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BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha praised Thai wheelchair fencer Saysunee Jana for winning a bronze medal in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said Gen Prayut congratulated Ms. Saysunee for collecting the first bronze for Thailand’s Paralympic squad in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Ms. Saysunee defeated China’s Zhou Jinging in the women’s epee individual category. Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-767589 -- © Copyright TNA 2021-08-27 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Thailand eases COVID-19 restrictions - but only for people who are vaccinated Thailand will lift most coronavirus restrictions on retail and dining from next month and permit gatherings of up to 25 people in Bangkok and other high risk areas, its COVID-19 task force said on Friday. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1229007-thailand-eases-covid-19-restrictions-but-only-for-people-who-are-vaccinated/

Thailand launches country’s first startup fund BANGKOK (NNT) - An investment company in Thailand has established the country’s first fund for investment in startup companies both in Thailand and the region. The fund is expected to help make it easier for Thai startups to have better access to capital. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228896-thailand-launches-country’s-first-startup-fund/

BANGKOK (NNT) - An investment company in Thailand has established the country’s first fund for investment in startup companies both in Thailand and the region. The fund is expected to help make it easier for Thai startups to have better access to capital. Krungsri Finnovate, a startup-focused investment company under the Bank of Ayudhya, has introduced Finnoventure Fund I, with 3 billion baht, intending to invest in startup companies in Thailand and Southeast Asia. Mr Sam Tanskul, Managing Director at Krungsri Finnovate, said the fund will give individual investors and interested organizations the opportunity to invest in startup businesses more easily. Investments by this fund will focus primarily on series A startups in the financial technology, e-commerce, and the automotive sector, as well as other categories with potential for fast recovery or increased opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund aims to have 30% of its investments in Thailand, and 70% in other countries in the region such as Singapore and Indonesia. Since 2015, Thailand’s startup businesses have become more robust with three times investment growth in this category. The country has seen the first-ever Unicorn startup, or startup company of more than 30 billion baht in business value, with logistics startup Flash Express. Many startups in Thailand are now showing great potential for business expansion into other countries in the region, while startup companies in the ASEAN region are also showing an exponential growth trend. -- © Copyright NNT 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Commerce Ministry secures 2.4bn baht in orders for Thai fruit BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Commerce has secured 2.4 billion baht’s worth of advance purchase deals for Thai fruit exports, while the exports of fresh and processed Thai fruit in first seven months of this year have generated some 130 billion baht revenue. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228894-commerce-ministry-secures-24bn-baht-in-orders-for-thai-fruit/

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Commerce has secured 2.4 billion baht’s worth of advance purchase deals for Thai fruit exports, while the exports of fresh and processed Thai fruit in first seven months of this year have generated some 130 billion baht revenue. Officials from the Ministry of Commerce led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit and the Permanent Secretary of Commerce Boonyarit Kalayanamit, have witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Purchase (MOP) for Thai fruit, between Thai exporters and international buyers. The Minister of Commerce said today that the MOP is an outcome of two business matching sessions held in March and January between international buyers and Thai exporters of fresh and processed fruit in the eastern, northern, and southern regions. The 2.39 billion baht’s worth of MOPs consist of trade deals between 21 Thai exporters and 21 international buyers from 16 countries, including India, Myanmar, Spain, South Korea, and Taiwan. In addition, the Ministry of Commerce is proceeding with marketing campaigns for Thai fruit at shopping malls abroad, along with promotional events held in eight cities of China, which have already generated some 15 billion baht in revenue. The Ministry of Commerce is also promoting Thai fruit on major e-commerce platforms such as India’s bigbasket and China’s Tmall. These promotional campaigns have so far helped generate 130 billion baht from the export value of fresh and processed Thai fruit in the first seven months of 2021, and 48.31% growth. The Minister of Commerce has urged provincial offices of commercial affairs and Thailand’s commercial attaches across the world to help facilitate business matching sessions for the upcoming harvest season, while working proactively on quality control to avoid rejection at destination countries. The Ministry of Commerce now aims to export 180 billion baht’s worth of Thai fruit, and achieve no less than 30% growth. -- © Copyright NNT 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

