Coalition squabble over cannabis continues
The Democrat Party has urged the Bhumjaithai Party to respect the opinions of others after one of its party MPs opposed the latest Cannabis and Hemp Bill if the clause allowing the recreational use of marijuana remains unchanged. It has been reported that the resistance has raised concern for the bill's sponsor, the Bhumjaithai Party, as it could prove to be damaging to the government coalition. Asked if the conflict will affect relations among coalition parties, Mr Jurin said the core of democracy is rational debate. Meanwhile, Natchanon Srikokuea, deputy spokesman of the Bhumjaithai Party, opposed the stance of their coalition partners on the matter. "The draft cannabis bill was participated in by many parties and registration for plant cultivation was requested by millions," he added.
Source:Bangkok Post
November 05, 2022 00:34 UTC
Thai police devise 6 measures to end bane of illegal motorbike racing
At the meeting, Prachuab announced six measures that will be implemented nationwide from next Tuesday, when most of Thailand celebrates Loy Krathong. One of the measures calls on police to crack down on illegal motorbike racing during key festivals like Loy Krathong and on public holidays. Another measure calls on police to look out for road-racing invitations “both online and on the ground”, as well as monitor suspicious social-media accounts, online shops that offer bike modifications and trade in racing equipment. Police stations are instructed to pay serious attention to all complaints about illegal racing and prosecute violators to discourage repeat offences. Police units nationwide are also being urged to consider employing reformed racers to help the police persuade potential young daredevil racers to stay off the road.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 04, 2022 10:04 UTC
Tomato, sugarcane tyres hit the road as manufacturers rev up moves to save environment
Tomato tyresSumitomo Rubber Industries, which sells the Dunlop brand, has been working to manufacture a new synthetic rubber by breeding rubber trees that contain tomato-derived enzymes. As tomato enzymes have a strength-enhancing effect, this new rubber is expected to reduce the wear of the tyres. Tyres for automobiles are generally manufactured with compounds, whereby several kinds of rubber are mixed with such additives as reinforcing agents and coupling agents. The Yokohama Rubber has developed a technology for producing butadiene from plants such as sugarcane and used it to make prototype tyres. The company has set a target of producing the new product on a commercial basis in 2034.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 04, 2022 10:04 UTC
A Look at the 2022 World Cup's new offside technology & match officials
I understand that sometimes this is very good for headlines, but this is not the case. The match officials are still involved in the decision making process as the semi automated offside gives an answer only when a player who was in an offside position plays the ball. In other words the assessment of interfering with an opponent remains match officials responsibility." The technology has already been tested at two tournaments over the last year and had been expected to be approved for the World Cup in Qatar from Nov. 20-Dec. 18. It will be used at all the venues at the tournament.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 03, 2022 23:05 UTC
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan shot and wounded in 'clear assassination' attempt
Khan aide Chaudhry wrote on Twitter: "It was a well-planned assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the assassin planned to kill Imran Khan and leadership of PTI, it was not 9 MM it was burst from automatic weapon... PROTESTERS ON STREETSHandsome and charismatic, Khan first grabbed international attention as a cricketer in the early 1970s. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December 2007 in a gun and bomb attack after holding an election rally in the city of Rawalpindi, next to Islamabad. Her father and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in the same city in 1979 after being deposed in a military coup. PTI colleague Faisal Javed, who was also wounded and had blood stains on his clothes, told Geo TV from the hospital: "Several of our colleagues are wounded.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 03, 2022 22:49 UTC
FDA warns consumers after discovering contaminated squid from China
The FDA announcement came on Wednesday after a random check at the Lat Krabang Food and Drug checkpoint in May this year. The seafood was manufactured by Fujian Minwell Food Industrial Ltd in China and was allegedly imported by M Global Sourcing, which is based in Samut Sakhon, the FDA said. The 1kg packet of squid was manufactured on April 29 this year and had an expiration date of April 28, 2024, according to the FDA. The FDA warned people to check frozen seafood packages and avoid buying products manufactured by the Chinese company. For inquiries on food safety, contact FDA hotline 1556 or [email protected], or visit Facebook @FDAThai or E-mail: [email protected]moph.go.th.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 03, 2022 03:03 UTC
“Onigiri” photos campaign helps provide 6.8 million meals to children in Africa, Asia
Under the “Onigiri Action” annual autumn campaign by Table for Two International (TFT), supporting entities donate 100 yen (25 baht) per photo post to deliver five school meals via local partners. Onigiri is a staple traditional Japanese food made of white rice formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes and often wrapped in nori. Any onigiri is acceptable, whether homemade or shop-bought, and anyone can post photos any number of times, free of charge. TFT said more and more people in and outside Japan are taking part in the campaign as they can easily extend aid by simply posting photos on such social media as Twitter with the hashtag “#OnigiriAction” or on a dedicated website. This year, the campaign is being held for a month through November 6, bringing together a record 37 supporting entities, including major convenience store chain operator 7-Eleven Japan Co and the prefectural government of Miyagi, northeastern Japan.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 03, 2022 03:03 UTC
Myanmar tycoon's network busted
Myanmar tycoon's network bustedThe Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) have widened their joint investigation and seized assets from the drug network belonging to Myanmar tycoon Tun Min Latt, estimated at 1.8 billion baht. Tun Min Latt: Taxes probedAccording to Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin, the tycoon's case is one of two that authorities have been investigating since 2019. Pol Maj Gen Nitithorn Jintakanon, deputy chief of the MPB, said officers have tracked the Myanmar tycoon's financial transactions since 2019. The Myanmar drug dealer, 53, was arrested in a dawn raid in September along with three Thai nationals. However, two Thai nationals, identified as Pannarong Khunpitak and Kallayawee Thiraprapawong, who are believed to be the Myanmar tycoon's business associates, are still on the run, their whereabouts unknown.
