Property tycoon ‘in coma’, trial postponed
Anant Asavabhokhin, the founder of the property developer Land & Houses Plc, is reported to be seriously ill following a kidney transplant. Mr Anant was scheduled to appear in the Criminal Court on April 2 to answer the indictment. The source said Mr Anant underwent a kidney transplant in Australia, but the new organ is being rejected. He now requires dialysis three times a week until another kidney transplant can be performed. Some of the land was then sold to Land & Houses, which was then chaired by Mr Anant, the DSI found.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 04, 2024 01:35 UTC
Eyes on Thai boxers to deliver
The two are the only remaining Thai boxers in the quadrennial tournament as Bunjong Sinsiri was knocked out in the quarter-finals on Thursday night. Bunjong lost to Erislandy Alvarez Borges of Cuba 5-0 in the last eight of the men's 63.5kg as all three Thai men boxers were sent packing. Sprinter Puripol Boonson will begin his challenge as the men's 100m preliminary round takes place today. Shooting gold for SwissSwitzerland's Chiara Leone won the gold in the women's 50-metre rifle three positions yesterday. Croatia rower Valent Sinkovic celebrated his 36th birthday by coming from behind to win a sensational gold in the men's pair together with his brother Martin.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2024 18:18 UTC
Ghana asked to provide DNA of fish
Blackchin tilapia fish caught from Sanam Chai and Khok Kham canals in Samut Songkhram are cooked to serve people at the BKK Food Bank activity held at Bang Khunthian district office in Bangkok on July 19, 2024. (Photo: Apichart Jinakul)The Department of Fisheries has asked Ghana for the DNA of its blackchin tilapia to verify if the outbreak of the invasive fish species in Thailand originated from the African nation. The ministry expects the policy to help eliminate four million kilos of blackchin tilapia from waterways and ponds by mid-next year, he said. It explained that the company asked for permission to import 2,000 blackchin tilapia fingerlings from Ghana on Dec 22, 2010, for R&D purposes in its breading centre in Samut Songkhram. He called for a probe into 11 companies that exported 300,000 blackchin tilapia to 17 countries from 2013 to 2016 to determine their origin.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2024 15:54 UTC
Online retailers set to hike sales fees
The firm implemented a fee increase of 2-3% on July 1, with the new fee ranging from 5% to 8%, depending on the product category for marketplace sellers. Shopee, Lazada and TikTok are expected to continue to increase sales transaction fees to grow revenue, which raise costs for local merchants. So far this year, the three major e-commerce platforms in Thailand have raised their fees at least twice, and two of them raised their fees at almost the same time. Shopee raised its fee in April this year from a range of 4-7.49% to 5-8.56%, depending on the product category. Both increased fees to 2% in October 2022.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2024 10:40 UTC
Fuel subsidies ‘only for the needy’ proposed
Oil Fuel Fund Office studies changes that could make it easier to manage its debtsAn attendant refuels a car at a PTT petrol station in Khon Kaen. (Photo: Chakkrapan Natanri)The Oil Fuel Fund Office (Offo) is considering revising its price subsidy programmes to focus only on groups of people who badly need help, rather than making them universal. The national oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc, the country’s sole gas seller, has already adopted the targeted approach. It subsidises compressed natural gas prices only for taxi and public bus operators. The current diesel subsidy is 40 satang per litre, and the LPG subsidy is 4.18 baht per kilogramme, or 63 baht for a standard 15kg cylinder.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 03, 2024 00:04 UTC
Police raid Chinese supermarkets, seize uncertified goods
Police raid Chinese supermarkets, seize uncertified goodsPolice raid a supermarket selling numerous Chinese products in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo supplied)Officers from the Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) raided 12 Chinese supermarkets in Bangkok on Friday, discovering tonnes of made-in-China products lacking certification from Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The raids were prompted by complaints from consumers who noticed products without FDA labels in several Chinese supermarkets. Police said that the owners of these supermarkets will be prosecuted under the Consumer Protection Act. (Photo supplied)Read more: Shop selling Chinese goods creates a stir in KoratThe flood of inexpensive Chinese goods entering Thailand has been a growing source of concern, especially for small local business operators who say they cannot compete on price.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2024 19:46 UTC
Bank of Thailand plans to further relax foreign exchange rules
Bank of Thailand plans to further relax foreign exchange rulesIn the fourth quarter, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) is scheduled to implement additional relaxations. (Photo: Seksan Rojjanametakun)The Bank of Thailand (BoT) plans to further ease foreign exchange regulations to support the ease of doing business and enhance the country's foreign exchange ecosystem in the long run. Key changes include raising the annual outflow limit from US$50,000 to $200,000, reducing restrictions on negative lists and modifying foreign exchange management rules under the national pooling method, according to Chananun Supadulya, director of the BoT's Foreign Exchange Administration and Policy Department. Additionally, the central bank will relax foreign exchange management rules for non-residents under the Non-Resident Qualified Company (NRQC) project. It is designed to support both businesses and investors by providing greater convenience in managing foreign exchange risks," she said.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2024 14:06 UTC
New facilitator raises southern peace talks hopes
