#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008006

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases has earmarked three dates to hear the case filed against the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) over bidding on the MRT Orange Line extension.

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) is suing MRTA and the selection committee from Article 36 of the 2019 Public-Private Partnership Act for changing the bidding criteria for the Bang Khun Non-Min Buri (Suwinthawong) Orange Line extension. The bidding was launched in August 2020.

BTSC’s executive director Surapong Laoha-Unya said on Monday that the court has checked the documents submitted by both sides and will hear the case on December 14, 20 and 24.

After that, he said, the court will listen to witness testimonies before deciding whether the case should be taken to trial.

Surapong explained that BTSC had filed the case for the sake of transparency and fair competition. He added that the case should become clearer before the first hearing on December 14 and BTSC will look into whether it should bid for the project.

Meanwhile, the court rejected the MRTA’s request for a gag order on the case, saying facts can be presented to the media provided both parties are cautious.

Court sets 3 dates in Dec to hear case on MRT Orange Line extension

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Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008005

The Bureau of the Royal Household announced on Tuesday that it will open the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple to visitors from November 1 onward.

The announcement on the website http://www.royaloffice.th stated that the bureau will employ Covid-19 preventive measures to ensure the safety of all visitors and staffers, whereas everyone must wear a face mask at all time in the Grand Palace and surrounding areas. 

At every entrance visitors will be required to scan QR Code to check-in to the Thai Chana tracing platform, or put their name-last name and telephone number in the visitor log. There will also be alcohol hand sanitizers operated by foot available at every entrance.

Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha Temple open to visitors on Nov 1

Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha Temple open to visitors on Nov 1

All public surfaces and restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected every 20 minutes, whereas medical professionals will standby during opening hours to provide medical aids in case of emergency.

Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha Temple open to visitors on Nov 1

Like many tourist attractions in Bangkok, the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha Temple have been shut down to prevent the spreading of Covid-19 among tourists. The attraction will open again next month along with the government’s plan to reopen selected tourist provinces to foreign visitors who have been fully vaccinated and tested negative for Covid-19.

Grand Palace, Emerald Buddha Temple open to visitors on Nov 1
 

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Royal palaces and other locations closed to visitors

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008004

The Surasri task force rounded up 260 Myanmar nationals who had sneaked into Thailand via Kanchanaburi’s Sai Yok district on Monday.

Of them, 14 were nabbed at the Ban Phu Noi village at 8am, 34 in the Ban Thung Chang village at 9.30am and another 212 at 12.10pm in the same area.

The migrants said they hailed from Myanmar’s Dawei, Mawlamyine, Yangon, Bago, Rakhine and Naypyidaw areas and claimed to have paid between 18,000 and 23,000 baht each to agents.

They were allegedly heading to jobs in Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Chonburi, Ratchaburi, Ayutthaya and Samut Prakan.

260 Myanmar nationals caught sneaking across the border in Kanchanaburi

The task force screened each migrant’s body temperature before sending them to Sai Yok Police Station for legal procedure.

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• Over 450 Thai, Myanmar workers test positive for Covid-19 in Mae Sot
• For immigrants, IDs prove to be a barrier to a dose of protection
• All natural borders with Myanmar boarded up

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008002

A woman, who tested positive for Covid-19, allegedly jumped to her death from a seven-storey apartment building on Monday night in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi area.

Lat Phrao police were informed of the case at about 10.45pm and learned that the woman, identified only as Panthita, had allegedly jumped from her flat on the sixth floor. The woman, believed to be under 30 in age, was the daughter of the apartment building’s owner and had left behind a will for her share of the property.

Two initial ATK tests on the body produced Covid-positive results. The case is being investigated.

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008001

A report questioning whether the yearly “Bung Fai Phaya Nak” (Naga fireballs) in Nong Khai was a natural phenomenon or a man-made one went viral on social media on Saturday.

