New monthly handouts approvedA noodle vendor with a sign announcing participation in the government’s Khon La Khrueng co-payment scheme. (Bangkok Post photo)The cabinet on Tuesday approved a new phase of its co-payment subsidy scheme and doubled its monthly handout for poor and needy people for September and October. The cabinet also resolved to double the monthly handout for holders of government welfare cards; those who had no smartphones and no access to the internet and the government’s Paotang wallet app; and those who were dependants, Gen Prayut said. Their monthly handout will rise from 200 baht to 400 baht per month during September and October. Recipients could start to use the handouts under both programmes from Sept 1, the prime minister said.

The hybrid event brought together representatives from government startup agencies from Asean and partnering countries - Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, and India to discuss the main issues confronting the startup ecosystem and the solutions that can be achieved through a united effort. The government has a significant role to support in promoting invaluable assets such as Artificial Intelligence, digital transformation, technology, advanced materials, and manufacturing. SEASA event is, therefore, the place where key players in regional startup communities can exchange knowledge and experience regarding policies, current situations, and challenges that all are currently facing." The representatives of each country made their brief presentations on "The Roles of Governments in Promoting Startups in the Post-Covid-19 Era" focusing on policy, launch pads, and the current startup situation to maintain strong collaborations of the Asean startup ecosystem. It reflected that they have similar policies to support startups.

Revenue Statistics in Asia and the Pacific 2022 provides harmonised data on tax revenues for 28 economies in the region, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan for the first time. The report reveals that the average tax-to-GDP ratio in the Asia-Pacific region was lower than the averages for the OECD and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Between 2019 and 2020, tax-to-GDP ratios fell in 19 of the 26 economies for which 2020 data are available. to 33.5% between 2019 and 2020 while the average tax-to-GDP ratio in the LAC region declined by -0.8 p.p. On average, taxes on goods and services accounted for 50.6% of total tax revenues in the Asia-Pacific region in 2020.

'Mor Prom' app gets big upgradeThe Ministry of Public Health is working with the private sector to transform the Mor Prom app into a new standalone digital health platform. Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha said the ministry has joined hands with state organisations and the private sector, including Kasikornbank, Internet Thailand PCL, SCG Logistics Management Co, for the project which will see a total of 12 new features added to enhance access to health services. The app will connect directly with health clinics and offer its 32 million users a larger choice of services than previously, said Dr Sophon Mekthon, assistant to the public health minister. Six of 12 features have already been rolled out and more are upcoming. It is expected that all the features in the app will be functional by August and those to be incorporated into the official Line account from September.

Dr Jakrat Phittayawong-anon, chief of the Department of Disease Control (DDC)’s Epidemiology Bureau, said on Monday that DDC’s Communicable Disease Committee believes the current alert level is fine as the country’s public health system can handle the spread of the disease. “As per the 2015 Communicable Disease Act, a dangerous communicable disease is defined as one that causes severe symptoms and can be transmitted easily over a short period. Monkeypox does not fit this description yet,” Jakrat said. “For patients, DDC is coordinating with the Department of Medical Services to issue a standard treatment plan for monkeypox to be followed by all medical units. It is also getting a plan ready in case more patients are found in the country.”The committee also agreed to upgrade emergency operation centres nationwide to make surveillance and screening of high-risk groups more efficient.

NACC viewing 'bribe money to MPs proof'Graftbusters are analysing the screenshot of a Line mobile app chat log that reportedly proved that some MPs from smaller parties received monthly allowances from the government over the past three years, according to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). NACC secretary-general Niwatchai Kasemmongkol on Monday said the commission has already acknowledged the submission of the screenshot. "The NACC is closely monitoring and if the evidence is proven [authentic], it can assign a committee to examine the case," Mr Niwatchai said. Mr Niwatchai said according to Section 128 of the NACC law, MPs or government officials cannot receive benefits worth more than 3,000 baht. Earlier, Mr Srisuwan on Facebook said he has collected evidence of MPs receiving bribes and is ready to hand it over to the NACC in Nonthaburi today.

Contraband ganja seized on Mekong bankThe 200 kilogrammes of dried marijuana seized in Nakhon Phanom's Tha Uthen district on Sunday night, on display in front of Border Patrol Police Company 237 headquarters. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)NAKHON PHANOM: Border patrol police seized about 200 kilogrammes of contraband marijuana from the Mekong river bank and arrested a man allegedly looking to pick it up, in Tha Uthen district late on Sunday night. Pol Col Chalermchai Srithong, commander of Border Patrol Police Company 237, said a BPP team on patrol along the Mekong river found five sacks containing altogether 200 slabs of dried marijuana, each of 1kg, on the bank near Moo 7 village in tambon Chaiburi. They also arrested Chirawut Sastrachai, 22, of Tha Uthen district. In this case, he would be charged only with violating the Customs Act, the Plant Breeding Act and the Plant Quarantine Act, Pol Col Chalermchai said.

