Disasters and emergency response

The Labour Ministry will seek cabinet approval for a reduced contribution to the Social Security Fund (SSF) by employees from 3% to 0.5% in February and March to ease the financial plight of employees affected by Covid-19.Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin on Friday said the board ...

Pro-democracy protesters gathered outside the Commerce Ministry on Friday to demand that the government cut spending on the military and monarchy in order to help Thais suffering amid the second wave of Covid-19.Ratsadon protesters led by Panupong Jadnok attempted to deliver a petition of their ...

An additional 1.5 million Thai citizens fell below the poverty line in 2020 as a result of the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to World Bank estimates based on a threshold of USD 5.50 per day.Declines in income have created economic hardship for ...

Stay-home orders in the Philippines didn’t work for lower-class people who rely on short term jobs for family income. They went out in 2020 despite the pandemic and despite the rules. Eventually tens of thousands were arrested and jailed in conditions that raise their risk ...

Spending more quality time with loved ones is the top thing people look forward to this year, according to the “What Matters 2021” survey of Agoda.The online survey was conducted between Dec 10-16. The total sample size was 16,064 adults. It found that one in ...

The government’s “RaoChana” (WeWin) cash handout scheme and the first two phases of the “Khon La Khrueng” (Let’s Go Halves) co-payment scheme are expected to boost Thai GDP by 1 per cent, said Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the new WeWin scheme ...

The Finance Ministry and the Bank of Thailand are set to discuss amending the soft loan royal decree soon in a bid to provide greater financial relief coverage for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).The idea of amending this royal decree stems from the intent of ...

Thailand’s GDP growth projection of 3.2% for this year could be downgraded by as much as four percentage points, depending on the government’s management of the latest outbreak, says the Bank of Thailand.There are three scenarios that could cause the country’s economic growth outlook to ...

A panel in charge of upgrading Suvarnabhumi airport has approved a major development scheme worth nearly 60 billion baht to support the post-Covid-19 recovery of air travel demand.Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, the committee’s vice chairman, recently said the development project comprises the construction of three ...

A government committee on Thursday approved four flood prevention projects in Bangkok and a water supply project in Pattani.The projects were approved at a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, said Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) secretary-general Somkiat Prajamwong.Keep reading ...