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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013967

The Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning said on Tuesday that land in Phitsanulok’s Nern Maprang district has been classified as a forest conservation area by the Royal Forest Department but can be used by villagers with title deeds for residential and agricultural purposes.

The department’s clarification came in response to Nern Maprang villagers filing an appeal with the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday, urging an investigation of the urban zoning of lands in the district.

Somphong Lisonthia, a representative of the community, said on Monday that villagers suspected the classification of land in the district as a forest conservation area, even in zones where villagers have already built houses, will make it easier for authorities to expropriate the lands as state property and offer them to Akara Resources, which has been granted a concession contract to operate gold mines there.

The department said it would verify the information on land classification with the Royal Forest Department, and will hold a public hearing to clarify the issue with concerned Nern Maprang residents.

Published : March 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013966

The Royal Gazette website on Tuesday published an announcement by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation regarding the temporary closure of 258 national parks and forest parks to tourism and camping in 2022.

The announcement, signed by department director-general Saratcha Suriyakul Na Ayudhaya, stipulated that the 258 parks would be closed to visitors at different periods throughout the year in a bid to increase efficiency in park management, rehabilitate natural resources and ensure the safety of tourists in “dangerous” seasons.

The names of 258 parks and the periods during which they will close can be downloaded at http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2565/E/073/T_0007.PDF 

Published : March 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013965

The cabinet on Tuesday approved a Natural Resources and Environment Ministry motion proposing three more national parks seek Asean Heritage Park listing, said deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul.

They are Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei, Phu Khiew Wildlife Sanctuary and Namnao National Park in Phetchabun.

Traisuree said the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning will submit the required documents to the Asean Centre for Biodiversity, which serves as the secretariat of the Asean Heritage Parks Programme.

Phu Kradueng National Park is located in the Phetchabun mountain range, which consists of natural forest covering more than 98 per cent of the total area. It is home to rare flora and fauna and protected wildlife such as serow, the Javan pangolin and elongated tortoise.

Phu Khiew Wildlife Sanctuary and Namnao National Park has thick forest covering more than 96 per cent of the area together with geographic diversity and cave systems. They are home to rare flowers and protected animals such as marbled cats, serow, the Indian hog deer and the clouded leopard.

Thailand currently has seven Asean Heritage Parks – Khao Yai National Park, Tarutao National Park, Mu Koh Surin-Mu Koh Similan-Ao Phang Nga National Parks, Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, Hat Chao Mai National Park-Mu Koh Libong Non-Hunting Area, Mu Koh Ang Thong National Park, and Khao Sok National Park.

Published : March 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013964

The cabinet on Tuesday tasked the Finance Ministry with revising regulations for non-commercial manufacturing of alcoholic beverages in a bid to allow the general public to make their own booze for personal consumption, deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said on Tuesday.

“The cabinet has insisted that the regulations should focus on controlling the quality and safety of beverages and limiting the environmental impact from the manufacturing process,” she said.

“Meanwhile, the regulations must not limit people’s freedom in making alcoholic beverages for personal use.”

The House of Representatives earlier approved the principle of the draft law that would allow people to make their own alcoholic beverages for non-profit purposes under regulations that promote quality and safety of the product and comply with existing regulations related to alcoholic beverage manufacturing under Excise Act BE2560 (2017).

Published : March 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013957

Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday (March 30) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 25,389 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 47 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 87, while 26,084 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 1,377,352.
 

Published : March 30, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013954

The Highways Department announced on Tuesday that the grace period for fining motorists for late payment of M-Flow gateway use would end this month and the department would start collecting fines at the rate of 10 times from April 1.

Sarawut Songwilai, director-general of the Highways Department, said on Monday that unregistered motorists who have not paid for using the M-Flow gateway will be required to pay the toll fee within seven days or face the hefty fine.

The M-Flow system, which uses AI technology and cameras to recognise coming vehicles, will send the bills to the house of unregistered motorists and they would be required to pay the fee within seven days.

Motorists who have registered to use the M-Flow gateways can use an app to pay the fee by credit card or other payment services.

The barrier-less gateways have been in use at the rightmost entry point of the Thanyaburi and Thapchang gateways of the N9 motorway, also known as the eastern ring road.

Since the M-Flow gates have no barriers, many motorists drove through them and were later billed, but many failed to pay in time, leading to heavy fines and complaints from the public.

Following the complaints, the government asked the department to suspend the fines until the public confusion was cleared.

Sarawut said the department had already refunded the motorists the fines collected earlier. He said about 95 per cent of M-Flow users earlier had to pay the fines. And new fines were suspended until March 31.

“April 1 will be the day to start collecting the fines on M-Flow users who have not registered and who failed to pay the fee in seven days,” Sarawut said.

He said the department would encourage motorists to register for the M-Flow system. Its is offering two free passes to the 100,000 who register first and all M-Flow registered motorists will get 20 per cent discount on toll fees for three months.

He said the department has designed a system to allow motorists to quickly and easily register via its Line account: OA@mBlowthai. The registration can be done in two minutes.

He said the registered users can pay with credit card or can use their current Easy pass or M-Pass cards to pay for the toll fees.

Motorists can call 1586 or visit the website: www.mBlowthai.com for more information.

Published : March 29, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013948

The Public Health Ministry has asked the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) to procure 75 million extra pills of the Covid-19 antiviral drug ahead of the Songkran holidays.

