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237 new Covid-19 cases reported, mostly in Samut Sakhon

NationalFeb 07. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Sunday reported 237 new cases, of whom 12 are overseas travellers in quarantine facilities.

Of the 113 exposed to the disease while visiting high-risk areas, Samut Sakhon leads the list with 95 cases, followed by 14 in Bangkok and three in Tak.

Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of 112 cases, most of them in Samut Sakhon 107, followed by Bangkok 3 and Tak 2.

Of the cases in quarantine centres, five are Thais returning from Germany, Maldives and Myanmar. Foreigners include a Sri Lankan citizen from Singapore, an Irish national from France, two Britons, an Italian, a Pakistani and a Japanese, who flew in from their respective countries.

Meanwhile, 668 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Sunday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 23,371. Of these, 20,830 had been contracted locally, including 13,348 found via proactive testing, while 2,541 were returnees. So far, 16,942 have recovered and been discharged, 6,350 patients are still in hospital (2,447 in hospital and 3,904 in field hospital) and the death toll remains 79.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Sunday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 106.34 million (up by 421,496), 77.98 million have recovered, 25.89 million are active cases (104,408 in severe condition) and 2.32 million have died (up by 10,998).

Thailand ranks 115th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 27.51 million, followed by India 10.83 million, Brazil 9.49 million, Russia 3.95 million and the United Kingdom 3.92 million.

CCSA assistant spokesperson Panprapa Yongtrakul said intensive case finding will continue with around 10,000 people tested per day and assessed through February even if the number continues to decrease. She added that this operation would continue until health security is ensured. More than 150,000 people in Samut Sakhon have entered the screening process.

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Pollution at unsafe levels in 30 Bangkok districts

NationalFeb 07. 2021

By The Nation

Air quality in 30 districts around Bangkok and its vicinity hit unsafe levels on Sunday morning, the Bangkok Air Pollution Coordination Centre reported.

PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter) readings were in the range of 35-71 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3). Nong Khaem district had the highest reading at 71μg/m3.

Thailand’s standard for safe levels of PM2.5 is 50μg/m3 or lower.

People in areas where PM2.5 pollution is bad, especially the elderly, children, and patients with respiratory diseases, have been advised to monitor their health and reduce time spent on outdoor activities.

The PM2.5 situation can be followed on Air4Thai.com and bangkokairquality.com websites, or via Air4Thai and AirBKK smartphone applications.

On Saturday, a government team led by Teerapat Prayoonsit, permanent secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, went to Nim See Seng Transport 1988 Phutthamonthon Sai 2 branch and Phutthamonthon Sai 5 Truck Terminal to oversee the operation to deal with air pollution due to emissions from vehicles.

Teerapat said related agencies will check vehicles’ emissions at truck and bus terminals, ports and markets around Bangkok next week.

“We would like to ask people to maintain their vehicles regularly and avoid doing activities that cause air pollution, such as construction and burning of crops,” he said.

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Hua Hin runway undergoing expansion under phase-1 development

NationalFeb 07. 2021

Hua Hin Airport is speeding up the expansion of its runway to facilitate landings for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft.

Deputy Minister of Transport Thavorn Seniam said that the Department of Airports plans to develop seven projects of Hua Hin Airport Phase 1 from 2018-21.

It has completed three projects:

1. To increase efficiency and airport security standards with a budget of Bt123.4 million, consisting of the security management system, aviation area, satellite network, and detectors for weapons and EDS explosives with baggage conveyor, control room and equipment.

2. Installation of walk-through weapons and explosives detectors with a budget of Bt300,000 for efficient baggage inspection and of items carried on board passenger aircraft.

3. Procurement and installation of a lighting system, fence line, aviation area with a budget of Bt11.28 million to meet the requirements of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme requirements and comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommendations.

The other four projects under construction are:

▪︎Work to expand the runway width and strengthen the runway surface with airport electrical system;

▪︎Procurement of ramps to transport passengers with disabilities to take off and land the aircraft ;

▪︎Installation of weapons and explosives detectors with Dual View X-Ray in the baggage inspection tunnel of 60×40 centimetres;

▪︎Improve the fence around the area.

The expedited construction work will expand the runway width and enhance the runway surface with airport electrical system at a budget of Bt250 million to develop the asphalt concrete runway to 45 metres following ICAO standards for aircraft type B737, A320.

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Why Thailand stayed out of the WHO-led Covax project

NationalFeb 07. 2021

By The Nation

The National Vaccine Institute (NVI) has explained that as Thailand is a middle-income country, it is not eligible to receive free vaccine from the Covax facility.

If it participates in the project the government has to spend money, but it cannot choose a vaccine or negotiate, NVI director Dr Nakorn Premsri said.

