Clubhouse wins race against old news elephants
Clubhouse wins race against old news elephantsWith the new audio chat application Clubhouse in town, who will still want to read a newspaper? But those may not be enough to pull the old media out of its downward spiral. On the other, the arrival of Clubhouse and its quick rise in popularity has reaffirmed the deadly weaknesses of the old media. They stop reading newspapers because there is the elephant in the room but the press wilfully ignore it. They stop reading newspapers or any media old or new because it's irrelevant.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 22, 2021 23:15 UTC
New dam to address Northeast drought
New dam to address Northeast droughtBoards featuring the masterplan for the Lam Nam Chi reservoir in Chaiyaphum are seen at the site of the project. The budget for the latter's construction was approved in 2018, and it was renamed Lam Nam Chi reservoir to celebrate the late monarch. Mr Sol said authorities plan to build the Upper Chi reservoir by 2024. Secretary-general of the Office of National Water Resources, Somkiat Prajamwong, said once completed, the Lam Nam Chi reservoir will be crucial to alleviating chronic water shortages in the country's Northeast. Meanwhile, increased soil salinity has been detected in some 10.48 million rai of farmland in the region.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 22, 2021 21:22 UTC
Pakistan seeks extradition of 29 prisoners
Pakistan seeks extradition of 29 prisoners(Bangkok Post file photo)Pakistan has sought the extradition of 29 prisoners from Thailand, citing problems over living conditions and health, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said. Mr Asim said he consulted Mr Somsak about the request for 29 Pakistani prisoners being detained in Thai prisons to be extradited to continue their prison terms in their home country. He, therefore, had consulted Mr Somsak whether it would be possible to send the prisoners to their home country under an extradition agreement between the two countries. So far the Corrections Department has released prisoners in minor cases not related to security with good conduct through royal pardons and paroles. Mr Somsak insisted that the Corrections Department has taken care of inmates to international standards.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 22, 2021 11:36 UTC
Banks’ bad loans may rise gradually amid outbreak
Banks’ bad loans may rise gradually amid outbreak - BoT(Bangkok Post file photo)Commercial banks' bad loans might rise further but lenders should be able to manage them, a senior bank of Thailand (BoT) said on Monday, as the economy deals with the impacts of the recent coronavirus outbreak. Non-performing loans (NPLs) rose to 3.12% of total lending at the end of last year from 2.98% at the end of 2019, she said. "Overall NPLs rose slightly as Covid-hit debtors received assistance from banks, she said. However, loans with a significant increase in credit risk jumped to 6.62% of total lending at end-2020 from 2.79% in 2019, Ms Suwannee said. In 2020, overall banks' lending rose 5.1%, after a 2% increase in 2019, led by large business loans.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 22, 2021 10:52 UTC
Car makers in race for chips | Bangkok Post: learning
(File photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)Domestic car manufacturers are racing to obtain semiconductors as result of a global chip shortage. A crucial control centre of modern cars and electrical appliances, semiconductors are now in short supply in Thailand, intensifying competition among businesses to purchase them. The chip shortage comes as importers and exporters are likewise struggling to deal with delivery delays owing to shipping container shortages. Ms Kanit expects the chip shortage will only cause a short-term impact because chip manufacturers will eventually increase their production capacity. However, the additional problem of container shortages at major ports requires urgent solutions as it not only causes shipping delays but also increases freight rates.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 22, 2021 03:45 UTC
A month to remember
US EMBASSYAs Americans celebrate their Black History Month in February, the Bangkok Post interviewed the US Embassy's Chargé d'Affaires Michael Heath on the occasion. Black History Month is one of a series of heritage months we celebrate in the US each year to better recognise the diversity that makes the US what it is today. I hope Thais who read about the lives of Black Americans featured this month will be inspired to share their own perspectives on diversity. In addition to being a time to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans, Black History Month is also a time to recommit ourselves to achieving the ideals of our nation's founding. This month, the US Embassy has organised a number of Black History Month activities open to Thais.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 21, 2021 23:37 UTC
Rao Chana not good enough
The government's financial aid scheme Rao Chana (We Win), which was supposed to provide 7,000 baht in subsidies to pandemic-stricken citizens, has come under criticism for being inaccessible to the neediest and for not providing a cash handout. Only one bank -- Krung Thai -- has been selected to handle offline registrations for the programme which opened nationwide last Monday. The resulting massive queues have left many people unable to register as the bank accepted only a few applicants a day. Like many, I have concerns regarding the latest announcement about the Rao Chana programme, in which 7,000 baht will be provided to 31 million people over two months. I understand that by taking this measure, the government does not want people in good standing to have the same opportunity to receive such assistance.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 21, 2021 23:37 UTC
Law change could quell waning protests
