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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023628

Bangkok welcomes 2023 with fantastic fireworks over the Chao Phraya

SUNDAY, JANUARY 01, 2023

Bangkok skies were lit up with a spectacular fireworks display at midnight as Thailand marked the New Year at Iconsiam’s “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2023”.

The display, visible from most parts of the city, involved more than 30,000 fireworks being set alight along the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

The event was held as part of the government’s schemes to stimulate Thailand’s tourism industry in the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Iconsiam countdown also helped Bangkok make it to CNN Travel’s list of the world’s top 10 places to welcome 2023.

CNN Travel recently published its list of 10 great places to ring in the New Year, and Bangkok made the roster with other favourites like Sydney, Taipei, Dubai, Cape Town, Rome, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, and Las Vegas.

Related stories:

• Bangkok fireworks usher in the New Year over iconic temple
• How to avoid making 2023 countdown a traffic nightmare in Bangkok
• Pattaya packing 3-day firework show into single countdown explosion

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023626

His Majesty lauds Thais for helping each other overcome crises

SUNDAY, JANUARY 01, 2023

In a televised speech on New Year’s Eve, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn wished his subjects a year of happiness and prosperity in mind and body.

The speech was broadcast live from Dusit Palace in Bangkok on Saturday evening.

His Majesty said that Thai people had the resilience to overcome crises and were kind enough to help each other in alleviating suffering.

Thai people’s natural kindness is key to helping Thailand develop sustainably, the King added.

“May the Triple Gems and all powers that exist in the world, including His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, protect everyone from suffering and help them achieve the success they desire next year,” the King said.

His Majesty was referring to the Triple Gems of Buddhism, namely the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Their Majesties the King and Queen also issued a card greeting Thais a Happy New Year.

The front of the card sported the Chakri dynasty and the King and Queen’s royal emblems, and Their Majesties’ photo inside with the message “New Year’s blessing BE 2566”.

Related stories:

• Supreme Patriarch extends New Year greetings, wishes for global peace
• HRH Princess Sirindhorn unveils greeting card for Thais
• Marking His Majesty’s birthday

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023627

dtac Unveils Most Popular New Year’s Eve Destinations and Apps

SUNDAY, JANUARY 01, 2023

dtac unveils top 10 most popular destinations, 10 provinces with the highest data usage, and 10 most frequently used apps on New Year’s Eve 2022. The records show that peak data usage occurred between 20:00 – 21:00 hrs. on December 31.

Prathet Tankuranun, Chief Technology Officer at Total Access Communication PLC or dtac, said: “We look at customer usage data in order to understand how we can further enhance the customer experience. Thai people often travel to rural areas during the New Year holidays and send new year wishes messages to their friends and family while travelling. To prepare for the increase in usage during the holiday season, dtac has boosted its network coverage nationwide while providing 24/7 network and customer service.”

dtac’s Top New Year Festival Mobile Data Usages:

Top 10 destinations with the highest number of tourists and visitors (including people who visited their hometown), according to mobility data between 26-30 December 2022:

1. Nakhon Ratchasima

2. Ubon Ratchathani

3. Buriram

4. Sisaket

5. Phetchabun

6. Khon Kaen

7. Surin

8. Nakhon Sawan

9. Roi Et

10. Chaiyaphum. 

Top 10 provinces with the highest data usage, according to data on 31 December 2022:

1. Nan

2. Uthai Thani

3. Phetchabun

4. Surin

5. Chaiyaphum

6. Kanchanaburi

7. Roi Et

8. Kalasin

9. Nong Bua Lamphu

10. Buriram. 

Top 10 most frequently used apps on New Year’s Eve:

1. Facebook

2. TikTok

3. YouTube

4. Instagram

5. LINE

6. Twitter

7. Shopee

8. WhatsApp

9. Lazada

10. Google Maps.

The Peak data usage occurred between 20:00 – 21:00 hrs. on 31 December 2022.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023622

Bangkok fireworks usher in the New Year over iconic temple

SUNDAY, JANUARY 01, 2023

THE NATION

Bangkok rang in the New Year with a countdown and fireworks display as midnight struck on Sunday (January 1) over the picturesque Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, by the Chao Phraya River.

The event organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand was celebrated with 500 shots of fireworks that lasted for a total of 5-minutes.
 

Some spectators said the fireworks brought hope for the new year, while others wished that COVID-19 would be over and normal lives can fully return.

“You know, I cried because of a lot of emotions and I have never seen such a great firework with all this emotions about the previous year, it was really you know difficult but at the same time, there were a lot of great things happened.

So, I think that next year will be great and I hope that we’ll, have a lot of great moments.”  Said ANASTASIA CHEBOTAREVA  VISITOR FROM RUSSIA

Fireworks explode over the Chao Phraya River during the New Year celebrations, in Bangkok, Thailand
 

Thailand’s economy remained on the recovery path in November, boosted by increased tourism and domestic consumption while exports deteriorated as global demand slowed, the central bank said on Thursday.

