Yaowarat Road in the Chinatown area of Bangkok is crowded with people looking for tasty street food after dusk. WICHAN CHAROENPAKUL
Despite the global economic slowdown, the Thai economy remains on course for a recovery, according to a recent business survey.
Thanavath Phonvichai, president of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), said most business leaders interviewed among the 850 respondents nationwide saw the global economy as being in a slowdown, not a recession, and believe that the impact on the Thai economy is insignificant. The survey was conducted by the UTCC between Sept 6-12.
"We remain bullish on foreign arrivals exceeding 10 million this year, generating more than 240 billion baht for the economy. Exports also remain strong," he said.
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Mr Thanavath said the country's economic recovery will likely be "K-shaped", with some big businesses improving while smaller companies continue to struggle.
"It is very important for the government to continue stimulating the economy in the fourth quarter," he said.
Mr Thanavath said there are five key risk factors this year: a higher rate of inflation; interest rate increases; a depreciated baht, which would make the cost of imports higher; the daily minimum wage hike; and damage arising from the ongoing floods.
He said the economy is expected to start a clearer and stronger recovery in the fourth quarter this year, driven largely by growing exports and rebounding tourism.
"Export expansion, a tourism recovery and increases in the domestic daily minimum wage are expected to help propel the country's economic growth by 3.5-4% in the fourth quarter," said Mr Thanavath.
The university expects the economy to grow 3.0-3.5% this year, with an inflation rate of 6-6.5% and export growth of 6-8%.
He said key issues the business sector is concerned about are the rising cost of living and higher production costs for manufacturers that may affect their profits and sales, while reducing customer spending.
Rising interest rates would also affect the costs and liquidity of the business sector, while the hike in the daily minimum wage in early October will affect small businesses, notably in the agricultural sector, said Mr Thanavath.
According to the UTCC's estimates -- based on 10 million workers eligible for the wage hike and an average income increase of 450 baht per month per worker -- there will be about 4.5 billion baht injected into the economy.
He said the ongoing floods are expected to cause about 5-10 billion baht worth of economic damage.
However, the impact has not yet affected the country's industrial and agricultural sectors, said Mr Thanavath.
The UTCC expects the flood damage to be offset by higher income from the arrival of foreign tourists in the fourth quarter.
The university projects 1.5 to 2 million tourists to enter Thailand in each month of the final quarter.
Last year there were only 428,000 foreign arrivals to Thailand, while in 2019, before the pandemic, the tally stood at nearly 40 million.
BANGKOK, Sept 15 (TNA) – Thailand's homegrown COVID-19 vaccine would complete trial processes next year and its use was expected to start rolling out in 2024, according to a government spokeswoman.
Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul quoted the Public Health Ministry as reporting progress in the spending of 995 million baht from the government's contingency fund in the 2020 national budget to locally-developed COVID-19 vaccine.
According to her, 596 million baht was spent for preparing the industrial production of viral vector vaccine. The preparation was completed.
Meanwhile, 365 million baht was used to develop the 1st Gen ChulaCoV-19, Wild-type vaccine and the 2nd Gen ChulaCoV-19 vaccine for new variants. The production of the 1st Gen ChulaCoV-19 was delayed due to the changes of its production process. For the 2nd Gen ChulaCoV-19 vaccine, its trial with animals will continue until next May.
There was also a 34-million-baht project to develop facilities to test vaccine in primates. The laboratories should start operation between November and next January.
The development of mRNA vaccine for COVID-19 by Chulalongkorn University would enter the third stage of its clinical trial next year. It will precede registration with the Food and Drug Administration and then the vaccine's use for people. The registration was expected in 2024, Ms Traisuree said.
Meanwhile, Chulalongkorn University and Baiya Phytopharm Co are developing the Baiya SARS-CoV2-Vax vaccine from tobacco leaf protein. Its registration for use was also expected in 2024, she said.
Besides, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization and the PATH institute of the United States would begin the third clinical trial of the inactivated NDV-HXP-S vaccine late this year and it should be registered for use next year, Ms Traisuree said.
She also said that the National Science and Technology Development Agency tested the intranasal Ad-5 Wuhan vaccine and found it effectively stimulated antibodies in animals. It would be developed to cope with emerging infectious diseases in the future, the spokeswoman said. (TNA)
The same measures used to prevent Covid-19 can help prevent other respiratory diseases, says Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, head of the Department of Disease Control. (Photo supplied)
Seasonal influenza has been spreading rapidly as people have relaxed their guard against Covid-19 infections, according to the Department of Disease Control.
