Hua Hin beach in 2018. As of Aug 30, the vaccination rate reached 55% of the 90,564 inhabitants of Hua Hin Municipality, of which 59.2% received the first jab and 22.2% were fully inoculated. Meanwhile, operators in Hua Hin are working with the Public Health Ministry and the Transport Ministry to welcome private jets via Hua Hin airport. Hotels in Hua Hin, with only 56 open of the 200 in total, are applying for the Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Plus standard. Tourists can travel independently or book packages under Hua Hin Recharge, which covers 86.3 square kilometres between Hua Hin Municipality and Nong Kae district.

3BB set to issue first debentureTriple T Broadband Plc (3BB) says it will issue a secured long-term three-year debenture at a fixed interest rate of 6.25% per annum and pay interest every three months until maturity. This is the first time the company has issued debentures and they will be offered to institutional investors and high net worth investors. The company delegates authority to four financial institutions: KTBST Holding, Phillip Securities (Thailand), AIRA Securities and ASL Securities Co to determine details in relation to the issuance and offering the debenture. The debenture is expected to be offered between Sept 27-29 this year. As of the second quarter of this year, 3BB has a total of 3.75 million internet subscribers.

BoT says confidence key to spurring recoveryPublic confidence will be a key factor in boosting the economy after the government eased its strict Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, according to an executive at the Bank of Thailand (BoT). Ms Chayawadee said the BoT would monitor people's confidence regarding spending, travel and other economic activities after the containment measures were relaxed and stimulus measures to encourage domestic consumption were implemented. Domestic consumption in July declined from the previous month across all spending categories, due to the worsening pandemic situation and stricter containment measures. Ms Chayawadee said the BoT would closely monitor Thai exports amid higher external risks, especially trading partners' new infections. While some countries have adjusted their 2021 GDP growth forecasts, the BoT has already priced in such external risk factors for Thailand's export growth assessment.

REUTERSThailand will enforce the e-service tax law from Wednesday, following in the footsteps of more than 60 countries around the globe which collect value-added tax (VAT) from foreign e-service operators reaping income in their territories. The Revenue Department has developed a simplified VAT system for e-service (SVE) that enables the foreign e-service providers to register for VAT, file VAT returns and pay VAT electronically. Some 50 foreign e-service operators have registered through SVE, said Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith. GIANT DIGITAL PROVIDERSRinlita Srirojpinyo, head of marketing at eBay Thailand, the local operating unit of the US e-commerce giant, said the company has its system ready for the new e-service tax law. The law, however, could encourage foreign e-service operators to register their business in Thailand so expenses incurred locally could be used for deduction from their corporate income tax.

Covid PR blitz a wasteAfter two years of living with Covid-19, the Thai people have learned many things through multiple lockdowns, increasing fatalities, tremendous misery and hardship. Among them was 105 million baht to be allocated to the Public Relations Department to finance public campaigns aimed at improving Covid-19 health awareness. The Covid-19 pandemic is a public health crisis. It is incumbent on the public health and other related authorities to provide quick and precise information to the public. One of the many problems regarding Covid-19 information so far is the tendency for state agencies to give inconsistent or at times conflicting guidelines or updates.

Eateries set to reopen from WednesdayRestaurants at CentralWorld in Bangkok prepare to resume services following the easing of lockdown restrictions by the government. Nongchanok Stananonth, assistant vice-president of SLRT Co, operator of Sizzler restaurant under Minor Food Group, said the company is ready on Wednesday to reopen 54 Sizzler restaurants out of the total 60. However, she said Sizzler branches in some locations such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Nakhon Ratchasima remain closed. Minor Food closed 300 restaurants at the end of August and is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday 186 restaurants including those of Sizzler. All of the staff, tenants and workers at The Mall Group totalling more than 10,000 have received the first jab.

Moderna here soon: GPOSome 1.9 million doses of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine, imported as an alternative vaccine for private hospitals, will arrive in the last quarter of this year, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) said. The 1.9 million doses will be progressively shipped to Thailand from October through to December, the GPO said, adding this will be followed by the delivery of 3.1 million Moderna doses during the first quarter of next year. The orders were made by private hospitals via the GPO. The Moderna vaccine is to satisfy soaring local demand for vaccines produced using mRNA technology. According to the GPO, Zuellig Pharma has constantly been in contact with the manufacturer and was making sure the vaccine can be supplied starting from October.

