TotalEnergies cedes Myanmar gasfield to PTTEP, seeks no compensation
TotalEnergies cedes Myanmar gasfield to PTTEP, seeks no compensationThe logo of French oil and gas company TotalEnergies is pictured at an electric car charging and petrol station in the financial and business district of La Defense in Courbevoie near Paris, France, June 22, 2021. The company said Wednesday that it would not seek financial compensation for its withdrawal from Myanmar over concerns about human rights abuses since a coup last year. "In light of the exceptional situation, TotalEnergies has chosen to withdraw from Myanmar without seeking any financial compensation for its assets," the company said in a statement. The company's 31.4% stake in the Yadana gas field was the biggest in a consortium that included Chevron, Thai firm PTTEP and Myanmar's army-controlled MOGE. The Thai company said earlier this week that it would take over the running of the Yadana gas field in July.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 17, 2022 00:11 UTC
Trade probe of solar imports from Thailand, 3 other countries poses threat to US projects
Trade probe of solar imports from Thailand, 3 other countries poses threat to US projectsA potential Commerce Department probe of solar imports from Southeast Asia has the potential to freeze investment in the United States, industry leaders warned on Tuesday. The agency is set to decide by Mar 25 whether to formally investigate whether solar products from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia circumvent longstanding solar tariffs. The four countries supply about 80% of US solar imports and the risk of trade restrictions could drag down shipments. The trade dispute threatens to intensify existing headwinds for the US solar industry, which is already seeing slower growth amid higher costs, shipping delays and supply chain disruptions. “The entire solar industry is watching what the Commerce Department does,” Hopper said.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 16, 2022 16:12 UTC
Russia steps up pressure on Kyiv
'Putin must pay the price'As Russia widens its bombardment and talks between Moscow and Kyiv seemingly go nowhere, pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for NATO to intervene have grown increasingly desperate. The attacks on civilians prompted a new flurry of warnings on Friday that Russia is committing war crimes. A furious Zelensky accused Russia of hiring “murderers from Syria, a country where everything has been destroyed … like they are doing here to us”. In southern Ukraine, Russian soldiers abducted the mayor of Melitopol, which Zelensky said was a “sign of weakness” and a “crime against democracy”. Biden warned Russia would pay a “severe price” if it used chemical weapons — but added: “We will not fight a war against Russia in Ukraine”.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 13, 2022 01:20 UTC
Russian and Ukrainian tourists in Phuket get help
(Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)PHUKET: Businesses on this resort island are helping Russian and Ukrainian tourists who remain stranded because of events related to the conflict in Ukraine, says a senior hotelier. “Due to flight cancellations, some 3,000 visitors from Russia and Ukraine are stranded in Phuket,” said Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association. Russians had been the biggest group of arrivals in Phuket since Thailand reopened to international visitors in November last year. But the tourism situation in the province will remain sluggish until the war is over, he said. “Phuket tourism campaigns are being carried out and we hope that the occupancy rate will increase by 50% to 60% during Songkran,” said Mr Kongsak.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 12, 2022 21:53 UTC
Animal-feed may halt operations as ‘corn hoarding’ sends prices soaring
The price of animal-feed corn is at Bt13 per kilo, the highest in several decades, and about 30 per cent higher than the 2021 price of Bt10.05, said the source. Manufacturers are prepared to pay that price but cannot find sellers with available stock anywhere. Farmers also told them that they had already sold their harvest to buyers earlier this year, the source added. “Manufacturers now suspect that these buyers are hoarding corn and waiting for the price to go even higher due to the impact of the Russian-Ukraine war, which has driven up prices of several crops, including corn, wheat and tapioca,” said the source. “The Commerce Ministry should inspect corn buyers’ stocks and take legal action against any merchants found to be profiteering while supplies of animal-feed raw materials remain at a critical level,” it added.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
March 12, 2022 10:30 UTC
All beneficiaries of healthcare schemes eligible for free Covid-19 treatment
The UCEP Plus scheme, proposed by the Public Health Ministry, was endorsed by the Cabinet on Tuesday. Under UCEP or the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients, Covid-19 cases in the “yellow” category or with moderate symptoms and those in the “red” category or critical condition are entitled to free treatment at any hospital. Those in the “green” category or with mild or no symptoms will only get free treatment at hospitals under the jurisdiction of relative healthcare schemes, such as “gold card”, social security or scheme for public officials. If the condition of patients in the green group worsens, then they can seek free treatment at the nearest hospitals under the UCEP Plus scheme.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
March 12, 2022 10:29 UTC
BOI to host ‘BCG Startup Investment Day’ to help startups access capital
BOI to host ‘BCG Startup Investment Day’ to help startups access capitalMs Duangjai Asawachintachit, Secretary-General of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), together with Dr Pun-Arj Chairatana, Director of the National Innovation Agency (NIA), and Mr Sarun Sutuntivorakoon, President of the Thai Venture Capital Association (TVCA), announced on 10 March 2022 “BCG Startup Investment Day” organised by the BOI and NIA. The online/on-ground hybrid event will be held on 24 March 2022 at C ASEAN Convention Center, CW Tower, on Ratchadaphisek Road, Bangkok. Startup entrepreneurs in bio-circular-green activities will hear executives of Thai unicorns and larger startups share their experience. Twenty-four selected startups will have the opportunity to pitch for funds and enhance their business linkages.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 11, 2022 19:18 UTC
China says US used its computers for cyberattacks on Russia, Ukraine
