Thai delegation to visit Saudi next month
Thai delegation to visit Saudi next monthTwo-way trade volume between Thailand and Saudi Arabia last year reached 234 billion baht, with exports to Saudi Arabia tallying 51 billion baht. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)The Commerce Ministry will lead a trade mission to Saudi Arabia next month to strengthen business partnerships between Thailand and the Middle Eastern country, in a bid to grow Thai exports by 20%. Two-way trade volume between Thailand and Saudi Arabia last year totalled 234 billion baht, with exports to Saudi Arabia tallying 51 billion baht. The main imports from Saudi Arabia comprised crude oil, chemicals, fertiliser, pesticide, finished oil, and metallic minerals. The council expects Thai exports to Saudi Arabia to grow by 20% to 65 billion baht this year.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 29, 2022 00:33 UTC
Health Ministry revokes order to RTP on legal action against cannabis lawbreakers
Read More:https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018206However, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, Dr Narong Saiwong, said on Wednesday that Dr Yongyot Thammavudhi, director-general of the Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Department, wanted to review the order first and send it for further consideration before any action was taken. Yongyot said the notification to the police needed to be revised because there were four topics to consider:People who use cannabis for medical use should not be affected Past offences are not punishable Clarity of operational procedures for officials Cannabis is important for the economy and medical servicesYongyot said cannabis should not be listed again as a narcotics substance so the subcommittee agreed to declare cannabis buds as a controlled herb while other parts of the plant could be used normally.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 28, 2022 10:07 UTC
Pattaya to host cannabis festival in September
The CISW Cann Festival Thailand 2022 is scheduled for September 9-11 at Central Pattaya department store. It is a collaboration between Pattaya City, CISW Green World Co Ltd, and Central Pattaya. At the festival, Cann Expo and Hemp Expo will highlight products made from cannabis and hemp, including food, beverages and cosmetics.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 28, 2022 07:20 UTC
1,902 new Covid patients, 32 deaths as severe cases rise
1,902 new Covid patients, 32 deaths as severe cases riseA health worker from the Zendai organisation takes a swab sample from a boy for a rapid antigen test in Bangkok on Jan 5, 2022. Although the number of new patients receiving treatment had steadily declined, the figures for seriously ill patients were going in the opposite direction. On Wednesday, 2,129 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus. Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have been 4,584,070 Covid-19 cases, including 2,360,635 cases this year, with 4,528,820 complete recoveries to date. Global Covid-19 cases rose by 880,000 in 24 hours to 578.35 million.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 28, 2022 03:19 UTC
Royal Thai Police baffled by pot memo
Cannabis in butter is seen during a process of making cannabis snacks at a shop in Bangkok on July 16, 2022. They comprise those who carry out research studies on cannabis, export cannabis, distribute the plant or process it for commercial purposes. According to the ministry, permits must be sought in line with its 2016 directive on the research, import, distribution or procession of controlled herbs for commercial purposes. Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reiterated on Wednesday that the draft law being examined by the House does not permit recreational use of the plant. "What would happen to those using cannabis for treatment, or those investing in a business, if the delisting was cancelled?"
Source:Bangkok Post
July 27, 2022 23:41 UTC
BTSC boycotts second round bidding for Orange Line
On August 21, 2020, the MRTA changed the bid criteria. On September 17, the BTSC filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court, alleging that the change in bidding criteria was unlawful. On February 3, 2021, the MRTA cancelled the first bid, prompting the BTSC to file another lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the decision. On February 9, the Central Administrative Court ruled that the changing of bid criteria was unlawful. On July 7, the Administrative Court ruled that the cancellation of the first bid was also unlawful.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 27, 2022 15:11 UTC
Health Ministry wants police to smoke out people who break cannabis law
The Public Health Ministry therefore asked the RTP in a letter on Tuesday to arrest and take legal action against offenders according to Section 4 of the Protection and Promotion of Knowledge on Thai Traditional Medicine Act. According to the letter, four punishable offences are:Those who do not seek permission to study cannabis. People who don’t seek permission to export the plant. Those who fail to seek permission to sell cannabis. People who do not seek permission to process cannabis for commercial purposes.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 27, 2022 06:16 UTC
Air force appeals F-35A veto
Air force appeals F-35A vetoThe Royal Thai Air Force yesterday appealed a decision by a sub-committee of the House of Representatives to exclude its plan to procure two F-35A fighter jets from the US at a cost of 7.4 billion baht from the government's 2023 fiscal budget. However, according to Mr Yuttapong, it will take up to 20 months for the air force to seal the planned jet procurement. That is because the air force is conscious of the government's need to divert resources to fund efforts to revive the economy, he said. The air force, however, does need this initial sum to help convince the US to accelerate its decision on whether to make the sale, he said. A quote is expected in January next year following an air force request last December, he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 27, 2022 04:33 UTC
Pot policy 'won't be axed'
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul attends an exhibition at the Public Health Ministry on May 27, 2022, to promote the use of marijuana and hemp for the economy. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has refused to back down from the move to decriminalise cannabis despite mounting calls for the policy to be immediately suspended. Mr Anutin said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has promised to push the bill through during the current parliamentary session. "One regulation bans the consumption of cannabis in public places, but not in private places or at home," Mr Supat said. "But this was clearly illegal because the school is a public place and people under 20 are banned from using cannabis."
