#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018390

Thailand is aiming to become a Hollywood of digital content in Asia after seeing revenue from the industry soar to over 11.5 billion baht in the past three years.

Revenue is being driven by the annual Multimedia Online Virtual Exhibition (MOVE), the latest edition of which was launched on Monday by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit.

MOVE – a platform for deal-making between Thai and international digital content businesses – has been organised by the Commerce Ministry since 2019.

“During that period, we saw revenue from digital content rise to 11.63 billion baht, with 7.32 billion from films, 3.51 billion from animations and characters, 706 million from games, and 90 million from e-learning,” Jurin said on Monday.

“This shows that Thailand has strong potential to become a hub for digital content in Asia despite the Covid-19 situation,” he added.

MOVE also aligns with the government’s soft-power push to boost the economy, Jurin said. He explained that Thai digital films, series, TV shows, games and animation help promote “Thainess” overseas, which in turn boosts the country’s tourism industry.

“We don’t know when the Covid-19 outbreak will be over. Until then exports will continue to be the main force to drive the economy forward [instead of tourism]. Thai exports in the first half of this year totalled 5 trillion baht, increasing 12.7 per cent year on year, and digital content is part of this success,” he said.

MOVE runs until Wednesday as a hybrid event at Kantana Video Productions in Bangkok and https://move-ditp.com/. This year’s event is expected to attract over 10,000 participants and generate around 200 business deals worth over 500 million baht.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018388

A part of the roof at the entrance to the Bangkok-Pattaya motorway in Chachoengsao province collapsed on Monday, but there were no casualties.

The covering above toll booth No. 1 on the leftmost lane of the Bang Pakong gateway collapsed at 11.30am amid heavy rains.

Fortunately, there were no casualties as there was no vehicle entering the gate when it collapsed.

Officials blocked two gates for workers to remove the collapsed part of the roof, leaving only one gate for motorists, resulting in a long queue.

Published : August 01, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018387

AQUA Plc has joined hands with Thonburi Rehab Center (THR) to launch a luxury five-star rehabilitation centre for drug addiction and behavioural disorders in the northern province of Chiang Mai.

Shine Bunnag, acting president and director of AQUA, said the centre is a voluntary drug addiction rehab facility offering clients premier treatment and opportunities to return to society. The centre is designed to help reduce social problems and strengthen the country’s stability.

Shine added that as part of this collaboration, AQUA has leased land and buildings in Mae Rim district to Thonburi Rehab Center (THR) Co Ltd to establish the medical rehab facility.

The 30-year lease, divided into three 10-year periods, is worth 2.4 billion baht and runs from September 1, 2022 to August 30, 2052. Shine is also CEO of Nation Group.

AQUA’s managing director Chaipipat Kaewtrirat said the centre will officially open on August 9 with 20 rooms available in the first phase, increasing to 60 rooms by the end of this year before reaching its maximum capacity of 120 rooms in the first quarter of 2023.

Prof Emeritus Dr Pornchai Matangkasombut, THR’s chairman, said the collaboration aims to help domestic and international clients quit and fully recover from drug addiction.

The rehab centre will also treat other addictions and disorders, such as sex addiction and alcoholism, he added.

Its fundamental treatment plan is based on the Minnesota Model of addiction treatment, which is known for its effectiveness in helping people to recover from addiction and reclaim their lives. However, each treatment programme will have a unique design tailored to the patient’s mental state, habits, preferences and personal aptitudes.

Dr Pornchai said the programme will cost around US$14,000 per person per month, with a three-year follow-up treatment period. By comparison, similar programmes in other countries cost around $30,000.

THR Group intends to open three more rehabilitation centres this year in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Chonburi. The Pathum Thani centre will open in August, while the other two are scheduled to open in November. THR also aims to open 17 rehabilitation centres across the country within the next 3-5 years.
 

Published : August 01, 2022

By : Nongluck Ajanapanya

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018386

Sixteen people who came into contact with Thailand’s second confirmed monkeypox patient have tested negative for the disease while another is awaiting test results, the Department of Medical Sciences said on Monday.

Department director-general Supakit Sirilak said that all 17 who were tested would be monitored by medical staff for 21 days.

He added that the department has also collected virus samples from confirmed monkeypox cases in Thailand to test the efficacy of smallpox vaccine stored by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO). It will also collect blood samples from volunteers who received smallpox vaccination between 1977 and 1979 to check whether they are protected against monkeypox.

“The experiment will be conducted on 10 people,” said Supakit. He added that the results would take a while to come back.

Last Thursday (July 28), the department announced that a 47-year-old Thai man had tested positive for monkeypox and been admitted to Vajira Hospital in Bangkok, becoming Thailand’s second confirmed case.

The country’s first monkeypox case, a Nigerian man, tested positive in Phuket on July 19 but then travelled to Cambodia.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018385

A hotel in Chiang Mai is taking an unusual route to attract customers – offering rooms at just 1 baht per night.

