People in Bangkok and its vicinity have been suffering from high levels of PM2.5 in the air or particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrograms. Exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to lung and heart disease.
Here is how you can protect yourself: • Wear facemask while outside • Only leave home when necessary, especially children and elderly • Avoid exercising outdoors • Avoid polluting activities • Keep doors and windows closed • Reduce the use of automobiles Source: Department of Disease Control
Hotel and property developer Dusit Thani has posted losses of Bt1.011 billion for 2020 after Covid-19 restrictions brought global tourism to a halt.
Dusit Thani Group CEO Suphajee Suthumpun said the loss was to be expected following ongoing travel restrictions and the temporary second-quarter closure of its properties in line with government directives.
However, she said Dusit Thani’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the global pandemic on its business were reflected in its quarterly revenue increase of 60.3 per cent in the fourth quarter.
Over the past year, the company had remodelled its revenue streams, concentrating on non-room businesses and preparing for the tourism rebound by enhancing its customer services, she added.
“For example, we transformed vacant land at Dusit Thani Hua Hin into a nature-based tourist attraction complete with paddies for growing and harvesting rice, which we believe will become a unique selling point. Similar models will be introduced at other Dusit Hotels and Resorts to drive sustainable value.”
Dusit Thani also opened five new hotels worldwide, and grew its regional food business by acquiring The Caterers, a catering company for schools and events in Vietnam.
It also opened three new branches of its KAUAI healthy “grab-and-go” food outlets in Bangkok, under a joint venture with South Africa’s Real Foods Group.
Suthumpun said she was optimistic that tourism will start to recover as more people receive vaccinations and traveller confidence returns.
Recognition honors companies who prioritize values-based decisions within their business and their overall commitment to integrity.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – February 23, 2021 – CHAROEN POKPHAND GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, or C.P. Group a Thai-Based conglomerate has been recognized as one of the 2021 World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere, an organization that measures and advances the standards of ethical business practices. C.P. Group has been recognized for the first time, and is one of 7 honorees in the Food, Beverage & Agriculture industry. There are 135 companies honoured this year, with awardees panning 22 countries and 47 industries.
C.P. Group’s businesses have prioritized the implementation of the Group’s Corporate Governance Principles, in an effort to ensure that the Group’s operations in every jurisdiction meet the highest levels of integrity and uphold the highest degree of accountability and transparency. These principles aim to empower the Group and its employees to deliver long-term value for all stakeholders for sustainable business growth and to be a responsible corporate citizen in every country the Group operates in.
“Integrity has been embedded into our DNA and is the foundation for our ethics since we were founded 100 years ago,” said Suphachai Chearavanont, CEO of Charoen Pokphand Group. “Being recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies is a true honour, we’re still on a journey and I am greatly appreciative of the collective efforts of all our employees.
“While addressing the tough challenges of 2020, we saw companies lead – above all other institutions – on earning the trust of stakeholders through resilience and a commitment to ethics and integrity,” said Ethisphere CEO, Timothy Erblich. “The World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the highest values and positively impacting the communities they serve. Congratulations to everyone at CHAROEN POKPHAND GROUP COMPANY LIMITED for earning the World’s Most Ethical Companies designation.”
Methodology & Scoring
Grounded in Ethisphere’s proprietary Ethics Quotient®, the World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment process includes more than 200 questions on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance, diversity and initiatives to support a strong value chain. The process serves as an operating framework to capture and codify the leading practices of organizations across industries and around the globe.
This year, the process was streamlined and question set expanded to gauge how applicants are adapting and responding to the global health pandemic, environmental, social, and governance factors, safety, equity, and inclusion and social justice.
Bangkok pubs and other nightlife venues can open until 11pm from today, after the communicable disease committee eased Covid-19 restrictions.
However, cockfighting and fish-fighting stadiums will remain closed, said Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang.
Under the new directive, restaurants can serve food and alcohol until 11pm.
