US Democrats unveil plans to suspend debt limit
US Democrats unveil plans to suspend debt limitRepublicans have vowed to withhold support for raising the federal borrowing limit, despite warnings of an economic 'catastrophe'WASHINGTON - Democratic congressional leaders on Monday unveiled plans to suspend the nation's borrowing limit, following a White House warning of "economic catastrophe" unless that ceiling is raised. The measure would suspend the debt limit through December 2022 -- after the midterm congressional elections. But Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell once again said Democrats should go it alone. Failing to raise the debt limit "would produce widespread economic catastrophe" and "compound the damage of the continuing public health emergency," she said in a column Monday in The Wall Street Journal. But under Trump, Democrats supported Republican efforts to suspend the debt limit for two years.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 22:18 UTC
Reopening of capital 'must be safe'
Reopening of capital 'must be safe'Nurses comfort a Satriwithaya School student as she and other students receive a dose of Sinopharm vaccine provided by the Chulabhorn Royal Academy at the National Telecom head office on Monday. Pol Gen Aswin said the second factor for reopening to proceed is if daily caseloads continue to drop and there are fewer Covid-19 patients in hospitals. In recent days, between 2,700-2,800 daily infections have been reported. "People's safety comes first in reopening plans," Dr Apisamai told a daily press briefing on the coronavirus situation. On Monday, Thailand logged 12,709 new Covid-19 cases and 106 more fatalities during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced on Monday morning, said Dr Apisamai.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 22:18 UTC
Extra security for N.Z. women's cricketers in Britain
Extra security for N.Z. women's cricketers in BritainParamilitary soldiers stand guard outside the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on September 17, 2021, after New Zealand postponed a series of one-day international (ODI) cricket matches against Pakistan over security concernsWELLINGTON - New Zealand Cricket on Tuesday boosted security around the women's national team currently touring Britain as a precaution after a threatening email was received by English officials. NZC, which last week abruptly abandoned the Black Caps' tour of Pakistan over security fears for the men's team, said the latest threat was ultimately deemed "not credible". But it said the communication received by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) prompted increased security around the White Ferns women's team, which is due to play England in Leicester on Tuesday. "The White Ferns have now arrived in Leicester and, as a precaution, security around them has been boosted."
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 22:18 UTC
We must end torture in all its forms
We must end torture in all its formsArtists organise an arts exhibition in 2019 in Bangkok aimed at calling for justice over the death of Karen rights activist Porlajee 'Billy' Rakchongcharoen, the latest victim of enforced disappearances in Thailand. Given the current impetus, it is hoped that the draft bill will become law in the coming weeks and bring to an end nearly 10 years of waiting since Thailand signed these two conventions. Indeed, if past records serve as any indicator, Thailand has a pretty dark history in dealing with enforced disappearances. It is an open secret that some of the torture and enforced disappearances were carried out by state officials; indeed they are biggest alleged perpetrators. It is a positive step to boost Thailand's human rights standards.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 22:07 UTC
Developers seek higher home ceiling price
Meesak Chunharuckchot, president of the Chonburi Real Estate Association, said the ceiling price of 1.2 million baht for homes entitled to the Government Housing Bank's low-interest-rate mortgages under the stimulus scheme of 1-million-units was too low. Most of them are between 1.5 and 1.8 million baht. The ceiling price of the scheme should be 1.8 million baht," he said. The higher ceiling prices of both schemes can help homebuyers reduce expenses from loan interest and fees and help absorb existing supply. "Foreign ownership quotas for condos should be higher than 49% to boost the property market," he said.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 22:07 UTC
Koeman defends direct approach after Barca held by Granada
Koeman defends direct approach after Barca held by GranadaRonald Koeman watched on as Barcelona were beaten at home to Granada on Monday. MADRID: Ronald Koeman defended his direct tactics after being accused of betraying Barcelona's attacking traditions in a 1-1 draw at home to Granada on Monday. There were 85 seconds on the clock when Domingos Duarte headed Granada in front. Luuk de Jong came on for Sergi Roberto at half-time, indicating a more direct approach was coming but Granada were not uncomfortable. Depay hooked over from a de Jong ball in before Oscar Mingueza’s delivery grazed the top of the crossbar.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 22:07 UTC
Bids for Bang Sue station shop space 'soon'
People visit the Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok when the Red Line railway started its test run early last month. Mr Nirut said the first phase of the station's commercial development will see shops offering essential services, including food and beverages, opened at the new rail hub. According to Mr Nirut, the development of Bang Sue Grand Station's commercial spaces will be divided into two contracts spanning 20 years. One involves development of commercial spaces covering 52,375 square metres (m²), while the other covers the development of advertisement space totalling 2,303m². The commercial space at 12 stations along the Red Line has a total area of 4,626m², plus 2,407m² for advertising.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:56 UTC
An all-too-familiar sight
We can't wait for the infrastructure project [on the Chao Phraya River basin] which is due to be completed in the next decade. However, the rainy season has increased the volume of usable water from 2,265mcm on May 1 to 3,108mcm on Sept 15. "However, there should be at least 8,000mcm of usable water by Nov 1 for off-season rice farming next year. Flooding is likely to occur in the Central Region (the Chao Phraya River basin) and some parts of the Northeast. While the Bangrakam lowland area (upper Chao Phraya River basin) can collect 400mcm, 12 lowland areas (lower Chao Phraya River basin) can hold 1,500mcm.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:45 UTC
