#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016409
Death toll increased by 21, while 4,130 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 2,250,432.
Published : June 08, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016404
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt met with Corrections Department director-general Aryut Sinthoppan on Tuesday to discuss the hiring of prisoners to dredge canals and drainage systems.
Previously, the department had sent a letter asking the BMA’s Drainage and Sewerage Department to hire prisoners to clean sewers. The BMA used to hire prisoners for the job for many years, but the project was suspended for two years when Aswin Kwanmuang was the governor.
The BMA will hire prisoners who have the best discipline record (“excellent”) on July 1. The city administration plans to clean 6,000 kilometres of sewers and has arranged a budget of THB15 million for the job.
However, Chadchart expected to clean only up to 500 kilometres of sewers in the first four months. He has set a goal to clean 100 kilometres of sewers as soon as possible.
Aryut said the department is hiring 1,000 “excellent” prisoners from 10 prisons for the job. Every prisoner will be fully vaccinated and will be tested with antigen test kits before they enter and leave prisons.
Prisoners are not allowed to walk in the public area and their relatives are not allowed to visit them while they are working.
Aryut said that the department would prepare food and beverages as their work benefit. Also, 70 per cent of the payment will be given to the prisoners only on the completion of their sentence.
Aryut said the department is still considering if it should hire the private sector for the job because Bangkokians have said that the prisoners had been doing a great job in cleaning sewers.
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016402
In a press release on Tuesday, DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said PDPA, which aims to prevent people’s personal data from being published without permission, will not apply to media outlets.
“Section 4 (3) of the PDPA stipulates that this Act shall not apply to a person or a juristic person who uses or discloses personal data that is collected only for the activities of mass media, fine arts, or literature, which are only in accordance with professional ethics or for public interest,” the press release read. “This means the media can take photographs or record video clips and then publish them without blurring the image or seeking consent from the person.
“However, in some cases disclosing data for public interest may violate certain rights of an individual. Mass media professional associations must therefore use their discretion to determine that such disclosure should be allowed or not, based on professional ethics,” he added.
Chaiwut warned that though the press is exempt from PDPA, journalists should always adhere to professional ethics and take care not to violate other laws.
Call the 1111 hotline or visit facebook.com/pdpc.th for more information.
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016401
The Supreme Court held up primary and appeal court rulings that the defendant, Pol Lt Gen Charoon Wimool, had not stolen five prize-winning tickets as alleged by the plaintiff Preecha Kraikruan. Preecha’s words “the truth is the truth” had hung over the case after being widely shared and quoted.
The Supreme Court ruling handed Charoon, a retired police officer, full ownership of the 30-million-baht prize after five years of legal battle.
Lawyer Sittha Biabungkerd, who defended Charoon in the case, said Preecha, a teacher from Kanchanaburi, would now face the consequences of his actions since Charoon had filed a countersuit.
“The 30-million-baht lottery saga is over. The Supreme Court acquitted ‘Uncle Charoon’, who won in three courts in a row,” Sittha said in a Facebook post.
“Next, Khru [Teacher] Preecha should prepare to face the consequence of his deeds.”
Charoon, his wife and Sitta were at the Kanchanaburi Provincial Court to hear the Supreme Court’s verdict on Tuesday morning.
Also in court were Preecha and the three lottery vendors who had testified that he was the ticket-buyer. All had boasted that the ruling would be in their favour. Ahead of the verdict, lottery vendor Pananchaya “Jeh Kieo” Sukpool was still insisting she had sold the tickets to Preecha, not Charoon.
“I know who I sold tickets to and I’m not worried about being countersued,” said a defiant Pananchaya.
The five tickets matched the six-digit winning number in the November 1, 2017 draw.
A few days after the draw, Charoon redeemed the tickets and Bt29.85 million was deposited in his Krung Thai bank account. He withdrew Bt5.5 million, but the remaining Bt24.35 million was frozen on November 28, 2017 after Preecha complained to Muang Kanchanaburi police that he had lost the prize-winning tickets.
The saga dragged on with Charoon unable to identify who had sold him the tickets, saying it wasn’t his regular vendor.
Adding to the confusion, Preecha’s regular lottery vendor and her vendor friends sided with him. Moreover, senior Kanchanaburi police officers allegedly sided with Preecha and reportedly attempted to persuade Charoon to split the prize money 50:50.
