#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013769

The renovation of Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre is 80 per cent complete and scheduled for an early-September reopening in time to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forums in the latter part of the year.

Frasers Property (Thailand) country chief executive officer Thanapol Sirithanachai said on Wednesday that the renovation had entered the last phase featuring decoration, in line with the concept “inherit, maintain and develop further” to exhibit Thai art and culture to overseas visitors.

He said Frasers Property’s “proactive management and thoughtful planning” will enable the company to overcome challenges before the reopening.

Thanapol went on to say that the new convention centre will become a top venue in Asia to host world-class events, with designs that reflect Thailand’s uniqueness.

He explained that the centre also has various functions and technologies to meet the needs of event organisers as well as visitors.

“The new Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre boasts an area of 300,000 square metres, 78,500 sqm of which are for organising events. The event areas are spacious, thanks to a steel structure that can withstand heavy loads,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the centre will sport facilities, utilities and technologies, which focus on providing security and are energy-saving.”

Thanapol said the centre aimed to pass the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver-level certification.

He said the parking lots have been increased to support up to 3,000 cars while there are also MRT connections.

Thanapol believes the Bangkok Active Lifestyle Mall (BALM), a retail area in the convention centre, will become a “new destination” for citizens, and expects up to 13 million people to avail of services in the area.

“The company’s move to close deals with leading brands which will operate in the BALM area is 40 per cent complete,” he added.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013762

The Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD), the Department of Intellectual Property and the Homeland Security Investigations bureau teamed up to arrest four suspects who were allegedly involved in fake-tobacco smuggling in Chanthaburi on Wednesday.

The four suspects are Pornpimon (23), Aiyada (21), Komsan (24) and Sirikanya (27).

The officials seized 83,154 packs of fake tobacco worth more than 10 million baht.

Pornpimon and Aiyada were charged with allegedly selling fake tobacco, while Komsan and Sirikanya were charged for violating the Trademark Act BE 2560 (2017).

The arrests came after the ECD received complaints that fake tobacco was being smuggled and sold online in Chanthaburi’s Soi Dao district.

A police investigation found the network smuggled fake tobacco via the Ban Laem Immigration Checkpoint in Pong Nam Ron district and sold the tobacco online.

“Once customers transferred cash to the network, the fake tobacco was sent via private logistics companies,” the police explained. “The network consists of several members with circulating funds of more than 50 million baht.”

The police described it as worrisome, as it is considered a violation of the Trademark Act BE 2534 (1991) and Customs Act BE 2560 (2017), and would affect consumers as fake tobacco is contaminated with chemical residue.

The police also warned people to check the stamp duty, product brand or tax payment information to see whether the tobacco is real or fake.

“People can provide us with clues via the Central Investigation Bureau or ECD Facebook pages,” the police added.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013760

A discussion between the Commerce Ministry, farmers and factories to find a solution to the animal feed ingredient problem did not reach a conclusion on Wednesday.

Department of Internal Trade director-general Wattanasak Sur-iam made the remark after meeting with farmers, herdsmen, animal feed factories and related government agencies.

They discussed easing the regulation that required the purchase of three portions of corn for animal feed for every portion of wheat imported until July 31.

They also examined the appropriate proportion and period to ease the regulation, but could not finalise it because the Thai Feed Mill Association took leave of the meeting.

The department will soon call another meeting to come to a conclusion on the issue.

Wattanasak said every sector understood the situation of increasing costs and impacts on small herdsmen.

They were glad to discuss an easing of the measure in the hope that stocks of the ingredient would be enough and the price of animal feed could therefore come down, he added.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013757

At least 20 hotel operators in the North are yet to receive the government subsidy of 40 per cent under the latest phase of the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) tourism stimulus campaign, La-Iad Bungsrithong, former president of the Thai Hotels Association (Northern Chapter), said on Wednesday.

