Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit said his party supports marijuana for medical uses but is opposed to recreational use. Disagreement over the proposed legislation is threatening to destabilise the coalition government. The Bhumjaithai Party is upset after fellow coalition partners, including the Democrats and ruling Palang Pracharath, on Wednesday joined the opposition in voting to withdraw the bill from ongoing House deliberation. The Cannabis and Hemp Bill was proposed by the Public Health Ministry, which is headed by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul.

PTT has its own plans to assemble EVs, produce batteries, expand EV charging facilities and provide EV rental services, all of which are making good progress, according to Mr Auttapol. PTT and Foxconn are jointly developing an EV production facility worth US$1-2 billion in the Eastern Economic Corridor. Thailand is the third country with a semi-solid battery production facility in Asia after China and Japan. CHARGING FACILITIESMr Auttapol sees a crucial need to develop more EV charging facilities in order to fuel the growth of the domestic EV industry. This prompted PTT, together with manufacturers of cars and EV chargers, to invest in developing and expanding EV charging infrastructure.

Facing up to dope changesDelays to the second reading of the cannabis and hemp bill are just disheartening. The bill now goes back to the committee that has already spent three months revising the bill, for another round of changes. The cannabis policy has been in action for two years and decriminalising it has been underway since June. Nevertheless, the cannabis policy has caused worry in society and there are reports about its misuse, especially among teenagers and school students. No matter how divisive this cannabis policy is, the solution is not to pull the bill.

People walk past Casino Lisboa in Macau. The new casino licences are expected to begin in 2023 and are crucial for the six incumbents to keep operating their multi-billion dollar properties. They have collectively invested some US$40 billion in Macau since casinos were liberalised more than 20 years ago. The bidding comes as Macau casinos have been slammed by ongoing Covid curbs and travel restrictions. Genting will still be able to operate its hotel resort even if it does not win a new casino licence, according to Macau laws.

(Photo: Somchai Poomlard)The stronger dollar has weakened the Bank of Thailand's international reserves, but the central bank says the country's external position and financial stability remain strong. The bank's foreign reserves declined to US$240 billion from $278 billion at the beginning of this year. The stronger dollar meant the valuation of multiple-currency assets in dollar terms declined, said the central bank. She said the Bank of Thailand's foreign reserves remain in solid condition at $240 billion, representing 48% of the country's GDP, with the total ranking 12th globally. Year-to-date foreign investors have bought around 160 billion baht of Thai assets -- more than 160 billion baht in stocks and small sales of around 700 million baht in bonds.

Electrification InitiativesIntroducing electric motorcycle models to meet wide-ranging customer needsAnticipating market expansion, Honda will introduce electric motorcycles that accommodate a wide range of customer needs. To fulfill such demand, Honda has been offering the Honda e: Business Bike series models and accelerating the global launch of business-use electric motorcycles. By fulfilling customer needs with highly efficient Monozukuri, Honda will continue to offer the joy of mobility with affordably-priced electric motorcycle models. Regarding the battery, a core component of electric vehicles, Honda aims to equip its electric motorcycle models with an all-solid-state battery Honda is currently developing by making active use of its own resources. The company plans to begin its motorcycle battery sharing service this fall.

“This is an unprecedented increase in new sections during the vetting of a bill. It would have been acceptable if only four or five sections had been added but it was unusual to see over 40 new sections added to the original draft,” Prasert said. He said the vetting panel had gone too far to change the original draft to indirectly allow recreational use of ganja. “Several sides have voiced opposition to the vetted draft. Most Move Forward MPs voted to send the draft back to the vetting panel.

Hotel rates low despite surging costsHotels are struggling to raise room rates amid intense competition in the industry, despite pressure from higher operational costs due to surging electricity bills and wages. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said those two expenditures usually account for the largest costs in hotels’ operations. “Operational cost is surging though the number of guests is still modest,” she said. Moreover, 61% of hotel operators remain concerned about the number of international tourists this year, which could be lower than expected. “In terms of energy management, small hotels that have individual air control in each room can manage the cost better.”

BA Airport Leasehold Real Estate Investment Trust (BAREIT) invests in Samui airport leasehold properties, making it the first trust in Thailand to invest in airport properties. During 2010-2019, Samui airport received a total of 2.6 million tourists and more than 30,000 total flights annually. The REIT receives income from the sublease of assets to Bangkok Airport Management Co Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Bangkok Airways. Leelapat Leelahavanich, managing director of Bangkok REIT Management, said BAREIT made its first investment in leasehold properties used to operate Samui airport. This makes it one of the most attractive rates of return for a REIT listed on the SET, he said.

