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Thai air traffic plummeted 40% in Jan after new outbreak

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By The Nation

Flights in January slumped by 40 per cent from December following the fresh Covid-19 outbreak, the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) said on Wednesday.

The agency said the second wave of Covid-19 caused airlines to adjust or cancel flights in line with tourism demand and virus-containment measures.

Air traffic volume in January totalled 23,536 flights. Of these, 5,244 were international flights, 10,170 domestic, 2,657 flights across Thai airspace and 5,465 military and government flights.

“Air traffic volume in January slumped by 15,970 flights or 40 per cent compared to December last year,” Aerothai said.

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Ratsadon leaders planning next protest after OAG delays case

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By The Nation
Photos by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit

The Office of the Attorney General on Wednesday postponed an appointment with 18 Ratsadon pro-democracy protesters to March 8.

The protesters, including Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, Panupong “Mike” Jadnok, Jatupat “Pai” Boonpattararaksa, Chukiat “Justin” Saengwong, Attapon Buapat and Chaiamorn “Ammy” Kaewwiboonpa, were summoned to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) on Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek Road to hear charges over a rally held at Sanam Luang on September 19-20 last year. The charges include lese majeste and sedition.

Supporters who gathered to encourage the 18 protesters were met by a cordon of police at the OAG.

Both Panusaya and Panupong said they had faith in the fairness of the judiciary even though they had not been granted bail, adding that their anti-government protest was not over.

“We studied lessons from the violence during the protest in front of the Supreme Court on February 13, and we promise that security will be tightened at the next demonstration,” Panusaya said.

Meanwhile, the protesters’ lawyer, Kritsadang Nutcharat, said the OAG has also set an appointment date of March 25 for 13 protesters charged over a rally held at the Germany Embassy in October last year. 

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Thailand’s edible insects make leap into global market

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

The crunch of Thailand’s insect delicacies may soon be heard all around the world, after Mexico agreed to import Thai cricket products.

Mexico’s National Food Safety and Quality Service has approved the import of Thai house crickets (Acheta domesticus) in the form of powder, reports the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards (ACFS).

“Mexico’s approval … is the first step for Thai edible insects to penetrate the global market,” said ACFS secretary-general Pisal Pongsapich.

Pisal Pongsapich

He said Mexico’s decision came on February 12 after talks with Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, ACFS, the Department of Livestock Development, and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles, which has been actively promoting Thai edible insects in foreign markets.

To meet Mexican food standards, crickets must be raised on a closed farm with GAP (good agricultural practice) accreditation.

“Consumers in Latin America are already familiar with eating insects as food or snacks, while the Mexican market could serve as a gateway to North American markets for Thai cricket farmers,” said Pisal.

He added that farmers interested in obtaining certificates of export standards should contact the Bureau of Livestock Standards and Certification at the Livestock Development Office in their province, or the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards.

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Thais in Myanmar urged to follow new laws under junta regime

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By The Nation

The Thai Embassy in Yangon said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that all Thai nationals living in the country should observe Myanmar’s revised laws.

The post said that Thais who wish to shift house must inform the ward or village-tract administrators as per the Ward and Village Tract Administration Law, which was amended on February 13.

The embassy also said people should think before sharing messages, images or video clips as they may violate Myanmar’s Criminal Code, which was revised on Valentine’s Day.

“Thais should also avoid going to areas where protests are being held,” the embassy warned.

According to Bloomberg, Brig-General Zaw Min Tun, the lead spokesman for the State Administration Council, said on Tuesday the military’s action was in line with the 2008 charter and was “not a coup”. He said the regime was taking steps to fight Covid-19 and wanted to attract foreign investment. The new administration also sought to discredit protesters by releasing clips of them getting violent with security officials.

“To ensure democracy and prosperity, people should cooperate with us without being emotional,” Zaw Min Tun said in the military’s first official press briefing since the February 1 coup. He said the junta would proceed with an election according to its timeline while “trying not to be violent as much as possible”.

The remarks signal Myanmar’s army is looking to improve its image after tens of thousands of people have hit the streets in defiance for more than a week, drawing support from democracy activists in Asia and Western governments.

US President Joe Biden sanctioned coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and other top generals while foreign investors have reassessed plans to put money in the country.

