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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023964

Kazakhstan and Thailand mark three decades of ties with tree planting

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Thailand and Kazakhstan celebrated 30 years of diplomatic ties with a tree-planting event in Bangkok’s Benjakitti Park.

The Kazakh-Thai Alliance, with the support of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Thailand, organised the tree-planting event on Wednesday (January 11). The event was attended by Kazakhstan’s Ambassador Arman Issetov and Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, as well as other guests.

They included Warawoot Pongprapapant from Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Professor Kanchanaratt Leevirojana, president of the Thai-Kazakh Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Senate, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden director Kampol Tansajja, Banpu Power chairman Assoc Prof Naris Chaiyasoot, Dusit Thani Group CEO Suphajee Suthumpun, and Index Creative Village Group founder and CEO Kreingkrai Kanjanapokin.

The event aimed to support the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s “green city” initiative.

Kazakhstan, which was previously a part of the Soviet Union, and Thailand established diplomatic relations in 1992, shortly after the dissolution of the USSR.
 

Thailand has its embassy in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana and an honorary consulate in Almaty, which is the Central Asian nation’s largest city, while Kazakhstan has its embassy in Bangkok and an honorary consulate in Chonburi province.

Kazakhstan, located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe, borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbekistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest, with a coastline along the Caspian Sea.

In recognition of the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and Thailand’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai exchanged congratulatory letters, according to the Kazakh Embassy.

“For 30 years, the two states have been developing mutually advantageous collaboration in view of their common interests in the fields of security, trade, tourism, culture and education,” the embassy said.

Numerous joint events have been organised through state bodies, parliaments, business groups, and scientific, educational, and cultural centres, its press release said.

Kazakhstan and Thailand also maintain good cooperation under the United Nations, Conference for Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, and other international platforms. Thai representatives have taken part in the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, supporting Kazakhstan’s initiatives to consolidate mutual respect and tolerance between followers of various denominations.

“Sharing similar geopolitical characteristics as natural transit hubs in Asia, Kazakhstan and Thailand remain committed to further progress of the bilateral cooperation,” the Kazakh Embassy said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023963

Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge reopens three years after closure during Covid

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, which links Thailand’s Tak province and Myawaddy in Myanmar, was reopened on Thursday, more than three years after it was shuttered due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Senior officials from both sides of the border took part in a ceremony held on the bridge to mark the reopening.

Tak Governor Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj joined his Myanmar counterpart U Zaw Tin at the long-awaited reopening of the bridge.

Among those attending the ceremony were customs officials, immigration officers, police and military officers, local administrators, public health officials, and local business leaders.

Local officials from Thailand and Myanmar had convened many meetings in preparation for the bridge’s reopening.

Business people on both sides of the border agreed that the reopening would benefit both Thailand and Myanmar in many ways, including trade, investment, tourism and their economies in general.

They expect a quick recovery of tourism and a return of tourists to the area shortly after the bridge’s reopening.

Border trade and tourism had suffered due to the closure of the bridge, which has the Mae Sot border checkpoint on the Thai side.

Meanwhile, security measures have been tightened along the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province, with security forces using sniffer dogs to patrol the Thai side of the bridge.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023961

Nation Group revises ethics guidelines to fully cover digital and social media

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The Nation Group has launched a revised version of “Nation Way” – a long-held bible of media ethics for reporters under the news corporation.

President and CEO Shine Bunnag said on Thursday that the improvement and revision of “Nation Way” was necessary to better reflect the current context of society and technology.

“An important duty of a media organisation is to uphold ideal principles and perform its duty with respect to media ethics in a careful and complete manner,” he said.

The ethics guidelines are meant to serve as a standard for all media outlets within the group, while ensuring freedom for covering news.

The group’s top executive said that over the past 52 years of its existence, Nation Group has been determined to maintain its credibility as a media institution despite many crises and disruptions during a time of constant change in the industry.

