#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012466

An estimated 1.3 million people from Thailand’s Northeast, or Isaan, are keen on trying the new high-speed train service linking neighbouring country Laos and China, according to the results of an opinion survey released on Thursday.

Of the 1,080 residents surveyed from 20 northeastern provinces, 18.7 per cent said they “will definitely” use the train service within this year. The respondents were aged 18 and over.

It was found that this group of respondents represented people aged between 18 and 40, who account for a 7.1 million population in the Northeast.

The 18.7 per cent who are keen to take the high-speed train could translate into 1.3 million among this group of Northeast’s population, said Assistant Professor Suthin Wianwiwat, who heads E-Saan Poll.

“If the Covid-19 situation improves, we can expect droves of people from the Northeast trying the Laos-China high-speed train service,” he said.

E-Saan Poll is part of the E-Saan Centre for Business and Economic Research, under Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Economics.

The survey, conducted from February 12 to 14, found that the largest group of respondents — 42 per cent — said they would not use the train service, followed by 39.3 per cent who responded that they “may” use it.

The Laos-China high-speed train service, which connects the Chinese Yunnan province with the Laotian capital of Vientiane, started operations in early December.

Some 55 per cent of the respondents said the project would benefit the Northeastern region’s economy, compared to 19 per cent who said the local economy would be adversely affected.

When asked about potential benefits of the Laos-China high-speed train project, the respondents pointed to an improved economy for the Northeast, better and faster travel, more employments and new jobs, increased investment and tourism.

Regarding the potential adverse impacts of the project, those surveyed stated that they would include easy transmission of disease, higher cost of living, more business competition, and increased crimes, particularly by transnational criminals.

Published : February 17, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012464

Traffic was seen slowing down during rush hours at least at one motorway gateway where the no-barricade toll collection system was used on Thursday, the third day of the use of the new system.

The Expressway Rapid Transit Authority (ETA) officially started using the new M-Flow system at four gateways of Motorway No. 9 on Tuesday.

On Thursday morning, Nation reporters observed the use of the system at the Thap Chang 2 gateway during the rush hours.

The Thap Chang 2 gateway has four toll gates and the M-Flow system is used for the two rightmost gates. The remaining gates are uses as a cash gate and the old system M-pass automatic tollgate.

Long lines of vehicles were seen in front of the gateway during the rush hours apparently because motorists, who had not registered to use M-Flow, had to shift to left lanes to use the cash gateway or M-pass gateway. Not many vehicles were seen using the M-Flow gates.

Phetchara Rawangkarn, the manager of Thap Chang 2 gateway, said there were some hiccups during the first days of the implementation of the new system.

She said when vehicles, which have not been registered to use the new system, entered the gates, officials manning the gateway had to explain to them that they had to pay cash there or pay for the toll on the M-Flow website or payment services operators within two days or else they would have to pay a fine.

Some motorists said the traffic was slowed down because they had to switch to other lanes and they were not familiar with the new system yet. They complained that they found the registration for using the system at the website too complicated.

The M-Flow system uses artificial intelligence technology and video system to monitor vehicles that pass through the tollgates. Registered vehicles can go past the gates at full speed, 120 kilometres per hour, and they will be billed later for the usage. They can register their credit cards or debit cards to be charged automatically after each use or on a monthly basis.

So far, 34,200 vehicles have been registered to use the system. The ETA expects the number to increase by 2,000 a day.

Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012461

The first two monorail transit projects, known as Pink and Yellow lines, will be further delayed until next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, their operator said on Thursday.

Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) will request the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to extend the deadline for construction of the Yellow Line and Pink Line for another 677 days, BTSC chief executive Surapong Laoha-unya said.

Both projects were originally scheduled to start partial operation around the middle of this year.

However, the persistent Covid-19 situation has prevented imports of certain necessary construction materials from overseas, according to the CEO of BTSC.

“The company will expedite the construction so that the project can be operational within this year, or no later than 2023, to help reduce the interest cost burden,” he said.

The 34.5-kilometre Pink Line runs from Khae Rai area in Nonthaburi province to Min Buri district in Bangkok.

The Yellow Line is 30.4 kilometres long and runs from Lat Phrao district in Bangkok to Samrong district in Samut Prakan province.

As of January, the Pink Line project was 85 per cent complete, while the Yellow Line construction was 90 per cent ready.

Published : February 17, 2022

Nurses change from white uniforms to cartoon costumes to create a joyful atmosphere for children coming for vaccination to the Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang vaccination centre in Samut Prakan province on Wednesday.

