(Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)Thailand's economy is expected to grow by 2.9% this year, down from a previous prediction of 3.9%, the World Bank said on Tuesday. Warunthorn Puthong, an economist at the World Bank, said the downgrade was mainly due to external risk factors such as the Russia-Ukraine war, which has sent domestic energy prices soaring. However, the World Bank believes the Thai economy is on the path to recovery this year. The World Bank expects 6.2 million foreign tourists to visit Thailand this year, she said. The war in Ukraine threatens an uneven recovery for developing East Asia and Pacific (EAP) countries, the World Bank said.

GLO director Lt-Colonel Noon Sansanakom explained that the 8,964 comprised 1,181 retailers, 181 associations and organisations and 7,602 buyers in advance. He said any sellers who jack up prices or sell lottery to others are considered a violation of the GLO contract. “The GLO will immediately revoke the rights of lottery sellers who violate the contract,” he warned. “Associations and organisations which violate the contract will be unable to sell lottery to their members.”

(Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)Starting from April 1, visitors entering Thailand enjoy more relaxed conditions after authorities dropped a negative pre-arrival RT-PCR Covid-19 test requirement. The new rules, meant to resuscitate the battered tourism sector, still require travellers to undergo an RT-PCR Covid-19 test upon arrival, and then an antigen self-test on Day 5. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said there had been an increase in the number of overseas arrivals following the removal of the pre-arrival RT-PCR test. "After the lifting of the pre-arrival test, we are seeing a climb in international arrivals, but it is a very slow climb," she said. For other destinations, visitors can call +66 (2)-572-8442, +66 065-205-4247, +66 065-205-4248, +66 065-205-4249, or testgo@consular.go.th.

Case of missing activist rekindledThe Justice Ministry has pledged to follow up on the case of political activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit who was abducted while living in Phnom Penh in mid-2020 after going into self-exile and who remains missing. Sub Lt Thanakrit said as this criminal case occurred outside Thailand, it falls under the supervision of the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG). Sub Lt Thanakrit said he would coordinate with the OAG and pledged to do his utmost to get results. Her family will meet Sub Lt Thanakrit again on June 4 to receive an update on the progress of the case, as this will mark two years since her brother disappeared. At least eight Thai activists who fled after the 2014 coup and took refuge in Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam have disappeared.

“With THPD’s delivery potential and BAAC financial support, the NHSO will be able to deliver Favipiravir to Covid-19 patients quickly, resulting in a decline in risks of developing severe symptoms and death,” he said. THPD managing director Peera Udomkitsakul noted that the agency has been cooperating with the NHSO in taking care of patients under the social security system. The THPD has also delivered dialysis solutions, medicines and medical supplies to patients by post, he added.

TAT teams up with Thai AirAsia in push for toursMr Thanet, centre right, and Mr Santisuk, centre left, at a recent press conference. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to attract 1.75 million tourists from short-haul markets this year as more countries reopen, and will partner with Thai AirAsia (TAA) to bring in at least 18,000 package tours over the next few months. The goal is for Vietnam to account for 11,000 package tours, mainly from independent travellers and families with children, and 3,000 Singaporean tours, made up of millennials and young couples. Meanwhile, the campaign is also targeting the medical and wellness segments from Malaysia and Cambodia, which is expected to secure 1,000 package tours from each country. TAT will also launch the "Nang Fah Pa Tiew" campaign with local airlines between April and June by using air crew as micro-influencers to help promote tourism.

In the letter, AWN said that if the two telecom operators were allowed to merge, mobile phone users in Thailand would be the biggest losers as the merger would affect competition. It pointed out that the number of key players in the telecoms market would be reduced from three to two, and the new company would dominate with a market share of 53.4 per cent. It said the merger would also effectively block new players from entering the market. The letter pointed out that National Telecommunication Plc, created via the merger of TAT Corporation Plc and CAT Telecom Plc, had very little market share to counter the giant that will be created by the True-Dtac merger.

PTT poised to sell mining business in IndonesiaNational oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc expects to sell its coal mining business in Indonesia within the first half of this year as the company plans to focus more on clean energy and mobility. It is the right time for the sale as global coal prices have risen since the end of last year, said Auttapol Rerkpibun, chief executive and president of PTT. It had enjoyed full production but later saw the production decrease due to a drop in global coal prices. Last year, SAR earned 16.98 billion baht, a 57% rise from the previous year, though sales volume declined by 4.7% to 6.1 million tonnes, down from 6.4 million tonnes in 2020, according to PTT. PTT entered the coal mining segment in 2012 by buying a 55% stake in Singapore-listed coal miner SAR and acquiring the remaining 45% share through a tender offer.

