'Samui Plus' scheme makes B40m since its opening in JulyWitchawut: Says tourism is picking upThe Samui Plus programme has brought in almost 40 million baht in revenue since its launch in the middle of July, says Surat Thani governor Witchawut Jinto. He said the tourism reopening scheme, which covers Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, has welcomed 918 visitors including 347 who arrived via the Phuket Sandbox. Since the launch on July 15, the Samui Plus scheme recorded bookings of 6,329 room nights and brought in more than 37.6 million baht in tourism revenue, he said. Of the total, 7,397 room night bookings have been made by 591 visitors under Samui Plus and 1,788 room nights made by 269 tourists under the Phuket Sandbox and 7+7 Extension. The governor said the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus are boosting efforts to revive the battered tourism industry and creating jobs for local people.

The lessons learned from Phuket which has led the way in reopening to foreign visitors since July 1, followed by Samui Plus two weeks later, have encouraged Pattaya to follow in their footsteps. Not quarantine-free travelRattanachai Suttidechanai, chairman of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, said provincial standard operating procedures (SOPs) including guidelines for inbound tourists are complete. Despite the SOPs and the sealed route programme, there are concerns in the business community about Covid-19's spread linked to the PMO scheme, he admitted. Good planning the keySuwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, chief of the Department of Health, said that unlike Phuket, Pattaya is not an island where controlling virus transmission is easier. Still, to reopen for foreign tourists, Pattaya needs more effort to make sure the city will be safe after reopening.

Prayut elated after no-confidence vote move fails to oust him from officePrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha talks to cabinet ministers after the no-confidence vote on Saturday following the four-day censure debate, in which he and five other ministers were targeted. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha remained in high spirits despite receiving the second fewest votes of confidence and the most no-confidence votes among six targets when MPs cast their votes on Saturday. The 208 no-confidence votes he received was also the most of all six on the list. Emerging from the vote, Gen Prayut said he was contented with the outcome and would continue working. On the eve of the vote, Gen Prayut was said to have seen off the threat.

DDC says China jabs have helped save livesThe Sinovac vaccine has played a key role in saving Thai lives since the Alpha variant was found in the country early this year, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) says. "By having the vaccine at that time, we were able to control the outbreak and save many lives. Of course, all vaccine efficiency is reduced by the Delta variant, but it doesn't mean Sinovac is ineffective. DDC deputy chief Sophon Iamsirithavorn said the inactivated Sinovac vaccine is safe for use in children aged under 18, so Sinovac vaccine has been imported in case shipments from Pfizer and AstraZeneca do not arrive on schedule. "The vaccines cannot create herd immunity because they cannot prevent infections, but at very least they can prevent severe sickness," he wrote on FB.

Iran calls on US to stop its addiction to sanctionsA picture provided by the Iranian presidency on September 4, 2021 shows President Ebrahim Raisi during a TV interviewTEHRAN - Iran urged the United States Saturday to stop its addiction to sanctions against the Islamic republic and accused President Joe Biden of following the same "dead end" policies as Donald Trump. "Washington must understand that it has no other choice but to abandon its addiction to sanctions and show respect, both in its statements and in its behaviour, towards Iran," Khatibzadeh said in a press release. The multilateral deal offered Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. And on Tuesday, Iran's new Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian suggested that the Vienna talks would not resume for two or three months. On Friday, the US Treasury announced sanctions against "four Iranian intelligence operatives" it said were involved in a campaign against Iranian dissidents abroad.

Montenegro clashes ahead of Orthodox leader's inaugurationBy Saturday evening, all roads into Cetinje had been blockedCETINJE (MONTENEGRO) - Protesters clashed with police Saturday in the southern Montenegrin city of Cetinje as ethnic tensions rose a day ahead of the inauguration of the new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the tiny Balkans nation. While the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) is the dominant religion in Montenegro, critics accuse it of serving the interests of Belgrade. Thousands protested last December when it amended a controversial law that had aimed to make hundreds of Serbian Orthodox monasteries Montenegrin state property. Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic, whose party passed the original law, had been eager to curb the SPC's clout in Montenegro and build up an independent Orthodox church. He had run the church in Montenegro since 1990.

Syria 'ready' to help Lebanon with gas, electricity transitSyrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad (R C) and other cabinet members meet with an official Lebanese delegation in the capital Damascus to discuss plans to import gas through war-torn SyriaDAMASCUS - Syria has agreed to help crisis-hit Lebanon by letting gas and electricity transit through its territory, an official said Saturday during the first high-level visit from Beirut to Damascus since Syria's civil war erupted. Now Beirut hopes to strike a deal to import gas from Egypt and electricity from Jordan using Syrian infrastructure -- with Washington's blessing despite US sanctions against the Damascus regime. Syria is "ready" to help Lebanon with "transit for Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity via Syrian territory," senior official Nasri Khouri told reporters, after the delegation led by interim deputy prime minister Zeina Akar met Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Meqdad and Oil Minister Bassam Tomeh. - US-Iran rivalry -Lebanon has maintained diplomatic ties with Syria but it adopted a policy of dissociation from the conflict since it started in 2011, putting a dampener on official dealings. The visit comes after the Lebanese presidency last month said that Washington has agreed to help Lebanon secure electricity and natural gas from Jordan and Egypt through Syrian territory.

