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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023338

Volunteer rescue teams join Navy in search for missing HTMS Sukhothai crew members

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2022

A volunteer rescue team from Chumphon and Surat Thani provinces on Thursday joined the search for the missing crew members of the HTMS Sukhothai that capsized in the Gulf of Thailand.

The warship, a Rattanakosin-class corvette, went down on Sunday around 20 nautical miles off Prachuap Khiri Khan province after it was knocked over by four-metre waves and strong winds.

Of the 105 military personnel on board, the bodies of six have been pulled out of the water, while 23 personnel are still missing.

Chumphon Governor Wisa Poonsirirat on Thursday assembled a team of 35 volunteer divers and rescue staffers from several foundations in the province and in Surat Thani. They have joined the search and rescue mission that the Royal Thai Navy has launched since the ship went down.

Wisa said volunteer divers, led by Watcharin Sawaengkarn, a prominent diving instructor in Chumphon, will scour the coast and nearby islands to find the missing crew members, but will avoid going too far from the shore as the waves in the gulf are still strong.

The governor expected more volunteers to join the civilian team in the coming days.

On Thursday, the Navy resumed its search and rescue mission, deploying six ships, two amphibious aircraft, two rescue helicopters, and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The Royal Thai Air Force has also joined the search efforts, deploying a plane and a helicopter.

The Navy also plans to use a Seafox underwater drone to record seabed footage of the HTMS Sukhothai in the Gulf of Thailand to determine the cause of its sinking.

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Navy sends Seafox drone to capture video of HTMS Sukhothai on seabed

Search for 23 HTMS Sukhothai sailors resumes after 6 bodies found

Navy ship sinks, rescue mission underway

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023336

Agriculture Ministry to establish ‘pineapple metropolis’ next year: Alongkorn

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2022

The Agriculture Ministry will establish a “pineapple metropolis” in Prachuap Khiri Khan next year to support growers of the spiky yellow fruit.

Alongkorn Ponlaboot, adviser to Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Srion, unveiled the plan at the 38th conference of the Sam Roi Yod pineapple farmers cooperative in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Sam Roi Yod district on Tuesday.

Alongkorn said the metropolis will also branch out to the pineapple-growing areas of Phetchaburi, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi to bring farmers under the canopy of better government support.

Alongkorn said over 1.77 billion tonnes of pineapples have been harvested on 457,255 rai in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Phitsanulok and Rayong this year.

The wholesale price of pineapples has also been satisfactory for farmers since 2020, he added.

Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of fresh and canned pineapples with annual revenue of about 20 billion baht, constituting 32% of the global market, Alongkorn said.

As Prachuap Khiri Khan hosts the largest number of pineapple-canning factories in the country, it is already the de facto “pineapple metropolis”, said the agriculture minister.

The metropolis’s launch next year will also see the national pineapple policy committee, chaired by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, adjust its five-year development plan (2023-2027). Agriculture Minister Chalermchai is deputy chair of the panel.

Alongkorn said the ministry will also draft a law next year to boost development of pineapples, durians and longans as cash crops.

The law will establish a fruit development fund to serve as the main mechanism for raising income of fruit growers.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023332

Navy sends Seafox drone to capture video of HTMS Sukhothai on seabed

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2022

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) will today use a Seafox underwater drone to record seabed footage of the HTMS Sukhothai in the Gulf of Thailand to determine the cause of sinking.

The warship went down on Sunday about 20 nautical miles off Prachuap Khiri Khan province after it was knocked over by four-metre waves and strong winds. The vessel suffered an engine malfunction as it took on water.

The US-made corvette, in use since 1987, was carrying 105 military personnel. So far, the bodies of six Navy sailors have been fished from the water and taken for autopsy, while the search for 23 missing crew from the Sukhothai continues.

On Thursday morning, the RTN said the drone will be launched later today if weather and sea conditions are optimal. It expected the unmanned machine to cover an area of 3-4 square nautical miles on the seabed, provided the water is not too muddy.

The RTN expects footage collected by the underwater drone to provide swift answers on why the warship sank.

The search and rescue mission resumed on Thursday, with the Navy dispatching six ships, two Dornier amphibious aircrafts, two rescue helicopters, and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to scour the area around the spot where the Sukhothai went down. The Royal Thai Air Force also joined the search efforts, deploying a plane and a helicopter.

Related Stories

Search for 23 HTMS Sukhothai sailors resumes after 6 bodies found

Bodies of 4 HTMS Sukhothai crew found, hunt on for remaining 25

Navy ship sinks, rescue mission underway

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023316

National museums and parks offer free access for New Year holidays

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022

The Fine Arts Department is giving the public a New Year’s gift – free access to national museums and historical parks throughout the kingdom from December 30 to January 2, the department announced.

