A police lance corporal has been charged after his motorcycle hit and fatally injured a doctor as she was walking across the road at a zebra crossing in Bangkok.
CCTV images show Dr Waralak Supawat-Jariyakul, an ophthalmologist at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, crossing the walkway in front of Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital in Phayathai district on January 21. A van slows to let her pass, before a powerful red Ducati motorcycle emerges at speed in the right-hand lane and collides with Dr Waralak, sending her flying through the air.
Paramedics called to the scene found Waralak had suffered serious head injuries and a broken right leg. They performed CPR before rushing her to Rajavithi Hospital, where she died of her injuries a day later.
Lance Corporal Norawit Buadok, the off-duty policeman who crashed into Waralak, suffered a minor injury to his mouth. He was waiting at the scene as police arrived.
On Sunday, Norawit was charged with reckless driving causing death. He was released without bail after having voluntarily surrendered himself to police.
Most Thais are worried about a simultaneous spike of Covid-19 and PM2.5 air pollution over the busy Chinese New Year period.
The Department of Health’s latest opinion poll shows 65 per cent of Thais are concerned about the spread of Covid-19 and high levels of hazardous dust around lunar New Year celebrations on February 1.
Respondents said their biggest fear of infection was from going shopping on February 1 (51.8 per cent). This was followed by infection at family gatherings at home (42 per cent), and infection among the vulnerable elderly group (41.2 per cent).
Meanwhile, 35 per cent said they were not worried at all. Of these, 71.9 per cent cited their strong health, 33.3 per cent were accustomed to the situation, and 29.7 per cent said they were protected by vaccination.
In case of a double spike in Covid-19 and PM2.5, 85.3 per cent of respondents said they would protect themselves by wearing face masks in public, 72.5 per cent by washing their hands often, and 64.3 per cent by monitoring the epidemic and hazardous dust situation.
After the Department of Livestock Development officially put Thailand’s pork shortage and surging prices to an African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, the authorities immediately enforced tight controls.
The Commerce Ministry banned the export of live pigs until April 7 and instructed the Department of Internal Trade to track down hoarders.
The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), meanwhile, has earmarked 30 billion baht to provide loans to pig farmers via three projects in a bid to increase the supply of pork.
Assoc Prof Somporn Isavilanon, a senior academician at the Knowledge Network Institute of Thailand, tells The Nation how this outbreak and subsequent measures will change the country’s pig industry.
There is no vaccine against ASF. So, what will motivate farmers to go back to raising pigs?
It won’t be easy.
First, the epidemic has to be controlled. At this point, it is clear that neither the government nor the Department of Livestock Development has come up with an action plan on controlling or managing the outbreak. Just forcefully keeping the price of pork low or providing compensation to pig farmers is not managing the situation.
For instance, the Department of Livestock Development recently found an ASF outbreak in Ratchaburi. What about other places? There is no data on where the infection was concentrated. This information should be revealed because if some areas are less affected, then the pigs can be taken care of instead of being culled.
This information will also help at-risk farms to close their doors to outsiders, while infected pigs can be culled and farms compensated.
The Department of Livestock Development has pushed for strict control on the movement of pigs to prevent ASF.
This disease has been in existence for two years, and the public does not know what’s going on due to bureaucracy. Therefore, the first step will be to make all information public.
Once this is done, then the authorities should look into farms. Pig farming comes under the Department of Livestock Development and the main priority should be to prevent outbreaks.
My assumption is that small farms have already fallen to ASF, while mid-sized and large farms may have had to cull only 30 per cent of their pigs.
So, now that all smallholders are gone …
Small farms cannot survive. In Nakhon Pathom [which is known for its pig industry] farms, where pigs were being reared in the open space, have been wiped out. Now, the only viable pig farmer is a medium-sized, semi-large or large farm that breeds pigs in a closed system with relatively good biosecurity. Though limited, there is still a supply of pork. These suppliers are probably large farms.
The deputy agriculture minister put the shortage of pork down to hoarding.
I don’t know. The industry used to have some 20 million pigs a year, with 18-19 million being consumed domestically. Now they say about 4 million pigs have succumbed to the virus, so 14-15 million pigs should be available.
The pig farming community says there are just 1,000 pig farms left.
The 1,000 are large farms that cover about 50 per cent of the supply, while there were some 190,000 small farms and about 50 per cent of them have gone. Pig farms in the South are still doing well. The virus has spread in the North and West like in Ratchaburi’s Ban Pong district, but there is no ASF-related information available about the East.
The Department of Livestock Development has been very slow and is not taking steps based on solid academic data.
Has the ASF situation in Thailand passed its peak?
If the disease still exists, then we are still in a crisis.
How can we solve this crisis?
