Chinese tourists will not be subject to stricter Covid-19 screening, minister says
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
Thailand will not impose stricter Covid-19 screening for Chinese tourists but will treat them the same as tourists from other countries, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday.
He made the statement before joining a meeting of government agencies to discuss preparations for the arrival of Chinese tourists beginning on Sunday, following the ending of that country’s zero-Covid policy, which effectively prevented Chinese citizens from travelling outside their country.
Anutin said the Department of Disease Control would be responsible for implementing measures and guidelines to treat foreign tourists equally. He also mentioned that Thailand has strong ties with China.
The US has been joined by Japan, India, Italy, Malaysia, South Korea, Spain and Taiwan in imposing tighter requirements, including negative Covid-19 tests, on visitors from China, where infection rates have soared.
“What we have to do is strictly adhere to existing measures [to contain Covid-19], such as wearing facemasks in crowded places,” Anutin said.
He said the National Health Security Office had the necessary funds to take care of foreign tourists, adding that they could receive Covid-19 vaccines in Thailand.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration was dissolved on October 1 last year, so all ministries must work together to ensure foreign tourists have confidence in Thailand’s Covid-19 prevention strategy, Anutin said.
“If we are not ready, we will lose the opportunity to stimulate the economy from tourism,” he explained.
The Department of Disease Control will monitor the situation and adjust prevention measures if new Covid-19 variants spread in Thailand, the minister said.
Thailand ties with Italy on list of world’s top retirement destinations
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
Thailand is the world’s 9th cheapest place to live for expat retirees, according to the Annual Global Retirement Index.
The 2023 list of “10 Cheapest Places to Live After Retiring” was compiled by experts at the International Living website and published this week. It details the best places to retire in terms of high quality of life and low cost of living.
Portugal tops the list thanks to the weakness of its currency and ease of acquiring a long-term visa.
Second is Mexico, followed by Panama, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Spain, Greece and France. Thailand ties with Italy in ninth place.
International Living says the list is not just for retirees, but anyone seeking a better and more affordable life, or just to escape the bustle, violence, politics and divisiveness of their home country.
The 2023 list focuses on aspects such as cost of living, climate, visas, housing, and healthcare.
Thailand’s warm, sun-drenched climate makes it an alluring destination for retirees, explains International Living correspondent Rachel Devlin. The country “appeals to those who have a keen sense of adventure and an eye for natural and cultural beauty”. It also retains a unique way of life as the only nation in Southeast Asia to avoid colonisation, she notes.
Devlin also comments on Thailand’s affordability, especially when it comes to real estate.
“Foreigners are able to buy condos very easily and there are bargains everywhere. It is possible to buy a two-bedroom condo for under $30,000 [1.01 million baht] and rentals can be as cheap as $180 [6,000 baht] per month if you need something small and quaint.”
On living costs, Devlin said an expat couple can live comfortably on as little as $1,596 [53,963 baht] per month.
CEO of Kong Salak Plus Lottery faces money-laundering probe
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
The CEO of Kong Salak Plus online lottery platform, Phantawat Nakwisut, has been summonsed by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) over evidence the company received millions of baht from a money laundering gang.
The DSI’s narcotics branch has been investigating a gang that uses nominee bank accounts to receive money from customers of drug dealers and gambling websites, as well as victims of call centre scams. The gang launders the money and transfers it back to criminal gangs in exchange for a fee.
The DSI said a gang leader arrested on December 10 had revealed a list of customers that the gang has been transferring the cash to. Kong Salak Plus was among the recipients listed, with evidence it had received tens of million baht, according to the DSI director Triyarith Temahivong.
The DSI chief said the money-laundering gang also provided a debt-collecting service and took video clips of assaults on victims who failed to make payments and forwarded them to the criminal gangs.
Triyarith also warned people not to accept any invitation to open a bank account in exchange for a fee, as they could find themselves involved in money laundering.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered a probe of Kong Salak Plus on December 29 after the company boasted a whopping 18 billion baht in sales this year.
The 15-day investigation by the Government Lottery Office, Anti-Money Laundering Office and Department of Special Investigation is focusing on the operations and tax filings of the popular lottery ticket seller, owned by tycoon Phantawat.
Phantawat on Wednesday denied his company is a customer of the money laundering gang and said he was ready to explain everything to the DSI.
“However, this gang could be using their money to buy lottery tickets from us,” he wrote on Facebook.
