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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022506

Phuket medical tourism hub at stake when host of ‘Specialised Expo’ picked Monday

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Phuket’s future as a global medical tourism destination will be at stake on Monday when the host country of the “Specialised Expo 2028” is announced. Thailand and four other countries, the US, Spain, Serbia and Argentina, have submitted proposals to organise the international expo.

“The proposed 22.56 hectare site on Mai Khao Beach at the northern tip of Phuket island encompasses a sandy white beach, lush green forests, and exotic wetlands. It is part of a wider area reserved for the ‘Phuket World Medical Tourism City’ project, which was initiated to transform Phuket into a world-class centre for medical tourism and holistic healing,” reads Thailand’s proposal.

“The selection announcement will be broadcast from Paris at 8pm,” the Southern MICE Facebook page said on Saturday.

Thailand’s proposal to host the expo in Phuket will be broadcast on the Facebook page at 10pm.

Vachira Phuket Hospital in Thalang district will be the proposed venue under the theme “Future of Life: Living in Harmony, Sharing Prosperity”.

The government is vying to host the expo in line with its 20-year national development strategy and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“This expo will generate revenue, create jobs and maintain the balance between social, economic and environmental development, the Southern MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) page said.

“Apart from promoting Phuket as a medical tourism destination, this expo will also prove that Phuket is ready to organise other big events,” it added.

Related stories:

• TCEB, 11 partners launch “SPIRE Thailand” campaign to boost domestic exhibitions at year-end
• Bangkok to compete with HK, S’pore in move to become MICE destination
• Songkhla touted as southern Thailand’s hub for medical tourism, MICE activities

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022503

Macro-textured breast implants banned in Thailand as of Friday

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Thailand’s ban on the manufacturing and import of macro-textured breast implants went into effect immediately after the Public Health Ministry’s directive was published in the Royal Gazette.

The directive, signed by Deputy Public Health Minister Satit Pitutecha on October 20, was published on Friday.

The directive says that macro-textured breast implants are banned because they may cause implant-related anaplastic large cell lymphoma – a rare form of cancer.

A macro-textured implant has a textured, irregularly shaped surface and when it is implanted in the human body, it adheres to the surrounding breast tissue, which makes it very stable. This helps ensure that the implant stays precisely where the surgeon put it.

The ban covers macro-textured silicone implants that have an average surface roughness larger than 50 microns.

Last year, the Thai Food and Drug Administration and the Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery recalled macro-textured silicone implants after they were found to be associated with 800 breast cancer patients across the world.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022502

Thai police nab 653 on Saturday for World Cup gambling

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Police officers in charge of cracking down on World Cup-related gambling announced on Sunday that 653 suspects were arrested this weekend alone.

The suspects had placed a total of 111,000 baht on wager.

The arrests were announced by Pol Lt-General Phanurat Lakboon, who oversees the centre in charge of preventing and suppressing gambling on World Cup matches.

He said on Saturday, six bookmakers and 614 gamblers were arrested for offline gambling, while 33 were arrested for betting online.

The centre has been on the lookout for people placing bets on World Cup matches since November 19, one day before the tournament kicked off last Sunday. Since last Saturday, 3,179 suspects have been arrested for placing bets worth a total of 1.08 million baht. Those arrested include 70 bookmakers and 13 representatives.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022499

Chula expert slams deal to hand Thailand’s World Cup rights to True

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

A Chulalongkorn University academic has questioned why the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) handed control over the country’s World Cup broadcasting rights to True Corp.

Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee, an associate professor at CU’s Political Science Faculty, complained after a court ordered AIS Playbox to stop broadcasting the quadrennial football tournament on Friday. The court order came after True filed a court for an injunction to protect its exclusive rights to broadcast 32 of the 64 World Cup matches.

True insists it owns exclusive rights to broadcast those matches, including the final, on internet and OTT (over the top) platforms. It said other operators in Thailand can broadcast the matches on terrestrial TV, pay cable and satellite TV platforms.

Siripan noted that SAT was approved by Fifa as the World Cup broadcast licence-holder for Thailand.

She added that SAT had received 600 million baht of public money from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to purchase the rights to ensure that all Thais can watch the World Cup via all channels.

“The question is why SAT allowed True, which contributed 300 million baht, to decide on World Cup broadcasting,” she said.

She also demanded that SAT reveal details of the contract and clarify the issue.

“The 600 million baht [from NBTC] belonged to the country and its people, so this issue should be transparent,” she added.

The NBTC’s 600 million baht was topped up by private corporations to meet the purchase price for World Cup broadcast rights of 1.4 billion baht.

True contributed 300 million baht, PTT 100 million baht, and Thai Beverage 100 million baht. True then reportedly did a deal with SAT for exclusive rights to broadcast half of the matches on OTT and internet platforms.

Related stories:

• Mbappe double gives France spot in World Cup knockout stage
• Messi magic guides relieved Argentina past Mexico
• Apec, ganja, World Cup football and the weakness of Thai planning

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022497

Tom yum or somtam? Which do you think is most Thai?

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Tom yum koong (spicy shrimp soup) topped the list in a recent survey when respondents were asked to name the dish that best reflects Thailand’s “food identity”.

The Suan Dusit Poll was conducted between November 19 and 24 on 1,044 respondents, who were allowed to choose more than one answer.

Here are some of the questions, and the answers:

• What dish signifies Thai cuisine?

57.65%: Tom yum koong (spicy shrimp soup)

33.17%: Phad thai (stir-fried rice noodles)

23.89%: Somtam (spicy green papaya salad)

22.11%: Kaeng khiao waan (green curry)

13.23%: Massaman curry

• What makes Thai cuisine so different?

83.96%: Precise recipes

81.17%: Rich and nutritious

75.98%: Local wisdom

• How difficult is it to cook Thai food?

90.75%: Difficulty in replicating the taste

74.95%: Difficulty in replicating quality

68.02%: Few people keeping old traditions alive

• What can be done to maintain the identity of Thai cuisine?

88.85%: Should be promoted as soft power

82.5%: Boost awareness among the young

77.31%: Campaign for all Thais to keep old cooking traditions alive

• Who should be responsible for maintaining Thai cuisine’s identity?

70%: All Thais

65.38%: Culture Ministry

63.37%: The older generation

• Do you think the Apec Summit last week helped promote Thai cuisine internationally?

51.44%: Moderately

29.7%: A lot

Akkarapol Waichiangkha, a home economics lecturer at Suan Dusit University, said the history of Thai cuisine should also be told when it is being promoted via various channels, especially online.

Also, he said, all sectors should join hands when it comes to promoting Thai food, especially traditional dishes and old recipes.

Kanchana Fuengsri, another home economics lecturer at Suan Dusit University, said Thai cuisine varies vastly. For instance, the same dish can taste different in different parts of the country, the recipes can differ as can ingredients and cooking methods.

She too believes building an awareness of the history of Thai cuisine and its various benefits are key to preserving the identity of Thai cuisine.

Related stories:

• Thailand’s tourism industry revving up thanks to Covid-19 downgrade, say pollsters
• Most Thais struggling to make ends meet, latest poll finds
• Over 50% of Suan Dusit Poll respondents feel Parliament likely to be dissolved

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022494

Most Thais believe sexual violence is not just physical: survey

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

An opinion survey conducted recently shows that most Thais have a good understanding of what constitutes sexual violence.

The pollster, National Institute of Development (Nida), came to this conclusion by asking 1,311 respondents 10 questions in phone interviews between November 10 and 15. The respondents were at least 15 years old and the result of the survey was released on Sunday.

The 10 questions posed to respondents were:

• Do you think the mental angst caused by cheating spouses is sexual violence?

52:17%: Yes

47.83%: No

• Do you think online scams in which victims fall in love and transfer funds is sexual violence?

50:88%: Yes

49:12%: No

• Do you think scams in which women are talked into sending their nude photos and then blackmailed for money is sexual violence?

84.90%: Yes

15.10%: No

• Do you think sharing photos of scantily clad women on social media without her knowledge is sexual violence?

76.81%: Yes

23.19%: No

• Do you think a boss telling lascivious jokes and sharing pornographic images in the office is sexual violence?

76.81%: Yes

23.19%: No

• Do you think that a husband who forces his wife into prostitution by threatening to throw her out of the house if she refuses is sexual violence?

91.30%: Yes

8.70%: No

• Do you think a senior male student trying to rape a younger female student is sexual violence?

97.86%: Yes

2.14%: No

• Do you think a woman suffering attacks by a jealous boyfriend is sexual violence?

83.14%: Yes

16.86%: No

• Do you think a husband forcefully having sex with his wife without her consent is sexual violence?

72.12%: Yes

27.69%: No

• Do you think male relatives hugging and kissing young girls against their will is sexual violence?

71.32%: Yes

28.68%: No

• What are the causes of sexual violence? More than one choice was allowed:

64.15%: Men do not respect women

50.04%: Men do not understand what consent means

47.52%: Men believe they can make a pass if the woman is in a revealing dress

3.51%: Men like to imitate what they see on media or TV soaps

1.53%: Drugs and alcohol.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022489

Breathe easy, Bangkok’s new fleet of electric buses is ready to hit the road

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

The Transport Ministry on Saturday unveiled 1,250 electric buses that will replace Greater Bangkok’s ageing fleet of black smoke-belching vehicles after New Year.

The buses will replace the fleet of diesel vehicles that have been in service for more than 20 years and are blamed for polluting the city’s air.

More than 2,000 Bangkok buses are over 20 years old – 1,520 red buses and 179 blue air-conditioned vehicles – according to the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the electric buses will make travelling across Greater Bangkok easier, adding that they come equipped with wheelchair access.

They also feature GPS, an electronic ticketing system and security cameras, he added.

“These electric buses will be deployed on routes across Greater Bangkok and connect with other public transports to meet passengers’ needs, improve quality of life, solve traffic issues and reduce PM2.5 pollution,” he said.

He added that the ministry aims to increase the number of electric buses across Greater Bangkok to 8,000 within three years.

Saksayam said the ministry also has other so-called “New Year gifts” for people, such as tollway fee exemption on Burapha Withi, Kanchanaphisek, Chalerm Mahanakorn, Si Rat, and Udon Ratthaya expressways.

The Department of Highways will also waive tollway fees on Motorway No 6 (Bang Pa-in-Nakhon Ratchasima), Motorway No 7 (Bangkok-Ban Chang) and Motorway No 9 (the Outer Ring Road or Kanchanapisek Road), he added.

Related stories:

• Minister threatens to replace THAI baggage handler after Suvarnabhumi delays
• Thailand eyes Bueng Kan airport to boost tourism, border trade with Laos
• Bhumjaithai denies its massive THB6.35-billion bridge project in South aimed to win votes

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40022488

‘More vehicles than people’: Bangkok’s path to liveable city blocked

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022

Bangkokians’ reluctance to switch from vehicle ownership to public transport is a big obstacle to creating a liveable city, Mahidol University’s Faculty of Engineering said on Sunday.

“Shifting to public transport, walking and cycling will help improve transportation in Bangkok in a sustainable manner,” the faculty said, adding that it will also reduce pollution emissions that plague the capital and its residents.

The number of vehicles in Bangkok exceeds the population of the capital, according to the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.

The capital has 10.67 million registered vehicles compared to 10.53 million people.

Personal vehicles also account for more than two-thirds (68.7%) of overall travel in Bangkok, followed by public transport (20.2%), walking (5%), taxis (4.2%) and buses (1.9%).

Data shows that 54% of hazardous PM2.5 pollution in Greater Bangkok comes from road traffic, followed by the industrial sector (22%), households (11%), other transport (10%) and agriculture, energy and waste management (1% each).

“Even though a large amount has been invested in public transport to support the city’s expansion, it cannot solve existing traffic issues,” the faculty said.

Traffic congestion in Bangkok is still among the worst in Southeast Asia despite a citywide public transport system of trains and buses.

The Mahidol engineers said traffic issues are reducing Bangkok’s liveability and the quality of life of its residents.

Related stories:

• Bangkok creating 101 ‘pocket parks’ on area twice the size of Lumpini Park
• Bt600m to fresh up Central Department Store to highlight the “Boundless Playground” Concept
• Long-distance trains switch from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue in Jan