travel: Passport-issuing services are now open seven days a week at two centres, except at long weekends, according to the Department of Consular Affairs.
The two centres — the MBK building in the Pathumwan area and the Central Westgate shopping mall in the Bang Yai area of Nonthaburi — will be open every day except the long weekends, from 10am to 6pm.
The fee for a 10-year passport is 1,500 baht and 1,000 baht for a five-year one.
The Pathumwan centre runs a queue for up to 1,500 people a day, and the Bang Yai centre, up to 800 persons daily.
Somchai: Wants to help victims
EC urged to allow party relief aid
Politics: The Election Commission (EC) has been urged to invoke a regulation that allows political parties to provide assistance to flood victims.
Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, the Seri Ruam Thai Party’s policy steering chairman, urged the EC to validate the regulation under the organic law on the election of MPs.
He insisted the invocation may be done, citing a precedent four years ago when the regulation was activated to allow parties to offer help worth up to three million baht each and MPs up to 300,000 baht each to victims of a natural disaster.
Mr Somchai issued his call after the EC announced that since parliament’s term ends on March 23 next year, both candidates and parties must strictly comply with the law on the election of MPs.
The law stipulates a 180-day period beforehand during which parties are limited in the resources they can use to canvas for votes.
Mr Somchai said the EC should be sensitive to the plight of huge numbers of people affected by floods in many provinces.
Cool season starts later this year
Weather: This year’s cold season is expected to begin in the fourth week of October and last until late February with temperatures in the Bangkok area likely to drop as low as 15C, the Meteorological Department said.
The arrival of cooler weather will be about a week later than usual, it said. Average minimum temperatures in Upper Thailand will be 20-21C. The weather will generally be colder than last year, when the average minimum temperature was 21C.
The lowest temperatures, 8-9C, are expected in the North and Northeast regions.
The coldest time would be December and January, while widespread rain, especially along the east coast is expected in November and December.
Govt renews drug rehab MoU
city: Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin and officials from 15 other government agencies have renewed a memorandum of understanding aimed at rehabilitating drug users, despite criticism from the police.
The MoU was originally signed on March 6, 2019, Mr Somsak said.
He said the MoU serves as a guideline in terms of rehabilitation as it considers public health as a leading principle in the recovery of drug addicts.
According to the MoU, the Public Health Ministry is the main agency responsible for drug rehabilitation.
However, Pol Lt Gen Panuwat Lakboon, Assistant Commissioner General, said police have little to no function under this MoU.
The Public Health Ministry, in his opinion, is not yet capable of spearheading the rehabilitation process. He said instead, the Ministry of Interior has a better rehabilitation process due to aid provided by local protocols.