The French Fries Kayao (Shake French Fries) stall is set up inside a barbershop in Soi Charansanitwong 35 in the capital’s Bangkok Noi district. The fries are served from 5pm to 11pm daily.
Frying up the snack is 23-year-old Thanaporn Mungkornkaew, who used to sell clothes with her friend.
Since sales fell due to the Covid-19 outbreak, she decided to sell fries instead.
Her stall became popular when she posted a clip of her dancing on Tik Tok.
One day she began dancing out of boredom, and a customer captured it on his phone.
Thanaporn then asked the customer for the clip and uploaded it to Tik Tok, which made her and her fries a hit.
Two volunteer medics on Friday filed charges accusing police of attacking them at a pro-democracy protest in front of the Supreme Court in Bangkok on February 13.
Protesters had gathered at the court to demand the release of four Ratsadon pro-democracy leaders – Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, Arnon Nampa, Somyos Prueksakasemsuk and Patiwat “Bank” Saraiyam – who are charged with lese majeste and sedition.
Clashes during the protest saw 23 police officers hospitalised with non-severe injuries, mainly from bricks, small objects and so-called ping-pong bombs thrown at them.
Puraphol (19) and Jittakorn (23) (last names withheld), members of the DNA (Doctor and Nurse Associate) group, said they were attacked by baton-wielding riot police as they worked at the rally site.
“Crowd control police said they would give us 30 minutes to evacuate the site, but shortly after the announcement a group of police officers approached and beat me with batons until I was unconscious,” said Puraphol. A physical examination reportedly showed injuries to his back, right shoulder, right arm and ankle.
A representative of the DNA Group who was also at the scene said riot police kicked over the motorcycle Puraphol was sitting on before beating him with batons.
“Puraphol is neither a protester nor a troublemaker during rallies. He has been working with DNA for a long time, providing medical assistance to those who need it,” she said.
The two volunteers filed charges of physical assault and damaging personal property against the crowd control police at Chana Songkhram police station in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district.
Thailand’s automobile exports jumped by nearly 14 per cent in January amid a contracting domestic market, a report from the Federation of Thai Industries said.
The FTI’s Automotive Industry Club reported on Thursday that Thailand had shipped 74,132 vehicles last month, up 13.53 per cent compared to the same period last year. The rise was attributed to increasing demands in Thailand’s three major markets – Asia, Middle East and Africa.
The export value of automobiles in January also rose to 28.4 per cent year on year to Bt41.43 billion.
The biggest importers of vehicles from Thailand in January were China, Japan and Australia.
“The domestic market, however, is still contracting, with only 55,208 vehicles sold, or 46.96 per cent less year on year,” said Surapong Paisitpattanapong, the club’s vice president and spokesman.
“The contraction is due to consumers’ concerns about the new wave of infections, which hit the country in December last year and has resulted in many putting their plans to purchase new cars on hold.”
Meanwhile, 219,977 motorcycles were produced in January, up 4.95 per cent year on year. Domestic sales last month dropped 6.63 per cent year on year to 135,641 units, though exports rose 2.28 per cent year on year to 79,811 units. The total value of motorcycle exports came in at Bt7.53 billion, up by 21.23 per cent year on year.
Total exports in the Thai automotive sector in January, including cars, motorcycles, engines, components and parts, came in at Bt69.78 billion, up by 27.22 per cent year on year.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced on Friday that so far, 36 health personnel have been infected in the second wave of infections, which hit the country in mid-December last year.
Apisamai Srirangsan, assistant spokesperson for CCSA, said the average age of frontline medics came in at 36 and that more women, or 2.3 to every one man, were infected.
Occupation-wise, nurses led the list with nine infected, followed by four doctors, four back-office helpers, three pharmacists, two radiographers, a dentist, a practical nurse, a medical technologist, a medical student, a physical therapist and a patient transporter. The other eight infected work in hospital-related jobs such as medicine storekeeper, public relations, financial officer, autopsy personnel, etc.
Most of the infections were found in Bangkok and Samut Sakhon – 12 each – while the other 12 were mostly in the West of Thailand, averaging one case per province.
The export of orchids last year dropped by 5 per cent year on year owing to the impact Covid-19 has had on international shipping and consumer demand, the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) said on Friday.
Anchana Tracho, OAE’s deputy secretary-general, said 21,872 tonnes of orchids were exported last year, of which 8,528 tonnes went to Vietnam alone, more than double the 2,913 tonnes exported the previous year. Myanmar also imported 1,069 tonnes of orchids in 2020, recording a five-fold increase from 171 tonnes in the previous year.
“This growth is generally due to the government and public sectors’ moves to seek replacement markets in Asean,” she said.
Anchana added that the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry’s subcommittee on orchids and ornamental plants has set up a working group to come up with schemes to help orchid farmers and businesses. The schemes can range from organising fairs and developing products to seeking new markets, matching businesses and granting soft loans.
“We believe these schemes will help boost the potential of manufacturing and marketing despite the economic slowdown and will also help Thailand remain the world’s largest orchid exporter,” she said.
She added that the working group on February 10 released a scheme to boost domestic consumption.
“This scheme will be proposed to the subcommittee for orchids and ornamental plants product management for consideration,” she added.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday reported 130 new cases and one death.
