Thailand
Yingluck falls ill; Police denies rumors about key burglary suspect

– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community
The Nation
According to a source close to the prime minister, Yingluck appeared faint, complained of a headache and vomited during a lunch break at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi. She had earlier inspected a flooded area of Pak Kret district of the province north of Bangkok for almost two hours.
She did not look well and her smiles to welcoming local residents appeared forced.
During the lunch break, Yingluck excused herself and left shortly afterwards. Her schedule for the afternoon was cancelled, according to the source.
Government Spokeswoman Thitima Chaisang said yesterday the prime minister had a headache because she was exposed to strong sunlight while outdoors, but insisted the premier had not vomited.
According to the spokesperson, Yingluck ate only a light meal in the morning as she was recovering from a bout of food poisoning. She said that during her visit to Vietnam on Wednesday, Yingluck did not have solid food and only drank some water and glucose for refreshment.
“At Muang Thong Thani, the prime minister joined staff for a lunch break but did not eat anything. She left immediately after developing a headache,” the spokeswoman said.
Yingluck was discharged from hospital on Wednesday after being treated for one day for food poisoning. She went to Vietnam on a whirlwind visit shortly after being discharged.
Yesterday morning, the prime minister presided over a ceremony at Government House where state officials gathered and vowed to serve honestly, as part of the celebrations of His Majesty the King’s birthday this month. Participating in the ceremony were Cabinet members, military commanders, senior bureaucrats and civil servants, and representatives of state enterprises.
There are rumors that the key suspect in the burglary of Transport Ministry permanent secretary Suphoth Sublom’s home last month is being protected by a personal security detail and is on the run in Laos.
Bangkok police chief Pol. Lt. General Winai Thongsong immediately dismissed this report, adding that talk of the alleged ringleader Weerasak Chuelee traveling freely in and out of Vietnam and China was unfounded.
“We found that these rumors about him are just not true,” he added. “There are so many rumors about him – that his moves are being financed and that he is being protected by bodyguards. We don’t know if these guards are Thai or Lao. These are just tip-offs.”
— Phuket Gazette Editors
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Thailand
Thailand News Today | Thai army trim the Generals, sugar making Thais fat | March 8

71 new Covid cases in Thailand today, the generals are being told they’re going to face pay cuts and a Thai doctors has issued a warning about the link between Thai’s love for sugary sweets and life-threatening diseases… there goes my afternoon donut. And don’t worry, I’m not going to sing my way through the news today, it’s just nice and cool in my home studio so you can enjoy the cool with me. We’ve also got a new segment at the end of the news today… you’ll see that soon enough.
71 new coronavirus cases have been announced today, 31 of them from the hotzone of Samut Sakhon, just south of Bangkok. This beings the total number of confirmed cases in Thailand to 26,441.
The death toll remains at 85 people.
The Thai Army, Navy and Air Force are aiming to trim the number of generals in the ranks by 25% by 2029. But plenty of critics say the plan is probably just more words and won’t ever happen.
A Thai doctor is reminding Thais about the clear links between eating sugary foods and the risk of various life-threatening diseases, including cancer. The doctor warns that high consumption of sugar can trigger everything from fatty liver, clogged arteries and liver cancer. 4 million Thais have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Hotels in the northern province of Chiang Mai have been forced to slash rates by up to 90%, desperately trying to attract more local tourists. The northern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, claims, with tourists mainly favouring the southern beach destinations over the past month month, hotel operators in the north are now planning for low season.
Anti-government activists gathered at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument yesterday. Although the anti-government protests have kicked off again after a 2 month hiatus, the numbers are well down on last years crowds, now measuring more in the hundreds than the thousands.
Meanwhile the protest leader Panusaya aka “Rung”, has been hit with a fine of nearly 6 million baht. Her crime? Allegedly removing plants at the Democracy Monument. Panusaya and 5 other activists have been charged with removing plants placed as decoration around the monument, during a political rally back on February 13.
Various groups, including Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Committee, continue to criticise the Thai government’s use of the country’s lèse majesté laws, with Amnesty International describing it as an attempt to silence dissent.
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Thailand
Local Thai politician arrested after allegedly firing shots at a pub

A local politician allegedly shot 4 people at a pub in Nakhon Phanom. Witnesses told the Bangkok Post that the man started firing shots at throughout the pub because he was drunk and unhappy with the table service. Police arrested 58 year old Paisal Saengnarai, who is a kamnan, the governing official of a tambon or sub district.
Witnesses say the kamnan of tambon Na-ngua at the pub drinking with friends when he got unhappy with the waiter. He then walked out to his car, drove to the front of the pub, grabbed his 9mm CZ pistol and started firing random shots in the pub, witnesses said, according to the Bangkok Post.
8 to 9 shots were fired, hitting 4 customers at the pub. They were rushed to Ban Phaeng Hospital. Paisal was arrested on a firearms charge.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Quarantine for vaccinated travellers to be reduced to 7 days

The mandatory quarantine period for those who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus will be reduced from 14 days to 7 days, Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirankul said in a press conference. Those who have not been vaccinated, but have a medical certificate declaring that they are Covid-free, will be required to quarantine to 10 days, Anutin said, according to Reuters.
The health minister says vaccinations must be administered within 3 months of travelling to Thailand. Travellers must still show negative Covid-19 test results issued within 72 hours of their departure to Thailand. Those travelling from Africa must still quarantine for 14 days due to concerns about new variants of the coronavirus.
SOURCE: Reuters
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