Soft power cooperation the core of France talksThailand is pursuing an exchange of know-how with France on the promotion of soft power in key areas covering fashion and tourism, according to the Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN). Thailand will exchange knowledge and experience with France in the field of soft power exploitation. The visit followed Mr Srettha's recent trip to France, where he invited business leaders to discuss Thailand's soft power potential. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and chairwoman of the National Committee on Soft Power Development and the Pheu Thai Party's leader, has announced the government will kick off its One Family One Soft Power (Ofos) project in June, and aims to create 20 million jobs with a minimum annual salary of 200,000 baht. Thailand and France retain close ties in aeronautics, rail transport and intellectual property, according to the DTN chief.

(Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Suvarnabhumi Airport master plan is being revised to prioritise terminal construction and expansion projects to cater to fast-growing passenger traffic demand, according to the Airports of Thailand (AoT). The master plan looks into investments in three projects: the western expansion as well as the construction of the southern terminal and the Satellite 2 building. It is equipped with a four-storey office building and a carpark building as well as a walkway platform connecting the main terminal. Mr Kirati said ultimately the southern terminal project will need to be built, given the constant rise in air travel demands. The AoT oversees the operations of six main airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang as well as Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai airports.

French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen urged Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday (May 6) to ensure more balanced trade with Europe, but the Chinese leader showed little sign of being ready to offer major concessions.

TOURISM FEE NOT A SOLUTIONSome tourism operators suggested collecting fees from tourists to prevent overtourism, reviving the 300-baht tourism fee scheme. Thailand's tourism fee scheme was studied by the previous government and finalised. Power demand increases rapidly during the hot season, creating some challenges. This is why maintenance programmes and repair work for power plants are scheduled outside of summer, ensuring they can continue to supply electricity, said Mr Jakgree. He said power supply should be sufficient throughout the hot season despite several new power demand peak records, attributed to power generation capacity in reserve that exceeds 25% of total capacity.

Australian police said on Sunday (May 5) they had shot dead a boy after he stabbed a man in Western Australia's capital Perth, in an attack authorities said indicated terrorism.

The winner-take-all economy is ruining art, tooI was on the whole disappointed by this year's Whitney Biennial -- it was hard for me to tell if one video installation was art or an HR training video -- but as an economist, I have to admit the exhibition was successful in at least one respect: It did what art is supposed to do, which is to hold up a mirror to our society and economy. This is the problem with the winner-take-all economy. Becoming the Taylor Swift of the art world requires jumping through a series of hoops arranged by elite institutions. This is true in many fields, but it is especially true for art in part because it is often hard to judge what makes art valuable. Which brings me back to the Whitney Biennial.

Experts are urging the government to come up with plans to mitigate the problem, with food security among their greatest concerns. Witsanu Attavanich, an economics lecturer at Kasetsart University, is leading a research project entitled "Effects of Climate Change on Thailand's Agriculture." Also, the state-owned agency should work closely with local organisations to train farmers on how to adapt to climate change. He also said the problem of declining food security might lead the government to throw its support behind GM crops, which is not ideal for enhancing food security. Mr Pirun said the department will work with other stakeholders on adaptation plans against climate change.

Suspend classes on very hot days: education officialStudents walk under strong sunlight in Pathumwan district. (Bangkok Post file photo)The secretary-general of the Basic Education Commission is advising school management to suspend onsite teaching on extremely hot days. On extremely hot days, school management should suspend outdoor activities and supply sufficient drinking water. Also, they could suspend onsite classrooms and implement online classes instead, Mr Thanu said. Climate expert Assoc Prof Seree Supratid wrote on Facebook that due to global warming, the hottest period in Bangkok could increase from 17 days to 80 days each year, from March to May.

Poll: Slim majority wants new charter to keep existing royalty sectionsA replica of the charter in the form of an accordion-style parchment sits on a golden tray under a spotlight at Democracy Monument. (Bangkok Post file photo)A majority of people agree with writing a new charter without changing Chapters 1 and 2 which contain general principles and royal provisions, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll. The poll was carried out on Apr 30 - May 1 on 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education and occupations throughout the country to compile their opinions on amending the constitution. Asked whether they are confident that the production of the new constitution would improve the country's politics, the answers varied as follows:37.95% were not confident at all26.03% hardly confident19.31% relatively confident15.11% very confident1.60% did not answer or were not interestedAsked whether they are confident the charter rewrite would be completed within the current Lower House's term, the answers were as follows. 46.03% not confident at all31.37% hardly confident12.67% relatively confident6.80% very confident3.13% did not answer or were not interested.

Mexican authorities found three bodies on Friday (3 May) in the state of Baja California, where an American and two Australian tourists were reported missing, according to three sources with knowledge of the investigation.

People gather at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, site of the 2023 murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on Friday. (Photo: Reuters)OTTAWA - Canadian police arrested three Indian nationals on Friday linked to the murder of a Sikh activist that sparked a major diplomatic clash between Canada and India. Authorities detained the suspects accused of roles in killing Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. Police said the men were Indian citizens living in Edmonton: Karan Brar and Kamalpreet Singh, both 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28. They have each been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

A 55-year-old company specialised in recycling tyres discusses the evolution of rubber recycling, innovative processes such as devulcanisation and its commitment to sustainability.

SET touts dividend stocks amid volatilityBull and bear mascots sit in the Stock Exchange of Thailand museum on Ratchadaphisek Road. Dividend stocks can provide substantial returns, especially compared with bank deposits, as many stocks offer a dividend yield of more than 5%, paying a dividend of 20% per year. To facilitate investment in dividend stocks, the SET has selected stocks for a "dividend universe" group every year since 2016. Dividend universe stocks have an average dividend yield of 4.11% per year, higher than the market average of 2.88%, while 43 of the 141 companies have a five-year average dividend yield higher than 5% per year. The top 15 stocks in the SET High Dividend Index have a three-year dividend yield ranging from 4.75% to 22.1%, averaging 8.01% per year.

Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World, a world-class aquarium located at Siam Paragon shopping complex in Bangkok, covers about 10,000 square metres with hundreds of different species on display. The marine tourism destination offers numerous activity zones for both adults and children, including a 270-degree glass tunnel, virtual reality (VR) adventures and the Jellyfish Universe.

Board of Investment reveals new project proposals rise 31% in Q1The Board of Investment (BoI) reported a 31% year-on-year surge in the value of new investment project proposals in the first quarter, tallying 228 billion baht, with electronics and electrical appliances the segment comprising the highest value. The rise in investment applications also resulted from the government's roadshows organised abroad to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to invest in Thailand, he said. From January to March this year, foreign direct investment rose 130% year-on-year, totalling 460 projects with a total investment value of 169 billion baht, up 16%. Singapore led with investment applications tallying 42.5 billion baht, followed by China with 34.7 billion, Hong Kong 26.6 billion, Taiwan 20.0 billion and Australia 17.2 billion. In the first quarter, the BoI approved 785 investment projects valued at 255 billion baht, marking a 6% increase year-on-year.