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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017361

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has told Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to resubmit his project to improve the skybridge linking Lumpini Park and Benjakitti Park.

Chadchart told reporters after a meeting with Prayut at Government House that the PM had asked for more details about the project.

Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has proposed a budget of 260 million baht to improve the sky walkway to make it accessible for the elderly.

The so-called green bridge is now too steep to climb for the elderly, he said.

The BMA has proposed to build more access to the bridge and build toilet rooms for people who will use the walkway to exercise.

The BMA would also be in charge of improving the water quality of Klong Singto canal under the bridge, which is now polluted, the governor added.

Chadchart said Prayut agreed with the project in principle but wanted more details.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017360

A respiratory disease expert at Siriraj Hospital said on Monday that the government was greatly underreporting the number of new Covid infections, saying daily new cases were estimated at about 50,000.

Assoc Prof Dr Nithiphat Chiarakun, head of the department of respiratory diseases and tuberculosis of Mahidol University’s Siriraj Faculty of Medicine, posted on his Facebook wall that the Covid-19 situation now was very worrying.

He said he had received information that the real number of new infections late last week had reached about 50,000 a day, not about 2,000 a day as reported by the Public Health Ministry.

He urged the public and all sides to cooperate to prevent new infections so that the spread could be slowed down. He said it was necessary to avoid a situation of inadequate hospital beds and medical manpower as had happened in the past.

Nithiphat noted that the number of people admitted to hospitals, who tested positive for Covid, was rising. But he said that most of them were ill with other diseases and their condition had been complicated by the Covid infection.

The number of patients with Covid had led to medical personnel assigned to treat Covid patients having to work two times harder.

The doctor added that most major hospitals in Bangkok and in the provinces had to start looking for hospital beds in anticipation of many more Covid patients.

“The situation contradicts the number provided by the government that many more hospital beds are available. Such numbers are only a framework for expansion but the real bed numbers are dwindling,” the doctor wrote.

He added that prepared number of beds have almost been used up to care for patients having other diseases.

He said the figures reported by the government were low because officials did not fully report the infection numbers every day, especially during the transitional period for downgrading Covid to endemic status.

Nithiphat added that the country was now in bad shape due to limited budget and medical personnel to take care of new Covid patients with severe conditions.

“If we don’t join forces to slow down and control new infections, we may see people with severe conditions left in communities and the number of fatalities may rise,” the doctor warned.

“It’s about time now that the government must tell the truth and warn people to get ready to cope with a bad situation.”

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017356

The Progressive Movement says its national campaign for charter change to decentralise power has received enough public support to trigger a motion in Parliament.

The 90-day “Unlock Local” campaign to amend Article 14 of the Constitution received 80,772 signatures between April 1 and June 30, Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit announced on Monday. The amendment would shift power from central government to local administrative organisations (LAOs).

“The overwhelming support for the campaign we received in the past three months is an indication that Thai people are aware of the issues that local administration organisations are facing,” said Thanathorn.

The campaign is pushing for the following five changes.

1. LAOs to have power over all public services except national finance, military and foreign affairs.

2. Reduction of overlapping duties among LAOs, regional and central authorities.

3. LAOs to be allocated 50 per cent of the national budget.

4. LAOs to have full jurisdiction without intervention from regional and central authorities.

5. Local people to be able to participate in public hearings on important local issues, and to vote to remove local administrators. Citizen councils to be established to supervise budget planning and allocation.

Thanathorn said he will present the signatures to Parliament next Monday (July 11). At least 50,000 signatures are required to have a draft amendment considered in Parliament. He hoped that the motion would be considered by Parliament in November.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017351

The Public Health Ministry has been instructed to have medication, equipment and personnel ready in case Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 spark a new outbreak.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the prime minister has ordered the ministry to get ready to tackle large clusters of infection.

He also quoted Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as asking people to strictly follow universal preventive measures, especially since the daily Covid-19 load has risen over the past few days.

Thailand logged 1,995 new infections on Monday over 24 hours and 2,328 cases were reported on Sunday.

The spokesman said Prayut also wants the Public Health Ministry to campaign and make it easier for people to get their booster shots as soon as possible.

Medical Services Department director-general Supakit Sirilak said on Monday that BA.4 and BA.5 will soon become dominant sub-variants of the Covid-19 virus in Thailand.

