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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005562

Thailand’s daily caseload under 15,000 for 2nd day

Thailand logged 14,802 new infections and 252 deaths over the past 24 hours on Wednesday. Of the new infections, 217 were found in prisons.

Meanwhile, 18,996 patients have recovered and been discharged over the past 24 hours.

Thailand’s total caseload from Covid stands at 1,219,531 – 1,040,768 of whom have recovered, 166,922 are still in hospitals and 11,841 have died.

Separately, another 393,633 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 431,777 their second shot, and 2,772 their third shot, bringing the total Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 32,600,001.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Wednesday, confirmed cases globally had risen to 218.56 million, 195.40 million of whom have recovered, 18.63 million are active cases (106,153 in severe condition) and 4.53 million have died (up by 8,938).

Thailand ranks 29th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 40.11 million, followed by India 32.81 million, Brazil 20.78 million, Russia 6.92 million and the UK 6.79 million.

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005561

Hua Hin gets ready to welcome tourists from Oct 1

Thailand plans to open Hua Hin from October 1 under the “Hua Hin Recharge” scheme which allows foreigners to visit without having to quarantine.

Krod Rojanasatien, president of the Thai Spa Association who will lead the “Hua Hin Recharge” scheme, said he and his team will meet Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Sunday.

The key topics to be discussed at the meeting will be the administration of vaccines in Hua Hin and its sub-district Nong Kae, which covers 86.36 square kilometres. The aim will be to provide jabs to 90,564 people or 70 per cent of the population in the area to create herd immunity. So far, 75,740 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the area.

The meeting will also discuss the standard operating procedure for tourists under the scheme. The current plan is for them to undergo an RT-PCR test upon arrival and check into a SHA-plus hotel while waiting for the test result.

If the result is negative, they can move freely within Hua Hin.

They will undergo another two tests – one on the seventh day of arrival, after which they can move out of the SHA-plus hotel. And then again on their 13th day in Thailand. If they test negative in the last test, they can then travel to other areas in Thailand.

Tourism agencies are preparing special activities and tour packages to keep travellers busy, Krod said. The main target is Europeans because they usually visit Thailand during the high season to escape freezing temperatures back home.

Krod said Hua Hin can expect as many as 100,000 tourists on the day of opening and should be able to generate up to 1.2 billion baht in revenue from the programme.

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005559

Bangkokians in high-risk groups to get antigen test kits for free

The National Health Security Office (NHSO) said 8.5 million antigen test kits will be distributed for free to Covid-19 high-risk groups in Bangkok.

People at risk would have to complete a screening assessment on Krungthai Bank’s “Pao Tang” mobile application before receiving the test kits, the NHSO announced on Tuesday.

Secretary-general Dr Jadej Thammatacharee said the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation had signed a contract to purchase a total of 8.5 million antigen test kits, and the NHSO would distribute the kits via selected service centres, drugstores, clinics and health volunteers in crowded communities.

The kits will be distributed to as many as 2,000 communities in the capital, focusing on high-risk groups such as the elderly aged 60 and over, bedridden patients, disabled people and patients with seven major diseases. Those who are suspected of being infected, people who reside with infected patients and community coordinators will also receive the kits.
Each individual will receive two kits five days apart.

The risk groups in other areas can obtain the test kits through more than 1,500 participating local service units, drugstores and clinics. However, if the situation worsens, the kits will be delivered by mail.
Each person who has a positive result will be prescribed with Favipiravir and be registered for either home or community isolation treatment.

If you are in one of the risk groups, here’s how you can go about obtaining the antigen test kits:

1. Complete a risk-screening form via the Pao Tang application operated by Krungthai Bank.
2. Click on “Get a Covid-19 Test Kit”.
3. If the assessment result finds you are in the risk group, you can receive your test kits at local service units.
4. Verify your identity before receiving the first free kit by scanning the QR code via the Pao Tang application.
5. Service units will distribute two test kits for two examinations, five days apart.
6. Self-care information will be provided and home isolation registration can be done via the Pao Tang application.

