Srettha hails 'fruitful' talks in Italy
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin arrives at Haneda airport, Japan, on Wednesday. (Photo: Government House)Thailand and Italy have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Wednesday following his official visit to the European nation. Speaking while in Japan, which he visited after Italy, Mr Srettha said his talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were fruitful. As for clean energy development, Mr Srettha said Italy expressed particular interest in Thailand's plan to explore new natural gas sources in the Thai-Cambodian overlapping claims areas. Mr Srettha also said direct flights between Bangkok and Milan would be inaugurated on July 1, while flights between Bangkok and Rome are expected to begin in the winter months.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 23, 2024 05:36 UTC
Singapore Air passengers treated after fatal flight
Some injured passengers from a Singapore Airlines flight hit by extreme turbulence remained in a Thai hospital on Wednesday (May 22), while others who were able to continue their journey to Singapore recounted the harrowing experience that left at least one man dead and forced the airline's CEO to apologize on behalf of the company.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 23, 2024 05:20 UTC
Milei's 'chainsaw' paralyzes Argentinian public works
The stalled La Plata railway construction site is a casualty of a crackdown on public-funded construction works under Argentina's new self-styled libertarian President Javier Milei, who came to office pledging to “chainsaw” through government spending.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 23, 2024 05:20 UTC
Thailand, Bhutan start trade talks
Thailand and Bhutan opened free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, aiming to complete the deal by next year. Deputy Commerce Minister Napintorn Srisunpang said Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay signed the terms of reference to commence FTA negotiations. Many tourist from Bhutan travel to Thailand for health and wellness tourism services and Bhutan has expressed an interest in participating in a tourism festival in Thailand to promote the culture and tourism of Bhutan. The next round of FTA negotiations will be hosted by Thailand in August. For the first three months of 2024, the value of two-way trade between Thailand and Bhutan tallied $3.06 million.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 23, 2024 00:39 UTC
20 in intensive care after turbulence scare
(Photo: Reuters)Twenty people remained in intensive care in two Bangkok hospitals on Wednesday, following treatment for injuries sustained during extreme turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight that had to make an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday. An AFP photographer reported people in Singapore Airlines yellow vests entering the stricken Boeing 777-800ER on Wednesday as it remained grounded at the airport. According to a statement from Samitivej Hospital, those in intensive care at Samitivej Srinakarin and Samitivej Sukhumvit hospitals included 3 Australians, 6 British, 1 Chinese, 1 Filipino, 6 Malaysians, 1 New Zealander and 2 Singaporeans. Another 38 inpatients were being treated at Samitivej Srinakarin, Samitivej Sukhumvit and Bangkok Hospital. A passenger injured in the turbulence aboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is taken to a waiting ambulance after the emergency landing on Tuesday at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 19:36 UTC
UK fast-tracks payments for blood scandal victims
Britain said on Tuesday some victims of a contaminated blood scandal would receive interim payments of 210,000 pounds ($267,000) each before a scheme to pay "comprehensive compensation" is up and running, ideally by the end of the year.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 14:12 UTC
Bleaching affects reefs in Phangnga, Krabi
Bleaching affects reefs in Phangnga, KrabiOcean anomalies Divers inspect the coral reefs around the Ang Thong Marine National Park in Surat Thani to examine widespread abnormalities such as coral pink spots, pink patches and bleaching there. An investigation into the bleaching situation and measurements of the seawater temperatures were conducted on May 12-13. The probe showed that seven coral reef sites in Moo Koh Surin National Park have experienced bleaching of 5–50%. The national park is now closed for the rainy season and will reopen on Oct 15, the park said. The marine national park has arranged new snorkelling areas for people to use instead.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 12:52 UTC
Securing Thailand's energy future
As of 2023, Myanmar gas accounts for 14% of Thailand's total gas supply or approximately 4.6 billion standard cubic feet per day. The remaining supply is divided between gas from the Gulf of Thailand (61%) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imported from abroad (25%). Gas-based electricity accounts for 53% of Thailand's total electricity production, with 33% from Gulf of Thailand gas, 12% from imported LNG, and 8% from Myanmar gas. These additional energy production costs would increase the fuel adjustment charge (Ft) by 0.22 baht per unit. It is now necessary to quickly adjust or implement energy policies to reduce Thailand's current reliance on imported LNG and fossil fuels.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 12:02 UTC
