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Trilateral meeting discusses ways to shore up falling tapioca price (nationthailand.com)

Trilateral meeting discusses ways to shore up falling tapioca price

NationalDec 22. 2020

By THE NATION

The Ministry of Commerce held a meeting of government agencies, tapioca farmers and exporters to discuss solutions for the plummeting price.

The price of cassava fell to Bt2.1 per kilogram, in contrast with rising demand in the global market, said Keerati Ratchano, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department.

“The department promised to employ measures to make sure that tapioca to be exported meets international standards, especially in terms of starch percentage, to avoid incidents where importers use quality as a reason to lower the buying price,” he said.

“In the coming months, the situation should improve as domestic demand for tapioca chips should rise quickly because domestic manufacturers will need them to produce alcohol gels to cope with rising Covid-19 cases.”

Boonchai Sriyongpanich, chairman of Thai Tapioca Trade Association, added that members of the association agreed to buy fresh tapioca with 25 per cent starch from farmers at Bt2.5 per kg in order to motivate farmers to continue growing.

“The plummeting price and the risk of the unpreventable CMD (Cassava Mosaic Disease) would push farmers to grow other crops instead of tapioca and would result in domestic supply shortage,” he said.

“The association had earlier estimated total tapioca production next year at 28.3 million tonnes, but due to CMD and possible drought we may have to lower the estimates by 5-10 per cent, while this year’s total production is recorded at around 25 million tonnes.

“Domestic demand for tapioca is currently at 40 million tonnes, whereas we need to import chip and fresh tapioca from Laos and Cambodia to meet the demand,” he added.

In 2019 Thailand exported 5.59 million tonnes of tapioca with total value of $2.6 million, down 16.36 per cent compared to the previous year.

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Samut Sakhon Covid-19 cases exceed 1,000 (nationthailand.com)

Samut Sakhon Covid-19 cases exceed 1,000

NationalDec 22. 2020

By The Nation

Another 242 people tested positive in Samut Sakhon province by 1am on Tuesday, taking total cases there in the latest outbreak above 1,000.

Samut Sakhon Governor Veerasak Vichitsangsri said the number of infected people had risen to 1,063.

The total number of cases rose by 27.91 per cent, while 6,156 samples were tested for Covid-19, with 3,808 cases revealed while results were awaited for 2,348.

Nearly 90 per cent of the positive cases were migrant workers. The positive rate detection has improved from the first day with more than 40 per cent, but now the positive detections rate has dropped to 27.91 per cent.

Two biosafety mobile units were set up at Tha Chin government complex resident to detect infections among workers and their families, targeting 2,500 samples, while also checking people who requested a test.

There are many migrant workers waiting to be tested with the queue stretching for more than two kilometres because large numbers of foreign workers stay here, he said.

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NSTDA staffer tests positive for Covid-19 (nationthailand.com)

NSTDA staffer tests positive for Covid-19

NationalDec 22. 2020

By THE NATION

A research department staffer at the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) in Pathum Thani province has tested positive for Covid-19, the agency’s deputy director, Ladawan Krasachol, announced on Monday.

“Pathum Thani public health office confirmed that a staffer working in the nanotech research department has tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday afternoon,” she said.

“He came to work at the office on December 16-17 and felt sick on the evening of December 17 so he took a day off and stayed at home. He went to see a doctor on December 19 and has been in the hospital since.”

Ladawan added that the NSTDA has been cooperating with public health officers in tracing and testing persons who have had close contact with the patient.

“So far, eight people who have high risk of infection have been called in to get a test and remain in isolation, while those who have low risk were asked to work from home in self-quarantine,” she said.

The NSTDA has disinfected the nanotech department building and parking lot and will shut the area down for seven days, as well as undertake cleaning and disinfection of nearby areas. The Thailand Science Park, also located within the premises, will be shut down from public for three days.

“The NSTDA will monitor the situation closely and provide updates periodically via official announcements,” said Ladawan. “Please refrain from sharing personal information or image of the infected staffer, or sharing news from unconfirmed sources which may cause damage to the agency and its staff,” she said.

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Rains bring risk of flash floods to South, upper Thailand gets cooler (nationthailand.com)

Rains bring risk of flash floods to South, upper Thailand gets cooler

NationalDec 22. 2020

By THE NATION

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Tuesday that a strong high-pressure system from China covers upper Thailand, resulting in cool to cold weather and strong winds, with temperatures falling by 2-3 degrees Celsius in the North and by 1-2°C in the Northeast, the Central and the East. Mountaintops remain cold to very cold with frost in some places.

