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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005252

Whales spotted amid Bangkok skyscrapers

A pod of Bryde whales was discovered frolicking in front of the Bangkok skyline on Tuesday.

Photos of the whales feeding at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River south of Bangkok were posted on the Facebook page of Jirayu Ekkul Wildlife Photography.

The page administrator said the pod is expected to stay in the area, off Samut Prakan province, for one or two months.

The pictures are evidence that the Chao Phraya River offers an abundance of natural resources.

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Photo Credit: Jirayu Ekkul Wildlife PhotographyPhoto Credit: Jirayu Ekkul Wildlife Photography

Photo Credit: Jirayu Ekkul Wildlife Photography

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005250

Kind farmer leads volunteer mission to feed Bangkokians hit by virus crisis

Long queues form early each morning outside a motorcycle shop on Bangkok’s Phitasanulok Road, where a farmer is donating her produce to feed people facing hardship from Covid-19.

Sumon Saengrattanaphaiboon, 61, president of Civil Defence Volunteers Centre in Chom Thong district, launched the relief campaign this month.

Kind farmer leads volunteer mission to feed Bangkokians hit by virus crisis

Since August 1, the group has been handing out 150 lunchboxes per day and plans to continue until the end of the month.

Kind farmer leads volunteer mission to feed Bangkokians hit by virus crisis

“The eggs and vegetables [in lunchboxes] are from my own 2-rai farm in Nonthaburi province where I raise over 200 chickens,” said Sumon. “They are free of insecticides and other chemicals. I want everyone to have a high-quality meal even in this time of crisis,” she said.

Kind farmer leads volunteer mission to feed Bangkokians hit by virus crisis
 

Published : August 25, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005247

BMA’s vaccination buses to roll out next week

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s fleet of “BKK Mobile Vaccination” units will start delivering jabs to people at home in about a week, BMA said on Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, BMA spokesperson Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said the units with a medical team will start rolling out within a week. 

The BMV buses have a hospital-standard medical setup inside where jabs can be administered safely. The vehicles will be sterilised daily.

The BMV project, inspired by similar efforts in Vietnam and China, cuts down on the risk of infection from public transport and makes it easier for people with travel restrictions. The BMV units can also travel to offices and deliver jabs to people who cannot leave work. 

“BMA is making full progress in both proactive testing and administering jabs in a bid to control the epidemic,” Pongsakorn’s post read.

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BMA’s vaccination buses to roll out next weekBMA’s vaccination buses to roll out next weekBMA’s vaccination buses to roll out next week

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005245

Arrest warrant for Nakhon Sawan cop over killing of drug suspect

An arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday for Pol Colonel Thitisan Uthanapol, a superintendent at the main police station in Nakhon Sawan, for allegedly suffocating a drug suspect to death.

Aclip of Thitisan and his team trying to suffocate an arrested drug dealer after demanding a 2-million-baht bribe went viral on social media earlier this week.

The clip was recorded at the police station and in the end showed the suspect lying dead.

Thitisan was initially transferred to an inactive post on Sunday and sacked from the police force on Tuesday.

According to the arrest warrant, the former police officer is charged with participating in illegal acts, collaborating to intimidate an individual and committing murder.

Pol General Wissanu Prasartthong-osoth, inspector-general at the Royal Thai Police, said four of the seven officers involved have been arrested. He added that Thitisan cannot hope for mercy.

Some social media users said on Wednesday that the case took too long to resolve and Thitisan may possibly have left the country.

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005242

How lift of ban on kratom affects us

How does the legalisation of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) affect the people in Thailand? What are the benefits of the herb and how you can use it legally. The legalisation of the herb on Tuesday saw thousands of prisoners released and cases against more than 10,000 people were dismissed.

Why lift the ban on kratom?
Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said primarily the government will save about 1.7 million baht per year by no longer prosecuting users. 

