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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013405

Bangkok authorities on Tuesday lifted the ban on serving alcohol at conferences, seminars and events at shopping malls, convention centres, hotels and banquet halls.

Venues and events that meet the SHA Plus or Thai Stop Covid 2 Plus standard are now allowed to serve until 11pm.

The move would allow normalisation of economic and social activities under public health measures, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announcement signed by Governor Aswin Kwanmuang,

The announcement covers conferences, seminars and events at hotels, exhibition centres, convention centres, department stores, shopping malls, community malls, convention halls and banquet halls.

However, venue operators must obey any BMA announcements on limiting the number of participants or venue suitability. Violators would face imprisonment, a fine or both under the Communicable Diseases Act and/or emergency decree, the announcement said.

Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013403

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the use of antiviral Molnupiravir over Favipiravir in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, a respiratory specialist said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs said WHO recommends using the Molnupiravir on patients who had been infected for less than five days. The antiviral is effective on patients who have mild symptoms but are at risk of developing severe symptoms and even dying from the virus.

The antiviral comes in 200mg capsules and patients are required to consume four capsules every 12 hours for five days. The pill can be prescribed to outpatients to ease the severity of symptoms and cut down on the death rate by 30 per cent.

A batch of Molnupiravir has arrived in Thailand and will be distributed to hospitals next week. Since the supply of this antiviral drug is limited, it will only be prescribed to high-risk patients such as the unvaccinated, the elderly, people with chronic diseases and those with low immunity.

Molnupiravir cannot be prescribed to pregnant or soon-to-be pregnant women, as well as those who are breastfeeding because the drug may affect young children adversely, Manoon said.

He also added that the drug may have unknown side effects like cancer, and the Covid-19 virus may develop a resistance to it and mutate. Hence, he said, long-term effects of the drug need to be studied further.

Manoon added that WHO has never advised people to use the antiviral drug Favipiravir because no studies are confirming it can significantly prevent the severity and fatality of Covid-19.

Once Thailand has sufficient supplies of Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, a new antiviral drug developed by Pfizer, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) should stop manufacturing and importing Favipiravir, he said.

Last week, Medical Services chief Somsak Ankasil had said that enough Molnupiravir doses for 50,000 people had arrived in Thailand and once the labels are ready, the pills will be distributed among hospitals. He added that Paxlovid is scheduled to arrive in April.

Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013399

The Finance Ministry is waiting for the Energy Ministry to calculate how much budget is needed to relieve burdens from the rising price of cooking gas and benzene.

On Monday, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said the ministry is considering which budget to use to raise the cooking gas subsidy from Bt45 to Bt100 for state welfare cardholders.

“We have to add cash to the Community Welfare Fund to top up state welfare cards, so we have to wait for the Energy Ministry to tell us how much we have to spend,” Arkhom said.

He said the Energy Ministry was responsible for calculating this, as well as the number of motorcycle taxi drivers affected by rising benzene fuel prices.

Cash for the fuel subsidies will probably have to come from the central budget as they fell outside of the ministry’s Bt500 billion loan objectives, he said.

Arkhom added that the ministry would not be able to propose this issue to the Cabinet at today’s weekly meeting.

Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Santi Promphat said the ministry is ready to relieve expense burdens on vulnerable citizens if the government agrees to help as the ministry has budget to support the move.

Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013396

Thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across upper Thailand from Saturday (March 19) as a cyclone forms in the Bay of Bengal.

The cyclone will cause southwesterly winds over Thailand to strengthen, said the Storm & Disaster Warning Facebook page. It advised people to follow Thai Meteorological Department reports closely.

Upper Thailand will be hit by thunderstorms, strong winds and hail in some areas this week (March 13-19), said the department.

A low-pressure cell over upper Thailand will bring weak southerly and southeasterly winds and isolated thunderstorms to the lower North, lower Northeast, Central Region and East until Tuesday (today). Meanwhile the easterly wind prevailing over the South and Gulf of Thailand will strengthen, bringing more rain to the South.

From Wednesday to Saturday, southerly and southeasterly winds will bring humidity from the South China Sea to the lower North, the Northeast, Central Region including Bangkok and the East.

Hot weather and isolated thunderstorms with strong winds are forecast for upper Thailand from Wednesday to Saturday. The department advised people to stay away from big trees and unsecured billboards while farmers should prepare for crop damage.

Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013394

The government will transform Betong into a model city for tourism and cross-border trading in the South, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said after he opened Betong International Airport in Yala province on Monday.

Prayut and Cabinet members arrived from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport on the first commercial flight to land at Betong, operated by Nok Air.

The airport opened to charter flights on January 29.

The PM then presided over the opening ceremony of Thailand’s newest commercial airport in Yala’s Yarom subdistrict. The new airport is equipped with a 1,800-metre runway that will be used by turboprop ATR-72s and Bombardier Q-400s.

“I know Betong district well from my time as Army chief [from 2010-2014],” said Prayut in his inauguration speech.

“I hope to see Betong International Airport become a new tourism landmark and a hub for cross border-trading in the southern region, connecting the three provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, as well as the two neighbouring countries of Malaysia and Singapore.”

The PM pledged that the government would develop infrastructure in Betong city to attract future investment as well as foreign tourists while preserving the natural beauty, culture and unique traditions of local communities.

He also the government was stable and committed to driving the country forward.

The ruling coalition has suffered rifts this year that have resulted in the collapse of Parliament meetings due to boycotts by its members. Reports indicate that Prayut will call a snap election early next year.

“The government will listen to all members of Parliament no matter which party they are from, Prayut continued, saying that the priority for the sake of the country was to solve problems people are facing.

He said the Public Health Ministry had confirmed it had enough Covid-19 vaccine for people in Yala and other southern provinces. Prayut added that he would continue to work with the ministry amid the pandemic even though he and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul are from different parties.

