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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023956

Healthy people in Thailand no longer need face masks: top virologist

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Leading virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan says it is no longer necessary for healthy people in Thailand to wear face masks given the high level of Covid-19 immunity.

“After three years of the pandemic, 50 million people have been infected. Eighty percent of citizens have received second booster doses and 40% have had a third dose, resulting in Covid-19 immunity among 96% of the population,” Yong wrote on Facebook.

He noted that official rules on face-mask wearing have relaxed as the pandemic has receded.

Yong said young children, including kindergarteners and elementary school students, may now remove their face masks in school and return to normal learning.

“However, hygiene in schools must be stressed, including handwashing habits, cleaning and ventilation, and keeping sick children out of the classroom,” he added.

He also advised adults with respiratory illnesses to keep wearing masks when they venture outside.

And although face masks are unnecessary for healthy people in outdoor places such as streets, parks and beaches, they should still be worn on public transport and in crowded areas, he said.

“As wearing a face mask is no longer mandatory, everyone needs to decide by themselves whether to use one as we enter ‘new normal’ circumstances.”

In a previous post on Monday, Yong cautioned that Thailand needs to keep watch for the highly transmissible XBB.1.5 and BQ.1.1 strains as more tourists arrive from Western countries where they are spreading fast.

He said these strains are of more concern than the BA.5.2 that is driving China’s Covid-19 outbreak, as BA.5.2 is already present in Thailand.

“BA.5.2 is not worrisome as Thailand has already faced it. Instead, the XBB.1.5 and BQ.1.1 subvariants from the US and Europe are concerning.”

Related stories: 

• Thailand’s Covid-19 numbers drop in first week of 2023
• Anutin scraps new measure seeking Covid-19 vaccination proof from foreign tourists
• Fewer Covid-19 hospitalisations, deaths during Christmas week: DDC

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023955

Importers of 1,020 luxury cars charged with 3-billion-baht tax dodge

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The Department of Special Investigation on Thursday announced progress in its investigation of suspected massive tax evasion on over 1,000 luxury cars imported from the UK. The alleged tax dodging cost the government a whopping 3 billion baht in lost revenue, according to the DSI.

Its deputy director-general Phayao Thongsen said 133 private importers have been charged in 79 cases so far. He expects charges to be filed in the remaining 54 cases next month, warning that arrest warrants would be sought against suspects who failed to acknowledge the charges.

The 1,020 luxury cars were imported from the UK before being seized by the Customs Department last year on suspicion that importers had dodged tax payments.

The DSI contacted UK authorities and found that the prices declared by importers were much lower than the vehicles’ real prices, resulting in tax losses to the state totalling about 3 billion baht.

Phayao, who heads the case, gave the following rundown of the vast investigation on Thursday:

– Interrogation of 404 buyers of the luxury cars

– Interrogation of 466 people who filed registration applications for the cars

– Questioning of Bangkok registrars who approved license numbers for 960 luxury cars

– Questioning of provincial registrars who approved license numbers for 59 cars

– Questioning of Land Transport Department officials in charge of registration of all 1,020 luxury cars

– Questioning of customs officials who assessed import taxes on the 1,020 cars

– Questioning of customs officials who approved customs clearance for 36 cars

Industry Minister Somsak Thepsutin had previously called on the DSI to speed up the investigation and bring the masterminds to justice.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023954

Thai Miss Universe hopeful uses shawl to celebrate unity in racial diversity

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Thai beauty queen Anna Sueangam-iam displayed a shawl that focused on the theme of “power of unity” during the bikini round of the Miss Universe 2022 contest on Thursday in New Orleans, the United States.

The shawl featured figurative art by Thai painter Thaweesak “Lolay” Srithongdee, depicting the faces of people of different races. The painter created the artwork after discussing the concept with Anna, the Miss Universe Thailand 2022.

The art is meant to convey a message that whoever they are, people can act in support of diversity in society and the global community.

This year’s bikini round contest differs from the previous years as the contestants’ shawls are no longer in plain colour or in a pattern matching their bikinis.

Before the contest, each contestant was given a white shawl for her to freely design its pattern and display it when taking part in the bikini round.

The organisers expect the beauty queens to use their shawls to make a statement and convey their message to the world.

Contestants from other countries focused on different themes in their shawls, including climate change, healthcare, poverty, freedom, women’s rights, children, gender diversity, fight against violence, and national identity.

For example, Miss Namibia’s shawl was about peace, the shawl of the beauty queen from Trinidad and Tobago depicted the beauty of the Caribbean Sea, while Miss Vietnam’s shawl highlighted the need for gender diversity.

