Dozens of pubs in Bangkok were temporarily closed on Saturday after fire-safety inspections ordered in the wake of a deadly blaze in Chonburi.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said he had ordered inspections of entertainment venues in every district of the capital.
Eighty-three of the 400 Bangkok venues inspected have been shuttered after inspectors found problems with fire exits and escape routes.
Chadchart, an engineer by profession, said escape routes should be obvious and clearly signposted to aid victims’ chance of survival in dangerous situations.
He ordered further inspections in a bid to weed out Bangkok entertainment venues that are operating illegally.
Chadchart said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will ensure thorough inspections across the city.
The move comes after a blaze at an unlicensed pub in Chonburi’s Sattahip district left 15 people dead and 37 injured in the early hours of Friday.
Authorities across the country have ordered inspections of nightspots.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has voiced concern after a survey found that more than 30 per cent of Thai school students caught Covid-19 in the first term this year, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Saturday.
Results of the survey, conducted by the Department of Health, showed that 30.5 per cent of 49,242 students surveyed contracted the coronavirus since returning to class this year. The new school term began in May.
According to the survey results, most of the infected students contracted Covid-19 from family members. Only 5.6 per cent of those surveyed caught the virus at school while fewer than 0.4 per cent caused Covid-19 infections within their families.
Most of the cases showed mild symptoms, such as fever, coughing, runny nose, and muscle pain, according to the spokesman.
He said that PM Prayut had urged schools to continue practising preventive measures that have proven successful in curbing Covid-19. The measures include distancing, mask-wearing, hand washing, testing, and cleaning.
Schools have also been advised to hold activities in small groups, adopt a screening system and conduct isolation drills to prepare for new Covid infections.
The five most senior officers at a Chonburi police station have been suspended from duty following a deadly pub fire early on Friday.
Phlu Ta Luang police station’s superintendent, Pol Col Wuthipong Somjai, as well as his two deputies and two inspectors responsible for crime suppression and investigation, have been transferred to inactive posts at the Chonburi police headquarters.
Five senior police officers from across the province have been appointed as caretakers for the transferred officers.
Pol Maj-Gen Atthasit Kitjahan, commander of the Chonburi police, issued the transfer order, which was dated Friday.
The order mentioned the fire that broke out at Mountain B pub in Sattahip district just before 1am on Friday, adding that the transfers would take effect immediately to ensure the “orderly and effective” performance of provincial police.
The pub was within the jurisdiction of Phlu Ta Luang police station.
The blaze left 15 dead and about 40 others injured. Thirteen people died at the scene while two others succumbed to their injuries in hospital.
Among the dead was a 17-year-old male. The legal age limit to enter a pub in Thailand is 18. The pub was licensed as a restaurant but had been illegally operating as an entertainment venue, according to police.
Northern Thailand’s delicious coconut concoction “Khao Soi” was named the best soup in the world by TasteAtlas.com.
The interactive website, which highlights the best dishes in different countries, published its list of “50 Best Soups in the World” on Thursday.
Apart from Khao Soi, which topped the list with 4.9 points out of 5, the list also had Tom Yum Kung (spicy shrimp soup) and Tom Kha Gai (sour coconut chicken) in the 13th and 14th positions respectively.
The Finnish salmon soup came in second, followed by Scotland’s Cullen Skink and Japan’s traditional Ramen.
TasteAtlas describes Khao Soi as a “delicious coconut soup in which numerous regional influences were combined to create a truly spectacular dish. The base of the soup is a slightly spicy broth which combines coconut milk and red curry paste.
“The broth is served with flat egg noodles and a choice of meat, which usually includes chicken, beef, and pork. It is topped with a handful of crisp fried noodles and chopped cilantro. The dish is commonly served alongside a variety of condiments such as fresh lime, pickled cabbage, shallots, and chilis.”
The site also listed five restaurants where you can find the best Khao Soi in Thailand, however they are all in Chiang Mai’s Muang district. The restaurants are Khun Yai in Si Phum subdistrict, Lam Duan in Wat Ket subdistrict, Khao Soi Islam in Chang Moi subdistrict, Samer Jai in Fa Ham subdistrict and Lung Prakit Kaat Gorm in Hai Ya subdistrict.
Though Khao Soi is a traditional northern dish, it can be found in most parts of Thailand.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has announced that all trains from Bangkok to Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok will be rerouted to Yala until Sunday.
This is after an unknown number of Muslim insurgents opened fire on Bangkok-Sungai Kolok passenger train No 171 on Thursday. There were no casualties.
SRT public relations chief Ekkarat Sri-Arayanphong said on Friday that trains No 37/38 and 172/172 (Bangkok-Sungai Kolok-Bangkok) will be rerouted to Bangkok-Yala-Bangkok from Friday to Sunday.
Ticketholders can either travel to Yala station to catch their train or apply for a refund.
Meanwhile, cargo train No 985/986 (Bangkok-Sungai Kolok-Bangkok) will also be rerouted to Yala.
Ekkarat said the shooters had damaged the passenger train’s diesel engine, windshield and broiler, and it is stranded on the track waiting for a new engine.
He added that the investigators are looking into the incident.
The Chonburi pub that caught fire in the early hours of Friday, killing 14 and injuring 41 others, had no fire insurance, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) said.
OIC secretary-general Suthipol Taweechaikarn said the 552sqm one-storey building had been illegally altered and had not been insured against fire.
Meanwhile, he said, four of the deceased have life insurance with coverage totalling 4.76 million baht, while 14 of the injured have accident coverage totalling 12.99 million baht.
