On Monday, the Election Commission (EC) verified all the elected representatives for the House of Representatives from the May 14 general election, comprising 400 constituency MPs and 100 party-list MPs. These newly appointed MPs have until June 24 to collect their election victory certificates. Once they report to Parliament, they’ll be recognized as official members of the House of Representatives. Rampoon, a first-time MP, eagerly arrived at the EC’s office ahead of its 8:30 am opening. She traveled from her hometown of Ubon Ratchathani in northeastern Thailand to dodge heavy traffic. Rampoon expressed her desire to begin her duties as an MP immediately, stating that she was elected to address issues in Ubon Ratchathani. Among her key objectives is the transformation of the temporary border checkpoint at Chong Ta U to a permanent one, in order to facilitate increased Thai-Laos cross-border trade. Before becoming an MP, Rampoon had been a…
Posts published in “Thailand”
The prestigious Thai Management Association (TMA) recently announced the results of Thailand’s competitiveness ranking according to the IMD report. Across several key metrics, such as economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure, Thailand has shown marked improvements in its rankings. Economic Performance In the area of economic performance, Thailand has made notable strides, moving from the 18th position in 2022 to the 16th position this year. The main drivers behind this improvement are the country’s enhanced international investment and trade performance. Thailand has risen 11 positions in international investment and 8 positions in international trade, demonstrating a stronger global presence and partnerships. Government Efficiency Thailand’s government efficiency has also seen progress, ranking 24th worldwide this year. Two crucial factors contributing to this improvement are Thailand’s institutional framework and business legislation. The country has climbed 7 positions in both sub-factors, signifying a more conducive environment for organizations and businesses to…
From January to May, some 274 international investors received authorization under the Foreign Business Act to establish their businesses in Thailand, according to Thosapone Dansuputra, the director-general of the Department of Business Development (DBD) within the ministry. This influx of foreign investment, totaling 45.39 billion baht, generated 2,999 new jobs in the economy. The leading three countries contributing the most significant investments included Japan, with 63 projects valued at 15.87 billion baht. This was closely followed by the United States, with 48 projects generating 2.45 billion baht in investment, and Singapore, with 46 projects amounting to 6.35 billion baht. The influx of foreign firms had a positive impact on the Thai economy, as it fostered knowledge and technology transfer, particularly in industries connected to government mega-projects and infrastructure initiatives. Among these critical sectors are oil well control, electrical system design for railway systems, and wind energy production. Thosapone Dansuputra further…
In partnership with the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, The Nation organized “Thailand’s International Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Day 2023” on June 16 at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus. The university’s Institute for Continuing Education and Human Resources also played a vital role in making this event successful. The seminar aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles and featured expert presentations with case studies and examples to inspire organizations to implement them effectively. DEI helps executives understand, embrace, and support diversity among employees, including factors such as race, culture, socio-economic background, physical disabilities, gender, and experiences. The goal is to create an inclusive environment where all employees are treated equitably and feel included instead of marginalized. Creating a better workplace Human resources departments from various firms were invited to discuss establishing a better…
According to government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri, there has been a notable increase in the number of dengue fever cases reported even before the onset of the rainy season, which typically witnesses a surge in cases. Between January 1 and June 7, hospitals across the country recorded a total of 19,503 cases, with 17 of them resulting in fatalities. Comparatively, from January to May, the department had announced 15 deaths and 18,173 dengue fever cases. Anucha warned that the situation could likely deteriorate during the rainy season, as accumulated rainwater in discarded containers creates ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Interestingly, this year’s number of dengue fever cases is up to 3.8 times higher than the same period last year. The most affected demographic is children aged 5 to 14, followed by those between 15 and 24 years old. The fever has been detected in 348 districts across 71 provinces. Over the…
A working group on peace policies convened at the Prachachat Party HQ to examine methods for addressing security issues in the southern region of Thailand. The eight-party coalition’s team is focused on fostering peace in the deep South and has recently called for a review of the ongoing enforcement of martial law and the emergency decree in the area. The group held its second meeting at the Prachachat Party headquarters, functioning as one of the six teams established by the Move Forward Party (MFP) and its coalition allies to tackle major challenges faced by the country during the transition to a new government. Representative of the MFP, Romadon Panjor, stated that the meeting primarily discussed development initiatives and policies for the southern border provinces, including Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and four districts in Songkhla. These policies are expected to be implemented to foster peace and unity within the first 100 days…
Recently, the Public Warehouse Organization (PWO) has called upon the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate the alleged misconduct of a former acting chief, believed to have led to losses exceeding a billion baht. The case revolves around the disappearance of 30,000 tonnes of cassava stock—valued at approximately 210 million baht—from a government-sponsored cassava-pledging project in 2008. The current PWO director, Kriangsak Pratheepwisarut, claims that the damage has since escalated to a worth of more than a billion baht. The missing cassava stock is suspected to have vanished from twelve privately-operated warehouses engaged by the government to store the agricultural produce. The disappearance of the stock was uncovered by an ad hoc inspection committee in 2020, which included representatives from PWO, the Internal Trade Department, the Department of Foreign Trade, and the warehouse owners themselves. Following the discovery of the missing cassava, the PWO promptly filed criminal and civil lawsuits…
Thanalop ‘Yok’ Phalanchai, a 15-year-old political activist, recently made headlines when she was expelled from Triam Udom Suksa Pattanakarn School in Bangkok for allegedly failing to complete her enrollment process on time. Despite this setback, she bravely returned to the school on Monday, asserting her right to an education and challenging the strict dress codes and traditional school ceremonies. As she entered the school grounds, no one stood in Yok’s way, even though the school was surrounded by policewomen who were tasked with maintaining order. With her iconic dyed hair and casual attire, she defied school regulations and claimed that her enrollment process had been completed a month prior. She argued that the school’s management statement, which declared her enrollment “incomplete,” was false. Yok argued for her right to choose what to wear and how to style her hair, criticizing the school’s traditional attire requirements as a form of authoritarianism.…
On Tuesday morning, an unfortunate incident occurred in Ban Pong district, Ratchaburi province, when two freight trains collided at the Sa Kosinarai railway station. The accident resulted in the derailment of eight carriages and left three train crew members injured. The collision took place around 5:40 am at Sa Kosinarai station, located in tambon Tha Pha of Ban Pong district. Freight train No.725, which had departed from Laem Chabang deep-sea port in Chon Buri and was on its way to Tha Muang district in Kanchanaburi, crashed into another train that was stationary at the station, awaiting unloading. This led to the derailment of eight carriages. Among the three injured train crewmen were train driver Suthep Samphinong and guard Bovornwit Wichitkul, who were both treated at a local hospital for minor injuries before being released. Train engineer Somsak Traidecha, however, suffered a more severe injury to his right leg and was…
In a dramatic turn of events, a hostage was rescued from his armed abductors when he cried for help as their car approached a police checkpoint in Bangkok’s Min Buri district early Tuesday morning. The hostage’s five alleged captors, who were traveling in two vehicles, were arrested and six guns with 61 rounds of ammunition were seized. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. when traffic police manning a drink driving test station on Rom Klao Road heard a desperate plea for help from inside a Chevrolet car. Police immediately stopped the vehicle and another Toyota car that was following it in hot pursuit. Upon searching the cars, authorities arrested the five suspects and rescued the 40-year old hostage, identified as Uthen. Six guns and a cache of ammunition were discovered in the vehicles, and all the involved persons were taken to the Min Buri police station. Uthen recounted his harrowing…