How to avoid making 2023 countdown a traffic nightmare in Bangkok
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022
Motorists are advised to check traffic conditions before heading to Bangkok’s three New Year countdown venues tonight as many roads will be closed and parking may be prohibited in others.
Instead, they can opt for the BTS or MRT as the trains will be running until 2am.
Here are routes to the countdown venues motorists can consider:
CentralWorld (Ratchadamri Road)
Ratchadamri Road from Ratchaprasong to Pratunam intersection will be closed to traffic from 2pm.
To avoid this section, motorists can opt for Ratchaprarop, Phetchaburi, Rama I, Ploenchit, Sukhumvit, Wireless, Sarasin, Rama IV, Henri Dunant and Phya Thai.
Asiatique The Riverfront (Charoen Krung Road)
No parking on Charoen Krung Road, from Chan to Thanon Tok intersections, all day on Saturday.
Parking space at Asiatique is limited.
Iconsiam (Charoen Nakhon Road)
No road closures or parking restrictions. Parking at the mall may be limited.
Call the police hotline at 1197 for more information. Maps of suggested detours are available at facebook.com/1197Callcenter
Hua Lamphong buzzing as scores of Bangkokians head out for New Year
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022
Thousands of Bangkokians were seen queuing up to buy tickets and board trains at Hua Lamphong station on Friday – the first day of the New Year holidays.
Even though the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) set up an online booking system for people to book their tickets in advance, many people still showed up hoping for last-minute deals.
The waiting area was also full of passengers waiting for their train, with luggage, gifts and necessities piled high near them.
Despite the relatively slow and often delayed service, trains are still the preferred transport option during the holidays because they are cheaper and safer.
SRT has been urging travellers to arrive at the station at least three hours before departure time to avoid missing the train. Travellers have also been advised to only purchase tickets at the ticketing booth and avoid hustlers.
Strong winds to make weekend cooler in most of Thailand
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022
Saturday and Sunday will be cooler in the North of Thailand by 2-4 degrees Celsius and by 1-3 degrees in other parts of the country.
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) said on Friday that the cool temperatures are being brought by the strong high-pressure system from China that will extend to upper Thailand, bringing cold weather and strong wind to the areas.
From Monday to Thursday, the high-pressure system over the upper parts of Thailand will reduce and result in temperatures rising by 1-3°C, TMD said.
Meanwhile, the Northeast monsoon prevailing over the Gulf of Thailand and the South will strengthen, leading to more rain in the lower South until Thursday.
Waves in the lower Gulf and the Andaman Sea are expected to be about 2 metres high and higher during thundershowers.
People are advised to protect themselves from changing temperatures, strong winds and dry air. Ships and boats are also advised to proceed with caution.
Daughter mourns parents who died in Cambodia casino fire
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022
Reuters
The massive fire that engulfed the Grand Diamond City Casino and Hotel on the Thai-Cambodian border has left at least 27 dead, authorities said on Friday (December 30) and two of the victims were the parents of Nunthida Kongreung.
About 400 employees and patrons were in the casino and hotel in Poipet, when the fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday (December 29), leaving the building gutted by the afternoon.
“My parents were found to have inhaled smoke. The rescuers said my parents were not burnt, but they had choked from inhaling smoke. So, if help had come earlier they might have survived,” said Nunthida, 36.
Many of the victims were Thai, rescue workers said, and dozens of injured people were taken over the border to the Thai province of Sa Kaeo for treatment.
It was unclear what started the blaze but Sek Sokhom, head of the Banteay Meanchey provincial information department, said it may have been due to an electrical short circuit. A government committee has been set up to investigate the cause.
A key part of Cambodia’s tourism industry, casinos in the capital of Phnom Penh and on the borders with Vietnam and Thailand are a draw for visitors from Asian nations that ban gambling.
Nunthida Kongreung, daughter of victims of the Grand Diamond hotel-casino fire, reacts as she receives documents from officials, in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province near Thailand-Cambodia border, December 30, 2022.Thai and Cambodian rescuers gather in front of the Grand Diamond hotel-casino as they struggle to extricate dozens of people feared trapped after a fire broke, killing at least 10 and injuring dozens in Poipet near Thailand border, Cambodia, December 29, 2022.
Rescue workers search for victims on higher floors of hotel after deadly Poipet casino blaze
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022
Vincent Macisaac
Rescue workers on Friday morning gained access to the upper floors of the 355-room Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino in Poipet, in Cambodia, after most of the casino was razed by a 12-hour blaze that erupted in its main gambling room late on Wednesday night, witnesses told The Nation.
Special Report from Cambodia
Vincent Macisaac
They said rescue workers were seen lowering bodies from the hotel’s upper floors on Friday morning as the search for victims extended above the hotel’s ground floor.
The high-rise hotel, located behind the gambling area, is ranked the No. 1 hotel in Poipet by TripAdvisor.
The blaze that erupted shortly before midnight on Wednesday destroyed the casino’s gambling area and spread to another casino on the opposite side of the main road that leads through the town from Thailand.