Suthipol said the OIC’s Chonburi Office has been coordinating with insurance companies to provide compensation to victims as soon as possible. The OIC has also established an ad hoc centre at the Plutalung Subdistrict Administration Office to provide aid and advice to victims.
“Entertainment venues are expected to be insured against fire and other damages and should also be insured for liability to third parties,” he said.
People wishing to find out more about insurance can call the OIC hotline at 1186.
The Mountain B Pub opened about a month ago and quickly became popular among the youth in Sattahip.
Firefighters blamed the blaze, which began at about 1.25am, on overheated fibre-optic cables. They said that when they arrived at the scene, the inferno had engulfed the building’s roof.
Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said initial investigation found that the operators did not have a pub licence and the outlet was built in an area where entertainment venues are prohibited.
Heavy to very heavy rain is expected to hit the North, Northeast, East, South and Central regions, including Greater Bangkok, from Sunday to Tuesday.
In a weather warning on Saturday, the Thai Meteorological Department said the rains were being brought by a monsoon trough lying across the upper North and upper Northeast, as well as the low-pressure cell over upper Vietnam.
The department also issued a warning of flash floods, runoffs and heavy thundershowers.
It also expects the southwest monsoon prevailing over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand to strengthen, forcing waves to rise up to 3 metres high in the upper Andaman and even higher during thundershowers. Waves in the upper Gulf are expected to be 2 metres high and even higher during thundershowers.
Ships have been advised to proceed with caution and small boats told to keep ashore until Tuesday.
Heavy rain can be expected in the following areas:
August 7
North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Lampang, Tak, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.
Central: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok and its vicinity.
East: Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
South: Ranong, Phang Nga and Phuket.
August 8
North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit and Tak.
Northeast: Loei, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Kalasin and Ubon Ratchathani.
Central: Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Nakhon Prathom, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi, Bangkok and its vicinity.
East: Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
South: Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi.
August 9
North: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit and Tak.
Northeast: Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Surin, Buri Ram, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani.
Central: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, including Bangkok and its vicinity.
East: Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat.
The Foreign Ministry said on Friday that all 112 Thai nationals deported from South Korea have returned to Thailand safely.
On Tuesday morning, a planeload of Thais arrived at Jeju Island, and 112 of them were denied entry as immigration officials suspected they had arrived intending to look for work.
“The immigration authorities interviewed 125 of the 184 Thai arrivals and concluded that 112 may have arrived to work illegally in South Korea,” Natapanu Nopakun, the ministry’s deputy spokesman, said. “The 112 persons were detained while waiting for a plane to return them to Thailand. As of now, they have all returned to Thailand safely.”
All foreigners are required to obtain a Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) at least one week before arrival. This “visa” grants them a stay of no more than 90 days if their purpose for visit is tourism, business meetings, short-term courses etc.
“Thais travelling to South Korea are also required to prepare documents on their purpose of visit, especially the K-ETA document,” he said.
South Korea has been cracking down hard on illegal migrant workers since reopening to tourists on July 25. So far, as many as 10,000 Thais have travelled to South Korea and nearly half of them have been refused entry and sent home.
The country has had a long-standing problem with illegal migrant workers, referred to as “little ghosts”. They usually enter South Korea as tourists but pick up illegal jobs as labourers, which can earn them as much as 60,000 baht a month.
The Public Health Ministry reported on Saturday (August 6) that over the past 24 hours, 2,381 Covid-19 patients have been admitted to hospitals.
The death toll has risen by 35, while 2,209 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals.
The number of cumulative cases in the country since January 1, 2022, stands at 2,379,924 with 9,863 deaths.
The country’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 4,603,359 – 4,550,548 of whom have recovered, 21,250 are still in hospitals and 31,561 have died.
Separately, another 5,444 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 10,303 their second shot and 36,348 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 141,814,894.
According to Worldometer, confirmed cases globally had risen to 587.91 million on Saturday, 558.89 million of whom have recovered, 22.58 million are active cases (43,844 in severe condition) and 6.43 million have died (up by 1,953).
Thailand ranks 28th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 93.87 million, followed by India with 44.13 million, Brazil with 34.02 million, France with 33.99 million and Germany with 31.23 million.
People with symptoms of long Covid can now seek treatment at special clinics set up by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) at nine hospitals in the city.
Dr Suksan Kittisupakorn, director of the BMA’s Medical Service Department, said on Friday that the Long Covid Clinics would serve patients who are still suffering from the effects of coronavirus weeks or months after the initial illness.
He said many former Covid-19 patients had breathing difficulties, which could be caused by scarring or other long-term damage to their lungs.
“Early diagnosis and proper treatment can get rid of the condition and allow them to live a normal life,” Dr Suksan said.
People with post-Covid syndrome can visit the special BMA clinics at Taksin Hospital, Lat Krabang Hospital, Sirindhorn Hospital, Charoen Krung Pracharak Hospital, Ratchaphiphat Hospital, Bang Khun Thian Geriatric Hospital, BMA General Hospital (Klang Hospital), Luang Phor Taweesak Chutinataro Uthit Hospital, and Wetchakarunrasm Hospital.
The clinics are open Monday to Thursday during the working hours of the hospital where they are located.
Patients must make appointments via the Bangkok Fast & Clear (BFC) system.
Diagnosis and treatment from the clinics would soon be available through the MorBMA mobile telemedicine application, Dr Suksan said.
Covid-19 primarily affects the lungs but it can also damage other organs, resulting in increased risks of long-term health problems.
Common symptoms of long Covid include chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, headache, diarrhoea, chest pain or discomfort, impaired concentration, and memory problems.
