AirAsia seeks to start units in Singapore, VietnamAn AirAsia aircraft is seen parked at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)KUALA LUMPUR - Low-cost budget carrier AirAsia is seeking to start units in Singapore and Vietnam, the Edge reported. The company wants a presence in those markets even while recognizing it won’t be the biggest player there, the paper said, citing Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of AirAsia’s parent Capital A Bhd. AirAsia already has operations in Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia. Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia is planning to ramp up flights to countries with visa-free travel such as Japan and China, according to Thai AirAsia chief executive Santisuk Klongchaiya.

During our family visit to Chiang Mai, we visited a place called the "monkey school" at the suggestion of our driver. However, when we were entering, it came to us as a shock that the fee for each person was 200 baht. But our family thought it would probably be worth it as my brother and I would enjoy seeing the cute monkeys. But we saw about 10 monkeys chained to the concrete floor and caged in very small areas. Although I live in South Korea now, I will visit Chiang Mai again this summer from June through August.

In a community of Khok Muang in Buri Ram, the tradition of tie-dye fabric reflects the local culture. A distinctive tradition passed down through generations involves using silk fabric imprinted with patterns extracted from carvings on the stone pillars of Prasat Muang Tam, an ancient Khmer Hindu temple.

The immediate action was the opening of a Commerce Department investigation into security threats, which could lead to new regulations or restrictions on Chinese vehicles. "China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices," Biden said in a statement accompanying the announcement. (Photo: New York Times)At Biden's direction, the Commerce Department has begun an investigation into the threat from technology embedded in Chinese EVs. Administration officials noted that American auto manufacturers that sold vehicles to customers in China were essentially forced by Chinese officials to use Chinese software in their vehicles. Biden officials said the investigation could result in new US restrictions on vehicles that depended on software from China.

Visa-free accessRe: "Myanmar influx 'no cause for concern' ", (BP, Feb 24). We should very quickly add Myanmar to the list of countries whose citizens don't need prior approval or visas on arrival. About 80% of international travellers to Thailand now enter on 30- or 90-day visa exemptions, and those from Myanmar should be at least as law-abiding as the others. As the draft gets underway, people will be pressured to cross our porous border without documentation, causing multiple problems. Thailand is one of the world's fastest-ageing societies, increasing the burden on working-age Thais to support their elders.

Baht projected to weaken following poor economic figuresAn employee counts bundles of 1,000-baht banknotes at a gold shop in Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown. BofA Global Research said the baht consolidated recently as equity outflows stabilised before turning to small net inflows in February. "The baht is exposed to rising freight costs, as this could add to import bills," the research noted. BofA projects the currency to trade at 36 baht to the greenback by the end of the first quarter. "That would likely result in lower baht volatility in the second half of the year and appreciation from current levels," noted the research.

Six airlines will add 38 flights during the Songkran holiday to help ease the problem of expensive tickets for domestic flights, said Transport Minister Suriya Juengrungreangkit yesterday. The extra flights add 13,000 more seats during the period, said Mr Suriya following a meeting on lowering domestic fares during holiday periods held by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by representatives from Thai Airways (THAI), Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Thai LionAir, NokAir, and Thai Vietjet, who agreed to 38 extra special domestic flights on April 11–12 and April 15–16 to destinations including Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, and Khon Kaen. The CAAT said the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation industry and a 30% increase in fuel excise tax are the main causes of higher ticket fares. Convenient and fast service, as well as safety and reasonable prices, are the ministry's main goals, Mr Suriya added.

Bangkok, Thailand, 28 Feb, 2024 – JustCo's inaugural Future of Work Forum, held at their newly launched One City Centre premises in Bangkok, gathered business leaders and industry experts to explore futureproof hybrid work solutions. The JustCo Future of Work Forum explored the pertinent issues in the hybrid work era, sustainable solutions that could better equip the future workforce and the importance. “Human connections matter more than ever in the hybrid work era, as businesses emerging from the pandemic navigate the search for the best hybrid work models and flexible workspace solutions that engage employees of diverse backgrounds and ages. With increased emphasis on work-life balance facilitated by hybrid work, the importance of fostering meaningful connections within the workplace has never been greater. Joy Lertpitakkit, Vice President and Head of JustCo Thailand, gave interviews with honoured guests from the Thai media and discussed the aims and insights of the first JustCo Future of Work Forum.

Pirapan says electricity bills to stay at same ratePirapan: No plan to raise priceEnergy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga on Wednesday assured the public that electricity bills will not rise from May to August as the ministry is committed to maintaining the present power tariff for households at 4.18 baht per unit. Mr Pirapan, who is also a deputy prime minister, said yesterday the current fuel tariff (Ft) rate was set at 4.18 baht per unit in January and will end in April. "We want to maintain the present rate as long as possible. "I am confident that people will not see a spike in electricity bills as we are working hard to alleviate financial burdens on the people," he said. At present, the government also provides a Ft rate of 3.99 baht per unit for households that use electricity, amounting to no more than 300 units per month.

Under the leadership of Mr. Auttapol Rerkpiboon, President & CEO, PTT has seen its brand value surge to over USD 8 billion, climbing 78 spots to rank 267th this year. Yet, PTT managed to secure a Brand Strength Index score of 82/100, showcasing a robust 25% growth in brand value to USD 8.3 billion. This growth is attributed to PTT’s diversified strategies, notably its investments in digital capital markets and expansion into renewable energy ventures. For 45 years, PTT has been at the forefront of fostering sustainable growth and enhancing the quality of life within Thai society. This continued success underscores PTT’s pivotal role in shaping the future of the energy sector, both in Thailand and across the ASEAN region.

MFP pushes for fairer labour lawsA Move Forward Party (MFP) labour network will submit its draft for a new Labour Protection Act to the House today as the current law has been in place for 26 years and has never been changed. According to the MFP's website, the current welfare system and labour protection mechanisms do not provide enough coverage for 39 million labourers. The draft demands employers pay their employees every 30 days, including weekends, holidays and during sick leave. The draft specifies that a labourer's maximum working hours be 40 hours per week, or eight hours a day. The MFP says the changes are expected to improve labourers' quality of life.

The firm reported on GoldPickaxe.iOS -- a previously unknown iOS Trojan capable of collecting identity documents, facial recognition data and intercepting SMS. This Trojan specifically targeted Thailand and Vietnam, impersonating local banks and government organisations. News on Thailand's policy on facial biometric verification was released in March 2023, to be enforced by July. Ransomware attacks in Asia-Pacific rose 39% year-on-year in 2023, with manufacturing and real estate companies the most common victims, said Group-IB. The government, military, manufacturing, and finance and banking sectors were subject to 5,789 attacks during the last six months of 2023.

Cabinet sees nation as halal hubA visitor looks at food items at a halal food fair. Mr Srettha said he discussed with the King of Brunei and the prime minister of Malaysia jointly developing a halal food centre. The majority of these exports were in the naturally halal food group, including rice, grains and sugar cane. There are 15,043 halal food producers and more than 3,500 halal food establishments in Thailand. "The government is fully committed to establishing halal industry centres and expanding the halal product market, especially efforts to make Thailand a global halal kitchen."

India's 'no' at WTO may just mean 'not yet'Farmers shout slogans as they burn an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers at a protest site at Shambhu Barrier, the border between Punjab and Haryana states, on Friday. India's welfare state, like so many others, is not set up for modern concerns and problems. This very week, some of India's farmers are protesting again -- a reminder that, if India says no, it is because a large subset of Indians are saying no. And a large subset of Indians can often mean a group of people larger than the populations of most WTO member states. India's "no" at the WTO is sometimes "not just yet".

Dip in deposits for 2023Customers use automatic teller machines and cash deposit machines at a department store in 2021. In 2023, deposits amounted to 16 trillion baht, down by 80.4 billion baht or 0.5% compared with the previous year. Mr Songpol said the factors for this shift came from two segments —deposit amounts not exceeding 1 million baht, and deposits exceeding 10 million baht. Mr Songpol said deposits in the top-tier segment, or those exceeding 10 million baht also declined last year. Normally, deposit growth would be in line with GDP growth.