#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Ministry wants Phuket road, tram master plan in a month

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By The Nation

Transport Ministry permanent secretary Chayathon Promsorn said he has ordered the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning to create a master transport plan for Phuket within a month.

He made the announcement after a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the progress of a mass transit system linking Phuket International Airport with Ha Yaek Chalong.

He also asked the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to accelerate implementation of the transport project.

The goal is to achieve “efficient network integration” that does not cause traffic jams in Phuket.

The ministry plans to develop a host of projects, especially the Kathu-Patong expressway by the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) and the Mueang Mai-Koh Kaew and Koh Kaew-Kathu highways by the Department of Highways (DOH).

“Road construction projects come first,” he said. “The construction of road projects by Exat and the DOH must be expedited first because the trams will make use of the constructed areas of the road. If road development is not completed first, along with the tram construction, it will cause heavy traffic problems in Phuket. There is no bypass for the public,” Chayathon said.

He requested both the MRTA and Exat, the agencies involved in developing the transport network in Phuket, to create an action plan and set up a suitable joint construction framework in a month.

A Transport Ministry source said the policy to push the road construction project first may cause the MRTA tram project to be delayed since it would have to wait for the road network construction project to proceed first.

Bidding hasn’t started yet for the projects.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

201 new cases, Bangkok sees rising trend in infections

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Thursday reported 201 new cases, 16 of whom are returnees in quarantine facilities.

Of the remaining 185, 96 were exposed to the virus while visiting high-risk areas. Samut Sakhon leads the list with 56 cases, followed by 23 in Tak, 16 in Bangkok and one in Nonthaburi.

Proactive testing led to the discovery of 89 cases, with 73 in Samut Sakhon, followed by 14 in Tak and one each in Bangkok and Rayong.

Of the returnees, 12 were Thais returning from Japan, Turkey, Sweden, and United States, while the rest hailed from Pakistan, Britain, Sudan and Russia.

Apisamai Srirangsan, assistant CCSA spokesperson, said Bangkok has seen 17 cases in the new wave, with two found in Chulalongkorn University.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has been conducting tests in high-risk areas such as Phasi Charoen, Bang Khae, Bang Bon, Klong Toei, Sathorn, Pathum Wan. It has tested 59,845 people, of whom 896 have tested positive so far.

Meanwhile, 885 patients have recovered and been discharged.

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed cases in Thailand had risen to 24,104. Of these, 21,514 had been contracted locally, including 13,624 who were found via proactive testing, while 2,590 were returnees. So far, 19,799 have recovered and been discharged, 4,225 are still being treated (2,694 in hospitals and 1,531 in field hospital ), while the death toll stands at 80.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am, the number of confirmed cases globally had risen to 107.86 million (up by 437,780), 80.02 million have recovered, 25.47 million are active cases (101,470 in severe condition) and 2.36 million have died (up by 14,018).

Thailand ranks 114th on the global list of most cases, which is topped by the US with 27.9 million, followed by India 10.87 million, Brazil 9.7 million, Russia 4 million and the United Kingdom 3.98 million.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Police arrest duo who allegedly scammed over 500 online game players of Bt50 million

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By THE NATION

Technology Crime Suppression Division officers on Thursday announced the arrest of two Thai women – Thanaphon, 25, and Thithipha, 31 (last names withheld) – for allegedly scamming more than 500 users out of Bt50 million.

“The suspects had been operating an online game called ‘Lucky Doca’, a dog-catching game that promised profits to players who bought virtual dogs and successfully sold them to other players,” the TCSD officers said.

“After being repeatedly bought and sold, the ‘dogs’ would become more and more expensive and were expected to generate a huge virtual profit for the ‘owners’. But the game was then shut down, leaving players unable to cash in their ‘dogs’,” the officers said

They said they tracked down the suspects after 30 victims complained to the division that they had lost all the money they invested once the game was shut down.

“An initial investigation revealed that more than 500 victims were scammed, most of whom work from home or spend several hours online each day,” the officers added.

The two suspects were charged with public fraud and inputting false information into a computer system in violation of the Computer Crimes Act.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

OR share price hits Bt26.50 on first day of trading

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By The Nation

The share price of PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR) on the first day of trading was Bt26.50 per share, up Bt8.50, or 47 per cent, compared to its subscription price of Bt18.

Several analysts had expected the price to rise over its subscription price.

As the company has good fundamentals, they advised investors to buy the shares for long-term speculation.

Earlier, OR had launched its initial public offering of 3 billion shares. Of the total, 1.03 billion were offered to retail investors, 1.21 billion to domestic institutional investors, 450 million to foreign institutional investors and 300 million to existing PTT shareholders.

The total number of retail investor subscriptions via three banks – Kasikornbank, Bangkok Bank and Krungthai Bank – was more than 530,000, while they received an average of 4,500 shares.

OR Chief Executive Officer Jiraporn Khaosawas announced that the company’s five-year business expansion plan (2021-2025) was worth Bt74.60 billion, with 34.6 per cent to be invested in the oil business, 28.6 per cent in retail and service businesses, 21.8 in foreign business and 15 per cent in other business.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

AOT reports Bt3.4-billion accumulated net loss in Q1 fiscal year 2021

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By THE NATION

Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) and its subsidiaries reported to the Stock Exchange of Thailand on Thursday an accumulated net loss of Bt3.44 billion for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 (October-December 2020), a 146.93 per cent decrease compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year, in which it had reported a net profit of Bt7.33 billion.

AOT’s revenue in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 was recorded at Bt2.74 billion, decreasing 89.99 per cent from the same period of the previous fiscal year, when it had reported revenue of Bt16.1 billion.