Meanwhile, a strong northeast monsoon prevails over the Gulf and the South. Waves are likely to rise 2-3 metres in the lower Gulf and above three metres during thundershowers. All ships should proceed with caution and small boats in the Gulf should stay ashore, the department said.

The active low pressure over the lower South China Sea is expected to move to the Gulf on December 23-24. More rain and isolated heavy to very heavy rain will be likely in Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung and Songkhla provinces. People in the South should beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods, the department said.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Cool weather; minimum temperature 9-15 degrees Celsius, maximum 24-28°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 2-12°C with frost in some areas.

Northeast: Cold weather with strong winds; minimum temperature 10-15°C, maximum 24-26°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 5-12°C.

Central: Cold to cool weather; minimum temperature 15-17°C, maximum 26-28°C.

East: Cool weather with strong winds; minimum temperature 15-20°C, maximum 27-29°C; waves two metres high and over two metres off shore.

South (east coast): Cool weather with strong winds and thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; minimum temperature 17-21°C, maximum 29-30°C; waves 2-3 metres high and over three metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; minimum temperature 22-24°C, maximum 30-33°C; waves two metres high and over two metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool weather; minimum temperature 17-18°C, maximum 27-29°C.

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Enough masks available to meet rise in demand, says trade dept (nationthailand.com)

Enough masks available to meet rise in demand, says trade dept

NationalDec 22. 2020

By The Nation

The Internal Trade Department said it is confident that there will be enough masks to meet the rise in demand after the latest Covid-19 outbreak in Samut Sakhon and other provinces.

Wattanasak Sur-iam, the department’s director general, said he has asked face mask manufacturers to boost their production capacity from the current combined capacity of 5 million pieces daily.

He also said the retail price of surgical masks will be maintained at Bt2.50 apiece.

So far, 382 new Covid-19 cases have been detected among migrant workers in Samut Sakhon province and in quarantine facilities over a 24-hour period on Monday, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported.

Of them, 360 were migrant workers in Samut Sakhon, while 14 were local cases in Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, Bangkok and Tak provinces. The remainder comprised seven Thais and one foreigner who tested positive in quarantine.

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Sale of Covid-19 insurance policies hits the roof after new surge of infections (nationthailand.com)

Sale of Covid-19 insurance policies hits the roof after new surge of infections

NationalDec 22. 2020

By The Nation

The sale of Covid-19 insurance policies has skyrocketed in Thailand since the emergence of new infections.

Insurance company TQM Corporation’s chief executive officer Napassanun Punnipa said over 1,000 customers had bought Covid-19 insurance online after the number of cases spiked on Saturday night.

She added that 70 to 80 per cent of customers who had bought Covid-19 insurance after domestic cases were found in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai decided to extend their policies well before they expire in February next year.

“Based on this, we are confident the company’s performance will rise next year,” she said.

Meanwhile, Muang Thai Insurance senior executive vice president Puntrika Baingern said Thailand’s new round of Covid-19 infections has proved to be beneficial for the insurance business.

She said the company had offered Covid-19 insurance policies three times this year, and the latest policy, which is being sold until December 26, promises insurers Bt100,000 if they test positive.

“Many customers have contacted the company’s call centre and sent requests online asking for details,” she said, adding that the company will carefully consider its business plans in the wake of the new outbreak.

The Office of Insurance Commission said some 9 million Covid-19 insurance policies have been bought and up to Bt4 billion collected in premiums.

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Dozens of developers to join visa-for-property scheme: TPC (nationthailand.com)

Dozens of developers to join visa-for-property scheme: TPC

NationalDec 22. 2020

By The Nation

Thirty real estate developers will offer foreign buyers five-year visas in exchange for investing at least Bt10 million in property, under the “Elite Flexible One” card scheme launched on January 1 next year.

Thailand Privilege Card (TPC), which operates the scheme, said Raimon Land has already signed up three luxury condo projects, expecting sales of about 200 Elite cards. At least 30 more real estate developers have expressed interest in joining, said TPC president Somchai Sungsawang after launching the scheme on Monday.

The move is aimed at lifting a property sector slumping under the impact of Covid-19. “Most are large listed companies, with a lot of suggestions offered to increase customers and encourage more sales. The suggestions will be put to a [TPC] board meeting for further consideration,” said Somchai.

He said that the purchasing power of foreigners is important to the tourism sector and related businesses in Thailand, which normally boasts the second-highest tourist volumes in Asia. Relaxation of the travel ban is expected to see about 1,400 Elite Card members enter Thailand this year. The TPC has set a target of 3,000 Elite Card entries in 2021.

