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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015025

Suicides among Thai teenagers and young adults have increased alarmingly over the past five years, the Department of Mental Health’s National Suicide Prevention Centre revealed on Thursday.

Between 2017 and 2021, the rate of suicides by people aged 15-34 were four times higher than by those aged over 34, the agency said.

Records show 439 Thais aged 15-24 committed suicide in 2021, up from 428 a year earlier, while 956 people aged 25-34 killed themselves last year, compared to 896 in 2020.

The information was disclosed during a National Mental Health Commission meeting on Wednesday.

Department of Mental Health director-general Dr Amporn Benjaponpitak said on Thursday that the suicide rate among Thais was 7.8 per 100,000 population. She blamed suicides on higher stress caused by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The global average is nine suicides per 100,000 population, according to the United Nations.

Thailand has about 72,000 patients with psychotic disorders being treated under welfare benefits from the National Health Security Office.

A recent survey by the department on university students with mental health issues found that they looked for better understanding and the right attitude about their problems, particularly by relevant university personnel, Amporn said.

Also, they asked for close attention, increased convenience in seeking consultation, and better coordination between their university and mental health experts, who can help them.

Published : April 28, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015023

Airlines worldwide have been instructed to follow Thailand’s new entry measures from May 1, according to a Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)’s notice to airmen on Thursday.

The CAAT notice follows the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration deciding last week to scrap the Test & Go scheme from May 1 to make it more convenient for arriving foreign tourists.

The CAAT notice states that:

• Vaccinated passengers can enter the country without taking Covid-19 test upon arrival. However, they are advised to take rapid antigen test if they develop symptoms.
• Unvaccinated passengers must present a negative RT-PCR result taken within 72 hours of departure, otherwise they must remain in the alternative quarantine system and take an RT-PCR test on day 4 or day 5.
• All passengers must have evidence of Covid-19 insurance with at least US$10,000 coverage so they can claim treatment expenses if they test positive.
• Passengers must register for the Thailand Pass with a copy of their vaccine certificate or a negative RT-PCR result taken less than 72 hours before departure. They will receive a QR Code for presenting to airlines once the documents have been reviewed. Airlines can deny boarding to passengers who do not have such a QR Code.
• Airlines must check passengers whether they have the QR Code generated by the Thailand Pass system before travelling, while airlines must take responsibility for returning passengers who do not have the QR Code back to their country of origin.
• Airports and related agencies must strictly adhere to the government’s measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, such as by wearing face mask and checking body temperature before entering the venue.

The CAAT has also asked airlines to screen passengers’ documents in line with new entry measures and inform them to prepare all documents, so they will be able to travel to Thailand freely.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015021

Ramathibodi Hospital said on Thursday it would be ready to sequence the DNA of the hepatitis virus if there is an outbreak of acute, severe hepatitis among Thai children following an alert issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The hospital’s Centre for Medical Genomics announced on its Facebook wall on Thursday that it would be ready to use NGS-Clinical Metagenomics technology to check the virus if Thai children are hit by acute, severe hepatitis of unknown origin.

The centre said the technology is much faster in detecting and identifying the virus than the laboratory culture technique. The centre added that several types of virus cannot be cultured in a lab.

The WHO issued the warning on April 15 and revised its announcement on April 23.

The WHO said that as of April 21, at least 169 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin have been reported from 11 countries in the WHO European Region and one country in the WHO Region of the Americas.

It said 114 cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, 13 in Spain, 12 in Israel, nine in the United States of America, six in Denmark, five in Ireland, four each in The Netherlands and Italy, two each in Norway and France, and one each in Romania and Belgium.

The clinical syndrome among identified cases is acute hepatitis (liver inflammation) with markedly elevated liver enzymes. Many cases reported gastrointestinal symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting preceding presentation with severe acute hepatitis, and increased levels of liver enzymes (aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) greater the 500 IU/L) and jaundice, the WHO said.

The common viruses that cause acute viral hepatitis (hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E) have not been detected in any of these cases. International travel or links to other countries based on the currently available information have not been identified as factors, the WHO added.

The WHO said 17 children in the UK needed liver transplant because of the virus.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015016

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit Thailand on May 1-2, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Kishida will have a bilateral meeting with Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House on May 2.

“After the meeting, the two leaders will witness the signing ceremony of agreements between agencies of both sides and have a joint press conference,” the ministry said.

“The prime minister of Japan will then attend a dinner hosted in his honour by the prime minister of Thailand,” the ministry said.

The visit takes place on the 135th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership between Thailand and Japan.

It also coincides with Thailand’s coordination of Asean-Japan relations from 2021-24, during which Asean and Japan will mark the 50th commemorative year of friendship and cooperation in 2023.

“The visit serves as a good opportunity for prime ministers of the two countries to discuss issues related to Thailand-Japan relations and steer forward cooperation in all dimensions at the bilateral, sub-regional and regional levels, as well as exchange views on regional and international situations of mutual interests,” the ministry added.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015015

Thailand will organise the MotoGP Grand Prix at Chang International Circuit in Buri Ram province fron September 30 to October 2.

Thailand had pulled out from organising the MotoGP two years ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday.

He said the Covid-19 situation in Thailand is likely to improve and more than 80 per cent of citizens have been vaccinated.

Thailand’s public health system, including hospitals, medical supplies and staff are now ready for transition of Covid-19 from pandemic to endemic, he added.

“Hence, the government has agreed to organise the MotoGP this year to win the confidence of citizens and tourists on travelling in Thailand, as well as stimulating the economy,” he said.

Anutin Charnvirakul

He added that more than 50,000 tourists had participated in 2019 MotoGP, generating more than THB4 billion to tourism-related entrepreneurs in Buri Ram and nearby provinces.

