Health professionals vaccinate a young child against Covid-19 in Nonthaburi province on Nov 3. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
A Chulalongkorn University virologist has warned about a potential surge in Covid-19 cases during the cold season that will likely peak in January.
Dr Yong Poovorawan, chief of the university's Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology, issued a Facebook post on Wednesday claiming that Covid-19 will soon become a seasonal respiratory illness like influenza.
According to the World Health Organization, the peak period for seasonal flu transmissions differs between regions, but the virus tends to spread more easily in wet and cold conditions.
Dr Yong said the virus is likely to return in force here in the middle of this month, when schools are open, with cases expected to peak after the New Year. Like other kinds of flu, cases will ease from March to May -- the hot season in Thailand -- and then rebound again in the rainy season around June, he said.
Dr Yong said the United States and some countries in Europe will see a spike of Covid infections during winter.
He urged hospitals and other relevant agencies to prepare for a jump in the number of Covid-19 patients, with the caveat that maximum caseloads will not be as high as previous peaks.
Dr Yong also expressed concern about whether the government has prepared enough vaccines to see the country through the rainy season next year, especially around June when schools reopen. He recommended the stockpiling of sufficient booster shots for the whole population.
Meanwhile, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Public Health, said the ministry has administered Long-Acting Antibody (LAAB) doses of AstraZeneca, known as Evusheld, to 6,300 people who have poor immune systems.
No one suffered adverse effects from the LAAB dose, he said.
The findings showed that most recipients who were given a 600-milligramme shot of LAAB within 5-7 days of developing symptoms were able to reduce the severity of the infection, while the fatality rate dropped by between half and two-thirds compared to those who didn't get jabbed.
For those who received the first LAAB dose within three days of showing symptoms, the fatality rate was 88% lower than among those who didn't take it, he said.
The results confirmed that LAAB doses can be safely used as a Covid-19 treatment, he said.
On Oct 28, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed them to treat adults and children aged 12 years and older, provided they weigh at least 40 kilogrammes and only have mild-to-moderate symptoms.
The guidelines for its usage were reviewed by experts on Nov 4, Dr Opas said, adding the Disease Control Department held a meeting yesterday about the management of Covid-19 vaccines and LAAB doses after Covid-19 was downgraded to a communicable disease under surveillance.
Thai berry pickers in Sweden seek help from House Labour Affairs Committee
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A group of Thai berry pickers lodged a complaint today (Wednesday) with the House Labour Affairs Committee, seeking an investigation of the Employment Service Department and the company which hired them to pick wild berries in Sweden, claiming that they were cheated by their employer.
The workers said they applied for jobs in Sweden in July, at the Khon Kaen provincial hall. A training program was provided and employment contracts were eventually signed at the hall, with uniformed officials, who claimed to be from the Labour Ministry, supervising the employment service activities.
They claim that they were promised a minimum pay of 23,183 Swedish krona, or about 81,000 baht, for working from July 13th to September 28th.
They claim, however, that they have not received any pay from the company after their return home, adding that some of them had worked overtime and those who fell sick had not been taken care of as promised.
The workers also claim that they had filed complaints with the Thai Embassy in Sweden, but there has been no progress in the case.
Each year, about 5,000 Thais travel to Sweden to pick wild berries, lured by high pay promised by their Thai employers, but many find that the promises are often broken. Many, who dreamed of making a good income for a few months' work in Sweden, took out loans to pay for their travel but returned home empty-handed and, worse, in debt.
On average, a berry picker pays out around US$4,000 to work in Sweden for 70 days. This means that, for the average worker, it takes 1.6 months to earn enough to cover these costs, with only a limited time remaining to earn enough money to bring home.
About 50% of the costs incurred are paid to Thai employment agencies and the other half is paid to Swedish berry companies for accommodation, food and access to a car. After the deduction of all costs, an average Thai picker returns home with around US$2,000 from one season in Sweden, according to a study of Thai berry pickers published by the Migration Studies Delegation.
Daily News Thai Caption: Get your visa in 3 minutes
Thailand's Immigration Bureau has unveiled plans for an ambitious new online visa extension project.
Expats will be able to extend their visas within just three minutes slashing waiting times.