“Throughout repeated technological changes and economic crises, Nation Group has adapted and developed continuously. Our main goal is to make our reports valuable and accessible for everyone,” Shine said.

The revised Nation Way has 13 chapters of guidelines for news professionals covering all media platforms, including the latest ones, he said.

“We aim to maintain the credibility and public faith in the Nation Group. [Nation Way] serves as our commitment to society, which all media outlets and employees of all levels at the Nation Group will strictly follow,” Shine explained.

Nation Group Editor Weerasak Pongaksorn said that all news professionals in the group – whether they are reporters, news announcers, photographers, producers, or others – have strictly followed media ethics, which has resulted in continued credibility and public faith.

He said the revised Nation Way contains detailed guidelines covering all media platforms. They include guidelines covering topics such as criminal offenders, suicide, sexual assault victims, children and women, gender diversity, occult beliefs, gambling, and sports.
The new definition of “media” includes digital and social media, he said.

The revised Nation Way clearly defines the difference between a “reporter” and a “content creator” in order to prevent confusion, Weerasak said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023958

Pet industry sitting on a gold mine as nearly 50% of Thais don’t want children: survey

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Thailand’s pet industry outlook has strong potential to expand exponentially among “petsumers”, as more than 49% of Thais currently prefer to adopt pets over having children, a recent survey by the College of Management Mahidol University (CMMU) revealed.

The report defines “petsumers” as a new type of customers who are willing to pay as long as it can pamper their pets. The term has been introduced to assist marketers in pleasing high-spending pet lovers.

The findings, made public on Wednesday, are part of a survey of Thailand’s pet business trend, which is booming since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pacharapun Thiensiri, a CMMU student and the study team leader, revealed that 49% of the sample group considered their pets to be surrogate children, a practice known as pet parenting, followed by pet prestige for social status (34%), and pet healing (18%).

Dogs continue to be the most popular pet, preferred by 40.4%, followed by cats (37.1%) and other exotic animals (22.6%).

Additionally, 39.3% of respondents are willing to spend an average of 10,000 to 20,000 baht per pet annually.

This corresponds to the dog-cat registration database’s domestication rate in Thailand, which has increased significantly year after year.

He said that the average annual cost of caring for a puppy is 14,200 baht per animal for both dogs and cats. Bathing and haircutting are the most frequently used services by pet owners, accounting for up to 61% of all services.

“The study aimed to understand more petlovers’ behaviour in depth so that marketers can communicate with and win the hearts of these consumers,” Pacharapun explained.

Despite the economic downturn caused by Covid-19, Asst Prof Boonying Kongarchapatara, chair of the marketing programme at CMMU, pointed out that the pet business industry is rapidly developing.

Euromonitor predicts that the global pet market will be worth up to US$217.615 billion in 2026, representing a 7.2% annual growth rate.

In Thailand, the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of Business Development estimates that the Thai pet market will grow at an average annual rate of 8.4% to 66.748 billion baht in 2026.

At a seminar session titled “Petsumer Marketing: Acquiring insights to catch high spending and committed pet owners”, Boonying said that currently many businesses are using a pet marketing strategy to engage with pet owners.

Pets are used in brand identity to communicate with target audiences and create a memorable brand image, as well as for other marketing purposes, he said.

Advertisements that include both animals and products have a 43.82% influence on purchase decisions because animals capture the attention of customers.

“It’s not necessary to make a hard sale. It’s a technique to capitalise on the cuteness of pets. This ‘Pet Influencer’ technique implies that pets can deliver marketing benefits, such as assisting in the promotion of products or services, while also entertaining followers. Furthermore, the cuteness of pets will help attract fans from all around the world, resulting in a huge source of revenue,” Boonying noted.

CMMU has developed a petsumer strategy for marketers to use to delight high-spending pet owners, such as personalisation, accessibility, trustworthiness, uniqueness, mental support, and animal rights based on data from committed pet lovers.

