#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018542

Several state organisations have received orders from the Transport Ministry to improve rail transportation between Thailand, Laos and China.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said on Thursday after the meeting with the committee to connect railways between the three countries.

He said the committee had approved the guidelines for related organisations and ordered the Highways Department to ask for a budget to study the construction of a new bridge across the Mekong River for both cars and trains.

Meanwhile, the committee approved orders for the State Railway of Thailand to hasten construction of the Bangkok – Nong Khai high-speed railway and to propose the Khon Kaen – Nong Khai dual-track railway project to the Cabinet.

The committee also approved turning the Nong Khai railway station to become a products transfer area.

The committee will also study the potential for public-private partnership at Na Tha station in Nong Khai to prepare for transportation in the future, including an action plan to create a balance between demand and current capacity.

The committee will also consider the freight rate and time cost to support rail as the main transportation of choice between Thailand, Laos, and China.

Saksayam said that the committee had told the Customs Department to find mobile x-ray systems for the Nongkhai border checkpoint.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has been told to gather information on the development in Laos to exchange and integrate with related organisations in Thailand to make an export strategy.

The committee also told the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to negotiate with the Chinese government on opening six land checkpoints for movement of fruits, while the Commerce Ministry will monitor the trading situation between Thailand and China and utilise rail transportation to support trade.

The Industry Ministry has been told to hasten the construction of the Udon Thani Industrial City, while the Public Health Ministry has been told to facilitate checking of passengers’ baggage and health products.

Saksayam added that the committee had ordered Team Thailand (government agencies in foreign countries) to visit Laos from August 30 to September 1. They will study the conditions and potential of the Nong Khai – Vientiane route to evaluate transportation and make a plan to connect infrastructure.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018540

Hotel occupancy in the South is expected to surge during the high season this year thanks to the removal of the Thailand Pass and improving Covid-19 situation.

Sueksit Suwandissakul, president of the Thai Hotels Association (Southern Chapter), said recently that hotels in Phuket reported about 40 per cent occupancy rate in the first six months of the year. However, he said only half of the 1,500 registered hotels and rental properties are actually open for business.

“Most hostels and small hotels are still shut as they target mostly foreign visitors, but this group has only bounced back by 20 per cent compared to before the pandemic,” he said.

Sueksit believes hotel occupancy in the South will rise in the second half of the year, though foreign arrivals may not increase significantly. This is because China is still prohibiting its citizens from travelling overseas, except students and those for whom it is necessary.

“As the economy starts recovering in the second half, I hope to see more hotels reopening. This will also be a good time for people to sell off their businesses as they are bound to get a better offer compared to during the pandemic,” he added.

Meanwhile, some 80 per cent of hotels in the deep South province of Songkhla have reopened thanks to the influx of Malaysian tourists from July 1 – the date the Thailand Pass was cancelled, the Songkhla Tourism Industry Council said.

“The council believes that more than 90 per cent of operators will resume their business this year,” the council’s president Somphol Cheewawattanapong said.

“Songkhla is expected to attract about 800,000 foreign visitors in 2022 or about 40 per cent of the 2 million visitors per year before the pandemic.”

Similarly, tourism on the famous resort island of Samui has recovered by up to 70 per cent.

Ratchaporn Phoonsawat from the Samui Tourism Promotion Board said the hotel occupancy rate on the island is expected to jump to 80 to 90 per cent during the October-December high season.

“Some 30 per cent of hotels on Koh Samui have yet to open due to lack of liquidity. So, we urge the government to provide soft loans to these operators so the island can return to operating at full potential,” he said.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said recently that 1.07 million foreigners had entered Thailand in July – the first time that monthly arrivals exceeded the 1 million mark since the pandemic. He said he expects some 1 million arrivals in August and September and 1.5 million per month during the high season. Phiphat said he was confident that the number of total foreigners landing in Thailand this year will exceed 10 million.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018538

Heavy to very heavy rain is expected to hit most of Thailand from Saturday to Wednesday, the Thai Meteorological Department announced on Friday.

The weather forecast said isolated heavy to very heavy rain can be expected in the North, Northeast, East, South and the Central region, including Greater Bangkok.

It also forecast 2-3 metre high waves in the Andaman Sea and 1-2 metre high waves in the Gulf of Thailand. The waves are expected to rise higher during thunderstorms.

The department added that the low-pressure cell in the upper South China Sea will intensify into a tropical storm from Sunday to Monday and move to lower China from Wednesday to Thursday.

The department has urged people to beware of flash floods and runoffs.

Ships in the Andaman Sea and upper part of the Gulf have been advised to proceed with caution and keep off thunderstorms, while small boats in the upper Andaman area have been told to stay ashore during the period.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018536

Thai Airways International (THAI) has said it is adjusting its flight path to Japan and South Korea to avoid the airspace over Taiwan and will instead fly over the Philippines.

This is in response to an advisory from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) calling on Thai airlines to avoid the airspace over Taiwan from Thursday to Sunday (August 4-7).

CAAT’s announcement came after China declared that the airspace would be a “dangerous zone” as it would be conducting air and sea drills in six zones around Taiwan to protest US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit.

China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, but the US recognises it as an independent state.