RTP national chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat said that the e-Extension would enhance visa services as extension requests can be lodged online.
The new service encompasses the whole process including fee payment via a dedicated website, Thaiextension.vfsevisa.com.
Damrongsak claimed that the new process will reduce application process times from one hour to three minutes.
The e-Extension comes after former Royal Thai Poliuce chief Pol Gen Suwat Chaengyodsuk moved to modernize systems for the benefit of the public, reported Daily News yesterday.
A pilot project will run for expats living and working in Bangkok according to 12 reasons.
However, they must still show up in person to verify their identity and get a visa sticker at the main IB office at the Government complex on Chaeng Wattana Road.
Plans are in the pipeline to expand the service to all IB offices nationwide in the future.
The 12 reasons/areas are for:
1. Tourism purposes. 2. Teachers at public schools 3. Studying at public schools 4. Working in government agencies 5. For original Thai people 6. Resident families 7. Mass media 8. Teaching and research in government agencies 9. Installing and repairing machinery 10. Medical experts. 11. Vehicle operators 12. Embassy requests.
There are currently 200,000 requests under those 12 criteria annually and that is only going up especially in Bangkok.
Applications can be made via phone or computer.
According to Daily News the system has been in place since October 10th and has received rave reviews.
Hotels in Thailand should charge foreign tourists an extra 300 baht (US$8) per room per night to aid the economy's post-pandemic recovery, suggests outspoken American-Thai hotel tycoon and billionaire Bill Heinecke. Heinecke is the founder of the Minor Group, which runs more than 500 hotels worldwide.
In an open letter addressed to Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Heinecke said the extra pennies would…
"Help Thailand's hospitality sector survive this difficult environment of depressed demand and rising costs."
Heinecke said that hotels needed the extra money since the tourism industry is battling against high inflation, high costs of raw materials, and rising energy and fuel prices.
The suggestion is similar to the controversial 300-baht "tourist tax" which has been in the pipeline in Thailand for a long time and is set to be introduced next year. The difference is that Heinecke's idea is 300 baht per night, rather than a one-off entry fee, and the money would go straight into the pockets of hotel owners rather than the government.
It's unlikely the government would implement both ideas, as even the tourist tax alone has spurred criticism that taxing tourists is not the right way to convince them to holiday in Thailand.
The billionaire is fond of writing advisory letters to PM Prayut. It's unclear whether PM Prayut writes back, but he has never publicly acknowledged Heinecke's suggestions.
In April, Heinecke wrote an open letter to General Prayut calling for an ease in Covid-19 restrictions to help the tourism industry get back on its feet.
He suggested Thailand remove Thailand Pass and Test & Go to lure tourists back to the kingdom. In the months to follow, both schemes were scrappedby the CCSA, and sure enough, tourists began trickling back into Thailand.
Heinecke's call for an end to Covid-19 restrictions was quite the turnaround from a letter he wrote to PM Prayut in March 2020, in which he called for a full lockdown of the country to prevent transmission of the virus.
Tourists are returning slowly but surely, but still much more work needs to be done, said Heinecke in his most recent letter…
"While the goal to welcome over 10 million international tourists in 2022 poses a significant uptick year-on-year, it only amounts to a quarter of the 2019 level… Even projection in 2023 of 18 million is only 45% of pre-Covid."
Thailand is set to surpass its goal of 10 million foreign arrivals before the end of the year, mostly thanks to Indian and Malaysian tourists.
Heinecke's Minor International owns hotels in Thailand such as AVANI, NH Collection, Marriott, Four Seasons and Radisson Blu. The company also owns food companies in Thailand such as The Pizza Company, The Coffee Club, Swensen's, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King and many more.
According to top Phuket tourism officials the Russian market has rebounded strongly recently and is expected to be the number one market for Phuket for Quarter 4, also called the high season.
Mr. Rangsiman Kingkaew, Executive Director of the Phuket Tourism Business Association, spoke with the Phuket Express and had the following to say:
"Prior to COVID-19, the Russian market was second for Phuket, behind only the Chinese market. China is still keeping a Covid-Zero policy which has reduced tourism from China to almost zero. They show no signs of loosening this policy in the near future."
