Thailand news in english

The leader of one of Thailand’s southern rebel groups claimed yesterday that the group was behind a double bombing that killed a villager that day. Chalermchai Petchkart, the police chief of Sai Buri district in Pattani province, where the bombing happened, told Benar News that the bomb that exploded and killed the villager had been left in a paper bag. “His friend walked to the field as Navi parked his motorbike near a tree and found a paper bag. He picked it up, and the bomb exploded, killing him there”. The group, Patani United Liberation Organisation, is considered one of the oldest secessionist movements in the Deep South. The last time PULO committed an attack was reportedly in 2016. The attack yesterday came just weeks after another southern rebel group, Barisan Revolusi Nasional, agreed with the Thai government to a 40-day ceasefire. The ceasefire agreement came in light of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, and Thailand’s Songkran holiday. Police bomb squad … [Read more...] about Southern Thailand ceasefire shattered with another fatal bombing

The Association of Thai Travel Agents is urging the government to postpone the implementation of a new tourism fee until the sector has fully recovered. Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn says Thailand has averaged around 3,000 – 4,000 foreign tourists per day, since re-opening on November 1. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says confidence is low ahead of the coming high season as many target market countries are battling new waves of Covid-19. Added to this is the high cost of PCR testing on arrival. Sisdivachr says the cost in Thailand is often much higher than in countries tourists are arriving from, citing India as an example, where a PCR test costs between 250 and 400 baht. He says the high price Thailand is charging risks deterring tourists. Meanwhile, his colleague, Adith Chairattananon, says tourism operators want more clarity around how the tourism fund will be managed and who will benefit from it. Adith says that to ensure transparency, the government should … [Read more...] about Travel agents call for tourism fee to be postponed until industry recovers

Thai schools will no longer have to close if a student, teacher, or staff member tests positive for Covid-19, according to the Department of Health. The department’s deputy director-general, Sarawut Boonsook, has confirmed the new policy as the new school term gets underway today. According to a Thai PBS World report, if a student, teacher, or school staff member is found to have contracted the virus, health officials and school management will work together on isolation measures that allow the school to remain open. Sarawut says if an infected student is asymptomatic or only has mild symptoms, he or she can remain in class but must be kept at least 2 metres from other students and will be unable to participate in group activities. He adds that the classroom must be kept well-ventilated and disinfected regularly. In the event of a low-risk patient at day schools, on-site learning can continue, provided disease prevention measures are adhered to. Low-risk students can attend … [Read more...] about Thai schools will no longer have to close if Covid-19 infection detected

U.S. stocks again started the day mixed after a report said that U.S. retail and food services fell more than expected last month. Investors are also digesting a slew of quarterly earnings reports from banks, as JPMorgan Chase & Co. ( JPM ) and Citigroup Inc. ( C ) recorded income declines, while Wells Fargo & Company ( WFC ) said that profit jumped. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 are poised to finish the week lower, while the Nasdaq may end up higher for the week. All three major indexes finished lower yesterday. Key Takeaways Stocks are mixed again this morning, with the Nasdaq gaining and the Dow and S&P 500 falling. Retail and food sales sank 1.9% in December, marking the biggest drop in 10 months. JPMorgan and Citigroup reported falling quarterly profit, while Wells Fargo reported fourth quarter profit that beat analysts' forecasts. The University of Michigan will release its Consumer Sentiment Index for … [Read more...] about Stocks Mixed as Retail Sales Drop Most in 10 Months

Thai star Chanathip ROSLAN RAHMAN The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) yesterday announced its 30-man provisional squad for next month's Asian Cup qualifying round in Uzbekistan. Playmaker Chanathip Songkrasin, of Japanese champions Kawasaki Frontale, was left out of the team due to injury. Midfielder Thanawat Suengchittavorn, of English Premier League club Leicester City, also was not included in the squad. The War Elephants will play hosts Uzbekistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka in the June 8-14 qualifying round. The six group winners and five best runners-up reach the 2023 finals. Thailand coach Mano Polking will trim the team to 23 players after three warm-up games -- against Bahrain (two) and Turkmenistan between May 24 and 31. The 2023 Asian Cup finals were originally scheduled for June and July next year in China. However, China has withdrawn from organising the tournament due to Covid-19. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is looking for a new host which … [Read more...] about No place for Chanathip in Asian Cup qualifiers squad

