(Bangkok Post file photo)Thailand's internet economy is expected to be worth US$30 billion (around 984 billion baht) in 2021, up 51% year-on-year, buoyed by a surge in e-commerce, according to the latest e-Conomy SEA 2021 report. The annual study of Southeast Asia's internet economy is jointly commissioned by Google, Bain & Company and Temasek. The biggest contributor to the country's internet economy in 2021 has been e-commerce with $21 billion, followed by online media at $4.5 billion, online travel at $2.8 billion and transport and food at $2 billion. Digital merchants use an average of two digital platforms, while profitability remains a top concern for them. Digital financial services are becoming important for vendors, with 96% of digital merchants now accepting digital payments and 82% adopting digital lending solutions.

PM pleased with rising tourist numbersThe ambience of Sukhumvit Soi 4 or Soi Nana Tai now Covid-19 curbs have been relaxed. Only 52 foreign visitors tested positive for Covid-19 upon arriving, or about 0.12% of all visitors, he said. As of Saturday, 173,637 visitors had applied for the Thailand Pass QR Code via the website tp.consular.go.th. Gen Prayut has asked the Digital Economy and Society (DES) to further speed up the approval process for the Thailand Pass, said Mr Thanakorn. With the latest update, applicants can now download their Thailand Pass QR code by themselves, without having to wait for an e-mail confirmation.

Protester shot in chest at city rallyDemonstrators gather at Pathumwan intersection before moving on to the German embassy on Sathon Road with a statement opposing the court ruling that they claimed will bring about the return of absolute monarchy. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)A man was shot in the chest during a rally against a Constitutional Court ruling after key protest leaders were accused of trying to bring down the constitutional monarchy. Marchers had also intended to visit the German embassy in Sathon district to submit a petition to reform the highest institution. The protesters claimed that the Constitutional Court's ruling is bringing the country back to an absolute monarchy and they were opposing it. At 6.20pm, protesters reached the German embassy to submit a statement opposing the court ruling.

In my case, it feels like I have had to be continuously learning and adding skill sets (and discarding some as well). We don’t even know what impact the metaverse will have on our lives, what attributes, skill sets and roles will be required, and what new possibilities will emerge. More autonomy and empowerment require new perspectives and more diverse and deeper skill sets (or at least the capability to build them quickly) to get the win. There are probably at least three new skill sets required to succeed, along with a much broader understanding of what is going on in a given domain. The potential benefits of developing staff with broader perspectives and skill sets mean you will find more opportunities, create sustainable growth, can better interpret and benefit from your data, and benefit from bigger-picture thinking.

The government will repatriate 60 Thai workers who were duped into working illegally in Cambodia on Monday. The matter caught the public's attention as several sources reported that many Thais were deceived into working illegally in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. After the arrest of the wrongdoers, the RTP on Saturday coordinated with related agencies in Cambodia to provide help for the Thai victims. Separately, the army's Burapha Task Force has arrested 29 Cambodian migrants for illegal entry, along with two Thai smugglers near the border in Sa Kaeo. At 10.30am, the Burapha Task Force, Klong Hat Task Force and community leaders jointly caught 22 Cambodian migrants -- 19 men, 2 women and a girl -- during a search of tambon Tub Prik of Aranyaprathet district.

It is likely J&J would spin out its consumer unit and hold a stock offering, but no decision has been made, Mr. Gorsky said. The decision comes after rivals including Pfizer Inc. and Merck & Co. decided to hive off their consumer businesses and double down on faster-growing pharmaceuticals. The consumer company will be among the industry's largest, after competitors such as Procter & Gamble Co., Nestlé SA and L'Oréal SA. A stand-alone consumer business, however, won't be able to draw on a well-endowed parent while it competes with bigger rivals. Merck sold its consumer business, which makes Coppertone sunscreen, to Bayer AG for $14.2 billion in 2014.

Protesters submit statement opposing absolute monarchy to German embassyProtesters make the three-finger salute as they stand in front of the German embassy during a demonstration on Sunday. (AFP photo)A large group of protesters on Sunday marched from Bangkok's Pathumwan intersection to the German embassy to submit a statement opposing absolute monarchy. "The move is against absolute monarchy and to protect democracy," the statement said. Citing the ruling and the order, protesters accused the court of attempting to bring back absolute monarchy. "We don't want absolute monarchy," they shouted at the rally site.

Thailand becoming even more amazingWith the kingdom opening up again the Tourist Authority of Thailand have announced that they are primarily interested in "quality tourists". The TAT appears to be loyally sticking to a variation on the "Amazing Thailand" slogan which has served them well for two decades. For 2022 we have "Now Even More Amazing Thailand Has It All". I admit to having been somewhat sceptical when the original "Amazing Thailand" slogan was launched, but have come to accept it and am even fond of it in a peculiar sort of way. A few years ago they introduced "Miracle Thailand" which apart from sounding rather strange had a hint of desperation about it, as if some kind of divine intervention had been called upon.

