Thailand
Thailand News Today – Wednesday, May 13

Zero new cases. Covid-19 update, first time since March
Very happy to announce another milestone in Thailand’s own battle with the Covid-19 virus. No new cases announced for today, the first time that’s happened since March 9.
This keeps the country on track for the second phase of reopening and easing of Emergency Decree restrictions scheduled for this Sunday, but yet to be confirmed.
Thailand has a total of 3,017 cases and 56 reported deaths since the outbreak began in January.
44 arrests at Pattaya pool party, drugs and firearm seized
44 people have been arrested at a birthday party after police raided a pool villa in central Pattaya at 1:30 this morning.
It’s understood 3 of the people arrested were Chinese tourists; the remainder were Thai. All face charges of breaking curfew and violating the Emergency Decree. 1 of the people arrested had an outstanding warrant for drugs and money laundering.
The raid took place at the Amazing Pool Villas and several bags of drugs, including methamphetamine, were seized. Officers also discovered an illegally-registered firearm in a Bangkok-registered truck parked on the property.
‘Vongfong’ heads northwest along Philippines coast
The first potential typhoon for this year’s typhoon and storm season in the western Pacific now has a name.
It’s been called ‘Vongfong’ and is is quickly becoming a threat to the Philippines.
Meteorologists say that this is the eigth-latest start to the typhoon season since 1950. The last time we had a later start was 2016 when the first named storm of the season didn’t arrive until the first week of July.
Vongfong is believed to steadily strengthen as it tracks northwest and closer to the Philippines’ coast. It’s expected to make landfall sometime during Friday.
Thieving monkey safely caught in Chon Buri
A mischievous, and clearly hungry macaque has been caught after stealing food from local residents in Chon Buri province’s Banglamung district.
Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation staff arrived at the scene to find the male monkey, estimated to be around 2 years old, eating and stealing durian, eggs and other food inside a surprised local resident’s home.
The animal dashed into ventilation ducts until officials were able to shoot it with a tranquiliser dart. After two hours the monkey was safely recovered and taken back to the Banglamung Wildlife Breeding Centre for treatment. He was not injured during the incident and will be released when he has regained his strength.
Naked man steals motorbike in Nakhon Si Thammarat
Last Sunday a completely naked man seized a motorcycle from a shocked woman in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. But it’s taken until yesterday to track the man down.
The incident occurred in broad daylight and in full view of witnesses. The man, aged around 30, was sitting naked on a road divider.
He then walked toward a female motorcyclist who was waiting at the red light. As the man approached, she jumped off her bike and ran away. He tried to ride away but was pursued unsuccessfully by a by-stander.
But yesterday police arrested the man at Kimsong market, still naked, in the same district. He was taken to Tha Sala Hospital for assistance… and hopefully some clothes.
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Thailand
Police say at least 2 people to be arrested in Bangkok bomb attack – UPDATE

Police say they will issue arrest warrants for at least 2 people in connection to yesterday’s bomb attackin Bangkok. According to Thai PBS World, the people are suspected of throwing a ping pong bomb into a group of police officers in front of the Chamchuri shopping centre that injured 3 policemen and 1 reporter. But previous reports by Khaosod English say the bomb attack saw only 2 policemen injured out of a total of 4.
Piya Tawichai, the deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, says it is believed that the perpetrators threw the bomb from a vehicle on the flyover heading towards Hua Lampong railway station. Police say they found nails, wire and black electrical tape at the scene of the explosion.
The attack occurred at 6pm, during a pro-democracy rally over the government’s enforcement of the lesé majeste law, which has seen over 43 people arrested, including students, since November. Just last week, a Thammsat University student was arrested in his dorm room over lese majeste charges. Ironically, the reason for his arrest was reportedly due to his calling for such a law to be abolished.
Earlier today, a group of pro-democracy protesters and Ratsadon guards rallied in front of the Internal Security Operations Command head office in Dusit district, demanding for the release one of the guards, who has been missing since last night.
ISOC spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng responded to the claims by saying that ISOC had nothing to do with Mongkol’s disappearance because it is “not responsible for maintaining peace and order in the city.”
Now, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights have reported that that Mongkol has been released in the Bangpoo area. Mongkol and his lawyer went to notify the police at the Muang district police station and say that Mongkol will be sent for a physical and psychological evaluation.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
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Thailand’s PM says he won’t let Thais become vaccine “guinea pigs”

Thailand’s PM is saying he won’t let Thai people become vaccine “guinea pigs” in his Facebook post today as he points to reports of serious negative side effects that some people have suffered after getting jabbed with the Covid-19 vaccine. Instead, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he will wait for more information from the experts about whether such side effects were attributed to the vaccine solely, or other factors.
“For Thai people, I decided not to take the risk and will not rush to inoculate with vaccines which have not been fully tested and will not let Thai people become guinea pigs.”
He says the National Vaccine Committee will advise the government and closely supervise the use of Covid-19 vaccines in the country once they are rolled out. As the vaccines are not yet available, he reiterated the importance of taking precautions such as wearing face masks when leaving home, practising social distancing and abstaining from gatherings, particularly political ones.
The government has reported 374 new cases of Covid-19 in the kingdom today, with all but 10 being locally-transmitted. Now, the total has risen to 12,000 cases since the pandemic began.
A government spokesman is also saying that PM Prayut is worried about people’s health as the weather has taken a turn for the cold. He also affirmed the importance of imposing measures under the Emergency Decree and Thailand’s Communicable Disease Act in order to help curb the recent Covid second wave. He is also reminding the public to download the Thai Chana and Mor Chana apps.
Thailand has ordered 60 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from a variety of sources, with the first shipment of 200,000 doses to arrive in February. Those vaccines are from China’s Sinovac Biotech. In March, another 800,000 doses are scheduled to arrive and another million by April.
The government has also pre-ordered 26 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca, using vaccine technology transfer to allow local production by Thailand’s local company, Siam Bio Science.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
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Police hunt for those behind Bangkok bomb attack near pro-democracy protest site

Police are hunting for those responsible for yesterday’s bomb attack that hit near a pro-democracy protest site in Bangkok. The attack occurred at Samyan Intersection at around 6pm, leaving 4 people injured, including 2 policemen. Bangkok police chief Phukphong Phongpetra says the device used appears to be a pingpong bomb, which was filled with nails.
Demonstrators gathered yesterday in front of Samyan Mitrtown shopping mall to protest enforcement of Thailand’s royal defamation law, which has been used sweepingly since the protests started up again last year. Riot police were deployed to the site as well as to Victory Monument, where police dispersed a group of activists earlier yesterday.
Since November, at least 43 people have been charged with lese majeste, including underage students, with most being comprised of activists that helped organise the protests in Bangkok calling for monarchy reforms.
“The government does not wish to see a rise in infections caused by political rallies. Therefore, we’d like to ask for cooperation from the public to comply with measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
The cooler weather is expected to last for another 2 days, after a cold spell from China washed over Thailand, with the northern part of the country expected to see a drop of up to 8 degrees Celsius in temperature.
Authorities are banning any unauthorised gatherings under the Emergency Decree, as Anucha confirms the need to carry out the decree as well as Thailand’s Communicable Disease Act measures.
SOURCE: Khaosod English
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