Foreigners 'not wearing masks, partying'Many foreign visitors are not wearing face masks and gather in groups in violation of Covid-19 disease control regulations, and will be prosecuted if they fail to comply, a government spokesman warned on MondayApisamai Srirangson, a spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said visitors from many countries arrived for business meetings in sandbox provinces. Provincial representatives told the CCSA that not only did these visitors fail to wear face masks at meetings, they also gathered for parties without masks and caused Covid-19 transmission, Dr Apisamai said. Hotel staff warned them they had to follow the rules, she said. Dr Apisamai said the Communicable Disease Act required people to wear face masks in public places and also while at gatherings. "Visitors must comply, or they will be prosecuted," Dr Apisamai said.

Mr Pitsnu stands in front of a vending machine at a factory in Chachoengsao province. Sun Vending Technology Plc (SVT) is beefing up its vending machine business to capitalise on rising demand for the devices due to the pandemic. There is also more demand for our vending machines in various locations because vending machines fit a new normal and contactless lifestyle,'' Mr Pitsnu said. Of the 20,000 vending machines, 15,000 units will be smart vending machines and the remaining 5,000 vending machines will be under the original format. Interested investors pay a 600,000-baht franchise fee for the 30-vending-machine package, or 1 million baht for 60 vending machines.

Can we afford to lose effective drugs? ReutersAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) might be known to consumers and patients simply as drug resistance. However, it is actually a looming threat to global health security which threatens to derail efforts to reach the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals. Given its far-and-wide impact, in 2015 a global action plan to tackle the growing problem was endorsed at the 68th World Health Assembly. Since then, the World Health Organization has observed the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week between Nov 18-24 each year.

Thai Chamber of Commerce presents solution to strengthen economyChairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce Sanan Angubolkul speaks at the chamber's general assembly on Sunday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) is presenting Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha with a white paper on how to "connect the dots" and achieve strength in the economy, chamber chairman Sanan Angubolkul said on Sunday. The main idea purpose was to upgrade the Covid-19 battered economy and ensure its growth can be sustained, Mr Sanan said. The input was gathered from young people in the private and government sectors by the Thai Chamber of Commerce University. The input includes educating and training employees and employers to embrace change and tackle social issues such as social discrepancies and income distribution.

In June, the NBTC board assigned its management to draft a regulation governing telecom infrastructure funds as they are regarded as telecom operators under the type 3 telecom operation licence, which involves those having their own telecom networks. The draft, which was completed in October, contains accommodative elements for the telecom infrastructure funds, such as waiving the USO fee and the annual fee. The source said that telecom infrastructure funds are subject to supervision by the NBTC under both the Telecom Business Act and the amended NBTC Act. "The amended NBTC law gives the NBTC the role to regulate those telecom infrastructure funds," the source said. If the NBTC eventually rules telecom infrastructure funds are not subject to supervision by the NBTC through a licensing regime, another concern may be raised about whether the operators that own telecom infrastructure may seek to block other carriers from using their telecom infrastructure, which could hinder fair competition, according to Mr Prawit.

29 more Covid deaths, 7,006 new casesPeople relax in Chao Phraya Sky Park overlooking the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok on Friday. More people are visiting public parks in Bangkok as new Covid-19 cases and deaths drop. (Photo: Pattanapong Hirunard)Thailand logged 29 new Covid-19 fatalities and 7,006 new cases during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning. On Saturday, 7,591 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus. Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 2,064,581 Covid-19 cases, with 1,956,293 complete recoveries so far.

Diver 'not killed' on Koh Tao, police saySURAT THANI: Local authorities have insisted that a Japanese scuba diving instructor who was found dead 17 years ago on Koh Tao was not murdered. They made the remarks after a user of the Facebook account named Koh Tao Death Island posted videos about the death of the Japanese scuba instructor. However, Pol Maj Gen Sathit Pholphinit, chief of Surat Thani Provincial Police, said an investigation by Koh Tao police in Koh Phangan district concluded the Japanese diving instructor died in 2004, but was not murdered. She was a tourist visiting Koh Tao and rented a house on the hill near Moo 2 of Ban Mae Hat in tambon Koh Tao in Koh Phangan district, Pol Maj Gen Sathit said. Koh Phangan district chief Poonsak Sophonpatumrat said the Koh Tao Death Island Facebook page belonged to a group of foreigners whose motive is to revive and dig up incidents that happened on Koh Tao in the past.