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Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013387

Ministry of Public Health reported on Tuesday (March 15) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 19,742 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 52 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 70, while 24,125 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 1,003,262.
 

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 3,226,697 – 2,981,413 of whom have recovered, 221,436 are still in hospitals and 23,848 have died.

Separately, another 38,660 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 12,171 their second shot and 58,761 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 126,267,971.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 460.19 million on Tuesday, 393.51 million of whom have recovered, 60.61 million are active cases (65,427 in severe condition) and 6.07 million have died (up by 4,009).

Thailand ranks 33rd in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 81.22 million, followed by India with 43 million, Brazil with 29.38 million, France with 23.53 million and the UK with 19.7 million.

Published : March 15, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013383

A recent survey has found no change in the retail price of instant noodles and other key consumer goods, Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said on Monday.

Dismissing rumours that prices are rising, he said a packet of instant noodles still sells for 6 baht.

As for major instant noodle brands announcing they were increasing their prices, Jurin said they had only raised wholesale prices and reduced retailers’ profit margins without affecting consumers.

The minister said that he has been getting daily updates on the price of 18 consumer goods and has found that most prices are stable, especially those of fresh foods.

For instance, he said, pork still costs 150 baht per kilo and the price of eggs is still 3 baht a piece.

He added that the cost of manufacturing canned goods had risen because the price of stainless steel used for making cans has spiked by 40 to 45 per cent due to the Russia-Ukraine war. However, he said, the ministry has not yet approved an increase in the price of canned food.

The price of bagged rice, seasoning sauces, carbonated drinks and milk has not changed either, he said. One milk brand had sought permission to increase its price, but the ministry has rejected the request, he said.

He added that the Commerce Ministry has also been holding events at which consumers can buy products at cheaper prices.

Jurin went on to say that his ministry has been seeking cooperation from manufacturers to maintain their prices but added that this may not continue for too long as manufacturers may stop production if losses are too high. This will create severe shortages, he said.

However, Jurin promised that his ministry will try to come up with a deal so that all three sides – manufacturers, farmers and consumers – can survive this crisis.

Published : March 14, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013380

The Chiang Mai Night Safari aims to draw more Thai and foreign tourists this year by organising various activities, including renovating the famous “Swan Lake” pool.

New activities include raptor flying to enable visitors to study the behaviour and abilities of winged predators, including owls, falcons and eagles.

Meanwhile, a cycling activity will enable visitors to greet animals living in the safari’s savanna zone, such as rhinoceros, deer, zebra, giraffe, red kangaroo and hippopotamus.

A cowboy show and virtual tourist attractions are part of the plan.

The night safari is investing 160 million baht to renovate its “Swan Lake” pool with a spectacular 30-metre-high musical fountain show to make the safari an important landmark on the country’s tourism map.

The pool renovation is expected to be completed between October and November before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forums to be organised this year.

Apart from drawing tourists to the safari, the plan also aims to help stimulate the province’s tourism and economy as tourists will also travel to other attractions nearby.

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Anucha Nakasai told media at Chiang Mai Night Safari on Friday that the safari is one of the famous tourist attractions in Chiang Mai and the Northern region.

He praised the safari for being able to run its operations amid the Covid-19 crisis without relying on a government budget.

He also hoped that the Covid-19 situation would return to normal in the next one to two years, which would enable Thailand to restore communications and travel to normal and revive the economy.

“Hence, the Chiang Mai Night Safari, which is another source of revenue for the country, has to adjust itself to cope with the situation,” he said.

Published : March 14, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013379

Chiang Mai’s Maetaeng Elephant Park and Clinic has sustained more than 100 million baht in losses over the past three years and the owner is looking to sell the outfit.

Wassana Thongsuk said her park mostly relied on income from foreign tourists, but tourists had disappeared over the past three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said her park has been struggling so badly that she was forced to sell off a plot of land in Chiang Mai’s Chiang Dao district to find the cash to keep the business alive.

Wassana said up to 250,000 baht is spent every month to cover the cost of taking care of the park’s elephants and paying their handlers, which has resulted in a 100 million baht burden.

The park, set up more than 28 years ago, housed as many as 60 elephants, 50 owned by the park and the remaining 10 borrowed from others.

She said the borrowed elephants had been returned to their owners and though she initially thought of selling some of the remaining elephants, she dropped the idea because moving out of the premises will be difficult for the animals. To prevent this trauma, she decided to sell the entire business instead so the new owner can take care of them.

She said she had not yet come up with a price for the business, but interested investors are welcome to talk to her. She added that a Chinese businessman had offered her 1 billion baht for the park last year, but she was still mulling the offer.

Published : March 14, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013378

Thailand, Singapore and the United States kicked off “Cope Tiger”, a multi-lateral aerial exercise, at the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)’s 1st Air Base Wing in Nakhon Ratchasima on Sunday.

The exercise was launched jointly by Group Captain Sitthiphol Pomtri, chief of RTAF’s directorate for education and training, Singapore’s Colonel David Kok and Lt-Colonel Christopher High from the US Air Force.

Cope Tiger will run until March 25 in two locations – the 1st Air Base Wing in Nakhon Ratchasima for aircraft exercises and the 2nd Air Base Wing in Lopburi for field-training exercises.

This is believed to be the largest military joint exercise in Southeast Asia and will cover several topics in modern air combat, ground to air defence, aerial support units and the use of unmanned aircraft for intelligence gathering.

It will also offer a great opportunity for the three countries to exchange their military know-how and strengthen ties.

As the organiser of the exercise, RTAF has implemented strict Covid-19 preventive measures at both training locations and accommodations to ensure all participants are safe from Covid-19.

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Published : March 14, 2022

By : THE NATION