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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404307

Pattaya to host record-breaking ‘Kites on the Beach’ for Songkran

NationalMar 30. 2021

By The NationPattaya will launch its first-ever kite festival to wow tourists with a kaleidoscope of flying shapes and colours during Songkran.

“Pattaya Kites on the Beach 2021” will take place from April 9-19 in front of the Central Festival Pattaya Beach mall. The highlight of the event is the largest “bowl” kite ever made – a 35-metre-long whale kite certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Also lighting up the sky will be giant bears, dragons and kites adorned with LED lights.

Children can join kite-making workshops to make themselves a souvenir of their special day.

The kite festival will also feature traditional Songkran rites, though water splashing events are banned this year in line with Covid-19 restrictions.

Pattaya’s deputy mayor Ronnakit Eakkasing said the kites should help the city’s tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.

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Thanathorn meets with police over lese majeste charge

NationalMar 30. 2021

By THE NATION

Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on Tuesday met with investigators at Nang Leong Police Station in Bangkok after responding to a police summons.

The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has filed lese majeste charges against Thanathorn over his statement linking Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccination plans to a royally owned pharmaceutical company.

On January 18, Thanathorn went on Facebook Live to slam the government for its tardiness in providing Covid-19 vaccines and pointed out that Siam Bioscience – the Thai company tasked with manufacturing the AstraZeneca vaccine – is owned by His Majesty the King.

Thanathorn said the government claimed to have approved a vaccine plan from the first quarter of last year, but Siam Bioscience was only added to the plan in the second quarter of 2020 – when anti-establishment protesters began holding their rallies. He then asked whether the AstraZeneca-Siam Bioscience deal was politically motivated.

The lese majeste law (Section 112 of the Criminal Code) states that “whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, will be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years”.

After the meeting with police, Thanathorn told reporters he was not worried about the case. “If you watch the video again you will see that there is not a single comment I made that violates Section 112,” he said. “What I said two months ago, which is still true today, is motivated by my concern for society. If we rely too much on one single company [for vaccines], the risk to society becomes greater.”

Thanathorn added that the government currently has over 1 million doses of vaccine in stock that have not yet been distributed.

“We have injected 150,000 doses since late February, or about 5,000 doses per day, which indicates inefficiency in vaccine distribution. At this rate it would take 200 days to use up all vaccine in stock,” he said. “Prime Minister Prayut keeps using the monarch to conceal his inability to distribute the vaccine to those who need it. It is no surprise that when I pointed out the issue I was immediately slapped with a lese majeste charge.”

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404302

Landmark power project at Sirindhorn Dam aims to boost electricity supply and tourism

NationalMar 30. 2021

By The Nation

A hydro-floating solar hybrid project coming up at Sirindhorn Dam in Ubon Ratchathani province is being conceived as a new landmark for renewable energy and also stimulate the province’s economy by the end of this year.

Ubon Ratchathani Governor Sarit Witoon said Sirindhorn Dam was one of the province’s attractions that many tourists visited.

“The hydro-floating solar hybrid project will draw tourists to see the beauty of floating solar cells,” Sarit said.

He added that the move was in line with the province’s development plan that focuses on creating environmentally friendly economic and social growth.

Provincial Electricity Authority governor Boonyanit Wongrukmit said the 45-megawatt hydro-floating solar hybrid project will be the first of its kind in Thailand that can produce solar and hydro electricity to resolve the problem of uncertain power supply from a renewable source.

“We expect the project to generate electricity for commercial use by June this year,” Boonyanit said.

He added that the PEA had prepared tourist facilities in the area, such as souvenir shops, bicycle rental shops, tourist bus checkpoints and rafting area in a bid to stimulate tourism, create jobs and generate income for the community.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404300

Duty waiver on sanitary, anti-dust face masks extended until Sept 30

NationalMar 30. 2021

By THE NATION

The government has extended the exemption period for import duty on sanitary and anti-dust face masks as well as their manufacturing components until September 30.

In a Facebook post on Monday, government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said: “The move aims to ensure adequate supply of face masks during the Covid-19 outbreak as well as amid the air pollution caused by PM 2.5 dust particles.

“This exemption will cover face masks or components used to manufacture face masks for surgery or other medical purposes, and masks that protect against dust, smog or other toxic substances.”

In March 2020, the government had waived import duty on face masks, medical equipment, Covid-19 virus test kits and anti-virus medicine. The measure had expired in December last year, right before the new wave of outbreak was reported in Samut Sakhon province.

“The government estimates that extension of the waiver would result in lost revenue of about Bt9 million, or more, depending on the domestic demand for face masks,” Ratchada said in her post.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404301

Karen refugees will not be sent back to Myanmar: Foreign Ministry

NationalMar 30. 2021Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

By THE NATION

The Karen villagers who have fled across the border to Thailand will not be deported as rumoured, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thani Saengrat said on Tuesday.

Thousands of Karen villagers crossed into Thailand last week to escape clashes between Myanmar forces and the Karen National Union.

Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Thani said Thai authorities will look after the refugees in line with humanitarian principles, adding that reports saying the escapees will be sent back were unreliable.