Strict Covid prevention measures — wearing face masks, hand washing and social distancing — over the past months have helped prevent the spread of respiratory diseases such as influenza, said Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, the department's director-general.
Now, influenza has been found to be spreading more rapidly. The disease normally is more prevalent during the peak months of the rainy season, starting in August.
But since many Covid-19 restrictions have been eased in recent months, some people have relaxed their guard and are being seen not wearing face masks during gatherings such as parties, dining and drinking alcohol together. This has increased their risk of getting infected with respiratory diseases such as influenza, said Dr Opas.
Wednesday's ultimatum by Democrat Party MPs to the government and the Bhumjaithai Party attempts to call a halt to a rolling process which has led to a free for all concerning cannabis or marijuana use which was not what was promised or outlined at the start of the year when the cabinet voted to make access to the drug for medical use easier and broader. It is coming at a time when the scourge of illegal drugs is ravaging poorer or vulnerable parts of society in Thailand, particularly in southern provinces where there is a grassroots movement in some areas against drugs and drug culture which the legalisation of cannabis has come to represent in recent months.
MPs in the Democrat Party, the country's oldest political movement and part of the government, have thrown the gauntlet to the Bhumjaithai Party and the government over the handling of the decriminalisation of cannabis which they claimed has not conformed to plans outlined at the beginning of the year when the country was assured that the recreational use of the drug would still be strictly illegal and prohibited by law. The move on Wednesday comes with rising concern among the public in the kingdom's southern provinces since the drug has, in practice, been legalised for all forms of personal use. Crime and antisocial behaviour linked with illegal drugs have become key political issues. The MPs on Wednesday told reporters that the cannabis policy being pursued by the government is sending the wrong message to younger generations that drug taking was now acceptable, a situation which they said was highly damaging for society.
(Inset top right) Democrat Party MPs on Wednesday including Mr Satit Wongnongtaey of Trang, Ms Pimrapee Panwichatkul and Sakhon Kiewkhong of Krabi and party-list MP Issara Seriwattanakul made clear their opposition to the policy this year pushed by the Bhumjaithai Party and its leader, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (centre) to liberalise cannabis use which has seen a legal free for all with the drug now used openly across Thailand and even sold in shops contrary to the assurances given at the start of the year before the drug was delisted as a scheduled narcotic controlled by the Royal Thai Police. They now want the process reversed.
The Democrat Party, a key coalition partner, has called for a complete rollback of this year's marijuana or cannabis revolution which has led to the widespread legal use of the once-scheduled narcotic and even its sale in public from shops and stallholders.
This year's legal moves by the government led by the Bhumjaithai Party to decriminalise cannabis included the introduction of legislation that is currently being vetted in parliament.
It started with the declassification of the drug as a scheduled narcotic by an order signed by the Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul earlier in the year and which came into force on June 9th last.
Opposition to the proposed new cannabis regime at the outset from officials on the basis that it would open the door to unbridled use of the drug
There has long been scepticism among government agencies and officials at the highest level as to how the new legal regime would work without allowing unbridled use of the drug.
In January, the government agreed to this but strictly on the basis that recreational use of the drug would be prohibited and regulated by new legislation while its THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) would be kept at well below the level seen in the then highly illegal weed for sale on the streets.
Call to reverse the process on Wednesday from Democrat Party, a coalition partner on the basis that the proposed law fails to prevent recreational use
The call to recriminalise cannabis use by the Democrat Party came on Wednesday afternoon after a meeting of the party to review the proposed legislation which is increasingly seen by many analysts as failing to regulate the drug and quite to the contrary, allowing a provision and a legal framework for its complete legalisation including recreational use at some point in the future even while the current de facto position because of policy decisions and implementation is that cannabis and its use for recreational purposes are now completely legal in Thailand except for minor legal provisions, enforceable through secondary laws, concerning where it can be smoked and the control of cannabis smoke as a public health nuisance.
Indeed the new legal provision being revised by the House of Representatives appears to copperfasten this situation while providing a mechanism to make what is currently legal in practice, also legal in theory.
The Democrat Party's new position was announced by several MPs after the meeting who also referred to growing concerns about the drug situation nationally following disturbing incidents throughout the country in recent weeks which have alarmed the public.
