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☆ Pollution choking Thailand's north hits tourism, worries public
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, April 10 (Reuters) - High pollution levels in Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals, with the government on Monday urging residents to avoid outdoor activities. For several weeks last month the city was at the top of air quality information platform IQAir's global chart on poor air quality, ahead of Lahore and New Delhi. That is far short of the 80% to 90% expected ahead of this week's Thai New Year holidays, known as Songkran. Addressing the deteriorating air quality in the north, Thailand's health ministry urged the public on Monday to avoid outdoor activities and wear masks that can filter particles. Chiang Mai resident Pathsharasakon Po, 36, said she was concerned about allergies, or even cancer.

[1/5] A woman works inside a cannabis shop, at Khaosan Road, one of the favourite tourist spots in Bangkok, Thailand, March 29, 2023. Thousands of cannabis shops and businesses have sprung up, especially in Bangkok and tourist spots, since Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to decriminalise the drug. A deluge of marijuana smuggled in from abroad has swamped Thailand, driving down wholesale prices and hurting growers, the industry members said. He did not comment on the scale of smuggled cannabis in the market or its impact on farmers. "A lot of cannabis that's coming in from the U.S. is going to dispensaries in Bangkok or Phuket or Pattaya," she said.

[1/2] Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha attends the draw for the party's list usage for the upcoming election ahead an event by the election commission in Bangkok, Thailand, April 4, 2023. The election broadly pits political groups backed by the royalist military and Bangkok establishment against an opposition led by the populist Pheu Thai party, which together with its previous incarnations has won every election since 2001. Pita Limjaroenrat, another opposition figure, was nominated by his Move Forward party, popular among young voters. Political experts say the generals would have an advantage in the race, having led the junta that appointed the current slate of senators. Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin PettyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

SINGAPORE/HANOI, March 29 (Reuters) - Vietnam's largest conglomerate, Vingroup (VIC.HM), is in discussions to sell a stake in its shopping mall arm as it seeks to bring in strategic investors, five sources told Reuters on Wednesday. Vincom Retail (VRE.HM), Vietnam's biggest shopping mall operator, which is nearly 60% controlled by Vingroup, commands a market value of $2.8 billion. The sources said Thailand's biggest retailer Central Group and other companies are in negotiations to buy a stake in Vincom Retail. Vincom Retail owns 83 shopping malls in Vietnam - a country that grew at 8% last year and emerged as Asia's fastest growing economy. Vincom Retail, which was spun off from Vingroup, listed on the local stock exchange in 2017.

☆ Asia's 'best restaurants' list is out — and it's no surprise which country made the list 17 times
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

William Drew, director of content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, said Japan's strong performance is "no surprise." The top 50 restaurants in AsiaThis year commemorates the 10th anniversary of the "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" list. Asia's top 50 restaurantsThe list of "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" for 2023 are: 1. Ten restaurants that ranked among Asia's best 50 restaurants last year fell into the 51-100 ranking this year. Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023Labyrinth also rose 29 spots to No.11, winning the "Highest Climber" award.

MAYA BAY, Thailand, March 27 (Reuters) - On any given day in Thailand's Maya Bay, up to 40 blacktip reef sharks cruise in the cyan shallows while about 4,000 tourists visit its white-sand beach flanked by towering cliffs. Marine researcher Metavee Chuangcharoendee said that thanks to the pause in tourism the island was once again functioning as a nursery for young sharks. A number of factors affect the sharks around Phi Phi Leh Island, including seasonal movement patterns and human activity like fishing, Metavee said. For Phi Phi Island National Park, annual revenue was almost halved from 638.3 million baht ($18.7 million) in 2018 to 373.6 million baht in 2019 after authorities closed the beach. "If you can create a new image of Maya Bay as a nature reserve ...

☆ Ready, set, roll! Thai man wins fastest joint rolling in Phuket
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Jorge Silva | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PHUKET, Thailand, March 26 (Reuters) - With nimble fingers and years of practice, Ativat Janmuangthai beat other cannabis enthusiasts to roll a perfect, one-gramme joint in 43 seconds on Saturday, becoming the fastest joint-roller in Thailand's Phuket. "He's been rolling joints for five years, he can even roll joints blindfolded. He's very fast," said Saksorn Sotornkittirat, friend of Ativat who accompanied him at the first Phuket Cannabis Cup competition. Cannabis advocates in Phuket recently formed the Phuket Cannabis Association to create a stronger voice for the industry, with over 1,000 licensed dispensaries now on the island. Poonwarit Wangpatravanich, the group president, hopes laws to regulate cannabis use will be hastened after the election.

