Thai Airways to offer partial rehab plan in August
Thai Airways to offer partial rehab plan in AugustActing Thai Airways International president Chansin Treenuchagron: "The rehabilitation plan still needs some more time before it's ready." (Post Today file photo)Thai Airways International (THAI) will speed up the drafting of its rehabilitation plan to submit it to the Central Bankruptcy Court on Aug 17, when the court is scheduled to begin examining the airline's rehabilitation request, acting THAI president Chansin Treenuchagron said on Friday. The rehabilitation plan currently consists of short-term, medium-term and long-term measures that Mr Chansin believes will be successful if the airline's board, management, creditors and debtors cooperate well. As part of the draft rehabilitation plan, THAI is deciding on what to do with assets not worth holding, he said. There is a possibility that THAI will allow joint ventures with its non-performing assets.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 04, 2020 01:07 UTC
'Angel jab' for 'devil virus'?
'Angel jab' for 'devil virus'? Thailand's medical expertise means it is well placed in current efforts to develop such a coronavirus vaccine. The kingdom's scientists are developing their versions, and if they succeed in making the jab affordable, the benefits to public health would be enormous. Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia are all striving to have their versions of a coronavirus jab made available to the public next year. If Thailand succeeds, its public health sector would benefit from huge improvements and prestige.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:26 UTC
US and Chinese economic figures cheer punters
US and Chinese economic figures cheer puntersRecap: Emerging market stocks were driven by strong economic readings across the globe, including Chinese factory activity and US payroll data. Institutional investors were net buyers of 16.2 billion baht and brokerage firms purchased 3.3 billion worth of shares. The British government has ditched coronavirus quarantine rules for travellers arriving from 75 countries including Thailand so that people can go on holiday, The Daily Telegraph reported. The European Union has moved to reopen its borders to visitors from 15 "safe" countries including Thailand, but not the United States, where new Covid-19 are spiking once again. They closed on Thursday at 60.50 baht in heavy trade worth 17.26 billion baht.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:26 UTC
Northampton cruise at empty Wembley
Northampton cruise at empty WembleyIn this extraordinary football season another piece of history was made on Monday when the 90,000-seat Wembley stadium hosted its first-ever competitive game played behind closed doors. Curle, who in his playing days was a decent centre-half for Manchester City and England, conceded it was a "surreal atmosphere" at the deserted Wembley stadium. At the final whistle, there was no customary walk up the Wembley steps to receive medals from some dignitary. There was reportedly one London-based Northampton supporter standing outside Wembley, listening to the game on the radio. However, a 3-0 win in the return leg was enough to give Northampton their date at Wembley.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:26 UTC
Debate heats up over fire helicopters
Debate heats up over fire helicoptersInterior Minister Anupong Paojinda defends the 1.8-billion-baht procurement of two helicopters by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation for use in combating bush-fires during the first reading of the 2021 Budget Bill. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda on Friday defended the Interior Ministry's plan to purchase six wildfire-fighting helicopters, saying the ministry did not have any such helicopters and always had to rely on military choppers that weren't up to the task. Gen Anupong was responding to an objection to the ministry's helicopter purchase plan raised by the opposition during yesterday's House debate on the fiscal year 2021 budget bill. The ministry needed up to six wildfire-fighting helicopters because they had to be used in rotation to allow regular maintenance, he added. The Pheu Thai Party MP for Chiang Rai, Wisarn Techatheerawat, said the ministry's plan to purchase two helicopters for fighting wildfires this year at a cost of 1.8 billion baht wasn't worth it as the country already had more than 300 helicopters.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:15 UTC
Capital braces for monsoon season
(Photo by Apichart Jinakul)Monsoon season is here and even though the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is busy tackling the spread of Covid-19, it has spared no efforts to ensure the capital is well prepared. Pol Gen Aswin said flood drainage capacity had improved. The BMA has touted its giant tunnel project as an adequate flood defence system for the rainy season, which runs from May to October. Combined with three other tunnel projects, the upgraded drainage system is expected to handle the monsoon rains and alleviate flooding in 14 of Bangkok's 50 districts. Installed in a densely populated area, which has only narrow sewage pipes, this system helps increase the drainage capacity.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:15 UTC
THAI to offer partial rehab plan in August
THAI to offer partial rehab plan in AugustThai Airways International (THAI) will speed up the drafting of its rehabilitation plan to submit it to the Central Bankruptcy Court on Aug 17, when the court is scheduled to begin examining the airline's rehabilitation request, acting THAI president Chansin Treenuchagron said yesterday. The rehabilitation plan currently consists of short-term, medium-term and long-term measures that Mr Chansin believes will be successful if the airline's board, management, creditors and debtors cooperate well. "Of course, we want to complete it as soon as possible, but it involves many elements," Mr Chansin added. As part of the draft rehabilitation plan, THAI is deciding on what to do with assets not worth holding, he said. There is a possibility that THAI will allow joint ventures with its non-performing assets.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