MPs vow to vote against the law in parliament
On Wednesday, 4 MPs outlined the view of the Democrat Party after the meeting and warned that the key coalition party was now prepared to vote against the cannabis bill in parliament if it proceeds.
The position was voiced by Trang MP and former minister at the Prime Minister's Office during the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva, Mr Satit Wongnongtaey as well as MPs for Krabi, Ms Pimrapee Panwichatkul and Sakhon Kiewkhong as well as high profile party-list MP, Issara Seriwattanakul.
'We would like the committee vetting the bill to withdraw it for review so that it could be amended in line with an altered version of the Ministry of Public Health's announcement,' declared Mr Satit. 'If the House insists on continuing with the deliberation of the bill, the Democrat Party will vote against it.'
First and most serious coalition government breach on legislation has its roots in a growing populist anti-drug movement in provinces such as Krabi
The announcement is the first significant and open breach on legislation within the coalition government and comes just days after an ultimatum was given to a senior security official by Krabi residents threatening to launch a significant protest campaign against the government's handling of what it calls a crisis in the southern province after the death of three high school student at the hands of a drug-crazed small businessman last week who had taken methamphetamine pills and a later violent attack on a highly respected elderly poet and artist also in Krabi.
The 83-year-old Monora performer known as 'Yai Khaem' or 'Gandama Kaem' was attacked by an intoxicated man with a machete who struck her in the neck.
The revered figure had recited the famed Monora, a treasured Thai love story, to acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan on his visit to Krabi last week.
Muslim community in southern Thailand is organising against the new cannabis dispensation, a situation that could damage the Bhumjaithai Party
There is also growing opposition in the southern provinces to the decriminalisation of cannabis among the kingdom's Muslim community where key religious leaders see it as encouraging people to consume the substance for recreational use.
Political analysts suggest that the campaign to legalise marijuana will backfire on the Bhumjaithai Party in the next election with growing signs that the Democrat Party is regaining control over its former stronghold.
The Bhumjaithai Party, in the last extensive National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) opinion poll conducted nationally in Thailand, stood with only 2.5% support or a quarter of what it polled in the 2019 General Election while the Democrat Party nationally, retains 8% support.
Parliamentary party meeting heard reports of a rise in mental illness and violence linked with uncontrolled recreational use of marijuana or cannabis
On Wednesday, after their parliamentary party meeting, Mr Satit told reporters that the assembly of MPs from around Thailand heard reports of a rise in people using cannabis for recreational purposes and later developing mental illnesses or disorders which have led to violence.
He called urgently upon Thailand's Ministry of Public Health to come up with stronger measures to rein in the recreational use of the substance which is now widespread and suggested that it again be placed on the schedule of prohibited drugs making it subject to strong police enforcement as before.
He reiterated his party's support for the medical use of cannabis but underlined that it must be strictly limited to that.
New marijuana bill in parliament rejected by Democrat Party MPs as doing the opposite of what was intended and promised earlier this year
He said that a review by MPs of the draft bill being proposed for a second reading in parliament suggested that it was designed to facilitate the recreational use of the drug by the public.
This would be contrary to the basis on which the decriminalisation of the drug was agreed upon by the cabinet in January and to the assurances given by Deputy Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul in July while addressing parliament when similar reservations were expressed across the house during a censure debate.
Mr Satit warned that the current legal provisions and the existing situation were having an adverse impact on Thai society.
Violence in Krabi linked with drugs raised by Democrat Party MP Pimrapee Panwichatkul saying the government's policy sends the wrong message
His colleague Pimrapee Panwichatkul, an MP from Krabi raised the subject of the horrific attacks in that province over the last week that have perturbed the population.
She noted that cannabis was now freely available in an unacceptable manner beyond the control of authorities as law enforcement and legislation proposed to remedy this situation, does nothing of the sort.
She said that the move to decriminalise cannabis was sending the wrong message to society and particularly to young people.
It was creating a positive attitude towards drug culture, particularly marijuana and this was wrong.
She warned that it was having a deeply negative impact on young people in her province and across Thailand.
Bhumjaithai Party spokesman reacts to the broadside
Bhumjaithai Party spokesman Paradorn Prisnananthakul came out to deal with the broadside from his party's coalition partner on Wednesday.
He pointed to the approval of parliament earlier this year for the move to delist cannabis as a scheduled narcotic by his party leader, the Minister of Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul.
He said the Democrat Party had voted for this and had supported the plans to make cannabis freely available for medical use.
