14,956 new Covid cases, 262 deaths Thursday
14,956 new Covid cases, 262 deaths ThursdayPeople wait for their turn to receive a Covid-19 vaccine at the parking lot in Nonthaburi’s municipal office. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)Thailand logged 262 more Covid-19 fatalities and 14,956 new cases during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry reported on Thursday morning. On Wednesday, 17,936 Covid-19 patients left hospitals after recovering from the coronavirus. Since April 1, around when the third wave of Covid-19 began, Thailand has treated 1,205,624 Covid-19 patients, 1,031,278 of whom have recovered to date. Since the pandemic started early last year, there have been 1,234,487 Covid-19 cases, with 1,058,704 complete recoveries so far.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 02, 2021 02:26 UTC
Most Afghan allies left behind, US describes haunting choices
Most Afghan allies left behind, US describes haunting choicesAfghans crowd the tarmac at Kabul airport on Aug 16, begging to flee the country as the Taliban took control. WASHINGTON: Most Afghan allies seeking to flee with the US withdrawal were unable to do so, an official acknowledged Wednesday, as the United States began to wrestle with painful choices in the chaotic final days of the war. President Joe Biden's administration says the victorious Taliban have promised to keep letting Afghans leave -- but many who worked for the United States over its 20-year mission fear retribution. Biden has hailed the airlift as unprecedented, but the State Department official acknowledged that most Afghan visa applicants and their families did not make it. Jamie Fly, president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty which oversees the service, said the United States had a "moral duty" to help Afghan journalists.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 02, 2021 00:49 UTC
Suvarnabhumi's global ranking plunges
Suvarnabhumi airport. The world's best airport in 2021 is Hamad International Airport in Doha as it beat out Singapore's Changi International Airport which ranked third. The fourth is Incheon International Airport in South Korea, followed by Narita International Airport, Munich Airport, Zurich Airport, London Heathrow, Kansai International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport. The airport, which was designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, had 47 million passengers in 2011 and 60 million in 2017. Singapore's Changi Airport was voted to have the World's Best Airport Staff while Tokyo Haneda airport also won the World's Best Airport for Cleanliness and the Best Airport PRM (Persons with Reduced Mobility)/Accessible Facilities.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 02, 2021 00:00 UTC
CP Group targets reorganisation, expansion
It is a vision shared by our retail and wholesale businesses," said Suphachai Chearavanont, chief executive of CP Group and chairman of Siam Makro. CP Group's retail and wholesale businesses are already present in China, Malaysia, India, Cambodia and Myanmar under multiple brands and multiple formats with 337 stores. DRIVING EFFICIENCY"Succeeding in complex global markets requires great speed in decision-making. "We have to use our stores to enable consumers in overseas markets to be exposed to more Thai products. "There are huge global retail corporations.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 23:37 UTC
Phiphat backs reopening, with a caveat
Phiphat backs reopening, with a caveatThe atmosphere at Suvarnabhumi airport as domestic flights originating from dark red zones were approved to resume on Wednesday. Wichan CharoenkiatpakulThe tourism minister has defended the country's reopening plan as promised by the prime minister, stating that five more provinces including Bangkok should be ready for visitors from October, followed by another 21 provinces nationwide. However, he said only some provinces or districts are possible to reopen this year under a three-step plan. The South had five provinces selected -- Ranong, Trang, Satun, Songkhla and Narathiwat -- while the eastern region chose Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. In practical terms, these areas should have a 70% vaccination rate and receive mutual approval from local administrations and local health authorities before being reopening," he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 23:37 UTC
HSBC appoints new chief for Thai operations
HSBC appoints new chief for Thai operationsMr Gamba has 20 years of experience with the bank, including several in Asia. HSBC announces the appointment of Giorgio Gamba as chief executive to lead the group's operations in Thailand. Mr Gamba succeeds Kelvin Tan, who will lead HSBC's Asean sustainable finance and investments activity in Singapore. "Thailand occupies a key position in global supply chains, and we believe the economic recovery will be fast when it comes. Mr Gamba joined HSBC in 2001 and has worked across wealth and personal banking, risk and global banking in Hong Kong, India, South Korea and the UK.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 23:37 UTC
HIV rapid test kits now in stores
HIV rapid test kits now in storesHIV rapid test kits for home use are now available to be sold over the counter, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) said. "The Food and Drug Administration has approved two types of the home use HIV test kits for sale at pharmacies: the blood and saliva testing types," said Dr Preecha Prempree, deputy director-general of the DDC. Dr Preecha said the test kits are available at most pharmacies, which should improve public access to HIV testing particularly during the Covid-9 outbreak. Allowing HIV self-testing is part of the DDC's nine-year plan to curb new HIV infections, deaths and stigma attached to HIV infection, he said. A confirmation test is required and will be conducted at a healthcare facility in case the rapid test comes back positive.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 23:37 UTC
Restrictive abortion law takes effect in Texas
Restrictive abortion law takes effect in TexasAbortion opponents protest in the state capitol in Texas, where a new restrictive law on ending pregnancies has taken effectWASHINGTON - A Texas law that bans abortion after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant, took effect on Wednesday after the Supreme Court failed to act on an emergency request to block it. The American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other groups filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court on Monday, asking it to stop the Texas law from taking effect. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the US House of Representatives, said the failure of the Supreme Court to act has "delivered catastrophe to women in Texas." According to the ACLU, "approximately 85 to 90 percent" of women who obtain an abortion in Texas are at least six weeks into pregnancy. The Texas law "creates a bounty hunting scheme that encourages the general public to bring costly and harassing lawsuits against anyone who they believe has violated the ban," the ACLU said.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 15:11 UTC
