Navy chief expresses sorrow at funerals as search resumes for missing crew
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2022
Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy, expressed sorrow at not being able to save the lives of HTMS Sukhothai crewmen as he presided over funeral rites on Monday.
Choengchai was speaking at rites for four victims of the ship’s sinking held at Sattahip Navy Crematorium in Chonburi.
The four were identified as Petty Officer Third Class Sarawut Nadi, Seaman Suthipong Hongthong, Seaman Jirawat Thuphom and Seaman Worapong Boonlakhon.
The admiral said the bodies would be returned to their families for funerals in their hometowns.
“As Navy chief, I would like to express condolence to the families of the deceased sailors for being unable to save their lives,” he said.
He also vowed that the search mission for 11 HTMS Sukhothai crew still missing would continue, saying he still had hope more survivors could be found.
He said the Navy has also handed out cash relief to families of the deceased sailors and will recruit members from each family.
Meanwhile the Navy is accelerating its investigation of the sinking by using evidence from survivors and video clips, he said. Choengchai vowed to provide a full and transparent explanation of the disaster as soon as possible.
He added that it would take time to lift the wreck of the HTMS Sukhothai from the seabed as the salvage mission depended on weather, winds and waves.
The search mission was launched after the Sukhothai, a Rattanakosin-class corvette, capsized during stormy weather with 105 crew onboard on the night of December 18.
The ship sank some 20 nautical miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district. As of press time, the bodies of 18 sailors from the ship had been found, while another 11 were still missing.
“Haemophilia” – a Disease that May Not Be Cured But Opportunities for a Good Life Are Still Possible
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2022
Patients suffering from Hemophilia, a genetic disease that lasts throughout one’s lifetime and has no long-term cure can still expect a quality of life.
A Chula medical specialist recommends preventive replacement factor treatment that uses an application to record abnormal bleeding along with regular communication with one’s physician.
Bleeding when one is wounded is a common occurrence for everyone. Yet there are cases where a person experiences bleeding without having had any cuts or wounds. There can also be instances of bleeding without any wounds or only a slight injury and the bleeding shows no sign of stopping especially in the joints or muscles. These symptoms shouldn’t be ignored since they might mean that a person has Hemophilia.
Dr Chatphatai Moonla, General Medicine Instructor, General Practitioner in Hematologic Diseases, Division of General Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital explains that “Haemophilia is a genetic disease that is found only in males. Out of a population of ten to twenty thousand, one haemophiliac might be found. This disease is caused by a genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to make blood clot. Patients usually display abnormal bleeding patterns from the time of their birth while in some cases they are found in their childhood or adolescence if they experience joint bleeds or easy bruising during the motor development process.”
At present, around 1,800 people suffer from Hemophilia but it is hoped that more patients can be diagnosed, especially those displaying only mild symptoms. This would require more awareness among the public and medical professionals in all areas to realize the importance of detecting this disease.
What causes Haemophilia Haemophilia is caused by a disorder of the gene that creates the coagulation factor which is called factor for short. There are two important factors: factor VIII and factor IX. Those lacking factor VIII have haemophilia A and those without factor IX have haemophilia B. In 2020, Thailand had 1,600 patients with haemophilia A and 200 with haemophilia B.
Dr Chatphatai explained that haemophilia A and B are both X-linked recessive disorders which is why it affects males who acquire the X haemophiliac chromosome from their mothers while females with the haemophiliac gene are carriers but asymptomatic.
How much bleeding indicates that it’s haemophilia? Characteristic symptoms for haemophilia vary according to severity. 80-100 % of the bleeding is joint bleeding whereas 10-20% is muscle bleeding that happens after an accident or collision such as in a sports tournament. The severity of the disease depends on the level of factor VII or factor IX and can be divided into 3 levels as follow:
Severe haemophilia symptoms (factor level less than 1 %) usually show signs of bruising on their bodies from the time they are very young, and experience joint or muscle bleeding without having had an accident or collision.
