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Bangkok’s air quality improves to ‘very good’ (nationthailand.com)

Bangkok’s air quality improves to ‘very good’

NationalNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

Bangkokians this morning enjoyed “very good” air quality as pollution levels dipped sharply.

The Air Quality and Noise Management Division of Bangkok said that the level of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM2.5) was around 9 to 27 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).

The Air Visual application reported on Sunday that Bangkok’s air pollution level, according to the US Air Quality Index (AQI) standard, stood at 49, with the level of PM2.5 at 12 per cubic metre (µg/m3).

As of 9.30am, Bangkok ranked 67th on the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, while Chiang Mai was at 42nd with PM2.5 at 24 micrograms per cubic metre.

AQI is a standard that indicates the quality of air and level of pollution. Level 0-50 is good air quality, 51-100 is moderate quality, 101-105 starts affecting sensitive groups, 151-200 is slightly harmful to health, 201-300 is highly harmful and 301-500 is extremely dangerous.

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Outstanding public debt amounts to 49.34 per cent of GDP (nationthailand.com)

Outstanding public debt amounts to 49.34 per cent of GDP

NationalNov 28. 2020

By THE NATIONThe country’s outstanding public debt stands at Bt7.84 trillon, or 49.34 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), a Ministry of Finance announcement said on the Royal Gazette website on Friday.

The ministry reported on the public debt situation as of September 30, as well as on government loans and guarantees from April to September 2020.

The report said that as of September 30, public debt comprised Bt6.73 trillion of government debt, Bt795.98 billion of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) debt, Bt309.47 billion of debt at government-guaranteed financial SOEs – which refers to a state enterprise that undertakes lending business, asset management and credit guarantees – and Bt7.82 billion of other government agencies debt.

The report also divided public debt into long-term and short-term ones based on the deadline for the debt to be paid. Bt6.77 trillion, or 86.26 per cent, of total public debt has a deadline of more than a year, while Bt1.07 trillion, or 13.34 per cent, must be paid in less than a year.

Based on origin Bt7.704 trillion, or 98.22 per cent, is domestic debt while Bt139.39 billion, or 1.78 per cent, is overseas debt.

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GSB offers debt consolidation programme to its customers (nationthailand.com)

GSB offers debt consolidation programme to its customers

NationalNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Government Savings Bank (GSB) on Saturday opened a debt consolidation programme for individual customers. Registration is open until December 31.

The campaign aims to alleviate the financial burden of customers during the economic contraction due to the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Customers who have multiple loans with the bank that are not yet classified as non-performing loans (NPLs), and are not late for payment for more than three months, are eligible to apply.

“For example, if a customer has outstanding debt from home loan of Bt3.5 million under a collateral value of Bt4 million, and outstanding credit card debt at Bt200,000, which does not exceed the collateral value when combined with the outstanding debt from home loan, they can enter the debt consolidation programme,” the bank said.

“When approved, their credit card debt rate will be adjusted down to not exceed the minimum retail rate.”

To register, visit https://ln15.gsb.or.th/WEB-LNHM/. For more information, contact GSB hot line at 1115.

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Upper Thailand gets cooler, isolated heavy rain in the South (nationthailand.com)

Upper Thailand gets cooler, isolated heavy rain in the South

NationalNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

Morning temperature is forecast to fall by 1-3 degrees Celsius due to the rather strong high-pressure system from China covering upper Thailand and the South China Sea, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Saturday.

The strong northeast monsoon across the Gulf brings isolated heavy rain to the lower South.

People in the South should beware of the severe conditions that may cause flash floods and water runoffs. Waves in the Gulf are expected to rise 2-3 metres high and above three metres during thundershowers. All ships should proceed with caution and keep off thundershowers, while small boats should keep ashore, the department said.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Cool weather in the morning; minimum temperature 17-21 degrees, maximum 31-34°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 8-15°C.

Northeast: Cool weather in the morning with strong winds; minimum temperature 18-21°C, maximum 31-33°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 10-17°C.

