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Wild birds draw crowds to Krabi

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By THE NATION

People flocked to the Khlong Ya reservoir in Krabi’s Plai Phraya district on Wednesday to snap the perfect picture of a rising cloud of thousands of white egrets.

The birds reportedly spend the night on the lotus-covered lake before taking off in the morning.

“Egrets spend about three or four months at the reservoir every year from January onwards,” said Niwat Watthanayomnaporn, adviser to the Krabi Natural Resources and Local Arts Conservation Unit.

“The birds hunt for food during the day and return to the reservoir for the night. The cloud of white feathers against an orange sunset paints a uniquely beautiful picture every evening.”

Apart from the egrets, other wild birds have also been sighted in the area, most commonly the purple swamphen.

A source said the district administration plans to develop the reservoir into a tourist attract and even offer a boat service so tourists can get up close to the wild birds.

Built in 1987, the Khlong Ya reservoir spans over 398.5 rai (about 64 hectares) in Khon Khen subdistrict, irrigating more than 2,200 rai of farmland in the area.

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Cash-handout scheme for social security members gets go-ahead

NationalFeb 03. 2021Photo credit: Prayut Chan-o-cha’s Facebook

By THE NATION

The prime minister on Wednesday gave the green light to a new remedial measure – “Rao Rak Kan” (We Love Each Other) – for beneficiaries of the state social security system.

Labour Minister Suchat Chomklin said initially social welfare cardholders will receive a cash handout via the Pao Tang application. This package will cover all social security beneficiaries, except those who have more than Bt500,000 in their bank account.

The minister added that the amount people earn per month will not be a criterion, as it may cause problems in the workplace.

Suchat said people should receive between Bt3,000 and Bt4,500 per month under this scheme. He did not specify how many months this scheme will be in operation.

Details of the package will be worked out by Friday before it is proposed to the Cabinet next week, he said, adding that it should go into operation by March.

He said about 9 million of the 11 million social security scheme members are expected to be eligible. The scheme only applies to Thai nationals who have less than Bt500,000 in their bank account.

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Thonglor police break up party, arrest 10 for violating control measures, taking drugs

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By THE NATION

The suspects were charged with possessing and consuming the controlled substance ketamine. They were also charged with violating the law by holding a gathering that may cause the spread of Covid-19.

Police arrested 10 people early on Wednesday for flouting the emergency decree and holding a drug-fuelled rave at a rented house in Bangkok’s Wattana district.

The suspects aged between 22 and 51 were caught at 1am by officers from the Thonglor Police Station.

The suspects were charged with possessing and consuming the controlled substance ketamine. They were also charged of violating the law by holding a gathering that may cause the spread of Covid-19.

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795 new cases reported, mostly in Samut Sakhon

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Wednesday reported 795 new cases, of whom 12 are returnees in quarantine facilities.

Of the remaining 783, 24 picked up the infection while visiting high-risk areas. In this case, Samut Sakhon leads the list with 18 cases, followed by four in Bangkok and one each in Tak and Maha Sarakham.

Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of 759 cases, all in Samut Sakhon.

CCSA spokesperson Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin said Samut Sakhon has had 12,746 confirmed Covid-19 infections or 78.28 per cent of total cases since the new wave broke out on December 15. Of these, 10,253 were found via proactive testing, while 2,493 had voluntarily gone to hospital for tests.

In Bangkok, meanwhile, 799 cases have been confirmed since December 15, or 4.9 per cent of cases in the new wave. Of these, 717 were found through tests in hospital, while 82 were found via a community search.

Of the 12 returnees, 10 are Thais returning from the US, the UK, Canada, Malaysia, Turkey, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The other two are a Canadian and a Filipino who flew in from the UAE.

Meanwhile, 786 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Wednesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 21,249. Of these, 18,757 had been contracted locally, including 11,547 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,492 were returnees. So far, 14,001 have recovered and been discharged, 7,169 patients 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 104.39 million (up by 451,795), 76.26 million have recovered, 25.87 million are active cases (107,177 in severe condition) and 2.26 million have died (up by 14,679).

Thailand ranks 115th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 27 million, followed by India 10.78 million, Brazil 9.29 million, Russia 3.88 million and the United Kingdom 3.85 million.

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Annual Veterans’ Day ceremony hit by Covid-19 crisis

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By THE NATION

Covid-19 has prevented officials from holding a remembrance ceremony at Victory Monument on the occasion of Veterans’ Day, or February 3 each year.

The remembrance ceremony came into being in 1948 to commemorate the founding of the War Veterans Organisation of Thailand.

Similar to Veterans’ Day celebrations in several countries, red poppy is a symbol of the occasion, a flower which stands for peace, reminding audiences that there are soldiers fighting for freedom. But red also symbolises bloodshed on the battlefield.

Red poppies have been sold on the special day each year to generate money for supporting veterans and their families. Unfortunately, the virus crisis in Thailand has forced the commemoration to be suspended this year.

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TNSC wants container shortage fixed, bemoans freight fee increases by other countries

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By THE NATION

The Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) is planning to submit a motion to the Joint Public and Private Sector Consultative Committee demanding it solve the shipping-container shortage problem faced by exporters.

“We would like the government to allow the use of containers seized by the Customs Department for export, as well as reduce freight fees to encourage businesses to import empty containers,” TNSC president Kanyapak Tantipipattanapong said.

“Furthermore, aid should be provided to exporters of agricultural and industrial products who are yet to ship their products overseas due to a lack of containers.”

