Stipend cases are immoral
Stipend cases are immoralIt has been two weeks since the controversial recalling of elderly stipends came to light. The problem exposes how messy state databases are and also the negligence of officials tasked with disbursing state welfare. Under Thai law, elderly people entitled to a state pension are disqualified from obtaining other state stipends. After these cases triggered public outrage, the government pledged to correct the problem. These past weeks saw Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda and Finance Minister Arkhom, all showing sympathy with these elderly people.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 05, 2021 22:18 UTC
Thai army still region's top usurper
Thai army still region's top usurperIn less than a month, we have witnessed two intriguing -- or one could say diametrically opposite -- political events. A developing democracy has been crushed in the blink of an eye, and a military dictatorship has returned. In this regard, the Thai military is the more experienced. There are valuable lessons for the Myanmar Tatmadaw to learn from their Thai brethren. The problems that may concern a military dictatorship are a popular uprising and the economy.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 05, 2021 22:18 UTC
Displaced Karen demand land back
Police seize a banner from activists outside the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on Friday during a protest against the eviction of ethnic Karen villagers. The state was criticised for the removal of the Karen villagers, but some chose to stay. Officials from the Department of National Park burned down 90 homes and rice barns and forced 140 villagers from the land in 2011. In June 2018, the Supreme Administrative Court ordered the department to pay 10,000 baht to compensate six Karen villagers for destroying their huts. The evicted Karen villagers joined hands with rights activists in launching the #SaveBangKloi campaign on Jan 14.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
586 new Covid cases | Bangkok Post: learning
Worshippers wear the required face masks to protect against spreading Covid-19 while presenting offerings at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)The government on Friday reported 586 new Covid-19 cases, 573 local infections and 13 imported, raising the total to 22,644. Samut Sakhon province logged 548 new cases over the previous 24 hours - 522 cases (519 Myanmar and three Thais) found in communities, and 26 (12 Thais and 14 Myanmar) at hospitals. Bangkok had 18 new cases - 14 Thais and four from Myanmar. The 13 imported new cases were quarantined arrivals.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 05, 2021 06:11 UTC
AstraZeneca to send Covid jabs from Asia | Bangkok Post: learning
He did not confirm the exact date when the vaccines are due to arrive in the country. This is important as AstraZeneca was only approved by the Thai Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to import Covid-19 vaccines from its manufacturing facilities in Europe. The Public Health Ministry has secured an additional 35 million doses from AstraZeneca, which means the government now has 61 million doses in total, enough to inoculate just over 30 million Thais as planned, Mr Anutin said. AstraZeneca will ship 150,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Thailand from a manufacturing plant based in Asia, rather than from Italy, to avoid delivery delays, the government said on Thursday. NVI director Nakorn Premsri, left, joins Disease Control Department director-general Opas Kankawinphong, centre, and AstraZeneca Thailand president James Teak at a signing ceremony at Government House last November.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 05, 2021 01:52 UTC
Factory staff to be monitored | Bangkok Post: learning
Migrant workers are being discharged from a field hospital in Samut Sakhon province early last month. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)Stricter measures will be used to curb the spread of Covid-19 infections among migrant workers in Samut Sakhon after tests at seven factories over many weeks found almost 8,000 positive cases. The "seal" method will apply to factories which have on-site accommodation -- workers will not be allowed to leave the premises. The "bubble" strategy will apply to factories which have no on-site accommodation, so their workers stay at dormitories off the premises. So far, testing has been conducted on 140,000 workers at 845 factories in Samut Sakhon.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 04, 2021 23:15 UTC
End eatery booze ban
End eatery booze banThe plea by business operators in the entertainment sector for the lifting of the alcohol sales ban in restaurants in the four maximum-control provinces deserves serious attention from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) and the government. The alcohol ban was largely lifted on Feb 1, except in Samut Sakhon, Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, where pubs and karaoke parlours remain closed. The strict ban is based on the assumption that alcohol consumption will worsen the Covid-19 infection situation. It's based on the same idea as the daily ban on alcohol purchases from midnight to 11am and 2pm–5pm, which is senseless. There is no reason not to relax the ban on drinking alcohol at restaurants as there have been no infection clusters there.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 04, 2021 23:14 UTC
TEST YOURSELF: Seeing the light | Bangkok Post: learning
