DSI cracks down on electricity theft for crypto-mining
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) conducted a lightning operation and inspected 41 places that used illegal electricity connections for crypto-mining in Greater Bangkok.
The DSI held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the outcome of the “Electrical Shock” operation to search 41 commercial buildings in Greater Bangkok.
Previous investigation by the department had found evidence of investors searching for commercial buildings in Greater Bangkok for crypto-mining.
The DSI requested a search warrant from the Criminal Court to inspect these buildings.
DSI searched for evidence of electricity theft and seized more than 2,000 crypto-mining tools worth around 400 million baht.
Around 100 crypto-mining tools were found in each building. These tools were connected to electric cables illegally without an electricity meter so the electricity bill is considerably lower than the actual cost.
The electricity cost incurred by the suspects was around 300 baht to 2,000 baht per month, while the actual cost should have been around 500,000 baht per spot.
The DSI estimated that the Metropolitan Electricity Authority had incurred losses of around 20 million baht per month, or about 250 million baht per year.
The DSI said it would coordinate with the Customs Department to check whether these mining tools were imported legally.
Fourth ‘lieutenant’ arrested as noose tightens on triad, police say
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Police on Wednesday arrested another high-level suspect in their crackdown on what they describe as a Chinese gang that trafficks narcotics in the Kingdom – one that is led by the husband of a police colonel.
Chen Zhaohui, also known as “Tony”, was arrested at an entertainment venue in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on what police describe as a Chinese gang that began last week and swiftly expanded to 34 locations in eight provinces.
Police say Chen is a lieutenant of alleged narcotics kingpin Chainat Kornchayanan (also known as “Tuhao”) who turned himself in to police last week after an arrest warrant was issued for him. Chainat is a Chinese national who became a naturalised Thai after marrying a police colonel.
Chainat is under investigation for involvement in criminal activity in several provinces. On 23 November he surrendered to the police team overseeing a crackdown on Chinese mafia, but has denied the charges against him.
Police suspect that Chen is one of Chainat’s five lieutenants.
Deputy National Police chief Gen Surachet Hakparn said Chen was initially charged with helping foreign nationals conduct businesses in Thailand without legal permission.
Chen’s operations are based in Samut Prakan, where he owns a hotel worth 50 million baht, as well as several private airplanes and tour buses.
Information regarding Chinese criminals in Thailand was provided to police by former massage parlour tycoon Chuwit Kamolvisit. Chuwit claimed that Chainat has five crime networks in Thailand, and that each one is run by a lieutenant. Three “lieutenants” were arrested before Chen, while the fifth (known as “Ming”) is believed to have fled Thailand.
Police on Wednesday also charged the Thai manager of Space Plus Club, an entertainment venue in Huai Kwang district. They said they have evidence that Chen had invested over 100 million baht in the establishment through its manager Natthason Hutasewi, who illegally acted as a nominee for foreign investment.
Thailand’s first Covid Deltacron-infected patient has ‘recovered fully’
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Thailand’s first patient infected with the XBC Deltacron Covid-19 virus has fully recovered, the Department of Medical Sciences said on Wednesday.
The department director-general, Supakit Sirilak, revealed that the first case of a patient infected with a hybrid of the Delta and Omicron BA.2 variants was detected in a sample collected in October.
He added that the patient had not travelled abroad.
“As of November 20, up to 153 XBC cases from many countries were reported on GISAID [Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data],” he said, “Even though XBC has not shown signs of causing severe symptoms, the virus could spread quickly,” he cautioned.
He said Omicron and its subvariants are still the dominant strain due to their ability to spread quickly.
Citing results of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP/deletion) tests on 299 people between November 19 and 25, he said cases of Omicron BA.2.75 infections had increased to 63.3% from 42.9% last week. He added that most cases were local infections.
“Whole genome sequencing has shown that more than 468 Thai people were infected with Omicron BA.2.75 and its related subvariants, such as BA.2.75.2, BA.2.75.5.1 (BN.1) and BA.2.75.1.2 (BL.2),” he said.
He added that the department had found four patients infected with the Omicron XBB subvariant (a hybrid between BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants) and seven patients were infected with the BQ.1 subvariant.
The department would continue to monitor the mutations of the Covid-19 virus and assess the efficiency of public health measures and adjust treatment methods, he said.
“During this time, Covid-19 prevention measures, such as the wearing of face mask and washing of hands, are still necessary to contain the spread of the virus,” he said.
He emphasised that receiving a Covid-19 vaccine could reduce the severity of the virus, especially among the “608” group (those 60 years old and above, and those with eight underlying health conditions).
Inspectors warn Khao San shops of stricter regulations over recreational marijiuana
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
The Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department (DTAM) joined hands with Phra Nakhon District Office and Chana Songkhram Police Station to inspect cannabis shops on Khao San Road.