He suggested that the bill before parliament was designed to do this and its failure would lead to a legal vacuum.
'The bill being deliberated on is intended to provide clear guidelines for the use of cannabis. If this legislation were dropped, there would be a vacuum regarding the use of cannabis,' Mr Paradorn explained.
Unwieldy and ambiguous proposed new law does not effectively prohibit recreational use of marijuana which is what was clearly promised earlier this year
However, the unwieldy nature of the legislation with a multitude of amendments and alterations as well as its ambiguous posture has raised eyebrows as it has progressed through parliament under the guidance of a committee led by Mr Supachai Jaisamut, a veteran politician of the Bhumjaithai Party.
There has also been a clear statement from the Bhumjaithai Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mr Anutin Charnvirakul that the bill does provide a basis for full legalisation of the drug in the future by parliament through an amendment procedure by a parliamentary committee.
Political gauntlet thrown down to Bhumjaithai Party
Nevertheless, the Democrat Party has now thrown down the gauntlet in its opposition to the process.
It is a move which is likely to have political implications, particularly with growing public apprehension caused by the widespread availability of cannabis and a groundswell of opposition in the country's southern provinces.
An extensive poll in June, weeks after the drug was liberalised, showed that 72% of the Thai public have reservations linked to the danger posed by cannabis to the public if widely used for recreational purposes.
This apprehension is supported by authoritative medical studies which have proved a clear link between serious mental health issues and the drug across all age groups.
I augusti kunde Finnair räkna in 880 500 passagerare. Det är visserligen nästan 12 procent ner i jämförelse med juli månad men generellt, på årsbasis ljusnar det för det finska flygbolaget, i alla fall vad gäller europatrafiken som stod för 645 000 av passagerarna under månaden. Men det sätter i sin tur fokus på det stora problemet: långlinjerna. Asientrafiken hade 75 000 passagerare och Nordamerika 68 000 passagerare under augusti, långt under normala beläggningar.
Linjerna österut har varit ryggraden i Finnairs trafik i många år. Snabb transit i Helsingfors och drygt dussinet destinationer i Asien har lockat resenärer från hela Europa. Men så kom pandemin och därpå kriget i Ukraina. Det stängde möjligheten att flyga snabbaste vägen österut via Sibirienkorridoren och även om Finnair håller ett antal linjer öppna så kräver det betydande omvägar norr eller söder om ryskt luftrum och med det betydligt högre kostnader.
Därför har Finnair nu tagit fram en strategi med mål att under 2024 vara tillbaka på en verksamhet och ekonomiskt resultat motsvarande det som var innan pandemin. Och vägen dit kräver att Finnair omvandlas till ett "slankare flygbolag", enligt vd Topi Manner.
Bantningskuren kommer att omfatta alla områden i verksamheten: Bland annat förhandlingar med de anställda, både på marken och i luften om nya avtal, vilket kan innebära att både teknisk personal och kabinpersonal outsourcas. Vidare omförhandlingar av olika leverantörskontrakt, och nya samarbetsformen liknande det som nyligen startat med Qatar där Finnair ska börja flyga till Doha från Arlanda, Kastrup och Helsingfors. Linjenätet ska ses över för att skapa ett mer "geografiskt balanserat" flygprogram, i klartext: mindre beroende av trafiken till Asien och mer fokus på Europa, mellanöstern och Afrika.
Av allt att döma sätter det Finnair i samma situation som SAS, att flygplansflottan är för stor, i alla fall vad gäller de större maskinerna.
I dagsläget ser Finnairs flotta på 80 flygplan ut så här:
A350-900 – 17
A330-300 – 8
A321-200 – 15
A320-200 – 10
A319-100 – 6
ATR72-500 – 12
ERJ-190 – 12
Enligt uppgift ska flottan minskas med upp till 15 procent, alltså 12 flygplan och det lär knappast bli en överraskning om det är A350 och A330 som får stryka på foten tillsammans med några av de äldre maskinerna ur A320-familjen. Alla A330-300 kan dock inte försvinna eftersom de är en del av det nya samarbetet med Qatar vilket kommer att kräva att minst tre av dem behålls. Flygningarna till Doha och codeshare-samarbetet med Qatar är ett sätt att ha fortsatt hög tillgänglighet till Asien även om det inte är Finnair själva som flyger. Det innebär också att det redan existerande samarbetet med Japan Airlines och kinesiska Juneyao Air ska utvecklas.
