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Govt’s property stimulus measure not having much effect: REIC

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By THE NATION

The reduction of property transfer and mortgage fees has not helped stimulate all sectors of the housing market, the Government Housing Bank’s Real-Estate Information Centre (REIC) said.

In 2019, the government tried to boost the real-estate business by lowering property transfer fees from 2 per cent to 0.01 per cent and mortgage fees from 1 per cent to 0.01 per cent for properties costing no more than Bt3 million. This campaign will run until the end of 2021.

“This measure does not benefit consumers who can afford condominiums in the Bt3 million-Bt7 million range, and houses in the Bt5 million-Bt7 million. These consumers account for 80 per cent of the market,” Wichai Viratakaphan, REIC’s acting director-general, said.

“The government needs to expand the measure so consumers eyeing properties worth more than Bt3 million will be tempted to buy,” he said.

“As for those who can only afford properties below Bt3 million, they are still unable to get housing loans due to strict conditions imposed by financial institutes. This problem needs to be addressed, so the benefits of the stimulus measure can be maximised.”

REIC expects the property market this year to contract by 1 to 2 per cent thanks to the fallout of the new wave of Covid-19 infections.

“Property transfer nationwide is likely to see a 10.6 per cent dip in the first quarter, while for the entire year, it is expected to drop by 1.5 per cent or by 353,236 units compared to the previous year,” Wichai said.

“Meanwhile, the total value of transferred properties in the first quarter is expected to drop by 7.2 per cent, while for the entire year, it will drop by 5.6 per cent, or Bt876.1 billion.”

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Crackdown on business recycling used rubber gloves

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By THE NATION

Police raided a warehouse in Pathum Thani on Thursday after getting a tip-off about an operation in which used rubber gloves were being cleaned and resold.

Officials questioned the caretaker Wanida Srichumpa, 53, who said the 37 tonnes of cleaned gloves and several bags of used gloves found on the premises belonged to an executive from Samsung Life Insurance (Thailand).

The warehouse is located in Lat Lum Kaeo district.

The evidence was confiscated and Wanida was escorted to the Consumer Protection Division under the National Police Bureau.

Police explained to her that reselling used gloves violated the Consumer Protection Act and other related laws.

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Thailand named 5th most culturally influential country

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By The Nation

Thailand was ranked fifth among countries with the best cultural influence in 2021 by the CEOWORLD magazine, the Foreign Ministry said.

The top 10 countries with cultural heritage influence this year are Italy, Greece, Spain, India, Thailand, Portugal, Japan, United Kingdom, China and Germany.

For the ranking, the magazine analysed and compared 165 countries across nine key attributes, namely architecture, artistic legacy, fashion, food, music, literature, history, cultural attractions, and cultural accessibility.

Visit https://ceoworld.biz/…/best-countries-for-cultural…/…# for more information.

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Livestock Department certifies Thailand’s first cage-free chicken egg farm in Saraburi

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By THE NATION

The Department of Livestock Development has certified the Wangsomboon Farm in Saraburi’s Muak Lek district as the country’s first cage-free egg farm that meets both product quality and chicken raising standards, said Nat Sawasrat, an expert veterinarian at Saraburi’s Department of Livestock Development.

“The farm’s certification is a first step in improving Thailand’s quality standards in egg farming, as it could help distribute know-how and related technology to farmers in other regions,” he said.

Somkid Suwanlukkhee, the senior deputy managing director of Charoen Pokphand Foods’ (CPF) egg business, said the Wangsomboon Farm and CPF have been working together since 2018 in adapting European standards on cage-free egg farming to Thailand’s weather and environment.

“We have allotted adequate raising areas that hold a maximum of nine hens per square metre in a closed barn featuring automatic temperature control and ventilation systems, with round-the-clock monitoring,” he said.

“Habitat conditions for the chickens strictly follow animal welfare standards, with a 15-centimetre-long roost installed for each chicken to sit in and relax, which promotes their natural interaction with each other,” Somkid said.

“Meanwhile, the disease-prevention measures within the farm are in compliance with the Biosecurity Hi-tech Farming standard, which helps promote the physical and mental health of the chickens and reduces the need for antibiotics,” he said.

“Eggs from the Wangsomboon Farm are of the highest standard and are trusted by leading restaurants, including Shabu Shabu, Momo Paradise and Raan Jay Fai, a one Michelin star winner,” Somkid added.

The Wangsomboon Farm currently has a production capacity of 10 million eggs per year from 12 barns and is planning to increase the capacity to 15 million eggs this year.

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150 test positive for Covid-19, mostly in Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday reported 150 new cases, eight of whom are returnees in quarantine facilities.

Of the remaining 142, 38 were infected while visiting high-risk areas. Samut Sakhon leads this list with 26 cases, seven of whom are Myanmar nationals, followed by five in Bangkok, three in Pathum Thani and one each in Tak, Nakhon Pathom, Mahasarakham and Ayutthaya.

Proactive tests, meanwhile, led to the discovery of 104 cases, 62 of which were in Samut Sakhon and 42 in Pathum Thani.

Of the returnees, five are Thai nationals returning from Nigeria, South Africa and Bahrain, while the remaining three are Pakistan, Bangladesh and Uganda nationals who flew in from their respective countries.

Apisamai Srirangsan, assistant CCSA spokesperson, added that the 359 previous cases found to be linked to the Pornpat market in Pathum Thani had spread to 10 provinces, though 332 remained local. Of this cluster, seven were found in Nakhon Nayok, four each in Bangkok and Phetchaburi and the rest in other provinces.