Witnesses said that the fire had spread from Grand Diamond to Poipet Resort and Casino via pedestrian walkways that connected the two casinos, which are operated by Grand Exclusive Poipet Cambodia.
The two casinos are the first to greet Thai gamblers crossing the Cambodian border to Poipet – the main border checkpoint between the two countries known for its abundance of casinos.
Both casinos are reportedly owned by fugitive Thai politician and former deputy interior minister Vatana Asavahame, who is believed to have fled to Cambodia after an arrest warrant was issued for him in 2008 on corruption-related charges. He was also convicted in 2018 to three years in jail in a land fraud case.
As of 11.30am on Friday, the death toll had reached 25. It is expected to rise further as rescue crews search more rooms in the hotel. On Wednesday night, numerous hotel guests were filmed jumping from their rooms to escape the blaze as crowds outside wailed in horror. The shocking videos are circulating widely on social media in Cambodia and around the world.
Andrew Wallace, director of compliance at Cambodia’s National Quality Inspection Centre for Fire Equipment, Fire Safety Systems, said investigations were underway to identify the cause of the fire as well as the fire-fighting arrangements at the casinos.
He said that casinos in Poipet had their own fire-engines, but added it was too soon to determine what infrastructure – if any – Grand Diamond to Poipet Resort and Casino had put in place to deal with a blaze.
“I’ve just arrived at the scene this morning and have not yet examined the [architectural] drawings of the casino,” he told The Nation.
Wallace said it would be difficult to rescue people from a tall building in any country, explaining that rescue cranes cannot reach very high floors. Hence, it is critical for tall buildings to be equipped with their own fire-fighting equipment.
Although Cambodia still lacks a building code, it does have legal requirements for fire safety, Wallace said, adding that he had helped draft these for the country’s Ministry of Interior in his capacity as vice-president of the Association of Fire Prevention Enterprises. The fire safety code was drafted in 2019 and a “prakas” (ministerial declaration) earlier this year made it legally binding. Wallace said the delay between the draft code and the “prakas” was the result of Covid-19.
He said the code applies to old buildings, newly constructed ones, and those under construction, among other facilities at risk of fire.
He said it was too early to determine the cause of the deadly blaze, which has been attributed to several factors, including a gas explosion and electrical fire, by Cambodian media.
Wallace, who works closely with the Interior Ministry, said Cambodia was making great strides in fire safety.
Two staff who survived the blaze told The Nation that they did not hear fire alarms on the floors of the hotel where they were working. “I learned there was a fire when I heard people screaming below,” said one, who requested anonymity.
Both casino employees were unaware of any fire drills taking place at the complex.
Meanwhile, parents of missing casino employees are posting photos and messages on social media asking anyone who has seen their children to contact them immediately.
Others expressed shock as well as condolences to the families of those who had died.
An official at Cambodia’s gambling regulator, the General Secretariat of Commercial Gambling Management Commission, said it was not the commission’s job to inspect casinos for fire hazards before issuing a licence. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The commission renewed the licences of Cambodia’s 70 casinos in the second quarter of this year, saying it would help boost tourism revenue.
Management at Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino and Poipet Resort and Casino did not reply to requests for comment. They did, however, post an announcement online saying the casino will be “temporarily closed”.
Gold royal regalia items on display for public at Ayutthaya museum
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022
The national museum in Ayutthaya province has officially opened its new Gold Artefacts Building, which showcases centuries-old gold jewellery items from the ancient Siamese capital.
Many of the items on display are royal regalia and personal items of the kings from the Ayutthaya Period (1351-1767).
The new edifice at the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum features gold artefacts discovered in the repositories of temples in the province, which is officially called Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. The Ayutthaya Period temples include Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Mahathat, Wat Suwan Chedi, and Wat Phutthaisawan.
Among the 2,244 items on display are the Sword of Victory (Phra Sang Khan Chaisri) — one of the ancient royal regalia — Phra Kachathan royal elephant saddle, Chula Mongkut coronet, and Phra Suwan Mala hat.
Access to the new building is free to the public from Friday (December 30) to next Monday (January 2), as a New Year present from the Culture Ministry.
Culture Minister Ittipol Khunpluem inspected the Gold Artefacts Building during his visit to the museum on Thursday (December 29). He was greeted by senior officials of the Fine Arts Department, including its director general Phanombootra Chandrajoti.
The new building has two storeys with a space of 3,275 square metres. It is divided into three display areas — gold royal regalia and royal personal items, gold Buddha images and Buddha relics, and an exhibition on the beliefs about how Buddha relics were put into the pagodas at different temples in Ayutthaya.
One in four Bangkokians have no plans to travel during New Year holidays
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022
Almost 77 per cent of Bangkok residents surveyed recently said they planned to travel during the long New Year weekend, according to results of the latest Bangkok Poll released on Friday.
