Authorities of Thailand are intensifying the screening of imported goods to prevent the smuggling of substandard products and protect domestic industries. Thailand's Industry Minister Akanat Promphan (Photo: bangkokpost.com)Bangkok (VNA) – Authorities of Thailand are intensifying the screening of imported goods to prevent the smuggling of substandard products and protect domestic industries. It has ordered the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) to work closely with the Customs Department to close the EXEMPT 5 import channel on October 1 to prevent the smuggling of substandard goods. The items imported through EXEMPT 5 were TISI-controlled goods that were not for sale and were imported in limited quantities. They were exempt from permits or certificates due to the minimal quantities involved, making the channel a loophole for low-quality imports.

White rice price dips as India lifts banListen to this articleThe domestic price of Thai white rice has begun to decrease following India's resumption of non-basmati white rice exports. However, this shift has yet to affect this year's rice export volume, according to Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association. "Buyers and sellers are evaluating the potential impact of increased Indian rice supplies and are uncertain about the actual sales price of Indian rice exporters," he said. Lifting the export ban increased the global supply of white rice by up to 5-6 million tonnes. Rice exports in the first eight months of 2024 tallied 6.57 million tonnes, up 1.28 million tonnes or 24% year- on-year.

Florida residents are bracing for the storm, filling sandbags as Hurricane Milton is forecast to rapidly intensify and become a major hurricane on Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday (October 6).

Tough days for PMListen to this articleAfter just a month in public office, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is facing growing political pressure. In response, Ms Paetongtarn has expressed disappointment, urging critics to give her government time, having only been in office for a month. According to the latest quarterly poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), Ms Paetongtarn now leads the pack. However, being the daughter of Thaksin, Ms Paetongtarn cannot escape the political scrutiny that has followed her every step. Numerous complaints have been filed against both Ms Paetongtarn and the Pheu Thai Party, calling for investigations into their qualifications and ethical standards.

Gross domestic product grew 7.4% year-on-year in the third quarter, surpassing the second quarter's revised 7.09% expansion, the government's General Statistics Office said in a report. "The world economy is stabilising as global trade in goods improves, inflationary pressures ease, financial conditions continue to loosen and labour supply increases," the statistics office said. "The storm brought an end to a period of strong growth in the sector," said Andrew Harker, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. Consumer prices in September rose 2.63% from a year earlier, the statistics office said in its Sunday report. This year's growth is "supported by continued strong external demand, resilient foreign direct investment, and accommodative policies", the IMF said in a report.

"Taste of Kaen" is part of the "Made in Khon Kaen" program, promoting culinary tourism through ingredient stories. Enjoy dishes like Pa Ped, a raw beef salad with fermented rice sausage, and Pa Tum, a yam bean salad. The meal features Khao Hang Fai rice and ends with sato-poached guava, showcasing Khon Kaen's culinary heritage.

Mr Patipat acted on behalf of Chonlada’s family after the tragedy. On Aug 1 he raised the amount to 1 million baht but police refused the offer. They reported the matter to a supervisor and Mr Patipat was charged with bribery. Police subsequently found that Chonlada had four life insurance policies worth 11 million baht and listed Mr Patipat as the beneficiary. Following his arrest this week, Mr Patipat initially denied any involvement and claimed he and the victim were high-school friends, and she trusted him to take care of her son.

(Photo: Apichart Jinakul)All 143 members of parliament from the court-dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP) joined their new political home on Friday, renamed the People’s Party. “We will continue to push for the improvement and fixing of this law, which is still problematic.”The Move Forward Party's Facebook page changed its name and logo to 'People's Party' on Friday. His selection came as a surprise to many political observers, who had expected Move Forward deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakun to move into the leadership. Ms Sirikanya will remain deputy leader of the People’s Party. The People’s Party is planning a series of events on Saturday to introduce itself to the public, at Stadium One in the Sam Yan area of Bangkok, from 10am to 8pm.

The group’s calculation is based on registered workers under Section 33 of the Social Security Act, which refers only to employees who had been working for companies. The outlook is bleak for blue-collar Thai workers as factories have reduced shifts or laid off workers, while some other plants have shut down permanently, said Tanit Sorat, the vice-chairman of EconThai. “The Thai economy is slowing down. According to EconThai, the unemployment rate of 2% is higher than the number provided by the National Statistical Office (NSO), which reports an unemployment rate of only 0.9%. “The 0.9% rate does not reflect realistic data, as it suggests Thailand has the third-lowest unemployment rate in the world, which seems improbable,” said Mr Tanit.

NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol said the commission has found grounds to proceed and ordered an inquiry against the 44 MFP MPs who supported the bill. Once finished, he said the 44 MPs in question will be summoned to clarify the allegations against them. "Using the Constitutional Court ruling alone [as a basis for the investigation] won't be fair to the accused," he said. The investigation will be thorough, taking all facts and legal aspects into consideration, he said, before adding the Constitutional Court ruling will be taken into consideration. He claimed the Constitutional Court rulings could be used as evidence and the NACC does not necessarily have to conduct an investigation.

Move Forward MPs display the three-finger salute in parliament after the Constitutional Court ordered the party’s dissolution on Wednesday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Thursday acknowledged concerns expressed by other countries about the court-ordered dissolution of the Move Forward Party, but insisted that Thailand is a free and democratic nation that is not swayed by foreign influence. “I am certain that all Thai people understand we will not allow a foreign nation to interfere with our sovereignty,” Mr Srettha told reporters. He expressed confidence that Move Forward would respect the court ruling and proceed accordingly. Mr Srettha said he had met with security officials to discuss potential demonstrations that might arise following the ruling, but no threats have been found.

Friday launch of new party follows court-ordered dissolution, but with no ‘cobras’ this timeSirikanya Tansakun, deputy leader of the dissolved Move Forward Party, is tipped to lead a new party that will be officially introduced on Friday. (Photo: @MFPThailand on X)All 143 MPs from the dissolved Move Forward Party (MFP) have applied for membership in a new party, confirmation that there will be no “cobras” in the now-disbanded opposition party. MPs from Move Forward will attend a meeting to set up the new party at the Thai Summit Tower on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok on Friday, the public relations team of the dissolved party said on Thursday. Other members and party staff across the country will also join the meeting, which will pick party executives and work out policy guidelines and direction. Ms Sirikanya, the deputy leader of Move Forward, is not among the 11 banned party executives.

Taekwondo-Panipak wins historic flyweight goldListen to this articlePanipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand celebrates on the podium after winning the Gold medal. (Photo: Reuters)PARIS - Panipak Wongpattanakit made history at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, becoming the first person from Thailand to win two gold medals when she defended her Tokyo title in the taekwondo women's flyweight division against China's Guo Qing. Panipak won 6-3 2-3 6-2, clinching the victory with two kicks to the head, which yielded three points each. Panipak had already risen to fame in her home country by getting Thailand's first gold medal in taekwondo in Tokyo. Panipak Wongpattanakit of Thailand in action with Qing Guo of China.

Illustrative image (Photo: https://www.bangkokpost.com/)Bangkok (NNT) - The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has launched the "Financing the Transition" initiative in collaboration with eight commercial banks. The programme aims to support businesses in transitioning towards environmental sustainability, tailored to the local context. During the "Financing the Transition: Sustainable Financing for Business Transition" event at BoT headquarters, the initiative was introduced with participation from Bangkok Bank, Krungthai Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Kasikornbank, Kiatnakin Phatra Bank, TMBThanachart Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, and United Overseas Bank (UOB). BoT Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput emphasised the financial sector's crucial role in aiding Thai businesses, particularly SMEs, to adopt sustainable environmental practices. It covers critical economic sectors such as food and beverage manufacturing, agriculture, construction,real estate, and hospitality./.

PTTEP banking on Ghasha investmentThe Erawan gas block in the Gulf of Thailand, operated by PTT Exploration and Production Plc. PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) expects its new investment in the Ghasha concession in the United Arab Emirates to increase its petroleum reserves, making them sufficient for sale for up to seven years. Additional reserves came after the company's wholly-owned PTTEP Mena Co signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire a 10% stake in the Ghasha concession from Wintershall Dea Middle East GmbH, said Panporn Sasananan, senior vice-president for finance at PTTEP. According to Ms Panporn, the Ghasha concession includes a pioneering development which aims to operate at net-zero emissions. In 2024, PTTEP expects its petroleum sales to decrease due to the maintenance programmes of petroleum production facilities in the Gulf of Thailand.