Zaw Min Tun said the generals expected sanctions and dismissed their impact, saying it had experience of such things when Myanmar faced international isolation prior to its shift toward democracy a decade ago.

“We will make sure to keep good terms with the UN and all the countries,” he said. “Our council is trying to strengthen ties with all countries.”

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Minister urges Thais to use Clubhouse app ‘carefully’

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

The Digital Economy and Society Ministry (DES) is calling on youngsters to be careful when using the “Clubhouse” social-media app, because they may end up involuntarily violating the law.

Clubhouse, an exclusive social-networking app, is suddenly all the rage among Thai netizens. This application became popular because it was launched during the Covid-19 outbreak when most people were forced to stay at home.

Its trendiness was also pushed by celebrity users such as Elon Musk, Jared Leto, Kanye West – and exiled Thai scholar Pavin Chachavalpongpun.

DES Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta said he has learned that some political groups are using this voice-only app to “share fake news”, which is allegedly causing problems in society.

He warned people not to misuse the app unless they want to be charged with violating the Computer Crime Act.

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Mekong levels still falling in Thailand after China dam shut-off

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

Mekong River levels in northern Thailand are continuing to drop after China halted release of water from its Jinghong Dam in Yunnan.

The level of the Mekong in Chiang Rai’s Chiang Saen district has fallen from 2.5 metres to 1.84 metres over the past week (February 10-17).

Thai officials told the press they received no warning of the water situation from Jinghong Dam in Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, about 400 kilometres upstream from Chiang Saen.

It is suspected that Thailand was given no warning about the drop in Mekong levels, since Chinese authorities have now closed the port in Xishuangbanna and few boats are travelling upstream from Chiang Saen to China.

Last Friday, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) said that water levels had dropped considerably since the beginning of the year due to lower rainfall, flow changes upstream, hydropower operations in Mekong tributaries, and outflow restrictions from Jinghong Dam.

On January 2-4, water levels at the Chiang Saen monitoring station plunged by about 1 metre.

Since then, levels at Chiang Saen have fluctuated wildly, rising and falling in a range of over half a metre. Downstream, the fluctuation between Chiang Khan in Thailand’s Loei and Vientiane in Laos has been even more severe, with the river rising and falling over a range of 0.82 metres.

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175 new cases reported, 74 in Pathum Thani alone

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Tuesday reported 175 new cases, including seven returnees from overseas who are in quarantine facilities.

CCSA spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said the most cases, or 74, were found through proactive testing in Pathum Thani and were mostly related to main provincial markets, namely Suchart, Rangsit and Pornpat.

Meanwhile, of the returnees, five were Thai, including two from the United Arab Emirates, one from Myanmar and two from Japan. The remaining two were a Chinese national from the UK and a Kyrgyz from Austria.

Separately, 134 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 24,961, of which 22,304 had been contracted locally, including the 14,152 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,657 were returnees.

So far, 23,697 patients have recovered and been discharged, 1,182 patients are still under treatment, while the death toll remains at 82.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 110.03 million (up by 342,151), 84.87 million have recovered, 22.74 million are being treated with 97,231 are in severe condition and 2.42 million have died (up by 9,777).

Thailand ranks 114th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 28.38 million, followed by India with 10.93 million, Brazil 9.92 million, Russia 4.09 million and the United Kingdom 4.05 million.

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Medical student’s movements since Feb 1 monitored

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By The Nation

Pathum Thani’s Covid-19 operation centre released the timeline of a medical student from Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus who tested positive on Tuesday.

The Faculty of Medicine had issued a statement earlier saying 47 people had come in contact with the student. Of them, 42 tested negative and five are awaiting results. The faculty believes the student may have been infected by patients who had arrived at Thammasat University Hospital for treatment on February 9.

The student’s timeline is as follows:

February 1-4

7am-noon: Attends lecture with 16 fellow students at the university’s Kittiwattana building.

1pm-4pm: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

February 5

8am-10am: Attends morning meeting with 16 other students.

10am-4pm: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

7pm-9pm: Has dinner with friends at Bankara Ramen, Future Park Rangsit.

February 6-7

7am-8am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

9am-4pm: Studies in his dormitory.

February 8

7am-8am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

8am-noon: Tends to patients at the gynaecology department.

