Visitors to Bangkok’s Lumpini Park are being invited to sample the Kingdom’s finest destinations at the annual Thailand Tourism Festival.
Organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), this year’s festival is underway as part of the “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters” campaign.
The 40th edition of the tourism fest runs from February 18 to 22 under Covid-Free Setting measures.
The venue has nine activity zones featuring the unique cultures, ways of life and tourist destinations of Thailand’s five regions. Visitors can explore Amazing New Chapters, East Village, Central Village, North Village, South Village, Northeast Village, Bangkok Street Food, the Main Stage, and Tourism in New Normal.
To gain entry, visitors must show a vaccination certificate or negative antigen test result taken within 72 hours, or they can take an ATK test at the event for 35 baht.
Recent research on how long Covid-19 virus can survive on plastic and skin shows that Omicron is significantly more stable than previous variants, said a Thai infectious disease expert on Saturday.
Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of Chulalongkorn University’s Information Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, was commenting on Japanese research showing Omicron can survive almost four times longer on plastic than the original Wuhan variant.
The research also showed Covid-19 virus lasts 20 times longer on plastic than on skin.
“On plastic, the original strain discovered in Wuhan can stay stable for 56 hours, Gamma variant for 59.3 hours, Delta for 114 hours, Beta for 156 hours, Alpha for 191.3 hours and Omicron for 193.5 hours,” Dr Thiravat wrote in a Facebook post.
On human skin, Wuhan virus remained stable for 8.6 hours, Gamma variant for 11 hours, Delta for 16.8 hours, Beta for 19.1 hours, Alpha for 19.6 hours and Omicron for 21.1 hours.
“Although Omicron is less likely to induce severe symptoms in patients, it is still important to frequently clean contact surfaces such as tables, chairs and doorknobs in your home and workplace,” said Thiravat.
“Everyone should also continue to wash their hands regularly to reduce the chance of virus spreading.”
He added that general disinfectant for indoor use can eliminate Covid-19 virus on surfaces within 15 seconds. Similarly, ethanol or 35 per cent alcohol can kill the virus on human skin in 15 seconds.
The driver of a black Jaguar XJL will meet with police today in a bid to explain why the luxury car burst into flames on a Bangkok expressway on Friday.
Traffic police received the report that a car was ablaze on Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway, one kilometre from the Din Daeng Toll Plaza.
Sutthisan firefighters and rescue workers rushed to the scene and managed to douse the flames after around 10 minutes.
The occupants of the car escaped unhurt but revealed details of their trauma to police officers.
The driver told investigators that they were heading towards the Din Daeng Toll Plaza when the powerful smell of diesel fumes suddenly wafted into the cabin. Soon after, smoke appeared and the luxury vehicle was engulfed in flames.
The driver said the car was not used by other people and was never left parked in suspicious spots.
Many motorists were confused by the new M-Flow expressway payment system after it opened on Tuesday.
While some knew about the automatic toll-payment system, its appearance at four toll gates on Motorway No 9 (Bang Pa-in-Bang Pli ring road) was a surprise to others.
Some motorists complained that the system is complicated and not user-friendly. Others were also worried that it could access too much personal information.
Meanwhile a traffic jam built up at the Thap Chang toll gate because drivers used cash or their M-Pass and Easy-Passes while the M-Flow lane stayed empty. Traffic flowed freely after passing the gate.
One motorist explained that M-Flow registration was too difficult and prompted worries over personal information, so they would pay via the website instead.
Motorway director Thanasak Wongtanakitcharoen said M-Flow barrier-free gates were used by 69,000 motorists per day from Tuesday to Thursday, or 30 per cent of the 240,000-260,000 motorists who travelled on Motorway No 9 every day.
M-Flow registrations doubled overnight, from 3,000 on Wednesday to 6,000 on Thursday. Motorists can register at MFlowThai, website http://www.mflowthai.com, or Line account @mflowthai.
The Department of Highways (DoH) suggested users add the card for automatic payment at its Line account.
Unregistered users who drive through the M-Flow gate must pay within two days. Late payment will trigger a DoH letter demanding payment of 10 times the toll fee. Delaying payment for more than 12 days will incur an extra Bt200 fine. Those who ignore payment can be fined up to Bt5,530 each time and face problems extending their driving licence.
The department is developing a system so that M-Pass holders can also use M-Flow.
M-Flow is a free-flow automatic toll payment system developed by the Transport Ministry to solve traffic congestion on expressways and motorways. It uses video cameras and AI technology to collect toll fees by capturing vehicles’ number plate registrations.
Users can drive through M-Flow toll gates at 120kph, meaning 2,000 to 2,500 cars per hour can flow through each gate. M-Flow can be used by all types of vehicle and motorists can register to be billed monthly or after each use.