Moderate haemophilia symptoms (factor level of 1-5 %) will experience joint or muscle bleeding after only a slight accident. In only some cases will they experience joint bleeds on their own. Slight haemophilia symptoms (factor level between 5-40 %) usually don’t bleed on their own but will find it hard to stop the bleeding after an accident or surgical procedure like tooth extraction, for example.
Easy bleeding makes life difficult. Patients with haemophilia have to be extra cautious in avoiding crashes and collisions. This affects their way of life, especially for those in their childhood where active fun and games are a part of their physical development and learning process.
“Active kids who take part in strenuous physical activities that affect their muscles and joints may encounter situations of bleeding. Many need to refrain from such activities and some need to be absent from school whenever they start bleeding and require treatment. Those who fail to receive treatment when they are young will go through osteoarthritis or joint impairments that adversely affect their way of life and put them in need of caregiver’s assistance and worse yet, disabilities leading to them being crippled.”
Diagnosis of hemophilia Dr Chatphatai advises male babies born to families with a history of haemophilia to be tested for the disease by way of assessing their blood clot ability and factor levels of factor VII and IX from the time of their birth or during infancy.
“A family with a child who shows abnormal bleeding in the joints or muscles or has bleeding marks on the skin after only a small bump should bring the baby to his paediatrician for assessment.”
“Patients showing slight or moderate signs who encounter bruising or bleeding in the joints or muscles, or those who continue to bleed after a tooth extraction or surgery should make sure to see their physician for further diagnosis as well.”
Forms of treatment to ensure a better quality of life We have yet to find a cure for haemophilia but there are two forms of treatment available – treatment and prevention of bleeding episodes.
“Prevention is the best form of treatment which is done by replacing the missing blood clotting factors 2-3 or more times a week. Here in Thailand, there are still some limitations based on budgetary concerns whereas in some foreign countries, factors could be given every other day to prevent abnormal bleeding and successfully delay joint osteoarthritis.”
Since care for haemophilia patients needs to be done continuously throughout the patient’s lifetime, systems and technologies have therefore been developed to help both the patients and their doctors to follow up on their symptoms and provide extended care. Various applications such as the HemMobile recommended by King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital have been tested on patients. The application works like a personal assistant for the patient recording all instances of abnormal bleeding and factor injections onto the application that will process that data onto the physician to observe the patient’s bleeding patterns leading to greater accuracy and appropriate treatment.”
“Care for a haemophiliac is a lifelong process. The patient and his family must understand the disease as well as the treatment. The team of doctors treating the patient must be knowledgeable and engage in a close relationship with the patient. This will ensure that the patient will receive appropriate care in the long run and be able to live with haemophilia while enjoying a good quality of life, especially for children who should be able to grow up with a strong life and with the least occurrences of osteoarthritis.” Dr Chatphatai concluded.
2,684 companies close in November; construction sector worst hit
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2022
The construction sector suffered the highest casualties among 2,684 companies that went out of business in Thailand in November, according to the Department of Business Development.
The shuttered companies had total registered capital of 9.417 billion baht.
Construction firms accounted for 236 closures or 9% of the total. Second-worst hit was real estate with 108 closures (4%), followed by restaurants with 64 (2%).
Firms with less than 1 million baht in authorised capital accounted for most closures, at 1,935 or 72.09%. Another 611 or 22.77% of those shuttered were firms with 1-5 baht million in capital. A total of 128 shuttered businesses (4.77%) had 5 to 100 million baht, while the remaining 10 closures (0.37%) were of companies with capital of more than 100 million baht.
November also saw 5,773 businesses apply for registration, with capital totalling over 20 billion baht.
The top three sectors for business registration were real estate (492 firms), building construction (486), and restaurants (252), accounting for 9%, 8%, and 4% of registrations, respectively.
Of new registrants, 3,600 companies or 62.36% had capital of less than one million baht, 2,067 (35.81%) had 1-5 million baht, 89 (1.54%) had 5-100 million baht, and 17 (0.29%) had over 100 million baht.
