Trips between Ayutthaya and Ang Thong now high-speed adventures
NationalApr 02. 2021Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob
By THE NATION
The Asian Highway from Ayutthaya to Ang Thong province will be the first thoroughfare on which motorists will be allowed a maximum speed of 120 kilometres per hour.
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob on Thursday presided over a ceremony kickstarting the increase in speed limit from 90kmph to 120kmph. The event was held at the district highway office, which oversees Highway 32 in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in district.
Part of the Asian Highway, Highway 32 is 150.5km long and runs from Bang Pa-in in Ayutthaya to Manorom district in Chai Nat province passing through Ang Thong and Sing Buri provinces.
The Transport Ministry announced on March 10 that it was raising the speed limit on four-lane highways from 90kmph to 120kmph for vehicles with fewer than seven seats. Other vehicles’ speed limits have also been raised.
“The new speed limits aim to keep the traffic moving while ensuring road users’ convenience and safety,” Saksayam said. “The new speed limits will be applied on roads that have a median barrier with no intersections or U-turns to prevent accidents. The roads must also be fitted with proper signage as well as rumble strips, so motorists are aware of the beginning and end of the speed control zone.”
Sarawut Songwilai, director-general of the Department of Highways, said that the Highway 32 section allowing a speed limit of 120kmph is 45.9km long, however, this speed can only be applied in the right-most lane.
Vehicles are required to maintain a speed of under 80kmph in the left-most lane and 100kmph in the middle lanes.
“The department will specify more roads where the new speed limits can be applied by August. The aim is to cover about 260km of roads in all regions of Thailand,” he said.
By Dr Sakchai Kanjanawatana Outgoing Secretary-General of the National Health Security Office (NHSO)
If someone asked me to describe my last four years as Secretary-General of the National Health Security Office (NHSO), I would say it was “like riding a rollercoaster”.
Not only did we need to work restlessly to improve the benefit packages and financing model for the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), one of the Thai government’s healthcare schemes covering nearly 49 million people. We also faced one of the worst health crises in history, the Covid-19 pandemic that has disrupted healthcare services, the economy, and the whole society.
As a leader of the NHSO, I must thank my staff and people in our networks who, despite this most challenging time, have kept working hard and never lost sight of our core value: to ensure every Thai’s right to healthcare.
This value is based on the concept that all humans are born equal. Their dignity must be respected. Therefore, they must have the right to access affordable healthcare services without begging for mercy or charity from others. It is the government’s role, and the NHSO’s, to make this happen.
But it cannot be achieved without creating the right ecosystem comprised of an effective health financing model, multi-sectoral collaboration, and transparency.
Let me start with the effective health financing model.
In the past four years, the NHSO convinced central government to increase the UCS capitation budget by 24 per cent.
When I was elected as secretary-general in 2017, the UCS capitation budget was around Bt3,110 per head per year. It was increased to Bt3,853 in the 2021 fiscal year. The overall NHSO budget was also increased from Bt152 billion to Bt202 billion in the same period.
Thanks to the central government, which prioritises the people’s health, the increased budget allowed us to add new items to the UCS benefits package. These include free automated peritoneal dialysis provided to people with kidney disease, expansion of the free flu shots programme, a new medication for hepatitis C patients, and treatment for children with hearing loss.
The availability of UCS funding has also allowed us to manage and control the spread of Covid-19 effectively. We can provide free coronavirus testing and treatment, personal protective equipment, and compensation for health workers at the frontline.
Multi-sectoral collaboration is another essential component of an ecosystem that has led to achievements in many areas.
NHSO has initiated many collaborative projects with partners and networks of health professionals, patients, and civil society. One of these is the Community Health Fund, in which the NHSO works closely with local administrative organisations across the country to run health promotion and disease prevention programmes.
Over 20,000 projects were launched last year with several activities, including Covid-19 health literacy training for village health volunteers and local communities, distributing free face masks and hand gel to people at the community level.
Early this year, we piloted a programme involving private clinics providing physical therapy to UCS patients with stroke, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, under a collaboration with public and private health providers.
We also work with pharmacists across Thailand to deliver medicines, first aid, and health consultations for patients in local communities, so they do not need to travel far to hospitals.
Collaborating with a wide variety of networks, we have been able to reach out to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, monks, ethnic people, and prisoners in recent years. The Thai health system cannot be inclusive without ensuring healthcare access for vulnerable people who are left out due to disadvantaged backgrounds and discrimination.
