BAAC to help farmers hurt by rising price of fertiliser
(Photo: Somchai Poomlard)The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) has mulled two options to ease the burden on farmers caused by rising chemical fertiliser prices, says bank president Tanaratt Ngamvalairatt. The chemical fertiliser price has soared 87% from 10,000 baht per tonne to 18,700 baht per tonne as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war. Last year the value of chemical fertiliser imports stood at 56 billion baht. Thailand imported 1.25 million tonnes of fertiliser from China worth 17 billion baht, accounting for 23% of total fertiliser imports. Mr Tanaratt said loans for farmers to buy chemical fertiliser account for 30-35% of the BAAC's outstanding loans of 560 billion baht.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 11, 2022 07:18 UTC
Interest-Rate Surge Starts to Ripple Through U.S. Economy
That translates into sharply higher borrowing costs for Americans looking to buy a home -- and it is only the beginning. Americans could get cars and homes and the appliances to fill them at interest rates in the low single digits. Rising Treasury yields, in turn, are cascading throughout the economy in the form of higher borrowing costs, squeezing households and businesses alike. The higher rate would add a couple of hundred dollars to her monthly payment, which she hopes to keep around $1,200. That doesn't mean people with credit-card debt won't feel the sting of higher rates.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 11, 2022 07:18 UTC
Evusheld procurement plan gets CCSA approval
Evusheld procurement plan gets CCSA approvalThe Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has approved a plan to procure a long-acting coronavirus antibody cocktail for people with poor immune systems who cannot be vaccinated. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the drug, branded as Evusheld, was developed by AstraZeneca and registered in June last year. Speaking after a CCSA meeting on Friday, Mr Thanakorn said the Office of the Attorney-General has advised the government to amend the vaccine procurement contract with AstraZeneca to replace some of the vaccine doses with Evusheld. So far, some 3.1 million kits have already been handed out to 1.2 million people, he said. "The prime minister has applauded the move and asked them to consider the possibility of increasing the output to 1 million kits a month," he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 10, 2022 21:50 UTC
Seeding the future of food: Turning wild rice into a 'super rice'
In the long-term repository of the resource bank, germplasm resources are "hibernating" in a low-temperature environment. Rows of 4-meter-high shelves are closely arranged, and each layer of the shelves is densely stored with small round golden boxes. Inside the box is a seemingly inconspicuous seed, but it records the genetic secrets of various crops for thousands of years. As one of the country's most important strategic resource reserves, these germplasm resources can be stored there for more than 50 years and can be easily awakened at any time of need. At the same time, the resource bank should regularly measure the germination rate of germplasm, and multiply when it is lower than 75 per cent to ensure the activity of the resource.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
April 10, 2022 19:22 UTC
Expiry date of Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer vaccines to be extended
Under the new amendment, the expiry date for Sinovac doses will be extended from six months to 12, while the expiry dates for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines will be extended from six months to nine months. The memo explained that when the three vaccine manufacturers sought to register with the Thai Food and Drug Administration, they registered their vaccines under the FDA’s Conditional Approval for Emergency Use of Medical Products directive on July 24, 2020. This directive restricted the expiry date of medical products to six months. Now, however, the manufacturers have re-registered their vaccines for non-emergency usage, which allows them to set the products’ normal expiry dates, namely 12 months for Sinovac and nine months for AstraZeneca and Pfizer.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
April 10, 2022 18:02 UTC
Ronaldo apologises after mobile phone incident following Man United loss
"I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair play and sportsmanship." The club have told Reuters they are looking into the incident. The defeat left United seventh in the Premier League standings and they face the prospect of missing out on qualification for next season's Champions League as they are six points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
April 10, 2022 02:00 UTC
Bowled out: Pakistan's cricketer-turned-PM Imran Khan loses office
Bowled out: Pakistan's cricketer-turned-PM Imran Khan loses officeImran Khan was thrown out of office by a no-confidence vote in the national assemblyISLAMABAD - Regarded as a wily cricket captain during his international playing days, Imran Khan found himself on a sticky wicket when it came to leading Pakistan. The Supreme Court ruled his action illegal Thursday, and having lost his majority in the assembly, Khan ran out of options. But he made little headway in improving Pakistan's financial situation, with galloping inflation, crippling debt and a feeble rupee undermining economic reform. The security situation also deteriorated on his watch, particularly since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan last year. Pakistan's army is key to political power, and some analysts say Khan lost its crucial support -- claims both sides deny.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 10, 2022 00:09 UTC
Embattled Pakistani PM faces crucial vote