The Nepali climber's summit of Pakistan's Gasherbrum II (8,035 metres) last month completed his unprecedented double ascent of the eight-thousanders -- as the 14 peaks are collectively known. By 2019, he had double summits on half of the 14 peaks, and a foreign climber suggested he try to complete the set. - Everest x 7 -Long in the shadows as supporters of their paying foreign customers -- it costs more than US$45,000 to climb Everest -- Nepali mountaineers are slowly being recognised in their own right. In recent years, several films have helped shine a light on the key role of Nepali climbers, including "Sherpa" which was released in 2015, and more recently "14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible". Sherpa has climbed Everest seven times and has triple ascents on another four of the 14 peaks.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul samples cannabis tea at an exhibition at the Public Health Ministry in Nonthaburi province in May 2022. Before the House meeting commenced, the Democrat Party said it wanted the bill withdrawn and was threatening to vote against it if the House proceeds with it. Mr Satit said the Democrat Party wanted the Ministry of Public Health to review the announcement and reinstate cannabis as a narcotic. "If the House insists in continuing with the deliberation of the bill, the Democrat Party would vote against it," Mr Satit said. As for the Cannabis and Hemp Bill, it had been vetted by a House committee and was about to be forwarded to the House for consideration in the second reading.

The NBTC has deferred its decision on the planned True-Dtac merger pending legal advice from the Council of State. The meeting came after a second request by the NBTC for the council to interpret its power to regulate the merger deal. The first request was rejected by the Council of State on grounds that the NBTC did have the power according to law but also that the watchdog was being sued in the Central Administrative Court. The lawsuit, which was filed by Napat Winitchaikul, a member of a committee overseeing the telecoms watchdog, asked the court to order the NBTC to nullify its regulations on telecom mergers. The Central Administrative Court rejected the lawsuit on grounds that the NBTC had power to halt any merger it deemed as a threat to fair competition.

MEA director of Corporate Communications Jumpote Himacharoen said on Tuesday that electricity users should survey their meters, outlets and appliances during the rainy season. “Contact MEA Call Centre 1130 and we will come move the meters for free.”The MEA has dispatched technicians to check all electrical meters on power poles in metropolitan areas to make sure they are working properly and are safe from flood, Jumpote said. The MEA also has officers on standby around the clock to provide emergency services in case of blackout or electrical malfunctions at key locations such as water drainage facilities, drainage tunnels and underground walkways, he said. He also called on owners of billboards to check the structural integrity of the billboards and make sure the foundation is secure so it can withstand strong winds. “Please follow the latest updates on weather and the flood situation from related authorities and make sure to prepare accordingly,” he added.

An overlapping claim area (OCA) covering 26,000 sq km that is estimated to contain up to 500 million barrels of oil and gas deposits will be the subject of talks between Thailand and Cambodia. As part of its efforts to promote energy independence, the government is holding energy negotiations with neighboring countries such as Cambodia and calling for bids for petroleum concessions. A committee has been formed to investigate ways to jointly develop the 5 million barrels of oil and the overlapping claims area, and the Foreign Affairs Ministry will lead negotiations with Cambodia. Various attempts have been made to rekindle negotiations over the 500 million barrels of oil oil and gas deposits in the region with varying degrees of success. Source: Bangkok PostKeywords: barrels of oil equivalent per day,barrels of oil equivalent,barrels of oil per day,how many barrels of oil does the u.s. use a day, 2 million barrels of oil in tonnes

Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, CEO of Boon Rawd Brewery, diesChutinant Bhirombhakdi, CEO of Boon Rawd Brewery Co. (Photo: Boon Rawd Brewery Co)Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, president and CEO of Boon Rawd Brewery Co Ltd, has died in the United States where he was seeking medical treatment for an undisclosed illness. He is survived by his wife, Khunying Piyapat, and their three children, Chitpas “Tant” Kridakorn, Nantaya “Tui” Bhirombhakdi and Lt Naiyanobh “Toy” Bhirombhakdi. Chutinant was the third generation Bhirompakdi to run the country’s well-known brewery company. Chutinant also held the post of president of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand and was credited with the success of many paralympic athletes. Thailand's national paralympic national team mourned his passing by blacking out their social media profile pictures.