"Russia has had its share of issues deterring tourism especially with the ongoing war in Ukraine, however Thailand has maintained a neutral stance to this conflict and as a result is still allowing Russian flights and Russian tourists. Three major Russian airlines are currently flying directly to Phuket. We have seen a significant increase in Russian tourists especially younger Russians."
"Based on current arrivals and models, we predict about 50,000 Russian tourists coming to Phuket during November. Prior to Covid this was about 100,000 monthly but we understand the situation is not the same. Even so, this will move them ahead of markets such as Indians and Malaysians if the trend continues, leading to Russians being the largest market for Phuket for Quarter 4." Rangsiman concluded.
Thailand's latest longstay visa deals are appealing most to Chinese citizens.
Chinese charter-group tours to Thailand remain banned for now because of Beijing's ongoing anti-covid crackdown. But the Civil Aviation Administration of China notes that scheduled flights between Bangkok and principal Chinese cities have now achieved 70 percent of the frequency prior to the pandemic. Meanwhile, Chinese health bureaucrats are working on plans to soften the country's "dynamic zero" covid policy. They propose cancelling the unpopular policy of fining airlines which bring infected passengers into the country and also replacing compulsory quarantine for arrivals in hotels or state facilities by unsupervised home isolation.
More and more well-to-do Chinese are seeking out Thailand's latest batch of long residence visas. Sales of Thailand's Elite cards to Chinese nationals have surged 185 percent, according to a report in the Bangkok Post quoting the chairman of Thailand Privilege Card. There are now 7,350 Chinese members of the program out of a total of around 20,000, far and away the largest single nationality segment. The most popular Elite choice (there are several options) is the 5-year Elite Flexible One program which is specifically designed for investors wishing to purchase property units worth at least 10 million baht (US$320,000) by partnering Thai registered property developers. This Elite card can then be upgraded to a 20 years visa.
At the moment, the property purchasing is limited to condominium units. But if Thai law is changed to allow wealthy foreigners to purchase landed property – the matter is currently in the public spotlight – the Flexible One program could be a suitable route. Although Elite cards do not include the granting of a work permit, special decree amendments already made to the alien labor act mean that attending business meetings and acting on behalf of a foreign corporation no longer carry threats of fines, jail and deportation. About half of all condominium units registered in foreign names in Bangkok, Pattaya and other Thai resorts are Chinese owned.
Chinese nationals are also the biggest number of applicants for Thailand's 10 year LTR (long term residence) visa which was launched on September 1. No recent figures have been released by Thailand's Board of Investment, but Chinese news agencies claim that Chinese nationals cover 60 percent of the modest 2,500 applications to date. This is likely true as Chinese applications for Cambodia's competing Second Home Program comprise similar numbers.
Although the LTR route offers a digital work permit, which Elite does not, there is a lot of overlap between the schemes. The fact that Elite is cheaper and less bureaucratic, does not require mandatory health insurance and excuses holders from tax on overseas earnings may be deciding factors in the eyes of Chinese investors wanting a regular base outside of the mother country. European expats may snap and snarl at these long stay visas as they grapple with the ever-changing immigration rules for one year renewals. But Thailand isn't looking in their direction right now.
Spat between deputy prime ministers Anutin Charnvirakul and Jurin Laksanawisit over the issue as tensions mount. The Democrat Party and the opposition are adamant that the programme ushered in by Minister Anutin must be reversed amid claims that the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) in some commercial products is not being measured and may be far higher than the legal limit allowed while over 90% of the crop being grown by farmers ends up being sold for recreational use for the same reason. A top government agency has also revealed that the number of young people under 20 now using the drug has doubled since it was decriminalised in June.
