Mr Nate was reportedly the first person to vie for the NACC seat after the Secretariat of the Senate published a vacancy announcement Jan 31. The Office of the Secretariat of the Senate acts as an administrative office for the NACC selection committee. In his petition, Mr Watchra cited a number of cases to show why Mr Nate's application should not be considered. The first involved Mr Nate's decision not to challenge Panthongtae "Oak" Shinawatra's acquittal on money laundering charges. Mr Watchara said Mr Nate also faces a disciplinary probe over his role in the hit-and-run case involving Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya.

Prices expected to remain highCustomers fork out hard earned money buying ever more costly goods in Muang district, Nakhon Ratchasima. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)A survey of company CEOs found that the price of goods was expected to remain high for at least three more months because of the high cost of production and fuel, the Federation of Thai Industries announced on Monday. They blamed high prices on the shortage of raw materials and rising costs of production and fuel. "High prices will continue for at least three months or possibly until the end of this year if energy prices remain high," he said. He said the CEOs expected inflation to run at 2-4% this year.

Govt plans travel bubble talks with China to boost tourismFILE PHOTO: Chinese tourists wearing protective suits arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport during the first day of Thailand's reopening campaign, Nov 1, 2021. (Reuters)The government plans to hold travel bubble talks with China and Malaysia this month, days after resuming a quarantine-free visa programme to boost tourist arrivals seen as key to sustaining a nascent economic recovery. Officials are also preparing to hold talks with neighbouring Malaysia later this month for a similar agreement, he said. Chinese tourists have shunned the country since the Covid outbreak with Beijing imposing curbs on outbound travel. Under the travel bubble, tourists will not be subjected to quarantine, and can enjoy special visa and accommodation arrangements, Mr Thanakorn said.

There are a lot of unsolved mysteries about cryptocurrencies, from the identity of the investors to how to calculate the value of digital assets, whether we should calculate according to the exchange or trading time? March is approaching, as many have to declare their taxes.

Public must be ready to 'live with Covid'Opas: No needfor lockdownsThe Public Health Ministry is preparing to propose a relaxation of measures to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) this week, to encourage people to live with the coronavirus as opposed to imposing lockdowns during outbreaks. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the ministry's Department of Disease Control (DDC), would not go into detail about the measures to be eased. "The global situation of Covid-19 seems to be moving in the same direction. Given the situation in Thailand, the number of new daily cases is still considered safe, he said. "We need to get people to understand that the number of daily new cases is nothing to worry about," he said.

During 2022-2024, digital transformation investment is expected to reach US$6.3 trillion, up from $5.4 trillion during 2020-2023. "We are entering digital transformation 2.0 where we can use technology to apply a digital transformation by ourselves. "Companies of all sizes must move towards digital transformation to survive and stay competitive in this digital world," he said. Three key approachesABeam Consulting Thailand, which focuses on digital transformation support, unveiled three areas that support a successful shift. "The right digital transformation delivers value to businesses," said Ichiro Hara, managing director of ABeam Consulting Thailand.

Poon said the baht is likely to move according to the market’s investment and may strengthen to the key support level of 32.80 to 32.90 if the market is in a risk-on state. However, Poon said the baht will not go past the support level until basic factors in the country have recovered. Moreover, foreign investors are waiting to sell the currency after it strengthens, while exporters are selling at the key resistance level of 33.20 to 33.30. Meanwhile, the dollar may strengthen if the currency market is heavily volatile. The market is worried that the US Federal Reserve will raise the interest rate too much if the inflation numbers are higher than expected.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha talks to reporters at Government House on Friday. After repeatedly stressing he intends to see out his tenure, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha changed his tone when asked by reporters late last week about a possible early election. Citing Gen Prawit, Gen Prayut insisted last week the breakaway faction, which would join the Setthakij Thai Party (Thai Economic Party), will support the coalition government. Cracks in their relations are hard to mend, especially from political situations where Gen Prayut made decisions without listening to Gen Prawit, including the removal of Capt Thamanat and others close to Gen Prawit from their positions. The critical moment for the government is in July when the opposition is expected to launch a no-confidence debate against the government and Gen Prayut.

Seyed Reza NobakhtiIran is known to be a major exporter of oil to Thailand, despite the economic sanctions imposed on it by the West. "Right now, Iran's nanotechnology is ranked fourth in the world -- behind the US, China and India -- and biotechnology is ranked twelfth. Beyond the health sector, Iran is seeking Thailand's cooperation in combatting drug trafficking. He said the US sanctions have discouraged Thai officials from engaging with their Iranian counterparts, calling the sanctions "unilateral, not universal". "We cannot force foreign officials to do business with Iran, but we believe that the sanctions will end some day.

A Canadian man whose bullet-ridden body was found early yesterday at a resort in Phuket was wanted by the authorities in India, says Pol Lt Gen Amphon Buarabporn, chief of Provincial Police Region 8. He said the man came to Thailand in 2016 and was in Phuket on Jan 27. The man was found lying face-down behind a red MG hatchback with Phuket licence plates. Police believe the man had died at least six hours before his body was discovered. A number of illegal products were found inside a villa rented to the victim, police said.

In city near border, Ukrainians protest Russian threatOne of he demonstrators at Saturday's protest in Ukraine's second city KharkivKHARKIV (UKRAINE) - A Ukrainian flag wrapped around her shoulders, pensioner Iryna Gayeva had a simple message as she demonstrated in second city Kharkiv on Saturday, just 40 kilometres from the Russian border. Russiaseized the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and began fuelling a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. And now, those demonstrating insisted that Russian forces would not be welcome in Kharkiv as pro-Ukrainian patriotism has rocketed. - 'Constant threat' -Behind a large banner reading "Kharkiv is Ukraine", the demonstrators marched between the city's two main squares in sub-zero temperatures. But after years "living under constant threat of invasion", she insists resident in Kharkiv have steeled themselves for anything.

Cyclone Batsirai nears Madagascar, 'widespread damage' fearedCyclone Batsirai is set to hit eastern Madagascar after passing Mauritius and La ReunionVATOMANDRY (MADAGASCAR) - Powerful Cyclone Batsirai was closing in on eastern Madagascar Saturday as residents sought secure shelter or reinforced their roofs with sandbags after warnings that "widespread damage" was feared. "Significant and widespread damage is therefore feared," warned the metereological services. Community leader Thierry Louison Leaby lamented the lack of clean water after the water utility company turned off supplies ahead of the cyclone. The impact of Batsirai on Madagascar is expected to be "considerable", Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN's humanitarian organisation OCHA, told reporters in Geneva on Friday. "We are very nervous," Pasqualina Di Sirio, who heads the WFP's programme in Madagascar, told reporters by video-link from the island.

Law enforcement gets off lightly againAn old 2014 photo of a 'Ja Choey' (literally an 'indifferent Pol Sergeant' in local language), mock-up officer used to deter lawbreakers just metres from the scene of a fatal crash at an intersection in Bangkok which claimed one life and injuried three others. He too is demanding strict traffic law enforcement. It is remarkable that Thais, who routinely break traffic laws, suddenly become law-abiding when they travel to or reside in another country where law enforcement is taken seriously. It's the seemingly ubiquitous presence of active law enforcement that does the job. What are the chances of Thailand ever achieving a similarly effective -- and fair, I should add -- standard of law enforcement?

Call to expand tour subsidy schemeLocal tourists examine Naga Cave located near Phu Langka National Park in Bueng Kan.Tour operators are urging the government to increase the quota for locals joining Tour Teaw Thai, a tour package subsidy, to stimulate more demand from frequent users. The remaining tour packages in Tour Teaw Thai, which subsidises 40% of the prices of such holidays, were cut to 200,000 from previously 1 million packages for 1 million tourists because of lukewarm feedback. Only 29,506 tour packages have been sold, as of Feb 3. He said if the tour package subsidy ends with unimpressive results, TCT would like the government to consider subsidising 5,000 tour buses per month in five regions instead. Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Domestic Travel (ADT), said tourists should be granted at least three Tour Teaw Thai tour packages.

“The department had in 2006 proposed to the US a plan to export several types of fresh fruit, but the US had allowed only seven types of fruit imports from Thailand,” he said. “They are mangoes, mangosteen, rambutan, logan, lichee, pineapples and dragon fruit. Pomelo was recently added to the list, and it will be the first time in 15 years that fresh Thai pomelo will penetrate the US market,” Phichead said. Eligible pomelo exporters must be registered with the department and have their produce undergo radiation treatment to eliminate agricultural pests, especially fruit flies, that may have contaminated the fruits, he added. The other criteria include the plantation must be certified under the GAP (good agricultural practices) standard, while packaging facilities must be certified under the GMP (good manufacturing practices) standard.