Leisure/entertainment activities are not biggest source of Covid infection: study
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2023
The two biggest sources of Covid-19 infections are the workplace and public transport, an infectious disease expert revealed on Monday.
Assoc Prof Dr Thira Woratanarat from Chulalongkorn University cited a recent study in England and Wales that showed the two most common reasons for infections were leaving home for work (17%) and public transport (12%).
The study of 11,413 samples found that essential activities (work and public transport) carried the greatest risk and were the dominant contributors to infections, said Thira in a Facebook post.
Non-essential indoor activities (hospitality and leisure) increased risk but contributed less, said the study, which was published in the medical journal “Epidemiology and Infection” on December 7.
Outdoor activities carried no statistical risk and contributed to fewer infections.
As countries aim to “live with Covid”, mitigating transmission in essential and indoor venues becomes increasingly relevant, the study concluded.
Thira, who is chief of Chulalongkorn University’s Information Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, advised people to continue to protect themselves against Covid-19 if they could not work from home. Wearing face masks in public places and washing hands regularly significantly reduces the risk of infection, he said.
“Also, increasing ventilation in your work environment will help prevent both the virus and PM2.5 fine dust,” he added.
“As Covid-19 is still spreading, the best practice is to protect yourself from infection and reinfection.”
Sunday saw 88,217 new Covid-19 infections reported globally, with 398 deaths.
So far, more than 676 million (676,211,460) people have contracted Covid-19 across the world and about 1 % (6,771,736) have died from the disease.
Countries that reported the highest number of infections on Sunday were Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Russia and Austria, in that order.
In Thailand, 472 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital in the week of January 22 to 28, or about 67 people per day, the Public Health Ministry reported. Twenty-nine people died of the virus that week.
Reference: Hoskins S et al. Relative contribution of essential and non-essential activities to SARS-CoV-2 transmission following the lifting of public health restrictions in England and Wales. Epidemiology and Infection. December 7, 2022.
Bangkok will get 40 to 50 new pocket parks this year, says BMA
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will this year open 40 to 50 small public parks that will be just 15 minutes away for most communities.
A BMA source, who asked not to be named, said on Sunday that the city administration was taking steps to set up the parks in line with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s election promise.
Chadchart had promised to turn small unused plots in Bangkok into parks for locals to escape the heat and exercise.
The first such park will be developed by the Lat Phrao district office, which has been given a 400-square-wah plot (1,600 square metres) by a real-estate firm. The office said it will spend one to two months to turn the plot into a pocket park.
The BMA operates 40 main public parks and plans to add another 40 to 50 pocket parks by encouraging the private sector into giving up unused land, the source said. One of the incentives offered to private companies is waiver of land tax.
The BMA is also surveying deserted plots with no public access and space in front of large buildings to turn them into pocket parks. All pocket parks will be made clearly visible on Google Maps and other navigation apps, the source added.
Bryde’s whales are returning to marine park off Surat Thani
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023
Three Bryde’s whales were seen frolicking in a marine national park off the coast of Surat Thani province on Friday, but park officials were only able to identify two of them by name.
They identified “Wandee” and “Wanrung” in the database of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources but were unable to identify the third.
Staff have been instructed to monitor the Bryde’s whale population since two were spotted in Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park on February 1, national park chief Satit Tantikritya said on Saturday.
“Monitoring aims to record statistics of rare sea animals and prevent people from disturbing them,” Satit said.
Before the pandemic, one or two Bryde’s whales were seen in the marine park each year, but after tourism activities were suspended in 2020 and 2021, the number increased.
“Four Bryde’s whales – Wandee, Wanyud, Im-aim, and Prempree – were seen in the national park from February to March 2021,” Satit said.
He said six Bryde’s whales were spotted at the national park from January to February last year. Park staff were able to identify five – Prempree, Sakhu, Mesa, Sodsai and Sandee – but a sixth was not in the database.
“It is interesting to keep track of how many Bryde’s whales show up and how long they stay at the national park,” Satit said.
