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Posts published by “Patsaporn”

As park trees wilt, Bangkok’s governor declares, “Benchakitti is not a golf course.”

Bangkok has not abandoned its responsibility to care for Benchakitti Forest Park, said governor Chadchart Sittipunt on Monday, in response to public complaints about wilting trees in the park. Several trees in the 300-rai public park in Klong Toei district are drooping, indicating a lack of watering and proper care, according to photos widely shared on social media. On Sunday, the Facebook page “Benchakitti Forest Park” posted photos of volunteer soldiers spraying water on the park’s trees. The posts prompted netizens to wonder why the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) was failing to maintain the park. Chadchart responded on Monday by stating that park maintenance had been outsourced. “Benchakitti Park is managed by a private company because it also serves as a learning center and has a complex design,” Chadchart explained. “Taking care of such a delicate public park is not the same as maintaining a golf course, where grass and…

An auction for three satellite slots brought in 806 million baht

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission auctioned three of five satellite orbital slot packages to three bidders for 806 million baht on Sunday. It stated none of the three qualified companies bid for packages one or five, but the commission auctioned the other three for 806.076 million baht. The commission approved three companies to bid last week: Space Tech Innovation, a Thaicom subsidiary, Prompt Technical Services, a 2000 electrical installation service company, and state-run National Telecom. Thailand received the following five packages from the International Telecommunication Union: Package 1: 50.5 degrees East slot with C1, N1, and P1R networks, and 51 degrees East slot with 51 network. The bidding began at 374 million baht. Package 2: 78.5 degrees East, with networks A2B and LSX2R. The bidding began at 360 million baht. Package 3: 119.5 degrees East on the IP1, P3, and LSX3R networks, and 120 degrees East on the 120E…

New plan to strengthen French ties

The French Embassy in Thailand has started a new cultural exchange program called “Sawasdee France” to strengthen the countries’ long-standing relationship. A party was held at the French Embassy over the weekend to kick off the program. There, businesses, educational institutions, and members of the Franco-Thai community set up booths and displays for the public to look at. People could also look at the art around the ambassador’s house. Eve Lubin, the French Embassy’s Counsellor for Culture and Cooperation, said that the embassy has been working to encourage the exchange of arts and culture between the two countries since 2004. At first, this was done through an event called La Fete (“The Party”). It has now decided to add more to what it has to offer. “It was a big success, but over time we saw that the activities went beyond parties and art swaps,” she said. “Through [Sawasdee France],…

Upgrade creates North prosperity highway

The Highways Department has completed a 699.54 million baht upgrade of a critical section of Highway No. 1 in Phayao province to improve transportation and tourism in the North. The department announced that it had completed the repaving of 27.88 kilometers of the four-lane highway known as the Phaholyothin highway. The highway is a vital link between Thailand and Laos. According to officials, the highway has been repaved from kilometer marker 814+000 to 881+325, passing through Ngao district in Lampang, Muang and Mae Jai districts in Phayao, and Phan district in Chiang Rai. Each side of the road has two 3.50 metre wide lanes. The asphalt became 15 centimetres thicker as a result of the upgrade. The Highways Department stated that the highway had been upgraded to improve safety because it connects Thailand and Laos. The upgrade is also part of the government’s strategy to hasten Thailand’s entry into the…

Lunar surge may top 1.8 million traveler at airport

On Sunday, Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s general manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn, predicted 1.81 million passengers for the Chinese New Year festival from January 16 to 28. He claimed the festival will see 10,965 flights, 7,635 international and 3,330 domestic. Ten airlines have requested 86 additional and charter flights: 84 international and two domestic, according to Kittipong. “T Way (26 flights), Jeju Air (24 flights), and Xiamen Airlines (10 flights) are the top three airlines that requested extra and charter flights, more check-in counters for 16 airlines had been added, as well as an increase in ground staff to alleviate congestion”, he added. Chinese interpreters will be on hand in force, and merchants have been asked to display Chinese-language banners during the festival. “To introduce visitors to public transportation services, the airport will show Chinese-language video clips,” Kittipong said. He advised passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure,…

Thailand’s demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is increasing this year.

Reservations for prominent BEV brands are forecasting high growth in the EV market in 2023, and consumer confidence is helping Thai EV, battery, and charging station production. After booking almost 4,000 Tesla models on the first day of the Telsa website accepting bookings last month, Thais are talking about battery electric cars (BEVs). BEVs are popular in Thailand before Tesla’s marketing. Last year, Thailand sold over 12,500 BEVs, a 212.5% increase from 2021. 24,000 BEVs were sold this year, up 92.0% over last year. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that a basic BEV had an average driving range of 349 km per charge in 2022, up 44% from 243 km in 2017. Fast charge technology allows direct current charging to 80% in under an hour. The Energy Ministry’s Energy Policy and Planning Office reported 944 charging stations nationwide. The Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT) reports 2,572 charger plugs…

250 young people went missing last year

A Mirror Foundation report says that more than 250 young people went missing last year, 25% higher than the number in 2021. This was the most in the last four years. Pol Maj Gen Saruti Khwaengsopha, commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD), revealed the report on Thursday during a missing people media briefing. The report said that 157 of them were middle school students whose friends or sexual desires led them to do it. Some left because of problems with their families. Most of the cases the foundation got were about women who had been sexually abused or who had joined a trafficking ring. The foundation received 70 reports from Bangkok, which accounted for the majority of missing persons cases. Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan (both with 17 cases), Pathum Thani (16), Chon Buri, and Nakorn Pathom also reported cases (both 9). According to the report, 61% of the missing…