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Young girl finally speaks about her five-year nightmare

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By THE NATION

Police arrested a 40-year-old man in Bangkok’s Don Muang district for allegedly raping a minor over five years while he was living in Pathum Thani.

The suspect, Watcharapol Buachuean, is accused of sexually assaulting his neighbour’s daughter since 2015 when she was just seven years old.

The girl, who is now 12, recently mustered up the courage to tell her teacher about her ordeal. She said she had been terrified to tell anyone before because the man had threatened to punish her.

Watcharapol denies the charges, and his case has been handed over to Sam Khok Police Station in Pathum Thani.

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Muang Thong Thani monorail gets green light from govt

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By The Nation

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a two-station spur for the Pink Line monorail (Khae Rai-Minburi) in northern Bangkok. The spur will run for 3 kilometres from Si Rat station to Muang Thong Thani.

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has hired the BSR joint venture group (BTS-Sino Thai-Ratch Group) to construct and run the Pink Line. The line is due to open in 2022 following construction delays attributed to the Covid-19 crisis.

The budget for the extension has been set at Bt3.379 billion.

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Dams upstream slowly killing the mighty Mekong

NationalFeb 09. 2021Satellite images of the Mekong River on the Nakhon Pathom-Laos border taken on January 3, left, and February 7. Photos: Facebook @gistda.

By THE NATION

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) on Tuesday released satellite images showing a drastic drop in the water level of Mekong River this Sunday compared to images captured on January 3.

“The water level of Mekong River has dropped considerably in the past month,” the agency said. “The sediment is now clearly visible under the water, which is now dark blue, while several sand bars have emerged in the middle of the river.”

GISTDA said this change in water levels is an indication of the severe drought the region will face.

“Eight provinces along the river will be affected, namely Chiang Rai, Loei, Nong Khai, Beung Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani,” it said. “The drought will not just affect the ecosystem, but also farms growing cash crops like rice, rubber, tobacco and tomato.”

Meanwhile, Samran Reunnak, acting chief of Nakhon Phanom Fishery Office, said the level of the river has been low for several years now and will eventually affect the local aquatic life.

“The river turns dark blue because the water is too low and cannot flow properly, causing the sediment to settle, which makes the water darker,” he said. “Fish will not be able to lay eggs in this water and eventually some rare species will disappear from the river.”

Samran put the drop in Mekong River levels down to dams built in neighbouring countries.

The once mighty Mekong River has been crippled by 11 dams built by China upstream and another two in Laos despite protests from environmentalists.

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Covid vaccinations under govt control: Anutin

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By THE NATION

In a bid to protect people, private organisations and local authorities are not allowed to purchase Covid-19 vaccines yet, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday.

He explained that some vaccines have not undergone all phases of testing, and their efficiency and side effects are not clear as yet. He said these vaccines were being sold to countries for emergency use only.

Anutin also said that all vaccines bought by the government will first be checked by the Department of Medical Sciences before administered to the public.

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First female rangers deployed in Kaeng Krachan National Park

NationalFeb 09. 2021Photo Credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

By The Nation

The Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province is getting the first batch of female forest rangers.

Photo Credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation on Monday introduced “Kong Roi Nam Wan” (syrup troops), after the female forest rangers had passed various types of training from February 4 to 5, such as tactics, armed and unarmed drills, intelligence, detention of suspects and law enforcement.

Photo Credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Pichai Watcharawongpaiboon, director of The 3rd Conservation Area Administration Office in Phetchaburi, said the troops would help the department in public relations with villagers, especially women and children.

“Besides, the troops can help resolve conflicts between the department and villagers, as they can frisk female suspects freely,” he said.

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New cash handout can be used to cover public transport: DLT

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By THE NATION

The Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced on Tuesday that funds received under the “RaoChana” (We Win) scheme can be used to pay for public transport.

Jirut Wisanjit, DLT director general, said “RaoChana” stickers will be displayed on vehicles participating in the scheme.

He added that the scheme will be applied to all types of public transport, namely buses, taxis, motorbike taxis, vans, Skytrain, Metro and trains.

Under the “RaoChana” scheme, the self-employed, farmers and welfare cardholders whose savings do not exceed Bt500,000 will receive two monthly payments of Bt3,500 each via the Pao Tang smartphone app. This is part of the government’s bid to ease people’s financial burdens during the Covid-19 crisis.

