Underground tunnels open portals to Bangkok’s historic attractions
FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2023
Tourists in Bangkok are discovering two new pedestrian tunnels to historic attractions such as the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), the City Pillar Shrine and the Sanam Luang royal ceremonial ground.
The two air-conditioned tunnels were opened on January 1 in the Old Town district of Phra Nakhon to provide residents and tourists with convenient and safe alternatives to the roads above.
The tunnels’ construction was initiated in July 2020 by former Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang at a cost of 1.1 billion baht. The two underground passageways can accommodate more than 35,000 pedestrians per day.
The first tunnel is 96 metres long and lies 6.6 metres underground at the intersection of Na Phra Lan and Na Phra That Roads, with entrances close to Wat Phra Kaew and Sanam Luang. It features waiting areas, 21 male toilets and 51 female toilets, two elevators, a staircase and three escalators at each of the four entrances.
The second tunnel is 90 metres long and lies 4.7 metres under Maharat Road. The tunnel also features waiting areas, 15 male toilets and 20 female toilets, two elevators and escalators at each of the two entrances.
New fluorescent particles from palm fruit waste can now target cancer cells
FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2023
Thai researchers have successfully invented a new treatment for colon cancer with the use of fluorescent carbon dots created from polymers derived through empty bunches of the palm fruit.
Deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said on Friday that the innovation was created via cooperation between Mahidol University’s Faculty of Engineering and the National Science and Technology Development Agency’s National Nanotechnology Centre.
These fluorescent carbon particles have been designed to deliver targeted chemotherapy to only cancer cells, thus cutting down on side effects and severity.
“The luminescent carbon particles will also make it easier for medical staff to provide follow-up treatment,” she said.
This innovation should help boost the rate of survival among colon cancer patients, and will also be cheaper as it cuts down on the need to import expensive drugs, she said.
“This innovation is also in line with the bio-circular-green [BCG] economy model and aims to help further develop Thailand’s healthcare industry,” she added.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Thailand. Nearly 200,000 people died from the disease in 2020 and the five most common in Thailand are breast, lung, colon, liver and cervical cancer.
First planeload of 200 Chinese tourists to land in Thailand on Monday
FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2023
The first flight carrying around 200 Chinese tourists will touch down at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday as China resumes outbound travel, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Thursday.
The flight from Xiamen in southern China will be the first to arrive in Thailand after China scraps quarantine measures on Sunday, giving the green light for citizens to travel. The country is also downgrading Covid-19 from a top-tier Class A infectious disease to Class B.
Phiphat said the first flight is a good sign that Chinese tourists will return to Thailand in large numbers following more than two years of Covid-19 restrictions. He said more flights will be restored before the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 22. China was Thailand’s largest overseas tourism market before Covid, accounting for 28% of total arrivals.
The tourism minister said he has urged airlines to increase flights from Bangkok to tourist provinces such as Phuket and Chiang Mai, as well as the Northeast, in the weeks before and during Chinese New Year to distribute Chinese tourists to other cities and reduce crowding at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Airlines have also been urged to consider opening a new direct flight from Kunming to Hat Yai in the South, he added.
“We should see an influx of Chinese tourists from April to June onward, despite it being low season,” Phiphat said.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates around 300,000 Chinese arrivals in the first quarter and at least 5 million for the whole year. That should push up the number of foreign tourists arriving in Thailand throughout 2023 to at least 25 million, it added.
“About 60,000 Chinese tourists will visit Thailand in January, with another 90,000 in February and 150,000 in March,” said Thanes Phetsuwan, TAT deputy governor of marketing for Asia-Pacific.
Thailand has imposed no special restrictions on Chinese travellers, who face the same entry requirements as all other international arrivals – full vaccination (two doses) and a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours. Other countries including the US and Japan have imposed special rules for arrivals from China, where the Covid-19 infection rate is soaring.
Thanes said foreign tourists are also required to purchase health insurance, but this should not affect the number of Chinese visitors as health insurance only costs about 400 baht in China.
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said he will lead an inspection of Suvarnabhumi Airport next Thursday to ensure Thailand’s main entry point is prepared for the influx of tourists from China ahead of Chinese New Year.
Teachers’ Day slogan revealed: ‘Good teachers, good students = good future’
FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2023
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has unveiled the slogan for the upcoming Teachers’ Day, which falls on January 16 each year.
The slogan for this year is “Good teachers and good students result in a good future”.
Activities to mark the day will be held at the Teachers’ Council of Thailand and the park in front of the adjoining Education Ministry building in Bangkok’s Dusit district.
Education Minister Treenuch Thienthong said this year’s activities will be organised under the theme “Teachers’ Power is the Heart of Transforming Educational Quality”, to highlight the role of teachers in improving the country’s education standard and ensuring a good future for all students.
The activities will also be broadcast on NBT’s TV and radio channels as well as on facebook.com/Khurusaphaofficial/ from 9.30am.
Schools nationwide will also host Teacher’s Day ceremonies, where students traditionally honour their teachers by wai-ing and presenting them with floral pedestal trays.