All Eyes Are On The Constitutional Court On Wednesday At 10am As Judges Begin Deliberating On Whether Suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha Has Exceeded His 8-Year Term Limit.
The court is expected to announce that it has enough evidence to make a decision on Prayut's tenure in the next 15 days, the timeline for a ruling in such cases.
The case stems from a petition lodged by the opposition, which asked the court to rule on whether Prayut's eight-year term ended on August 24.
Section 158 of the 2017 Constitution bars any individual from being premier in excess of eight years, regardless of whether or not the four-year terms are served back-to-back.
Prayut assumed office on August 24, 2014, following the military coup he led in May that year. However, he argues that his eight-year term as premier should be counted from April 6, 2017, when the current Constitution was promulgated.
A news source said that should the court announce it does not yet have enough evidence to make a decision, they could demand additional witnesses or order related agencies or personnel to submit more evidence.
The source also said security measures are being tightened at the Ratchaburi Direkrit Building in Bangkok's Lak Si district, where the meeting will take place. Unauthorised personnel have been barred from entering the building, while all members of the press need to exchange their media ID for official passes.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration opens a community isolation centre in Dusit district in January for Covid-19 infected children. Experts have now warned of a possible new wave of Covid-19 with the emergence of a highly contagious subvariant of the virus. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)
The Centre for Medical Genomics at Ramathibodi Hospital has reported confirmation of a case of a highly contagious, third generation of Covid-19.
A posting on the centre's Facebook account identified the virus as BA.2.75.2, a subvariant of the Omicron variant, and advised of the need to prepare for a possible new wave of Omicron infections.
The centre said that according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium, India's genome sequencing agency, BA.2.75.2 evolved from BA.2.75, which started to spread in India in May and showed the most mutations when compared with other Covid-19 strains in India.
BA.2.75 kept mutating and one of the mutations was BA.2.75.2.
The Ramathibodi Hospital centre quoted an immunological expert at Peking University as saying that BA.2.75.2 was the strain most capable of avoiding antibodies and could be "the super contagious Omicron subvariant".
BA.2.75 was the second generation of Covid-19 and had 95-100 mutations compared with the original Wuhan strain. Its relative growth advantage was about 37% compared with other strains in India.
BA.2.75.2 was the third generation with 95-100 mutations compared with Wuhan but its relative growth advantage was 248% compared with BA.2.75 in India.
"It was first detected in India and has spread to Chile, England, Singapore, Spain, Germany and Thailand," the Centre for Medical Genomics said.
BA.2.75.2 had a relative growth advantage of 90% compared with BA.5 and 148% against BA.4, which were dominant subvariants globally, it said.
The centre said it found one case of BA.2.75.2 reported from Thailand to the database of the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID).
It recommended that treatment should be designed specifically for different strains of the virus, because different kinds of vaccines, antivirals and synthetic antibodies had different effects on different strains.
PRESSURE MOUNTS TO APPROVE INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT TO HUA HIN
As a follow-up to a Royal Coast Review article about developments towards the Hua Hin Airport being able to welcome international flights, pressure has mounted for government approval of international flights.
Mr Udorn Olsson, Chairman of the Phoenix Aviation Group Thailand, has now commented about these developments.
As an advisor to the government's Tourism Committee in the House of Representatives, Mr. Olsson says an urgent agenda item for the Committee to consider was proposed after a request was made by the Hua Hin and Cha-Am Tourism Association.
He says the Association sent a request to the Chairman of the Committee to urgently consider expediting the approval of international flights. The request cites the impacts of delaying any further this approval which may conflict with the government's open country policy, impacting airline operators, the hospitality industry and regional tourism in general.
The request refers to Prachuap Khiri Khan Province as a designated pilot area for tourism, and being included in phase 1 of the opening of the country to welcome tourists, mentioning the effects on the tourism industry income from restrictions on the growth of regional tourism industry with any further approval delays.
Additional information to the Tourism Committee describes the huge tourism potential of the region as a destination with many five-star hotels and approximately 30,000 rooms in legally registered hotels.
Other tourism attractions including golf courses, water parks, shopping centres, hospitals, entertainment venues and many other recreational facilities have been described in the region, extending to Cha-Am and Pranburi. The report to the Committee stresses that this is one of the top tourist destinations in the country.
