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Police net ‘Sia Po’, 11 others linked to his gambling network

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By THE NATION

Former celebrity boxer and net idol Apirak “Sia Po” Chatanon, 28, was arrested on Thursday morning over allegations of money laundering and running the online casino, “Galaxy Online”.

Police also raided his house in Bangkok’s Phasi Charoen district along with seven other sites in the capital as well as neighbouring provinces of Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.

Along with Apirak, police arrested 11 other suspects, two of whom were charged with possessing illegal weapons and consuming controlled substances.

Police said six other gambling websites were found related to Apirak’s network, adding that the link will be investigated further.

Several bank accounts involving transactions worth more than Bt1 billion were also found linked to the suspects.

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Army offers military bases for Covid field hospitals

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By The Nation

The Army has made 6,000 camp beds available to help the government battle the new wave of Covid-19, Army chief Narongpan Jitkaewthae said on Thursday.

The Army had earlier provided more than 3,000 beds for field hospitals in Samut Sakhon, the epicentre of Thailand’s new outbreak, he added.

Narongpan said the Public Health Ministry could now specify which military bases to use for field hospitals, including Khao Chon Kai training camp in Kanchanaburi and the Royal Thai Army Aviation Centre in Lop Buri.

“Army soldiers are ready to sacrifice their beds for people if this is not sufficient,” he said.

He added that the Army is closely monitoring Thailand’s borders in a bid to prevent immigrants from sneaking into the country, especially the western border with Myanmar.

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Uncertainty forces Myanmar corn traders to rush stocks across border

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By The Nation

Businesses in Myanmar’s Myawaddy province, which borders Tak’s Mae Sot district, rushed to have their stocks of corn shifted to Thailand.

Thailand has agreed to allow the free movement of corn for animal feed across the border from February 1 to August 31.

Farmers and small traders in Myanmar are also rushing to sell their corn harvest to large merchants over worries that export costs will rise significantly after the military seized power on Monday.

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Boxer Charoenthong opens restaurant after Covid-19 brings his boxing camp to its knees

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By THE NATION

The new wave of Covid-19 has almost dealt a knock-out punch to boxing camps, among other businesses.

Charoenthong Khunmanee (aka Chareonthong Kiatbanchong)

One of them is owned by boxer Charoenthong Khunmanee (aka Chareonthong Kiatbanchong) in Bangkok’s Meng Chai area.

He told the press he had been forced to open a restaurant to generate income after his boxing camp lost as much as 80 per cent of its revenue totalling more than Bt200,000 a month as the number of trainees dropped from an average 20 to 30 to only five to six.

Charoenthong said his restaurant, which mainly sells rice and noodles, is located near his boxing camp. Olympic boxer Somjit Jongjohor and sepak takraw player Suebsak Phunsueb were among those who have dined at his restaurant, he added.

The enterprising boxer said he also aims to launch an online course for those interested in learning Muay Thai.

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809 new Covid-19 cases, mostly in Samut Sakhon

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday reported 809 new cases, of whom 13 are returnees in quarantine facilities.

Of the patients, 45 had picked up the virus while visiting high-risk areas, with Samut Sakhon leading the list with 36 cases, followed by five in Tak, three in Bangkok and one in Samut Songkhram.

Meanwhile, proactive testing has led to the discovery of 751 cases, most of which were found in Samut Sakhon with the exception of one case in Ratchaburi.

Of the 13 returnees, seven are Thais returning from Israel, Malaysia, Germany, Belgium, France and the United States. Also testing positive were a Romanian from the UK, a Briton from the United Arab Emirates, a Zimbabwean from Ethiopia, a Mauritian from Spain and a Russian and a Pakistani from their respective countries.

Separately, 797 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 22,058. Of these, 19,553 had been contracted locally, including 12,298 found through proactive testing, while 2,505 were returnees. So far, 14,798 have recovered and been discharged, 7,181 are still in hospital and the death toll remains at 79.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 104.9 million (up by 489,120), of whom 76.77 million have recovered, 25.85 million are active cases (106,524 in severe condition) and 2.28 million have died (up by 14,245).

Thailand ranks 115th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 27.15 million, followed by India 10.79 million, Brazil 9.34 million, Russia 3.9 million and the United Kingdom 3.87 million.

CCSA spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said so far, 48.44 per cent of schools nationwide are still conducting online classes, 29.74 per cent opting for both on-site and online classes, 20.83 per cent have opened fully, while 0.98 per cent are using other methods.

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Officials hunt tiger after it kills pregnant goat, injures another in Uthai Thani community

NationalFeb 04. 2021Photo Credit: The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

By The Nation

Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary officials in Uthai Thani are desperately searching for a tiger after it pounced on a herd of goats in Ban Bueng Charoen community on Wednesday, killing one of the animals and injuring another before disappearing.

