Smoking pot for pleasure is about to become off-limits again, but some critics say the genie is already out of the bottle.
The public health ministry has completed the first draft of a new cannabis act, but without automatically reclassifying the "controlled herb" as a narcotic. That's according to health minister Cholnan Srikaew. However, any extract containing more than 0.2 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) will be so listed and potentially subject buyers and sellers to prosecution. The draft makes clear that the use of the weed for medical purposes will continue and expand, but not for recreational reasons which will become specifically off the agenda.
In the short term at least, most marijuana shops in the kingdom will remain open although they will need a detailed license to operate, and will be required to ban on-site smoking as well as the sale of cannabis buds. The new law will also list the places which cannot allow cannabis on their premises. Likely candidates for banning are cafes, retail outlets, pubs and clubs. Smoking cannabis at home or in a hotel room remains a grey area, though puffing in your own abode should technically be only for medical reasons and not to enjoy a high.
Everyone agrees that the current legal situation in Thailand, since decriminalization of the plant last year, is a free-for-all as various businesses entered the sector with little regulatory guidance or oversight. The 6,000 marijuana shops which have sprung up, mainly in tourist areas, do not invariably have proper licences, ban teenagers or restrict their sales to low-level THC products. Supporters of stricter rules say a new law will help avoid oversupply in a saturated market and end the misconception that smoking pot for fun is fine and dandy.
Critics are far from sure the new law will work. Owner of several cannabis shops in Pattaya and beyond Jo Jintana said, "There is likely to be an early crackdown on unlicensed outlets, but the distinction between health and pleasure is inevitably blurred. If a guy is found smoking pot, he may say he's depressed or is in pain, but also enjoys a puff." He added that vice crackdowns by police in the past have tended to be one-offs more designed to attract favorable publicity. "All prostitution has been illegal in Thailand since the 1960s, but you'd never know it would you?"
Voted by Swedish travellers for the Travel Great RES Prize Destination 2024 awards organised by RES and Travel News.
Bangkok, 16 November 2023 – Thailand was voted as the 'Best Affordable Long-haul Destination' in the Travel Great RES Prize Destination 2024 awards organised by RES and Travel News, a Swedish leading travel industry magazine.
The Travel Great RES Prize Destination 2024 awards ceremony was held at the Travel News Market in Stockholm, Sweden, on 9 November 2023.
Based on a survey conducted by the research company Nordic Bench and Travel News, the 'Best Affordable Long-haul Destination' award is voted by Swedish travellers who are looking for the dream destination that offers the best value and quality.
This makes the third consecutive year that Thailand was honoured with the recognition, which was previously called the 'Best Value for Money' award.
Ms. Krittika Rojanasap, Deputy Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Stockholm Office, said "Such an honour to receive this award once again and what an amazing feeling to know that Thailand is still Swedes favourite destination throughout the years. We will continue our work to ensure that Thailand continues to be the preferred long-haul destination for many years to come."
The TAT Stockholm Office is promoting Thailand's direction towards responsible and sustainable tourism, while highlighting the kingdom's rich history and culture, abundant nature, and warm Thai hospitality.
Sweden is Thailand's top source market from Scandinavia. From 1 January – 12 November 2023, 130,563 Swedes had visited Thailand.
Tourists arrive in groups at Suvarnabhumi airport outside Bangkok.
Average airfares in the third quarter this year continued to surge even though it was the low season, with the increases driven by strong travel demand.
Thai AirAsia reported a 22% year-on-year increase in airfares in the third quarter, while Bangkok Airways recorded a 15% uptick.
For the period, Thai AirAsia's average price surged to 1,720 baht, up from 1,404 baht a year earlier. The fare also exceeded the 2019 level, which was 1,457 baht.
Santisuk Klongchaiya, chief executive of Thai AirAsia, said the airline increased airfares by 15-20% for the current quarter to accommodate the tourism high season as it prioritises a return to profitability.
Thai AirAsia served 4.56 million passengers in the third quarter, accounting for 86% of the 2019 level, with an average load factor of 90%.
This allowed Asia Aviation Plc (AAV), its major shareholder, to secure 9.89 billion baht in revenue for the quarter.
AAV posted positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for four consecutive quarters, with 389 million baht in the third quarter.
The company reported losses of 1.69 billion baht, down from 4 billion in the same period last year, mainly attributed to unrealised losses from baht depreciation.
Mr Santisuk said visa exemptions for Chinese, Kazakh, Indian and Taiwanese visitors should increase arrivals until at least the end of the first quarter next year.
