Show where the cash goes
Show where the cash goesAfter insisting the government has plenty of cash to splurge on Covid-19 relief schemes, the truth about how the state purse drying up has been revealed. Some 30 billion baht will be used for procuring medical equipment and supplies to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. Early this month, the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) announced irregularities in eight projects costing up to 13 billion baht. In terms of budget spending, Covid-19 will require a plethora of public rehabilitation projects in the years to come. Don't make it worse by demoralising it further through blatant corruption under the guise of Covid-19 rehabilitation schemes.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 20, 2021 23:37 UTC
TEST YOURSELF: Take a virtual holiday
TEST YOURSELF: Take a virtual holidayPhoto © cityintime.hk websiteSee the world from homeTest Yourself is where you can improve your reading skills. For those browsing the internet and daydreaming about travel, taking virtual tours may be the answer. Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board and Airbnb have teamed up on a programme called Singapore Virtual Trips. Back in Thailand, continue your virtual journey through the AR Smart Heritage application, created by the Department of Fine Arts. 11. virtual.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 20, 2021 05:48 UTC
Po leaves wood carving charity auction
Po leaves wood carving charity auction“Prosperity Po Leaves” exotic wall décorBangkok Post Foundation Charity AuctionDelicate hand-carved po tree leaf on jamjuree tree trunk handicraft (16 x 16 inches)Auction reserve set at 5,000 baht per pair. Auction proceeds benefit the Bangkok Post Foundation which helps underprivileged children with their education. Thank you for choosing the Bangkok Post Foundation as a bridge to serve and give back to society. DONATION: Please contact: Kusuma BekennMobile +66 (0) 8-1900-4922Bank transfer to “Bangkok Post Foundation”Savings Account No. Please email bank transfer to: edmger@bangkokpost.co.th
Source:Bangkok Post
May 19, 2021 18:00 UTC
Aeon postpones Yangon shopping mall construction after coup
Aeon postpones Yangon shopping mall construction after coupA slogan is written on a street in Yangon on Feb 21, 2021, as a protest after the coup in Myanmar. (Reuters photo)YANGON: Aeon Mall Co, a developer of shopping malls under major Japanese retailer Aeon Co, has postponed construction of a mall being planned in Myanmar's largest city Yangon, according to a source familiar with the project. The shopping mall developer had eyed this summer to start construction, but uncertainty has arisen over the project following a February coup in the Southeast Asian country. Aeon Mall has set up a joint venture with a local conglomerate with plans to open a shopping mall with the largest retail floor space in Myanmar in 2023. The Myanmar government had approved a $180 million project-related investment last year.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 19, 2021 11:22 UTC
U.S. and HK record setting climbers return from Mount Everest
U.S. and HK record setting climbers return from Mount EverestClimbers from the United States and Hong Kong who set new records as they scaled Mount Everest earlier in the month arrived back in Nepal's capital of Kathmandu on Sunday. - REUTERSPublished: 08:23
Source:Bangkok Post
May 19, 2021 08:15 UTC
In Covid era, more people find escape in campers
"You don't imagine travelling as before, on an airplane heading to a faraway destination," said Sibois, who recently spent 50,000 euros ($61,000) on his leisure vehicle. Record sales were also recorded in the United States in March while in Australia the number of registered leisure vehicles has reached 750,000. Julie Vignaux, whose company Nomadism rents luxury campers, said leisure vehicles can be "like a health bubble". - Millennial wanderers -Traditionally seen as a retirement vehicle, campers are now attracting younger customers. With new campers harder to find, some are turning to the used vehicle market or rentals.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 19, 2021 03:22 UTC
Flights down by 79%: CAAT
Flights down by 79%: CAATThe Covid-19 pandemic has continued to pound the aviation industry, with a 79% drop in air travellers in the first quarter, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT). Even though the CAAT has permitted semi-commercial flights to operate, the volume of traffic in the first quarter dipped by 1.6% on the same period last year. In terms of air traffic, the first quarter saw a total of 78,600 flights, down 66% from 154,000 flights year on year. Of them, 15,900 were international flights and 62,600 domestic. The five airports with the heaviest flight traffic were Suvarnabhumi (29,000 flights), Don Mueang (17,000 flights), Chiang Mai (5,200 flights), Phuket (4,400 flights) and Hat Yai (3,500 flights).
