Kingdom stands to gain from IPEFNews of Thailand's participation in US President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) has caused quite a stir in the kingdom, with some members of the public protesting a move perceived as putting the country at odds with China and Russia. President Biden introduced the IPEF during his visit to the region on May 23. It does the kingdom no good to allow fear or favour to drive economic policy at a time like this. Should economic opportunities arise from the IPEF, Thailand will be among the first to reap the rewards because of that decision made earlier this week. IPEF membership is likely to be beneficial in the future and the cabinet will next week discuss this issue.

Kick-off had to be delayed by 36 minutes due to substantial security issues outside the Stade de France, where Liverpool would be edged out 1-0 in a tense, engaging final settled by Real star Vinicius Jr.Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were unable to find a response to the second-half strike as Carlo Ancelotti, managing a record fifth Champions League final just a year after leaving Everton, oversaw the Spanish giants’ 14th European Cup triumph. It was a heartbreaking end to a memorable season for Liverpool, who won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup before being pipped to the Premier League title by a point and losing in the French capital. Liverpool had settled quickest in Paris, where Thibaut Courtois denied Mohamed Salah – a man in search of revenge following his injury in the 2018 defeat to Real – before tipping a Sadio Mane strike onto the post.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa talk at a signing ceremony between the two countries in Apia on Saturday. (Samoa Observer Photo via AFP)Samoa signed a bilateral agreement with China on Saturday, promising “greater collaboration” as Beijing’s foreign minister continues a South Pacific tour that has sparked concern among Western allies. A press release from the Samoan government confirmed that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa had met and discussed “climate change, the pandemic and peace and security”. “Samoa and the People’s Republic of China will continue to pursue greater collaboration that will deliver on joint interests and commitments,” the release said. “We have expressed our concerns publicly about the security agreement,” Wong told reporters in Suva, the capital of Fiji.

Indonesian rescuers evacuate hundreds of passengers from the ferry KM Sirimau after it ran aground off the coast of Lembata on May 19. No one was hurt, but the incident underlined the risks of boat transport in the archipelago. (AFP Photo)MAKASSAR, Indonesia: Indonesian rescue teams were looking for 26 people missing on Saturday after a boat with 43 people on board capsized off Sulawesi island. The motorboat that had left Paotere port in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, at midnight Thursday was reported missing the next day when it failed to arrive its destination, local media reported. Rescued passengers were picked up by tugboats and taken to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and Jeneponto in South Sulawesi, South Sulawesi search and rescue agency chief Djunaidi said on Saturday.

Nation Group sold 691,032,167 NBC shares at a price of 1.30 baht apiece, totalling 898.34 million baht, to two major shareholders of One to One Contacts – Boon-aue Chitthanom and Nattapong Sitaworarat. With the NBC purchase, One to One and its allies plan to expand its Happy Home Shopping business to cover health products and enter the telemedicine business in the future. The shares sold accounted for 61.4 per cent of Nation Group’s stake in NBC. The sale was approved by Nation Group shareholders in April following a resolution by its executive board in March.

The TCC thanked the Foreign Ministry for persuading China to open more trade channels and the Commerce Ministry for tapping new overseas export markets to prevent oversupply of Thai fruit. “This has resulted in over 200 billion baht of fruit exports so far this year,” said TCC vice chairman Pratya Samalapa, who also chairs the chamber's committee on the eastern region, Thailand's "fruit basket". He thanked the government for its efforts in tackling what he called the “fruit oversupply crisis”. Along with agriculture, other economic sectors in eastern provinces seeing recovery include gems and jewellery manufacturing and tourism, Pratya added. The tourism revival would have a knock-on effect in other sectors and bring more jobs to the eastern region, he said.

A win for Kru Ti and the Mekong RiverWorkers gather pebbles at a sand excavation site along the Mekong River in Vientiane in this May 2016 file photo. Kru Ti is one of six recipients of this year's prize, a prestigious award for grassroots environmental activism. Yet amid all the campaigning, Kru Ti realised there were other threats to the Mekong. However, the achievement of Kru Ti and the Chiang Khong Conservation Group stands as an isolated case. If you see that the Mekong River needs to be preserved and restored, you are our partner," Kru Ti said in one interview that clearly reflected the position of the communities along the Mekong River.

The protesters rode from CentralWord mall on Rama I Road before mobilising at the ministry building on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road at noon. They threatened to block traffic on the road unless Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow or permanent-secretary Kulit Sombatsiri came down to receive their letter of demands. Siwares Thamwiset, the ministry’s inspection department chief, eventually accepted the letter and invited protest representatives to talk with Kulit via video. During the one-hour video conference, the delivery riders demanded that gasohol be capped at 38 baht per litre until the end of year, and its excise tax cut by 5 baht per litre for six months. This could be achieved by suspending gasohol revenue contributions to the Oil Fuel Fund, protesters said.