As many as 76.9% of the 1,203 respondents said they would travel upcountry to make merit (34.6% of those in this group), visit their home province or meet families in the provinces (32.8%), and go sightseeing (28.4%).
Of all respondents, 23.1% said they had no plans to travel due to their work duties or preferred to spend the long holiday period at home, according to the pollsters Bangkok University Research Centre, also known as Bangkok Poll.
When asked about factors that make tourist destinations attractive, two largest groups of respondents pointed to cleanliness and convenience in travel (26.7% each), followed by photogenic beauty (22.7%), and value for money (17.3%).
Regarding potential concerns during travel, most respondents pointed to a possible resurgence of Covid-19 accounting for 52.2% of all those surveyed, followed by severe traffic congestion (52.0%), and road accidents (48.2%).
Most of the Bangkokians surveyed, 35.4%, said they wanted to count down to the New Year in the mountains in cold weather, followed by 25.0% who picked islands or beaches, and 23.3% who opted for Buddhist temples where they could perform meditation or attend New Year’s Eve prayers.
214 motorists caught for drunk driving on first of Thailand’s 7 dangerous days
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022
Thursday, the first of Thailand’s “7 dangerous days”, saw 98% more motorists caught for drunk driving compared to last year.
Weerakit Harnpariphan, Department of Probation director-general, said on Friday that 214 motorists were put under court-ordered probation on Thursday because they were caught driving under the influence. This is 106 people or 98% more than the 108 motorists caught on the same day last year.
Drunk driving constituted 72.5% of all 295 cases which resulted in motorists facing court-ordered probation on Thursday.
Apart from the 214 drunk drivers, 72 were found to be under the influence of drugs and nine were caught for careless driving on Thursday.
The “7 dangerous days” run from December 29 to January 4.
Department of Probation records showed that Nonthaburi saw 55 drunk driving cases, the highest nationwide on the first day, followed by 27 in Bangkok and 15 in Tak.
Weerakit said on Friday that the Department of Probation would screen motorists facing court-ordered probation. Those who show signs of being alcoholics will be sent for rehabilitation at state hospitals.
Repeat offenders, meanwhile, will be made to attend a three-day “intensive training” to turn over a new leaf, he said. This course will include community services to boost awareness about the impact of drunk driving.
Ten Thai victims of Poipet blaze ready for relatives to retrieve
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022
The bodies of 10 victims of the massive casino blaze in Poipet identified as Thai nationals by forensic officials are now at the emergency help centre set up at Aranyaprathet district office, said Major Anuphong Moonbanjob, commander of the 13th Ranger Regiment, which has been supervising the transport of victims.
Relatives of the victims have been asked to visit the help centre to confirm the identity of the deceased, he said. The centre is located next to the Star Plaza shopping mall in Aranyaprathet subdistrict. Once family members identify the victims they can bring them home for funeral services, Anuphong said.
The 12-hour blaze started about 30 minutes before midnight on Wednesday at the Thai-owned casino and hotel.
The number of dead rose to 25 this morning. Most of those whose nationality has been identified are Thai.
The casino-hotel complex is located near the Ban Klong Luk checkpoint in Sa Kaew’s Aranyaprathet district and is owned by fugitive Thai politician Vatana Asavahame.
Sa Kaeo authorities also reported that a Thai victim who had earlier been sent to a hospital in the province for treatment had died, raising the number of victims identified as Thai to 11.
The search for victims continued on Friday as rescue workers slowly made their way through the 20-floor hotel. Safety concerns are slowing the search as the hotel’s structure was badly damaged in the blaze, officials said.
37 road deaths as Thailand’s New Year exodus begins
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2022
Most major highways in Thailand were choc-a-bloc on Friday (December 30) as holidaymakers headed out of Bangkok to welcome the New Year upcountry.
The Interior Ministry’s Road Safety Centre also reported that 37 people were killed in road accidents in the first of Thailand’s infamous “7 dangerous days”.
Meanwhile, early-bird motorists heading Northeast on the Friendship Highway hit congestion as early as Thursday night, as thousands of Bangkokians headed home to Isaan.
Bottlenecks were spotted on Phaholyothin and Asia highways in the early hours of Friday, the first day of the four-day weekend.
All lanes of Highway 9 were also packed as northbound motorists headed to Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in interchange to make their way to Saraburi province. Roads were also jammed as motorists waited to refuel or take a break.
Separately, as many as 349 road accidents were recorded on Friday, with 37 dead and 351 others injured. Most accidents took place in the northern province of Lamphun, while Prachuap Khiri Khan recorded three road deaths, the highest.
Nunthida Kongreung, daughter of victims of the Grand Diamond hotel-casino fire, reacts as she receives documents from officials, in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province near Thailand-Cambodia border, December 30, 2022.
Thai and Cambodian rescuers gather in front of the Grand Diamond hotel-casino as they struggle to extricate dozens of people feared trapped after a fire broke, killing at least 10 and injuring dozens in Poipet near Thailand border, Cambodia, December 29, 2022.
SootinClaimon.Com 