Supattanapong said 49 per cent of the budget (Bt39.52 billion) will come from the Oil Fuel Fund, while 44 per cent (Bt35.22 billion) will come from the Social Security Fund. For the rest, 5 per cent (Bt3.74 billion) will come from the central budget, while 2 per cent (Bt1.76 billion) will be contributed by state-owned oil firm PTT. Bt100 cooking gas subsidy for 3.6 million state welfare card holders. Bt100 cooking gas subsidy for 5,500 vendors with state welfare cards. Price of cooking gas to be regulated from April to June and subsidised through the Oil Fuel Fund.

Face recognition tech joins Ukraine warUkrainian firefighters work amid the rubble in the northwest of the Ukranian capital Kyiv, (Photo: AFP)WASHINGTON: Ukraine is employing face recognition technology to identify invading Russian troops killed on its soil, a complex and unprecedented avenue for software already seen as problematic, experts said on Thursday. While this type of artificial intelligence could offer closure to families denied it by the fog of war or Kremlin secrecy, the potential for mistakes is considerable and consequential. Facial recognition arrives in the war as technology that has met with significant and sustained doubts, ranging from its intrusion on people's privacy to criticism it can make errors identifying people of color. Experts noted that face recognition could be particularly problematic when used on the dead, especially after battlefield wounds leave people looking very different than in a smiling, well-lit picture from a wedding, for example. "We can imagine a circumstance where the ability to reduce the number of people missing in action actually would help," he added, though he noted face recognition may not be the right solution.

"If Russia cared about the humanitarian situation, it would stop bombing children and end their siege tactics. Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council after the vote. A Security Council resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, Britain, France or the United States to be adopted. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused those who abstained on Wednesday of doing so "for political reasons." Explaining China's yes vote, Ambassador Zhang Jun said Beijing had a "strong expectation" that there should be an immediate ceasefire, but that while pushing for a halt to the fighting, the council should "also respond to the humanitarian crisis in a positive, pragmatic and constructive manner."

The stepped increases is the “Ft” tariff will last until April next year. The fuel adjustment cost, or Ft, is a variable tariff that reflects changes in the uncontrolled cost of utilities, such as fuel costs and purchasing power, which differ from the base tariff. The ERC reviews the Ft every four months – in January, May and September. ERC secretary-general Komkrit Tantrawanich said the commission had calculated the energy cost based on the current situation and concluded that the Ft for May-August should be increased to Bt0.24 per unit to cover the cost. This will result in household electricity bills rising from Bt3.76 to Bt4 per unit.

Thansetthakij newspaper surveyed markets in Bangkok and adjacent provinces last week and learned that several items have become more expensive. For instance:• 5kg bag of rice is now 100 baht, up by 5 baht• 15kg bag of rice is 330 baht, up by 10 baht• Can of sardines in tomato sauce is 25 baht, up by 2 baht• Can of condensed milk is 25 baht, up by 2 bahtHowever, the price of canned fruit, canned beverages and canned milk has remained unchanged. Next month, however, the price of Mama instant noodles is expected to go up from 6 baht to 7 baht per packet. The distributor Sahapattanapibul announced on Saturday that it is seeking government approval to adjust the retail price due to the rising cost of logistics.

Overshadowed by Ukraine war, Yemen on brink as pledges fall shortIn this photo taken on February 19, 2022, a doctor checks three-year-old Randa Ali, suffering from severe acute malnutrition, in a displacement camp in Yemen's northwestern Hajjah governorate. Overshadowed by the conflict in Ukraine, aid-starved Yemen -- already suffering the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN -- is on the verge of total collapse. The UN voiced disappointment after Wednesday's conference raised less than a third of the target to help 17.3 million of Yemen's needy. "A shortfall in funding means the needs of people will not be met," Auke Lootsma, the UN Development Programme's resident representative to Yemen, told AFP. We hope this will change," Erin Hutchinson, the Norwegian Refugee Council's Yemen country director, told AFP.

Russia fires hypersonic missiles as Ukraine presses for peace dealSeveral areas in Kyiv have been targetedKYIV - Russia on Saturday admitted using advanced hypersonic missiles for the first time in the Ukraine conflict as Kyiv's embattled leader Volodymyr Zelensky called for urgent peace talks. Ukrainian authorities said they had "temporarily" lost access to the Sea of Azov although Russia has effectively controlled the coastline for weeks after ringing Mariupol. "This is the time to meet, to talk, time for renewing territorial integrity and fairness for Ukraine," Zelensky said in a Facebook video. Russia's top negotiator said Friday that Moscow and Kyiv had brought their positions "as close as possible" on a proposal for Ukraine to become a neutral state. But Mikhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelensky taking part in the negotiations, said his country's position had not budged.

Burger King Russia partner 'refuses' to shut 800 shopsRestaurant Brands International Inc entered Russia a decade ago through a joint venture partnership with three entities. Burger King's parent company said on Thursday that it has not been able to close its 800 restaurants in Russia because its independent operator there "refused" to do so. Like Burger King, Starbucks does not own or operate its more than 100 cafes there. But unlike Burger King, it had a willing partner -- Kuwait-based Alshaya Group -- that immediately agreed to shut its Starbucks' locations in Russia and support its 2,000 employees. "Would we like to suspend all Burger King operations immediately in Russia?

Nadal thwarts Kyrgios to reach Indian Wells semi-finalsRafael Nadal of Spain celebrates victory over Australian Nick Kyrgios in the ATP quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian WellsINDIAN WELLS: Rafael Nadal left Nick Kyrgios frustrated and fuming with a 7-6 (7/0), 4-7, 6-4 victory in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells WTA and ATP Masters on Thursday. Serving for the set at 5-4, Kyrgios climbed to 30-15 only to wind up broken by Nadal. "I feel lucky to win that set because returning with 5-4 against Nick, the chances to win that set are, let's say, 10%, maybe less. "I played three bloody good matches ... and everyone will just remember that time where Kyrgios lost to Rafa at Indian Wells or the time that he threw the racquet." Alcaraz, who won the Rio de Janeiro title in February, is the second-youngest Indian Wells ATP semi-finalist ever after 17-year-old Andre Agassi in 1988.

TotalEnergies cedes Myanmar gasfield to PTTEP, seeks no compensationThe logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is pictured at an electric car charging and petrol station in the financial and business district of La Defense in Courbevoie near Paris, France, June 22, 2021. The company said Wednesday that it would not seek financial compensation for its withdrawal from Myanmar over concerns about human rights abuses since a coup last year. "In light of the exceptional situation, TotalEnergies has chosen to withdraw from Myanmar without seeking any financial compensation for its assets," the company said in a statement. The company's 31.4% stake in the Yadana gas field was the biggest in a consortium that included Chevron, Thai firm PTTEP and Myanmar's army-controlled MOGE. The Thai company said earlier this week that it would take over the running of the Yadana gas field in July.

Trade probe of solar imports from Thailand, 3 other countries poses threat to US projectsA potential Commerce Department probe of solar imports from Southeast Asia has the potential to freeze investment in the United States, industry leaders warned on Tuesday. The agency is set to decide by Mar 25 whether to formally investigate whether solar products from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia circumvent longstanding solar tariffs. The four countries supply about 80% of US solar imports and the risk of trade restrictions could drag down shipments. The trade dispute threatens to intensify existing headwinds for the US solar industry, which is already seeing slower growth amid higher costs, shipping delays and supply chain disruptions. “The entire solar industry is watching what the Commerce Department does,” Hopper said.

'Putin must pay the price'As Russia widens its bombardment and talks between Moscow and Kyiv seemingly go nowhere, pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for NATO to intervene have grown increasingly desperate. The attacks on civilians prompted a new flurry of warnings on Friday that Russia is committing war crimes. A furious Zelensky accused Russia of hiring “murderers from Syria, a country where everything has been destroyed … like they are doing here to us”. In southern Ukraine, Russian soldiers abducted the mayor of Melitopol, which Zelensky said was a “sign of weakness” and a “crime against democracy”. Biden warned Russia would pay a “severe price” if it used chemical weapons — but added: “We will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine”.

(Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)PHUKET: Businesses on this resort island are helping Russian and Ukrainian tourists who remain stranded because of events related to the conflict in Ukraine, says a senior hotelier. “Due to flight cancellations, some 3,000 visitors from Russia and Ukraine are stranded in Phuket,” said Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association. Russians had been the biggest group of arrivals in Phuket since Thailand reopened to international visitors in November last year. But the tourism situation in the province will remain sluggish until the war is over, he said. “Phuket tourism campaigns are being carried out and we hope that the occupancy rate will increase by 50% to 60% during Songkran,” said Mr Kongsak.

The price of animal-feed corn is at Bt13 per kilo, the highest in several decades, and about 30 per cent higher than the 2021 price of Bt10.05, said the source. Manufacturers are prepared to pay that price but cannot find sellers with available stock anywhere. Farmers also told them that they had already sold their harvest to buyers earlier this year, the source added. “Manufacturers now suspect that these buyers are hoarding corn and waiting for the price to go even higher due to the impact of the Russian-Ukraine war, which has driven up prices of several crops, including corn, wheat and tapioca,” said the source. “The Commerce Ministry should inspect corn buyers’ stocks and take legal action against any merchants found to be profiteering while supplies of animal-feed raw materials remain at a critical level,” it added.

The UCEP Plus scheme, proposed by the Public Health Ministry, was endorsed by the Cabinet on Tuesday. Under UCEP or the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients, Covid-19 cases in the “yellow” category or with moderate symptoms and those in the “red” category or critical condition are entitled to free treatment at any hospital. Those in the “green” category or with mild or no symptoms will only get free treatment at hospitals under the jurisdiction of relative healthcare schemes, such as “gold card”, social security or scheme for public officials. If the condition of patients in the green group worsens, then they can seek free treatment at the nearest hospitals under the UCEP Plus scheme.