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his Bhumjaithai Party, already at the bottom of opinion polls, are facing a continued backlash from his controversial cannabis legalisation policy with Emergency Room (ER) admissions in relation to marijuana up 566% this year so far. It comes as the Democrat Party in the coalition government is now aligning with the opposition calling for the recreational use of cannabis to be made illegal and the drug to be relisted as an illicit narcotic subject to criminal prosecution by the Royal Thai Police. Minster Anutin, this week, was involved in a spat with his cabinet colleague Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit, the Democrat Party leader after he appeared to make personal remarks about Mr Jurin while addressing the possibility of having discussions with him on the matter.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health in Nong Khai, on Friday, played down talk of the marijuana bill being defeated in parliament next week after controversial remarks about Democrat Party leader and Ministry of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit. There is growing opposition not only to the bill but to the whole Bhumjaithai Party programme over a range of issues such as an increased level of addiction among under 20s, lack of control and monitoring of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) values in products and rising Emergency Room admissions linked with the drug since it was delisted as a narcotic in June.
There is a rising tide of political opposition in parliament to the cannabis legalisation programme spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul.
It comes as temperatures have risen again after a public spat in recent days between Minister Anutin and his cabinet colleague and fellow deputy prime minister Jurin Laksanawisit, the leader of the Democrat Party.
It is understood that the marijuana bill which will face its second and third reading in the House of Representatives next week, will be voted down again by the Democrat Party, the opposition Pheu Thai Party and the ruling Palang Pracharat Party.
Parties other than Bhumjaithai want the recreational and liberal use of cannabis again outlawed and criminalised as medical concerns mount
All of these parties have let it be known that unless the law is radically altered from the version that a Bhumjaithai Party-led committee has developed in parliament, to change course and make the recreational use of cannabis or marijuana clearly illegal and subject to robust police action as a criminal offence, the bill will be rejected before the house.
Restive MPs, sensing momentum among their colleagues and the general public against the decriminalisation of marijuana, are now also calling for all non-medical use of cannabis use to again be criminalised.
The current movement against the Bhumjaithai Party-sponsored initiative is being driven by rising concern also among medical practitioners on the ground, with a marked deterioration in the situation concerning marijuana use and adverse side effects being seen since Minster Anutin's order delisting marijuana as a class 5 narcotic came into force in early June.
This prompted the Royal Thai Police, on advice, to stand down on enforcement against the recreational use of marijuana and the release of prisoners facing charges linked with possession of and dealing in the drug from the country's overcrowded prisons.
Emergency room admissions from marijuana consumption rose by 566%, a rapid change in 2022 with cannabis delisted as an illicit narcotic in June
This week, Dr Muhammad Fahmee Talib of Prince of Songkla University's Faculty of Medicine, in an objective assessment of the situation made clear that while the current problem is still manageable for Thailand's health service, the picture is changing rapidly with rising cause for concern.
He pointed out that last year 3% of all Emergency Room (ER) admissions to Thai hospitals were linked to cannabis or marijuana ingestion.
That figure, so far, for this year, has risen to 17% or nearly 6 times what it was.
Dr Muhammad's concerns have been repeated by hundreds of medical professionals in Thailand this year including nearly all the senior personnel within Minister Anutin's own Ministry of Public Health who oppose the move to deregulate the drug for recreational use apart from the previous legal situation which allowed for its limited and supervised use for medical purposes.
A groundbreaking study, outlining definitive evidence linking mental health issues with regular use of the drug across all age groups was published at the end of July in The Lancet Psychiatry.
Lancet study vigorously endorsed by mental health practitioners all over the world on the negative effects of marijuana on regular users of all ages
The findings were endorsed by doctors all over the world who deal with the day-to-day impact of cannabis use on patients of all ages but particularly the young who have gone on to develop mental illness due to the regular consumption of the drug.
This year, at the end of July, the former National Police Commissioner General Suwat Jangyodsuk demurred and ask for legal clarification when tasked by the Ministry of Public Health to police public health laws which officials working for Minister Anutin had claimed could be used to regulate the sale and consumption of the drug under public health legislation and order regulations but without serious criminal sanctions as existed before.
Lawmakers within the House of Representatives have referred to the Bhumjaithai Party's efforts this week, despite its denials to the contrary, as being directed at railroading the country into a new liberal era of recreational marijuana use.
In any event, this is what has happened since early June with marijuana stalls, booths and retail outlets increasingly being seen in public spaces and widespread advertising for the substance on social media.
MPs describe the law being passed through parliament as 'distorted' in its nature as it fails to outlaw recreational use and in fact, provides for it
MPs and political operatives have described the 'distorted nature' of the bill being pushed through parliament which seems more designed to promote the recreational, commercial use and sale of cannabis rather than outlawing what all observers now agree is a free for all in Thailand.
