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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000844

Bangkok community calls for proactive tests after 41 residents infected

Rim Klong Samsen community members are calling on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to launch proactive tests in their area as they fear an explosion of new Covid cases.

Somnuek Thapnoi, former area chief, said since April, 41 members of the community had tested positive for Covid-19, while 80 people were under self-isolation.

He said the community committee has been cooking meals for those who have been isolated, adding that 328 households had donated 20 baht each to fund the meals.

“We ask BMA to conduct proactive tests in the community as soon as possible because there is a risk of the area becoming a new Covid cluster in Bangkok,” he said.

Meanwhile, officials from the Ratchathewi District Office have taken 50 people facing the risk of infection in the community to take swab tests at the Kingpetch School.

The officials said community members will have to wait for their turn as many people are waiting to take Covid-19 tests.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000842

Kanchanaburi catches over 100 smuggled Myanmar migrants in one day

Kanchanaburi police arrested 105 illegal migrants as they were being smuggled through two border villages on Thursday.

The drama began on Thursday morning when officers waved down four pick-up trucks at Huay U Long Village in Thong Pha Phum district.

“Upon seeing the police, the first truck immediately stopped and tried to back up until it hit the following truck, resulting in both of them turning over,” Kanchanaburi police chief Woranan Sukjaroen said.

Of the 19 migrants on the first truck and eight on the second, six were injured, he added.

“The drivers of both vehicles managed to flee the scene during the commotion.”

Kanchanaburi catches over 100 smuggled Myanmar migrants in one day

Police said that two more trucks following behind were stopped by officials, who found 18 migrants and one Thai driver in the third truck, and 31 migrants but no sign of the driver on the fourth.

“In total, 76 Myanmar migrants were arrested this morning with one driver,” Woranan said. “The suspects admitted that they crossed the border by boat at Huay Kob Village in Thong Pha Phum district and hired an agent to take them to destinations in Thailand via pick-up trucks for THB16,000 per person.”

Also on Thursday, Kanchanaburi border patrol soldiers arrested a group of 29 Myanmar nationals and one Thai guide at Ban Pratudan Village in Muang district after they failed to present entry documents.

“The suspects said they walked across a mountain from Dawei city in southeastern Myanmar and were heading to find jobs in Samut Prakan province,” said the official. “The guide also admitted to collecting a fee of THB13,000 to 20,000 per person.”

All the suspects were taken to Muang Kanchanaburi Police Station for Covid-19 tests and to be charged.

Kanchanaburi catches over 100 smuggled Myanmar migrants in one day

The number of Myanmar nationals caught crossing the border has risen dramatically since the country’s military regime launched a brutal crackdown on civilian resistance following the February 1 coup.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000838

Prison cluster pushes daily Covid caseload to 4,887, 32 deaths

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday reported 32 deaths and 4,887 new cases, including 16 returnees. Of the new patients, 2,835 were prisoners in the Bangkok Remand Prison and the Central Women’s Correctional Institution.

Of the deaths, 17 were in Bangkok, three in Nakhon Ratchasima, two each in Pathum Thani and Chiang Mai, and one each in Surin, Saraburi, Nakhon Pathom, Phayao, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Phetchaburi and Phuket.

The ages of those who succumbed to the virus ranged from 38 to 93, and they all reportedly suffered from chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc.

Meanwhile, the returnees included nine Thais – two each from Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia and one each from Iran, Myanmar and Indonesia. The rest were an American from the US and six arrivals from India, including two Ukrainians, two Polish nationals, one Russian and one Indian.

Bangkok again topped the list with 1,069 new cases, followed by 194 in Samut Prakan and 105 in Pathum Thani.

Over the last 24 hours, 1,572 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 93,794. Of these, 87,527 infections had been contracted locally, 3,432 were returnees, while 2,835 were detainees.

So far, 60,615 have recovered and been discharged, 32,661 are still in hospitals, and 518 have died.

Meanwhile, another 22,753 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, while 81,529 were given their second shot, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Thailand to 2,040,363.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000836

Lies from 3 patients result in 7 new infections in Chiang Mai hospital

The Central Chiang Mai Memorial Hospital has become a new Covid cluster after three patients concealed their information and infected seven medical staff and put 56 people at risk.

The hospital announced on Wednesday that the three patients are:

• A 39-year-old woman who visited the hospital on April 22

• A 46-year-old man who visited the hospital on April 26

• A 61-year-old woman who visited the hospital on May 3

Of the seven medical staff infected with Covid, a doctor and a nurse had received their first Covid-19 jab, but the others had not.

