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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403844

New marine transport route set to connect EEC with Southern Economic Corridor

NationalMar 18. 2021

Seahorse Ferries is interested in running transport services with the Blue Dolphins ferry on a new marine route between Chon Buri (Sattahip Commercial Port), Prachuap Khiri Khan and Songkhla provinces, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchod said.

Blue Dolphins is already exempt from VAT charges by the Board of Investment and will start ferry tests from Sattahip. The tests are expected to be completed this month.

Its 7,003-gross-tonnage ferries, each measuring 136.60 metres in length with a top speed of 17 knots (31.48Km/ h), were certified safe by the Marine Department on March 12.

Saksayam said the ferry services would benefit transport operators and companies.

Water transport on the new route will be beneficial in connecting the Eastern Economic Corridor with the Southern Economic Corridor, enhancing the potential of water transport, reducing costs and accidents from land transportation and effectively reducing the PM 2.5 dust pollution problem.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403843

Baht expected to strengthen only slightly

NationalMar 18. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 30.69 to the US dollar on Thursday, unchanged from Wednesday’s close.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 30.60 and 30.75, Krungthai Bank market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

He said the baht would strengthen in line with the weakened dollar, but it would be only slightly as importers tend to buy the US currency when the baht touches between 30.60 and 30.70 per dollar.

Poon suggested investors should monitor foreign fund flows in the short term, especially in stocks, which could fluctuate with the Covid-19 situation in Thailand.

He added that the baht could strengthen if more funds flow into Thailand.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403835

Bangkok’s official pawn shops to reduce interest rates as school reopening approaches

NationalMar 18. 2021

By THE NATION

Pawn shops in Bangkok will reduce their interest rates for three months from April 1 to June 30 in anticipation of high cash demand as schools nationwide are expected to reopen on May 15.

“We estimate that in the coming months parents and students will need financial support as many have suffered from the Covid-19 fallout,” said Wanlaya Watthanarat, deputy permanent secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

“The 21 official pawn shops in Bangkok will therefor reduce their interest rates for Bt5,000-Bt100,000 worth of items pawned, from a progressive rate starting from Bt1 to a flat rate of 50 satang per month,” she said.

“Furthermore, the pawning limit for each customer will be raised to a maximum Bt100,000.”

To be eligible for the flat rate interest, applicants who are students are required to present their student ID card, while applicants who are parents must present a student ID of their children as well as evidence (birth certificate or house registration) proving they are the parent.

For more information, contact 02-158-0042-4.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403823

Hot, hazy day forecast for much of Thailand with isolated thundershowers

NationalMar 18. 2021

By THE NATION

Upper Thailand will see a hot to very hot day with haze while isolated thundershowers are expected in some areas as a low heat system covers the lower North and upper Central regions, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

It added that southerly and southeasterly winds prevail over the lower North, the Northeast, the Central region and the East, bringing hot weather and haze to these areas too.

Here’s the weather forecast for the next 24 hours:

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Hot day with haze; temperature lows of 26-27 degrees, highs of 35-38 degrees Celsius.

North: Hot to very hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 19-27 degrees and highs of 36-41 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 23-26 degrees and highs of 36-38 degrees Celsius.

Central: Hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 24-27 degrees, highs of 36-39 degrees Celsius.

East: Hot day with haze and isolated thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 25-28 degrees, highs of 32-37 degrees Celsius; waves less than a metre high and 1 metre offshore.

South (east coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 22-25 degrees, highs of 32-36 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high.

South (west coast): Hot day with isolated light rains; temperature lows of 21-26 degrees, highs of 34-37 degrees Celsius; waves less than a metre high and 1 metre offshore.

Source: Thailand Meteorological Department

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403819

Shipping container crisis ‘over by second half of 2021’

NationalMar 18. 2021

By THE NATION

The worldwide container shortage pinching global trade will be relieved in the second half of this year as trade picks up, according to CIMB Thai Bank’s research office.

The shortage crisis blew up in mid-2020 when containers shipped to North America and Europe were stranded there by Covid-19 restrictions that meant almost nothing moved in the opposite direction. For every 10 containers shipped to North America, only four were returning to Asia, causing a huge imbalance.

The resulting shortage saw freight charges soar from about US$1,500 (Bt46,000) to $6,000-$9,000 per container in February this year, according to shippers.

Thailand is currently facing its own shortage of containers, which have been redirected to meet demand in China and Vietnam, said CIMB researchers.

The research office said the container shortage and high freight charges would hit exporters throughout the first half of 2021. They added that the container crisis would resolve in the second half of 2021, however, as Covid-19 vaccination in the US and Europe lifted levels of exports from the West.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403815

‘Deliver with Safety Campaign’ launched to boost global confidence in Thai food

NationalMar 18. 2021

The Commerce Ministry has launched a campaign to boost confidence in Thai products overseas amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The “Thailand Deliver with Safety” campaign aims to reassure buyers and importers that Thai agricultural produce, food products and halal food are Covid-safe thanks to high production standards from farm to plate.

The global trade slowdown during the pandemic has impacted Thai exporters, especially in the food manufacturing sector where consumers are now prioritising food safety.