Initially, lawyer Sittha tried to drum up public support for Charoon by publishing audio clips of alleged conspirators “trying to steal” the winning tickets. In one clip, a woman was heard telling a man that they would collaborate to “take back” the tickets.
Sittha’s tactic whipped up more public interest, with viewers across the country glued to their TV screens for months as the battle unfolded.
The case dates back to November 3, 2017, when Preecha filed a complaint that he had lost the five winning tickets.
On November 28, the Government Lottery Office said Charoon had already redeemed the winning tickets, and invited the two disputants to negotiate. No agreement was reached.
On December 11, Charoon and lawyer Sittha filed a complaint that Preecha had given false statements about the tickets. They also complained that a senior police officer had attempted to force Charoon to share half the prize money with Preecha.
On December 14, the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) began a parallel probe into the alleged police corruption.
The Central Institute of Forensic Science then examined the tickets and found they were marked with Charoon’s fingerprints but not Preecha’s. The institute said there was too little residue left to check DNA on the tickets.
On January 31, 2018, Muang Kachanaburi police concluded that Preecha was the rightful owner of the tickets.
However, with rumours of police corruption swirling, legal rights activist Atchariya Ruangrattanpong intervened to demand that Kanchanaburi’s police chief be transferred and the case be handed to the CSD. According to the rumours, a senior Kanchanaburi police officer had attempted to broker a deal with the two lottery disputants in exchange for a cut of the prize.
On February 9, the CSD formally took over the case. The Kanchanaburi police chief and chief of Muang station were transferred to inactive posts later that month.
The CSD finally concluded there was not enough evidence to determine who owned the lottery tickets. The case was then forwarded to public prosecutors and the courts.
On March 26, 2019, proceedings were launched at Kanchanaburi Provincial Court.
On June 24, the court acquitted Charoon on charges of confiscation and theft, ruling that testimony from the plaintiff’s witnesses contradicted the forensic evidence.
That verdict was confirmed by the Appeals Court on October 20, 2020.
Tuesday’s third and final ruling brings the five-year saga to an end, leaving Charoon free to spend his prize of 30 million baht.
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016395
Chankrit Dejvitak, assistant Prime Minister’s Office minister, said the panel he chairs is studying guidelines and measures to tackle overpricing. He added that the next step will be to sign a contract with Khon Kaen University to launch a public hearing.
“Once public approval is received, the plan will be proposed to the Cabinet for consideration,” he said.
He added that apart from controlling the price and illegal lottery, gambling addiction will also be tackled by ensuring these lotteries are not available near schools and nobody below the age of 20 can purchase them.
He added that the plan to launch two and three-digit lotteries had been proposed by Thaksin Shinawatra’s government, but had to be dropped because it allegedly violated the Government Lottery Office’s regulations on revenue.
Chankrit went on to say that digital lotteries selling for 80 baht apiece had received a good response from citizens with more than 5 million tickets being snapped up in five days.
However, he said, the government will not increase the number of lottery tickets for the June 16 and July 1 draws, to prevent retailers’ losses.
“Even though digital lotteries have received a good response from people, it is difficult to evaluate a correct number for lottery issue because it is normal for people to be excited about new products,” he said.
He said the government may consider adding more features to the Paotang application, such as lottery discounts and vendors. He added that lotteries can be purchased at 80 baht per ticket at 362 lottery stands nationwide.
“The number of lottery stands selling at this price will be increased to 1,000 by July,” he added.
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016391
Here is a list of FAQs related to marijuana:
Q: Do marijuana growers need to seek special permission?
A: People growing marijuana from June 9 do not need to seek permission but will have to register via FDA’s “Plook Ganja” application.
Q: Can people import cannabis and hemp extracts?
A: They can but they will need to seek permission because cannabis and hemp extracts with more than 0.2 per cent THC still fall under the Category 5 Narcotics list.
Q: Will cannabis and hemp extract included in medical devices be considered Category 5 Narcotics and how should they be imported?
A: They will not be listed as Category 5 Narcotics, but will fall under the Medical Device Act.
Q: Do people need to seek permission when importing finished products that contain cannabis or hemp extracts?
A: Permission is not required because these products do not fall under the Category 5 Narcotics List, but the FDA will control their import based on usage and manufacturing intent.
Food and cosmetics with hemp and cannabis extracts cannot be imported, but health or herbal products can.
Q: Do people need to seek permission for importing marijuana and hemp seeds or other parts of the plants to produce health products or extracts?