Health Ministry, agencies aim to deter recreational weed useThe Public Health Ministry has signed an agreement with eight agencies to emphasise the use of cannabis and hemp for medical, beauty and research and development use amid fears people will use it for recreational purposes when they are allowed to grow the plants at home from June 9. The signatories are the Public Health Ministry, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand, The Medical Council of Thailand, Thai Traditional Medical Council, The Pharmacy Council of Thailand and the Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council. The signing event was observed by the Royal Thai Police, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the Food and Drug Administration. Homegrown cannabis will help save money for some patients who need to use the plant for medical treatments," he said. The Public Health Ministry will prepare guidelines for cannabis users on preventing second-hand smoke from affecting others and will propose them to the National Public Health Committee on May 30, said Mr Anutin.

She said the study found that electric buses are suitable for routes not more than 400 kilometres, while diesel buses are still necessary for longer routes. She said there is a possibility that electric buses would be used on routes up to 300 kilometres, starting with six routes. Up to 60 buses will be used on these routes, she added. "Using electric buses will help reduce operating costs by up to 30 per cent, as the price of diesel is currently high," she said. However, she said the company has to study this issue thoroughly as charging stations are need to be set up along the routes.

Governor vows to fix Green Line messThe Green LineBangkok governor-elect Chadchart Sittipunt on Thursday vowed to find a solution to problems surrounding the long-lasting dispute over the city's Green Line electric rail system. During a TV interview, Mr Chadchart said he would look into the concessions for operating the Green Line's extensions, focussing on when the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) received debts incurred through the construction of the Green Line and its extensions from the government. He said he will also investigate how the contract to operate the service was signed and how negotiations were conducted and concluded. Mr Chadchart said he was wondering if the transfer of Green Line debts to the BMA was lawful and approved by Bangkok Council. Mr Chadchart also cast doubt on the contract signed by Krungthep Thanakom Co, a state enterprise under the BMA.

KL still backs peace effortsMalaysia has given assurances that it will continue to support Thailand's efforts to negotiate peace with insurgent groups in the deep South, a Defence Ministry spokesman says. Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich was speaking after Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon paid a courtesy call on Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein during a visit to the neighbouring country on Thursday. They discussed a wide range of issues, including threats posed by militants holding dual citizenship and Malaysia's pledge to support Thailand's dialogue with insurgents to bring about peace in the three southernmost border provinces. The two sides have set up a communications centre to boost efforts along the border between the two countries, he said, adding they have also held joint border patrols. Both countries have also cooperated on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts, he said.

Thanet Phetsuwan, TAT deputy governor of marketing for Asia and the South Pacific, said on Friday that his agency expects 500,000 Indian tourists to enter Thailand this year, generating an estimated 22.5 billion baht in revenue. He added that arrivals from India will likely top 600,000, creating revenue of up to 27 billion baht. “If things go like this, India will become the No 1 market for Thai tourism,” Thanet said. In 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, 1.96 million Indians had visited Thailand. The number shrank to 261,730 the following year and dropped even further to just 6,544 last year.

A group representing the Thailand Consumers Council express opposition to the merger deal at the office of the NBTC on Thurday. Mr Somkiat said the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is commonly used to gauge market concentration conditions. A total of 1,500 points suggests a risk of market concentration, while above 2,500 indicates market concentration is at a dangerous level. Based on research in 2017 by Ofcom, the UK's telecommunications regulator, Thailand's mobile market already had a high level of market concentration at 3,700 points, he said. Prawit Leesathapornwongsa, an advisor to the NBTC chairman, said the NBTC has no bias in mind when considering the merger deal.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) invites Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to take a seat at the start of their meeting in Tokyo on Thursday. (AFP photo)TOKYO: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida began talks in Japan's capital on Thursday in which they are expected to agree on enhancing regional ties through a US-led Indo-Pacific economic framework launched earlier in the week. Mr Kishida expressed Japan's cooperation for a successful Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting to be held in November in Bangkok chaired by Thailand. Japan has imposed sanctions on Russia over the invasion in coordinated efforts with other Group of Seven countries, while Thailand maintains a neutral policy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Mr Kishida and Gen Prayut signed an agreement earlier in the month in Bangkok on the mutual transfer of defense equipment and technology to deepen bilateral security cooperation.