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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012857

The Chiang Mai public prosecutor has dismissed a case against a “crane-claw” game arcade operator, ruling that the games are vending machines rather than gambling devices.

The ruling could set a precedent, reversing the government’s nationwide ban on claw games imposed two years ago under gambling laws.

Kasem Suphasit, legal adviser to Family Amusement Co Ltd, said the case in Chiang Mai came after police arrested crane-game store operators at Promenada shopping centre in Muang district on March 17 last year.

“Administrative staff and Mae Ping police also seized property in the dispute, including 35 claw machines, seven token-exchange machines, Bt198,750 in cash, and two claw machine keys,” he explained.

He said Chiang Mai’s prosecutor had dropped the charges – organised gambling and concealing or distributing illicitly imported goods – on February 7 this year.

“The prosecutor clarified that Family Amusement Co Ltd produced the claw machines in Thailand,” he said. “Meanwhile, claw machines were considered vending machines and the company ruled to be operating its business in line with Interior Ministry guidelines.”

He added that he didn’t know whether other operators’ claw machines violated the law.

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012843

Thailand will officially enter the summer season on Tuesday (March 1) if certain weather conditions are met, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) said on Sunday.

TMD deputy director-general Thanasit Iamananchai said the department would assess the conditions before making the call.

He explained that summer conditions include a rise in Thailand’s highest temperature above 35 degrees Celsius, hot weather at noon, and South/Southeast winds blowing over upper Thailand.

“If the conditions are met, the department will make the announcement immediately,” he said.

Summer is the period of transition from the northeast to the southeast monsoon, said the TMD.

Temperatures usually rise during March in Thailand before hitting their yearly peak in April, when they average 32C (89.6F).

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012842

Ukrainians and their supporters in Thailand held demonstrations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket to protest the war in their homeland on Sunday.

Some 50 Ukrainians and supporters marched down Bangkok’s “Green Mile” from Lumpini Park to Benjakitti Park, calling for peace and condemning Russia’s invasion of their country. Belarusians and Americans also reportedly joined the march.

Protesters showed up in the late afternoon carrying the Ukraine national flag and signs calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops from their country without conditions.

A Ukrainian representative said they want Russia to end the war as soon as possible, claiming that Russian troops had already killed five children.

The demonstrators in Bangkok were met by police at 5pm, who stopped them from entering Benjakitti Park unless they removed their signs and flags, so they sang the Ukrainian national anthem before calling off the rally peacefully.

Pol Colonel Nimit Nooponthong, superintendent at Lumpini Police Station, said people can hold protests in line with their rights, but they have to obey Covid-19 related laws as well, such as maintaining distance and avoiding grouping.

Meanwhile, another 50 Ukrainians and supporters gathered at Tha Phae Gate in Chiang Mai. Australians and Americans reportedly participated in the protest as well.

Like the Bangkok demonstration, protesters showed up with the Ukraine national flag and signs calling on Russia to stop the war.

A Ukrainian protester said the invasion was unfair, adding that many people in Ukraine are struggling and suffering from Russia’s move to attack residential areas with missiles.

He asked Thais and other people worldwide to pray for Ukrainians and condemn Russia’s move. He added that the Russian leader must take responsibility for withdrawing troops and compensating Ukrainians.

A similar demonstration was simultaneously held in Phuket’s Patong Beach. Both wrapped up after 20 minutes.

‘No war’ in Ukraine echoes from Bangkok to Chiang Mai to Phuket

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012840

Public Health Ministry reported on Monday (February 28) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 22,311 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 136 of whom are foreign travellers.

Death toll increased by 42, while 17,470 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 668,492.

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,891,927 – 2,655,349 of whom have recovered, 213,645 are still in hospitals and 22,933 have died.

Separately, another 21,180 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 11,360 their second shot and 73,800 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 123,568,670.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 435.99 million on Monday, 366.53 million of whom have recovered, 63.49 million are active cases (75,668 in severe condition) and 5.97 million have died (up by 4,542).

Thailand ranks 33rd in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 80.57 million, followed by India with 42.92 million, Brazil with 28.77 million, France with 22.69 million and the UK with 18.8 million.

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012839

Some 50 Ukraine nationals and supporters marched down Bangkok’s “Green Mile” from Lumpini Park to Benjakitti Park on Sunday calling for peace and condemning Russia’s invasion of their country.

Protesters showed up in the late afternoon carrying the Ukraine national flag and signs calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops from their country without condition.

A similar protest was simultaneously held in Phuket’s Patong Beach and both wrapped up after 20 minutes.

The protesters in Bangkok were met by police, who stopped them from entering Benjakitti Park unless they removed their signs and flags.

Reports say the group had swelled to 200 to 300 protesters during the march and that there are plans to hold a protest outside the Russian embassy in Bangkok on Monday.

Russia invaded Ukraine, its neighbour to the southwest, on February 24, marking a dramatic escalation of conflicts that began in 2014. This is the largest conventional military attack on European soil since World War II.

The invasion was preceded by a Russian military build-up that started in early 2021, during which Putin criticised the post-1997 enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as a threat to his country’s security and demanded that Ukraine be legally prohibited from joining the military alliance.

Despite the military build-up since November last year, Russia repeatedly denied it was planning to invade Ukraine until February 20.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012838

The first batch of 236 Thai evacuees from Ukraine are due to arrive back in Thailand from Tuesday to Friday (March 1-4), the Royal Thai Embassy in Warsaw said.