Lily, a third-grader, has found online learning during the second lockdown in Bangkok stressful. She found Learn to Light, an educational resource created for parents to teach their children about light through fun activities that can be carried out while at home. Learn to Light worksheets include play-based learning tasks that introduce young people to key scientific terms such as refraction, reflection, dispersion and shadow play. "We originally issued it in English but saw a greater use for it in Thailand because of the complexities of online learning here. Thai language was added to the site to help the country’s online learning.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 04, 2021 09:22 UTC
809 new Covid cases | Bangkok Post: learning
A monk wears a face mask while on his alms round in Bangkok on Thursday morning, when the country reported 809 new Covid-19 cases over the previous 24 hours. (Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool)The government on Thursday reported 809 new Covid-19 cases, 796 local infections and 13 imported, raising the total to 22,058. Over the previous 24 hours, Samut Sakhon province logged 786 cases - 750 found in communities (549 Myanmar and 201 Thais) and 36 (24 Myanmar and 12 Thais) at hospitals. Bangkok confirmed three new cases at hospitals, two Thais and one Myanmar. Samphanthawong and Saphan Sung districts were free of Covid-19 cases.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 04, 2021 05:48 UTC
TEST YOURSELF: Digital safety | Bangkok Post: learning
Photo courtesy of Prinya Hom-anekIs the MorChana app safe? Is the MorChana app safe? In today's digital age, people use smartphones to conduct a wide range of online activities -- from online learning to online shopping. The MorChana app uses GPS and Bluetooth to trace locations of a user and show whether the user has been in a risk area. The CCSA said Thais must download the MorChana app.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 29, 2021 08:03 UTC
Experts call for plan to help pupils | Bangkok Post: learning
Photo by SOMCHAI POOMLARDUrgent measures are needed to help students in provinces under maximum Covid-19 controls catch up on their studies, academics say. Sompong Jitradub, a lecturer with Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Education, urged the government to come up with a plan to help these students. "Since the Covid-19 outbreak, schools in Thailand have been forced to stop providing in-person education for about 90 days, or about 40%, of the academic year. "Education inequalities between poor and well-off students were already an issue in Thailand, even before the pandemic," he said. "Many countries already have a plan, so Thailand should have one as well.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 29, 2021 02:03 UTC
Story telling will woo buyers to snap up D Market's items
D Market is a new feature in the Pao Tang app. A new e-marketplace called D Market is set to be unveiled in the second quarter, another player in a segment valued at 294 billion baht that is dominated by foreign operators. Even though D Market is open for any product categories, the items must be unique or outstanding, which would mean they were different from others, Mr Somkid said. Thanawat Malabuppha, president of the Thailand E-commerce Association, said D Market is taking a good step by leveraging the government's assistance scheme. But it needs to be open to other parties joining in as an open platform, which could benefit more people.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 29, 2021 00:22 UTC
Pornpawee fells another giant
Pornpawee Chochuwong celebrates after beating Tai Tzu-ying. Pornpawee will next face the already-eliminated Pusarla V Sindhu of India in her final Group B match of the US$1.5 million season finale. "I'm happy to win today, beating the No.1 player in the world," said Pornpawee. I'm more happy that I could play the way I wanted to today," said the 13th-ranked Pornpawee, who is now guaranteed a place in the semi-finals following her second win in as many days. Korean rising star An Se-Yong also won her second Group A match, beating Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia 21-13, 21-17.
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2021 23:48 UTC
'Black sugar' strikes again
'Black sugar' strikes againEarly this week, residents of some provinces that serve as hubs for cash crops like rice and sugar cane started to choke on PM2.5 fine dust as many farmers began to burn farm waste. This year, the "black sugar" problem is likely to increase because of the shortage of migrant labour amid the Covid-19 restrictions. In reality, half of the sugar cane is harvested using the burning process, according to information from the Thai Sugar Millers Corporation (TSMC). But the shortage of migrant workers will only see a surge in the "black sugar" problem. The government and the consumer protection sector need to educate the public about the relationship between PM2.5 and "black sugar".
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2021 23:48 UTC
Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 makes ASQ easy with extra space and exclusive rates
Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 makes ASQ easy with extra space and exclusive ratesTrendy downtown property Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 has announced new provision for families completing Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) at the hotel, with the option of guaranteed connecting rooms and suites, ranging from 65 to 175 square metres. Suitable for a family quarantine of two adults including up to two children, the Marriot International managed hotel has an array of rooms and suites for all guests searching for their ideal ASQ venue in Bangkok. Book now until 31 March 2021 for ASQ stays until 30 June 2021. The rate for a 16 days (15 nights) package starts from THB 49,500 net per person with limited availability. For more information and reservations call +66 2 207 7000, email reservations.aloftbkk@alofthotels.com or visit http://bit.ly/3fiMSSX
Source:Bangkok Post
January 28, 2021 07:52 UTC