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From Nikkei Asia After a 45-year hiatus, Thailand and Cambodia reopened their cross-border railway service with a ceremony Monday in a move expected to provide trucking-dependent manufacturers with a cheaper, high-volume logistics option. With the rail service connecting the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet with Poipet in Cambodia, train passengers can now travel between the capitals of Bangkok and Phnom Penh. The rail service had been shut down since 1974 due to tensions between the two neighboring countries over the border and other issues. The long suspension was lifted after a 2015 agreement between Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen to relink the countries by rail to promote economic activities in the region and improve relations. he reconnection is expected to boost businesses in Thailand -- a hub of automakers, electric machinery builders and other manufacturers -- which are struggling with surging wages. Seeking cheaper workers, these companies are increasingly shifting labor-intensive production processes to Cambodia, including an industry park in Poipet, and bringing semi-finished products back to Thailand for final assembly. The problem has been the high cost of logistics because trucking was the only option. https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Thai-Cambodia-railway-resumes-after-45-years-connecting-business

From FTN Travel Best Western Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its portfolio in Thailand with the launch of a brand-new beachfront hotel, overlooking the beach just moments from the vibrant resort town of Pattaya. Scheduled to open its doors in June 2021, Best Western Premier Bayphere Pattaya is a stylish hotel with eye-catching architecture and interior design. Guests can stay in a choice of 174 contemporary rooms and suites, all adorned with modern décor, bathrooms with rain showers, working areas and state-of-the-art technology, including complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. The Deluxe and Executive Rooms promise panoramic views of the sandy shore, shimmering sea and spectacular sunsets from private balconies. During the day, guests can unwind and soak up the tranquil ambiance with a stroll along the seafront, a swim in the ocean-facing infinity pool or a dip in the Jacuzzis. A well-equipped fitness center provides the perfect place for a rewarding workout, while the outdoor sundeck and cozy cabanas offer serene settings to chill out with cool daytime drinks and light bites. Then, as the sun sets over the Gulf of Thailand, guests can settle down and sip cocktails at Lunar Rooftop Bar, which is perched on the eighth floor with majestic views of the ocean, or savor delicious Thai and international cuisine accompanied by fine wines at The Rocks, the hotel’s elegant all-day dining restaurant. https://ftnnews.com/accommodation/41935-best-western-opens-a-brand-new-beachfront-hotel-in-thailand

Definitely. Phuket had about 9 million visitors in 2019 alone, I think.

The daily trend appears to be shifting slowly in a positive direction. From The Tourism Authority of Thailand

From The Thai Examiner Staff heard 4 to 5 shouts before alarm was raised in Ko Tao island death 34-year-old son Ratish Sachathamakul went kayaking while his parents later emerged from their bedroom looking for the pool area. When the younger man returned, he also headed to the swimming pool where he found his father, 59-year-old Mr Ratesh and raised the alarm. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. On Tuesday, new details emerged as police investigated the death of a wealthy billionaire industrialist and his wife on Ko Tao last Friday. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes before the businessman’s son arrived at the scene and summoned help. It also emerged that the businessman was alive but unconscious when staff arrived at the pool and it was only later the body of his wife was discovered at the deeper end, floating in the water. Police on Tuesday intensified their review into the case of the deaths of the Thai Indian industrialist and his wife who died on Friday last at a luxury hotel resort on Ko Tao island in Surat Thani province. It is understood the Sachathamakuls had booked accommodation with the other hotel on the island through an online booking app but on arrival, it was found that the hotel accommodation was too small and it was engaged in construction work. 59-year-old Mr Rakeshwar Sachathamakul and his wife Anchoo were collected from a hotel that they had originally booked on the island but had rejected, by the driver for the Jamahkiri Resort & Spa, Mr Peerathorn Chantao. He picked the party up at approximately 11 am. Mr Peerathorn told police that when the party arrived at the new hotel, Mr Ratesh and his wife Anchoo sat outside and drank a bottle of beer each while they ordered food to be delivered to their room. The couple took possession of their room at 12.17 pm according to sources. Mr Ratish, the couple’s son, decided to find an alternative place to stay. Hotel staff next heard from Mr Ratish who booked a kayak at reception where he left his bag and smartphone. Sometime after this, Mr Ratish arrived back at reception and handed back the kayak in exchange for his phone and bag. He also asked staff for directions to the swimming pool and was directed there. According to what police have ascertained so far, at 3.49 pm, a member of staff, Mr Irada Jaiman, said he heard a man’s voice crying out in shock. He said he heard the cry four or five times in a row. He turned around but saw no one and did not respond. However, at 4.01 pm or 12 minutes later, he heard another shout and saw Mr Ratish near the swimming pool calling out for help. Continues with photo https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2021/06/09/shocked-cries-in-ko-tao-death-of-billionaire-wife/

