China has confirmed that President Xi Jinping will visit Thailand for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said on Friday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed his Thai counterpart, Don Pramudwinai, during his visit to Thailand on Monday and Tuesday that Xi would attend the Apec meeting of government leaders to be held in Bangkok on November 18-19 if he is not busy elsewhere, the spokesman said.
This will be Xi’s first visit to Thailand as China’s president, according to Tanee, who also doubles as director-general of the ministry’s Department of Information.
China’s top leader last visited Thailand almost 10 years ago when he was serving as vice president.
The true number of new Covid-19 infections in Thailand could be 30,000 per day, given that about 10,000 people per day are now registering to enter home or community isolation, Deputy Public Health Minister Satit Pitutecha said on Friday.
Satit was responding to a question in Parliament about the current Covid situation posed by Bangkok Pheu Thai MP Jirayu Huangsap.
Satit said that since most people who contracted Omicron BA.4 and 5, the current dominant strains in Thailand, display mild or no symptoms, the Public Health Ministry is only reporting the number of cases that test positive via the RT-PCR method in hospital.
“The BA.4 and 5 subvariants have driven a 30 per cent rise in cases across the globe, including Thailand. However, they do not contribute to a significant increase in mortality or severe symptoms,” Satit said.
He added that the number of Covid patients on respirators in Thailand stands at 327, unchanged from last week. Meanwhile the bed occupancy is within “acceptable levels nationwide”.
Satit added that people who tested positive but have mild or no symptoms will be given Favipiravir or Fah Talai Jone medications until they recover.
“Most of the confirmed cases are from domestic infections, therefore we advise people to wear face masks when in crowded spaces or areas with poor ventilation, and make sure to get booster jabs at appropriate intervals,” he said.
On Friday, Thailand recorded 2,144 confirmed new Covid-19 cases and 20 fatalities over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, 1,946 patients had recovered and were discharged from hospitals. Thailand’s accumulated Covid cases this year stand at 2,317,520. Total cases since the pandemic began in early 2020 amount to 4,540,955.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was shocked by the gun attack on former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said on Friday.
Don said PM Prayut is about to issue a statement on the incident on behalf of the Thai government and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in Thailand’s capacity as Asean’s coordinator.
“The prime minister was extremely shocked by the incident. He didn’t think this would happen to his friend,” the foreign minister said.
According to him, Prayut and Abe have known each other for a long time as they often met during bilateral and international conferences, both in Thailand and Japan.
When asked by reporters at Government House on Friday, Prayut said he was aware of the attack on Abe. But he refused to comment on the matter, saying he had a sore throat.
Abe was shot on Friday morning, described as an assassination attempt by the Japanese media, while he was campaigning in the city of Nara ahead of Sunday’s election for the Japanese parliament’s upper house.
The 67-year-old former prime minister was in a “grave condition” after being shot, Japanese media quoted his successor and current PM, Fumio Kishida, as saying.
A 41-year-old man, identified as Yamagami Tetsuya, was arrested at the scene while holding a gun. The suspect has been taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder, according to Japanese media.
Patumwan Demonstration School under Srinakharinwirot University announced on Friday that it will switch to online learning from July 8 to 12 after an outbreak of Covid-19 among students and staff.
The school, which is located on Henri Dunant Rd in Bangkok’s Pathum Wan district, said it would resume onsite learning on July 18, as July 13 through 17 are public holidays for Asanha Bucha and Buddhist Lent.
On Thursday, Bangkok Christian College in Bang Rak district switched to online schooling after more than 700 of its students and staff tested positive for Covid-19.
However, the school announced on Friday that the 700 infections represented the total number of cases reported since May 17, the first day of the academic year.
“Currently, about 200 Bangkok Christian College students and staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 are undergoing treatment, from a total of around 5,000,” school principal Waraporn Subsomboon said on Friday.
“To curb the spread, we will switch to online schooling on July 11-12 and again on July 18-19, with public holidays from July 13 to 17. On-site schooling will resume on July 20,” she added.
Waraporn said the school is following Education Ministry guidelines for outbreaks. Students are screened via ATK tests every week and any classes reporting infections are suspended, while everyone at the school must wear face masks at all times.
“We will evaluate the situation periodically and adjust the learning method accordingly,” she said, adding that the school remained committed to onsite learning as the best method of education.
Tensions rose on Thailand’s western border area after the Myanmar military sent reinforcements for an expected new attack on opposition forces.
Four battalions of Myanmar troops reportedly have been sent to the border area adjoining Tak province in a renewed attempt to seize the camps of minority Karen forces and the People’s Defence Force of the Myanmar opposition’s National Unity Government.
Military movements and operations could be observed south of Myawaddy town, opposite Tak’s Mae Sot and Umphang districts.
Shots of mortar guns could be heard from the Thai side of the border on Thursday night. The shots reportedly were fired at a village where opposition forces are based.
In Tak’s border district of Phop Phra, the Thai Army conducted frequent patrols to ensure safety for local residents and farmers. The locals started returning to their plantations and orchards after avoiding going to work on their farms due to heavy fighting across the border.
Meanwhile, at least 275 Myanmar villagers seeking refuge in Phop Phra district have sought an extension of their stay due to fears that Myanmar soldiers would return to their village.
