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Workers under the Mirror Foundation’s Work From Homeless project take a short break in Minburi, Bangkok. (Photo courtesy of Mirror Foundation) Eighty-year-old Chalong does not just sit at home waiting for his monthly government subsidy payment. Instead, he keeps himself busy doing odd jobs four days a week. “What I want more than state assistance is a job,” the octogenarian says. “I want to make a living. I prefer using money I have earned myself.” Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe Chalong does not just have himself to support, but also his physically challenged daughter. “I had been homeless for nearly a decade until the Mirror Foundation accepted me as part of its ‘Work from Homeless’ project. Now I’m able to rent a room and look after my daughter,” the poor but proud father said. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/stories-of-suffering-and-struggle-reveal-tragic-side-of-thailands-ageing-society/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

In Thai villages, Chinese gangs recruit desperate for phone scams Thai police say they have rescued some 700 Thais held against their will by Chinese gangs in Cambodia. By Vijitra Duangdee Thai police say they recently rescued two dozen people being held against their will by Chinese scam gangs in Sihanoukville, Cambodia [Courtesy of Sai Mai Will Survive Facebook group] Bangkok, Thailand – The brokers arrived with promises of high-paying online sales jobs in Poipet, a Cambodian border town just an hour’s drive from Teerapat and Dao’s home in eastern Thailand. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256638-in-thai-villages-chinese-gangs-recruit-desperate-for-phone-scams/

Thai police say they recently rescued two dozen people being held against their will by Chinese scam gangs in Sihanoukville, Cambodia [Courtesy of Sai Mai Will Survive Facebook group] Thai police say they have rescued some 700 Thais held against their will by Chinese gangs in Cambodia. By Vijitra Duangdee Bangkok, Thailand – The brokers arrived with promises of high-paying online sales jobs in Poipet, a Cambodian border town just an hour’s drive from Teerapat and Dao’s home in eastern Thailand. After more than two years of pandemic-induced poverty, Teerapat and Dao were willing to take virtually any work away from their remote, rural village. But by the next day, the couple began to realise they had made a terrible mistake. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe After being driven deep across the border to the crime-ridden Cambodian beach town of Sihanoukville, Teerapat and Dao allege that they were ordered to stay inside a guarded 12-storey compound where Chinese “bosses” laid out their instructions via an interpreter. Full story: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/13/in-thailand-chinese-gangs-recruit-the-desperate-into-phone-scams -- © Copyright AL JAZEERA 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

COVID-19: Thailand reports 106 deaths, 23,015 new coronavirus cases, 27,626 recoveries File photo Thailand on Wednesday (April 13) reported 23,015 new COVID-19 cases, 27,626 recoveries and 106 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256631-covid-19-thailand-reports-106-deaths-23015-new-coronavirus-cases-27626-recoveries/ //CLOSED// /Admin

COVID-19: Thailand reports 106 deaths, 23,015 new coronavirus cases, 27,626 recoveries File photo Thailand on Wednesday (April 13) reported 23,015 new COVID-19 cases, 27,626 recoveries and 106 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256631-covid-19-thailand-reports-106-deaths-23015-new-coronavirus-cases-27626-recoveries/

File photo Thailand on Wednesday (April 13) reported 23,015 new COVID-19 cases, 27,626 recoveries and 106 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. Wednesday’s cases bring the total number of COVID-19 infections in Thailand to 3,948,869 with 26,395 deaths. The news comes as the Rural Doctor Society (RDS) has endorsed a proposal by a senior doctor at Ramathibodi Hospital urging the government to allocate about 1 billion baht towards subsidizing elderly visits to COVID vaccination centers. The notion was proposed by Dr Vijj Kasemsup, a doctor with the Department of Community Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine. Dr Vijj suggested that the government cover the cost of transporting senior citizens to vaccination centers, noting that the cost of covering half of all unvaccinated seniors would be much lower than for ICU treatments.** **NNT contributed to this report Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Prachuap Khiri Khan suffers first road death of Songkran holidays By Online Reporter Prachuap Khiri Khan suffered its first road death of the Songkran holidays, following a motorcycle accident on Monday (April 11). Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256623-prachuap-khiri-khan-suffers-first-road-death-of-songkran-holidays/

