Locals in Rayong’s Muang district hunted, killed and then ate a two-metre-long crocodile on Thursday (September 17) after it brutally attacked another resident.
Yongyut Hararat, 52, was fishing in a canal when a crocodile suddenly pounced on him and bit off his right arm. The victim was eventually saved from the reptile’s death grip when his friends jumped in.
Yongyut, who was taken to the hospital immediately, was reported to be in stable condition.
The victim’s friends, who hunted and killed the crocodile, said they decided to cook and eat the animal out of revenge.
Villagers believe the crocodile may have escaped from a crocodile farm nearby which has gone out of business.
By THE NATIONIndustry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit has called on the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to add high-pressure washers to the list of controlled products as soon as possible after a consumer was electrocuted by one of them last month.
“The ministry is committed to protecting consumers from hazardous products,” he said. “Once this is classified as a controlled product, anyone who wants to import or manufacture these washers will have to apply for a TISI permit first, so the institute can test the product for safety and quality, and stop substandard items from reaching the market.”
TISI secretary-general Wanchai Phanomchai added that his institute had set an industrial standard for high-pressure washers in 2009, but it only provided voluntary testing and did not stop untested products from being imported.
“TISI has started revising standards for high-pressure washers after the accident and added mandatory testing based on international standards,” he said. “The TISI board approved the draft of the new standards on September 15 and we expect to officially announce it within this year.”
The new standard is expected to include safety issues such as surge protection, humidity, heat, rust and flame for home- and industrial-use high-pressure washers.
“While these standards are not in effect yet, people should choose products carefully and ensure they use those that have passed international standards. Avoid buying cheap items that can cause accidents while being used,” Wanchai added.
The category 3 tropical storm “Noul” was centred about 200km east of Mukdahan in the Northeast of Thailand, at a latitude 16.3 degrees north, longitude 106.8 degrees east, with sustained winds of 75kph, and was expected to hit the Thai province in the afternoon.
Noul is moving north from Salawan in central Laos at a speed of 40kph.
The storm made landfall in Da Nang, central Vietnam, at 7am on Friday, the Thailand Meteorological Department said.
It is forecast to be downgraded to tropical depression when it reaches Mukdahan.
The strong southwest monsoon prevails across the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf. Torrential rain with isolated heavy to very heavy rain will be possible in the North, the Northeast, the Central, the East and the South.
People in risky areas should beware of the severe rains that may cause flash floods and water runoffs, the department warned. Beware of strong winds by keeping off outdoor places, large trees and unsecured buildings.
The affected areas are:
Friday/Saturday: Heavy to very heavy rain
North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lamphun, Lampang, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Tak, Kamphaeng Phet, Phitsanulok, Phichit and Phetchabun
Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani
Central: Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Lop Buri, Ratchaburi, Saraburi, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi and Bangkok and vicinity
East: Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
South: Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun
Sunday: Heavy rain
North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak, Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet
Central: Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Uthai Thani, Suphan Buri and Chai Nat
East: Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat
South: Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi
Strong wind waves are likely in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. In the upper portion of both seas, the waves will likely be 2-4 metres high and more than four metres high during thundershowers. In the lower portion, the waves will likely be about two metres high and in thundershower areas more than three metres high. All ships must keep ashore until Sunday, the department said.
More than 8,500 police officers will be stationed at 14 sites in Bangkok to monitor the student-led political rally on Saturday (September 19).
On Friday, assistant police chief Pol Lt-General Damrongsak Kittipraphat called on the national police force to send officers to the capital to help monitor the rally.
The officers will be divided into 57 groups and will be posted from 2pm Saturday until 2pm on Sunday at:
1. Thammasat University’s Tha Phra Chan campus
2. Grand Palace
3. Democracy Monument
4. Jor Por Ror intersection (Wisut Kasat and Ratchadamnoen Nok 2)
Thai Airways International (THAI) appears to have finally found a winning formula – Youtiao or deep-fried dough sticks served up with taro custard.
There were long queues of people waiting to sample the treat when airline staff started frying up the treat outside THAI headquarters near Silom Road from 6.30am on Wednesday (September 16).
Every Bt50 serving of three sticks of fried dough with a cup of purple taro custard had been bought up by 9.30am.