There is no vote for a new premier on the agenda, but that could change and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif is the anointed candidate. "You will run proceedings of the house under the order of the Supreme Court," said a furious Shehbaz, wagging his finger. Khan, 69, said late Friday he had accepted a Supreme Court ruling that ordered the no-confidence vote, but insisted he was victim of a "regime change" conspiracy involving the United States. "I was disappointed with the Supreme Court decision but I want to make it clear that I respect the Supreme Court and Pakistan's judiciary," he said. Local media quoted an election commission official as saying it would take them at least seven months to prepare for a national vote.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 09, 2022 17:21 UTC
‘A cold but no fever’: Tiger cub seized from smugglers recovering well
The cub was seized by police of Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division on Wednesday, during a sting operation to catch Thais who had been selling wild animals via Facebook. Posing as buyers, the so-called Green cops arranged a rendezvous with the illegal wildlife traders at Central WestGate mall in Nonthaburi just north of Bangkok. There, they arrested three men and seized the four-month-old tiger cub from them. Police said the suspects confessed one of them had smuggled the cub from Laos over a natural border for the two other suspects to sell online for 400,000 baht. The department handed the cub to Buengchawak Wildlife Sanctuary to nurse it back to health.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
April 09, 2022 12:08 UTC
Entry to be easier from May
Passengers wait with their luggage at Suvarnabhumi airport on Feb 1, 2022, as Thailand resumes its quarantine free-travel scheme for vaccinated travellers. "The CCSA meeting discussed a number of measures as well as the easing of entry rules which will take effect next month," he said. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the meeting discussed potential entry rule revisions for next month, including the scrapping of RT-PCR tests on arrival for visitors entering under one of the three travel safer tourist programmes. Taweesilp Wisanuyothin, spokesman for the CCSA, said attendees at the meeting agreed in principle on the need for friendlier measures. The rate of new infections from tourists entering Thailand from the beginning of this month would also be taken into consideration.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 09, 2022 02:34 UTC
Making trips to the dentist pleasant
Tepthai toothpaste was one of the country's top media spenders over the last few years. Kasi Suriyapan, director of Tepthai Product Co, said such huge spending is considered worthwhile as the Tepthai brand is rapidly becoming known among consumers as sales increase. "The ad spending aims to make consumers know what we are doing and the quality products we produce," said Ms Kasi, a daughter of Tepthai founder Sirikorn Chewpreecha. The family also decided to include Tepthai products in One Tambon, One Product (Otop) fairs since 2004. "Our most important strategy is to produce quality products and set high standards, while the brand-building will help reinforce business growth," she said.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 09, 2022 01:30 UTC
At least 50 killed in Ukraine train station attack
Russia denies using rockets that struck station being used as evacuation centreA Ukrainian police walks towards bodies covered with plastic sheets after a rocket attack killed at least 50 people on Friday at a train station in Kramatorsk that was being used to evacuate civilians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Russia as an “evil with no limits” after the attack, in which he said 300 were injured. Russia’s defence ministry denied launching the attack, claiming the missiles involved are used only by Ukrainian forces. They are to meet with President Zelensky to discuss latest developments in the war and the EU response. Britain has announced sanctions on the daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a day after Washington did the same, and on Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 08, 2022 15:45 UTC
Ban on new parties upheld for those shorn of rights
Ban on new parties upheld for those shorn of rightsThe parliamentary committee scrutinising bills amending two election-related organic laws yesterday shot down a move to allow people whose election rights were revoked from setting up a political party. Panel spokesman, Akradet Wongpitakroj, the Democrat MP for Ratchaburi, said 24 members rejected a proposal seeking to allow those banned from politics from forming political parties. Mr Akradet said the committee voted to keep annual membership fees and life-membership fees for political party members at 20 baht and 200 baht, respectively. He said the two controversial issues of primary voting and calculation and distribution of party-list seats will be discussed at the next meeting on April 20. He said committee members have to make sure proposed changes still reflect the charter's intention and can be implemented by parties.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 08, 2022 04:12 UTC
Merger review rejected
It is the first time such a request has been raised in an NBTC board meeting. Mr Prawit made the request in response to calls by NBTC management, the source said. The others were a request to seek a public hearing on the merger and a demand for a clear time frame for NBTC management and its subcommittee to scrutinise the planned merger. Five out of six NBTC board members attended the meeting on Thursday. Dtac's mobile arm dtac TriNet holds mobile licences from the NBTC office, while True's subsidiary True Move H Universal Communication operates a mobile business.
Source:Bangkok Post
April 08, 2022 03:55 UTC
Terracotta Warriors make a return to Japan
Published by The Street By Vidhi Choudhary This crypto evangelist wants ethereum to be used for buying more than just yachts, lamborghinis and Bored Ape NFTs. He first broke on to the crypto scene in 2013 when he wrote a white paper that led to the birth of the second most traded
Source:Bangkok Post
April 08, 2022 01:51 UTC