Kanchanaburi

A Thai kindergarten has been slammed online for forcing students to wear 4 different uniforms, including a “military uniform” on Thursdays. The public school in the western province of Kanchanaburi informed parents they must purchase the new uniforms before the new term begins on May 17. The preschool wants children aged 4 – 6 to wear 4 different uniforms: ‘normal’ school uniform on Monday and Tuesday, a PE uniform on Wednesday, a soldier uniform on Thursday and an “ASEAN” uniform on Friday, which sports an ASEAN flag. The school posted an announcement about the uniform changes on Facebook, which gained a lot of attention from concerned netizens who expressed their dissatisfaction about the costs involved with buying 4 new sets of uniforms, especially in light of the current high costs of living. Netizens in the comments section were mostly concerned about Thursday’s military uniform… “What is the point of the soldier uniform?” “Are we living in North Korea?” Although, … [Read more...] about Thai kindergarten forces students to wear military uniform, sparks outrage

Interior Ministry, Anupong Paojinda, has given governors full authority to close all border provinces, but must leave one international checkpoint active for special circumstances. The move is the latest in Thailand’s attempts to block any arrivals to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, which has spiked sharply with new cases this past week. “The only exception will be Chiang Rai as it borders with Myanmar and Laos and will be allowed to maintain one checkpoint for each country for general trade purposes.” Key checkpoints to be temporary closed… 1. Thai-Mayanmar Friendship Bridge in Tak Tak governor Anrasit Samphanrat, placed the order on Friday 20th that the closure of the first Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge as of today which will be closed until further notice. The second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge across the Moei River in Mae Sot district, which opened last October, will be the province’s only checkpoint open to travellers. 2. The Phu Nam Ron and Three … [Read more...] about Thailand closes many of its land borders

Visitors wearing face masks as protection against the coronavirus outbreak visit the 14th century Wat Mahathat complex in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya on Friday. (AFP photo) The country registered 6,094 more Covid-19 cases - the fewest since Jan 6 - and 51 new fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning. This compared with 6,736 new cases and 54 coronavirus-related fatalities reported on Saturday morning. Saturday’s figures did not include 4,356 positive results from antigen tests over the past 24 hours. This would raise the total to 10,420. As of Saturday, a total of 70,775 people were receiving Covid-19 treatment, including 25,527 in hospitals. The remainder included 9,251 in hospitel facilities/field hospitals and 35,603 in home/community isolation, according to the daily update posted by the Department of Disease Control . Of those in hospital, 1,304 were seriously ill patients with lung inflammation and 643 … [Read more...] about Fewest daily Covid cases since Jan 6 announced Sunday

A wild elephant died from septicaemia in a forest in Kanchanaburi province on Sunday. A bull elephant died on Sunday afternoon in Kanchanaburi after suffering from septicaemia. The animal had been found in a forest in Si Sawat district the previous day, a wildlife official said. Paitoon Intarabut, chief of Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary in Muang district, said the pachyderm died at 3.05pm despite efforts by veterinarians to save it. The elephant, about 15 years old, was found lying still in the forest near Mong Krathae village in tambon Tha Kradan by villagers. A team of veterinarians from Protected Areas Regional Office 3 in Ban Pong, Phetchaburi province were sent to the site. They found the elephant had a large, swollen wound in its front right foot caused by septicaemia, which is a blood infection from bacteria. The veterinarians applied antiseptic and saline solution to the suffering aminal but were not able to save it. Samples of its organs have … [Read more...] about Wild elephant dies from septicaemia

The Meteorological Department forecast is for heavy rain in most parts of the Central Plains, including Greater Bangkok, on Wednesday and into Thursday. The department said on Wednesday morning that heavy rain and thunderstorms were likely due to the influence of a high-pressure system from China which covers the upper part of the country, and the southwestern monsoon over the Andaman Sea, the country and the Gulf of Thailand. Thunderstorms and heavy rain ws expected in 70% of the Central Plains, especially in Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi, as well as in Greater Bangkok. Thunderstorms would blanket 60% of the North including Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Kamphaeng Phet and Tak provinces; also 60% in the East including Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat; and 60% in the western coast of the South - in Ranong, Phangnga and Krabi. There was … [Read more...] about More rain for Greater Bangkok, Central Plains