Malaysia examines need for booster shots as virus spreads
Malaysia examines need for booster shots as virus spreadsFILE PHOTO: Bottles of the Sinovac vaccine are seen at a hospital, as Indonesia drives mass vaccination for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan 21, 2021. (Reuters)Malaysia is studying if it’s necessary to give booster Covid-19 vaccine shots, as the country grapples with the fast-spreading delta variant. Malaysia isn’t alone in weighing the need for booster shots. Singapore is eyeing a third round of vaccine for some segments of its population, while Indonesia has rolled out booster shots only for its health care workers. The endemic phase will allow more sectors of the economy to reopen by October, when the nation reaches herd immunity against the virus.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 12:11 UTC
Indonesia reaches 100 million Covid vaccine doses as curbs eased
Indonesia reaches 100 million Covid vaccine doses as curbs easedStudents wait to receive the Sinovac Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a high school in Surabaya on Wednesday. (AFP photo)Indonesia has administered 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, setting a milestone that would help it ease restrictions further to revive the economy. The government has struggled to meet its goal of giving out 2.5 million doses a day in August and September, reaching just about a million a day. The goal of administering 100 million doses daily was reached on Aug. 31 as targeted, despite much of the vaccine supply arriving only in August and September. Despite lacking its own vaccine production, Indonesia has secured 86% of the 430 million doses needed for its mass vaccination program.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 10:30 UTC
Taliban parade as Biden defends US pullout
Taliban parade as Biden defends US pulloutThe Taliban now face the challenge of governing Afghanistan. KABUL: The Taliban prepared on Wednesday to stage a parade showcasing some of the military hardware they captured during their takeover of Afghanistan, after President Joe Biden defended his decision to end the two-decade war. The United Nations warned, meanwhile, of a looming "humanitarian catastrophe", underscoring the daunting challenges that the Taliban face as they transform from insurgent group to governing power. - 'Not done' with IS-K -Authorities from several countries have already begun meeting with Taliban leadership, the latest being India. The evacuation was complicated by a threat from the regional offshoot of the Islamic State group, rivals of the Taliban.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 09:33 UTC
Warnings as Thailand, Indonesia ease Covid-19 curbs
Warnings as Thailand, Indonesia ease Covid-19 curbsA vendor prepares a Pad Thai for dine-in at a food court at Siam Paragon mall in Bangkok on Wednesday, as Covid-19 coronavirus restrictions begin to ease across the nation. (AFP photo)BANGKOK/JAKARTA: As Indonesia and Thailand start to ease Covid-19 curbs after seeing case numbers fall, health experts say cases of new infections could rise again with vaccination rates still low. Although case numbers are still rising fast in most of the region, Indonesia and Thailand, which have its largest economies, have started to lift curbs on dine-in restaurants and shopping malls to ease the economic pain of their lockdowns. Indonesia reported 10,534 new cases on Tuesday, five times fewer than its peak in mid-July, while Thailand reported 14,802 new cases on Wednesday, down 37% from its mid-August peak. The two countries both have first vaccination rates at around 30% with Indonesia having fully vaccinated 17% and Thailand 11%.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 09:00 UTC
Siam Makro surges on B218bn deal to control Lotus stores
(Photo supplied)Siam Makro Plc surged as much as 24% after Thailand’s biggest operator of cash-and-carry stores announced a plan worth about 218 billion to take control of retailer Lotus from other affiliates of the Charoen Pokphand Group. That will trigger a mandatory tender, and after existing owners buy the new shares, they will then sell them to a unit of Siam Makro, the statement said. Siam Makro’s largest shareholders are units of the Charoen Pokphand Group, a holding company of the Chearavanont family, Thailand’s richest dynasty. After the tender and share swaps, Siam Makro will control 76% of Lotus, according to the exchange statement. Shares of CP All rose as much as 4.2% and Charoen Pokphand Foods was up as much as 1.8%.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 08:48 UTC
Top business group JSCCIB raises growth outlook as Covid curbs ease
Top business group JSCCIB raises growth outlook as Covid curbs easeA masseuse sprays disinfectant on a reclining chair while her colleague massages a customer on the first reopening day at a foot massage shop in Bang Kapi district of Bangkok on Wednesday. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)Thailand's leading joint-business group, the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB), on Wednesday raised its 2021 economic forecast to between a 0.5% fall and 1% growth. The easing of curbs should lower an economic loss to between 200 billion baht to 300 billion baht this month, down from 300 billion baht to 400 billion baht projected earlier, the group said. "Last month we didn't get the picture and had no confidence in vaccine procurement which could lead to longer lockdown measures," JSCCIB chairman Payong Srivanich told a briefing. The group also raised its export outlook to a rise of 12-14% this year, up from 10-12% predicted earlier.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 08:48 UTC
500kg ganja found on Mekong riverbank
500kg ganja found on Mekong riverbankThe 500 slabs of dried marijuana, 500 kilogrammes in total, found on the Mekong riverbank in That Phanom district on Tuesday night, displayed at the Mekong Riverine headquarters in Nakhon Phanom. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)NAKHON PHANOM: A drug suppression team of the Mekong Riverine Unit seized 500 kilogrammes of compressed dried marijuana left on the bank of the Mekong river in That Phanom district late on Tuesday night. R/Adm Jaraskiat Chaiyaphan, commander of the Nakhon Phanom MRU, said a team on routine patrol found 10 sacks left on the riverbank near Ban Khap Phuang in tambon Nam Kam. They contained a total of 500 slabs of compressed marijuana weighing 1kg each. About 3 tonnes of marijuana had been seized by the unit during the past month, R/Adm Jaraskiat said.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 01, 2021 08:26 UTC