Other contestants focused on the protection of the environment, and also national flowers.
After the bikini round, the shawls worn by the contestants are to be auctioned with the proceeds going to charity.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023952

Tuhao’s wife among 6 police officers dismissed in triad case

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Six police officers suspected of involvement with alleged Chinese triad kingpin Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant have been dismissed from duty, an informed source said on Thursday. Among those dismissed was Chaiyanat’s police-colonel wife, Wanthanaree Kornchayanant, who was arrested last month.

National police chief Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas issued the dismissal orders on Monday amid a disciplinary investigation of the six officers, according to the source.

The six also include a colonel who served as the superintendent of Bangkok’s Yannawa police station and a sergeant who was his chauffeur. They were accused of demanding 600,000 baht in bribes in exchange for allowing confiscated vehicles to be released following the police raid on Bangkok’s Jinling nightclub, a suspected triad base, in October last year. During the raid, 104 revellers – 99 of whom were Chinese – tested positive for drugs while police seized recreational narcotics and about 30 luxury vehicles.

Also dismissed were two investigators at Yannawa police station and a deputy traffic inspector at Lat Phrao station. They are accused of aiding the temporary release of some Chinese suspects who subsequently escaped.

The five officers face criminal charges and an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Tuhao’s wife is charged with money laundering and has been released on bail of 2 million baht.

Police chief Damrongsak says the Jinling investigation, which he is heading, will be completed in time for the Attorney General’s January 20 deadline. The police are empowered to detain Tuhao until that date.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023951

Smuggled pork disposal is biggest in Thai history, officials say

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The biggest disposal of smuggled pork in Thai history took place on Thursday, authorities said, as 723.786 tonnes of the meat were dumped into a landfill in Phetchaburi province by officials from the Ministry of Agriculture.

In a sign of how seriously officials are taking pork smuggling, Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Sri-on attended the disposal at the centre for the research and development of animal feed in Phetchaburi’s Cha-am district.

Chalermchai said the pork and offal had been seized by authorities after being smuggled or imported illegally into Thailand.

The smuggled pork is a danger to consumers and farmers, the minister said. Because it is not inspected, the meat can carry diseases, while its cheaper price can depress the income of farmers.

The smuggled pork and offal was worth 123 million baht, Chalermchai said.

Phetchaburi deputy governor Wanpen Mungsri and Livestock Development Department director-general Somchuan Ratanamangalanon also attended the disposal.

The Livestock Development Department is seeking help from police, the military and customs officials to prevent pork from being smuggled into Thailand, Somchuan said.

The minister said it took 35 trips by ten-wheel trucks, lorry trucks and one container truck to carry the smuggled pork to the disposal site.

Last year, a total of 1,089.514 tonnes of pork and offal worth 219 million baht were seized in 42 cases, officials said.

Chalermchai said 179.612 tonnes of pork were destroyed earlier and another 186.116 tonnes were still being kept as evidence. They would be destroyed once their cases were finalized in court.

Somchuan said the smuggled pork was being disposed of in strict compliance with World Organisation for Animal Health safety standards for disposal of meat to prevent the spread of disease and avoid environmental damage.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023947

Thailand’s birth rate falls to 71-year low, sparking alarm

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Thailand is becoming a greying society as the number of children born last year hit a 71-year low, the Social Development and Human Security Ministry announced on Thursday.

Only 502,000 children were born in Thailand last year, about 30% below the target of 700,000 and the lowest birth rate in 71 years, Anukul Pidkaew, permanent secretary at the ministry, told a press conference.

He was joined by Dr Somchai Jitsuchon, a researcher at the Thailand Development Research Institute.

Both described the low birth rate as a “crisis”.

Anukul said the declining birth rate caused the number of Thai children to fall to 10.9 million, or 16.3% of the entire population, this year. The working-age population is 42.6 million, or 63.6% of the population. The number of elderly people is 13.5 million, or 20.2% of the population.

If the current birth-rate trend continues, children will account for just 13.3% of Thailand’s population in 2040, the working-age population will fall to 55.5%, and the elderly population will rise to 31.1%, Anukul said.

Anukul said that 2022 was the second year in a row in which the number of deaths in Thailand exceeded the number of births.

According to the National Statistical Office, 540,000 children were born in Thailand in 2021, down from 580,000 in 2020, and 600,000 in 2019.

The office said 560,000 Thais died in 2021.

The economic crisis caused by the pandemic appears to have made parents think twice about having children, while Covid-19 increased the death rate, Anukul said.

