#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40011511

Many tourists are upset about measures in Rayong province making it mandatory for all tourists to have an antigen rapid test kit (ATK) result, certified by an accredited doctor and medical facility, not earlier than 72 hours before arrival.

The tourists have been making their displeasure known through online posts. 
Most tourists are unaware of this information. Upon arrival, a medical examination fee of 330 baht per person has to be paid to a local hospital. Most of the tourists cancelled their trips and did not continue their journey.

Pathida Limprasit, a 52-year-old, took a group of 10 Swedish people to Samet Island. Pathida said that she and her team had travelled from Surin province. When the tourists learned that they had to pay for the ATK at 330 baht each, they decide to drop their travel plan, as they considered it an unnecessary expenditure when everyone had already had two vaccination doses, especially foreigners who have been quarantined and undergone tests many times.

Anan Nakniyom, deputy governor of Rayong province, said the measure had been in effect since January 20. Officials found that operators were affected. Tourists cannot accept ATK priced at 330 baht. He said there are many places providing services priced at 330 baht and 250 baht, or they. could buy an ATK to check at the hospital. Anna said the province is preparing to discuss with relevant agencies and entrepreneurs to find a solution so as to prevent further impacts on tourists and entrepreneurs.

Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011505

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed concern on Tuesday after the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) said it received over 11.5 million reports of “fake news” in the space of just one week this month.

The ministry said it handled a total of 11,540,617 reports of misinformation between January 14 and 20.

It found 231 messages of fake news covering 116 issues, including 21 issues related to Covid-19.

The fake news was divided into four groups: 74 items related to government policy or official information; 29 items related to health products; six items related to disaster; and seven items related to the economy.

Monitoring of Thailand’s internet has tightened considerably since the 2014 coup, triggering complaints from rights groups that the government is waging a war against free speech.

A government spokesman said citizens were becoming more aware of fake news on social media since the campaign against misinformation had increased the proportion of genuine news.

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He said citizens could report fake news at the Line account @antifakenewscenter, https://www.antifakenewscenter.com/, Twitter @AFNCThailand, or call the GCC hotline 1111-87.

He added that Prayut was worried about the effect of fake news on people, especially during the Covid-19 situation. He asked netizens to verify information before sharing it with others.

Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011504

The University of California’s Francis I Proctor Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology released a statement on Monday mourning the death of Dr Waralak Supawat-Jariyakul.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the tragic death of one of our own. Dr Waraluck ‘KT’ Supawatjariyakul died on Friday [January 21] in Bangkok after being hit in a crosswalk by a speeding motorcycle,” the statement said.

“She had just completed her fellowship at Proctor and returned to Thailand to treat uveitis patients there. At Proctor, KT was a ray of sunshine on our foggy days, completely full of life and happiness and joy which she shared with us all. She will be sorely missed.”

Dr Waraluck died from fatal injuries sustained when she was flung in the air by a speeding Ducati motorbike driven by Pol Lance Corporal Norawit Buadok. She was walking across the road at a zebra crossing in Bangkok at the time.

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Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011502

The National Office of Buddhism said on Tuesday that the policeman who hit and fatally injured a doctor at a zebra crossing in Bangkok could not be ordained as a Buddhist monk.

Sittha Moolhong, the spokesman of the office, said the monk’s law did not allow a criminal suspect in any case, which has not yet been adjudicated, to enter monkhood.

Sittha said his office had told the chief of the Sangha district where Pol Lance Corporal Norawit Buadok was ordained to tell the preceptor monk that ordained him to arrange for his departure from the monkhood.

Norawit and his father, Sub-Lieutenant Nikhom Buadok, were ordained as Buddhist monks on Monday at Wat Pariwat Rajasongkram to make merit for Dr Waralak Supawat-Jariyakul. Waralak was killed on Friday after being hit by a speeding big bike ridden by Norawit.

Sources said Norawit would leave monkhood later on Tuesday while his father would remain ordained.

The Sangha Council Law states in Section 14 of Chapter 3 that mentor monks must not ordain criminal suspects.

Netizens were divided on the issue on Tuesday. One side said a criminal suspect should not have been ordained, but many others felt that if he really felt remorse, he should be allowed to be ordained to make merit and atone for his actions.

Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011498

The Department of Primary Industries and Mines (DPIM) on Monday renewed Akara Resources Plc’s concession to operate Thailand’s largest gold mine for another 10 years.

Four licences to operate at the Chatree mine – which straddles the border between Phetchabun and Pichit, 350 kilometres north of Bangkok – have been extended until December 29, 2031.

The mine was closed in January 2017 by a National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Article 44 decree, which cited locals’ complaints of pollution and environmental damage. The closure order triggered a battle with Akara’s parent company Kingsgate Consolidated of Australia, with an arbitration ruling due at the end of this month.

However, with Thailand set to pay over 25 billion baht in compensation if it loses the case, the government recently agreed to allow Akara to resume operations at the mine.

Akara Resources has been told to operate its business strictly in line with Thai laws and regulations, DPIM director-general Nirun Yingmahisaranon said.

The company has also been instructed to hire residents living near mining areas to generate revenue for local communities, he added.

“Also, Akara Resources Plc has been instructed to protect the environment and health of residents so it can coexist with local communities and society,” he said.

The concession extension was aimed to ensure that Thailand could produce enough of its own gold and silver, boosting the economy and quality of life amid the Covid-19 crisis, he added.

Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011499

Thailand has fallen six places to 110th in the annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International on Tuesday.