Finally, the ability of the NHSO to expand health financing and multi-sectoral collaboration depends largely on ensuring transparency – a key to build trust between NHSO and multi-stakeholders.
We organise public hearings annually and run a series of focus group interviews with all stakeholders to hear their ideas for improving UCS.
Amid travel restrictions caused by the pandemic, we managed to hold virtual public consultations via social media platforms, mobile application, and a hotline. UCS beneficiaries can direct messages and concerns towards us and review the scheme’s spending on the NHSO website and annual report.
This open environment is reflected in the “A” rating granted to the NHSO by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. We also won the Ministry of Finance’s 2020 award for the best working capital management and outstanding organisational performance. The award recognises Thai governmental organisations that uphold transparency and accountability.
Despite many challenges, the NHSO has achieved many things. But, of course, this is not an ending point.
Though my term ended at the end of March, I am confident that the remaining NHSO staff and their new leader, Dr Jadej Thammathataree, will continue their journey to ensure every Thai’s healthcare right.
And not just because this is the NHSO’s core value, but because it also restores value to their life – which was my own deep feeling during my rollercoaster years with the NHSO.
Thailand Post has launched a new set of stamps under the “Reusi Dat Ton” (Thai Hermit Exercise) series to celebrate “Nuad Thai” or Thai massage, which was named Thailand’s intangible cultural heritage for humanity by Unesco in 2019.
The launch on Friday was also timed to mark Thai Heritage Conservation Day, which falls on April 2 every year.
The hermit exercises are a series of stretches that have been traditionally used to ease aches and pains. The postures are depicted in statues at Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho) that were placed there during the reign of King Rama III (1824-1851).
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Friday that 10 Thai returnees were found to have been infected with the South African variant of Covid-19.
CCSA spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said the patients had returned to Thailand from Tanzania, Mozambique and the UAE, and most were men aged between 23 and 66.
He also said that half of the patients were asymptomatic, while the other half had developed a phlegmy cough, fever and rash.
The spokesman, however, did not specify when these patients had landed on Thai soil.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) reported 58 new cases on Friday, 42 of which had been contracted locally, three found via testing and 13 had been brought in from overseas.
Bangkok leads the list of local infections with 20, followed by Samut Sakhon (14), Samut Prakan (5), Nonthaburi (3), Tak (2) and Loei (1).
The 13 arrivals who tested included both Thais and foreigners from the US (7), India (2), Finland (1), United Arab Emirates (1), Belgium (1) and Madagascar (1).
Meanwhile, 58 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Friday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 28,947. Of these, 25,832 had been contracted locally, including 16,073 who were found via proactive testing, while 3,115 were returnees.
So far, 27,606 have recovered and been discharged, 1,247 patients are being treated, and 94 have died (34 in the second outbreak).
According to Worldometer, as of 11.30am on Friday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 130.15 million (up by 686,498), 104.88 million of whom have recovered, 22.44 million are active cases (96,723 in severe condition) and 2.83 million have died (up by 11,522).
Thailand ranks 116th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 31.24 million, followed by Brazil 12.84 million, India 12.30 million, France 4.69 million and Russia 4.55 million.
Chiang Mai once again became the world’s most polluted city on Friday due to a forest fire in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park on Thursday night.
Although government officials were able to get the forest fire under control at 2am on Friday, Chiang Mai’s air quality index (AQI) was “very unhealthy” at 284, while the province’s PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter) reading was 184.3 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3), according to an IQAir report.
IQAir advised people in the province to wear a face mask outdoors, run an air purifier at home, close the windows of their house to block polluted outdoor air and avoid exercising outdoors.
Air Quality and Noise Management Bureau’s said on Friday that the country’s PM2.5 readings were in the range of 4-314 μg/m3.
Provinces where the air quality exceeded the standard were: Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nakhon Sawan, Khon Kaen, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Lamphun, Phrae, Phayao, Tak, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Bueng Kan, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Sukhothai and Uttaradit.
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency said on Thursday that 1,674 hotspots were found in Thailand of which 1,311 hotspots were in the North, citing Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite data.
A recent research has found the National Health Security Office (NHSO)’s participatory procedure inclusive and successful in empowering vulnerable groups in the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS).
The research, conducted by King Prajadhipok’s Institute, examines the development of public hearing held under the National Health Security Act 2002, by looking at a participatory procedure run in NHSO’s cluster one that covers eight of Thailand’s northern provinces — Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Song, Nan, Phayao and Phrae.
The area is home to several ethnic groups and multi-cultural populations. Local communities have experienced the challenges from socio-economic changes, resulting in rapid urbanisation and livelihood changes that leave many people vulnerable.