☆ Thai PM Prayuth to run for re-election in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/8] Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, as the PM candidate from the United Thai Nation Party (Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party), gestures with party's members during an event to unveil the party's candidates list and campaing for the upcoming election, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 25, 2023. REUTERS/Athit PerawongmethaBANGKOK, March 25 (Reuters) - Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was officially nominated for re-election on Saturday as his party's first candidate for the country's next leader in polls set for May 14. Prayuth, 69, is running with the new United Thai Nation Party, and will likely face Pheu Thai party's Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter and niece of two former premiers from the billionaire family. "We volunteer to make everyone as happy as possible," Prayuth said at a party event to introduce its candidates for all 400 constituencies. Party leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga was nominated as the party's No.

☆ 2023 Thai general election is the 'most consequential' in my lifetime, professor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email2023 Thai general election is the 'most consequential' in my lifetime, professor saysThitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University says the coming general election is "the election of the 21st century to decide Thailand's future."

☆ Thai PM slips in opinion poll, rival pulls ahead as election looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha speaks to members of media at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, March 20, 2023. Thailand is expected to hold an election in May, which will continue a long-running political battle between the Shinawatra family and conservative pro-military establishment. "Poll is a poll. Paetongtarn, 36, better known locally by her nickname "Ung Ing" is one of the nominees for prime minister for the Pheu Thai party, which together with its previous incarnations has won every Thai election since 2001. The NIDA Poll, which surveyed 2,000 voters across Thailand in March, also showed that nearly 50% of respondents said they would back parliamentary candidates from Pheu Thai.

☆ Thailand dissolves parliament for election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has endorsed a decree to dissolve parliament, according to an announcement in the Royal Gazette on Monday, paving the way for elections in May. An election must be held 45 to 60 days after the house dissolution, which takes effect immediately. "This is a return of political decision-making power to the people swiftly to continue democratic government with the King as head of state," said the decree published on Monday. An election date has yet to be announced but Deputy Prime Minster Wissanu Krea-ngam earlier in the day said it would likely be held on May 14, if the house were dissolved on Monday. Thailand's election is expected to showcase a long-running political battle between the billionaire Shinawatra family and the country's conservative pro-military establishment.

☆ Thailand prepares to dissolve parliament ahead of election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BANGKOK, March 17 (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Friday he had prepared a decree seeking to dissolve parliament ahead of an election, an expected step as his government heads into the last week of its four-year term. The decree would require approval of Thailand's monarch and would take effect once published in the Royal Gazette. We have to wait for the announcement in the Royal Gazette," Prayuth told reporters in the northern city of Chiang Mai. He will be up against Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the daughter of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck's niece. Paetongtarn, 36, has led Prayuth in opinion polls for months as the top choice for Thailand's next prime minister.

☆ Elephants honoured in Thailand as part of nation's heritage
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CHONBURI, Thailand, March 13 (Reuters) - Thailand celebrated National Elephant Day on Monday, honouring the beast that is a beloved symbol of the country with feasts of fruits and vegetables. Thailand in 1998 declared March 13 as a day dedicated to the conservation of its elephants. [1/2] A Buddhist monk receives food from an elephant during Thailand's National Elephant Day celebration at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in Pattaya, Thailand, March 13, 2023. The president of the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden in Chonburi province, where a ceremony was held to mark the day, said elephants were a source of national pride and part of the country's cultural and historical identity. "We are now trying to maintain those domesticated elephants and give them food and shelter," Kampon Tansacha said.

☆ HelloFresh stops buying coconut milk from Thailand after videos show monkeys being forced to harvest the crop
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

HelloFresh will stop buying coconut milk sourced in Thailand, Axios reported. It revealed that monkeys on HelloFresh suppliers' coconut farms were being kept in poor conditions. PETA accused Suree and Aroy-D, HelloFresh's former coconut milk suppliers, of keeping monkeys chained on dirt patches with no protection from the elements. Major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Costco, have already stopped selling coconut milk from certain Thai suppliers, but HelloFresh's move goes one step further, banning all coconut milk exports from the country. It's now calling on Whole Foods and other retailers to stop sourcing coconut milk from Thailand, it said in a press release.

☆ Thailand offers tax breaks for companies issuing investment tokens
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BANGKOK, March 7 (Reuters) - Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday agreed to waive corporate income tax and value-added tax for companies that issue digital tokens for investment, a government spokeswoman said. Companies will have access to alternative ways of raising capital through investment tokens in addition to traditional methods like debentures, Rachada Dhnadirek told reporters at a news conference. The government estimates that there will be 128 billion baht ($3.71 billion) worth of investment token offerings over the next two years, Rachada said, and that the government would lose tax revenue worth 35 billion baht. Cryptocurrencies have gained popularity in Thailand in recent years after the country's Securities Exchange Commission began regulating digital assets. Cabinet separately also approved support measures for electricity use and import duty exemption for components of electric vehicles, including batteries.

☆ US soldiers receive Muay Thai lessons from Thai champion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Thailand's champion Sombat Banchamek, or Buakaw, gives Muay Thai lessons to U.S. Marines as part of the "Cobra Gold 2023" (CG23) joint military exercise at the Lopburi Province, Thailand, March 5, 2023. REUTERS/Napat WesshasartaTHAILAND, Lopburi March 5 (Reuters) - American soldiers received Muay Thai lessons from a champion fighter in Thailand during the annual multilateral "Cobra Gold" military drills hosted by the Asian nation. Soldiers took instruction and punched and kicked alongside Thai champion Sombat Banchamek, or Buakaw (White Lotus) as he is widely known in the country. "For every U.S. soldier who came to train in Cobra Gold, they also want to exchange and study our culture regarding Muay Thai, which is our national art,” Buakaw said. The 42nd annual Cobra Gold exercises, a war games event, was attended by 7,394 personnel from 30 countries this year.

☆ AI stocks surge as investors bet on growth prospects
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

C3.a1 forecast better-than-expected revenue and profit for both the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023, after its third-quarter results topped Wall Street estimates. Shares of the AI software provider were up 16% at $24.80, and were one of the top five trending stocks on StockTwits. Microsoft's investment in OpenAI's ChatGPT boosted AI firms' popularity further. Other major AI stocks also surged on Friday with BigBear.ai (BBAI.N), conversation intelligence firm SoundHound AI (SOUN.O), and Thailand's security firm Guardforce AI (GFAI.O) jumping between 5% and 20%. "AI could become the new gold rush on Wall Street," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive officer of 50 Park Investments in Florida.

☆ AI stocks surge after C3.ai's strong forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationMarch 3 (Reuters) - Shares of artificial intelligence-based (AI) product makers zoomed in premarket trade, as a strong forecast by retail investor darling C3.ai Inc (AI.N) amplified an ongoing euphoria driven by the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT. C3.a1 forecast a better-than-expected revenue and profit for both the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023, after the AI software company posted third-quarter results that topped Wall Street estimates. Shares of C3.ai climbed 16.14% to $24.73 before the bell, and were among the top five stocks trending on StockTwits. Other major AI stocks with strong premarket moves included business support supplier Steelcase Inc (SCS.N), BigBear.ai (BBAI.N), conversation intelligence firm SoundHound AI (SOUN.O) and Thailand's security firm Guardforce AI (GFAI.O), jumping between 5.4% and 12%. AI firms have been at the forefront of retail buying ever since Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) investment in OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Domestic spending has increased and the government will accelerate large project investment to help growth, Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told a Radio Thailand programme. Southeast Asia's second-largest economy expanded a weaker-than expected 2.6% last year, lagging that of others in the region as its tourism sector just started to pick up. Headline inflation should return to the central bank's target range of 1% to 3% this year, helped by government measures and lower food prices, Arkhom said. A baht exchange rate of 34 to 35 per dollar is helpful for export prices despite falling export volumes, he added. Reporting by Orathai Sriring, Kitiphong Thaichareon and Satawasin Staporncharnchai; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Thai banks' bad loans slow to 2.73% of lending at December-end -c.bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BANGKOK, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Thai banks' non-performing loans stood at 2.73% of total lending at the end of December 2022, down from 2.77% at the end of September, helped by debt restructuring, the central bank said on Monday. Bad loans are likely to increase but not sharply, while existing debt measures are sufficient to support vulnerable groups, assistant central bank governor Suwannee Jatsadasak told a news conference. The BOT will continue to monitor the debt servicing of households, which remained fragile, and the recovery of some business groups, the BOT said. Loans grew 2.1% in 2022, slowing from a 6.5% rise in the previous year, due in part to debt repayments by large businesses, the BOT said. Suwannee said lending was likely to grow in line with the economy but gave no specific forecast.