FILE PHOTO: A view of a deserted bridge during a lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng/File Photo KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Global demand for chips from Malaysia is still outstripping supply after a surge in COVID-19 cases disrupted production at a time when car firms and makers of phones and medical equipment are ramping up their output, an industry executive said. Still, the semiconductor shortage could start to ease by the end of the year as more workers in Malaysia return to factories once they have been vaccinated and the government eases restrictions on critical sectors, Wong Siew Hai, president of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association told Reuters. "Predicting based on data I'm seeing, the situation should improve, but we still cannot fulfil the demand," said Wong, adding that demand had not shown signs of slowing and orders had been piling up since the end of last year. Malaysia is home to suppliers and factories serving semiconductor makers such as Europe's STMicroelectronics and Infineon, as well as major carmakers including Toyota Motor Corp and Ford Motor Co. The country accounts for 13% of global chip assembly testing and packaging, and 7% of the world's semiconductor trade passes through Malaysia, undergoing some added value at local factories or getting combined with other parts before being shipped. Several automakers and semiconductor companies have said this month that pandemic-related disruptions in the Southeast Asian nation were hitting their supply chains. MORE VOLUME SHIPPED Malaysia imposed a strict nationwide lockdown in June that initially shut almost all industries, before it eased restrictions for some key sectors. Plants in recovery areas can now employ 80% of their workforce and run at full capacity if all staff are vaccinated. "The constraints we had in June and early July are now beginning to reduce and more volume is being shipped because we are allowed to operate at a higher percentage level," Wong said. He said it was hard to quantify the lockdown impact on the industry but sales losses easily ran into billions of Malaysian ringgit. One ringgit is worth about a 25 U.S. cents. Electrical and electronics exports worth $92 billion made up 39.4% of Malaysia's total exports last year. Citing disruption in Malaysia, Ford said https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/ford-will-halt-production-us-truck-plant-week-over-chip-shortage-2021-08-18 this month it would temporarily shut a truck plant, and Infineon said https://www.reuters.com/article/infineon-results-malaysia-idUSL8N2PA236 it would take a hit from plant shutdowns. Toyota and Japanese rival Nissan https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-slash-september-production-due-global-chip-shortage-nikkei-2021-08-19 Motor Co have also announced output adjustments. Wong said many automakers scaled back chip orders last year, anticipating a downturn in demand, so Malaysian chipmakers diverted capacity to other sections of the electronics industry. "Come January, the automotive industry realised they wanted to get back the capacity but the semiconductor fabrication plants didn't have the capacity for them," he said. -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-26

FILE PHOTO: A worker leaves a Top Glove factory after his shift in Klang, Malaysia Dec. 7, 2020. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng/File Photo KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian glovemaker Top Glove Corp plans to renew its lapsed application to list in Hong Kong and pursue a dual primary listing, a stock market filing showed on Thursday. Its plans were delayed, sources told Reuters in June, as Top Glove sought to resolve a U.S. import ban on its products because of forced labour practices that had spooked investors and bankers. Top Glove said it has resolved any forced labour issues in its operations and said in June that it has been waiting for U.S. customs authorities to verify remedial action taken on workers' recruitment fees. The world's largest glovemaker's stock market filing on Thursday said it "intends to renew the HKEX listing application as soon as practicable". Top Glove, which is already listed in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, announced in April that it would reduce the size of its proposed listing by nearly half to $1 billion. -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-26