The hospital confirmed it has been implementing measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, such as recording patients’ medical history, avoiding crowds, getting medical staff to wear personal protective equipment and disinfecting the premises every day.

“The hospital is cooperating with the Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office on disease investigation and is asking those at risk to take a Covid-19 test as soon as possible,” the hospital said.

The hospital has temporarily shut its doors to outpatients until May 21 and is treating emergency cases and patients with chronic disease in the parking area behind the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office reported 10 new Covid-19 cases and two fatalities on Thursday. The total number of new Covid-19 cases in Chiang Mai has increased to 3,944. Of them, 3,325 have recovered and been discharged, 605 are being treated at medical facilities and 14 have died.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000834

Herd of rare banteng spotted in Huai Kha Khaeng

Rangers and a professional photographer exploring the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary were in for a treat on May 11 when they spotted and quickly photographed more than 60 banteng cows and bulls, which are listed as endangered species.

The huge 1,737,587-rai (278,000 hectares) sanctuary spans two western provinces – Uthai Thani and Tak – and shares forest borders with several other provinces.

Herd of rare banteng spotted in Huai Kha Khaeng

“Rangers and Athit Nima, a professional photographer, have been patrolling the Pong Chang Pheuk area, which links the Nakhon Sawan forest to Huai Kha Khaeng in Uthai Thani province, in a bid to record wildlife in their natural habitat for educational purposes,” said Thani Nuyim, director of the region 12 wildlife sanctuary office, on Wednesday.

“They spotted two groups of banteng eating grass, the big one had around 45 cattle and the small one about 15,” he said.

“They also spotted several other animals during their trip, including wild boar, barking deer, deer and peacocks. Seeing these rare animals in the forest is proof that our natural resources are still abundant,” Thani beamed.

Herd of rare banteng spotted in Huai Kha Khaeng

Banteng (Bos javanicus), known to locals as “Wua Daeng” (red bulls), are an endangered species under the Wild Animal Conservation and Protection Act and are only found in a few locations in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation director-general Thanya Netithammakul added: “The department would like to thank the locals of Udon Thani and Nakhon Sawan for their efforts to conserve the forest and for refrain from harming wild animals, despite the banteng emerging at times from the forest to eat farmers’ crops.”

Herd of rare banteng spotted in Huai Kha Khaeng

Herd of rare banteng spotted in Huai Kha Khaeng

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000831

Sinovac is safe despite not being listed by WHO, FDA insists

The Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine is safe to use despite not being listed on the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL), said Food and Drug Administration (FDA) secretary-general Dr Phaisan Dankhum.

“There have been questions regarding the safety of the Sinovac vaccine, that it is not on the WHO’s EUL,” he said.

“The EUL procedure is used in the Covax project and could be applied in countries where the vaccine registration and administration system is not yet complete. This does not mean that Sinovac has failed the qualification process, since the registration of vaccines in each country does not necessarily have to refer to the WHO listing,” Phaisan said.

He also pointed out that other Covid-19 vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson had been registered in the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries before they were listed on the EUL.

“In Thailand, the FDA had registered the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in our country before it was listed on WHO’s EUL, which indicates that being on the EUL is not a prerequisite for a vaccine to be used in any country,” he said.

Phaisan went on to say there are studies proving that Sinovac is effective in preventing Covid-19, which resulted in the Chinese vaccine being registered in 45 countries.

“The vaccine can prevent virus contraction of up to 50 per cent, prevent death from Covid-19 up to 100 per cent and is also 77.9 per cent effective in keeping patients from developing severe symptoms after infection, according to a phase 3 study in Brazil,” he said.

“Furthermore, a study by virology specialist Dr Yong Poovorawan has indicated that vaccine recipients in Thailand have seen increased immunity of 99.4 per cent against the virus within a month of receiving the second Sinovac dose, while immunity in patients who had already been infected for 4-8 weeks also increased to 92.4 per cent after the second jab,” Phaisan added.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000824

Bidding for satellite orbit licences to launch on July 24

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) announced on Wednesday that bidding for satellite orbit licences for broadcasting and broadband communication will commence on July 24.

“This will be the first time ever in Thailand that operators can bid for a licence to use satellite orbits,” said NBTC deputy secretary-general Air Marshal Thanaphan Raijaroen. “In the past, rights to use orbits have been granted under concession contracts, with the last contract period ending on September 10,” he said.

“The bidding will be in the form of SACA [sequential ascending clock auction], where eligible bidders must pass the qualification screening round before they can place their bids for each package of satellite orbits,” he said.