From the BBC Young Thai workers race to reopen deserted beaches Thailand depends on its tourism sector, and normally welcomes 14 million visitors annually. But Covid-19 saw visitor numbers plunge to just four million last year. In the key resort of Phuket, mass vaccinations are being organised ahead of this year's tourist season. As part of our My Work, My Future season, young Thais in Phuket share their hopes and fears about future employment in the country's tourist industry. Continues with video https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-57404078 ============================================== From Bangkok Post S. Korea seeks travel bubbles with Thailand, other countries SEOUL: South Korea is eyeing travel bubble agreements with Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Guam and Saipan. The South Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry said on Wednesday the government is seeking travel bubble agreements with Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Guam and Saipan that will allow group trips as early as July for fully vaccinated people. Under the proposal, the bubbles would be limited between Incheon airport and a designated airport in the second country. It would mark the first step in the recovery of South Korea’s tourism and airline markets, the ministry said. The government has been in talks with Singapore and Taiwan to sign such exclusive travel partnership and plans to add locations like Thailand, Guam and Saipan, Pulse reported. Vaccinated South Koreans can plan overseas vacation as agency-arranged tours will become possible as early as next month through travel bubble arrangements, under which quarantine mandates are waivered, with relatively virus-safe countries like Singapore and US resort territories of Guam and Saipan. ravel bubble allows people to cross borders and travel freely within designated zones without having to undergo on-arrival quarantine. They will be required to present a Covid vaccine certificate and negative RT-PCR result taken within 72 hours from the departure date and take the PCR test and confirmed negative upon arrival at the destination. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry, and Transport Ministry said direct flights between travel bubble partners will be initially operated once or twice a week and expanded gradually, according to Pulse. Up to 200 people are expected to be allowed on board per flight, they added. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2129531/s-korea-seeks-travel-bubbles-with-thailand-other-countries