I think big farms can easily survive this because they have closed breeding systems that are shielded by biosafety and biosecurity standards as well as help from academics and modern technology.
The question is, how will the Department of Livestock Development solve the problem for small farms because they have not told me anything. Pigs are bred in a cycle, not based on farming seasons like rice. The pig cycle starts with the mother pig. Some farms have tried to save the mother, but many have failed.
There are three types of entrepreneurs in the pig industry, breeders, those specialising in piglets and those focusing on the fattening of pigs.
Even if all die, they will do their best to preserve the breeder.
Does it take at least a year and a half for a small farm to resurface?
Yes. Some farmers may have a mother pig, who will take about a year to produce a brood. However, if there is an agency that can import pigs and push for local pork prices to remain low, then small farmers won’t survive because animal feed is expensive.
The government has to maintain animal feed prices and help small farmers breed pigs in standardised closed systems to ensure the industry remains stable.
This outbreak will change the structure of Thailand’s pork industry. Nearly half of the smallholders have left the system. They will have to be financed and educated on the new farming system, which will take another year-and-a-half to two years. This will ensure the long-term food security of the country.
If necessary, where will pork be imported from?
Europe. Thailand has standards against red-meat accelerators, which are used in the US, so the private sector cannot import pork from there. If the pork has to be imported, it must come from Europe, which has quotas and clear export protocols. However, this should not affect new pig farmers.
Other countries have not developed ASF vaccines.
There is no vaccine anywhere, including in Thailand. Therefore, the vaccine will be an important variable, like the Covid-19 situation.
How long will pork remain expensive in Thailand?
Based on China and Vietnam’s experience, about one year. Though it depends on how quickly we can recover and how soon the virus can be wiped out globally without a vaccine.
The Labour Ministry will start employing bubble & seal measures in construction camps to ensure there are no Covid-19 infection clusters.
As part of the bubble & seal scheme, the ministry will conduct proactive tests, set up vaccination points and encourage construction workers to register so they can be insured under Article 33 for unemployment benefits.
The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry on Friday set up a working group to see if electronic cigarettes can be legalised as an alternative for smokers.
Asa Salikupt, from the End Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST) network, said the network supports DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn’s plan to legalise e-cigarettes and hopes the working group will be transparent, listen to public opinions and allow e-cigarette users to provide information.
“We believe the legalisation of e-cigarettes will help Thailand achieve the goal of reducing cigarette smokers and protecting non-smokers from the danger of second-hand smoke,” he said.
He also pointed out that the Excise Department can introduce an e-cigarette tax once it’s legalised.
Maris Karanyawat, also from ECST, said Britain, New Zealand and the Philippines are likely to promote the use of e-cigarettes as it can reduce the consumption of harmful substances and help those who cannot quit smoking cold turkey.
He added that many studies and foreign policies the network has cited so far have proved that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to tobacco.
“More than 70 countries have legalised e-cigarettes as it can reduce the number of smokers,” Maris added.
Earlier this week, Move Forward’s Bangkok MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn said in a Facebook post that he backs the legalisation of e-cigarettes and that he had spoken to Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit about the steps that should be taken.
He pointed out that by banning e-cigarettes the government is losing out on earning tax revenue, people are losing access to a safer alternative and the Tobacco Authority of Thailand is losing a chance to make money.
He also promised to follow the issue closely and work towards making smokers’ dreams come true.
The Public Health Ministry on Saturday approved plans to administer a fourth Covid-19 jab in February to people living in 10 tourism pilot provinces.
Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the plan has now been extended to cover more people. Initially, only medics and people at high risk were considered for a fourth jab.
“People who received their third jab more than three months ago can get their fourth jab in February,” he said.
Opas said a fourth AstraZeneca jab is recommended for those whose first two jabs were Sinovac and third AstraZeneca, while a Pfizer booster is recommended for those who received two AstraZeneca jabs and a Pfizer booster.
He added that provincial Communicable Disease Committees are responsible for planning vaccine management, setting up vaccination stations and publicising the information.
“We urge residents to follow the information provided by their local Communicable Disease Committee,” he added.
The 10 tourism pilot provinces include Phuket, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phang Nga, Bangkok, Chonburi, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Kanchanaburi and Pathum Thani.
The ministry has allocated 11.6 million doses – 8 million AstraZeneca and 3.6 million Pfizer – for the campaign and they will be divided as follows:
• 0.5 million each of AstraZeneca and Pfizer doses for those aged 18 and above who have never received a Covid-19 jab.
• 0.1 million Pfizer doses (purple cap) for those aged 12 to 17 years who have never received a Covid-19 jab.
• 1 million Pfizer doses (orange cap) for children aged 5-11.
• 6 million AstraZeneca and 2 million Pfizer doses as a booster for fully vaccinated people.
