The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) announced on Monday that 2,500 of the 9,138 CCTV cameras planned for Bangkok have been installed.
The new CCTV project, expected to be completed by March, is part of moves to prevent crimes in the capital.
MPB deputy chief Pol Maj-General Jirapat Phumjit said the new cameras had been installed as a backup for the old ones. Also, officers can monitor the new cameras via their phones or monitors set up in their station.
Jirapat also said that each officer will be put in charge of eight to 10 cameras in their area of jurisdiction.
The installation will cost around Bt36 million and will be funded by the MPB, he added.
A recent poll shows that more than 97 per cent of Thais back the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry’s decision to hit Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit with lese majeste charges for linking Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccine plans to a royally owned pharmaceutical firm, said Asst Prof Noppadon Kannika, director of Super Poll Research Centre.
Thanathorn on January 18 went on Facebook Live to slam the government for its tardiness in providing Covid-19 vaccines and pointed out that the company – Siam Bioscience – tasked with manufacturing the vaccine locally is owned by the Crown Property Bureau.
“A Super Poll survey conducted from January 21 to 24 among 1,807 Thais nationwide revealed that 97.4 per cent of respondents agreed with DES’s move, and only 2.6 per cent disagree,” Noppadon said.
“Moreover, 93 per cent of respondents believe Article 112 helps maintain peace in the country, while only 7 per cent disagree.”
Besides, 98.4 per cent of the respondents said they support DES Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta’s move to crack down on persons who defame, insult or threaten the monarch via the net and social media, while 1.6 per cent refuse to support him, Noppadon said.
When asked what would happen if politicians, business people, media, foreigners or some Thais were allowed to criticise, insult or threaten the monarch, 75 per cent said this would deepen the divide in society, while 14.3 per cent saw moderate effects and 10.7 per cent said there would be low to zero effects.
The Criminal Code’s Article 112 states: “Whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years.”
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Monday reported two deaths and 187 new cases, including 10 people who had travelled from abroad, in the past 24 hours,
Of the new cases, 61 were exposed to the virus while visiting high-risk areas. The province with the highest number of infections was Samut Sakhon (35), followed by Bangkok (20) and Rayong (5).
Proactive testing led to the discovery of 116 cases — 104 foreigners and 9 Thais in Samut Sakhon, two Myanmar nationals in Bangkok and a Thai in Rayong.
Of the overseas travellers who tested positive in quarantine, seven are Thai nationals returning from the United Kingdom (5), and one each from Malaysia and Bahrain. Also testing positive were a British man, a Russian woman and a German man who flew in from their respective nations.
A female bedridden patient, 56, succumbed to the virus on January 21 after a cardiac arrest. She was the first death in Samut Songkhram province linked to Covid-19. The patient had epilepsy and stroke. On January 21, she felt suffocation and was taken to Somdet Phra Phutthaloetla Hospital. She was put on a ventilator but succumbed. Two high-risk close contacts who lived in the same house have tested positive. One of the two is her husband who had once travelled to Samut Sakhon.
A British man, 61, passed away on January 24. He arrived on December 25, developed symptoms on December 28 and the positive result was confirmed on December 29. He reportedly avoided a ventilator until it became difficult for him to breathe on January 9.
Meanwhile, 95 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Monday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 13,687. Of these, 11,313 contracted the virus domestically, including 4,684 who were found via proactive testing, and 2,374 are returnees. So far, 10,662 have recovered and been discharged, 2,950 patients are still in hospital and the death toll has risen to 75.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Monday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 99.77 million (increasing by 455,867), 73.9 million have recovered, 25.88 million are active cases (110,510 in severe condition) and 2.14 million have died (up by 9,511).
Thailand ranks 125th on the global list of most cases. The US tops the list with 25.7 million, followed by India 10.67 million, Brazil 8.84 million, Russia 3.71 million and the United Kingdom 3.64 million.
Apisamai Srirangsan, CCSA, assistant spokeswoman, said the number of cases in Bangkok had increased to 700 since December 15. She said a new cluster had been found from the cases of a superspreader who joined DJ Matoom’s birthday party.
Total cases in Samut Sakhon had risen to 5,480 cases.
Medical teams from other provinces, including from the military, will join active case-finding operation. She hinted at some 800 new cases being reported on Monday afternoon.
Two Taiwanese nationals, who allegedly stole people’s financial data by pretending to be bank officials, were taken from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai for further interrogation on Monday morning.
So far, 21 victims have been uncovered who suffered up to Bt429,180 in damages.
The two Taiwanese men allegedly posed as Siam Commercial Bank officials and sent emails or social media messages to victims asking them to fill their banking information in a fake website.
Upon receiving the data, the suspects hacked victims’ accounts and transferred money to the accounts of their Thai accomplices, police said.
Police added that other suspects related to this case, both Taiwanese and Thai, have been arrested.
Two men were reportedly seen fighting on Sunday at Bangkok’s The Mall Bang Kapi in Bangkok, which resulted in both sustaining injuries.
