The Department of Rural Roads is speeding up construction of a 99-million-baht road and bridge over the Kwai Noi River, in a bid to boost tourism in Kanchanaburi.
The reinforced concrete bridge will link the famous Erawan National Park with its lesser-known neighbour to the east, Sai Yok National Park.
The project has a budget of 99.140 million baht and is scheduled for completion around September 2023.
It includes a reinforced concrete bridge, 325 metres long and 8 metres wide, with metre-wide walkways on each side. The total length of the route is 2,250 metres.
The bridge will span the Kwai Noi River from Chong Khae village to Khao Chang village in Sai Yok district. The project aims to promote local tourism and boost convenience of travel and transportation of crops.
Bangkok officials will seek advice from the Phuket “sandbox” on Wednesday, in a bid to clear confusion over when the capital will reopen to foreign tourists.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has not yet decided when to open the capital as a quarantine-free entry point to the country, Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration spokesperson Apisamai Srirangsan confirmed on Monday.
Bangkok was initially slated to reopen on October 1, but Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the deadline should be moved back to October 15 as only 37 per cent of residents had been vaccinated.
Last week, concern was raised that opening Bangkok could cause a spike in Covid-19 infections among unvaccinated people.
On Wednesday, BMA officials will hold an online meeting with the Phuket sandbox team to exchange experiences and draft tourism plans for the capital.
To open as a pilot tourism area under the sandbox scheme, a destination must have 70-80 per cent of its residents fully vaccinated. It must also draft an emergency plan for outbreaks, approved by the Public Health Ministry or provincial disease control committee.
The Land Traffic Management Commission has given the green light for an electric public bus project to link with Bangkok’s newest rail route. The buses will connect with the Red Line’s Rangsit station in Pathum Thani, cutting travel time from the northern suburbs to central Bangkok.
The electric bus system is part of the interprovincial Motorways-Rail Map (MR-Map) project, which the commission approved on Monday.
The electric buses will ply the following three routes in Pathum Thani:
1. Rangsit BTS station-Thanyaburi Klong 7, running for 19.3 kilometres along Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road.
2. Rangsit BTS station-Thammasat University (Rangsit Campus), running 19.1km along Khlong Prem Prachanda Road and Khlong Luang Road. The route may be adjusted once the Thammasat University station officially opens.
3. Rangsit BTS Station-Yaek Kor Por Aor, running 10.6km along Phaholyothin Road.
The Department of Land Transport has been commissioned to find operators with EV standards to operate feed systems, as well as buses that are disabled-friendly.
The nationwide MR-Map project features 10 routes with a total distance of 6,530km, comprising 4,470km of intercity highways and rail lines, 1,710km of intercity highways and 350km of rail-only routes.
Thailand’s new barrier-free toll system will be trialled at Thap Chang 1-2 and Thanyaburi 1-2 toll plazas from October, the Land Traffic Management Commission said on Monday.
The “M-Flow” system recognises vehicle registration plates and bills drivers at the end of the month.
The system is being rolled out nationwide in a bid to reduce congestion at toll gates.
The M-Flow system was among three “Asean hub” transport projects given the green light on Monday by the commission, which is chaired by Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan.
The committee also approved the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) public transport plan. The plan is aimed at solving traffic issues in Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Rayong provinces.
Meanwhile, the commission approved the national Motorways-Railways Masterplan (MR-Map) study. The MR-Map includes 10 routes with a combined length of 6,540 kilometres.
The masterplan covers four main routes: Kanchanaburi (Three Pagodas Pass)-Ubon Ratchathani (6th Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); Chumphon-Ranong; Nong Khai-Laem Chabang; and the 3rd Bangkok Outer Ring Road.
The routes will connect Thailand with neighbouring countries to support the Kingdom’s plan to become a transport hub for Asean.
Monday’s meeting also approved the public transport system project to connect with SRT Red Line’s Rangsit station in Pathum Thani.
New barrier-free toll system trialled from OctoberNew barrier-free toll system trialled from October
Prawit ordered the ministries of transport, interior and related agencies to work together to speed up the plan.
Chiang Mai farmers have been handed 100,000 green chiretta (Fah Talai Jone) seedlings under a government project to boost production of the anti-Covid herb.
The seedlings will be raised in three districts of the northern province in a pilot project subsidised by the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry.
Meanwhile, the ministry expects 1 tonne of green chiretta to be harvested by the end of September – enough to produce 200-300 kilograms of capsules.