Covax is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and WHO. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access to every country in the world

In Asean, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam will receive the free vaccine, while Thailand, Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia are not eligible. To join the project, money must be spent to participate in the Covid-19 vaccine procurement, he said. Thailand had plans to co-supply the Covid-19 vaccine with Covax from the beginning and had sent a letter of intent to join from the beginning of the project, he said.

The Ministry of Public Health has established a dedicated working group consisting of experts in many areas. It is a collaboration between many parties both inside and outside the Ministry of Public Health whether in the academic, legal and financial field, to consider an agreement with Covax, he said.

Nakorn added that the agreement to reserve the Covid-19 vaccine, either through the Covax facility or a direct contract with the manufacturer, needs to consider multiple data and contexts together. Due to the decision to agree to reserve a vaccine at that time, all companies of the Covid-19 vaccine are still under development. It is not known which vaccines will be successful and there is not enough information on the vaccine’s efficacy and safety. After paying for the reservation, the vaccine may not be accepted if the development fails, he said.

The decision to make the deal is based on weighing the benefits and risks a country will experience if it books a vaccine.

When considering the conditions for booking a vaccine through Covax, it found that making a reservation would be subjected to a processing fee charged in addition to the vaccine price.

In the case of reserving with a selected manufacturer, there is no charge of US$1.6 per dose. If a country chooses its own manufacturer, it will be additionally charged $3.5 per dose (including fee $1.6 per dose and risk management fee $0.4 per dose. However, there is no real freedom of choice. Covax will allow buyers to make two decisions: Covax will offer a list of contracted suppliers in the first round, not a list of all the world manufacturers. If the buyer is not interested in the manufacturers in the proposed plan, they will have to wait for the announcement of options in the next round. If the manufacturer named in the list is selected, Covax will use the buyer’s money to book the vaccine with the manufacturer. Then the buyer will have the right to decide whether to sign a contract with that manufacturer or not.

If the buyer decides not to make a contract for any reason, they must incur all expenses in advance. There is no refund even if the agreement was terminated due to unsuccessful development of the vaccine, he said. Additionally, the vaccine must be purchased at the manufacturer’s actual price by agreeing to all conditions. There is no bargaining power of any kind and there are also other related expenses such as vaccine transportation, domestic vaccine registration costs and taxes, etc, he explained.

“The agreement to buy the Covid-19 vaccine directly from the manufacturer offers more flexibility. We can decide how many vaccines to buy and can negotiate the price. If you buy in bulk, the price will be lower, and conditions can still be negotiated, ” he said.

“If we decide to purchase through the Covax facility, a minimum amount to cover 10 per cent of the population is required. If the vaccine is needed quickly, the buyer must accept the manufacturer’s terms and conditions. However, Thailand continues to negotiate with Covax. If the conditions are adjusted, and the country will benefit from it, there may be an agreement through Covax,” said Nakorn.

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No marriage registration this year on Valentine’s Day

NationalFeb 07. 2021

By The Nation

There will be no registration of marriages on Valentine’s Day this year, due to the risk of Covid-19, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has said.

BMA permanent secretary Silapasuay Raweesangsoon said recently that couples in Thailand register for their marriage certificate on Valentine’s Day in large numbers. However, due to the ongoing pandemic situation, Bangkok’s 50 district offices will refrain from marriage registration to prevent people from gathering, he said.

People can still use the marriage registration or other registration service during official hours on other days. The registration department in each district office will determine the appropriate number of service recipients.

In order to reduce the density of people coming to receive the service, they can use the online queue reservation system via the BMAQ application by selecting the date, time and place of use in advance for convenience in receiving the service as well as saving travel time and reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission, he said.

According to statistics on Valentine’s Day in 2020, all 50 districts saw a total of 2,913 couples registering their marriage. Bang Rak saw the most number of registrations with 773 pairs, followed by Bang Khun Thian 112, Lat Krabang 103, Bang Sue 97 and Sai Mai 82.

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Thunderstorms with hail forecast for North

NationalFeb 07. 2021

By The Nation

Outbreaks of thunderstorms with gusty winds and hail are possible in the North while cool weather continues in upper country with morning fog, the Thailand Meteorological Department forecast on Sunday.

The westerly trough moves past Myanmar to cover the upper North while the weak high-pressure system covers upper Thailand, the department said.

People in the North should beware of the severe condition when outdoor, big trees and unsecured billboards, and farmers should beware of damage to crop.

The moderate northeast monsoon triggers waves in the lower Gulf up to about two metres high.

In addition, on February 8-9, outbreaks of thundershowers, strong winds and isolated hail will be likely over the upper country. After that, the temperature will fall by 4-6°C in the North and the Northeast, and by 2-4°C in the other regions.

The weather forecast for 24 hours:

North: Cool with morning fog; scattered thunderstorms with gusty winds and hail; minimum temperature 18-21°C, maximum 31-35°C; cold to very cold on mountaintops with minimum temperature 6-14°C; southwesterly winds 10-30kph.

