Bangkok
The Nation goes online-only from July 1

PHOTO: Somchai Meesen, CEO of Nation Multimedia Media Group, speaks to Nation TV yesterday about The Nation’s future.
“Over the past five years, The Nation has lost 30 million baht a year on average.”
The Nation newspaper will stop its print editions and go fully online from July 1, when the independent English-language daily turns 48, to focus more on its core online readers including those based abroad, the top executive of the company that owns the paper said yesterday.
Somchai Meesen, CEO of Nation Multimedia Group says the decision by the management was aimed at halting The Nation’s financial losses, in addition to expanding its market.
“Over the past five years, The Nation has lost 30 million baht a year on average,” he said.
Citing a survey, he pointed out that only 36% of The Nation’s readers are based in Thailand while the remaining 64% live overseas, including 25% in the US. He said that meant most of the newspaper’s readers did not buy its paper editions, and they read its reports and articles from the website and through different digital platforms.
Typical readers of The Nation are aged between 25 and 40, and prefer to read news from smartphones rather than a printed newspaper, he said.
Somchai said that as the market for new media was growing, old media businesses like newspapers were fast declining. This could be seen in the continuing decrease in the advertising budgets for publications – down 20% a year on average, compared to an annual 20% growth for new media.
“The new management has considered this matter carefully and decided that The Nation newspaper has to change its platform from print media to online, in order to better cater to the target group,” he said.
The CEO said that The Nation’s online edition would also provide an audible version. He also unveiled |plans for a Mandarin version from October “because at present more than 10 million Chinese visit and invest in Thailand”.
He assured there would be no retrenchments due to the change in platform.
“The editorial staff and employees of The Nation will continue with their work. There will only be a shift in focus from print to online,” he said.
Somchai blamed NMG’s previous management for its cumulative debt of Bt1.57 billion, which he said “almost bankrupted the Nation Group”.
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Bangkok
Police arrest “prime suspect” in narcotics case linked to 10 deaths in Bangkok

Police arrested a man suspected of producing the ketamine-based illicit drug cocktail linked to at least 10 deaths in Bangkok. The man is also charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting his girlfriend at a Bangkok apartment.
Police say 33 year old Amornthep Chalermwat, known as Un Kiwi, fled Bangkok and was arrested in Phetchabun’s Bung Sam Phan district yesterday. Police say Amornthep admitted to distributing the “K powdered milk” drug cocktail, but denies producing it.
Police say the narcotic cocktail contains ketamine, methamphetamine, heroin and the sedative diazepam. The mix of drugs is suspected to have caused 10 deaths in Bangkok. Others have been hospitalised after taking the drugs and losing consciousness.
On January 9, Thachchai Klomjai fell unconscious and his boyfriend died after taking “K powdered milk.” When Thachchai regained consciousness, he told police he bought the drugs from Amornthep and another suspect, Kulnathee Iemloy, who Amornthep also named and has been arrested. Bangkok police reported 6 other deaths that weekend from “K powdered milk.”
The next day, Amornthep allegedly shot his girlfriend, Apisa Hongkhan, at an apartment in the Chatuchak area. Police say the woman was severely wounded. They suspect Amornthep shot is girlfriend out of suspicion that she had stolen the drug cocktail and sold it.
Some small-scale dealers have been arrested over the past week, but police say they believe Amornthep is a prime suspect.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Bangkok
Police raid Bangkok restaurant, more than 80 people face charges for violating Emergency Decree