He listed four key causes for the declining birth rate:

– Women having more prominent roles in society and the workforce

– The rising cost of living

– An imbalance between working and family life

– Social and economic inequality

Anukul said his ministry would try to encourage more births by expanding coverage of the 600 baht a month allowance for children born to poor families. The programme has been implemented for seven years and covers 2.4 million children.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023946

BMA to issue street performer IDs to facilitate shows in Bangkok

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will allow street performers to register for a “BKK Street Performer ID”, which will allow them to organise shows across the capital.

The move is a part of BMA’s policy to encourage people to organise shows in public areas of Bangkok.

Solo and group performers can register for BKK Street Performer ID until January 17 this year. Children are also allowed to register.

A panel of experts in music and performance will consider the applications and decide who should receive the street performer ID. The list of those selected will be announced on January 20 on BMA Facebook page.

Each street performer ID will be valid for one year, which can be renewed.

Street performers can use their ID to reserve areas online for organising shows. The BMA has prepared areas near BTS and MRT stations, namely Kamphaeng Phet, Charoen Nakhon, Chong Nonsi, Sukhumvit, Chatuchak Park and National Stadium, for street performers to organise shows.

The performers would also be invited to organise shows at BMA events, such as “Music in the Garden”.

However, performers must strictly comply with BMA rules, such as refrain from selling other goods while performing and clean the area after finishing their performance.

For more information, visit https://www.zipeventapp.com/e/BMA-Music-Application.

Related stories:

• dtac Joins Forces with BMA in Prevention of Online Child Exploitation
• BMA hopes to present Bangkok creatively via new film fest
• Bangkok residents urged to check air safety levels as PM2.5 rises

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023944

Children given free access to Space Inspirium on Saturday

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency is celebrating National Children’s Day on Saturday by giving children free access to its space museum in Chon Buri province, a senior official at the agency said on Thursday.

Pranpriya Wongsa, director of the agency’s Knowledge Development and Outreach Office, said one highlight of the Space Inspirium is the new exhibition zone “Gravity”.

Entering the zone is like walking in space, she said.

For Children’s Day, the museum will also provide space suits for children so they can take photos to post on social media from the museum, which is located in Si Racha district.

They will also be invited to join a rally to explore five bases, Pranpriya added.

She said all of the Children’s Day activities were designed to enhance knowledge about outer space and space technology.

Pranpriya said parents could easily find the museum’s terrestrial location by searching for “Space Inspirium” on Google Maps.

Activities start at 9am and run till 3pm. All are free.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023942

Banking association plans new centre to detect criminal transactions

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The Thai Bankers’ Association is discussing how to fast track the establishment of a centre that will monitor transactions linked to criminals, its chairman said.

Payong Srivanich, who is also president of Krung Thai Bank, said association members were in advanced talks to set up an interbank agency that would function as a “central fraud registry”.

The centre will monitor and intercept deceptive and fraudulent transactions, Payong said.

Association members are well aware that their clients face a heightened risk of being deceived into making transactions by criminals, but it would be too costly for each bank to implement its own preventive measures, Payong said.

The new centre will be distinct from the Thailand Banking Sector CERT whose 15 member banks focus on hacking threats, he added.

The new centre’s focus will be criminally-linked transactions.

Payong said the association wanted to open the new centre as soon as possible, but the process was complex.

“Setting up the centre will require cooperation from several agencies,” Payong explained.

The centre will also need to be linked to the National Interbank Transaction Management and Exchange.

“So, I can’t say how quickly or slowly the centre will be set up,” he said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023938

Speeding motorist outwitted by artificial intelligence at toll booth

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

A motorist was fined 7,000 baht for reckless driving on Wednesday and faces an additional speeding fine for racing his red Volvo through an M-Flow toll booth on Motorway No 9 last month.

The driver, identified as “Sarayut”, told police he thought he could evade payment by speeding through the automated toll booth, which uses video and artificial intelligence to record license plates.

“I misunderstood how the system works,” he said. Highway police were unforgiving, saying his violations of traffic laws were compounded by a video he posted on Facebook that could undermine confidence in the automated toll system introduced early last year.

Sarayut posted the video of his December 13 attempt to evade payment at the toll booth. “The M-Flow toll fee collection system cannot charge motorists if they are speeding,” he wrote in a comment on his video.

Sarayut’s assumption proved costly.

He surrendered to highway police on Wednesday after receiving a summons. He admitted he was guilty, police said. The young man also said his attempt to avoid payment failed. About 10 minutes after he sped through the automated booth, he was automatically charged a toll, he said.

Highway police charged Sarayut with reckless driving and sent him to Minburi Provincial Court, where he was fined 7,000 baht. Sarayut faces a second charge for speeding.

Related stories:

• Phetchabun police round up gang of ‘unwashed’ big bikers
• Drunk-driving the culprit as accidents see a sharp spike
• Three killed as speeding ambulance crashes