Of the cases, 14 are returnees in quarantine facilities, while 61 were exposed to the virus while visiting high-risk areas. Samut Sakhon leads the list with 35 cases, followed by 10 in Pathum Thani, and the rest in other provinces.
Proactive tests led to the discovery of 55 cases, with Samut Sakhon again leading the list with 36 cases, followed by 12 in Pathum Thani and seven in Nakhon Pathom.
Of the returnees, nine are Thai nationals returning from Denmark, Italy, Myanmar, Germany, United Arab Emirates and the United States. Also found infected were a Briton and Australian flying in from the UAE, as well as a German, Kuwaiti and Cameroonian flying in from their respective countries.
Meanwhile, a 66-year-old doctor who had prostate cancer became Thailand’s 83rd fatality from the virus. He had treated three patients who were linked to a Ponzi Scheme cluster at his clinic in Mahasarakham province between January 13 and 28.
The doctor then underwent his first Covid test on January 29 but was found negative. However, he tested positive two days later and began developing Covid symptoms, mainly muscle ache and fever.
After five days of treatment in Mahasarakham Hospital, he developed pneumonia and had to be put on a respirator. When his condition began worsening, he was transferred to Srinagarind Hospital, where he passed away on Thursday (February 18).
Though the doctor was not a frontline medic in the fight against Covid-19, he has been counted as the first medical personnel to be lost to the virus in Thailand.
Meanwhile, 124 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Friday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 25,241. Of these, 22,562 had been contracted locally, including 14,311 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,679 were returnees. So far, 24,070 have recovered and been discharged, 1,088 patients are still in hospital, while the death toll has risen to 83.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 110.84 million (up by 398,268), 85.78 million have recovered, 22.61 million are active cases (97,715 in severe condition) and 2.45 million have died (up by 11,497).
Thailand ranks 114th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 28.52 million, followed by India 10.96 million, Brazil 10 million, Russia 4.13 million and the United Kingdom 4.08 million.
PTT Pcl on Thursday reported a net profit of Bt13.14 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020, down 6.96 per cent or Bt973 million from the previous quarter.
“PTT’s net profit for 2020 is therefore Bt37.76 billion, decreasing 59.4 per cent or Bt55.18 billion year on year,” said president and chief executive officer Auttapol Rerkpiboon.
Auttapol added that the company was positive Thailand’s economy in 2021 would recover slowly across selected sectors.
“Different industries will recover at different paces, while some are still facing uncertainty amidst the Covid-19 outbreak despite the availability of vaccines,” he said.
“As for the five-year plan [2021-25] that is required for all state enterprises, PTT is planning to invest Bt850.5 billion in its main businesses, including the construction of unit 7 gas separation facility to replace unit 1, construction of 5th on-land natural gas pipeline, expansion of LNG receiving terminal Nong Fab, and the third phase development of Map Ta Phut Industrial Port,” Auttapol said.
“We are also looking to procure an additional Bt804.2 billion of investment fund for future projects in the next five years, including renewable energy, LNG and electricity value chain businesses, gas-to-power integration project, as well as to branch out into life science-related business that aims to promote people’s health stability,” said Auttapol.
Villagers on Friday placed flowers in front of Dr Panya Hanphanitphan’s clinic in the Muang district of Mahasarakham province to commemorate the first medic in Thailand to die after being infected with the Covid-19 virus.
Panya was the 18th person to be infected by the virus in the province during the new wave. He reportedly picked up the infection from his patients.
Panya tested positive on February 1 and was treated in Mahasarakham Hospital before being shifted to Khon Kaen Hospital. His death was announced on Thursday morning, while his funeral was held in the evening.
A villager said Panya was a kind person who cared about people’s health, adding that he treated poor people at an affordable price.
The baht opened at 30.01 to the US dollar on Friday, unchanged from Thursday’s close.
The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.95 and 30.05, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.
He said the baht would at the most weaken to 30.15 and fluctuate in line with the dollar. The currency will move in a narrow range until new factors – such as a vaccination or economic recovery in Thailand become clear.
Meanwhile, Jitipol Puksamatanan – the head of the “Easy Invest” team at SCB Securities – added that foreign investors have sold their stocks in order to reduce the risk from capital markets around the world. The market this time is focused mainly on the US Ten-Year Treasury yield that has risen. Therefore, the baht and other emerging market currencies will not strengthen easily, even if the dollar weakens in the near future, compared to other main currencies.
A Chinese man was arrested in Samut Prakarn province for alleged illegal sale of firearms and ammunition via the internet, National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk said on Thursday.
The suspect, Wu Qiang, aged 37 years, was arrested at a condominium on Bangna-Trad Km.14 Road in Bang Phli district
“The suspect used an Instagram account named “dewaffen” to run his business, which included selling guns and ammo, explosives as well as gun-modifying parts to customers online,” said Suwat.
“Police from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau tracked the suspect’s Instagram account down to the condominium and raided the premises with a search warrant from Samut Prakarn provincial court.”
In his room, officials reportedly found nine barrels for assault rifles, two explosive devices, 12,000 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 5 grams of methamphetamine, several items of gun parts as well as machines for gun modification.”
The suspect was brought to Bang Phli Police Station and was initially charged with selling and possessing unregistered firearms as well as possessing a category 1 drug.
Photo credit: Supaporn Kinnarin Facebook page
