Weather
Warnings of heavy rain and flash floods for southern Thailand

The Thailand Meteorological Department is warning about possible heavy rain and strong winds for the south of the country as a result of the strong northeast monsoon currently over the Gulf of Thailand.
The northeast monsoon started in the south of Thailand this year from mid to late October, reducing the length of the annual wet season. Many parts of the south, usually flush with wet season rain by now, are facing drought in the coming months.
The TMD says the current weather system is expected to bring strong winds, causing waves of 2 metres in height and up to 3 metres during storms in the Gulf.
“All ships are advised to proceed with caution.”
Thailand’s Gulf coast is being warned to expect flash flooding, with excess rainwater draining away slowly.
Meanwhile, northern Thailand should experience dry and cool weather as a result of a moderate high pressure system. Minimum temperatures are forecast to be between 15 and 21 degrees Celsius, with frost expected in some places and very cold minimum temperatures of 5 – to 15 degrees at altitude.
The Nation reports the forecast for the next 24 hours as follows:
Northern region: Cool in the morning, temperature lows of 16-20 degrees and highs of 31-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature likely to drop to 5-12 degrees on hilltops with frost in parts.
Northeastern region: Cool and foggy in the morning, lows 17-22 degrees and highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius. Temperature likely to drop to 9-15 degrees on hilltops.
Central region: Cool in the morning, lows of 20-23 degrees, highs 32-35 degrees Celsius.
Eastern region: Cool in the morning, lows 21-25 degrees, highs 34-36 degree Celsius; wave height 1-2 metres.
Southern region (east coast): Cloudy with thunder showers in 60% of the area and heavy rain in parts, lows of 23-26 degrees, high 29-33 degrees Celsius, wave height 2-3 metres, increasing to 3 metres during storms.
Southern region (west coast): Cloudy with thunder showers in 40% of the area and heavy rain in parts, lows 23-24 degrees, highs 32-34 degree Celsius, wave height 1-2 metres, increasing to 2 metres during storms.
Bangkok and surrounding area: Partly cloudy, lows 23-25 degrees, highs 33-36 degrees Celsius.
SOURCE: The Nation
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Covid-19 cluster confirmed following Koh Lanta “big bike” event

A “big bike” party on Koh Lanta, in the southern province of Krabi, has resulted in a cluster of Covid-19 infections, according to officials from the Department of Disease Control. The DDC says there are currently around 10 confirmed cases and 129 people considered “at risk”.
The outbreak is linked to a patient who travelled to Koh Lanta from the Covid-19 hotspot of Samut Sakhon on December 9. He made the journey, accompanied by 2 friends, to attend the “Multistrada Thailand Meeting of Ducati Bikers” on the island on December 11. While there, he came into contact with 133 people, of whom 129 are considered “high risk” and 4 are believed to be “low risk”. Officials have already tracked all of those affected, due to the hotel having registered the details of each person attending the event.
Including the original patient, 10 cases of the virus have now been confirmed. 4 are in Krabi, 1 of whom was at the big bike event and subsequently passed the virus to his wife, daughter, and another family member. Another person infected at the event has transmitted the infection to his 2 sons in Phuket. A further 2 people have been confirmed infected in the southern province of Songkhla, due to another infected biker passing the virus to his sister.
Meanwhile, DDC officials are urging local authorities in each province to check for residents who may have attended the Koh Lanta event and inadvertently spread the virus.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Crime
Krabi man arrested for animal abuse after allegedly killing pet dogs

A Krabi man was arrested on animal abuse charges after he allegedly shot and killed his pet dogs. The non-profit Watchdog Thailand filed a police complaint yesterday with a statement from a witness.
Police arrested 39 year old Surasak Kongduang at his home in Krabi’s Muang district. Surasak allegedly admitted to police that he shot both his pet dogs in the head and buried them in the backyard. Officers searched his home and found 3 guns and a bow. All weapons are legal and registered, police say.
Surasak allegedly told police that his wife fled and left the dogs behind after an argument a few days prior. He allegedly told officers that his mother is old and he felt bad about leaving her to care for the dogs, adding that one dog is lame while the other is sick.
Surasak was charged with animal abuse and for unlawful discharge of a firearm.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Tourism
Academics call on government to hurry up and help the tourism industry

Leading Thai academics are calling on the government to get a move on and help the tourism industry before it’s too late. Addressing a gathering arranged by the Foundation for Labour and Employment Promotion, Kiriya Kulkolkran from Thammasat University’s Faculty of Economics, pointed to the 80% drop in international tourism as a result of the Covid-19 fallout. His estimate includes the first few months of the year when there was actually a functional tourism industry in Thailand.
According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Kiriya says just 4% of businesses in the tourism sector say they’ve made the same amount or more than they did before Covid-19. She adds that a survey shows employees in the industry are concerned about debt accumulation and “extremely worried about the future”.
Bovorn Subsing, from Chulalongkorn University’s Social Research Institute, has backed up the comments, saying tourism workers have seen their wages drop by 60%, while still facing the same, or higher, cost of living. The result is that most are now in debt.
Kiriya predicts the devastation could continue for over 3 years, affecting not just tourism operators but the entire supply chain, as well as new graduates and those seeking their first job. She says that until the sector recovers, the government needs to provide tailored help for businesses, singling out Phuket hotels, who are struggling to survive without foreign guests.
The islands of Phuket and Samui, plus the other ‘tourist’ islands around Thailand, are facing a particular problem as they’re mostly geared for the international tourist market. Domestic tourism, rebooted last July when the local airlines were permitted to fly again, has mostly shunned the popular tourist islands.
One worker at a Phuket hotel, 52 year old Anchisa Sirinanthasak, addressed the forum in support of a possible co-payment scheme for hotel workers. It’s understood most hotel operators are paying employees 62-75% of their normal salary, which works out at around 8,000-9,000 baht per person and is not enough to cover their costs.
Meanwhile, Manop Kaewphaka from Homenet Thailand, a non-profit that protects home-based workers, has called on the government to allow foreign tourists back into the Kingdom and to provide more support for informal workers, in the form of wage guarantees and co-payment.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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