Barkar Nash (Page 933)

A total of 535 cases of monkeypoxes were reported nationwide between May 2022 and October 2023, said Dr Taweechai Wisanuyothin, director of the Nakhon Ratchasima-based Region 9 Disease Control Office, citing the figures released by the Department of Disease Control (DDC).

The cases comprised 481 Thai nationals, 50 foreigners and four others whose nationalities were not reported. One person among them died.

The majority, 313 cases, were in Bangkok, followed by 57 in Chon Buri, 30 in Nonthaburi and 26 in Phuket.

Most were male in the age group of 30-39, followed by those in the 20-29 and 40-49 age groups.

Dr Taweechai said six monkeypox cases were found in four provinces under the jurisdiction of his office: two each in Nakhon Ratchasima and Buri Ram and one each in Chaiyaphum and Surin.

Most of the cases contracted the disease either through sexual contact with strangers with unknown health records or having more than one sleeping partner.

During the first stage of monkeypox spread, those at-risk were primarily males in the working group.

From August this year, 16 more cases were reported. The disease was found to be spreading from the working group to younger people, Dr Taweechai said.

An agreement has been reached in principle for the Interior Ministry to draw up a ministerial regulation that will set criteria for areas with tourism potential to get permission for extending the operating hours of nighttime entertainment venues until 4am, ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Thursday.

Ms Traisuree said the agreement was achieved at a meeting on Wednesday chaired by deputy permanent secretary for interior Chamnanwit Terat.

The meeting was attended by representatives from concerned agencies including the Tourism and Sports, Transport, Finance, Social Development and Human Security, Public Health, Labour and Justice ministries, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the Royal Thai Police, the Office of Narcotic Control Board (ONCB) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

This initiative followed a cabinet resolution on Oct 13, directing the Interior Ministry to work with relevant agencies to explore ways of extending the operating hours of entertainment venues in certain tourist areas to spur tourism and spending during high seasons.

Traisuree Taisaranakul, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Interior. (Photo: Government House)

The meeting agreed in principle for the Interior Ministry to formulate a ministerial regulation outlining criteria for local administrations in areas with tourism potential. The administrations could then submit requests for permission to allow entertainment venues to stay open until 4am.

The Interior Ministry would consider the requests and grant permits based on the set criteria for each area, Ms Traisuree said.

She said Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had acknowledged the agreement and had instructed concerned offices to draft the ministerial regulation. Once completed, it will be forwarded it to him and the cabinet for consideration. With cabinet approval, Mr Anutin, who is also a deputy prime minister, would sign the regulation, which would then be published in the Royal Gazette before taking effect.

The Pink Line, a 34.5-kilometre monorail line connecting Min Buri in east Bangkok and Khae Rai in Nonthaburi, is slated to open next month, with free rides offered to riders for a month, according to the Department of Rail Transport (DRT) yesterday.

Speaking after inspecting construction along the line, DRT director-general, Pichet Kunadhamraks, said the Pink Line should be ready for a soft launch on Nov 18, as work is about 98% completed.

Once finished, the line will be the country’s second monorail system after the Yellow Line, which has gone into commercial service. The lines are run by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA).

The line will allow commuters heading towards the city’s east to bypass the heavily congested areas around Government Complex in Nonthaburi, as well as Rattanathibet, Chaeng Watthana and Ram Inthra roads.

The Pink Line has 30 stations, with interchanges with other electric rail systems, including the Green, Red and Purple lines.

Pink Line commuters will be able to reach the Government Complex through a skywalk. Wat Phra Si Mahathat and Lak Si stations also feature a skywalk which allows commuters to switch to the Green and Red lines, respectively.

The line’s opening has had to be pushed back several times due to problems with the descending and ascending sections of tracks between Chaeng Watthana 14 and National Telecoms stations.

At present, all ground columns and stations are ready, except for some details on the roofs, railings, escalators and elevators, he said.

Once these works are completed, the project’s contractor will reopen sections of the roads which were closed during the line’s construction.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said yesterday he was expecting good news from Israel in the wake of speculation that Thai workers could be among the next hostages released by Hamas.

Mr Srettha said he had not had a chance to speak in detail with Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara yet about the latest developments involving the Thai workers, but he had passed on word that “good news is coming”.

Mr Srettha was responding to questions as to whether Thai workers would be among the 50 hostages that some reports suggest may be released by Hamas, subject to the outcome of talks brokered by Qatar in which the terror group has demanded fuel, among other aid items, to be delivered to Gaza.

According to the Foreign Ministry, 19 Thais were among the more than 200 people abducted by the militant group when it attacked Israel on Oct 7. The prime minister said Mr Parnpree was doing his best to secure the release of those taken captive.

He also said there were positive signs that more Thai workers would be returning home from the conflict zone and the Finance Ministry was working on measures to help them after they arrive.

Earlier, Mr Srettha said several workers had changed their minds because some Israeli employers had postponed the payment of their salaries until Nov 10, while other employers had offered higher salaries to retain them.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday reported the death toll of Thais in Israel had increased from 30 to 31 while the number of injuries is static at 18.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachok said yesterday the bodies of seven Thais would arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport today at 10.35am.

The ministry urged Thai nationals in Israel to consider evacuating, citing the possibility of prolonged violence, which could hamper future attempts to get them out. The ministry also advised Thais to postpone or avoid travelling to Israel for the time being.

So far, 4,296 Thai workers have been repatriated among the 8,478 registered Thais who wanted to return home, according to the ministry.

Kenika Ounjit, the government’s deputy spokeswoman, said the authorities were taking steps to assist the returnees and would help secure jobs for them in Israel after the situation de-escalates.

Citing comments by Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow, she said the ministry is considering a support programme for those who were employed in the farming sector in Israel.

The ministry plans to recruit them to provide knowledge and instruct on innovative farming techniques, especially in the field of water management.

CHIANG RAI: A delivery truck overtaking another vehicle collided head-on with a school van, killing the van driver and injuring 15 students in Pa Daet district yesterday morning.

The crash occurred on a two-lane road at Mai Tai Moo 6 village in tambon Pa Daet at 7.20am, police said.

Emergency responders found the six-wheel parcel delivery truck with Bangkok plates overturned on the road.

The school van with Chiang Rai plates and a crushed front was nearby.

The driver was dead behind the wheel and trapped inside the wreckage.

Rescue workers released all the students and took the injured to a nearby hospital.