#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011735

The Marine Department has been instructed to clear the oil slick from a beach in Rayong province as soon as possible to mitigate environmental impact.

An underwater pipeline owned by Star Petroleum Refining Plc (SPRC) sprung a leak last Tuesday, releasing 160,000 litres of oil in the sea before it could be plugged.

“The Marine Department is using FS49 boats, which are usually used to collect floating garbage, to deploy booms some 350 metres from the Rayong shoreline as well as place absorbent sheets in areas where the slick is too thick to be eliminated with chemical dispersants,” Phuripat Theerakulpisut, the Marine Department’s deputy director-general, said on Sunday. “Bangchak Corporation has provided the boom and absorbent sheets for this operation.”

Phuripat added that a preliminary survey shows that the film of oil on the surface of the sea is thin enough for the current and wind conditions to push it through gaps in the boom and float towards Khao Laem Ya National Park and the west of Koh Samet. He added that the national park has been instructed to have boats ready to deploy absorbent sheets if the oil slick gets closer.

“Once we have finished deploying the boom and absorbent sheets, the Marine Department will survey affected coastal areas and test the quality of water periodically. It will take a

ll measures necessary to bring the marine environment back to its normal state as soon as possible,” he said.

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Rayong beach struggles with 4 levels of oil pollution

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011734

Star Petroleum Refining Plc (SPRC) has announced it will pay compensation to all those affected by the Rayong oil spill.

“The company will establish a complaint centre in association with Rayong authorities to accept complaints from people affected by the incident. We will make sure that appropriate compensation is provided in a timely manner,” said Sunday’s announcement. “The centre can be reached via telephone number 038-699-881.”

Earlier, Star Petroleum announced that an underwater pipe at its floating jetty about 20 kilometres southeast of Map Ta Phut port leaked at 8pm on Tuesday, spilling 160,000 litres of oil into the sea.

On Saturday, Rayong’s Mae Ram Phueng Beach was declared a disaster zone after oil from the spill washed ashore. Satellite images showed the slick had spread across 47 square kilometres of sea.

SPRC and the Royal Thai Navy’s Marine Pollution Prevention and Mitigation Centre are now battling to prevent the giant oil slick from engulfing Koh Samet, one of Thailand’s main holiday islands and rich in corals and marine life.

SPRC said it has deployed booms in a bid to protect Rayong’s shoreline from further damage and is using absorbent sheets and vacuum trucks to remove crude oil from the beach. It added that experts in oil slick elimination were supervising the clean-up operation.

“We are deeply sorry for the incident and insist that we will use our fullest ability to eliminate the oil slick under safety standard to limit the impact on marine environment and coastal communities,” said the announcement. “We will provide updates periodically until the situation returns to normal.”

SPRC also said that the company’s refinery was still operating as normal.

Greenpeace noted that Star Petroleum was responsible for a similar spill in 1997.

Related News

Oil-slicked Rayong beach closed as clean-up operation begins

Rayong shoreline hit by oil spill, area marked as disaster zone

Rayong beach struggles with 4 levels of oil pollution

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011733

A survey of 1,383 people conducted by Suan Dusit Poll from January 24 to 27 on rising commodity prices revealed the following:

Which product is the most expensive?

• 92.75%: Pork
• 72.44%: Curry on rice, side dishes, cooked-to-order dishes

What is the reason for rising prices?

• 65.02%: Animal disease
• 64.22%: Hoarding and price manipulation

What steps can people take to solve the problem?

• 77.20%: Managing expenditure
• 66.67%: Reducing consumption

What should the government do to solve the problem?

• 58.99%: The government should be transparent
• 58.27%: Keep prices stable

Which organisations should tackle the problem?

• 79.60%: Commerce Ministry
• 57.88%: Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry
• 55.82%: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha

How much can the government be trusted to solve the problem?

• 47.27%: Slightly untrustworthy
• 35.93%: Totally untrustworthy

How long do people think they will have to shoulder such high prices?

• 34.93%: Up to three months
• 28.53%: Up to six months
• 18.56%: Up to one month
• 17.98%: More than six months

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Thais, especially those in the low-income group, have been struggling with rising commodity prices, with many calling on the government to solve the problem.

The price of pork has hit the roof due to an outbreak of African swine fever and rising prices of animal feed.

Inflation has also intensified due to the surge in global oil prices and central banks opting for quantitative easing policies.

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011732

Wails of help heard in a market in Nakhon Ratchasima at about 8pm on Saturday led to the sight of a helpless teenager hanging from the ceiling.

The 14-year-old found himself in an awkward position as he was trying to break into a mobile phone shop in Wang Nam Kheow’s Wang Mee Market.

A woman dining nearby heard his cries for help and alerted the waiter, who then called the shop’s owner.

The owner arrived to find the teen trapped in the ceiling. He had apparently removed some ceiling boards to lower himself to the floor but found himself stuck.

Ratanaporn Saeyang said she immediately rushed to her shop when she learned of the debacle. It apparently took a group of people nearly one hour to release the boy from his trap.

The teen claimed he only wanted to look into the shop and had no

intention to steal anything. Still, he was handed to the police for legal proceedings.

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011731

A foreign film producer’s request to use three popular Krabi beaches as the setting for a Netflix horror film was turned down recently.

Krabi governor Puttipong Sirimart said Deep Blue Production’s request to shoot “The Meg 2” from April 16 to May 9 was rejected.