NACC probing THB33m signboard change at Bang Sue Central Station
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
The National Anti-Corruption Committee (NACC) has launched a probe into the 33-million-baht project to change signboards at Bangkok’s main Bang Sue Station being carried out by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
The suspiciously expensive project sparked criticism among netizens after the bid winner, Unique Engineering and Construction, informed the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on December 29 that it had signed the contract with SRT.
The 150-day project worth 33.16 million baht includes changing the station’s main signboard to its official name of “Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal” and putting up the SRT logo. The station was renamed by His Majesty the King in September.
NACC chief Niwatchai Kasemmongkol said on Wednesday that the anti-graft committee has received complaints regarding the project and has started collecting evidence for the investigation.
He added that the investigation will focus on whether or not the SRT followed regulations for the bidding process on government projects. The NACC will also investigate officials for evidence they have abused their authority in awarding the contract.
The investigation comes under the jurisdiction of the Auditor General’s Office and not the NACC, as in the case of decorative solar-powered lamp posts in Samut Prakan.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob launched a separate probe to check whether the project’s budget matches the job done. He said he expects the investigation to be completed within seven days.
The SRT has denied any wrongdoing and insists it abided by government rules on granting contracts.
New Year holiday death toll at 282 after six of ‘7 dangerous days’
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 04, 2023
As many as 239 road accidents on Tuesday left 259 people injured and 15 dead, raising the death toll during the year-end break to 282, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM)’s Road Safety Centre reported on Wednesday.
As on the sixth day of the “7 dangerous days” (December 29, 2022 to January 4, 2023), the centre instructed Bangkok and provincial authorities to carefully monitor the speed limits of motorists so as to prevent road accidents.
Deputy permanent secretary at the Interior Ministry, Chotnarin Kerdsom, said that the centre has been in collaboration with relevant agencies to gather data regarding road accidents that occur during the period.
Car accident data on Tuesday:
Top causes of accidents
• Speeding – 38.49%
• Getting cut off – 24.47%
• Drunk driving – 15.48%
Vehicle type with the most accidents
• Motorcycles – 82.73%
Where most accidents took place
• Straight roads – 86.61%
Location of most accidents
• Highways – 48.12%
• Village roads – 24.27%
Time of most accidents
• 6pm-7pm – 9.21%
Age-range of most casualties
• 40-49 – 16.79%
Chotnarin said that on Tuesday alone, up to 55,787 officials were deployed at 1,880 road checkpoints countrywide, with 365,238 vehicles being stopped.
Of a total of 54,629 who faced legal action on Tuesday, 15,873 will be charged with riding motorbikes without a helmet, 15,494 with driving without a licence, and 7,384 with breaking the speed limit, among others.
Nakhon Si Thammarat province had the highest number of road accidents with 12 recorded on Tuesday and the highest number of injuries at 12. Meanwhile, Chachoengsao and Phuket provinces had the highest number of deaths at two people each.
Over the past six days, Chotnarin said Thailand had recorded 2,201 road accidents, in which 2,197 people were injured and 282 killed.
He said that Nakhon Si Thammarat had the highest number of road accidents at 76 as well as the highest number of injuries at 81.
Meanwhile, Chiang Rai experienced the highest number of fatalities at 13 people, followed by Bangkok and Pathum Thani (11 people each). Six provinces — Narathiwat, Bueng Kan, Phang Nga, Yala, Satun and Sukhothai — did not report any road deaths, he added.
Boontham Lertsukhikasem, director-general of DDPM and secretary-general of the centre, said that the main roads heading to the capital are mostly free of traffic, as holidayers were already back at their residences.
To report an incident, the centre can be reached via Line application @1784DDPM or contact 1784, Boontham added.
Four industrial estates offer major incentives for investors
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand is waiving rental and maintenance fees in four industrial estates for at least one year to attract investors, its governor, Veeris Ammarapala, said on Thursday.
The fees will be waived in two industrial estates in Songkhla province, one in Sa Kaew province, and another in Phichit province, Veeris said.
Fees are being waived and land prices are being lowered to attract investment, primarily from China and Saudi Arabia, in the four industrial estates, Veeris explained, adding that the measures applied to both new and current investors.
The measures are being implemented as supply chains accelerate their shift from China to Southeast Asia and investment from Saudi Arabia in Thailand increases following an improvement in the relationship between the two countries last year.
