, the two main factors that could affect the baht were the Covid-19 situation in Thailand and the purchase of foreign currencies by some companies for paying dividends .

The market strategist said that foreign investors were concerned about the virus crisis in Thailand as was evident from the sales of Thai stocks.

In case the Covid-19 situation did not worsen, the baht would tend to move between 31.35 to 31.50 per US dollar.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000271

New Covid-19 fatalities highest since the outbreak

The number of Covid-19 deaths hit a new high on Tuesday after the Department of Disease Control reported 2,179 new Covid-19 cases with 15 fatalities.

Of the 2,179 new cases, 2,149 had been contracted locally, 25 were found via proactive testing and five were overseas arrivals in quarantine.

Meanwhile, 25,973 patients are still in hospitals, of whom 5,665 are in field hospitals and 169 are using ventilators.

Published : April 27, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000269

BTS management to take BMA to court over Bt30-billion Green Line dues

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) is preparing to file a case at the Central Administrative Court against the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for repayment of the costs it had incurred running the Green Line extension, BTS director Surapong Laoha-Unya said.

The BTS Skytrain operator has repeatedly demanded from the BMA repayment of the Bt30-billion expenditure it had incurred operating the Green Line extension and related expenses since 2018. The payment was due on March 31.

“The debt includes over Bt10.9 billion in wages for operating the Green Line extension since 2018 and purchase of a train operating system worth over Bt20.7 billion,” said Surapong.

“The company has been carrying this burden for four years while the BMA says it has no money to pay and is urging the government to take care of the debt.”

BTSC is a subsidiary of the SET-listed BTS Group Holdings Plc, and owns the Silom Line from National Stadium to the Taksin Bridge station, and the Sukhumvit route from Mor Chit to On Nut. The extensions of those two lines are owned by the BMA, which had hired BTSC to operate the service.

“As a SET-listed company with more than 101,700 shareholders, BTS Group Holdings needs to take this case to court to protect the rights of our shareholders who are mostly the general public,” added Surapong.

“We have no intention of using this debt as a condition to amend the Green Line concession contract.”

Published : April 27, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000262

Watch out for Supermoon tonight

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) has invited people to witness and take photographs of the Super Full Moon, an astronomical phenomenon that will happen on Tuesday night.

“Super Full Moon, or Supermoon, is a full moon that nearly coincides with the perigee — the closest that the Moon comes to the Earth in its elliptic orbit —resulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as viewed from Earth,” NARIT said on its Facebook page.

“The perigee is about 356,400km from the Earth, and this year the Moon will orbit as near as 357,370km from the Earth on Tuesday night. Hence, observers will see the Moon about 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter compared to when it was farthest from the Earth in the past year,” it added.

The NARIT added that observers should look for the Moon as it rises in the east from 7pm.

It also suggested the following techniques to take photographs of the Super Full Moon:

• Use telephoto lens with focal length over 300mm.

• Set the ISO at 400 or over

• Use Live View system from the camera’s screen to adjust the focus by trying to focus at the meteor crater on the Moon

• Use manual mode and set shutter speed in relation to the lens’ focal length. For example: if you use 600mm lens, you should set the shutter speed at least 1/600 second

• Set aperture size at f/4.0 – f/8.0

• Turn off the lens’ anti-vibration system

• Use a stable tripod

• Save the image in RAW format for flexibility in post processing adjustment

For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/Howto-SuperFullMoon270421

Published : April 27, 2021

By : THE NATION