In response, the ministry’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) is stepping up efforts to reassure global consumers that strict safety measures are imposed throughout Thailand’s food supply chain.

Meanwhile, four ministries – Commerce, Public Health, Agriculture and Cooperatives, and Interior – have joined forces to ensure Thai producers and exporters comply with Covid-19 Prevention Best Practice.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403811

DLT launches app for payment of annual car tax

NationalMar 18. 2021Yongyut Nakdaeng

By The Nation

The Department of Land Transport (DLT) on Wednesday urged motorists to pay their yearly vehicle tax via the department’s smartphone app in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Yongyut Nakdaeng, the department’s deputy director-general, said the tax sticker and receipt will be sent by mail within five working days after payment.

“Motorists can show evidence of the payment generated by the app to police officers while they wait for a new tax sticker,” he said.

Apart from making their payments at the department’s offices, motorists can also pay their taxes via the https://eservice.dlt.go.th website, Counter Service, mPAY Wallet and True Money Wallet smartphone applications.

“These services are only available for vehicles exempted from inspection, while tax for vehicles requiring inspection can be paid at the department’s offices, post offices or linked commercial banks,” he said.

Yongyut added that 503,754 motorists in Bangkok paid their annual vehicle tax in February this year.

Of the total, 397,702 visited the department’s offices, 58,914 used drive-thru service, 31,134 paid via the department’s website, 2,024 used the smartphone app, 904 used the automatic kiosk, 11,184 used Counter Service, 1,235 paid at post offices, 621 used the mPAY Wallet or True Money Wallet smartphone applications, and 36 visited affiliated commercial banks.

People can call the DLT 1584 hotline for more information.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403817

AstraZeneca approves Thai vaccine plant; 800,000 Sinovac doses due this week

NationalMar 17. 2021File Photo

By The Nation

AstraZeneca has approved safety standards at Thailand’s vaccine factory and will send the first batch of raw materials in June, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, another 800,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine will arrive this week from China, Anutin told press at Government House. Thai health officials are also in talks with the Chinese firm for an additional 5 million doses, he added.

The Sinovac vaccine is currently being used to inoculate frontline healthcare staff and at-risk groups.

Addressing progress on Thailand’s domestic vaccine production, Anutin said an AstraZeneca representative had visited the Thai plant and was satisfied with the manufacturing standards. AstraZeneca is confident the material for vaccine production will arrive by June, he said.

Siam Bioscience is upgrading its plant in Pathum Thani to produce millions of AstraZeneca doses for Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia.

Asked about Songkran (April 10-15), Anutin said the decision on restrictions lies with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome said yesterday that water-splashing parties were off the menu this year due to the emergence of a new cluster of infections.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403812

Electrocuted squirrel brought back to life

NationalMar 17. 2021

By The Nation

Video of a police officer in Udon Thani successfully performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on an electrocuted albino squirrel went viral on Wednesday.

The clip, posted on Kumphawapi Police Station‘s Facebook page, shows Pol Sub-Lt Yongyut Thitanon using a small stick to massage the chest of the lifeless squirrel as he holds its tail. After about 30 seconds, the squirrel regains consciousness and Yongyut flips the creature onto its feet to help it recover.

Netizens praised the police officer’s ingenuity in saving the small creature’s life.

Photo Credit: Kumphawapi Police Station

Yongyut explained that albino squirrels climb electric wires to eat bananas and other fruits at a residence near the police station every morning.

Photo Credit: Kumphawapi Police Station

He said he had also successfully used CPR to revive an electrocuted monkey.

“I decided to use a small stick to perform CPR because the squirrel may have bitten my fingers when it woke up,” he said.

Photo Credit: Kumphawapi Police Station

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https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30403813

Police swoop in on shady loan-sharking operation in Samut Sakhon

NationalMar 17. 2021

By The Nation

Police arrested eight people on Wednesday for allegedly running a loan shark business in Samut Sakhon’s Mahachai sub-district and have launched a manhunt for those behind the set-up.

Also confiscated were assets including 35 laptops, 30 smartphones and a list of debtors.

Police said they had received complaints about unreasonably high-interest rates demanded under the Yoo Card smartphone application.

“While investigating, we learned that Am [not her real name] is working with a Chinese businessperson to grant loans via smartphone apps,” police said.

“Hence, we requested a search warrant to check on a building from where the operators were running a debt collection agency.”

Police said the suspects were caught on the second and third floor, adding that the first floor was being turned into a coffee shop to disguise the operation.

The suspects said they were responsible for collecting debt from people who borrowed money via the Uwallet, Ant Loan, Yoo Yoo Card, Majic Card and Bee Bath smartphone apps.

“The suspects also explained that they granted loans of up to Bt5,000 at a daily interest rate of 0.05 per cent as well as a 39 per cent service charge. Borrowers are given just seven days to repay their debt,” police said.

Investigators found that more than 15,000 people had fallen victim to the scam, with funds of several million in circulation.

“The Centre for the Investigation of Transnational Environmental Crimes will continue hunting for those behind the scam,” police added.