Kaeng Krachan National Park staff on Tuesday installed collars on two elephants, which will report their location every six hours.
Pichai Watcharawongpaiboon, director of the Third Conservation Area Administration Office in Phetchaburi province, said that he had received a report from Ittipon Thaikamol, head of Kaeng Krachan National Park.
The report said that staff from the national park and from related organisations put a collar each on the two elephants, “Phlai Boonchuay” and “Phlai Boonmee”, who were usually looking for food outside the park and disturbed people in the Huaysatyai sub-district.
The staff shot them with a tranquilliser to collect blood samples for a health checkup and put the GPS collars, which will track their behaviours and movements
The staff said they aimed to take care of the safety of both elephants and people, as the two always crossed the road in risky areas and looked for food in the community area at night.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha warned restaurants to strictly follow Covid-19 prevention rules and ordered related organisations to carry out inspections.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Tuesday that Prayut instructed the public, service providers and restaurant operators, especially restaurants with live music, to follow Public Health Ministry measures that include a Covid Free Setting and universal prevention.
There have been reports that many restaurants had eased up on enforcing strict health measures especially after the government gave them the green light to allow musicians to perform live.
Legal action will be taken against restaurant operators who do not follow or abide by strict Covid prevention measures, Thanakorn warned.
The spokesman said infections have increased recently due to gatherings in which people fail to wear masks or “talk out loud” in closed rooms.
He said many have failed to follow prevention measures because Omicron is not as severe as the other variants.
Thanakorn urged the public to strictly abide by anti-Covid measures to keep the virus from spreading further, which might lead to more fatalities.
The Department of Highways is offering privileges for motorists who register for the M-Flow expressway/motorway payment system.
More than 130,000 motorists had registered for the smoother M-Flow after it officially opened on February 15.
Motorists who now register via www.mflowthai.com or the mflowthai mobile application can use the motorway twice for free and get a 20 per cent discount on the toll fee for three months. The privilege is capped at 100,000 motorists.
M-Pass users who register for M-Flow will receive a 100 baht discount when using the expressway/motorway.
Meanwhile, those who register for M-Flow via @mflowthai Line official account will receive a 60 baht discount e-coupon for use at 7-11 convenience stores. This is capped at 50,000 motorists.
The Department of Highways will continue offering promotions that benefit registrants, the department said.
For unregistered motorists who have already paid a fine after using M-Flow and not paying on time, the department will refund the fine depending on the payment method, such as by credit or debit card, between March 1 and 7. Anyone who has not received a fine refund can request one at www.mflowthai.com or via the mflowthai mobile app.
For inquiries or more information, contact call centre 1586 extension 1, @mflowthai Line official account or the M-Flow Facebook page.
The department also confirmed that unregistered motorists can use M-Flow tollbooths and pay fees until March 31. After that, they need to pay the toll fee within seven days or face a fine ten times the amount.
The department is asking M-Flow users to pay toll fees in time to avoid fines.
For updated information, visit www.doh.go.th or contact 02 206 3789.
The first batch of 38 Thai evacuees from Ukraine touched down at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday morning via Thai Airways Flight TG923 from Bucharest, Romania.
The evacuees were given antigen tests for Covid-19 before being isolated at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute to await their test results. They are scheduled to be quarantined at the Royal Thai Navy’s Sattahip naval base later.
Kittipong Kittikachorn, Airports of Thailand’s general manager for Suvarnabhumi Airport, said the airport is ready to cooperate with related agencies to facilitate Thai evacuees returning from Ukraine in line with Covid-19 prevention measures.
Earlier, The Foreign Ministry said 142 Thai evacuees had departed from Ukraine so far, citing the Royal Thai Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
The ministry added that the second batch of 58 Thai evacuees was scheduled to arrive in Thailand on Wednesday via Emirates Airlines Flight EK384 from Warsaw.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha urged the Foreign Ministry and related agencies to accelerate the evacuation of Thais from the war-torn European country.
He said Prayut was monitoring the Russia-Ukraine conflict closely, adding that the premier was concerned for the safety of both Thai evacuees and officials.
Star Petroleum Refining (SPRC) on Tuesday paid 36 Koh Samet fishermen a compensation of 45,000 baht each for an oil spill in Rayong’s Phe subdistrict, a news source reported.
The company was responsible for thousands of litres of oil leaking into the sea from its underwater pipeline off the coast of Map Ta Phut more than once since January 25, affecting fishery communities and other businesses in Rayong.
Negotiations with 48 fishery groups last week, in which SPRC offered to pay compensation of 30,000 baht to each affected person, ended in rejection, prompting the company to increase the payout to 45,000 baht per person.
The groups had reportedly demanded up to 360,000 baht for each affected fisherman. This calculation is based on 1,000 baht compensation per day for a year.
The compensation paid to the 36 Koh Samet fishermen on Tuesday totalled 1.62 million baht.
SPRC reportedly said the compensation had no obligations attached and that the next round of payments for fishermen in other areas would follow “soon” until every group of Rayong fishermen was compensated.
Meanwhile, Rayong Governor Charnna Iamsaeng said on Tuesday that it was a good sign some fishery communities in Rayong had agreed to accept the compensation offered by the company, while others who were not satisfied with the amount could pursue a class-action lawsuit.
“So far, 2,660 fishermen in Rayong have registered with the province as affected persons from this oil spill incident,” Charnna said. “If all agreed to the 45,000 baht payout, SPRC would have to disburse a total of 119.7 million baht as compensation.”
SPRC will also compensate affected persons in other occupations at 15,000, 24,000 or 30,000 baht each depending on their profession and the size of their business. So far, 765 people in the hotel and restaurants business have registered with the province, while some 5,500 persons in other occupations, like shop owners, hawkers, and public vehicle drivers who operate on Mae Ramphueng Beach, have registered to receive compensation.
