Prince of Songkla University finds 2 new species in custard apple family
Prince of Songkla University finds 2 new species in custard apple familyNewly-discovered flowers of the Annonaceae family include 'Bunga Seng Betong'. (Photo: Prince of Songkla University)Researchers from Prince of Songkla University (PSU) recently found two new species of the Annonaceae family of flowering plants at the Hala Bala Wildlife Sanctuary in Betong district of Yala province. The group of researchers have named the two newly-found species "Bunga Seng Betong" and "Bunga Seng Hala," and their respective scientific names are Friesodielsia betongensis Leerat and Friesodielsia chalermgliniana Leerat, he said. The other new species is also a hardwood vine with uniquely wide, oval leaves. The name "chalermgliniana" honours Piya Chalermglin, a botanist from the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research who had led the researchers, Prof Charan said.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2023 14:58 UTC
Vote for PM postponed
(Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)The parliament president has put off the next parliamentary vote for a new prime minister from Friday. Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said on Thursday that he had to postpone Friday's vote because the court had yet to rule on Mr Pita's renomination rejection. "The court has yet to rule on the complaints about the prime ministerial vote and a request (by the Ombudsman) to postpone the next vote for prime minister," Mr Wan said. They sought a court order for the parliament to put off its vote for prime minister pending its ruling. In a joint sitting of the House and the Senate on July 13, Mr Pita did not receive a majority vote to become the prime minister.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2023 13:56 UTC
Former red-shirt leader slams senator Porntip over abstention
Former red-shirt leader slams senator Porntip over abstentionKhunying Porntip Rojanasunan said she will not exercise her right as a senator to vote for a prime minister on Friday, drawing the ire of former red-shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn, who said she should just resign her seat. Dr Weng said that rather than abstain, senator Porntip should simply resign from the upper house if she wanted to strip herself of her vote. He made the remarks in this message posted in Thai on his Facebook account:"Dear Khunying Porntip, a senator appointed under the 2017 Constitution. He said, “If there were no appointed senators under the 2017 constitution, the people’s consensus would be sacred, respected and put into force. Khunying Porntip said on Tuesday that she stood firm in her decision not to exercise her power as a senator to vote for a prime minister.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2023 04:50 UTC
SCB and OR join forces to empower SMEs with nationwide shift to eco-friendly PTT stations through solar rooftop loans
SCB and OR join forces to empower SMEs with nationwide shift to eco-friendly PTT stations through solar rooftop loansSiam Commercial Bank remains committed to promoting sustainability among SME entrepreneurs. The joint effort aims to launch a nationwide campaign encouraging PTT stations to adopt solar energy, generating electricity for station usage. The target is to convert the first 200 PTT stations into green stations with solar rooftop loans by the end of 2023. “To support this initiative, the Bank has introduced the SCB SME Green Finance program, offering solar rooftop loans to PTT station dealers. The first PTT station dealer to use this solar rooftop loan is the PTT Station in Chonburi Province, managed by Lert Prasert Oil Co., Ltd.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2023 18:59 UTC
Growing opposition to China's plan to strip-mine seabed
Growing opposition to China's plan to strip-mine seabedGreenpeace activists protest against deep-sea mining in Prague, Czech Republic on June 1. Its conclusion was 'not yet': Most delegations said they wouldn't approve any applications until the ISA puts mining regulations in place. The treaty declared the seabed to be the "common heritage" of humankind, with royalties and other benefits from deep-sea mining shared among member nations. (In June, the head of the secretariat's compliance unit joined a Norwegian deep-sea mining company that holds ISA exploration contracts.) "It is imperative to acknowledge its significance, and why a prohibition on deep-sea mining is the only viable solution to safeguard our collective ocean."
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2023 13:42 UTC
Central bank lifts key rate to 9-year high
Inflation close to zero but policymakers expect a rebound and want to prevent troubleA bank employee gathers Thai baht notes at a Kasikornbank branch in Bangkok on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: Reuters)The Bank of Thailand raised its key interest rate to a nine-year high on Wednesday, amid concerns about upside risks to prices. The central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously to raise the one-day repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 2.25%, as expected by 19 of 21 economists in a Bloomberg survey. The central bank in May forecast a steady pace of economic expansion at 3.6% this year and 3.8% next year, supported by tourism and private consumption. The political uncertainty has weighed on Thai stocks with foreign investors being net sellers of 120 billion baht worth of shares this year.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2023 08:04 UTC
Banks put the brakes on loan growth
(Photo courtesy of Facebook: Moneyexpo)Banks are tightening their loan growth in the second half of this year because of global economic uncertainty and Thailand's uneven recovery. Global economic slowdown would impact Thai exports and the loan growth of the business segment. Therefore, the bank believes it will book positive loan growth throughout the year. On the other hand, Ronadol Numnonda, the Bank of Thailand's deputy governor, said the banking industry's loan growth is expected to continue in the second half of this year, supported by the manufacturing and tourism sectors. As a result, the bank is expected to expand loans at low-edge growth rather than middle growth for the whole of 2023 in accordance with the bank's tightening risk management policy, said chief executive Kris Chantanotoke.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2023 00:42 UTC