Entertainment venues, pubs and massage parlours can also open until 11pm, but tables must be spaced out, with no dancing permitted and customers logged manually or via the ThaiChana or Mor Chana app.
Gyms, fitness centre, exercise facilities can open as usual, while sports stadiums can admit a limited number of spectators.
Banqueting and meeting rooms can also open, but authorities’ permission must be granted for gatherings of more than 300 people.
Bangkok schools can open normally.
The spokesman said the BMA has also joined hands with the Public Health Ministry to roll out vaccinations for the capital’s residents.
Thailand will receive its first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines tomorrow
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has hinted that not one, but two brands of vaccine will arrive in Thailand tomorrow (Wednesday).
A shipment of 200,000 doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine is set to arrive in Bangkok tomorrow. But in a surprise boost for Thailand’s battle against Covid-19, Anutin said 117,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were also due to arrive on Thai soil on Wednesday.
Speaking on Tuesday, the health minister said the public would have to wait for official confirmation of the AstraZeneca delivery from Sophon Mekthon, chairman of the Covid-19 vaccine management subcommittee.
Thailand has procured 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but shipments have been delayed by production problems in Europe. On February 5, Anutin announced that the first 150,000 AstraZeneca doses would instead be sourced from a manufacturer in Asia.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was due to become the first Thai to receive a Sinovac jab, but as he is over 60 years of age, the AstraZeneca vaccine is deemed to be a safer option, Anutin said.
A 13-year-old volunteer died mysteriously after sweeping up leaves in a jungle near her hometown in Chiang Mai.
Though the child died last week, her mother Aree Kanmangmee, 38, only spoke about it on Tuesday.
She said her daughter, Natthawarun Anusornpana, had joined her father, friends and other villagers to sweep up dried leaves in a local jungle to create a firebreak on Saturday.
Aree said her daughter’s friend had told her that Natthawarun had started vomiting and had fainted while sweeping.
The teenager was brought down the hill for first aid and later taken to hospital.
She then succumbed to her illness on Saturday in Nakhonping hospital.
Aree said initially she thought her daughter had been possessed by an evil spirit but later found out that she had a brain-related illness.
A brawl among drunks in Phuket became dangerous when one of them decided to shoot in the air but ended up injuring a noodle vendor nearby.
At 5.45am on Tuesday, a police officer who was drinking at a pub in Soi Bangla reportedly had an argument with some foreign patrons and decided to step outside and shoot in the air to threaten the foreigners.
At 5.45am on Tuesday, a police officer who was drinking at a pub in Soi Bangla reportedly had an argument with some foreign patrons and decided to step outside and shoot in the air to threaten the foreigners.
However, the gunshots hit noodle vendor Arun Thongplub, 25, in the right armpit and back.
He has been taken to Patong hospital for treatment.
When police arrived, they found the drunken gunman waiting nearby. He was arrested and taken to Patong Police Station. Police said the man was too drunk and incomprehensible as of press time.
The Chinese Embassy in Bangkok has published a video of Sinovac’s vaccine being loaded for the flight to Bangkok. Thailand’s first batch of 200,000 coronavirus vaccines is due to arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday (February 24).
The 45-second video shows the vaccine shipment being loaded on to a truck. The packages are addressed to the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), Thailand, and carry the Thai Airways logo.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has approved emergency use of the 200,000 doses in 13 provinces worst hit by the latest outbreak.
Samut Sakhon will get 70,000 doses – 8,000 for health workers, 6,000 for staff exposed to patients, 46,000 for patients with underlying disease, and 10,000 for the general public.
Bangkok (west side) will get 66,000 doses – 12,400 for health workers, 1,600 for staff exposed to patients, 47,000 for patients with underlying disease, and 5,000 for the general public.
Pathum Thani will get 8,000 doses – 3,000 for health workers, 2,000 for staff exposed to patients, 2,000 for patients with underlying disease, and 1,000 for the general public.
