Deadly ‘baby crystal’ beads still banned, watchdog warns

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Deadly ‘baby crystal’ beads still banned, watchdog warns

Deadly ‘baby crystal’ beads still banned, watchdog warns

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023

Following an incident in which a toddler nearly died after swallowing a water-absorbing “baby crystal” bead, the Consumer Protection Board on Wednesday warned all retailers that they risk up to three years in prison for selling the banned products.

The beads, which expand in size in water, have been banned since 1984 because they are dangerous, the watchdog announced on its Facebook page.

It said this after Facebook user “Kat Kattaleeya” wrote on the platform that her toddler almost died after swallowing a single bead.

Kat said she took her toddler to a hospital after he could not stop vomiting.

A CT scan found that a bead was lodged in his intestine, and that it had swelled in size.

Emergency surgery was performed to remove the bead and save the boy’s life, the mother wrote while her son remained in intensive care.

She said she bought the beads for her six-year-old daughter to use to decorate trees. One of the beads may have fallen to the floor where her toddler found it and swallowed it, she said. Once inside his intestine, it absorbed water and swelled in size to more than 3 centimetres in width.

If she had waited a few more hours before taking her son to the hospital, he would likely have died, she said.

The colourful beads are made of polyacrylamide and vinyl acetate ethylene co-polymer.

Any vendor who sells them in Thailand faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 600,000 baht, the Consumer Protection Board reiterated.

Stung by recent scandals, DSI chief transferred at his ‘own suggestion’

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Stung by recent scandals, DSI chief transferred at his ‘own suggestion’

Stung by recent scandals, DSI chief transferred at his ‘own suggestion’

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin on Wednesday swapped the chiefs of two key agencies — the Department of Special Investigation and the Central Institute of Forensic Science.

In a sudden transfer order dated Wednesday, Somsak moved DSI director-general Trairit Temahiwong to acting director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science in place of Suriya Singhakamol, who took over as acting DSI chief.

The minister’s order stated that the reason for the transfer was “for the sake of good order and efficiency of work at the Department of Special Investigation and Central Institute of Forensic Science”.

The transfer took immediate effect.

Trairit had been appointed DSI chief on October 1, 2021.

Trairit told The Nation after the transfer order that he had himself asked for the move following a series of accusations of corruption against DSI officials.

He said he directly reported to the team of aides of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and suggested that he would like to be removed from his post to pave the way for the ongoing investigations against DSI officials.

Trairit said he had been holding the post for over a year and it was enough for him.

He said he had tried his best during the past year to make DSI officials, who were transferred from several agencies, to work with integrity.

Stung by recent scandals, DSI chief transferred at his ‘own suggestion’He said his achievements included helping the government reclaim 178 rai (nearly 28.5 hectares) of land worth 50 billion baht in Phuket from a tycoon who had got it unlawfully and also reclaimed 300 rai (48 hectares) of watershed forests in Nan province.

In the latest scandal that has cast a shadow over the department, senior DSI officials were accused of demanding bribes from Chinese tycoons who were carrying out unlawful businesses in Thailand.

Navy continues search for 5 missing Sukhothai crew

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Navy continues search for 5 missing Sukhothai crew

Navy continues search for 5 missing Sukhothai crew

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023

The Royal Thai Navy is continuing its search for the last five missing crew of the HTMS Sukhothai, one month after the vessel sank in the Gulf of Thailand.

The corvette-class ship sank some 20 nautical miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district on December 18 in stormy weather with 105 crew onboard.

Seventy-six members of the crew were rescued and brought safely to shore, while 24 sailors have been declared dead and five remain missing.

No bodies have been found since December 29.

Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said on Wednesday that navy ships and divers were still scouring the sea and coastal areas of Prachuap Khiri Khan and Chumphon provinces for traces of the missing crew.

The list of the 24 sailors who lost their lives in the tragedy will be included in the ceremony for Thai Navy Memorial Day on January 17 next year.