Some 500 children with congenital diseases, obesity, asthma, and students aged 5 to 11 were administered the orange cap Pfizer vaccine. They also received a prize after taking the vaccines.

The lighter atmosphere was an initiative of the Ministry of Public Health to ease the children’s fear of syringes. The temple abbot also came to cheer up the children and medical personnel.

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Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012452

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has organised the Thailand Tourism Festival 2022 at Bangkok’s Lumpini Park from February 18 to 22.

The event, which will be held from 11am to 9pm, is in line with TAT’s “Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters” campaign.

The festival features nine activity zones, enabling visitors to experience tradition, culture, the Thai way of life and tourist attractions:

• Amazing new chapters

• Eastern village

• Central village

• Northern village

• Southern village

• Northeastern village

• Bangkok street food

• Main stage

• Tourism in this new normal era.

“Outstanding” souvenirs such as polo shirts, caps, umbrellas and bags under the Amazing Thailand brand will be on sale.

Furthermore, the event focuses on waste management by using environmentally friendly materials in accordance with the BCG – bio, circular and green – model.

Visitors to the event will be required to take a temperature scan, check in and out via the Thai Chana application, and show a vaccination certificate or negative Covid-19 antigen test result taken not more than 72 hours before entering the venue.

ATK test services will also be available at the event at a reasonable price of 35 baht.

For more information on the festival, visit the Thailand Tourism Festival 2022 website.

Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012451

The number of “targeted poor” in Thailand has risen to 1,025,782 people in 2022, up by 42,466 persons since 2019, according to findings published by the Thai People Map and Analytics Platform (TPMAP).

“Targeted poor” refers to those who are registered as state-welfare cardholders and prioritised for assistance by the government.

The platform said it had based its estimates on data collected from 36.1 million people who are registered with the Community Development Department. The data found 3.4 million people classified as poor as per the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).

It then cross-referenced this group with those who have registered as state-welfare cardholders and eventually arrived at 1,025,782 as the number of “targeted poor”.

The MPI uses five key indicators to measure the level of poverty: health, living conditions, education, income, and access to government service.

The TPMAP also listed 10 provinces that have the highest number of poor people in Thailand:

1. Chiang Mai – 52,928 poor people, or 5.36 per cent of the province’s population

2. Buriram – 45,356, or 4.41 per cent

3. Chiang Rai – 42,140, or 5.42 per cent

4. Nakhon Si Thammarat – 36,941, or 4.3 per cent

5. Udon Thani – 36,931, or 3.7 per cent

6. Nan – 35,949, or 10.97 per cent

7. Phetchabun – 35,548, or 5 per cent

8. Nakhon Ratchasima – 32,144, or 1.87 per cent

9. Chaiyaphum – 29,845, or 3.64 per cent

10. Si Sa Ket – 28,892, or 3.08 per cent

The provinces with the least number of poor people:

1. Trat – 706 poor people, or 0.58 per cent of the province’s population

2. Samut Songkhram – 920, or 0.75 per cent

3. Nakhon Pathom – 1,493, or 0.3 per cent

4. Nakhon Nayok – 2,110, or 1.29 per cent

5. Uthai Thani – 2,217, or 1.04 per cent

6. Ranong – 2,427, or 2.07 per cent

7. Amnat Charoen – 2,473, or 1.03 per cent

8. Chonburi – 2,706, or 0.51 per cent

9. Singburi – 2,711, or 2.02 per cent

10. Rayong – 2,833, or 0.78 per cent

Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012448

The parents of an eye doctor on Thursday filed a civil lawsuit against the Royal Thai Police and a junior policeman, demanding compensation of Bt72 million for her death caused by the cop at a Bangkok zebra crossing.

Dr Anirut Supawatjariyakul and Dr Oraweenut Nimitrwongsaskul named the Royal Thai Police the first defendant and Pol Lance Corporal Norawich Buadok the second defendant, demanding that they take responsibility for the death of ophthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul.

Waraluck was fatally injured when she was hit by a speeding Ducati motorcycle ridden by Norawich while she was crossing a zebra crossing in front of Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital in Phya Thai district on January 23.

The suit said the second defendant was riding the motorcycle while he was carrying out his duties as ordered by the first defendant, which is the agency commanding him.

The suit said when the second defendant caused the damage, the first defendant must also share the responsibility.

The suit said Waraluck was deprived of income of about Bt200 million, calculated from the day she was killed until the day she was supposed to reach her retirement age.

But the parents are demanding the two defendants pay a compensation of Bt72 million, which included the funeral cost and the cost of the parents not having their daughter take care of them in their old age.

