The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index should rise to a resistance level of 1,655 to 1,650 points on Tuesday since most regional stock markets have rebounded after a sharp fall, Krungsri Securities said.
It added that the index also gained from rising oil prices and mass buy-ups of company shares that are expected to grow based on their business turnover last year.
“Investors, however, should beware of mass share sell-offs owing to uncertainty over the US Federal Reserve’s signal that it will raise the interest rate to tackle inflation,” Krungsri Securities said.
It recommends the purchase of the following as an investment strategy:
• BBL, KBANK, KTB and BLA will benefit from news of the US interest rate hike.
• PTTEP, TOP, PTTGC, IVL and SPRC will benefit from the rising price of oil and gross refining margin.
• AOT, MINT, CENTEL, ERW and AAV will benefit from the government’s move to relaunch the Test & Go scheme and the fourth phase of the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) travel subsidy.
The SET Index closed at 1,648.81 on Monday, up 9.30 points or 0.57 per cent. Transactions totalled 68.34 billion baht with an index high of 1,655.48 and a low of 1,646.88.
Ministry of Public Health reported on Tuesday (February 1) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 7,422 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 261 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.
Death toll increased by 12, while 8,715 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 224,529.
The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,447,964 – 2,342,765 of whom have recovered, 83,014 are still in hospitals and 22,185 have died.
Separately, another 15,378 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 31,886 their second shot and 155,680 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 115,256,516.
According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 377.99 million on Tuesday, 299.12 million of whom have recovered, 73.18 million are active cases (92,980 in severe condition) and 5.69 million have died (up by 7,617).
Thailand ranks 30th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 76.22 million, followed by India with 41.47 million, Brazil with 25.45 million, France with 19.14 million and the UK with 16.47 million.
The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Tuesday (February 1) that the westerly wind at high altitude prevails over the North and the upper Northeast of Thailand and brings cool to cold weather and morning fog to the areas. Mountaintops in the North and the Northeast are cold to very cold with temperature in the range of 4-14 °C. People in the upper country should take care of their health due to variable weather. All transports should take more caution due to poor visibility.
Meanwhile, another high-pressure system from China has covered upper Vietnam, Loas and the South China Sea. This forces the southerly and southeasterly winds to blow the humidity from the sea to the lower North, the Northeast, the Central and the East, causing isolated light rains in the areas.
The Department also mentioned that the weak northeast monsoon prevails across the Gulf of Thailand, leading to isolated thundershowers over the South.
The weather forecast for the next 24 hours is as follows:
North: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 12-17 degrees and highs of 30-36 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 4-12 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 13-21 degrees and highs of 28-34 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 8-14 degrees Celsius.
Central: Cool weather with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 21-23 degrees, highs of 32-36 degrees Celsius.
East: Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 30-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and about a meter high offshore.
South (east coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 30-33 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and about a meter high during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and about a meter high offshore.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Fog in the morning and isolated light rains; temperature lows of 24-26 degrees, highs of 31-35 degrees Celsius.
Hundreds of trucks and buses have been removed from the roads after failing exhaust tests, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced on Sunday.
The tests were launched in October under Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob’s policy to clamp down on emissions of PM2.5 pollution.
However, levels of the harmful particles have surged in recent weeks.
DLT director-general Jirut Wisanjit said inspectors checked 101,709 trucks and buses between October 1 and January 30. Of these, 483 were banned from road use after they failed emission tests.
The department warned operators and owners it was against the law to use vehicles that exceed exhaust emission limits. It advised them to fix any vehicle that emitted black smoke and have it checked at a DLT office.
The DLT also asked citizens to help solve the PM2.5 haze problem by sending photos of trucks or buses that emit black smoke with their plate numbers to the 1584 hotline, Line account @1584DLT, https://www.facebook.com/dlt1584, http://ins.dlt.go.th/cmpweb/, the DLT GPS app, or e-mail them to dlt_1584complain@hotmail.com.
Thailand kicked off its vaccination programme for children aged 5-11 on Monday.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul presided over the launch at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health in Bangkok, where at-risk children with seven underlying diseases were first in the queue for jabs.
Anutin said the youngsters will receive Pfizer vaccine from a batch of 300,000 doses that have already arrived. Another 300,000 doses per week will be sent to fill Thailand’s order of 10 million Pfizer doses within the next three months, he added.
Anutin said the total shipment should arrive one month ahead of schedule.
Children will receive two Pfizer (Comirnaty) jabs three to 12 weeks apart. The favoured gap between injections is 8-12 weeks, which offers higher immunity and fewer side effects.
Meanwhile, Thailand is currently registering Sinovac vaccine for use in younger children aged over three.
Hospitals have offered parents guidance on the effects of Covid-19 in children as well as the side effects of vaccines:
Covid-19 symptoms in children
Effects range from no or mild symptoms through to severe pneumonia and death.
90% of young patients have mild symptoms such as fever, coughing and muscle aches.
Only 5% suffer severe symptoms such as severe pneumonia, respiratory failure or circulatory collapse.
4% are asymptomatic.
Complications are rare. They are most often found in high-risk patients such as children under the age of one or patients with underlying diseases.
Symptoms after receiving Covid-19 vaccines
Pain at injection site: 79-86%
Fatigue: 60-66%
Headache: 55-66%
Heart inflammation (myocarditis or pericarditis) found in 56-69 people per 1 million doses
Heart inflammation found in only 4-5 females per 1 million doses
Symptoms to look out for after vaccination
Like adults, children should sit and monitor their symptoms for 30 minutes after receiving the jab.
