Thailand News Today | Covid latest, Cockfights closed down, Bryde’s Whale beached | January 11

249 new Covid-19 infections have been reported today in the daily briefing. Thailand now has 3,914 active cases and has reported a total of 10,547 cases with 67 fatalities since last year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy spokesperson, apparently with a Covid crystal ball, speculated that the number of daily new cases is expected to decrease and significantly slow down by the end of January.

More than 3,000 cases have now been reported in Samut Sakhon since the outbreak at the Central seafood markets, but hundreds of factory workers in the area are still wating to be tested.

Out of the 249 new cases reported today, 176 cases are local transmissions, 48 cases were found in proactive testing, 11 cases were detected in state quarantine and 14 cases are people arrived from overseas.

A dead Bryde’s whale has been found washed up on Koh Samui’s Choeng Mon beach.

The dramatic addition to the beach was around 11 metres long.

Marine biologists say it appears the whale died several days ago. The cause of death is under investigation by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.

According to records there are about 50 Bryde’s whales in the Gulf of Thailand at the moment. The whales are often spotted around the upper part of the Gulf of Thailand all year round, especially on the coastal lines of Chonburi, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Bang Khun Thian district of Bangkok, Samut Songkram, and Petchaburi provinces.

The Thai Red Cross is urging people to donate blood as Thailand hospitals are in “critical condition” with their current blood reserves. The reserves have run low and the number of blood donors has dropped by 50%, according to the Thai Red Cross Society.

The Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to the dwindling blood supply, mostly through fears of donors to visit hospitals at this time.

The mobile collection units also had to halt operations due to the restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Healthy people are urged to donate blood every 3 months, 4 times a year, at the Red Cross and other spots. Here’s a list…

• National Blood Service Centre, Thai Red Cross Society

Blood and Plasma Donation Centre, 11th Red Cross Station, Wiset Niyom and Bang Khae branch

• National Blood Service centres

• Blood donation service centres

• Provincial hospitals across the country

Eleven people arrested for gambling over illegal cockfights were each given a suspended 15 day jail term and fined 6,000 baht by the Ayutthaya provincial court.

The 11 were detained by police on January 4 at a cockfighting ring in the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district.

They were charged with illegal gambling and violating an order issued under the emergency decree prohibiting gatherings at a crowded venue.

They were all sentenced to 15 days in jail, suspended for one year, a fine of 1,000 baht for illegal betting and 5,000 baht for breaking the emergency decree.

Most of the 31 infections in Ayutthaya province were infected at cock fighting arenas in Ayutthaya and Ang Thong provinces.

Cockfighting rings in Ayutthaya have been ordered closed. Might be a good idea to make that a permanent arrangement.

Chiang Mai University has rolled out 40 new electric buses, bought at a cost of over 50 million baht. The new ‘smart’ buses will replace many of the the old electric buses, which have provided services to 5.7 million people over the years.

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The lithium ion phosphate batteries enable the buses to provide services with a daily one-time charge and will provide services throughout the university area.

Each electric bus can accommodate up to 16 passengers, while passengers can check the bus locations, routes, and number of passengers inside via the University’s online app.