Tourism rebounds in Thailand
Tourism rebounds in ThailandTourists pose for pictures at the Tha Tien pier by the Chao Phraya River opposite the Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) in Bangkok in June. In addition, the number of tourists from Taiwan and India has reached a historic high, which was likely a result of the visa-free scheme. Between Jan 1 and July 25 this year, Thailand welcomed 20,001,405 visitors. Most came from mainland China, followed by Malaysia, India, South Korea, Russia, Laos, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United States. When it comes to long-haul arrivals, Russia ranked first, followed by the US, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 29, 2024 11:00 UTC
Dust shuts Thailand's longest train tunnel just after opening
Dust shuts Thailand's longest train tunnel just after openingPha Sadet tunnel in Saraburi province (photo: State Railway of Thailand)The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) closed Thailand's longest train tunnel just after opening it on Sunday pending a 14-day clean-up after passengers complained of thick dust inside it. Ekarat Sri-arayanpong, chief of the SRT governor’s office, said that northeast-bound passengers complained about thick dust when their train passed through the Pha Sadet tunnel in Saraburi province, so the SRT ordered the contractor to clean the tunnel within 14 days. Mr Ekarat said that before the opening, the contractor blew dust out of the tunnel, but winds later blew it back in. The old section is 18 kilometres long and a train takes 32 minutes to cover the distance. Using the tunnel, the new route between Map Krabao and Muak Lek is 14km long and takes 15 minutes.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 29, 2024 11:00 UTC
Thai Army says it needs armed drones, attack helicopters
Thai Army says it needs armed drones, attack helicoptersModels of wheeled armoured vehicles are displayed at a defence and security fair in Nonthaburi province in 2022. The white paper publicised on Sunday argued that the army needed the weaponry to defend the nation from all types of threats. The white paper gave an overview of the requests for weaponry and related equipment, but did not include details. Apart from armed drones and attack helicopters, the document stated that the army also needed tanks, wheeled armoured vehicles, patrol helicopters, transport aircraft, defence radar systems, territorial monitoring systems and better intelligence and communication equipment. Army chief Gen Charoenchai Hinthao said the white paper was distributed so that the general public would acknowledge and understand the roles of the army and its development framework.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 28, 2024 23:45 UTC
Israel promises to hit Hezbollah hard after rocket kills 12 on football field
Israel promises to hit Hezbollah hard after rocket kills 12 on football fieldPeople gather during the funeral of children who were killed at a soccer pitch by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, on Sunday. (Reuters photo)JERUSALEM/BEIRUT - Israel said on Sunday it would strike hard against Hezbollah after accusing the Iran-backed group of killing 12 children and teenagers in a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Hezbollah had announced firing a Falaq-1 missile on Saturday, saying it had aimed at an Israeli military headquarters. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant visited Majdal Shams and said: "We will hit the enemy hard." Hamas has also carried out rocket attacks on Israel from Lebanon, as has the Lebanese Sunni group, the Jama'a Islamiya.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 28, 2024 20:25 UTC
Thai wild elephants to undergo new 'behaviour modification' training
Thai wild elephants to undergo new 'behaviour modification' trainingThai wild elephants will undergo new 'behaviour modification' training. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment has announced plans to build three elephant training centres in the eastern provinces to tame aggressive wild elephants in the region. Pol Gen Phatcharavat Wongsuwan has ordered the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to establish three "Wild Elephant Behaviour Modification Centres". Many wild elephants leave the forest to find food, disturbing communities and annoying residents, said Pol Gen Phatcharavat. Rogue elephants will be placed in enclosures and undergo behaviour modification procedures to make them less aggressive.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 28, 2024 13:07 UTC
Trump tells crowd they ‘won’t have to vote’ after this election
(Photo: Reuters)WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told Christians on Friday that if they vote for him in November, “in four years, you don’t have to vote again. Trump said: “Christians, get out and vote, just this time. In May, speaking at a National Rifle Association (NRA) gathering, Trump quipped about serving more than two terms as president. Trump’s remarks on Friday pointed to the need for both parties to energise their base voters ahead of what will likely be a closely fought election. Jason Singer, a Harris campaign spokesperson, in a statement did not directly address Trump’s remarks about Christians not having to vote again.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 28, 2024 02:52 UTC
Greece's Santorini bursts with tourists as locals seek cap
Armed with selfie sticks and phones, tourists flood into Santorini from all over the world. But for many of the Greek island's 20,000 permanent residents, the once idyllic island of quaint villages and pristine beaches has been ruined by mass tourism.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 28, 2024 02:30 UTC
Muang Thai Life Assurance offers life insurance for an ageing population