Law change could quell waning protestsPro-democracy protesters hold up the three finger salute as they take part in an anti-government rally near parliament on Saturday. One of the Ratsadorn core leaders, Ms Panusaya Sitthijirawattanakul, explained the small number of protesters present had something to do with concerns over Covid-19 infection. At the time, their core leaders, including former red-shirt guard chief Sombat Thongyoi, were negotiating with the police to allow them to go inside the pavilion to perform a ritual. Even Somsak Jeamteerasakul, the exiled mentor of the Ratsadorn core leaders, seems to have admitted the timing is not right for radical change as most Thais still revere the institution. This may turn out to be the beginning of a sensible and peaceful approach to a sensitive and divisive issue among Thais.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 21, 2021 23:26 UTC
Weed no trifling matter
Weed no trifling matterPolitical motives should be the last thing health authorities embrace in their move to promote the use of cannabis for food and drink. Researchers from Suranaree University of Technology (SUT), which is authorised to grow marijuana, together with a major coffee shop brand in Nakhon Ratchasima, last week launched cannabis-infused food and beverage menus. The Public Health Ministry eagerly promotes cannabis use for food and drink without clear safety guidelines. The rush to promote cannabis-infused food and drink without clear legal and safety guidelines has been criticised. Cannabis policy involves the health and safety of people.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 21, 2021 23:26 UTC
Vote shakes up ministers
The future of three cabinet ministers hangs in the balance following the no-confidence vote in parliament on Saturday, despite the government surviving the motion, political analysts say. Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan and Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin received the least backing when MPs took a vote at the end of the four-day censure debate. Yet the number of no-confidence votes they received, as well as abstentions, is seen as a sign of trouble for the three ministers. Mr Jurin, leader of the coalition member Democrat Party, received 268 votes of confidence against 207 with seven abstentions. Mr Jurin did not fare well during the censure debate when addressing the opposition's questions about irregularities.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 20, 2021 23:48 UTC
Long in the tooth and fearing the pain
Long in the tooth and fearing the painEver since the horrors of the school dentist who had an uncanny knack of hitting the nerve, I have always regarded dental visits with some trepidation. But all that came to mind was a dentist with the unfortunate name of Dr Yankum, who once featured in a PostScript article about aptonyms. Dr Yankum immediately triggered memories of the school dentist, which only made me more nervous. Things rapidly deteriorated as all the scary surnames of dentists mentioned in the article raced through my head -- Hurter, Butcher and yes, even a Dr Pain. Of course, I shouldn't have worried, being in the good hands of Dr Somsak, a most accomplished tooth puller.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 20, 2021 23:26 UTC
Save our children from sexual abuse
The chilling question is: How many more children may have been subjected to this kind of abuse? The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said victims included Thai children as well as thousands of children from other countries. Studies show survivors of child sexual abuse are known to have reduced psychological and physical well-being throughout their life; they'll suffer problems with family and intimate relationships; they'll struggle in their education, careers and faith; and they are also two to four times more likely to become victims of sexual, physical or emotional abuse again in their lifetime, according to The UK Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. We sympathise with the parents and guardians who sent their children to Nene modelling. Although the seediness of many of Thailand's modelling agencies is generally recognised, when it comes to child modelling, there should be no negligence.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 20, 2021 23:26 UTC
Optimism builds for dividend season
Optimism builds for dividend seasonThe SET Index moved sideways this week, hitting a high of 1,531 at midweek and then correcting. The 2.2% dividend yield gap of the local market (5- and 10-year average 1 SD) reflects undemanding valuations. WIDER YIELD GAPMarket participants are expected to shift to dividend plays amid a wider dividend yield gap than the historical average as the dividend announcement season gears up. These dividend plays are mostly in the property and banking sectors. The most attractive sectors for dividend plays are Residential Property (six stocks with remaining dividend yields exceeding 4%) and Finance (three stocks with remaining yields exceeding 4%).
Source:Bangkok Post
February 20, 2021 00:33 UTC
Asset warehouse idea to win BoT nod
"The central bank is allowing banks to set up their own [asset] warehouse to manage NPAs, rather than setting up a centralised warehouse," said the source. "Such an asset warehousing model should shore up confidence for hotel business operators because the asset management is handled by their creditors." Business operators who transfer their assets to an asset warehouse and wish to buy them back at a later stage would want to generate liquidity to repurchase the asset, said the source. Under the asset warehousing model, there would be expenses in three core areas, said the source. The move would reduce principal and interest burdens shouldered by hotel business operators and beef up financial liquidity, according to the think tank.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 19, 2021 23:48 UTC
HP reworks services for SME clientele
HP reworks services for SME clienteleMr Teck says HP is committed to advancing innovation through personal systems and print, while racing to gain ground in the SME market. HP Thailand, the local unit of the global tech and computer giant, is gearing up for a subscription model, 3D printing services and tapping into the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) market for new business opportunities. These trends will be part of businesses' considerations for the customer experience, said Mr Teck. HP Thailand is committed to advancing innovation through personal systems and print, while racing to gain ground in the SME market, said Mr Teck. According to Mr Teck, SMEs need to develop digital-first mindsets.
Source:Bangkok Post
February 19, 2021 23:48 UTC