Four packages of satellite orbits will be put up for auction:

– Package 1: 50.5E and 51E orbits, starting price THB676.914 million

– Package 2: 78.5E orbit, starting price THB366.488 million

– Package 3: 119.5E and 120E orbits, starting price THB392.950 million

– Package 4: 126E and 142E orbits, starting price THB364.687 million.

Interested operators can purchase bidding envelopes from May 21 and submit documents from June 21. The list of those who pass the qualification screening round will be announced on July 12.

“We will provide an instruction course for qualified bidders and organise a mock auction from July 19 to 21, while the actual auction will take place on July 24,” Thanaphan said.

“The NBTC is expected to acknowledge the bidding result within 7 days,” he added.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000823

Amnesty urges Justice Ministry, Supreme Court to minimise ‘unnecessary custody’ during Covid crisis

An open letter from Amnesty International Thailand to the Justice Ministry and the Office of the Supreme Court President: Prison inmates deserve enhanced treatment during the pandemic and unnecessary custody should be minimised.

Amnesty International Thailand conducts policy campaigns and raises awareness on human rights with the Thai government, civil society organisations and general public who are interested in civil rights and political rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights. Our activities include public discussions and lecture-based education, among others, to promote human rights principles in the long run.

Amnesty International Thailand has been observing the prosecution of protest leaders and participants in public assemblies for the past two years. According to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, 635 individuals in 301 cases have been prosecuted from participating in political assemblies from July 2020 until April 2021. Of this number, 18 had been denied bail during police investigations and after their indictment pending trials in court and appeals against their sentencing.

The Covid-19 pandemic has plunged public health and livelihoods into a crisis, particularly of inmates and prisoners in prisons, correctional institutes and other detention facilities throughout the country. This is due to constraints in terms of facilities, prompt access to medical treatment and communication with their families and their legal counsels. Just in 2020, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime reported that at least 100 countries worldwide have made attempts to release more than 600,000 inmates and prisoners to address crowding in prisons. Many of them suffer from health problems.

As you and your organisations have direct mandates and charge to review requests and to take care of inmates and prisoners in such facilities, Amnesty International Thailand commends you for your efforts to implement the practice to minimise unnecessary custody at all levels and to ensure the inmates and prisoners bear the least impact from the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, given the chronic “prison crowdedness” and holding in custody of those exercising their freedom of political expression, at least seven political prisoners have contracted Covid-19 in custody. And according to Corrections Department’s reports, at least 200 inmates and prisoners have been infected with the virus while being incarcerated at the Bangkok Remand Prison, the Narathiwat Provincial Prison and the Chiang Mai Provincial Prison.

Amnesty International Thailand would like to call on the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the President of the Supreme Court of Justice to urgently mete out measures to ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of inmates and prisoners during the pandemic to minimise impact from the Covid-19 pandemic within the prison system and between the prison system and society at large.

A sufficient supply of face masks, soaps and clean water should be provided to inmates and prisoners without charge, and they should be afforded Covid-19 tests urgently. The inmates and prisoners who test positive for Covid-19 should be isolated and given access to effective medical treatment. In addition, efforts should immediately be made to minimise any unnecessary custody at all levels commensurate with the policy of the ministry and the president of the Supreme Court of Justice.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000822

Nearly 3,000 illegal migrants arrested for illegal entry since March

Immigration Bureau police have nabbed 2,978 migrants from neighbouring countries who entered Thailand illegally from March to May this year, Immigration Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Achayon Kraithong said on Wednesday.

“In March, 1,314 persons were arrested. In April it was 1,369 and this month another 295 have been arrested so far,” he said. “These illegal migrants are from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Some tried to enter on their own while others were brought in by gangs that specialise in smuggling people across borders.”

Achayon said Immigration Police will investigate these gangs to trace possible human trafficking syndicates behind them.

“All the 2,978 have been charged with illegal entry and will be sent back to their respective countries,” he said. “We also tested them for Covid-19 but so far no infections have been found,” he added.

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000820

Hot day forecast for most of Thailand, isolated heavy rains in the South

Most of the country – the North, Northeast, the central region including Bangkok, and the East – will experience hot weather during the day, with upper Thailand seeing thundershowers and gusty winds in some areas.

The South meanwhile will see thundershowers and isolated heavy rains, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

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

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Hot day with thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 27-28 degrees, highs of 34-38 degrees Celsius.

North: Hot day with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the area; gusty winds are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 22-27 degrees and highs of 32-38 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Hot day with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the area; gusty winds are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees and highs of 35-38 degrees Celsius.

Central: Hot day with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; gusty winds are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees, highs of 36-38 degrees Celsius.

East: Hot day with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the area; gusty winds are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 24-28 degrees, highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-26 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees, highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : May 13, 2021

By : THE NATION