As every day passes, it becomes increasingly clear that Thailand faces a steeper uphill challenge in controlling the current wave unless it can first address the outbreak in the over 400 migrant worker camps in Bangkok (see article below). This was a problem first identified nearly 18 months ago and continues to be the major source of new infections. It may not be the politically expedient thing to do but it's certainly the best medical and humanitarian course to follow. From PBS Thai World / Thaiger So expats can get vaccines in the rollout. But… how? With mass vaccination finally underway, one demographic hangs in an uncertain balance for vaccines more than any other: Thailand’s 3 million expats. After months of back and forth with foreigners being told they will get vaccines, then they wouldn’t, then they’d have to pay, then they’d have to wait until after all Thais, and finally that all expats would be vaccinated alongside Thais as a part of the vaccine rollout. And now confusion still swirls around how exactly foreigners are able to get a Covid-19 vaccine. While countless government officials have claimed that expats can get their jabs now, the actual steps they need to take are very unclear. A government spokesman has even now told foreigners to just hang on and await further instructions. Starting June 7, older expats over 60 or having one of the 7 chronic diseases that are deemed high-risk for Covid-19 infections can register online for vaccines. Foreigners must provide a social security number connected to a passport or work permit. The US Embassy has suggested that Americans contact whatever local hospital has medical records for them. Problems have been reported, with 2 senior expats of 40 years reported being given an appointment for their vaccines on January 1, 1970. Others have reported additional problems in registering to get a vaccine and suspect the system is overwhelmed. Vaccination for foreigners is still confusing and widely varied in different provinces, but nationwide, vaccination centres are administering Sinovac and AstraZeneca jabs, with most centres offering one of the other, not a choice. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/so-expats-can-get-vaccines-in-the-rollout-but-how ====================================== From Thai Enquirer Bangkok surges to new high of 70 Covid clusters There are now 70 active clusters in Bangkok, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Wednesday. It is the highest number of active clusters that has been reported in the third wave, which started at entertainment venues in the capital and surrounding provinces since April 1. The previous figure given for Bangkok by the CCSA was 53 clusters on Monday. “There are now 70 active clusters in 35 districts,” said Dr Apisamai Srirangsan, the CCSA’s deputy spokeswoman. The official update only listed one cluster as new, at Prayook Sports Supply company in Din Daeng where 54 out of 120 employees were found to be infected with the virus. The company closed on June 4 until June 18. It was not clear which others of the 70 listed clusters were new since the 53 reported on Monday. The CCSA did not release an update on Tuesday. Of the 70 active clusters in Bangkok, 22 were found in worker camps, 16 around markets and shopping centres, 15 at businesses and factories, 14 in crowded communities and residential areas, two at care homes and one at an embassy. Of the 22 worker camps, 12 belongs to three companies, namely Italian-Thai Development (5), Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction (4) and Pornpranakorn (3). The remaining belong to 10 other companies with one cluster each. Apisamai said there are currently 409 registered camps in Bangkok housing around 62,000 workers. Authorities will begin to inspect all worker camps in the capital tomorrow, starting with large sites with more than 100 workers. https://www.thaienquirer.com/28380/bangkok-surges-to-new-high-of-70-covid-clusters/

From Thai PBS World / Thaiger Private hospitals ordering 10 million doses of Moderna, expected to arrive by October Private hospitals in the Kingdom are planning to buy up to 10 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine through the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation. The Private Hospital Association expects to take delivery of the vaccines by October. Paiboon Eksaengsri from the PHA says progress was made at a meeting with Moderna importer, Zuellig Pharma. The price has also been set at 3,800 baht for 2 doses, inclusive of fees. The US-manufactured vaccine was approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration last month, with a total of 5 vaccines now approved in the Kingdom. The others are China’s Sinovac, AstraZeneca, the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and a second Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm. According to a Thai PBS World report, the government is in talks with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer, with plans to import up to 25 million doses of those vaccines. To date, 6 million doses of Sinovac and nearly 2 million AstraZeneca doses have been delivered. 1.8 million of the AstraZeneca doses were locally produced by Siam Bioscience. https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/private-hospitals-ordering-10-million-doses-of-moderna-expected-to-arrive-by-october