He said these two new sub-variants were responsible for more than half of all new cases last week, and some 1,000 cases have been confirmed so far.

Separately, Assoc Prof Dr Teera Wacharaprechanont from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine said on Monday that cases have been rising over the past few days because people are becoming less cautious and the new sub-variants are more easily transmissible.

In a Facebook post, Teera said the BA.5 sub-variant spread very fast and was resistant to immunity developed by previous infections and vaccines. It was also resistant to several antibody drugs.

He said he has studied a few infection patterns and learned that family members tend to catch the virus from children, who pick it up at school.

Working people also catch the virus in the office by dining together and then spreading it to family members at home. Moreover, the doctor said, people have started partying again and taking the virus home with them.

He said infections are being accelerated because people are lowering their guard, adding that the government should not have allowed people to remove their face masks in public places.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017347

Ban Chon Thong village in Na Thawi district of Songkhla province has become a home to plain-pouched hornbills, as more than 400 birds were spotted in the area on Monday.

The number of hornbills in the village near Khao Nam Khang National Park is expected to increase until the end of migration season around August.

Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual

Thap Chang Subdistrict Administrative Organisation and Ban Chon Thong villagers have cooperated with Mahidol University’s researchers to set up a hornbill research centre in the area to ensure that visitors will not frighten these birds.

Meanwhile, researchers will help create awareness among interested villagers on hornbill preservation.

Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual

If villagers can manage visitors and preserve hornbills, Ban Chon Thong village can become an ecotourism village that draws domestic and foreign tourists.

Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual

Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual

Thailand is home to 13 species of hornbill, named for the distinctive shape of their beaks. These are: the great hornbill, oriental pied hornbill, wreathed hornbill, plain-pouched hornbill, rufous-necked hornbill, helmeted hornbill, black hornbill, bushy-crested hornbill, wrinkled hornbill, Tickell’s brown hornbill, Austen’s brown hornbill, rhinoceros hornbill, and the white-crowned hornbill.

Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual

However, the hornbill population in Thailand is dwindling due to deforestation and hunting. They fetch a high price in the black market as these birds are seen as a “symbol of prestige”.

Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual

The birds are covered by the 1992 Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act and people caught possessing, buying or selling them face up to four years in prison and/or a fine of 40,000 baht.

Photo Credit: Charoon ThongnualPhoto Credit: Charoon Thongnual

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017341

In a bid to use Thai boxing, also known as Muay Thai, to promote Thailand’s tourism as part of the government’s policy to tap the country’s soft power, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with World Boxing Council Muaythai.

“The MoU aims to use Muay Thai to attract sport fans to visit Thailand, as well as improve Muay Thai’s standards to international level to expand the audience base,” TAT Governor Yuttasak Supasorn said on Sunday. “The promotional campaign will target a new generation of sport enthusiasts and will focus on conveying a positive image of Thai culture, traditions and values.”

Yuttasak added that the TAT is following the government’s policy of harnessing the country’s soft power to promote tourism under 6 Fs and 4 Ms strategy. The 6 Fs are: food, film, fashion, festival, fight, friendships, while the 4 Ms are music, museum, master, and meta.

General Kovid Bhakdibhumi, president of WBC Muaythai, said that under the MoU, the TAT and WBC Muaythai will engage in a five-year campaign called “Amazing Muay Thai” to promote major boxing events throughout the country to domestic and international audiences.

The first boxing event under the Amazing Muay Thai programme, soon to kick off in Bangkok, will be joined by the WBC Muaythai Diamond champions, Petchmorakot Petchyindee and Mehdi Zatout; current WBC Muaythai world champions Nabil Venum and Sajjad Venum; and young stars Kwankao and Petchaektho Boomdeksian.

“Furthermore, we will promote cultural events related to the sport, such as the guru worship rite of Muay Thai boxers, which is organised on March 17 every year in Ayutthaya province, to attract cultural tourists and introduce Muay Thai to those who are new to the sport,” he said.

Kovid added that Muay Thai is becoming more popular in foreign markets such as the Untied States and Europe, as can been seen from increasing foreign audiences during live broadcast and increasing sales of Muay Thai-related products.


