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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000576

Tourism stimulus schemes likely to be extended to year-end

Ministry still expects to go ahead with July 1 launch date of Phuket Tourism Sandbox.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry plans to ask the Cabinet to extend the August 31 deadline of two of its tourism stimulus campaigns to the end of the year, Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said on Wednesday.

He added that the ministry is still maintaining the July 1 launch date of its all-important Phuket Tourism Sandbox campaign.

“As the Covid-19 situation is still escalating with an increasing number of new infections, we decided that the campaigns should be extended until the end of the year to attract more people to travel domestically when the situation improves,” he said.

The Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) travel subsidy campaign will start on May 7 and the Tour Tiew Thai scheme will hit the road on May 27.

Under Rao Tiew Duay Kan, eligible registrants will receive a 40 per cent discount on hotel rooms and restaurants. They will also get an e-voucher when checking into a hotel as well as a 40 per cent flight refund when they check out. The subsidy is capped at 2 million room nights and registrants must reserve rooms at least seven days in advance.

The new Tour Tiew Thai co-payment scheme will see the government covering up to 40 per cent of tour package costs for a maximum of one million people. The subsidy is capped at Bt5,000 per trip, while registrants can reserve trips that start from May until August (as per the original deadline).

Both campaigns are aimed at Thai nationals aged over 18.

Pipat also said the ministry is still maintaining the original July 1 launch date of its Phuket Tourism Sandbox as “the campaign will serve as a pilot programme for other provinces, therefore it needs to be implemented as soon as we can”.

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

Similar schemes will be run in other top tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phang Nga and Koh Samui later, once more people have been vaccinated and preventive measures are put in place there.

“About 200,000 residents in Phuket have already been vaccinated and we expect to inoculate another 750,000 in May-June to complete the goal of having at least 70 per cent of Phuket locals vaccinated before the campaign starts,” Pipat added.

Published : May 06, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000575

First quarter fuel consumption drops 7.7%

The consumption of fuel , including oil, petrol, diesel, aviation jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas for vehicles (NGV), dropped by an average of 7.7 per cent year on year during the first three months of 2021, the Department of Energy Business said on Wednesday.

“The significant drop came from the use of aviation jet fuel, which fell 73.9 per cent year on year to 4.6 million litres per day, followed by a 31.2 per cent drop in NGV usage to 3.3 million kilograms per day,” the department’s director-general Nantika Thangsupanich said.

“The drop in jet fuel consumption is due to the Covid-19 pandemic that forced the aviation industry to suspend services since last year, while the drop in NGV usage is mainly due to a decreasing number of NGV gas stations and vehicles that use NGV,” she pointed out.

Average gasoline usage in the first quarter was 700,000 litres per day, decreasing 9.7 per cent year on year, while average gasohol usage was 30.4 million litres per day, increasing 0.1 per cent year on year.

“The usage of both gasoline and gasohol in March increased to 33.9 million litres per day from 32.2 million in February and 27.3 million in January due to the easing of lockdown measures when the situation following the second Covid-19 wave started to improve,” she said.

Average diesel usage in the first quarter was 67.2 million litres per day, falling 0.6 per cent year on year, while average LPG usage was 16.4 million kilograms per day, increasing 2.5 per cent year on year.

“The petrochemical sector is the biggest user of LPG, at 6.8 million kg per day, increasing 12.5 per cent year on year, while the transportation sector saw the biggest drop in LPG usage to 1.9 million kg per day, decreasing 22.5 per cent year on year,” Nantika added.

Published : May 06, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000574

Thunderstorms, gusty winds, even hail forecast for many areas across Thailand

Upper Thailand will experience hot weather along with thunderstorms, gusty winds, hail and isolated heavy rains in some areas, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday, advising people to avoid the outdoors, big trees, unsecured buildings and billboards, while farmers should prepare for crop damage.

The Northeast, the Central region including Bangkok and its vicinity and the East will also see hot weather and thunderstorms as a high-pressure system from China extends to the Northeast while southerly and southeasterly winds bring moisture from the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand to the lower North, the department said.

Meanwhile, the southeasterly and easterly winds prevailing across the Gulf of Thailand, the South and the Andaman Sea will bring scattered thundershowers to some areas, with isolated heavy rains possible in some parts of the South, it added.

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

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Hot day with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area; gusty winds and hail are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 25-27 degrees, highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius.

North: Hot day with thunderstorms in 60 per cent of the area; heavy rains, gusty winds and hail are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees and highs of 32-37 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Hot day with thunderstorms in 60 per cent of the area; heavy rains, gusty winds and hails are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees and highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius.

Central: Hot day with thunderstorms in 60 per cent of the area; gusty winds are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees, highs of 35-37 degrees Celsius.

East: Hot day with thunderstorms in 60 per cent of the area; gusty winds are possible in some areas; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees, highs of 32-36 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.

South (east coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 24-25 degrees, highs of 31-35 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and over 2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : May 06, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000562

Bangkok launches free Covid testing in battle against contagion

Free Covid-19 testing has been launched at two centres in Bangkok to combat the wave of infections spreading across the capital.

The Thai-Japan Stadium in Din Daeng and the Pathum Thani Vocational College are offering free tests to informal workers and people covered by social security from today until May 11.

The service at the Thai-Japan Stadium runs from 8am to 4pm and has capacity to test 3,000 people each day.

Pathum Thani Vocational College can test up to 1,000 people per day.