Community leaders and public health volunteers will proactively distribute the kits to those who don’t possess a smartphone in red zone communities throughout Bangkok.

“The NHSO has already prepared a distribution plan. As soon as the test kits are delivered, the NHSO will move forward in cooperation with various related sectors so that people in risk groups can immediately access the kits,” Jadej added.

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005558

Bangkok named best city for digital nomads

Bangkok took the top spot as one of the best cities for a “workation” in a survey conducted by the German rentals search engine Holidu.

A“workation” is a trip where one can travel to a new destination and work from there. This allows you to visit family members or explore a destination without having to use up your leave.

The website analysed both work and vacation factors in more than 150 countries. Work factors included remote connections, co-working spaces, caffeine, travel and after-work drinks. Vacation factors included accommodation, food, climate, tourist attractions and Instagramability.

Based on these factors, the website came up with a list of the top five cities, namely:
• Bangkok, Thailand
• New Delhi, India
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Barcelona, Spain
• Buenos Aires, Argentina and Budapest, Hungary (tie)

According to Holidu, Bangkok won the top spot because it is one of the most affordable cities in the world. For instance, accommodation in Bangkok may be expensive, but food is cheap. Also, the website said, most people in the Thai capital speak English and the city offers high-class facilities.

The website pointed out that though the internet speed in Bangkok may not be the fastest at an average of 28mbps, there are more than 450,000 free wifi spots in the city.

Bangkok also won the top spot for having lots of places with cultural significance for tourists to visit such as the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha temple, as well as high-street boutiques and floating markets.

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005557

Economic activities lose steam in Aug due to pandemic: central bank

Thailand’s economic activities in August were affected by the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown measures and will continue to maintain a downward trend, Chayawadee Chai-Anant, senior director of macroeconomics at the Bank of Thailand, predicted on Tuesday.

Chayawadee said the central bank based its estimates on statistics from Facebook Fast Fact and a survey among Thai entrepreneurs.

“Facebook Fast Fact revealed that economic activity from August 1 to 15 declined compared to that in July, before strict lockdown measures were announced to curb Covid-19 from spreading,” she said.

“Thai entrepreneurs also said the manufacturing sector saw no jump in August, while the export sector is expanding but still suffers from factors to do with a shortage of production. Meanwhile, sales of consumer products decreased, as well as the employment rate,” Chayawadee said.

She said the real estate sector in August suffered from declining sales and increasing costs from disease prevention measures employed in construction camps, but thankfully maintained the same employment rate as the previous month.

“The survey also found that consumers have changed their behaviour by spending less on services and more online,” she said. “Entrepreneurs who cannot adjust to the changing trend will have a hard time staying afloat amid the pandemic,” she went on to warn.

The central bank also revealed that private investment in August declined due to low market demand and decreased confidence by investors in the Thai economy.

“The agriculture sector saw slightly decreased output due to a shortage of water in some dams, while the tourism sector saw a slight increase in the number of foreign visitors, but their spending is still low due to fewer entrepreneurs in the service sector,” Chayawadee added.

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005544

Nakhon Sawan cop intended to kill drug suspect, prosecutor alleges

The autopsy result of a male drug suspect who died during interrogation by former Nakhon Sawan police station chief Pol Colonel Thitisan Uthanapol on August 5 indicated the victim had died of suffocation, said Somphong Yenkaew, deputy chief of the Region 6 Public Prosecutors Office on Tuesday.

Complaints filed against Thitisan by other officers said he allegedly demanded 2 million baht from two suspects, a man and a woman, in a narcotics case before “suffocating the man to death” with plastic bags. Thitisan then allegedly ordered a doctor to put the cause of death down to drug overdose and told the woman to keep quiet before releasing her.