Foreign companies accounted for 50 registrations in November. Foreign investment from January to November rose 74% from the same period last year to 112 billion baht.
The three largest investors were Japan (12 investors adding a total of 1.2 billion baht), Singapore (10 investors adding 307 million baht), and the US (six investors adding 16 million baht).
Control on booze consumption to reduce road deaths this New Year’s, says govt
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2022
Government agencies have been instructed to ensure motorists do not drive in an inebriated state, so there are few road accidents during the New Year break.
Deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Monday that police and the Interior Ministry have been instructed to strictly screen drivers during the holiday period to ensure they are not drunk and follow traffic law.
Violators will be punished, she said.
“The PM has issued these instructions as many Thais will be travelling out of the city during the New Year break, especially now that Covid-related restrictions have been lifted,” she said.
Traisuree said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has also asked police and local officials to work on an action plan to control the consumption of alcohol during the break.
The action plan includes surveying venues where alcoholic beverages are sold to ensure operators are complying with laws, such as refraining from the sale of alcohol to people below the age of 20 and closing entertainment venues at prescribed times, she said.
Motorists caught drunk driving will also be sent to rehabilitation centres after the New Year break, she added.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
Citing data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Traisuree said the last New Year break saw 2,707 road accidents, 333 deaths and 2,672 people injured.
She said 29.51% of these accidents were due to drunk driving.
“Up to 15,000 people were charged for drunk driving during last year’s New Year break,” she said, citing Court of Justice’s data.
Ten Thai stories that trended the most on social media in 2022
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2022
The death of TV actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong topped trending topics during 2022, according to a study by analytics company Wisesight published on Monday.
The company used its Zocial Eye tools to collect data from social media users in Thailand between January 1 and December 20.
The top 10 trending topics were:
1. Tangmo’s case (248.33 million engagements)
The death of the TV actress in late February sparked many theories and plenty of debate, such as police investigation, attitude of Tangmo’s mother Panida Siriyudthayothin, and criminal charges against six suspects.
Tangmo, 37, reportedly fell off a speedboat into the Chao Phraya River on February 24 and her body was found two days later. Police ruled out murder and concluded on April 26 that she had died in an accident caused by negligence and recklessness.
2. Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 (118.50 million engagements)
The 22nd World Cup from November 20 to December 18 went viral in various ways, such as news of football clubs and players and disputes over broadcasting rights.
Thailand’s plan to acquire the World Cup broadcasting rights had a troubled start, as the NBTC’s contribution was not enough to purchase the broadcast rights, which was priced at 1.4 billion baht. This forced the SAT, an agency responsible for purchasing the broadcast rights of sporting events, to enter into a deal with telecom company True Corporation for funding support.
3. Thailand’s floods (99.52 million engagements)
Flash floods and runoffs triggered by tropical storm “Noru” caused many areas of Thailand to be inundated. Many netizens talked about the situation in Ubon Ratchathani province, which was severely affected by the tropical storm.
4. Miss Grand International 2022 (96.02 million engagements)
Miss Grand Thailand Engfa Waraha’s remarks and attitude went viral on TikTok and Twitter after she was crowned on April 30.
However, Engfa bagged the runner-up title of Miss Grand International 2022 while Brazil’s Isabella Novaes Menin took the crown on October 25.
5. Russia-Ukraine war (61.58 million engagements)
Netizens were forced to monitor the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine as it had ramifications for the world economy, society and product prices.
6. “One Man and the River” Mekong charity swim (54.37 million engagements)
The fundraising project to procure medical supplies for hospitals in Thailand and Laos was initiated by Thai actor and singer Phakin “Tono” Khamwilaisak.
His move to swim across the Mekong River to Laos and back on October 22 raised 87 million baht for Nakhon Phanom Hospital in Thailand and Khammouane Hospital in Laos.
Netizens’ reactions were divided over Tono’s move. Some netizens feared for his life, while others said he had helped medical staff in both countries.
7. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt (44.87 million engagements)
Chadchart became talk of the town after he won the Bangkok gubernatorial election in May. Chadchart’s Facebook page has drawn 2.6 million followers as of Monday with more than 270,000 engagements per post.
8. Nong Bua Lamphu shooting massacre (42.12 million engagements)
This tragedy happened in October when a dismissed policeman shot dead 37 people, including very young children, in a nursery in Nong Bua Lamphu province before killing his own family and himself.
Many netizens monitored the case until the hashtag #กราดยิงหนองบัวลําภู (Nong Bua Lamphu shooting massacre) started trending on Twitter.
9. Mango sticky rice soft power (38.49 million engagements)
This demonstration of Thai soft power was courtesy Thai rapper Danupha “Milli” Khanatheerakul, through her gesture of consuming the dish at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April.
Commanding the stage in a skimpy red outfit, Milli took a break from her twerk-heavy dance routine to grab a bowl and take a mouthful in an effective show of soft power.
Milli’s move caused the hashtag #milliliveatcoachella to trend on Twitter. Meanwhile, netizens praised Milli for promoting Thailand’s soft power.
10. SEA Games 2021 (34.38 million engagements)
The 31st competition was held in Hanoi in May this year. Even though Thailand was ranked second among countries on the medals table, the hashtag #ซีเกมส์2022 was trending on Twitter during the period.
Thailand tops list of Southeast Asian travel destinations
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2022
Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia among travellers from North America and Europe, a recent survey conducted by BBC News shows.
Citing the survey, government spokesman Anucha Buraphachaisri said on Monday that 57.4% of foreign travellers are likely to choose Thailand over other destinations in the region.
“Nearly four in five Europeans who plan to visit Southeast Asia say they will embark on the trip within the next six months,” he said.
The survey also shows that most foreign travellers are paying attention to cultural and sustainable travel.
“Up to 91% of the respondents said they are looking for unique culture and heritage in their chosen destination,” he said. “Meanwhile, 72% of travellers seek to protect the environment at the local level.”
Anucha added that the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to promote the country as a destination where people can travel all year round.
“TAT expects more than 11.5 million foreigners to visit Thailand this year, generating 50% of tourism dollars earned in 2019,” he said. “TAT also expects tourism revenue to rise up to 80% of pre-pandemic levels by next year.”
According to the Tourism and Sports Ministry, the tourism industry generated 3.01 trillion baht in 2019, 1.93 trillion baht of which came from foreign tourists and 1.08 trillion baht from local travel.
“Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is pleased with the survey results,” he said, adding that the PM believes Thailand has a lot more to offer, including nature, food, culture, safety, innovation and health. He said the authorities have taken measures to maintain Thailand’s popularity.
Delivery trucks urged to stay off roads to keep Thai roads safe during New Year’s
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2022
Logistics companies have been asked to delay deliveries during the New Year break to reduce traffic congestion and road accidents.
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) said on Monday that trucks are advised to stay off the roads because many people will be travelling to their hometowns or other destinations from Thursday.
The New Year holidays run from Thursday to Monday (January 2).
“Hence we ask logistics companies to delay deliveries or avoid sending out empty trucks during this period, so traffic can keep moving,” DLT deputy director-general Seksom Akraphand said.
As for companies that have to continue using their delivery trucks during this period, he said drivers should be instructed to drive carefully, obey traffic rules, have their vehicles checked and follow the GPS.
He added that DLT has also sought cooperation from 30 agencies related to logistics, including the Land Transport Association of Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade of Thailand and the Thai National Shippers’ Council.
Korat’s century-old train station to be demolished to make way for new, modern version
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2022
Nakhon Ratchasima’s 122-year-old train station will be torn down next year to make way for one that supports the dual-track system of Thailand’s new high-speed railway network.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced on Monday that the demolition will kick off in February before a more modern one is built. The new station will be fully compatible with the dual-track high-speed railway system that is currently in Phase 1 of construction.
