The Oil Fuel Fund Executive Committee on Monday agreed to raise the diesel price from 34 baht to 35 baht per litre from Tuesday.
Wisak Watanasap, director of the Oil Fuel Fund Office (OFFO), said the adjustment reflected the rising global diesel price due to Europe’s sanctions against Russia coupled with demand from China as its economy opens.
The OFFO reported the Oil Fuel Fund is 91 billion baht in debt — 54 billion baht from subsidising diesel and 36.5 billion baht from subsidising LPG. The fund has around 11 baht billion of liquidity left and is seeking to borrow 30 billion baht to improve that position.
The commission set up by the House to look into developing Tak’s Mae Sot district into an entertainment hub met local agencies to discuss options on Monday.
The discussion focused on investment regulations, business operations and measures to prevent illegal gambling, Bhumjaithai MP Boonlue Prasertsopa, who is the commission’s deputy chairman, said.
He added that the information gathered on Monday will be summarised and reported to the Lower House for consideration to ensure the entertainment project does not affect local interests.
Meanwhile, commission secretary Pakpoom Boonpramuk said a study into the possibility of opening an “entertainment complex” – which is expected to include a casino – in Mae Sot had taken into account the fact that many casinos were up and running on the other side of the border. Mae Sot shares a border with the Myanmar city of Myawaddy.
He added that a proper feasibility study will be conducted later to see if locals in Mae Sot and surrounding areas find this “legal entertainment hub” acceptable.
Several attendees of the Monday meeting reportedly voiced opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed entertainment complex, tax collection and ways to prevent illegal gambling.
Several experts expressed concerns about the misuse of cannabis at a seminar held by Chulalongkorn University’s Centre for Addiction Studies (CADS).
Chanchai Sittipunt, dean of the university’s Faculty of Medicine, said the recreational use of cannabis may rise even though the Public Health Ministry has legalised the herb for medical use and to stimulate the economy.
He also told the seminar, held via Facebook Live! on Friday, that consuming cannabis without knowing its effects is also worrisome.
“Hence, we have asked medical schools and private hospitals to build a database on patients affected by cannabis,” he said. “We have also urged the Bangkok governor to beware of the possibility of cannabis being used on school campuses.”
Separately, Sirichai Chaisirisophon, neurologist and researcher for medical cannabis in the US, said this herb can only relieve symptoms, not cure diseases.
He said consumers should be aware of the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the cannabis they are consuming as it will not only affect their emotional state but may also give them diarrhoea and amnesia.
He also advised the government to launch a campaign against smoking marijuana because it will affect the smokers’ lungs more than tobacco.
CADS director Rasmon Kalayasiri said the number of cannabis users has been rising since the government legalised it for medical use and as a food additive.
However, she said, there are no laws preventing people from using cannabis for recreation. She also warned that the number of cannabis users and people affected by the drug has risen in countries like Canada and Uruguay, where recreational use of pot is allowed.
Rasmon said Thailand should raise public awareness on using cannabis properly and protect children from pot as they will be at risk of slow development and suicidal tendencies. She also said that the Thai medical industry should be ready to deal with cannabis dependence as well.
Pachima Lormprakhon, deputy director of the Medical Cannabis Institute, said cannabis is currently being used to treat the following conditions:
• Nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy
• Epilepsy
• Muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis patients
• Nervous tension
• Loss of appetite in Aids patients
• To improve the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses
She added that the Department of Medical Services is looking into using cannabis for patients dealing with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, anxiety and cancer.
The Transport Co Ltd’s plan to start four new bus routes to Laos has been delayed, mainly because of rising oil prices on the Lao side, an official said.
Siriporn Supaso, an official of the Khon Kaen office of the state firm, said the four routes — Khon Kaen-Vientiane; Udon Thani-Vang Vieng; Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang and Nan-Luang Prabang — would be indefinitely delayed mainly because of the rising aคงnd fluctuating oil prices in Laos.
The Transport Co had earlier agreed with its Lao counterpart to start operating the cross-border buses on the four routes from Wednesday.
Siriporn said the Lao counterpart of the Transport Co wanted to increase the bus fare by THB20 more per trip for the Khon Kaen-Vientiane route because the Lao kip has devalued from 260 kip to the baht to 460 kip per baht.
Sirikorn said the Transport Co is now seeking approval from the Land Transport Department for an increase in fare as demanded by the Lao side. This had led to an indefinite delay in the opening of the Khon Kaen-Vientiane route.
Regarding the Udon Thani-Vang Vieng route, Sirikorn said the Lao side had asked the two sides to jointly survey a new route so that the travel time could be cut from seven hours per trip to four hours.
Sirikorn added that the rainy season could lead to lower demand from passengers so the Thai and Lao transport companies agreed to postpone the start of the new routes.
The opening of two other routes was also delayed because of the rising oil prices.
The Transport Co said six other cross-border routes between the two countries would start as scheduled on Wednesday. They are Ubon Ratchathani-Pakse; Nakhon Phanom-Thakhek; Bangkok-Vientiane; Bangkok-Pakse, Mukdahan-Savannakhet; and Chiang Rai-Bokeo.