The four estates are Rubber City in Songkhla, Songkhla Industrial Estate (first stage), Phichit Industrial Estate, and Sa Kaew Industrial Estate.
The measures for each of the four industrial estates are:
– Rubber City, Songkhla: New investors will be exempt from rental and maintenance fees for one year from the day they sign the leasing contract. Current tenants will be exempt from rental fees for two years and maintenance fees for one year. New investors buying land in the estate will receive a 15% reduction from the land price as well as a one-year exemption from maintenance fees. Current investors will receive a 20% discount if they buy more land as well as the one-year exemption from maintenance fees.
– Songkhla Industrial Estate (first stage): New investors will be exempt from rental fees for three years from the day they sign a contract. They will be exempt from maintenance fees for one year. Current tenants will receive a three-year exemption from rental fees and a 25% discount in the fourth year. They will also be exempt from maintenance fees for one year.
– Sa Kaew Industrial Estate: New investors will be exempt from rental and maintenance fees for one year. Current tenants will be exempt from rental fees for three years and maintenance fees for one year. Investors who rent factories will be exempt from rental fees for two years.
– Phichit Industrial Estate: New and current investors will be exempt from rental fees for two years and from maintenance fees for one year.
Thailand’s 2024 budget of THB3.35trn gets nod from state agencies
THURSDAY, JANUARY 05, 2023
Four state economic agencies have approved the fiscal 2024 budget of 3.35 trillion baht with a budget deficit of 593 billion baht.
The 2024 budget is an increase of 165 billion baht from last year’s budget, but this year’s deficit is lower by 102 billion baht.
The four agencies – the Budget Bureau, National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Bank of Thailand and Finance Ministry – will propose the budget to the Cabinet for approval next Tuesday.
NESDC secretary-general Danucha Pichayanan said that setting next year’s government expenditure at 3.35 trillion baht was appropriate given economic recovery following the Covid-19 crisis.
The 2024 budget is based on expected GDP growth of 3.3% to 4.3% next year from global economic recovery, he said.
“Recovery of the global economy and trade volumes will benefit Thailand’s exports, resulting in GDP expansion,” he said, adding that global trade volume next year is expected to expand by 3.7%.
He said the government’s plan to increase public spending while reducing the deficit in 2024 would boost Thailand’s financial status in the long term.
He also expects the budget deficit to drop as the global situation improves.
Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said preparing the 2024 budget had been challenging as it was necessary to increase expenditure while reducing the budget deficit.
He said the 2024 budget is in line with the government’s medium-term fiscal plan (2024-2027) for a deficit of no more than 3% of GDP.
Hit Chinese shows gain popularity in overseas markets
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 04, 2023
Due to the rising popularity of Chinese content in recent years, TrueID – a Thai online video platform – set up a dedicated Chinese television section.
Komin Aoudomphan went to great lengths to discover the reason for a bomb explosion on a bus in the Chinese suspense series Reset.
He spent a day and a night going without sleep to view the 15-episode drama in Bangkok earlier this year when it became a hit in Thailand.
“All my friends talked about the plots. The lead actor and actress in the series are charming and attractive,” said Aoudomphan, who works at TrueID, a popular online video platform in Thailand.
TrueID introduced Reset to Thailand from China at the start of this year.
The series depicts the journey of a college student and a game designer who are stuck in a “time loop” as they determine the truth behind the bomb explosion on the bus, which kills all passengers aboard. The series has garnered more than 2 billion views in China and is also hugely successful in Thailand.
Due to the rising popularity of Chinese content in recent years, TrueID set up a dedicated Chinese television section last month featuring dozens of popular series.
Wang Shuang, who is in charge of the overseas market at WeTV, an international version of the leading Chinese streaming platform Tencent Video, said, “Chinese content is gaining popularity not only in Thailand but throughout Southeast Asia.”
According to Wang, demand for Chinese dramas has soared in Southeast Asia in recent years, especially in Thailand, where Chinese series have edged out those from South Korea, followed by series from Japan, the United States and European countries.
WeTV has been downloaded about 150 million times globally. About 30 million downloads are from Thailand, a country with a population of less than 70 million.
Lu Di, a professor at Peking University’s School of Journalism and Communication, said: “Thailand is a very mature market for Chinese dramas. The country is close to China geographically and people from the two nations share many similarities in daily life and culture. Communication and exchanges between China and Thailand have been taking place since the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220).”