The administrator of the Facebook page “PhisucnBangfiPhyanakh” (Proving Naga fireball) posted images of flare guns being fired in the air in Bueng Kan’s Muang district on Thursday and in Nong Khai’s Rattana Wapee district on Friday.

The page administrator, Somphob Khasawat, said he has been observing the event for a decade now and believes the fireballs are actually flare gun shots from the Lao side of the Mekong River.

The Naga fireballs – a natural phenomenon or a man-made trick?

He submitted evidence, including the list of 10 Laotian villages located opposite Nong Khai and Bueng Kan districts, photos and video clips, to the Laos Embassy for further investigation.

Somphob, however, said he did not want to destroy the legend of the mythical Naga, which is worshipped by people living along the banks of the Mekong River.

As for people living in the riverside Ban Tha Muang village in Nong Khai’s Rattana Wapee district, the Naga fireballs are the real thing.

The Naga fireballs – a natural phenomenon or a man-made trick?

Lamduan Senanikorn, 50, said she has been watching these pink and red fireballs rise from the Mekong River every year since she was a child. However, she admitted that the number of fireballs has dropped recently.

She also said those investigating the phenomenon should only make comments once they have accurate results.

The Naga fireballs – a natural phenomenon or a man-made trick?

Villagers Kularb Intharaksa, 65, and Pud Thongdaeng, 58, said the images of so-called fireballs posted on the Facebook page are nothing like the ones they have seen before.

They said people claiming that the Naga fireballs were caused by tracer rounds shot in the air did not have first-hand experience of the phenomenon.

The Naga fireballs – a natural phenomenon or a man-made trick?

Naga fireballs, also known as Bung Fai Phaya Nak or “Mekong lights” and even “ghost lights” are a phenomenon seen annually on the Mekong River during the end of Buddhist lent day in late October.

Glowing balls, some the size of a basketball, apparently rise from the water high into the air. The number of fireballs reported varies between tens and thousands per night.

Related stories:

• Mekong River in Nong Khai at its most beautiful now
• Solar eclipse only partly visible in Thailand
• Feast of Naga fireballs for skygazers

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40008000

Opening tourist provinces to double-jabbed foreigners from November 1 should not put locals at risk provided everybody strictly follows Covid-19 preventive measures, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s spokesperson Dr Apisamai Srirangsan said on Monday.

Under the plan, visitors travelling by air from 46 countries/territories that have a low level of Covid-19 infections will not be subjected to the 14-day mandatory quarantine. However, they have to prove that they have received both jabs of an approved Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days earlier and provide a negative RT-PCR test result taken no more than 72 hours before flying.

The list of the 46 approved countries/territories is available at: https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007828

“Please note that the governments of some countries on the list have yet to allow their citizens to travel to Thailand,” Apisamai said. “Also, the number of flights will be limited and closely monitored by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand [CAAT]. Airlines cannot resume their services to the same level as they did before the pandemic.”

As for worries that the increase in new cases in the 17 “blue zone” provinces may affect the reopening plan, Apisamai said “the CCSA and Public Health Ministry will use different criteria apart from infection rate to determine if the areas are ready to be reopened”.

The other important factors that may affect the decision include vaccination rate, the number of severe cases, deaths and readiness of the public health system.

“Only certain areas in the 17 blue-zone provinces will be reopened to foreign tourists, mostly cities with tourist attractions,” she said. “These areas have been carefully considered and picked by the provincial communicable disease committee, the Tourism and Sports Ministry, and tourist associations in the province.”

When asked if businesses that employ the “Covid-Free Setting” can refuse to serve unvaccinated customers, Apisamai said this measure was not mandatory but based on cooperation.

“The ‘Covid-Free Setting’, which includes maintaining social distancing, having staffers double-jabbed and regularly tested using the ATK, aims to keep both customers and employees safe from the virus. It can be flexible when necessary as people will need time to adjust to the new normal,” she said.

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Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007998

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced on Monday that it was building two more “water banks” in areas that face the risk of flooding. The new water retention areas are scheduled to be completed by December.