How can kratom be used legally?
Though the herb is legal now, the fine print of the law is still pending. Details available, so far, say people can get a five-year licence for commercially growing and selling kratom or a 1-year licence for importing or exporting the herb. Applicants must be Thai citizens who are residing in the country and have not had a previous licence revoked or suspended. 
Licence holders must: 

• Grow kratom on the land or location specified in the licence
• Importers or exporters must clearly indicate they are trading in kratom and all labels and invoices should list the source of kratom and warnings related to use of the herb. 

Controls on kratom

• Sellers of kratom to youngsters below the age of 18, pregnant or lactating women can face a fine of up to 30,000 baht. 
• Those selling kratom near an education institution, dormitories, public parks, zoos or amusement parks can be penalised up to 50,000 baht. The same fine applies to those selling the herb online. 
• Those selling concoctions made by boiling down kratom leaves can be fined up to 50,000 baht. 
• Those selling more kratom than legally allowed or importing and exporting excessive amounts can face up to one year in jail and/or a fine of no more than 100,000 baht.

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How does kratom help?
The Prince of Songkla University has been researching kratom as a pharmaceutical formulation since 2018. Studies have found that the herb contains substances that can help with many problems including pain, diarrhoea, obesity, inflammation, stomach ulcers, depression, stress or drug addiction. In some countries, kratom is used in place of drugs. 

From the international perspective
The Human Rights Watch told the Agence France-Presse that the legalisation of kratom was a good thing and should have been done a long time ago. 
“This will end the violation of the right to use traditional medicines,” the agency said. 

In 2019, Thailand became the first Southeast Asian nation to legalise the use of medical marijuana. 
The government has given the go-ahead to the extraction, refining and marketing of cannabis oil for use in the health industry.

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005240

297 fatalities, 18,417 new cases as Thailand rises in global list

Thailand’s total fatalities from Covid-19 went beyond the 10,000 mark with 297 deaths on Wednesday, while the number of new cases rose slightly from Tuesday to 18,417.

Of the new infections, 146 were found in prisons.

Meanwhile, 21,186 patients have recovered and been discharged over the past 24 hours.

Thailand’s total caseload from Covid stands at 1,102,368, of whom 903,015 have recovered, 189,268 are still in hospitals and 10,085 have died.

Separately, another 400,825 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 175,026 their second shot, and 9,363 their third shot, bringing the total Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 28,197,659.

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According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Wednesday, confirmed cases globally had risen to 214.01 million, 191.51 million of whom have recovered, 18.03 million are active cases (112,928 in severe condition) and 4.47 million have died (up by 10,462).

Thailand ranks 32nd on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 38.97 million, followed by India with 32.51 million, Brazil with 20.62 million, Russia with 6.79 million and France with 6.65 million.

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005238

Experts decry govt plan to turn Pattaya beach into Miami lookalike

Several landscape specialists and arborists have been brainstorming over the development of Pattaya beach after the government announced it was replacing the native Indian almond trees with palm trees.

Chorpaka Wiriyanon, co-founder of the Thailand Urban Tree Network, said the government should change its city-development plans because residents don’t agree with it.

“City development does not mean replacing existing things with new things. It means developing further by using innovation and technology to keep up with new trends,” she said.

“We also must understand how to coexist with native tree species.”

She also said that the Thai climate is not suitable for growing western trees.

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Experts decry govt plan to turn Pattaya beach into Miami lookalike

Yossapon Boonsom, founder of the design firm City Cracker, said the government should involve landscape architects, arborists, ecosystem specialists and citizens in development projects.

“Maintaining things that were ruined or abandoned is not sustainable development. Development must benefit residents and the environment,” he said.

Experts decry govt plan to turn Pattaya beach into Miami lookalike

Asst Prof Pranisa Boonkham, vice president of Thai Association of Landscape Architect, also said each destination has a unique characteristic that attracts tourists.

“Copying doesn’t give you true beauty. Foreign tourists visit Thailand because they don’t want to see beaches that are like those in Miami or in other countries,” she said.