The revolt against Minister Anutin's programme and marijuana bill has been led by southern Democrat Party MPs who are facing public disquiet about the rise in violence and mayhem in provinces which are being linked to drugs including the consumption of pot.
Anutin, in September, when the revolt started, insisted that MPs must instead change their attitude towards marijuana even as public concern grows
The reaction from Minister Anutin and his party has been to double down with the minister in September chiding opposition and Democrat Party MPs saying their attitudes towards cannabis needed to change.
This weekend, Rames Rattanachaweng, the top legal officer for the Democrat Party, Thailand's oldest and which alone among coalition parties in government, appears to be gaining ground in recent election battles and opinion polls, described the passage of the current marijuana bill in parliament as a 'distortion' of the legislative process.
In contrast, the Bhumjaithai Party, despite vocal supporters and press reports that it is a possible replacement in Thai politics for the Palang Pracharat Party, is stuck at the bottom of the most reliable and respected opinion polls at 2.3% support and noticeably losing ground in southern Thailand and more conservative parts of the kingdom because of this highly controversial policy with anti-drug sentiment in Thailand running high in the face of an epidemic of addiction, abuse and violence.
On Friday, in northeastern Nong Khai province, Minister Anutin called for everyone to 'stop arguing' and said that he is confident he was working for the good of the Thai people.
He said that even if the law was not passed, people can use marijuana for medical purposes.
However, the delisting of marijuana as a scheduled narcotic agreed upon by the cabinet in January this year was based on the corresponding law to control widespread recreational use.
Democrat Party legal executive says Mr Anutin's personal remarks this week were 'unbelievable' for a minister at the highest level in Thai politics
Mr Rames, on Friday, rejected the accusation from the Bhumjaithai Party which has accused his party leader Mr Jurin Laksanawisit and the Democrat Party itself of playing politics with the issue to gain political advantage.
Minister Anutin made personal remarks regarding Mr Jurin while referring to the possibility of talks with him which Mr Rames described on Friday as unbelievable behaviour at the highest level of Thai politics.
He said that Mr Jurin, the Minister of Commerce since 2019, was not playing political games but standing up for the views and representations of MPs and the public who are increasingly alarmed at the current situation.
He also highlighted Mr Jurin's long experience in Thai politics and his participation in previous Thai governments where he served both as Minister of Public Health and Minister of Education.
'Mr Jurin has been a politician for a long time. He knows the rules and regulations of the country well. Especially, that the key principle is to hold the interests of the people and the country foremost,' Mr Rames said.
Positions are hardening in opposition not only to the bill in parliament but the programme of pot decriminalisation pushed so far by Minister Anutin
Towards the end of the week, opposition not only to the bill before the House of Representatives but the whole direction of the Bhumjaithai Party's policy on cannabis was drawing fire from political parties and MPs across the political divide.
Democrat Party MP for Trang, Sathit Wongnongtoey insisted on Thursday that his party was standing firm and would not support any law which failed to stamp out the widespread recreational use of cannabis or marijuana in public.
He said that this was never the intention when the cabinet, in early 2022, agreed to remove marijuana as a listed narcotic.
The current situation was that an 'extremely' liberal culture with regard to the consumption of marijuana or cannabis has now developed in Thailand.
He said police were powerless to arrest sellers openly promoting the substance on streets where anyone could purchase the drug legally with an identification card or personal ID.
He said the minister should consult with his own officials on the rapidly deteriorating situation with regard to drug addiction in Thailand.
Pheu Thai Party MP from Maha Sarakham says relisting cannabis as a schedule 5 illicit narcotic subject to strong police enforcement is the answer
Sutin Klangsaeng of the Pheu Thai Party, an MP from Maha Sarakham in northeastern Thailand and opposition chief whip, said his party would not support the marijuana bill in parliament unless it clearly controls the use and sale of the substance in order to decisively prohibit its recreational use.