Central: Cool weather in the morning with strong winds; minimum temperature 22-24°C, maximum 31-33°C.

East: Cool weather with strong winds; minimum temperature 22-24°C, maximum 33-34°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres off shore.

South (east coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rain; minimum temperature 23-24°C, maximum 30-33°C; waves 2-3 metres high and over three metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the areas and isolated heavy rain; minimum temperature 22-24°C, maximum 30-31°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy and strong winds; minimum temperature 23-24°C, maximum 32-34°C.

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Paying traffic fines becomes convenient (nationthailand.com)

Paying traffic fines becomes convenient

NationalNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

The Royal Gazette website on Thursday published a Royal Thai Police announcement detailing how and where motorists can pay their traffic fines.

The announcement, signed by National Police chief Pol General Suwat Chaenyodsuk, stipulates that motorists who receive a traffic ticket must pay the fine within the specified date at the following:

• Police station in the area where the ticket was issued

• Any other police station in the country

• Via money order or bank draft made to the National Police chief with a copy sent to the police station specified in the ticket

• Electronically via credit card or any other method at the following venues:

Bank

Automatic teller machine (ATM)

Payment counter

Other venues that allow access to electronic transactions.

In case the ticket does not specify the amount that must be paid, motorists can pay the amount specified for each traffic offence listed in the announcement.

The case will be considered closed once motorists pay their fine via the methods and venues specified in the announcement.

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MG hopes to electrify Thai market with its new MG EP station wagon (nationthailand.com)

MG hopes to electrify Thai market with its new MG EP station wagon

NationalNov 28. 2020

By THE NATION

Automaker MG launched its new electric vehicle, the MG EP station wagon, on Thursday with the aim of penetrating Thailand’s family market.

Pongsak Lertrudeewattanavong, vice president of MG Sales (Thailand), said even though station wagons are not very popular in Thailand, he believes this model will be more widely accepted.

He said the back seats of the EP can be folded to create extra space, plus the model’s new 50.3 kilowatt battery can have the car running for 380 kilometres once fully charged. The MG EP also offers three driving modes, namely normal, eco and sport.

Pongsak added that the MG EP is imported under the zero-tax privilege based on the Asean-China free trade agreement. The price of the vehicle will be announced in the 2020 Motor Expo, which will be held at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani from December 2 to 13.

MG has been an important player in the Thai electric vehicle (EV) market, launching the MG ZS EV last year, which boosted the brand’s EV market share to over 90 per cent.

Pongsak said the EV market in Thailand will expand even though the market size is small. One problem Thai consumers face is the lack of charging stations, especially when travelling long distance.

MG plans to build 100 charging stations within this year and another 500 in 2021.

The British automaker MG, known for its sleek sports cars, was bought by a Chinese company in 2005.

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Man behind shooting at rally site surrenders, claims he shot out of anger (nationthailand.com)

Man behind shooting at rally site surrenders, claims he shot out of anger

NationalNov 27. 2020

By The Nation

Peerawut Kunamonkan, 49, dragged his 25-year-old son Passapong to Phaholyothin Police Station on Friday to face charges of attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and shooting in public without reasonable grounds.

The former Min Buri Polytechnic Technology College student is accused of shooting Prachakorn Saksritao, 20, a former student of Pathumthani Technical College, when the anti-establishment protest outside SCB headquarters was dispersing on Wednesday night. Prachakorn was a member of the protesters’ security outfit.

Thanadech Srisongkram, 35, chief of the Minburi vocational students guards, who accompanied the suspect, confirmed to police that the motive of the shooting was personal. He said the shooting had nothing to do with the monarchy, protest, politics or the ongoing protest. He said his group was not linked to other political groups as accused by netizens. Thai netizens have been digging through photographs of yellow-shirt royalists and claim Passapong looks like one and had joined the protest as a spy.

Thanadech said he has apologised to the security team from Pathumthani Technical College and has announced that such a problem will not occur again.

Passapong has accepted every charge and said he had been angered by Prachakorn’s sarcastic posts after his group showed displeasure towards protesters’ insulting comments about the monarchy.

