At a garment factory in Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s parliament on May 31 passed astimulus package worth 1.9 trillion THB (58 billion USD) to ease the impact ofCOVID-19.
The legislation, comprising three bills, includes a governmentplan to borrow 1 trillion THB and central bank measures worth another 900billion THB in soft loans and support for corporate bonds.
Of the 1 trillion THB of borrowing, 600 billion THB will be forpublic heath works and relief measures, and the rest for rebuilding the economyand job creation.
The bills must next be approved by the upper house Senate, whichis expected to convene in early June, before they can become law.
The latest steps follow billions of dollars of stimulus measuresintroduced earlier this year to cope with the impact of the coronavirus on theThai economy, which is heading into a recession.
Thailand began to gradually ease some restrictions introduced tocontain the virus in early May. More businesses classified as medium to highrisks, including cinemas and gyms, will be allowed to reopen on June 1.
Thailand’s central bank has said it expects the economy to sharplycontract this year as the pandemic hit businesses and households.
Meanwhile, the Thai National Economic and Social DevelopmentCouncil said 8.4 million people are at risk of losing their jobs this year dueto the COVID-19 pandemic, with the tourism sector being most badly affected.
It estimated that the fall in the number of foreign and domestictourists could mean 2.5 million people, or 64 percent of the approximately 3.9million workers in the tourism sector, could become unemployed.
It said in a report that 1.5 million, or 25 percent of the 5.9 million personindustrial workforce, also could be laid off due to the coronavirus crisisreducing demand that was already weakened by trade wars.
The jobs of 4.4 million people, or 43 percent of 10.3 million people working inthe service sector outside of tourism, are also at risk./.
Thailand is conducting tests on macaque monkeys as it races to produce a cheaper, alternative COVID-19 vaccine that it hopes will be ready by 2021, a top researcher said May 25.
Medical staff from Sangkhla Buri Hospital in Kanchanaburi have set up a mobile hospital unit in Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, bringing medical services closer to remote communities, while promoting COVID-19 precautionary measures among villagers.
Thailand’s cabinet has agreed to set up a committee to consider whether the country should sign up to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), amid widespread concerns about its harmful effects on the agriculture industry.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
At a garment factory in Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