Source:Bangkok Post
May 19, 2021 01:07 UTC
Get a grip on jab app mess
Get a grip on jab app messConsidering the confusion regarding the vaccination rollout, the government either has to fix its main Mor Prom registration platform immediately, or revamp the programme entirely. The seemingly disorganised, hectic approach of the current plan will become a major hurdle once the mass rollout does begin. The government recently invited people, especially priority groups aged 60 years and above and those with underlying illnesses, to make appointments for vaccinations through the Mor Prom application and official Line account. Also, the government last week announced that the general public will be able to receive vaccines on a walk-in basis starting in June. If it wants to keep the Mor Prom platform as the primary vaccination channel, it must fix the flaws immediately.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 18, 2021 23:37 UTC
Line Man Wongnai eyes IPO in 2-3 years
A delivery worker from Line Man Wongnai picks up an order amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Mr Yod earlier told the Bangkok Post that Line Man Wongnai had been considering raising funds either through venture capital or an IPO. He said the pandemic makes it possible for Line Man Wongnai to become Thailand's first unicorn by this year. Line Man Wongnai aims to increase the number of cloud kitchens from three to eight this year to cater to restaurants focusing more on online expansion to reduce costs. Line Man Wongnai was created through the merger of restaurant review platform Wongnai and on-demand and delivery app Line Man in September last year.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 17, 2021 23:37 UTC
From Bitcoin to Dogecoin: What's Driving Cryptocurrencies' Rise
Limitations on stock trading by brokerage firms earlier in the year might have pushed some Reddit day traders to crypto, investors say. Dogecoin's wild swings are a warning to bitcoin investors as well. Futures and Options TradingTrading volume has climbed during the pandemic as a growing pool of investors have gained access to crypto markets through a variety of platforms. The fees have skyrocketed as cryptocurrencies have exploded in popularity, limiting the rationale for using bitcoin for small transactions. That has led to concerns that bitcoin's rise could have a larger environmental impact than other cryptocurrencies as more computers are deployed to find bitcoin, using more electricity than previously.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 17, 2021 12:56 UTC
Thai banks strong, can weather uncertainty
Thai banks strong, can weather uncertainty - BoTThe banking sector remains strong despite the country being battered by a new Coronavirus outbreak, the central bank says. Corporate loans grew 3% in the March quarter from a year earlier while consumer loans increased at a faster pace of 5.3%. Loan quality remained stable, helped by credit assistance and revised rules on loan classification, the BoT said. Non-performing loans (NPLs) was little changed at 3.1% of total lending at the end of March from 3.12% at the end of December. However, bad loans in the tourism sector and related businesses remained a worry, Ms Suwannee said.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 17, 2021 08:37 UTC
Market passes virus test, but many folk don't
Market passes virus test, but many folk don'tNormally, I would be upset at being banned from entering the fresh market in my community. As it happened, my temperature was a tad high, close to 37 degrees Celsius. Coronavirus, in its many guises, has been present in the Kingdom for almost two years now and still shows no signs of abating. That was until a cluster of infections in the Thong Lor area of Bangkok appeared to set off the third, and most severe, wave of infections early last month. People had quickly returned to their old habits and compliance with sensible measures to limit the impact of new cases had fallen considerably.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 15, 2021 00:11 UTC
Covid heat building up for government
Covid heat building up for governmentPeople at The Mall Bang Kapi in the capital get vaccinated against Covid-19. The government is turning to the private sector — such as department stores and private hospitals — to provide locations for its jab drive. It was the latest indication of what has gone wrong with the government's latest handlings of the pandemic. Just recently prison authorities boasted that it had in place effective measures to control infections within its premises. I'm reminded of a saying by an American president, Harry S Truman: "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen."
Source:Bangkok Post
May 15, 2021 00:11 UTC
Covid's effects on our kids
Covid's effects on our kidsThe Covid-19 pandemic presents great challenges for policy makers who are trying to come up with policies to help people adjust to the "new normal". The survey stated that children as young as three years old have been exposed to the internet. As students at kindergarten level need to attend classes online, parents have been forced to allow their kids to connect to the internet. Research has found that a lot of the content the kids are consuming does not enhance their creative development. This concern about young children being overly-exposed to the internet may sound trivial in comparison to the magnitude of Covid's impact on people's health and our economy.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 15, 2021 00:11 UTC
Fair auction to determine fate of Thaicom satellites
Thaicom operates the Thaicom 4 satellite for broadband service and Thaicom 6 for broadcasting service. Mr Chaiwut said the DES ministry has yet to determine the conditions of NT's partner for Thaicom 4 and 6. Mr Chaiwut also acknowledged the DES Ministry is in the arbitration process with Thaicom in two dispute cases. The ministry demands Thaicom build and deliver a replacement satellite for Thaicom 5 or pay compensation of around 7 billion baht if it cannot do so. Thaicom argues the ministry was informed in advance about the satellite's lifespan before it was approved for launch.
Source:Bangkok Post
May 13, 2021 23:26 UTC