“Actually, I don’t want anything much apart from wishing that COVID-19 would disappear from the world. I wish we’d be back at living our lives without having to worry about anything. But I know that in the end, we have to learn to live with the present day and forget about the past. I want to see new changes in Thailand.” Said KANYAPHAT PHIMPARU // BANGKOK RESIDENT

Economic activity was likely to recover further as the vital tourism sector gathered steam, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) said, adding it would monitor slowing global demand, rising prices and China’s border reopening.

Tourist boats wait for the New Year fireworks to start on the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, ThailandFireworks explode during the New Year celebrations, in Bangkok.Fireworks explode over Wat Arun of the temple of dawn during the New Year celebrations, in Bangkok

THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023620

Southern train route most popular for Bangkok residents heading home for New Year

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

More than 2.2 million people used Thailand’s train services on Thursday and Friday, almost 70,000 or 3.26% higher than an earlier estimate, Department of Rail Transport director-general Pichet Kunadhamraks said on Saturday.

The South route had the largest share of passengers among trains departing from Bangkok Railway Station. Routes heading to the Northeast and North were second and third, respectively.

The capital’s annual New Year exodus began on Thursday as many city residents left for their home provinces.

Interprovincial train services provided by the State Railway of Thailand saw 175,474 passengers on Thursday and Friday, with 98,571 of them leaving Bangkok and 76,903 arriving in the capital, Pichet said.

Those traveling to or from the South were the most numerous: 53,764 (28,635 outbound and 25,129 inbound).

They were followed by people travelling to or from the Northeast, which saw 47,968 passengers (28,909 outbound and 19,059 inbound). The route connecting Bangkok and the North saw 39,266 passengers (22,293 outbound and 16,973 inbound).

The East route saw 21,530 passengers/trips (11,663 outbound and 9,867 inbound) while the Western route (Mahachai-Mae Klong) was the least popular, with 12,946 passengers in total on Thursday and Friday (7,071 outbound and 5,875 inbound).

Commuter trains covering Bangkok and its satellite provinces saw 2,026,162 cumulative passengers over the two days, Pichet said.

The Airport Rail Link, which connects Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport with the city’s centre, had 100,325 passengers, while SRT’s Red Line had 28,683.

The MRT Purple Line had 62,342 passengers, the Blue Line 562,575, and the Bangkok Mass Transit System’s Green and Gold lines transported 1,272,237 passengers on Thursday and Friday.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023619

Supreme Patriarch extends New Year greetings, wishes for global peace

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

Thailand’s Supreme Patriarch offered blessings to the kingdom’s people and expressed his wish for global peace in his New Year greeting on Saturday.

“In the new year of 2023, I wish you who are firm with Dharma progress and happiness, both for yourself and for society as a whole,” the top Buddhist monk wrote.

As Supreme Patriarch, Somdet Phra Ariyavangsagatayana is the head of the order of Buddhist monks in Thailand.

In his handwritten New Year greeting he wrote in Pali, “People who like Dharma are civilized.” The note also included a translation in Thai.

The senior monk, 95, also leads the Supreme Sangha Council, which is the governing body of the Thai Buddhist clergy.

In his greeting card, the Supreme Patriarch offered his blessings to Their Majesties the King and Queen, and other members of the Thai Royal family. Also, he wished for happiness and unity for the people of Thailand in the new year.

The monk also wrote that the practice of offering good wishes in the New Year is laudable as it reflects the civilisation of humanity.

“This goodwill can help maintain peace in the social circles of people, which in turn can be a factor to promote peace at the national and global levels,” he wrote.

“Human nature, different opinions, and individual egos can lead to clashes and chaos, or even physical assault. This is something nobody likes or looks for. Surprisingly, despite this knowledge, people opt not to do good deeds that bring positive results and progress to themselves and others,” he wrote.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023617

Driver crashes new BMW at temple while seeking abbot’s blessing

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

A car owner accidentally rammed his white BMW into three vehicles parked inside a Bangkok temple in Bangkok while he was on his way to seek the abbot’s blessing for the newly purchased car.

The incident took place at Wat Sarod in Bangkok’s Rat Burana district on Saturday morning.
Police were alerted about the crash at 7.30am.

The 53-year-old driver in question, identified as “Chatchai”, told police that he had purchased the car on Friday and visited the temple to seek the abbot’s blessing.

The man said that he stopped to ask for directions to the abbot’s room. The BMW’s brakes malfunctioned after he resumed driving the vehicle, he said.

After the breaks failed, he steered the vehicle away from people, Chatchai said.

The vehicle hit a pickup truck and two sedans, before finally crashing into an altar near the entrance of a hall.

“Luckily, the car didn’t crash into the hall, or things could have been worse,” the driver said.

