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RTAF defends budget to renovate restroom on VVIP plane

NationalDec 17. 2020Photo of A340-500 airplane (Credit: Facebook Thaifighterclub)

By THE NATION

Matichon newspaper reported that the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) said the Bt54-million budget for renovating a restroom on a VVIP plane is “reasonable”.

The publication claims its source revealed on Wednesday that the listed Bt54.43-million budget on the Directorate of Aeronautical Engineering’s website to renovate a restroom on the A340-500 aircraft carrying serial number HS-TYV, which is used to transport very, very important persons, is reasonable and in the normal range of the market price.

The clarification came after the website document was widely shared over the Internet and netizens criticised the high cost, saying the renovation is unnecessarily expensive.

“People can check and compare the price on any plane modification website,” the source said. “Please understand that renovating a plane’s restroom is different from that of a residence. It will require redesigning and reinstalling of the piping system, which involves expensive German engineering techniques,” the source explained.

The source added that the RTAF bought the plane from Thai Airways International and it has already undergone a general renovation, which included the replacement of passenger seats.

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Cool to cold weather in Upper Thailand, isolated heavy rain in the South

NationalDec 17. 2020

By THE NATION

Upper Thailand is experiencing cool to cold weather with a 1-3°C decrease in temperature and strong winds, while mountaintops are cold to very cold, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday as a rather strong high-pressure system from China covers the area.

Meanwhile, the strong northeast monsoon covers the Gulf and the South, bringing thundershowers and isolated heavy rain over the area. The department advised people in the South to beware of heavy rain, adding that waves in the Gulf are about 2 metres high and above 2 metres in areas with thundershowers. It instructed all ships to proceed with caution.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 15-19 degrees and highs of 30-34 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 5-14 degrees Celsius, with frost in some areas.

Northeast: Cool to cold weather with strong wind; temperature lows of 14-19 degrees and highs of 29-32 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 10-14 degrees Celsius.

Central: Cool weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 20-22 degrees, highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius.

East: Cool weather with strong wind; temperature lows of 20-24 degrees, highs of 32-33 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres offshore.

South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area and isolated heavy rain; temperature lows of 23-24 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius; waves 2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area and isolated heavy rain; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.

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Prawn industry more or less escapes fallout of Covid-19

NationalDec 17. 2020

By THE NATION

The Thai Prawn Association announced on Wednesday that Thailand will produce some 310,000 tonnes of prawns in 2021, 15 per cent more than the 270,000 tonnes produced this year.

The association’s president Somsak Paneetatyasai said this year’s production was 7 per cent less than the 290,000 tonnes produced in 2019, adding that farmers held back on production due to prawn disease and concerns over the Covid-19 situation.Most prawn farms are located in Central, East, and upper and lower South regions of the country, and this year, production in the East dropped by 17 per cent.Apart from Thailand, the prawn production has dropped in China by 12 per cent, Vietnam by 6 per cent and India by 5 per cent. In comparison, production has risen by 4 per cent in Indonesia and Malaysia, and by as much as 12 per cent in the Philippines.However, the association’s vice president Bunjonk Nisspawanich said he was glad that the outbreak has affected the prawn industry slightly, adding that this has helped preserve the trust of importers.In the first 10 months of 2020, Thailand exported 123,297 tonnes of prawns valued at Bt35.87 billion. This marked an 8.84 per cent drop from 135,249 tonnes exported in the same period in 2019, and 10.73 per cent in terms of value, which last year was Bt40.19 billion.

Somsak, meanwhile, said he expects total export of prawns to come in at 150,000 tonnes by the end of the year worth Bt44 billion in value.He said that though export has been affected by the Covid-19 situation in trade partner countries, local consumption of prawns has risen. He said in 2019, local consumption accounted for 22 per cent of production, adding that he expects up to 40 per cent to be consumed locally in five years.

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Thai virus restrictions leave 700,000 migrants out of work, in limbo: MWG

NationalDec 17. 2020

By The Nation

The Migrant Working Group (MWG) has outlined hardships facing an estimated 700,000 migrant workers who have lost their jobs during the Covid-19 crisis in Thailand.

Government restrictions had seen borders close and many migrant-employing businesses collapse, MWG representative Adisorn Kerdmongkol told a press conference marking International Migrants Day on Wednesday (December 16).

Many migrant workers had been laid off, some without compensation from either their employer or the Social Security Fund, he said. Accessing state aid was difficult or impossible for these people.

Meanwhile many laid off migrant workers are unable to find new employers within the 30-day deadline since the law requires proof that their contract was terminated by the original employer.

Also, said Adisorn, the government still lacks clarity on managing migrant workers waiting to enter Thailand to support the economic recovery after restrictions were eased. More than 100,000 migrant workers are currently waiting to enter the country, 69,235 with work permits and visas and 42,168 registered with Thai businesses.

“Most migrant workers who have applied under the MoU system have already borrowed money to travel to Thailand. Unable to travel to work, their debt burdens is are rising,” he said.

The lack of clear and safe guidelines for importing workers was also causing labour shortage problems, he added.