Under Rao Tiew Duay Kan, eligible travellers receive 40 per cent discount on hotel rooms and restaurants. They also receive an e-voucher when checking into a hotel as well as a 40-per-cent flight fare refund when they check out. The subsidy is capped at 2 million room nights, in which registrants must reserve a room at least 7 days in advance.

“We urge the government, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and the Tourism and Sports Ministry to look into the matter and disburse the subsidy as soon as possible, as hotel operators are shouldering operational costs while the number of tourists is yet to rise to the same level seen before the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

La-Iad said that although the latest phase of the campaign has seen an underwhelming response, with 1.3 million rights claimed out of the 2 million available, hotel owners still need the subsidy promised by the government to keep their businesses afloat.

“We estimate that the total amount the government owes us could be more than 10 million baht,” she added.

A news source speculated that the reason why some hotels have not yet received the subsidy is because authorities are checking their business transparency. Some hotels are also reported to have ignored the campaign conditions by accepting more customers. One of the most-broken rules is letting travellers stay more than five days.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013755

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is notifying five airlines in Thailand that use the Boeing 737-800 to inspect their aircraft thoroughly and monitor flight operations closely after the crash of a China Eastern Airlines Boeing.

Flight MU5735 left Kunming in Yunnan at 1.11pm on Monday with 132 people on board. It was scheduled to arrive in Guangzhou, Guangdong, at 3.05pm but air traffic controllers lost track of the plane over Wuzhou at 2.21pm. All 123 passengers and nine crew on board reportedly lost their lives in the tragic accident.

China Eastern Airlines subsequently grounded its fleet of 106 Boeing 737-800s until further notice.

“This week, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, K-Mile Air, Thai Airways International and Thai Summer Airways will receive a letter ordering them to perform a thorough investigation of their Boeing 737-800 aircraft,” CAAT director-general Suttipong Kongpool said on Wednesday.

“Should they find any abnormality, the airlines must notify CAAT immediately.”

There are currently 26 of the Boeings being used by Thai airlines – 14 owned by Nok Air, 7 by Thai Lion Air, 2 each by K-Mile Air and Thai Airways International, and one by Thai Summer Airways.

“All active aircraft must pass safety inspections and receive a Certificate of Airworthiness, which must be renewed every three years,” said Suttipong.

“We suspect the recent accident could have been due to a technical malfunction, not because this particular model is faulty as in the case of the 737 Max, as Boeing 737-800s have been used by several airlines for almost 20 years now,” he added.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013752

The Department of Airports issued an announcement on Wednesday stating that its recent order to transfer the acting director of Betong International Airport to an inactive post at the Airports Standard Control Division had nothing to do with Nok Air’s cancellation of flights to the southern airport.

Acting director Duangporn Suvanmanee was previously Narathiwat Airport director before she was tasked with taking charge of Betong Airport.

Nok Air cancelled its flights on March 16, just one day after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Cabinet flew in to officially open the new airport. The airline subsequently came out to say that it “needed more time to adjust its marketing plans” due to the energy crisis and the Covid-19 situation.

Nok Air was initially scheduled to fly into Betong from Don Mueang on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“The order aimed to ensure efficient personnel allocation and also ensure that administration of the department’s airport can continue seamlessly while achieving our goals and missions,” the Department of Airports said. “It has nothing to do with Nok Air’s cancellation of flights to Betong International Airport as some have speculated.”

The department added that it was also investigating an incident in which unauthorised personnel had been using the airport’s aircraft parking area to park their vans, which was a clear violation of airport safety regulations.

Related News

Betong airport director transferred 3 days after PM’s visit by commercial flight

Yala’s Betong district is ready to welcome tourists

Cancellation of flights to new Betong airport a ‘costly lesson’ for govt, say tourism operators

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013750

Similan Islands National Park officials together with the Third Naval Area Command rescued a Vietnamese national on Wednesday from his “unsafe” inflatable boat in the Andaman Sea off Similan amid strong winds and waves.