• 0.5 million AstraZeneca doses as a booster for those who were infected with Covid-19.
• 1 million AstraZeneca doses in reserve to tackle a possible outbreak.
Public Health Ministry reported on Sunday (January 23) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 7,686 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 186 of whom are foreign travellers.
Death toll increased by 13, while 7,445 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.
Cumulative cases in the country are at 2,377,500 with 22,032 total deaths.
The Thailand Meteorological Department on Sunday (January 23) that the westerly trough moves from the Northeast of Thailand to cover Laos while the southerly and the southeasterly winds prevail across the lower Northeast and the East regions with less rain and isolated thundershowers in the Northeast and the East.
People in the area should beware of the severe condition by keeping off outdoor places, big trees and unsecured billboards. Farmers should prevent for crop damage.
Meanwhile, the weak high-pressure system covers the upper North and the Northeast of Thailand and The South China Sea, and the upper westerly winds prevail over upper Thailand. Cool to cold is forecast in the North and cool in the morning is forecast in the Northeast, the Central and the East regions.
On mountaintops of the North and the Northeast, cold to very cold is forecast. The minimum temperature of the North mountaintops is in range of 3-10 °C while the Northeast ranges by 10-15 °C.
The weak northeast monsoon prevails over the Gulf and the South with isolated thundershowers.
The 24-hour weather forecast for different regions:
North: Cool to cold and 1-2 °C drop in temperature. Isolated light rains; temperature lows of 13-20 °C and highs of 28-34 °C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 3-10 °C.
Northeast: Cool in the morning and 1-2 °C drop in temperature. Isolated thundershowers; temperature lows of 18-21 °C and highs of 26-32 °C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 10-15 °C.
Central: Cool with fog in the morning and slight drop in temperature; temperature lows of 21-22 °C and highs of 31-33 °C.
East: Cool in the morning and slight drop in temperature. Isolated thundershowers; temperature lows of 20-25 °C, highs of 29-33 °C; waves below 1 metre high and about 1 metre offshore.
South (east coast): Cool in the morning. Isolated thundershowers; temperature lows of 21-24 °C, highs of 28-33 °C; waves below 1 metre high and about 1 metre in thundershowers in Surat Thani upwards, while about 1 metre high and above 1 metre in thundershowers in Nakhon Si Thammarat downwards.
South (west coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 22-25 °C, highs of 32-34 °C; waves below 1 metre high and about 1 metre offshore.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy and isolated light rains; temperature lows of 22-24 °C and highs of 31-34 °C.
Greater Bangkok and northern provinces will be hit by harmful levels of PM2.5 haze next week, the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation warned on Saturday.
Light winds and stagnant air from Tuesday to Friday will see levels of the hazardous dust spike in the capital city and satellite provinces, as well as the North, said Pollution Control Department director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa, who heads the centre.
Atthapol said PM2.5 levels would jump in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nan and Phrae from Tuesday to Thursday, and Phitsanulok and Phichit from Tuesday to Friday.
Greater Bangkok will see a spike in PM2.5 on Tuesday and Wednesday, he added.
Hourly updates of Thailand’s air quality are available on the websites Air4Thai.com and Bangkokairquality.com, as well as the mobile applications Air4Thai and AirBKK, Atthapol said.
He advised residents to avoid outdoor activities and wear face masks while outdoors during that period.
On Saturday, concentrations of PM2.5 in all areas of the country stayed within the safe threshold of 50 micrograms per cubic metre of air, according to the official.
Omicron will infect Thailand’s populace and boost its immunity before a vaccine for the new Covid-19 variant becomes available, a respiratory specialist said on Saturday.
Dr Manoon Leechawengwongs, a senior doctor specialising in respiratory and pulmonary diseases at Vichaiyut Hospital, said he saw no need for a fourth or fifth booster shot to protect against Omicron despite ongoing development of vaccines against the highly contagious variant.
“Everyone will be already infected with Omicron before the new-generation vaccine is available,” he wrote.
The doctor cited a forecast made by US Food and Drug Administration chief, Dr Janet Woodcock, that all Americans would eventually be infected with Omicron.
For Dr Manoon, higher antibody levels via booster shots do not offer 100 per cent protection against Covid-19 infection, particularly where Omicron is involved.
“It is just a good sign that infections will not lead to serious illness. So, there is less chance of long hospitalisation and death,” he said.
He cited reports of Israeli medics being infected with Omicron despite receiving a fourth shot of Pfizer. However, they suffered only mild or no symptoms at all, he added.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged Thais to avoid unnecessary travel and crowded places during the Chinese New Year festival. The PM urged people to maintain tight anti-Covid measures by social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands when they celebrate the lunar New Year on February 1.
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