On Monday, the 100,000 green chiretta plants were distributed to private and government agencies for planting in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim, San Sai and Mae Wang districts. The project also aims to boost incomes for locals. The private sector will support cultivation of the herb, from planting through to harvest
The harvested green chiretta will be handed to local public health agencies and the Union of Thai Traditional Medicine Society, who will process the herb into medicine and distribute it to Chiang Mai residents.
The ministry is also asking for donations of green chiretta seedlings. Those interested in making a donation can call the ministry at 094 3615 628.
Motorists at a busy junction in Sukhothai are falling into the sticky web of the resident superhero.
Ateenager in a Spider-Man costume is selling yoghurt at Krachong Intersection in Muang district, wowing passers-by with his realistic impression of the Marvel movie character.
Ratchapol, 18, said he began selling the yoghurt to raise funds for his vocational studies after he realised the importance of getting an education.
He explained that he dropped out of school after Mathayom 3 (aged 14) because he had no interest in studying at the time.
‘Spider-Man’ swoops on busy junction to net college funds
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He got the idea to wear a costume to draw customers’ attention after first-day sales in his own clothes were poor due to the Covid-19 crisis.
“Next day, I decided to borrow a Spider-Man outfit from my friend. Since then, yoghurt sales have doubled.”
‘Spider-Man’ swoops on busy junction to net college funds
A jealous husband stabbed his co-worker repeatedly with a kitchen knife on Monday, claiming the victim had got too friendly with his wife.
Phatthalung police were called to the bloody scene outside an electrical appliance shop in the southern province’s Muang district on Monday morning.
They found Natthawut Mutsri, 45, a member of staff at the shop, bleeding profusely from several knife wounds. He was rushed to Phatthalung Hospital for life-saving treatment.
The perpetrator, Prapat Nadam, 36, later surrendered to police. Prapat had worked at the same electrical appliance shop as the victim.
Police said he confessed to attacking Natthawut out of jealousy after the victim tried to befriend his wife who also worked at the shop.
According to other shop staff, Prapat had appeared at the shop with the knife and suddenly launched the attack on Natthawut.
Bloodbath in Phatthalung as jealous husband attacks rival
A new tax is expected to raise the price of a pack of cigarettes by 6-8 baht from next month.
The Excise Department has proposed the new tobacco tax structure to Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith and expects Cabinet approval in time for the tax to be implemented on October 1, said department director-general Lavaron Sangsnit on Monday.
Since 2017, two tax rates have been imposed on cigarettes: 20 per cent for packs priced Bt60 or less, and 40 per cent for packs over Bt60. Many cigarette companies dropped their price to less than Bt60 to reduce the tax burden.
The department has not yet said whether the new structure will be a single or double rate, only that the tax will be higher.
Lavaron said the new structure aims to solve four tobacco-related problems: Reduce the burden on the public health system, minimise impacts on tobacco farmers, maintain the government revenue, and control illegally imported and counterfeit cigarettes.
Public health officials in Chiang Mai are reportedly providing Covid-19 jabs to guesthouse owners before the province opens to visitors on October 1.
As of Monday, more than 500 guesthouse operators and staff had been jabbed in the Lam Chang community.
Community leader Weerawit Saengchak, however, believes reopening Chiang Mai will be impossible if people in all 13 key tourism communities have not received both their shots.
He also said restaurants, cafes, car rental shops and other tourism-related businesses in Lam Chang community are ready to reopen.
Chiang Mai launches vaccine drive ahead of Oct 1 reopeningChiang Mai launches vaccine drive ahead of Oct 1 reopening
The Department of Special Investigation on Monday morning learned about a group of fraudsters that has tricked people out of millions by posing as the Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA).
The academy’s deputy secretary-general Wanlop Yutithamdamrong said the group had created fake CRA Line and Facebook accounts to dupe people into paying for their alternative Covid-19 shot. The group insisted all transfers be made via PromptPay, which is not used by the actual CRA.
Wanlop said the fraudsters had stolen a list of people who had been vaccinated by hacking into a hospital’s system. The hospital, which is part of the CRA vaccination campaign, filed a complaint when it learned of the hacking. The list was displayed on the group’s fake Facebook page to add credibility.
Wanlop said he had filed a complaint at the Thung Song Hong Police Station before calling on DSI to consider taking on the case, especially since it affects a lot of people and involves millions of baht.
DSI director-general Pol Lt-Colonel Korrawat Panprapakorn said DSI will look into the case and take it on if it meets the criteria.