Thai soldier killed clearing mines on border near Preah Vihear temple
FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2023
One Thai soldier was killed and another critically injured when a landmine exploded during their humanitarian mine-clearing mission at the Thai-Cambodian border on Thursday.
Sergeants Akkaraphol Phuwadolworanat and Warongkorn Sri-ngam were removing mines left during previous conflicts in the border district of Kantharalak, Si Sa Ket. Kantharalak was the site of a decades-long dispute over territory around the ancient Angor temple of Preah Vihear.
Akkaraphol died and Warongkorn was seriously injured when a mine exploded at 10.30am on Thursday.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed condolences to the families of both soldiers and instructed commanding officers to use extra caution for the rest of the mission.
Authorities in Thailand and Cambodia met on December 8 and agreed to accelerate mine clearance efforts along the border to ensure safety for local villagers.
The Army will hold funeral rites for Akkaraphol and provide benefits to the families of both soldiers as per regulations.
The Defence Ministry says it has so far cleared landmines from 2,527 square kilometres in 21 provinces. About 29.7 square kilometres in six provinces still needed to be swept.
Newly appointed chief spells out four-point plan to develop EEC
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
The new chief of the state agency that runs the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) has come up with a “4Rs” plan to push the special industrial zone as a model for sustainable development.
Chula Sukmanop, the newly appointed secretary-general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office (EECO), said that his mission was to lead the agency to “re-evaluate, re-image, revive, and realise”.
Re-evaluation involves assessing challenges facing the EEC’s development, including the post-Covid “next normal” environment, the global recession, and climate change, he said in an interview with Krungthep Turakij, a sister publication of The Nation.
He said “re-imaging” involves creating a new image for the EEC so that it is viewed as modern and suitable for the current global context. The goal is to build confidence among potential investors in the economic development zone, which covers the three eastern seaboard provinces of Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao.
The “revive” measure involves building public awareness of the projects being implemented in the EEC, Chula said. These include an effort to make the EEC’s residential area and working area coexist peacefully through such projects as “Smart Living City and EEC: Destination & Workation”.
The “realisation” measure involves turning policies and plans into actual projects, products and positive results, according to Chula. The goal is to create and maintain an ecosystem suitable for continued and sustainable development, he said.
On December 28, the EECO executive board, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, resolved to appoint Chula – a former inspector-general of the Transport Ministry – as its new secretary-general.
The new chief said that his management would focus on good governance, modernisation, and Thai values while highlighting the EEC’s diversity and uniqueness.
He said the EEC would act as a facilitator for all the stakeholders including business entrepreneurs and those involved in the supply chain.
Chula also spelled out three main goals for the EECO – development of infrastructure costing 200 billion baht around the EEC, attracting 400 billion baht in investment per year, and upgrading communities around the EEC in terms of economic development, education, public health, environment, and public utilities.
317 killed, over 2,400 injured on Thai roads during New Year break
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
Another 25 people were killed and 253 injured in 241 traffic accidents on the last of the “7 dangerous days” for accidents on Thai roads, raising the total number of fatalities to 317, Interior Ministry deputy permanent secretary Chotnarin Kerdsom said on Thursday.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department’s Road Safety Centre has been working with other agencies to gather data on road accidents during the seven days which ended on January 4.
The center released the following data for January 4:
Main causes of accidents
• Speeding – 34.85%
• Getting cut off – 24.48%
Vehicle type involved in the most accidents
• Motorcycle – 80.24%
Type of road where accidents are most frequent
• Straight sections of roads – 85.06%
Location of most accidents
• Highways – 48.96%
• Village roads – 24.48%
Time of most accidents
• 4pm-5pm – 8.71%
Age range of most casualties
• 40-49 – 16.19%
Chotnarin said 55,749 officials were deployed at 1,880 road checkpoints countrywide on Wednesday and that they stopped 327,401 vehicles. Their checks resulted in legal action against 49,072 people.
Songkhla province had the highest number of road accidents on Wednesday: 13. Kanchanaburi had the highest number of injuries: 15. Chiang Rai, Roi-Et, Songkhla, Surat Thani, and Udon Thani had the highest number of deaths: two each.
The seven dangerous days span December 29 to January 4.
Chotnarin said there were 2,440 road accidents in Thailand during the week and that they resulted in 2,437 injuries and 317 deaths.
Surat Thani had the highest number of road accidents, 79, during the week and Kanchanaburi had the highest number of injuries: 81.
Chiang Rai had the highest number of fatalities. Fifteen people were killed in road accidents in the northern province during the seven days.
Five of Thailand’s 77 provinces – Narathiwat, Bueng Kan, Phang Nga, Satun, and Sukhothai – did not report any deaths from road accidents, Chotnarin said.
He said that Thailand saw a decline in road accidents, injuries, and deaths compared to the last three years.
Drunk driving, speeding, and not using seat belts or helmets are the main causes of injuries and death, Chotnarin said.
Seventy percent of motorcycle-accident victims were not wearing helmets, he said.
The Road Safety Centre instructed provincial authorities to examine data on traffic accidents to develop new strategies to reduce road accidents, including stricter enforcement of laws and intensifying efforts to raise awareness about road safety.
