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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002213

Reopening of Phuket, Surat Thani gets initial nod from CCSA

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday has approved in principle the tourism sandbox programme that will be implemented in Phuket from July 1 and in certain areas of Surat Thani from July 15, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.

Under the sandbox scheme, foreign tourists who can verify they have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely in the province without having to quarantine.

After staying in Phuket for 14 days and a negative test for Covid, the tourists can travel to other provinces in Thailand.

Other requirements include the visitors must have been living in countries with medium to low level of infection for at least 21 days before entering Phuket, and they must strictly follow disease control measures throughout their stay.

“As for Surat Thani province, only Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Pha Ngan will be opened for foreign tourists under the sandbox scheme from July 15, and the same 14-day mandatory rule will apply,” said Yuthasak.

“During the mandatory 14 days, tourists can travel to selected destinations under a sealed routes model such as Koh He and Koh Mai Thon in Phuket. From August onwards, more destinations will be added like Koh Phi Phi and Koh Ngai in Krabi province as well as Khao Lak and Koh Yao in Phang Nga province.

“As for Thai nationals, they can travel freely in Phuket from July onwards provided they have received one jab of AstraZeneca or two jabs of Sinovac vaccine,” added Yuthasak.

The TAT governor added that after getting the greenlight from the CCSA, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports will present the plan to the Cabinet on June 22 for their approval, after which it will be announced in the Royal Gazette.

Published : June 19, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002212

Thai riceberry wins bronze medal at French competition

Thailand’s riceberry won a bronze medal at France’s “Fine Grocery” contest this week, the Department of International Trade Promotion said.

The department’s director-general, Somdet Susomboon, said that he was informed by his subordinate in France that French importer Naga-Gold company had sent the riceberry to take part in the contest and won the bronze medal.

The “Fine Grocery” contest was organised as part of the Epicures 2021 event, Somdet added.

The department expects that the bronze medal will draw more customers’ interest in Thai rice, especially in France.

In the “Fine Grocery” contest, Délice de Saint Orens’ foie gras and Bidaian’s Tajine spice won the gold medal. The silver medal went to Maison Telme’s rice mixed with herb and spice.

Somdet Susomboon

Published : June 19, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002211

Over 14,000 organisations register for Sinopharm’s vaccine

The Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA) announced on Friday that 14,634 organisations had applied to get Sinopharm’s Covilo vaccine to inoculate 4,545,272 staff as an alternative to the government’s Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.

The CRA had opened the registration for organisation customers on June 14. It will import and sell Covilo vaccine at THB888 per jab. The price includes transportation fee, storage fee, and insurance fee in case of side-effects.

The registration closed on Friday at 4pm.

Earlier this week the CRA announced that vaccine recipients would be compensated at THB1 million in case of death or being in a coma after the jab. In case they have been hospitalised after the jab, the medical fee will be covered up to a maximum of THB30,000.

The CRA also revealed that businesses that had applied to get the vaccine for the largest number of staff were consumer services at 83,039 people, or 17.42 per cent, followed by manufacturing at 70,572 people (14.8 per cent), finance at 55,214 people (11.58 per cent), and healthcare at 51,572 people (10.82 per cent).

“Organisations who have successfully registered will receive an email from CRA within five working days notifying the number of vaccines that can be allocated, the payment method and vaccination date and venue,” said the academy.

“Customers must make the payment within three days after they receive the email, or they will lose their reservation and the vaccine will be allocated to other customers.”

Published : June 19, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002210

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

Immigration Police arrested two suspects for operating a loan business without licence at a house in Nonthaburi province.

Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-General Sompong Chingduang announced the arrests on Friday in the Bangrak Phattana subdistrict.

Lian Bin Bin, a Chinese national, was arrested along with his Thai business partner Natchuta Kullachet.

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

Police also confiscated 13 mobile telephones, 15 bank passbooks and 10 credit cards found in the house.

The two suspects reportedly confessed that they had been running a loan shark business from a home office in Nonthaburi’s Bang Kraso district.

Police detained 66 employees who were working in the building for questioning, and confiscated over 100 items of desktop and laptop computers and mobile phones.

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

Bin Bin reportedly said that he had entered Thailand about a year ago to run a loan shark business with a Thai partner. The gang operates six mobile applications that provide loans of THB2,500 to THB10,000 per customer. It collects a borrowing fee up front at 30-42 per cent and charges interest at 5 per cent per day if the customer fails to pay back in seven days on top of a 12 per cent fine.

Loan shark gang run by Chinese national busted in Nonthaburi

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the gang has around 70,000 customers,” said Somphong.

“Some of them were harassed via telephone by the gang’s debt collectors, prompting them to file complaints at Thung Mahamek Police Station, which eventually led to the issuance of the arrest warrants by the Criminal Court for the suspects.”

Published : June 19, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002196

Lesser showers forecast for all regions today as monsoon weakens

The weak southwest monsoon prevailing across the Andaman Sea, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand will bring less rain across the country on Saturday.

Weak winds prevail across the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf of Thailand, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Saturday.

All ships in the upper Andaman Sea should proceed with caution during thundershowers, the department said.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

North: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees Celsius, highs of 33-36°C.

