“The Ministry of Labour has proposed that the age qualification under article 40 be amended from ‘not less than 15 years old and not over 60 years old’ to ‘not less than 15 years old and not over 65 years old’,” she said. “The reason for this change is that we are seeing increasing numbers of older persons who are still capable of working as self-employed or freelance.”

Ratchada further added that the Cabinet approved the Labour Ministry’s proposal as it is in accordance with the government’s 20-year strategic plan, specifically the section dealing with securing social equality and reducing disparity for all members of society. Extending the age coverage of social security will essentially help improve the quality of life of several seniors in the country.

To be eligible for social security benefits under the article 40, candidates must be freelance employees or self-employed e.g. vendors, taxi drivers and farmers. The Ministry of Labour estimates that currently Thailand has 4 million citizens aged 61-65 years old, and among these approximately 63,000 will be eligible for social security benefits under the article 40, prompting the government to contribute additional Bt45.14 million in counterpart fund.

Social security candidates under the article 40 will have 3 choices of monthly contributions: 1) Candidates pay Bt70 while the government contributes Bt30, 2) Candidates pay Bt100 while the government contributes Bt50, and 3) Candidates pay Bt300 while the government contributes Bt150. As for benefits, candidates will be eligible to sick allowance at Bt300 per day (maximum 30 days per year), as well as compensation in case of disability and death (including funeral allowance) depending on the modes and duration of contributions they made to the Social Security Fund.

Read More: Nod to cuts, exemptions of public transport fees for New Year travellers

“During New Year festival, the Ministry of Energy will lower retail prices of B10 and E10 fuel by Bt1 per litre from December 25 to January 10,” she said. “Furthermore, PTT Plc will fix the retail prices of all fuels from December 25 to January 2 to reduce the burden on those travelling over the New Year.”

PTT will also hold its own promotional campaign during New Year by giving 10x points to PPT Blue Card holders buying PTT UltraForce Diesel B10 and PTT UltraForce Diesel Premium until January 31.

Traisulee also added that during January to April the Ministry of Energy will fix the FT rate of electricity cost at -11.60 Satang per unit, leading to an average price of Bt3.64 (excluding VAT).

“The Ministry of Interior also prepares New Year gift for users of state-funded pawnshops nationwide by reducing interest rates and allowing clients to make contract/transaction using only their ID cards for faster services,” added Traisulee.

Earlier, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had also announced New Year gift campaigns consisting of waiving entry fees to natural tourist attractions and the establishment of rest stops at 452 checkpoints to provide free services to travellers.

The category 1 typhoon Phanfone currently passing over the Philippines would lose intensity as it moves to the South China Sea and will have no effect on Thailand.

The weather forecast for the next 24 hours is as follows:

Northern region: Cool to cold with fog in the morning, lows of 12-19 degrees and highs of 30-36 degrees Celsius. Temperature likely to drop to 5-10 degrees on hilltops with frost in some areas.

Northeastern region: Cold with fog in the morning, lows 17-20 degrees and highs of 33-36 degrees Celsius. Temperature likely to drop to 9-13 degrees on hilltops.

Central region: Cool with fog in the morning; lows of 20-22 degrees, highs 34-36 degrees Celsius.

Eastern region: Partly cloudy with fog in the morning; lows 21-24 degrees, highs 32-36 degree Celsius; wave height 1 metre.

Southern region (east coast): Partly cloudy with thunder showers in 10 per cent of the area; lows of 20-24 degrees, high 31-34 degrees Celsius; wave height 1 metre.

Southern region (west coast): Parttly cloudy with thunder showers in 10 per cent of the area; lows 21-24 degrees, highs 32-34 degree Celsius; wave height 1 metre, increasing to 1-2 metres during storms.

Bangkok and surrounding area: Partly cloudy and fog in the morning; lows of 23-25 degrees, highs 33-36 degrees Celsius.

“The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation [DDPM], the Interior Ministry, the Public Health Ministry and the Royal Thai Police will coordinate in the programme,” he said.

The plan involves focus on the condition of roads, traffic signs and street lights. The government has also ordered relevant agencies to check the condition of vehicles, especially buses and tour coaches, to be used for travel during the holidays.

“Importantly, in anticipation of road accidents, the government will enforce traffic laws strictly in areas where accidents have occurred frequently in the past five years,” the minister said. “We will also run a campaign that focuses on road safety and the danger of drinking and driving, and going over the speed limit.”

In addition, the government plans to set up rest stops along travel routes to allow people to take a break from long hours of driving.

“The ad hoc centre will be located at DDPM branch offices,” he added.

Details of the ministry’s measures as follow:

1 Road transport

Exemption of toll fees on the following routes: Highway No7 and 9; Bangkok Outer Ring Road (Kanjanapisek Road) at Bangpa-In – Bangplee section and Phrapradaeng – Bang Khae section; Burapha Withi Expressway and Kanjanapisek Expressway from December 27 to January 3. Easy Pass users will also get a five per cent discount at all checkpoints until January 31. Users of Don Meaung Tollway can buy coupons at 5 per cent discount from December 22 to June 31. Users of electronic pass for public buses will get cash back credit at maximum Bt30/pass/month from December 1 until January 31.