DTAM’s director-general, Dr Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, on Tuesday led the inspection of cannabis shops on Khao San Road.
Thongchai said that he inspected five cannabis shops who had put up advertisements for recreational use. All shops had a licence but one store had got its licence from Lopburi province when it is supposed to have got the permission in Bangkok.
He said that the stores had made a room for customers to smoke cannabis. He clarified that the Public Health Ministry was not promoting cannabis for recreational use, so he asked the operators to run the businesses properly even though the department could not take legal action against them.
He explained that the “Notification of the Ministry of Public Health Regarding Controlled Herbs (Cannabis)” does not allow legal action against a store that opens a room for use of marijuana for recreation.
However, he will look into other related regulations because there is more than one law related to cannabis control.
Therefore, the department does not have permission to close any store immediately, but it could take legal action if it found the store violating other laws.
Thongchai added that operators, who would like to support cannabis legalisation for medical and economical reasons in the long term, excluding recreation, must follow the laws. He warned of more stringent regulation if they do not conform.
Prepare for rain and temperature drop this week: Thai Met Dept
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Heavy to very heavy rain and strong winds will hit upper Thailand from Wednesday to Sunday (November 30-December 4), according to a severe weather warning issued by the Thai Meteorological Department.
The severe weather will be coupled with a sudden temperature drop, it added.
The department advised people to look after their health amid the sudden weather changes.
“People should beware of severe weather conditions that may cause flash floods and overflows, especially along foothills, near waterways and in low-lying areas,” it said.
The temperature will also drop by 3-5C in the Northeast and 2-3C in the North, East and Central regions including Bangkok, it said.
The department said seven provinces in the South are also likely to see heavy rain from Friday (December 2). These are Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.
On Saturday and Sunday, heavy downpours will spread to Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, it added.
Waves will be 3 metres in the lower Gulf, rising higher in thundershowers, and 2 metres in the upper Gulf. The department warned that small boats in the lower Gulf should keep ashore on Saturday and Sunday (December 3-4).
New medical treatment instructions for Covid-19 take effect from today
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
New Covid-19 treatment guidelines, which include prescription of antiviral drugs and Long Acting Antibody (LAAB), come into effect on Wednesday, the Department of Medical Services said.
The guidelines are aimed at making Covid-19 treatment guidelines up to date, the department director-general, Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn, said.
He explained that patients who develop mild symptoms without risk of lung inflammation or severe symptoms would receive treatment as outpatients at the discretion of physicians.
“Patients in this group must undergo Covid-19 prevention measures, including social distancing, wearing of masks, washing of hands and testing the temperature for at least five days,” he said.
“Molnupiravir or Favipiravir antiviral drug would be prescribed to children aged 18 years or below.”
He added that patients who develop mild symptoms, but have chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease or diabetes, would receive LAAB and/or antiviral drugs at the discretion of the doctor.
Despite rising Covid-19 cases in Thailand, Thongchai said only 1,468 of 7,564 beds for Covid-19 patients have been used, accounting for 19.4% bed-occupancy rate.
“We do not expect the bed-occupancy rate to hit 50% during the long holidays in December,” he said.
He urged people to receive at least four Covid-19 vaccine jabs to reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms and death.
“Receiving at least four jabs would help build immunity against Covid-19,” he said, adding that immunity would drop three months after receiving the latest jab or being infected with Covid-19.
Where to get a free Covid jab in Bangkok as cases soar
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Bangkok has ramped up its free vaccine drive in response to a surge in Covid-19 infections. Thailand logged over 700 new Covid cases per day last week.
People can get free vaccine jabs at the Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai-Japan) in Din Daeng district at weekends throughout December. All nationalities can reserve jabs via the QueQ app or simply walk into the vaccination centre between 8am and 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Children aged five and above can also get a free jab.
A walk-in free vaccination service is also available for adults at the following 11 hospitals under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
1. Klang Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm
2. Taksin Hospital service at Platform Wongwianyai shopping mall, Monday to Friday, 8am-2pm
3. Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-2pm
4. Venerable Thawisak Jutindharo Hospital, Monday 1pm-4pm and Tuesday 8am-noon
5. Wetchakarunrasm Hospital, Monday, 1pm-4pm
6. BMA Ladkrabang Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-2pm
7. Ratchaphiphat Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm
8. Sirindhorn Hospital, Friday, 1pm-3pm
9. Bang Khun Thian Elderly Hospital, Monday to Friday, 8am-3pm
10. Khlong Sam Wa Hospital, Wednesday to Friday, 1pm-2pm
11. BMA Bangna Hospital, Monday to Wednesday, 8am-11am
BTS Skytrain fares on the original Sukhumvit (Mo Chit to On Nut) and Silom (National Stadium to Saphan Taksin and Wong Yai) lines will rise by 1-3 baht from January 1 next year.