THAI sells more planes
THAI sells more planesCash-strapped Thai Airways International (THAI) is putting three aircraft along with a flight simulator up for sale, as a part of its financial rehabilitation plan and the ongoing push to modernise its ageing fleet, a source in the company said. THAI has 15 A330-300s in its fleet, but they wide-bodied jets are currently grounded because of the minimal demand for air travel amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It has also let go of its six Airbus A340-600ds, three A340-500s, two Boeing 737-400s and an Airbus A300-600. THAI had been haemorrhaging money for years, and last year it sought the help of the Central Bankruptcy Court, after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the grounding of its entire fleet. The airline's independent director, Piyasvasti Amranand, who is one of the airline's rehabilitation plan administrators, went on Facebook saying that THAI can sell 10 Boeing 747s if the Transport Ministry approves their sale.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:45 UTC
New report urges better digital infrastructure
New report urges better digital infrastructureThe Office of National Digital Economy and Society Commission (ONDE) is joining hands with six other digital-related state agencies to exchange information which will enable them to streamline their databases and draw up strategic plans as people are spending more time online. The collaboration follows the release of the "Thailand Digital Outlook" report by the ONDE which included a survey on internet use by the public and businesses among other issues related to the country's digital development. The data exchange collaboration is intended to help these state agencies to streamline their databases, a cost-saving exercise strongly encouraged in the "Thailand Digital Outlook" report. The public and private sectors can make use of the findings in this report for planning and enhancing efficiency," he said. The respondents came from three groups: 39,145 people from the general public, 3,381 people from the business sector and 935 people from state agencies which provided primary public services.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:45 UTC
Capacity to repay to normalise by 2024
Capacity to repay to normalise by 2024People maintain social distancing while waiting to access financial services at a branch of Government Savings Bank at a shopping mall. Varuth HirunyathebThe debt repayment capacity of retail customers at Government Savings Bank (GSB) will gradually return to normal levels in three years once the pandemic is controlled, said bank president Vitai Ratanakorn. This recovery process should gradually restore the debt repayment abilities of GSB's retail customers to normal levels within 2-3 years. The service sector depends on international tourist arrivals, which tallied 40 million in 2019. However, the EIC expects tourist arrivals to increase to 6.3 million in 2022 thanks to the improvement in infections locally and internationally, as well as a low base effect.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:33 UTC
Chinese artist presents 'Control' at Tang gallery
Tang Contemporary Art presents "Control", a new solo exhibition by young Chinese artist Li Erpeng who uses realist brushwork to depict an abstract spiritual world, until Oct 31. The artist took inspiration from his imagination about the forms of life. He transfers living things invented in his mind onto the canvas, representing them as soft, energetic forms in primary colours. photo courtesy of Tang Contemporary ArtAs a Gen Z artist based in Beijing, Erpeng absorbs the products of the contemporary information age where the virtual world and cyborgs are a part of everyday life. The gallery is located at Room 201-206 of River City Bangkok, Charoen Krung 24, and opens Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:22 UTC
Vaccine scams tout Chulabhorn stock
Vaccine scams tout Chulabhorn stockPeople claiming to be officials from the Chulabhorn Royal Academy (CRA) have been using Facebook and Line accounts displaying a fake CRA logo to lure people into ordering Sinopharm's Covid-19 vaccine, defrauding them of millions of baht, a senior official at the academy told a media briefing yesterday. "We obtained information that the scammers began using social media accounts to deceive people after the CRA imported the first lot of Sinopharm vaccines. "They claimed to be CRA officials, but we had no clear evidence against them. CRA legal counsel Nakanan Ruamjai said the scammers had repeatedly closed accounts and opened new ones after each round of fraudulent preorders. Pol Lt Col Korawat said he would assign a working committee to decide whether to accept the case for investigation.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 21:22 UTC
Six dead after gunman opens fire on Russian campus
Six dead after gunman opens fire on Russian campusStudents fled the campus, while video footage showed some making phone calls to friends and family behind a cordon of police. MOSCOW: A gunman opened fire Monday on a university campus in central Russia and killed six people before being detained, investigators said, in the country's second mass shooting this year to target students. The health ministry, in comments cited by Russian news agencies, said 19 among the wounded were being treated for gunshots. Video from outside the university showed distressed students fleeing the campus and making phone calls to friends and family behind a cordon of police wearing helmets and body armour. He was shown in camera footage wearing a similar T-shirt to Eric Harris, one of the killers in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in the United States, which left 13 people dead.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 11:37 UTC
Afghan women outraged by new Taliban restrictions on work
Afghan women outraged by new Taliban restrictions on workAbout a dozen Afghan women protested briefly Sunday outside the old Ministry for Women's Affairs, which has now been replaced by a department that earned notoriety for enforcing strict Islamic doctrine. Many Afghan women fear they will never find meaningful employment. Although still marginalised, Afghan women have fought for and gained basic rights in the past 20 years, becoming lawmakers, judges, pilots and police officers, though mostly limited to large cities. When pressed, Taliban officials say women have been told to stay at home for their own security but will be allowed to work once proper segregation can be implemented. In Herat, an education official insisted the issue of girls and women teachers returning to school was a question of time, not policy.
Source:Bangkok Post
September 20, 2021 07:41 UTC