Police arrived to find Ramil Nakharuthai with stab wounds in his stomach and Supphachai Khae-U with a knife wound in the side. Witnesses said the two were having a heated argument before Ramil stabbed Supphachai and the two began scuffling.
Pol Lance Corporal Phanuphong Khonseu of Crowd Control Police Division 1, who happened to be visiting Siam Commercial Bank on the mall’s third floor, where the two men were fighting, broke up the fight by pulling out his gun.
The two men were taken to hospital for treatment and then questioned by police. However, no details as to why the two men were fighting had been released as of press time.
The baht opened at 29.98 to the US dollar on Monday, strengthening from Friday’s close of 30.
The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.95 and 30.05 and between 29.85 and 30.15 within this week, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.
He said the dollar tends to move sideways in the short term. Moreover, the currency would be affected negatively in case the market goes in risk-off mode, due to investors’ disappointment with the US stimulus measures or the Covid-19 situation in the world intensifies.
In Thailand, the baht has still moved in line with the dollar and foreign funds flow. Poon said that investors must watch the purchasing power of the dollar of importers, when the baht moves between Bt29.85 to Bt29.90 per US dollar.
Meanwhile, he said that exporters aimed to sell their dollar when the currency is around Bt30.10 to Bt30.15.
This week, the market is waiting for the Fed meeting outcome on Thursday, as well as financial results of big tech companies, such as Apple, Microsoft and Tesla, and economic reports of some countries.
In an attempt to reduce PM2.5 pollution, the Department of Land Transport will impose heavy fines on the owners of vehicles that emit black smoke exceeding the safety standard.
Department director-general Jirut Wisanjit said on Sunday that the maximum would be Bt5,000 and suspension of vehicle use until it was fixed.
Jirut said that his department had been implementing the Ministry of Transport’s policy to reduce dust particles less than 2.5 micrometres in the air in Bangkok.
“Since the beginning of fiscal year 2019 until January 2021, the department has inspected 689,333 vehicles in Bangkok areas and has suspended 8,762 vehicles from usage until they have their emission system fixed,” he said.
“As for vehicles that emit high volume of black smoke but do not exceed the safety limit, the department issues warnings to the owners and urges them to inspect their vehicle condition and make sure they were properly maintained.
“The department has opened vehicle inspection centres that also accept motor-vehicle tax payment at Phutthamonthon, Romklao and Khlong Luang product distribution centres, in a bid to help reduce the number of large vehicles entering inner Bangkok to have their vehicle inspected and pay tax,” he added.
“Motorists can help reduce air pollution caused by black smoke and PM2.5 dust particles by having their vehicles regularly serviced at department-certified vehicle inspection centres nationwide,” said Jirut. “Alternately, they can switch to using electric or NGV-powered vehicles which have low to zero emission. The department has promoted the latter approach by reducing the annual motor-vehicle tax on low-emission vehicles under the Vehicle Act BE 2522.”
People who witness vehicles emitting black smoke, can contact hotline 1584, Line: @1584DLT or via DLT GPS mobile application.
A gun-wielding man robbed a branch of Krungthai Bank in Bangkok’s Bang Kapi district and made of with over half a million baht on Sunday evening.
Lat Phrao Police Station were alerted at 8.30pm to the armed robbery at the bank’s branch located on the third floor of The Mall Bang Kapi shopping centre.
Staff reportedly told police that after the bank closed at 6pm and they were about to lock the premises, a small-built man aged 27-28 years, wearing black clothes, a black cap and a face mask forced him to go back into the bank and open a safe.
When he did so, the robber grabbed about Bt600,000 cash from the safe, dropped the currency notes in a fabric bag that he had brought with him, before running out of the bank. Witnesses told police that they saw him running towards the mall’s back exit. There were no assaults or injuries.
Pol Maj-General Pornchai Khajornklin, chief of region 4 Metropolitan Police, said that it was not clear from CCTV footage whether the suspect was wielding a real gun.
“He was seen hanging around the bank for several hours before the robbery, probably to check out the surroundings for the opportunity,” he said.
Police are tracking down the suspect and have deployed roadblocks on possible escape routes.
The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Monday that a weak high-pressure system covers the upper Northeast and the South China Sea.
Cool to cold weather with morning fog and thick fog in some areas are forecast for upper Thailand, while mountaintops remain cold to very cold. All vehicles should move with caution due to poor visibility, the department said.
Meanwhile, a weak northeast monsoon prevails over the Gulf and the South.
The weather forecast for the next 24 hours:
North: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning and thick fog in some areas; temperature lows of 13-18 degrees Celsius, highs of 31-33°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 6-13°C.
Northeast: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning and thick fog in some areas; temperature lows of 15-20°C and highs of 31-35°C; temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 7-12°C.
Central: Cool weather with fog in the morning and thick fog in some areas; temperature lows of 20-22°C, highs of 33-35°C.
East: Cool weather with fog in the morning and rain in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 20-24°C, highs of 32-34°C; waves less than a metre high and a metre high offshore.
