KRUNGTHAI Bank has opened new and convenient international money transfer and payment services using QR code between Thailand and Singapore. Customers of participating banks in both countries can now make cross-border payments faster with just a QR code scan, NNT said today (Sept. 22). The new service is now available on the Krungthai NEXT mobile
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Reopening of Bangkok to vaccinated tourists being put off to Nov. 1
THE Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is to propose to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s (CCSA’s) smaller committee today (Sept. 22) that the reopening of Bangkok and four provinces to fully vaccinated tourists be postponed to November 1, Siam Rath newspaper said. The earlier target was to reopen Bangkok and Chiang Mai’s Mueang,
Read moreNew steps allowing foreigners to buy houses ‘aimed at easing tourism woes’
THE Government today (Sept. 20) explained that its move to attract certain groups of foreigners to work and invest here and also allowing them to buy houses in this country is aimed at spurring economic growth and investment particularly to compensate for the decreased number of foreign tourists and drop in tourism revenue, Amarin TV
Read moreGovernment moves to allow ‘high potential’ foreigners buy land
THE CABINET last Tuesday (Sept. 14) approved measures to attract “high potential” foreigners to the country by offering them various benefits among which is the right to buy land, Thai Rath newspaper said today (Sept. 18). Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, deputy spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, said these measures are aimed boosting the Thai economy
Read moreLack of drivers leads to cooperative turning taxis into a vegetable garden
AS the Covid pandemic has hit Bangkok taxi drivers hard with many of them now no longer able rent cabs it has led to one cooperative turning these unexpired vehicles into a vegetable garden with the produce given to the drivers to consume and any left over sold to restaurants, Sanook.com quoted E-jan as saying
Read moreBali tourism industry looking for uptick after Covid-19 restrictions eased
By Reuters, published by The Straits Times Kuta, Indonesia – Bali’s tourism industry is hoping for an uptick in business after Covid-19 social restrictions were eased for the resort island on Monday (Sept. 13), with the government beginning to formulate plans to allow foreign travel to resume. The country’s once thriving holiday hotspot has been
Read morePomelo for home delivery by farmers themselves
By Thai Newsroom Reporters TRUCKLOADS OF POMELO are delivered daily from Pichit to Bangkok by the farmers themselves in sheer competition with a relatively reputed citrus fruit from an outlying area of the capital city. Farmer Yuttana Pinonganand says the delivery of his Tha Khoi pomelo in a 350-kilometre distance between his orchard and
Read morePalm sugar promoted at unrecognised hub
By Thai Newsroom Reporters TODDY PALM SUGAR concentrate and syrup are being currently promoted at an otherwise unknown source of manufacturing in Chainat as an alternative to cane sugar and other sweetening agents for domestic consumption, albeit with a relatively high selling price. The official promotion of the home-based manufacturing of palm sugar concentrate and
Read moreBank of Thailand plans to its test retail digital currency
THE Bank of Thailand (BoT) plans to test its retail digital currency in the second quarter of 2022 as an alternative payment option for the public, NNT said today (August 20). BoT assistant governor Vachira Arromdee said the central bank digital currency (CBDC) will not affect monetary policy or money supply in the system. The
Read moreTourism sector expects 500,000 Russian visitors after Sputnik V vaccine endorsement
THE Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hopes to add 500,000 Russian visitors to its 1 million international tourists this year, after the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) allowed tourists inoculated with the Sputnik V vaccine to visit “sandbox” destinations in the country, NNT said today (Aug. 19). TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said Russia was
Read moreNew online home care marketplace launches digital start-up in Thailand
A NEW digital on-demand online marketplace named SAIJAI has launched in Thailand and is setting its sights on democratising home care in the country. Borne from a dynamic consumer behaviour shift over the past sixteen months to home-based lifestyle needs, the start-up brand is eyeing the Care From Home (CFH) marketplace, a key
Read moreCovid crisis leads to NESDC slashing 2021 GDP growth forecast
THE National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) cut its projection of Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2021 to 0.7-1.2%, from 1.5-2.5% previously estimated, as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 wave that began in April and led to a lockdown in 29 dark red provinces, Amarin TV said today (August 16). However,
Read moreTAT stepping up promotion of Phuket
THE Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has stepped up promotion of Thai tourism abroad, bringing in over 140,000 bookings in only 10 days, NNT said today (August 12). Director of the Phuket TAT Office Nantasiri Ranasiri, said today that 29 foreign TAT offices had asked about perceptions of Phuket following recent developments, and confirmed
Read moreThailand’s retail market in 2021 is expected to contract by 12%
THE Thai Retailers Association (TRA) has expected Thailand’s retail market to contract by 12% this year if the government does not accelerate the provision of financial aid measures to operators as well as offer domestic consumption stimulus, NNT said today (August 8). Association vice-president Chatrchai Toungratanaphan said up to 270 billion baht in retail sales
Read moreCNN fires three employees for coming to work unvaccinated: US media
By AFP and published by France24 Washington – Three employees at CNN have been fired for violating the network’s coronavirus policy by coming into the office unvaccinated, according to US media reports. In an internal memo emailed to staff yesterday (August 5) and obtained by several US media outlets, CNN President Jeff Zucker said that
Read morePhuket-Samui Island Hopping campaign suspended due to infection
By Thai Newsroom Reporters THE ISLAND HOPPING campaign for foreign travellers between Koh Samui and Phuket was suspended from today (July 29) due to reported coronavirus infection on three tourist islands. Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan confirmed the Island Hopping campaign under which fully-vaccinated foreigners may leave Phuket after a seven-day period on the
Read moreKiatnakin Bank warns of economic slump as lockdown will likely drag on
KIATNAKIN Bank’s latest analysis projects that the current coronavirus lockdown could last at least three months leading to another year of economic contraction with GDP for 2021 likely to slide from projected 1.5% to only 0.5%, Amarin TV said today (July 27). As the lockdown will likely stretch for three months or more before the
Read moreForeign travellers wonder if they’ve been tricked into visiting country under lockdown
By Thai Newsroom Reporters MANY FOREIGN VISITORS to Phuket and Koh Samui are wondering if they have been practically tricked into visiting a country where all domestic flights to and from its capital city are currently banned, remarked former finance minister Sommai Pasee yesterday (July 21). Under the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus Model reopening
Read moreSpanish holiday rental bookings in August exceed pre-pandemic levels
By Reuters Staff, published by Channel NewsAsia Madrid – Spanish holiday rentals for August are more heavily booked than before the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to domestic tourism and a perception that rented properties are safer than hotels, Spain’s leading holiday booking website Rentalia said on today (July 21). The occupancy of apartments and houses
Read moreBank branches in deep red zone malls shut temporarily
THE Thai Bankers Association announced the temporary closure of all bank branches located in department stores, shopping centres and community malls within the 13 deep red provinces from tomorrow (July 20) to step up preventive measures against coronavirus, Siam Rath newspaper said. The association said this is in keeping with Section 9 of the
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