Japan Airlines (JAL) has launched a free service to insure international travellers against medical costs if they contract Covid-19.The carrier is offering JAL Covid-19 Cover as part of its JAL FlySafe programme to support passengers with essential travel needs during the global pandemic.The new service provided by Allianz Travel includes coverage of up to €150,000 (Bt5.47 million) in total medical costs resulting from the initial Covid-19 testing fee and subsequent medical treatment for those who test positive during their travels.Additional coverage for isolation costs and repatriation is also included. A global 24-hour support line in English and Japanese will also be available to assist customers exhibiting symptoms.The coverage will be offered from December 23.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and members of his Cabinet visited Bang Sue Central Station on Tuesday for a test ride on the new Red Line urban train.
The central station will serve as a high-speed train hub linking the three airports of Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao with the 10 stations of the Red Line.
Construction of the station is now 100 per cent complete, but the Red Line won’t launch full services until November 2021.
The Red Line, running between Bang Sue and Rangsit stations, will help shorten travel time between the city’s heart and urban areas to under 30 minutes thanks to high-speed (120kph) trains. Public test runs will start in March, with at least 272,500 passengers per day expected after the official opening in November.
Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand plans to develop a rental apartment project in Don Muang to accommodate residents whose properties were expropriated to build the high-speed train project.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has chosen the dating app Tinder to launch a new campaign aimed at solo travellers.
The “Single Journey” campaign comes with the hashtag #Don‘tJokeWithLoneliness and promotes domestic travel for tourists who like to travel alone, said Thapanee Kiatpaiboon, chief of TAT product promotion.
The campaign aims to reach 70 million people through Tinder and Facebook, generating 7 million trips and Bt100 million spending in the first quarter of 2021.
It will feature at least 20 routes covering different activities and all regions of the country.
The campaign will be piloted by trips on three routes, starting on Sunday (December 20).
Route 1 is dubbed “Praying to Buddha for love” and features a boat trip on the Chao Phraya to visit nine temples between Bangkok and Ayutthaya. Celebrity astrologist Tossaporn “Chang” Sritula will instruct travellers on how to pray for love, before the day ends with dinner aboard the boat. Booking for the December 20 voyage opens via the Sneakout fanpage and Tinder app on December 16, with free trips for the first 100 who register.
Route 2 for “Hot Singles” focuses on the beaches and party life of Koh Kai in Krabi.
Route 3 is dubbed “Chilling Single by Train” and features a romantic rail trip through the stunning scenery of Pasak Chonlasit Dam in Lopburi, followed by a meal on the reservoir.
More routes will be added, including trips to the bright lights of Pattaya and the hills of Mae Hong Son.
Solo travel is among the world’s most popular forms of tourism and tended to generate high spending, said Thapanee.
More than 20 singles travel routes would be launched in the near future with the aim of generating at least Bt100 million in the first quarter of 2021, she added.
Air pollution, especially in Bangkok, is worsening with the PM2.5 hitting dangerous levels in several areas.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine, and Assoc Prof Nitipat Jiarakul, chief of Siriraj Hospital’s Division of Respiratory Disease and Tuberculosis, said it is necessary for the air-quality alarm system to be improved so people can protect themselves better. They also provided details on how minute particulate matter in the air can affect human health.
PM2.5 or particulate matter that is less than 2.5 micrograms in size and is created by car exhaust fumes, the burning of fields, construction and other substances created by agricultural processes. The amount of dust in the air usually rises during the cool season, though the PM2.5 levels depend very much on the sources, Nitipat said.
The main harmful components in air pollution are carbon, polycyclic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. When these substances enter the body, they cause severe inflammation and biological changes in the tissue from the nose to the lungs. This can result in nasal irritation, creation of mucus, sore throat and cough, as well as a higher risk of infections like pneumonia and even Covid-19, he explained.
People with chronic lung diseases like asthma and emphysema need to be particularly careful, he advised.
In the long term, air pollution can worsen the state of the lungs, and even cause emphysema among non-smokers as well as increase the risk of cancer because PM2.5 can enter the bloodstream and damage organs. It can also cause high-blood pressure, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and chronic kidney disease as well as many other conditions like diabetes, wrinkled skin, dry eyes, vision impairment, sexual dysfunction, etc.
Though the public is aware of the dangers of PM2.5, it is necessary for the government to step in and introduce strict measures to control the sources of dust pollution as well as provide better alerts for vulnerable groups.