“As a result, the number of migrant workers being smuggled into Thailand is rising.”

Meanwhile 632,833 migrant workers have fallen out of the health system, according to MWG health expert Chuwong Saenkong.

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Workers whose health insurance expires during the Covid-19 situation can’t renew their policies due to difficulties in travelling to complete the process.

Education of migrant children has also suffered during the pandemic. According to a 2018 estimate, there are 300,000 migrant children in Thailand. Only 97,145 are in state schools while most study in migrant learning centres with no legal status.

Siwawong Suktawee, a consultant for the Foundation for Rural Youth (FRY), said the learning centres can be forced to close at any time. “How to make learning centres a sustainable and alternative solution is an important question,” he emphasised.

Also, many foreign students who return home during the holidays are unable to return because they cannot afford quarantine and travel costs. Others who remain in Thailand cannot go to schools as their parents’ financial status is affected. “Without government support, these students may have to quit schools and end up becoming child workers,” he said.

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Communication lines to be buried in bid to make Bangkok a smart city

NationalDec 16. 2020

By The Nation

From next year, many Bangkok roads will be free of the ugly power and communication lines that hang overhead at dangerous angles.

Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta handed over the plan to TOT acting president Morakot Thienmontree on Wednesday morning. The plan requires the reorganisation of communication lines in inner Bangkok, namely in Pathum Wan and Bang Rak districts, including Lang Suan Road, at the top of Soi Saladaeng and Soi Convent.

The minister said this policy supports the goal of turning Bangkok into a smart metropolis and expects the project to be completed by August 2021.

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Pao Tang app crashes as millions try to register for 2nd phase of subsidy scheme

NationalDec 16. 2020

By The Nation

The Pao Tang app crashed on Wednesday after millions tried to register for the second phase of the government’s shopping subsidy scheme.

Close to five million people had registered for the co-payment scheme within two hours, though many complained they were having technical problems.

Later, Krungthai Bank (KTB) announced on its website that it had closed the application temporarily for some tweaks and expects it to start working again after 2.30pm.

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Udon Thani residents shaken by third assault attempt

NationalDec 16. 2020

By The Nation

After a couple of random brutal attacks over the past two weeks, Udon Thani residents were further shaken when a woman reported that two men charged at her and her mother with a knife on Monday evening.

Chawanlak Phattatrakul, 24, shared her experience on Facebook, which drew the attention of netizens before police stepped in to investigate.

She said she was on a motorbike with her mother when two men on another motorbike approached them, and the man riding pillion pulled out a knife demanding they stop.

However, she said, her mother sped off screaming for help and the offenders fled.

People in the province are concerned about their safety as this is the third time this month that armed men have attacked people in public.

On December 5, a man under the influence of drugs killed two people and injured six, and then again on December 12, a man attacked a Grab employee with a knife on a busy street.

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Plan to bring together accreditation agencies set to miss 2020 deadline

NationalDec 16. 2020

By THE NATION

The National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards’ (ACFS) plan to combine accreditation bodies of four ministries and work together as one entity within this year is likely to miss its deadline.

Meanwhile, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has suggested that the timeframe be extended so related agencies can adjust their work process and strategy.

ACFS secretary-general Pisal Pongsapich said the plan is to bring together four accreditation entities, namely the Industry Ministry’s Thai Industrial Standard Institute; the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Medical Sciences; the Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry’s Department of Science Service; and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry’s National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards.

“The merger was to be completed before the end of 2020, with the Industry Ministry as the main responsible agency,” he said.

“However, the project has yet to take shape as the four agencies have always worked independently.”

The objective of the merger is to cut down on overlapping procedures and create a single platform for the accreditation of all industrial and agricultural products, Pisal added. The new entity will work under the supervision of an executive committee, which will comprise high-ranking officials from the four ministries.

Pisal added that the NESDC has said this project requires further discussion among stakeholders and that more time should be granted to the different agencies so they can adjust their strategy and work procedures.

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Tak big bike, pick-up truck crash claims one

NationalDec 16. 2020

By The Nation

A pick-up truck and a big bike burst into flames when they slammed into each other in Tak province on Tuesday night.

Police were notified of the accident at about 8.30pm and arrived to find the two vehicles burning and the body of the motorbike rider on the side of the road.

The body has been sent to hospital for autopsy.

Police believe the driver of the pick-up managed to jump out in time, but the motorbike rider died from the impact of the crash.

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Police find huge cache of drugs awaiting shipment to Taiwan

NationalDec 16. 2020

By The Nation

Police found 300 kilograms of ketamine in a warehouse raid in Nonthaburi province on Tuesday, which led them to another location in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district where 228kg of heroin was hidden.

The Narcotics Suppression Bureau learned the drugs were to be shipped to Taiwan and arrested a 29-year-old woman named Saowapha Nasalee for possessing illegal substances with the intention the sell.

The operation was conducted in collaboration with Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.

The suspect has allegedly told police that the owner of the house in Huai Khwang had hired her to pack the drugs. Police have learned that this man lives near Prachachuen Road in Bangkok and will trace his connection to the drug trade.