This combination is available at the main Puff and Pie outlet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, at the Or Tor Kor Market outlet on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and every day at Puff and Pie outlets in Thai Airways’ Rak Khun Thao Fa building and at Don Mueang Airport.
The cash-strapped airline has had to shift its focus to catering now that flights have come to a halt due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
A Ministry of Labour staffer, who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was found to be infected with Covid-19, died on Friday. It was the first fatality in Thailand in 97 days.
Adviser to the chief of Muslims in Thailand, Preda Chuepudee, confirmed that Mat Mamin, 54, who had served as an interpreter in Riyadh, and was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at Rajavithi Hospital, died at noon.
Mat had returned to Thailand on September 2.
He is the 59th death from Covid-19 in Thailand. The last fatality from Covid-19 was reported on June 2.
Tropical storm Noul made landfall in Vietnam’s Hue city early on Friday (September 18) and will head towards Mukdahan province later in the day, Thai Meteorological Department’s director general Gp Captain Somsak Khaosuwan said.
He added that the storm is then expected to move to Kalasin, Khon Kaen and Chaiyaphum provinces, and will lose intensity after hitting Phitsanulok.
Somsak also warned of flash floods and encouraged people, especially those in flood-prone areas, to closely monitor the storm’s movements.
Meanwhile, Dr Wattana Kanbua, director of Marine Meteorological Centre, said Noul will hit the entire country with heavy rain on Saturday.
“From Friday to Sunday, the storm will have the coasts of Chonburi, Chanthaburi, Rayong and Trat battered by strong waves, while provinces on the coast of Andaman Sea will be hit by medium to strong waves,” he said.
Quoting the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, he said Noul will start pounding the country from 10pm on Friday and bring heavy rain from 7am to 7pm on Saturday. The East of the country will be lashed by heavy rain on Sunday.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported seven new cases over a 24-hour period on Friday (September 18), including a Thai man who was infected for a second time.
The new cases included two foreigners.
A 42-year-old Bangladeshi man travelled from his country on September 2 and tested positive on the second test at an alternative state quarantine hotel in Bangkok on September 15.
A 10-year-old Pakistani boy, who had travelled from his country on September 13, was found positive on September 16.
Three Thai returnees from Saudi Arabia — two female students aged 9 and 14, and a 61-year-old man — tested positive in state quarantine in Bangkok. They had a runny nose and had lost their sense of smell.
A 41-year-old Thai man returned from Qatar on September 13 (one passenger was earlier found to be infected on the same flight) and was found positive on September 16 in state quarantine in Chonburi province.
Meanwhile, a 50-year-old Thai man who had travelled from Saudi Arabia on September 5 and was in state quarantine in Bangkok, was found positive after the second test on September 16. He had been previously infected with Covid-19 in July.
Meanwhile, three patients recovered and were discharged from hospital.
The total number of confirmed cases in Thailand increased to 3,497 (559 in state quarantine), of whom 111 are in hospital and 3,328 have recovered and been discharged, while the death toll remains 58.
According to Worldometer, as of 10 am on Friday, the total number of confirmed global cases increased to 30.34 million (increasing by 316,058 over a 24-hour period), 22 million have recovered, 61,143 are in serious condition and 950,545 have died.
Thailand is 130th for most cases in the world, while the US has the most number with 6.87 million, followed by India 5.21 million, Brazil 4.45 million, Russia 1.08 million and Peru 750,098
The Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson Natapanu Nopakun said on Friday (September 18) that the United Kingdom will no longer require people travelling from Thailand to undergo 14-day quarantine.
This regulation goes into effect as of Saturday 4am UK time.
The UK Department of Transport’s website states that Thailand and Singapore have been included in the “travel corridor” list as the number of Covid-19 infections in both countries has dropped.
Other countries included in the “travel corridor” are Brunei, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam.
“Including Thailand in the list is good news because it will have a very positive effect, especially in the Thai business sector. It will also make travel convenient for students. Thailand’s efficiency in curbing the Covid-19 outbreak has been recognised by many countries and international organisations.
“Several countries have removed Thailand from the ‘watch’ list, while many, like Israel and Germany, no longer require travellers from Thailand to undergo mandatory quarantine.”
However, Natapanu said that though Thailand has been successful in managing and controlling infections, the pandemic is still alarming.
As for returnees and travellers from the UK, they will still have to undergo 14-day quarantine in line with the government’s prevention measures.
