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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010206

The Thailand Meteorological Department said on Tuesday (December 21) that the rather high-pressure system over upper Thailand is weakening. Cool to cold weather is likely in the North, the Northeast, the Central and the East. Mountaintops in the North and the Northeast are cold to very cold with temperature ranging from 4 to 14 °C. People should take care of their health due to variable weather.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon prevails over the Gulf and the South while the low pressure cell covers the lower Andaman Sea. Isolated heavy rains are likely in the lower South of Thailand. Waves in the Gulf are about 1-2 meters high and over 2 meters high during thundershowers. All ships should proceed with caution and keep off thundershowers. 

The department also mentioned that the tropical depression “RAI” over the upper South China Sea is expected to downgrade in the low-pressure cell and dissipate. This storm has no effect on Thailand.

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

North: Cool to cold weather; temperature lows of 10-17 degrees and highs of 25-31 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 4-12 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Cool to cold weather; temperature lows of 14-18 degrees and highs of 26-29 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 6-13 degrees Celsius.

Central: Cool weather in the morning; temperature lows of 17-19 degrees, highs of 29-31 degrees Celsius.

East: Cool weather in the morning; temperature lows of 18-21 degrees, highs of 30-31 degrees Celsius; waves a meter high and 1-2 meters offshore.

South (east coast): Cool weather in the morning with thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas and isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 21-24 degrees, highs of 29-32 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 meters high and more than 2 meters during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Thundershowers in 40 per cent of the areas with isolated heavy rains; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 27-30 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 meters high and more than 2 meters during thundershowers.
 

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with cool weather in the morning; temperature lows of 18-20 degrees, highs of 28-32 degrees Celsius.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

Published : December 21, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40010205

The Thai Chamber of Commerce recently raised concerns that the China-Laos railway will hurt Thailand’s agricultural economy and the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

TCC fears the Nong Khai checkpoint will become a gateway for Chinese fruits and vegetables.

Pointing out that the checkpoint is not officially open for trade yet, national strategy and defence specialist Dr Chaiyasit Tantayakul said the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry is in talks with relevant Chinese authorities to find solutions.

The aim of the talks is to solve problems hampering Sino-Thai trade, like difficult customs clearance problems for fruit from Thailand.

He added that the ministry is also working on maintaining a balance of imports and exports between the two countries. For instance, if 100 containers arrive from China, then the same number of containers should head to China.

The two sides are currently concentrating on the export of orchids and rubber to China via the new railway, while the export of fruit will be discussed early next year ahead of the fruit season.

Chaiyasit said if no conclusion is arrived at, then the Mohan checkpoint in Yunnan and the Youyiguan checkpoint in Guangxi will continue being congested.

Thai fruit and vegetable traders realise that China is fast becoming a key export market, and for them to meet demands, he said the government should expedite the upgrading of infrastructure for cargo as well as cross-border transport.

Thai SMEs, however, are at a disadvantage, he said.

In the first nine months of 2021, Thai SMEs’ exports to China were worth 184.49 billion baht, while their imports from China came in at 454.89 billion. Thailand’s total import from China in the first nine months stood at 1.7 trillion baht.

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40010204

Thailand has administered 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines as of Sunday in a bid to build herd immunity and reduce severe illness and death, Dr Kiattipoom Wongrachit, permanent secretary to the Public Health Ministry, said on Monday.

He said the cumulative total of vaccine doses administered stands at 100,054,961, covering Thailand’s population of 72 million people.

The ministry is now campaigning for people who received their vaccines between February and September to register for a booster, he said. This call especially applies to people who have received two doses of AstraZeneca, Sinovac or Sinopharm vaccines.

He added that once the Covid-19 crisis improves, the government may consider new guidelines to help people return to their lives under the “new normal”.

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/in-focus/40010202

The Transport Ministry has joined Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and other agencies to improve transport down canals in a bid to reduce traffic on roads.

Surapong Meantmitr, deputy director of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, said on Monday that the canal network will be developed in three phases and will cover 14 routes.

The first phase (2022-2027) will cover either construction or upgrade of five routes, namely:

S1: Saen Saeb canal’s 12km extension from Wat Si Bun Ruang to Suwinthawong Road and the 1.5km Phan Fa Lilat Bridge to Phra Sumen Fort.

S2: From Pratunam Maha Sawat to Chaiyapruek Mala Temple (28km)

S3: Bangkok Noi canal from Wat Chalong to Siriraj Hospital (7.1km)

S4: Lat Phrao canal from Sai Mai Road to Phra Khanong (25.7km)

S5: Prem Prachakorn canal from Rangsit Temple to Bang Sue (20.5km)

The second phase (2028-2032) will cover five routes, namely:

M1: Prawet Burirom canal extension from Iam Sombat Market to Wat Sangkharacha (21.4km)

M2: Rangsit Prayoonsak canal from Rangsit Market to Lotus Klong 7 (18km)

M3: Khlong Lat Phrao extension from Sai Mai-Khu Khot to Pratunam Khlong Song (8.5km)

M4: Khlong Phasi Charoen extension from Petchkasem 69 to Krathum Baen watergate (16.5km)

M5: Chao Phraya River from Pak Kret to Pathum Thani’s Muang district (15km)

The third phase (2033-2042) will cover four routes, namely:

L1: From Wat Tanote to Khlong Bang Kruai intersection (18.3km)

L2: Bangkok Yai canal from Khlong Bang Khun Si intersection to Kanlayanamit Temple (6.2km)

L3: Khlong Mon from Arun Amarin Road to Khlong Bang Khun Si intersection (3km)

L4: Khlong Chak Phra from Bang Khun Non Road to Charansanitwong 25 Road (5.2km)

If things go as planned, water transport coverage will expand from 77km to 285km and the number of routes will increase from five to 14. The number of people commuting via canals daily is expected to rise from 193,000 to 354,000.

