The France-Thailand Business Forum (FTBF) hosted the 3rd France-Thailand Business Forum in collaboration with the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking, and MEDEF International, at The Athenee Hotel, Bangkok. Joining the event were representatives from more than 20 French leading companies in the energy, environment, logistics, infrastructure management, smart city, and sustainability sectors. The special forum staged presentations on two key topics: “Transport & Mobility and BCG”, and “decarbonisation and Smart City”. In attendance were top government officials, industry leaders, and business personnel from both the French and Thai public sectors. MEDEF International is a private, non-profit organisation founded in 1989 by MEDEF, the French Business Confederation.

Consumption is forecast to slow in the fourth quarter, however, and November figures due later Friday will give a sense of the depth of any weakness. The change to the consumer-spending figure reflected upward revisions to spending on personal care and financial services, particularly portfolio management and investment advice. Inventories were revised lower on wholesale trade, especially nondurable goods, according to the report. The change in private inventories dragged down the rate of GDP growth by 0.03 percentage point in the quarter, revised from a boost of 0.17 point. Excluding the typically volatile trade and inventories components of GDP, final sales to domestic purchasers increased at a 2.2% pace that was revised from 2%.

Authorities would discuss the matter with employees towards the end of this year, he said. Arkhom said Thailand’s inflation would remain high for the rest of this year, eventually forcing the Bank of Thailand to raise its policy interest rate, which has remained unchanged at 0.50 per cent. “The Thai economy is suffering impacts not only from Covid-19 but also high inflation resulting from the Ukraine war. Inflation this year is unlikely to go down to levels seen many years ago,” said the finance minister. However, Thailand’s inflation rate is still considered low when compared to other countries, he added.

It was Thailand’s first day of fully reopening to foreign tourists. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)Thailand fully reopened to foreign visitors on Friday when entry restrictions, particularly the Thailand Pass regis­tration requirement, were eased further. Phuket's high numbersThanet Tantipiriyakit, chairman of the Phuket Tourism Council, said lifting Thailand Pass will ensure easier entry into the country. After the pandemic hit, domestic tourist numbers dropped to 570,000 while there were fewer than 700 foreign visitors last year. Tourism income from Thai tourists shrunk to 2.2 billion baht and there was only 7.7 million baht from foreign visitors last year, he said.

Bangkok also has a “sister city” deal with St Petersburg. The photos of the meeting were posted on the Russian Embassy’s Facebook page on Friday. Chadchart also invited Russian communities and business people living in Thailand to participate in Bangkok’s upcoming festivals including the Open-Air Film Festival and frequent Music in the Garden events. Former Bangkok governor Bhichit Rattakul, who served from 1996 to 2000, signed a Protocol of Friendly Ties with his Moscow counterpart on June 19, 1997, to promote the exchange of culture, education, science, tourism and sports between the two cities. Bhichit also signed the Protocol on Cooperation with his counterpart in St Petersburg to promote ties in the fields of education, culture, technology, industry, environment, tourism, economy, science, and trading.

The Tobacco Authority of Thailand (TOAT) is seeking new revenue streams amid declining cigarette sales. Development of organic tobacco with TOAT and R&D on the leaves will take two years, he said. Civilize Agriculture plans to test the plantation of organic tobacco leaves at the authority's plots in Chiang Mai province. He said the company wants to test products from the organic tobacco leaves to ensure they comply with the Food and Drug Administration's standards. Col Chartiwat said the planting organic tobacco leaves can increase their value by at least five times.

That exceeded the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists, while the nominal spending gain of 0.4% matched forecasts. Consumers have carried the economy in 2019 amid fluctuations in trade policy, weakness in manufacturing and a pullback in business investment. Nominal personal income rose 0.5% in November from the prior month, exceeding the median estimate for a 0.3% gain, with wages and salaries advancing a healthy 0.4%. Inflation-adjusted disposable income rose 0.4% following a 0.2% drop in October, while the personal saving rate rose to 7.9%. The figures indicate consumption is stabilizing following softer-than-expected retail sales across some categories earlier this month.

The S&P 500 index had its biggest weekly gain since September and was on pace to gain 28% this year. The benchmark hit a new peak Friday, led by technology and health-care shares, while the Stoxx Europe 600 also reached all-time high. The Treasury yield curve remained near its steepest in more than a year, underscoring how recession worries have receded. -The MSCI World index of developed countries climbed 0.4% to 2,349.13, the highest on record. -The yield on two-year Treasuries gained less than one basis point to 1.63%, the highest in a week.