Falling fuel prices and a new domestic excise tax should be a tailwind for the industry, he said.
Thai AirAsia carried 13.8 million passengers over the first nine months and targets 20 million passengers with an 87% average load factor for this year by utilising its 54-aircraft fleet, said Mr Santisuk.
Bangkok Airways reported its average airfare surged 15% to 3,803 baht between July and September year-on-year.
Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, president of Bangkok Airways, said increased passenger numbers and higher airfares helped improve passenger revenue by 39.8% in the third quarter.
The airline reported an Ebitda of 1.4 billion baht, an increase of 182% from the same period last year.
Bangkok Airways carried 967,800 passengers in the third quarter and 3 million over the first nine months this year.
The airline's load factor in the third quarter was 78%.
Bangkok Airways resumed some routes and opened others, including Samui-Hong Kong, Lampang-Mae Hong Son, and Bangkok-Maldives.
As of September, the airline maintains 24 aircraft in its fleet, compared with 35 at the end of last year.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has instructed the Revenue Department to fill its coffers to help pay for the government's populist policies.
A former chairman of Baker McKenzie, the influential legal services firm based in Bangkok, has suggested that the controversial Thai Revenue announcement could be contested in court. Kitipong Urapeepattanapong, as reported in Thai Examiner, said that the Revenue was reinterpreting an existing code which has been in operation for 38 years. It is neither a law nor an administrative or ministerial regulation and could well be challenged in court with a good chance of success. He argued that a new law or a royal decree was necessary in these circumstances.
The Revenue last September issued a decree that, starting in January 2024, tax must be paid on income brought in from abroad from another jurisdiction no matter when the cash was generated. This changed the 1985 regulation that arriving income was only taxable if transferred in the same year it was earned. Many expats, probably most, are worried that the Revenue will start taxing them on income already taxed in the home country, mainly pensions and social security payments. If they live in Thailand for more than 180 days in a year, they are regarded as residents liable for taxation.
Kitipong said that his standpoint was shared by other notables, including a former supreme court judge, although the Revenue would presumably argue that its recent statement is simply an enforcement decree which does not require parliamentary intervention. The whole issue joins many other doubts and ambiguities which continue to plague the whole subject. There is no doubt that the Revenue means to target principally Thais or foreigners who enjoy business profits abroad, are currency speculators or have funds in offshore accounts including Hong Kong. But the Revenue has remained silent for the past two months and claims to be collecting information from stakeholders.
Law firm commentators in Bangkok divide into two groups. Some believe that typical expats have nothing to fear if living here on cash already taxed in the home country. They often quote double-taxation treaties which Thailand has made with around 60 countries. Others, however, point out that double-taxation treaties are all different and don't necessarily reassure on points of concern currently spotlighted in Thailand. Not to mention the potential paperwork which expats might have to fill in annually to convince the Revenue of their exempted status. Some are suggesting that large sums should be transmitted to Thailand before the end of 2023. Meanwhile the waiting game for clear information drags on and on. The real answer, of course, is for Thailand to follow the example of Singapore and Hong Kong where the only income tax levied is on cash specifically earned in their own specific territories.
This week, an Investor Confidence Index (ICI) poll showed a massive fall in confidence in October, with capital flows accelerating out of the Kingdom and a 15% fall in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), with weakness now in both export and foreign tourism sectors.
As Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin prepares for another extended overseas trip to San Francisco in the United States to attend the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in mid-November, he finds himself at the helm of a coalition government over two months in power and presiding over an economy that has significantly faltered since he took office while his cabinet is already showing signs of fracture. At the end of October, a national opinion poll showed over 55% of the public approved of his performance. Still, there is a tough time ahead for the Pheu Thai compromise Prime Minister, who put together an unlikely coalition to be elected Prime Minister at the end of August.
On Friday, details emerged of the revised plan for the ฿10,000 Digital Wallet Giveaway, a signature Pheu Thai Party policy closely associated with incumbent Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
The Pheu Thai Party PM cobbled together an improbable coalition between the second-placed party in the May 14th General Election and parties associated with the outgoing government to win election to the role at the end of August in Parliament and install a government on September 5th.
Bill to be introduced in Parliament or royal decree to raise the funding for the complicated and unwieldy Digital Wallet plan postponed until May 2024
The Digital Wallet initiative has been dogged by controversy and scepticism since then, not least its funding, with the budget for the initiative now understood to have been reduced to under ฿400 billion because of restrictions imposed, namely that the eligibility for the payout which will be currently limited to 40 million registered citizens with a cut-off income or salary threshold of ฿70,000 per month.