The company wanted to use Phra Nang, Tonsai and Railey beaches as well as build a set near the ShellSea Krabi resort in Muang district. The filmmakers were also planning to shoot a helicopter landing scene on Tonsai Beach as well as use jet skis in a rescue-mission scene at Railey Beach.

Puttipong said representatives of the public and private sector met online last week to discuss ways of boosting the economy and rejected the film production mainly due to the jet ski scene.

Puttipong said the Krabi Tourism Declaration prohibits the use of jet skis, scooters, banana boats and beach umbrellas on Krabi beaches. The declaration has been in use for five years and was extended by another two years on March 25, 2011, by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa.

He said the declaration prohibits all activities that can harm Krabi’s environment, including the use of scooters and jet skis.

The meeting also noted that Krabi’s marine park and office had received jet skis, but they chose not to use them.

The meeting also said the plan to build a bridge on the beach and closing Railey from April 16 to May 9 would seriously affect tourism operators, resorts and tourists who want to visit this popular beach.

The governor said that though the film production would have created 400 jobs and brought cash to the province, it would have been environmentally damaging.

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011721

After nine MPs came down with Covid-19, Dr Chalermchai Boonyaleephan, vice-chair of the Senate’s Public Health Commission, said in a Blockdit post that the Parliament should immediately employ preventive measures.

Citing an internal letter issued on Saturday night, a source said nine MPs – eight from Bhumjaithai and one from Palang Pracharath – had tested positive for Covid-19.

The Parliament’s secretary-general has also informed Parliament President Chuan Leekpai of the situation so measures can be put in place before the House convenes on February 2 to 4.

In his post, Chalermchai listed steps that can be taken immediately, such as:

• Masks should be kept on all the time, even when speaking at the podium.

• Members should avoid dining together in the cafeteria because despite tables having partitions, the room is still airconditioned. MPs should instead have their lunch in the office.

• ATK tests should be mandatory for everyone entering the Parliament building.

• Everybody in Parliament, including staff members, should get a booster three months after their second jab.

• The Parliament should keep the number of staffers on duty as low as possible.

• Other meetings should be held online.

“MPs and senators have a high risk of contracting and spreading the virus because they have to meet many guests and visit communities to listen to people’s problems,” Chalermchai said. “They should be especially careful and strictly follow Covid-19 preventive measures for their own safety and that of people around them.”

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Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011713

The Royal Thai Navy’s Hydrographic Department has announced that the level of Chao Phraya River near Samut Prakan’s Phra Chulachomklao Fort will rise from Sunday (January 30) to February 6 due to high tide.

“The Chao Phraya’s water level is expected to reach 1.87 meters above sea level from 6am to 8am of Monday, which is 17 cm. higher than critical level,” said the department. “Citizens are being urged to be cautious and closely monitor the water situation.”

The critical level means the level at which water could flow over to the areas behind the dam.

For updated information on water level, visit www.hydro.navy.mi.th/chaophraya/rtnhq.htm
 

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Bangkok, Samut Prakan hit by high-tide floods

Prevailing Northeast monsoon over Gulf will push up Chao Phraya level in Samut Prakan

Cool to cold weather forecast in the North and Northeast, isolated thundershowers in the South

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011719

Ministry of Public Health reported on Monday (January 31) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 8,008 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 166 of whom have arrived in Thailand from abroad.

Death toll increased by 16, while 8,215 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022 are at 217,107.
 

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011712

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Monday (January 31) 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 5-14 °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, the southerly and the southeasterly winds bring the humidity from the sea to the East and Northeast regions, 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; temperature lows of 13-18 degrees and highs of 30-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 5-12 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 16-22 degrees and highs of 30-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 8-14 degrees Celsius.

Central: Partly cloudy with fog in the morning and isolated light; temperature lows of 20-23 degrees, highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius.

East: Partly cloudy with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 32-35 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 30-34 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 23-26 degrees, highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius; waves less than a meter high and about a meter high offshore.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with light fog in the morning and isolated light rains; temperature lows of 24-26 degrees, highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius.
 

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : January 31, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011709

Dozens of demonstrators rode through the heart of Bangkok on Sunday to protest the eviction of ethnic Karen accused of encroaching on Kaeng Krachan National Park.

The vehicle procession was led by P-move and Save Bang Kloy – a group named after the Kaeng Krachan village in Phetchaburi where the evicted Karenni live.

Protesters demanded that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry provide adequate farming land for the relocated villagers.

Protest leaders said the Karenni people had lived in the Kaeng Krachan forest long before they were designated as a national park in 1981. The Thai government sought Unesco heritage status for the park in 2010, relocating 57 Karenni families out of the forest with a promise to provide each with seven rai of fertile farmland.

But the families subsequently complained that the granted land was infertile and would not support crops.

Several families moved back to live in the forest early last year, prompting legal action to evict them.

The protest was led by Chartchai Kaedam, who began by giving a speech at noon on Soi Aree 7 off Phaholyothin Road.

The group called for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to halt legal action against 30 Bang Kloy villagers and 10 Save Bang Kloy activists.

They also called on the ministry to launch a new fact-finding committee to investigate land disputes of the Bang Kloy villagers, and amend the National Park Act, which they said violates the rights of forest-dwellers.

They demanded, too, that the government pass a “people’s bill” to protect the rights and livelihoods of ethnic minority groups.

At 12:35pm, the protest of around 10 motorcycles, a pickup truck and a car gathered at Nang Lerng Intersection along with Thalu Fah activists.

At 1.30pm the procession headed to the Finance Ministry before arriving at the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

Published : January 30, 2022

By : THE NATION