Police assure no special treatment of officers implicated in drug suspect’s death Pol Col Thitisan Utthaphol Thailand’s police inspector-general, Pol Gen Visanu Prasartthongosoth, has given his assurance that there will be no special protection of the police officers involved in the alleged torture of a drug suspect in their custody, while the deputy national police chief, Pol Gen Suchart Thiraswasdi, claimed today that police know the whereabouts of former Pol Col Thitisan Utthaphol, the key suspect in the alleged unlawful killing. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228891-police-assure-no-special-treatment-of-officers-implicated-in-drug-suspect’s-death/

Pol Col Thitisan Utthaphol Thailand’s police inspector-general, Pol Gen Visanu Prasartthongosoth, has given his assurance that there will be no special protection of the police officers involved in the alleged torture of a drug suspect in their custody, while the deputy national police chief, Pol Gen Suchart Thiraswasdi, claimed today that police know the whereabouts of former Pol Col Thitisan Utthaphol, the key suspect in the alleged unlawful killing. Some Thai media have reported that Thitisan, also known as Joe Ferrari, has already been apprehended in Myawaddy, Myanmar, but Thai police have not yet confirmed it. Pol Gen Suchart has been assigned by the national police chief to oversee the controversial case, which has caused public outrage over the alleged police brutality seen in the globally disseminated video clip. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/police-assures-no-special-treatment-of-officers-implicated-in-drug-suspects-death/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Pheu Thai party asked to scrap its plan for public to vote online to oust PM Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai party has been asked to reconsider its plan to invite members of the public to cast their votes, via a website, during or at the end of the opposition’s no confidence debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and five ministers, due to take place in parliament from August 31st to September 3rd. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228890-pheu-thai-party-asked-to-scrap-its-plan-for-public-to-vote-online-to-oust-pm/

Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai party has been asked to reconsider its plan to invite members of the public to cast their votes, via a website, during or at the end of the opposition’s no confidence debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and five ministers, due to take place in parliament from August 31st to September 3rd. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said today (Thursday) that a censure debate is a mechanism for opposition parties to keep a check on the government, but urging people to vote against the government is not, adding that, if the opposition has valid evidence of alleged wrongdoings by the government or any ministers, there are other legal channels through which they can proceed to take action. Besides the prime minister, the opposition is to target Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Sri-on, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin and Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn. Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pheu-thai-party-asked-to-scrap-its-plan-for-public-to-vote-online-to-oust-pm/ -- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Dining-in Proposed for Eateries BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) – The Ministry of Public Health will tomorrow ask the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration to allow dining-in at eateries which will be able to use up to 50% of their seats to welcome customers until 8pm. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228889-dining-in-proposed-for-eateries/

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) – The Ministry of Public Health will tomorrow ask the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration to allow dining-in at eateries which will be able to use up to 50% of their seats to welcome customers until 8pm. Dr. Kiatiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, told a press conference that lockdown measures had been imposed for four weeks and proved to reduce daily COVID-19 infections by 20-25% and make the country be past its infection peak. Therefore, the ministry will propose eased controls for air-conditioned eateries, public parks and air transport. Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-766505 -- © Copyright TNA 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

COVID Bed Situation Improves BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) – The rates of hospital bed occupancy among COVID-19 patients of all color codes fell while officials were closely monitoring the number of red-coded patients in Bangkok, according to the Department of Medical Services. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228888-covid-bed-situation-improves/

BANGKOK, Aug 26 (TNA) – The rates of hospital bed occupancy among COVID-19 patients of all color codes fell while officials were closely monitoring the number of red-coded patients in Bangkok, according to the Department of Medical Services. Dr. Somsak Akasilp, director-general of the department, said the number of the patients who recovered and were discharged from hospitals was growing to about 20,000 per day and the management of hospital beds highly improved especially that for yellow-coded patients. Officials were trying to limit the number of red-coded patients at 1,000 in intensive care units in Bangkok. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-766515 -- © Copyright TNA 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Phuket fresh kratom prisoners released Phuket Provincial Prison. Photo: The Phuket News / file PHUKET: A total of 15 prisoners incarcerated for possession of fresh kratom have been released from Phuket Provincial Prison now that possession of the plant in its natural state has been removed from the Narcotics Act. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228887-phuket-fresh-kratom-prisoners-released/