Nonthaburi will get 6,000 doses – 2,000 for health workers, 1,000 for staff exposed to patients, 2,000 for patients with underlying disease, and 1,000 for the general public.
Samut Prakan will get 6,000 doses – 2,000 for health workers, 1,000 for staff exposed to patients, 2,000 for patients with underlying disease, and 1,000 doses for the general public.
Tak (Mae Sot district) will get 5,000 doses – 3,000 for health workers, and 2,000 for staff exposed to patients.
Nakhon Pathom will get 3,500 doses – 2,500 for health workers, and 1,000 for staff exposed to patients.
Samut Songkhram will get 2,000 doses – 1,500 for health workers, and 500 for staff exposed to patients.
Ratchaburi will get 2,500 doses – 2,000 for health workers, and 500 for staff exposed to patients.
Chon Buri will get 4,700 doses. Phuket will get 4,000 doses. Surat Thani’s Koh Samui district will get 2,500 doses.
Chiang Mai province will get 3,500 doses.
The remaining 16,300 doses will be reserved for outbreak control and to vaccinate hospital workers who treat Covid-19 patients.
By The NationThe Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has been working on a plan to encourage tourists to return to Thailand from the third quarter of 2021, waiting for more relaxation of measures by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said that all TAT foreign offices have been assigned to monitor and inform the progress of Covid-19 vaccination every two weeks, including country opening guidelines in each country so that the TAT can set its own guidelines to attract this group of tourists.
“We have always been focused on the demand for foreign tourists after the Covid-19 crisis made it impossible to travel internationally. Some markets have already reserved travel packages in advance. Thailand travel packages are receiving goid attention, such as in the Chinese market. A decision is awaited from the Chinese government to allow tourists to leave the country,” said Yuthasak.
Chattan Kunchorn na Ayudhya, deputy governor for International Marketing (Asia and the South Pacific) at TAT, added that they have been adapting plans for tourists to meet their demand. For example, there were 41 South Korean tourists who arrived for golf quarantine on February 18, as the temperature in South Korea is now very cold at minus 6 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai and New Delhi office has informed that there are Indian tourists inquiring about having weddings in Thailand with a closed hotel. A special event of two groups, 200-300 people, usually spent at least Bt10 million. Although there is no exact period for entering, they have requested the CCSA to approve making a hotel an “Area Quarantine” and close the hotel for the specific purpose.
“The CCSA has provided guidelines for the Ministry of Public Health on:
1. Plan for people who have already been vaccinated individually or from the country of origin, but Thailand has not been vaccinated;
2. People who have been vaccinated from the country of origin where the vaccination is widely available, but Thailand has not yet been vaccinated and,
3. Both the country of origin and Thailand has had widespread vaccination.
“All of which have to be summarised in detail as soon as possible,” said Chattan.
TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, said the International Air Transport Association, which has a membership of more than 200 airlines around the world, now has 42 airlines including Thai Airways, Thai Smile, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, British Airways, Emirates Airways and others agreeing to an “IATA Travel Pass” for registered travellers who confirm their vaccination.
The vaccinated travellers will be given the privilege, except from health check and Fit-To-Fly paper, which will begin in March and will likely see more and more vaccinated travellers on board.
He said the government needed to make a clear statement on relaxation for tourists from foreign countries, so that the TAT can create plans to lure travellers to visit in the third quarter of this year, as it usually takes around four months to finalise the plan.
In a bid to win public confidence, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul posted a photograph of the Thai Food and Drug Administration’s document approving the Sinovac vaccine, with the caption “Just in time”.
Sinovac will arrive on a Thai Airways flight at 8am on Wednesday. The airline said it was preparing to send an Airbus flight TG675 to Beijing to pick up the first lot of 200,000 doses from Sinovac Biotech.
Thailand has signed up for 2 million doses of the vaccine and will get complete delivery by April.
Once the first lot arrives on Wednesday, it will be checked for safety and quality before health officials start distributing it within five days of arrival.
Suphajee Suthumpun