By Online Reporter Prachuap Khiri Khan suffered its first road death of the Songkran holidays, following a motorcycle accident on Monday (April 11). Prompiriya Kitnuson, Deputy Governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, who chaired the meeting of the Working Group of the Center for Preventing and Reducing Road Accidents during Songkran Festival 2022, said there were a total of five accidents in the province on Monday resulting in five injuries and one death. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The death was confirmed as a 60-year-old man from Sai Thong Sub-district, Bang Saphan Noi, who died when his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck. Officials said the man was not wearing a helmet and driving on the wrong side of the road. Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/local-news/prachuap-khiri-khan-suffers-first-road-death-of-songkran-holidays/ -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

Memorial day to honour Hua Hin boxing legend Pone Kingpetch By Online Reporter Pone Kingpetch statue in Hua Hin Hua Hin Sports Development Association and Hua Hin Municipality are hosting a “Remembrance Day for Thai fighting legend Pone Kingpetch” on April 16, 2022. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256622-memorial-day-to-honour-hua-hin-boxing-legend-pone-kingpetch/

Pone Kingpetch statue in Hua Hin By Online Reporter Hua Hin Sports Development Association and Hua Hin Municipality are hosting a “Remembrance Day for Thai fighting legend Pone Kingpetch” on April 16, 2022. The event will take place at Pone Kingpetch Park, the park next to the municipal offices and where the statue of Pone Kingpetcch is located. There will be a memorial event at 9am, with an evening event starting at 7pm. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The event will feature a seven-pair Thai boxing competition, as well as Wai Kru Muay Thai bouts and displays. Pone Kingpetch, also went by the name of Mana Seedokbuab, was a professional Thai boxer and three time world flyweight champion, who was known for his ferocious jab. Full story: https://www.huahintoday.com/hua-hin-news/memorial-day-to-honour-hua-hin-boxing-legend-pone-kingpetch/ -- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Chinese tourists allegedly trying to drive home drunk attack and injure hotel worker who tried to stop them in Pattaya By Adam Judd Pattaya-A 29-year-old hotel worker was injured last night, April 12th, in Pattaya after he reportedly tried to stop a group of drunken Chinese tourists from driving home intoxicated. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256621-chinese-tourists-allegedly-trying-to-drive-home-drunk-attack-and-injure-hotel-worker-who-tried-to-stop-them-in-pattaya/

By Adam Judd Pattaya-A 29-year-old hotel worker was injured last night, April 12th, in Pattaya after he reportedly tried to stop a group of drunken Chinese tourists from driving home intoxicated. The incident took place around 11:30 P.M. at a hotel located near the Dolphin Circle in North Pattaya. The name of the hotel was withheld pending a further investigation. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The hotel worker, Vegyan Rodyu, 29, suffered wrist injuries in an altercation with two Chinese tourists. He was given medical assistance at the scene. The altercation took place when four Chinese tourists entered into an argument with the hotel worker, allegedly over their intoxicated state and ability to drive. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/04/13/chinese-tourists-allegedly-trying-to-drive-home-drunk-attack-and-injure-hotel-worker-who-tried-to-stop-them-in-pattaya/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

459 road accidents reported on first day of seven dangerous days during Songkran, Thai government reveals By Nop Meechukhun PHOTO: Department of Probation National – Vittawan Sunthornkajit, the Director-General of the Department of Probation, Tuesday, April 12th, revealed the statistics of probation cases ordered by the court on the first day of the seven dangerous days campaign to prevent and reduce road accidents during Songkran. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256620-459-road-accidents-reported-on-first-day-of-seven-dangerous-days-during-songkran-thai-government-reveals/

PHOTO: Department of Probation By Nop Meechukhun National – Vittawan Sunthornkajit, the Director-General of the Department of Probation, Tuesday, April 12th, revealed the statistics of probation cases ordered by the court on the first day of the seven dangerous days campaign to prevent and reduce road accidents during Songkran. According to the report, a total of 459 road accident cases were reported. Of that, 328 cases were drunk driving, accountable for 71.46 percent, 8 cases involved reckless driving, accountable for 1.74 percent, and the remaining 123 cases were drug driving, accountable for 26.8 percent. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe The top three provinces with the highest statistics of drunk driving cases were Nonthaburi with 55 cases, Ubon Ratchathani with 47 cases, and Ayutthaya with 44 cases. Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2022/04/12/459-road-accidents-reported-on-first-day-of-seven-dangerous-days-during-songkran-thai-government-reveals/ -- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Central Bank Reports Unexpectedly High Inflation BANGKOK, (TNA) – The Bank of Thailand informed the finance minister that inflation exceeded its expected level and should return to its normal pace late this year. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256619-central-bank-reports-unexpectedly-high-inflation/

BANGKOK, (TNA) – The Bank of Thailand informed the finance minister that inflation exceeded its expected level and should return to its normal pace late this year. BOT governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput sent an open letter on the high inflation to the finance minister. The letter dated on April 8 read that the average headline inflation would be above the 1-3% range that the Monetary Policy Committee and the finance minister had jointly set on Nov 16, 2021, for 2022 and a medium term. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe On March 30, the MPC predicted that the headline inflation in the next 12 months (from the second quarter of this year to the first quarter of next year) would run at 4.1%, exceeding the earlier set range. Full story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news/line-today-english-news-922134 -- © Copyright TNA 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Authorities Urged to Consider Subsidizing Vaccine Trips for Seniors Paul Rujopakarn BANGKOK (NNT) - The Rural Doctor Society (RDS) has endorsed a proposal by a senior doctor at Ramathibodi Hospital urging the government to allocate about 1 billion baht towards subsidizing elderly visits to COVID vaccination centers. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256617-authorities-urged-to-consider-subsidizing-vaccine-trips-for-seniors/

by Paul Rujopakarn BANGKOK (NNT) - The Rural Doctor Society (RDS) has endorsed a proposal by a senior doctor at Ramathibodi Hospital urging the government to allocate about 1 billion baht towards subsidizing elderly visits to COVID vaccination centers. The notion was proposed by Dr Vijj Kasemsup, a doctor with the Department of Community Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine. Dr Vijj suggested that the government cover the cost of transporting senior citizens to vaccination centers, noting that the cost of covering half of all unvaccinated seniors would be much lower than for ICU treatments. Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe According to the RDS, senior citizens with underlying health conditions accounted for more than 90% of COVID deaths in the first quarter of 2022. With the number of daily COVID fatalities exceeding 100 in recent days, the group is urging the government to act quickly to get more people vaccinated. It also predicts that the number of people requiring supplemental oxygen will climb during and after the Songkran festival. The Department of Disease Control (DDC) had previously proposed a similar scheme to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), but it was rejected due to cost concerns. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view -- © Copyright NNT 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Thai PM happy with tourism rise, but reminds all to guard against COVID-19 Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has reminded all concerned, especially those in the tourism sector, not to lower their guard against COVID-19 while expressing satisfaction with the recovering tourism sector. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256616-thai-pm-happy-with-tourism-rise-but-reminds-all-to-guard-against-covid-19/

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has reminded all concerned, especially those in the tourism sector, not to lower their guard against COVID-19 while expressing satisfaction with the recovering tourism sector. Over 273,000 people entered Thailand in March, up from 203,970 arrivals in the previous month. Of these, 152,954 foreign tourists visited Thailand in February, up from 133,903 in January, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said today that the prime minister was pleased with a rise in tourist arrivals and a 70% increase in hotel bookings. Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-pm-happy-with-tourism-rise-but-reminds-all-to-guard-against-covid-19/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Is living in Thailand better health-wise than elsewhere? by Michael Bridge file photo Many Europeans like to retire to the sun, and Thailand offers an all year round great climate. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256615-is-living-in-thailand-better-health-wise-than-elsewhere/

file photo by Michael Bridge Many Europeans like to retire to the sun, and Thailand offers an all year round great climate. All of Southeast Asia experiences a warm, humid tropical climate characterized by monsoons and plenty of rainfall throughout the year. Thailand is generally extremely hot, particularly between March and May with April being the hottest month (30°C/86°F). The monsoon season runs from May/June to October when the climate is still hot and humid with torrential rains. Rain in the south typically continues until December. Therefore, Thailand is an ideal place to live for people who love the sun. It offers a great alternative to people wanting to get away from the cold winters in the west. Residents are always comfortable wearing plain shirts and shorts since the country has a tropical climate. Life expectancy Despite issues like tuberculosis and malaria, Thailand has had a successful history of health development. It has increased its life expectancy by more than six years since 2000. Thais now live 77.7 years on average. Diet has a lot to do with the country's health levels. According to recent stats, Singapore is the best country in terms of quality of life in Southeast Asia, ranking 19th on the list. The next Southeast Asian country to appear is Thailand, which beat the Philippines by just a few points for the 38th spot. Expats relish Thailand's climate and low cost of living, which make it an incredibly popular destination to start a new life, especially for retirees. Keep up to date with all things Thailand - Join our daily ASEAN NOW Thailand Newsletter - Click to subscribe Accommodation is affordable and modern. The public transport and communications infrastructure are good. And you will enjoy a comfortable lifestyle in exotic surroundings. If we were say back in Europe during the winter, we would be mainly staying indoors avoiding the high winds, icy conditions, heavy rain, and even snow! Not as healthy as riding a bike or jogging beside a sunny Thai beach. How does climate change affect us in Southeast Asia? Unchecked, climate change could shave eleven percent off the region's GDP by the end of the century as it takes a toll on key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and fishing—along with human health and labor productivity—the ADB estimated in a 2015 report Southeast Asia faces a dual challenge. It not only must adapt to climate change caused largely by greenhouse gases emitted over decades by advanced economies—and more recently by developing economies such as China and India—it also must alter development strategies that are increasingly contributing to global warming. The region’s growing reliance on coal and oil, along with deforestation, are undermining national pledges to curb emissions and embrace cleaner energy sources. Climate change threatens all three important sectors of Thailand’s economy: agriculture, tourism, and trade. Today, Thailand produces only 0.8% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions and has a lower per capita emission rate than the global average (3.25 metric tons in 2002, compared with 3.97 per capita worldwide). However, Thailand’s total CO2 emissions doubled between 1991 and 2002 and the government recognized its contribution to global warming. In April 2007, Bangkok hosted an International Panel on Climate Change summit and in the following year hosted UN climate change talks. The following month, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration published the 2007 Action Plan on Global Warming Mitigation, calling for reductions in Bangkok’s greenhouse gas emissions by 15% below currently projected levels. The effects of climate change, including higher surface temperatures, floods, droughts, severe storms, and sea-level rise, putting Thailand’s rice crops at risk and threaten to submerge Bangkok within 20 years. The damage to agriculture, coastal tourism, and the capital city as consequences of climate change will have enormous economic, cultural, and environmental impacts. Just one degree of warming will destroy the rice crops that are central to the economy, and a few centimeters of sea level rise will submerge the capital city and devastate coastal tourism. Can we cope? Many of us now have the Thailand Air Quality app on our mobiles, as the quality of air we breath can be quite bad at times. Also, during the past decade, weather patterns in Thailand have fluctuated from severe droughts to severe floods. So even with all this going on, do you feel you can obtain a healthier existence in the “land of smiles” say compared to living in Europe or North America? -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2022-04-13 - Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here. - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates Get your business in front of millions of customers who read ASEAN NOW with an interest in Thailand every month - email [email protected] for more information

to continue: Thailand Live Wednesday 13 April 2022 https://aseannow.com/topic/1256614-thailand-live-wednesday-13-april-2022/

฿211 million approved for study of Thailand’s first plant-based COVID vaccine The cabinet approved a 211 million baht budget today (Tuesday) for a study of the safety and efficacy of a plant-based candidate sub-unit vaccine in boosting the body’s immune response to COVID-19, the first such vaccine in Thailand being developed by Thai startup Baiya Phytopharm. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256567-฿211-million-approved-for-study-of-thailand’s-first-plant-based-covid-vaccine/

topic continues here: https://aseannow.com/topic/1256507-government-to-collect-tax-from-stock-market-sales-this-year/ //CLOSED//