The scheme will be launched on the Krungthai Bank's Paotang app sometime in May 2024 and funded by a bill introduced in Parliament or a decree agreed upon by the cabinet.
The ฿10,000 in credit itself will be very restricted, including geographical restrictions based on the recipient's registered address.
Any funds credited in the giveaway may not be used for paying for services or cannot be passed on in any market, as well as other restrictions, meaning it cannot be used to buy alcohol, legal drugs or any expenditure associated with entertainment, including the purchase of alcohol and other substances.
Funds cannot be used as cash to pay debt, overheads or for services, while a whole range of products are prohibited within a restricted geographical area
In addition, the funds cannot be used to pay off debt or fees associated with tuition, as well as everyday overhead bills such as water, electricity, telephone or the payment of energy such as natural gas.
Indeed, it is true to say that the policy initiative, which has led the government to come under investigation by regulatory agencies as it is seen as a populist giveaway, is, in fact, not very popular with the public, with a noticeable lack of anticipation or excitement about its possible launch, now postponed until May 2024 with some reports suggesting that this may be extended to September 2024.
This is caused by a lack of confidence in the plan, which seems unwieldy and threatens to increase the country's public debt level at a particularly precarious time.
Friday's briefing on the policy comes just over two months into the government of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was sworn in.
Internal divisions within the cabinet are already being reported this week, with a rift over sugar and a turf war within the Ministry of Agriculture
Reports this week suggest it is experiencing internal division, even at this early stage.
On Wednesday, Mr Strettha, without denying the speculation of cabinet rifts, proposed holding a dinner for senior ministers and parties to the cabinet and joked that this might be a necessary activity on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.
At the same time, it was confirmed that there are differences between the Commerce Ministry, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai of Pheu Thai and the Industry Ministry led by Pimpatra Wichaikul of the United Thai Nation (Ruam Thai Sang Chart) Party.
The issue or the rift between the ministries is over a decision by the Ministry of Commerce to impose price controls on sugar, which has affected and distorted the market for the critical ingredient, leading to widespread complaints in the industrial sector.
There are also reports of tensions between the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Thamanat Prompow, who is a member of the Palang Pracharat Party, and the Junior Minister at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mr Chaiya Promma, a member of the Pheu Thai Party.
This dispute concerns the control of internal agencies within the ministry, which the junior minister is contesting with his senior counterpart.
Rudderless government at a loss to address a lack of GDP growth potential in the medium term, while the Israeli-Hamas War has left dozens of Thais dead
This week's developments come as the government appears rudderless with declining GDP growth prospects and a policy platform conditional on 5% annual growth.
The government has also appeared indecisive in dealing with the Israeli-Hamas crisis and a rising death toll of Thai nationals in that conflict, as well as the plight of Thai hostages.
The latest figures from Israel show 34 Thai nationals were killed in the Hamas terrorist attack, while it is now reported there are 24 hostages.
While Muslim countries have assured Thai leaders through diplomatic channels and personal intermediates, such as a key Shia leader, Syed Sulaiman Husaini, reportedly close to Iran, there seems to be an ambivalence in the Kingdom's position as it strives to remain neutral while suffering severe losses.
At the same time, the Hamas terrorist organisation, backed by Iran, continues to hold Thai citizens captive.
Over 20,000 Thai nationals remained in Israel despite solid efforts by the government in Bangkok to encourage all Thais to return home from the country
In the meantime, over 20,000 Thai nationals have opted to remain in Israel, while Israeli Thais have travelled to join the Israeli Defence Forces in the military operation against Gaza.
Against this backdrop, there have been refuted press reports of a more significant number of Thai hostages being held.
At the same time, comments from the Muslim leader, Mr Syed Sulaiman Husaini, this week on Thailand's perceived close links with Israel put Mr Srettha's government in an impossible situation.
Economic woes are multiplying
This delicate problem for the government has also coincides with bad news on the economic front, with the expected rebound in exports failing to match more optimistic projections at the beginning and the middle of the year.
Analysts now forecast a 2% downturn on last year's performance, which deteriorated quickly in the latter months.
At the same time, there are disturbing signs of weakness in the recovery of foreign tourism. It is now doubtful that the Kingdom will achieve a target of 30 million visitors in 2023.
