The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and five partners launched a caravan drive from Bangkok to Pattaya on Tuesday in a bid to stimulate tourism.
Its partners are the PTT Dealer Association, PTT Oil and Retail Business, CP All, Dhipaya Insurance and the Office of SMEs Promotion.
TAT executive director for Tourism Products Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the caravan, which is a part of the “Road Trip” project, aims to enable PTT gas stations nationwide to create a good relationship with locals.
The activity features cash handouts to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo and the Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Centre for improving animal welfare and releasing sea turtles for environment preservation, she said.
Thapanee went on to say that TAT aims to increase the number of tourists visiting Thailand in the last four months this year – September to December.
“The cooperation with gas stations will help attract high-quality tourists to the country, especially to local communities,” she felt.
This event also allows locals to present their products, so PTT station operators can select these for sale, Thapanee said.
“The activity helps support the government’s policy to use the tourism industry to stimulate travel in many regions,” she added.
A rather nervous netizen spotted yet another damaged concrete slab on a U-turn bridge on Rama II Road even after it was supposed to have been closed and repaired.
Facebook user “Dukdik Poy” posted on Tuesday that she found cracked pieces almost coming loose from the concrete slab of the U-turn bridge near Wat Phrom Rangsi in Bangkok.
“I felt a little bit nervous when I was stuck in traffic as I had to wait just below the damaged Rama II U-turn bridge,” she wrote.
Loose concrete slabs on Rama II Road have recently led to a series of incidents involing injuries and deaths.
On July 18, a driver and passenger narrowly escaped death when an iron pillar plunged 20 metres down and onto their pickup truck.
On July 31, a falling beam killed two people and injured another two.
On August 3, a Facebooker user found four loose, partly damaged slabs on the Rama II highway, with the Mahachai highway police subsequently having to block the road to inspect the site and get repairs done.
Some 95.5 per cent of respondents in a Department of Health survey said they wear face masks when they are around others – a slight increase from the 94.2 per cent in a July poll.
According to the Anamai Poll – conducted from August 1 to 23 but which did not provide the number of respondents surveyed – most were willing to wear masks in closed spaces, when interacting with people in vulnerable groups (elders, pregnant women, those who are sick from other illnesses), and when attending public activities even in open air.
Precisely 88.4 per cent of those questioned said they washed their hands after touching communal surfaces and before meals, increasing from 86.9 per cent in the previous month’s poll.
Meanwhile, 87.2 per cent said they maintained social distancing in public, an increase from 86.3 per cent in the previous poll.
“The Covid-19 situation in Thailand is improving, which has prompted authorities to relax disease control measures to let people live their lives as normally as possible,” Department of Health director-general Dr Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said on Tuesday.
“However, people should still maintain the Covid-19 universal protection practice, especially if you or your family members are in any of the vulnerable groups.”
Suwanchai said it is highly recommended to wear face masks when interacting with others, wash your hands regularly, and avoid visiting crowded areas. If you develop Covid-like symptoms such as a cough, a runny nose or fever, take an antigen test immediately and go into self-isolation to prevent infecting others.
On Wednesday morning Thailand recorded 2,062 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 28 deaths in the past 24 hours, while 2,100 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital. The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,415,826, with 10,411 deaths.
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) is giving free influenza vaccinations until August 31 in its campaign that started on May 1 for those in vulnerable groups.
NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree said on Tuesday that so far more than 2.9 million people have received free flu shots from hospitals and clinics under the NHSO.
“Only people in vulnerable groups can get the vaccine free of charge. They are elders over 65 years, children from 6 months to 2 years old, thalassaemia patients, and those with chronic health problems,” he said.
The NHSO also reported that provinces with the most people who showed up for the free flu shots were Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Rai, in that order.
“There are only seven days left to get a free flu shot, so we urge people in vulnerable groups to head to the nearest NHSO-certified hospitals and clinics for the shot. There is no charge for recipients who fit the criteria, no matter what health security scheme you are under,” said Jadet.
“The influenza vaccine is safe and can effectively reduce the chance of developing severe symptoms and other complications if you get the flu. It is a necessary protection especially during the raining season, when flu can spread quickly.”
For more information, contact NHSO hotline 1330, Line @NHSO, or Facebook @NHSO.Thailand.
Protesters rallying against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha camped out for the night at Government House on Tuesday to demand he step down immediately, insisting that his 8-year tenure is up.
At around 10pm, the group marched from Democracy Monument in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district and gathered in front of Dusit district’s Rajavinit Mathayom School, which is located next to Government House.
