Thailand News Today | Flood warnings issued for southern Thailand, including Phuket & Krabi

BQ.1 sub-variant hits Thailand Thailand news today

As new strains of Covid are beginning to crop up in Thailand, the first infection of
the highly resistant and contagious BQ.1 sub-variant has now been found in the
kingdom. Ramathibodi Hospital’s Centre for Medical Genomics confirmed the
presence of the sub-variant of the Omicron strain, which mutated from the BA.5
sub-variant.
In a post on Facebook, the centre cited authorities worldwide warning of a
the potential outbreak of this strain of Covid that is resistant to immunity. They shared
information from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data and said
that in the US the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an outbreak
alerts for both BQ.1 and BQ.1.1.
The BQ.1 sub-variant now makes up a full 10% of all infections in the US, and it’s
just now been identified in Thailand. This new strain is particularly troublesome
because it has a rapid doubling time, meaning that it spreads remarkably quickly.
The strain also can evade many of the available prevention methods like vaccines
and immunity, according to the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases head Anthony Fauci.
Having previously recovered from another strain of the Coronavirus create
antibodies, but possibly not ones that can fight the BQ.1 sub-variant.
The antibody medications that are often employed to treat those infected with
Covid may not be effective against these new strains. But there may be hope in a
newer round of vaccines and antibody medications. Second-generation vaccines
may battle the increase in viral load with better antibodies. If someone was
vaccinated against BQ.1’s parent strain BA.5, that vaccine is likely more effective
than an original immunisation. And a second-generation cocktail of antibody
medication could help treat BQ.1 infections.
Thailand’s Centre for Medical Genomics is expecting that around the end of the
year BQ.1 will overtake BA.5 as the dominant Covid strain in the country. The
sub-variant spreads about 14% to 15% faster than the BA.2 and BA.5.2 strains. Thailand news today

Flood warnings were issued for southern Thailand, including Phuket and Krabi

The Meteorological Department warns people in southern Thailand to be wary of
heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and potential landslides over the next couple of days.
Rain will continue in southern Thailand today until at least Saturday as an intense
low-pressure cell covers the upper Andaman sea.
Thunderstorms are expected in 70% of southeast Thailand today in Chumphon,
Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phattalung, and Songkhla provinces. Wind
speed will vary between 15 – 35 kilometres per hour.
Thunderstorms are expected in 80% of southwest Thailand today in Ranong,
Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, and Satun provinces. Wind speed will vary between 20-
40 kilometres per hour.
The Department of Mineral Resources has alerted six districts of Phang Nga
province to prepare for heavy rain, flash flooding, and landslides over the next
couple of days: Thai Mueang district, Kapong district, Khura Buri district, Takua
Pa district, Takua Thung district, and Mueang district.
Continuous heavy rainfall in mountainous areas presents the risk of landslides. If
you live near hillsides and notice the water getting muddier, or the water level
quickly rising, the department advises evacuating to higher ground immediately.
The Southern Meteorological Centre warns that between October 19 – 22, heavy
rainfall, strong winds, and potential flash flooding are expected in Ranong, Phang
Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, and Satun provinces especially.

PM Prayut sets a “drug-free” goal for the Thai province where the massacre happened Thailand news today

Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday set a goal for the northeastern Nong
Bua Lamphu province, where the horrific October 6 massacre happened, to
become “drug-free” within 30 days.
A government spokesperson told the Associated Press that Prayut had ordered
relevant agencies to implement measures related to drug abuse and trading.
Agencies have been instructed to monitor several areas of Nong Bua Lamphu to
look for information that could help implement the measures in other provinces. Thailand news today
Officials have been deployed to monitor drug situations in communities and
provide help to drug addicts in need of rehabilitation.
After the recent massacre at a daycare centre in Nong Bua Lamphu province,
Thailand’s PM said last week that laws on guns and listed narcotics will be strictly
enforced.
Cabinet members and law enforcement authorities agreed that permits to carry a
gun in public could be revoked if the carrier is found to have mental health, drug,
or misconduct issues.
Last week in Chiang Mai, there were plans to ask 3,500 officers from all police
stations in the province to take a drug test to build confidence and trust in the
community.
There was also a drug testing campaign for defence volunteers in Phuket last week.
Phuket police chief Suwit Suriyawong said that all the defence volunteers tested
negative for drugs.
Thailand will wait in anticipation to see whether Prayut’s goal for Nong Bua
Lamphu will be achieved.

Locals search for missing crocs in northeast Thailand Thailand news today

Residents of northeast Thailand’s Khon Kaen province are on the hunt for a pair of
missing crocodiles in the main city district. The two missing crocs are part of a
group of four that went missing from a flood-stricken farm.
A team of locals led by the headman of the Nong Tum sub-district found one croc in a
paddy field earlier this week. Another croc was then found along a canal yesterday,
Bangkok Post reported. The second crocodile found was reported to be over 3
metres long.
Meanwhile, two crocs remain on the loose. Khon Kaen’s governor yesterday
warned residents in Nong Tum to be careful, as they search for the next two crocs
continues.
This news comes after it was reported last month that Khon Kaen residents were
eating crocodiles that escaped during recent floods. This was mainly in the Non
Daeng sub-district of Nong Sila district.
Residents admitted to shooting the crocs and taking them home to share the
plentiful meat with their families and neighbours. One resident said a croc
provided about four kilograms of meat. A photo showed two locals ready to dig
into a croc lying sliced open on a table. Thailand news today

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