Their increasing visits signal that the national park’s marine resources are abundant, he added.
Satit urged local residents to follow the national park’s rules and recommendations for boating and tourism to ensure long-term preservation of the park’s spectacular marine life.
Chiang Mai struggles with dangerous PM2.5 readings for 5 days
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023
Fine dust levels in the northern city of Chiang Mai have risen beyond safe levels for five consecutive days, the provincial authorities announced on Sunday.
Chiang Mai governor Nirat Pongsitthavorn said the concentration of PM2.5 particulate matter had risen beyond the safe level of 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air (μg/m3) mainly due to forest fires.
The Air4Thai app operated by the Pollution Control Department reported that the air quality in Chiang Mai Muang district’s Sri Phum area came in at 73μg/m3 on Sunday morning. Air quality in Hot district’s Hang Dong area measured at 90μg/m3.
The safe level of PM2.5 in Thailand has been set at 50μg/m3, though the World Health Organisation (WHO) sets it at 12μg/m3 or lower. PM2.5 stands for dust particles that are 2.5 microns or less in size and can severely affect people with chronic lung disease.
Nirat said several forest fires were detected on Saturday in the Doi Inthanon National Park by the weather satellite monitoring system. He added that though the park had managed to put out the fire, the fine dust was still lingering in the air due to accumulated smoke. The fire damaged 17 rai (nearly 3 hectares) of the forest on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, four hotspots were detected in forest reserves in Hot district, one in Chom Thong district and another in Om Koi district.
PM2.5 pollution has become a seasonal problem in the North of Thailand mainly due to forest fires and farmers burning scrub.
Not many Thais keen on paying taxes due to financial, welfare uncertainties
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023
A recent opinion survey shows that 37.5% of the population is not willing to pay taxes because they are either facing financial difficulties or are uncertain about state welfare benefits.
The survey was conducted from October 17 to 31 by the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry on 6,970 people aged 15 and above nationwide.
The survey showed that some people are not willing to pay their taxes because they are unsure about whether they would get welfare benefits from the government.
Meanwhile, 44.6% of the respondents said they would pay taxes if it would improve their quality of life and access to welfare benefits. They also hoped that government welfare would be provided for everybody equally.
The survey showed that most respondents did not have trouble accessing welfare benefits, such as education, healthcare and other subsidies.
However, some complained about insufficient subsidies, inconvenient access and unstable websites.
Respondents also advised the government to take the following steps:
• Set up elderly care centres in communities to support the ageing society
• Organise activities to improve people’s quality of life, such as hiring new graduates as assistant health volunteers and government officials
• Improve digital access to government services
• Boost confidence that public healthcare is equal for everybody
• Grant people of all income levels equal access to free education and other subsidies
• Offer additional welfare to improve people’s lives, such as more household subsidies, childcare centres near workplaces and free public transport for people below the age of 25.
Court suspends Sondhi’s talk show temporarily over defamation lawsuit
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023
The Civil Court ordered a temporary suspension of the “Sondhi Talk” show hosted by firebrand media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul on Saturday in response to a defamation lawsuit.
Businessman Tantai Narongkoon is suing Sondhi for falsely accusing him of being involved in criminal enterprises and money laundering.
Tantai, CEO of Titan Capital Group Holding, is also demanding 1 billion baht (US$30 million) in damages.
The charges against Sondhi stem from recent comments he made on his Sondhi Talk programme, broadcast via several channels including Facebook and YouTube.
The Civil Court’s order aims to protect Tantai while legal action is underway, his lawyer Nitisak Meekhuad said. He added that Sondhi’s lawyer has also acknowledged the court’s order.
“Hence, Sondhi has been instructed to stop broadcasting his Sondhi Talk programme via all channels, otherwise he may face punishment under the law,” he said.
He added that Sondhi has also been instructed to ensure there is no public access to his shows, messages or photos that can affect Tantai until changes are made.
Police launch manhunt for 12 more suspects linked to online gambling platform
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2023
Police are looking for 12 more people suspected of being involved in an online gambling platform after making the first arrest on Friday.
Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) commissioner Pol Lt-General Worawat Watnakornbancha said on Saturday that police will do their best to find the 12 remaining suspects, though some may have fled overseas. He added that more locations will be raided to gather evidence against those involved in the Macao 888 online gambling platform.
Natthapong Rachinla, 28, was arrested at his condominium in the Northeast province of Udon Thani on Friday for allegedly being in charge of the platform’s financial affairs.
Worawat said Natthapong is among the 13 sought in relation to the online gambling operation but refused to identify the remaining 12.
The CCIB chief would also not confirm if the suspects included any of the four brothers accused by actress Arisara “Due” Thongborisut of being involved in online gambling. He only said that the suspects escaped after the actress made her accusations on social media.
Worawat on Saturday afternoon chaired a meeting with police investigators at the CCIB headquarters.
After the meeting, which lasted more than an hour, he told reporters that the police will conduct more raids to ensure their evidence against the suspects is compelling.
“Police will try every means [to get the suspects] even if they may be living abroad,” Worawat said.
He dismissed allegations that some police officers were instrumental in the suspects’ escape, reiterating that they fled after the actress made accusations.
Lampang woman arrested over conning job seekers out of THB400,000
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2023
A Lampang native was arrested on Saturday for allegedly deceiving Thai job seekers with false promises of employment in South Korea.
Intuon (surname withheld) was arrested at her house in the northern province’s Mae Phrik district just before noon on Saturday.
A warrant was issued in her name after 16 people filed complaints with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) police in July last year, accusing her of demanding 10,000 to 100,000 baht in exchange for so-called jobs in South Korea.
She has allegedly made more than 400,000 baht by defrauding job seekers, according to the Department of Employment.
Intuon, who claims to be married to a South Korean, is not licensed by the Department of Employment to recruit people for overseas jobs and has never been registered as a representative of a job placement agency, the department said.
The woman, who was handed over to the ATPD police, was charged on Saturday with embezzlement and making false promises to people. Police said she has admitted to the charges.
Why the proposed ‘media ethics bill’ worries me as a journalist
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2023
Guest Columnist By Teeranai Charuvastra
On Tuesday (February 7), unless something changes at the last minute, the draft of what is known as the “media ethics bill” will be introduced in Parliament. The prospect of this, however, is a cause of celebration for some, and anxiety for others. I’m among the latter.
As suggested by its formal name – Act on Media Ethics and Professional Standards – the draft aims to clamp down on the scourge of unethical practices in the press. If passed, a “Media Ethics Council” will be formed, funded with a budget of at least 25 million baht from the state and the authority to name and shame media agencies that dare to stray from their code of conduct.
It’s a noble goal. Who doesn’t want an ethical press? And while Thailand does have a network of professional media associations, whose job it is to promote ethical standards, they have no real authority to force anyone to change their ways. They are seen as powerless “paper tigers” at best, and dysfunctional at worst.
I know about these limitations firsthand, since I, too, am a key member of the Thai Journalists Association. Along with our partner organisations, we’ve tried to call out malpractice and offer guidance on whether it is ethical to provide coverage of suicides, the Russia-Ukraine War or mass killings – only to be shrugged off by every major media outlet. The sound of money being brought in by their web traffic and TV ratings is far louder than our voice.
That’s why I understand the frustration felt by media professionals who have contributed to the drafting of this legislation and thrown their support behind it. “We just need the tools to do the job”, I can hear them saying, “so we can finally get things done”.
But even though I believe the bill drafters have good intentions, I have reservations for three key reasons.
Firstly, there’s the wording of the proposed bill itself. As explained elsewhere, the bill has alarmed media freedom advocates because of its vague, sweeping language that opponents say could open the door to abuse or unfair treatment.
“The law aims to create a state-funded Media Council that will oversee the ethical compliance of media professionals or organisations that group themselves into ‘professional organisations’ and apply for membership under the Council,” my colleagues at Prachatai English wrote.