2 Air transport

From December 27 to January 3, parking fees will be exempted at parking lot zone C of Suvarnabhumi Airport and three parking zones of Don Meuang Airport for 450 vehicles. Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) will sell “Weekday Vacation” tickets at special price for Monday-Thursday departures between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket (THAI flights) and between Bangkok and Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Narathiwas (Thai Smile Airways’ flights). Furthermore, Thai Smile Airways will provide additional flights to meet customers’ demand need during the New Year holidays.

3 Rail transport

Service hours of following rail transport will be extended: Airport Rail Link from 5.30 am on December 31 to 2 am on January 1; MRT Blue Line and Purple Line from 6 am on December to 2 am on January 1. The parking buildings of both MRT lines will be opened from 5 am, December 31 to 3 am on January 1.

4. Water transport

Elder citizens, aged 60 and over, who use public boat services in Bangkok will be offered a 50 per cent discount on the fare from December 5 onward.

The Ministry of Transport has set up 259 checkpoints nationwide to provide roadside assistance to vehicle users free of charge, Traisulee said.

“Moreover, the Department of Land Transport has developed the mobile application “NUMTANG” to serve as navigator and information provider for people travelling in Bangkok and perimeter areas using the public transport system,” she added.

Netizens have shared the news about the woman who used fake banknotes to buy food from merchant Somphit Ritthidet, 70, in front of Suphannaphum School on Muen Harn Road in Suphan Buri Municipality Office District.

The division’s superintendent, Pol Colonel Worapot Weeplien, led police to the area to check CCTV cameras and find clues so they could detain Duanphen for investigation at Mueang Suphan Buri Police Station.

Duanphen pleaded guilty and claimed that on the day of the incident, she drove out to find a job, but oil was running out. She then saw Somphit selling food and believed she could be deceived because she is very old. Duanphen said she ordered food and paid for it with fake banknotes, and then immediately drove away after receiving change.

After the incident, she returned to her house in the area between Mueang Suphan Buri and U Thong District and police finally caught her, she said.

Nithithorn said that after they arrested Duanphen, they took Somphit to meet her.

“She confirmed that Duanphen was the wrongdoer, but declined to file a lawsuit against her. She said Duanphen could have just asked her for food if she felt hungry,” he said.

“We appointed the investigation division to thoroughly examine her criminal record and whether she has an arrest warrant against her because she had been arrested for fraud and sentenced to prison for several months.”

Nithithorn said he did not believe Duanphen’s testimony, because the crime seemed to be well prepared.

“The culprit’s motorcycle was originally blue, but it was painted red on the day of the incident, causing trouble for the officers for a while,” he added.

La-or Kaewprakon, one of the employees, said they were each forced to get into the kennel and kiss the dogs for 20 minutes to make the canines happy and less stressful despite the fact that many of the dogs have shown aggressive behaviour and have bitten them.

The shelter’s administrator and the owner’s secretary Konan Poompan said that 200 dogs were taken to the shelter. He claimed Chour repeatedly films videos of stray dogs and asks for donations.

Konan added that he had to speak out against Chour’s treatment of his employees, which he called unfair. He claimed Chour has not paid their salaries on time lately and his salary was cut by 50 per cent, so he wanted officials to inspect the shelter.

The police interviewed French businessman Jean Sebastien, 42, on December 23 for three hours to clarify the claim.

Sebastien explained through an interpreter that he was stopped by police for a drug search while he was walking down Soi Sukhumvit 43. He said the police did not find any drugs on him.

He explained that after police ordered him to take off his clothes for a drug search, he was taken to Thong Lo police station, where he was allowed to contact a friend named Shane, a Thai-Indian national whom he has known for three years. Shane advised him to transfer $8,000 to his girlfriend’s account in exchange for negotiating with the police to drop the drug charge and let him go. Sebastien agreed to this but could not transfer the money as the amount exceeded the daily limit. When the police let him go, he said, he went to Shane’s girlfriend’s apartment and gave her the money in cash. Sebastien said he could not contact Shane or his girlfriend after that and believe they might have collaborated with the police to extort money from him.

After the incident, he contacted the French Embassy, which later filed a complaint at the Office of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC).

Sebastien said he filed an extortion charge against Shane and his girlfriend and also a human rights complaint with the PACC regarding the police ordering him to take off his clothes for a drug search.

Thong Lo police station chief Pol Colonel Samphan Leungsajjakul said the plaintiff admitted that he did not give the money directly to any police officer, and insisted that police had taken no part in the extortion, adding that officials let Sebastien go because they found a doctor’s prescription on him allowing him to use marijuana as a medicine.

“We will investigate the incident and bring Shane and his girlfriend in for questioning,” Samphan said.

“As for the human rights complaint, I will also look into this matter and give justice to all parties.”