Bangkok already has three water banks, one under the Bang Khen roundabout which has been storing water since 2019. This bank has helped keep the Bang Khen-Chaeng Watthana areas dry. The second is under the Asok-Din Daeng Road at the entrance of Soi Sutthiphorn 2 and the third in the Setthakit housing estate in Bang Khae district.

The two new water banks will be built near the Ratchadaphisek and Vibhavadi Rangsit roads and the other at the intersection of Srinakarin and Krungthep Kreetha roads.

The five banks will have a total capacity to hold up to 27,030 cubic metres of water.

The construction of water banks, or large artesian wells to store water, is the brainchild of Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang, who was inspired by a similar setup in Japan.

Torrential rain and run-offs from the North, as well as high tide affecting local tributaries of the Chao Phraya, often leave many areas in the capital inundated. The city’s sewerage system is also unable to drain the water, while natural aquifers that once helped drain the city have been replaced by roads.

Related news:

• Keep your eyes on the water level, BMA warns people along Maha Sawat canal
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• Health Ministry striving to solve flooded-hospital problem

Bangkok set to get two more water banks by yearendBangkok set to get two more water banks by yearend

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007996

A 70-year-old man in Nakhon Ratchasima was found unconscious on the bathroom floor in the wee hours of Tuesday – one week after he received this second Covid-19 jab.

Mao Foijapoh’s wife found him at around 3.45am with a wound on his head and a weak pulse.

She immediately called the police, who sent a rescue team to their home in Chokchai district. The man was taken to Chokchai Hospital, where he died later.

Jaew Foijapoh, 69, said her husband suffered from high blood pressure and often imbibed in alcohol. She added that Mao had received his second Covid-19 vaccine, which was AstraZeneca, last week. His first dose was that of Sinovac.

Jaew believes her husband may have lost his balance because he had a bit too much to drink. The man’s body has been taken in for autopsy to find the real cause of death.

Link sought between Nakhon Ratchasima senior’s death and AstraZeneca shotLink sought between Nakhon Ratchasima senior’s death and AstraZeneca shot

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007995

Phuket police said on Monday that they have enough evidence to identify the man who broke into a gold shop in Muang district on Saturday and made off with 10 million baht worth of jewellery.

The robber, believed to be “no older than 35”, reportedly entered the gold store through the roof, forced the two elderly shop attendants to open the safe and took off with 10-million baht worth of loot. He exited the shop the same way he arrived.

On Monday, local police said they have identified the man based on evidence and images captured on CCTV.

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Super variant Delta Plus rears its head in Thailand

Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007993

The even more quickly transmitted version of the Covid-19 Delta variant, Delta Plus, was detected in Thailand in September, when a 49-year-old got infected.

The man had been working in Ayutthaya province, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said on Monday.

“The case was uncovered by the Army Medical Department in September,” said Dr Chawetsan Namwat, director of the DDC’s emergency disease and health hazards control division. “The Delta Plus variant can spread more easily than its Delta counterpart. It is believed to have originated in England where it was detected in 6 per cent of Covid-19 patients.

“In Thailand, the Delta Plus situation is still at the monitoring phase,” he added.

Meanwhile, the overall Covid-19 situation in Thailand is improving, with the number of new infections and deaths generally dropping, including in densely populated areas like Greater Bangkok, DDC reported.

“However, we are closely monitoring areas where infections tend to rise, such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, Tak, Rayong and Chanthaburi,” he said. “These provinces have recently reported new cluster cases linked to funerals or other social activities where people did not wear face masks or shared meals and glasses with others.”

As of Monday, Thailand had administered 70,590,025 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, with 55.5 per cent of the population having received the first jab and 39.4 per cent their second jab. Bangkok is the only province where nearly everybody has received their first jab, followed by Phuket, where 82.7 per cent of the population has received the first vaccine.

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Published : October 26, 2021

By : THE NATION