It had been hoped that a series of initiatives concerning visa waivers aimed at the Chinese and, latterly, the Indian and the Taiwanese markets would see a boost, but this has failed to materialise.
Tourism earnings on target to be just half of what we achieved by the Kingdom in 2019 despite visa waivers to Chinese, Indian and Taiwanese visitors
More significant for the government and economic planners is the fact that earnings from foreign tourism so far this year have not reached the ฿1 trillion level, with a figure released by the Ministry of Tourism this week showing expenditure by foreign tourists to date of only ฿954.24 billion, which is less than half that which was seen in the record year of 2019.
The darkening economic situation is also seen in the continued rise of household debt and, in recent months, the non-performing loan rates, as reported by the National Credit Bureau.
The combined prospect of deterioration in public and private debt, with public debt currently running at 61.7% of GDP and household debt at 90.7%, leads to speculation that the Kingdom may be heading for some sort of credit downgrade.
This situation may explain the tensions between the prime minister, his government, and the Bank of Thailand's governor, Mr Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput.
High-flying Prime Minister preparing for another week abroad in San Francisco, his second extended, official visit to the United States since September
Another significant talking point concerning the leadership of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been his propensity to travel abroad with the Prime Minister initially flying to the United States after his election to attend the UN General Assembly, later followed by a week-long tour of Asia and the high-profile visit to China.
Even within Thailand, this Prime Minister's constant travel and mobility have been a hallmark of his short tenure.
Prime Minister Srettha also attended the summit of the ASEAN and Gulf States held in mid-October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while he is currently preparing to travel to San Francisco to attend the APEC Economic Leaders Week, an annual get-together of Asia-Pacific leaders, which was held last year in Bangkok and this year will be hosted in San Francisco by the Biden administration.
The latest trip will see the Prime Minister in the United States from November 11th to the 17th. It will be his second extended trip to the United States since taking office in September.
A poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) at the end of October, however, showed that the vast majority of the Thai public approved of Mr Srettha's overseas trips, receiving a 69.71% positive response with an adverse reaction of only 20.27%.
October poll showed public approval for Srettha
The same survey showed a slight majority expressing satisfaction with the new Prime Minister's overall performance in office since early September, with 55.27% applying in the affirmative while 26.87% of the public expressed themselves as not satisfied with the new Prime Minister's performance while 4.12% refused to answer.
The decline in Thailand's economic prospects since Mr Srettha became Prime Minister can be seen this week in a significant drop in investor confidence revealed by the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations (Fetco) headed by its chairman, Mr Kobsak Pootrakool, a former vice-minister Vice Minister at the Prime Minister's office under Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha.
The Federation's Investor Confidence Index (ICI) fell dramatically to a five-month low in October.
This development has been attributed to global uncertainty caused by the Israeli-Hamas War, beginning with the invasion of Southern Israel from Gaza on October 7th.
Sharp fall in Investor Confidence Index (ICI) recorded in October as external world outlook turns darker and the economy falters with capital outflows
The survey, conducted between October 20th and 30th, showed a 31.5% drop in confidence from the previous month.
The least impacted were foreign investors, who showed a 16.7% decline, while retail, brokers and institutional market players saw confidence levels plummeting by 45.3%, 34% and 31%, respectively.
On Wednesday, Mr Kobsak confirmed the disturbing results of the survey.
'The Investor Confidence Index (ICI) has shown a relative improvement for a couple of months, but last month it slipped into a bear zone for the second time this year as the Middle East conflict erupted,' he told reporters.
Mr Kobsak compared the response to an earlier dive in confidence this year sparked by concerns about the fragility of the American and European banking systems.
'As of now, it remains very uncertain whether the war will intensify or not and whether countries like Yemen, Lebanon, Iran and the United States may take part. That is the most negative factor hurting investor confidence,' Mr Kobsak outlined.
The news is coming in what is turning out to be a very disappointing economic performance for Thailand, with 2023 seeing its main stock index, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), falling by 15%.
Furthermore, the external capital flows have seen foreign investors transferring ฿175 billion out of Thai shares. Even more disturbing is that this volume increased in October, with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index falling by 6.1% that month alone.
Struggles ahead over minimum wage and salary increases for the public service amid higher borrowing instigated by Prime Ministerial order
The negative trend in economic sentiment is coming after a perceived improvement in September with the formation of the new government, which has acted to bring down inflation by at least following through on one key election policy platform pledge, being the reduction in electricity costs, something that the business sector and the public alike have welcomed.
