Investors must think long term to beat inflation effects, says stocks guru
"If the Fed can tackle inflation effectively and people can get back to work, the situation may improve," Duitz said. He added that global stocks usually bounced back eventually from unprecedented shocks like the Covid-19 crisis, which has triggered supply disruption and inflation. He noted that many companies are still able to pay dividends despite the pandemic and rising prices. He also expects dividends to grow by an average of 7 per cent this year and 5 per cent next year.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 20, 2022 01:29 UTC
Tourism 'near to pre-Covid level'
Tourism 'near to pre-Covid level'Tourists crowd Yaowarat Road, Bangkok, on Sept 17. (Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)Tourism is bouncing back close to pre-Covid 19 levels, with at least 10 million international tourist arrivals targeted this year, said government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri. Five million foreign tourists have arrived in Thailand since the beginning of the year. Mr Anucha said the government has set the target of welcoming at least 10 million foreign tourist arrivals this year. In Phuket, a strong tourism recovery is also evident.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2022 00:05 UTC
Chevron, PTTEP vying for Gulf licences
Chevron, PTTEP vying for Gulf licencesUS-based Chevron Offshore (Thailand) and PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) are competing for new licences for offshore petroleum exploration and production in the Gulf of Thailand, according to the companies. The licences, to be granted under a 24th round of auctions covering three offshore areas, do not include the Erawan and Bongkot gas blocks, currently operated by PTTEP. Winners will be awarded petroleum exploration and production rights under production-sharing contracts, or PSCs. PTTEP told stock investors last month it was determined to secure the licences in the auctions. Chevron has recently announced it would bid for an exploration and production licence at G2/65 block.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 19, 2022 23:39 UTC
Arkhom tells SEC to work on fixing legal loopholes, prevent forex scams
He said the two agencies were taking action in line with their respective jurisdictions. Arkhom added that the central bank had also made moves to warn the public against being lured by forex scams. Some 9,000 complaints have been registered so far with the Department of Special Investigation, regarding losses of about 2 billion baht after investing in the Forex-3D scheme. On Monday, the SEC explained that it has no authority to supervise foreign currency exchange as the power belongs to the central bank.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 19, 2022 11:00 UTC
Smoking ganja in public ‘still banned’ despite withdrawal of cannabis bill
However, Public Health Ministry announcements after cannabis was legalised on June 9 dictate that the herb should be used for medical purposes, government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Sunday. She gave the example of a June 15 announcement banning public smoking of cannabis, which carries punishment of up to one year in jail, a 2,000 baht fine or both. She added that a June 17 announcement limits the amount of cannabis individuals can possess and bans sale of the herb to children and pregnant women. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs must get permission before using cannabis or hemp in foods, medicine or cosmetics.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 18, 2022 23:24 UTC
Carbon credit plan meets flak
Royal Forest DepartmentThe Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment's effort to fight climate change by using carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems as natural carbon sinks is getting a lot of flak. The ministry pointed to promising outcomes of the campaign to promote carbon credit trading in the forestry sector, as many big corporations have shown an interest in growing more forestland to gain carbon credits. According to Thailand Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory System, as of 2016, the forestry sector had sequestered over 91 million tonnes of CO2. The carbon credit exchange programme in the forestry sector has received overwhelming interest from the private sector, said Komsan Ruengritsarakul from the Community Forest Management Office of the Royal Forest Department. "So, to strengthen the carbon market, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with its partners is now improving the management of the carbon credit exchange, while additional incentives will also be introduced to attract more participants in carbon market trading."