The former police station chief was fired from the force on August 25 and was arrested the next day in Chonburi province.

“The victim’s head was covered with six layers of plastic bags, with the innermost layer clinging tightly to his face and therefore restricting his airway,” Somphong said.

“Moreover, the victim’s head was forced in a downward position, then he was pinned to the ground, which made breathing even harder,” Somphong stated.

Nakhon Sawan cop intended to kill drug suspect, prosecutor alleges

“CCTV footage revealed that the layers of plastic were tightly twisted around the victim’s neck for more than six minutes,” he added.

“Although traces of drug were found in the victim’s body, the covering of the victim’s head in such a manner was enough to kill him. Therefore, the cause of death is concluded as suffocation,” Somphong said.

Nakhon Sawan cop intended to kill drug suspect, prosecutor alleges

He also said the prosecutor and investigation officers agreed that Thitisan and six other suspects who were involved in the interrogation intended to kill the suspect.

“The reason claimed by Thitisan that he used this technique to get the victim to reveal where he got the drugs from is therefore inadmissible,” Somphong said, adding: “Please rest assured that the prosecutor will investigate this case carefully step by step, which should be completed in a timely manner.”

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005543

Gun-wielding underage protester surrenders, says weapon had no bullets

Parents of a 16-year-old boy took their son to Pakkred police station in Nonthaburi province on Tuesday to turn him in after a picture of the teen pointing a gun at crowd-control police at a “Thalu Gas” anti-government group rally on August 29 went viral on social media.

The rallyists had gathered at Sam Liam Din Daeng junction in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district on Sunday evening and tried to march toward Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, but police used water cannons to block them. The protesters then started lobbing firecrackers, ping pong bombs, flares and Molotov cocktails at police officers, who responded by firing rubber bullets and tear gas. The rally lasted until 11pm, after which the protesters gradually dispersed.

The boy’s father said he recognised his son from the photo and decided to turn him in as he believed the boy would soon be summoned by police.

The teenager reportedly said that the gun he brandished at the rally was a Thai-made one with no bullets, and that he only meant to threaten the police to stop “harming” the protesters.

“At 8pm I road a motorcycle back home and threw the gun into the Chao Phraya River from the Pathum Thani 1 Bridge,” he revealed.

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005542

Thailand recorded 14,802 Covid-19 cases and 252 deaths on Wednesday

Ministry of Public Health reported on Wednesday (September 1) morning that in the past 24 hours there are 14,802 new patients who tested positive for Covid-19, 217 of whom have been found in prisons.

Death toll increased by 252, while 18,996 patients were cured and allowed to leave hospitals.

Cumulative cases in the country are at 1,219,531 with 11,841 total deaths.
 

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005532

Thundershowers with isolated heavy rains forecast across country

Thailand will experience thundershowers with isolated heavy rains in some areas, especially in the lower North, the Central region and the Northeast, as a strong monsoon trough hovers over these areas and the southwest monsoon prevails across the country, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

It advised people in risky areas to beware of severe conditions that may cause flash floods.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-26 degrees, highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius.

North: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees and highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees and highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.

Central: Thundershowers in 80 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius.

East: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 20-25 degrees, highs of 30-33 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : September 01, 2021

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40005528

Public Health Ministry keeps close eye out for C.1.2 variant

Though more than 31 million people in Thailand have received at least one jab against Covid-19, many people are voicing concerns about whether they are protected against the new, more lethal C.1.2 variant.

This variant was recently detected in South Africa, and it is still not known if the vaccines available will be effective against it.

Dr Chawetsan Namwat, director for emergency health hazards and diseases, said the C.1.2 strain has not yet been found in Thailand and that the main variant affecting 92 per cent of the patients is still Delta.

He based this declaration on the fact that the genetics of approximately 500 samples are surveyed weekly.

However, he said, the Public Health Ministry is aware of this strain and is monitoring the situation closely.

Published : August 31, 2021