Source:Bangkok Post
November 03, 2022 00:16 UTC
New mindset 'key to green growth'
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha delivers a keynote speech espousing the virtues of Thailand's bio-circular-green economic model at the Global Compact Network Thailand Forum on Wednesday. Mr Anucha gave a summary of the prime minister's speech which illustrated the importance of the BCG economic concept as a means to advance sustainable economic growth and ecological restoration. With this in mind, Thailand's BCG model will be highlighted at the Apec summit, known as the Bangkok Goal Declaration on BCG. Thailand has already started sharing its BCG economic model, adopted as a roadmap to balanced, environmentally friendly and all-inclusive economic growth, he noted. More than 110 organisations joined the GCNT Forum 2022.
Source:Bangkok Post
November 02, 2022 23:12 UTC
Funds to secure World Cup football broadcast rights to come from NBTC budget
Prawit said that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will use its budget to purchase the broadcast rights for the World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar from November 21 to December 18. “The deal has yet to be finalised, but the budget will come from the NBTC,” the deputy PM said. The World Cup is one of the sport events under the “must-have” rule imposed by the NBTC since 2012 to be made available for free on television. Other sport events covered by this rule are: the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, SEA Games, Asean Para Games, Asian Games and Asian Para Games. It is best to finish negotiating the deal as soon as possible, because the price will usually go up closer to the event, he said.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 02, 2022 08:03 UTC
Firms use summit to calm furore
They are part of the outfit for 100 members of the Young Entrepreneur Chamber of Commerce who are slated to welcome participants at the Apec CEO Summit. Wichan CharoenkiatpakulThe business sector plans to use the Apec CEO Summit to stimulate foreign investment and defend the government's contentious proposal to allow foreign investors to own land in Thailand. The Apec CEO Summit is being held as part of the annual Apec Summit, in which 21 leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) countries are scheduled to gather in Bangkok on Nov 18-19. The main aim of the Apec CEO Summit is to have participants exchange views about current economic challenges. "We invited 13 Apec economic leaders to participate in the Apec CEO Summit, to be presided over by the prime minister, who will also give a speech," said Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the Apec CEO Summit and a member of the Apec Business Advisory Council Thailand.
Source:Bangkok Post
November 02, 2022 05:57 UTC
TAT predicts 18m foreign arrivals in 2023
TAT predicts 18m foreign arrivals in 2023The arrivals hall at Suvarnabhumi airport is packed with tourists as the travel sector recovers. Somchai PoomlardTourism leaders are projecting 18 million foreign arrivals in 2023 while holding out little hope the Chinese market will return anytime soon, says the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Mr Thanet said leading markets such as India and Malaysia already secured flight load factors of 85% and 68%, respectively. "We have to respect each country's decision on whether to ease travel restrictions," said Mr Thanet. He said the TAT has to accelerate other potential markets to achieve the target.
Source:Bangkok Post
November 02, 2022 05:15 UTC
Naga becomes Thailand’s official national mythological creature
Deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said the move had been proposed by The National Culture Committee, which had earlier tasked the Fine Arts Department with drawing a prototype picture of the Naga, a half-human, half-serpentine being, based on folklore to be used as a mythological national animal. According to the National Culture Committee, Thais believe there are four royal families of Nagas, namely Virupakkhas (golden Nagas), Erapatha (green Nagas), Chabbyaputtas (rainbow-colour Nagas), and Kanhagotamakas (black Nagas). The department’s drawing includes the largest Naga in Thai folklore called Vasuki, who had close relationships with Buddhism and ancient kings. Ratchada said Nagas have been present in Thai culture, traditions and rituals since ancient times, such as the popular Naga fireball festival and “Lai Reua Fai”, or illuminated boat procession to mark the end of Buddhist lent. They are also believed to be protectors of Buddhism and are often used to decorate staircase rails leading to sacred Buddhist establishments, which feature Buddha’s footprints or relics.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 02, 2022 03:01 UTC
GSB launches generous savings accounts to ease Thais’ retirement fears
Vitai Ratanakorn, president and CEO of GSB, oversaw a ceremony to launch the two new proactive saving schemes. The first scheme, for medium-term savings, offers annual interest of 4.50 per cent tax-free on money deposited for at least 13 months. The second scheme, for long-term savings, offers 3.21 per cent annual interest tax-free on money deposited for seven years. Vitai said that while the government is urging people to spend to boost the economy through domestic consumption, it is also important to set aside money for the long term.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 01, 2022 01:03 UTC
India bridge death toll rises to 132 as rescuers search Machhu River
"The death toll in the bridge collapse incident has gone up to 132. The search and rescue operations are continuing," senior official NK Muchhar told Reuters, warning that the victim count could rise further. Military personnel have joined rescue teams from nearby districts to search the river for any remaining victims, Muchhar said. More than 400 people were on and around the colonial-era bridge when it collapsed, said authorities. The bridge was a sightseeing point for people celebrating the Diwali and Chhath Puja holidays.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
November 01, 2022 00:02 UTC