A: They will need to take the following steps:
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016386
In a statement issued on Monday, the association said that children and pregnant women have higher risk of the negative effects from cannabis. “Children have a higher chance of becoming addicted to cannabis than adults. Furthermore, cannabis can affect the foetus in the womb, a child’s brain development, intelligence level, reasoning ability and personal restraint during and after taking it,” the statement said. “Cannabis addiction can also lead to domestic violence, mental disorder and schizophrenia.”
The association said that the removal of cannabis from the narcotics list aims at three benefits: medical usage, economic and industrial profit, and offering people more alternatives in healthcare. “However, the government so far has only promoted the benefits but not advised adequate caution about the negative effects, and failed to educate people on how to use the plant safely. There is yet to be any concrete measure to protect people in vulnerable groups from the negative effects of cannabis,” it said.
“The Public Health Ministry must provide clear instructions as to which part of cannabis can be used and which parts should not be used, since each part of the plant has a different level of Tetrahydrocannabinol,” said the statement.
“The usage of cannabis must be strictly limited to medicinal purposes, while data should be collected and research should be conducted over the years to ensure safety and control the quality of cannabis products, as well as to study the side-effects of using cannabis, both in the physical and psychological aspects and their consequences, such as road accidents. These are basic requirements that have been implemented in countries that have legalised cannabis, before they can be allowed for usage in other fields.”
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016381
Prayut was opening the Thailand Tourism Congress 2022 at Beyond Resort Kata Hotel in Phuket, where his dramatic gesture ignited loud applause from participants.
Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual
The move came as Prayut stepped up to give a speech to praise the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA)’s latest report on the situation in the province.
Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual
The PM went on to unveil a national plan for sustainable development of tourism under the “SMILE” strategy. SMILE stands for Sustainability, Manpower, Inclusive economy, Localisation, and Ecosystems.
Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual
Prayut also praised the tourism sector’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 crisis and downturn caused by travel restrictions and said he was yearning to get back in the sea.
Photo Credit: Charoon Thongnual
The Thailand Tourism Congress is being held for the first time and runs through tomorrow (Wednesday).
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016376
The “Phuen Chadchart” (Chadchart’s Friends) Line account had logged a total 11,949 complaints about issues in Bangkok on Tuesday, one week after it opened on May 31.
Of that total, 6,466 complaints are pending, 4,522 have been submitted to related agencies for action and 961 have already been tackled, according to the hotline.
Chadchart hailed the platform’s progress in solving small everyday problems in Bangkok, such as uneven pavements, poor lighting and problems with garbage collection.
“This success is thanks to Bangkokians’ cooperation and City Hall’s determination to tackle issues and make Bangkok more liveable,” he said.
Netizens have praised the initiative, which is among more than 200 policies the new governor is implementing for the city.
Facebook user Pla Yuvalee said she filed a complaint on June 2 about broken street lights in the alley where she lived and found they had been fixed the next day.
She said the Phuen Chadchart account was easy to use, adding that users can view their complaint status as well.
Bangkokians can file complaints by submitting details, pictures and locations at the Phuen Chadchart Line account: https://lin.ee/CoxpWSN. The status of complaints can be viewed at https://share.traffy.in.th/teamchadchart.
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40016370
The government wants the tourism industry to contribute 30 per cent of Thailand’s GDP by 2030, up from 20 per cent pre-Covid-19. Meanwhile the Tourism Authority of Thailand forecasts 7-10 million foreign tourists will arrive this year, after quarantine measures were lifted last month.
Prayut was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Thailand Tourism Congress 2022 held at Beyond Resort Kata in Phuket.
“SMILE” stands for:
S – Sustainability in all aspects.
M – Manpower: Boosting skills of tourism workforce to international standard.
I – Inclusive economy: Ensuring that all sectors of economy are included in the tourism industry.
L – Localisation: Promoting the uniqueness of communities as tourism attractions.
E – Ecosystems: Promoting eco-tourism and the local environment.
“The SMILE strategy will help improve the country’s tourism industry sustainably and ensure that we adapt to the changing world in all aspects,” said Prayut.
It was also a stepping stone towards Thailand’s goal of becoming a medical tourism destination, which would help boost the economy, he added.
Also attending the congress are Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin, Deputy Education Minister Kanokwan Wilawan, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, and representatives from tourism operators in Phuket and nearby provinces.
The Thailand Tourism Congress 2022 is being held for the first time and will run until Wednesday.
Published : June 07, 2022
By : THE NATION
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