AOT also said it recorded 104,366 flights from six airports under its administration in the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, a 53.5 per cent decrease year on year. Of these, 89,433 were domestic flights and 14,903 international.

The company attributed its loss to the decrease of international flights and passengers due to the Covid-19 crisis, as well as the financial aid it has been providing to entrepreneurs at airports who have been affected by the virus fallout.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Online logistics business talks with Myanmar, Laos create over Bt130 million in trade value

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By The Nation

The Department of International Trade Promotion’s online business matching (OBM) negotiations with Myanmar and Laos to help Thai logistics operators has yielded a trade value of more than Bt130 million, director-general Somdet Susomboon said on Wednesday.

The two sets of OBM negotiations covered joint ventures, business cooperation, transportation and building a network between Thai operators and their counterparts in Myanmar and Laos.

Online negotiations between Thai logistics operators and their Myanmar counterparts on December 18, 2020, created a trade value of more than Bt10.9 million, and talks with Laotian operators on January 26 yielded a trade value of over Bt120 million.

The OBM activities are in line with the policy of Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit to promote Thai logistics entrepreneurs and develop their operations in delivering goods to the other Mekong countries, while expanding the kingdom’s regional logistics service network.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

SET under pressure due to tight valuation

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By The Nation

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index fell by 5.02 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 1,511.92 in the morning session on Thursday.

A Krungsri Securities analyst expected the SET to fluctuate between 1,525 and 1,530 points despite the US Federal Reserve’s promise to maintain the interest rate in a bid to stimulate the economy and employment.

The analyst said the index gained positive sentiment from the rising oil price and the first day of PTT Oil and Retail Business share trading.

“However, the SET would be under pressure due to its tight valuation,” he predicted, adding that the index’s price-to-earnings ratio was 30 times.

He recommended investors buy:

▪︎ PTTGC, TOP, IVL, EPG, VNT, CBG, ROJNA, TVO, STGT, HTC, CPF, RCL, PSL, SYNXE, COM7, XO, WICE, JMT, JMART, SINGER, MTC, SAWAD, KCE, AH and SAT, whose fourth-quarter turnover is expected to improve.

▪︎ CBG, ICHI, OSP, SAPPE, RBF, DOD and PTG, which benefit from positive news on hemp production and its general use.

The SET Index closed at 1,516.94 on Wednesday, down 1.33 points, or 0.09 per cent. Total transactions amounted to Bt74.89 billion, with an index high of 1,527.88 points and a low of 1,513.13.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Baht rate unchanged, expected to move in line with dollar

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 29.90 to the US dollar on Thursday morning, unchanged from Wednesday’s close.

The Thai currency is likely to move between 29.80 and 30 on Thursday, Krungthai market strategist Poon Panichpibool said.

He mentioned that the market was waiting for new factors to move the currency.

On Thursday, the baht will likely move in line with the dollar.

Poon said the market is still closely watching the status of fresh US stimulus measures, the Covid-19 situation in Thailand and vaccine distribution.

The main focus in Thailand is on PTTOR stocks, as Thursday is the first day of trading on the shares and will likely attract even foreign investors, he said.

Poon said financial markets were not ready for risks, after US core inflation decreased more than the market expected.

The economic data is a matter of concern for investors, who are watching for signs of an economic recovery and are being urged to sell their risk assets for speculation.

The Russell 200 Index dropped by 0.7 per cent, while the S&P 500 saw no change. Europe’s Stoxx 50 closed 0.35 per cent amid investor concern over an EU economic recovery that has been pressured by the virus situation and vaccine distribution.

The US Ten-Year Treasury yield meanwhile decreased by 4 basis points to 1.12 per cent.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Gold price unchanged even as spot price rises

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By The Nation

The price of gold was unchanged in morning trade on Thursday, the Gold Traders Association reported.

As of 9.25am, the buying price of a gold bar was Bt25,950 per baht weight and selling price Bt26,050, while gold ornaments cost Bt25,483.96 and Bt26,550, respectively.

The spot gold price moved to US$1,838 (Bt54,993) per ounce in the morning after rising by $5.20 to $1,842.70 per ounce on Wednesday, thanks to the weakening dollar and progress in the rollout of fresh US economic stimulus measures.

The Hong Kong gold market was closed for the Lunar New Year.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Stores employ 3-bottle limit to prevent palm cooking oil hoarding

NationalFeb 11. 2021

By THE NATION

Several discount stores and supermarkets have enforced a 3-bottle limit on palm cooking oil purchases to prevent hoarding, a news source revealed on Thursday.

“The limit was announced after food merchants, owners of restaurants and grocery stores and the general public have been buying palm cooking oil in bulk amid the rising price of crude palm,” the source said.

“Food merchants fear that if the price goes up any higher they will lose their profit margin, while grocery stores aim to earn big profits in case of a price hike or product shortage,” he said.

Earlier this week, the Department of Internal Trade asked manufactures and distributors of bottled palm cooking oil to cap the price for as long as possible to alleviate the financial burden faced by consumers after the crude palm price jumped to Bt7.5 per kilogramme. This has resulted in the crude palm oil price increasing to Bt39 per kilogramme, in turn raising the price of bottled palm cooking oil to Bt46-Bt48 per litre.

“People have been complaining that some resellers, especially those who participate in the government’s ‘Let’s Go Halves’ co-payment shopping campaign, have raised the price of palm cooking oil to Bt50-Bt55 per litre,” the source added.

The department said the changing weather is one of the factors responsible for the rising crude palm price. It estimated that the oil palm price should stabilise around the end of March, when the market will see more crude palm.