Tuesday’s news-May 21 -

Today’s news: New water bill app/Hua Hin’s Thai Sturgeon Farm/1,882 new COVID-19 hospitalizations, 16 deaths/Health risks getting a tattoos/Education system ‘stuck in the past’/Expanding Digital Payment Services/Gold hits all-time high/Bt9M to save golf course/Deadly explosions rock Narathiwat/Economy: Thailand’s structural issues/Brain drain at developing countries/Budget increase of Bt122 billion sought/Startups seek to gain from digital wallet/Thai hotels urge tax reform/Tourism: Tourism just shy of pre-Covid levels/Spotlighting hidden tourism gems/Thailand Experience: 5 All-Inclusive Resorts/Climate Thailand: Today’s Thai environmental news/Links: Calendar of events/Airport schedule/Bangkok airport bus schedule/Hua Hin-Pattaya bus schedule/Air pollution index map/90-day online report/driver’s license/Market Village and Bluport cinemas/Emergency numbers

New app to pay water bills almost ready

The Hua Hin Municipal Waterworks Department is set to launch a new mobile application, HH Smart. The app, which will be available in Thai and English, is designed to make it easier to pay water bills and keeping residents informed about water services.

The app, expected to be available soon, offers six features aimed at enhancing user convenience and efficiency. Continued …

The Story of Hua Hin’s Thai Sturgeon Farm

There’s always going to be an eager market for premium caviar, which is why the team behind Thai Sturgeon Farm, a state-of-the-art facility in Hua Hin, is enjoying such great success with their homegrown artisanal gourmet product.

Hailing originally from Russia, Dr. Alexey Tyutin, PhD, is the co-owner and managing director of Thai Sturgeon Farm, a 1,465-square-meter facility located in Hua Hin that launched back in 2016. Currently, the farm has 1,250 female strurgeon swimming around in its tanks, ranging in size from 15 to 40 kilos. According to Dr. Alexey, these fiesty fish can yield over 120 kilos of caviar in one spawning period, and that amount will only increase as the fish continue to grow in size. Continued …

1,882 new COVID-19 hospitalizations and 16 deaths in the last week

Thailandis experiencing a significant but underreported surge in COVID-19 cases, with both public and private hospitals feeling the strain as outpatient and inpatient admissions rise.

This trend mirrors situations in other countries like Singapore, the UK, the U.S., Australia, Canada, and France, driven by new variants from the KP lineage (e.g., KP.1, KP.2, KP.3). Continued …

Health risks associated with getting a tattoo

Tattoos have transitioned from ancient cultural rites to mainstream expressions of individuality. Their popularity spans continents and demographics, yet this surge in acceptance has not been without its concerns.

As more individuals opt to decorate their bodies with intricate designs and meaningful symbols, an essential question arises: Are tattoos safe? Recent studies and medical reports suggest that while tattoos can be a beautiful form of self-expression, they come with a range of potential health risks that should not be ignored. Continued …

Email link – kenbrown@businessclassasia.com

Thailand’s education system ‘stuck in the past’

Students returned to school for the new academic year last week – but most found that little had changed in Thailand’s subpar education system.

“Thailand’s education is still stuck in the 2.0 era instead of stepping into the 5.0 era,” prominent educator Assoc. Prof. Sompong Jitradub commented at the start of the 2024 academic year. Continued …

Thailand Focuses on Expanding Digital Payment Services

The Bank of Thailand is actively expanding the digital payments ecosystem to enhance accessibility for both Thai citizens and foreigners, as stated by an official at the institution.

Here are the key points: The BOT is engaging in collaborations with various countries, including China, to establish partnerships centered around QR code payment systems. Continued …

Gold hits all-time high

Gold prices soared to an all-time high of US$2,450 an ounce on Monday, as a slowing inflation trend in the U.S. increased optimism that the Federal Reserve will start easing monetary policy this year, while geopolitical tension in the Middle East is on the increase.

Spot gold rose 1.4% to hit $2,450.07 an ounce in Asia on Monday, surpassing a previous intraday record reached in April. But it eased to $2,440 later in the day. U.S. gold futures soared 1.5% to $2,453.20. Continued …

City official accused of demanding Bt9M to save golf course

Police arrested a public works official of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration on Monday morning for allegedly demanding a nine-million-baht bribe in exchange for diverting a planned new road away from a golf course.

