Economy needs expertise, not inexperience
Economy needs expertise, not inexperienceThe backlash against Narumon Pinyosinwat, the government spokeswoman recently promoted to head the ruling Palang Pracharath Party's economic team, reflects just the tail end of the administration's failures. Following the criticism, Ms Narumon downplayed the report saying she would only be part of the party's economic team. Considering her limited background, it's fair to say that Ms Narumon would face a monumental challenge as chief of the ruling party's economic policy team. The PPRP's newly appointed secretary-general Anucha Nakasai suggested that more well-known academics will be invited to join its economic team. Unless she has ambitions far greater than her talent, Ms Narumon could end up becoming a victim of circumstance.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
No need for power priority
It is part of an energy development scheme worth 230 billion baht that Mr Somkid wants officials to use quickly. In total, the government has spent 40.5 billion baht through the Provincial Electricity Authority and the Metropolitan Electricity Authority. The energy minister previously told the media he hoped this project would create jobs for "at least 10,000 people and generate over 2 billion baht in revenue". Yet, there is one crucial question that Mr Somkid and the energy minister are obliged to explain: Does the country really need more power plants? During the work from home and lockdown period, power demand in Thailand dropped by 7-8% and reserves rose by over 35%.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
August targeted for beach holidays
International flights from countries that have travel bubble agreements with the Thai government should fly directly to those provinces. If this model proves successful in August, Thailand can expand tourism destinations available for international tourists to other provinces. TAA will increase domestic flights to 140 flights per day from July, up from 80 flights at present. He said domestic tourism has seen positive signs after four phases of relaxation nationwide. This test has found the overall occupancy rate in Thailand has to exceed 27.9% for the business stay afloat.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
BDMS, Ping An Health ink agreement
BDMS, Ping An Health ink agreementMrs Narumol signs the partnership with Ping An Health Insurance group at the virtual conference. SET-listed Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS), Thailand's largest private hospital network, has entered into an agreement with China-based Ping An Health Insurance to tap the lucrative Chinese medical tourist market. Foreigners make up 30% of BDMS patients, including expats and tourists, with Thais making up the rest. Zheng Yang, chairman of Ping An Health Insurance, part of Ping An Group, a Fortune 500 finance and insurance group, said the strategic cooperation marks the further expansion of Ping An Health Insurance medical network and an improvement of its service capabilities. Ping An Health Insurance was established in 2005 after being approved by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
5G a boon for tourism, healthcare
5G a boon for tourism, healthcareWoragarn Likhitdechasakdi, deputy chief technology officer of the carrier network of Huawei Technologies Thailand unveils 5G trends in Thailand at '5G Ecosystem and the Future of Thailand' seminar. Abel Deng, chief executive of Huawei Technologies Thailand, said Thailand is a 5G tech leader in Asean because it was an early 5G adopter. The country has advanced 5G tech with strong progress in implementation, he said. With this advanced analysis and efficient medical personnel, the country's healthcare industry is outstanding, said Mr Deng. He said in the future every industry will need to integrate cloud, AI and big data with 5G technology.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
Serviced apartment balancing act
The serviced apartment market in Bangkok relies on both short- and long-stay guests. "However, not all serviced apartments will have the necessary flexibility to tap into both markets." Focusing on short-stay guests puts serviced apartments in competition with hotels, which might not necessarily lead to positive results. Going forward, the future of the serviced apartment operating model is leaning towards a mix-and-match model between short- and long-stay guests, according to CBRE. Unfortunately, not all serviced apartments will be able to join this new trend.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
Industry unfazed by NokScoot closure
Industry unfazed by NokScoot closureNokScoot's office at Don Mueang airport. Boonsong KositchotethanaNokScoot's closure is unlikely to have a significant impact on the domestic aviation industry due to international flight restrictions, with the industry's existence depending on vaccine development, say brokerage firms. The closure will not affect Nok Airlines' routes and services as the company operates mainly domestic flights, said KTB Securities Thailand (KTBST). Although the impact on the domestic aviation industry is limited, NokScoot's closure reflects the struggle of the aviation industry, said Finansia Syrus Securities, citing the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) report on how half of all airlines could go bankrupt if financial assistance is not provided. Although the government has allowed domestic flights to resume, domestic air travel makes up 30-40% of total revenue, he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
Dept urged to set up Khao Yai corridor
Dept urged to set up Khao Yai corridorThe Thai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is urging the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to establish a wildlife migration corridor on a 2,700-rai tract in Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai National Park is part of the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, which has been listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2005. It is considered an isolated national park, with no corridor for wild animals to migrate. "Linking Khao Yai National Park with Phu Khiao-Nam Nao Forest Complex through the 2,700-rai corridor will expand the genetic pool of animals in the area," he said. "Elephants from Khao Yai can also seek out food in other areas through the corridor, thus reducing the likelihood of conflicts between wild jumbos and local farmers."
