China’s Xi Jinping commits to more investments in Nigeria
ABUJA: Following a Belt And Road Initiative forum in Beijing, President Xi Jinping of China announced on Thursday( Oct 19 ) that his nation would increase investments in Nigeria’s power generation sector and digital economy. According to Vice President Kashim Shettima’s office, contracts for new projects worth US$ 2 billionContinue Reading
150 cards a year: Letter writers, charities lament postage rate hike but have no plans to stop
Another GROUPS ARE FEELING THE Squeeze AS WELL.
Following the shipping increase, some charitable organizations and real estate companies also had to change their business activities.
Hey, you’ve got email! is a ground-up project to reduce social isolation among the older that was launched during the crisis. The non-profit organization may send a greeting card to your loved ones for South$ 2 while also sending another card, which will be delivered to an elderly person receiving care in an assisted living facility or nursing home, to cheer them up. & nbsp,
However, the group plans to raise their charge to Mho$ 3 per card due to the rise in shipping and the rising cost of printing accounts, according to chairman Robin Bae.
We believe a proportional amount raise may be required to ensure that our cards remain affordable, especially for our devoted children supporters, given the additional mail value, Mr. Bae said.
Each year, the organization sends out about 400 accounts, including those to elders. & nbsp,
” We remain dedicated to our natural card awareness despite the mail increase.” But, Mr. Bae added that they are reaching out to the old at their houses or community events as we move through the post-COVID-19 new standard and are also looking into other engagement models with socially isolated seniors.
Srettha invites Xi to Thailand
P praises the success of his trip to China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has been invited to visit Thailand by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who has praised his attend as a victory.
On Thursday and the following day, authorities official Chai Wacharonke gave a summary of the diplomatic discussions between Mr. Srettha and Ms. Xi.
The PM thanked Mr. Xi for the warm welcome he received while attending the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation( BRF ) and added,” Mrs. Srettha also congratulated China on the 10th anniversary of the Belt & Road Initiative.”
As 2025 may mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Thai-Chinese diplomatic relations, he said, the prime minister and the Chinese president also vowed to improve relations between Thailand and China and emphasized the significance of a comprehensive strategic joint partnership between the two nations as well as the need to encourage high-level appointments between them.
According to the official, Mr Srettha has invited Mr. Xi to travel to Thailand on business.
He added that they believed the global economic slowdown and the political turmoil between the US and China have had an effect on the economies of China and Thailand. The two factors also discussed a wide range of issues, including financial assistance.
In light of this, they decided to collaborate in order to address issues and increase trade and investment, especially in sectors related to Thailand’s bio-circular and efficient economic growth type, such as electric cars, batteries, electronics, and clean energy.
According to Mr. Chai, Ms. Srettha even briefed Mr Xi on the advantages of Thailand’s area bridge job in the South and urged Chinese investment.
In response, Mr. Xi stated that Chinese buyers are even considering funding Thailand’s megaprojects.
Regarding tourism cooperation, Mr. Srettha officially informed Mr Xi that the Thai government has granted Chinese visitors a visa-free policy.
In an effort to promote hospitality as part of a larger financial revival plan, the government has introduced an interim card provision for 30-day remains for Chinese and Kyrgyz nationals. The program will end on February 29 after its September 25 debut.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, China was Thailand’s main source of foreign guests, bringing in close to 11 million people in 2019. About 5 million Chinese are anticipated to travel to the nation this year, according to hospitality officials.
Mr. Srettha likewise offered his condolences in China for the shooting on October 3 at Siam Paragon, which resulted in the deaths of three people, including a Chinese customer.
He claimed that the government has made every effort to compensate the subjects and guarantee the safety of all international visitors.
According to Mr. Chai, China had also promised to collaborate with Thailand to overcome international crimes.
According to Mr. Chai, the two sides also talked about how to help one another on the global level through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation construction, as well as the Asean and China cooperation framework and the United Nations.