Northeast: Cool with morning fog; 1-2°C rise in temperature; minimum temperature 17-21°C, maximum 32-34°C; cold on the mountaintop with minimum temperature 10-15°C; northeasterly winds 10-25kph.

Central: Cool with morning fog; a 1-2°C rise in temperature; minimum temperature 21-23°C, maximum 34-37°C; northeasterly winds 10-20kph.

East: Partly cloudy with morning fog; isolated light rain; minimum temperature 22-25°C, maximum 32-36°C; easterly winds 15-30kph; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres offshore.

South (east coast):

Surat Thani northward: Cool morning with isolated thundershowers mostly in Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces; minimum temperature 22-24°C, maximum 31-33°C;

Nakhon Si Thammarat northward: northeasterly winds 15-35kph; waves 1-2 metres high.

Songkhla southward: Northeasterly winds 20-35kph; waves about two metres high.

South (west coast): Partly cloudy with isolated thundershowers mostly in Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi with minimum temperature 22-25°C, maximum 33-35°C; Easterly winds 15-30kph; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres offshore.

Bangkok and nearby areas: Partly cloudy; 1-2°C rise in temperature; minimum temperature 23-25°C, maximum 34-36°C; northeasterly winds 10-20kph..

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Cartoon character models seized in drug cases auctioned off

NationalFeb 06. 2021

By THE NATION

The Office of the Narcotics Board on Saturday auctioned off cartoon character models confiscated from culprits in narcotics cases.

The models were of famous series, such as Naruto, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Transformer, Attack on Titan and Masked Rider.

The model of Monkey D. Luffy in human size was sold for Bt111,000. 

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Drug party busted in Nonthaburi, four alleged dealers arrested

NationalFeb 06. 2021

By THE NATION

Four people were arrested at a condominium in Nonthaburi province on Friday night for allegedly holding a drug party.

Nonthaburi police reportedly found 101 ecstasy tablets, 41 Five Five tablets, 2.55 grams of ketamine and 0.87 gram of cocaine in the room on the 23rd floor of the building in the Tiwanon area of Muang district.

Besides drugs, officials also found two unregistered firearms — a Remington shotgun and a .38 handgun — along with some ammunition.

According to police, primary investigation revealed that the three male suspects aged 24-25 years and one female suspect aged 38 years have records of being involved in drug dealing in the Nonthaburi area. One of the male suspects reportedly holds shares in several entertainment venues in the province and is famous for allegedly providing party drugs to hostesses of these businesses.

Preliminary urine tests on the four suspects came back positive for drug use on the three men.

All suspects were brought to Muang Nonthaburi Police Station for questioning while being charged with drug use and possession of unregistered firearms.

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54 Covid-19 cases found in Bangkok after proactive testing in factories

NationalFeb 06. 2021

By THE NATION

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Saturday reported that 54 cases of Covid-19 had been found after proactive testing at 118 factories in six districts that carry high risk of Covid-19 infection.

Thailand has seen thousands of cases in the second wave since December 2020.

“As of February 5, public health officials have found 54 infected persons from active case finding at 118 factories in Phasi Charoen, Bang Khae, Nong Khaem, Bang Bon, Jomthong and Bang Khun Thian districts, from a total of 13,192 persons who were tested,” said the BMA.

“All the patients have been sent to hospitals for treatment while their close contacts have been traced, tested and placed in quarantine to monitor the symptoms.”

The BMA also added that it had urged factory owners to regularly clean and disinfect communal areas and contact surfaces in their facilities such as doorknobs, tables, chairs and toilets.

“People should continue to strictly follow preventive measures against Covid-19, including wearing face masks in public, washing their hands regularly, and avoiding crowded spaces until the situation improves,” it added.

From December 18 to February 5, Bangkok has reported a total of 820 cases, making it the province with the second highest cases following Samut Sakhon, the hotspot of the latest outbreak, which has seen 14,082 patients. Chonburi is third with 649 patients and Rayong is fourth with 580.

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Banteng population on the rise

NationalFeb 06. 2021Photo credit: เสรี นาคบุญ (Seri Nakboon)

By THE NATION

Thailand has seen an increase in the population of banteng, a species of cattle found in Southeast Asia, as official cameras caught images of a banteng mother and her calf in Kanchanaburi province.

Seri Nakboon, the chief of Khaonampu Nature and Wildlife Education Centre in Kanchanaburi, on Friday posted the photos of the banteng on his Facebook.

The calf was the 13th his education centre had found, while the mother had been raised in the centre and released back into a forest.

From 2014, 13 banteng have been released back home, amid a situation where the cattle
in Thailand have nearly become extinct.

Officials believe that more calves were born this year.