THAILAND LIVE Thailand Live Thursday 24 March 2022

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Is Thailand doing enough for Ukrainian refugees?

 

file photo

Currently, according to media reports, there are more than 7,000 tourists from Ukraine and Russia and still in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254470-is-thailand-doing-enough-for-ukrainian-refugees/

 

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Songkran a test if COVID-19 can become endemic in Thailand, says hospital dean

 

 

The Songkran festival in mid-April will determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic, which has wrought havoc for more than two years, will gradually transform into an endemic disease in Thailand after the easing of numerous restrictions, said Prof. Dr. Prasit Watanapa, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254417-songkran-a-test-if-covid-19-can-become-endemic-in-thailand-says-hospital-dean/

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Thai government raises musical challenge to call centre scammers

 

 

The government has released a new song, being distributed on CDs, to spread awareness of and to warn the public about falling victim to call centre scams, which are widespread in Thailand.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254418-thai-government-raises-musical-challenge-to-call-centre-scammers/

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Vietnamese man on solo voyage to India rescued by Thai fishermen

 

Facebook: Third Naval Area Command (3rdNAC)

 

A Vietnamese man, on a solo voyage in an inflatable dinghy from Phuket across the Indian Ocean to search for his Indian wife in Mumbai, whom he has not seen for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been rescued from the sea by Thai fishermen.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254473-vietnamese-man-on-solo-voyage-to-india-rescued-by-thai-fishermen/

 

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Great Wall Signs Deal With Thailand to Reduce EV Prices

by Paul Rujopakarn

 

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor has signed a deal with The Thai government to reduce the retail price of its electric vehicles, a move aimed at increasing domestic EV sales and production.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254474-great-wall-signs-deal-with-thailand-to-reduce-ev-prices/

 

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Cabinet Approves Purchase of Paxlovid Antiviral Pills

by Paul Rujopakarn

 

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Cabinet has approved a 500-million-baht budget for the purchase of the Paxlovid antiviral medication for treating COVID-19 patients.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254475-cabinet-approves-purchase-of-paxlovid-antiviral-pills/

 

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Travel sector calls for endemic status, scrapping of Thailand Pass and full normality on entry

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

 

The permanent secretary at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Kiattiphum Wongrajit, in the last week made it clear that the country’s four-phase reopening plans which should see all current restrictions removed by July 1st including the unpopular Thailand Pass app, was dependent on incoming infection rates and approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This week, the boss of Emirates in Thailand, the Dubai based airline which flew 32% of all incoming passengers into the kingdom last year, described the abolition of Thailand Pass as a potential ‘golden moment’ for the travel industry and a lift-off point for the country’s tourism prospects.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254476-travel-sector-calls-for-endemic-status-scrapping-of-thailand-pass-and-full-normality-on-entry/

 

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COVID-19: Thailand reports 27,024 new coronavirus cases, 82 deaths, 23,721 recoveries

 

File photo

 

Thailand on Thursday (March 24) reported 27,024 new COVID-19 cases, 23,721 recoveries and 82 additional deaths over the past 24 hours. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254483-covid-19-thailand-reports-27024-new-coronavirus-cases-82-deaths-23721-recoveries/

 

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Brilliant drone footage offers bird’s-eye view of Hua Hin’s new train line

By Jonathan Fairfield

 

Screenshot. Image: Mike's Tropical Tech

 

The construction of Hua Hin’s new train line can be seen from a whole new angle thanks to brilliant footage filmed from a drone.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254489-brilliant-drone-footage-offers-bird’s-eye-view-of-hua-hin’s-new-train-line/

 

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Clan politics is bad for Thai democracy 

By Ken Lohatepanont

 

 

The prospect that Paetongtarn Shinawatra is likely to be Pheu Thai’s nominee for prime minister at the next election brings with it a certain sense of déjà vu. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254493-clan-politics-is-bad-for-thai-democracy/

 

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Thailand trapped in a household debt quagmire

 

 

In the third quarter of last year, household debt rose 4.2 percent year on year to Bt14.35 trillion, equivalent to 89.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), according to the National Economic and Social Development Council. (Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya)

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254496-thailand-trapped-in-a-household-debt-quagmire/

 

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PRD and Xinhua to Enhance Cooperation on News and Mass Media

by Paul Rujopakarn

 

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand’s Public Relations Department (PRD) and China’s Xinhua News Agency are working to enhance their cooperation on news and mass media, with the aim of fostering connectivity between the peoples of both nations.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254500-prd-and-xinhua-to-enhance-cooperation-on-news-and-mass-media/

 

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Ganja grannie: I thought the police were coming about the pipes - jailed, without bail

 

 

More details are emerging after police in Khok Soong village of Ubonrat district, Khon Kaen in the north east of Thailand locked up a sick granny for growing ONE marijuana plant.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254504-ganja-grannie-i-thought-the-police-were-coming-about-the-pipes-jailed-without-bail/

 

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Anutin: Reaffirms Thailand's ganja policy - speaks of HUBS

 

Picture: INN

 

Anutin Charnvirakul's opening of a marijuana symposium in the NE of Thailand is all about hubs.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254505-anutin-reaffirms-thailands-ganja-policy-speaks-of-hubs/

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Ton snaps, announces to mum: "Today is a very auspicious day to burn my house down!" - and he did

 

Sanook Thai Cation: Materials ordered but no work done

 

Most of us have been there with unreliable and absent tradesmen. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254508-ton-snaps-announces-to-mum-today-is-a-very-auspicious-day-to-burn-my-house-down-and-he-did/

 

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Times change, so must Covid approach, muses Dr Yong

 

Picture: Saim Rath

 

Top Chulalongkorn virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan was in philosophical mood on his Facebook page yesterday.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254510-times-change-so-must-covid-approach-muses-dr-yong/

 

 

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Airport Staff Criticized for Crowding Blackpink’s Lisa

 

 

BANGKOK, March 24 (TNA) – Thai K-pop star Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban of South Korea’s Blackpink girl group returned to Thailand for the first time in three years and many staff on duty at Suvarnabhumi airport were criticized for following the star en masse to take her photos.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254513-airport-staff-criticized-for-crowding-blackpink’s-lisa/

 

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Bank subsidiaries’ investments in digital assets to be capped at 3% of capital

 

A person uses a cell phone to pay with Bitcoins during the Latin Bitcoin conference (LABITCONF) in San Salvador, on November 18, 2021. (Photo by Sthanly ESTRADA / AFP)

 

The Bank of Thailand (BoT) is to issue a new regulation to limit investment in digital assets by business units of commercial banks to no more than 3% of their capital. The regulation is expected to come into force in the middle of this year, the bank’s Assistant Governor Roong Mallikamas told a news conference on Wednesday.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254515-bank-subsidiaries’-investments-in-digital-assets-to-be-capped-at-3-of-capital/

 

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Mum offers 100% forgiveness to son who battered her - he bargains booze ban down to 50%

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Following a clip of violence perpetrated on a mother, a drunk son has been taken to "graap thao".

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254516-mum-offers-100-forgiveness-to-son-who-battered-her-he-bargains-booze-ban-down-to-50/

 

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Lampposts pierce cab of truck following - driver escapes with minor injury

 

Picture: INN

 

Sida police in Nakhon Ratchasima along with rescue personnel were called after a ten wheel truck drove into the back on another carrying lampposts. 

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254517-lampposts-pierce-cab-of-truck-following-driver-escapes-with-minor-injury/

 

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Monks and relatives escape serious injury in overturned car - it's all about the right amulet

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

Naew Na predictably focussed on the amulet being worn by a driver who escaped serious injury in a collision.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254518-monks-and-relatives-escape-serious-injury-in-overturned-car-its-all-about-the-right-amulet/

 

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Probe underway into yet another case of controversial ‘fancy’ lamp posts

 

 

Officials from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in Thailand’s eastern province of Sa Kaeo have launched an investigation into the installation of fancy lamp posts in their area, following the discovery of similar lamp posts being installed in many other provinces last year.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254519-probe-underway-into-yet-another-case-of-controversial-‘fancy’-lamp-posts/

 

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Gold shop robber slips across the border into Myanmar

 

Picture: Mnager

 

Manager reported on the latest developments after a man wielding a knife robbed the Bangkok Gold Shop in Lotus Mahachai, Samut Sakhon last weekend.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254521-gold-shop-robber-slips-across-the-border-into-myanmar/

 

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Channel 5 cancels presser on Russian cooperation, to meet with Ukraine embassy

By Erich Parpart

 

 

Channel 5 has canceled a press conference to announce a media partnership with contemporaries from Russia, China, and Iran, local news reported on Thursday, after blowback received by the channel earlier this week.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254524-channel-5-cancels-presser-on-russian-cooperation-to-meet-with-ukraine-embassy/

 

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Bangkok Governor Resigns to Become Independent Candidate

 

 

BANGKOK, March 24 (TNA) – Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang resigned as the Bangkok governor and announced his plan to be an independent candidate in the upcoming Bangkok gubernatorial election.

 

Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254525-bangkok-governor-resigns-to-become-independent-candidate/

 

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Thailand signs deal with Pfizer to supply 2 million anti-viral Paxlovid tablets

 

 

The Thai Medical Services Department signed an agreement with Pfizer (Thailand) today (Thursday) to procure 50,000 courses (2 million tablets) of the Paxlovid anti-viral medicine for the treatment of COVID-19.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254541-thailand-signs-deal-with-pfizer-to-supply-2-million-anti-viral-paxlovid-tablets/

 

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Thai, Cambodian police crack down on major call centre gang in Cambodia

 

 

The Thai Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT) announced today (Thursday) a crackdown on a major call centre gang in Cambodia and the arrest of 28 suspects, among them two Taiwanese.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254542-thai-cambodian-police-crack-down-on-major-call-centre-gang-in-cambodia/

 

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TCC Backs Govt’s Decision to Remain Neutral in Ukraine War

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) said he agreed with the government’s decision to remain neutral in the Ukraine war.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254543-tcc-backs-govt’s-decision-to-remain-neutral-in-ukraine-war/

 

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Uttama Urges Govt to Consider Changing Calculation Formula for Fuel

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - A former Finance Minister is urging the administration to consider changing the calculation formula for fuel.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254544-uttama-urges-govt-to-consider-changing-calculation-formula-for-fuel/

 

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Govt Submits Report to the US on Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Thailand has submitted a report to the US detailing its anti-human trafficking efforts in the hope of receiving a more favorable assessment in the 2022 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

 

Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1254545-govt-submits-report-to-the-us-on-anti-human-trafficking-efforts/