Visitors take pictures in front of sculptures made of white sand imitating ice in the "Frost Magical Ice of Siam" park outside Pattaya on Sept 2, 2020. (Photo: AFP)
Bangkok(VNA) – Thailand's Centre for COVID-19Situation Administration (CCSA) has said it will allow more categories offoreigners to enter the country from October.
According to astatement of the CCSA, the agency has agreed toallow foreign athletes to enter Thailand for tournaments in a supervised area.
The first group will beinternational cyclists participating in the royal marathon cycling event, the centre said.
Non-immigrant visaholders, such as businesspeople who do not have any type of work permit, arenow also allowed, but they must show that they have savings of at least500,000 THB (15,782 USD) in the past six months, it stated.
The CCSA said PrimeMinister Prayut Chan-o-cha had alsogiven the green light to the Special Tourist VISA (STV) scheme, which primarily targets foreign visitors with the intention to stay in Thailand on along-term basis for nine months, to go ahead.
Accordingto the centre, from October 8 onwards, around 150 verified foreigners wouldstart arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport or Phuket Airport.
Separately,a group of 150 tourists from the Chinese city of Guangzhou will land in Phuketon October 8, before another group of 126 fly to Bangkok on October 25.
Also, 120 tourists from Scandinavia and otherEuropean countries on November 1 will arrive in Bangkok on a Thai Airwaysflight.
The CCSA said that these tourists will spendtheir first 14 days in Thailand at alternative state quarantine sites beforethey are allowed to travel on their own.
TheThai government previously decided to extend a grace period for visa renewals for foreignersstranded in Thailand until October 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic./.
The Thai cabinet on September 22 approved an employment subsidy programme worth 19.46 billion THB (625 million USD) targeting 260,000 new graduates from universities and vocational institutes.
Thailand on September 24 began legal action against two major social media providers - Facebook and Twitter - for ignoring requests to take down content.
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has launched prototype electric motorbike taxis and boats to support electric vehicle use in public transportation, aiming to reduce air pollution and particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5).
Thailand's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on September 28 said it has decided to extend a grace period for visa renewals for foreigners stranded in Thailand until October 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The new framework is designed to ensure that incoming investments deliver tangible national benefits, such as the creation of high-quality jobs for Malaysians and the development of local company ecosystems and technologies.
Singapore led with a total of 8.8 billion USD in realised investment, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China, Malaysia, and Japan with 8 billion USD, 1.7 billion USD and 1.6 billion USD, respectively.
Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on August 7 outlined his strategy for tackling drug problems in Thailand, aiming for a "Zero Drugs Thailand" within three months.
The US has described Malaysia's role as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as vital in helping ease tension between Thailand and Cambodia.
Visitors take pictures in front of sculptures made of white sand imitating ice in the "Frost Magical Ice of Siam" park outside Pattaya on Sept 2, 2020. (Photo: AFP) 
