Thailand reports rising number of new COVID-19 cases
Thailand logged 22,782 new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, bringing the national count to 839,771, announced the country’s Ministry of Health on August 12.
Health workers give a person COVID-19 vaccine shot in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand logged 22,782 new COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, bringing the national count to 839,771, announced the country’s Ministry of Health on August 12.
The death toll was raised to 6,942 after 147 fatalities were reported on the day.
The latest mass tests in Bangkok capital and surrounding provinces were carried out by 41 Comprehensive COVID-19 Response (CCR) teams comprising 400 doctors and medical workers between August 1 and 10, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Public Health Yongyot Thammawut said.
If the CCR teams, joined by Rural Doctors Society, could continue with the testing in Bangkok for the next two weeks, infections could be lowered, he said.
It would allow the sick to undergo treatment and be kept from others, which would reduce transmission and prevent their conditions from worsening. Many fatalities could also be averted, the official added./.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is racing against time to give COVID-19 vaccines to target groups, especially senior citizens, to reduce their death rate, reported the Bangkok Post newspaper.
Investment applications in Thailand in the first half of this year rose 158 percent from a year earlier to 386 billion THB (11.5 billion USD), led by the electronics and medical sectors.
The State-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) plans to import an additional 1,200 megawatts of electricity from hydroelectric power plants in Laos under a long-term purchase contract, reported the local newspaper Bangkok Post.
The Thai Cabinet on August 10 approved a relief package worth 33.47 billion THB (1 billion USD) to help 6.69 million workers in 29 "dark red zone" provinces registered under Sections 39 and 40 of the Social Security Act.
Japan pledged to increase support for Thailand in promoting carbon neutrality to help the Southeast Asian country rebuild its economy which is being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on August 11.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Health workers give a person COVID-19 vaccine shot in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
