More than 17,500 people have been inoculated against Covid-19 in the five days since vaccination began.
Dr Chakrarat Pittayawonganon, director of the Bureau of Mental Health Strategy under the Department of Disease Control, revealed that 17,697 people had received the Covid-19 vaccination from February 28 to March 4. He urged those who had been vaccinated to abstain from alcohol for at least three days.
In the five days since Covid-19 vaccination began, 270 people have had adverse reactions (1.5 per cent of the total vaccinated people), 24 per cent reported pain and swelling in the injected area, 15 per cent had nausea, 13 per cent dizziness and 8 per cent muscle ache.
Some 46 per cent of students are moderately keen to be inoculated against Covid-19, according to a recent Siam University poll.
The Singha Siam poll by the Faculty of Political Science at Siam University on Saturday revealed the results of the survey on “The second wave of Covid-19 and politics 2021”.
The survey conducted between February 2-20 polled 1,328 high school students under the age of 18 years in Bangkok, the metropolitan and central regions .
The survey results found that high school students’ happiness about online learning at home was at a moderate level (42.5 per cent ), followed by quite happy (33.4 per cent), dissatisfaction (14.5 per cent) and satisfaction (9.6 per cent).
Regarding confidence in continuing education at the bachelor level during the second Covid-19 wave, the survey found that their confidence was at moderate level (53.9 per cent), followed by low level (27.1 per cent), high level (14.8 per cent) and not continuing education (4.2 per cent).
Regarding their future career plan if the Covid-19 epidemic in Thailand is not resolved, 37.5 per cent of students are interested in launching their own private businesses, 28.7 per cent want to be civil servants, 19.0 per cent intend to be self-employed, 4.2 per cent want to join state enterprises, 9.7 per cent are eyeing private companies and 0.9 per cent aim to become farmers.
Nearly half of the respondents — 47.3 per cent — were moderately satisfied with the government’s management and measures during the second wave of Covid-19, 31 per cent regarded it as low level, 17.2 per cent were dissatisfied and 4.5 per cent were very satisfied.
Information on the epidemic was the most followed — 35.3 per cent, followed by entertainment news (32.0 per cent), political news (19.6 per cent) and other news (13.0 per cent).
Confidence in participating in political gatherings amid the second Covid-19 wave was moderate (52.4 per cent), low (21.1 per cent), high (17.2 per cent) and not participating (9.3 per cent).
Almost half of the high school students surveyed agreed with political gatherings during the second Covid-19 wave in an online survey (Facebook, Twitter, Line, Instagram) with 48.5 per cent being moderately keen to take part, 33.1 per cent strongly agreeing, 14.2 per cent having low interest in participating and 4.2 per cent not participating.
If the government has imported a vaccine against Covid-19, 45.5 per cent of students expressed medium keenness to get vaccinated, 34.9 per cent were highly keen, 14.2 per cent had low level of interest and 5.4 per cent did not want to vaccinated.
Police set up empty containers as barriers on Phahonyothin Road near Wat Phra Si Mahathat in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district on Saturday afternoon in anticipation of rallies by anti-government protesters.
Several political groups have scheduled rallies on Saturday at various locations in Bangkok.
Metropolitan Police chief Pol Lt-General Phukphong Phongpetra said that the bureau has deployed 32 companies of crowd control police, or 4,800 officers, to ensure public safety at these locations.
The Ratchakitcha, or Government Gazette website, on Saturday published an order prohibiting rallies or public gatherings that could risk spreading Covid-19 in provinces at high risk.
The Chief of Defence Forces, General Chalermpol Srisawat, signed the order on Friday prohibiting people from holding rallies or public gatherings in Bangkok, Samut Prakarn, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathum, and Pathum Thani provinces without approval from officials.
People who violate the order will face two years’ imprisonment, or fine up to Bt40,000, or both.
Four pro-democracy groups and one pro-monarchy group have scheduled rallies in Bangkok on Saturday.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Saturday reported 64 new cases, 10 of whom were overseas travellers in quarantine facilities.
Of the 29 exposed to the disease while visiting high-risk areas, 24 were in Samut Sakhon, two each in Bangkok and Tak, and one in Nonthaburi.
Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of 25 cases, 17 in Samut Sakhon, four each in Pathum Thani and Bangkok.
Of the overseas travellers found to be infected in quarantine facilities, three Thais had returned from Croatia and the United Arab Emirates, a Malaysian had travelled from Indonesia, while a Bangladeshi, a Dutch, a Myanmar, a German, an American and a UAE national had come from their respective countries.
Meanwhile, 45 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Saturday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 26,305. Of these, 23,472 had been contracted locally, including 14,641 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,833 were returnees. So far, 25,686 have recovered and been discharged, 534 patients are still in hospitals and 85 have died.
According to the CCSA’s virus transmission map, 55 provinces have not had a case for more than 28 days, five provinces have been free for 15-28 days, six provinces for 7-14 days, five provinces have seen new cases in the last 3-6 days and six provinces have had new cases almost every day.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Saturday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 116.67 million (up by 447,051), 92.28 million have recovered, 21.75 million are active cases (89,431 in severe condition) and 2.59 million have died (up by 9,655).
Thailand ranks 115th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 29.59 million, followed by India 11.19 million, Brazil 10.87 million, Russia 4.3 million and the United Kingdom 4.2.