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

Officials believe the tiger hasn’t returned to the forest from where it came and still poses a danger to the community.

Wildlife sanctuary chief Permsak Kanitthachart said the tiger killed a pregnant goat and injured a male goat.

He added that the injured animal was being treated for its wounds by veterinarians from the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Breeding Station.

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

“The wildlife sanctuary is cooperating with Thap Salao officers to expand their area of surveillance in order to force the tiger back into the forest as soon as possible,” he said.

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

Meanwhile, 12th Conservation Area Management Office director Thanit Nooyim asked villagers if they had any clues on the whereabouts of the tiger. He also advised them to keep a close watch over their animals and pets.

“The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation is making all efforts to pressure the tiger back into the wild,” he added.

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BMA’s planned Green Line fare hike hasn’t been discussed yet with Cabinet: Wissanu

NationalFeb 04. 2021Wissanu Krea-ngam

By THE NATION

The expected fare hike on the BTS Green Line has not yet been discussed with the Cabinet, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said.

Wissanu said those who have decided on the prices have their own reasons for why the fare needs to be increased, but it appears they have not finished final talks and have not discussed the issue with the Cabinet.

He told the press it is the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) that would decide whether to increase or freeze the fare price. But the Cabinet can also intervene to adjust the rate.

However, if the Cabinet exercises its power, the price burden would fall on the BMA.

The BMA reportedly has to shoulder a burden of around Bt10 billion.

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Thailand intensifies talks with EU for quick purchase of AstraZeneca vaccine

NationalFeb 04. 2021Ministry permanent secretary Dr Kiattaphum Wongrajit

By The Nation

The Public Health Ministry has stepped up negotiations with British vaccine company AstraZeneca to import the first lot of its anti-Covid-19 vaccines this month and is also asking the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to consider importing and registering China’s Sinovac vaccine faster.

Ministry permanent secretary Dr Kiattaphum Wongrajit said on Wednesday that Thailand aimed to procure the first lot of 50,000 AstraZeneca vaccines by February 14 despite the European Union limiting exports amid delivery disputes and a shortage of doses.

He said there was an agreement before the problem arose but now the Thai government is providing information to the EU for the purchase of the vaccines.

The ministry expects the EU to consider Thailand’s case and allow the first lot of vaccines to be exported upon agreement, before the kingdom goes in for bulk vaccine imports in June.

In addition, the FDA is now studying laws for the “emergency” import of Sinovac, manufactured by the Biotech company. Thailand expects to import this vaccine too this month.

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Economy will grow 1.5-3.5% this year: JSCCID

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By THE NATION

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCID) estimated on Wednesday that the Thai economy would grow 1.5-3.5 per cent this year.

In addition, exports are likely to grow by 3-5 per cent, while inflation is hoped to be at most 1 per cent.

The JSCCID said the economy in the first quarter would be pressured by the Covid-19 crisis.

The factors that could help a recovery in the short term include the government’s ability to deal with the virus and its measures to assist businesses, the committee pointed out.

It asked the government to tackle the container shortage problem, which is affecting exports, and said the government should find a way to help the sale of fruits produced from March.

The JSCCID also voiced concern that trade between Thailand and Myanmar would experience “obstructions” if other countries intervened over the coup in that country.

More importantly, the committee asked the government to focus on procuring Covid-19 vaccines as quickly as possible, as this would help the economy and tourism.

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Port Authority rolls out measures to steer exporters out of rough waters

NationalFeb 04. 2021

By THE NATION

The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) is rolling out measures to help exporters suffering from a shortage of containers and the hike in freight fees by several countries, Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Rattanaset said on Thursday.

Earlier this week, the Thai National Shippers’ Council reported that exporters were hit by an inadequate supply of containers, as more than 1,000 of these were still stuck overseas due to Covid-19 restrictions, while the outbreak had also driven up freight fees from 17 to 220 per cent in several countries.

“PAT’s board of directors has approved a budget of Bt389 million to solve the container shortage problem,” Atirat said, announcing two measures:

1) Bangkok Port will reduce the freight fee for empty containers to Bt1,000 per 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) until March, which will require an operational budget of Bt5.28 million.

2) Laem Chabang Port will provide a cash-back measure of Bt1,000 per TEU until March for businesses which import empty containers. Bt384 million will be used for the purpose.

“PAT hopes these measures will help encourage entrepreneurs to import empty containers, and will gradually fix the problem,” Atirat vowed.

“We estimate that the container shortage will significantly improve by the second quarter as lockdowns will hopefully be eased or lifted in many countries, especially in Europe, and the United States, and they will eventually release the leftover or empty containers,” he added.