Look for equities with strong growth storiesThai market sentiment appears positive as the pace of new Covid-19 cases is likely to tilt to the downside following a steady increase that lasted nearly five months. INVESTMENT STRATEGYStocks that stand to benefit from an easing of Covid restrictions and those with strong growth stories are attractive. IP (Buy, target 23.87 baht): Our target is based on Bloomberg consensus earnings forecasts and strong growth potential for the biopharmaceutical and healthcare company in the foreseeable future. LEO (Buy, target 16 baht): Our target for the logistics provider is pegged to 2022 PE of 30 times. The financial services company has strong growth potential with 2021 earnings likely to overtake our forecast as loans have gradually increased given the economic recovery and relatively modest impact from the Covid outbreak on its operations.

Prayut pushes exporters to improve using techGen Prayut says exporters can add value to their products using digital technology and innovation. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged exporters to upgrade their products using high-value digital technology and innovation to generate more revenue for the country, in a bid to help the economy recover after the Covid-19 crisis. The PM Export Awards are part of the stimulus strategy and are presented by the government to recognise the outstanding performance of exporters. The award is divided into seven categories: best exporters; best innovation; best Thai brand; best design; best service enterprises; best One Tambon, One Product (Otop) item; and best halal. Depreciation of the baht should also help Thai export growth this year, he said.

In 2012, SET-listed Univentures (UV) acquired Golden Land Property Development Plc, which was founded in 1978 by property veteran Khunying Sasima Srivikorn and listed in 1994. The first quarter of 2014 was the first time in six years Golden Land turned a profit. FPT has three units: housing development under Frasers Property Home, commercial properties under Frasers Property Commercial, and industrial business under Frasers Property Industrial. Some Golden Land staff worked there for eight years and had an attachment. "Collaboration, respect, progressive and real are our new core ideals that will guide us to the same goal," said Mr Thanapol.

Debt restructuring periods offered to borrowers affected by the pandemic could be extended to more than 10 years, says Thai Bankers' Association (TBA) chairman Payong Srivanich. The refreshed debt aid measures effective from Friday cover debt restructuring, soft loans and the asset warehousing programme. The central bank extended the measures to the end of next year as they were set to expire at the end of this year. This easing should allow banks more options for debt restructuring, enabling a borrower to choose a programme in line with his or her income, business feasibility and debt repayment capability, he said. For instance, the debt restructuring period for the hotel and tourism sectors could be extended to 10-15 years, while that for mortgages could reach 20-25 years, he said.

Office warns SMEs of tougher competitionThe Office of Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) has sounded the alarm on escalating risks of trade competition, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reeling from the Covid-19 crisis. "Traditional businesses that can't adapt to the changing environment will definitely encounter higher trade competition and have their market snatched by online retailers and wholesalers," said Mr Sakon. He said entrepreneurs at all levels need to adapt to survive in preparation for this changing environment. "SMEs need to be aware of new skills and imagine how their businesses will change in the future because of such risks," said Mr Sakon. He said SMEs should also learn about the laws related to trade competition and unfair trade practices.

Association of Domestic Travel eyes 75m domestic trips in 2021Local tour operators bank on the government's promotion package to boost domestic trips this year. (Bangkok Post photo)The Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) hopes to tally 75 million domestic trips this year, using the government's stimulus package in the final quarter to spur tourism. New infections appear to be waning in some provinces and tourists should choose low-risk provinces for travel, said Mr Thanapol. The association forecasts 75 million domestic trips this year assuming the lockdown ends and stimulus packages support the market from October. "New effective domestic stimulus programmes should be ready in November to stimulate more trips at the end of the year," he said.

Thailand to mix and match AstraZeneca, Pfizer dosesA medical worker administers a dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine to a woman at Samut Prakan Hospital on Tuesday. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)Thailand is planning to roll out a new vaccination initiative using a mix of AstraZeneca and Pfizer doses next month to combat Covid-19, according to the Public Health Ministry. The Pfizer vaccine is administered as a second shot to vulnerable groups who received the AstraZeneca vaccine in June, he said. Dr Sophon said the country is unlikely to procure additional Sinovac vaccine doses following the rollout of the AstraZeneca-Pfizer vaccination initiative. He said recipients of two Sinovac vaccine doses will receive the AstraZeneca jab as a booster shot.

Better still, the prime minister must come top with the most votes," the source quoted Gen Prawit as saying. Speaking earlier on Friday, Gen Prayut said: ''It is up the MPs to decide how to vote. Isn't it the media who described us as the three Ps [Gen Prawit or Pom, Gen Anupong or Pok, and Gen Prayut]?. Asked whether he was still worried about Capt Thamanat, Gen Prayut said he did not have any issues with him. Mr Wirach on Friday said he was sure "The prime minister will come top" in Saturday's vote of confidence.