Thai Airways (THAI) has announced it will operate two special flights from Frankfurt to Phuket this week and in May, as Thailand eases travel restrictions and welcomes back European tourists.
The two flights from Germany will be seen as a test for the Phuket Tourism Sandbox initiative, a trial scheme to reintroduce fully inoculated tourists to the island from July 1.
Businesses in tourism-reliant Phuket have been badly hit by the year-long Covid-19 travel ban.
The TG921 flights will depart Frankfurt at 2.45pm (local time) on April 2 (this Friday) and May 7 and arrive in Phuket at 7.10am the next day.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha held a Songkran rite at Government House on Tuesday ahead of the actual festival on April 13-15.
“Today I poured water on a Buddha image protected by a nine-headed Naga, which signifies protection of the country,” said Prayut. “I also prayed for all Thais to be happy and good members of society, and that the members of the Cabinet can work together to solve problems.”
Prayut performed the Songkran activity after participating in a group photo with his new Cabinet in front of Government House. The traditional bathing of the Buddha image also promoted the government’s “New Normal Songkran” campaign for Covid-safe celebrations and no water-splashing this year.
The official celebrations will be held at the Makkasan Airport Rail Link Station in Bangkok on April 13-15. The ban on water-splashing marks Thailand’s second “dry” Songkran in two years, though traditional practices like sprinkling elders and Buddha statues with water are still permitted.
SCB 10X and Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s largest digital travel and lifestyle consumer platform, to form a new joint venture focusing on digital financial services in Thailand
In a move to propel its Moonshot Mission further, Siam Commercial Bank Group (“SCB”) tech holding company, “SCB 10X”, is moving forward with new investments and partnerships in high-potential tech companies and startups around the globe.
In line with that goal, SCB 10X today announced the new partnership with Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s leading consumer technology platform focused on travel, local services, and financial services; to establish “TREX Ventures”.
This marks Traveloka’s first joint venture dedicated to offering digital financial services. TREX Ventures will leverage SCB’s market leading banking platform and Traveloka’s digital capabilities to offer innovative financial products to their respective customers in Thailand.
In announcing the new partnership, SCB 10X Chief Business Development and Financial Officer Pitiporn Phanaphat said, “As part of its vision to establish itself at the forefront of regional investment, SCB 10X seeks to partner with technology companies and startups with strong potential from around the globe.
This strategic move also demonstrates the Company’s commitment in developing innovation capable of creating exponential growth for the firm.
Having recognised the potential of the tourism and hospitality industry as keys to help drive the nation’s economy both before and after the pandemic, SCB 10X welcomes the opportunity to partner with Traveloka, a world-class unicorn and a leading travel and lifestyle platform with approximately 40 million users across the region. SCB 10X expects to play a part in helping strengthen the ecosystem that it is interested in by embracing innovative digital technology for improving work and lifestyles of the future.”
“SCB 10X and Traveloka will collaborate in a strategic partnership to form a new joint venture called “TREX Ventures” that will combine the strong capabilities of the two companies to create innovative financial products and services tailored to meet the needs and lifestyles of modern travelers and lifestyle consumers in Thailand.
The partnership will leverage Traveloka’s deep understanding of user behavior gained from its multi-touchpoint engagement platform and robust data analytics platform.
Meanwhile, SCB 10X has the potential and capability to embrace technology to develop innovations taking advantage of its parent company Siam Commercial Bank’s extensive customer base of over 16 million people across the country, and a strong understanding of financial services and the Thai market”, added Pitiporn Phanaphat.
“We are delighted to partner with SCB 10X to set up our first joint venture, as we continue to grow our fintech business. SCB 10X and Siam Commercial Bank are market leading organisations with deep-set expertise in financial services, an impressive nation-wide customer base, and a track record in developing and co-creating innovations to best serve their customers. We are confident that this strategic partnership will enable us to deliver new financial products and services that match the needs of Thai users,” President of Traveloka Group Caesar Indra said.
“We believe Thailand’s consumer market offers abundant opportunities for Traveloka. With only 30% of Thai customers owning credit cards, we see similar needs to what we see in Indonesia. Leveraging our strong track record in Indonesia, we look forward to bringing tailored and accessible financial solutions that empower the people of Thailand to enjoy new experiences and explore the world around them. Our entry into financial services started after we identified gaps in the consumer journey for travel and leisure and we created solutions to bridge these. In 2018, we pioneered the Buy Now Pay Later (“BNPL”) product in Indonesia and followed up with several other innovative products, including the Paylater Credit Card, which continue to allow our users to better and responsibly realise their travel and lifestyle aspirations. We look forward to the opportunity to provide solutions that enrich our customers’ lives by making travel and lifestyle more accessible through financial inclusion,” Caesar Indra continued.
By The NationPattaya will launch its first-ever kite festival to wow tourists with a kaleidoscope of flying shapes and colours during Songkran.
“Pattaya Kites on the Beach 2021” will take place from April 9-19 in front of the Central Festival Pattaya Beach mall. The highlight of the event is the largest “bowl” kite ever made – a 35-metre-long whale kite certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Also lighting up the sky will be giant bears, dragons and kites adorned with LED lights.
Children can join kite-making workshops to make themselves a souvenir of their special day.
The kite festival will also feature traditional Songkran rites, though water splashing events are banned this year in line with Covid-19 restrictions.
Pattaya’s deputy mayor Ronnakit Eakkasing said the kites should help the city’s tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.
Progressive Movement leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on Tuesday met with investigators at Nang Leong Police Station in Bangkok after responding to a police summons.
The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has filed lese majeste charges against Thanathorn over his statement linking Thailand’s Covid-19 vaccination plans to a royally owned pharmaceutical company.