Navy continues search for 5 missing Sukhothai crew

The 24 deceased personnel who have been identified via DNA testing are:

1. Lieutenant Samart Kaewphaleuk

2. Chief Petty Officer First Class Atcha Kaewsuphan

3. Chief Petty Officer First Class Somkiat Maichob

4. Chief Petty Officer First Class Amnart Phimthee

5. Petty Officer First Class Jakkaphong Phoonphon

6. Petty Officer First Class Boonlert Thongthip

7. Petty Officer First Class Chuchai Cherdchid

8. Petty Officer Second Class Thawatchai Saphirat

9. Petty Officer Second Class Saharat E-sa

10. Petty Officer Third Class Sathanporn Somnua

11. Petty Officer Third Class Nopphanat Khamwong

12. Petty Officer Third Class Supphakit Thiwalai

13. Petty Officer Third Class Sarawut Nadee

14. Petty Officer Third Class Sirithiti Ngamthong

15. Seaman Akkradet Phobat

16. Seaman Jirawat Thoop-hom

17. Seaman Sitthiphong Hongthong

18. Seaman Woraphong Boonlakhon

19. Seaman Preecha Raksaphakdi

20. Seaman Jamlong Saenkae

21. Chief Petty Officer First Class Khunakorn Jariyot

22. Seaman Chalat Oythong

23. Petty Officer First Class Prai Ruamyat

24. Lieutenant Commander Pholrat Sirodom

Navy continues search for 5 missing Sukhothai crew

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Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missing

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Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missing

Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missing

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2023

Three more bodies were plucked from the water on Wednesday after explosions ripped through an oil tanker during welding maintenance at a dockyard in Samut Songkhram on Tuesday.

The three victims, all from Myanmar, raised the number of confirmed deaths in the blasts to five. Three more workers were still listed as missing as of press time on Wednesday.

The Smooth Sea 22 tanker arrived at the dockyard for maintenance on January 12 and informed dockyard authorities that it was still carrying residual bunker oil and diesel oil.

It exploded during welding work at about 9am on Tuesday.

Those killed and injured in the blasts were all dockworkers.Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missing

All 17 crew members from the tanker are safe and accounted for.

The three missing workers were identified as Wichian Boonlert, a Thai national, and two Myanmar workers named only as Zoul and Tila.

Rescuers found two victims, one Myanmar worker and one unidentified, from the explosions on Tuesday before resuming their search on Wednesday.

Bodies of three Myanmar workers were retrieved from the water between 9am and 11am on Wednesday. The victims were named as Winbo, Dungae and Sawmin. Myanmar nationals often go by only one name.

Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missingRescue officials also found a right ankle floating near the tanker but have yet to identify which body it belonged to.

Cholthee Laohakamwanit, head of the rescue operation, said rescuers had searched the hull of the tanker but found no survivors or bodies inside. Scuba divers joined the search on Wednesday, he added.

Samut Songkram governor Somnuek Promkhiew has ordered the Tambon Ban Khiew Administrative Organisation to set up a command centre to coordinate the search operation and to receive complaints from locals whose houses were damaged by the blast.

Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missingAmong residents who reported damage to their homes were Samran Nutrat, 68, and Wasukree Duangkamnerd, 48.

Samran said he was sitting in his living room when he heard two huge explosions that brought down his ceiling and shattered the window.

Wasukree said he lost his one-year-old American Bulldog to the blasts, which also shattered his windows, cracked his walls and brought down ceiling lights.Death toll in tanker blast rises to 5 with 3 still missing

JPMorgan sees Thai stocks as the most attractive in Southeast Asia

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JPMorgan sees Thai stocks as the most attractive in Southeast Asia

JPMorgan sees Thai stocks as the most attractive in Southeast Asia

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023

Strong recovery of Thailand’s tourism, with an expected influx of Chinese visitors, and strong domestic demand for consumer products have made the Thai stock market the most attractive in Southeast Asia, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co, an American multinational financial services company.

Jakkapun Pornpunnarath, JPMorgan’s head of Thai equity research, said that the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has become the top pick for JPMorgan in Southeast Asia.

He pointed to robust trading of Thai stocks ahead of the next general election later this year and the strong operating performance of many listed companies.

The JPMorgan executive said that a strong Thai baht, growing in tandem with the tourism recovery, should enhance returns for equity investors.

Jakkapun was speaking in an interview with Bloomberg news agency, which published its report on Thursday.

JPMorgan estimated that Chinese tourists would help double Thailand’s tourism revenue to US$39 billion (1.36 trillion baht) this year, accounting for 6% of the country’s gross domestic product.
 