Earlier, Norawich had been slapped with several criminal charges, including reckless driving causing death and violating the speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour as he was clocked riding between 108 and 128kph at the spot.

Natthapol Chinwong, the lawyer of the parents, told reporters that they had decided to sue the Royal Thai Police as well because they believed the accident happened while Norawich was carrying out his duty.

He said the demanded compensation was not too high when taken into account the potential of Waraluck who could make more than Bt200 million had she been allowed to live and work until her retirement age.

The lawyer said an academic has calculated that the death of the doctor had caused a damage of Bt850 million to the country, but the parents had focused only on the damage they had suffered.

The lawyer said the Royal Thai Police tried to argue that the accident was a personal matter of the policeman but the plaintiff has gathered evidence that Norawich was driving recklessly on the rightmost lane and he was riding the motorcycle not for his personal business.

The lawyer said Norawich was returning from the Metropolitan Police Bureau where he was sent on an official mission and the accident happened during the government’s office hours.

The lawyer said the parents would later sue the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and other government agencies concerned for failing to enforce traffic laws regarding the safety of pedestrians at zebra crossings.

The tragic accident made headlines and compelled the BMA to take action to improve safety at the zebra crossings, including repainting the crossings and putting up road signs warning motorists of zebra crossings ahead.

The Interior Ministry also ordered provincial governors to conduct a week of safety awareness campaigns at zebra crossings nationwide next week.

Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012441

Thai soldiers and Border Patrol Police were closely guarding the border after the Karen National Union (KNU) and People’s Defence Force (PDF) attacked Myanmar troops in Palu village on Wednesday, a reporter said.

The joint KNU-PDF team of soldiers attacked the Myanmar army base in Palu, which is opposite Ban Mae Kon Ken in Thailand’s Mae Sot district, Tak province, he said, forcing some Karen to flee the fighting and escape to the Moei riverside at the Tak border.

The Karen-PDF soliders used K60mm mortar guns and M79 grenade launchers in their attack on the base for 20 minutes, while the Myanmar army retaliated with K120mm mortar guns to keep the KNU-PDF soldiers from advancing on the base, according to the reporter.

The Myanmar army also requested air support. A helicopter was dispatched to shoot at the enemy soldiers.

Troops on both sides were killed and injured in the attack, the reporter added.

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Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012438

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) on Tuesday seized six containers of illegally imported frozen food.

Earlier, on Saturday, DSI and DLD officials teamed up to search cold storages and stumbled upon pork that had been imported without authorisation.

They seized 945 boxes of pork weighing a total 21,473 kilogrammes for violating the Animal Epidemics Act. They estimated the “damage” at around 10 million baht.

DSI director-general Triyarith Temahivong subsequently instructed the Bureau of Regional Operations to investigate the case with the help of related organisations.

On Tuesday, the DSI, DLD, the Port Authority of Thailand and the Customs Department came together to search ten containers at a port in the Eastern region. They ended up seizing six containers with illegally imported meat.

A random search found 87,000kg of frozen chicken feet from Iran. A document stated that the consignment was 84,000kg of frozen Indian mackerel priced at 2.79 million baht.

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They also found 28,000kg of frozen beef entrails from Paraguay, but a document stated that it was 28,000kg of frozen Merluccius Hubbs (fish) costing 1.07 million baht.

Officials promptly seized the products because there was no authorisation, while the importer was said to have also violated the Animal Epidemics Act and the Customs Act. The estimated damage to the state was reported to be around 20 million baht.

The DSI and related organisations are conducting an investigation and hope to nab the violators.

Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012437

Air quality in 45 areas around Bangkok and its vicinity descended to unsafe levels on Thursday morning, the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation reported.

Meanwhile, the IQAir website named Bangkok the 6th most polluted city in the world with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 168.

PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter) readings were in the range of 39-72 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3). Thailand’s standard for safe levels of PM2.5 is 50 μg/m3 or lower.

The ten most polluted areas are Prawet (72 μg/m3), Wang Thonglang (72 μg/m3), Sathorn (72 μg/m3) Khlong San (71 μg/m3), Bang Na (69 μg/m3), Khlong Toei (69 μg/m3), Dusit (68 μg/m3), Kannayao (66 μg/m3), Bueng Kum (65 μg/m3) and Min Buri (65 μg/m3).

The PM2.5 situation can be followed on Air4Thai.com or bangkokairquality.com websites, the CAPM Facebook page, or via Air4Thai and AirBKK smartphone applications.

Published : February 17, 2022

By : THE NATION