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Baht unchanged, currency ‘may benefit’ from international stimulus packages

NationalJan 07. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 29.93 to the US dollar on Thursday, unchanged from Wednesday’s close.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.80 and 30 on Thursday, said Jitipol Puksamatanan, the head of the “Easy Invest” team at SCB Securities.

He said the baht will not move in wide range in the short term, and suggested investors monitor the direction of Asian currencies and stock markets.

Jitipol believed that the result of the US senatorial election would give investors hope and they would stop selling their Asian assets.

He advised investors to monitor financial stimulus packages in the US and other countries in the short term. He explained that these packages could stimulate capital flow into the Thai market and at the same time support the baht.

Jitipol also said the market is monitoring the current political turbulence in the US. However, the situation will affect the market only slightly, he predicted.

The S&P 500 Index on Wednesday night increased by 0.57 per cent and the Stoxx 600 by 1.37 per cent.

Meanwhile, the US Ten-Year Treasury yield increased by 8 basis points to 1.03 per cent, the highest point from March 2020. The gold price meanwhile dropped to $1,920 (Bt57,494) per ounce, while the price of Bitcoin reached a new high of $36,000 (Bt1,078,019).

Jitipol said the dollar had weakened slightly due to the political situation in the US. Some investors were concerned after the ADP national employment report showed a decrease in employment in the last month, he added.

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Thai govt agency helping neighbouring countries fight Covid-19

NationalJan 07. 2021

By The Nation

Thailand is using digital technology and communication channels to help neighbouring countries combat Covid-19.

Pattarat Hongtong

Pattarat Hongtong, Director-General of the Foreign Ministry’s Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), said the agency is working to support Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos to contain the virus as that they share a border for thousands of kilometres and the outbreak is an international matter that requires sustainable and international cooperation.

“Thailand’s development cooperation, despite covering all countries, focuses on Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, which are at  the heart of Thai foreign affairs,” said Pattarat. “Any incident in neighbouring countries would impact Thailand whether on security, trade, or economic prosperity.” 

TICA has led a coordinated effort among Thai agencies to strengthen neighbouring countries’ Covid-19 response since March 2020. Recognising that each country has specific public health challenges, Thailand is now reaching out to Myanmar, where the epidemic is taking a severe daily toll of 500-1,000 new cases and 10-20 deaths. TICA is collaborating with the Thai Department of Disease Control and Department of Medicine to share medical equipment and knowledge with Myanmar medics and officials. Among its latest projects is a collaboration with the Department of Medical Sciences to develop a model for low-cost Covid-19 laboratories to boost Myanmar’s test-and-trace mission to contain the virus.

TICA is also using digital technology to raise awareness of disease prevention in communities on both sides of the border, including migrant workers. Measures feature teleconferencing to upgrade cooperation between different provinces, online medical consultations between public health offices and district hospitals, and online training to help medics and officials in neighbouring countries treat severely ill Covid-19 patients and also establish emergency operation centres. The agency also runs a public health and medicine “TICA’s Knowledge Bank on COVID-19” to share Thai experiences and expertise with neighbouring countries via YouTube and other online platforms.

Meanwhile, Thailand is delivering urgently needed medical supplies to its neighbours, especially Myanmar, including PPE kits, one million surgical masks, blood gas analysers, 70,000 doses of Favipiravir, and oximeters. Also being shipped to Myanmar is RT-PCR laboratory equipment and a disease prevention monitoring system, while Laos and Cambodia are receiving their own deliveries of Thai aid to combat the virus.

Pattarat said Thailand has adopted the Sufficiency Economy principle of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great in its regional Covid-19 response, focusing on “economical, simple and efficient” measures that ensure equal treatment for all people.

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BAAC not offering Bt200,000 loan to non-agricultural professions

NationalJan 07. 2021

By THE NATION

The Digital Economy and Society Ministry has warned people not to believe or share news or Internet posts claiming the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) is offering a Bt200,000 loan to people in 108 occupations, including ones that are not related to agriculture.

“The ministry’s Anti-Fake News Centre contacted the bank to verify this information and was told it is false,” it said. “The BAAC clarified that the ‘108 Occupations Loan’ campaign had been held in 2016 and has long expired. The bank presently provides loans only to farmers, agricultural cooperatives, SMEs and community enterprises under applied conditions,” the ministry said.

“Please do not share such news or posts as it could cause misunderstanding among the public,” it added. “For more information on BAAC services and products, please visit www.baac.or.th or call 02 5550555. To report fake news, please do so via website www.antifakenewscenter.com.”

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Theparak 4 toll booths shut down until Jan 8 after supervisor tests positive

NationalJan 07. 2021(Representational image)

By THE NATION

A supervisor at the Theparak 4 toll booths on Kanchanapisek Expressway (Bang Phli-Suksawat) has tested positive for Covid-19, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) announced on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

“The man was tested at Ramathibodi Hospital on January 5 after he came down with fever. The test showed he was positive on Wednesday,” it said. “He did not work at the toll booths since January 2, as the authority had exempted toll fees for motorists during the New Year holidays. Being a supervisor, he did not issue tickets as staff do at toll booths and hence did not come into direct contact with expressway motorists.”

Exat also said it has notified the Department of Disease Control about the patient and has ordered other employees who might have come into close contact with him to take a test immediately and self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

“We had also shut down all entrances and exits to Theparak 4 toll booths and the adjacent office building from January 6 for cleaning and disinfection. Officials from the Department of Disease Control will inspect the site and give a green light for the toll booths to resume operation, which we estimate will be on Friday, January 8,” the announcement added.