The audacious man aimed to row all the way to India to reunite with his wife.

The rescue took place about 14km off the Similan Islands’ west coast and 80km off the Phang-nga coast.

After he was brought ashore on Similan at around 1pm, the man reportedly told officials that his name is Ho Hoang Hung, 37, a Vietnamese national.

Hung, who barely speaks English, reportedly said he hailed from Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and entered Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport on March 2, intending to catch a transfer flight to India to meet his wife of two years who lives in Mumbai and could not travel to Thailand due to Covid-19 restrictions.

After learning that he needed a visa to enter India, Hung decided to catch a public bus from Bangkok to Phuket, bought the inflatable boat, and left the Phuket shore on March 5, heading toward India, roughly 2,000km away.

Hung said officials rescued him on the 18th day of his daredevil trip.

His inflatable boat was about 2.5 metres long and filled with about a dozen packets of instant noodles, bottled water and his suitcase.

Officials have contacted relevant agencies to come pick him up and process his immigration papers under Covid-19 preventive measures.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013749

The government has extended the state of emergency until May 31. The 17th extension of the emergency declaration following the Covid-19 outbreak was published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday.

The emergency will be effective from April 1 to May 31.

The government had cited the health emergency situation, invoking the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations BE 2548 (2005) for the first time on March 26, 2010, and has extended it 16 times until March 31.

The announcement stated that the Sars-CoV-2 virus had mutated into the Omicron variant, which is highly transmissible, leading to another wave of infections in the country.

The announcement said that although most Thais have been vaccinated against the virus, the number of people who have received a booster dose is still low, and therefore the situation can pose a risk to the public health system and the health and life of Thais if the pandemic worsens.

Moreover, there are several public holidays in April and May, including the Songkran Festival, when most people leave the capital and travel upcountry to visit their families, which could cause the virus to spread fast across provinces and worsen the situation.

As a result, the government said it needed to continue emergency measures for controlling and preventing the pandemic so it had invoked Section 5 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations BE 2548 to extend the declaration of the health emergency situation.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signed the announcement on March 23.

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013741

Ministry of Public Health reported on Thursday (March 24) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 27,024 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 46 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 82, while 23,721 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 1,227,545.
 

Published : March 24, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013740

A rogue elephant, whose wild ways had antagonised villagers in Prachin Buri province, was caught after extensive planning and successfully moved to a wildlife sanctuary in Chachoengsao province on Tuesday morning, an official said on Wednesday.

Pithak Intharasorn, director of the Wild Animals Conservation Division of the Sriracha-based 2nd Conservation Area Management Office, said the operation to move the bull elephant nicknamed “Ten-wheel truck” took 11 hours. It involved cooperation from Prachin Buri’s wildlife officials, local volunteers and local administration officials.

The operation was planned after officials received complaints from local villagers that the elephant was roaming around and damaging their farmland.

The officials met and planned the operation at 10.30am on Monday. They had earlier prepared a trap on a truck to transport the elephant.

They rehearsed the operation at 1pm and went to the spot in Tambon Khao Mai Kaew in Prachin Buri’s Krabin Buri district at 2pm.

Pithak said an official fired a tranquiliser dart at the elephant at around 6pm and the team put a GPS collar around its neck and embedded a microchip for identifying it later.

The officials also took a blood sample of the elephant to check for viral disease. They gave a 100cc Vitamin E shot and selenium to prevent the elephant from slipping into coma under the influence of the tranquiliser.

The officials managed to pull the elephant aboard the truck at 11.44pm and drove to Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tambon Klong Taphrao in Chachoengsao’s Tha Takiab district.

On reaching the destination, they released the elephant at 4.01am on Tuesday. A veterinarian gave a shot of medicine to overcome the effects of the tranquiliser at around 4.33am. The elephant was able to walk down the truck and entered the forest at 4.46am, Pithak added.

Published : March 23, 2022

By : THE NATION