CMMU surveyed through a questionnaire 1,046 people and conducted in-depth interviews with 100 of them. Of the respondents, 66.8% were women, 22.3% men, and 10.9% other sexual orientations. Up to 77.3% of the sample group was in the age group 24-41.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023957

Thailand clarifies all measures to control Covid as tourism surges

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The National Communicable Diseases Committee on Thursday approved the government’s revised measures for controlling Covid-19, including tests on arriving tourists with obvious symptoms of the disease, and charging fees for vaccinating tourists who voluntarily request shots.

The decisions were made at the committee’s first meeting of the year, which was chaired by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

It followed an earlier decision by the government to reimpose proof of vaccination for all foreign tourists ahead of the imminent return of tourists from China. That decision was, however, quickly scrapped. Some confusion resulted, so the committee provided a detailed list of its preparations for ensuring Covid-19 remains under control as tourism surges.

Anutin, who also serves as deputy prime minister, told reporters after the meeting that the committee approved three major sets of measures to control Covid-19. They are 1) monitoring of arrivals and insurance, 2) vaccines for tourists, and 3) creating a sub-committee for a coordinated response to Covid-19 issues related to tourism.

Monitoring of arrivals and insurance

Firstly, Anutin said, the committee approved three revisions for arriving tourists. Officials will monitor arrivals for signs or respiratory symptoms. Foreign arrivals who have obvious respiratory symptoms must undergo ATK or RT-PCR tests. The Disease Control Department will report the number of these cases on its website, Anutin said.

Officials will also monitor wastewater from airplanes for new Covid variants, the committee decided.

Regarding the issue of insurance for foreign tourists, those from countries that require RT-PCR tests before they return, or China and India, must have health insurance of at least US$ 10,000 that covers Covid-19 treatment throughout their entire stay in Thailand as well as an additional seven days.

Airline crew members and students who have certification from their schools are exempt from the insurance requirement as they can use their work or school certification instead.

Airport staff will randomly check for insurance policies on tourists from countries requiring RT-PCR tests before they return. If the tourists do not have insurance they will be required to buy policies before entering Thailand.

Tourism operators and workers must receive at least four shots protecting them against Covid-10. Members of the public will also be encouraged to receive at least four shots of Covid-19 vaccines.

Vaccines for tourists

Anutin said the committee also approved providing Covid-19 vaccines to foreign tourists who want them. The tourists will be charged a service fee and the cost of the vaccine, he said. Covid vaccines for foreign tourists will be available at the following locations in four provinces:

– Bangkok: The Institute of Dermatology of Thailand, Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, Lerdsin Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Bang Rak Medical Centre, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute, and the Institute of Urban Disease Control and Prevention.

– Chiang Mai: Prasart Chiang Mai Hospital

– Chon Buri: Pattayarak Medical Centre

– Phuket – Service centres of the Phuket Public Health Office

Sub-committee for a coordinated response

Anutin said the committee will set up a sub-committee to oversee all Covid-19 issues related to foreign arrivals. This will allow all government agencies to seamlessly coordinate their responses to Covid-19. Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary for Public Health, will chair the subcommittee, Anutin said.

Anutin said the Covid situation in Thailand had improved and the government had eased control measures. The hospitalisation rate of severe Covid patients was still low and the government would try to speed up administering booster shots to elderly people and those with eight types of comorbidities.

Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said each foreign tourist would be charged 380 baht as a service fee plus 1,000 baht for a Pfizer vaccine or 800 baht for an AstraZeneca vaccine.

Tares said tourists who have obvious respiratory symptoms would receive a test for Covid-19 at no cost and their test would be sampled for DNA at no cost.

Sopon Iamsirithaworn, deputy director-general of the Disease Control Department, said the Public Health Ministry would this year focus on vaccinating about 2 million elderly people who have yet to receive a single shot.

The ministry will also step up efforts to administer vaccines to at-risk groups, he said.

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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.