Northeast: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25°C, highs of 35-37°C.

Central: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-25°C, highs of 36-38°C.

East: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-26°C, highs of 32-37°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-25°C, highs of 33-36°C; waves less than a metre high and a metre during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 21-25°C, highs of 31-33°C; waves 1-2 metres high and two metres during thundershowers.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 26-27°C, highs of 34-38°C.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : June 19, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002194

3 million Chinese jabs heading to Thailand this month: PM

Two million doses of Sinovac and one million doses of Sinopharm vaccines will be arriving in Thailand this month, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced on Friday while presiding over the daily meeting with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

He said he had confirmed the delivery with China’s charge d’affaires Yang Xin.

Separately, government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri explained that Prayut’s promise on Wednesday to reopen the country in 120 days should not be seen as a countdown. He said the aim was to open the country to foreign tourists gradually.

“Hence government officials nationwide must prepare for the reopening,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prayut and his close aides will be heading to Phuket on June 25 to check on sandbox preparations.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002193

CCSA eases some restrictions, recalibrates zoning measures

Some restrictions will be lifted in maximum and strictly controlled areas from Monday onwards, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced on Friday.

The easing of restrictions includes people being allowed to dine in restaurants until 11pm, though air-conditioned eateries can only fill 50 per cent of seats at any given period.

Some restrictions have also been lifted for making films and TV shows.

Taweesin Visanuyothin, CCSA spokesperson, also announced that provinces have been split into four new zones, with Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Pathum Thani coming under maximum, strict control.

The next level, maximum control, covers Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Trang, Nakhon Pathom, Pattani, Phetchaburi, Songkhla, Samut Sakhon, Saraburi, Yala and Narathiwat.

Meanwhile, Chanthaburi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ayutthaya, Ranong, Rayong, Ratchaburi, Sa Kaew and Samut Songkhram have been marked control zones.

The remaining 53 provinces are high-surveillance areas.

When it comes to making films and TV shows, no more than 50 people are allowed to be present at any given time. They must also take RT-PCR Covid-19 tests within 72 hours and maintain social distancing and hygiene measures.

Actors can remove their face mask when in front of the camera, while contestants in singing competitions can remove their mask in specified areas.

Game show participants can remove their masks one person at a time.

News reporters can remove their masks provided they are at least two metres apart from each other and partitions are set up.

In case the film or TV show is being made in a public area, the crew must wear facemasks at all times.

Each person involved in the production of TV shows or films is required to produce a timeline seven days before and after the production is completed.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002190

Phuket gets ready to open under sandbox scheme

Phuket will kick off Thailand’s drive to revive its tourism industry by allowing foreigners to arrive under a “sandbox” scheme.

Under the sandbox, tourists who can prove they are fully inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move freely without having to quarantine.

After 14 days in Phuket, the tourists can then travel to other provinces in Thailand.

Recently Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said Phuket authorities have been working hard to ensure the province can reopen without a hitch on July 1.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his team are scheduled to visit the province on June 25 to check out the preparations.

Phuket gets ready to open under sandbox scheme

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002188

Thailand’s longest dual-track tunnel excavated

Excavation for Thailand’s longest tunnel, which is part of the Northeast dual-track railway, is mostly finished, the tunnelling company announced on Friday.

The 5.2-kilometre tunnel is part of the Northeast dual-track railway running from Mab Kabao in Saraburi to Nakhon Ratchasima’s Thanon Chira junction.

“The Mab Kabao-Thanon Chira junction project covers 134km and is being built as part of a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development and Right Tunnelling [RT],” said RT’s chief executive officer Chawalit Thanomthin.

Thailand’s longest dual-track tunnel excavated

“The route will have three tunnels, with Mab Kabao being the longest at 5.2km. The other two are Muak Lek at 0.26km and Khananjit at 1.17km.”

Chawalit added that once the excavation of the tunnel is complete, the company will start working on the tunnel’s concrete structure.

“The project has been affected by the outbreak in the past few months, but the company has a risk-management plan that will ensure the project is completed within this year as per the contract,” he said. “The project is more than 80 per cent complete and RT stands to earn a total of 2.29 billion baht from this project.”

Published : June 18, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002187

Thailand rises one place in world competitiveness rankings

Thailand rose one place to 28th in this year’s world competitiveness rankings compiled by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

The IMD’s 2021 ranking of 64 countries was topped by Switzerland, followed by Sweden and Denmark, the Thailand Management Association reported on Friday.

Singapore (5th) was ranked first in Asean, ahead of Malaysia (25th), Thailand (28th), Indonesia (37th) and the Philippines (52nd). Singapore dropped five places after topping the global list last year.

China made the biggest gains in Asia, rising four places to 16th. The United States remained in 10th place

Thailand’s rise of one place reflected gains in employment and public finances. However, the Kingdom plummeted in the sub-ranking of international trade, falling from 5th last year to 21st.

The IMD uses official data and industry surveys to measure countries’ economic health through a variety of criteria, including innovation, digitalisation, welfare benefits, and social cohesion.

Published : June 18, 2021

By : The Nation