The news source reported that in a preliminary survey about 90 per cent of affected persons in Rayong were satisfied with the compensation being offered by SPRC, but they urged the company to speed up payments as people need the money to restart their business after the impact of the oil spill.
A cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved a Public Health Ministry proposal to adjust treatment expenses for Covid-19 patients under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) scheme, said deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek.
“The adjusted expenses aim to put Covid-19 treatment in compliance with updated conditions of the UCEP scheme from March 1 so it fits the current situation in which some drugs and medical equipment have become cheaper,” she said.
“However, the adjustments will not affect the quality of treatment for Covid-19 patients under any category.”
According to old UCEP conditions, Covid patients can receive three days of free treatment at any facility before being switched to hospital treatment under their state health insurance scheme. But after March 1, those who test positive but do not require critical care will have to pay their own medical bills if they choose to seek treatment at private hospitals. Non-critical patients can still receive free Covid treatment under home/community isolation.
The ministry’s proposed adjustments include reducing the expense for an RT-PCR test from 1,300 baht to 900 baht for the 2-gene test, and from 1,500 baht to 1,100 baht for the 3-gene test. The cost of an antigen test using the chromatographic immunoassay method has also been reduced, from 300 baht to 250 baht and from 400 baht to 350 baht for the FIA method.
Treatment expenses for patients in the green category (having mild or no symptoms) under home isolation or at community isolation centres, hospitels, hospitals and field hospitals, including meals and medical equipment fees, have been fixed at 6,000 baht per person for treatment of six days or less. For treatment of seven days or more, expenses have been capped at 12,000 baht per person.
The proposal also stipulated that all Favipiravir and Remdesivir drugs must be disbursed directly by the Public Health Ministry.
Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday (March 2) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 22,197 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 118 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.
Death toll increased by 45, while 19,093 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 711,109.
The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,934,544 – 2,692,739 of whom have recovered, 218,784 are still in hospitals and 23,021 have died.
Separately, another 79,567 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 31,045 their second shot and 116,082 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 124,036,549.
According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 438.99 million on Wednesday, 371.19 million of whom have recovered, 61.82 million are active cases (74,777 in severe condition) and 5.98 million have died (up by 6,813).
Thailand ranks 33rd in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 80.7 million, followed by India with 42.94 million, Brazil with 28.81 million, France with 22.78 million and the UK with 18.99 million.
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the launch of a Thailand-India air-travel bubble arrangement in a bid to boost tourism between the two countries.
The Transport Ministry’s proposal to resume commercial flights to and from India was also approved. Commercial flights between the two countries have been suspended since March 23, 2020, after the arrival of Covid-19.
The proposal to resume flights under a travel bubble scheme was approved by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on February 11.
According to the arrangement, commercial flights between the two countries will be allowed to fly passengers of Thai, Indian, Nepal and Bhutan nationalities as well as other nationalities that have visas to enter both Thailand and India.
However, airlines are required to ensure passengers meet all requirements in line with the two countries’ measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The air travel bubble scheme is expected to kick off this month.
As per figures released by the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry, some 1.9 million Indian tourists visited Thailand in 2019, marking a 25 per cent increase compared to 2018.
On average, Indian tourists spend seven days and approximately 45,000 baht in Thailand.
Foreign tourists can start registering to visit Thailand under the new and relaxed measures of the Test & Go scheme from Tuesday.
The relaxed measures scrap the he need for a second RT-PCR test after arrival, and took effect from Tuesday.
Foreign tourists can register via the website address https://tp.consular.go.th/. It will take about three to seven days for an application to be reviewed.
Then, they must select the Test & Go option.
When the registration page comes up, they must fill key information, including the purpose of visit, place of departure, first port of arrival in Thailand, flight number, date of arrival and expected date of departure.
Then the tourists can click the “register” button.
Following are the new conditions under the Test & Go scheme:
– Tourists can travel from any country or territory.
– Tourists will be exempted from quarantine after testing negative for Covid-19 (RT-PCR) on arrival in Thailand.
– Tourists must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 no fewer than 14 days before departure to Thailand.
– They must book an approved SHA Extra+ or Alternate Quarantine (AQ) hotel for the day of arrival.
– They must obtain a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test result within 72 hours of departure.
– If their RT-PCR result is positive, a recovery certificate or proof of Covid recovery at least 14 days before travel but less than 90 days from the first date of detection is required.
Following documents are required from foreign tourists:
– Passport and Thai visa (if required).
– Certificate of vaccination
– Paid AQ / SHA Extra+ hotel reservation confirmation for the first day. The booking must include the fee for one RT-PCR test, one ATK self-test kit and airport transfer.
– Insurance with minimum coverage of US$20,000 (not required for Thai nationals. Foreign residents in Thailand can use social security or certificate from their employer.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday that his government has taken steps to help the public if the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war sparks a new round of global economic crisis.
The premier held an urgent meeting with his deputies on Monday to discuss measures in case Thailand is hit with the economic, trade and investment fallout of the war.
Without elaborating, Prayut said his government has prepared measures to deal with three levels of crisis, adding that the country faces Level 1 or lowest level of crisis.
He went on to say that measures have been prepared for all relevant ministries to implement, so Thais can survive.
Prayut added that at the meeting, all deputy prime ministers hoped the conflict would end soon otherwise there would be severe global impacts from several dimensions.
When asked about Thailand’s stance on the war, he only said that the Asean group, including Thailand, would have to be cautious when making a move regarding the issue.
“The stance is a regional, Asean issue,” he said, adding that the Thai government was only concerned with protecting the lives of Thai people and supporting peace so the war can end soon.
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