Muang Thai Life Assurance offers life insurance for an ageing populationMr Sara says the company is continuing with its 'Shield Life' campaign after receiving positive feedback from consumers. Muang Thai Life Assurance (MTL) is capitalising on the fact that Thailand is now an ageing society by creating life insurance products that serve people aged up to 99. President and chief executive Sara Lamsam said the company is continuing with its "Shield Life" campaign after receiving positive feedback from consumers. Shield Life allows consumers to purchase a policy until they reach 90, while offering the longest available coverage period of up to 99 years old. Shield Life covers death due to an accident or illness, with a variety of life insurance types to choose from, including whole life insurance, term life insurance or universal life insurance.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 27, 2024 15:22 UTC
Problems and more problems
The bloc's strategy involved opening a Line chatroom to communicate with about 400 of its like-minded Senate candidates. Fresh start, but now apartWan: Upset Pheu Thai bossesWan Ubumrung, a former Pheu Thai Party MP for Bangkok, has found a new political home in the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP). Pol Capt Chalerm reportedly agreed to join the PPRP too, except he could not defect while remaining a Pheu Thai list-MP. Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra reiterated the party has no intention of expelling Pol Capt Chalerm. As Mr Wan's estrangement with Pheu Thai became irreconcilable, news broke that he had finally found a party to welcome him.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 27, 2024 13:28 UTC
China's Wang blasts Philippines over South China Sea tensions
China's Wang blasts Philippines over South China Sea tensionsChina's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, attends the 25th Asean Plus Three Foreign Minister Meeting in the 57th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, Laos, on Saturday. (Photo: Reuters)VIENTIANE - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the Philippine government of repeatedly breaking a consensus over their intensifying dispute in the South China Sea. Wang is also expected to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday afternoon. Tensions in the South China Sea are among the major topics expected to be discussed in Vientiane. The ship, in the Second Thomas Shoal, has been at the centre of tensions between the two nations.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 27, 2024 09:42 UTC
Yaowarat: From past to present
Discover Yaowarat, Bangkok's vibrant cultural district, dating back to King Rama I's reign, where a diverse mix of cultures thrive in trade and commerce, attracting tourists from around the world. Blackpink member Lisa recently endorsed the city's Chinatown, showcasing its cultural heritage on a global scale.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 27, 2024 03:27 UTC
PTTEP upholds certified membership in Thai Private Sector Collective Action Against Corruption
PTTEP upholds certified membership in Thai Private Sector Collective Action Against CorruptionPTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), represented by Mr. Chayagorn Leangruenrom (left), Senior Vice President, Internal Audit Division, received the membership certificate of the Thai Private Sector Collective Action Against Corruption (CAC) from Mrs. Kesara Manchusree (right), Member of the CAC Council, at CAC Certification Ceremony 2024. PTTEP has been continuously accredited as CAC member, reflecting the company’s commitment to conduct business transparently and strengthen its anti-corruption measures, thereby gaining trust and confidence from stakeholders. Thai Private Sector Collective Action Against Corruption (CAC) aims to involve Thai companies in tackling corruption through collective action. It promotes the implementation of effective anti-corruption policies and risk assessments to create a clean business ecosystem.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 26, 2024 14:54 UTC
Remembering a Southeast Asianist
It is not often these days to find scholars of Southeast Asia with exceptional breadth and depth, prescience, and commitment who stick to their creed until the end. A longtime teacher and researcher based at Yale University, Jim Scott was from a different mould. His rise to fame was in the mid-1970s when he came up with the influential volume The Moral Economy of the Peasant: Rebellion and Subsistence in Southeast Asia. But the book that changed my outlook on him was The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia. This study explained the highlands in mainland Southeast Asia covering Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and four provinces of southern China.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 26, 2024 10:07 UTC
Thais keen to put on a better Olympic show
(Photo: Reuters)Thailand will have one of its biggest ever Olympic Games contingents of 51 athletes in Paris, but the hopes of raking in medals remain as modest as ever. Thailand is bidding to win an Olympic medal for the 12th consecutive Games after the 1976 tournament in Montreal and is pinning its hopes on the Kingdom's taekwondo, boxing, weightlifting, badminton and golf stars. The two-time world champion is heading to Paris with two teammates -- Banlung Tubtimdang (men's 68kg) and Sasikarn Tongchan (women's 67kg) -- who are both making their Olympic debuts. Thitisan, who earned his Paris ticket at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, will make his Olympic debut alongside Bunjong Sinsiri (63.5kg) and Weerapon Jongjoho (80kg). As the boxing team are looking to increase their medal haul, the country's badminton aces are still in search of their first ever Olympic medal.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 25, 2024 20:01 UTC
Indonesia launches 'Golden Visa' to lure foreign investors
The country launched a long-term visa scheme on Thursday to attract foreign investors. (Photo: Antara Foto/Fikri Yusuf via Reuters)JAKARTA - Indonesia launched a long-term visa scheme on Thursday intended to attract foreign investors, President Joko Widodo said, with amounts of up to US$10 million giving them a 10-year visa and access to Southeast Asia's largest economy. The five-year "Golden Visa" requires individual investors to set up a company worth $2.5 million, while a 10-year visa requires a $5 million investment. They need to invest $50 million to gain a 10-year visa. "We're launching the golden visa to make it easier for foreign nationals to invest and contribute in Indonesia," he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 25, 2024 19:42 UTC