A record heatwave with apparent temperatures soaring above 52 degrees Celsius has so far claimed 61 lives in Thailand, the Health Ministry reported in Bangkok on Friday. The figure is more than twice that recorded for heatstroke for the whole of 2023. Most of the deaths occurred in the north-east, where agriculture is an important part of the economy A heatwave over recent weeks has seen nighttime temperatures remain around 30 degrees in Bangkok and many other parts of the country. Midday apparent temperatures – a measure that includes humidity and windspeed along with air temperature – have r…