Mukdahan governor quizzed over ‘zombie’ public parks that cost THB29 million
Authorities in the northeast province of Mukdahan have vowed to renovate five new public parks that cost THB29 million before being left abandoned in 2018.
Reporters on Wednesday visited the five parks in the Mekong riverside town, in search of answers for why the multimillion-baht facilities remained closed.
In response, Mukdahan governor Veerachai Nakmat told them he had been informed that investment in the projects began in 2016 and construction was completed in 2018.
He said authorities would now renovate the parks before delivering them to local communities soon.
Rise in food deliveries sees Thailand drowning in plastic waste
With most people working from home, plastic waste in Bangkok has risen by 60 per cent, while the food-delivery business has increased by 200 per cent nationwide, the Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) reported recently.
Each food delivery comprises up to seven pieces of plastic, which is increasing the average amount of plastic containers in garbage from between 12 and 13 per cent to 15 per cent.
Plastic waste in the capital has risen by 60 per cent, of which only 19 per cent can be recycled. Currently, only 15 per cent of the country’s 2,600 or so waste-management units can tackle garbage properly.
Rise in food deliveries sees Thailand drowning in plastic waste
Trio of Leicester City stars invite foreign tourists back to Phuket
Three stars of Leicester City FC are inviting foreign tourists to shake off the lockdown gloom on gorgeous Phuket, as the holiday island prepares to reopen on July 1.
The FA Cup winners star in the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s latest promotional video for the tourism sandbox programme beginning next month.
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 on the island for 14 days and testing negative again, tourists will be free to travel to other provinces in Thailand.
Produced in partnership with Leicester City’s Thai owners, King Power Group, “Amazing Moments in Phuket” stars Leicester City’s James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho.
“The video is part of TAT’s “Phuket is now open” campaign to let the world know that we are ready to reopen and that foreigner tourists will be safe when travelling in Phuket,” said Thanes Phetsuwan, TAT deputy governor of marketing. “We are using sport as a medium to attract people. Under the concept “Amazing Thailand: Now even more Amazing”, the video reveals the many sports activities available in Thailand – including diving, surfing, cruising, parasailing, triathlon and more.”
The invitation to Phuket is being broadcast to viewers of BBC World News, Euro News and other international channels as well as by King Power and Leicester City media outlets. TAT says the video should reach at least 20 million viewers of traditional media and 24 million viewers of online media each time it is aired.
BMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communities
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Wednesday surveyed markets and workers’ camps in Yannawa district in a bid to nip new Covid-19 clusters in the bud.
Wallaya Wattanarat, BMA deputy permanent secretary, said the number of Covid-19 cases is rising due to the quick transmission of the virus.
“So, BMA has instructed district offices across the city to work on curbing the spread of Covid-19, especially in markets, communities and workers’ camps,” Wallaya said.
Retailers and staff underwent Covid-19 tests in six markets in Yannawa district, namely Rungcharoen, Hiso, Wat Dokmai, Lan Sai, Perm Sap and Bang Pong Pang. City officials have collected 75 samples in each market.
BMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communities
BMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communities
BMA officials also visited the Pre-Built company’s workers’ camp on Rama III Soi 77 to check if steps have been taken to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Of the 609 workers inside the camp, 252 had earlier this month tested positive for Covid-19. Of them, 146 are being treated in hospitals or field hospitals and 106 are awaiting test results.
Officials found that Pre-Built has implemented preventive measures such as keeping the area well ventilated, disinfecting the surroundings and monitoring workers’ symptoms.
“Yannawa district officials have been instructed to monitor the situation in the area to control the spread of Covid-19 effectively,” Wallaya added.
BMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communitiesBMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communitiesBMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communitiesBMA hunts for clusters in Yannawa markets, communities
Thailand was hit with 40 Covid-related deaths and 2,331 confirmed cases, including 29 overseas arrivals, over a 24-hour period on Wednesday.
Bangkok led the list again with 807 cases, followed by Nonthaburi (204), Samut Prakan (161), Chonburi (108), and Samut Sakhon (101).
Meanwhile, 4,947 patients have recovered and been discharged in the last 24 hours.
Of the 29 arrivals, 27 were Thais – 26 from Cambodia and one from Saudi Arabia. The other two were a British national and an American from their own countries.
As of Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 204,595.
So far, 167,665 have recovered and been discharged, 35,405 are still in hospitals, and 1,525 have died.
Meanwhile, another 186,164 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 83,468 people were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 6,780,816.
According to Worldometer, as of 11am on Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 177.40 million (up by 370,383), 161.83 million of whom have recovered, 11.74 million are active cases (83,680 in severe condition) and 3.83 million have died (up by 9,149).
Thailand ranks 79th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 34.35 million, followed by India 29.63 million, Brazil 17.54 million, France 5.74 million, and Turkey 5.33 million.
New rules set for hospitals offering vaccine booking
The Department of Health Service Support (HSS) announced this week that it has set five rules for private hospitals to follow when advertising vaccine registrations:
• The vaccine brand advertised must be registered and approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration.
• Hospitals must first seek permission from HSS or provincial health offices before launching vaccine booking campaigns.
• If hospitals take money for advance booking but then cannot deliver the jabs, all booking fees must be returned to people.
