The hazardous haze returned to five areas of the capital on Wednesday, but the average dust level was reported to be moderate.
The Air4Thai website said the level of PM2.5 dust particles was recorded between 24-61 microgrammes per cubic metre.
Most of Bangkok’s areas are facing dust that is slightly higher than the approved standard level of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre.
The amount of airborne dust particles in Thawee Wanarom Park (Thawi Watthana district), Thawi Watthana, Nong Khaem, Sai Mai and Taling Chan districts were above the safety limit and could affect the health of residents in these areas.
A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the draft of a royal decree that would allow the extension of various permits by paying a fee without the applicants having to file for the extension first, government deputy spokeswoman Traisulee Traisaranakul said.
The royal decree will cover permits under the following laws:
– Export Commodity Standards Act BE 2503;
– Plants Act BE 2518;
– Cemeteries and Crematoria Act BE 2528;
– Veterinary Sanatoriums Act BE 2533;
– Public Health Act BE 2535;
– Hazardous Substance Act BE 2535;
– Health Facility Act BE 2541;
– Fuel Control Act BE 2542;
– Agricultural Standards Act BE 2551;
– Cosmetics Act BE 2558; and
– Health Establishments Act BE 2559.
“Under the royal decree, holders can extend their permits by paying an extension fee as stipulated by respective acts at offices of these agencies or via other payment channels, either physical or electronic, that the agencies allow,” she said.
Traisulee also said the draft had been proposed by the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, which will within 30 days present it to the House of Representatives and the Senate for approval.
“Once both houses okay the draft, it will be presented for the King’s approval and later be announced as a royal decree,” she added.
Future Park Rangsit will undertake a big clean-up at its premises and nearby public vehicle stops after Pathum Thani’s 11th Covid-19 patient was reported to have used a public van that runs from the shopping mall to Phreuksa B Village, according to an announcement on its Futureparksociety Facebook page on Tuesday.
“Future Park has asked the company that operates public vans on that route to clean and disinfect all its vehicles thoroughly and suspend operations on the route for three days from December 30 to January 1. Its drivers have been instructed to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.” the shopping mall said.
“Meanwhile, Future Park will undergo a big clean-up and disinfection on all its floors and contact surfaces both inside and outside the premises, as well as at the Future Park Station and public vehicle stops near the mall,” the Facebook post said.
The province’s 11th patient was confirmed on December 29 as being a female aged 48. She is a resident of Khlong Luang district. She travelled to Future Park Rangsit on December 23 to catch a van to her house in Phreuksa B Village.
The Public Health Ministry said three restaurants in Bangkok – Saeb E-san Karaoke in Thewet and E-san Krong Kaew and Nongmai Plaza, both in Pinklao – could have spread Covid-19 after several newly infected patients were traced back to the eateries.
“Twenty-two patients in Bangkok were found to have visited one of these three restaurants: Saeb E-san Karaoke in the Thewet area and E-san Krong Kaew and Nongmai Plaza, both in the Pinklao area,” said Dr Wichan Pawan, director of the Institute for Urban Disease Control and Prevention under the ministry’s Department of Disease Control during a press conference on Tuesday evening.
“People who have visited any of these three restaurants from December 15-20 should go into self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor their symptoms closely,” he advised.
“If you feel sick, wear a face mask and go immediately to the nearest medical facility in a private vehicle. Don’t forget to inform the doctor about your recent travel history,” he said.
Wichan said that besides the 22 cases related to the three restaurants, the other new cases in Bangkok can be grouped in two clusters – the first is from the communities that share the border with Samut Sakhon, such as Bang Khun Tian, Nong Khaem and Bang Khae. This group contains more than 70 patients.
“The other cluster group – one Thai patient and six Myanmar nationals – has been traced to a shoe factory in Rama II area,” he added. “The first patient from this cluster is a Myanmar man who showed symptoms on December 17. The other patients had used the same restroom he used at the factory.”
Lampang Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn told a press conference at city hall on Tuesday that a Covid-19 infection has been reported in the province.
“The patient is a Thai male aged 33 years. He travelled from U-tapao Airport in Rayong on AirAsia Flight No FD 103 to Chiang Mai International Airport on December 24,” Narongsak said. “After spending two nights in Chiang Mai, he drove a rented car to Lampang on December 26 and spent a night at a house in Ton Thongchai subdistrict. He then went to his friend’s wedding in Ban Huay Sai village on December 27 and started to feel sick with a cough and headache,” the governor said.
“The patient was tested on December 28 and the test came back positive for Covid-19. He has been hospitalised since,” Narongsak said.
He said preliminary tracing shows that 23 persons in Lampang came into close contact with the patient and carry a high risk of contracting Covid-19.
They have been alerted and instructed to go into self-quarantine at home and monitor their symptoms for 14 days.
The province has also contacted the Chiang Mai public health office to trace the places the patient visited during his stay there.
The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Wednesday that a strong high-pressure system over Vietnam and Laos will cover upper Thailand from today until January 3. Cool to cold weather and strong winds are still likely over the whole area, with a 6-8°C decrease in temperatures.