GPO deputy director Sirikul Methiwirangsan said the ministry had asked the GPO to buy 110 million pills of Favipiravir late in February and 80 million pills have been distributed to provincial public health medical centres for handling out to Covid-19 patients.

Sirikul said the GPO would gradually distribute the remaining 30 million pills until all the 110 million pills were distributed to provincial hospitals nationwide.

The ministry expects infections would surge during and after the long Songkran holidays, so it asked the GPO to stock up another 75 million pills.

Sirikul said the GPO has in turned ordered 50 million more of Favipiravir pills and 10 million Molnupiravir pills. She said the GPO has yet to choose between Favipiravir or Molnupiravir for the remaining 15 million pills.

Dr Thongchai Kiratihattayakorn, deputy permanent secretary for Public Health, insisted on Tuesday that the ministry has enough supplies of antiviral drugs for treating Covid-19 patients.

As of Monday, the ministry had distributed 22,877,678 Favipiravir pills to 13 public health zones nationwide and about 2 million pills were administered to patients a day.

He added that the current stock of Favipiravir pills would be able to treat patients for 10 days.

The deputy permanent secretary said some hospitals have reported inadequate supplies of the drug because of technical issues related to the online ordering system.

Thongchai explained that during the past one or two weeks, the number of patients in certain areas had surged, resulting in more use of the drug and the hospitals there could not fill online orders in time.

Thongchai reiterated that not all infected people would need Favipiravir or other antiviral drugs.

He said statistics from the fourth, fifth and sixth public health zones showed that only 26 per cent of the infected people had been administered Favipiravir and 52 per cent were simply given painkillers and anti-cough pills, while 24 per cent were given the “fah thalay jone” herb.

The deputy permanent secretary said even the elderly who have received booster shots would not need Favipiravir if they show no symptoms.

Published : March 29, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013945

The Cabinet on Tuesday showed the green light to a proposal by the Ministry of Transport to waive toll fee on Motorway No 7 (Bangkok – Chonburi) and Motorway No 9 (Outer Ring Road, also known as Kanchanapisek Road) during the seven days of the Songkran Festival, a Government House source revealed.

Motorists can drive past any checkpoints on both motorways free of charge from from midnight of April 12 (Tuesday) until midnight of April 18 (Monday).

The Transport Ministry hopes that by waiving the toll fee, traffic congestions at toll booths will be eliminated and make people’s travels to visit their families during Songkran more convenient and affordable.

Related News

Moves to make travel during Songkran safer, easier, cheaper

Proposal to waive expressway fee during Songkran holidays

Motorists can use new Korat highway for free during Songkran break

Published : March 29, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013941

Four Thai-made Covid vaccines will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for approval soon if ongoing human trials are successful, the Public Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

About 20 vaccines are currently being developed in Thailand with four at the advanced stage, according to the ministry’s Thai Roo Soo Covid (Thais Know, Fight Covid) Facebook page.

The four prototype vaccines now being tested on humans are Chula-Cov19, HXP-GPOVac, Baiya SARS-CoV-2 Vax and Covigen.

Once they pass the third phase of clinical trials, the vaccines would be registered with the FDA, said the post.

The Chula-Cov19 prototype developed by a team at Chulalongkorn University uses the same mRNA technology as the highly effective Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

Meanwhile, the HXP-GPOVac prototype is an inactivated chimeric vaccine, incubated in eggs via the same production method used for influenza vaccine.

The Baiya prototype is a subunit protein vaccine made from tobacco. It uses a genetically engineered tobacco extract that stimulates the body’s immune response against Covid-19. This vaccine does not cause side effects, the ministry page said.

Covigen is a gene-based vaccine that is also needle-free. This prototype is administered with a painless jet injector that delivers a narrow stream of water under pressure.

Other Thai-developed vaccines are currently being tested on animals – including viral vector, protein subunit, and virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines.

The vaccines are being developed by the National Vaccine Institute, Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, National Science and Technology Development Agency, National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotech), Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University and private firms.

The page added that a team of Biotech researchers has also developed Thailand’s first nasal vaccine for Covid-19. NASTAC has successfully passed animal tests and will begin human trials with 200 to 300 doses in the second quarter of this year.

Published : March 29, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013940

The Chulabhorn Royal Academy on Monday delivered 500,000 capsules of Favipiravir to the National Health Security Office (NHSO) for the treatment of Covid-19 patients under the NHSO home and community isolation system.

The supply was received by NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree at the royal academy’s head office in Bangkok’s Lak Si district.

“Owing to the Omicron variant, most Covid-19 patients are in the green category, or those who have mild or no symptoms and can be treated at home or in community isolation centres,” Jadet said. “NHSO has set up the 1330 hotline for those who test positive for Covid-19 but do not require hospital treatment. Once they provide information about their symptoms, officials will call them back and arrange for the delivery of drugs until they have recovered fully.”

Jadet added that NHSO has also delivered 10,000 courses of the Fah Talai Jone herbal medicine to health volunteer offices in more than 900 communities in Bangkok where the infection rate is high. This herbal medication will be distributed among Covid-19 patients to reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms.

Apart from calling 1330, people can also visit https://www.nhso.go.th/ to find the nearest health volunteer office where they can get Covid-19 drugs.

Published : March 29, 2022

By : THE NATION