The SEC said it had also instructed Zipmex Thailand to provide efficient and adequate channels for its customers to file complaints. The SEC itself wants to make it more convenient for customers of Zipmex Thailand so it has provide an online filling form as well, it said. The form requires Zipmex Thailand users to fill in their names, citizen or passport ID, phone number or email address, and types and amount of damage.

Doctors want immediate suspension of cannabis decriminalisationPrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, right, listens to a presentation on the medical use of cannabis at Government House last month. (Photo: Government House)More than 800 doctors from Ramathibodi Hospital have called for the immediate suspension of the policy of decriminalisation of cannabis pending implementation of adequate controls to protect the young. He posted on his Facebook account that 851 doctors, lecturers and alumni of the faculty of medicine Ramathibodi Hospital at Mahidol University had issued a statement seeking the immediate suspension of cannabis decriminalisation. The situation was different from the government’s intention to increase people’s access to the medical use of cannabis. The doctors urged the government to immediately suspend the policy until laws were in place to protect young people from cannabis abuse and ensure proper use of cannabis, to minimise its impact on the general public.

Boxer dies from brain injury week after matchPanphet Phadungchai, a Thai boxer who suffered a serious brain injury following a knock-out loss to a French boxer at Thupatemi Air Force boxing stadium on July 15, has died, his wife said on Facebook. Panphet: KO'd by elbow to jawIn the last of the five-round fight between Panphet, whose real name is Sarayuth Klinming, and Anthony TFC, with just 1.18 minutes to go, the French boxer swung his elbow and hit Panphet in the jaw, causing him to lose consciousness. Panphet was taken to B Care Hospital on Phahon Yothin Road, where doctors found he had suffered a serious brain injury. Despite attempts to save his life, he succumbed to the injury on Saturday night.

Nigerian monkeypox patient can stay in Cambodia, says AnutinThe symptoms on the face of the Nigerian monkeypox patient are displayed on a slide during a media briefing in Phuket on Friday. (Photo: Achadtaya Chuenniran)Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has indicated there are no plans for Thailand to seek the return of the Nigerian monkeypox patient from Cambodia. Mr Anutin said on Sunday he expected the patient to receive treatment in Cambodia. The 27-year-old Nigerian, whose name is still withheld by Thai authorities, left Phuket before two lab tests conducted on Monday and Tuesday confirmed the country's first monkeypox case. Health officials were waiting for lab tests from 17 of them, while tests on two people were negative, he added.

Financial impacts felt by even the wealthiest of ThaisAmongst mass affluent banking customers in Thailand, 63 per cent experienced a decrease in income due to the pandemic, 7 per cent less than the wider retail banking market in Thailand. Many (41 per cent) of the country's mass affluent deferred loan repayments, as a result, 6 per cent lower than Thailand's retail banking customers, overall. This disruption to income has left 37 per cent of affluent Thais saying they intend to reduce spending, just as half of Thailand's retail banking customers plan to do. In Thailand, the mass affluent are just about as likely to increase their borrowing as retail banking customers (11 and 12 per cent respectively). Just about 3 in 4 of Thailand's retail banking customers will either increase or maintain their savings (73 per cent).

Here’s a comparison of the vote in Parliament and the public vote:

Rise in Covid deaths, severe casesPeople queue to get vaccinated at the Thai-Japanese Youth Centre in Din Daeng district of Bangkok on Thursday. The new numbers compared with 2,578 new cases and 29 coronavirus-related fatalities reported on Saturday morning. On Saturday, 2,358 Covid-19 patients were discharged from treatment facilities after recovering from the coronavirus. Since the pandemic started in early 2020, there have been 4,575,853 Covid-19 cases, including 2,352,418 cases this year, with 4,519,994 complete recoveries to date. Global Covid-19 cases rose by 1704,813 in 24 hours to 574.54 million.

A truck is seen at a grain terminal during the barley harvest in the Odesa region of Ukraine. (Reuters File Photo)KYIV: Russian missiles hit the Ukrainian port of Odesa on Saturday, in what Kyiv called a “spit in the face” of a day-old deal between the warring sides to resume grain exports blocked by the conflict. The Ukrainian military said its air defences had shot down two cruise missiles but two more hit the port, threatening the landmark agreement that was reached after months of negotiations aimed at relieving a global food crisis. The agreement includes points on running Ukrainian grain ships along safe corridors that avoid known mines in the Black Sea. On Friday, the United States signed off on another $270 million in military aid to Ukraine, including rocket systems, artillery ammunition and armoured command posts.