'If all parts of the draft clearly state that the use of cannabis is limited to only medical purposes, we will definitely support it. However, if any parts of the bill still open the door to the recreational use of cannabis, we will never vote for it,' he declared
He called for marijuana to be reinstated as a schedule 5 narcotic and to be subject to rigorous law enforcement by the Royal Thai Police, the position that existed until early June.
Twice as many young people under 20 using cannabis since it was decriminalised in early June
This week, the Centre of Addiction Studies (CADS) in Thailand issued a report which noted that the number of people under 20 years of age using cannabis as a recreational drug had doubled since it was decriminalised in June.
Director Ratsamon Kalayasiri said that follow-up studies and monitoring were now crucial to see what sort of impact this was having already on society in Thailand.
'The use of cannabis for purposes other than medical or research is a sensitive issue, and as such a good system needs to be in place to control access to the plant,' Dr Ratsamon declared.
He claimed that the legislative proposal from the Bhumjaithai Party that was promised as a move, supported by the public in polls, to give farmers access to a lucrative cash crop has ended up being touted as a move which may attract more liberal sorts of western tourists as over 90% of crops grown by farmers have been found to have a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) limit exceeding the 0.2% limit allowed by law for medical cannabis.
'The Bhumjaithai Party promoted cannabis as a cash crop prior to its legalisation, and now cannabis is seen as a tourist draw. Thais have to be aware of the negative impact,' he explained.
The impact of the Bhumjaithai Party's cannabis revolution is also making its way into homes across the kingdom and the results are not so beneficial.
Fears over unregulated potency of products including cannabis for sale on the streets and products
Mr Patcharin Khankham, a policy and planning expert with the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) said there are rising concerns about the absence and accuracy of measurement of the legally prescribed THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) value in commercial products now being marketed at the retail level and which contain cannabis or marijuana extracts.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is set at a maximum high of 0.2% by law.
However, there is universal agreement that the pot or marijuana appearing on the market in Thailand is at sky-high levels with rates of 4% to 12%.
There is also growing concern about the potency of cannabis or marijuana in commercial products being offered for sale and purchased by the general public including food products such as soups and cookies.
Chariya Phuditchinnaphat, a psychiatrist who works with children and adolescents at the renowned Siriraj Hospital, says that a proper system for monitoring and defining the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) value of cannabis extracts in products must be implemented as a matter of urgency as there is a danger of abuse.
'Recently, three people were admitted to Siriraj Hospital after ingesting cookies which contained more tetrahydrocannabinol than what is legally allowed under Thai laws,' Dr Chariya explained.
Människor som firar Loy Krathong nästa vecka har blivit varnade för att de kan riskera dödsstraff om de släpper upp luftburna lyktor i säkerhetszoner. Lyktor, ballonger, fyrverkerier, laserljus, drönare och andra föremål som kan skada flygplan är förbjudna runt Thailands sex största flygplatser på tisdag och onsdag, sa Airports of Thailand (AOT) på fredagen. De sex AOT-flygplatserna är: Suvarnabhumi och Don Mueang i Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai (Mae Fah Luang), Phuket och Hat Yai i Songkhla. Himlen i Chiang Mai och över norr är vanligtvis full av khom loi eller papperslyktor med levande ljus vid Loy Krathong. I ett tillkännagivande på Facebook sa AOT att de upprätthåller Air Navigation Act, som förbjuder utsläpp av flygande lyktor, raketer, fyrverkerier, laserstrålar och liknande föremål i flygsäkerhetszoner. Enligt lagen är det straffbart med dödsstraff, livstids fängelse och/eller böter på 600 000-800 000 baht att orsaka skada på ett flygplan som gör det oförmöget att flyga, eller som äventyrar eller kan äventyra dess säkerhet under flygning.
Människor som vill skicka upp luftburna lyktor utanför luftsäkerhetszoner bör söka tillstånd från sin lokala provinsförvaltning, sa AOT. I Chiang Mai är luftburna lyktor förbjudna i sex distrikt. Förbudet omfattar centrala Chiang Mai, Hang Dong, Saraphi (Khua Mung, Don Kaew, Tha Wang Tan, Nong Phueng och Sansai underdistrikt), Mae Rim (Don Kaew, Rim Tai, Mae Sa, Muang Kaew, Rim Nuea underdistrikt), Sansai (Nong Han underdistrikt) och San Pa Tong (Tung Tom underdistrikt). Att skjuta upp luftburna lyktor under Loy Krathong är tillåtet utanför flygsäkerhetszonerna mellan kl 19 och 01, sa AOT.
