Manager of the Bangkok Bank’s Credit Card Division, Choke Na Ranong said the card will provide discounts up to 50% for leading hotels, restaurants, spas and golf courses nationwide. The holders can receive up to 15,000 THB back to their account if purchased under the bank’s conditions. The Bangkok Bank expected 40,000 card holders on their first annual launch.
The manager added that the Credit card outlook for 2010 is bright, with a likely increase by 20-25% from a total of 950,000 activated cards. Travel stimulus type of credit cards are most registered by consumers.
Mr Choke continued to say that the Non Performing Loan (NPL) will have a slight increase at about 2% compared to last year, which is considered as an acceptable level.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor, Vunsadej Thavarasukha claimed that Thailand’s tourism has shown a positive sign since the forth quarter of 2009. Mr Vunsadej believed that 16 million tourists would flock to Thailand with the total income of 600 billion THB.
Nevertheless, there were some negative factors that would impact the national tourism, such as domestic political uncertainty and the influenza A (H1N1) virus outbreak.
]]>The latest Suan Dusit Poll was conducted among people in Bangkok and other provinces on 20 July 2009 on how to communicate the A (H1N1) situation effectively. The poll showed that the majority or 89.50% backed daily news presentation on the flu virus while 9.39% called for a weekly basis as planned, and only 1.11% said the matter should not be publicized.
The majority or 49.76% wanted to be informed of the preventive measures and treatments while 25.84% wished to be able to identify preliminary flu symptoms, and another 13.88% were interested in the transmission and spreading of the virus. About 66.30% viewed that the most effective means for propagating information about the flu was via television, followed by radio, newspapers, websites, cell phones and personal acknowledgement by health officials.
In addition, the survey indicated that the majority of respondents or 80.04% had some knowledge of the H1N1 virus; 10.68% had very good knowledge and the other 7.18% admitted to being uninformed. Up to 90.61% said they were not ashamed of wearing face masks while the other 9.39% said they were.
]]>Deputy Permanent Secretary of Public Health Ministry, Doctor Siriwat Thiptharadon talked about the progress of Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine production in Thailand that the vaccine production would provide safety and security for the Thai people. Meanwhile the Public Health Ministry had set up three committees to take care of the efficiency of vaccine production according to the standard of the World Health Organization (WHO). They are a sub- committee on vaccination test in human, a sub-committee on vaccine registration, and a sub-committee on vaccine production promotion.
These committees comprise experts from WHO, the Faculty of Pharmacy from many universities, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) and the Department of Medical Science.
The first lot of pilot vaccine was expected to be launched during August, then it would be tested in animal and human according to the international standard, if it did not work, it would not be used definitely.
Regarding the confusion over the approved budget of 600 million baht, he explained that it was not used for the vaccine production investment, but it was used to buy 2 million doses of vaccine, which would be imported from the big vaccine producer in France. The vaccine would reach Thailand in December 2009.
]]>Following the Cabinet’s resolution yesterday to decelerate the toll of the flu infected people by closing tutoring institutions for 15 days during July 13 to 28, the Secretary General of PEC stated that the tuition centers were willing to comply with such a strategy. He explained that the tutoring agencies had been cooperative by providing students with face masks and hand-washing gels and allowing them to skip the class when they had a fever.
However, he admitted that the agencies would have to face with the difficulties in terms of rescheduling make-up classes for the students. Extra classes must also be arranged for students who wanted to further their study in universities who would soon have to sit in the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Professional and Academic Aptitude Test (PAT).
]]>Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, stated that the strategies used by the Thai Public Health Ministry to handle the H1N1 virus outbreak were on the right track and corresponded with the ones used by the WHO. He explained that the ministry’s assurance that the disease did not contain hazardous effects was not a distortion of fact.
In regards to the soaring number of flu-infected patients as well as the death toll in the country, which had become the highest in the region, Dr. Samlee clarified that such increases were due to the country’s effective measures in monitoring and reporting the development of the virus situation.
Dr. Samlee also asked the people not to be overanxious with the virus outbreak. He suggested that they keep themselves healthy, follow the suggestions by the Ministry of Public Health, frequently wash their hands and follow up the virus situation. The Regional Director also commented on the government’s plan to close some game shops and tuition agencies, saying that, although it would not prevent the spread of the virus, it could encourage the public to be more health-oriented.
]]>Dr. Somchai noted a-57-year-old woman, contracting the new virus strain and earlier reported to be in critical condition as she has symptoms of pneumonia, has gradually recovered.
The World Health Organization (WHO) elevated the A(H1N1) strain to pandemic status earlier this month and the latest cumulative total of patients around the world was reported at about 52,000, with 231 deaths. (TNA)
]]>Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Paijit Warachit said that from now on his ministry will issue more detailed reports of influenza A (H1N1) infection figures. The new reports will distinguish between severe infections and patients confirmed to have been infected but experiencing mild symptoms. The change was prompted by fears of panic over the ballooning figures.
The ministry also admitted that one infection in a 50-year-old woman had been found to be especially worrying as the patient already had a number of other ailments. Siriraj medical personnel and some private medical professionals are working together to study the case by endoscopy. The ministry reminded citizens however that the severity of the H1N1 flu was dependent on the physical health of each individual.
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