He said Thailand has always monitored the border with Myanmar for clashes and Covid-19 cases, and is always ready to deal with refugees.

Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

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Chiang Mai air quality plummets as forest fire erupts

NationalMar 30. 2021Photo credit: Sumit Athiprom

By THE NATION

A forest fire broke out in the Samoeng district of Chiang Mai province, but officials have reportedly managed to control it as of Tuesday morning.

Observers said the mountain looked like an erupting volcano since Monday night.

As of 11am on Tuesday, the Air Visual application showed that air quality in Chiang Mai was ranked the third worst in the world, with 181 points on air quality index.

A recent report stated that officials had requested two helicopters to support their firefighting operation this afternoon. Around 50 rai of forestland was reportedly damaged by the fire.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404297

48 new Covid-19 cases reported, most in quarantine facilities and Bangkok

NationalMar 30. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Tuesday reported 48 new cases. 21 of them overseas travellers in quarantine facilities.

Of the 22 people exposed to the disease while visiting high-risk areas, 14 were in Bangkok, six in Samut Sakhon, and two in Nakhon Pathom.

Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of five cases — three in Bangkok and two in Samut Sakhon.

Of the infected overseas travellers, 16 were Thais, a Filipino, a Nepali, a Belgian, an Indian and a Russian.

Meanwhile, 66 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 28,821. Of these, 25,742 had been contracted locally, including 16,057 who were found via proactive testing, while 3,070 were returnees. So far, 27,379 have recovered and been discharged, 1,348 patients are still in hospitals, and 94 have died.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 128.24 million (up by 441,857), 103.46 million have recovered, 21.98 million are active cases (94,802 in severe condition) and 2.8 million have died (up by 7,507).

Thailand ranks 116th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 31.03 million, followed by, Brazil 12.57 million, India 12.09 million, France 4.55, and Russia 4.52 million.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Public Health Immunisation Centre said that 154,293 doses of vaccine had been provided to people nationwide between February 28 and March 28, and 21,183 people had been inoculated with the second dose.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404295

Baht expected to weaken against dollar in the short term

NationalMar 30. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 31.21 to the US dollar on Tuesday, weakening from its close of 31.18 on Monday.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 31.10 and 31.25 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

The baht in the short term would move in line with the dollar, Poon said, advising investors to monitor funds flowing into the stock market.

The market strategist added that the baht would weaken slightly. Exporters would aim to sell the dollar when the baht moves between 31.15 to 31.20 per US.

Meanwhile, importers planned to purchase the dollar, when the US currency was equal to Bt31.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404272

Some advice for holidaymakers heading to Thailand

NationalMar 30. 2021

By THE NATION

Thailand has decided to reduce its mandatory quarantine period for foreign arrivals from 14 days to 10 days from Wednesday onwards.

The quarantine period will be further reduced to just seven days for travellers who have been inoculated against Covid-19.

However, travellers from high-risk countries will still be required to quarantine for 14 days.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (CESA) decided on March 26 to launch the Phuket “tourism sandbox” for vaccinated tourists from July 1 as proposed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said tourists who can verify they have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely without having to quarantine.

Similar schemes will be applied to other destinations such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phang Nga and Surat Thani later, once more people have been vaccinated and preventive measures are put in place.

The government also plans to completely remove quarantine measures for foreign arrivals from October 1, by which time a large number of Thais should be vaccinated.

But before the country completely opens, here is some advice for people planning to holiday in Thailand:

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Jailed ex-minister, four others ordered to pay Bt15 billion damages over rice-pledging scheme

NationalMar 30. 2021Boonsong Teriyapirom (File Photo)

By THE NATION

The Central Administrative Court on Monday read its verdict in a case where the Foreign Trade Department (FTD) sued former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and four other officials for damage to the country from the Yingluck Shinawatra administration’s rice-pledging scheme.

The other four defendants are Manas Soiploy, the former director-general of the FTD; Tikhumporn Natvaratat, former director of the Bureau of Rice Trade Administration; Akharapong Theepwatchara, former secretary to the FTD; and Poom Sarapol, former deputy commerce minister.

In 2017 the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions had convicted the five for their role in the government-to-government rice scandal. The case was filed after the military overthrew Yingluck’s government in the 2014 coup.

Boonsong was sentenced to 42 years in jail; Manas to 40 years; Poom to 36 years; Tikhumporn to 32 years and Akharapong to 24 years.

The other key defendant who was given 48 years in prison by the Supreme Court was well-known rice trader Apichart “Sia Piang” Chabsakulporn of Siam Indiga Company. He was also ordered to pay Bt16.9 billion in damages to the Finance Ministry.

The five had filed a petition with the Central Administrative Court asking it to overturn the Commerce Ministry’s order for them to pay damages caused by their abuse of authority in conducting the fake G2G rice deal.

However, the court ruled that they had a clear intention to commit graft and therefore ordered them to pay the compensation as follows: Manas – Bt4 billion; Tikhumporn – Bt4 billion; Poom – Bt2.2 billion; Akharapong – Bt2.6 billion and Boonsong – Bt1.7 billion.

The five can appeal the ruling within 30 days.