PAD's Somkiat Pongpaiboon dies at 71Somkiat Pongpaiboon, a co-leader of the now-defunct People's Alliance for Democracy, died on Sunday. I was informed by Pi Noy, Somkiat's wife, at 11.10am that he died just a while ago at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital. He was later transferred to the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital where he underwent a CT scan and was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage. Somkiat was later moved back to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital where he stayed on life support until he was pronounced dead on Sunday. He was a lecturer at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University and a party-list MP of the Democrat Party from 2007-2011.

(Reuters photo)HONG KONG: Hong Kong health authorities have stepped up measures to curb the transmission of Covid-19 in designated quarantine hotels, where hundreds of guests have been found breaching infection-control rules. Hotels must keep arriving and departing quarantine guests separated by designing a "dirty route" for those checking in and a "clean route" for those who leave. The designated quarantine hotels scheme began last December for people arriving in Hong Kong and has served a total of 154,000 people so far. The office was aware of complaints by quarantine guests who found filthy rooms with mould, stains and clogged bathtubs. "We expect more people to travel back to Hong Kong as it has been two years since the start of the pandemic," he said.

Rally at Pathumwan blasts Constitutional Court, calls for monarchy reformProtesters take part in a demonstration at Pathumwan intersection on Sunday, after the Constitutional Curt ruled that speeches by protest leaders calling for royal reforms amounted to a bid to overthrow the monarchy. (AFP photo)Protesters occupied Pathumwan intersection in Bangkok on Sunday to vent their anger at the recent Constitutional Court ruling and demand reform of the highest institution. No particular groups claimed to have organised the rally, the first major protest since the court's ruling on Wednesday. The court ruled the demands made by Arnon Nampa, Panupong "Mike" Jadnok and Panusaya "Rung" Sithijirawattanakul, together with subsequent actions by them and other protesters, were aimed at bringing down the constitutional monarchy. Citing the ruling and the order, protesters accused the court of attempting to bring back absolute monarchy.

Two weeks after the country reopened, the private sector is seeing signs of a tourism recovery despite lower-than-expected arrivals of international tourists. "Thailand is the first country in Asean to reopen its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers without quarantine. Mr Thaneth stressed the importance of spurring domestic tourism for economic recovery. With more group tours being arranged for the upcoming high season, he expects the local tourism sector will start to turn a corner. Based on information from Nov 1-10, Aerothai has serviced a total of 9,919 flights: 2,243 international flights, 6,651 domestic flights and 1,025 flights across the country's airspace.

7,079 new Covid cases, 47 new deathsA tourist takes photos of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha as the country allows fully vaccinated travellers to enter the kingdom. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)Thailand logged 7,079 new Covid-19 cases and 47 new fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Sunday morning. On Saturday, 6,917 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus. Since April 1, when the third wave of Covid-19 began, Thailand has treated 1,989,547 Covid-19 patients, 1,875,420 of whom have recovered to date. Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 2,018,410 Covid-19 cases, with 1,902,846 complete recoveries so far.

Delhi shuts schools as pollution 'emergency' loomsCommuters make their way along a busy road under heavily smoggy conditions in New Delhi. NEW DELHI: Authorities in New Delhi announced Saturday a one-week closure of schools as the Indian capital's pollution control body warned of a looming health emergency due to smog. On Saturday, levels of PM 2.5 particles -- the smallest and most harmful, which can enter the bloodstream -- topped 300 on the air quality index. It added the poor air quality would likely run until at least November 18 due to "low winds with calm conditions during the night". Earlier on Saturday, the Supreme Court suggested imposing a pollution lockdown on Delhi to help with the air quality crisis.

Pol Snr Sgt Maj Pairat Yotmek and his wife, Chalermporn Sukhumthong, are shown with the crystal methamphetamine and guns seized from their house in Phunphin district of Surat Thani. (Photo: Border Patrol Police Company 417)SURAT THANI: A police officer and his wife have been arrested on charges of selling illicit drugs after crystal methamphetamine were seized from their house in Phunphin district of this southern province. Pol Snr Sgt Maj Pairat Yotmek, 52, attached to the Phunphin police station, was dismissed from the force pending a fact-finding investigation into his alleged involvement in the drug trade, Pol Maj Gen Sathit Phonphinit, chief of Surat Thani police, said on Saturday. Seized from the house were 900 grammes of crystal methamphetamine and three guns. The couple have been charged with colluding to possess illicit drugs with intent to sell and possessing weapons without permission.