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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022740

Kites rise and swoop in sea breeze at Trat province festival

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2022

Trat province’s scenic Laem Ngop lighthouse became more animated yesterday with the launch of a nine-day kite festival that saw scores of kites from Thailand and abroad rise and swoop in the breeze from the sea.

The kites were emblazoned with colourful symbols and came in a multitude of sizes and shapes, including a long string of Thai flags, a football kite and another shaped like a wheel with spikes protruding from it.

The festival is being held by the Thailand Kitefliers Association in the coastal province’s Laem Ngop district until December 12.

Association chairman Panya Charoenlarp said the festival was designed for both domestic and foreign tourists and that kite flying was not the only draw.

The festival also includes a king mackerel fishing competition, a Thai ridgeback dog show, performances by artists, and a buffet of local cuisine and community-produced products.

Related stories:

• Five-year wait ends as region’s premiere film festival returns to Bangkok
• District in Loei woos tourists with colourful ‘Christmas Festival’
• Over half a million krathongs float down Bangkok’s waterways for festival

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022738

Train travel suspended between Thailand and Malaysia after Saturday’s bomb blast

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2022

Train travel on the railway linking Thailand and Malaysia has been suspended as officials investigate a bomb blast that derailed a cargo train early yesterday afternoon, officials from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said on Sunday.

The blast derailed 11 of the cargo train’s 20 cars and severely damaged rail tracks in Songkhla province’s Sadao district, police said. The blast occurred at 12.50pm yesterday and was caused by an improvised explosive device, they said.

No one was injured by the blast or derailment.

The SRT has already suspended three trains from using the route: two from Hat Yai to Padang Besar, Malaysia and one from Padang Besar to Bangkok, said SRT Region 4 operation centre director Royumi Maroze.

He said that the SRT would continue to investigate the scene of the blast and evaluate safety on the route.

Panumat Phromchot, a chief engineer at SRT’s rail maintenance division in Hat Yai, confirmed that a team of engineers would investigate the derailed cars and the badly damaged tracks today.

Songkhla Provincial Police chief Maj Gen Wara Vechapinan led officers, including bomb disposal experts, in an investigation of the scene on Saturday.

Police speculated that insurgents were behind the blast and that their goal was to deter tourism and damage economic growth, explaining that the governments of Thailand and Malaysia were planning to open the route on weekends for tourists to travel between Hat Yai and Kuala Lumpur.

A trial run on the route on September 16 was well received by tourists.

Related stories:

• Freight train to Malaysia derails in Songkhla, investigation underway
• Songkhla railway bombing likely to signify a stepping up of attacks before end of Ramadan
• Songkhla touted as southern Thailand’s hub for medical tourism, MICE activities

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022737

Over 25 tonnes of meat, formaldehyde-spiked offal seized from unlicensed factory in Chonburi

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2022

Livestock officials seized 25 tonnes of pork, beef and offal from an unauthorised food-processing plant in Chonburi last week. The plant is believed to have supplied fresh meat and offal to more than 60 restaurants in the eastern province.

The officials from the Chonburi branch of the Livestock Development Department also found that the plant processed offal by preserving it in formaldehyde solution.

Somchuan Ratanamungklanon, the department’s director-general, said on Saturday that the plant in Sri Racha district was raided on Thursday in response to complaints from local residents that the factory may be operating without a licence.

Somchuan said the factory did not have the licences required for processing food, transporting or trading animal carcasses and meat.

Hence, he said, the plant’s owner will be charged with violating the Animal Disease Control Act, the Food Act and the Animal Slaughtering Act.

He said the plant used dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde, which is usually used to preserve corpses, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide to make the offal look fresh.

He said officials had also seized 50 containers, each of 25-litre capacity, filled with formaldehyde solution and 2,300 receipts showing the factory supplied meat and offal to 66 Thai-style shabu and Isaan food shops in the province.

Somchuan said samples from the factory will be sent for a lab test to check for disease and dangerous chemicals.

He added that the owner has 15 days to provide the required documents if he wants his stock back, otherwise the seized goods will be destroyed and the owner prosecuted.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022736

Bangkok pollution: BMA to survey factories, building sites on Tuesday

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2022

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has announced that it will check sites emitting fine dust particles in a bid to bring down PM2.5 levels in the capital.

BMA said it will check dust levels in 146 factories, including 13 that manufacture cement, and 66 construction sites on Tuesday. City officials will also check vehicles that emit black smoke.