A special task force from the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) swooped in and arrested a senior tourist police officer and his accomplice for allegedly collecting protection money from local entertainment businesses.
The senior sergeant major was caught along with Manas (last name withheld), a 46-year-old Suphanburi-native, in the parking lot of a Nonthaburi shopping mall on Thursday night.
Ronnarong Thipsiri, chief of the department’s law-enforcement division, said the department had been alerted of two men pretending to be members of DOPA’s special taskforce and collecting “protection” money from bars and pubs in Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai area. The two men had reportedly been threatening to shut down businesses that refused to pay them a 3,000-5,000 baht monthly fee.
“We tracked down and ambushed the two men after learning that they were meeting at the parking lot on Thursday night. The arrests were made without the use of any force,” Ronnarong said.
Shortly after the arrest, National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk sacked the police officer immediately and ordered the Tourist Police Bureau to set up a committee to conduct a disciplinary investigation as soon as possible.
“I have also told the Nonthaburi police chief to personally supervise the criminal charges in this case to ensure a fast and transparent investigation,” he said. “The Royal Thai Police will not protect police officers who have broken the law.”
The Central Vaccination Centre announced on Thursday that people can start registering for a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot from Friday onwards.
The vaccines will be administered at Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station and mobile-phone users can book their queue number via their service provider’s website:
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Department of Highways have been tasked with tackling problems faced by residents affected by mega transport projects.
At a meeting with ministry executives on Thursday, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob cited the high-speed railway project linking three key airports.
The project will link Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao airports, and allow a seamless route to the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
Saksayam said people who have been affected by the project should be attended to as soon as possible. He said they should either be compensated or given a new residence as required by law.
He also instructed SRT to survey other affected communities in the following areas to determine appropriate aid, namely:
• In Bangkok’s Bang Sue and Chatuchak districts, where SRT is carrying out land-development projects
• Makkasan swamp area, where SRT will develop a residential project
• Along Nakhon Ratchasima-Nong Khai high-speed rail project
• Along Surat Thani-Hat Yai-Songkhla dual-track rail project
The Department of Highways, meanwhile, was instructed to survey communities in the following areas:
• Samut Sakhon’s Thajin subdistrict affected by the Rama II-Wang Manao elevated expressway construction
• Saphan Ruamjai community in Bangkok’s Don Mueang district affected by the construction of department’s new district office
Saksayam instructed both SRT and the highways department to send officials to talk to affected residents and coordinate with local authorities to identify the problems, so correct steps can be taken.
For the first time in 18 years, Thailand Post announced that it is increasing fees for domestic letters and parcels. The new fees, effective immediately, will be valid until December 31, 2024.
In its announcement on Thursday, Thailand Post said the increase was due to rising delivery costs and inflation.
Under the rates, posting letters will cost:
10g: 3 baht
10-20g: 5 baht
20-100g: 10 baht
100-250g: 15 baht
250-500g: 20 baht
500g to 1kg: 35 baht
1kg-2kg: 55 baht
Printed materials:
50g: 3 baht
50-100g: 4 baht
100-250g: 6 baht
250-500g: 8 baht
500g-1kg: 13 baht
1kg-2kg: 25 baht
Anything above 2kg will be charged 12 baht per kilo.
Boxed parcels:
Less than 1kg: 20 baht
1kg and above: 15 baht for every kilo
Anything above 1kg will be calculated as a whole kilogram.
People and businesses who need to post a large number of parcels are advised to use EMS, which charges 19 baht for every kilo posted on Sundays, reduced from 25 baht per kilo on weekdays. The original EMS fee is 32 baht for every 20 grams.
The actual number of Covid-19 infections in Thailand may come in at more than 78,000 patients per day, and people have been advised to protect themselves and their family members.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Chulalongkorn University’s Assoc Prof Dr Thira Woratanarat pointed out that the Public Health Ministry only reports infections that have been confirmed by an RT-PCR test. This comes in at about 2,000 cases per day, but infections that have yet to be confirmed are much higher than that.
Thira, who lectures at the Faculty of Medicine, said that though the mask mandate has been lifted in many public places, wearing a facemask is still key to preventing the virus from spreading.
“Most importantly, people should wear the mask correctly for maximum protection. This means the mask should cover both the nose and mouth with no openings at the cheeks,” he said.
“If you are not sure about the protection provided by one mask, then wear a fabric mask on top to keep it pushed against your face,” the medical expert said. “People who are in close contact with infected persons, like medical professionals or family members, are advised to wear an N95 mask or equivalent.”
Thira added that it was difficult to stop the virus from spreading among family members as people tend to lower their guard at home.
“People living with their families are advised to monitor their symptoms closely and perform ATK tests periodically. If any member is infected, they should be isolated immediately,” he said.
“Covid-19 vaccines help prevent severe symptoms and death, but they are not 100 per cent effective yet. Wearing a facemask and avoiding high-risk places are still key to protecting oneself from the virus,” said Thira.
On Friday morning, the Public Health Ministry reported 2,144 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 20 fatalities over 24 hours. Also on Friday, 1,946 patients had recovered and were discharged from hospitals. Thailand’s total Covid cases since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,317,520 and at 4,540,955 since the pandemic started in early 2020.
SootinClaimon.Com 