The TNSC reported that exporters have been hit by the inadequate supply of containers, as more than 1,000 containers are still stuck overseas due to Covid-19 restrictions.

“The outbreak has also resulted in rising freight fees in many destinations. As of December 2020, Europe’s fees increased by 160-220 per cent compared to the previous year, while fees in Asia rose by 17-100 per cent. Meanwhile, Australian fees increased by 112-197 per cent and in the United States it went up by 73-196 per cent,” she said.

“To make matters worse, China is now ‘front-load shipping’ their products before the long break for Chinese New Year [starting on February 12], which has resulted in a further hike in freight fees,” Kanyapak said.

The TNSC estimates that total exports in 2021 will expand by 3-4 per cent due to the global economic recovery and before the impact of the new wave of Covid-19 is felt.

“We expect to see the highest growth in the food sector as well as products that are related to working from home,” she added.

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Air levels unsafe in 19 provinces

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By The Nation

Air pollution in 19 provinces hit unsafe levels on Wednesday morning, the Pollution Control Department reported.

Thailand’s standard for safe levels of PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter) is 50μg/m3 or below.

The 19 provinces are Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Lampang, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Lopburi, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Chachoengsao, Ratchaburi, Chon Buri and Rayong.

Here are some details as of Wednesday morning:

North: PM2.5 readings coming in at 17 to 68 μg/m3.

Northeast: 16 to 38 μg/m3.

Central region and West: 42 to 62 μg/m3.

East: 47 to 65 μg/m3.

South: 11 to 29 μg/m3.

Bangkok and its vicinity: 39 to 80 μg/m3.

People in areas where PM2.5 pollution is bad, especially the elderly, children, and patients with respiratory diseases, have been advised to monitor their health and reduce time spent on outdoor activities.

The PM2.5 situation can be followed on Air4Thai.com and bangkokairquality.com websites, or via Air4Thai and AirBKK smartphone applications.

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Baht unchanged, not expected to weaken more than 30.10 per US$

NationalFeb 03. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 29.99 to the US dollar on Wednesday, unchanged from Tuesday’s close.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.95 and 30.05 on Wednesday, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

On Tuesday, markets were in a risk-on state as investors hoped Joe Biden’s government would be able to come out with $1.9 trillion (Bt56.9 trillion) in fiscal stimulus.

The markets were also supported by company turnovers in the last quarter, which turned out to be more positive than investors expected.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes increased by 1.4 and 1.6 per cent, respectively, while the EU’s Stoxx 50 closed up by 1.7 per cent.

The market situation pushed the US Ten-Year Treasury yield to a 2-basis-points increase, to 1.10 per cent. Also, the dollar strengthened compared to other main currencies.

Poon said an economic recovery in Asia would slow down slightly in the short term because of Covid-19 preventive measures.

In Thailand, the market is awaiting results of a key Bank of Thailand (BOT) meeting. Poon added that the BOT tends to freeze the interest rate at 0.50 per cent and would signal that the Thai economy is worse than expected in December.

Poon said the baht would not weaken more than 30.10 per US dollar, despite the dollar strengthening.

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Personalised licence plates get initial Cabinet nod

NationalFeb 03. 2021Image: Facebook @Rachadaspoke

By THE NATION

A Cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved in principle the use of a person’s name on vehicle licence plates, deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisaranakul said.

“The name must comprise of at least two consonants and can have vowels or tone marks, and can be followed by a number. This licence plate will be considered a ‘special format’ and is eligible for personal vehicles which have less than 7 seats,” she said.

Traisulee Traisaranakul

“For example, I can choose to have a licence plate that reads ‘Traisulee 1 Si Sa Ket’. The special plates can be obtained via an auction to be hosted by the Department of Land Transport, with revenue from the auction going to the Road Safety Fund,” she added.

Department deputy director-general Jantira Buruspat explained that the words to be allowed on the special licence plates could be a name or any word, as long as it does not contradict the department’s regulations, such as being immoral, impolite, having negative meaning or duplicating letters that have already been assigned to other plates by the department.

Jantira Buruspat

“The department is reviewing the details of regulations as well as the criteria for auctioning, and is expected to submit these to the Council of State for approval by mid-2021,” she added. “The regulations will then need to be approved by the Cabinet again before being announced in the Royal Gazette to become effective.”

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Bangkok shuts daycare centres, kindergartens in three districts

NationalFeb 03. 2021Phongsakorn Kwanmuang

By THE NATION

Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang issued an urgent order at 8pm on Tuesday that daycare centres and kindergartens in Bangbon, Phasi Charoen and Nong Khaem districts must be shut down from today, Wednesday, until further notice for the safety of children amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The order came after a press release earlier on Tuesday, in which Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesman Phongsakorn Kwanmuang announced the results of active case findings at a factory in Phasi Charoen district.

“Tests found that 27 persons at the factory are infected, with 130 suspected of coming into close contact with them and must therefore be put in quarantine,” Phongsakorn said.

“The BMA has ordered the immediate shutdown of the factory, which has 887 workers – 300 Thais and 587 Myanmar nationals,” he said.

“The BMA also ordered the closure of Chanpradittharam School, which is located nearby, until February 5,” he said.

Phongsakorn added that the company which owns the factory also has a subsidiary with about 1,300 workers. The provincial public health office has already collected saliva samples from 800 employees for testing, and is expected to collect samples from the remaining workers by Wednesday.