☆ Exclusive: Daughter of Thaksin banking on nostalgia to win Thailand election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Juarawee Kittisilpa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 36, the Pheu Thai Party's most visible candidate for prime minister, speaks during the general election campaign in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand, February 17, 2023. REUTERS/Athit PerawongmethaAMNAT CHAROEN, Thailand, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Touting her billionaire family's legacy of populism and massive election victories, Thailand's Paetongtarn Shinawatra is emerging as the candidate to beat in upcoming polls, betting that nostalgia can win millions of working class votes. And only through stable politics can people's lives change in a sustainable manner," she said, while campaigning in the northeast. Thaksin and Yingluck were toppled by the army in 2006 and 2014 respectively, despite overseeing big economic growth. Thailand's election is shaping up to be another grudge match between warring elites in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

☆ Captain of Thai 'cave boys' soccer team dies in Britain
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Duangpetch Promthep introduces himself during the news conference in Chiang Rai, Thailand July 18, 2018. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File PhotoBANGKOK, Feb 15 (Reuters) - One of 12 boys dramatically rescued after two weeks trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand in 2018 has died in Britain where he was attending a soccer academy, his former teacher said on Wednesday. Duangpetch Promthep, better known as "Dom", was captain of the "Wild Boars" team whose seemingly impossible extraction by international divers and Thai navy SEALs captured huge global attention. The news was shared on social media by a Buddhist monk who taught the boys in Thailand's northern Chiang Rai province. Once rescued, the boys were invited to attend a Manchester United match and their story was the subject of books, documentaries and films, and most recently, the Netflix (NFLX.O) series "Thai Cave Rescue".

☆ Shut out from their top destinations, Chinese travelers are turning to other places
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese travelers favored Southeast Asia for trips during the Lunar New Year holidays, which ended in early February, according to Trip.com Group's Chinese language booking website, Ctrip. Overseas hotel bookings by mainland Chinese travelers quadrupled from last year too, Ctrip said. He said of the 30 million tourists Thailand is expecting this year, 12 million to 15 million may come from China. South Korea announced last week it would resume issuing short-term visas to Chinese travelers, according to Reuters. Visas aside, Chinese travelers are also worried about getting sick, said Lee.

☆ Chinese visitors have been 'vital' to our tourism industry, says Thai deputy prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChinese visitors have been 'vital' to our tourism industry, says Thai deputy prime ministerAnutin Charnvirakul, Thailand's deputy prime minister, says the country has been one of the top destinations for Chinese tourists.

☆ Retail investors flock to small-cap AI firms as Big Tech battles for share
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Medha Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Retail investors are piling into small-cap firms that employ artificial intelligence amid intensifying competition between tech titans Google parent Alphabet and Microsoft to secure leadership in the next big driver of growth. The $3-billion AI software firm C3.ai was the fifth most actively traded on Fidelity's platform for small investors on Monday, while drawing record daily retail inflows worth $31.4 million, as per Vanda Research. "Small-cap firms have AI as a much larger part of their business than the larger ones," said Matthew Tuttle, chief executive officer of Tuttle Capital Management on the reason behind retail investors' focus on the smaller firms. SoundHound AI (SOUN.O), which offers a voice AI platform services, and Thailand's security firm Guardforce AI (GFAI.O) have more than doubled so far this year, while analytics firm BigBear.ai gained nine-fold in value. Google-owner Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) on Monday said it would launch a chatbot service Bard and more artificial intelligence for its search engine as well as developers.

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