Jonathan Fairfield

PHUKET: The Mass Rapid Transport Authority (MRTA) kept the ‘Phuket Mass Transit System’ project moving forward with a public meeting held in Phuket Town yesterday (Nov 12) to gain feedback from local residents about the project.

The project, also often called the Phuket Light Rail, will see a light-rail mass transit system connecting Tha Noon, just north of Phuket in Phang Nga, with Phuket International Airport and continuing down the island to Phuket Town and terminating at Chalong Circle in the south of the island.

The plan is to alleviate traffic along Thepkrasattri Rd, Phuket’s main transport artery running north-south through down the “spine” of the island.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/mrta-moves-forward-with-phuket-light-rail-82015.php

Wet weather to continue

PHUKET: Wet weather is set to continue across Phuket throughout today and tomorrow, with the local Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) office this morning (Nov 13) issuing an advisory for people in the area to be still wary of heavy rains and possible flash floods.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1239331-wet-weather-to-continue/

PHUKET: Wet weather is set to continue across Phuket throughout today and tomorrow, with the local Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) office this morning (Nov 13) issuing an advisory for people in the area to be still wary of heavy rains and possible flash floods.

The advisory this morning, issued just before midday by Rungrawee Ankot, Director of the Southern Western Meteorological Center near Phuket airport, follows TMD Director-General Nattapon Nattasomboon issuing a weather warning yesterday.

An intense low pressure cell covering the central South along with the northeasterly wind prevailing over the South and upper west coast is causing heavy to very heavy rainfall along the southern west coast in some areas of Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun, Ms Rungrawee explained.

Suspected hacker of Constitutional Court homepage arrested in Ubon Ratchathani

Police from Thailand’s Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) arrested a man at a house in Warin Chamrab district of the north-eastern province of Ubon Ratchathani today, for allegedly hacking the homepage of the Constitutional Court on Wednesday.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1239330-suspected-hacker-of-constitutional-court-homepage-arrested-in-ubon-ratchathani/

Thailand’s air traffic increases 25% during the first ten days of November

Air traffic in and over Thailand, during the ten days following the reopening of the country to foreign arrivals on November 1st, was 25% percent higher than in October, averaging 990 flights a day, including overflights, according to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Company (Aerothai).

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1239329-thailand’s-air-traffic-increases-25-during-the-first-ten-days-of-november/

Air traffic in and over Thailand, during the ten days following the reopening of the country to foreign arrivals on November 1st, was 25% percent higher than in October, averaging 990 flights a day, including overflights, according to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Company (Aerothai).

2,243 international, 6,651 domestic and 1,025 overflights through Thai air space were recorded.

Aerothai executive vice president Tinnagorn Choowong said that the figures represent a good sign that traffic will further increase for the rest of the year.

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-air-traffic-increases-25-during-the-first-ten-days-of-november/

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Manny Pacquiao is pushing for massive cuts on personal and corporate income taxes to help reduce government deficit and promote faster economic recovery.

He said the government’s dependence on tax revenues is very burdensome for Filipinos and results in high cost of doing business for investors.

“The more we impose taxes, the heavier for the people. That’s a heavy burden for our countrymen. You’re choking the people because of so many taxes – prices go up because of taxes,” Pacquiao noted in mixed Filipino and English during the online membership meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila.

“There are many pretentious leaders claiming to be geniuses. But if you’re really geniuses, why is the country still poor? The government is spending so much while earning very little, that’s why there’s not much to cover our annual budget,” he added.

Full story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/06/2139292/pacquiao-massive-tax-cuts-more-non-tax-revenues

A police officer reminds shoppers along Ylaya street in Divisoria, Manila to follow COVID-19 protocols yesterday. The National Capital Region is likely to slide down to Alert Level 2 in the coming weeks.

Edd Gumban

MANILA, Philippines — The chief of the Philippine National Police cautioned the public against scammers who could be using personalities’ names, particularly of political aspirants, to cheat the public of their hard-earned money. 

“I want to remind the public to be critical and not to lightly trust people who use the names of personalities, including politicians, to solicit any favors or money,” Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said in a statement Sunday.

“I have tasked concerned police units to keep an eye out for this modus to prevent unscrupulous individuals from cheating our kababayan of their hard-earned money,” he added. 

Eleazar issued the warning after the Caloocan City Police arrested five people in Camarin, Caloocan City on Friday, November 5 for allegedly selling daily time records for P30 each to residents they claimed would receive cash from Sen. Manny Pacquiao for cleaning the community. 