He said his group joined the protest on Wednesday night as a volunteer guard, but was not wearing an armband. He also confirmed that nobody paid him for creating a dangerous situation, adding that he will pay for the victim’s treatment himself.

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Banknotes commemorating King’s coronation to be issued on Dec 12 (nationthailand.com)

Banknotes commemorating King’s coronation to be issued on Dec 12

NationalNov 27. 2020

By The Nation

The Bank of Thailand (BOT) said on Thursday it has been granted royal permission by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn to print commemorative banknotes to mark his coronation last year as King Rama X. The commemorative banknotes will be issued on December 12, marking the anniversary of the Royal Barge Procession, and are intended to be part of the national historical record, said the BOT.

The set of commemorative banknotes comprises two denominations, Bt1,000 and

Bt100. The bank will issue 10 million of the Bt1,000 notes and 20 million of the Bt100 notes.

The Bt1,000 commemorative banknote is designed in a vertical format, with the unique dynamic colour-shifting image as an advanced counterfeit deterrent. The size and security features of the Bt100 commemorative banknote are the same as the notes currently in circulation but with the colour theme changed to yellow. The reverse sides of the notes depict images reflecting the Royal Coronation Ceremony in 2019.

The commemorative banknotes can be exchanged at any commercial or government bank. Additionally, the Bt100 notes can be withdrawn from the designated ATMs across the country.

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Committee formed to push common ticket system for public transport (nationthailand.com)

Committee formed to push common ticket system for public transport

NationalNov 27. 2020

By The Nation

A ticketing policy board with 17 members will be set up to supervise a common ticketing system aimed at increasing convenience for commuters and save time on public transportation.

The Government Gazette announced the formation of a committee on a common ticketing system.

The committee will be headed by the transport minister as chairman. It will include the permanent secretaries of the Finance, Transport and Interior ministries, the secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the director of the Budget Bureau, the directors-general of the Land Transport, Rail Transport and Harbour departments, secretary-general of the Consumer Protection Board, Bangkok governor, and director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand. In addition, the minister will appoint four qualified people with knowledge, abilities or experience in finance, marketing, law, economics, science and technology, engineering or other aspects that are relevant.

The members will hold office for four years.

The director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning is appointed as secretary, who has appointed two government officials as assistant secretaries.

A study on Common Ticketing System had been done in 2017. The system was expected to be launched around October 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic became an obstacle to test the system as developers based in Singapore could not work as regularly.

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Programmer links two apps to Army’s propaganda operation (nationthailand.com)

Programmer links two apps to Army’s propaganda operation

NationalNov 27. 2020

By The Nation

Leaked information has revealed that the Army allegedly uses applications to run information operations to counter pro-democratic netizens.

The now-suspended account “SaraAyanaputra” leaked some documents related to government propaganda broadcast through the Twitter Broadcast and Free Messenger apps to 17,562 Twitter accounts.

A Twitter user, who is a programmer by profession, reportedly analysed Twitter Broadcast and traced a link to mhelpme.com, which is registered under the email of a company.

According to Matichon, just one hour after the leak, the mhelpme.com website disappeared and the apps, Twitter Broadcast and Free Messenger, were pulled out of Google Play.

The programmer said the server of the company in question was located in Bangkok’s Huai Kwang district and was found to have provided training sessions to government agencies several times.

Twitter Broadcast was allegedly created to identify information operations that supported the Army and government, while it allegedly attacked the accounts of people who are on the opposite side of the political spectrum.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government has been accused of running an online propaganda operation since February, which he has always denied. The issue returned to the spotlight when hashtags supporting the monarchy began flooding cyberspace in October.

On October 8, Twitter announced it had removed 926 accounts that had concealed links to the Army. Members of the opposition said they had already been collecting information on the Army’s IO activities. Pannika Wanich, former spokeswoman for the now-dissolved Future Forward Party, said they planned to sue the Army for “using tax money to cause divisions and hatred among Thais”.

The mhelpme.com website was up and running later in the day.