South (east coast): Cool weather with thundershowers in 20 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-24°C, highs of 30-32°C; waves a metre high and two metres during thundershowers.
South (west coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 23-24°C, highs of 32-34°C; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres offshore.
Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 23-24°C, highs of 33-35°C.
Govt under pressure as questions raised over its wisdom and transparency in vaccine deals
NationalJan 24. 2021Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha /File photo
By Wichit Chaitrong The Nation
An adviser to the prime minister has defended the government’s vaccine deal after it came under fire from critics.
Somchai Jitsuchon, an adviser to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on the economy, posted on his Facebook account that the government had considered many vaccine deal options, such as from whom it should buy, when, the quantity, or whether it should opt for manufacturing in the country.
“The pros and cons of each option were weighed, given Thailand’s context and capacity for manufacturing vaccines, as well as the magnitude and pattern of the outbreak,” Somchai, who is also research director at Thailand Development Research Institute, said in his post on Sunday.
“These factors have led to two parallel strategies — promoting vaccine development and manufacturing locally, and buying vaccine from abroad,” he said.
The government had contacted many vaccine developers from the time those firms started trials of their vaccines, he said.
He explained that if Thailand had decided to book a vaccine from any firm during the trial period, there was a risk of losing the money if that vaccine development failed. Also, at that time the virus outbreak in Thailand was not as severe as in many other countries. Therefore, Thailand’s urgency to acquire a vaccine and innoculation, was less than that of other countries, he said. By waiting, Thailand could monitor which vaccine was effective and safe, from the experience of countries which needed mass vaccination urgently.
The rising price of raw materials to make vaccines also has caused the prices to go up, he said.
He acknowledged that a delay in placing an order could result in higher prices because booking at the earlier stage gives the developers funds for their vaccines, and the countries booking the vaccines first took obvious risks.
Thailand is lucky because the country has booked a large quantity of vaccine doses from AstraZeneca whose vaccine is priced much cheaper than some other companies and even China’s vaccine, he said.
Somchai conceded that he did not know much about why Siam Bioscience Co was picked as local vaccine manufacturer for AstraZeneca. There is no evidence that the company gets privileges and so trying to link it with political motivation might be jumping to a wrong conclusion. There are many reasons why this company was chosen, he said.
The strategy of development and manufacturing vaccine in the country continues and several state agencies and private firms have got financial support from the government. The project will benefit in the medium and long- term irrespective of whether Thailand could succeed in manufacturing a Covid vaccine or not, because at least it would increase Thailand’s potential to produce vaccine in the future, he added.
Somchai’s comments come after Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, former leader of the now-disbanded Future Forward Party, on January 18 questioned the vaccine deals and asked why the royal-linked Siam Bioscience Co was picked as local vaccine manufacturer and getting funding support from taxpayers money. His comment landed him in trouble, as the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society filed a legal charge against him, accusing Thanathorn of insulting the King. If convicted he could be jailed for up to 15 years.
Regarding the lese majeste case, Somchai said that he has never agreed with the use of the lese majeste charge against critics in most cases.
After Thanathorn raised questions about the government’s vaccine deals, many netizens have voiced their support for his demand that the government disclose the vaccine deals to the public.
Sarinee Achavnuntakul, an outspoken critic of the government, posted on her Facebook account on Friday that in principle the government should make vaccine deals with multiple brands in order to diversify risks, as many other countries have done.
The Thai government, as of late January this year, had placed purchase orders with only two vaccine brands — AstraZeneca from England and Sinovac from China. She asked why the government had not placed orders with other vaccine brands when their vaccine developments had progressed far ahead and many countries had already implemented mass vaccination? Pfizer had proposed to sell its vaccine to the Thai government. Why did the government turn down the Pfizer’s proposal?, she asked.
Thailand’s neighbouring country, Malaysia, and Indonesia, had ordered Pfizer’s vaccine.
If the Thai government was worried about logistics for the Pfizer vaccine, as it has to be kept under minus 70 degrees Celsius temperature, then how is Indonesia, which has several thousands of islands, dealing with the challenge of logistics?, she asked.
She argued further that in principle faster vaccination would mean faster reopening of the country, leading to faster economic recovery. She asked why the government had delayed private hospitals from importing vaccines? She also raised the issue of why the Food and Drug Administration was taking too much time to authorise administration of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, raising suspicions of market monopoly for AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.
Regarding the manufacture of vaccine, the government had allocated a budget of Bt1.4 billion to support one private firm, which will manufacture the vaccine. This is unusual, she said.
She also raised questions about the Bt6.1-billion contract the government had signed with AstraZeneca last year, posing why the contact included cost of managing the vaccine project worth over Bt2 billion. She urged reporters to use the authority of the Official Information Act to seek a full disclosure of the contract from the government.
As of Sunday afternoon, her post drew 4,100 likes, 252 comments and 1,400 shares.
The Thai government ordered its first batch of 26 million doses from AstraZeneca and is negotiating to buy 65 million more doses, and has also ordered 2 million doses from Sinovac.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha /File photo