Even though the New Year break has ended, every relevant agency will continue to educate the public about road safety, Chotnarin said.
Probation Department director-general Veerakit Hanparipan said on Thursday that 1,646 people were put under court-ordered probation on Wednesday due to violations of driving laws and regulations.
They comprised 1,575 people charged with drunk driving, 65 charged with driving under the influence of drugs, and six charged with careless driving. Drunk driving charges accounted for 95.69% of the total.
During the seven dangerous days, the Probation department reported 8,923 cases: 96.1% (8,567 cases) were for drunk driving, 3.75% (335 cases) were for driving under the influence of drugs, and 0.24% (21 cases) were for careless driving, Veerakit said.
The provinces with the highest number of drunk-driving cases were Roi-Et with 469, Samut Prakan with 388, and Nonthaburi with 358.
Veerakit said the number of drivers put on probation for drunk driving during the seven dangerous days rose this year. Last year, 7,868 drivers were placed on probation for drunk driving during the week, compared to 8,567 this year.
Probation for drunk drivers includes alcohol treatment and community service, Veerakit said.
Tourists need at least 2 Covid-19 shots to enter Thailand: Health Minister
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
Tourists entering Thailand will be required to have at least two Covid-19 vaccine shots, it was agreed at a meeting of four ministries on Thursday.
The date this requirement will take effect, however, was not announced.
The meeting was held at Government House in preparation for the return of Chinese visitors on Sunday.
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told a press conference after the meeting that in addition to the vaccination requirement, tourists from countries that require negative RT-PCR results on their return must have insurance covering Covid-19 testing and treatment before entering Thailand.
Anutin did not, however, tell reporters when the requirement would take effect.
Tourists should postpone trips to Thailand if they develop respiratory symptoms, said Anutin, who doubles as a deputy prime minister.
He chaired the meeting attended by senior officials from the ministries of public health, transport, tourism and sport, and foreign affairs.
When the country began fully reopening to tourists last October, Thailand scrapped the requirement for proof of vaccination and antigen test results as well as health insurance.
A large number of tourists from China are expected to travel overseas from January 8, when the country will also stop requiring inbound travellers to quarantine, although they must be tested before arrival.
Anutin said Thai medical experts agreed that measures to monitor Covid-19 should apply equally to citizens of all countries and should be sufficient for an expected surge of Chinese tourists.
Thailand’s public health system is capable of dealing with any emergency and there is a contingency plan if a severe outbreak occurs, he said.
Due to concern over potential new Covid-19 variants from China, many countries have demanded predeparture tests for Chinese visitors. They include Japan, the United States, Australia, and many European nations.
Successful crackdown on cyber scammers attributed to teamwork with Cambodia
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
Thailand has worked closely with Cambodia to successfully crack down on online criminal gangs based in the neighbouring country, Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn said on Thursday.
Over the past year, the ministry has succeeded in suppressing criminals involved in scam call centres in Cambodia who prey on victims in Thailand, and working closely with Cambodian authorities has been key to its success, the minister said.
A working group comprising relevant agencies from both countries has used information from victims to locate the criminal gangs involved in the scams and make arrests, Chaiwut said.
Technology has been used to identify the suspects and block their internet connections before the arrests, he added.
The minister said the close collaboration between both countries made the crackdown more effective and would eventually rid Cambodia of the gangs behind the scams.
After being arrested, the fraudsters are sent to Thailand for prosecution.
Close cooperation has made it easier to transfer criminals across borders, Chaiwut said. Fraudsters involved in fake call centres often trick victims into believing they are in imminent danger and then promise them relief from an invented threat, for a price.
Gangs involved in what the ministry refers to as “hybrid scams” create fake social media accounts they use to encourage victims to transfer money to a bogus investment via a fake platform.
Navy says ‘HTMS Sukhothai’ was fully repaired before being recommissioned
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
The Royal Thai Navy on Thursday rejected a report on a Facebook page that the doomed “HTMS Sukhothai” was not fit for operation as its steel hull had eroded at 13 spots.
The Royal Thai Naval Dockyard issued a statement to affirm that “HTMS Sukhothai” had been fully repaired and met the safety standards before it was recommissioned in the Royal Thai Fleet on January 28, 2021.
The corvette sank some 20 nautical miles (32 kilometres) in a stormy sea off the coast of Bang Saphan district in Prachuap Khiri Khan province on December 18 with 105 crew onboard. So far, 76 members of the crew have been rescued and brought safely to shore, while 24 sailors have been declared dead and five missing. Since December 29, no bodies have been found.
A Facebook page hinted that the capsize might have been caused by the fact that 13 spots in its hull were more than 25% thinner than the original hull.
Vice Admiral Sutthisak Bunnag, commander of the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard, said on Thursday that the report on the Facebook page was incomplete.
He explained that HTMS Sukhothai was at the Mahidol Adulyadej dry dock for routine maintenance from July 12 to September 3, 2021 and the maintenance operation did find erosion in 13 spots, which were 25% thinner than the original hull.
But the corvette had been repaired and tested for safety before it was returned to the Royal Thai Fleet, Sutthisak insisted.
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