Hittills har 53 flyg ställts in och 24 flyg omplanerats under festivalperioden.
The British pound is having a hard time on the currency markets.
The UK central bank's confirmation that the country will be in formal recession until at least 2024, the longest period in history, has again weakened the pound. Currency conversions of the pound to the baht have deteriorated from 44 to 42 units in the past week. The bad economic future eclipsed a huge 0.75 percent rise in UK interest rates to 3 percent – a record-breaking attempt to reduce inflation by making the cost of borrowing money higher – which would be expected to boost the pound in calmer times.
Standard Chartered plc said that the pound had been rocked by volatility in UK financial markets and internal political turmoil in recent weeks, but the gruesome economic reality is that Britain imports far more than it exports. Many financial experts had warned that Brexit might well encourage this negative trend, although others argue that the benefits of breaking out of European integration will come later. The pound has slumped 12 percent against the dollar in recent months, although this has more to do with the popularity of the American currency with high interest rates there in a time of world uncertainty created by the Russian war in Ukraine.
Passengers take photos with signage for the Apec meeting at Suvarnabhumi airport on Thursday. (Phot: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
All twenty-one Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) member countries have confirmed they will attend the summit in Bangkok on Nov 18-19, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said.
Either their leaders or representatives will attend the meeting, Mr Don said yesterday, adding that special guests from three non-member countries have also confirmed they will attend.
They are Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as the current chair of Asean, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin's attendance has yet to be confirmed, said Mr Don, who also serves as deputy prime minister.
He said several countries taking part in the summit will also hold bilateral talks with Thailand on the sidelines of the Apec meeting.
Asked whether it will be possible for US President Joe Biden, who is scheduled to attend the Asean Summit in Cambodia on Nov 10-13, to join the Apec meeting in Bangkok, Mr Don said it has been confirmed that the US presdent will not attend and US Vice-President Kamala Harris will instead represent him at the meeting.
A government source said that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will open Government House and meet with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Nov 16; Mr Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov 17; and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman on Nov 18.
The government has declared Nov 16-18 as public holidays in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan during the Apec meeting.
Roads that are located near the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), the venue of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, will be closed to the general public during the event and trains will not stop at the subway station at the centre, authorities say.
Boat traffic on the Chao Phraya River will also be restricted and drones banned as part of security measures during the event.
According to the cabinet secretariat, general traffic in the vicinity of the convention centre will be blocked and the nearby Benjakitti Park will be closed.
MRT services will continue but trains will not stop at the QSNCC station during the summit period.
Since the government has declared Nov 16-18 to be public holidays in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan during the Apec meeting, schools and universities in these provinces will also be closed during the period to prevent traffic congestion.
Apec summit participants will have a gala dinner at the navy auditorium by the Chao Phraya River on the evening of Nov 18.
People have been asked to avoid routes to the auditorium and travel along the river near the dinner venue will be banned.
Benjakitti Park will be closed from Nov 12 to 19. Bangkok will be a no-fly zone for drones from Nov 16 to 21.
The MRT station at the QSNCC will be closed from Nov 16 to 19.
Road closures will take effect around the clock from Nov 14 to 19 on Ratchadaphisek Road between the Asok Montri and Rama IV-Klong Toey intersections.
People living or working in the area must register with the police to receive permission to access the roads during the period. Shuttle buses will be available for them to use.
Air Vice Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, spokesman of the Royal Thai Air Force, said that security will be stepped up at the air force's 6th Wing in Don Muang district.
The air force's airport will be among several airports to welcome foreign leaders who will fly in to attend the Apec summit.
Pol Lt Gen Pakpumpipat Sajjaphan, commander of the Immigration Bureau, said that immigration authorities have been instructed to step up their screening and surveillance of foreign arrivals during the summit period as part of security measures.
The participating countries have also already sent the lists of persons under surveillance to the Thai immigration authorities, all of whom will be denied entry if and when they arrive in Thailand, he said.
