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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

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023934

Search expanded for Romanian diver who failed to surface

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Phuket officials have expanded the search for a Romanian national who failed to surface after a dive near Koh Kaew Nok on Sunday.

Phuket resident Sebastian Somesan, 46, had dived down to a depth of about 30 metres to free the snagged anchor of his speedboat.

Somesan, along with fellow Romanian Alexandru Florin Miron and Thai woman Saowalak Kanhawong, left Nai Harn Beach on his speedboat “Shonica” on Sunday.

His friends said they dropped anchor about 100 metres from the shore, but when they wanted to move on they found the anchor was stuck. They said Somesan decided to dive down to free it but failed to surface after the anchor was released.

Miron and Saowalak said they searched for the missing man before calling emergency services.

A search and rescue mission was launched immediately, coordinated by Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos, the Third Naval Area Command, marine police and Kusoldham Phuket Foundation.

Meanwhile a command centre has been set up at Ya Nui Beach as a contact point for the missing man’s friends and relatives.

On Wednesday, Aroon said 35 personnel boarded a speedboat, rubber dinghy and jet skis to search for Somesan around the two islands of Koh Kaew Nok and Koh Racha Yai.

Officials have also searched coastal waters from Nai Harn Beach in Rawai to a cape in Patong. Meanwhile, a team of divers searching the waters of Koh Kaew Nok has found no signs of the missing man.

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew said that strong currents are hampering search efforts.

Related stories:

• Hunt continues for Romanian diver gone missing in Phuket seas
• Online platform helps owners find their missing pets
• 5 crew members of doomed HTMS Sukhothai still missing

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023933

National Sports Fund unveils ‘hot’ winning design for new logo

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) on Wednesday announced the winner of a competition to design its new logo, with 290,000 baht in prize money up for grabs.

Designer Weeraphong Amornsin picked up the first prize of 200,00 baht for his winning logo – a flame symbol that represents NSDF’s commitment to drive forward Thailand’s athletes and the sports industry.

“NSDF has been fuelling Thai athletes to improve themselves and compete at the international level, as well as helping light the path for a new generation interested in sports,” Weeraphong said.

NSDF manager Supranee Guptasa said the logo competition ran from November 1-30 last year and received over 200 design submissions from members of the public.

“The NSDF needed a new logo to represent its mission and commitment, and the design had to be simple, striking, and easy to remember.”

Weeraphong’s logo received the most votes from a judging panel of experts in design, branding and communications.

The winning design may be adjusted slightly before becoming the official new logo of the NSDF, said Supranee.

Related Stories

Sports development body invites entries for new logo, offers THB290,000 prize

Muay Thai takes a step closer to Olympic debut thanks to NSDF promotion efforts

Online budget system expected to speed up funding process for sports associations

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023931

Thailand’s 1st homegrown battery-electric locomotive begins trials

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023

Thailand’s first homegrown battery-electric locomotive was tested at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (formerly Bang Sue Grand Station) in Bangkok on Wednesday.

The prototype was developed under the “EV on Train” project, a collaboration between State Railway of Thailand (SRT), King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and Energy Absolute Plc (EA).

The project aims to develop electric locomotives to gradually replace fossil-fuel counterparts in line with the government’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% within 2030.

The prototype was finalised in 2022 and testing started on Wednesday, with the battery-powered electric locomotive pulling carriages along tracks at Krung Thep Aphiwat station. The trial was overseen by Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob.

The battery locomotive has a range of 200 kilometres on one full charge and boasts up to 60% lower energy costs than a diesel locomotive, said SRT.

SRT aims to produce three more battery locomotives and procure another 50 elsewhere this year, to replace its fleet of diesel engines. Thailand should have around 54 battery-powered trains by the end of 2023, four of which will be domestically made.

SRT also procured 50 diesel-electric locomotives last year, 20 of which have been delivered with the remainder due to arrive this year. The diesel-electric locomotives are now being tested for safety before being put into service.

Related Stories

SRT suspends scandal-hit signboard project at Bangkok’s central station

Feeder train service to connect Lat Krabang and Phra Chom Klao from Jan 3

Transport Ministry to investigate SRT’s expensive signboard project

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023923

Phase 2 of Jomtien Beach widening set to begin

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2023

The Marine Department is accelerating the widening of Jomtien Beach in Pattaya to tackle coastal erosion and attract tourists to the city.

The project was begun in 2020, and the first phase of 3.5km was completed on December 29, 2021.

The department is working on the second phase of 2.6km of beach.

“The width of the beach is expected to increase to an average of 50 metres once the project is completed,” the Marine Department said.

The department expects the number of Thai and foreign visitors coming to Pattaya to increase as the Covid-19 crisis has eased.

Jomtien Beach is a town on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand about 165km southeast of Bangkok in Chonburi province. It is about 3km south of Pattaya and is home to high-rise condominiums, beach side hotels, beaches, and restaurants.

Related stories:

• Destination Group raises Pattaya’s Mountain Beach to 4.5 stars in THB1.5bn deal
• Motive for murder unclear as police hunt for killer of retired British engineer
• Habitat taps lifestyle trend for high-end property in Pattaya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023918

Line (Thailand) accused of overcharging media, reselling news

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2023

Line (Thailand) is discussing its controversial practice of publishing news articles from its Line Today platform on Google, after media outlets complained that the company’s attempt to increase advertising revenue from news they specifically publish on the Line accounts they pay for is unfair.

“The incident is due to an internal adjustment,” Line (Thailand) said.

Media outlets are complaining that Line (Thailand)’s republishing of their news on Google erodes the advertising revenue they gain from their Line accounts.

They also said that Line’s official account (Line OA) – which Line (Thailand) asked them to use instead of Line Idol – increased their operating costs.

Line (Thailand)’s about 5 million Line OA users are suffering as a result, reported Nation Thailand sister news outlet Thansettakij. News outlets now pay up to 1 million baht per month to disseminate their news to Line (Thailand) users, compared to up to 10,000 baht per month before.

The rise in operating costs is due to a limit on sending free messages. Additional charges are applied for exceeding the number of messages sent in the package purchased by a media outlet or agency, Thansettakij reported.

Before it was shut down on December 31, Line Idol was a communication platform that helped artists, bloggers, celebrities and publishers connect with their fans. It had four accounts: Celebrities, Net Idols, Bloggers, and Publishers.

This channel had served as an important platform for access to monitored and verified content.

Related stories:

• Closure of Line Idol up for discussion, says Line (Thailand)
• Online news publishers dismayed as LINE will shut LINE IDOL
• Using Line can become too expensive for influencers in the new year