Noon-1pm: Lunches with six friends.

1pm-4pm: Attends lecture.

4pm: Returns to the dormitory.

February 9

7am-8am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

9am-noon: Tends to patients at the gynaecology department. Noon-1pm: Lunches with six friends.

1pm-4pm: Attends lecture.

4pm-5pm: Reports for hospital duty.

5pm-6pm: Dines with his senior at a suki restaurant in U-Square.

6pm-7pm: Dines at a kebab shop on Chiang Rak Road with his friends.

7pm: Returns to the dormitory.

February 10

7am-8am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

8am-noon: Tends to patients at the gynaecology department.

Noon-1pm: Lunches with six friends.

1pm-4pm: Attends lecture.

4pm-11pm: Reports for duty at the hospital’s delivery department. 11pm: Returns to the dormitory.

February 11

7am-8am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

8am-noon: Tends to patients at the gynaecology department.

Noon-1pm: Lunches with six friends.

1pm-4pm: Sits for an exam.

4pm: Goes to study.

5pm-7.30pm: Dines at Ongsa BBQ restaurant.

7.30pm: Returns to the dormitory.

February 12

7am-8am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

1pm: Lunches with eight friends at Luka Siri House, Chidlom Road. Complains of a stuffy nose.

5pm-7pm: Dines at Future Park Rangsit.

February 13

8am-9am: Tends to patients at the obstetrics department.

9am-3pm: Remains in the dormitory.

3pm-5pm: Hangs out with friends at Starbucks, Future Park Rangsit.

5pm: Buys food from a shop on Chiang Rak Road. Develops high temperature.

February 14

Tests positive for Covid-19 at Thammasat University Hospital and is admitted immediately.

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Thai gaming industry could shoot up to Bt33 billion in 2021: DEPA

NationalFeb 17. 2021DEPA president and CEO Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin

By THE NATION

The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), the operating arm of the Digital Economy and Society Ministry, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Thai Game Software Industry Association (TGA) to promote the creation of games and digital content to give the country’s digital economy a fillip.

“The MOU aims to reduce digital disparity among Thais as well as promote games and digital content that would help strengthen social and economic stability,” DEPA president and CEO Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin said.

“A survey by DEPA found that in 2020 Thailand’s gaming industry expanded by 14-15 per cent, with a total value of Bt29 billion,” he said. “We estimate that this year its value could increase to Bt33 billion as more people tend to avoid Covid-19 by staying home and playing video games to reduce stress.”

Nuttapon added that next month the DEPA is planning to launch a Game Accelerator Programme under cooperation with the TGA to serve as a platform to boost the capability of Thai game producers and developers to international standards, as well as promote their competitive edge in global markets.

“The gaming industry has a high potential to expand and could generate tremendous revenue for the economy,” TGA president Nenin Ananbanchachai said. “However, it needs proper support from the government and related agencies, especially in personnel talent development and accessibility to funding.”

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Draft plan on plastic waste management gets Cabinet green light

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

A Cabinet meeting approved a draft action plan to manage plastic waste proposed by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry under a road map that started in 2018 and will end in 2030, a news source said.

“The plan aims to reduce plastic waste by banning four types of products by 2022 and bringing at least 50 per cent of seven types of plastic products into the circular economy by means of reusing and recycling,” the source said.

The four types of plastic products to be banned by 2022 are:

> Plastic bags with a thickness of less than 36 microns;

> Foam containers for foods, excluding shock-absorbing foam for industrial use;

> Plastic beverage cups with a thickness of less than 100 microns, and

> Plastic straws, except for use in cases of necessity, such as for children, the elderly and patients.

The seven plastic products, at least 50 per cent of which would be targeted for reuse or recycling by 2022, are:

> Heavy duty plastic bags

> Single-layer plastic film containers

> All types of plastic bottles

> Plastic bottle caps

> Plastic beverage cups

> Plastic food containers and trays

> Plastic spoons, forks and knives.

“Under this plan, the ministry aims to reduce plastic waste by 780,000 tonnes per year and reduce the cost of waste management by Bt3.9 billion annually,” the source said.

“It would also reduce the area needed for waste landfill by up to 2,500 rai and reduce emission of greenhouse gases equivalent to 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide,” the source added.