#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010934

Public Health Ministry reported on Tuesday (January 11) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 7,133 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 45 of whom have been found in prisons.

Death toll increased by 12, while 3,306 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,284,609 – 2,200,785 of whom have recovered, 61,974 are still in hospitals and 21,850 have died.

Separately, another 28,297 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 69,514 their second shot and 185,763 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 106,758,696.

According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 311.1 million on Tuesday, 260.67 million of whom have recovered, 44.92 million are active cases (93,327 in severe condition) and 5.51 million have died (up by 4,608).

Thailand ranks 25th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 62.66 million, followed by India with 35.87 million, Brazil with 22.56 million, the UK with 14.62 million and France with 12.21 million.

Published : January 11, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010933

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Tuesday (January 11) that another high-pressure system from China extended to over upper Vietnam. It is expected to move to the Northeast of Thailand and the South China Sea today. 

Cool to cold, strong winds and a decrease in temperature by 2-4 °C are forecast in the Northeast. Cool to cold with morning fog are likely in the North. Cool with morning light fog are likely in 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 4-14 °C while the Northeast ranges by 7-15 °C.

The weak northeast monsoon prevails across the Gulf of Thailand and the South with less rains and isolated thundershowers for the lower South.

The 24-hour weather forecast for different regions:

North: Cool to cold with morning fog; temperature lows of 14-18 °C and highs of 31-36 °C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 4-14 °C.

Northeast: Cool to cold with strong winds, decrease in temperature by 2–4 °C; temperature lows of 13-18 °C and highs of 30-33 °C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 7-15 °C.

Central: Cool with morning light fog; temperature lows of 18-20 °C and highs of 33-35 °C.

East: Cool with morning light fog; temperature lows of 18-24 °C, highs of 31-35 °C; waves below 1 metre high and about 1 metre offshore.

South (east coast): Cloudy and isolated thundershowers; temperature lows of 19-24 °C, highs of 29-31 °C; waves about 1 metre high and above 1 metre in thundershowers in Surat Thani upwards, while 1-2 metres high and about 2 metres in thundershowers in Nakhon Si Thammarat downwards.

South (west coast): Cloudy and isolated light rains; temperature lows of 21-25 °C, highs of 32-34 °C; waves below 1 metre high and about 1 metre offshore.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool with morning light fog; temperature lows of 22-24 °C, highs of 33-36 °C.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : January 11, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40010929

The Department of Medical Services has urged hospitals across the country not to turn away children sickened by Covid-19 amid an expected surge of Omicron cases. Department chief Dr Somsak Ankasil predicts the new wave will hit children aged 5-11 especially hard.

Supplies of antiviral favipiravir liquid are being prepared at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health to cope with the expected surge. The institute is also arranging for paediatric experts to oversee home-isolation and community-isolation cases, and preparing medical supplies such as masks for young patients.

Two babies aged four months and six months old who were admitted to the institute on Sunday after a long wait were asymptomatic and categorised as mild (“Green”) cases, Dr Somsak said. Both are being monitored closely.

He asked for all hospitals to cooperate by admitting young patients who arrived needing treatment.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010930

A near impossible mission turned into a victory when a volunteer diver managed to find a diamond solitaire that had slipped off a woman’s finger at a waterfall in Kamphaeng Phet.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the Khlong Lan National Park congratulated diver Paek Khayok for finding the one-karat diamond ring for Bangkok resident Nit Phokul.
 

Nit was in the waterfall last Thursday when she slipped and fell, and the water rapids pulled the ring off her finger.
Two days later, Surachai Pokamanee, chief of the Khlong Lan development office, called on treasure hunter Paek to help.

Though the area where Nit had lost her ring was full of slippery rocks and rapidly flows, Paek managed to locate the gem in 35 minutes using his metal detector.
He then ceremoniously handed the ring over to a smiling Nit, who slipped it on and posed for a selfie with him.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010926

Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit on Monday warned vendors not to hike the egg price amid a looming shortage.

Jurin said his ministry had not yet approved a price increase and would take legal action against anyone hiking egg or chicken meat prices to exploit consumers.
 

He was reacting to reports that the egg price is set to jump as farmers can no longer absorb the rising price of chicken feed.
Jurin said farmers who needed to hike the price to reflect rising costs could apply to the ministry, which would grant approval on a case-by-case basis.
He added that the ministry did not want the cost burden to impact small-time farmers and trigger another egg shortage.
Concern over the price of chicken and eggs comes after the pork price soared to around 200 baht per kilogram.
The Commerce Ministry has intervened by selling pork at 150 baht/kg in more than 600 “blue-flag” shops around the country.
The ministry is also seeking more budget to subsidise small-time pig farmers to prevent pork shortages.
The southern hen farming association reports the price of a kilo of chicken feed has risen 3 baht to 15 baht, prompting small farms to raise prices to 3 baht per egg.
Association president Suthep Suwannarat said if they are not allowed to raise prices, smallholders might have to stop farming, which would result in further price pressure.
“Currently, about 51 million hens are being raised for eggs nationwide,” Suthep said. “If small-time farmers have to stop farming, 11-12 million hens would disappear and this could push the retail price past Bt10 per egg.”

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/pr-news/in-focus/40010924

DTAC and Chulalongkorn University has reached out to Thailand’s Gen Z to create the “Stop Cyberbullying Playbook” of rules for internet use.