'Care' already being taken for next poll
'Care' already being taken for next pollVeteran politician Phumtham Wechayachai, third right, is seen with key members of the newly formed group Care during the launch last month at Voice TV station. A case in point is Pheu Thai, which lost all its list MPs in last year's elections. The name likens the role of small parties to branches that support the main Pheu Thai Party in elections. Besides, there are reports that key politicians in Pheu Thai circles are also making a move. Apart from serving the "1,000-baht note" strategy, Care will help solve rifts within Pheu Thai.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
Pupils in hair-raising protest
Pupils in hair-raising protestA group of school students on Friday protested against teachers who continue to enforce rigid haircut requirements, despite new ministerial guidelines permitting them to have different hairstyles. The youngsters, who facetiously dub themselves the "Bad Student" group, lodged a petition calling for action against the teachers to Prasert Boonruang, permanent secretary of the Education Ministry. The Education Ministry in March issued a new rule permitting boys to have longer hair. "The buzz-cut and [other] extremely short hairstyles affect the feelings of students," the group said. The group demanded that the Education Ministry urge teachers not to violate the rights of students.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
Govt eyes medical tourism trips
Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said medical and wellness tourists would be welcomed from this month onward. "After completing required quarantine, tours can be arranged for them to visit anywhere in Thailand," Dr Taweesilp told the media in a press briefing yesterday. This is intended to attract wealthy tourists to help boost the economy through the medical and wellness programme, Dr Taweesilp said. They would have to arrive by air to ensure effective disease control, Dr Taweesilp said. Dr Taweesilp said these 1,700 foreign medical and wellness tourists are mandated to complete a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Thailand.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
An appointment three decades in the making
From her first days at KBank, CEO Kattiya Indaravijaya had the ultimate goal in sightMs Kattiya says she sees no glass ceiling at Kasikornbank. During her time in the US after winning a KBank-sponsored scholarship, Ms Kattiya saw several CEOs of American companies share their vision and leadership tips on TV shows. As a vice-president, Ms Kattiya recalls sleeping only a few hours a night. Ms Kattiya was among a minority who picked marketing, as most of her friends went with finance and banking. She climbed the corporate ladder to first senior vice-president in 2005, executive vice-president and chief financial officer in 2010, senior executive vice-president in 2014 and co-president two years later.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
Gulf to buy Vietnamese wind farms
Gulf says it will purchase onshore wind farms in Vietnam with a total capacity of 100 megawatts. SET-listed Gulf Energy Development Plc announced yesterday that it would purchase wind farms in Vietnam worth roughly US$200 million to take advantage of low interest rates as the firm seeks projects with a quick return on investment. The projects, located in Ia Grai district of Gia Lai province, will be held by wholly owned Gulf International Holding Pte (GIH) with a licence to develop and operate the wind farms. Gulf is looking at several more renewable energy projects to acquire in Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, Gulf plans to import its first LNG cargo of 65,000 tonnes by year-end to fuel gas-fired power plants after receiving a licence in May to operate LNG shipping through wholly owned Gulf LNG Co.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
'Female cook' braves slurs
Mr Somkid was known to have introduced Ms Narumon, professor at the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), to politics. Of the allegation that she backstabbed her one-time friend, Ms Narumon told reporters: "That is only your interpretation of events." "I think Mr Somkid should go," Mr Chaiwut said, emerging from a PPRP meeting this week. Mr Somkid must have picked up the vibe of hostility early, and it apparently touched a nerve. On the other hand, individuals looking to replace them who are also inadequate for the jobs should stay away, Mr Somkid said.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 23:03 UTC
Government survives key test with B3.3tn budget vote
Government survives key test with B3.3tn budget votePrime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha attends the draft budget bill debate in Parliament on Thursday. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)The coalition government survived a key challenge on Friday when Parliament passed the first reading of a 3.3 trillion baht budget bill for the 2021 fiscal year, aimed at reviving an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic. A defeat would have forced Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's 20-party government to either resign or dissolve Parliament. The proposed budget projects a 3.1% rise in spending to 3.3 trillion baht for the fiscal year starting on Oct 1. The budget planners have assumed Southeast Asia's second-largest economy will shrink 5%-6% this year before growing 4-5% in 2021.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 22:18 UTC
Air France, Hop! to shed 7,580 jobs
Air France, Hop! PARIS: Air France management said Friday it planned to eliminate 7,580 jobs at the airline and its regional unit Hop! The planned job cuts amount to 16% of Air France's staff and 40 % of those at Hop! However, unions warn that Air France may resort to layoffs for the first time, if not enough staff agree to leave or move to other locations. They also include, she said, "salary curbs with a freeze on general and individual increases (outside seniority and promotions) for all in 2021 and 2022," including executives of Air France.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 03, 2020 21:45 UTC