Phuket Provincial Prison. Photo: The Phuket News / file PHUKET: A total of 15 prisoners incarcerated for possession of fresh kratom have been released from Phuket Provincial Prison now that possession of the plant in its natural state has been removed from the Narcotics Act. No Phuket provincial officials or Phuket officers from the Department of Corrections have recognised the prisoner release following the change in the law, which came into effect on Tuesday (Aug 24). However, an officer of the Registration Department at Phuket Prison agreed to comment to The Phuket News today (Aug 26) on condition of anonymity. Full Story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-fresh-kratom-prisoners-released-81192.php -- © Copyright Phuket News 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Thailand in talks to buy COVID-19 vaccines from European nations FILE PHOTO: People receive the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine as the Thai resort island of Phuket rushes to vaccinate its population amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, and ahead of a July 1 ending of strict quarantine for overseas visitors, to bring back tourism revenue in Phuket, Thailand, April 1, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is in talks with European countries to purchase millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, a health official said on Thursday, as the Southeast Asian nation tries to speed up its inoculation rollout to contain a wave of infections. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228886-thailand-in-talks-to-buy-covid-19-vaccines-from-european-nations/

FILE PHOTO: People receive the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine as the Thai resort island of Phuket rushes to vaccinate its population amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, and ahead of a July 1 ending of strict quarantine for overseas visitors, to bring back tourism revenue in Phuket, Thailand, April 1, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is in talks with European countries to purchase millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, a health official said on Thursday, as the Southeast Asian nation tries to speed up its inoculation rollout to contain a wave of infections. Authorities in Thailand have been scrambling to shore up vaccine supplies, despite the country being the production hub for AstraZeneca shots in the region. Last week, the government said it would borrow https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/short-vaccines-thailand-seeks-borrow-bhutan-2021-08-16 150,000 AstraZeneca doses from the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. "Some countries may have a surplus of AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines and will be able to sell two to three million doses each month," senior health official Kiattiphum Wongrajit told a briefing. Kiattiphum did not specify any European countries involved in the talks. So far, about 9% of Thailand's population of more than 66 million have been fully vaccinated as it deals with its deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus. The majority of the country’s 1.1 million infections and 10,314 fatalities came after April this year due to the highly-transmissible Alpha and Delta variants, though infection rates have shown signs of easing. "New cases have peaked and new infections will gradually decrease," Kiattiphum said. On Monday, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said AstraZeneca would deliver https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-buy-60-mln-doses-astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine-2022-2021-08-23 61 million doses that were previously delayed by the end of this year. Thailand's coronavirus taskforce will decide on Friday whether to relax lockdown measures, including a proposal to shorten a nighttime curfew and allow dining in at restaurants for those who are vaccinated or have been recently tested, he said. Discover Cigna’s range of health insurance solutions created for expats and local nationals living in Thailand - click to view -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Hua Hin to Singapore flights could be operational by year end A Jetstar plane taking off from Phuket Airport. Photo supplied. Flights connecting Hua Hin and Singapore could be operational before the end of this year, Hua Hin Today understands. Full Story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1228885-hua-hin-to-singapore-flights-could-be-operational-by-year-end/