A free test can be booked by visiting https://sso.icntracking.com/icntracking/self_register.php and entering your 13-digit national ID number or passport number, then filling out the risk assessment form.

Once the Covid-19 test is completed, the recipient can return home immediately as the results will be sent via SMS to the phone number they provide.

Bangkok logged 789 new virus cases on Wednesday, with another 587 found in adjacent provinces.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000561

Bangkok shifts Covid target as Favipiravir ammunition arrives

Bangkok has shifted its strategy to combat Covid-19 with Favipiravir after procuring more than 600,000 doses of the drug, city governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Wednesday.

Aswin said health officials had approved using the antiviral drug on so-called “green” category patients with mild or no symptoms of Covid-19.

Previously, Favipiravir was only administered to patients suffering the more serious yellow and red levels of symptoms, including pneumonia.

Priority for Favipiravir treatment will also be given to patients who have a higher viral load.

Receiving an early course of the drug over five to 10 days should help prevent their symptoms progressing to the yellow or red level, say medics.

Patients in the green category must also give consent for treatment with Favipiravir.

Of the total 1,478 Covid-19 patients currently being treated in Bangkok hospitals, 1,192 are in the green category, 199 in the yellow, and 38 in the red category.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000560

Cabinet postpones controversial data law for another year

The Cabinet has postponed enforcement of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) for another year, after the business sector complained compliance with the law would be difficult during the Covid-19 crisis.

The postponement was requested by the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry.

DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn said the PDPA (2019) will create effective protection of personal information, compliance with international standards, and remedies for infringements on personal data.

However, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases had affected the economy and society, impacting the ability of people and businesses to take steps necessary to comply with the new law, explained the ministry.

“The business sector represented by the Federation of Thai Industries [FTI], Chamber of Commerce and tourism association groups have asked the government to mitigate the impacts that may arise from their lack of readiness to comply with the details of this law,” Chaiwut said.

The FTI’s chairman pointed out that failure to comply with the law carries a jail sentence, which is a higher penalty than stipulated by similar laws in other countries.

The PPDA has drawn criticism for containing harsh criminal penalties.

The Cabinet first postponed enactment of the law in May 2020.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000559

Controls on food delivery staff tightened as Covid spreads in Bangkok

The Department of Health on Wednesday tightened Covid-19 preventive measures for delivery service operators in a bid to gain confidence among customers.

The move follows claims on social media that the Covid-19 outbreak in Bangkok’s Klong Toei slums was caused by residents there who work as food delivery staff.

The claims came with advice not to use delivery services as this could cause the virus to spread further.

The Public Health Ministry has issued four new guidelines for delivery service operators as follows:

1. Strictly obey measures to contain the spread of Covid-19.

2. Screen delivery staff daily for symptoms.

3. Follow up on staff’s symptoms or risky behaviour by assessing them via the Thai Save Thai website or other means.

4. Record timelines of delivery staff each day.

The government is also considering whether to vaccinate delivery staff as a priority, said Health Department director-general Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai.

He added that even there is no evidence Covid-19 can be transmitted by food, restaurants providing a delivery service and people who use the service must comply with Public Health Ministry measures:

1. Restaurant operators must follow, study and publicise Covid-related information to delivery staff, and instruct them to maintain at least one-metre distance from customers and not place food on the floor.

2. Restaurants must be clean and food must be cooked at a minimum 70 degrees Celsius for more than five minutes.

3. Delivery staff must wear face masks, wash their hands, monitor themselves for symptoms regularly and see the doctor immediately if they are at risk of infection.

4. Customers must prepare food containers, wear face masks, maintain at least one-metre distance from delivery staff, wash hands after receiving food, and use e-payment or the exact amount of cash for the bill.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000551

Resplendent light decorations mark His Majesty King Rama X’s Coronation Day

During the reign of His Majesty the late King Rama IX, Coronation Day was celebrated on May 5 each year in the past, but it has now changed to May 4 to mark the reign of His Majesty King Rama X.

The Nation Thailand invites you to catch a glimpse of beautiful light decorations to mark Coronation Day, which fell on Tuesday this year.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000555

Cash handouts, co-payment scheme extended as Covid surge hits economy

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved more cash handouts via the Rao Chana (We Win) and Rao Rak Kan (We Love Each Other) Covid-relief schemes. Each person registered for the schemes will receive a total of THB2,000 before the end of June, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The government will also spend around THB140 billion for other relief schemes once the Covid-19 crisis eases. Under the plan, holders of state welfare cards will receive THB200 per month from July to December.

Meanwhile, the government plans to launch phase 3 of the Khon La Khrueng co-payment campaign covering 31 million people. Like the previous phases, the campaign will cover half the expenses of shopping for daily necessities. Shoppers will receive the subsidy via e-vouchers.

The moves come after the third wave of Covid-19 emerged in April, triggering partial lockdowns and more misery for the economy.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000554

Pfizer confirms vaccine deal with Thailand not done yet

Pfizer confirmed on Wednesday that its vaccine had not yet been imported into Thailand. The producer added that it was still in talks with the Thai Public Health Ministry on a deal to purchase the vaccine.

Pfizer made the announcement after the Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker website listed Thailand as one of the countries that had approved the Pfizer vaccine.

Also, the vaccine producer stated that it will sell its products only to the government.

The government is seeking to procure 5-10 million doses of Pfizer vaccine as part of its plan to provide 100 million shots to inoculate 50 million people by the end of the year.

Published : May 05, 2021

By : The Nation