HSBC appoints new chief for Thai operationsMr Gamba has 20 years of experience with the bank, including several in Asia. HSBC announces the appointment of Giorgio Gamba as chief executive to lead the group's operations in Thailand. Mr Gamba succeeds Kelvin Tan, who will lead HSBC's Asean sustainable finance and investments activity in Singapore. "Thailand occupies a key position in global supply chains, and we believe the economic recovery will be fast when it comes. Mr Gamba joined HSBC in 2001 and has worked across wealth and personal banking, risk and global banking in Hong Kong, India, South Korea and the UK.

It is a vision shared by our retail and wholesale businesses," said Suphachai Chearavanont, chief executive of CP Group and chairman of Siam Makro. CP Group's retail and wholesale businesses are already present in China, Malaysia, India, Cambodia and Myanmar under multiple brands and multiple formats with 337 stores. DRIVING EFFICIENCY"Succeeding in complex global markets requires great speed in decision-making. "We have to use our stores to enable consumers in overseas markets to be exposed to more Thai products. "There are huge global retail corporations.

HIV rapid test kits now in storesHIV rapid test kits for home use are now available to be sold over the counter, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said. "The Food and Drug Administration has approved two types of the home use HIV test kits for sale at pharmacies: the blood and saliva testing types," said Dr Preecha Prempree, deputy director-general of the DDC. Dr Preecha said the test kits are available at most pharmacies, which should improve public access to HIV testing particularly during the Covid-9 outbreak. Allowing HIV self-testing is part of the DDC's nine-year plan to curb new HIV infections, deaths and stigma attached to HIV infection, he said. A confirmation test is required and will be conducted at a healthcare facility in case the rapid test comes back positive.

Restrictive abortion law takes effect in TexasAbortion opponents protest in the state capitol in Texas, where a new restrictive law on ending pregnancies has taken effectWASHINGTON - A Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant, took effect on Wednesday after the Supreme Court failed to act on an emergency request to block it. The American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other groups filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court on Monday, asking it to stop the Texas law from taking effect. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the US House of Representatives, said the failure of the Supreme Court to act has "delivered catastrophe to women in Texas." According to the ACLU, "approximately 85 to 90 percent" of women who obtain an abortion in Texas are at least six weeks into pregnancy. The Texas law "creates a bounty hunting scheme that encourages the general public to bring costly and harassing lawsuits against anyone who they believe has violated the ban," the ACLU said.

Malaysia examines need for booster shots as virus spreadsFILE PHOTO: Bottles of the Sinovac vaccine are seen at a hospital, as Indonesia drives mass vaccination for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan 21, 2021. (Reuters)Malaysia is studying if it’s necessary to give booster Covid-19 vaccine shots, as the country grapples with the fast-spreading delta variant. Malaysia isn’t alone in weighing the need for booster shots. Singapore is eyeing a third round of vaccine for some segments of its population, while Indonesia has rolled out booster shots only for its health care workers. The endemic phase will allow more sectors of the economy to reopen by October, when the nation reaches herd immunity against the virus.

Indonesia reaches 100 million Covid vaccine doses as curbs easedStudents wait to receive the Sinovac Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a high school in Surabaya on Wednesday. (AFP photo)Indonesia has administered 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, setting a milestone that would help it ease restrictions further to revive the economy. The government has struggled to meet its goal of giving out 2.5 million doses a day in August and September, reaching just about a million a day. The goal of administering 100 million doses daily was reached on Aug. 31 as targeted, despite much of the vaccine supply arriving only in August and September. Despite lacking its own vaccine production, Indonesia has secured 86% of the 430 million doses needed for its mass vaccination program.

Taliban parade as Biden defends US pulloutThe Taliban now face the challenge of governing Afghanistan. KABUL: The Taliban prepared on Wednesday to stage a parade showcasing some of the military hardware they captured during their takeover of Afghanistan, after President Joe Biden defended his decision to end the two-decade war. The United Nations warned, meanwhile, of a looming "humanitarian catastrophe", underscoring the daunting challenges that the Taliban face as they transform from insurgent group to governing power. - 'Not done' with IS-K -Authorities from several countries have already begun meeting with Taliban leadership, the latest being India. The evacuation was complicated by a threat from the regional offshoot of the Islamic State group, rivals of the Taliban.

Warnings as Thailand, Indonesia ease Covid-19 curbsA vendor prepares a Pad Thai for dine-in at a food court at Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok on Wednesday, as Covid-19 coronavirus restrictions begin to ease across the nation. (AFP photo)BANGKOK/JAKARTA: As Indonesia and Thailand start to ease Covid-19 curbs after seeing case numbers fall, health experts say cases of new infections could rise again with vaccination rates still low. Although case numbers are still rising fast in most of the region, Indonesia and Thailand, which have its largest economies, have started to lift curbs on dine-in restaurants and shopping malls to ease the economic pain of their lockdowns. Indonesia reported 10,534 new cases on Tuesday, five times fewer than its peak in mid-July, while Thailand reported 14,802 new cases on Wednesday, down 37% from its mid-August peak. The two countries both have first vaccination rates at around 30% with Indonesia having fully vaccinated 17% and Thailand 11%.