• Jabs must be delivered during the period advertised.
• Every jab-booking advert must also include a line saying the government provides free Covid-19 vaccines to all Thais.
Doctor advises delay in reopening Phuket; sandbox could bring more virus mutations, he warns
Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Mahidol Universitys Faculty of Medicine, said on Tuesday that the reopening of Phuket under the tourism sandbox scheme from July 1 could make the province vulnerable to the spread of mutated Covid-19 variants.
Under the scheme, foreign tourists who can verify they have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly directly into Phuket and move around freely without having to quarantine. After staying in Phuket for 14 days and still testing negative, the tourists can then travel to other provinces in Thailand.
“Personally I think it is too soon to open the country to foreign tourists as the vaccines that have been provided to locals cannot protect against every kind of virus variant,” he warned.
“Furthermore, the province’s disease control measures are not strict or comprehensive enough to contain the virus should a new wave emerge.”
According to the Public Health Ministry, about 400,000 Phuket locals or 60 per cent of the island population have been vaccinated against Covid-19 so far.
“Take the UK for example. They opened the country and now their infection rate has climbed with new variants being discovered in the country,” he said.
“The 14-day mandatory stay in Phuket might not be long enough as we do not know what the new variants are capable of. Some countries, such as China, have even increased the quarantine period to 21 days. However, extending this period could result in [more] tourists changing their minds or not visiting Phuket at all, which defeats the purpose of the campaign,” Prasit said.
Vaccinations for the general public should fully resume to reach the target of 300,000 people per day in the next 1-2 weeks, he advised.
“During June 7-8 we saw that vaccination units could easily provide jabs to 400,000 people per day, but the vaccination process has now been interrupted due to supply problems, resulting in delays for those who have registered,” Prasit pointed out.
“The situation will improve in coming weeks as more Sinovac and alternative vaccines arrive. Moreover, Siam Bioscience should be able to manufacture more AstraZeneca vaccines and help take the vaccination rate to the original target of 300,000 people per day,” he added.
Four elderly sisters may get reprieve from giving up lifetime home
The Justice Ministry has come to the aid of four hapless elderly women in Sukhothai who are about to be kicked out of their home after a nephew used the house as collateral for a loan and could not pay back the money.
The story made headlines earlier this week after the four sisters – aged 94, 82, 80 and 77 – from Sukhothai’s Srisamrong district implored the media to help them before the house they have lived in their whole lives goes to the new owner on June 17.
“Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin has ordered the Legal Execution Department to look into the matter and schedule a meeting with the creditor for negotiations on Wednesday [June 16],” said department director-general Aranya Thongnamtako.
Four elderly sisters may get reprieve from giving up lifetime home
“The Sukhothai Provincial Court had in 2012 ordered the house to be sold to pay off the debt. In 2019 the creditor bought the house. They are scheduled to claim the property on June 17,” Aranya added.
Local news sources revealed that one of the nephews of the four elders had applied for a loan of THB450,000 and used the land and house’s title deed as collateral. The house, which is located on 3 ngarn 97 square wah of land, was sold for THB980,500 to pay for the debt plus interest, while the family received the difference of THB365,000.
Four elderly sisters may get reprieve from giving up lifetime home
The eldest sister, Proy (last name withheld), aged 94, said six people have been living in the house – herself, her three sisters, her son and daughter – and all have nowhere else to go if they are forced to quit the house.
“Furthermore, I am suffering from cancer and heart disease, while my youngest sister has asthma,” Proy revealed. “The creditors said they are happy to sell the house back to us for THB2 million, but we have only THB600,000, so any help or donation is welcome,” she pleaded.
Thundershowers forecast across Thailand with isolated heavy rains in the North
The country will see thundershowers with isolated heavy rains in the North as the moderate southwest monsoon prevails across Thailand, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, the Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.
It warned people to beware of the severe conditions while advising all ships in the Andaman Sea to proceed with caution as waves are about 2 metres high and more than 2 metres during thundershowers.
Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Thundershowers in 70 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees and highs of 30-33 degrees Celsius.
Northeast: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees and highs of 32-35 degrees Celsius.
Central: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 22-26 degrees, highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius.
East: Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-28 degrees, highs of 31-34 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres during thundershowers.
South (east coast): Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 32-35 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius; waves 2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 26-27 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.
Historic Bangkok moat to be renovated from September
Bangkok’s historic Klong Phadung Krung Kasem will be transformed into an elegant city attraction under a renovation project due to launch in September.
The renovation work will beautify a 1,700-metre stretch of the canal in Hua Lamphong, city Governor Aswin Kwanmuang revealed on Tuesday after meeting with the project committee.
Improvements will be made to the waterway and promenade from Charoen Sawat Bridge to Kasat Suek bridge, and the canal only from Bobae to Charoen Rat Bridge.
The renovation project will start in September and is scheduled for completion in February next year.
The Fine Arts Department has granted permission for the canal upgrade, which is being managed by the Office of Urban Planning and Development.
However, project workers have been warned that the canal renovation must not alter the form and structure of the historic Bangkok landmark.
Historic Bangkok moat to be renovated from SeptemberHistoric Bangkok moat to be renovated from September