Endangered Bengal tiger cub born at Nicaragua zooA baby Bengal tiger is seen only a few days after birth at Nicaragua's National Zoo August 30, 2021MASAYA (NICARAGUA) - A Bengal tiger cub is being cared for by humans at Nicaragua's National Zoo after its mother was unable to produce the milk necessary to feed the latest little addition to the endangered species, the zoo's director Eduardo Sacasa said Tuesday. The tiger, which was born on Saturday, is the fourth of its kind to be born at the National Zoo in Masaya, some 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of the capital Managua. The cub's mother Dalila had given birth to a female white tiger cub -- called Nieve, or snow -- in December, but that baby died of respiratory problems only two weeks later, despite the special care given by the zoo. Nicaragua's National Zoo has two other female tigers that have also given birth. Sacasa said the births give him hope the zoo can be a kind of "genetic center" in protecting the species.

photo courtesy of Lotus Arts de VivreLotus Arts de Vivre, a leading jewellery and home decorative items brand, will present "The Art Of Gifting", an exclusive collection of meaningful and unique gifts carefully selected by gift experts on its online store, lotusartsdevivre.com, from Friday onwards. The collection will make it easy for those looking for gifts for family members, friends, business partners and even bosses for any occasion from birthdays to wedding anniversaries, housewarming parties and expressions of love and friendship. Featured in the curated gift collection are jewellery, personal collectables and home decor items for both men and women. Also expect to see international brands that mirror Lotus Arts de Vivre's philosophy of excellent craftsmanship, artistry and refinement. One of them is Obsidian, a world authority on vintage Cartier items and other objets d'art from the UK.

The gender gap in retirementWooden figures of a man and a woman stand on scales with coins between them, symbolising the gender pay gap. The Supreme Court previously ruled that Section 15 of the LPA does extend to the issue of retirement age for different genders too. In this regard, the LPA however does not prescribe a mandatory retirement age. There have been some instances of companies prescribing different retirement ages for employees of different categories and genders. Therefore, based on this court precedent, if employers set a retirement policy for different ages based solely on the gender of the employees, they may have violated the LPA.

Thailand's elderly lag behind in vaccination driveA woman gets a shot of a coronavirus disease vaccine at the Central Vaccination Center as Thailand opens a walk-in for the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccination scheme for elders, people with a minimum weight of 100 kilograms and pregnant women amid the coronavirus outbreak in Bangkok on July 23 this year. In Indonesia, only 17% of the elderly have been fully vaccinated, but that is still higher than the 13% for the total population. The proportion of elderly deaths has risen, pointing to the possible impact of slow vaccinations. Critics of Thailand's vaccination policy blame it in part for a spike to more than 10,000 deaths in a country where fewer than 100 people died of Covid-19 last year. "They should have vaccinated the elderly right after health and frontline workers," said 18-year-old Thippawan Rodinthra, whose 78-year-old grandfather died of Covid-19 last month.

Police say 3 groups plan to protest on WednesdayProtesters of the "Thalu Gas" group at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok on Aug 23. (Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya)Three groups of protesters plan anti-government rallies at different locations in Bangkok on Wednesday, Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Pol Lt Gen Piya Tawichai said on Tuesday. He said the Ratsadorn Taliban group planned to gather at Lat Phrao intersection at 2pm. The Ramkhamhaeng for Democracy group planned to rally at 3pm at Kiak Kai intersection in front the parliament,where a no-confidence debate is being held. Pol Lt Gen Piya warned that Bangkok is under maximum and strict Covid control, and rallies are prohibited.

Six cops in alleged torture death give statements as witnessesPol Col Thitisan Utthanaphon is taken from the Crime Suppression Division to return to Muang police station in Nakhon Sawan on Thursday night. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)Investigators handling the torture-death case against Pol Col Thitisan Utthamaphon have completed their initial interrogation of his six subordinates who are alleged accomplices. Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj Gen Suwat Saengnoom on Tuesday said the six policemen gave statements as witnesses to the alleged murder. Asked about a rumour being spread on social media that Pol Col Thitisan suffered from bipolar disorder, the CSD commander was noncommittal. However, Pol Col Thitisan first fled to Chon Buri, then surrendered at CSD headquarters on Thursday evening.

Phu Nam Rom border crossing reopened for freightThe Phu Nam Ron border crossing in Muang district, Kanchanaburi, opposite Myanmar's Tiki checkpoint. (Photo: Piyarat Chongcharoen)KANCHANABURI: The Phu Nam Rom border crossing in Muang district will reopen from Wednesday for transport of cargo between Thailand and Myanmar. Governor Jirakiat Phumsawat, chairman of the provincial communicable disease committee, issued an order on Tuesday to open the Phu Nam Ron checkpoint, opposite Myanmar's Tiki checkpoint. The Phu Nam Ron-Tiki crossing is mainly used for movement of cargo between the two countries. The Phu Nam Ron and Dan Chedi Sam Ong checkpoints have both been closed repeatedly because of Covid-19.

Ronaldo completes Manchester United returnCristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United was completed on TuesdayMANCHESTER (UNITED KINGDOM) - Manchester United completed the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday for his second spell at Old Trafford for a fee that could rise to 23 million euros ($27 million) from Juventus. Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games during his first spell at United, winning his first Ballon d'Or and Champions League title, as well as three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups. "Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday. I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again," Ronaldo said in a statement from United. Ronaldo is expected to make his second United debut against Newcastle at Old Trafford on September 11.