More than 80 people face jail time and fines for allegedly violating disease control measures under the Emergency Decree after police raided a Bangkok pub and restaurant.
The Indian restaurant Taj Café off Sukhumvit Road in the Watthana district was raided over the weekend after a complaint reporting that customers were smoking hookah, which is illegal in Thailand, and that the venue employed undocumented migrants.
Under an order from Bangkok City Hall, bars and pubs must close until further notice to help control the spread of Covid-19 while restaurants cannot serve alcohol and must stop dine-in services at 9pm to reduce gathering.
Officers from both immigration and the Lumpini police station raided the Indian Restaurant at 1:10am Saturday. Police say the venue was crowded, no one was social distancing and customers were not wearing face masks.
Pattaya News reports more than 80 people were arrested, while the Bangkok Post reports 65 people were arrested.
According to the Pattaya News, 42 people each face a month in jail and a 5,000 baht fine. Another 40 people, who were foreigners from Nigeria, India, Somalia and Myanmar, face between 4 months to a year in jail as well as fines ranging from 5,000 baht to 16,000 baht, according to the Pattaya News. Police say many of the foreigners violated both the Emergency Decree and the Immigration Act.
The Bangkok Post says the manager of the restaurant, 28 year old Mamdeep Singh, was charged with working without a permit, offering hookah to customers and violating both the Emergency Decree and City Hall order.
SOURCES: Bangkok Post | Pattaya News
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Air Pollution
59 areas see excessive PM 2.5 dust in Bangkok today

59 areas in Bangkok are seeing excessive PM 2.5 dust ratings today as air quality is being described as moderate to poor. Din Daeng Road is being identified as the most polluted, according to the air4thai website of the Pollution Control Department. The amount of PM 2.5 dust is being measured at between 39 and 113 microns.
Din Daeng is also joining Bang Na-Trat highway in Bang Na district, Lat Phrao district and Sukhapibaan 5 Road in Sai Mai district in featuring PM10 dust in the atmosphere that is measuring between 54 and 155 microns.
Read more about Bangkok’s pollution today, and its causes, HERE.
The 59 areas that are considered polluted today are:
Hirunrujee sub-district, Thon Buri district
Kanchanapisek Road in Bang Khun Thian district
Bang Na sub-district
Song Khanong sub-district in Phra Pradaeng district
Din Daeng sub-district, Din Daeng district
Talat Kwan sub-district in Muang district of Nonthaburi
Omnoi sub-district in Krathumban district of Samut Sakhon
Paknam sub-district in Muang district of Samut Prakan
Bang Sao Thong sub-district
Khlong 1 sub-district in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani
Rama 4 Road in Pathumwan district
Intharapitak Road in Thon Buri district
Lat Phrao Road in Wang Thong Lang district
Din Daeng Road in Din Daeng district
Khlong Goom sub-district
Khlong Sam Wa district
Chom Thong district
Charunsanitwong Road in Bang Phlad district
Rama 2 Road in Bang Khun Thian district
Vibhavadi Rangsit highway in Din Daeng district
Sukhumvit Road in Phra Khanong district
Ratburana Road in Ratburana district
Rama 5 Road in Dusit district
Trimitr Road at Wongwian Odeon, Samphanthawong district
Rama 6 Road in Phya Thai district
Lat Phrao Road at Soi Lat Phrao 95 in Wang Thong Lang district
Rama 4 Road in front of Sam Yan Mitrtown, Pathumwan district
Narathiwat Road in Bang Rak district
Thung Wat Don sub-district
Rama 3-Charoen Krung Road in Bang Khor Laem district
Sukhumvit Road Soi 63 in Wattana district
Pattanakarn Road in Suan Luang district
Bang Na-Trat highway in Bang Na district
Pahonyothin Road at Kasetsart intersection, Chatuchak district
Don Mueang district
Sukhapibaan 5 Road in Sai Mai district
Nawamin Road in Bang Kapi district
Suan Sayam-Raminthra intersection in Kanna Yao district
Lat Krabang Road in Lat Krabang district
Seehaburanakit Road in Min Buri district
Liab Waree Road in Nong Chok district
Srinakharin Road in Prawet district
Ratchadapisek-Tha Phra Road in Thon Buri district
Charoen Nakhon Road in Khlong San district
Tha Phra intersection, Bangkok Yai district
Soi Nikhom Rodfai Thon Buri in Bangkok Noi district
Buddha Monthon 1 Road in Taling Chan district
Thawee Wattana Road in Thawee Wattana district
Aekkachai Road in Bang Bon district
Pracha-uthit Road in Thung Khru district
Samsen Road in Phra Nakhon district
Huay Khwang district
Khlong Toey sub-district
Ban Sue sub-district
Lat Phrao district
Thung Song Hong sub-district
Pahonyothin Road in Bang Khen district
Saphan Soong district
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
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