Source:Bangkok Post
September 18, 2022 22:53 UTC
Plastic ban to be done in phases
Plastic ban to be done in phasesThe government is planning to ban plastic scrap imports in 2025, a move that will be carried out in phases over the next three years, says Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa. Members also listened to suggestions by stakeholders about the ban on the import of plastic scrap for raw materials in the industrial sector. He said the panel agreed that 14 plants located in free trade zones would be able to import plastic scrap until 2024 in two phases. He said the Department of Pollution Control will draft a 2023–2027 plastic waste management plan, focusing on four key areas, including removing plastic waste from landfills for recycling by 2027, he said. The ministry aims to reduce plastic waste yearly via a campaign to curb single-use plastic bags in department stores and convenience stores nationwide.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 18, 2022 22:30 UTC
Thai creations from natural materials make a mark at Hong Kong fashion expo
Chanunpat Pisanapipong, executive director of the Thai Trade Centre in Hong Kong, said more than 240 brands from 15 countries were participating in the exhibition, and Thai products received a lot of attention. She said visitors, including importers and businesses, paid particular attention to clothes and accessories made from natural materials. Chanunpat added that more than 30 business matches between Thai businesses and importers from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, India and the US had been made during the exhibition. Hong Kong is Thailand's 12th largest trade partner. In 2021, Thailand’s exports to Hong Kong came in at US$11.59 billion, up 2.65 per cent year on year.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 18, 2022 07:01 UTC
Student e-shopping project aims to bridge Thailand’s notorious education gap
Shrewsbury’s principal Rob Millar noted that learning outside of the classroom is just as important as learning in school. And the real-life experience gained from the “Equity Partnership's School Network Season 4” would help students develop skills they need to survive in society, he said. Earnearn, a DBS Denla British School student who is participating in the project for the second year, said it gave her the chance to apply business knowledge she learns in class. EEF's Kraiyos said the project was a model for social innovation aimed at eliminating educational inequity via collaborations among different sectors. It would also provide students with an alternative learning path to compensate knowledge gaps that opened during the pandemic, he added.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 18, 2022 01:10 UTC
India welcomes back cheetahs, 70 years after local extinction
India welcomes back cheetahs, 70 years after local extinctionThis photograph taken on Saturday and released by the Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) shows a wild cheetah being released at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh state. NEW DELHI: Eight Namibian cheetahs arrived in India Saturday, decades after their local extinction, in an ambitious project to reintroduce the spotted big cats that has divided experts on its prospects. Officials say the project is the world's first intercontinental relocation of cheetahs, the planet's fastest land animal. Cheetahs became extinct in India primarily because of habitat loss and hunting for their distinctive spotted coats. An Indian prince, the Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo, is widely believed to have killed the last three recorded cheetahs in India in the late 1940s.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 17, 2022 23:24 UTC
Gone bonkers? Clip of woman trying to avoid paying for pizza goes viral
The clip was posted by Facebook user “Heart MyHeart”, who said he was delivering pizza to a woman at a condo in Bangkok’s Onnut area on Tuesday. The woman had ordered two pizzas, a bucket of ice cream and a cold drink, which came up to 760 baht. The condo security guard then stepped in and asked the woman to scan the code again, which again failed. Some netizens responded to the clip saying clearly the woman is a troubled person, while others said she tried to wriggle out of paying, but her bluff was called. Several people also expressed sympathy for the delivery person, saying they have to put up with all sorts of people, especially now that there is a rising demand for food delivery services, and the competition has become fiercer.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 17, 2022 21:37 UTC
Thai printing, packaging industry needs to transform to survive, say experts
Trade fair organiser Messe Düsseldorf Asia’s managing director, Gernot Ringling, said the printing and packaging industry has been relatively untouched by the Covid-19 pandemic and economic slowdown. The event is being organised in collaboration with the Thai Printing Association, Thai Packaging Association, Thai Corrugated Packaging Association and the Federation of Thai Industries. Ringling said the recovery in purchasing power, production capacity, marketing and advertising is beneficial for the printing and packaging industry. A recent study by worldwide packaging authority Smithers Pira found that the Asia-Pacific will account for the largest share of the packaging and printing market by 2024. However, to sustain the growth of this industry, Thailand should embrace more innovative technology along with adopting sustainable and eco-friendly concepts.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 17, 2022 04:04 UTC
Move to snuff out cannabis bill not politically motivated, say Democrats
Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit said his party supports marijuana for medical uses but is opposed to recreational use. Disagreement over the proposed legislation is threatening to destabilise the coalition government. The Bhumjaithai Party is upset after fellow coalition partners, including the Democrats and ruling Palang Pracharath, on Wednesday joined the opposition in voting to withdraw the bill from ongoing House deliberation. The Cannabis and Hemp Bill was proposed by the Public Health Ministry, which is headed by Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
September 16, 2022 23:06 UTC
PTT shifts gear to the EV industry
PTT has its own plans to assemble EVs, produce batteries, expand EV charging facilities and provide EV rental services, all of which are making good progress, according to Mr Auttapol. PTT and Foxconn are jointly developing an EV production facility worth US$1-2 billion in the Eastern Economic Corridor. Thailand is the third country with a semi-solid battery production facility in Asia after China and Japan. CHARGING FACILITIESMr Auttapol sees a crucial need to develop more EV charging facilities in order to fuel the growth of the domestic EV industry. This prompted PTT, together with manufacturers of cars and EV chargers, to invest in developing and expanding EV charging infrastructure.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 16, 2022 23:02 UTC
Facing up to dope changes
Facing up to dope changesDelays to the second reading of the cannabis and hemp bill are just disheartening. The bill now goes back to the committee that has already spent three months revising the bill, for another round of changes. The cannabis policy has been in action for two years and decriminalising it has been underway since June. Nevertheless, the cannabis policy has caused worry in society and there are reports about its misuse, especially among teenagers and school students. No matter how divisive this cannabis policy is, the solution is not to pull the bill.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 16, 2022 22:04 UTC