NT, GBDi join hands to launch national healthcare databaseNational Telecom (NT) is joining forces with the Government Big Data Institute (GBDi) to launch a "Health Link" centralised platform to gather patients' records from around 100 hospitals to facilitate healthcare services. The platform, which leverages NT's cloud system, is expected to follow international standards for data storage and exchange. The move should make it easier for patients who transfer hospitals to share their medical records. Tiranee Achalakul, vice-president of GBDi, said hospitals normally have their own patient database systems, so exchanging information is complicated and time-consuming, which subsequently hinders cross-hospital treatment of patients. The system's health data will be encrypted throughout the data exchange process to make sure outsiders cannot access it during operations.

Handicraft exports enjoy uplift as demand recoversExports of Thai handicrafts remain promising despite the ongoing pandemic. Thailand's handicraft exports are expected to grow by nearly 20% this year, driven by increasing demand for silverware, goldware and ornaments. The biggest export market for craft products was the United States, delivering 47.9 billion baht, followed by Japan worth 10.5 billion baht, Germany worth 10.4 billion baht, Hong Kong worth 6.98 billion baht, the United Kingdom worth 6.27 billion baht, China worth 5.9 billion baht, Australia worth 4.82 billion baht, Vietnam worth 3.64 billion baht, Singapore worth 3.63 billion baht, and Switzerland worth 2.88 billion baht. Other gainers were handicraft products; furniture and parts; sculptures and wooden ornaments; artificial flowers, leaves and plants; hand-woven fabrics, silk fabric and ceramic bowls. Mr Pornpon said SACIT is developing a "Thai Crafts Online" scheme to sell Thai handicraft products via e-commerce and other platforms.

The reopening plan for five areas -- Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phetchaburi -- faced another setback after the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) decided to put off the starting date from Oct 1 to Nov 1. For Pattaya, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai, this was the third postponement from an initial reopening schedule of mid-September, all attributed to a vaccine shortage. "Airlines had started to invest in service maintenance and recruit staff to prepare for new flow of tourists," said Mr Tassapon. In the past few months, authorities could not provide a realistic vaccination plan to provide local communities proper protection. Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the decision by CCSA to reduce the quarantine period to seven days for inoculated visitors will help spur tourism demand upon reopening.

Hamilton hoping to end frustrating pursuit of 100th win in RussiaLewis Hamilton is looking for his 100th Grand prix win in SochiSOCHI (RUSSIA) - Lewis Hamilton will be seeking to exploit every advantage he can find this weekend as he bids for an unprecedented and thus far elusive 100th Formula One win to regain the lead in the world championship at the Russian Grand Prix. Not only is he seeking a record fifth triumph in the former Olympic Park but Mercedes are unbeaten in all seven races held there. That all suggests that the 36-year-old Briton has a sumptuous chance to overhaul the Dutchman's five-point advantage in the championship. - Hamilton 'laser-focused' -Hamilton is expected to have fully recovered from the headaches and neck pain he suffered in Italy and, according to Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff, is in determined mood. Another collision remains likely, though Hamilton will this time hope to be beyond reach of the young Dutchman's boldest moves.

Billie Eilish, BTS, Elton John in concert for climate action, vaccinesEilish's performance in New York will be broadcast around the worldPARIS - Some of the biggest names in pop, from Billie Eilish to BTS and Elton John, will lend their star power to Global Citizen Live on Saturday for a round-the-world event to raise awareness on climate change, vaccine equality and famine. The star-studded line-up will also push for action at the G20 next month and COP26 climate meeting in November. Ed Sheeran will perform in Paris alongside Elton John, with Doja Cat, Black Eyed Peas and Stormzy supporting. Global Citizen said it wants one billion trees planted, one billion vaccines delivered to the poorest countries and meals for 41 million people on the brink of famine. Global Citizen describes itself as a movement with a mission to end extreme poverty by 2030.

13,256 new Covid cases, 131 deaths ThursdayA student reacts as she is vaccinated against Covid-19 in Laksi district, Bangkok, on Tuesday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)Thailand logged 13,256 new Covid-19 cases and 131 more fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Thursday morning. The new cases increased from 11,252 new Covid cases announced on Wednesday when the country recorded 141 more deaths. Since April 1, when the third wave of Covid-19 began, Thailand has treated 1,495,750 Covid-19 patients, 1,352,936 of whom have recovered to date. Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 1,524,613 Covid-19 cases, with 1,380,362 complete recoveries so far.

(Photos courtesy of Busan International Film Festival)The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled the line-up for its 26th edition to take place on-site from Oct 6-15. Asia's premier gathering of film professionals aims to shake off pandemic-related uncertainties with a slate of over 190 titles, with the focus on Asian cinema as usual. BIFF says that with On Screen, it wants to "present more diverse and higher-quality works to the audience, whose range of fandom is expanding. The rich, diverse programming of BIFF has always been its strength, while the festival's steady championing of Korean cinema as well as upcoming Asian talent since the early 2000s has earned it a lot of friends across the continent. Though the lingering impact of the pandemic will affect arrivals of international guests, Busan seems to adopt an unruffled, business-as-usual attitude.

