National
Thailand to further ease COVID-19 restrictions
The Cabinet approved to ease the level of control over the country under the COVID-19 situation including relaxing businesses and activities in 4 areas.
The Cabinet approved to ease the level of control over the country under the COVID-19 situation including relaxing businesses and activities in 4 areas.
Strict control zone (Red) : Samut Sakhon , markets can reopen, with customers limited and keep social distancing; restaurants, closing at 9pm without alcohol; department stores, closing at 9pm; Schools, only online-learning, gym remains closed
Control zone (Orange): Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom / Pathum Thani, Tak, and Ratchaburi; Restaurant must close before 11PM, dining and drinking alcohol are permitted ; Entertainment venue, drinking and live performance without dancing are allowed before closing at 11PM ; Department Stores, open as scheduled, restrict the number of customers and no commercial event ;Schools and tutoring institutions, normal studying ;Exercise area, indoor and outdoor, allowed to open normally with restricted number of users, also allowed to hold competitions
Close surveillance zone (Yellow): Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Phetchaburi, Ranong, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chumphon, Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat. Using as same restriction as Orange zone but the restaurant and entertainment venue can be opening until midnight
Surveillance zone (Green) : other provinces. Restaurants can reopen with social distancing. Entertainment places can reopen, alcoholic drinks, music performances . Gym is open, allowed to hold competitions with restricted numbers of viewers
Meanwhile, Thailand is planned to distribute vaccine nationwide and will start vaccination program this 28 February 2021
Banking
Thai Government to issue Bt50 bln ( $1.57 bln)Savings Bonds to fund COVID-19 Relief Measures
The special savings bonds are available via the “Sasom Bond Mung Kung” e-wallet, abbreviated to “Sor Bor Mor” in Thai on Krungthai Bank’s Pao Tang mobile app, and through four dealer banks. The minimum purchase of these bonds is 1,000 baht, without no maximum. Interest is paid twice a year.
BANGKOK (NNT) – Thailand’s Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) plans to issue “Ying Aom Ying Dai” (the more you save, the more you earn) government savings bonds, worth 50 billion baht, next month, aiming to use the funds to finance state projects to ease the impacts of the pandemic.
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Economics
Thai Government Plans to Increase 2022 Investment Budget by 90 Billion baht ($2.84 bln)
According to the 2022 fiscal budget bill, which has public spending set at 3.1 trillion baht, accounting for 17.9% of GDP, the government would need to borrow 700 billion baht to offset the deficit.
BANGKOK (NNT) – The Budget Bureau notes that the Thai government plans to increase its investment budget by 90 billion baht in the fiscal year 2022, in compliance with a law related to state financial and fiscal discipline.
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