The multinational financial giant also predicted that as many as 26 million foreign tourists would come to Thailand this year, which is about 65% of the 40 million visitors who came to Thailand in 2019, the year before the global tourism industry was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to JPMorgan, the SET Index is likely to increase by 7% this year to reach a new high of 1,800 points.

In terms of sectors, JPMorgan remains overweight on consumer products, luxury goods, and healthcare.

Thailand, Japan agree to boost agricultural cooperation

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Thailand, Japan agree to boost agricultural cooperation

Thailand, Japan agree to boost agricultural cooperation

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023

The agriculture ministers of Thailand and Japan agreed to have closer cooperation between the two countries during times of crisis when they held talks in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Thai Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chalermchai Sri-on and Japan’s State Minister of Agriculture of Forestry and Fisheries Nonaka Atsushi held wide discussions on food security, agriculture conferences, and imports.

In an effort to advance collaboration in food security, Chalermchai urged both nations to lend each other assistance during crisis.

Regarding closer cooperation, Chalermchai suggested that agriculture sectors in the region need to be more sustainable and rely on the framework of the Japan-Thailand High-Level Cooperation Dialogue on Agriculture and Food Industries (HLCD) meeting.

“The HLCD’s third meeting, set to be held later and hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, will give corporates from both nations a chance to give suggestions to the government sectors so as to boost trade between the two countries,” Chalermchai added. 

The Thai minister also called for easier import in both countries of profit crops, such as Kao Nam Pueng pomelo from Thailand and Japanese brown rice.

Thailand, Japan agree to boost agricultural cooperation

Both sides agreed to adopt a new economic partnership plan called “Measures for the achievement of Decarbonisation and Resilience with Innovation” (MeaDRI). 

“This is a good opportunity to strengthen cooperation in the agriculture sector between the two countries as well as to promote the expansion of regional connectivity. Thailand is ready to cooperate with the MeaDRI plan as it aligns with our policy and the Bio-Circular-Green Model,”  Chalermchai said.

Thailand, Japan agree to boost agricultural cooperation

Housing association urges govt to allow it to hire more foreign workers

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Housing association urges govt to allow it to hire more foreign workers

Housing association urges govt to allow it to hire more foreign workers

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023

The Home Builder Association is calling on the government to make it easier for its members to hire construction workers from neighbouring countries, saying they are already facing a labour shortage and demand for houses is rising.

Association president Olarn Chanphu said on Thursday that the house construction business began recovering late last year and that it was expected to expand 6% this year to 13.25 billion baht.

It can take a few months to sign contracts to hire foreign workers and the slow process can disrupt the construction business, Olarn said.

“We would like the government to be lenient by allowing us to hire foreign workers before the contract signing process is completed,” he said.

More workers are needed since Thailand fully reopened following the Covid-19 pandemic, Olarn added.

He called on the government to approve recruitment of construction labourers from more countries beyond Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Specifically, the government should approve the import of labourers from Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh, he said.

Olarn also said members of his association would not raise home prices for now because they had yet to deplete their stocks of construction materials.

Housing association urges govt to allow it to hire more foreign workersOnce their stocks are depleted, association members might raise their prices by 5% or more, depending on market prices of construction materials, he added.

Regarding the association’s proposal that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) approve house construction applications online, Olarn said that Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt supports the proposal because it will streamline the process and reduce the risk of corruption.

The BMA will hold a seminar on January 25 to explain the request for online applications to build houses.

Housing association urges govt to allow it to hire more foreign workersOlarn said he had been informed that the online application process would be limited to houses with no more than three floors that used no more than 300 square meters of space.

Association secretary-general Kosol Kowisut said a housing fair will be held in Muang Thong Thani’s Impact Hall from March 8 to 12.

Govt tops revenue target with more cash from state and private enterprises

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Govt tops revenue target with more cash from state and private enterprises

Govt tops revenue target with more cash from state and private enterprises

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023

The government surpassed its revenue target by 13.3% for the first three months of fiscal 2023 (October to December 2022), a senior official at the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

Pornchai Suravej, director of the ministry’s Fiscal Policy Office, said the government’s total revenue in the quarter was 633.139 billion, an increase of 73.586 billion from the target set in its 2023 Budget Act.