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010200

The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty on children aged between five and 11.

FDA deputy secretary-general Paisarn Dunkum said the dosage will be reduced to 10 micrograms and the two doses will be given in an interval of 21 days. The 10mcg dose is about a third of the dosage administered to people above the age of 12, he said.

This is the first vaccine that the Thai FDA has approved for use on children in this age group.

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010199

Interprovincial bus operator Transport Company said it plans to shift 3,000 buses running non-regular routes to its main fleet to serve travellers during the New Year break.

Up to 60,000 people are expected to travel daily between December 28 and 30, while another 50,000 daily are expected on January 2 and 3, the company’s president Sanyalux Panwattanalikit said on Monday.

“The Land Transport Department has agreed to allow the use of buses running non-regular routes to run interprovincial routes from December 29 to January 3, provided operators apply one week in advance,” he said.

“We expect to run up 4,700 interprovincial trips [buses and vans] per day during the New Year festival. People can rest assured that there will be enough transport available for them to visit their hometown.”

Sanyalux added that all passengers must wear a facemask and check in and out using the ThaiChana tracing application.

“As for the Public Health Ministry’s plan to make ATK tests mandatory for people travelling on public buses for more than four hours, the company is negotiating the funding required with related authorities,” he said. “If it turns out that the tests are necessary, the company is ready to comply.”

Related News

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Interprovincial bus service resumes from September 1

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Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010198

As many as 63 Omicron cases have been confirmed in Thailand with another 20 or so awaiting confirmation, the Department of Medical Sciences director-general Suphakit Sirilak told the press on Monday.

Of the 63 cases, 52 were confirmed in the week of December 11-19 alone, he said.

The number of Omicron patients in Thailand has risen from less than 1 per cent early this month to 3.26 per cent of Covid-19 cases, Suphakit said. He added that a fourth of the foreign arrivals in Thailand have tested positive for the variant.

Omicron, which was discovered last month in South Africa, has spread to 89 countries so far and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the variant has three sub-lineages (BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3).

Suphakit also pointed out that the Omicron variant can spread 8.45 times faster than the Delta variant. However, he said, that though the number of Omicron patients is high, there is still not enough conclusive information about the severity of infection and deaths.

The WHO has said that the efficacy of the first two jabs of a Covid-19 vaccine is low against the variant, though a booster shot improves immunity. Hence, Suphakit said, people should start receiving their boosters.

Related News

Anutin mulls cancelling Test & Go scheme for tourists

Anutin explains his Covid-19 is ‘weak’ comment

Pfizer jabs provide very little protection against Omicron, says doctor

He added that Thai researchers will conduct studies to see what vaccine combination can prevent infection or at least prevent severe symptoms from Omicron.

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010197

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed relevant agencies to proceed with policies to reshape the country, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Monday.

So far, Thailand has adjusted its tourism strategy by focusing on 3Rs, namely:
• Reopen (Q3 2021): Pilot reopening under the Phuket Sandbox scheme.
• Recover (Q4 2022): Thailand opened more provinces to foreign travellers on November 1 in a bid to boost the economy.
• Resilient (2023-2027): Turning the tourism sector into a high-value, sustainable revenue earner.

Thanakorn added that the Tourism and Sports Ministry is concerned about several other countries adjusting their entry policy due to the easily transmissible Omicron variant.

He added that Thailand is also planning to open borders with neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects up to 15 million tourists next year with some 1.8 trillion baht being generated once the land borders are reopened.

Thanakorn said the premier wants government agencies to consider both the economic and public health aspects when reopening the country. Enforcing strict measures while allowing economic activities will help boost confidence among tourists and allow the sector to build a strong foundation for high-value, sustainable tourism.

Related News

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Thanakorn said Prayut believes the tourism sector is showing good signs of recovery and is urging operators to work on attracting tourists with high purchasing power, who will help the Thai economy rebuild quickly.

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010194

People living in Chonburi’s Sattahip district have called on agencies to explain why a power pole is running through a pedestrian bridge and obstructing the footpath.

This move came after a Facebook user posted images on December 9 saying pedestrians using the bridge would have to be very brave as they face the risk of electrocution, especially during the rains.

Though the bridge located on Sukhumvit Road opposite Makro shopping mall has yet to be completed, residents are calling the authorities to find a solution before it starts putting lives at risk.

Related stories:

• Thonburi pedestrian bridge cluttered with internet cables, not live wires
• Crossing a pedestrian bridge in Thonburi can cost you your life
• Man found hanged at Korat downtown pedestrian bridge

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40010193

Thailand’s junior figure and speed skating star Amarit Lohasirichai reportedly jumped to his death on Sunday night from the 10th storey of a building in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district.

Officers from the Thungmahamek Police Station arrived at around midnight to find the 16-year-old lying in a pool of blood with severe head injuries and a broken arm outside the Wiseng Building. He had apparently jumped from the building’s roof deck.

There were no signs of struggle in the youngster’s room, though officers found footprints heading towards the roof’s parapet.

Amarit’s family said he was the most introverted among his siblings and though there were no obvious signs he was considering suicide, they believe he may have suffered from stress.

The body has been sent to the Forensic Institute for autopsy.

Related news:

• Lampang volunteers hunt for man who may have jumped into river
• Court acquits driver of vehicle that saw girl die when she jumped out
• Mystery over girl who jumped from bridge on Facebook Live

Published : December 20, 2021

By : THE NATION