Death toll hits four from flooding in western CanadaA satellite image taken on November 20, 2021 shows flooded fields after record rain fall in British ColumbiaMONTREAL - The death toll from record flooding in western Canada has risen to four, with a fifth person still missing, local authorities there said Saturday. Torrential rains hit southwestern British Columbia last Sunday and Monday causing widespread flooding and landslides that damaged or destroyed roads and bridges. The body of a woman was found on Monday, near a large section of highway that had been swept away by a mudslide. That highway, which links Vancouver to remote northern parts of the province, was reopened Saturday for "essential travel only," the authorities said. In Abbotsford, where the army was deployed to deal with severe flooding, four tons of feed were delivered to a pig farm by helicopter on Saturday, the authorities said.

Firearms-linked arrests ahead of local pollsThe Police Cyber Taskforce arrested 23 suspects for selling 22 pistols and 1,000 rounds of ammunition in nationwide raids ahead of the tambon administrative organisation polls next week. Also seized along with the firearms and ammunition were a modified BB gun, one explosive item and 9,902 meth pills. Police said the crackdown was meant to pre-empt violence as the local polls take place nationwide on Nov 28. Pol Gen Damrongsak said BB guns are barred from being sold. Police were checking to see if the guns had been modified and whether the suspects were licensed to carry a modified BB gun.

New video of China tennis star surfaces amid global outcryChinese tennis star Peng Shuai, seen here in 2017, has accused a former vice premier of sexually assaulting herBEIJING - Chinese state media posted video Saturday purporting to show tennis star Peng Shuai smiling and well, as international pressure mounts for information about her whereabouts since she accused a former vice premier of forcing her to have sex. In the other video clip, Peng -- a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion -- is maskless sitting at a table chatting with people over a meal. Hu wrote in English on Twitter that the second video shows "Peng Shuai was having dinner with her coach and friends in a restaurant. The conversation revolved around "tennis matches" and a man sitting with Peng and two other women says "tomorrow is November 20th." Peng represented China in the Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics and won gold for China at the 2010 Asian Games.

In the auto industry, car companies are starting to unwind decisions made over decades to outsource key components to outside suppliers. Even before the pandemic jacked up demand for chips, semiconductor companies were complaining of an acute shortage of qualified engineers. GM and Ford exploring the chip business shows how car companies are selectively bringing key technologies in house to develop expertise in areas they see as critical to their future competitiveness. The chip shortage has hurt some auto makers worse than others, while its duration and course have proven unpredictable. Mike Hogan, a senior vice president in charge of GlobalFoundries automotive business, said the Ford tie-up should improve the auto maker's technical capabilities while expanding future U.S. chip production for the car business broadly.

(Photo: Apichit Jinakul)Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has revealed that Thailand will have at least 90 million Covid-19 vaccine doses next year. After the meeting, Mr Anutin said the Covid-19 situation in the country has improved and Thailand has enough doses for this year. So far, 86 million doses have been administered, he said, adding the government is still aiming to reach the 100-million milestone this month. Mr Anuthin said Thailand will have at least 90 million doses -- 60 million from AstraZeneca and 30 million from Pfizer -- next year. On Wednesday, the ministry was informed that France would donate 400,000 Pfizer vaccine doses to Thailand but the date has not yet been confirmed, he said.

Norway's Telenor said in a statement that it is in talks with conglomerate Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, the parent of True, to explore the possibility of a merger between DTAC and True. A telecom specialist who requested anonymity said speculation regarding the merger of True Move H Universal Communication (TUC), a mobile arm of True, and DTAC TriNet, a mobile operator of DTAC, has been rife for a few weeks among major investors in the SET. According to the source, True and DTAC are likely to form a joint venture under a share swap model between the two. Pisut Ngamvijitvong, an analyst at Kasikorn Securities, said if True succeeds in acquiring DTAC, True will become the market's leader and its mobile phone market share will rise from 32% to 53%, while AIS will become the second at 47%. He said if the deal is true, it's possible that True will use the share swap method to merge with DTAC.

Ending the lung disease pandemicCovid-19 has exposed the limited ability of health systems around the world to cope with a pandemic of respiratory infection. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, an estimated 2.5 million adults and children died from pneumonia each year. In high-income countries, deaths are concentrated among older adults, while in low-income countries, children are the primary victims. It will also require action to reduce the leading risk factors for pneumonia death, including air pollution. After all, our world is changing in ways that will accelerate the risk of another respiratory pandemic.

Twilight for the Kims? Mr Kim's dog-eared script is not helping his cause. Mr Kim acknowledged as much at the party congress in January, emphasising the need for "self-reliance" and explicitly sidelining reform. But Chinese help with the North Korean nuclear issue has only ever been intermittent at best. Time is not on Mr Kim's side.