From The Thaiger A preliminary autopsy results suggest the billionaire couple died from drowning at the Koh Tao resort pool. Water was found in both their lungs and medical examiners at the Police General Hospital say the couple died from lack of oxygen. More tests are being done and police are still investigating. Last Friday, the Thai-Indian couple Anshoo and Rakeshwar Sachatamakul, 55 and 58, travelled with their 34 year old son Ratish from a Chumphon to Koh Tao, an island in the Gulf of Thailand off the Surat Thani coast. After checking in to the Jamahkhiri Resort & Spa, the couple went to lounge by the swimming pool. Ratish went on a walk on the beach, but later went to the pool where he found his parents floating in the water. No one was at the pool at the time of the couple’s death and surveillance cameras by the pool were not working. Police are now reviewing footage taken from other areas of the resort. No signs of assault where found on the bodies. Preliminary autopsy results suggest the couple died from drowning. Medical examiners say water was found in their lungs and they died from lack of oxygen. Blood samples were sent to the laboratory for analysis and the results are expected to be released in 30 days. The Thai Examiner says that police also seized 5 bottles of beer for examination. A report from the Bangkok Post said Anshoo’s body was found at a shallow area of the pool that was a metre deep. The deep end of the pool is about 2.2 metres deep. Rakeshwar was the co-owner and CEO of the Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach, owner of the the Bangkapi Manison apartments in Bangkok, and managing director of Wireform A.N., a Thailand-based manufacturer of precision springs and plastic parts. Police are investigating to determine if the couple had conflict with anyone and are looking into the couple’s insurance records to investigate the beneficiaries. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/billionaire-couple-in-koh-tao-drowned-preliminary-autopsy-results-show ======================================== 28 year old Australian man found dead near Krabi island Thai police are investigating the death of a 28 year old Australian man who was found dead last week by Koh Pu, a small island in Krabi near Koh Lanta. Robert Wojcik, a Sydney native who had lived in Thailand since late 2019 working as a divemaster, took his boat out on June 1. When he did not come home that night, his girlfriend asked a fisherman to search for him. His body was found the next day. A post shared on a Facebook page for Phuket expats said the keys to the boat were still in the ignition and his phone and wallet were also onboard. Robert’s iPad was the only item missing from the boat. He had used it to speak to his father at around 9:30pm. Officer Taweelarb Suwannarerksuspect says police suspect he fell overboard. https://thethaiger.com/news/national/28-year-old-australian-man-found-dead-near-krabi-island-last-week

From Bangkok Post The province's Sandbox programme would limit foreign tourists' sightseeing itineraries to "sealed routes", which would only take them to pre-approved local attractions. They would not be permitted to travel independently. Officials in Chiang Mai have been hard at work learning from Phuket's "Tourism Sandbox" model so the northern province can also reopen to fully vaccinated tourists. Phuket is preparing to open its doors to vaccinated visitors on July 1 and tourism-dependent Chiang Mai wants to follow suit a month later. The Sandbox model requires foreign tourists to remain on the island for 14 days, increased from seven, before they can move on to other destinations. Narong Tananuwat, deputy chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce's economic development committee in the North, said Chiang Mai could ill afford to allow its fortunes to slide further. The situation is particularly dire for those which rely heavily on foreign tourists; of the 80,000 hotel rooms available in the province, only 3% are still being made available. However, he said that for the plans to work a high number of local people must first be vaccinated and he lamented the slow rollout of the vaccine programme to date. Mr Narong said stakeholders in Chiang Mai agreed the province should push for its own version of the Sandbox model to be launched on Aug 1 in four districts -- Mae Rim, Mae Taeng, Doi Tao and Muang -- ahead of the entire province being reopened to fully vaccinated tourists on Oct 15. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2128419/chiang-mai-seeks-aug-1-reopening ============================================== From Tourism Authority of Thailand

From CGTN Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday that Thailand will purchase 8 million doses of Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine from China.

It was 1976 when I met a young man whose radiant smile I could not get out of my head. We soon became fast friends and for 11 years he was the most important person in my life until he was taken in 1987. The cure began to emerge that year but too late for Billy. I did not have another relationship like that for 29 years. This time it was in November of 2016 when another young man, standing at Soi 4 and Silom rd., smiled at me. Although I didn’t know it at the time, he, too, was to change my life and continues to do so to this day. Those of us who lived through and survived AIDS all have our own stories. But the one thing we all have in common is that as we still await a vaccine for that horror. Visitors and volunteers walk on the 21,000-panel AIDS Memorial Quilt on October 10, 1992 in Washington. (CNN)