Meanwhile, the strong northeast monsoon prevails over the Gulf and the South, causing more showers and isolated heavy rain, the department said, adding that waves in the Gulf are 2-3 metres high and more than 3 metres in areas experiencing thundershowers.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Cool to cold weather; temperature lows of 11-18 degrees and highs of 30-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 3-10 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Cool to cold weather with strong wind; temperature lows of 14-20 degrees and highs of 29-31 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 9-14 degrees Celsius.
Central region: Cool weather with morning fog; temperature lows of 18-20 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
East: Cool weather with strong wind; temperature lows of 20-22 degrees, highs of 30-34 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres offshore.
South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area and isolated heavy rain; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius; waves 2-3 metres high and over 3 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool weather; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
Kasikorn Research Centre on Tuesday retained its projection of 2.6 per cent GDP growth for Thailand next year, despite the fresh outbreak of Covid-19. However, the projection is still considerably lower than the Bank of Thailand’s 2021 GDP growth forecast of 3.2 per cent.
The centre said the economic recovery would be slow and driven by government spending, with market instability to be expected. The pace at which economic activity revived and tourists returned would also depend on the Covid-19 situation, it said.
The centre noted that global vaccine supply was still not meeting demand, while the 26 million doses ordered by Thailand would only cover 13 million of its 69 million population.
Another factor affecting the economy was the baht rate. The centre projects the currency will strengthen throughout next year due to the weakening dollar. It sees a rate of Bt29-Bt29.25 per dollar by the end of 2021, hitting Thailand’s export competitiveness.
Kasikorn Research added that US President-elect Joe Biden’s policies and approach to China would also impact Thailand. Meanwhile it said the Covid-19 situation in Thailand should be monitored closely since failure to contain the latest outbreak would have serious ramifications for the economy.
The fresh outbreak of Covid-19 has prevented people from returning to their hometowns over the New Year holidays, as evidenced by fewer passengers this festive season at Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok.The station has implemented virus-prevention measures for passengers and staff, including mandatory wearing of face masks.On Tuesday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported 155 new cases – 145 local infections and 10 found in quarantine.The three worst-hit provinces were Rayong with 56 new cases, Chonburi (28) and Bangkok (11).Entertainment venues including horseracing tracks and cockfighting stadiums have been closed in Bangkok until January 4.
Restaurants have been allowed to stay open, while live music and other performances are permitted but audience members cannot dance or sing and hostesses must not entertain clients.Otherwise, food and alcohol can be served as normal in the capital, but all dining places must close by midnight.
A move by Jatuporn Prompan to disband the red-shirt United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) has met with opposition from fellow red-shirt leader Korkaew Pikulthong. Former Pheu Thai MP Korkaew said on Tuesday that the red shirt movement should be retained for the younger generation.
He suggested Jatuporn, who chairs the UDD, should take a rest if he was tired but disagreed that the long history of the red shirts should come to an end.
The red shirts appear to have been side-lined by the rise of the pro-democracy Ratsadon movement led by students. However, red-shirt activists have joined students at many pro-democracy protests this year, Korkaew pointed out.
An online group called Progressive Red Shirts 63, led by Panupong Mukdara, surfaced when Ratsadon protesters rallied on October 14 this year. Meanwhile Thanapol Thanadechphonlert’s red-shirt group has stood with student anti-coup protesters demanding a return to elections since 2017, also organising events pressuring Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to resign.
Red shirts led by Anurak Janetawanich also joined student protests in 2015, despite tight junta restrictions, while former red-shirt guard Sombat Thongyoi joined protests for elections together with Rangsiman Rome, Arnon Nampa and Sirawith “Ja New” Seritiwat in 2017.
Also, red-shirt activists in various provinces were still allied to the UDD’s fight for true democracy, said Korkaew.
He said this task should be handed to the next generation so they can carry the red shirt’s original campaign forward.
Cabinet earmarks Bt11.3 billion for projects to curb new wave of Covid
NationalDec 29. 2020Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek
By The Nation
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved Bt11.3 billion for 10 projects to curb the new round of Covid-19 infections, deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said.
The Bt11.3 billion is part of the Bt45 billion the government had earmarked to fight the outbreak from the Bt1 trillion borrowing under the emergency decree
The 10 projects are divided into three groups, the first of which will be granted Bt4.33 billion. The first group, focusing on curbing the outbreak, will cover five projects. The first project, costing Bt1.57 billion, will cover one million village public health volunteers who will work on preventing and monitoring infections from January to March. This project comes under the Department of Health Service Support.
The Department of Disease Control will be given Bt419 million for the second project, involving preparation for emergencies, and Bt503 million for the procurement of medical equipment and medicine.
The fourth project will see Bt1.81 billion allocated to the National Vaccine Institute to accelerate Thailand’s access to vaccines, while Bt24 million will be given to Chiang Mai University to develop a Level 3 biosafety lab.
The second group will get Bt6.96 billion for three projects.
The first project, which will be granted Bt2.037 billion, will see the Public Health Ministry upgrading public health systems in different regions of the country. The ministry will also be allocated Bt1.92 billion to supply medication and equipment to its public health units.
A budget of Bt2.99 billion will be allocated to the National Health Security Office to provide services.
The third group will focus on two projects worth a total of Bt27.2 million, including the acquisition of screening equipment for the Department of Health Service Support.
Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek
