Swift action was taken to control the fire that broke out on the 33rd floor of a 36-storey building inside the Energy Ministry’s compound on Sunday afternoon, police said.
Police and the 199 Emergency Radio Centre were alerted at 12.45pm that a fire had broken out on the 33rd floor of Energy Complex Building A. Floors 6 and 19 to 36 of the building house the PTTEP Plc headquarters.
Firefighters and rescue officials from Sutthisan Fire Station rushed to the scene and managed to have the flames under control in 10 minutes. By 1pm the fire had been completely extinguished.
No casualties were reported. Police said the cause of the fire will be investigated.
Mothers and their children – adults or kids – can ride the BTS Skytrain for free next Sunday, which is National Mother’s Day, the operator said today.
BTSC confirmed in a statement that news circulating on social media about free rides on National Mother’s Day (August 12) was real, not fake.
The operator added that passengers who accompany their mothers on August 12 can also travel free of charge on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and the Gold Line monorail linking the BTS Silom line with Iconsiam shopping mall.
The free rides will be available from 6am to midnight, with the condition that children and their mothers get on and off at the same stations.
The free tickets will be available at ticket booths of the three public transportation services operated by BTSC.
Children up to the height of 90 centimetres will also ride for free.
The statement added that members of the public who suspect any information might be fake can check by calling BTSC at (02) 617 7300.
The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry warned Thais against falling for investment schemes being offered on Facebook and Line.
In the ministry’s fake news weekly update on Sunday, spokesperson Noppawan Huajaiman said get-rich-quick schemes offered on the two social-media sites were among the top 10 fake news detected from July 29 to August 4.
The ministry’s anti-fake news centre monitored 11.78 million online posts and messages during the week and found 314 were spreading fake news on 151 topics, most of which were government policies.
The top 10 fake news items that captured public attention during that period are:
• Expired Moderna vaccines are being administered at the Grand Bang Sue railway station.
• People aged 19 and above can register for the 10,000 baht unemployment allowance from the government.
• People can get cancer in their hands if they touch food preservatives used on steamed mackerel.
• Krung Thai Bank is offering “street money” loans of 5,000 to 500,000 baht at a 2 per cent interest rate.
• The National Health Security Office has launched a new Line account called “check-sith” for people to check on their free medical rights.
• Facebook and Line are seeking investments, which are guaranteed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• The Social Security Office is providing loans of up to 500,000 baht to people affected by the Covid pandemic.
• PTT Plc is inviting investors to buy its shares in a start-up fund for as little as 1,000 baht.
• The Thai Meteorological Department has issued a warning that 37 provinces will be hit by heavy rain.
• The Sinlaku typhoon will unleash heavy rains in Thailand from July 30 to August 1.
The National Health Security Office (NHSO) will start distributing the Covid-19 antiviral drug Molnupiravir to people in vulnerable groups via the telemedicine app operator Clicknic Health Co Ltd.
The company, which runs the Clicknic app for NHSO’s “gold card” holders and civil servants, can now start distributing Molnupiravir capsules to Covid-19 patients, Clicknic Health CEO Neil Nilwichian said.
He said that since July 27, the telemedicine app has been used on Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms and those who fall under the vulnerable category. The vulnerable category covers patients who are at least 60 years old or suffer from any of eight underlying conditions.
Neil said doctors using the telemedicine system treat about 100 patients per day and the operator mails out the medicines prescribed using the national postal services.
He said of these 100 patients, 60 to 70 are from the vulnerable group, including people with comorbidities, obesity or the elderly. Neil added that the prompt delivery of Molnupiravir capsules to this group is necessary to protect them from developing severe symptoms.
“Hence, Clicknic sought permission from the NHSO to distribute Molnupiravir to high-risk patients in time,” Neil said.
He also dismissed concerns about the antiviral being misused or wrongly prescribed, saying patients will be diagnosed by the 40 or 50 doctors stationed to tend to patients via the app.
The NHSO has initially sent 288 courses of Molnupiravir to Clickin and promises to increase the supply if the number of patients who need the drug rises, Neil said.
He added that Clicknic will start sending Molnupiravir doses as prescribed on Monday and patients should have the drugs on the following day.
Clicknic is one of three telemedicine apps commissioned by the NHSO to treat Covid patients.
The two other apps are Good Doctor Technology and MorDee of True Digital Group, though these apps only accept “green” patients or those with mild conditions.
People in Thailand are invited to offer best wishes to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, on the occasion of her 90th birthday.
Blessings and wishes can be posted on the Royal Household Bureau’s website (www.royaloffice.th) from now until Saturday.
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit was born on August 12, 1932, and married His Majesty King Bhumibol the Great in 1950. They had one son, who is the current reigning monarch, and three daughters together.
As consort of the world’s longest-reigning monarch, Her Majesty performed many royal duties, offered aid to Thais and helped with the development of the country.
Her Majesty suffered a stroke on July 21, 2012, and has since avoided public appearances.
SINGAPORE – Two new local cases of monkeypox were confirmed on Friday (Aug 5), including the first local linked case.
The linked case is a 54-year-old man, who is a contact of Case 13, a 33-year-old man whose diagnosis was confirmed on Aug 2, according to an update on the Ministry of Health website.
The other new case on Friday is a 25-year-old male, and unlinked to other cases. He is the youngest reported case here.
In total, there are 15 confirmed cases of monkeypox here, with 10 of them local ones. The remaining five are imported cases with recent travel history to Australia, Canada, Britain, the United States and Germany.
All of them are male.
The ministry had announced on Monday that all monkeypox patients who are deemed clinically stable from that day would be transferred to a dedicated isolation facility.
The quarantine period for close contacts will now be cut to 14 days, followed by seven days of monitoring for symptoms through phone calls. Previously, the quarantine period was up to 21 days.
The current outbreak of the viral disease emerged in May and has infected more than 18,000 people in 78 countries, said the World Health Organisation on July 27.
It declared the outbreak a global health emergency on July 23.
Some of the symptoms linked to the monkeypox virus include fever, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, chills, lethargy and skin rash.
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ASEAN foreign ministers have expressed disappointment with the limited progress in and lack of commitment to implement the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) by Myanmar’s ruling State Administration Council (SAC). The bloc’s top diplomats also called for respect of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity with regard to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The statements came in a joint communique of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meeting in Phnom Penh under the theme “ASEAN ACT: Addressing Challenges Together”, which kicked off on August 3.
In their joint communique released on August 5, the ministers reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to addressing common challenges and to maintaining the momentum of ASEAN Community-building efforts with a strong sense of togetherness.
During the AMM, they also discussed the need to further strengthen engagement and cooperation with dialogue partners and external partners, including through existing ASEAN-led mechanisms, as well as the importance of ASEAN centrality, credibility and relevance in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in regional and global endeavours amid uncertainty and rapid changes in Southeast Asia and beyond, the stat joint communique said.
On Myanmar, the statement said: “We were deeply disappointed by the limited progress in and lack of commitment of the Nay Pyi Taw authorities to the timely and complete implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.
“We recommended that the ASEAN Summit assesses the progress towards the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus by the State Administration Council to guide the decision on the next steps,” it said.
They also reiterated their commitment to peace and stability in the region, saying ASEAN is ready to help Myanmar return to normalcy in a positive, peaceful, and constructive manner, including in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
“We agreed that the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar shall engage all Myanmar relevant stakeholders at the earliest,” the statement said, referring to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn.
With regard to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, they reiterated their call for the respect of sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity, and for compliance with international laws and the UN Charter.
“The Meeting underlined the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities and the creation of an enabling environment for the peaceful resolution of conflict. We supported the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General in the search for a peaceful solution.
“We also called for the facilitation of rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for those in need in Ukraine, and for the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel, and persons in vulnerable situations,” the statement said.
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An increasing number of restaurant chains are serving meat substitutes that use plant-based ingredients as the alternatives are attracting attention as low-calorie, high-protein food amid increasing health awareness among consumers.
While some people enjoy faux meat options, many others have yet to try them, for myriad reasons. Can enough improvements be made that the public will overcome its reluctance?
Taste closer than expected
In mid-June, teishoku set meal restaurant chain Yayoi added three set meals using a soybean-based meat alternative, including shoga-yaki, or ginger-flavored stir-fry, to its menus at about 370 restaurants nationwide. They are priced the same as conventional pork-based meals, and include sauces chosen by Yayoi to lessen the soybean flavor.
The meat substitute is produced by food manufacturer Asahico in Saitama City. The slices are about 10 millimeters thick, have good structure, and meals using the product contain 20% fewer calories than pork-based set meals, according to the company.
Nobuaki Otani, head of the restaurant product development section at Fukuoka City-based Plenus Co., which operates Yayoi, emphasized that the new meals meet the needs of customers who want to find satisfaction in a healthy diet.
In January, Yakiniku Like, a yakiniku grilled meat chain with about 80 restaurants nationwide, launched new products, including Next Karubi, a meat alternative. The product is said to have more protein, and the texture is closer to that of real meat, compared with conventional meat alternatives.
A 31-year-old female office employee who ate it in a branch in Osaka, said: “It was a little hard, but was closer to real meat than I expected. It can be an option when I want to cut back on calories.”
Virtuous circle
The burger business, including the Mos Burger hamburger chain, was the first to incorporate meat substitutes into their menus. Such moves were easier for those that handle ground meat in their kitchens.
The number of retail outlets dealing with meat substitutes is also increasing.
In 2020, Aeon Co. began selling about 10 kinds of meat alternative products under the Topvalu Vegetive private brand.
Among them are 156-gram ground meat patties and 152-gram packages of chicken-like nuggets, both made from soybeans and priced at ¥278. In fiscal 2021, sales of the Vegetive series increased by 60% over the previous year.
A virtuous cycle is emerging for meat alternative manufacturers as increased production leads to lower costs.
In April, Tokyo-based Next Meats Co., which supplies meat substitutes to Yakiniku Like and others, lowered their wholesale price for the substitutes for supermarkets and other by 30%. The retail price of the alternatives is said to be now about the same as that of beef. The number of stores handling the products has doubled compared to before the price cut.
Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February, is a major production area of grain used as livestock feed. There are fears that feed prices may soar if exports continue to stagnate, raising meat prices. It is hoped that meat alternative may help household finances in such cases.
Public reluctance
Meat substitutes began to become popular in Europe and the United States around 2010, as producing them has much less of an impact on the environment, compared to obtaining meat from cattle, pigs and other livestock, which require large amounts of water and feed.
Interest in meat alternative has been growing in recent years in Japan, too, especially among health-conscious consumers.
According to research firm Seed Planning, Inc., the domestic meat alternative market is expected to grow to ¥78 billion in 2030, a 2.3-fold increase over decade.
The United Nations estimates that the world’s population will approach 10 billion around 2050, and there is a possibility of a shortage of meat. Plant-based meats are seen as a promising new option for sources of protein.
However, there are issues that need to be addressed in order for meat alternatives to become more widely used.
According to a survey of about 10,000 people conducted in December 2020 by research firm MyVoice Communications, Inc., the percentage of respondents who said they do not want to eat meat alternatives was 33.7%, higher than 29% who said they would like to eat them. Some cited as a point of concern that they don’t know what is in the food, and others said their prices seem high.
It is likely that sellers of the products will also need to make efforts to provide consumers with accurate information on the alternatives.
By Kazuki Sato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
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The ARF members discussed many regional and international issues, especially those with complicated developments such as in the South China Sea, Myanmar, Ukraine, Korean Peninsula and Taiwan Strait in the spirit of frank and substantive dialogue.
PHNOM PENH — Members of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) convened on Friday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, agreeing to give priority to cooperation in the areas of disaster relief, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, maritime security, defence cooperation, as well as nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
During the 29th ARF held within the framework of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the delegates discussed many regional and international issues, especially those with complicated developments such as in the South China Sea, Myanmar, Ukraine, Korean Peninsula and Taiwan Strait in the spirit of frank and substantive dialogue.
Vietnamese Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn emphasised the importance of goodwill dialogue and cooperation, and responsible contributions for the common goal of peace, security, stability and development.
Affirming ASEAN’s principled stance on the South China Sea issue, the minister stressed the importance of ensuring peace, security, stability, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea, calling for building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, stability and cooperation.
ASEAN and China continue to make efforts to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and soon implement the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea in accordance with international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
Following recent developments in the region, the minister reiterated the stances of ASEAN and Việt Nam, calling on all parties to exercise restraint, avoid complicating the situation, and resolve disagreements and disputes by peaceful means and compliance with international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
The minister also said that ASEAN will maintain its engagement with Myanmar, promote the implementation of the ASEAN leaders’ Five-Point Consensus for the benefit of the people of Myanmar and for peace, stability and development in the region.
During the event, participating countries adopted the ARF declarations on promoting peace and stability through confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy, maintaining a nuclear-weapon-free Southeast Asia region, and the ARF framework document on inclusive processes for conflict prevention and resolution diplomacy.
Established in 1994, the ARF is an important platform for security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific.
Characterised by consensus-based decision-making and frank dialogue, the forum comprises 27 members: the 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Việt Nam); 10 ASEAN Dialogue Partners, including Australia, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and the United States; Bangladesh, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. — VNS
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North Korea on Saturday condemned US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom.
In a statement, Jo Yong-sam, director general of the foreign ministry’s press and information department, also criticized Pelosi for talking about “strong and expanded deterrent” against threats from North Korea during her trip to South Korea earlier this week.
She made a two-day visit here from Wednesday following a trip to Taiwan. She had talks with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and a phone call with President Yoon Suk-yeol.
She then visited the Joint Security Area of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
It demonstrates the “hostile policy of the current US administration towards the DPRK,” the North’s official said in the English-language statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
Pelosi, who is “the worst destroyer of international peace and stability had incited the atmosphere of confrontation with Russia during her visit to Ukraine in April, and incurred the wrath of the Chinese people for her recent junket to Taiwan,” Jo said.
He warned that it “would be a fatal mistake for her to think that she can go scot-free in the Korean Peninsula. The US will have to pay dearly for all the sources of trouble spawned by her wherever she went.” (Yonhap)
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Children up to the height of 90 centimetres will also ride for free.
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