Gang grilled over Aussie drug bustA number of Thai and Cambodian nationals are being investigated in connection with a shipment of illegal drugs worth more than 1.38 billion baht, sent by air from Thailand to Melbourne on Feb 19, as authorities widen their probe. The limited partnership claimed it didn't know the name of the person who contacted it via LINE and paid by cash deposit, he said. It remains uncertain whether the Cambodian national was merely hired to open a bank account for transfers or a member of the drug gang, he said. On Feb 25, Australian police intercepted on arrival the crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine and heroin hidden in green tea and magnet packages. "Since the beginning of last year, the frequency of both crystal methamphetamine and heroin found shipped from Thailand to Australia has increased considerably," he said.

War in Ukraine: Latest developmentsA scene of devastation in Bucha, Ukraine, on Sunday. (Photo: Ivor Prickett/ The New York Times)KYIV, Ukraine: Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:- Outrage at Russian 'war crimes' -Global outrage and accusations of Russian war crimes mount after the discovery of dozens of bodies, some with their hands bound, near Kyiv. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba calls it a "deliberate massacre" while President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces are committing "genocide". - Strikes in eastern Ukraine -Seven people die and 34 are wounded after Russian forces strike a residential area in Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv, local prosecutors say. Russian forces also shell the nearby town of Dergachi, leaving at least three civilians dead and wounding seven, its mayor said on Facebook.

Government preps incentives for 4 new economic corridorsThe government looks set to settle investment incentives for four new economic corridors in four regions next month, a move aimed at increasing investment in the areas. According to Anak Meemongkol, deputy secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council, the council and the Board of Investment are working on incentives to lure investors to the four economic corridors, which are to resemble the flagship Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). According to Mr Anak, the investment categories in these four economic corridors should differ from those in the 10 existing special economic zones because each corridor will be tasked with promoting some specific industries. The four new economic corridors are the Southern Economic Corridor, the Northeastern Economic Corridor (NEEC), the Northern Economic Corridor (NEC) and the Western Economic Corridor (WEC). The development covers the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon and Ranong.

The two Premier League giants are visiting Bangkok as part of their first pre-season tour since 2019, before the pandemic. The July match will also be Thai fans’ first opportunity to see Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp’s management while Manchester United will likely arrive with a new head coach. There are no guarantees of which players will be involved, but the organiser has confirmed that both clubs will field first-team players. Tickets are being sold via Thaiticketmajor in seven price bands, starting from 5,000 baht in category 5 to 25,000 baht for the “platinum” seats.

In previous tightening cycles, the Fed has had to lift the policy rate above inflation to bring price dynamics back under control. Today, the policy rate is barely above zero while headline consumer price index (CPI) inflation is close to 8%. Headline inflation would end the year at 5.6% -- three times higher than the projected end-year policy rate. NOT JUST SUPPLY SHOCKTo be clear, inflationary supply shocks are playing a role here -- but they are certainly not alone. To bring inflation under control, the Fed will need to undertake much more aggressive policy tightening than it currently envisions.

They says there are serious concerns of “learning loss and increasing risks of rising inequality for too many children” with the COVID-19 pandemic entering the third year. In a public statement by UNICEF Representative to Việt Nam Rana Flowers, she cited a global report released late March by UNESCO, UNICEF and World Bank, entitled “Where are we on education recovery” which stressed the urgent and critical need to address the colossal loss to children’s learning worldwide. Flowers said: “When children are not able to interact with their teachers and their peers directly, their learning suffers, their cognitive skills and brain development suffers, and the social and employment skills that come from interaction and communication suffer. "After such a long period out of school this may become permanent learning loss if that interaction is not immediately addressed. “The rising inequality in access to learning means that education risks becoming the greatest divider instead of the greatest equaliser.

Poon said that the baht is likely to swing widely if foreign investors switch to selling over market concern that the US Federal Reserve will adopt quantitative tightening as early as next month (May). He forecast that exporters would sell the dollar at a resistance level of 33.70. Poon said that amid the current high volatility in the currency market, businesses should use hedging tools such as options to manage risks. For the dollar, he expected uncertainty over the Ukraine-Russia conflict to drive up demand for the US currency, which is seen as a safe haven.