Modest Mouse performing live. To celebrate the new release of their seventh studio album The Golden Casket, join American alt-rock band Modest Mouse on their return to live touring with a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, with supporting guests Future Islands. Modest Mouse are a three-piece indie rock group from Washington, consisting of singer/guitarist Isaac Brock, bassist Eric Judy and drummer Jeremiah Green. The concert on Sept 29 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre is part of Modest Mouse's extensive US tour. The livestream tickets are US$15 (500 baht), or $35 with a Modest Mouse Red Rocks T-Shirt.

Intake Education, a rebrand of Mentor International, which has been advising families in their search for the best boarding schools in England for over 30 years, is holding the "British Boarding Schools Virtual Exhibition" on Sunday, from 3-7pm, via Microsoft Teams. (Photo courtesy of Intake Education)Boarding schools in the UK have long been favoured by Thais and over the years, many students have returned to have successful careers in Thailand. The UK is home to some of the finest boarding schools in the world and following expert advice, parents will find the right school to provide their children with an exceptional educational experience that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. During the upcoming virtual exhibition, parents can identify the best school "fit" for their child and learn more about UK boarding schools and the UK education system. They will be able to discuss their child's future education plans one-on-one with the delegates from 13 top schools including Abingdon, Badminton, Bromsgrove, Cardiff Sixth Form College, Caterham School, Cheltenham College, Lancing, Malvern St James, Millfield and Uppingham.

The Pizza Company is launching a special round of 'Buy 1 Get 1 Free' menus through all channels every day from today until Nov 8 of this year. The Pizza Company, owned by SET-listed Minor Food Group Plc, expects its sales to recover in the remaining four months of this year, boosting its total sales to be on par with last year's level. The company is expecting this campaign to drive its sales to expand by 40% during the life of the campaign. Currently, there are 405 The Pizza Company branches operating in the Thai market. The Pizza Company's sales grew by 5-6% to 7 billion baht in 2020, while Thailand's overall domestic pizza market was valued at 15 billion baht last year.

The third annual edition of the Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) ranks Thailand 44th among 110 countries, with Singapore sixth and Malaysia 31st. Thailand excels in internet quality (19th), but displays comparatively low results in internet affordability (58th), e-infrastructure (46th), e-security (63rd) and e-government (51st). Overall, however, Thailand demonstrated one of the most significant improvements compared to the 2020 survey, rising from 63rd place to 44th and excelling in the internet quality pillar. Despite making a huge leap in the overall index, Thailand has room for improvement in specific areas, such as e-government and e-infrastructure. The United States stands out for the highest digital quality of life in the Americas, while South Korea takes the leading position in Asia.

We believe Thailand's current account surplus will shrink from 3.5% of GDP in 2020 to 0% this year, with the risk of falling into a full-year deficit. For the year to July 31, the current account posted a US$9.3-billion deficit, compared with a surplus of $12.9 billion in the same period last year. We forecast goods exports to grow 5% in 2022 as these supply-chain constraints ease. As such, we expect goods imports to grow a further 3.0% in 2022, with domestic consumption and investment picking up. The potential depreciatory effect of a current account deficit on the baht could provide some upside for the tourism sector.

August exports expected to expand at a slower rateShipping containers sit aboard a vessel at Klong Toey Port in Bangkok. According to Commerce Ministry statistics, customs-cleared exports reached US$22.7 billion in July, with imports increasing by 45.9% year-on-year to $22.5 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $183 million. For the first seven months of 2021, Thai exports expanded by 16.2% to $155 billion, while imports rose by 28.7% to $152 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $2.62 billion. Real sector exports (excluding gold, oil-related products and weaponry) also continued to soar by 25.4% from July last year. The deal includes a joint effort to help the Australian military acquire nuclear-powered submarines, in an apparent attempt to counter China.

But some things remain constant: The top tier of the 2022 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings is packed with familiar names, with Harvard University claiming the top spot for the fifth straight year. But the WSJ/THE College Rankings focus on outputs, emphasizing the return on investment students see after they graduate. The emergence of remote learning during the pandemic has raised new questions about the value of higher education, she says. For those planning to enter college, rankings remain useful tools that students and families can use to help decide where to go. The WSJ/THE rankings are intended to serve as a starting point for families considering their options: The "best" school in the world might not be the best one for you.

Business body seeks incentives to stimulate foreign demandThe Phuket sandbox will help revive the residential market in the province next year, but a local business body is calling on the government to provide one-stop services and incentives to boost demand from foreign buyers. "Foreigners buying a Thai property visit Thailand as tourists. Around 3,000 condo units in Phuket had been reserved by foreign buyers in the period before the Covid-19 pandemic, and these were under construction. At present, there were new investments from Thai investors in the property market in Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. "Despite the Phuket sandbox, the property market recovery will take time, not this year," he said.