This includes the exhibit of ancient gold ornaments from the Ayutthaya period at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum in Ayutthaya, which opens on December 30, the department said.

In Bangkok, the exhibit of the auspicious Buddha image of the Front Palace (Phra Buddha Sihing) will open at the National Museum on December 28, from 9am to 4pm daily. Nine other Buddha images will also be displayed in the exhibit, the department said.

The department’s Office of Performing Arts will hold a free open-air Khon display from the Ramayana story in the compound of the National Museum Bangkok from 5:30pm to 7:30pm on December 25. Entrance is also free.

From December 30 to January 2, the National Museum Bangkok will hold Night @Museum activities from 4pm to 8pm.

These will include cooking demonstrations and the sale of discounted books on art and cultural themes.

The night activities aim to showcase the beauty of the ancient architecture of the Front Palace at night, the department said.

On December 22, the National Library of Thailand will hold a seminar on how to be happy in the New Year. An exhibition on New Year celebrations in Thailand will begin that day and run until April 22.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023314

Number of flights will soar by 65% next year: AeroThai

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022

The state agency that manages the kingdom’s air traffic is upbeat about the outlook for the Thai aviation industry, saying the rebound in international and domestic travel continues to accelerate.

The number of flights will rise by 65% next year compared to this year, according to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co Ltd (AeroThai).

AeroThai president Nopasit Chakpitak said the aviation industry in Thailand has been rebounding since the government eased its Covid-19 travel restrictions and fully re-opened the country.

The positive trend was unmistakable in the third quarter of this year.

In October, the average daily number of flights to and from Thailand reached 1,637, while the number of domestic flights reached an average of 1,806 a day, Nopasit said.

The average number of flights in December – international and domestic combined – has averaged about 1,800 per day and is likely to increase as the New Year approaches, he said.

So far this year, a total of 520,367 flights have been registered by AeroThai, up 79% from 291,397 flights last year.

AeroThai predicts that Thai airports will handle about 858,387 flights next year, about 2,352 per day.

Nopasit said both passenger and cargo flights have recovered as airspace reopens globally and economies rebound.

If China reopens, the Thai aviation industry will see an even greater number of flights next year, Nopasit said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023312

NOSTRA Map adds New Year cheer to digital service

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022

NOSTRA Map, a Thailand-focused digital map with GPS coordinates, is offering special routes and locations for travellers during the New Year holidays, including the top locations for viewing mist and details on the location of charging stations for drivers of electric vehicles, according to the company’s operator, GlobeTech Co Ltd.

Wichai Saenghirunwattana, CEO and general manager of GlobeTech, said NOSTRA Map had launched five new maps for the New Year holidays.

The first highlights the best locations throughout the country for viewing mist, including Phu Kradueng mountaintop in Loei and Thung Salaeng Luang in Phetchabun. It includes thumbnails and links to find GPS routes so that motorists can easily locate the Top 10 spots and find the fastest way to get to them.

The second package is focused on temples in Chiang Rai. It provides photos and brief descriptions of nine temples in the city where Buddhists can receive New Year blessings.

The temples include Wat Pla Kung and Wat Ming Muang. When a motorist clicks on the link of a temple, he or she will be directed to the map displaying the route to the temple.

For Bangkok residents who remain in the capital during the holidays, Nostra Map is also providing a package of places to seek blessings. They include the Chao Pho Sua Shrine, the Indian Temple in Bang Rak, the Chinese Temple in Chinatown, and Erawan Shrine.

The fourth package provides a map that uses information from JorSor 100 traffic radio station to display traffic flows in Bangkok during the holidays.

The fifth package is for drivers of electric vehicles. The map lets them search for the nearest charging stations from all major providers.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023311

Court orders EC to pay Pheu Thai ex-MP THB62 million over wrongful disqualification

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022

The Court of Appeals has ordered the Election Commission (EC) to pay 62 million baht in damages to a candidate who was accused by the election agency of vote-buying and wrongfully disqualified after winning the 2019 general election in Chiang Mai.

Surapol Kietchaiyakorn of the opposition Pheu Thai Party said on Wednesday that the Court of Appeals had upheld the verdict of the lower court which had judged the EC and its officials guilty and ordered them to pay him 70 million baht in damages.

The higher court ruled that the EC should pay the plaintiff 56,792,568 baht, plus interest from November 16, 2019 to April 10, 2021 at 7.5% annually, and from April 11, 2021 until now at 5% annually. The amount of compensation plus interest add up to 62 million baht.

