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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40007772

Nong Khai officials have prepared areas and readied activities along the Mekong River to welcome tourists for the Bung Fai Phaya Nak festival, or Naga Fireball Festival, which is scheduled for October 21, Deputy Governor Natthawat Wiriyanapaporn announced on Wednesday.

Those who attend the event must have received at least two doses of vaccine and be tested for fever before passing a checkpoint, or have a negative test result 72 hours prior to the festival day.

This year, a limited number of visitors will be allowed into festival venues.

Visitors are strictly required to maintain social distance and wear a mask at all times. Meanwhile, locals have been asked to refrain from organising food street fairs, music performances or opening playgrounds.

Tourists will be allowed to watch the Naga fireballs phenomenon along the Mekong River in areas from Phon Phisai district to Rattanawapi district, a distance of more than 30 kilometres.

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40007771

All schools will not be reopened at the same time across the country on November 1 as this will depend on which area they are in to prevent Covid-19 from spreading futher, Education Minister Treenuch Thienthong said on Wednesday.

Schools will be reopened based on the epidemic situation in their area, Treenuch said.

The ministry will present their assessment to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration next week.

The initial criteria was that schools located in areas without an outbreak for at least 2-3 months would be allowed to reopen for full on-site learning, while students who have yet to receive vaccine doses can return to school but under strict health measures.

Some 1.3 million of 4 million students have received at least one dose of vaccine so far.

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007762

An elephant was reportedly killed after being hit by two vehicles on Monday as it crossed a road in Prachin Buri along with a big group.

The accident happened at around 7pm on Highway 359 linking Sa Kaeo province to Chachoengsao’s Khao Hin Sorn sub-district.

The dead elephant, aged 1-2 years old, was among a group of pachyderms from Chachoengsao’s Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary which always crisscrosses the area.

According to Krisakorn Naenorn, a driver of one of the cars parked at the scene, the elephant was unfortunately hit not once but twice – first by a car that overtook his vehicle and subsequently by another vehicle that was driven carelessly.

Young elephant dies on Prachin Buri road after being hit by two careless driversYoung elephant dies on Prachin Buri road after being hit by two careless drivers

Young elephant dies on Prachin Buri road after being hit by two careless driversYoung elephant dies on Prachin Buri road after being hit by two careless drivers

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007760

Miss Grand International president Nawat Itsaragrisil confirmed the pageant would go ahead in Phuket after a sign insultingly referred to the contest as a “three hooves” one, while a community committee claimed there was a consensus that the pageant should not be held.

On Friday, Nawat went live on Facebook to say that Miss Grand International 2021 will be held from mid-November to December in Old Phuket Town.

He called out the Phuket governor, the tourism sector and the Phuket Chamber of Commerce for not deciding to make special buses available to transport the contestants. He said the contestants were promoting Phuket tourism but have to rent buses by themselves.

Nawat also said the pageant location was changed because the previous location was “owned by a ‘salim’” (a reportedly ultraconservative/ultraroyalist insult).

A few days later Somyot Pathan, a vice president of the Old Phuket Town community, revealed that the community tourism committee denied Miss Grand International the right to carry out any pageant activities there. He added the decision did not stem from a conflict but from a consensus.

On Wednesday, Nawat went on Facebook again to refer to the sign that said “We Phuket people do not want the three hooves beauty pageant”.

Miss Grand International chief says Phuket pageant will go ahead despite community committee objection

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He said he had never shown the three-finger salute or taken part in any protest, and challenged anyone to produce any pictures to this effect as evidence before terming the pageant the “three hooves” beauty pageant.

Nawat added that he wanted Miss Grand International to be called the pageant for democracy. He said he had already officially announced this and put a hashtag on every post.

He wanted the “insulting” sign to be changed or the words “three hooves” to be replaced by “democracy”.

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007756

Rescuers are finding it hard transporting dead Covid-19 patients from a flooded Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital.

The flood situation in Thailand has eased, but not in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

On Wednesday after a storm, water from overflowing Lam Takong lake in the province reportedly swamped the hospital in Muang district early on Wednesday morning.

The high water level posed a fresh obstacle to local rescue staff, who have reportedly had the daily task of carrying dead patients from the hospital to temples nearby for funerals.

Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital has now temporarily reduced the number of patients it can receive in a day.

Transporting dead Covid-19 patients a tough task as Nakhon Ratchasima hospital floodedSeparately, crocodile farm owner Aom Sae-tae told reporters that she had frantically dug drains to prevent the rising water from flooding her farm.

She added she was afraid that her more than 1,000 crocodiles would escape if the water level was high enough to totally swamp her farm.

Transporting dead Covid-19 patients a tough task as Nakhon Ratchasima hospital flooded

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007752

A seven-year-old Russian boy who was severely burned after falling into a hot spring in Mae Hong Son on October 4 has been transferred to Bangkok for further medical treatment.

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy voiced its appreciation in a Facebook post on Tuesday after more than THB620,000 was raised by various sources for the boy’s medical expenses.