On Wednesday in Beijing, Mr. Srettha even had a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang while on his journey. Additionally, he suggested permanently allowing Foreign visitors to enter without a visa.
A proposed new Mekong River bridge to Laos was discussed in the discussions on Wednesday in order to facilitate Thai cattle exports to China and more promote commerce between Thailand and China.
He even brought up the plan for a property span that would connect Chumphon and Ranong, two southern provinces, with the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. According to Mr. Srettha, this would also increase the potential of the Belt and Road to strengthen relationships with foreign countries as China anticipated.
The PM added that Thailand would become a global shipping hub thanks to the property bridge project and the construction of Taiwanese businesses there.
” The trip to China was successful.” If the land bridge project is successful and more Chinese businesses invest in EVs, I’m sure there will be more than$ 1 trillion in cash flow, he said.
Commentary: When it comes to bank outages, convenience favours the prepared
If history is any indication, the response to the most recent disruption will follow a three-track pattern: Customers will gripe about the inconvenience and question whether Singapore could go digital, banks may be forced to review their administrative procedures and system resilience, and the authorities may slap the violators with additional requirements and demand that they perform better.
Everything you’ve said is entirely reasonable and comprehensible.
Without a doubt, the banks — all of them, not just the two parties — will benefit from this. They should double down on duplication systems, increase their situation planning, and develop in better public relations and client recovery.
It is impossible to predict when another interruption may occur. No technological method is perfect, upon both.
A BETTER Digital Culture IS MISSING A LINK?
This will be viewed as a significant learning opportunity from sage social strategy to being digital. However, I wonder if society, including you and I, sees ourselves as a part of the entire digitalization process rather than just consumers. This would be the missing piece of information that would make the digital system function better. & nbsp,
Singapore has made great strides toward becoming a digital society. The nationwide campaign to reduce cash transactions began in 1985, even though the popularity of digital banking and digital transactions has only definitely increased recently.
In a statement delivered on March 14, 1985, Lee Yock Suan, the acting secretary for Labour, stated that the widespread adoption of electronic fund transfer systems and the popularity of digital transactions may show in’ a new period of comfort and convenience’ in banking and cash management services. ” We can anticipate the day when we can shop, pay our bills, check our bank accounts, and transfer money between accounts all from the comfort of our homes ,” said & nbsp.
Fears rising that Thailandâs 10,000-baht cash handouts will benefit big business, hurt financial stability instead
BANGKOK: Since leaving his home in the heart of Ratchaburi territory about 16 times ago, Mr. Pradit Boonkate, 67, has been employed as a security guard in Bangkok, Thailand. He now receives six weeks of annual left and a monthly salary of 15,900 rmb( US$ 437 ). & nbsp,
His meagre pay explains why he was happyinitiallyto hear that he would be among some 56 million Thais to receive a digital cash handout worth 10,000-baht from the new government next February under an economic incentive devised by the ruling Pheu Thai Party as part of its political campaign.
The plan, which involves the funds being distributed online, may initially seem like a good idea to low-income earners like Mr. Pradit. & nbsp,
But when considering how the cash must be spent – in six months, on food, medicines and occupational tools at local businesses locatedwithin a 4km radius of their registered address – those who live and work far away from home could find it hard to enjoy the free money.
“For people who live in the countryside, there is a huge distance between the town and their homes. Their villages often have small grocery stores selling things like canned fish and eggswhich won’t accept the digital money,” Mr Pradit,whose registered address remains in his Ratchaburi hometown, told CNA.
Some people believe that the US$ 15 billion scheme will ultimately benefit the wealthy and their large businesses, which already have the capacity to deliver goods and the technology to provide transactions, even though the government intends to change the conditions for rural areas to ensure that digital cash may penetrate and advantage all parts of the country.
” How are there so many things that little shops is provide?” said Mr. Pradit. ” It’s nice to get the money, but who will benefit from it, the prosperous?”