Today, the CCSA reported 7,960 new Covid-19 infections, down 507 since yesterday , and 53 Coronavirus-related deaths, down 16 from yesterday. Since April 1, in the latest wave of the virus in Thailand, a total of 1,939,126 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been reported. In the 24 hour period since the last count, the CCSA has reported 6,950 recoveries, up 1,338 from yesterday. There are now 98,367 people currently receiving treatment for Covid-19, up 957 from yesterday, including 2,048 in the ICU and 449 on ventilators. Of the new Covid-19 infections, 427 were found in correctional facilities, 215 were identified by community testing, and 7,307 were uncovered by walk-in testing. 1,605 antigen test kits were used, though their results are officially considered inconclusive. COVID-19 VACCINATIONS While the official figures from the Department of Disease Control have been changed and revised frequently, with daily figures sometimes being changed by hundreds of … [Read more...] about COVID-19 SUNDAY: 53 deaths, 7,960 infections, provincial data

The Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha today sits down with a virus task force that includes the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, and Ministry of Public Health to consider the reopening of pubs, bars and restaurants in Thailand’s green zones. A Ministry of Public Health source revealed that as the pandemic situation is getting better, health officials were contemplating introducing green zones with relaxed measures so bars and restaurants could be reopened. The Thai Alcohol Beverage Business Association made known that tourism-related operators and night-life business organizations proposed the reopening of pubs and bars on June 1 in 28 provinces declared as tourism zones to revive business. At the moment provinces fall into two categories: yellow zones for close Covid surveillance in 65 provinces and blue zones for tourism promotion in 12 provinces: namely Bangkok, Krabi, Kanchanaburi, Chonburi (Pattaya), Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phangnga, Phetchaburi, Phuket, … [Read more...] about Thailand target reopening of bars on June 1

PHUKET MEDIA WATCH – Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community Wild jail brawl leaves 2 dead, 6 convicts hurt The Nation / Phuket Gazette PHUKET: After a brawl at Kanchanaburi’s Thong Pha Phum Prison in which two inmates were killed and six injured on Sunday, prison warden Paithoon Wisetsiri has been transferred to an inactive post. Corrections Department chief Wittaya Suriyawong said a fact-finding committee was probing the fatal fight. Mr Wittaya said he had reported the details of the incident to Justice Minister Gen Paiboon Khumchaya, who declared that all wardens must be responsible for inmates’ well-being and supervise possible conflicts to prevent out-of-control fighting. Mr Wittaya said he had instructed all prisons to conduct weapon searches. Regarding the drug-dealing situation in prisons, Mr Wittaya said most inmates (70 per cent) were drug cases. The department’s policy to segregate major drug dealers from the … [Read more...] about Wild jail brawl leaves 2 dead, 6 convicts hurt

A good news and bad news day yesterday as the Thailand Pass was scrapped for Thais at the end of May, but remains an online digital gateway requirement for foreigners, at least until the end of June, perhaps beyond. The only good news for foreign travellers, in yesterday’s briefing, was the removal of quarantine for unvaccinated, or under-vaccinated, inbound arrivals. Now unvaccinated travellers can arrive and undertake an ATK test, under the supervision of a health professional, at the airport. If negative they can go on their way and self-monitor their health whilst in Thailand. But, if they test positive, they must go to a hospital for compulsory treatment, which will be paid for by they compulsory ‘Covid’ insurance (with remains for all foreign arrivals and is set at a value of $US10,000, after being dropped from US$20,000 on May 1). So, for unvaccinated travellers, although the official 5 day quarantine has now been removed, it could be replaced by an even longer enforced … [Read more...] about Thailand Pass remains, at least until the end of June