Last week, Chukiat Opaswong, the esteemed Honorary President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association (TREA), revealed a potentially unsettling possibility for global rice producers. Due to the feared El Niño phenomenon, the predicted drought this year and in 2024 has a host of rice-producing nations on high alert. El Niño, a complex weather pattern resulting from variations in ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, is seen as a harbinger of warming phases for the world. It manifests itself roughly every two to seven years and is infamous for leading to decreased rainfall, particularly in Southeast Asia and southern Australia. Such shifts in weather patterns can wreak havoc on the agricultural calendar. Chukiat cites India’s prudent policy measures, which, according to him, have already made ripples globally, especially concerning white rice prices. There is, it seems, already a $50 per tonne hike, due to perceived impending shortages. “Currently, most Thai millers…
Posts published in “Thailand”
Distinguished figure Wisit Limluecha, holding elite positions as the vice chairman of Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and the seat of the chairman at the Processed Food and Future Food Committee (PFC) of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), has voiced his concerns about the future of the prolific food industry. He indicates a foreseen encounter with a sequence of potential risks and challenges. These encompass economic stagnation, inflation, surging oil prices, and the wide-ranging rippling effects of the famous climatic event, El Nino. Surprisingly enough, despite the gloomy horizon, the inflation outlook in the ‘Land of Smiles’, at least for the third quarter of 2023, is forecasted to stay fairly low. However, a contradictory scenario unfolds in the food arm of the Thai market with prices moving northward, owed significantly to drought instigated by the El Nino effect. The spectrum of increased costs encircles household essentials like vegetables, fruits,…
The prominent international financial institution known as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recently advised multiple countries to reconsider their existing food export policies. The aim is to contend with increasing concerns related to the issue of global food security. In contrast, the National Economic Social Development Council (NESDC) of Thailand has expressed its confidence in its preparedness to manage food security concerns, affirming the existence of a robust crisis response plan. The Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) has conducted a study, which suggests that by 2024, escalating food prices could be a result of the El Niño weather phenomenon triggering a worldwide decrease in agricultural production. Recently, rising food prices induced by conflicts have globally intensified the food security situation, impacting food production significantly. As per a report released by the World Bank on July 31, high levels of food inflation are a challenge being faced globally. Between February…
As we inch closer to the tail end of 2024, airlines are hastily revving up, eager to kickstart new routes. The anticipation is palpable as they prep for the demand surge in the fourth quarter’s peak season. Leading the charge is the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). It has set sights on the burgeoning “CIA” market, an acronym for China, India, and Asean countries. The strategy aims to reel in a cool 25 million tourists this year, with high hopes for a rise to 35 million tourists in the forthcoming year. Regional airlines aren’t left behind; they’re plotting to service these destinations too. Take, for example, the regional budget carrier, Thai Lion Air, which has unveiled plans to bounce back with six direct flights daily from Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport to half a dozen destinations in China: Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Xi-an. These flights are equipped with B737-800…
Discord in the coalition alliance is discernible as Pheu Thai adjourns two successive meetings. A clear testament to this was when Chonlanan Srikaew, the Pheu Thai chief, made it known to the media on Wednesday that his party had exhausted all their efforts in supporting Pita Limjaroenrat, who was put forward as a PM candidate by Move Forward. He mentioned that each and every member of his party gave their vote to Pita during the combined Parliamentary session that took place on the 13th of July. He added that despite Pita, a Harvard alumnus, having a strong profile, his bid to clinch the PM seat was unsuccessful. The root cause was his party’s endeavor to modify Article 112 of the Penal Code, otherwise known as the lese majeste law. This turned out to be a bitter pill to swallow for the majority of senators and other parties, who in turn…