THE Citizens PAY, THE State GIVES?
The digital wallet programme is designed for Thai nationals,with only one qualifying condition: as long as they are aged 16 and above.
Its main goal is to boost the economy through income transmission in communities across the country while increasing the paying power of low-income earners.
But a group of reportedly 99academics, economists and former governors of the Bank of Thailand have recently issued a joint statement against its implementation.
They urged the government to end the program, claiming that doing so would increase short-term usage and ultimately harm Thailand’s financial security.
According to the statement,” Eventually, it will be the people who will have to pay it back, whether it be through higher taxes and / or higher prices of goods brought on by inflation as a result of economic injection.”
Dr. Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, the governor of the Bank of Thailand, even suggested last month that the policy only apply to a select group of people because not everyone requires for financial assistance and the market is recovering.
5 hot-button issues set to figure strongly in Indonesiaâs presidential, legislative elections
THE ECOMETRY
With 270 million residents, this developing nation’s economy will still be vital in the upcoming elections. & nbsp,
According to Mr. Kevin O’Rourke, an analyst with the Jakarta-based political risk consulting firm Reformasi Information Services,” the top three concerns of the voters will remain the same, which are( eradicating ) poverty, & nbsp, job opportunity, and inflation.”
The COVID – 19 pandemic severely affected Indonesia in 2020, causing its economy to contract by 2.07 % that year. & nbsp,
However, it increased by 3.69 percent in 2021, which was a rebound. Yet last year, it saw a growth of 5.31 percent, the highest in about ten years.
However, despite having 270 million individuals, Indonesia also has approximately 26 million poor people as of March of this year. This is comparable to a poverty rate of about 9 %. & nbsp,
The largest economy in Southeast Asia has recently seen an increase in the price of grain as a result of crop loss brought on by the latest protracted dry climate. & nbsp,
Jokowi, as Mr. Widoho is more commonly known, has been monitoring Indonesian markets to make sure there is enough grain available to keep prices low.
A rise in grain prices will lead to an increase in prices. The inflation rate was 5.51 percent the previous month. It was only 1.87 percent in 2021. & nbsp,
Inflation is anticipated to be around 3 % this year, but it could be higher if the rice price situation does not improve. & nbsp,
The price of corn and other cost of living will undoubtedly be people’s top concern when they go to the polls the following year. Rice is a well-liked staple food. In addition, & nbsp,
About 204.8 million Indonesians may be eligible to vote, making the upcoming elections the largest single-day election in the world, according to the election committee. & nbsp,
Fresh voters make up more than half of the available electorate. & nbsp,
Therefore, it’s possible that prospects will talk about addressing unemployment during their campaigns. & nbsp,
According to Mr. Aditya Perdana, a political scientist from the University of Indonesia, younger voters may undoubtedly inquire about their chances of finding employment or even finding work as freelancers. & nbsp,
Indonesia’s poverty rate last year was around 5.86 percent, and it is anticipated that it will be between 5 and 5.7 percent this year. Related numbers were foreseen by Jokowi for the following month. & nbsp,
Russia says it is coordinating Middle East policy with China
On Thursday, October 19, Russia announced that it was working with China, a growing alliance that President Vladimir Putin visited this year, to coordinate its plan in the Middle East and North Africa. According to Russia, Zhai Jun, China’s specific minister for the Middle East, and Deputy Foreign Minister MikhailContinue Reading
Thai Muslims plan embassy protest
Muslims in southern Thailand announced yesterday that they would congregate tomorrow in front of the Jewish embassy in Bangkok to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict.
However, the party insisted that the getting, which will also include submitting a petition to the consulate, is only intended to” encourage peace” between Israelis and Palestinians, and that neither side should allow the conflict to worsen or move on.
Baitat Samansathitkhun, a Phatthalung local, revealed the strategy and added that other Muslims from the South and Bangkok would also attend the meeting.