On Thursday, THAI cancelled all its flights to and from Taipei until Sunday. THAI normally operates return flights to Taipei every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The airline said it will continue monitoring the situation closely. Updates will be available via thaiairways.com or by calling the 24-hour call centre at (02) 356 1111.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018534

Chiang Rai’s Mae Fah Luang Airport will reopen on Friday now that the stranded Nok Air aircraft has been removed, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said.

As of 4am on Thursday, the Nok Air DD108 flight from Bangkok that had skidded off the runway last Saturday night had been removed.

The minister said that the runway has also been repaired and cleaned with help from Thai Airways International’s aircraft recovery team and related agencies.

The flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport had skidded off the runway while trying to land in heavy rain. Its 164 passengers and six crew were transported to the terminal after a long wait.

The airport immediately closed up after the incident and said it would take until August 5 to have the runway ready.

Saksayam said officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand will on Friday inspect the runway and perform friction tests as well as other safety checks under air navigation standards. He said he expects the runway to be ready for use on the same day.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018533

A blaze at an entertainment venue in Chonburi’s Sattahip district killed 13 people and injured 41 others.

The fire at Mountain B Pub in Plutaluang subdistrict was reported at around 1am on Friday and more than 20 fire trucks showed up to put out flames rising from the one-storey building. Hundreds of patrons and staff were seen running out, some with their clothes on fire.

Firefighters managed to put the blaze out after two hours and found 13 charred bodies inside. Of the bodies nine were identified as men and four women. The 41 injured, eight in critical condition, were taken to Queen Sirikit Naval Hospitals.

The site is blocked to unauthorised personnel as officials fear the building may collapse. Investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Witnesses reportedly said they heard two loud explosions before they spotting flames covering the pub’s roof before quickly spreading.

A video clip shared on social media shows people rushing out through the front door of the building, sparking questions if the pub had a proper fire exit.

Mountain B Pub was opened just a month ago and quickly became popular among young people in Sattahip.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018532

The Public Health Ministry reported on Friday (August 5) that over the past 24 hours, 2,253 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals.

The death toll has risen by 34, while 2,483 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals. 

The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,377,543 with 9,828 deaths.
 

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,600,978 – 4,548,339 of whom have recovered, 21,113 are still in hospitals and 31,526 have died.

Separately, another 4,420 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 8,502 their second shot and 27,489 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 141,762,799.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 586.95 million on Friday, 556.99 million of whom have recovered, 23.54 million are active cases (43,833 in severe condition) and 6.43 million have died (up by 1,795).

Thailand ranks 28th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 93.74 million, followed by India with 44.11 million, Brazil with 33.99 million, France with 33.96 million and Germany with 31.18 million.

Published : August 05, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018525

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the skywalk along the Khwae Yai River, the new Kanchanaburi landmark.

Prayut visited the area on Thursday to inspect the project, organise houseboats and improve the scenery of the Khwae Noi and Khwae Yai rivers including the Khun Phaen pier.

With the skywalk, tourists will be able to see the scenery of both rivers and the walking street.

These will be important factors to support tourism recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Published : August 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018524

The Ministry of Labour has allowed Thai employers of illegal migrant workers from four neighbouring countries to register their employment online by August 15, deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said on Thursday.

She said the registration and submission of the employee lists could be done through the Department of Employment website at e-workpermit.doe.go.th from August 1 to 15.

This applies to migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam who have stayed illegally in Thailand.

The illegal migrant workers registered during the period will be allowed to stay in Thailand until February 13 next year. If they need to further extend their stay, the workers will be required to apply for a visa.

Those registered are eligible for a one-year visa twice, first until February 13, 2024, and then until February 13, 2025, according to the spokeswoman.

Rachada said the move was part of a government policy to better manage the migrant workforce as the country is recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Employers, whether they are individuals or companies, are required to provide health insurance to their employees in case their business is not covered by the social welfare system.

For further information, inquiries can be made at the Department of Employment’s provincial offices, any of the Ministry of Labour’s 10 Bangkok recruitment offices, its 1506 hotline, or Line application chat group @Service_Workpermit.

Published : August 04, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018522

Thai shrimp farmers are calling for a review of the Department of Fisheries’ permission for shrimp imports from Ecuador and India, a source said on Thursday.

They expect Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to rescind the department’s order in order to help protect the local industry involving tens of thousands of shrimp farmers, according to the source, who runs his shrimp farm in the South.

Seafoodnews.com, a seafood industry news website, reported recently that Thailand’s Department of Fisheries has allowed the import of shrimp from 36 farms in Ecuador.

The decision came after Ecuador met the safety and biosafety protocols during the export process. In March 2021, Thailand had suspended the import of shrimp from Ecuador after viruses were found in shrimp samples coming from that country.

The source said Thai shrimp producers were startled by the decision to approve shrimp imports from Ecuador, and later from India.

According to the source, the imports would severely impact Thailand’s brand building for domestic shrimp and the image of the local industry.

He said the new Department of Fisheries’ director-general had only recently promised to help Thailand reclaim its status as the world’s largest exporter of shrimps by boosting exports to 400,000 tons within 2023.

India and Ecuador are the world’s leading exporters of shrimp.

In 2010, Thailand exported 437,270 tons of shrimp products worth 101.1 billion baht. However, exports had declined by 53.9 per cent last year compared to 2010 due to shrimp diseases.

Published : August 04, 2022