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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012012

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) is planning to add infertility treatment to the list of diseases covered in a bid to boost Thailand’s birthrate.

Births in Thailand have hit a critically low level with less than 600,000 deliveries reported for the first time in 2020.

“The NHSO board agreed in November to cover people who require infertility treatment. However, this coverage does not apply to surrogacy,” NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadet Thammathat-Aree said on Sunday.

“We have submitted details of infertility treatment coverage to the Department of Health and the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, who will make necessary adjustments and then return it to the NHSO. The next step will be estimating the cost and annual usage of such benefits, so NHSO can allocate funds accordingly.”

NHSO reckons the final draft of the coverage will be ready before the government announces mid-year budget allocation.

“The NHSO will also ensure that people who are not ready to have children have access to free contraceptives [condoms and birth control pills], while those ready to be parents but are facing difficulties will also be covered under the national health security scheme,” Jadet said.

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Published : February 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012005

Ministry of Public Health reported on Monday (February 7) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 10,470 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 166 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 12, while 8,711 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 284,036.
 

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,507,471 – 2,392,384 of whom have recovered, 92,784 are still in hospitals and 22,303 have died.

Separately, another 11,063 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 15,217 their second shot and 190,258 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 117,094,785.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 395.98 million on Monday, 314.91 million of whom have recovered, 75.31 million are active cases (90,593 in severe condition) and 5.76 million have died (up by 6,352).

Thailand ranks 30th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 78.02 million, followed by India with 42.27 million, Brazil with 26.54 million, France with 20.76 million and the UK with 17.8 million.

Published : February 07, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012002

A government minister and a former MP launched a restaurant offering rice and curry at 20 baht per dish on Sunday, part of a project to reduce burdens from rising living costs.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sreeon and ex-Bangkok MP Chanin Rungsang began offering the 20-baht meals at Suan Prok community in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district.

The project will help set up similar eateries in communities across the capital, with cooperation from Ruam Duay Chuai Kan Sam Nuek Rak Ban Kerd Foundation, the Commerce Ministry and private networks.

Chanin noted that rice topped with curry is an important meal for city dwellers, adding that its price was an indicator of the economic situation.

“So we have reduced the restaurant operator’s production costs for gas, ingredients and delivery in order to cut the price of rice with curry to 20 baht,” he said.

Chanin said the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry is also handing out vegetable seeds to community representatives for consumption.

“At least one 20 baht per dish restaurant should be set up in each community,” he added.

People interested in setting up a restaurant under the project can contact Line account @khowgang20baht, Department of Internal Trade hotline 1569 or (02) 507 5682.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012001

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday urged health authorities to speed up the vaccination of children to halt a jump in infections among unjabbed kids.

Since January 1, 23,826 children aged five to 17 have caught Covid-19 in Thailand.

After the first batch of orange-capped Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines for children arrived on January 26, health authorities launched a vaccination drive for at-risk children aged five to 11 at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health. This group will get their second jab from February 26 onwards.

“So far, some 29,752 children aged between five and 11 have received their jab. The Public Health Ministry recommends eight weeks before the second jab is administered,” government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said. “Hospitals have set up separate vaccination points for children to ensure the vaccination drive goes smoothly.”

The Thai Food and Drug Administration has also approved Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines for children aged six and above for parents to choose as an alternative.

Thailand recorded 20 deaths and 10,879 new Covid-19 cases, 178 of them foreign arrivals, over 24 hours on Sunday. Meanwhile, 8,285 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals.

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,497,001 – 2,383,673 of whom have recovered, 91,037 are still in hospitals and 22,291 have died.

Separately, the total number of Covid-19 vaccines administered nationwide stands at 116,878,247, 52,495,750 if which are first shots, 48,922,790 second shots and 15,459,007 boosters.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011999

A former staff member at the Australian embassy in Bangkok has been charged by police after spy cameras were discovered in women’s bathrooms inside the secure government building.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the discovery raises serious questions about how secret cameras could be installed and remain undiscovered, potentially for years.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed that a locally engaged ex-staff member at the embassy was arrested by Royal Thai Police on January 6.

Khemmarin Hassiri, commander of the foreign affairs division of the Royal Thai Police, said that the Australian embassy filed a complaint against a man on Jan 6. Thai police said the investigation was ongoing.

The former employee has dual Australian and Thai citizenship and until recently was employed as an IT systems manager at the embassy.

He had worked for DFAT since 2013, after living and studying in Australia and holding several other Australian government positions.

It is understood that multiple cameras were discovered directed at women’s showers and toilets after an SD card containing images of female staff was found on a bathroom floor last year.

A government employee with knowledge of the incident said staff at the embassy were shocked and shaken.

“Female staff, Thai and Australian, are very anxious. Some of the women don’t feel safe staying there. They feel compromised and threatened,” the person said.

The person added that embassy staff wanted more support to “manage the serious psychological impacts of this matter, or even the possibility of serious security breaches”.

It is not known how long the cameras had been in place or how much footage had been collected.

A Royal Thai Police investigator said it was “a sensitive case” that “involved many people”.

The officer said forensic investigators were currently looking through the evidence and female police would be interviewing the women affected.

Police confirmed a man had been charged with two offenses under sections of the Thai criminal code which cover sexual and public nuisance offenses.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail and/or a 20,000 baht fine.

The suspect, a married man in his 30s, was released on bail after spending one night in custody.

“If security was lax enough to allow devices like cameras to be installed anywhere within a secure area, it suggests it’s not tight enough to keep the embassy secure,” Hugh White, Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University, said.