According to him, people from the South will go from regions like Satun, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang, Phuket, Krabi, and Phangnga in cars and exclusive vehicles.
According to Donmit Waeowanchit, another southwestern Muslim, in addition to submitting the complaint to the Jewish embassy, the protesters will also voice their opinions through speeches on the violence seen in news coverage.
Social protesters Jatuporn Prompan and Nititor N Lamlua will also be present at the meeting.
According to a supply, as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues and intensifies, numerous individuals and organizations are showing support for Palestinians. According to the source, military Islamist groups in nations like Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq are prepared to join the conflict.
Wisut Binlate, a part of Thailand’s Central Islamic Council, said he was aware that Thai security personnel may be uncomfortable with the anticipated meeting.
But, he added, the government must realize that these Muslims are merely retaliating against the cruelty they have seen on the news to citizens, kids, women, and elderly people in the Gaza Strip.
Thai Muslims felt the need to express their opinions and call for better protection for honest folks, including Thai citizens being held captive by Hamas, as a result of the explosion at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which left many hundred persons useless, for one, he said.
Thailand ought to be regarded as a nation that upholds morality and respects human freedom. And it shouldn’t ever have a tendency to support any battle offenders, he added.
PM urged to push health hub
20 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
According to Thai business consultant Nalinee Thavisin, officials in the public health sector are urging the government to promote Thailand’s potential as a skilled gateway while the premier is in Saudi Arabia.
Ms. Nalinee spoke with Panacee Group members yesterday about expanding the health sector to the Middle East.
It falls on the last day of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s journey to Saudi Arabia. Yesterday, he boarded a trip from Beijing to Riyadh.
In order to treat patients with cancer, crucial state diabetes, kidney failure, and heart disease brought on by diabetes in Thailand, according to Ms. Nalinee, the public health business wants the government to establish a relationship with the Saudi Arabian Public Health Ministry.
She continued by saying that the majority of people from the Middle East, particularly Saudis, had received treatment in Thailand and were happy with the outcomes.
According to her, Panacee Medical Center wants to modernize conventional treatments so that it can be used everywhere.
According to her, it offered patients conventional treatments like cannabis and Thai nearby herbs in addition to iv therapy, cell therapy and Royal Court Pharmacopoeia.
According to Panacee, the government’s wellness tourism policy was well received by the company, which aimed to make the nation a skilled hub and destination not only for Asean but also for other nations around the world.
The objective, according to Ms. Nalinee, is based on the nation’s status for healthcare tourism.
Ministry issues PM2.5 warning
20 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
The Public Health Ministry advises people to check the weather excellent before leaving their homes or engaging in outdoor activities, especially those with chronic conditions.
This is due to recent mild or harmful levels of ultra-fine dust, or PM2.5, in some areas of Bangkok and several other regions.
PM2.5 debris ranges typically increase between the end and early part of the time, according to Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, lasting director for public health, who stated this yesterday.
PM2.5 levels are currently at the moderate( yellow ) or unhealthy( orange ) level in some provinces, particularly in the Northeast, such as Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Nong Khai, and Ubon Ratchathani.
In Bangkok, PM2.5 levels have been found to be bad in a number of places, including the Charoen Nakhon Road in the Khlong San region, the Thung Wat Don district in Sathon, and the Kanchanaphisek road in Bang Khun Thian area.
According to Dr. Opas, people should check their PM2.5 levels using the Air4Thai application or go to the Department of Pollution Control’s website at http :// air4thae.pcd.go.th before leaving their homes or engaging in outdoor activities.
To determine the air quality levels, they can also go to the website https :// pm25gistda.or.th, where the blue color code indicates very good air.
Green indicates a low risk to health. People with respiratory system disorders should abstain from outdoor workout, while children and the elderly may restrict their time outside because golden indicates bad. Red means dangerous air quality, and orange means extremely bad.