Experts decry govt plan to turn Pattaya beach into Miami lookalike

She added that old buildings and trees should be maintained alongside new developments because that adds to the city’s value and makes it unique.

“If we keep the Indian almond trees for 10 to 20 years, visitors will be attracted by the uniqueness and rarity,” she said.

Experts decry govt plan to turn Pattaya beach into Miami lookalike

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005237

Cabinet removes WHO approval requirement from ATK procurement order

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to amend the prime minister’s order regarding the procurement of antigen test kits (ATK) by the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), a news source revealed.

The order, which was published in a Cabinet resolution dated August 17, had stipulated that the antigen test kit the GPO would purchase must be approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and by the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The amended version of the order has removed the requirement of approval by the WHO, with the addition of a provision that the “Ministry of Public Health must process the procurement as soon as possible and handle any problem to the best of their ability.”

The procurement of ATK has become an issue of public debate in the past weeks following the news that the ATK made by Beijing-based Lepu Medical Technology, which the GPO intends to buy, is banned in the United States due to a high risk of false results. This sparked doubts in the public about the product’s quality.

The GPO was set to purchase 8.5 million sets of ATK from Lepu through Ostland Capital Ltd who won the bid at the proposed price of THB70 per kit.

Last week, the Rural Doctors Society alerted the GPO that the deal might not comply with the prime minister’s order as Lepu’s ATK has not been approved by the WHO for home use. Ostland Capital later responded that all antigen test kits currently approved by the WHO are for hospital and laboratory use and that not a single brand has received an approval for home use.

Ostland Capital and its partner World Medical Alliance announced on Tuesday that they would import the 8.5 million sets of ATK by themselves and sell to the public at Bt75 per piece since they had given the deposit of Bt30 million to the manufacturer and could not wait for the government’s answer over the deal which is currently on hold.

Published : August 25, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005230

Forging Covid test certificates an offence, ministry warns

The Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday warned people against forging Covid-19 test reports in order to avail of leave or insurance, as it could be treated as a crime.

The director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, Suphakit Sirilak, said that there had been cases of Covid-19 test report forgery.

He mentioned the case of a factory worker who wanted to avail of sick leave by claiming to be infected with Covid-19. The employer did not believe the claim and sought the test report, which the worker forged.

Investigation showed that it was a fake certificate from the Regional Medical Sciences Centre 5 in Samut Songkhram province, but the name of the worker was not in the laboratory test data.

Suphakat revealed that the organisation had reported this worker as a case of forgery.

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Suphakit warned people not to forge the report because it was easy to examine. It was also easy to cross-check with the laboratory.

Published : August 25, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005227

Nakhon Sawan top cop axed over alleged graft, death of suspect in custody

The superintendent of Muang Nakhon Sawan Provincial Police Station has been sacked from the police force over alleged bribery and the death of a drug suspect in custody.

National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk said on Tuesday that he had signed the sack order after Pol Colonel Thitisan Utthanaphol allegedly demanded THB2 million bribe from a male and a female suspect in a narcotics case before allegedly suffocating the man to death with a plastic bag on August 5.

The superintendent then allegedly told the doctor to attribute the cause of death to drug overdose. He also reportedly told the woman to keep quiet before releasing her, leading some police officers to file a complaint against Thitisan with the internal affairs department.

“I have ordered the internal affairs department to investigate this case immediately,” he said.

“Pol General Suchart Theerasawat, chief of internal affairs, revealed that based on CCTV footage and reports filed by officers, 13 police officers were involved in this case.

“I have also contacted Border Patrol Police, Immigration Police and other related departments to monitor the accused officers closely to prevent them from leaving the country,” said Suwat.

“We will also investigate Thitisan’s financial records to uncover if there are other parties involved.”

He added that if the superintendent were to be found guilty, he would face disciplinary action and criminal prosecution to set an example to the over 200,000 police officers nationwide that every action has a consequence.

Published : August 25, 2021

By : THE NATION