Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Officials in virus-hit Samut Sakhon put out urgent call for second field hospital

A local official in the central province of Samut Sakhon is pleading for a second field hospital to contain the spread of Covid-19. The province is at the epicentre of a resurgence in the virus, since Thailand’s first local case in months was detected in a fish market in the Muang district last month. Since then, the virus has spread to 54 provinces.
While a field hospital is already operating at the scene of the original outbreak, provincial official Wuttiphong Suphakawanich says an additional 3,000 – 4,000 beds are needed to prevent the virus from spreading further. According to a Nation Thailand report, Wuttiphong has called on local businesses with over 7,000 factories to help equip a second field hospital, adding that Samut Sakhon cannot wait for central government to provide a budget.
It’s understood some of the supplies urgently needed include tents, mattresses, blankets, as well as temporary bathroom facilities that can be put together within a matter of days.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Environment
Thailand on fire – NASA satellite website tracks the country’s farm fires

Thailand is burning. The burning off of harvested crop plantations is lighting up the agricultural areas. The truth is starkly revealed in the live NASA satellite feeds which track the fires around the world.
CHART: Fires in the past 10 days around parts of Thailand – Firms.Modaps
Concentrations of the current fires can be seen in Central Thailand, north of Bangkok, parts of Isaan, north east of Bangkok, and around Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Notably the concentration of fires in northern Cambodia and across the north-western border in Myanmar, is also causing plenty of problems as the foreign smoke drifts across the borders. No matter what Thai officials do to enforce the rice, sugar and corn plantation burn-offs, there is little they can do about the haze drifting across the borders.
Bangkok, so close to clusters of fires, is in for a bad air pollution day anytime the light winds of the start of the year blow from the north or the east. The lack of rain adds to the problem, the annual problem, that engulfs Thailand’s capital during days between December and April, with the worst month, statistically, being March.
The alternative method of preparing for the next harvest, mechanical removal of the refuse and waste after harvesting, is both unpopular in Thailand and economically unviable for the small farmers whose margins remain thin with the multi-national buyers of their produce pushing for lower and lower prices every year.
In Chiang Mai, from January to the end of March, the locals even call it the ‘burning season’. Coupled with the hot season, the farmers in northern Thailand burn their fields to prepare land for the next harvest and also to get rid of biowastes like corn that can’t be sold in the market. It’s officially illegal to do the burn offs but the lack of enforcement leaves the problem unresolved and the smog and haze remain as predictable as the annual wet season.
Chiang Mai also has a local geographic problem which exacerbates the bad smoke pollution. The city is in a valley, surrounded by hills, trapping in the smoke and helping block any breezes that could otherwise blow it away.
For today, Bangkok’s air pollution is better than the past two days but still registering as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ with city readings mostly between 140 – 170. Parts of the city, mostly south-east and south west, were registering readings above 300 in the past few days.
SOURCE: IQair.com
Watch this video for some more information about Bangkok’s smog…
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Crime
Nonthaburi gamblers given jail sentences

Following a raid on an illegal gambling den in the central province of Nonthaburi, 41 people have been handed jail sentences at Nonthaburi Provincial Court. Somjit Hinkerd and Sorasak Janthamanee were convicted of running a gambling den in the Bang Bua Thong district and sentenced to 3 months and 15 days’ imprisonment. The other gamblers were sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment, suspended for 1 year, and a 10,000 baht fine each.
The gamblers were all arrested during a raid on Thursday night, which caught them playing a card game known as Dragon-Tiger. Nation Thailand reports that the property is owned by Sorasak and it’s understood the gambling was organised by Somjit. The operation took the form of a “moving casino”, in that it would regularly change location to avoid being caught.
Illegal gambling dens are thought to have played a significant role in the resurgence of Covid-19 in Thailand. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has appealed for the public’s help in identifying such operations, saying the government needs citizens’ cooperation to shut them down.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Protests
Student arrested in dormitory at night, charged with lèse majesté offences

A student at Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus has been arrested and charged with violating Thailand’s strict lèse majesté law. Ironically, it was his calls for the law to be abolished that led to Sirichai Natueng, aka, “New”, being charged. The group, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, has confirmed the student’s arrest on its Twitter page.
After being taken into custody, the pro-democracy activist was driven to Khlong Luang police station, in the central province of Pathum Thani, just outside Bangkok. Other anti-government activists, including Parit Chiwarak, aka, “Penguin”, and Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul (“Rung”) followed, accompanied by representatives from TLHR.
Since the arrest, the hashtags #saveนิวมธ (Save New) and #ยกเลิกม112 (Cancel Section 112) have been trending on Twitter. Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code is the law governing lèse majesté, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Sirichai, a member of the pro-democracy group United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, has been charged with 2 lèse majesté offences. He is accused of defacing an image of the Monarchy, as well as the Rangsit campus sign, with graffiti calling for the abolition of the lèse majesté law.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Issan John
Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 12:20 pm
According to the Thaiger three days ago “the governor [of Samut Sakhon] announced that 3 field hospitals are being established.”
Two seem to have been mislaid.
Ian
Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 7:51 pm
I was a medic in the British army in a field hospital we could manage prob 400 at best I tell you now 3 to 4 thousand bedded field hospital so where are all the additional doctors and nurses another unrealistic idea