Car-free day? Do as we say, not as we do
Car-free day? However, he persuaded commuters to reduce the use of private cars and get around by public transport and walking or cycling more, especially on the car-free day. But, seriously, are we supposed to embrace the car-free day lifestyle only once a year? The Traffic and Transportation Department simply announced the scrapping of a trial feeder service, linking train stations and prime city areas, just a few days before the car-free day. Instead of launching its own feeder service that only feeds commuters to city trains, maybe it's about time for both agencies to consider a co-work plan to make public transport more efficient so Bangkok commuters can live a car-free day not just once a year, but a car-free every day.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 23:15 UTC
Khao San Road set to reopen | Bangkok Post: learning
Khao San Road in August (photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)Khao San Road will reopen to trade at the end of next month with more vendors and promotional events lined up to pull in local crowds. The small street, popular with foreign tourists, has experienced one of its biggest slumps since the Covid-19 pandemic forced border closures. He said foreign tourists make up 90% of visitors to Khao San Road. Now that the slump is set to continue, with foreign tourist numbers showing no signs of recovery, local visitors will replace them. Promotional events will be held every month to attract visitors to the road.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 23:15 UTC
Potjaman calls Pheu Thai shots
They include high-calibre politicians such as former Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai plus Prommin Lertsuridej and Surapong Suebwonglee, both of whom were former executives of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT). Pheu Thai will also have an economic team led by another former key TRT figure, Pongsak Ruktapongpisal, and Pichai Naripthaphan, a former energy minister during the Yingluck Shinawatra administration. Pheu Thai sources earlier said Khunying Potjaman had played a key role in the party's ongoing changes. A Pheu Thai MP for Ubon Ratchathani, Somkid Chueakhong, said on Wednesday the new executive board would be a blend of new-generation and seasoned politicians. Meanwhile, former transport minister Chadchart Sittipunt on Wednesday denied a report he would rejoin Pheu Thai and be nominated as its candidate for prime minister at the next general election.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 22:52 UTC
Potjaman calls Pheu Thai shots | Bangkok Post: learning
Although Sompong Amornvivat, who recently resigned as party leader, is expected to be reinstated as Pheu Thai leader on the party's new executive board, it is Khunying Potjaman who will actually take the helm, the sources said. After years of keeping a low profile, Khunying Potjaman stepped into the spotlight at a royal function last Thursday, two days before Mr Sompong, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan and a handful of other key members tendered their resignations from their positions. Her priorities will be to end rifts among party factions and bring back those who broke away from the party. A close associate told the Bangkok Post that Khunying Potjaman would work with a think tank, which will be the brains of the party. Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, ex-wife of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is consolidating her power as Pheu Thai's de facto leader.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 22:52 UTC
y, trade surplus widens: BoT
Aug exports drop 8.2% y/y, trade surplus widens: BoTThailand recorded a current account surplus of $3.0 billion in August, a six-month high, after a revised surplus of $1.74 billion in the previous month, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) said on Wednesday. Exports, a key driver of growth, declined 8.2% in August from a year earlier after July's 11.9% drop. The surplus was helped by record gold shipments of $2.8 billion in August, with the trend set to continue until year-end, BoT director Don Nakornthab told a briefing. Overall exports, a key driver of growth, declined 8.2% in August from a year earlier after July's 11.9% drop. The BoT has forecast the economy will contract a record 7.8% this year before growing 3.6% next year.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 08:08 UTC
Your horoscope for 2-8 Oct
Your spot-on horoscope for work, money, couples & singles from the Bangkok Post's famously accurate fortune teller. (⚤) You tell yourself you want to focus on your career but someone you'll meet after Oct 6 through work may change your mind. If you're a leader, you'll earn a lot of respect from the junior(s) in your team by being professional. (♥) Couples work hard to build a future together. ♎ LibraSept 23 – Oct 22(⛹) Someone may back out of a deal at the last minute.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 07:51 UTC
Wednesday: 5 new cases, one previously infected | Bangkok Post: learning
(Photo: Dusida Worrachaddejchai)New cases of coronavirus disease - quarantined arrivals from India, Kuwait and South Sudan - include one person who was previously diagnosed with the illness. He arrived on Sept 23 on the same flight as six previously confirmed cases. They returned last Friday on the same flight as a previously confirmed case. The new case who had earlier been found infected with Covid-19 is a Thai male worker, 41, who arrived from Kuwait on Sept 22. The other new case, a Thai army engineer, arrived from South Sudan on Sept 22 on the same flight as 23 previously confirmed cases.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 05:26 UTC
Trump-Biden, round one: taxes, protests, and lots of insults
At another moment, amid constant interruptions by the president, which angered even moderator Chris Wallace, Biden retorted: "It's hard to get any word in with this clown. The Democratic White House hopeful said Trump was "the worst president that America has ever had." -After a bombshell report from The New York Times indicating that Trump paid almost no federal income tax in both 2016 and 2017, the issue was bound to come up. Later in the debate, Trump again talked about Hunter Biden, alleging he had been "dishonorably discharged" from the military for drug use. Biden exploded, saying: "My son, like a lot of people you know at home, had a drug problem.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 30, 2020 04:18 UTC