However, the government is already facing a challenge in 2024 with its plans to increase the minimum wage, with the working public expecting to see a ฿400 baht per day minimum wage introduced, something that has been rejected by key officials at the Ministry of Labour which is pushing for a more nuanced and practical approach in conjunction with employers.
An order also issued this week by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin setting in motion a process leading to public sector pay rises is another critical challenge that the new government will have to negotiate next year amid the rising cost of money worldwide and tightening credit conditions.
PM's adviser fears for economy as Thailand slips into deflation
Figures showing the first negative inflation in 25 months signal deflation that could hit economic growth this year, an adviser to the prime minister warned on Wednesday.
Automatic processing for outbound foreigners from next month
Automatic immigration channels at Suvarnabhumi airport. (Bangkok Post photo)
Most outbound foreign travellers will be able to pass through automatic channels to quickly board planes at Suvarnabhumi airport, and relieve congestion, from next month.
Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimphadee, commander of Immigration Division 2, said automatic processing at Suvarnabhumi is currently available only for passengers with Thai, Hong Kong or Singaporean passports.
The Immigration Bureau was improving its computer programming and amending regulations so that other departing foreigners could also use automatic channels, starting on Dec 15, he said.
He expected this would increase processing of outbound travellers at Suvarnabhumi airport from about 5,000 per hour to 12,000.
Pol Maj Gen Choengron said Airports of Thailand planned to also install more automatic channels at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports. Immigration officers could then be reassigned to speed up processing of inbound travellers.
📣💰Passengers who applied for refunds prior to September 14, 2020 can now check the status of their refund requests for tickets or travel vouchers at https://www.thaiairways.com/en_TH/book/check_refund_status.page.
Or follow these simple steps:
1. Go to www.thaiairways.com Then scroll down to the section. 'ASSISTANCE' Click on the 'CHECK YOUR REFUND STATUS' banner.
2. Enter your ticket or travel voucher number, as well as your first and last name, then click 'Next' button.
3. The status of your refund request will be displayed.
For more information about THAI TRAVEL VOUCHER or requesting a REFUND, please contact
European travelers could potentially soon enjoy 60 days of exploration in Thailand without visa requirements, as reported by the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry.
Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol stated on Monday, November 13th, that the tourism ministry is contemplating proposing to the Thai Cabinet to extend the visa exemption period for visitors from 50 European countries from 30 days to 60 days.
The objective is to revitalize Thailand's tourism industry, building upon the currently effective exemption for visitors from China and Kazakhstan.
According to Ms. Sudawan, in the initial stage, the extension will mainly encompass countries in and around Europe, including the UK, Germany, Scandinavian nations, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
She explained that European visitors account for about 20% of foreign arrivals to Thailand, and the majority of high-spending visitors originate from this region. Therefore, with the waiver extended, it will encourage these travelers to explore Thailand even more extensively and for a longer duration, she said.
"The Tourism and Sports Ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are discussing the extension together," Ms. Sudawan revealed.
Last year, European tourists stayed an average of 18.55 nights per person, spending an average of 66,000 baht per trip. However, during the early period of 2023, their spending surged to over 80,000 baht per trip.
The TAT has established a revenue target of 2.5 billion baht from foreign visitors for the year 2024. Additionally, Thai domestic tourists are expected to contribute another 1 trillion baht to the industry, aiming for a total tourism revenue of 3.5 trillion baht next year.
Uniformed Chinese police in Pattaya? These guys are still in Beijing.
The informal suggestion of premier Srettha Thavisin that joint patrols of Chinese and Thai police might appear in tourist areas has gone down like a lead balloon. Although the Tourist Authority of Thailand voiced support on the grounds that Chinese tourists would feel safer, the national police chief, police general Torsak Sukwimol, has now publicly condemned the notion arguing that there may be some confusion. That is certainly true.
The joint patrol idea is not entirely new and was adopted by a handful of countries, including Italy and Croatia, before the pandemic. It appears to have been welcomed by Chinese tourists as a safety measure for their benefit, but the Italian government cancelled the contract in 2019. The apparent fear was that cooperation was a cover for secret Chinese police stations, said to operate covertly in 54 countries, keeping watch on Chinese mafias and monitoring regime dissidents.