The revenue collected in the quarter also represented a more than 13% increase from the first quarter of FY2022, Pornchai added.

The Finance Ministry has four main revenue streams for collecting money for the state: State enterprises, the Revenue Department, the Customs Department, and other agencies (those with revolving funds).

Pornchai said revenues from state enterprises rose in the first quarter because some had been late delivering profits from the previous fiscal year.

A rise in corporate income taxes due to the economy’s expansion saw increased payments to the Revenue Department.

The Customs Department also collected back taxes following courts decided in its favour in cases where payments were disputed.

Other agencies also received state revenue. For example, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission received revenue from the sale of mobile phone bandwidth and auction of FM radio licenses.

Pornchai said the revenue from the Excise Department fell short of its target because the government cut the excise tax on diesel by 5 baht per litre to control retail prices.

The Finance Ministry’s revenue in the quarter – excluding that collected from the four revenue streams mentioned above – was about 40.175 billion baht.

This was 7.2% higher than its target and 7.3% higher than the same period in FY2022.

Arkhom touts Thailand as sustainable investment oasis at World Economic Forum

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Arkhom touts Thailand as sustainable investment oasis at World Economic Forum

Arkhom touts Thailand as sustainable investment oasis at World Economic Forum

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023

Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith touted Thailand as a leading destination for sustainable investment as he addressed the global business elite at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday.

Arkhom was speaking at the “Asean’s Green Promise” seminar during the annual four-day forum of world economic and political leaders in Davos, Switzerland.

He told participants that Thailand is committed to the sustainability goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2050 and achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065.

Thailand announced both targets at the United Nations COP 27 climate conference last year in Egypt.

“To achieve this, Thailand has pushed forward the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy model to promote sustainable business operations across public and private sectors,” he said.

“We have also provided sustainable finance solutions, including issuing sustainability bonds, and allowing foreign companies to issue sustainability debt securities in baht currency.”

Following the seminar, Arkhom held talks with Visa Inc’s president Ryan McInerney to explore ways of using digital technology in Thailand’s taxation and payment system.

He also met with Telenor Group’s CEO Sigve Brekke to discuss future investment in Thailand’s telecom industry.

Earlier on Tuesday, the finance minister participated in the “Travelling Again, Differently” seminar, where he revealed Thailand’s successful formula to reopen for tourism in the face of Covid-19, using a sandbox programme and the “5F strategy” of Food, Fashion, Festival, Fighting, and Film.

He also mentioned that Thailand is considering measures to promote sustainable aviation fuel to fulfil the country’s environmental goals.

The World Economic Forum runs until Friday.

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FTI predicts growth in 17 industries will drive Thai economic rebound in 2023

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FTI predicts growth in 17 industries will drive Thai economic rebound in 2023

FTI predicts growth in 17 industries will drive Thai economic rebound in 2023

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2023

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) expressed confidence that Thailand’s economic recovery will continue this year as the Covid-19 situation improves, prompting higher domestic consumption and a tourism rebound.

The tourism sector is expected to welcome at least 20 million foreign arrivals this year thanks to pent-up demand during Covid-19, China lifting travel restrictions, and government measures to boost tourism, said FTI vice president Kriangkrai Thiannukul on Wednesday.

Exports this year are slowing in line with the slumping global economy. However, benefits of free trade agreements under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and new FTAs with countries in the Middle East would help keep the Thai export sector afloat this year, he said.

The FTI estimates that 17 Thai industrial sectors will enjoy substantial growth this year, namely mechanical and metallurgical, automotive parts and components, digital, sugar, medical equipment, electricity generation, renewable energy, furniture, pharmaceutical, automotive assembly, petroleum refinery, metal casting, roofing and equipment, steel, food and beverage, printing and packaging, and environmental management.

Factors contributing to industrial growth in 2023 are Board of Investment (BOI) investment privileges, especially in industries related to the new and BCG or Bio-Circular-Green economy; baht balancing to benefit both importers and exporters; government investment in infrastructure; and rising private consumption.

Potential factors that could hamper industrial growth this year include global inflation and a continued rise of energy prices, fluctuations in food prices, rising interest rates that affect business costs, and the possibility of recession and trade war among major economies.

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