About 70 per cent expressing interest in the scheme said they want to buy Thai property for residential use and long-term investment – with many choosing Thailand as a retirement destination. Most have high enough purchasing power to buy Elite cards priced at Bt500,000 to Bt2 million. To be eligible for an Elite Flexible One membership card, applicants must spend at least Bt10 million on condo-style property under the scheme. Elite Flexible One cards will be issued for a period of two years, from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022.

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Thanathorn hails local poll results as boost for Progressive Movement, despite losses (nationthailand.com)

Thanathorn hails local poll results as boost for Progressive Movement, despite losses

NationalDec 21. 2020Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit 

By The Nation

Progressive Movement co-founder Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has apologised to supporters after the movement’s candidates all failed to get elected as provincial administration organisation (PAO) chiefs on Sunday.

Thanathorn spoke on Monday, a day after 42 candidates from the Progressive Movement participated in polls to elect PAO chiefs.

He said their campaigns and actions had not reached enough voters to win, but they had nevertheless gained a total of 2,670,798 votes.

However, 55 Progressive Movement members had won seats on provincial councils in 18 provinces, he said.

Sunday’s local vote for the Progressive Movement almost matched the national vote for Thanathorn’s now-defunct Future Forward Party (FFP) in 2019.

The Progressive Movement gained 17 per cent of votes on Sunday, he said, while FFP garnered 17.65 per cent of the vote at the 2019 general election.

Thanathorn said he was proud of the number of votes won and told supporters to keep their heads up as they would move forward together.

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Two more Bangkok cases linked with Samut Sakhon outbreak (nationthailand.com)

Two more Bangkok cases linked with Samut Sakhon outbreak

NationalDec 21. 2020

By The Nation

Two more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Bangkok, bringing the total number of infections in the capital linked with the outbreak in Samut Sakhon to four.

On Monday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said one of the new cases is a male resident of Bang Khun Thian district, 43, who worked in the Central Samut Sakhon Shrimp market at the centre of the outbreak. The other lives in Prachachuen, Bang Sue district.

As of Monday, 821 new cases nationwide have been linked to the market in Samut Sakhon’s Muang district.

Fifty-one close contacts of the infected Bang Sue resident have tested negative and been quarantined.

Four close contacts of the Bang Khun Thian resident are awaiting results of tests.

The BMA and the Public Health Ministry have deployed 80 teams to test between 5,000 and 8,0000 mainly migrant workers at 56 markets linked with the Samut Sakhon shrimp market over the next seven days.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Monday revealed the following timeline for the Bang Khun Thian case.

December 5-11: Drives from home to work at the shrimp market from 4am-9am, wearing a mask and cleansing hands with alcohol gel regularly.

December 12: After news of outbreak at market, moves to rental house in Bang Khun Thian district, living alone and only going out to buy food to eat in his room.

December 13-17: Drives daily between rental house and shrimp market.

December 18: Takes drive-through test at private hospital and returns to rental house where he self-isolates.

December 19: Receives “positive” test result and travels by taxi to Ramathibodi Hospital for another test. He and the driver wear masks throughout journey. Admitted at Ramathibodi Hospital while awaiting test result.

December 20: Ramathibodi Hospital test result confirms infection.

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PM mulling whether to cancel country’s New Year celebrations (nationthailand.com)

PM mulling whether to cancel country’s New Year celebrations

NationalDec 21. 2020

By The Nation

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday said he would need another seven days to assess the Covid-19 situation before deciding whether New Year countdown events around the country could go ahead.

Speaking after a Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) subcommittee meeting on the weekend’s explosion of virus cases, Prayut said health officials and border police have tightened security but there were still gaps in the 2,500-kilometre border with Myanmar.

More than 800 new infections over the weekend have been traced to a shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province’s Muang district where the majority of workers are migrants.

The PM admitted that some migrant workers had left Thailand and then been smuggled back via illegal channels to avoid quarantine rules. He said Thai employers must be jointly responsible for following up on these workers.

He added that the public should cooperate on preventing the virus from spreading so Thailand could avoid the lockdowns seen in other countries.

The Public Health Ministry said the Samut Sakhon outbreak was still controllable.

Prayut confirmed Samut Sakhon had been locked down and thousands of locals were being tested.

“As a result, the number of infections will rise. Don’t panic, the situation will be resolved,” he added.

He asked for public cooperation in catching those who smuggled migrant workers into the country, but said people should provide solid information, not just rumours.