#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Baht weakens, may continue streak as dollar strengthens

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 29.96 to the US dollar on Wednesday, weakening from Tuesday’s close of 29.86.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.88 and 29.98, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

He also said the baht would weaken slightly, due to a strengthened dollar, while investors in Asia would offload risk assets.

Financial markets were cautious, with risk assets being sold for speculation after long-term bond yields – such as the US Ten-Year Treasury yield – rose in value. The US yield grew more than 10 basis points to 1.30 per cent, the highest in a year. This increase pressured the gold price, which dropped 1.3 per cent to $1,795 (Bt53,797) per ounce.

The increase led to the dollar strengthening over other main currencies. The dollar index has lately reached 90.5 points, pressuring the Australian dollar and euro to weaken by 0.3 and 0.2 per cent, respectively.

On Wednesday, markets expected industrial production in the US to rise by 0.4 per cent from last month, while the capacity utilisation rate would reach 74.8 per cent to support increased demand.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

THAI employees seek probe into ‘fake’ funeral allowance certificates believed to cost company Bt14m

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

Twenty members of the Savings Cooperative for Employees of Thai Airways International (THAI) and their lawyers filed a complaint on Tuesday with the Crime Suppression Division, urging an investigation into some members of the cooperative who might have used fake death certificates to receive funeral allowances that the company has been providing via the savings cooperative.

“The cooperative has found that the number of members filing for funeral allowance has increased suspiciously over several years,” said cooperative representative Weerayut Thuankong, who joined the 20 in filing the complaint.

“We checked the evidence they submitted and found that the death certificates appeared to be fake, as the persons declared dead are still working for the company.”

Weerayut said the cooperative checked evidence dating back to 2013 and found 26 cases, which has caused an estimated Bt14 million in damages to the company.

“We only have evidence until 2013, but we believe there could be more members who have committed this fraud before that, so we are asking the police to launch a full investigation,” he added.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

FDA warns public against consuming slimming product

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to beware of a slimming product called “Mang Luck Capsule”, which claims to be made from sweet basil (ocimum basilicum) and helps “eliminate” excessive fat in the body, thus “accelerating weight loss” for overweight people.

“The FDA tested the product, which has not received approval, and found that it contains sibutramine, an appetite suppressant which is illegal in Thailand,” said vice secretary-general Supattra Boonserm.

“The unauthorised manufacturing, importing, exporting, selling or possessing of sibutramine is punishable by a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment and/or a Bt2-million fine,” she warned.

“Sibutramine is a dangerous substance, especially for those who have heart disease, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease or glaucoma, and for pregnant women,” she said.

“The side effects include a dry month, headache, insomnia, constipation, high blood pressure, accelerated heartbeat and even death.”

The FDA together with the police have already launched an investigation into the manufacturer and/or importer of the product.

Supattra said the FDA investigated the product after receiving complaints from consumers, who saw advertisements for the capsule online and doubted its effectiveness in eliminating fat as claimed.

“If you wish to lose weight, the safest ways are to go on a diet and exercise regularly,” she added. “For those who have information about illegal slimming products, contact FDA hotline 1556 or the agency via the Oryor mobile application.”

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Thundershowers, gusty winds forecast across Thailand

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By THE NATION

A weak high-pressure system from China is presently hovering over Thailand’s Northeast and is expected to cover the Central region and the East on Thursday, while southerly and southeasterly winds are bringing moisture from the South China Sea to Thailand’s lower North, the Central area and the East, causing isolated thundershowers with gusty winds, the Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

The department added that the northeast monsoon over the Gulf of Thailand and the South is strengthening and will bring more rain to the South.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Cool weather with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area as well as gusty wind; temperature lows of 16-22 degrees and highs of 32-37 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 3-14 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Cool weather with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area and gusty wind; temperature lows of 17-23 degrees and highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 10-15 degrees Celsius.

Central: Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area and gusty wind; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 34-36 degrees Celsius.

East: Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 31-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a metre high and 1 metre offshore.

South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 30-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rain; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 34-36 degrees Celsius; waves less than a metre high and 1 metre offshore.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area and gusty wind; temperature lows of 24-26 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Thailand detects 2 new cases of South African Covid variant

NationalFeb 17. 2021Dr Opass Putcharoen, chief of Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Clinical Centre

By The Nation

Three people have now tested positive in Thailand for the highly contagious South African strain of Covid-19, a health official confirmed on Tuesday.

Dr Opass Putcharoen, chief of Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases Clinical Centre, said all three cases were found to be carrying the B1.351 South African strain in Thai quarantine.

The first was a 41-year-old Thai gemstone merchant who tested positive on February 3 after returning from Tanzania. He suffered severe pneumonia but is recovering after being treated with Remdesivir.