Thai social media, including sites favoured by foreigners, appear to be 99 percent against the idea. One British contributor pointed out that whilst there was a shortage of Chinese speakers in Italy, this was not so in Thailand. For example, the Thai tourist police volunteers have many Chinese language users who already act as translators. Other criticisms centered around Thailand loss of independence or even sovereignty, arguing that the proposal made Thailand look unable to direct its own affairs. Facebook users seemed unanimous that "you couldn't make this stuff up".
The prime minister's initial enthusiasm was doubtless founded on hopes that more Chinese tourists will visit Thailand. The Tourist Authority of Thailand's aspiration was a total of 4.4 million Chinese holidaymakers in the calendar year 2023, but only 2.8 million have so far arrived. The Thai government has, in a pilot scheme, removed the requirement for Chinese tourists to have a prior visa or visa on arrival, but response has been lukewarm so far. The Chinese economy is currently in slowdown mode and there have been reports of bad stories about Thailand circulating on Chinese media.
Although many countries have plain clothes police operating in Thailand, usually via embassies or Interpol or by invitation, joint patrols in uniform appear to be a step too far for public consumption. Some estimates even predict that Indian arrivals could outpace Chinese by 2025, with Russians not far behind, which raise the issue where the scheme might stop. But in view of the hostile reaction, you have likely heard the last of this particular marketing plan. The boys in brown won't be accompanied by the men in black.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin hopes to attract Tesla to invest in Thailand during his visit to the US to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in San Francisco.
The EV industry is one of three key industries, along with electronics and digital, that the prime minister will focus on when he meets with leading US businesses, said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of the Thai Board of Investment (BoI).
As part of that, Mr Srettha will meet Tesla executives in discussions that follow up on a previous meeting in New York when he also attended the UN General Assembly in September.
Mr Narit said Thailand had seen 700% growth in the electric vehicle (EV) industry in Thailand, with 6,000 EVs registered over the past nine months.
He said the government is committed to becoming the region's EV production hub, with the National EV Policy Committee chaired by Mr Srettha earlier this month approving a new EV incentive package dubbed EV3.5 to replace another package set to expire on Dec 31.
Regarding electronics, Mr Narit said Thailand is in the midstream of the electronics manufacturing industry, but the government is aiming for the country to become upstream, especially regarding smart electronics.
Mr Srettha is scheduled to meet representatives of Analog Devices, Inc (ADI), HP Inc, and Nvidia where he will ask them to expand their investments in Thailand, he said.
As for the digital industry, Mr Narit said the prime minister will meet representatives from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, and Microsoft and invite them to invest in data centres and cloud services in Thailand.
AWS has already announced it will invest US$5 billion (180 billion baht) in Thailand over the next 15 years, starting with building three data centres, Mr Narit said.
The BoI chief said Mr Srettha's delegation includes 20 leading Thai businessmen who will also meet their American counterparts to explore potential partnerships.
He said that BoI aims to woo at least 100 firms to set up bases in Thailand within four years to create about 10,000 positions for Thai nationals.
According to Mr Narit, the BoI is also working with the Transport Ministry to promote the Land Bridge megaproject with a first roadshow at the Apec meetings, which began last Saturday and wraps up on Friday.
Permanent secretary for transport Chayathan Promsorn said a new law is required to implement this megaproject, and investors' input will help the government understand their demands and make necessary preparations.
The 1-trillion-baht megaproject aims to develop a logistics network connecting Ranong along the Andaman Sea to Chumphon along the Gulf of Thailand.
The project comprises deep-water ports in Ranong and Chumphon, a motorway cutting across the land to connect the two provinces and a railway system.
Dengue fever infections increase by about 300% this year
views 169
The number of dengue fever patients in Thailand recorded between January 1st and November 1st was more than 123,000, which is an increase of nearly 300% compared to last year.
Dr. Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, acting director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said that, of the 123,000 people infected, 139 have died and most were in the 25-34 age group.
He said officials had conducted field surveys of the potential breeding grounds of striped mosquitos, such as temples, mosques, churches, hotels, resorts, schools, factories, hospitals and government offices and discovered that 60.9%of temples are significant hatching grounds for striped mosquito pupae, followed by 55.6% of factories and 46% of schools.
There are four strains of the dengue virus and a person who is infected with two different strains is susceptible to developing more serious symptoms, said Dr. Thongchai, as he advised people who believe they may be suffering from dengue fever to refrain from obtaining medication themselves, such as buying aspirin from a pharmacy, and should see a doctor immediately.
He warned that delay in doing so by an adult who has underlying conditions, such as cirrhosis of the liver or menstruating women, may prove fatal.