A Jetstar plane taking off from Phuket Airport. Photo supplied. Flights connecting Hua Hin and Singapore could be operational before the end of this year, Hua Hin Today understands. Jetstar Asia are in discussions to operate the service between Hua Hin and Changi Airport in Singapore. A source familiar with the matter said the service could be operational by October 2021 but that would be dependent on the re-opening of borders in both Thailand and Singapore and the removal of quarantine requirements in both countries. Full Story: https://www.huahintoday.com/hua-hin-news/hua-hin-to-singpore-flights-could-be-operational-by-year-end/ -- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2021-08-26 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Prayer paraphernalia shop owner Raymond Shieh makes handmade paper vaccines at his shop in Johor Bahru, Malaysia August 24, 2021. Picture taken August 24, 2021. REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia (Reuters) - As the world scrambles to inoculate people against COVID-19, one store owner in Malaysia is finding his paper vaccines have become popular prayer offering items during a religious festival to honour the deceased. The Hungry Ghost festival, celebrated by Buddhists and Taoists across Southeast Asia, centres on a belief that the spirits of the dead return to Earth during the seventh month of the Chinese Lunar calendar. During this time, people leave out food items for the dead and burn incense and intricate offerings made of paper resembling things the deceased may have wanted. This year, a box set of a syringe and two vaccine vials made of paper are among the fastest-selling items for the festival at Raymond Shieh Siow Leong's religious goods store in the southern Malaysian city of Johor Bahru. "The COVID-19 situation in our country is quite serious and many people passed away before receiving the vaccine. I hope this product can help the deceased to fulfil their dying wish," Shieh said. Shieh said he started making the paper vaccine sets in early August, producing about 30 to 50 sets a day. Each set costs 22.80 ringgit ($5.45) and Shieh said he had sold more than 200 sets so far. "We made this paper vaccine to test the water of the market, but we didn't expect the reaction to be this good. The orders keep coming, and we have to work overtime until late at night to make this product," he said. Malaysia has one of the highest rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths in Southeast Asia with a total caseload of almost 1.6 million and a death toll of 14,818. About 57% of the population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A Muslim-majority country, about 20% of Malaysia's 32 million people practise Buddhism, the second-most prevalent religion. -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-26

FILE PHOTO: An employee wears synthetic gloves as she counts Indonesia's rupiah banknotes at a currency exchange office amid the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 19, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's government has spent 1,368.4 trillion rupiah ($95.06 billion) between January to July this year, with the budget deficit at 336.9 trillion rupiah or 2.04% of GDP, its finance minister said on Wednesday. That compared with a deficit of 283.2 trillion rupiah at the end of the previous month. The government forecast a budget deficit of 5.82% of GDP for full-year 2021. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government would optimise other sources to fund the deficit and try to reduce its bond issuance target, after the central bank agreed to directly purchase 215 trillion rupiah worth of bonds this year. -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-26

FILE PHOTO-A paddy field is seen damaged following floods in Deli Serdang near Medan, North Sumatra province, Indonesia December 5, 2020. Antara Foto/Irsan Mulyadi via REUTERS JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia may experience more natural disasters in the coming months as the country's annual rainy season is expected to start earlier and be more severe this year, the country's meteorological agency, BMKG, said on Thursday. Indonesia's rainy season is expected to begin a month earlier than usual in September. "BMKG urges local governments and the public to be aware, anticipate and take early mitigation actions to avoid and reduce disaster risks," it said in a statement, adding that the peak of the rainy season will occur in January and February next year. Disasters linked to the weather conditions could include hail, lightning and tornadoes, it said, noting heavier rainfall was expected in many parts of the archipelago including in Java and Sulawesi, as well as part of Sumatra, Papua and Borneo. Indonesia is prone to floods, landslides and sometimes cyclones during the rainy season. In April, the country experienced Tropical cyclone Seroja, one of the most powerful cyclones ever to hit Indonesia, which killed 163 people. Parts of the capital Jakarta also regularly suffer serious floods during heavy rain. BMKG said, however, that farming communities should use the time to increase planting areas and collect rainwater to use in next year's dry season. Indonesia is the world's top producer of palm oil, which is found in many consumer goods like packaged foods and cosmetics. "This climate will support production. Maybe infrastructure needs extra handling, so that transportation of fresh fruit bunches to the mills is not hampered," Joko Supriyono, chairman of the Indonesia Palm Oil Association, said. -- © Copyright Reuters 2021-08-26