Surapol said he is glad that the court had upheld the verdict and that he had successfully defended his personal honour and that of Pheu Thai Party. “Throughout over 30 years in politics, I have never once bought votes,” he said.

Surapol, a seven-time MP from Chiang Mai, was re-elected in the March 2019 general election. However, the EC ruled that he had violated the law by giving 2,000 baht and a clock to a prominent local monk.

The EC had, therefore, disqualified Surapol and issued him an “orange card”, which in effect prevented him from contesting in a by-election called a month later, as well as any other election for a year.

Surapol brought his case to the Supreme Court’s Election Division, which ruled in September 2020 that there was insufficient evidence to prove that he had made promises in return for votes.

On Wednesday Surapol said that the EC should not use its budget, which comes from taxpayers, to pay the damages and instead should use the money from the commissioners who had approved his disqualification.

Related Stories

Court orders EC to pay THB70 million damages to disqualified election winner

EC issues ‘orange card’ to Pheu Thai candidate

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023310

Many refusing to repay student loans despite fat bank accounts: study

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2022

Graduates are still defaulting on repayments despite having more than enough savings to pay off their student loans, according to a study by the National Economic and Social Development Council.

The NESDC report on ex-students taken to court for defaulting in 2020 found that 40 had over 5 million baht in their bank accounts, 431 had more than one million baht, 637 had over 500,000 baht, and over 9,000 had 50,000 to 500,000 baht.

The survey on repayments to the student loan fund was part of the NESDC’s third-quarter report on Thailand’s social situation and outlook.

The NESDC expressed concern that the problem of ex-students defaulting on loans could escalate into a severe social issue.

The NESDC said the issue covered 6.4 million ex-students and other people, including loan guarantors. Of these, 1.5 million are facing either lawsuits or repayment demands after court rulings on unpaid debts. Defaulters face being blacklisted by the Credit Bureau, making it harder for them to obtain loans from banks or financial institutions.

The NESDC reported that by September-end this year, 2.3 million or 65% of 3.5 million ex-students debtors have defaulted on repayments worth a total 90.856 billion baht.

The Bank of Thailand reports that the student loan fund has the country’s highest level of non-performing loans. NPLs accounted for 62% of the fund’s loans at the end of 2020, the central bank said.

The fund provides loans to students in four groups:

– Poor students

– Students studying in fields important for national development but short of workers

– Students studying in fields promoted by the fund

– Students with outstanding academic performance.

The fund drew on the national budget until 2018, when it became self-sufficient. Since then, it has depended on debt repayment and interest on debts collected.

As of September 30, the fund had approved loans for 6.4 million students worth 706.357 billion baht or an average of around 110,000 baht per student.

The NESDC report attributed the loan defaults to four main causes: students themselves, debt repayment mechanisms, fund rules, and the national education system.

The NESDC said many students lacked financial discipline and refused to service their debt despite having more than enough savings to pay each instalment. However, it also blamed financial burdens and lost income due to Covid-19.

The report said the fund’s repayment mechanism made it harder for ex-students to service their debts in later years.

Graduates get a two-year grace period before the stepped 15-year debt repayment period kicks in, starting with 1.5% of the loan in the first year and rising to 13% in the 15th year.

The study found that ex-students often started defaulting in the sixth or seventh year because their income does not match the rising debt level.

The NESDC also found that student loan fund rules lack flexibility for debt restructuring or renegotiation. The study found that up to 85% of ex-students who had renegotiated their debt repayment with the fund still defaulted on loans because of the inflexible rules.

On the educational structure, the report said that most debtors studied in fields where graduates flooded the market, such as business administration, economics, arts, social sciences, and education.

The NESDC said only 20.56% of the debtors studied science and technology and even fewer (7.55%) studied engineering.

The report disagreed with the government’s draft bill to exempt student loan fund debtors from interest or penalty payments. This would leave the fund with insufficient money to help future students, meaning it would again become dependent on national budget, it said.

Waiving interest penalties would create a moral hazard as well as being unfair to those who serviced their debt, it added.

The House of Representatives in September passed a bill to waive interest on student loan repayments and exempt late payers from penalty interest.

The fund currently charges annual interest of 1% and penalty interest of 7.5%.

Reviewing the bill, the Senate retained the penalty interest exemption but reinstated the 1% interest rate.

The NESDC proposed several alternative solutions, including calculating instalments based on each ex-student’s monthly income rather than the fixed 15-year ladder of 1%-13%.