However, two more people have since tested positive for the South African variant in quarantine, said Dr Opass.

Thailand has ordered 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which is thought to be only 10 per cent effective against mild and moderate cases caused by the South African strain.

Dr Opass urged the government to speed up vaccination and efforts to contain virus transmission, adding that health officials must monitor for Covid-19 variants that might affect the vaccine’s efficiency.

The South African variant is one of three Covid-19 strains being monitored around the world.

The other two are the Brazilian strain and the highly infectious UK strain – of which nine cases have been detected so far in Thai quarantine. Dr Opass warned that another strain similar to the South African variant had recently emerged abroad.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Thai Airways jet to land with first vaccine batch on Feb 24

NationalFeb 17. 2021

By The Nation

Thai Airways International (THAI), as the national carrier, has been assigned to fly 200,000 doses of CoronaVac vaccine from China to Thailand on February 24.

Flight TG675 will depart Beijing at 6.50am (local time) and arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok at 11.05am. The Airbus A350-900 will be carrying the first batch of 2 million vaccines that Thailand has ordered from Chinese company Sinovac.

The vaccine will be carried in temperature-controlled containers. CoronaVac can be safely stored at normal fridge temperatures.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has said the Thai Food and Drug Administration is ready to authorise CoronaVac for emergency use.

Thailand has also ordered 61 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, but shipments from Europe have been delayed.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

BTS fares remain unchanged

NationalFeb 16. 2021

By THE NATION

Passengers are not being charged fares for some 26 BTS stations, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said on Tuesday.

The free stations are on the BTS Green Line, from Bearing to Kheha and from Mo Chit to Khu Khot.

Bangkok’s Skytrain system covers 61 stations with a combined route length of 68.25 kilometres.

As of Tuesday, the maximum BTS fare remained unchanged at Bt59, despite talk last week of the maximum fare on the Green Line being raised to Bt104.

The Green Line extension from Bearing to Kheha has been open for public use since April 3, 2018, while the extension to Khu Kot was completed in December last year.

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC), which has been operating the system under a concession agreement with the BMA, has not been collecting additional fares for the extension. The BMA now owes BTSC about Bt9.6 billion in retroactive operating fees.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Kanchanaburi park rangers snare suspected bird-hunter

NationalFeb 16. 2021Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation’s Facebook

By THE NATION

A 64-year-old man caught snaring wild birds in Kanchanaburi’s Sai Yok National Park has been charged with four offences.

Park officials on an anti-logging patrol found the man lurking in the forest on Sunday afternoon and suspected he was planning an ambush, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Searching the man, they discovered 24 snares, a wild bird and what they suspected was a chicken used as bait. They detained the suspect, who was identified as Sombat Nilubon, 64, a Kanchababuri local living in Sai Yok sub-district.

Sombat was charged with hunting protected species without permission, possessing a protected species, harming the species, and bringing weapons into the forest.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Protest leader demands fairness

NationalFeb 16. 2021Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul

By The Nation
Photos by Korbphuk Phromrekha

Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, a key leader of the anti-establishment movement, visited the Constitutional Court, Justice Ministry, Criminal Court, police headquarters and the premier’s office on Tuesday to demand fairness and respect of people’s rights.

Police officers were stationed at the different sites while she read her statement.

Panusaya and 24 other protesters have been summoned on Wednesday to hear charges in relation to an earlier rally held at Sanam Luang.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Pro-democracy protesters begin 250km march to Bangkok

NationalFeb 16. 2021

By THE NATION

Pro-democracy protesters led by Jatupat “Pai Dao Din” Boonpattararaksa began a march from Nakhon Ratchasima to Bangkok on Tuesday morning, calling on authorities to release four fellow protesters, including Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak.

On February 9, the Criminal Court denied bail to Parit and three other Ratsadon pro-democracy leaders – Arnon Nampa, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat “Bank” Saraiyam.

The four are accused of lese majeste law and sedition over their role in an anti-government rally at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus last September.

Parit was also charged for participating in the “Mob Fest” rally on Ratchadamnoen Road on November 14-15.

The marchers are walking from Nakhon Ratchasima’s Thao Suranari Monument to Bangkok’s Democracy Monument – a distance of about 250 kilometres.

Separately, members of a royalist network gathered before Parliament on Tuesday afternoon to submit a petition opposing any change to the lese majeste law (Article 112).

Pansuwan Nakaew, a representative of the group, said it was right that those who defame the monarchy should be punished by the lese majeste law. He added that several countries also had laws to protect their monarchies.

Democrat Party spokesperson Rames Rattanachaweng accepted the letter on behalf of the House speaker, who was busy overseeing the censure debate in Parliament.

The gathering dispersed soon after.