(Photo supplied)Siam Makro Plc surged as much as 24% after Thailand’s biggest operator of cash-and-carry stores announced a plan worth about 218 billion to take control of retailer Lotus from other affiliates of the Charoen Pokphand Group. That will trigger a mandatory tender, and after existing owners buy the new shares, they will then sell them to a unit of Siam Makro, the statement said. Siam Makro’s largest shareholders are units of the Charoen Pokphand Group, a holding company of the Chearavanont family, Thailand’s richest dynasty. After the tender and share swaps, Siam Makro will control 76% of Lotus, according to the exchange statement. Shares of CP All rose as much as 4.2% and Charoen Pokphand Foods was up as much as 1.8%.

Top business group JSCCIB raises growth outlook as Covid curbs easeA masseuse sprays disinfectant on a reclining chair while her colleague massages a customer on the first reopening day at a foot massage shop in Bang Kapi district of Bangkok on Wednesday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)Thailand's leading joint-business group, the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB), on Wednesday raised its 2021 economic forecast to between a 0.5% fall and 1% growth. The easing of curbs should lower an economic loss to between 200 billion baht to 300 billion baht this month, down from 300 billion baht to 400 billion baht projected earlier, the group said. "Last month we didn't get the picture and had no confidence in vaccine procurement which could lead to longer lockdown measures," JSCCIB chairman Payong Srivanich told a briefing. The group also raised its export outlook to a rise of 12-14% this year, up from 10-12% predicted earlier.

500kg ganja found on Mekong riverbankThe 500 slabs of dried marijuana, 500 kilogrammes in total, found on the Mekong riverbank in That Phanom district on Tuesday night, displayed at the Mekong Riverine headquarters in Nakhon Phanom. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)NAKHON PHANOM: A drug suppression team of the Mekong Riverine Unit seized 500 kilogrammes of compressed dried marijuana left on the bank of the Mekong river in That Phanom district late on Tuesday night. R/Adm Jaraskiat Chaiyaphan, commander of the Nakhon Phanom MRU, said a team on routine patrol found 10 sacks left on the riverbank near Ban Khap Phuang in tambon Nam Kam. They contained a total of 500 slabs of compressed marijuana weighing 1kg each. About 3 tonnes of marijuana had been seized by the unit during the past month, R/Adm Jaraskiat said.

"[We] can't help but ask, as an independent organisation supporting contemporary art, and has operated in the city for 44 years, how can Arts Centre randomly terminate any hiring contracts without citing concrete evidence?" In its own statement, Hong Kong Arts Centre said it had decided to cancel Ho's reservation for the period between Sept 6 and 12 citing clause 22(c) of the centre's terms and conditions. Ho, an active participant in Hong Kong's protest movement, was recently attacked by pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao, which accused her of taking part in what it termed anti-China and Hong Kong activities since 2019. Two months later, Ho was invited by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China in the United States to testify on Hong Kong's situation amid the social unrest. She attended alongside jailed activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung and activist Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang, who recently announced he was now residing in the United States.

PM hints at shortening, lifting night curfewThe night curfew in dark-red zones may be shortened or lifted, depending on the Covid-19 situation, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Wednesday. He said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) had eased some disease controls, effective from Wednesday, and he hoped everyone would to strictly comply with them. The prime minister said he knew the curfew had affected entertainment places. The prime minister said he still had confidence in the country's health system, although it had been battered by the Covid-19 pandemic. It would not be fair if only the numbers of infections and fatalities were used to judge the efficiency of the system.

BOI USA invites you to join “Thailand’s Semiconductor & Smart Electronic Manufacturing Solutions” webinarThe Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), New York and Los Angeles Offices, are honoured to welcome you to a joint online seminar and panel discussion on “Thailand’s Semiconductor and Smart Electronic Manufacturing Solutions”. The event will include three guest speakers:Mr. Chanin KhaochanDeputy Secretary General Thailand Board of InvestmentDeputy Secretary General Thailand Board of Investment Mr. Narat RujiratExecutive Director Electrical and Electronics Institute of ThailandExecutive Director Electrical and Electronics Institute of Thailand Mr. Vivek JainSr Vice President Tech & Manufacturing Group, Maxim Integrated Products Inc. Date: 9 September 2021 (Thursday)Time: 23.00 – 24.00 hrs. (Thailand Time)Registration: https://roi.gazelle.ai/roi-webinar-smart-electronics-and-semiconductors-in-thailandFree of Charge

Governor: Phuket virus surge at crisis levelHealthcare workers give Covid-19 tests at a trawler pier in Phuket. (Photo: Achadtaya Chuenniran)PHUKET: The surge in new coronavirus infections on this resort island is at a crisis level the provincial governor admitted on Wednesday, as tourism operators called for urgent action to rein in the spread of the disease. "That the number of infections is more than 200 a day is a crisis situation," Phuket governor Narong Woonciew said on Wednesday. The surge came despite 70% of its population having been inoculated against Covid-19 before the island reopened for fully vaccinated tourists on July 1. Phuket tourism operators have called on authorities to quickly bring an end to the recent surge in.