The path to Government House via Chamai Maruchet Bridge has been blocked by containers and steel fences, while crowd-control police have been deployed about 100 metres away from the rally to monitor the situation.
Protests leaders took turns giving speeches on stage, attacking the Prayut administration for its job through eight years since he first took the premiership in 2014. Rally leaders also asked participants to maintain a peaceful gathering and avoid using violence against police.
Most rallyists dispersed at around midnight, but some spent the night on the footpath to resume their protest on Wednesday.
As the gathering on Tuesday concluded, the demonstrators dispersed from their site at Rajavinit Mathayom School to allow traffic to resume as normal.
The protesters believe Wednesday (August 24) is the last day Prayut can legitimately remain in office, since Article 158 of the Constitution states: “The prime minister shall not hold office for more than eight years in total, whether or not consecutively.”
However, what is widely disputed is when exactly did Prayut’s eight-year tenure commence.
Many insist his term started when he first assumed the premiership on August 24, 2014, following a military coup he led in May that year.
Others argue his tenure began only on April 6, 2017, when the current Constitution came into force.
And a third group feels it should be counted from June 9, 2019 – when Prayut assumed the premiership following a general election in March that year.
Upper Thailand is likely to experience more showers, while isolated heavy rains are possible in the Northeast, the East and the South’s west coast, the Meteorological Department reported on Wednesday.
The department said the rains are the result of the southwest monsoon across the country and over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf.
However, tropical storm Ma-on, which is presently hovering over the upper South China Sea and expected to make landfall in southern China by August 25, will have no direct effect on Thailand, the department added.
Here’s the weather forecast for August 24:
Bangkok and surrounding areas:
Scattered thundershowers. Temperature lows of 26-28 degrees and highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius.
North:
Scattered thundershowers mostly in Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Phichit and Phetchabun. Temperature lows of 23-25 degrees and highs of 34-36 degrees Celsius.
Northeast:
Fairly widespread thundershowers and isolated heavy rains in Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin, Mukdahan, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani. Temperature lows of 23-26 degrees and highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
Central:
Scattered thundershowers mostly in Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi. Temperature lows of 24-26 degrees and highs of 34-36 degrees Celsius.
East:
Fairly widespread thundershowers and isolated heavy rains in Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat. Temperature lows of 24-28 degrees and highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius. Waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (east coast):
Scattered thundershowers mostly in Phetchaburi, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. Temperature lows of 23-25 degrees and highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius. Waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast):
Fairly widespread thundershowers and isolated heavy rains in Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun. Temperature lows of 23-26 degrees and highs of 30-32 degrees Celsius. Waves 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.
The Public Health Ministry reported on Wednesday (August 24) that over the past 24 hours, 2,062 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals.
The death toll has risen by 28, while 2,100 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals.
The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,415,826 with 10,411 deaths.
The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,639,261 – 4,589,321 of whom have recovered, 17,831 are still in hospitals and 32,109 have died.
Separately, another 3,673 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 7,885 their second shot and 21,697 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 142,515,148.
According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 602.59 million on Wednesday, 577.34 million of whom have recovered, 18.77 million are active cases (43,802 in severe condition) and 6.48 million have died (up by 1,830).
Thailand ranks 29th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 95.54 million, followed by India with 44.37 million, France with 34.39 million, Brazil with 34.31 million and Germany with 31.92 million.
Laem Chabang in Chonburi, the largest port in Thailand, unveiled a plan to end years of congestion from transport trucks on Tuesday.
Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) chief Kriengkrai Chaisiriwongsuk said it was studying the construction of a 90-rai commercial area inside the port for truck-parking, hotels and other facilities. He expects the study to be completed this year with private firms invited to bid for construction contracts in 2023.
Kriengkrai said the construction project aims to reduce congestion and facilitate transport of goods to and from the seaport by road. The port is serviced by more than 300,000 trucks per month, he added.
“PAT wants to allocate an area to allow truck drivers to rest while they wait for shipments,” he said, adding that some drivers had to wait up to 10 hours for customs inspections.
He said the PAT project was inspired by commercial areas at large seaports in the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The construction budget would be reviewed once private companies expressed interest in bidding, he added.
Phase 3 development of Laem Chabang Port is part of a 655-billion-baht project to upgrade infrastructure in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). The EEC upgrade also includes a high-speed railway between three airports, development of U-tapao airport, and Phase 3 of Map Ta Phut Industrial Port.