Harmonize Hotel’s deal, launched in cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Robinhood application, has already gone viral on social media.

Travellers can book a room under the “Robinhood Travel Good Deals” offer for just 1 baht a night from August 1 to 7 with the code “CNX1”. The booking must be used before October 31.

The 77-room hotel on Chiang Mai-Lampang Road is also offering a 300-baht discount in its restaurant via the Robinhood campaign.

Saraswadee Asasapphakit, director of TAT’s northern region office, said TAT and Robinhood launched the “good deals” scheme to lure tourists back to Chiang Mai in the second half of the year. The aim is to boost the occupation rate of local hotels to at least 55 per cent.

Apart from the 1-baht room package at Harmonize Hotel, the campaign also offers up to 70 per cent discount at 45 other participating hotels in Chiang Mai for bookings between August 1 and 7.

Deals are limited to 200 per day and bookings must be used up before October 31.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018381

The battle between four school marching bands had some 4,000 spectators spellbound for about four hours at Bangkok’s Hua Mark Indoor Stadium on Sunday.

Participating in the extravaganza were: Suthiwararam Concert & Marching Band and Wachirathamsatit Drum & Brass Corps from Bangkok, and Suranaree Witthaya Marching Band and Ratchasima Witthayalai Marching Band from Korat.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said this battle of the bands had been organised to not just strengthen ties between the two cities, but also for the young musicians to show off their talent.

“I think this is a good activity. I want to explain that this contest was not held to show who is superior. It’s an exhibition to strengthen ties, allow the youth to show their talent and for residents in the two cities to meet and exchange knowledge,” he said.

He added that Nakhon Ratchasima will organise a similar contest in exchange.

Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichian Chantaranothai said there was much excitement in the province when this battle of bands was announced.

“I think apart from strengthening ties between the two cities and building friendships among students and residents, this activity has also helped create happiness among residents of the two cities,” he said.

He added that this band battle is just the start of a wider exchange between the two cities in the future, such as music, culture and sports.

Wichian also said he is planning to invite Chadchart and Bangkok school marching bands for a second round in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018373

The smallpox vaccines in storage with the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) are still valid and can be used if there is a monkeypox outbreak, the Public Health Ministry said.

Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said on Sunday that 500,000 doses of 40-year-old frozen live vaccines are available. They can be administered intradermally by pricking the skin and allowing the vaccine to penetrate through the dermis.

“Cooperation between relevant agencies will be necessary in case of emergency, as well as considering the vaccine’s benefits and risks as well as available alternatives,” he said.

Separately, Department of Disease Control director-general Opas Karnkawinpong said his department has placed an order for monkeypox vaccines which will be rolled out soon. He added that the department will look into the efficiency of GPO’s smallpox vaccines and possible side-effects as well as the monkeypox situation before deciding to use them.

“Based on the current situation, it is not necessary to inoculate everybody, but we will have to vaccinate specific groups such as laboratory personnel and medical staff who come into contact with patients,” he said.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018372

The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry, police and related agencies have been tasked with tackling gambling websites in a bid to mitigate their impact on children and society.

The order was given after Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan learned that online gambling websites can be easily accessed by even children.

Prawit also voiced concern about these websites affecting children’s behaviour and development, creating mental issues, family problems, legal encounters and even suicide.

“The deputy PM has ordered DES Ministry to cooperate with police and relevant agencies to investigate and block all online gambling sites as soon as possible,” Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanich said on Sunday.

The authorities have also been instructed to arrest all culprits involved in the websites in a bid to eliminate online gambling networks nationwide.

The authorities have also been instructed to set up channels for people to report and provide clues.

“Prawit has instructed police and Social Development and Human Security Ministry to provide advice to families affected by online gambling in a bid to mitigate problems within families and an impact on society,” he added.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018368

The Public Health Ministry reported on Monday (August 1) that over the past 24 hours, 2,108 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals, one of whom has arrived in Thailand from abroad.

The death toll has risen by 19, while 2,540 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals. 

The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,368,849 with 9,706 deaths.
 

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018367

Two people were killed and two injured on Sunday night when a beam fell on them from a U-turn bridge on Rama II Road.

The bridge, which is under maintenance, is located in front of Vibharam Hospital on Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon’s Muang district.

The beam reportedly fell on a car below and also hit a passing pick-up truck.

Rescue volunteers had to pry open the smashed car to pull out the deceased and the injured, who were immediately taken to the hospital.

All lanes on the road, except the frontage road, were closed to traffic on Monday morning while debris was removed. The closure caused heavy congestion on Rama II Road.

Motorists have been advised to use Highway No 375 (Ban Phaeo – Phraprathon) leading to Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok instead.

Published : August 01, 2022

By : THE NATION