Payments can be made at the M-Flow website or app or through users’ mobile banking apps by scanning the QR code on the invoices mailed to them. They can also pay by direct debit through their bank account or credit card.
The M-Flow system began operating this week at four gates on Motorway No 9 (Bang Pa-in-Bang Pli ring road) – Thap Chang 1, Thap Chang 2, Thanyaburi 1 and Thanyaburi 2.
More than 50 per cent of Thailand’s hospital beds are still available despite the surge in Omicron cases, the Department of Medical Services reports.
As of February 16, Covid-19 patients were using 80,756 of a total 174,029 beds available – an occupancy rate of 46.4 per cent. Meanwhile, 93,273 beds were still free.
In Bangkok and surrounding provinces, Covid-19 patients occupied 25,359 of a total 55,369 available beds, a 45.8 per cent occupancy rate.
“February has seen infection rates almost double from January due to the spread of Omicron virus at community level but the number of pneumonia cases has increased only marginally,” said department director-general Dr Somsak Ankasil.
“About 50 new patients have required respirators in February, a 0.1 per cent increase from the previous month. The daily average for [Covid] deaths in February is 23, while in January it was 18.”
Somsak added that since Covid-19 infections were still rising, the department will divert patients with mild symptoms to home, community and hotel isolation to ensure that there are enough hospital beds to treat those with severe symptoms of Covid-19 and other diseases.
“Meanwhile, patients in the yellow category with mild to moderate symptoms but also chronic illnesses that require close monitoring will be treated at either private or public hospitals under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients [UCEP] scheme,” he said. “The department has also instructed hospitals to convert as many beds as they can into Covid-19 treatment beds.”
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and tourism businesses will launch roadshow events in Saudi Arabia next month, targeting Bt20 billion in tourist revenue this year.
The showcase will be led by the tourism ministry and comes after diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia were restored last month when PM Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the desert kingdom.
“We aim to present Thai products and tourism services at the roadshow events to attract Saudi tourists who are interested in visiting Thailand,” Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday.
“The ministry expects that by the end of 2022 Thailand could welcome at least 200,000 visitors from Saudi Arabia, who will help generate approximately 20 billion baht in tourism revenue.”
Pipat added that tourism businesses in Thailand were eager to tap both sides of the market – attracting Saudi tourists to Thailand and showcasing Saudi Arabia for Thai tourists.
“We also talked with the Saudi tourism ministry about extending the visa period for Thai Muslims travelling to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage, while tourism operators are planning to launch tour packages that include Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages for Muslim travellers,” he added.
“Middle Eastern tourists will start visiting foreign countries about one month after Ramadan or around May onward,” said Pipat. “If tourism businesses launch new campaigns during this period, we could attract up to 200,000 visitors this year, and could increase to 500,000 in the following years when more Covid-19 travel restrictions are lifted.”
Pipat said that before the Thai-Saudi relationship was restored, about 20,000 Saudi visitors entered Thailand annually, most on wellness tourism programmes.
The death of 12-year-old boy after getting his first shot of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine last month was not caused by the vaccine itself, the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) said.
“The boy received a Pfizer jab on January 25. He displayed no side effects within 30 minutes of vaccination,” said Dr Chawetsan Namwat, of DDC’s emergency disease and health hazards control division, on Friday.
The boy developed fever and muscle aches after returning home, he added.
“On January 28 he had pain in both knees and difficulty walking, while the legs muscles were also weakened.
The boy was then taken to a private hospital where doctors found that he had high fever and black bruises on both legs, which he could not move.
However, there were no bruises at the point where the vaccine was administered, said Dr Chawetsan.
“Doctors suspected septicaemia and decided to send him to Krabi Hospital, where he was treated with antibiotics and intravenous fluid. However, his symptoms did not improve, and he died on February 3.”
Chawetsan said that a lab biopsy showed the patient had died from septic arthritis at the knees and septic shock. There was no sign of infection at the point where the vaccine was administered. Doctors therefore ruled that the death was not caused by the vaccine but by other events that occurred at roughly the same time as vaccination.
Chawetsan added that Thailand had administered over 120 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine since February last year, and 2,081 people had died after their vaccination. Of these deaths, 1,464 cases were investigated by medical experts, who ruled that 938 cases were not related to the Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile 250 cases are awaiting additional evidence, while 272 cases were ruled inconclusive. This leaves only four fatalities related to Covid-19 vaccines.
Two people died due to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), one from severe allergic reaction and shock, and one from Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Thailand’s digital television broadcasters have urged the government to appoint new National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) members quickly to avoid “dead air” at NBTC and further delays to bidding for the 3,500MHz frequency for the 5G network.