China says US used its computers for cyberattacks on Russia, UkraineFigurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Cyber Attack", binary codes and the Ukrainian flag. (Image: Reuters)SHANGHAI: China has experienced continuous cyberattacks since February in which internet addresses in the United States have been used to seize control of Chinese computers to target Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday. These overseas groups attacked by taking control of computers in the country to carry out cyber attacks on Russia, Ukraine and Belarus," it quoted the centre as saying. Cyberattacks have been a major point of tension between the United States and its allies and China, as the former have accused China of a carrying out a global cyberespionage campaign. Ukraine's emergency services reported that civilian targets came under Russian shelling in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Friday.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 11, 2022 17:42 UTC
Producers push govt to remove animal feed from control list as corn, wheat prices surge
“Feed manufacturers are suffering from rising costs due to the Russia-Ukraine war,” the source said. “The two countries are the world’s biggest suppliers of corn and wheat, which are the main ingredients of animal feed.”The source pointed out that since December, the global price of corn has risen 14 per cent and wheat 43 per cent. In Thailand, the price of corn has risen from 10.05 baht per kilogram in December to 12.65 baht per kilo this month. The price of imported wheat has risen from 8.91 baht to 12.75 baht per kilo and soybean from 19.50 baht to 22.5 baht per kilogram during the same period.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
March 11, 2022 12:50 UTC
Old veggies, fruit can feed rescued wildlife, says ministry as it tackles cut funds
The minister lamented that though the budget has been slashed to practically nothing, the number of wild animals rescued has increased. He said the department normally requires about 55 million baht a year to take care of the animals seized in wildlife poaching cases. Varawut said the department is having to use funds set aside for other purposes and income from entrance fees to take care of these animals. Now, we have 46 of them and will have to feed them for the rest of their lives,” Varawut said. He added that some rescued animals, like wild elephants, are returned to the forest after rehabilitation.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
March 11, 2022 08:07 UTC
PTG aims for eight core businesses to become world’s ‘megatrends’
The company also expects 10 billion points will be redeemed while the number of members will increase to 30 million, both online and offline. “The company expects to invest 1.5 billion to 2 billion baht yearly on its non-oil business to reach the target. LPG sales are meanwhile expected to see growth of around 50 to 60 per cent,” Pitak believed. “For the non-oil business, the company is determined to keep adding more branches because it is one of the key drivers. “PTG has a goal to increase its gross profit proportion of its non-oil business to strengthen the company.
Source:The Nation Bangkok
March 10, 2022 21:00 UTC
Kingdom relegated after fighting play-off defeat to Latvia at home
Kingdom relegated after fighting play-off defeat to Latvia at homebrave effort: Prachya Isaro, left, and Thantub Suksomrarn in action against Ernests Gulbis and Robert Strombachs of Latvia in the doubles match. Thailand have been relegated to the Davis Cup World Group 3 after losing 3-2 to Latvia in the World Group 2 play-off tie at the National Tennis Development Centre, Muang Thong Thani, yesterday. Prachya Isaro and Thantub Suksomrarn revived Thailand's hopes after rallying to beat former world No.10 Gulbis and Strombachs in a three-set tussle. Prachya and Thantub took the hard-fought second second 7-5 before blanking their Latvian opponents in the third to reduce the gap to 2-1. Latvia will remain in World Group 2 while Thailand will be relegated to World Group 3.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 06, 2022 07:42 UTC
Evacuation of Ukraine port city delayed
A major evacuation of the port city of 450,000 began on Saturday morning. (Twitter @AyBurlachenko via Reuters)Officials in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, surrounded by Russian forces, on Saturday delayed an evacuation of the civilian population, accusing Moscow’s troops of breaking a ceasefire. It also said it had respected the ceasefire and accused Ukrainian forces of shoring up defences during the halt in fighting. The capture of Mariupol, a port city of 450,000 people on the Azov Sea, could enable Russian troops coming from annexed Crimea to connect with the forces of separatist-controlled Donbas. Russian forces have made their biggest advances in the south, where they captured their first sizeable Ukrainian city, Kherson, this week.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 05, 2022 13:00 UTC
TAT looks to short-haul markets
(Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul, Bangkok Post)The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to attract at least 1.5 million tourists from short-haul destinations to compensate for the Chinese market by teaming up with airlines to spur demand. The current situation in East Asia has made it impossible to generate demand, unlike more promising markets such as Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australia, said Thanet Phetsuwan, TAT deputy governor of marketing for Asia and South Pacific. TAT estimated around 500,000 Indian travellers will visit Thailand this year based on 70% airline capacity. "Some 1.5 million tourists from short-haul markets are within our reach, but we still want to have at least 5 million arrivals from overall 10 million this year. On Wednesday, the TAT signed a letter of intent with Thai Vietjet (TVJ) for one year to generate demand in Southeast Asia, especially Vietnam and Cambodia.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2022 05:03 UTC
SEC tightens custodial rules for digital assets
SEC tightens custodial rules for digital assetsThe Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has imposed tighter rules on the custody of clients' assets in digital asset businesses to protect investors against misappropriation of assets as well as fraud. The revisions have three primary changes that will promote protection of digital asset investors, said the SEC. First, digital asset operators are strictly prohibited from using a client's assets, fiat money and digital assets for the benefit of another client or any other persons. Finally, digital asset business operators may not seek benefits from clients' fiat money, except from deposits with commercial banks. In the case of digital assets, seeking benefits for clients shall be prohibited, including deposit and lending to other persons, except in the form of digital asset investment with licensed digital asset fund managers.
Source:Bangkok Post
March 03, 2022 04:57 UTC