New faculty to train up medicos

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PUBLISHED : 10 Aug 2023 at 04:00

The Praboromarajchanok Institute (PI), under the Ministry of Public Health, is planning to establish a faculty of medicine to address a national shortage of doctors and nurses.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul yesterday said after meeting the ministry’s executive officials that the PI has proposed its policy to boost medical personnel numbers.

The policy will also aim to provide comprehensive health care services in villages and tambon promotion hospitals to mitigate patient congestion at bigger hospitals.

Doctors and nurses will also help train health volunteers as practical nurses in each tambon and local area. The PI’s faculty of medicine will help develop other public health personnel in the future, Mr Anutin said.

Meanwhile, Dr Soranit Siltharm, subcommittee chairman with the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools (CTMS), said the 18 institutes under the CTMS are ready for an intake of a total of 2,380 new students in medicine, dental surgery, veterinary medicine and pharmacy programmes next year.

Dr Soranit said the criteria for applicants remains the same but the CTMS has allowed students who graduated from other fields outside science to enrol in the doctor of dental surgery programme.

The exam registration for CTMS’ Thailand Professional Aptitude Test 1 will open from Sept 1-20 for an 800 baht fee.

The exam will take place on Dec 16.

Dr Soranit said the doctor shortage stems from a distribution problem, as most doctors are in the city.

He said recruiting more doctors is not a solution as the number of students accepted into medical programmes is calculated with the proportion of the population in mind.

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Compensation for victims of Narathiwat fireworks blast

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PUBLISHED : 10 Aug 2023 at 04:00

NARATHIWAT: The Social Security Office (SSO) has been ordered to compensate victims of the July 29 fireworks warehouse explosion in Sungai Kolok district, which killed 12 people, injured 121 and damaged 292 houses in tambon Muno.

Out of the 121 people hurt in the incident, nine reported moderate injuries while one person was severely injured. As of yesterday, 101 have been discharged from hospital.

SSO secretary-general Boonsong Thapchaiyut said the SSO will distribute compensation to survivors, and other benefits owed to those who were killed to their next of kin.

He assured the fund would compensate all subscribers affected by the blast and their registered dependants, though he stopped short of saying how much the SSO will have to spend on the compensation.

Narathiwat’s SSO branch began distributing compensation to victims’ families yesterday, with SSO inspector Sakdinat Sonthisakyothin and acting director-general of the province’s SSO presenting 1.142 million baht to the family of Hafiz Abdullah, one of the 12 people killed by the blast.

The fund would cover Hafiz’s funeral expenses, which came up to 50,000 baht. The rest was meant for his descendants.

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Ebbing geopolitical risks stoke bullish views on Chinese stocks

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Investment strategy: Geopolitical risks in abeyance

David Woo writes that perceptions of lower geopolitical risk in the coming weeks support a positive outlook on the Chinese stock market, which has outperformed others recently. Despite poor trade data, China is likely to implement reforms and deregulations due to waning global market share.

China: If you build it, will they come?

David Goldman highlights a positive outlook on Chinese equities, particularly in the tech sector. He notes that economic challenges have prompted the Chinese government to adopt market-friendly measures, aiming to boost market multiples.

Ukrainian counteroffensive stalls as Russia advances

James Davis assesses that Ukraine’s offensive military progress has thus far been limited, with only a 5-kilometer advance over two months. A recent counteroffensive by Russia pushed Ukrainian troops back, raising questions about Moscow’s strategic choices moving forward.

TSMC committed to Taiwan

Scott Foster sees Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reassuring its commitment to Taiwan amidst concerns of expansion in other countries. Meanwhile, Intel has established an innovation center in Shenzhen to engage with local companies and promote its technology.

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In pictures: Singapore’s National Day parade 2023 at the Padang

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SINGAPORE: There were thrills aplenty at Singapore’s National Day Parade to mark its 58th year of independence. Crowds were entertained by the Republic of Singapore Air Force fighter jets pulling off awe-inducing manoeuvres as part of an enhanced aerial display to mark its 55th anniversary. 

The Red Lions, the Singapore Armed Forces’ parachutist team, pulled off their jump from 10,000 feet above with panache, and the Padang was bathed in neon colours for the show segment directed by filmmaker Royston Tan.

Take a visual tour of NDP 2023’s standout moments through the perspectives of CNA’s visual journalists Gaya Chandramohan, Hanidah Amin, Raydza Rahman and Syamil Sapari.

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Indonesia’s capital named world’s most polluted city

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Jakarta residents have long complained of toxic air from chronic traffic, industrial smoke and coal-fired power plants. Some of them launched and won a civil lawsuit in 2021 demanding the government take action to control air pollution. The court at the time ruled President Joko Widodo must establish national airContinue Reading

Why is China experiencing its worst flooding in 60 years?

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BEIJING: A Chinese river basin where 110 million people live has been hit by the worst floods since 1963 despite massive mitigation efforts, particularly during the rule of Mao Zedong, overwhelmed by the impact of global warming and outdated infrastructure. Typhoon Doksuri, the most powerful storm in China this year,Continue Reading

Inspired, nostalgic, sense of sadness: Halimah’s range of emotions at her last NDP as President

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She also said it was wonderful that people with disabilities were included in the celebrations.

“We show Singapore and the world that people with disabilities are actually people with different abilities, they have the talents, and we give them the chance to show those talents,” she said, adding that the work produced by people with disabilities “never fails to fascinate” her.

“As a country, on the most important day that we celebrate our nationhood, we integrate our people with disabilities,” Mdm Halimah said.

“We bring them to the fore, because Singaporeans, we’re all in this together, not those who can run the fastest. But everyone must work together as a team.”

In response to a question about whether she has felt lonely, sitting in the president’s seat during each National Day Parade, Mdm Halimah said she never felt alone. 

“I never felt that I’m looking at the parade alone,” she said, adding that there is a sense of togetherness.

“There are times when we go through hardships, we all have to limit, constrain ourselves. But there are times when we have to celebrate and we celebrate together.”

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Singapore shines its light on the future with NDP 2023

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The show soon began with students from Bedok View Secondary School, Deyi Secondary School, East Spring Secondary School and Victoria Junior College in vibrant costumes dancing to this year’s theme song, Shine Your Light, and easing the crowd into the programme. 

This year, a total of 2,400 performers and 43 artistes were involved, with students and community groups converging from various schools, ministries and organisations to make NDP happen.

Another 400 students from tertiary institutions contributed as audience motivators, make-up artists and content creators, and they could be seen dotted throughout the stands, dancing to songs tirelessly throughout. 

Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng and Members of Parliament were welcomed to the NDP and made their way onto the stands from the National Gallery. 

Shortly after 6pm, a crowd favourite, the military free fall segment was conducted by the Red Lions, with eight descending from a transport aircraft in aerial formation and taking minutes to reach the ground. The crowd waited with bated breath, last year’s mishap involving a Red Lion in an awry landing on everyone’s minds. 

Each Red Lion landed, within seconds of the other, smoothly and to ecstatic cheers and applause from the crowd. 

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