Police summoned Chatchai and the owners of the damaged vehicles for questioning.

No injuries were reported.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023616

Govt issues stark warning to drunk drivers as their number surges

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

If you drive while you are drunk you risk 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht, deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek warned on Saturday, as the number of motorists arrested for drunk driving on Thursday and Friday surged 95.9% over the same two-day period last year.

Her warning was timed with the surge in arrests on the first two days of what are called the seven dangerous days for road travel.

The Department of Probation said on Saturday that 1,433 motorists were put under court-ordered probation for driving under the influence on Thursday and Friday.

Weerakit Harnpariphan, the department’s director-general, said the number of drunk driving cases on the first two days of the deadliest week for traffic accidents in Thailand rose by 858 – or 95.9% – from 575 on the same two days last year.

The two days are the beginning of what is referred to as the “7 dangerous days” for driving in Thailand. They run from December 29 to January 4. Every year, road accidents and fatalities peak during the seven days, and hospital emergency wards fill up with accident victims.

The number of drivers put under probation for drunk driving on Thursday and Friday represents 95% of all 1,507 drivers put under court-ordered probation on the two days. Two drivers were put on probation for careless driving and 72 were put on probation for driving under the influence of drugs.

Nonthaburi saw 120 drunk driving cases one the first two days of the deadly week, the highest nationwide, followed by 105 in Samut Prakan and 92 in Bangkok, Department of Probation records showed.

Rachada said that under the Land Traffic Act No 13 of 2022, motorists arrested for drunk driving for the first time risk imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of between 5,000 and 20,000 baht.

Those who commit the same crime within two years of the first will see their jail term increase to up to two years and the fine to between 50,000 and 100,000 baht. The court can also suspend their driving licenses for at least one year or revoke them entirely, she said.

Drunk drivers who cause injuries or death risk 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000. Their driving licenses will be revoked.

Suspected drunk drivers who refuse to take breath tests will be regarded as being drunk, Rachada said.

Adult motorists with more than 50 mg% of alcohol in their blood are classified as drunk drivers. Those below 20 years of age or using a temporary license are classified as drunk if their blood alcohol count exceeds 20 mg%.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023614

Navy scours Chumphon waters for last 5 HTMS Sukhothai crew

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) dispatched 28 Navy Seals and 53 divers on Saturday to hunt for the still missing five HTMS Sukhothai crew members.

The team will focus on seven islets and Makham Bay in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Chumphon province.

Vice Admiral Pichai Lorchusakul, commander of the First Naval Area Command, said it is believed the strong waves may have taken the bodies to these spots.

Meanwhile, five RTN ships, two helicopters and an aerial drone will continue circling around the wreckage site off Prachuap Khiri Khan and the Chumphon coast for signs of the missing crew.

The ill-fated warship sank some 20 nautical miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district on December 18 amid stormy weather with 105 crew onboard.

Seventy-six sailors were rescued and taken safely to shore, while 24 bodies have been found so far. No new bodies have been uncovered since Thursday.

Troops under the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division and RTN Marine Corps have also been scouring the beaches of Chumphon for sightings of bodies.

Related Stories

First underwater images of HTMS Sukhothai surface as divers search wreck

6 still missing from HTMS Sukhothai after grim discoveries in Chumphon

Thai navy intensifies hunt for 8 missing HTMS Sukhothai crew

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023611

27 Thais killed in Poipet casino fire ready for retrieval

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

The bodies of 27 Thai nationals killed in the Poipet casino fire have been released by Cambodian authorities to be transported back to Thailand.

Chotinrin Kerdsom, the Interior Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, said on Friday that the ministry and Sa Kaew provincial authorities have set up a help centre at the Aranyaprathet district office to coordinate the transportation. The centre will also contact the relatives to confirm the identities and collect the bodies for funeral services.

The Thai-owned Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino on the Cambodian side of the Ban Klong Luk checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district caught fire at around 11pm on Wednesday.

Many Thai employees and customers are believed to have been trapped inside the casino when the fire broke out.

On Friday afternoon, 10 bodies were delivered to the Aranyaprathet district office and are being stored in cold storage units provided by the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.

Once identified, the bodies will be released to their family members for funeral rites.

Chotinrin believes the other 17 bodies, currently kept at Wat Trad temple in Poipet, will be transported to Thailand today.

Hunt for victims continued on Saturday as rescue workers slowly made their way through the 20-storey hotel, which is now tilting due to fire damage, making it difficult to access the keycard-controlled rooms.

Officials believe there are still many guests trapped in these rooms, but firefighters need to be careful when breaking down the doors as it may bring down the building.

Related Stories

Ten Thai victims of Poipet blaze ready for relatives to retrieve

Rescue workers search for victims on higher floors of hotel after deadly Poipet casino blaze

At least 10 feared dead in Poipet casino inferno as people jump from 5th floor