The rising popularity of Chinese series elsewhere in Asia is largely due to streaming platforms attracting young people, who form the majority audience for these dramas overseas, Lu added.
Exports boom
Exports of Chinese TV series have returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a report on the international distribution of such dramas issued by the National Radio and Television Administration in November.
Last year, the export value of television series was $56.83 million and China exported 714 TV dramas during this time. Southeast Asia is the core market for these dramas, accounting for one-third of the series that are exported.
The report also said that female audiences from Asia, especially those born after the 1990s and 2000s, comprise the majority of people who enjoy watching Chinese series.
Wang, from WeTV, said its subscribers are mostly women younger than 30. Many of them are attracted by Chinese costume romances, a popular genre in the nation’s showbiz industry.
The Chinese costume drama Who Rules the World, starring Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi, became a sensation in Thailand after airing on WeTV in May. It tells of the love story between a young woman and a man competing with each other in martial arts who finally fight against the world together. The romantic drama received hundreds of millions of views.
The most popular Chinese stars in Thailand, including Yang Yang, Xiao Zhan, Yang Mi and Dilraba Dilmurat, also often play the leading roles in popular costume romances.
Wang said, “We really hope to bring these stars to Thailand for their adoring fans to meet them,” adding that previously, pandemic policies made it impossible for Thai fans to meet their favoured stars.
In 2019, when WeTV held an offline event at a shopping centre in Bangkok that featured two leading actors from a Chinese romance series, fans packed the centre, Wang said.
“There were so many people. It was very impressive. The two Chinese stars were not that popular at home, but because they played protagonists in the romance series, the Thai people loved it so much,” Wang added.
This series, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, is a small production that relates the love story between a young man and a woman who have just graduated from college. It was the first Chinese drama introduced to Thailand by WeTV.
Many popular Chinese dramas have since been introduced by the streaming platform, which in 2019 formed a team of about 30 people in Bangkok.
“Although we couldn’t organize offline promotional activities after 2020 due to the pandemic, our subscriber numbers have grown steadily each year,” Wang said.
Other leading Chinese online video platforms such as iQiyi, Youku and Mango TV have also launched overseas services and have chosen Thailand as a key location to run their businesses.
In June 2019, iQiyi launched its international version and focused on introducing the love series to the Southeast Asian market. Mango TV said it was setting up a Southeast Asian communications centre to support its overseas market after cooperating with the national TV broadcaster in Laos.
According to a report issued by Media Partners Asia, WeTV accounts for 22 % of the streaming market in Thailand, while Netflix comprises 24 %. However, Wang said they still need to cooperate with their Chinese counterparts to improve the popularity of Chinese series.
“I think we (Chinese streaming platforms) should cooperate in actively promoting Chinese dramas, in order for them to reach a wider audience overseas. We are still on the road to cooperating, rather than competing with each other,” Wang said.
Joint efforts
In addition to introducing domestic series to overseas markets, more Chinese platforms and companies are producing local content by working with teams in Southeast Asia.
For example, WeTV has produced the Thai campus romance Love Mechanics, the melodramaThe Wife, as well as the second season of the Indonesian hit My Lecture, My Husband. The Layangan Putus series in Indonesia, which tells the story of a couple enjoying a harmonious and loving relationship, has garnered hundreds of millions of views.
Explaining the idea to make original content starring local celebrities and cast members, Wang said: “We try to resonate with local communities. When people use our app to access original local material, they can also choose Chinese content that we provide.”
For Century UU, a distributor and producer based in Tianjin, producing dramas with a Thai team to target audiences in China and Thailand is a good opportunity to meet future demand.
Century UU bought the copyrights for three popular South Korean series and produced them in Thailand with local teams. The series, which has aired in China and Thailand in the past two years, has received good reviews.
Li Fude, the founder of Century UU, said, “It’s very convenient and easy to integrate all the resources we need to produce such originals, and it’s not as expensive as shooting them in China.”
When the company was established in 2012, it mainly introduced Thai TV dramas to China and distributed other Chinese series overseas. After years of working with its partners in Thailand, it has found new opportunities to cooperate with partners overseas in jointly producing original material.
Li said, “We make tailored content that takes into account the tastes of audiences from different nations.”
For instance, his team added many elements related to Thai food to a romance series.
To improve its original productions, the company set up a shooting area equipped with high technology.
Century UU changed its distribution strategy this year. It dropped the practice of distributing one series through a single partner. Instead, it now provides a package of series.