The Central Investigation Bureau said the official was arrested at his house in Nonthaburi province and his luxury cars and five Harley-Davidson motorcycles were impounded for examination. Continued …

Deadly explosions rock Narathiwat

One volunteer was killed and nine others injured in two separate explosions in Narathiwat on Monday, while rebel group Barisan Revolusi Nasional Melayu-Patani (BRN) was holding a peace workshop with Thai officials in nearby Malaysia.

In Sukhirin district, an explosion was reported near tambon Kia’s Health Promoting Hospital at 8.20 am, killing Weerapol Abudulrahim, a volunteer providing security protection to local teachers at the time. Continued …

Thailand needs to address structural issues to propel GDP growth

Thailand needs to resolve many structural problems to be able to move beyond the sub 2% economic growth the country is currently facing, as continued high level of household debts is likely to weigh in on the possible growth for the near future.

The National Economic & Social Development Council (NESDC)’s announcement yesterday of the first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) had a clear-cut warning, the NESDC said that the high level of household debt continues to be an obstacle to the expected growth of the economy. Continued …

Brain drain whittles away at developing countries

Developing countries are seeing more and more of their talent disappearing as the U.S. and other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) tempt highly qualified professionals to migrate and take advantage of better job opportunities, income, and welfare support in their countries than they could enjoy at home.

High-income countries like the U.S., Canada and China are competing for labor by launching immigration schemes, providing high salaries and quality of life, to attract skilled workers from around the world. Continued …

Budget increase of Bt122 billion sought to fund handout scheme

The government is seeking to increase the 2024 fiscal budget by 122 billion baht to fund its signature handout scheme, its Budget Bureau chief said on Monday, only a month after a delayed 3.48 trillion baht budget was passed.

The announcement comes as the government forges ahead with plans to release fiscal stimulus with a handout of 500 billion baht by the fourth quarter this year, the flagship policy of the ruling Pheu Thai party. Continued …

Startups seek to gain from digital wallet

Startup communities have called on the Finance Ministry to let them take part in the government’s digital wallet scheme.

They want to take the opportunity of the planned launch of the digital wallet scheme to seek ways to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt their digital technologies for digital transformation. Continued …

Thai hotels urge reform of land and building tax rates

Hotels are calling for a revision of the property tax calculation based on land appraisal prices and business income to address the uneven recovery within the hospitality industry.

President of the Thai Hotels Assn. (THA) Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun highlighted that the land and building tax remains a significant challenge for hotel operators. This year, the full rate is set to be collected, following a 15% discount in 2023 and a 90% reduction during the pandemic. Continued …

Tourism in Thailand just 7% shy of pre-Covid levels

Optimism is palpable for 2024, with projections from the Mastercard Institute indicating that this year may see Thailand’s tourism rebound to pre-pandemic levels.

During an online press conference, David Mann, the chief economist for Mastercard Asia-Pacific, stated that Thailand’s tourism sector is nearing a full recovery, with current visitor numbers just 7% shy of the pre-pandemic levels. Continued …

Thailand launches new push to spotlight hidden tourism gems

Thailand has launched a major push to boost tourism revenue from second-tier provinces and cities under a five-point campaign. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said the initiative resulted from a brainstorming session held last week with nine ministries, the Royal Thai Police, and two other agencies.

The goal is to generate tourism revenue of 330 billion baht per year in the 55 second-tier provinces, said TAT Deputy Gov. Somruedee Jitjong. These provinces currently generate only 20% of overall tourism revenue, but the TAT aims to boost that figure to 30%. Continued …

5 All-Inclusive Resorts In Thailand For Any Kind Of Holiday

An all-inclusive vacation eliminates a lot of smaller issues. You no longer have to worry about your child breaking into the in-room minibar or the costs of each cocktail at dinner. Since most of the costs are laid out before the trip starts, these all-inclusive resorts in Thailand can make your holiday truly stress-free.

As cost-effective as it sounds, these all-inclusive resorts in Thailand sare far from being moderate. Luxurious and pampering in most cases, these stunning resorts let you wander to every corner of the property — the island in some cases — and explore every activity provided. Continued …