Graft ranking needs rethink
Graft ranking needs rethinkThe National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) seems to have repeated the same mistakes of 2019 when it released its annual Integrity and Transparency (IAT) ranking for government agencies, state enterprises and independent bodies for this year. Independent bodies which share the courts and military branches' top ranking include the Election Commission, as well as the NACC itself. The navy, which has been in hot water over the controversial submarine purchase, came fourth among the military agencies, at 92.60. These are just a few among many examples of graft which the IAT ranking seems to ignore. As long as these remain embedded in public memory, the public is right in questioning the ranking process.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 29, 2020 23:15 UTC
Tuesday: more returning soldiers infected | Bangkok Post: learning
The government reported on Tuesday that three Indian nationals were among 14 new imported Covid-19 cases. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)The government on Tuesday reported 14 new Covid-19 cases - quarantined arrivals from Hong Kong, India, South Sudan and Turkey - raising the total to 3,559. They were on the same flight that brought back 16 soldiers previously confirmed with the disease, and were now being treated in Bangkok. Three other new cases were working women who returned from Hong Kong. The other new case, a Thai woman, 44, arrived from Turkey on Sept 22.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 29, 2020 05:48 UTC
'Rule breaker' school uniforms challenge tradition | Bangkok Post: learning
Models pose wearing Thai designer Tin Tunsopon's creations aiming to be an alternative to the school uniforms that are mandatory in the country, on April 19, 2020. School uniform rules are strict, down to how pupils' hair should be cut and the type of socks and shoes they are allowed to wear. Tin Tunsopon has taken the typical uniforms and blown them up into exaggerated versions with huge collars and baggy sleeves. "By re-creating these uniforms and giving them various designs...people can see that we should no longer be attached to the (traditional) uniforms anymore," 23-year-old Tin told Reuters. The rebellious movement sweeping through Thai high schools, dubbed "Bad Student" by its leaders, has also found more affordable ways to express itself.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 29, 2020 04:24 UTC
Thailand extends grace period for foreigners | Bangkok Post: learning
The extension will allow foreigners to remain in Thailand until Oct 31, Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a government spokesman said. Thailand stopped commercial flights in April and banned foreign visitors in an effort to keep the coronavirus at bay, with repatriation flights the only way of leaving the country. In July, authorities granted automatic visa extensions from late March to Sept 26 to all foreigners. Thailand on Monday extended a grace period for visa renewals for foreigners stranded in the country until the end of October. (Reuters photo)Click "play" to listen to Thailand extends grace period for foreigners and "Download" to keep this file for educational purpose.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 29, 2020 02:37 UTC
Price fixing 'risk' in Orange Line bidding
Price fixing 'risk' in Orange Line biddingActivist Srisuwan Janya on Monday petitioned the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to look into possible price collusion in bidding for a 128.1-billion-baht contract to construct the Orange Line of Bangkok's electric rail system. Additionally, the selection committee normally examines bidders' technical parcels before it moves on to the financial parcels of those who passed the first stage, he said. However, in the Orange Line bidding, the selection committee plans to consider the technical and financial parcels together, he said. Marks given to the technical parcels account for 30% of the overall score with the rest awarded according to the financial proposals, he said. The Orange Line construction project involves a substantial amount of state money and Pol Lt Col Korrawat said he was concerned the country will lose this investment if the allegation proves to be true.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 28, 2020 20:48 UTC
From top down, are we broken beyond repair?
From top down, are we broken beyond repair? According to a report by the World Health Organization, the country's road fatalities per capita were the world's second-highest, surpassed only by war-torn Libya. The National Status Report on Road Safety 2014 concluded that on average a Thai died in a road accident every 24 minutes. In fact, the public has not even been able to read the full report about what went wrong that led to the billionaire's son being acquitted. It may sound pessimistic but after multiple failures in so many sectors, one has to wonder if the country is broken to the core.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 28, 2020 20:48 UTC
63-year-old skates her way to cancer recovery
63-year-old skates her way to cancer recoveryThis photo taken on Sept 9, 2020 shows longboarder and cancer survivor Nongluck Chairuettichai, also known as Jeab, during a practice session on an unfinished highway ramp in Bangkok. (AFP)Cruising on an empty Bangkok highway, 63-year-old Nongluck Chairuettichai -- the oldest member of Thailand's longboard national team -- says taking up the sport set her on the road to recovery from breast cancer. "But when you skate every day, you can feel your body becoming stronger and healthier... it helped with recovery tremendously," Jeab tells AFP, as she straps on her knee and elbow pads. Jeab first picked up a board out of curiosity, after watching her son Soteera whirl around the park. Last year, Jaeb qualified for Thailand's national longboard team -- the oldest member ever to join the squad.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 28, 2020 11:26 UTC