Chest tightness or chest pain
Gasping or fatigue
Heart palpitations
Loss of consciousness, feeling faint or unusually tired
What to do before receiving the jab
Do not receive another vaccine at the same time as the Covid-19 jab. People should wait at least 14 days before receiving another vaccine, unless in an emergency such as rabies vaccination for an animal bite.
Children and women who are menstruating, breastfeeding or pregnant are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination.
Children or teenagers recovering from Covid-19, complications, or Kawasaki disease (MIS-A or MIS-C) should wait for 1-3 months before receiving the vaccine. Children undergoing plasma treatment can receive the vaccine immediately after 90 days.
Sources: Sikarin Hospital, Siriraj Hospital (Mahidol University), King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, The Thai Red Cross Society
Seafood from Rayong sea can still be consumed, except barracudas, Deputy Public Health Minister Satit Pitutecha said in a Facebook post on Monday, citing the Regional Medical Sciences Centre 6 Chonburi’s research.
The study on heavy metal, cadmium, mercury and lead in seafood was conducted as consumers were wary of safety in consuming seafood after the oil spill incident in Rayong’s Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate last week.
The study was conducted by collecting 14 samples from fishing markets on Suchada, Ban Phe and Phala Beaches.
“Seafood from Rayong sea is still edible, except barracuda as its mercury values slightly exceeded acceptable standards,” he said.
The Regional Medical Sciences Centre 6 Chonburi will collect oil spill washing up on the beaches for its research in order to ensure consumers’ safety.
A total of 2,025 medical personnel were infected with Covid-19 in January, around 66 people per day on average, Dr Thira Woratanarat from Chulalongkorn University posted on his Facebook page on Monday.
He said the number of the Omicron variant BA.2 cases had increased after they were infected with BA.1, while the number of new cases in South Africa is stable.
He said the increase in BA.2 cases was in line with research that it was more contagious than BA.1. However, BA.2 is no more likely to escape immunity than BA.1, according to current information. The information on severity and reinfection is not enough at the moment, he said.
Thira added that each country should be able to analyse the cause and fix it after learning from the past to create an efficient system and mechanism.
The process of deciding on a crisis must be based on empirical data and knowledge of international standards.
Thira said every citizen must have the right to access in-depth information on policies and measures. They will not understand the effect of the decision if they do not have enough information.
He added that there must be inspection and a balancing mechanism for the government which is responsible for citizens’ health, welfare and safety. Society will be able to handle a crisis in the future if we have this mechanism and citizens have information. Citizens will be able to take care of themselves and become a health-literate society.
Meanwhile, a virology expert posted on his Facebook page on Sunday that even half a dose of an mRNA booster yielded the same result as a full dose.
Yong said the mRNA booster dose after two doses of inactivated vaccines offered high immunity. He cited an Oxford study and by many countries including Brazil, Chile and Indonesia.
He said many foreign countries gave only half a dose or 50 micrograms of Moderna vaccine as the booster dose.
Yong suggested increasing the use of Moderna vaccines in Thailand to reduce the side-effects. Currently, people are administered 30mcg of the Pfizer vaccine. Ideally, people should receive a full dose of vaccine if adequate stocks are available, he said.
Interior Ministry and Election Commission officials will meet on February 21 to schedule long-overdue elections for the governors of Bangkok and Chonburi’s Pattaya, said Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda on Monday.
According to Anupong, the elections will likely take place in May.
He was responding after senator Wanchai Sonsiri inquired about the progress of gubernatorial elections during a Senate meeting on Monday morning.
“I expect the Election Commission to submit the election dates for Cabinet approval and announce them by the end of March,” he said. “After the dates are officially announced, the election must be held within 60 days.”
He added that May was a suitable choice since it contained no long holidays or religious festivals. However, he said that the Election Commission had the final decision on poll dates.
Anupong added that the election for Bangkok governor and members of Bangkok Metropolitan Council would be held simultaneously.
A small fire at a Chinese shrine in a shophouse in Bangkok’s Ratburana district was put out in time before it could spread, thanks to alert neighbours. No casualties were reported.
Residents of Soi Pracha Uthit 27 spotted black smoke billowing over a four-storey shophouse so they alerted fire police at 10.10am.
Firefighters arrived at the scene with volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation. When they broke into the shophouse’s ground floor, they saw a Chinese shrine in front of the elevator in flames. Firefighters took about 20 minutes to put it out.
The shophouse is rented by Pakkawadee Suksingsam-ang, 46. She was not at home when the incident happened.
Police suspect that fire from joss sticks might have caused the incident. The damage was limited as neighbours spotted the smoke before the fire could spread further.
Monday is the worship day of Chinese New Year celebrations.
A group of anti-vaxxers rode into Bangkok on Monday to demand that the Education Ministry stop forcing school children to take Covid-19 jabs.
The group, Chiang Mai People Protecting Rights, led by Dr Notphoptham Phopthamcharoenjai, began their 900-kilometre journey on bicycles in mid-December.
The Education Ministry is urging parents to allow their five to 11-year-olds to take the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. However, the group wants the ministry to reconsider this resolution and handed in a letter explaining their misgivings.
The letter was received by a senior Education Ministry official, who promised to pass it on to the minister.
The group said that though the Education Ministry claimed that the shots will be provided voluntarily, that was not really the case.
They said many schools were either forcing the children to get jabbed or imposing other measures like stopping them from attending class or insisting parents pay for the rapid antigen tests.
The group said Covid-19 vaccines are alienating children and affecting their mental status and rights. The group also alleged that Covid-19 vaccines were still at trial stage and could affect children’s health.
The anti-vaxxers said children have a low risk of picking up the virus, and if they do, their immunity is high enough for them to recover quickly. They also pointed out that the vaccine does not really keep the virus at bay.
The group said available data shows that the vaccine has many side effects, so schools should stop forcing students to take them.
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