Authorities plan to test up to 10,000 people per day in Pathum Thani in a bid to contain the virus as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, 249 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 25,111. Of these, 22,446 had been contracted locally, including 14,256 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,665 were returnees. So far, 23,946 have recovered and been discharged, 1,083 patients are still being treated and the death toll remains at 82.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 110.44 million (up by 392,293), 85.33 million have recovered, 22.67 million are active cases (97,715 in severe condition) and 2.44 million have died (up by 11,344).

Thailand ranks 114th in the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 28.45 million, followed by India 10.95 million, Brazil 9.98 million, Russia 4.11 million and the United Kingdom 4.07 million.

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PETA pleads with PM to order halt to animal, snake killing during Cobra Gold drill

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By THE NATION

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha asking him to urge the organisers of Cobra Gold 2021 to end the use of drinking snake blood or eating live creatures during the military exercise.

During Cobra Gold 2020, soldiers were recorded killing chickens with their bare hands, skinning and eating some live types of geckos, consuming live scorpions and tarantulas, decapitating cobras and drinking their blood, and revelling in the ritualistic killing and consumption of animals, the organisation said.

The exercise also poses a zoonotic disease threat akin to the Covid-19 pandemic and endangers the king cobra, which is vulnerable to extinction, PETA said.

“In addition to creating a dangerous disease risk, Cobra Gold’s training exercises involving animals are both cruel and impractical,” PETA senior vice president Jason Baker said. “PETA is therefore urging Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to call for an end to the bloodlust killing of animals during Cobra Gold, which sullies the honour of Thailand, risks public health, and endangers species which are vulnerable to extinction,” he added.

The next Cobra Gold exercise has reportedly been delayed until August because of Covid-19 concerns.

PETA’s letter to Prayut is available here

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TAT eyes ‘unlimited pass’ with govt support of Bt2,000 per domestic traveller

NationalFeb 18. 2021Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn

By The Nation

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is all set to propose a new measure to Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn on stimulating domestic tourism, TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.

After gathering opinions and suggestions from the private sector, especially airlines, TAT found some ideas were feasible and would help stimulate tourism. One of the measures is subsidising flight fares, or going in for unlimited passes, at the rate of Bt2,000 per person.

However, discussions are still needed with airlines over fare prices under this scheme, he said.

The initial proposal is that the government should give each traveller a Bt2,000 subsidy on an “unlimited pass” costing up to Bt12,000. The unlimited pass would be valid for three months and allow the holder to fly domestically on any number of flights within the period.

If the cabinet agrees to the idea, TAT will hasten the regulation and guidelines to encourage travellers to take domestic holiday flights.

Yuthasak said there is money left over from the government’s Rao Tiew Duay Kan travel campaign for 1.3 million tickets out of a total 2 million under this scheme, with Bt2.7 billion in state financial backing.

However, he believes the unlimited pass would be a better option in this Covid-19 situation since travellers can book tickets in advance and even change flights with ease if there is a new outbreak at their destination.

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Upper Thailand gets cooler, with thundershowers, wind gusts

Feb 18. 2021

By THE NATION

Some areas of upper Thailand will experience thundershowers with gusty winds along with a temperature decrease of 1-3 degrees Celsius as a southeasterly wind brings moisture from the South China Sea to the lower North, the Central region and the East, while a moderate high-pressure system from China extends to the Northeast, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

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

North: Cool weather with fog in the morning and thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area as well as gusty wind; temperature lows of 16-22 degrees and highs of 32-36 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 5-15 degrees Celsius.

Northeast: Cool-to-cold weather with gusty wind; temperature lows of 15-20 degrees and highs of 29-33 degrees Celsius. Temperature on hilltops is likely to drop to 8-15 degrees Celsius.

Central: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area and gusty wind; temperature lows of 20-23 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius.

East: Thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area and gusty wind; temperature lows of 21-24 degrees, highs of 31-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a metre high and 1 metre offshore.

South (east coast): Partly cloudy with thundershowers in 10 per cent of the area; temperature lows of 21-25 degrees, highs of 30-33 degrees Celsius; waves a metre high and 1-2 metres during thundershowers.

South (west coast): Partly cloudy with isolated light rain; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 33-35 degrees Celsius; waves less than a metre high and 1 metre offshore.

Bangkok and surrounding areas: Thundershowers in 20 per cent of the area and gusty wind; temperature lows of 22-24 degrees, highs of 32-33 degrees Celsius.

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Opposition, govt coalition lock horns in parliament

NationalFeb 18. 2021Prayut Chan-o-cha

By The Nation

The opposition and ruling coalition parties engaged in a heated argument on the first day of the censure debate against the Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

https://if-cdn.com/nzcNJRi?v=1&app=1

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Baht expected to weaken further

NationalFeb 18. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 30.01 to the US dollar on Thursday, weakening from Wednesday’s close of 29.98.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.95 and 30.10, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.
Poon said the baht had weakened in line with the strengthening of the dollar.

Meanwhile, the gold price decreased to $1,775 (Bt53,285), the lowest point in the past nine months. Its resistance was between $1,750 and $1.775. Gold tends to be purchased for speculation, he pointed out.

Poon predicted the baht would weaken slightly. Importers were likely to buy the Thai currency when it strengthens to 29.85 per US dollar. However, the baht will not weaken more than 30.15, he added.