Full story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/07/2139631/pnp-public-beware-scammers-using-personalities-names

Families of those who died in the Government’s war on drugs priest bless and offer flower, candles to the victims at the Commission on Human Rights in Quezon City on October 29, 2021.

Boy Santos, file

MANILA, Philippines — Opposing the “politically motivated” use of human rights, the Philippines called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) to observe the highest standards of balance, fairness, inclusivity and full respect for the sovereignty of member states.

In his address to the General Assembly during the presentation of the report of the HRC by president Nazhat Shameem Khan recently, Ambassador Enrique Manalo stressed the Philippines’ opposition to politically motivated use of human rights, and noted that “Country-specific resolutions that do not have the support of the State concerned stand little chance of making a meaningful difference on the ground, and are therefore a waste of resources.”

He expressed regret that program budget implications for country-specific resolutions go mostly to salaries and travels, and barely have provisions for actual projects that benefit concerned communities.

Full story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/08/2139758/philippines-urges-un-rights-body-respect-state-sovereignty

Russians return to Phuket

PHUKET: The first direct commercial passenger flight from Russia since the tourism shutdown last year arrived in Phuket yesterday morning (Nov 6), bringing 277 tourists from Moscow.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1238433-russians-return-to-phuket/

Just 10 tourists test positive for COVID-19 since Thailand reopening

First group of foreign tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport during the first day of the country's reopening campaign, part of the government's plan to jump start the pandemic-hit tourism sector in Bangkok, Thailand November 1, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

As of Friday, only 10 tourists out of 13,129 who had arrived in Thailand between Nov 1 and 4 had tested positive for COVID-19.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1238432-just-10-tourists-test-positive-for-covid-19-since-thailand-reopening/

Thailand reports 7,960 new Covid-19 cases, 6,950 recoveries, 53 deaths

Image: Reuters file photo

Thailand on Sunday reported 7,960 new Covid-19 cases, 6,950 recoveries and 53 deaths.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1238427-thailand-reports-7960-new-covid-19-cases-6950-recoveries-53-deaths/

Image: Reuters file photo

Thailand on Sunday reported 7,960 new Covid-19 cases, 6,950 recoveries and 53 deaths.

Sunday's cases bring the total number of cases reported in Thailand since the start of the pandemic to 1,967,999 and 1,939,136 since April 1, the start of the so-called third wave. 

Thailand's death toll from COVID-19 stands at 19,664 since the start of the pandemic and 19,570 since April 1.

On Disease Control Department (DCD) chief Dr Opas Karnkawinpong reported that 60 percent of the population in Thailand had received on vaccine dose, while 35 percent of the population are fully now fully vaccinated.

Dr Opas said he expects Thailand to reach the milestone of 80 million vaccine doses administered within the next couple of days.

Registration via website : https://tp.consular.go.th

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Phuket crime blitz nets 11 guns, 147 drug arrests

PHUKET: Police across Phuket have arrested 11 people for illegal possession of firearms and netted 147 drug suspects in a ‘Crime Mobilisation Campaign’ run last month aiming to clamp down on crimes across the island ahead of the full reopening to international tourists on Nov 1.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1238423-phuket-crime-blitz-nets-11-guns-147-drug-arrests/

PHUKET: Police across Phuket have arrested 11 people for illegal possession of firearms and netted 147 drug suspects in a ‘Crime Mobilisation Campaign’ run last month aiming to clamp down on crimes across the island ahead of the full reopening to international tourists on Nov 1.

The arrests and seizures were confirmed through a report of the campaign results released by Phuket Provincial police yesterday (Nov 5).

The campaign, which was run nationally between Oct 20-31, was aimed at detecting and eradicating crimes ahead of the Nov 1 reopening to fully-vaccinated tourists from 63 nations in order to install confidence and a notion of safety in local residents and visitors to the country alike.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-crime-blitz-nets-11-guns-147-drug-arrests-81936.php

PRU Field Hospital closed

PHUKET: Authorities officially declared Field Hospital No.2 at Phuket Rajabhat University (PRU) closed yesterday (Nov 5) as the remaining two patients treated for COVID-19 infection were sent home.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1238422-pru-field-hospital-closed/

Oblique support delivers last-minute Thailand Pass

The Thailand pass support contact details posted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Bern, Switzerland. Image: MFA

PHUKET: Support for dealing with issues in being approved a Thailand Pass in order to enter the country has delivered a last-minute reprieve for at least one family looking to fly to Phuket, with a Thailand Pass issued for each family member within 24 hours of their booked flight to Phuket.

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1238421-oblique-support-delivers-last-minute-thailand-pass/