They continued: “The media recognised by the Council will have access to privileges that the Council may provide, such as training or national or international representation. Although there is still no idea of what the ethical standards will be, the Council can punish violations by 1) warnings, 2) probation and 3) public reprimand.”
This raises a number of legitimate questions. Who will be appointed to the Council? What will be their ties to those in power? How will they be held accountable, and how can we be sure that they will be impartial?
What is their definition of media ethics? What if some journalists and editors differ in their opinion of what constitutes ethical conduct?
Who will fall under their authority? What happens to the media who stays away and refuses to register with the Council out of suspicion or lack of faith? Will they be targeted by state officials branding them as “rogue media” not worthy of constitutional protection?
There’s certainly good intention behind the bill, and some fair suggestions that could help encourage media ethics, but those questions should be addressed before it gets passed into a law
Another point of my concern is the lack of awareness among the media. Many journalists were surprised to learn that the draft bill even existed. I, for one, only found out about the bill after it made news in January 2022 when the Cabinet endorsed it, despite my role as the press reform watchdog at TJA.
As a result, very few representatives from the press have been consulted.
This alone does not imply a malicious intent to keep the media in the dark; the bill has simply been in the pipeline for so long – ideas for such a law were raised as early as 2011 – that many in the media industry have simply forgotten about it, while younger journalists may not have heard of it at all.
Even professional media associations, or the very people at the heart of the existing self-regulation mechanism, have not reached a consensus about the draft bill. Some, like the National Press Council of Thailand, appeared to endorse it in at least some forms, while others either speak out against the legislation or remain undecided.
Just on Friday, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand became the latest organisation to oppose the draft bill.
Such discord does not bode well for any law that seeks to establish an entity with a claim to represent the professional media community in its mandate to police the press.
Finally, my last point of concern has to do with the current government and its allies in the legislative branch, who will be overseeing the deliberation of the draft bill, if it does enter the Parliament in coming days.
The administration of PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has sadly proven itself in the past to be hostile to the freedom of the press. It has attempted to outlaw news coverage that spreads “fear” among the public, shut down media outlets covering anti-government protests, and mischaracterise criticism as “fake news,” while repeated police violence against journalists has gone unpunished.
Trusting the coalition parties and the unelected Senate – whose members were handpicked by General Prayut nearly in its entirety – with an opportunity to design how the media should do their job brings to mind the Thai proverb of “letting a cat guard a grilled fish”.
One has to also wonder why the lawmakers so urgently want to see this bill through in the parliament’s final stretch, when signs already indicate that a new election is on the horizon – a matter of weeks if not days away.
To his credit, there are indeed examples of laws beneficial to society that were passed under Prayut’s tenure. They include the anti-disappearance bill, which aims to end the longtime practice of security officers abducting and murdering dissidents, and the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), a legislation hailed by many experts for its attempt to balance the need to protect citizens’ privacy and the media’s ability to serve public interest.
But those achievements should be treated as an exception, not the norm. Even some proponents of the bill share my fear that pro-government lawmakers may still try to weaponise the proposed media ethics law into a new tool to silence the independent press.
We are especially concerned over the deliberation procedures, where draft laws are typically most vulnerable to passages not intended by the original drafters, a common trick we journalists call “stuffing”.
This is the time for caution, not haste. I believe the bill should be at least postponed until the next parliament takes charge, to give it more time for more clarity and broader participation from the media community.
But if the bill does get introduced to the parliament this week, then the media and civil rights watchdogs should do everything they can to make sure its deliberations are well informed and transparent. We should also ensure that any potential loopholes in the draft bill for interference from the state are closed for good.
Thailand is already blessed with a number of laws that – in their current form and enforcement – put a strain on what the media can report, from lèse-majesté to defamation. Journalists should make sure we don’t end up adding one more entry to the pantheon of censorship.
Teeranai Charuvastra is a journalist at Prachatai English and former news chief of Khaosod English. He also serves in the Thai Journalists Association as its vice president for Press Freedom and Media Reform.
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