The PM has assigned the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to discuss the matter with the agencies, said government spokesperson Traisuree Traisaranakul on Friday. The PM came up with the idea after realising that high land prices are a major obstacle to the government’s low-priced housing scheme, she added. “The prime minister places great importance on housing for low-income earners. He views living quarters as security for people and a foundation for battling social inequality,” Traisuree said. Gen Prayut proposed that the agencies could enter into long-term land-lease agreements with the housing scheme, which is run by the National Housing Authority and Community Organisations Development Institute.

Yellow and Pink lines to begin trial runs this yearThe Yellow Line electric railway project is under construction on Srinagarindra Road in Bangkok last month. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Yellow and Pink monorail lines are expected to begin trial runs in October, with partial operations to start early next year, according to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. Construction of the 49 billion baht Yellow Line is 93% finished, while the 52.6 billion baht Pink Line is 88.5% complete, Mr Saksayam said. He added the ministry will negotiate with the operators of other mass transit systems over a possible waiver of entry fees for commuters who change routes on their journey. The Yellow Line has received 28 out of 30 trains from its supplier while the Pink Line has received 26 out of 42, with the remaining trains due to be delivered this month and in October."

Breakthroughs of Medical Applications from Taiwan Helped Explore Potentials of Different Industries“Taiwan” stunned, shaking up the healthcare industry with the Taiwan Excellence Webinar under the theme “Smart Medical Applications” graced by five Taiwanese ICT-medical brands that showcased their most innovative products, taking med-tech equipment applications to new heights. The device supports Dual Screens to enable better interaction between healthcare providers and patients, coming with an External USB Cable to connect to PCs and Laptops. The software comes with its mobile application for patients to access their treatment data and efficiently communicate with their healthcare providers for personalised professional treatment. One of its most notable all-in-one panel PCs is none other than the 2022 Taiwan Excellence Award-winning Hawkeye. For more information, please visit https://www.unitedorthopedic.com/The Taiwan Excellence webinar attracted more than 200 registrations, welcoming online viewers from over 10 countries, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Italy, France, Iran, Germany, and the U.K.

Published byThe Bangkok PostDespite being a remake, CODA delivers drama, music and comedy published : 1 Jul 2022 at 04:00 newspaper section: [Life](http://search.bangkokpost.com/search/result_advanced?category=news&xNewsSection=Life) La Famille Bélier became my favourite film of the year as soon as I saw it for the first time in 2014. I liked it not because it was a foreign indie film or because I’m a fan of musicals, but because it was different from formulaic teen singing flicks like Pitch Perfect (2012) or Bandslam (2009), which were popular at the time. The film was a heartwarming comedy-drama that checked the boxes …Read More

Deputy government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek on Thursday posted a warning on her Facebook page, citing information from the Thai embassy in the island state. She said that cannabis and hemp are considered illicit drugs in Singapore, although Thailand has legalised the plant since June 9. According to the embassy in Singapore, the use or possession of marijuana carries an imprisonment of up to 10 years or a maximum fine of 20,000 Singapore dollars (about 508,000 baht). Those who trade in marijuana or smuggle into or out of Singapore risk capital punishment. The embassy urged Thai travellers to refrain from carrying cannabis, hemp or products containing the plant into Singapore, as they could risk the severe punishments.

Eateries using cannabis must inform customers firstA woman eats food at a stall where there is a sign indicating that its food is free of cannabis, in Din Daeng district of Bangkok on June 23, 2022. The notice requires eateries that incorporate cannabis into their food and beverages to inform all their customers in advance. Restaurateurs are prohibited from showing or advertising any message indicating cannabis can prevent or cure illnesses, he said. When they visit eateries, they must know if the places use cannabis in their cooking, what dishes contain cannabis and how much cannabis is used,” Dr Rungruang said. “They can then decide if they should consume any food or not.”Cannabis-free eateries should have signs to inform their potential customers, he said.

“When the new law is enacted, this practice cannot go on because all marijuana-based goods must first be approved by the authorities. However, we are in a vacuum period right now and we cannot control it,” Supachai admitted. He is requesting the Chana Songkram police to monitor Khaosan Road activities to prevent such trade. The bill is aimed at allowing marijuana and hemp to be used for medical purposes and for making cash products, not for recreational use, he made it clear. The bill has been drafted based on public opinions from all sectors so that the new law brings about benefits for the country, Supachai said.