The 2021 Southeast Asian Games, hosted by Vietnam, has Sao La as the mascot. It was inspired by the Vu Quang bovid, a rare, forest-dwelling bovine, which was found in 1992 in the Annamite Range in Vietnam. The mascot was chosen after a two-year contest that drew some 500 entries. According to the definition, a mascot is a symbol used to represent an idea. It also serves as a message at sports competitions. At most SEA Games, a quadrennial event, the hosts combine animals with human-like characters. Their expressions are bright and cheerful with a child-like, adorable quality, while symbolizing the identity of the host country. A dog walks in front of a banner with the image of the official mascot for the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Hanoi on May 4, 2022, before the start of the multi-sport event on May 12. (Photo by Nhac NGUYEN / AFP) “Sao La”, the animal that was found first in Vietnam, the host of the 31st Southeast Asian Games, has combined the images … [Read more...] about Explainer: SEA Games and their various mascots

Tourism helped boost Thai economic growth in the first quarter. (Bangkok Post photo) Thailand's economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter supported by a pickup in agriculture and an easing of Covid-19 curbs, but higher inflation remained a drag on a fragile recovery. The government cut its 2022 economic growth forecast to 2.5-3.5% from 3.5-4.5%, due to higher prices and slower global growth linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last year's expansion was revised to 1.5% from 1.6%, among the slowest growth rates in the region. The economy, Southeast Asia's second largest, expanded a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in the March quarter from the previous three months, data from the National Economic and Social Development Council showed, versus a forecast 0.9% increase in a Reuters poll. On a yearly basis, gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.2% in January-March, beating a forecast 2.1% rise, and after revised 1.8% growth in the previous three months. The economy this … [Read more...] about Q1 GDP growth tops forecast but Ukraine war hits 2022 outlook

Ukrainian partners of Azovstal's soldiers of Marioupol, Olha Andrianova, Katerina Prokopenko and Hanna Naumenko pose during a photo session on May 15, 2022 in Paris. Their menfolk are the last pocket of resistance in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, holed up in a warren of underground tunnels and bunkers at the vast Azovstal steelworks under heavy Russian bombardment. But while their partners, all fighters in Ukraine's Azov regiment, make a last stand at Azovstal, Olha Andrianova, Hanna Naumenko and Kateryna Prokopenko are engaged in their own personal battle -- to get the West to intervene to save them. After leaving Kyiv on April 23, they stopped off at the Vatican, where they were granted a five-minute audience with Pope Francis , and also visited Poland and Germany. Now in France, the young women are determined to do whatever is necessary to help save the men's lives. "The more countries we go to, the more chances we have of finding a quick solution," said … [Read more...] about Ukrainian women ask West to save trapped Mariupol defenders

SEAG Games mascot Rimau and Pami during the SEAG flame handover from Malaysia to Philippines | @junavINQ pic.twitter.com/2bpJ36O0RC — INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) October 3, 2019 The Philippines officially received the symbolic Southeast Asian Games torch from the 2017 host Malaysia in a flame handover ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. Pami, the official mascot of the Philippines for the SEA Games, helped usher in the SEA Games torch along with Malaysia’s mascot Rimau, which was inspired by the Malayan Tiger, from the 2017 Games in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian and Philippines Olympics Council representatives pose with 29th Southeast Asian Games mascot (left) and 30th Southeast Asian Games mascot (right) during the Flame Handover Ceremony for the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. Philippines will be the host city of the 30th SEA Games on Nov. 30 – Dec. 11, 2019. (AP Photo/FL Wong) Pami, a bubbly looking sponge … [Read more...] about WATCH: PH’s SEA Games mascot Pami present at flame handover

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Charleston’s social and wellness club The Wonderer , founded by Beau Burns, evolved from years of work, travel, reflection, and one life-affirming tragedy. In December 2014, Beau Burns walked away from his finance job and bought an around-the-world plane ticket. Tired of the daily grind, he wanted to clear his head and contemplate career moves. Three months into his travels, about to depart the Philippines for Nepal to join a climb to Mt. Everest Base Camp, he got a call from a friend in China. “I’m coming south into Tibet, and we can do the ascent together if you can push your date back by 2 weeks” he told Burns. Burns jumped on the phone with the trip coordinator and in a rare stroke of luck for this popular excursion, they had slots open for the new date. Burns changed his flight and stayed in Cebu another week. On April 25, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian … [Read more...] about Born Of A Mountain Tragedy, A Vision For Wellness And Community Takes Hold By The Sea At Charleston’s Social Club The Wonderer