Bangkok
25 workers injured after container explosion at Laem Chabang Port

At least 25 port workers have been injured and locals evacuated after an explosion in a container on a ship at dock at the Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri, east of Bangkok, this morning.
Laem Chabang’s port director Vice Admiral Yutthana Mokkhao says an urgent investigation is being undertaken to determine the contents of the container. The Hong Kong ship was docked at A2 port, according to the director.
Scores of port employees were working in the area around 8am this morning when the explosion occurred. The explosion sent clouds of an unknown white power into the air as well as black smoke from the fire.
It was reported that at least 25 of the workers were sent to a nearby hospital after being exposed to the white powder. Workers remaining at the scene were seen dousing their faces with water to wipe off the mystery powder.
SOURCE: The Nation
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
More staff to man Covid-19 hotlines after complaints of unanswered calls

Thousands of people have been calling Thailand’s Covid-19 hotline each day and many calls from those seeking hospital beds, medical attention or ambulance services are going unanswered. PM Prayut Chan-o-cha even called 2 of the hotline numbers and he says no one answered his calls. Now the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration plans to revamp the emergency call centre with plans to add more staff and call lines.
For the past month, in the midst of the largest wave of infections in Thailand since the start of the pandemic, up to 3,500 people have called the 1669 Covid-19 hotline each day, according to Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang. Many people have complained that they have been unable to reach the staff. The governor says the BMA plans to allow callers to leave their names and numbers allowing staff to call them back.
“Currently the 1669 hotline has staff working three shifts to answer inquiries around the clock… However, since the new wave in March, up to 3,500 people have been calling daily. Callers who exceed our capacity will have to wait for their turn, and if they hang up and dial in again, they will be put at the end of the queue. This has resulted in many people complaining that the line was never available.”
After the prime minister’s calls to both the 1668 and 1669 hotlines went unanswered, Prayut said he would look into how the hotlines were managed to fix the problem.
“I tried both numbers, but nobody answered. I want to find out if this is because there are too few health personnel manning the lines, or if they are too busy tending to patients in hospitals.”
The BMA will also get more medical staff to help transport Covid-19 patients to hospitals after complaints that some have waited at home long periods waiting for an ambulance. The governor says the some of the night staff workers while change to a day shift to help with transporting patients during busy hours.
“In the early phase, we will move some of the staff on night shift to work on day shift from 8am to 4pm, which is the period when more people require medical services… Then, we will increase the ambulances as well as their trips per day to make sure that no patients are left at home.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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BTS
K-Pop’s BTS launching pop-up in Bangkok May 1

Thai BTS fans are celebrating as the first official BTS pop-up in Thailand is set to open in Bangkok on May 1. The world-famous K-Pop group will launch the Map of the Soul pop-up at EmQuartier in Bangkok. Until now, Thai fans, or ARMY as they are known, have waited while pop-ups shops were launched around the world. The exhibit will be open from May 1 to July 25 and access will only be available by pre-registration online, which opens tomorrow.
ARMYs worldwide were devastated when Covid-19 forced the postponement of BTS’s “Map of the Soul” world tour, but the band, famous for their appreciation and interaction with their fans – they hold the Guinness World Record for most Twitter engagement! – have worked to find ways to raise fan morale during the pandemic. They released the album BE with a Grammy-nominated single “Dynamite” and launched these pop-up events where Bangkok ARMYs can pose in front of BTS music video backdrops and shop for official BTS merchandise.
Tickets purchased online will reserve fans a 1 hour visit to the pop-up on a certain date and time slot. Reservations for each week will open on the Friday previous for booking of the event on the M Floor of The EmQuartier. Bookings must arrive 10-15 minutes early and be verified by mobile phone OTP, after which fans will receive a wristband and queue for safe entry.
Strict Covid-19 safety measures will be in place, limiting the number of entries at a time, requiring social distancing and masks, and offering hand sanitiser when entering and exiting.
BTS, the 7-member South Korean boy band formed in 2011 debuted in 2013 and became one of the biggest bands in the world holding 18 Guinness World Records, appearing frequently in Time magazine influence lists, and setting music records on charts around the world. They’ve sold 20 million albums and equalled The Beatles’ record for reaching 4 number 1 albums in the US within one year.
It was estimated their sales account for about the same of South Korea’s entire GDP as Korean Air, being the reason to visit cited by 1 in every 13 tourists, and over 40% of all music sales in the country along with 25% of American K-Pop sales, having the top-selling worldwide physical album of 2020.
BTS have addressed the UN and their endorsements have caused companies and organisations to experience huge jumps in income, including multiple charities they have raised millions for. Their charitable work, devotion to fans, and addressing of difficult topics in their music such as mental health, loss, bullying, individualism and other social commentary have earned BTS praise as more than just your average boy band. Huge turnout is expected for the Bangkok opening of the BTS Map of the Soul pop-up at the EmQuartier next month.
SOURCE: The Smart Local
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Covid UPDATE: 1,470 new Covid-19 infections, 7 deaths, provincial totals

1,470 new Covid-19 infections and 7 deaths were reported today by the CCSA. 446 new cases are in Bangkok which remains the hotzone of new infections, although the latest outbreak has now spread to most Thai provinces. Out of the 7 deaths, one was a 24 year old Thai woman with a history of visiting an entertainment venue in the southern province Surat Thani where other Covid-19 infections were reported.
The young woman’s death is a rare case as the vast majority of Covid-related deaths in Thailand are the elderly or older adults with pre-existing conditions. Health officials say the woman suffered from obesity and died 3 days after testing positive for the virus. At present, there are 18,148 patients in state care… 14,555 in hospitals and 3,593 in field hospitals.
Since the start of the pandemic last year, the CCSA has reported a total of 48,113 Covid-19 infections and 117 coronavirus-related deaths.
The other Covid-related fatalities include…
- 68 year old Thai woman with pre-existing conditions of asthma
- 83 year old man from Bangkok with pre-existing conditions of high blood pressure
- 80 year old woman with pre-existing conditions of diabetes
- 45 year old woman in Bangkok with high blood pressure
- 59 year old man in Bangkok with pre-existing conditions of diabetes
- 86 year old man in Bangkok with pre-existing conditions of heart disease
Here are the provincial totals for today, as published by the NBT…
SOURCE: CCSA | Pattaya News | Nation Thailand
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