India Inc must only cheer growth, not question it
India Inc must only cheer growth, not question itThis photo, dated Aug 21, 2023, shows customers buying fruit and vegetables at an open-air evening market in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Reuters)Large parts of corporate India aren't exactly feeling the economy's world-beating growth performance. Mr Syngle has referred to GDP often enough in the past, as a guidepost to business. But this time, the opposition Congress Party used his statement to poke a hole in the government's claim that India is the world's fifth-largest economy. Those who make pricing decisions and deploy capital aren't all taken in by the rhetoric -- but by now, most executives like Mr Syngle know better than to air their concerns in public.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 10:26 UTC
Prince Harry loses bid to add allegations against Murdoch
Prince Harry cannot amend his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's British tabloid newspapers to include allegations involving his wife Meghan and he and others cannot pursue claims against the media mogul himself, London's High Court ruled on Tuesday.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 03:51 UTC
Flags at half-mast for late Iranian president
PM Srettha orders three days of observances by state agencies and enterprisesCandles are lit to offer condolences over the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (second from left) and others, outside the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on Monday. (Photo: Reuters)Government agencies and state enterprises will fly their flags at half-mast for three days to commemorate the passing of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said on Tuesday. To express official condolences, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin instructed the observance to take place on three working days: May 23-24 and May 27, he said. The president was 63 years old. Thailand also expresses its deepest condolences to the people and government of Iran, the government said.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 22, 2024 01:43 UTC
Measures lined up to revive stock market
Three capital market organisations will meet on Tuesday to reach a final conclusion on the tax-deductible funds they want to propose to the Finance Ministry, hoping to revive investments in good fundamental stocks in the Thai stock market. Tax-deductible funds will be one of the tools that help the Thai capital market attract more institutional investors. According to Mrs Chavinda, the Thai stock market is under many pressures, with a continuous sell-off by foreign investors causing the index to fall below 1,400-points. The AIMC believes that if there are measures to stimulate the economy and investment, the Thai stock market will recover once again. Asia Plus Securities (ASPS) said that amid the recovery of listed Thai companies' earnings and the recovering economy, the stock market still needs tax-saving LTFs to make trading more robust.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 21, 2024 10:33 UTC
Public keen on strict curbs
Public keen on strict curbsMost Thais support the government's plan to relist cannabis as a narcotic and limit its use to medical purposes, according to a survey carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida). When asked if they see cannabis as a narcotic, 53.7% of respondents said "yes", but admitted the plant has medicinal properties. Approximately 33.6% said cannabis is a narcotic plant with no medical benefits, while 11.6% said cannabis is not an illegal drug. About 11% said the government should support cannabis and cannabis-related products, while 7.4% said the government should support the development of cannabis as a cash crop. When asked if they ever used cannabis, 69% said "yes" while 31% said "no".
Source:Bangkok Post
May 20, 2024 11:39 UTC
Ministry clarifies school uniform exemption
Ministry clarifies school uniform exemptionA father helps his son try on a new school shirt at Patthavikorn Market in Bangkok’s Bueng Kum district on May 8, 2024, about a week before schools reopened. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)The Education Ministry clarified on Sunday that its recent letter exempts students from wearing uniforms on a case by case basis and did not "cancel" the school uniform requirement, as claimed on some social media accounts. Siripong Angkasakulkiat, the ministry’s spokesman, said the letter’s subject was “exemption or relaxation of school uniform rules” and nothing in its content said the rule was cancelled. For example, in a family with five children, the parents might not be able to afford school uniforms for all of them at the same time. Many thought the ministry had revoked the school uniforms for good, and that they had therefore wasted money for nothing,” Mr Siripong complained.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 20, 2024 02:22 UTC