From Bangkok Post The Airports of Thailand (AoT) is introducing self-check in and luggage-loading services at Suvarnabhumi airport to reduce contact between passengers and staff to help mitigate against the risk of Covid-19 infections. AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said on Saturday 180 machines will be installed at the country's main gateway airport to make check-in and other activities self-service. The machines will be trialled this month before being integrated in July. He said the machines are linked to a database which includes flight information from other airlines as well as the Immigration Bureau, the Interior Ministry and various security agencies. The system will speed up pre-flight procedures and build travellers' confidence in the AoT's public health security ahead of the resumption of normal commercial flight operations, according to Mr Nitinai. The AoT president said the system will be made available to travellers with no luggage who will be able to use self-check-in kiosks at the airport. Alternatively, they can download the AoT App and use it to check in for their flights before getting to the airport. Travellers with luggage can also use the check-in kiosks as new self-service luggage loaders are being installed as part of the initiative. Charges for exceeding weight allowances can also be paid on the spot via the interface. After that, travellers will have their boarding passes checked at unmanned biometric security stations. In the future, the AoT is also looking to replace officials with the biometric system to check boarding passes while people wait to board their flights, Mr Nitinai said. In the meantime, the International Air Transport Association (Iata) has urged governments to make data-driven decisions as they mull reopening their borders to international travel. Well-implemented, but quarantine free, strategies can enable international travel to restart while minimising the risk of spreading Covid-19 to the travel destination, according to Willie Walsh, Iata's director-general. "Data should drive policies on restarting global travel that manage Covid-19 risks to protect populations, revive livelihoods and boost economies," he said. He said there is no one-size-fits-all solution to handling the various levels of risk, but pointed towards the need to justify the economic and social cost of blanket measures taken by most governments which have been unnecessarily high. "Everybody can respect a data-driven decision. That is the way back to normality," said Mr Walsh. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2127407/airports-go-hands-off-to-quell-fears ========================================== From Tourism Authority of Thailand

From Pattaya Mail June is considered the month of pride among LGBTQ. The mall in Bangkok like Samyan Mitrtown has transformed its iconic tunnel walk with colorful rainbow decorations to celebrate ‘Pride Month’ under the campaign ‘Samyan Mitr Proud 100% Love’ to promote love and equality of LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer). The event is taking place from now until July 11, 2021.

The 747 was the the true queen of the skies. First flight to BKK was a Northwest 747 from Minneapolis via Narita. Roomy, smooth, comfortable and reliable. Crews and passengers loved it. Can't think of any major carrier that didn't fly them.

From Bangkok Post Phuket set for July 1; Bangkok and others set to follow The government gave the green light to the plan to reopen Phuket to vaccinated foreign tourists starting on July 1, although visitors are required to remain on the resort island for 14 days before leaving the province. The plan was approved on Friday during a meeting of the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (Cesa) chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. It was proposed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Sport and Tourism Ministry. From July 1, Phuket will be the first province to welcome back foreign tourists and waive the quarantine requirement for those who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 under the so-called "Phuket Tourism Sandbox" programme, which is touted as a model for the reopening of the kingdom's tourism industry as a whole, said Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. However, the tourists must remain on the island for 14 days -- an increase from the previously planned seven days -- before being allowed to continue on to other destinations in the country, Mr Phiphat said. Mr Phiphat said the meeting had not yet approved plans to reopen Krabi and Koh Samui off Surat Thani to foreign tourists next month because Cesa wanted to first assess the outcome of Phuket's reopening over the next two months. Officials at the meeting also approved the tourism reopening of Bangkok, Phetchaburi (Cha-am district), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin district), Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya) and Buri Ram from Oct 1, he said. Mr Phiphat previously said the combined tourism income of these 10 provinces in 2019 stood at 1.5 trillion baht, and that was the reason why they were selected to join the reopening pilot programme, which is scheduled to run from Oct 1 until Dec 31. "Under the sandbox programme, Phuket will also reopen to Thais who have already received two doses of vaccines," he said. "The TAT will sign an agreement with the Board of Trade of Thailand to fly vaccinated members of the board to Phuket to promote the reopening on July 1." Foreign tourists who plan to visit Phuket on July 7 are from Israel, while visitors from the United States will fly to the resort island on July 9, Mr Phiphat said. He said he was confident at least 70% of Phuket residents, and 100% of local tourism operators will be fully vaccinated in time for the reopening on July 1. As of Wednesday, about 60% of Phuket's target population of 466,587 had been injected with a first shot of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 98,795 had received their second shot, according to TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. A total of 376,427 people have registered for the vaccination drive, he said. Phuket will reopen to tourists who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 for more than 14 days but no more than one year prior to their visit, and they must come from low-to-moderate risk countries as announced by the Public Health Ministry, Mr Danucha said. Foreign tourists must have vaccination certificates from their countries and the vaccines they have received must be registered under Thai law or approved by the World Health Organization, he said. Tourists must stay at hotels that have Safety & Health Administration Plus hygiene standards certification, he said, adding they will still be required to use contact tracing apps during their stay in the kingdom. They must also report regularly to health authorities and strictly abide by the Covid-19 DMHTTA rules (distancing, mask-wearing, hand-washing, temperature testing, Covid testing and mobile app use), Mr Danucha said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2127043/phuket-set-for-july-reopening ================================= From Tourism Authority of Thailand