The Australian Federal Police and DFAT declined to comment on whether there would be any Australian government or law enforcement investigation into the incident.

The Australian embassy in Bangkok is one of Australia’s largest diplomatic missions in the world.

Published : February 06, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40011998

Alcohol Watch voiced concerns on Saturday after the opposition’s proposal to make it easier for small brewers to enter the market won a good response in Parliament.

Four days ago, a group of Move Forward MPs led by Taopiphop Limjittrakorn proposed that the 2017 Excise Tax Act be amended so small brewers can obtain permits more easily. The current standards set by the Finance Ministry are too strict and expensive for small players.

The proposal won a good response in Parliament with many MPs from both sides supporting it. However, the draft could not be voted upon because the House failed to achieve quorum.

Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of Alcohol Watch, said there were many concerns even though the bill is widely accepted. He said though Alcohol Watch was not against removing the monopoly but was concerned about the impact greater access to booze would have on people’s health. Also, he said, there is no guarantee about how much responsibility small brewers will be willing to take.

“I will propose this health matter once production guidelines have been revised. There should be a set of rules that make brewers responsible to society. Salespeople should be taught about consumers’ safety. They should know when it is time to stop selling or serving alcohol,” he said.

More than 3 million people die from alcohol across the world yearly. To tackle this problem, the World Health Organisation is calling on countries to reduce their population’s booze consumption by 10 per cent by 2025.

Chuwit Chantarod, another coordinator with Alcohol Watch, said that up to 150,000 deaths in Thailand per year can be attributed to conditions caused by alcohol consumption like cancer, stroke, ischemic heart disease and diabetes.

Admitting that getting an alcoholic to give up booze is not an easy task, he said, manufacturers and sellers should also take some responsibility for the problem. He said the sellers and producers seem to float above the problem, placing the responsibility completely on the drinker. He said there has been little or no move to make the manufacturer or seller take responsibility for something that has such a huge impact on society.

“I would like to see political parties come up with more serious measures to ease the impact, like limiting sales licences based on the proportion of the population.

“Don’t just look at the good side of the law, it’s also time to focus on qualified sellers who are responsible and create fewer social problems instead of just focusing on quantity,” Chuwit said.

Getting drunk in Thailand is easier than anywhere else thanks to the fact that nearly 600,000 businesses can legally sell and serve booze in the country.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40011993

Thailand created 1 per cent less solid trash last year compared to 2020, while 87 per cent of its infectious waste was related to Covid-19.

Atthaphon Charoenchansa, director-general of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), said Thailand created 24.98 million tonnes of waste in 2021, which is 1 per cent lower than the waste created in 2021. Of the total waste, 8.61 million tonnes were recycled, marking an increase of 3 per cent from the previous year.

Atthaphon put the 1 per cent drop in solid waste down to Covid-19 lockdowns and lack of tourists. However, he said, work-from-home measures have resulted in a surge in single-use plastics such as polystyrene food boxes, plastic boxes, plastic bags, etc.

Infectious waste, meanwhile, stood at slightly more than 90,000 tonnes, marking an 87 per cent increase from 2020. This was mainly waste collected from hospitals, clinics, field hospitals, clinics and government quarantine facilities. Some 90.85 per cent or 81,774.67 tonnes was infectious waste and was reportedly properly managed.

Meanwhile, hazardous waste in 2021 stood at 669,518 tonnes, marking an increase of 1.6 per cent from 2020. Of the hazardous waste collected last year, 435,187 tonnes or 65 per cent were electrical and electronic products, and the remainder comprised batteries, chemical containers, aerosol cans, etc.

The surge in hazardous waste has been put down to increased consumption of electrical appliances and devices.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011989

The Royal Thai Navy said on Saturday that China has offered to deliver two Song-class submarines after reportedly holding a discussion with a working team led by Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan.

However, it is still unclear whether the submarines are being donated or sold at a special price.

“China recently handed two Ming-class submarines to the Myanmar Army, so this could be a free offer,” a source from the Navy said. “However, we need to check other details, such as repair and import costs.”

A submarine-related website said this offer was interesting as the internal structure of Song-class submarines was like those of the Yuan-class.

“These submarines can be used to train cadets while the Navy waits for the delivery of new ones,” the website said. “The Navy will save more than 10 billion baht for the next two to three years.”

The Navy ordered two Yuan-class S26T submarines worth 22.5 billion baht from China last year. However, this plan has been widely slammed as critics point out that Thailand faces no maritime threats and the shallow waters of the Gulf of Thailand are not amenable to submarine activities.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011988

Tourists were evacuated when a forest fire broke out on Laem Krating Cape in Phuket’s Rawai subdistrict on Saturday.

The blaze, which had spread quickly by 8pm, could not be tackled immediately because the area was unreachable. The fire covered two rai of a steep hill and flames were first spotted at around 4pm.

The site was about 1.5 kilometres from Laem Krating Resort.

Phuket governor Narong Woonciew and related agencies showed up at the scene at about 8.30pm, by which time Rawai Municipality officials and forest rangers had been able to suppress the fire. They were reportedly at the scene keeping an eye on the situation as of press time.

No casualties were reported.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011983

Public Health Ministry reported on Sunday (February 6) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 10,879 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 178 of whom are foreign travellers.

Death toll increased by 20, while 8,285 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country are at 2,497,001 with 22,291 total deaths.

Published : February 06, 2022

By : THE NATION