Source:Bangkok Post
July 26, 2022 23:11 UTC
Two insurgents killed in southern clash
Two insurgents killed in southern clashArmed soldiers and police are deployed in a community behind the Islamic dawah centre in Sateng Nok area of Muang district, Yala province. (Photo: Abdullah Benjakat)YALA: Two suspects in security cases were killed in a shootout with security forces in Muang district on Tuesday morning. Soldiers, police and local officials surrounded a community behind a markaz, or Islamic dawah centre, in tambon Sateng Nok around 3am. When the shooting stopped, two men named on arrest warrants in security cases were dead. One of the men killed was later named as Nasarulor Kaseng, whose former name was Maya Kaseng, 37.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 26, 2022 08:41 UTC
New monthly handouts approved
New monthly handouts approvedA noodle vendor with a sign announcing participation in the government’s Khon La Khrueng co-payment scheme. (Bangkok Post photo)The cabinet on Tuesday approved a new phase of its co-payment subsidy scheme and doubled its monthly handout for poor and needy people for September and October. The cabinet also resolved to double the monthly handout for holders of government welfare cards; those who had no smartphones and no access to the internet and the government’s Paotang wallet app; and those who were dependants, Gen Prayut said. Their monthly handout will rise from 200 baht to 400 baht per month during September and October. Recipients could start to use the handouts under both programmes from Sept 1, the prime minister said.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 26, 2022 08:04 UTC
Bridging collaborations among Asean plus government startup agencies
The hybrid event brought together representatives from government startup agencies from Asean and partnering countries - Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, and India to discuss the main issues confronting the startup ecosystem and the solutions that can be achieved through a united effort. The government has a significant role to support in promoting invaluable assets such as Artificial Intelligence, digital transformation, technology, advanced materials, and manufacturing. SEASA event is, therefore, the place where key players in regional startup communities can exchange knowledge and experience regarding policies, current situations, and challenges that all are currently facing." The representatives of each country made their brief presentations on "The Roles of Governments in Promoting Startups in the Post-Covid-19 Era" focusing on policy, launch pads, and the current startup situation to maintain strong collaborations of the Asean startup ecosystem. It reflected that they have similar policies to support startups.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 26, 2022 07:04 UTC
Tax revenues in Asia and the Pacific hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis
Revenue Statistics in Asia and the Pacific 2022 provides harmonised data on tax revenues for 28 economies in the region, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan for the first time. The report reveals that the average tax-to-GDP ratio in the Asia-Pacific region was lower than the averages for the OECD and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Between 2019 and 2020, tax-to-GDP ratios fell in 19 of the 26 economies for which 2020 data are available. to 33.5% between 2019 and 2020 while the average tax-to-GDP ratio in the LAC region declined by -0.8 p.p. On average, taxes on goods and services accounted for 50.6% of total tax revenues in the Asia-Pacific region in 2020.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 26, 2022 06:04 UTC
'Mor Prom' app gets big upgrade
'Mor Prom' app gets big upgradeThe Ministry of Public Health is working with the private sector to transform the Mor Prom app into a new standalone digital health platform. Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha said the ministry has joined hands with state organisations and the private sector, including Kasikornbank, Internet Thailand PCL, SCG Logistics Management Co, for the project which will see a total of 12 new features added to enhance access to health services. The app will connect directly with health clinics and offer its 32 million users a larger choice of services than previously, said Dr Sophon Mekthon, assistant to the public health minister. Six of 12 features have already been rolled out and more are upcoming. It is expected that all the features in the app will be functional by August and those to be incorporated into the official Line account from September.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 26, 2022 03:30 UTC
Monkeypox not in ‘dangerous’ category yet, says Public Health Ministry
Dr Jakrat Phittayawong-anon, chief of the Department of Disease Control (DDC)’s Epidemiology Bureau, said on Monday that DDC’s Communicable Disease Committee believes the current alert level is fine as the country’s public health system can handle the spread of the disease. “As per the 2015 Communicable Disease Act, a dangerous communicable disease is defined as one that causes severe symptoms and can be transmitted easily over a short period. Monkeypox does not fit this description yet,” Jakrat said. “For patients, DDC is coordinating with the Department of Medical Services to issue a standard treatment plan for monkeypox to be followed by all medical units. It is also getting a plan ready in case more patients are found in the country.”The committee also agreed to upgrade emergency operation centres nationwide to make surveillance and screening of high-risk groups more efficient.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
July 26, 2022 02:39 UTC