The survey will be conducted in the districts of Khlong San, Chom Thong, Din Daeng, Dusit, Taling Chan, Thung Khru, Thonburi, Bangkok Yai, Bang Kapi, Phasi Charoen, Ratchathewi, Huai Khwang, Sai Mai, Sathorn, Wang Thong Lang, Lat Krabang, Rat Burana and Bang Khen.

“PM2.5 puts people in the capital at risk of many diseases like pneumonia, emphysema and lung cancer,” the BMA said.

On Sunday, PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter) readings were in the range of 12-31 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3). Thailand’s safe levels are 50μg/m3 or lower, while the World Health Organisation puts them at 25 μg/m3.

Related stories:

• Factories, farms, forests: Targets for Thai agency in PM2.5 battle
• ‘More vehicles than people’: Bangkok’s path to liveable city blocked
• PM2.5 warning issued for six Bangkok districts this week

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022735

Central World rebuts reports that its alarm system failed during Saturday’s fire

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2022

The emergency alert system in Bangkok’s Central World was fully operating when a fire broke out in a dining and beverage section of the megamall late yesterday afternoon, the department store said.

The statement followed comments from shoppers who fled the mall saying they did not hear an alarm during the fire but were told to leave by staff instead. Subsequent online comments said the alarm system failed. “Who will be esponsible for loss in lives if the department store does not notify [shoppers] when there is a fire,” one tweet read.

Central World explained, however, that because the mall is so large, alarms are used separately in each zone to avoid mass panic and accidents that could be triggered if alarms went off simultaneously in every zone.

The fire broke out near an escalator on the first floor of the mall’s Groove zone, a public relations executive at the mall confirmed Sunday morning.

Central World said the fire was “brought under control in 10 minutes without injury or damage to the [nearby] shops.”

It said its preliminary investigation indicated that “easily flammable items” that quickly caught fire were to blame for the fire. A review of CCTV footage found that the sprinkler and fire alarm systems at the scene functioned properly, it said.

The megamall, one of the region’s largest, is open but the zone near the scene of the fire is partially closed, it said, adding that its investigation is continuing.

Related stories:

• Shoppers flee in panic after brief fire at Central World
• Photo exhibition captures plight of a world caught in the grip of Covid-19
• Over 100 Thai and foreign players taking part in 3×3 basketball league

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022721

Coral gets a breather as porcelain frames help create new reefs in Thai seas

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2022

As rising sea temperatures pose a new threat to coral and the reefs they create for aquatic life, Thai marine biologists are turning to expired porcelain electrical insulators to create artificial coral reefs and new habitats for marine life.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) last week donated another 500 sets of interconnected porcelain insulators to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources. They will be dropped into the seabed where they can be used by coral to form new reefs.
The latest batch of insulators will be used to create artificial coral reefs in the Andaman Sea, off Phuket province’s Mai Thon Island.
The structures serve as frames for coral to grow on, and attract fish that use them – like natural coral reefs – for resting spaces and breeding grounds.
Egat deputy governor Somkiat Panuschai said that the agency has contributed to many projects to build “fish houses” in several coastal provinces, including Prachuap Khiri Khan, Pattani, Narathiwat, Chon Buri, and Phuket. It has already donated more than 3,600 sets of insulators to serve as artificial frames for coral to grow on, he said.

The goal is to help create new nursery grounds for small fish and restore marine diversity, Somkiat explained.
Climate change is creating new challenges for aquatic ecosystems, especially rising seawater temperatures. High temperatures bleach algae cells on coral, which prevents their growth. Since most fish find shelter and reproduce in the nooks formed by coral reefs, their loss leads to a decline in marine life.
According to research by Prince of Songkla University, porcelain insulators do not damage marine life or the quality of seawater.
Paitoon Panchaiyaphum, a director at the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, said that recent surveys by divers found that coral is growing well on structures made from Egat’s porcelain insulators.
The artificial reefs have become feeding grounds for many fish and other aquatic life, Paitoon said, adding: “This is a good sign for improving the diversity of marine life long-term.”

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022720

Shoppers flee in panic after brief fire at Central World

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2022

Frightened shoppers ran for their lives after a fire broke out on the second floor of Central World mall in Bangkok late Saturday afternoon.

Frightened shoppers ran for their lives after a fire broke out on the second floor of Central World mall in Bangkok late Saturday afternoon.

There were no reports of injuries and the fire was quickly extinguished.