The NBTC has been preparing for the 3,500MHz licence auction since early 2020.
“The Senate meeting voted in five new NBTC commissioners in December, but this list has yet to be presented to the King for royal appointment,” said Suphab Kleekachai, Association of Digital Television Broadcasting president, on Friday.
He said delay in appointing the commissioners could affect NBTC’s ability to make decisions on the television and telecommunication industries.
“Operators are also waiting for new policies to be announced so they can plan their business strategy accordingly,” he added.
The five new NBTC board members elected by the Senate are Air Marshal Thanaphan Raijaroen, Prof Pirongrong Ramasoota, Prof Sorana Boonbaichaipreug, Torpong Selanon, and Asst Prof Suphat Suphatchalasai.
“The association also wants the NBTC to announce bidding regulations for 3,500MHz frequency as soon as possible,” Suphab added.
“The 3,500MHz frequency is vital to the 5G system but could affect the frequency of C Band satellite and therefore might force digital TV viewers nationwide to buy new equipment. This issue needs to be regulated by NBTC immediately.”
The new NBTC commissioners would also need to study the impact on the telecom market of the merger of two telecom giants, True and Dtac, and issue appropriate regulations to protect customers, Suphab added.
The Health Service Support Department on Friday warned private hospitals against charging Covid-19 patients for medical expenses, saying the disease has not yet been removed from the emergency list.
Dr Tharet Krutnairawiwong, director-general of the Health Service Support Department, said Covid-19 is still on the list of Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP), so private hospitals cannot deny medical services to patients or charge them for the services.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had said earlier that Covid-19 treatment would be removed from the UCEP list from the beginning of March.
Tharet said some private hospitals have misunderstood the statement and they have started collecting medical fees from some Covid-19 patients, in the process violating the Hospitals Act of BE 2541 (1998).
Tharet said if the Public Health Ministry has not issued an announcement to formally remove Covid-19 treatment from UCEP, all hospitals must strictly observe the previous announcement regarding the disease treatment.
He said before the ministry makes an announcement, it would have to conduct a meeting of the Comptroller-General’s Department, the National Health Security Office, the Social Security Office, and the Division of Health Economics and Health Security.
The meeting would be needed to get state hospitals and hospitals, where Covid-19 patients are entitled to receive treatments, prepared to receive the patients once the Covid-19 treatment is removed from the UCEP list, Tharet added.
He said the Public Health Ministry will also create a special UCEP Plus list to allow Covid-19 patients with severe conditions or who need respirators or need ICU care to receive treatment at any hospital free of charge.
“Hospitals that charge patients for treatment of Covid-19 face a maximum penalty of 2 years imprisonment, a 40,000 baht fine, or both, for violating the Medical Facility Act,” warned Tharet.
Long slicks of black oil were spotted on the popular Mae Ram Phueng Beach in Rayong province on Friday morning, officials and locals said.
The slicks were believed to be from the third leak of an undersea pipe of the Star Petroleum Refining Plc (SPRC) off the Ma Ta Phut Industrial Estate.
On Thursday, Rayong Governor Charnna Iamsaeng said the SPRC had informed the authorities that there was another leak near the spot where the two previous leaks had occurred, but the spills were small in quantity on and off, and SPRC officials were fixing the leak.
Officials were deployed to monitor the oil slicks at the Mae Ram Phueng Beach in Rayong’s Muang district and they found oil slicks washed onto the beach, leaving dark patches.
Officials rushed to clean the slick by using a sucking machine to get rid of the contaminated sand.
The black patches were found at two spots, and each spot was over a kilometre long. The first spot was the beach where Hua Rot Canal flows to the sea in Tambon Tapong and the second spot was the area where the Khao Sab Canal connects to the sea in Tambon Pae.
Operators of seaside restaurants said the oil slicks had severely damaged their business as tourists had stopped coming to the beach following the two oil leaks. They said the situation was worse than the Covid-19 situation.
On January 25, an underwater pipe of the SPRC leaked, spilling 47,000 litres of crude oil.
Then on February 10, another oil spill was detected when an estimated 5,000 litres of oil leaked about 20 kilometres from the shore.
On Friday, several concerned government agencies used 31 boats and a drone to patrol the sea to try to detect more oil slicks on the sea but they found none.
Officials said as they had not detected any more oil slicks on the sea about one to two kilometres off the shore, they had moved the oil-trapping buoys from along the coast back to the floating pier in the sea where oil tankers transfer oil to refineries using their underground pipe.
Officials said so far 8,302 people have filed complaints seeking compensation from the SPRC.
On January 25, an underwater pipe of the SPRC leaked, spilling 47,000 litres of crude oil.
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