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Protesters aim to rally at police station to support 13 charged over petition to German Embassy

NationalJan 07. 2021(File Photo of October 26 march)

By THE NATION

Protesters have scheduled a gathering at Thung Mahamek police station to support 13 leaders who were charged over a petition handed to the German Embassy.

The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group announced on their Facebook page on Wednesday that “tomorrow [January 7], 13 alleged offenders in the German Embassy case are scheduled to meet with the prosecuting attorney at Thung Mahamek police station. We have organised a meeting in front of the station from 10am. If you have no trouble going there, please join us to provide support to the 13 protesters”, it said.

Pro-democracy activists of the Ratsadon group had led a march to the German Embassy on Sathorn Road on the evening of October 26 to submit a petition asking the German government to look into whether His Majesty the King rules Thailand from Germany.

The 13 protest leaders were later summoned by the police and charged with violation of the Criminal Code’s Section 112, which punishes criticism of the monarchy with up to 15 years in jail.

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Cool to cold weather in North, Northeast, isolated heavy rain in the South

NationalJan 07. 2021

By THE NATION

The Meteorological Department said on Thursday that a strong high-pressure system from China will cover upper Thailand from January 8-12, resulting in cool to cold weather and strong winds, with a 5-7° C decrease in temperatures.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon will cause isolated heavy rain in the lower South, and the upper Gulf will see waves 2-3 metres high and more than 3 metres during thundershowers. The department advised all ships to proceed with caution.

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

North: Cool to cold weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 15-21 degrees and highs of 31-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 4-12 degrees Celsius with frost in some areas.

Northeast: Cool to cold weather; temperature lows of 13-19 degrees and highs of 30-32 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 8-13 degrees Celsius.

Central: Cool weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 21-23 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.

East: Cool weather with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 32-34 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 meters offshore.

South (east coast): Cloudy with thundershowers in 60 per cent of the area and isolated heavy to very heavy rain; temperature lows of 23-25 degrees, highs of 30-32 degrees Celsius; waves 2 metres high and over 3 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Mostly cloudy with thundershowers in 30 per cent of the areas; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 31-33 degrees Celsius; waves 1-2 metres high and 2 metres offshore.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Partly cloudy with fog in the morning; temperature lows of 23-24 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.

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Ad agencies, auto, law and medical firms cut their office space by 30% in 2020: CBRE

NationalJan 07. 2021

By The Nation

Over the past five years, demand for office space in Thailand has changed significantly, with most customers now focusing on cost-effective use of leased space, said Chanwit Pasuwat, chief of design development at commercial real-estate agency, CBRE.

According to Chanwit, before the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, 53 per cent of customers between 2015 and 2019 were focused on growing their business within the existing office space.

As of 2020, cost control and risk reduction became key factors in the leasing of office space. Now, many firms in the Asia-Pacific region believe that by 2025, the outlook of office space will change, especially in line with work-from-home trends brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Rungrat Weerapakkaroon, chief of CBRE Thailand’s office space department, said that in 2020, offices in Bangkok had either merged or reduced by up to 30 per cent, mostly in the advertising, automotive, legal and medical sectors.

In comparison, e-commerce and logistics businesses have expanded their office spaces by up to 100 per cent, while technology platform firms expanded by 200 per cent.

This expansion is the result of a rapid growth in online businesses over last year. Now most companies are rethinking their office space plans and weighing whether they should renew their leases or relocate.

Chanwit said that in 2021, organisations should focus on flexibility and ensuring a better experience for employees while they are at work. This may result in the modification of office space as companies make adjustments.

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Ministry debunks rumour of new Covid surge from Samut Sakhon factory

NationalJan 07. 2021

By The Nation

The Public Health Ministry has debunked online reports of a fresh surge in Covid-19 cases from an outbreak at a Samut Sakhon seafood operator.

The ministry confirmed that many of the 914 cases detected in the recent outbreak were workers at the Pattaya Food (Thailand) Co factory, which employs 3,000 people. However, it pointed out that this was old news and that new cases were spread across factories in the province.

A field hospital to quarantine infected workers has now been set up at the Pattaya Food factory, which has been shut down temporarily.

Thiraphong Chansiri, CEO of Thai Union Group (TUG), also debunked rumours that a large number of Covid-19 cases had been detected at the nearby TUG factory.

He said 23,630 of the company’s 27,522 local employees have been screened so far, with only 69 (0.29 per cent) found to be infected with coronavirus. TUG expects to complete screening of all its Samut Sakhon workers this week.

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Covid from Ang Thong cockfighting cluster spreads to 5 provinces

NationalJan 06. 2021

By The Nation

Covid-19 clusters traced to two cockfighting arenas in Ang Thong, 100 kilometres north of Bangkok, have so far spawned 38 cases across five provinces, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Wednesday.

The majority of the cases are in Ang Thong (30) but the outbreak has also spread to Nonthaburi (1), Ayutthaya (3), Sing Buri (3) and Suphan Buri (1).

The CCSA reports that 68 per cent of cases are symptomless and most of them are men, with a ratio of 5.3 males to one female.

The centre said it expects no more cases from the cluster since all contacts from the outbreak are thought to have been traced.

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No flights from U-Tapao Airport until end Jan

NationalJan 06. 2021

By The Nation

U-Tapao Airport announced on Wednesday that it was closing services until the end of January. The airport, which is two hours from Bangkok in the eastern province of Rayong, is cancelling all fights this month because it falls in “red zone”.

Provinces marked “red” have been designated “maximum control zones” based on the number of Covid-19 infections in the new wave.

Three airlines flying out of U-Tapao, namely Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Bangkok Airways, have cancelled their flights until further notice. The airlines fly to Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket and Udon Thani from this airport.