Last July, Gen Z members were asked to name the top three cyberbullying problems. Body shaming, sexual harassment, and gender inequality came top of the rankings, according to researcher Thanee Chaiwat, director of the Chula’s Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Economics.

On the body-shaming issue, the key is that everyone is aware of and respects the diversity in human bodies. Gen Z respondents wanted people to stop criticising others’ appearances and judge people without “beauty privilege”.

They also wanted the law to aid cyberbullying victims after completion of legal cases.

On sexual harassment, they thought that public campaigns against the problem would be useful. They wanted children to be taught to respect others’ bodies, and adults to be good role models who do not harass others sexually.

Moreover, they wanted to raise awareness via the media of problems caused by patriarchy, as well as cyberbullying and violence.

On gender inequality, they thought that people should cultivate sympathy with gender diversity and eradicate patriarchy. They also said the government should amend the law to create gender equality.

DTAC and production house Salmon House on Friday released a skit to promote the anti-cyberbullying campaign. The skit shows how jokes of the past are nowadays considered unfunny and constitute bullying.

DTAC said it wanted to know the roots of problems and connect the dots, adding that every sector must work together to solve social problems.

People who are interested could check out the ‘Stop Cyberbullying Playbook’ and Gen-Z’s agreement against cyberbullying at https://www.safeinternetlab.com/brave.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010923

Surging Omicron infections accounted for over 70 per cent of all new Covid-19 cases in Thailand last week, health officials said on Monday.

Random DNA sequencing found the Omicron variant was responsible for 70.3 per cent of cases reported from January 2-8, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). Delta accounted for just 29.7 per cent of cases in the same period. The CCSA said the surge in new-variant cases was not unexpected.

A total of 5,397 Omicron cases have been recorded in Thailand, with infections found in all but five provinces.
Overall, Omicron now accounts for 35.17 per cent of Covid-19 infections in Thailand, but Delta remains the dominant variant at 76.71 per cent. However, that situation is expected to reverse soon in line with Omicron’s global dominance.
A total of 7,926 new Covid-19 cases were logged on Monday, including 412 among foreign visitors in pilot-tourism provinces. Meanwhile, 3,612 Covid patients were discharged, leaving 58,159 cases still in hospital with 495 suffering lung infection and 115 on ventilators.
Thailand also saw 13 deaths from Covid in the 24 hours up to Monday, the victims all elderly or suffering from chronic conditions.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010916

Fares on shuttle boats plying Bangkok’s main Saen Saeb canal will rise by 1 baht from Friday (January 14), the service provider announced on Monday.

Chaovalit Methayaprapas, managing director of Family Transport, said new fares will start at 9 baht and rise incrementally based on the distances. A trip from start to finish will cost 19 baht.
 

He said the fares need to be increased in line with the rising price of diesel and the fact that his company sustained major losses from the significant drop in commuters due to the pandemic.
Chaovalit added that though the Harbour Department gave his company the green light to increase fares since April 10, 2020, he held off due to fears that it would increase the burden on Bangkok commuters.
He explained that previously diesel price was fixed at 25 baht per litre, and that was fine thanks to a high number of passengers.
Now, however, the price of diesel has risen to 30 baht per litre and passengers are staying indoors over fears of Omicron, he said. The number of passengers has dropped by 80 per cent to no more than 10,000 daily.
The Saen Saeb canal boat service is usually popular among Bangkok commuters as it offers them a chance to escape traffic jams at rush hour.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010915

The Thai public has been advised not to panic over reports of the new Covid-19 variant “Deltacron”, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha saying the country’s health system is prepared to tackle any outbreak.

Recent reports say scientists have identified “Deltacron” – a mix of the virulent Delta variant and the highly transmissible Omicron – which apparently infected 25 people in Cyprus.
 

However, Ramathibodi Hospital’s Medical Genome Centre has analysed the 25 patients’ DNA samples and scientists believe the samples may have been contaminated, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonchana said on Monday.
He added that the Public Health Ministry’s Medical Health Service Department has also pointed out that the new variant is yet to be recognised by any health authority on the global level. The department is monitoring reports and waiting for official updates.
Thanakorn said that peer reviews by health experts across the world also say that the 25 patients’ samples may have been contaminated during the DNA sequencing in a lab in Cyprus.
“So, people should not panic over the new variant,” the spokesman quoted Prayut as saying.
The PM has also assured the public that Thai health facilities are ready to cope with any Covid variant provided people take full precaution and adhere to measures set by the Public Health Ministry.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010914

Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSO) is urgently distributing one million free rapid antigen test kits (ATKs) to combat a surge in Covid-19 Omicron infections.

On Monday, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered health agencies to hand out the free self-testing kits nationwide to stem the highly infectious variant’s spread.

The kits were leftover from a previous NHSO procurement. They will be distributed mainly at squatter communities, markets and public transport terminals, the minister added.
Anutin noted that earlier distribution of kits by the NHSO had driven the retail price down from Bt200 to Bt20-Bt40, making the kits more affordable for the general public.
Anutin said the surge in Covid-19 cases following the New Year holiday had sparked 4,500-5,000 calls per day to the NHSO 1330 hotline as infected people sought help.
The hotline has now added another 230 operators, raising capacity to 20,000 calls per day, Anutin said.
He said the NHSO hotline would help infected people access community isolation or undergo home isolation.
NHSO chief Jadet Thammathat-Aree said his agency has assessed the Omicron situation and made preparations to care for people via its hotline and @nhso Line app.

Published : January 10, 2022

By : THE NATION