Corporate leaders and technology suppliers who gathered to discuss metaverse development at this weekend’s “Thailand Metaverse Expo” were joined by government officials addressing their role in the ecosystem’s growth.
Supot Tiarawut, president of the Digital Government Development Agency (DGA), said his agency’s role was to “find new technologies for the digitisation of government and also equip government officials with digital skills”.
The idea of placing government services online is to give the public access at the click of a button. However, public users also need digital IDs for security.
“One service being digitised is the ID process to create standardised online identity verification for government support,” Supot told the “Metaverse Expo 2022” in Bangkok on Saturday.
The ID process is crucial for regulating digital transactions between tech providers and users, explained Sak Segkhoonthod, acting deputy director of the Electronic Transaction Development Agency (ETDA). “And this will be the same for the metaverse,” he added.
Chinawut Chinaprayoon, vice president of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), explained that while the DGA provides services and the ETDA regulates them, the DEPA’s role is to support growth of the digital economy sector in different ways.
These include matching promising tech start-ups with venture capital, connecting tech supply to demand (users) side and vice versa, as well as helping start-ups to access funding, he said.
Asked about their agencies’ roles in preparing for the metaverse, all three agreed that the metaverse industry was still at an early stage, but research on using it to provide services had already started and should continue if Thailand wanted to keep up with the global trend for transition from so-called Web 2.0.
Supot predicted government services such as driving licence application would remain offline but others such as complaint platforms could shift to the metaverse for added convenience. The platforms could also serve as a useful tool to update users on real-time progress in solving their complaints, he added.
Sak said the ETDA was making progress in the research and development on the effects of metaverse platforms on people’s lives.
The agency has launched a sandbox metaverse as a learning tool, he said.
He insisted there should be no prohibitions on using metaverse platforms during this trial-and-error period, which should be used to identify problems and what regulations are required.
He cited brainstorming for regulations for emerging metaverse hospitals.
“Question arise over how to regulate a hospital in the metaverse since the current Hospitality Facility Act does not cover this matter,” he said, adding that this was a challenge for the EDTA.
Meanwhile the DEPA is tasked with strengthening Thai tech start-ups for the new internet era. Those efforts are being focused on Thailand’s global “soft-power” reach via TV series, gaming and tourism. Chinawut said the agency is supporting this ecosystem through projects such as the DEPA Game Online Academy and the DEPA Accelerator Program which are upskilling the workforce for the future industry.
More support is coming from the DEPA Digital Startup Fund, which is backing young tech companies invited to events like the “Thailand Metaverse Expo”.
All three speakers admitted their agencies faced big challenges ahead in preparing for the metaverse era. Thus, flexibility was the key quality for policymakers dealing with metaverse development, they said.
“Governments must play a role in facilitating the emerging industry rather than trying to control it,” said Supot.
Sak added, “Rather than issuing prohibitions, policymakers should encourage the metaverse to grow and assist in finding ways to overcome obstacles.”
One difficult challenge for Thailand would be to create a level metaverse playing field for large enterprises and SMEs/start-ups, he said.
“Thailand lacks the finance infrastructure for small firms that other nations have, where they can fundraise from the start,” Sak added.
Duangphet “Dom” Promthep, one of the 12 Wild Boar footballers who was trapped in Chiang Rai’s Tham Luang Cave in 2018, has won a football scholarship in England.
Duangphet posted on Instagram that his dreams had come true after being accepted by the prestigious Brooke House College Football Academy 150 kilometres north of London. Launched in 2008, Brooke House nurtures talented footballers aged 12-19 for professional careers at clubs in England and across the world.
Duangphet thanked the Sports Education Foundation, Zico Foundation and Brooke House for granting him the scholarship.
He also thanked Vachiralai Bee School in Chiang Mai, where he has been studying since the 2018 cave drama, as well as Thai football manager and ex-player Kiatisuk “Zico” Senamuang, for their support.
“I promise to work hard and do my best,” he said.
In June 2018, the world was transfixed for 17 days as an elaborate international rescue mission unfolded after the 12 Wild Boars and their coach were trapped by rising water in the Chiang Rai cave system.
The 200-metre-deep Chamber 1, which visitors use to enter the complex, was the command centre for a rescue operation led by Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn and Thai Navy Seals. Duangphet was part of the second group of boys carried out of the cave on July 9.
The Wild Boars have since become celebrities, depicted in a series of films and documentaries about their ordeal.
The cave complex had been off-limits to the public until October 15 last year.
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