PTTEP first-half profit rises to $1.18bn
PTTEP first-half profit rises to $1.18bnThe Erawan gas block in the Gulf of Thailand, operated by PTTEP. The company continues to increase gas production to boost domestic gas supply. Production stood at between 250-300 MMSCFD when PTTEP entered the area in April last year, said Montri Rawanchaikul, chief executive of PTTEP. The company faced a two-year delay in its plan to enter the gas block for gas production preparation. If petroleum is discovered there, the company will develop facilities to support petroleum production, said Mr Montri.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2023 16:04 UTC
Thai, Vietnamese exporters rush to buy rice from farmers
Shippers trying to renegotiate contracts as prices surge after Indian export banA farmer winnows rice next to a paddy field outside Hanoi. Exporters are rushing to cover supplies from farmers who have raised prices following a surge in the world market, putting millions of dollars worth of deals at risk. Thailand and Vietnam, the world’s second- and third-largest exporters respectively, are expected to ship more than one million tonnes of rice in August. India is the world’s biggest rice exporter, accounting for around 40% of global supplies. “The current prices are way higher than the contracted prices,” said one trader in Ho Chi Minh City.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2023 11:05 UTC
Driving out the gangs
"Five major gangs are on our radar," he said, adding they are the Outlaws Motorcycle Club or Outlaws MC, Hells Angels Motorcycle Club or Hells Angels, the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, which is also known as the Bandido Nation, the Mongols Motorcycle Club or the Mongol Brotherhood, and the Vagos Motorcycle Club, which is also known as the Green Nation. "We will eradicate bad guys not only among gangs but also among police officials and agencies involved with foreigners. News of the incident spread like wildfire, scaring many Chinese visitors who decided not to come to the kingdom. For biker gangs, he said the Outlaws gang now has been rooted out from Pattaya. "When police strictly enforce the law, there will be no such crime gangs.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2023 09:11 UTC
Navy explains damage to HTMS Naresuan
Navy explains damage to HTMS NaresuanThe navy frigate HTMS Naresuan at sea. (Photo supplied/ Wassana Nanuam)The damage to the navy frigate HTMS Naresuan on July 26 occurred when the ship's left gunwale hit a corner of the quay at Map Ta Phut industrial port in Muang district, Rayong province, the Royal Thai Navy spoksman said on Tuesday. The incident occurred while the frigate was taking part in Naval Security Port and Ship Map Ta Phut Exercise 2023, held from July 25-27 at the Map Ta Phut industrial port. HTMS Naresuan is the most capable of the navy’s frigates with a maximum speed of 32 knots from its 44,250-horsepower diesel engines. Earlier reports said the accident occurred on July 26 while HTMS Naresuan was docking and sources estimated the damage at 100 million baht, but gave fewer details.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2023 08:26 UTC
Pheu Thai reaffirms new govt possible if MFP excluded
The party had confirmed in discussions with elected MPs of other parties and appointed senators that they would vote for a prime minister nominated by the Pheu Thai Party if Move Forward was excluded from the new government. Pheu Thai would convene a meeting with MFP and the six other allies on Wednesday. On Thursday Pheu Thai MPs would meet. On Monday Mr Phumtham posted economic policies of Pheu Thai on Twitter. He referred to Pheu Thai as the leader of the expected next government.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 31, 2023 20:06 UTC
Japanese woman found dead in hotel room toilet
Japanese woman found dead in hotel room toiletForensic police arrive at the hotel where the tourist was found dead on Monday. (Photo: Kulsolsongkhor Chiangmai Rescue Association)CHIANG MAI: A 25-year-old Japanese woman was found dead on Monday morning with a mobile phone charging cable around her neck in a hotel room where she stayed with her husband. Local police were informed of the discovery of her body about 10am by Parc Borough hotel on Mahidol Road in Muang district. Police said the couple checked in at the hotel two days ago after arriving from Bangkok. When he awoke again later on Monday morning he found his wife was dead in the toilet with a phone charging cable wrapped around her neck.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 31, 2023 20:05 UTC
Frigate's torpedo tube damaged while docking
Frigate's torpedo tube damaged while dockingThe damaged torpedo launcher, left, on HTMS Naresuan after the docking accident at Map Taphut industrial port in Rayong province on July 26. (Photo supplied)A torpedo tube and several life rafts on the frigate HTMS Naresuan were damaged by an incident at Map Taphut boat pier last Wednesday, a navy source said. The accident occurred on July 26 while HTMS Naresuan was docking, the source said but gave no further details. The ship and crew were taking part in Naval Security Port and Ship Map Taphut Exercise 2023 (Nasmex 2023) held from July 25-27 at Map Taphut industrial port in Muang district, Rayong province. The accident damaged one of the three tubes of a torpedo launcher, along with several life rafts.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 31, 2023 10:04 UTC
Lead caretaker party wants to be in next govt
Lead caretaker party wants to be in next govtPalang Pracharath Party secretary-general Thamanat Prompow, right, and PPRP deputy leader Santi Prompat greet executives of the Pheu Thai Party when they paid a visit to the Pheu Thai head office on July 23. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which leads the caretaker government, would accept the chance to join the next coalition government if it is invited, said its secretary-general. He was voted PPRP secretary-general just after its leader Prawit Wongsuwon resigned. Representatives of PPRP met executives of the Pheu Thai Party last week and PPRP has not been contacted since, Capt Thamanat said. PPRP won 40 House seats in the May 14 election, coming fourth after MFP, Pheu Thai and the Bhumjaithai Party.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 30, 2023 19:19 UTC