South Korea’s Ambassador to Thailand Moon Seoung-Hyu visited the cemeteries of Muslim Korean war soldiers at the Bangrak Mosque in Bangkok on June 8.
There are total of three cemeteries of the Korean War soldiers in the mosque.
Moon met Thanarat Watcharawisuth, imam of the mosque, and expressed his gratitude to the Thai soldiers’ devotion on behalf of the Korean government and the Korean people. He also said that the soldiers’ sacrifice had laid the foundation for the development of modern Korea.
The imam welcomed the ambassador’s visit and hoped the memorial ceremony for the Muslim Korean war soldiers will be resumed this October after being halted during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Covid-19 pandemic is nearing an end thanks to cooperation between different sectors, especially the public, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday.
The Covid-19 crisis over the past two years is the world’s worst health crisis in 100 years, having an impact on people’s health, quality of life, as well as the economy and society as a whole, the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit said.
He added that Thailand has entered the latter part of the pandemic and should soon be able to declare the disease endemic.
“This was achieved thanks to cooperation, especially from the public,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Rungruang Kitphati, head of the Health Technical Office, said the ministry was getting ready to declare Covid-19 endemic.
Meanwhile, a network called “Khon Kaen People will not Leave Others Behind” has submitted papers detailing its Covid-related efforts to the National Archives of Public Health for record-keeping.
This network had set up community kitchens across the province to hand out free food to the affected. It was financed by donations from the general public.
Rungruang said the documents will serve as good reference material for people to study should a similar pandemic emerge in the future.
Public Health Ministry reported on Monday (June 13) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 1,801 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19.
Death toll increased by 15, while 2,330 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 2,263,229.
The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,486,664 – 4,434,529 of whom have recovered, 21,786 are still in hospitals and 30,349 have died.
Separately, another 2,950 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 5,615 their second shot and 28,071 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 138,697,935.
According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 540.56 million on Monday, 515.86 million of whom have recovered, 18.37 million are active cases (36,139 in severe condition) and 6.33 million have died (up by 540).
Thailand ranks 25th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 87.32 million, followed by India with 43.23 million, Brazil with 31.46 million, France with 29.85 million and Germany with 26.85 million.
Instant noodle manufacturers are being asked to maintain the retail price of their products for as long as possible, the Commerce Ministry said on Sunday.
Wattanasak Sur-iam, director-general of the ministry’s Department of Internal Trade, said manufacturers of several commodities have sought permission to up their retail prices.
He said the department is considering each request carefully to ensure it does not affect consumers.
“The department will discuss appropriate price increases with different manufacturers, but want to emphasise that the price of instant noodles will remain the same for now,” he said.
Wattanasak Sur-iam
He added that manufacturers cannot increase the price of any commodities without permission.
The border city of Mae Sot is ripe for development as an entertainment hub to attract tourists, create jobs and generate revenue for Tak province, a parliamentary commission said on Sunday.
The extraordinary commission was set up by the House to explore options for the development of Mae Sot, which is the main trading post with Myanmar.
Commissioner Thepthai Senpong said Mae Sot already has infrastructure such as border checkpoints and four-lane roads to support tourism development. Meanwhile, construction of a new dual-track railway is progressing well and Mae Sot International Airport has upgraded its runway and passenger terminal to boost visitor numbers, he said.
However, obstacles to development remain, including high land prices and the block on purchasing state-owned land to operate businesses, he added.
Thepthai said a training centre should be set up to enable immigrant workers to provide tourism services.
He also urged tax measures to benefit local entrepreneurs.
Thepthai cited rapid development over the border in Myanmar’s Myawaddy district, where Chinese investors have built dozens of entertainment complexes.
This had inspired Mae Sot entrepreneurs to set up entertainment complexes to spur development on the Thai side of the border, he said.
He added that the extraordinary committee would gather more information before making its proposal to Parliament and the government.
Thepthai lost his seat as a Democrat MP last year after being found guilty of election fraud.
A large majority of Thais accept LGBTQ+ people as friends, colleagues and family members, according to a new National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) poll.
Acceptance of LGBTQ+ – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other – people has increased from surveys taken in 2018 and 2019.
The latest poll was conducted from June 8-10 among 1,310 respondents aged 15 and over from different educational and occupational backgrounds nationwide.
Asked whether they accepted LGBTQ+ friends or work colleagues, 92.82 per cent said yes while 7.18 per cent said no.
Asked if they would accept an LGBTQ+ person as a family member, 90.61 per cent answered yes and 9.31 per cent said no, while 0.08 per cent were unsure.
Asked if LGBTQ+ people should be able to change their gender titles before their names, 63.59 per cent said yes, 36.18 per cent said no and 0.23 per cent were uncertain.
Of the 833 respondents who agreed with title changes, 57.62 per cent said all LGBTQ+ should be able to do so, while 42.38 per cent said this right should only belong to those who have had a sex change.
Asked about the Civil Partnership Bill to legalise same-sex marriage, 79.62 per cent agreed with the move, while 20.38 per cent disagreed.
Asked if official documents should have an extra box to tick for LGBTQ+ people, 77.63 per cent agreed, 22.14 per cent disagreed and 0.23 per cent were unsure.
The opening of two other routes was also delayed because of the rising oil prices.
Wattanasak Sur-iam
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