The minimum fare (one-station journey) will rise from 16 baht to 17 baht while the maximum (eight stations or more) will go up from 44 baht to 47 baht, train operator Bangkok Transit System Corporation (BTSC) announced on Wednesday.
The price of a one-day pass will also rise from 140 baht to 150 baht from January 1. However, senior-citizen Rabbit Card holders will still receive a discount based on the old fares, said the company.
BTSC chief Surapong Laoha-Unya said the company has increased fares only three times in the 23 years since the Skytrain opened. The last rise was five years ago in 2017, when fares increased from 15-42 baht to 16-44 baht.
“The new fares are still lower than the ceiling price stipulated in the concession contract at 21.52-64.53 baht,” Surapong said.
He cited global inflation, as well as rising electricity costs and minimum wages, as reasons for the latest fare hike.
Fares for Skytrain extension lines overseen by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will not be affected. The BMA manages the routes from On Nut to Kheha, Mo Chit to Khu Khot, and Wongwian Yai to Bang Wa stations.
Bangkok is the most livable city for expats in Asia, survey finds
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Bangkok is the best city in Asia for expatriates to live and work in, according to the latest poll from InterNations, which runs an online portal for selling services to expats globally.
Bangkok came in at number six on InterNations 2022 ranking of best cities for expats to live and work in globally, it said in a press release.
InterNations says it has 4.5 million members. It surveys them annually to select the best and worst cities for expats to live and work in globally.
Singapore, which ranked 10th, was the only other city in Asia to make the top 10 in the poll based on 11,970 responses to the survey, according to the InterNations press release.
Valencia took the top spot. InterNations founder Malte Zeeck was quoted as saying the Spanish city was “a safe place with an excellent climate, a vibrant nightlife and culture, a pleasant urban environment and great travel opportunities”. At the same time Valencia was described as “fairly affordable”.
Dubai was ranked second on the survey, with InterNations attributing its appeal to its thriving social scene, employment prospects and creative business culture.
Mexico City entered the top 10 for the first time, taking third place. InterNations said the metropolis was easy to settle into and quickly felt like home. Lisbon and Madrid were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
InterNations provided a breakdown of the reasons why Bangkok was the top city in Asia for expats, providing the following scores for six categories:
– 79% of expats surveyed in Bangkok were happy with life in general
– 69% were happy with the cost of living
– 54% said it was easy to make friends
– 66% were happy with their work
– 68% were happy with their work-life balance
– 82% were happy with the quality of medical care
Basel, Melbourne and Abu Dhabi were ranked seventh, eighth and ninth respectively, with Singapore taking the final spot on the top 10.
Tinder takes temperature of Thai dating in 2022 (Spoiler: it’s hot)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
Young singles in Thailand think dating games are dead in 2022, according to Tinder’s end-of-year study. The dating app said this generation of Thai Tinder users aged 18-25 “Are Done Wasting Their Time” after Covid-19 – with popular date choices including the beach, picnics in the park and jamming at a music festival.
Meanwhile, “Tinder’s Year in Swipe” shared the top flirt flexes of 2022 as it draws to a close.
Here’s what the world’s top dating said about the state of date in Thailand this year:
10 Essential Trends on Tinder in 2022
1. Young singles are owning the situationship as a valid relationship status. Young singles were still down to play the field this year, but they opted for a high-quality roster where everyone was on the same page. More than a hookup, but not quite a traditional relationship, the “situationship” a casual – yet clearly defined – relationship came to rise in 2022. Tinder saw a 49% increase in members adding the new relationship intention to their profiles and over 1 in 102 surveyed young singles said they prefer situationships as a way to develop a relationship with less pressure. Thai daters were keen to keep things casual with almost half (44%) saying they use dating apps for casual dating
2. Positivity was a major plus. Originally known as the parking symbol, 🅿️ has been repurposed to represent Pushin P and was the number 1 trending emoji globally on Tinder this year. An interesting shift from the trending emojis of years past (🤦in 2019, 🤷in 2020, and 👀 in 2021), members turned to 🅿️ to let their matches know positivity and keeping it real is exactly what they’re looking for. That positivity shone through in Thailand where 76% of users polled said they were excited about their dating future and the majority (53%) said they feel free to be themselves on dating apps.
3. The dinner date could soon be dead. It seems the activities we took to during the pandemic are here to stay. With 75% of Thais having been on a virtual date, digital dating remains a popular way for Thais to connect, and for those first IRL dates top choices among Thais are simple dates like taking a walk/ grabbing coffee, classic movie date, and a music date such as going to a gig. Singles are opting for less traditional, more authentic and sometimes sober (see below) ways to get to know one another. Other creative activities like Camping, BBQs, Trying New Things, and Street Food all made it into the top 10 trending global Interests on Tinder.