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
Sean faces summons for fundraiser
Sean: Less 'liked' than last weekFamous social media influencer Sean Buranahiran will be summoned to clarify donations he raised to help Chiang Mai province fight wildfires earlier this year, Muang Chiang Mai district chief Sarawut Worapong said on Monday. The move followed corruption watchdog Srisuwan Janya's revelation this week that the 870,741.50 baht raised by Sean had been used for the Covid-19 pandemic, not the Chiang Mai wildfires. Mr Sarawut said that he has submitted a letter to the provincial governor of Chiang Mai concerning the wildfire fundraising drive by Sean. Sean could be fined and might face other penalties depending on how he spent the donations, said the district chief. Sean raised funds to help the district extinguish wildfires from March 30 to May 1.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
Traffic police out in force for new term
Traffic police out in force for new termThe Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) will mobilise as many as 3,000 traffic police to keep traffic flowing in front of schools in Bangkok tomorrow, the first day of the delayed new term. "About 3,000 police officers will help manage traffic in front of schools," he said. Pol Maj Gen Jirasant said he has also ordered his officers to help impose measures to prevent school bus drivers from abandoning children in their vehicles. Traffic police will also make sure that school bus operators implement disease-prevention standards such as the use of face masks, alcohol-based hand rubs and regular cabin cleaning to reduce the accumulation of germs inside the buses. Pol Maj Gen Jirasant said traffic police may consider asking the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to take action against school bus operators who fail to meet these requirements.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
Union acts to block B1.6bn payout
The petition was submitted to the State Enterprise Policy Office, the State Audit Office and the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Compensation must be based on how much the company had invested and worked in the project, said the MCOT workers' union. It asserted that compensation from the NBTC must be sent to the state as MCOT is a state enterprise registered on the stock market. Director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office Prapas Kong-Ied, who received the petition from the workers' union, said he would urgently look into the case. Phimpha Waphakphet, deputy governor of the State Audit Office, said after meeting with representatives of the workers' union that this case differed from previous ones.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 21:00 UTC
New York's Broadway closed until at least January
New York's Broadway closed until at least JanuaryThe Broadway League did not set a date for performances to resume, but is offering refunds and exchanges for tickets purchased for all shows through January 3, 2021NEW YORK - New York's iconic Broadway theater district will stay closed through the end of the year, its trade association said Monday, due to the unpredictability of the coronavirus pandemic. The Broadway League did not set a date for performances to resume, but is offering refunds and exchanges for tickets purchased for all shows through January 3, 2021. The Broadway League projected that performances could resume in early 2021 "over a series of rolling dates" to end its longest shutdown in history. "The alchemy of 1,000 strangers bonding into a single audience fueling each performer on stage and behind the scenes will be possible again when Broadway theaters can safely host full houses," Thomas Schumacher, chairman of the board of The Broadway League, said in a statement. "The financial model for Broadway is such that social distancing just won't work," Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League, said in May.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 20:03 UTC
White House says no intel consensus on Russia bounties
White House says no intel consensus on Russia bountiesUS Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi asked for an interagency briefing for the House of Representatives on "President Trump's inexplicable behavior towards Russia"WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump was not briefed on reports that Russia offered bounties to Taliban-linked militias to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan due to concern over the accuracy of the intelligence, a White House spokeswoman said Monday. McEnany said that a briefing was underway at the White House for senior leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives to discuss the issue. McEnany said the White House briefing "will clear up a lot of the false reporting from The New York Times. "We need to know whether or not President Trump was told this information, and if so, when," he said. Trump on Sunday denied having been briefed on the matter, as the report renewed questions about his reluctance to confront Russia.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 19:52 UTC
China forcibly sterilises Uighurs to control population: report
China called the allegations baseless but the United States demanded an immediate end to the campaign described in the report, which was based on a combination of official regional data, policy documents and interviews with ethnic minority women. China is accused of locking more than one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities in re-education camps. Women who had fewer than the legally permitted limit of two children were involuntarily fitted with IUDs, says the report. - 'Ethno-racial domination' -China appears to be using coercive birth control in Xinjiang as part of a "wider game plan of ethno-racial domination," Zenz wrote in the report. "Of course we will be considering this report very carefully," junior foreign office minister Nigel Adams told parliament.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 19:52 UTC
Cirque du Soleil files for bankruptcy protection
Cirque du Soleil files for bankruptcy protectionCirque du Soleil has been left reeling by the coronavirus pandemicMONTREAL - Cirque du Soleil announced on Monday it is filing for bankruptcy protection and cutting thousands of jobs as the world's most famous circus troupe seeks to survive the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, Cirque du Soleil said it has entered into a purchase agreement with its current shareholders, including a mix of investors from the United States, Canada and China. "For the past 36 years, Cirque du Soleil has been a highly successful and profitable organization. "I look forward to rebuilding our operations and coming together to once again create the magical spectacle that is Cirque du Soleil for our millions of fans worldwide." The expectation is that the company will emerge from the US bankruptcy process with less debt and able to "meaningfully advance toward an eventual restart by launching the in-court process immediately," Cirque du Soleil said.
Source:Bangkok Post
June 29, 2020 19:18 UTC