NationalMar 06. 2021The ‘Thanks, deer, for guarding my camp’ caption for the photos have now been shared more than 1,400 times on Facebook.
By The Nation
A visitor to the Khaoyai National Park had a pleasant surprise in store for him when he returned in the evening after an outing: a wild deer was sleeping peacefully in front of his tent.
The photo of the deer posted byKachawoot Narerk on his Facebook page got 1,400 shares.
Photo Credit: Kachawoot Narerk
Kachawoot said that he likes to stay in isolation in the forest. However, he has never seen animals come and sleep close to human habitation like this, especially where hundreds of tents are lined up.
“She may have felt a sense of warmth and security. There were many people standing around, taking pictures of this deer, lying curled up and sleeping in peace. They have probably never seen a sight like this,” said Kachawoot.
A proposed dam construction project along the Prem Prachakorn canal is dealing with 13 areas of encroachments by communities, a top Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) official said.
The Klong Prem Prachakorn Dam Construction Project and Housing Management from Don Muang district in Pathum Thani province to Thetsaban Songkhro Road in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district is expected to be completed by 2023.
BMA permanent secretary Silapasuay Raweesangsoon said that contracts for the dam construction project, Section 4 from Chaengwattana Road to Thetsaban Songkhro Road, had already been awarded on December 4, 2020, and work is expected to finish by January 22, 2023.
The work involves dam construction on a canal length of 5,350 metres, equivalent to a dam length of 10,700 metres, including pipeline work to collect wastewater, walkway behind the embankment and steel railing.
Some 1,469 houses of 13 alleged illegal communities are encroaching on the construction area of the canal, the official said. The BMA can negotiate and recover approximately 850 metres from the total area of 10,700 metres, accounting for 8 per cent of the total area of the project, Silapasuay said. The contractors can operate 843 foundation piles from a total of 15,600, accounting for 5.40 per cent of the total number of piles in the project. They have also installed 835 soil retaining panels, 331 metres of drainage work and a 213-metre walkway behind the embankment. Total work on the project is 4.12 per cent complete, he added.
The Prem Prachakorn canal project aims to improve the quality of life of the people in both the community and the city while improving drainage efficiency.
Five groups of protesters have scheduled rallies at various locations in Bangkok on Saturday, a news source revealed.
The groups are:
1. The “REDEM” group has scheduled a gathering at Ha Yaek Lat Phrao at 5pm, before marching to the Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek Road. They have announced that their activity will end at 9pm.
2. The “Anti-Dictatorship Vocational Students” group has scheduled a gathering at Victory Monument at 5pm.
3. The “Release Our Friends” group has scheduled a rally in front of Tesco Lotus Rangsit branch, and will later march to 11th Infantry Regiment Headquarters.
4. Pro-democracy activist Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpatararaksa has organised a walking rally from in front of Zeer Rangsit Department Store at 9am and ending at Kasetsart University at 4pm, for a total distance of 16km.
5. The “Vocational Group Protecting the Monarch” plans a rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection and in front of CentralWorld Department Store.
All except the last group are anti-government protesters.
Metropolitan Police chief Pol Lt-General Phukphong Phongpetra said on Friday that police have prepared 32 companies of crowd control police (4,800 officers) who are ready to be deployed at either rally site if necessary. “These officers will stand by in three shifts to ensure public safety,” he added.
Samut Sakhon Governor Veerasak Vichitsangsri has greatly recovered from Covid-19 and is now in the process of slowly rehabilitating his lungs and muscles, his daughter Namwan posted on her Facebook on Friday.
Veerasak tested positive in December and has since been hospitalised, while his province has become the country’s hot spot in the second Covid-19 wave, with a total 16,449 positive cases reported so far.
“My father is able to eat and talk like a normal person, but he gets tired after 5-10 minutes as his immune system has not recovered fully,” wrote Namwan.
“Doctors are still concerned about reinfection, so they have prohibited visitors at the moment.
“Doctors said he would need to stay at Siriraj Hospital for at least two weeks, and if his health improves they would allow him to recuperate at home,” she added.
Longtail boats go electric at Thailand’s famous floating market
NationalMar 06. 2021Marine Department officers test ride an electric longtail boat
By The Nation
A high-tech innovation is restoring traditional tranquillity to popular tourist destination Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. The ear-splitting noise of diesel engines is being replaced by the gentle hum of electric longtail boats, ferrying passengers through the market in Ratchaburi province.
The idea for longtail EVs was hatched in December 2019 after people complained of the noise and pollution created by car engines that propel traditional longtail boats.
Thai e-vehicle manufacturer Sakun C Innovation Co was invited to find a way of making the traditional boats less noisy and more eco-friendly.
On Friday, Marine Department chief Witthaya Yamuang inspected the results – three prototype EV longtail boats.
Two of the prototypes have wooden hulls while the third is aluminium. The boats will run for 10 kilometres and take four hours to charge at home. Their maximum speed is about 20 kilometres per hour.
Witthaya said the department aims to produce another 8-10 electric longtail boats to support community tourism.
The ‘Thanks, deer, for guarding my camp’ caption for the photos have now been shared more than 1,400 times on Facebook.
Marine Department officers test ride an electric longtail boat