Thailand’s score fell one point to 35 in the CPI for 2021. The index ranks 180 countries and territories according to their perceived levels of corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

The CPI is the most widely used global corruption ranking in the world. It measures how corrupt each country’s public sector is perceived to be by experts and businesspeople. Each country’s score is a combination of at least three data sources drawn from 13 different corruption surveys and assessments. These data sources are collected by a variety of reputable institutions, including the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

Denmark, Finland and New Zealand share the top place in the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index, with a score of 88.

Countries that share 110th place with Thailand on a score of 35 include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mongolia and Malawi.

Singapore is the only Asian nation that makes the top 10 least corrupt countries in the world, coming in fourth with a score of 85, tied with Norway and Sweden.

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Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011486

The city administration has painted traffic markings to slow down motorists ahead of the zebra crossing where a doctor was killed by a speeding motorcycle.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration sent workers on Monday night to paint embossed white squares across 50 metres on both sides ahead of the zebra crossing where Dr Waralak Supawat-Jariyakul was fatally hit by a big bike.

The accident took place in front of Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital on Phya Thai Road on Friday.

The embossed markings are aimed at alerting motorists to slow down. The workers also painted white squares on both sides of each of the three lanes ahead of the pedestrian crossing to create an illusion of the lanes becoming narrower.

Under a tree near the spot where the doctor was killed, bouquets were placed to mourn the death of the 33-year-old woman.

A statistic released by the Public Health Ministry shows that about six to eight per cent of road fatalities from 2016 to 2018 were pedestrians, or an average of about 800 to 1,000 pedestrians killed in road accidents each year during the period. 
The National Statistics Bureau said about 2,500 to 2,900 pedestrians were involved in road accidents each year and one-third of them happened in Bangkok.

Published : January 25, 2022

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011479

After attending the funeral of Dr Waralak Supawat-Jariyakul in Bangkok’s Wat Phra Sri Mahathat Woramahawihan on Sunday, Pol Lance Corporal Norawit Buadok and his father Sub-Lieutenant Nikhom Buadok were ordained as Buddhist monks on Monday.

They will serve as monks at the Wat Pariwat Ratchasongkram in Bangkok’s Yannawa district.

Norawit, an officer with the Protection and Crowds Control Division, rammed his Ducati motorbike into Dr Waralak while she was at the zebra crossing in front of Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital on Phya Thai Road on Friday.

The victim, who was an ophthalmologist at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, succumbed to her injuries soon after.

Pol Maj-General Nakarin Sukonthawvit, chief of Protection and Crowds Control Division, said while attending chanting rites on Monday night that he had spoken to Norawit earlier and the lance corporal was deeply sorry for the incident.

“He said he wanted to ordain to make merit for Dr Waralak and that this decision was entirely his own, with no influence from his superiors,” Nakarin said, adding that the law allows suspects to ordain as monks provided it is not being done to escape punishment and the suspect has not killed his birth parents.

Nakarin added that Norawit has proved that he had purchased the motorbike and was not using a confiscated vehicle as suspected by many.

Norawit has reportedly not yet made a decision on how long he will spend in monkhood.

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Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011476

The Cabinet will add chicken meat to this year’s list of five price-controlled goods, deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said on Monday.

The other goods on the list include surgical masks, polypropylene fabric, alcohol gel and recycled paper.

Rachada said it was necessary to control the price of chicken, as it is an important source of protein.

She added that so far, the Commerce Ministry has built a list of 56 price-controlled items and services, including chicken, egg, pork, shampoo, detergent, rice, garlic, instant food, school uniform and medical treatment.

As part of the price-control action, the Central Commission on Prices of Goods and Services has set up the following measures for entrepreneurs, retailers and poultry farmers:

• Farmers who have more than 100,000 chickens and slaughterhouse operators that have a production capacity of over 4,000 chickens per day must inform the relevant authority of stock volume, production cost and retail price every month.

• Factories producing animal feed must provide information on stock volume, retail price, production capacity and cost every month.

• Businesses, retailers and poultry farm operators must receive approval from the Department of Internal Trade before increasing retail prices.

Rachada said the government and related agencies are accelerating efforts to control product prices to maintain a balance between generating revenue for farmers and ensuring the price does not affect people’s cost of living.

She added that the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand has announced that it will maintain the price of live pigs at 110 baht per kilogram until after Chinese New Year Day, which falls on February 1 this year. Meanwhile, the Association of Hen-Egg Farmers, Traders and Exporters has agreed to maintain the price of No 3 eggs at 2.90 baht.

“Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has promised that he will do his best to take care of citizens even though some measures will take time before we can see an outcome,” she added.

Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40011477

The easing of Covid-19 prevention measures and allowing booze to be served until 11pm only applies to restaurants, not pubs, bars or karaoke joints, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reiterated on Monday.

The Centre of Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) last week agreed to allow restaurants that meet all safety standards to extend the time they can serve booze by two hours, from 9pm to 11pm. However, this only applies to restaurants that have open spaces with proper ventilation. The new rule went into effect on Monday.

“Pubs, bars, karaoke joints and similar businesses will remain closed, as these establishments have a high risk of sparking Covid-19 clusters,” Anutin said. “If they want to reopen and serve alcohol, they must adjust their operation into a restaurant and fulfil the required criteria.

“Establishments that serve booze beyond the 11pm deadline or fail to adhere to the required criteria will be punished for violating the Communicable Disease Act, as well as have their licence revoked,” Anutin warned.

Separately, manufacturers of Sinovac and Sinopharm are seeking permission from the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use the inactivated Covid-19 vaccines on children aged 3 and above, the minister said.

“The FDA will take about two weeks to make a decision, provided the documentation is complete and meets requirements,” he added. “Meanwhile, parents who want to get their children vaccinated can choose the Pfizer vaccine that had been approved by the FDA for use on children aged 5 and above.”

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Published : January 25, 2022

By : THE NATION