To hear the voices of these people, the NHSO region one (Chiang Mai) has developed an effective participatory procedure by organising provincial-level public hearings and focus-group meetings, using both traditional and online platforms.
Opinions from all platforms are gathered and analysed to make recommendations to NHSO’s headquarter office. After the hearing, NHSO staff will update a stage of policy with participants to show how their ideas are adopted at a policy level.
Moreover, NHSO practice requires all officers within its cluster office to participate in the public hearing process from the start to the end. They could be coordinators, data collectors, or presenters of recommendations.
The research finds that the hearing process emphasises vulnerable people’s voices, especially ethnic groups, the elderly, and disabled people.
Inclusive public hearings are done by tapping the resources from the networks of civil society, grassroots organisations and local communities. On the other hand, it empowers the stakeholders and creates a sense of ownership towards UCS.
For example, the past public hearing was held at Chiang Rai’s Mae Suai Hospital, a hub for ethnic maternal and child care. Local civil society groups, who work closely with the NHSO branch office staff, help organise and lead public hearings for people living in mountainous areas.
The research concludes that the participatory procedure run by NHSO region one (Chiang Mai) is successful in terms of geographic comprehensiveness and inclusion of stakeholders from all sectors.
It also allows NHSO to identify specific challenges in the area, while decentralising health policy decisions to multi-stakeholders and vulnerable groups.
“A significant push towards a real implementation of the national health security system was achieved by opening spaces for different sectors to voice their opinions in an atmosphere of learning, exchange of knowledge, and cooperation,” suggested by the research.
“This process allows knowledge building and information exchange between experts and relevant sectors, leading to the prototype national health security system and a fiscal blueprint of public health for national policy.”
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will hold a shopping fair to promote local products from 50 districts of Bangkok at Ong Ang Canal in Phra Nakhon district during Songkran from April 9-14, 4-11pm.
“More than 50 product booths will be set up in the fair, including food, beverage, herbal products, jewellery, clothes and souvenirs,” said Wanlaya Wattanarat, BMA’s deputy permanent secretary.
“On April 12, there will be a ceremony to pour water on the Buddha’s image for blessings, while on April 12-13 there will be music and cultural performances.
“Although we can’t splash water this year, merchants and tourists are encouraged to wear colourful clothes to add colour to the Songkran Festival,” she added.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has issued a ban on all water-splashing activities during Songkran Festival to curb the outbreak for the second year running, though traditional practices like pouring water on Buddha statues and on elderly people are still allowed.
“Fair visitors should follow Covid-19 preventive measures, which include maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks, washing hands regularly and check-in and out via the Thai Chana platform,” added Wanlaya.
Recently developed to be a new tourism landmark in Bangkok, the Ong Ang Canal also features a walking street for art and cultural exhibition which opens daily, while visitors can also enjoy a kayaking trip in the 750-metre-long canal and appreciate the city landscape on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4pm until 10pm. Admission is free.
Tourists can reach Ong Ang Canal via MRT by getting off at Sam Yod Station or via Chao Phraya speed boat by getting off at Phra Phuttha Yodfa Bridge Pier. Public buses that pass the canal are No. 4, 5, 7, 21, 37, 40, 85 and 529.
The baht opened at 31.20 to the US dollar on Friday, strengthening from its close of 31.31 on Thursday.
The Thai currency is likely to move between 31.15 and 31.30 during the day, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.
He explained that the baht had strengthened due to the weaker dollar and the fall in the price of gold. However, the baht could weaken if the dollar strengthened again.
Poon also predicted that several foreign currencies would be purchased in the next few months for the purpose of paying dividends, and the baht would weaken more from this financial activity.
He said that during April and May, dividend payments would total more than Bt54 billion, and the second quarter would see the baht weaken the most.
Police General Hospital is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death of Phra Khru Siripanyamethi, assistant abbot of Samphanthawong Temple, Bangkok, after he received the Covid-19 vaccine on March 31, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said.
The monk was found dead in his residence by a disciple at 2pm after he had taken the vaccination at 10am that day. The exact cause of death is under investigation.
Dr Opas revealed that Phra Khru Siripanyamethi had diabetes and was in the sensitive patient category that received the AstraZeneca vaccine as he was 71 years old.
He said the death happening on the day of vaccination could be a coincidence. However, health officials have to wait for the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Police General Hospital, to determine the exact cause. Other monks who received the vaccine on the same day did not report any symptoms related to the vaccine, he said.
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob
