More privacy breaches could arise from greater digitisation and workfrom-home surveillance, says Data Protection Excellence CentreSoutheast Asia can expect to see more specific privacy breaches attributed to continued pandemic conditions this year, according to the Data Protection Excellence (DPEX) Centre, the learning and research arm of Singapore-based Straits Interactive. Organisations and their data processors/intermediaries need to be clear with their respective roles under data protection laws, said the DPEX Centre. More cases of privacy breaches involving intrusive mobile apps as a result of Covid and ongoing automation were also seen in 2021. As public awareness of privacy grows, the importance of certification both at the corporate and individual level will continue to gain momentum, driven by local data protection authorities. Authorities in Singapore and the Philippines are leading the way in the region in encouraging local data protection officers and professionals to be certified, the DPEX Centre said.

Fraud victims can seek justice via online lawsuitsAn online shopper browses products offered on e-commerce platforms. Mr Chaiwut said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha directed the DES Ministry to seek ways to help people conned by online shopping scams. The electronic lawsuits focus on civil cases to help online shoppers receiving incorrect products, Mr Chaiwut said. Mr Chaiwut indicated the DES Ministry and the Court of Justice are putting the finishing touches on the online lawsuit platform, which is expected to be operational later this month. Last year more than 20,000 complaints were lodged through the DES Ministry’s 1212 hotline in connection with suspected online trading scams.

In Nakhon Pathom, a crocodile farmer has turned the situation to his advantage by selling meat on his Facebook page. A woman holds different cuts of crocodile meat. Similarly, at Rungtaweechai farm in tambon Samngam of Don Tum district in Nakhon Pathom, local residents and tourists yesterday flocked to buy crocodile meat. “Since pork is expensive, more people have now turned to eating crocodile meat, which is cheaper and tastier. The sign shows different cuts of crocodile meat.

Tak airport deemed unfit to serve as logistics hubTak airport is not suitable for development as a logistical hub in the North despite its close proximity to a neighbouring country, according to an Airports of Thailand (AoT) study. However, the AoT has been studying the feasibility of turning Tak airport on the western border with Myanmar into a logistical hub in the North. In addition, there is an airport in nearby Mae Sot district which competes for traffic. Mr Nitinai said the study concluded that Tak airport does not have sufficient potential to operate viably as a logistical centre. Also, both Mae Sot and Tak airports have overlapping airspace, while runways at both airports must be improved and aerobridges built to accommodate large aircraft.

State aims to expedite consumer spendingThe government is mulling a faster rollout of the fourth phase of the “Khon La Khrueng” co-payment subsidy scheme to stimulate spending. Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said yesterday the government is studying expediting the co-payment scheme to pump up consumer spending amid the Omicron outbreak. The co-payment scheme sees the government subsidising 50% of food, drink and general goods purchases for participants. The four schemes saw around 41.5 million participants exercise rights for benefits with total spending of 254 billion baht. Of total spending, 114 billion baht was spending by participants, with the remainder the state subsidy.

They were taken to Thong Pha Phum police station for further interrogation. Earlier, national park officials had told reporters there were five suspects in the killing of the two tigers. (continues below)Four men wanted for killing two Bengal tigers are escorted into a police van sent to pick them up at a road checkpoint in Thong Pha Phum district, Kanchanaburi, on Thursday. Niphon Chamnongsirisak, director of the Protected Area Regional Office 3 (Ban Pong), on Wednesday revealed the hunting and killing of the wild animals at the Thong Pha Phum National Park headquarters. National park rangers seized the pelts of two Bengal tigers and other items at a campsite near the Myanmar border on Jan 9.

Joint venture to support EV productionNational oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc and its power generation arm Global Power Synergy Plc (GPSC) have formed a joint venture in the battery supply chain to support PTT's electric vehicle (EV) production. GPSC plans to scale-up its battery production capacity to a gigawatt-hour level after opening the factory in the eastern province. The facility is claimed to be the first semi-solid battery production facility in Southeast Asia. PTT earlier teamed up with Taiwan-based multinational electronics manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, also known as Foxconn, to build an EV production plant, which will be located in Eastern Economic Corridor. Mr Auttapol expects EV production to start within the next 2-3 years, with annual capacity of 50,000 vehicles.

Sculptural works by Alongkorn Lauwatthana. ATTA GalleryContemporary artist Alongkorn Lauwatthana will showcase new artworks that are the products of his almost 50 years of experience creating abstract and realistic paintings, at ATTA Gallery, from Saturday to Feb 20. His abstract paintings were created from pure emotions, without much thinking about the results. The identity of the canvas was instantaneously created and erased at the same time as he proceeds with his paintings. However, one can still feel the beauty of the craft objects camouflaged under the remnants of abstract paintings.

(Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)The new 300-baht tourism fee due to take effect in April is drawing mixed reactions from tourism operators as the recovery remains tepid and fragile. The new entry fee will be collected from foreigners entering Thailand by air, land and sea, he said. The fee is expected to be transferred to the Tourism Transformation Fund managed by the Tourism and Sports Ministry. If Thailand reopens its borders with Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia for travel, the number could even hit 15 million, Mr Thanakorn said. For land transport, tourists will be encouraged to pay the fee via an app before crossing the border, said Mr Phiphat.

Mr Pakorn, centre right, says the bourse will promote the business sector's role in protecting the environment and developing society towards sustainability. He said to provide more opportunities for both businesses and investors, the SET aims to be a fundraising venue for businesses, steering towards new economy industries. The bourse also wants to offer more global capital market-linked products, allowing Thais the chance to invest in foreign stocks at lower costs. In terms of infrastructure, the SET plans to expand and create a reliable and efficient digital infrastructure to serve investors' changing lifestyles. The ESG Data Platform will be initiated to provide investors with useful information regarding investment in sustainable stocks, said Mr Pakorn.

(Photo: Apichit Jinakul)The Bank of Thailand is concerned with higher prices for living costs, but not in terms of overall price stability, says the central bank governor. The central bank predicts the headline inflation rate will be under its target rates of 1.2%, 1.7% and 1.4% for 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. The higher living costs could affect low-income earners, particularly those in tourism and related sectors, said Mr Sethaput. Given this negative factor, the central bank slashed its foreign tourist arrival forecast for 2022 from 6 million to 5.6 million. Moreover, the central bank allows commercial bank subsidiaries to invest in digital assets with its permission, Mr Sethaput said.

Mitsubishi joins state's 'green hospitals' initiativeFrom left are Mr Egathi Rattana-Aree, executive vice-president, Human Resources & General Administration Unit, Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand), Dr Thongchai, Mr Kiatchai, Morikazu Chokki, chairman of the board, Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand), Mr Koito, Mr Suttipong and Mr Somboon Lertsuwannaroj, chief executive of Impact Solar, at the 'Solar for Lives' MoU signing ceremony. The government campaign against carbon dioxide emissions is gaining momentum, with Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) becoming the latest to work with health and energy officials to build "green hospitals" by installing solar panels at community hospitals nationwide. "This cooperation requires a 60-million-baht investment to provide the solar panel system and yearly maintenance for 40 community hospitals by 2032," said Eiichi Koito, president and chief executive of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand. The project is forecast to help hospitals reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 17,300 tonnes over the next 10 years. There are more than 10,000 state-run hospitals in Thailand and most of them are community hospitals, said Dr Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, deputy permanent secretary for public health.

Life, relationships and death are the subjects of "Eternal Labyrinth", which is running at Art4C, Gallery and Creative Learning Space, until Feb 20. Artwork by Achitaphon Piansukprasert. photo courtesy of Art4CThe solo exhibition by artist, filmmaker and writer Achitaphon Piansukprasert portrays the relationship between things and an individual as an interconnection between memory and narrative. Likewise, his life depends on relationships with other things, one of which is artistic practice. However, he regards death as a right to exercise free will and also a shortcut to get oneself out of the complex "labyrinths" and the locking "cages".

Growth prospects weak amid outbreakA health worker swabs a man for Covid-19 at a drive-through testing centre at the southern bus terminal on Boromratchonnanee Road in Taling Chan district. A business group plans to discuss the impact of Omicron on key economic indicators on Wednesday. The move results from growing concern over the rapid spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant, with the impact looming over the Thai economy. "It's possible the JSCCIB will cut back the economic figures because Omicron has increased new daily infections more rapidly than expected," he said. He attributed the TISI growth to export expansion, which was fuelled by a global economic recovery and more purchase orders overseas in the lead-up to the New Year holidays.

LPG subsidy extendedA pump attendant waits for customers. (Bangkok Post file photo)The Energy Policy Administration Committee will extend the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) price cap for another two months to relieve people's living costs, Kulit Sombatsiri, permanent secretary for energy, said on Tuesday. Mr Kulit, as chairman of the committee, said the LPG price cap at 318 baht per 15-kilogramme cylinder, which was due to end this month, will be extended until March 31. As of Jan 5, the global price of LPG stood at US$682.90 a tonne, which is equal to its retail price of 412 baht per 15-kg cylinder. He said that the committee also approved a cap of the price of compressed natural gas, also known as NGV (natural gas for vehicles), at 15.59 baht per kg for personal vehicles and 13.62 baht per kg for taxis in greater Bangkok until March 15, with support from PTT.