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Time to watch Irrawaddy dolphins cavorting in Chachaoengsao

NationalFeb 09. 2021Photo Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand Chachoengsao office

By The Nation

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is urging people to visit Chachaoengsao this month so they can catch sight of Irrawaddy dolphins frolicking in the Bang Pakong basin.

Photo Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand Chachoengsao office

In a Facebook post on Monday, TAT said the dolphins usually show up on the eastern side of the Gulf of Thailand between January and February every year.

The post also urged people to experience nature and local people’s way of life.

Photo Credit: Tourism Authority of Thailand Chachoengsao office

Those interested can call TAT’s Chachoengsao office at

(038) 514 009 or visit its @TATChachoengsao Facebook page. Seats for dolphin viewing can be booked by contacting Wildlife eX via Line ID wlfx or by calling (083) 375 9696 and (092) 845 9444.

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Man who allegedly gunned down police officer in Suphan Buri arrested

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By THE NATION

A suspect who allegedly shot and killed a senior police officer in a Suphan Buri petrol station was arrested from an apartment in Chonburi’s Sriracha district on Tuesday.

Police Sub-Lieutenant Charnwit Ditjaroen, aged 53 years, deputy inspection investigator of Suphan Buri Police Station, was shot dead by a member of a group of young people comprising six men and three women, who were drinking at a PTT petrol station on Suang Taeng-Uthong Road in Suphan Buri’s Muang district on Sunday night.

A witness told police that Charnwit, who was wearing civilian clothes, warned the group about turning the music on too loud and advised them to go home, when one of the men walked up to him from behind and shot him on the nape of the neck. After the shooting, the suspect and their group fled the scene on motorcycles and a pickup truck.

Police reviewed the CCTV footage and identified the alleged shooter as Sitthiphong Jasa-ard, aged 23 years, before tracking him down to an apartment in Chonburi province. Police also reportedly found a .38 handgun, believed to have been used by the suspect.

Sitthiphong was charged with murder, possession of an unregistered firearm, and bringing a firearm to a public place without proper reason. He was brought to Suphan Buri Police Station for interrogation.

Three members of the group — Somphot Thonglim, 26, Natthaphol Santithammethi, 26, and Montchai Sanithant, 22, had turned themselves in to Suphan Buri police shortly before Sitthiphong was arrested.

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Samut Sakhon accounts for 159 of 189 new Covid-19 cases

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Tuesday reported 189 new cases,10 of them overseas travellers in quarantine facilities.

Of the 123 people exposed to the disease while visiting high-risk areas, 109 cases — 32 Thais, 74 Myanmar nationals, two Cambodians, and one unknown nationality — were in Samut Sakhon province.

Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of 56 cases, most in Samut Sakhon at 50, four in Samut Songkhram and two in Nonthaburi.

Of those testing positive in quarantine centres, eight are Thais returning from Romania, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Japan and Sweden. A British national from Mexico and a Frenchman who flew in from his country also tested positive in a Bangkok hotel.

Meanwhile, 986 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 23,746. Of these, 21,185 had been contracted locally, including 13,439 found via proactive testing, while 2,561 were returnees. So far, 18,366 have recovered and been discharged, 5,301 patients are still in hospital (2,497 in hospitals and 3,571 in field hospitals) and 79 have died.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 107 million (up by 319,355), 79 million have recovered, 25.67 million are active cases (102,935 in severe condition) and 2.34 million have died (up by 8,190).

Thailand ranks 114th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 27.7 million, followed by India 10.85 million, Brazil 9.55 million, Russia 3.98 million and the United Kingdom 3.96 million.

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Testing by Chulalongkorn University finds 13 Covid-19 cases

NationalFeb 09. 2021

By The Nation

Chulalongkorn University on Tuesday said six more of its staff were infected with Covid-19, bringing the total number to 13.

The university said it aimed to test another 389 people.

The university announced its first case on February 5 during a proactive testing campaign.

The Covid-19 Chulalongkorn Committee organised tests for 230 close contacts of the infected staffers. The screening found six more Covid-19 cases, taking the total to 13 people.

The committee has decided to expand proactive screening with an additional 389 people to test and urgently investigate the disease in collaboration with the Urban Disease Prevention and Control Institute, Department of Disease Control and Public Health Service Center 5, Bangkok.