Chatchai: Talks adhere to the kingdom's constitutionNational Security Council (NSC) deputy secretary-general Chatchai Bangchuad believes peace talks between the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist movement will produce positive results now that a new talks facilitator has been appointed. Mr Mohd Rabin, meanwhile is directly under Mr Anwar's command. Mr Chatchai, who leads the government's peace negotiation team, told the Bangkok Post that he had met Mr Mohd Rabin and discussed the plan for the upcoming peace talks with him. He said Mr Srettha had made the peace talks, visits to the southern region and discussions with his Malaysian counterpart about the matter a high priority. As for Mr Mohd Rabin, Mr Chatchai said the fact he directly reports to the Malaysian prime minister will make things progress quicker than ever.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 02, 2024 11:51 UTC
Chinese influx puts factories at risk
"The arrival of the new e-commerce platform will intensify competition in the Thai market as cheap Chinese imports are expected to increase," he said. Chinese traders target Thailand because of the high rate of online shopping carried out by Thai people. As Chinese imports further increase, some manufacturers have halted production and decided to change their business by importing goods from China for sale instead. He expects the number of industries under the FTI that are affected by low-cost Chinese products would increase to 30, up from 25. Authorities are also working with logistics companies to check the warehouses where many such imported products are kept, she said.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2024 15:30 UTC
Thai Oil refutes claims of B567m wage settlement
Thai Oil refutes claims of B567m wage settlementThai Oil Public Company Ltd denies agreeing to issue a payment of 567 million baht to help settle outstanding wages owed to workers by subcontractors. The unpaid wages are reportedly owed by the Unincorporated Joint Venture (UJV) consortium, a subcontractor of Thai Oil. The subcontracting firms told the workers no money was forthcoming from UJV despite Thai Oil maintaining it made payments to the consortium on time. But Thai Oil on Wednesday denied the claim. Thai Oil added it has met all of its payment obligations with UJV for the engineering work, procurement and construction.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2024 10:40 UTC
Spanish heat breaks maximum temperature record in Barcelona
Catalonia's regional weather agency Meteocat announced on its X account on Wednesday (July 31) that the region's capital Barcelona had broken its maximum temperature record on Tuesday (July 30) hitting 40C (104F). “Spending all this time in the heat is unbearable," said construction worker Roberto.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2024 09:48 UTC
Court issues warrant for CEO over alleged rape of actress
Court issues warrant for CEO over alleged rape of actressThe Criminal Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Aphidit Intulaksana, a company CEO and relative of a late former foreign minister, in a case where he is accused of raping and molesting an actress, after he failed to show up to hear the ruling on Wednesday. Mr Aphidit's absence prompted the judge to order the confiscation of his 1-million-baht surety, reschedule the ruling to Sept 20, and issue an arrest warrant. The actress said that even though she wasn't fit to appear in court in person on Wednesday, she forced herself to come while the alleged rapist didn't show up. "The arrest warrant issued should help expedite everything. "Stop running away, cooperate with the court proceedings, and admit your crime so this case will end," she said on Tuesday.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2024 02:42 UTC
Global rice glut set to hit Thai exports
Global rice glut set to hit Thai exportsWorkers unload sacks of rice in a warehouse in Nakhon Pathom. Charoen Laothamatas, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said rice exports next year are expected to fall below the earlier estimate of 8.2 million tonnes. Vietnam has adjusted its rice export policy by importing cheap rice from India for domestic consumption and shifting to developing high-quality rice for export such as fragrant rice and soft texture rice with a higher selling price and added value. The United States Department of Agriculture projects that India will remain the largest rice exporter globally in 2025, with exports anticipated to reach 18 million tonnes, followed by Thailand (7.5 million tonnes), Vietnam (7.5 million tonnes), and Pakistan (5.6 million tonnes). This would affect global rice exports as Indian rice is cheaper than other rice-exporting countries.
Source:Bangkok Post
August 01, 2024 02:38 UTC
Pattaya City gets ready to erect new monorail line
Pattaya City gets ready to erect new monorail linePattaya City is looking forward to welcoming a new monorail line which, according to the results of a recent study, would be an ideal mechanism to improve the coastal city's public transport system and contribute greatly to its economic development. Called the Red Line, the new monorail system will comprise ten stations and stretch 17.37 kilometres, according to a feasibility study conducted on the new monorail presented at Tuesday's public hearing, the second such hearing on the new project. A large number of local business owners with a keen interest in the new line also attended to offer feedback. Each station on the line is designed to be about 1km from the next, said the study. The most suitable format of investment selected for this project is the public private partnership (PPP) one, said the study.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 31, 2024 17:43 UTC
Death toll from India landslides rises to 151
Death toll from India landslides rises to 151Rescuers help residents to move to a safer place, at a landslide site after multiple landslides in the hills, in Wayanad, in the southern state of Kerala, India, on Tuesday. (Photo: Reuters)CHOORALMALA - Rescue workers began looking for people trapped under debris early on Wednesday, a day after landslides caused havoc in the Wayanad district of India's Kerala state, with at least 151 people dead and many still missing. Most of the 350 families living in the area surrounded by tea and cardamom estates were caught unaware by the landslides early on Tuesday morning. At least 151 people died and 187 were still missing, the state chief minister's spokesman, P.M. Manoj, told Reuters by phone. Chief Minister Vijayan said that many people had been moved out of the area before the landslides due to the heavy rain and this had helped reduce the toll.
Source:Bangkok Post
July 31, 2024 15:47 UTC