The Committee has been reminded that the Phoenix Group has signed an MOU with Hua Hin Airport including marketing plans for international airlines to fly to Hua Hin Airport. Airlines already expressing their interest include Nok Air, AirAsia, Jetstar, China Express, Greater Bay and GO First, with five airlines making MOUs with the Phoenix Group to fly to Hua Hin Airport.
Coordination with the Tourism Authority of Thailand has taken place for these interested airlines to use the services of the Hua Hin Airport. Without international flights being able to fly there would be a huge loss for the regional tourism industry.
Mr. Pornthep Wisutwatanasak, Member of the House of Representatives for Prachuap Khiri Khan and a special parliamentary committee, has inspected the airport to better understand any issues. It is understood that he will follow up with the Minister of Transport at the next opportunity.
John Laroche, CEO of the Phoenix Group says "Hua Hin has received a bill of good health and support from the special parliamentary committee, which is the last stage for approval for international landings following a series airport upgrades. We look forward to announcements shortly."
Mr. Surasak Phancharoenvorakul, Chairman of the Tourism Committee has been requested to urgently include the issue on the Committee's agenda. The Committee is understood to now have invited further comment from relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Transport, Department of Airports, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and some airlines.
Mrs. Wasana Srikanjana, President of Hua Hin-Cha-Am Tourism Business Association, who presented the matter for consideration says ''We will do our best to develop the tourism potential of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province and Phetchaburi Province for the well-being of all stakeholders involved in our tourism industry."
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the measure to hike the minimum wage by an average of 5% from October 1onwards, the first increase since January 2020. The wages vary depending on the province with the highest at 354 Baht per day in Chon Buri, Rayong and Phuket. The lowest will be at 328 Baht in the three southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala along with Nan and Udon Thani.
Heavy Downpours To Hit Most Of Thailand All This Week
BY LINE : THE NATION
Thailand will be hit with isolated heavy to very heavy rain until Sunday, the Thai Meteorological Department said on Monday evening.
A moderate monsoon trough will lie over the lower North, upper Central, East and lower Northeast as well as a low-pressure cell over Cambodia until Wednesday, the department said. A southwest monsoon will also prevail over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand, bringing heavy to very heavy rain to the North, Northeast, Central including Greater Bangkok, the East and the South.
From Thursday to Sunday, the monsoon trough across the North and Northeast, and the southwest monsoon over the rest of Thailand, the Andaman Sea and the Gulf will strengthen. This will bring continuous rain across the country, with isolated heavy rain in the North, Northeast, Central including Greater Bangkok, the East and the South. Waves in the upper Andaman and upper Gulf will be about 2 metres high, and higher under thundershowers.
The department has warned people to beware of flash floods and runoffs, especially along waterways near foothills and lowlands all this week. From Thursday to Sunday, all ships should proceed with caution and keep off thundershowers.
The weather forecast until Sunday is as follows:
Greater Bangkok
Scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers with isolated heavy rains.
Temperature: Lows of 24-28 degrees and highs of 30-36 degrees Celsius.
North
Scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers with isolated very heavy rain on Tuesday and again on Saturday and Sunday.
Temperature: Lows of 21-26 degrees and highs of 28-34 degrees Celsius.
Northeast
Scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers with isolated heavy rain all week.
Temperature: Lows of 20-26 degrees and highs of 28-36 degrees Celsius.
Central region
Scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers with isolated heavy rain throughout the period.
Temperature: Low of 22-27 degrees and highs of 30-36 degrees Celsius.
East
Scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers and isolated heavy rain all week with isolated very heavy rain from Wednesday to Friday.
Waves until Wednesday will be about a metre high and higher in thundershowers and 2 metres high and higher in thundershowers from Thursday to Sunday.
Temperature: Low of 23-28 degrees and highs of 29-36 degrees Celsius.
South (east coast)
Scattered thundershowers with isolated heavy rain throughout the period. Waves will be a metre high on Tuesday and Wednesday and double the size from Thursday to Sunday. The waves will be higher under thundershowers.
Temperature: Low of 22-27 degrees and highs of 30-36 degrees Celsius.
South (west coast)
Scattered to fairly widespread thundershowers with isolated heavy rains all week.
Waves will be a metre high on Tuesday and Wednesday and 2 metres high from Thursday to Sunday. The waves will be higher under thundershowers.
Temperature: Low of 22-26 degrees and highs of 28-36 degrees Celsius.