The Pathum Wan Police Station was alerted about the fire at about 5.45pm, police said. Witnesses said they saw flames behind an escalator in the mega mall’s Groove zone – a dining and beverage area.

Many of those inside the mall said they did not hear a fire alarm. Instead, they were told by Groove zone staff to leave the mall.
Many panicked and fled through fire exits, while others rushed to drive their cars out of parking areas.

The fire was extinguished quickly. Police are investigating its cause.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022718

PM urges holiday travellers to drive safely to avoid road accidents

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2022

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on motorists to strictly follow traffic rules and be extra cautious during the three long weekends that occur this month.

Prayut also instructed relevant state agencies to strictly enforce traffic laws and regulations to reduce road accidents during the holiday breaks, deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Saturday.
In addition to the three-day weekend this week, which includes Fathers’ Day on Monday, next weekend is a long weekend due to Constitution Day, while the final weekend of the month also lasts three days with the addition of New Year’s day on January 1.
The prime minister has instructed the Transport and Interior ministries as well as the Royal Thai Police to ensure convenience for holiday travellers while preventing behaviours that can cause road accidents, such as drunk driving, Traisuree said.

She said that Gen Prayut also asked motorists to be extra cautious and make the necessary preparations for long trips. They should be physically prepared for long drives. Safety belts must be fastened and motorcyclists must wear helmets.
The PM also urged motorists and motorcyclists to comply with speed limits and respect traffic laws and regulations to reduce road accidents.
Road accidents are a major cause of death and disability in Thailand,Traisuree said. According to the Road Safety Centre, 13,042 people were killed in accidents on Thai roads between January 1 and November 23 this year. Another 145 people were disabled and more than 834,130 people were injured, according to the centre.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022717

Freight train to Malaysia derails in Songkhla, investigation underway

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2022

Nobody was injured when a freight train fell off the track in Songkhla’s Sadao district on Saturday afternoon.

Investigators are checking to see if it was an accident or an attack by insurgents in the South.

Train No 707 from Songkhla’s Hat Yai district to Padang Besar in Malaysia was reportedly derailed at 12.50pm on Saturday. The incident resulted in 11 of its 20 containers falling off the track, which was also severely damaged.

The incident occurred just after a curve in Moo 2 of the Tha Pho area. The two train drivers, a mechanic and a brakes operator escaped unscathed.

Witnesses said they heard an explosion before the derailment, which has prompted security officials to investigate if this was an attack by insurgents.

State Railway of Thailand officials believe the Hat Yai-Pedang Besar route will remain closed for several days due to the extensive damage.

Related Stories

Songkhla railway bombing likely to signify a stepping up of attacks before end of Ramadan

Songkhla touted as southern Thailand’s hub for medical tourism, MICE activities

Songkhla-Malaysia border gate lifts after almost 2 years to unleash economic revival

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022716

Factories, farms, forests: Targets for Thai agency in PM2.5 battle

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2022

With fine dust in the air worsening this year, the Centre for Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM) has announced that it will introduce comprehensive measures to curb PM2.5 particles in the air.

Pollution Control Department (PCD) director-general Pinsak Suraswadi, who also heads the CAPM, said these measures will cover the three key areas where PM2.5 fine particles are created, namely cities, farming areas and forests.
PM2.5 stands for particulate matter that is a mere 2.5 microns or less in width.
Pinsak said that in cities, PM2.5 mainly comes from traffic and factories, so solutions will focus on these areas.
The public and private sectors will be instructed to ensure their vehicle engines are well maintained to ensure they do not emit any fine particles.

Public buses and commercial vehicles will also be checked regularly to ensure those that emit dark exhaust smoke are kept off the streets.
As of October, a total of 896 factories that may cause pollution have been shortlisted for regular inspections all year to ensure fine particles are kept at a minimum.
In agricultural areas, PM2.5 is mainly caused by the burning of farm waste, Pinsak said, adding that farmers will be told to stop clearing their fields with fire.
The initial target is to cover 17,640 farmers in 62 provinces, with the goal of cutting down “hot spots” by 10%.
In the forests, PM2.5 is mainly caused by wildfires. Pinsak said that to combat this, at least 3,000 tonnes of combustible materials will be collected from the forests in a bid to reduce hot spots by 20%.
He said that in Thailand, the concentration of PM2.5 fine particles often worsens around the late and early periods of the year when the country is covered by high-pressure ridges from China.