The embassy said 47 Thais are currently at the evacuation centre in the city of Lviv, western Ukraine, while another 43 Thais are on their way there from cities across the war-torn nation.

However, it said about 100 Thai nationals are unable to travel due to curfews or unsafe conditions in the cities where they live. Among this group are seven Thais in Mykolaiv and 12 in Kharkiv. Fighting between Russian troops and Ukrainian defence forces has been reported in both cities. Thais in other cities were safe, the embassy said.

Fighting has also reached the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv.

The embassy said that 102 out of 148 Thais in Kyiv had been able to leave the city, adding that 43 had already arrived at the Lviv operations centre.

“However, about 40 Thais who are married to Ukrainians said they will stay with their families as Ukrainians are not allowed to leave the country.”

The Warsaw embassy said it will organise a bus to take 41 Thais from Odessa in western Ukraine to Romania’s Bucharest on Sunday.

“After that, the Royal Thai Embassy in Bucharest will send them back to Thailand by commercial flight on March 1 and 2,” the embassy said.

It said it was also organising a bus to take 43 Thais from the Lviv operation centre across the border to Warsaw on Sunday, followed by a second batch on Monday.

“This group will take a commercial flight to Thailand between March 1 and 4,” the embassy added.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012831

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai hosted a working lunch with his Malaysian counterpart, Saifuddin Abdullah, on Friday to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral relations in the post-Covid era and finding ways to overcome challenges.

Saifuddin had accompanied Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a courtesy visit to Thailand between February 24 and 26 after assuming office, as is the practice among Asean members.

Ismail Sabri took over as PM on August 21, 2021, after the resignation of his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin.

At the working lunch, both ministers agreed that the high-level visit – first since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic – was not only timely but also of high importance as it provided the two leaders with a chance to meet in person and discuss ways of adding impetus to bilateral ties.

They also discussed ways of expediting pending connectivity projects to achieve tangible results and exchanged views on regional issues and the role Asean can play to address challenges including geopolitical changes.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40012826

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) announced on Saturday that it has 24 million Favipiravir tablets in stock and is manufacturing another 60 million.

This declaration was in response to a Facebook post by the Rural Doctor Society (RDS) saying there was a severe shortage of the medication as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.

GPO deputy director Sirikul Methivirangsan, however, rejected the claim saying the GPO will have 84 million Favipiravir pills ready for distribution once it completes manufacturing the 60 million.

In the Facebook post, RDS claimed no Favipiravir tablets were available outside Bangkok and accused the GPO of monopolising the market.

As of Sunday, Thailand confirmed 24,719 new Covid-19 cases and 42 deaths, bringing the cumulative total of Covid-19 infections since early 2020 to 2,869,616 and deaths to 22,894.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012825

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on related state agencies to ensure all Covid-19 patients receive medical assistance quickly, government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Sunday.

The Public Health Ministry is also set to launch a new scheme to help Covid-19 patients receive treatment as outpatients from March 1, he said.

“Under the new scheme, doctors will prescribe Favipiravir, Fah Talai Jone and other drugs to patients who test positive for Covid-19 using an antigen test kit [ATK],” he said.

“This is in line with management guidelines as the Covid-19 pandemic transitions into an endemic as the severity of symptoms has declined and people have developed an immunity against the virus after receiving Covid-19 jabs.”

He added that the premier has asked people who have been vaccinated to keep their guards up, refrain from visiting areas or attending gatherings where they may be at risk of infection, delay travel, work from home and adhere to all Covid-19 prevention schemes.

“The Public Health Ministry is still maintaining a Level 4 alert on Covid-19,” he said.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012824

The Office of the Ombudsman is coming up with measures for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to consider to help mitigate the Covid-19 impact on private schools nationwide.

Chief Ombudsman Somsak Suwansujarit said on Sunday that the Covid-19 crisis has affected the liquidity of 3,563 private schools in Thailand, with some having to close due to a drop in new students and guardians’ inability to pay tuition fees.

He said many private schools were not able to pay their teachers’ salaries, while financial institutions refused to grant them loans. He also said that if loans are granted, they are at a higher interest rate.

“So far, 12,253 teachers and education staff have been laid off. If this continues, it will affect children’s education opportunities, as many parents rely on private schools as an alternative,” he said, adding that private school operators also get no government subsidies.

He said the Office of the Ombudsman has been working with related agencies like the Interior Ministry and Revenue Department and has come up with the following proposals:

• 50 per cent discount on water and electricity.

• New regulations allowing private schools to take loans at low interest.

• Allocating funds to provide a 5,000 baht monthly subsidy to teachers and education staff for three months (April to June).

• 100% subsidy for private school operators for two years, which can be reduced to 70 per cent once the Covid-19 situation returns to normal.

• Considering tax rebates for people who donate cash to private schools.

• Issuing guidelines to give private school teachers access to universal healthcare under the gold card or social security schemes.

• Push to boost private school teachers’ salaries.

• Boosting lunch subsidies for private schools facing liquidity problems and using remaining funds to purchase educational equipment.

• Reducing land and building taxes for private schools that promote arts and sports, vocational training, tutoring and building life skills.

• Amending the rules of the School Aid Fund so laid-off private school teachers can be compensated.

• Setting up a fund to support private schools.

“These problems need to be solved quickly because students may lose opportunities to study,” Somsak added.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION