He was a key figure for Ajax last season, making 36 appearances in all competitions and helping them to the league title and a runners-up finish in the Dutch Cup. Ten Hag managed Martinez for three seasons at Ajax after the player moved to the Netherlands from Argentine side Defensa y Justicia in May 2019. Martinez made 118 appearances in all for the Dutch club. Capped seven times by Argentina, he would bolster United's defence, which conceded 57 goals last term - the most among the top six. He could also give the manager an extra option in midfield after the departures of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic.

The NHSO made the clarification after adjusting its funding for Covid treatment on July 4, following the reclassification of the disease as endemic on July 1. Under the new funding system, people in home or community isolation will be regarded as outpatients rather than Covid-19 patients. As for inpatients, responsibility for funding special rooms and protective equipment for Covid treatment will pass from the NHSO to the DRG (Diagnostic Related Groups) system. “NHSO is still paying compensation to public health units for providing drugs, tests and services to people who contract Covid-19, whether as outpatients in home/community isolation or as inpatients,” said Jadet. “The new payment system was implemented to help the NHSO manage its budget from government more efficiently now that the disease is regarded as endemic,” he added.

(Photo: Apichart Jinakul)The National Health Security Office (NHSO) has given an assurance that health screening and home and community isolation programmes for Covid-19 patients will continue. Home isolation and community isolation are still covered by the NHSO in the event the attending physician deems the patient is best suited by such treatments. Dr Jadej said that wider vaccination of the public has resulted in a reduction in cases where home isolation is required. However, he insisted that the office would continue to cover costs related to home isolation if requested by a physician. Official figures released on Saturday showed that 12,365 people with Covid symptoms were currently being treated in home or community isolation, and another 23,867 in hospitals.

"I'm very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea," Koulibaly said in a statement. "It's a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League. "Chelsea came first to get me in 2016 but we didn't make it. Now when they came to me I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play for them." Koulibaly made 317 appearances for Napoli after joining from Belgian club Genk in 2014, winning two trophies and cementing his place among some of the top defenders in Italy.

Pupae, 11, rides her elephant Ole to school in Buri Ram to help her family save on fuel costs. (Photo supplied)BURI RAM: A fifth grade student in Satuek district has become a social media celebrity after switching to the family elephant for her daily commute to school to save fuel costs. Wisanchol Yongram, 38, confirmed to reporters that his daughter, 11-year old Pupae, was the girl seen on the TikTok account @Ole FcThailand riding the 25-year old male pachyderm, named Ole, to school. The animals previously put on shows for tourists at an elephant kraal in Ayutthaya until the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Yongram family to return to Buri Ram. (Video: Ole Fc Thailand)

Man released from jail over triple murders shot dead at plantationRescue workers take the body of Prayun Ritmunee, 53, to a vehicle after the former murder convict was shot dead at his rubber plantation in Phrom Khiri district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, in the early hours of Saturday. (Photo: Nujaree Rakrun)NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A man released from jail two years ago was shot dead at a rubber plantation in Phrom Khiri district in the early hours of Saturday in what police believed might be an act of revenge. There, the team found Prayun Ritmunee, 53, lying dead with multiple gunshot wounds to his head, stomach and arms near a makeshift shelter. Family members of the slain man told police that Prayun had shot dead three people at a local gambling den in 2009, and he was caught and sentenced to jail. He was released from jail two years ago and lived with his family in Thon Hong.

2,025 new Covid cases, 20 more deathsTourists visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok on Friday. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)The country registered 20 more Covid-19 fatalities and 2,025 new cases during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Saturday morning. The new case numbers did not include 3,489 positive results from antigen tests over the previous 24 hours, which would raise the total to 5,997. Screenshot from https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/thailand/Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have been 4,557,001 Covid cases, including 2,333,566 this year, with 4,502,156 complete recoveries to date. Thailand ranked 27th globally with 4.55 million cases.

"GPO aimed to produce Favipiravir for use in the country, but the agency is relying on imports of the drug instead," RDS said, adding that the GPO is the only agency permitted to produce and import Favipiravir in Thailand. RDS said that this wasn't the first time that Favipiravir stocks have run low. It said this problem would not happen if the government allowed the private sector to produce or import the drug. RDS also revealed evidence from a Public Health Ministry executive's Line chat to support its claim that Favipiravir is running out. "Apart from medical staff, the public should be made aware of this issue as well," RDS added.

Under the theme "Designing the Future of Thai Coffee", the much-awaited Thailand Coffee Fest 2022 kicks off on Thursday, featuring more than 200 cafes and roasters as well as a wide range of related products and innovative services. The four-day event, a partnership between the Specialty Coffee Association of Thailand and The Cloud, is held at Impact Exhibition Hall 5–7 in Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi province, until Sunday. It treats coffee drinkers, connoisseurs and proprietors, from Thailand and overseas, to an impressive roster of activities, including coffee omakase tasting, Thai coffee showcase by an award-winning barista, bakery pairing and a robot barista experience and stage talks by well-known guest speakers. Among the highlighted topics are an introduction to low temperature and low humidity drying, yeast processing coffee cupping, packaging design and coffee sustainability. The seventh edition of the country's largest annual coffee fair occupies 15,000 square metres and can accommodate 25,000 visitors daily.

No escape from mailed finesA traffic offender is considered by law to have acknowledged a fine once it has been sent to them via registered mail, according to the latest regulation by the Royal Thai Police (RTP). The traffic tickets must then be sent to them later. The regulation came after the RTP warned last month that motorists who refuse to pay their traffic fines could face arrest. Under the new measure now in effect, motorists who fail to settle their fines before the deadline will receive a warning. The measure was launched after many motorists were found to have failed to pay their outstanding fines and carried on violating traffic rules.

Group of 16 split on backing PMPrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha speaks to reporters at Government House this month. The group will meet Gen Prawit on Sunday to discuss the issue, he said. He said despite Setthakij Thai withdrawing from the coalition, there is no need for the Group of 16 to do so. He also said he will meet Gen Prawit on Sunday to bid him farewell. He has made it clear he will not support Gen Prayut, but he will vote for Gen Prawit in the censure motion.

Hostage-taker shot in shoulder, woman rescuedSpecial weapons and tactics police arrest the hostage-taker after shooting him in the shoulder, at Theparak community in Muang district, Khon Kaen, on Thursday. The man, whose name was not known, was shot in the left shoulder. He was armed with an M61 hand grenade and he took the shop owner's wife hostage. The officers tried to persuade him to lay it down, but he refused. The woman hostage runs from the shop after police shoot her captor, ending her three-hour ordeal.

Heavy rain to fade away from FridayRun-off from Rong Kla mountain range causes the Khwae Noi River to overflow in Nakhon Thai district of Phitsanulok on Thursday. (Photo: Chinnawat Singha)​Weathermen forecast heavy rain nationwide throughout Thursday, and then gradual improvement until next Wednesday. Residents were warned to keep alert for hillside runoff in areas of persistent rain, she said. Heavy rain would continue only in some areas of the East and the western coast of the South. From next Monday to Wednesday the monsoon over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand would further lose strength and rain would become scarce.

7 rescued after night in rough seaTRAT: Seven crew of a fishing boat that capsized in a storm were rescued on Wednesday after nine hours in a wave-tossed sea clinging to lifebuoys. A navy patrol boat, Tor 227, was sent from the pier in Khlong Yai district to search for the crew. About 8am on Wednesday, the seven men, comprising the Thai captain and six Cambodians, were plucked from the sea to safety. They were taken ashore at Khlong Yai pier and taken to Khlong Yai Hospital for health checks. The strong southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

(Photo: Apichart Jinakul)Some are asking what if any role the Setthakij Thai Party led by Thamanat Prompow can play in overthrowing the government in the upcoming no-confidence debate. Mr Wanwichit said the Setthakij Thai leader is taking a big gamble on his political future and there is no guarantee the MPs under Setthakij Thai will all vote as instructed. Mr Yuttaporn said he does not believe all Setthakij Thai MPs will take their cue from Capt Thamanat in the no-confidence debate taking place on July 19-22. "Setthakij Thai has more than 10 votes in the bag, so we have a reason to worry. Deputy Pheu Thai leader and chief opposition whip Sutin Klungsang said Setthakij Thai would be judged by the people for its actions and it would be accepted if it kept its word.