4. More singles are raising a glass to sober dates. Alcohol-free dates have become a way for singles to be more authentic on dates and challenge traditional dating norms. Over 25% of surveyed young singles on Tinder said they drink less on dates compared with last year and when describing their drinking habits 72% of members said on their Tinder profiles that they don’t drink or only drink occasionally. In fact, the 🍻and 🍷 emojis each decreased (40% and 25% respectively) on Tinder profiles YoY.
5. Being Funny, Fresh, and Forward was sexy AF. A sense of humour was what members looked for most when reading a potential match’s profile, and 73% of young singles surveyed across all genders said they were looking for someone who is clear about what they want and has good hygiene. When asked what the most important characteristics are in a potential date, young singles prioritised value-based qualities like loyalty (79%), respect (78%) and open-mindedness (61%) over looks (56%). With bios like “ถ้าได้ใครมาลากไปฟิตเนสบ่อยๆจะเป็นพระคุณมาก” (If I find someone to drag me to the gym, I would be highly grateful) and “เมื่อไหร่ จะถึงคิวหุ่นหมีละคร๊าฟฟฟ” (when will it be this bear’s body turn to date?) it’s unsurprising that Thais are looking for people who can make them laugh (57%). They are also looking for people who they can trust and confide in (57%) and share similar interests with (53%).
6. Stances on social issues could make or break a match. Three-quarters (75%) of singles were looking for a match who is respectful of or invested in social issues. In fact, so many Tinder members added the Ukrainian flag to their profiles in support of Ukraine this year, that it ranked within the top 10 trending emojis on the app at one point. Additionally, the Activism and Voters Rights Interests both increased (84% and 37% respectively) in Tinder profiles this year.
According to Thai Tinder Member Luktao, “It’s important that when I connect with someone I learn about their values, their interests and their position on certain issues. It’s important to me that we have these things in common. Popular social topics such as the environment, politics, LGBTQ and inclusivity are common conversations amongst young Thais right now who are committed to creating a better future for a young generation. If my date and I had very different views on these we’d probably spend more time disagreeing than enjoying our time together – I don’t think that would work!”
7. Nostalgia stanning was a flex. Young singles are getting inspiration from ’90s and noughties dating trends. The fastest growing interests on Tinder were blasts from the past like 90’s Kid, Anime, and Sneakers. Even everyone’s favourite new old song, Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” made a comeback and was in the top 10 Spotify Anthems noted on Tinder profiles. Tinder’s modern take on the traditional blind date also launched for the hotter months. The Blind Date feature on Tinder paired members before allowing them to view each other’s profile and was used 200,000 times a day on average. It’s been a tough few years, and it looks like singles are turning to the authenticity and good vibes of a pre-smartphone world.
8. The 🚩(red flag) & 🌫️(gaslighting) emojis were trending for good reason. Toxic relationships aren’t new, but all of the tips and psychoanalysis on social media show that young singles are more clued up about the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to dating. Over half (58%) of surveyed young singles said they were confident they could identify a green or red flag when dating. In 2022, singles have finally had enough and are dishing on what they consider red and green flags, and all of our BS radars have gotten better because of it. A true public service. In fact, long-term relationship and Skinship were two of the top dating rules mentioned by Thais in their bios this year.
Thai Tinder member Bee shares that “Trust is very important. If there is no trust then the relationship will not see a day of happiness, the couple will not be as close as they could be, and you will always be paranoid. Being able to confide in each other is also very important – it’s a great sign of intimacy that you feel comfortable with someone.”
9. Revenge travel racked up the miles on Tinder. After two pandemic-filled trips around the sun, singles were finally able to get back to exploring new horizons with fewer or no restrictions. 18-25 year-olds passported on average nine times a month with top international passport destinations for Thais including Seoul (South Korea), London (UK) and New York (USA). Locally, the most popular passport destinations after Bangkok this year are Chiang Mai, Phuket and Khon Kae.
10. Amidst uncertainty and a triple mercury retrograde in 2022 singles were looking to the stars for guidance. Star signs were the most popular type of descriptor added to Tinder bios behind smoking preferences, pets and diet. Leos, Scorpios and Cancers were the signs most likely to include their sign in their bios, and surprisingly, all star signs were most likely to match with the exact same zodiac sign.
“2022 has been a busy dating year for single Thais with trends from the pandemic such as virtual dates being carried over and fused with an increase in IRL dating opportunities,” said Papri Dev, APAC Communications Head at Tinder. “As Thailand opened up, we saw young Thai adults being more creative in their choices of dates, looking for new and interesting activities to experience together. The desire for authenticity amongst Thai members was coupled with people looking for positivity and humour from their dates this year. With the majority of Thais excited about their dating prospects, Tinder will continue to spark new connections and play an important role in the dating journey of young adult Thai singletons.”
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