With the intent of significantly upgrading connectivity between the illustrious city of Bangkok and its outlying territories, the esteemed department is fully dedicated to implementing highway construction projects of monumental proportions. These projects are not only tailored to enhance the ease of movement, but are meticulously designed to alleviate the daunting specter of traffic congestion in the foreseeable future, consequently ensuring a noticeable reduction in travel time. Deputy Director-general of the department, Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisarn, divulged the intricacies of the following three highly ambitious projects: The prodigious M9 motorway project, commencing from Bang Khun Tian and terminating at Bang Bua Thong. This grand endeavour is projected to cost an astounding 56.03 billion baht. The highly anticipated M9 motorway project, stretching from the bustling region of Bang Bua Thong and culminating at Bang Pa-in, with an allocated budget of 15.2 billion baht. An innovative extension of the renowned Uttaraphimuk elevated tollway, affectionately…
Former property mogul, Srettha Thavisin, who’s tipped to be Pheu Thai’s sole PM candidate in the approaching re-run, has a task at hand: he must first vow never to modify or eliminate Article 112 of the Penal Code. This was stated by Anutin, the outgoing minister of public health, amidst talks that the next PM vote is tentatively scheduled for the coming Friday. Anutin further emphasized that Pheu Thai must announce its coalition partners transparently before his party, Bhumjaithai, casts their votes for their PM nominee. This comes on the heels of Pheu Thai’s earlier announcement that it was forfeiting the initial alliance forged by the Move Forward Party in favor of creating its own coalition, which was contingent on a memorandum of understanding. This decision was precipitated by several parties from the current coalition government voicing their refusal to partner with or join a Pheu Thai-led coalition, specifically if…
A tangled legal scenario surrounding Chaturon Chaisang, the ex-education minister of Thailand, has dramatically magnified the hardship endured by 126 Burmese students entrapped in Thai legal intricacies. These students, devoid of documentation and Thai citizenship, were admitted into their establishment by none other than Kanlaya Thasom, frequently referred to as ‘Teacher Poo’. A long-standing figure in education, she formerly presided over the Thairath Wittaya 6 School situated in the province of Ang Thong. Her actions would not go unnoticed and subsequently ignited a legal spark against her, necessitating a fervent educational rights debate. It was around the third hour of the afternoon when Chaturon, alongside representatives from the Assoc. International Law and Human Rights and the Mirror Foundation, reported to the Pa Mok Police Station, Ang Thong, to meet with superintendent Pol. Lt. Col. Sakchai Krai Weeradechachai and Deputy Investigator Pol. Lt. Col. Surasit Jaitiang. Their objective was to endorse…
As Thailand braces itself for the impending high season, frets about capacity constraints at its international airports are causing some apprehension among the country’s tourism officials. With an expected revival of flight services and an anticipated influx of approximately 8 million tourists this year – primarily from long-haul markets – the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is approaching the comeback of international tourism with a cautious optimism. An integral personality at the helm of these developments, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, the 42-year-old TAT deputy governor responsible for territories encompassing Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas, sees positive signs on the horizon. He remarks, for example, that flight operations are currently operating at over 70% of 2019’s figures. His forecasts for the year include 6 million tourists from Europe, a million from the Americas, and roughly half a million from the Middle East. While there have been gradual advancements in managing…
The enchanting locale of Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park, a crown jewel nestled in the southern province of Krabi, Thailand, stirs up a sweeping announcement. Maya Bay and Loh Sama Bay, the heartbeats of this sanctuary, will be temporarily suspended from tourist access from August 1 to September 30. This strategic decision strikes an essential chord in the symphony of nature preservation and underpins a decisive commitment to tourist safety during the fickle monsoon season. Ratchanok Parenoi, the renowned national park director, demystifies that the recurring monsoon season, extending its reign between August and September in Thailand, whips up fierce storms and perilous waves. As such a force of Mother Nature tends to wreak havoc on sea tourism, prioritising visitor safety is non-negotiable. Undeniably, Maya Bay, a darling among globetrotters, sits front and centre of this concern. Throwing open its hallowed grounds amidst such volatile weather conditions…