For example, the dedicated Chinese TV section at TrueID is cooperating with Li’s company. The section includes different types of Chinese dramas, such as costume series and modern productions, to showcase just how vivid Chinese culture is.
“This is a good way of offering more choices to audiences overseas,” Li said.
His company is also one of the leading Chinese content providers on YouTube. It has more than 27 million subscribers and covers 13 languages. The number of subscribers from Russia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Arab countries has surpassed 1 million in each location.
Li said that in recent years, apart from the core market in Southeast Asia, the number of subscribers in Arab nations has risen quickly, and their favourites are modern series that tell romantic stories about young Chinese.
According to the report published by the National Radio and Television Administration in November, Arab nations are becoming an extremely important market for Chinese dramas. Historical series and modern dramas are favoured by these audiences.
This month, the Arabic version of the popular Chinese series Minning Town, which tells the story of poverty being eliminated in a rural village, aired in many Arab countries.
Ma Ning, the founder of Wisdom House International Culture Communication Group, which dubbed Minning Town in Arabic, said, “This year marks the rise of Chinese dramas in the Arab world, especially after the release of Minning Town.
“People in Arab nations want to know the secret of China’s success through its dramas.”
Work in Europe done says Ronaldo as player is presented at Al Nassr
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 04, 2023
THE NATION
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo said his “work is done” in Europe, adding that he is relishing new challenges both on and off the pitch after being unveiled as a player of Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on Tuesday (January 3).
Ronaldo, who was a free agent following his acrimonious split with Manchester United in November, joined Al Nassr last week on a 2-1/2 year deal estimated by media to be worth more than 200 million euros ($210.94 million).
He was greeted by a sea of yellow and blue at Al Nassr’s home ground Mrsool Park, where thousands of fans turned up to witness his unveiling.
Ronaldo arrives in Saudi Arabia with a vast collection of club honours after a glittering spell at Spanish giants Real Madrid from 2009-18 where he won two LaLiga titles, two Spanish Cups, four Champions League titles and three Club World Cups.
He also claimed two Serie A titles and a Copa Italia trophy in three years at Juventus before rejoining United with whom he had bagged three Premier League crowns, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Champions League and Club World Cup.
New Al Nassr signing Cristiano Ronaldo during training with teammates
“I’m so proud to make this big decision in my life. In Europe, my work is done,” Ronaldo told a news conference.
“I won everything, I played in the most important clubs in Europe and now it’s a new challenge in Asia.”
The 37-year-old batted away questions about criticism of his move to Saudi Arabia, saying, “I’m a unique player as well so for me it’s normal.”
Al Nassr coach Rudi Garcia said the signing of Ronaldo was a huge step for the Saudi Arabian league.
“Cristiano is one of the best players in the world and in the history of football. He is a legend, it is an honor for sure for me but also for Al Nassr to welcome Cristiano,” Garcia told reporters.
Al Nassr president Mossali Al Muammar was also effusive in his praise of Ronaldo, calling him the “best player in football history.”
Ronaldo receives rapturous welcome from Al Nassr fans
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 04, 2023
THE NATION
Cristiano Ronaldo received a rapturous welcome from 25,000 fans at a packed Mrsool Park in Riyadh after being presented as an Al Nassr player
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract to play in the Saudi Pro League in one of the most surprising transfers in the sport’s history.
Speaking at a news conference earlier, Ronaldo revealed he turned down multiple offers from elsewhere in the world.
“In Europe my work is done. I won everything and played for the most important clubs in Europe and for me now it’s a new challenge,” Ronaldo said.
The 37-year-old added he wanted “to give a different vision” of Saudi Arabia.
The soccer great, who has won five Ballon d’Or awards for the best player in the world and five Champions League titles, will play outside of Europe for the first time in his storied career.
Ronaldo has agreed a deal reportedly worth up to US$200 million a year — making him the highest paid soccer player in history.
The four estates are Rubber City in Songkhla, Songkhla Industrial Estate (first stage), Phichit Industrial Estate, and Sa Kaew Industrial Estate.
– Songkhla Industrial Estate (first stage): New investors will be exempt from rental fees for three years from the day they sign a contract. They will be exempt from maintenance fees for one year. Current tenants will receive a three-year exemption from rental fees and a 25% discount in the fourth year. They will also be exempt from maintenance fees for one year.
New Al Nassr signing Cristiano Ronaldo during training with teammates
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