On January 18, Thanathorn went on Facebook Live to slam the government for its tardiness in providing Covid-19 vaccines and pointed out that Siam Bioscience – the Thai company tasked with manufacturing the AstraZeneca vaccine – is owned by His Majesty the King.
Thanathorn said the government claimed to have approved a vaccine plan from the first quarter of last year, but Siam Bioscience was only added to the plan in the second quarter of 2020 – when anti-establishment protesters began holding their rallies. He then asked whether the AstraZeneca-Siam Bioscience deal was politically motivated.
The lese majeste law (Section 112 of the Criminal Code) states that “whoever defames, insults or threatens the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, will be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years”.
After the meeting with police, Thanathorn told reporters he was not worried about the case. “If you watch the video again you will see that there is not a single comment I made that violates Section 112,” he said. “What I said two months ago, which is still true today, is motivated by my concern for society. If we rely too much on one single company [for vaccines], the risk to society becomes greater.”
Thanathorn added that the government currently has over 1 million doses of vaccine in stock that have not yet been distributed.
“We have injected 150,000 doses since late February, or about 5,000 doses per day, which indicates inefficiency in vaccine distribution. At this rate it would take 200 days to use up all vaccine in stock,” he said. “Prime Minister Prayut keeps using the monarch to conceal his inability to distribute the vaccine to those who need it. It is no surprise that when I pointed out the issue I was immediately slapped with a lese majeste charge.”
A hydro-floating solar hybrid project coming up at Sirindhorn Dam in Ubon Ratchathani province is being conceived as a new landmark for renewable energy and also stimulate the province’s economy by the end of this year.
Ubon Ratchathani Governor Sarit Witoon said Sirindhorn Dam was one of the province’s attractions that many tourists visited.
“The hydro-floating solar hybrid project will draw tourists to see the beauty of floating solar cells,” Sarit said.
He added that the move was in line with the province’s development plan that focuses on creating environmentally friendly economic and social growth.
Provincial Electricity Authority governor Boonyanit Wongrukmit said the 45-megawatt hydro-floating solar hybrid project will be the first of its kind in Thailand that can produce solar and hydro electricity to resolve the problem of uncertain power supply from a renewable source.
“We expect the project to generate electricity for commercial use by June this year,” Boonyanit said.
He added that the PEA had prepared tourist facilities in the area, such as souvenir shops, bicycle rental shops, tourist bus checkpoints and rafting area in a bid to stimulate tourism, create jobs and generate income for the community.
The government has extended the exemption period for import duty on sanitary and anti-dust face masks as well as their manufacturing components until September 30.
In a Facebook post on Monday, government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said: “The move aims to ensure adequate supply of face masks during the Covid-19 outbreak as well as amid the air pollution caused by PM 2.5 dust particles.
“This exemption will cover face masks or components used to manufacture face masks for surgery or other medical purposes, and masks that protect against dust, smog or other toxic substances.”
In March 2020, the government had waived import duty on face masks, medical equipment, Covid-19 virus test kits and anti-virus medicine. The measure had expired in December last year, right before the new wave of outbreak was reported in Samut Sakhon province.
“The government estimates that extension of the waiver would result in lost revenue of about Bt9 million, or more, depending on the domestic demand for face masks,” Ratchada said in her post.
Karen refugees will not be sent back to Myanmar: Foreign Ministry
NationalMar 30. 2021Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
By THE NATION
The Karen villagers who have fled across the border to Thailand will not be deported as rumoured, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thani Saengrat said on Tuesday.
Thousands of Karen villagers crossed into Thailand last week to escape clashes between Myanmar forces and the Karen National Union.
Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
Thani said Thai authorities will look after the refugees in line with humanitarian principles, adding that reports saying the escapees will be sent back were unreliable.
He said Thailand has always monitored the border with Myanmar for clashes and Covid-19 cases, and is always ready to deal with refugees.
Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
A forest fire broke out in the Samoeng district of Chiang Mai province, but officials have reportedly managed to control it as of Tuesday morning.
Observers said the mountain looked like an erupting volcano since Monday night.
As of 11am on Tuesday, the Air Visual application showed that air quality in Chiang Mai was ranked the third worst in the world, with 181 points on air quality index.
A recent report stated that officials had requested two helicopters to support their firefighting operation this afternoon. Around 50 rai of forestland was reportedly damaged by the fire.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Tuesday reported 48 new cases. 21 of them overseas travellers in quarantine facilities.
Of the 22 people exposed to the disease while visiting high-risk areas, 14 were in Bangkok, six in Samut Sakhon, and two in Nakhon Pathom.
Meanwhile, proactive testing led to the discovery of five cases — three in Bangkok and two in Samut Sakhon.
Of the infected overseas travellers, 16 were Thais, a Filipino, a Nepali, a Belgian, an Indian and a Russian.
Meanwhile, 66 patients have recovered and been discharged.
As of Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 28,821. Of these, 25,742 had been contracted locally, including 16,057 who were found via proactive testing, while 3,070 were returnees. So far, 27,379 have recovered and been discharged, 1,348 patients are still in hospitals, and 94 have died.
According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 128.24 million (up by 441,857), 103.46 million have recovered, 21.98 million are active cases (94,802 in severe condition) and 2.8 million have died (up by 7,507).
Thailand ranks 116th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 31.03 million, followed by, Brazil 12.57 million, India 12.09 million, France 4.55, and Russia 4.52 million.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Public Health Immunisation Centre said that 154,293 doses of vaccine had been provided to people nationwide between February 28 and March 28, and 21,183 people had been inoculated with the second dose.
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Photo credit: Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
Photo credit: Sumit Athiprom