The 179-billion-baht Phase 1 covers the 253-kilometre distance between Bangkok and Korat as the Northeast province is also known.
Though only 16% of the project has been completed due to the Covid pandemic, SRT expects the first phase to be up and running by 2026.
Phase 2 of the project, costing 300 billion baht, will cover the 356km between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai. SRT said this phase is under the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process.
SRT expects Phase 2 to be up for bidding before May 2023 and construction may start in the following year.
The high-speed rail route from Bangkok to Nong Khai should go into operation by 2029, linking Thailand to the China-Laos railway.
Before demolishing the Nakhon Ratchasima train station, which was built in 1900 during the reign of King Rama V, SRT has been holding activities, so locals and tourists can check out the site for the last time. Activities, so far, include an exhibition of model trains, railway equipment and souvenirs.
Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida have fully recovered from a recent bout of Covid-19, the Royal Household Bureau announced on Monday.
In its second update on Their Majesties’ condition, the bureau said the King and Queen tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in rapid antigen tests performed by doctors.
The doctors diagnosed that Their Majesties were free of the virus and can now resume their royal activities.
Their Majesties tested positive for Covid-19 during a routine rapid antigen test on December 17 but suffered only mild symptoms, according to the Royal Household Bureau. Doctors then prescribed treatment for the King and Queen and requested they refrain from duties for a while.
AOT expects 2 million passengers at six airports during the year-end holidays
MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2022
The Airports of Thailand (AOT) Plc has predicted that about 2 million passengers will use its six airports during the year-end holidays from December 29 to January 4.
AOT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said on Monday that the AOT has made preparations to make its six airports ready to cope with the surging number of passengers during the New Year holidays.
The AOT operates Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang International Airport, Chiang Mai International Airport, Mae Fah Luang – Chiang Rai International Airport, Phuket International Airport and Hat Yai International Airport.
He said the AOT expected the number of passengers at the six airports to rise by 171.28%, compared to December 29, 2021 to January 4, 2022.
The AOT expects one million international passengers, an increase of 832.51% compared to the same period last year, and one million domestic passengers, an increase of 57.05%.
The AOT also expects that there would be 12,190 flights using the six airports during the seven-day New Year holiday period, an increase of 87.01% from the same period last year.
The number of expected flights would break down to 5,340 international flights, an increase of 260.53%, and 6,850 domestic flights, an increase of 35.98%.
During the New Year holiday period, the AOT would strictly adhere to its Covid-19 universal preventive measures despite the expected increase of passengers, the president said.
He said the AOT has also developed new technologies to make it more convenient for passengers to use the six airports under the “new normal” practice.
One of such technologies is the Sawasdee by AOT app that will allow passengers to check flight data and status of their flights in real time. The app will also alert them when the deadline for checking in is coming up.
Passengers can use the app to check the status of their luggage or book taxis or parking space at the airports. The apps can also be used to locate available buses or trains linked to the airports or file any complaints.
A new function, called Queue Times, will assist passengers to plan their travel, the AOT president added.
He said check-in counters at the six airports are expected to be crowded so passengers are advised to use automatic check-in kiosks that have been installed at different spots in passenger terminals.
Moreover, during the long New Year holidays, the AOT would allow passengers to park their vehicles at the airports free of charge.
Passengers can park their vehicles at the Parking Zone C of Suvarnabhumi Airport from 12.01am on December 29 to midnight of January 3 and the airport will provide shuttle buses to pick them up at 15-minute intervals around the clock.
Passengers using the Phuket airport can also park at the X-Terminal Building’s carpark from 6pm on December 29 to midnight January 3 and the carpark in front of the AOT Phuket office from 6pm on December 29 to midnight January 2, Nitinai said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
Passengers can use the app to check the status of their luggage or book taxis or parking space at the airports. The apps can also be used to locate available buses or trains linked to the airports or file any complaints.
Moreover, during the long New Year holidays, the AOT would allow passengers to park their vehicles at the airports free of charge.
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