Misha Ivanov fell into the hot spring while visiting one of the parks in Pai district. Some 80 per cent of his body was severely scalded by the 90-95-degree-Celsius water.

The family rushed him to Pai Hospital before he was sent to Chiang Mai Ram Hospital to undergo three surgeries.

The embassy said in the post that the boy has now been transferred to Chulalongkorn Hospital in the capital to receive further treatment as a special case.

It also mentioned that THB621,000 of treatment funds was raised by the Orthodox Church in Thailand Foundation for the boy’s treatment.

The Embassy went on praise Soopakij Chearavanont, the head of CP Group, a former Russian honorary consul in Phuket, who has been recently appointed Russian honorary consul in Chiang Mai, for expressing his willingness to bear all costs to do with Misha’s treatment in Bangkok.

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Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007751

The Cabinet on Tuesday decided to team up with the Chinese government to promote the Thai film industry in order to boost trade, investment and tourism in the country.

Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said that the Cabinet has okayed the drafted memorandum of understanding (MOU) of the collaboration between Thailand’s Ministry of Culture and China’s Film Bureau. This MOU will be signed at the beginning of 2022 and the collaboration will be organised for 5 years, she added.

Ratchada also said that under the MOU, films co-produced by the two countries will be allowed to screen in China, regardless of the quota of foreign films in the country.

China’s film market was the second biggest in the world, following the US market, with total sales of a cinema ticket in 2019 at 64.2 billion yuan, or 337.05 billion baht.

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007749

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met with five of his deputies and the Finance and Agriculture and Cooperatives ministers on Tuesday to discuss a solution to the expensive oil price problem.

Prayut met with Prawit Wongsuwan, Wissanu Krea-ngam, Jurin Laksanawisit, Anutin Charnvirakul, Supattanapong Punmeechaow, Arkhom Termpittayapaisith and Chalermchai Sri-on after a cabinet meeting at Thai-Khu-Fah Building.

They discussed the issue of the increasing oil price, which has affected many sectors. The Land Transport Federation of Thailand had also organised a “truck power” protest.

After the discussion, Supattanapong said the meeting agreed that they must control the diesel price so it is lower than THB30 per litre.

He added that the decision will be approved by the Committee on Energy Policy Administration.

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Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007747

Foreigners aged over 70 living in Thailand under a 1 year non-immigrant O-A visa will now be able to buy health insurance with a minimum coverage of $100,000 (approximately THB3 million) for medical expenses and treatment of Covid-19, Public Health Deputy Minister Dr Satit Pitutecha said on Tuesday.

The ministry has increased the health insurance limit from THB40,000 for outpatient care and THB400,000 for inpatient care to THB3 million to attract foreigners with high purchasing power to live in Thailand while ensuring their medical expenses are fully covered during their stay.

“This adjustment will contribute to the government’s plan of making Thailand a global medical hub and promote health tourism in the country,” Satit pointed out.

The new rules also facilitate expats who cannot purchase insurance in Thailand and thus face having their applications for extension of stay rejected, as these applications can now use health insurance from abroad or government welfare from abroad. This however must be certified by a relevant government agency, such as a foreign embassy in Thailand or the country’s Foreign Ministry.

Expats can also buy Thai health insurance online via https://longstay.tgia.org, which features 17 Thai insurance companies to choose from.

Immigration Office statistics indicate the number of applications for the 1 year non-immigrant O-A visa since 2017 has shown a rising trend, except during 2020-2021 due to the Covid-19 crisis.

In 2017, some 2,891 people applied for the visa. This number increased to 3,164 the following year and then to 4,222 in 2019. In 2020 the number of applicants dropped to 2,321 and down to 1,447 people in the first nine months of 2021.

The office also estimated that expatriates in this group spend around THB30,000-70,000 a month during their stay in the kingdom.

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Cabinet greenlights Flexible Plus programme for Elite Card holders

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Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40007743

A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved the Flexible Plus programme for holders of Thailand Privilege Card, also known as Elite Card, to promote the investment in target industries and real estate business by foreigners with high purchasing power, said deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisoranakul on Tuesday.

“Under the Flexible Plus programme, holders of Thailand Privilege Card must invest in Thailand for at least US$ 1 million within one year after entering the programme,” she said. “They will be able to apply for a work permit in Thailand as well as are entitled to selections of additional complementary services and benefits.”

Eligible investment under the programme include investment in real estate business as allowed by foreigners, in limited or public companies and in the Stock Exchange of Thailand that is approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Furthermore, participants of the Flexible Plus programme along with their legal spouse and children aged under 20 years can apply for non-immigrant visa for up to five year per time throughout the period of their investment in Thailand. 

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimated that the Flexible Plus program will attract up to 10,000 foreigners with high purchasing power and generate at least 300 billion Baht of rotating revenue to the country’s economy.
 

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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30396144

Published : October 20, 2021

By : THE NATION