Thailand news update

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

Editor's note: Below you'll find the week 87 release of the NYC Recovery Index, originally published May 3, 2022. Visit the NYC Recovery index homepage for the latest data. New York City’s economic recovery index declined in the week ending April 23, 2022, falling just over a point to close at 74 out of 100, with all major components of the index recording a weekly decline. COVID-19 hospitalization rates continued to rise, along with an uptick in unemployment insurance claims. Home sales, rental vacancies, subway ridership, and restaurant reservations all declined compared to the week of April 16. On a positive note, home sales and UI claims remain fully recovered, with pending home sales still considerably above pre-pandemic levels. New York City’s economic recovery stands at a score of 74 out of 100, according to the New York City Recovery Index, a joint project between Investopedia and NY1 . Over two years into the pandemic, New York City’s economic recovery is just … [Read more...] about The New York City Recovery Index: May 2

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

U.S. stock futures are moving higher, led by technology shares on the Nasdaq exchange, after another volatile day of trading ahead of an announcement from Federal Reserve policymakers about the future of monetary policy . Key Takeaways U.S. stock futures are moving sharply higher, led by technology shares on the Nasdaq exchange. Traders are awaiting a 2 p.m. Eastern time announcement from Federal Reserve policymakers about the future of monetary policy. Cryptocurrencies' rally continued. Oil again marched higher, and the dollar strengthened against the euro. Bond yields fell. Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) helped lead tech shares higher after reporting fiscal second quarter results that beat expectations while forecasting better-than-expected quarterly sales for the current quarter. Tesla, Inc. ( TSLA ), scheduled to report earnings after markets close today, is also gaining. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down more than 800 points … [Read more...] about Stocks Gain as Tech Rallies and Investors Await Fed Rate Decision

Electric carmaker Tesla, Inc. ( TSLA ) may have indefinitely postponed production of its Cybertruck. The vehicle, whose prototype was unveiled in November 2019, was due for customer delivery in 2021. Last year, the company announced a delay in its production schedule to August 2022 due to the pandemic shutdown. But the Cybertruck's landing page on the Tesla website now no longer mentions the new date for start of production. The latest change in the vehicle's delivery status was first reported by auto website Edmunds. Tesla CEO Elon Musk had previously tweeted, in November, that he would provide an updated product roadmap in the company's next earnings call on Jan. 26. Key Takeaways Tesla stock fell by nearly 5% after news that its Cybertruck production date will be delayed yet again. The electric carmaker previously delayed production of the vehicle to 2022. Tesla competitors are racing ahead with their plans to release their versions of all-electric pickup trucks. … [Read more...] about Tesla (TSLA) Falls on Cybertruck Production Delays

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