To contain the spread of Covid-19, Anutin said participants must receive at least three Covid-19 jabs and must adhere strictly to prevention measures.

He added that the Buri Ram communicable disease control committee had also approved setting up a subcommittee for medical treatment and disease control to ensure efficiency in Covid-19 prevention.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry had signed the agreement with the MotoGP organisers on September 30 last year to host the world’s top motorcycle racing competition from 2021 to 2026.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015012

The operator of Bangkok’s Skytrain has urged passengers to mind their manners by not crossing their legs while sitting, saying their feet could inadvertently brush against or hit standing passengers.

“Please cooperate by not sitting with your legs crossed inside the BTS Skytrain,” Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL posted on its BTS Facebook page on Wednesday.

“The page admin would like to seek cooperation from passengers to not cross your legs while sitting especially when the train is crowed because your leg may unknowingly hit standing passengers.”

The post also urged passengers to give up their seats to the people who need to sit, such as the sick, the disabled, children and pregnant women.

Reactions from Facebook users indicated many Skytrain passengers are fed up with the “nasty behaviour”.

The post gained more than 3,400 likes and was shared over 450 times, receiving some 540 comments by noon on Thursday.

Many netizens urged the BTS to make a regular announcement via the onboard public address system because they have always encountered passengers seated crossed-legged.

“I come across this behaviour every time,” said a Facebook user going by the name of Anuch Homchan.

“Please make an announcement through the onboard PA system,” another FB user named Alexander Lynn commented. “I have seen many passengers sitting with their legs crossed. They act as if they are travelling in a personal vehicle.”

Another user Pat Putsawad noted: “There were also those sitting with legs spread wide, as if they were alone.”

User Muttamas Wongwanich sought some form of retaliation, writing: “Let’s walk past and hit their legs to let them know they are blocking the way.”

And user Nalinee Apipan commented: “The tip of the seated passenger’s foot hits the shin of a standing passenger. The train is already crowded and now we have to avoid feet too.”

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015011

A woman, said to be driving at “high speed”, made a wrong turn and ended up trapped between two railway tracks in Bangkok’s Lak Si district early on Thursday.

Fortunately, no train used either of the two tracks at the time of the incident just 500 metres from Bang Khen railway station at 2am.

The Thun Song Hong police station was alerted immediately when the Mazda sedan ended up between the two tracks along Kamphaeng Phet 6 Road.

The bottom of the car was stuck on piles of gravel between the tracks. Its front left tyre had burst apparently after driving on the track bolts. The car’s bonnet was also damaged.

Railway officials spent an hour using a tow truck to spring the car loose and drag the vehicle to safety.

The car was removed from the spot before the first train of the day arrived from Den Chai station at 4am.

An official manning the station told police he heard the roar of the car as it drove at “high speed” into the track area. He said he shouted and ran after the car to tell the driver to halt but the woman continued on for about 500 metres before her vehicle came to a dead stop.

The driver, whose identity was withheld, told police she was not familiar with the area so she made a wrong turn.

Police are set to give her an alcohol test.

The State Railway of Thailand will check for damages if any before filing charges against her for compensation.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015008

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) will hold a workshop on April 30 to teach people how to clean air conditioners and how to choose them.

Participants must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or been infected within one to three months, or tested via the ATK or RT-PCR method within 72 hours of the workshop.

They must strictly follow Covid-19 prevention measures such as keeping a social distance, washing their hands, and wearing masks. Those who arrive for the course 15 minutes late will not be allowed to take it.

Seats for the training – which will be held at the Egat Learning Centre in Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi, from 9am this Saturday – are full.

Egat had offered free air conditioner cleaning services to 10,000 households from April 18 to reduce energy costs.

According to the authority, cleaning your air conditioner every six months can reduce electricity bills by at least 10 per cent and also cut national energy consumption by around 1.3 million units per year.

Those who want to learn more about the workshop can contact the Egat Learning Centre’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/egatlearningcenter/ or call 02-436-8952.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015006

The Royal Thai Navy is investigating the case of fishing boats carrying Rohingya refugees, Navy chief Admiral Somprasong Nilsamai said on Wednesday.

His statement came after Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome urged the Navy to clarify the case.

Somprasong insisted that the Navy did not conceal any information, adding that it had implemented “prevention measures” to tackle the issue.

Spokesman Vice Admiral Pokkrong Monthatpalin said the Navy has to look into details of the case and is ready to clarify the issue if it is involved.

He said the Navy is still working on anti-human trafficking.

Pol Maj-General Paween Pongsirin, formerly the country’s lead investigator in human trafficking, told Al Jazeera on April 21 that Thai officials were involved in the 2015 Rohingya trafficking case in Songkhla.

The case led to several police and military officers being sentenced for corruption and trafficking after the bodies of more than 30 trafficked Rohingya were discovered in shallow graves on the southern border.

Paween said threats from influential people forced him to flee to Australia before he could catch more “big fish” in the case.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015005

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra wants Thailand to promote and utilise silk clothing as a “soft power”.

On Wednesday, Yingluck posted pictures of herself on social media wearing outfits made from Thai silk when she met with foreign leaders.

She thanked her brother Thaksin, who explained about soft power on the Clubhouse application the same day.

Yingluck said she wore Pha Khao Ma (loincloth) made of Thai silk when she had a meeting with leaders. She thought it was beautiful and neatly made. She added that wearing them did not make her look older or “out-of-date”.

On the same day, Thaksin explained that South Korea had been utilising its soft power since 2001.

He said the Thai government was ready at that time to promote its movies, for example, but the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Content Association was not, so the policy to use movies as a soft power had not progressed from that time.

Published : April 28, 2022

By : THE NATION