Dr Prasit said the authorities should revise the air quality index (AQI) and create a colour code to provide warnings for people sensitive to dust. At present, the AQI only provides warnings when PM2.5 levels rise above 50mcg per cubic metre of air (μg/m3), which is the Thai standard. In comparison, the World Health Organisation sets safe levels at 25μg/m3.
Dr Prasit has suggested that alerts be provided when air quality drops to 37.5(μg/m3) to warn those who are sensitive to dust.
The number of Japanese restaurants in Thailand grew by 12.6 per cent this year to 4,094, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) said on Tuesday.
More than half (2,105) are located in Bangkok. The remainder are located in Chonburi and Nonthaburi (256 each), Chiang Mai (162), Samut Prakan (129), Pathum Thani (102), Phuket (69), Songkhla (68), Nakhon Ratchasima (63) and Nakhon Pathom (56). An increase in sushi outlets was the main reason for the rise.
JETRO president Atsushi Taketani said the customer base for Japanese cuisine was expanding as people became familiar with the food.
However, high competition and the Covid-19 crisis saw 726 Japanese restaurants close this year in Thailand – the highest number since 2007.
He said Thailand’s Covid-19 lockdown saw a 20-30 per cent drop in restaurant sales, forcing many out of business. Restaurants patronised by wealthy Thai customers had recovered quickly, but those dependent on foreign tourists were still struggling, he added.
Despite an uncertain outlook, Taketani said Japanese businesses had already contacted JETRO with plans to open restaurants in Thailand next year.
He added that JETRO has joined AIS, Gojek and GrabFood to organise the “Let’s eat JAPAN” promotion campaign.
This year, Japan exported food and beverages to Thailand worth almost Bt10 billion, mostly seafood, beef, apples, grapes and Japanese rice wine.
Telecoms firms backed by the industry regulator are setting up a team to deal with cyberthreats.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)’s research and development fund has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Telecommunications Association of Thailand and nine telecom operators to launch the Thailand Telecommunications Computer Emergency Response Team (TCC-CERT).
The team will coordinate with the signatories to handle cyberthreats, conduct research and development and promote expertise on internet crime and threats.
The NBTC fund last year granted about Bt18 million to support the project for three years, beginning on September 22 this year. The move is also in line with the Cyber Security Act of 2562, which aims to reinforce security in the telecom sector.
Immigration authorities have deported one of the two foreign divers who disturbed marine animals off Koh Pha-ngan in Surat Thani province in August. The other has appealed to stay on in Thailand.
Hungarian national Attila Ott and his Dutch-Italian diving buddy Francesco Simonetti were charged on September 1 and fined Bt10,000 each after posting pictures and video of themselves poking and tickling sea creatures in a protected area of the ocean.
Ott, a diving instructor and owner of the island’s Pink Panther Scuba Dive Club, was deported after having his visa revoked, said Sophon Thongdee, director-general of marine and coastal resources.
Meanwhile Simonetti, who worked at Koh Pha-ngan‘s Barracuda restaurant, has posted Bt50,000 bail and is awaiting the result of his appeal to stay, lodged with the Immigration Bureau.
Surat Thani governor Witchawut Jinto has urged authorities to close the case quickly since it concerns the sensitive issue of environmental preservation in the province.
He said tourists who visit Surat Thani in the future will receive information warning them not to disturb the environment.
Thai Airways International (THAI) is ready to help public health and medical organisations transport Covid-19 vaccines both in and out of the country, acting president Chansin Treenuchagron said.
The airline still operates cargo flights to destinations in Asia, Europe and Australia.
He added that THAI is well prepared for the delivery of vaccines, thanks to its expert staff, vast flying network and the latest in delivery equipment.
A former boxer who assaulted a girl and two women in Kalasin province on December 13 has been arrested and charged with five serious crimes.
Police revealed on Tuesday that Nampetch Phurat, 33, had confessed to physically attacking three female victims after riding up to them on his motorcycle.
The first victim was a 15-year-old student who was beaten in front of a school at around 11am. The girl fought back and managed to escape.
Nampetch then searched for another target and spotted a 21-year-old woman at 8.30pm. He tried to grab her but she ran, triggering a chase.
Nampetch then kidnapped the woman and drove her to another location, 20 kilometres away from where she was taken. However, the pair were spotted by members of the public, who fought him off and brought the woman to safety.
Nampetch then continued his rampage by abducting a 30-year-old woman, but her screams drew the attention of people nearby and she escaped.
The attacker faces five charges – sexual harassment, physical assault, forced detention, robbery and drug possession.
Photos by Charoon Thongnual 