“In the future, we plan to host more tournaments at regional and international levels, as well as provide knowledge and training to foreigners who wish to train in the authentic Thai boxing style, which will eventually attract more international audiences and in turn improve the country’s tourism and economy,” he added.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017340

A motorcycle racing competition in downtown Trang went terribly wrong when a bike lost control and ploughed into the crowd, killing one and injuring eight others.

The accident took place at the 2022 Krabang Road Racing, which was held on Sunday for the first time in nearly 10 years. The contestants were racing for a cash prize of about 400,000 baht.

Police rushed to the scene to find 20-year-old racer Nattakit Chringjit lying unconscious with injuries and the dead body of 16-year-old spectator Monthol Chooyung. A two-year-old child was also taken to the hospital with a fractured skull.

Ekkarat Littima, 59, said he was watching the race in front of his house while holding his two-year-old nephew in his arms. Suddenly, he said, the motorbike hit him, his nephew and another person nearby. Ekkarat sustained injuries to his forehead and little finger.

Another spectator said the race was going smoothly until two motorbikes got locked and one went off track for 20 metres before hitting the crowd.

The witness said the accident took place at a dangerous curve that had no barrier, adding that the announcer had warned racers to beware of this curve.

The spectator hoped the organiser would put up a barrier at the curve to avoid a repeat of the accident.

Meanwhile, Pol Colonel Chuechart Yaodam from Muang Trang Police Station said the organiser had been authorised to hold the race, and that his station was not notified of the accident.

There have been reports at a person claiming to be a member of the Trang City Municipality prevented reporters from recording the incident.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017336

An elephant called “Plai Nga Diew” showed up at the Khao Yai National Park’s office on Sunday to seek help with its hurting left tusk.

This is the second time that this elephant, which is also known as “Plai Diew Lub”, has sought help with its left tusk. The last time it had shown up was in March.

Chaiya Huaihongthong, who oversees the national park in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district, said the elephant appeared to be dizzy and had lost a lot of weight. Also, its tusks were broken.

He said he called Patarapol Maneeorn, a veterinarian at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, to treat the animal.

Chaiya believes the elephant may have broken its tusks while sharpening them against rocks or trees, or in a fight with others.

He added that Plai Nga Diew can be treated without the use of anaesthetic because it is calm and friendly.

The vet, meanwhile, said the pain in the tusk may be due to the lack of calcium as many animals must consume minerals to build their bones.

“Hence we call on conservation groups or education institutions to work with national parks in creating salt licks so animals like deer and elephants can consume minerals to keep their bones strong,” he said.

He added that Plai Nga Diew had shown signs of improvement after receiving treatment, but is still under observation.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017334

A strong southwest monsoon prevailing over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand will possibly hit 23 provinces with flash flooding on Monday and Tuesday.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said heavy rainfall over the two days may increase water levels and cause rivers to overflow. Hence, it said, residents should monitor water levels closely and follow weather forecasts provided by the Thai Meteorological Department.

Provinces facing the risk of flash floods include Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun.

The department also warned that coastal provinces like Ranong, Phang Nga and Phuket will experience strong winds and high waves until Tuesday and advised people against swimming in the sea.

Call 1784 or Line @1784DDPM for assistance or to report a disaster.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40017331

The “People’s Assembly” gathered on Sunday to protest against the government’s failure to tackle rising fuel prices and restore unity.

The rally at Lan Khon Muang square in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district was led by former red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, who said the government is pretending to be strong while it is struggling with scores of challenges.

He said the government has been unable to solve any problems because it is under the control of capitalists.

“When the government can’t do anything, it’s time for people to step up,” he said.

Jatuporn also believes that Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow will listen to the group’s demands via the media.

Meanwhile, human-rights lawyer Nititorn Lamlua said the rally also aimed to restore unity and eliminate threats from oppressors like foreigners, capitalists and government officials.

He added that the group also aims to return the ownership of natural resources to citizens in order to maintain fairness in resource allocation, adding that Thailand must always come first.

Nititorn pointed to the conflict between supporters of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha or former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva and those backing former prime ministers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra.

“So, we want to use this stage to restore unity, build sovereignty and change the country,” he said. “This move aims to not just repel General Prayut, but also strike against capitalists and groups planning coups d’etat.”

He added that the People’s Assembly will not join other pro-democracy groups to achieve its goals.

Published : July 04, 2022

By : THE NATION