Imagine passengers falling off the ladder, delays loading and off-loading the cabin, trips to the restrooms. How many of the flying population could even negotiate the stairs? And it's doubtful the cabin could be completely evacuated in emergency within the time limits established by civil aeronautics authorities. I'm sure commercial aviation will continue to evolve in the future. We've already seen the movement to wide-body (747) to jumbo (380) and back to wide-body (350, 787). Despite the Crystal Cabin competitions, carriers will avoid acrobatic configurations and stay with the single level design.

The supersonic transport was a bold undertaking that worked. The Concorde had a 14-year production run. PeterRS described the factors leading to its demise but the industry--and aviation enthusiasts--never gave up on the concept. Whether or not Boom's entry will actually materialize, I agree, remains to be seen but I applaud United for thinking like British Air and Air France and stepping to the plate. If they hadn't, the Concorde would have never flown. I could find only one attempt by Boeing to build a SST. If there were others I would enjoy hearing about them. Here's an historical snapshot of the Boeing 2707 project: https://www.boeing.com/history/products/supersonic-transport.page

Yes, CP Thailand Group agreed to purchase the Tesco-Lotus businesses in Thailand and Malaysia last year. I believe the sale has since passed possible anti-trust considerations and has been completed. Don't know whether they plan to re-brand the stores as 7-11's but I assume that consolidation of locations is inevitable. From the Straits Times BANGKOK (REUTERS, BLOOMBERG) - Tesco agreed to sell its businesses in Thailand and Malaysia to Thai billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont's CP Group for for an enterprise value of US$10.6 billion (S$14.6 billion) and will return almost two-thirds of the proceeds to shareholders. The deal to buy Tesco's 2,000 Thai retail outlets marks the end of a three-way tycoon tussle - and the beginning of the first engagement for Thailand's newly powerful antitrust watchdog. The British grocery chain chose Mr Chearavanont's operator of 12,000 7-Eleven convenience stores over the Chirathivat family's Central Group of Companies Ltd - Thailand's biggest retailer by market capitalisation - and beer magnate Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's TCC Group Co, said people with direct knowledge of the matter. CP Group runs its 12,000 7-Eleven convenience stores through CP All PCL and about 80 cash-and-carry stores under Siam Makro PCL. It will gain control of 1,965 stores Tesco operates in Thailand - much of which the British firm bought from CP Group during the 1997-8 Asian financial crisis. Included are 200 Tesco Lotus hypermarkets and 1,600 Tesco Lotus Express convenience stores. It will also buy 74 outlets in Malaysia.

From Bangkok Post SINGAPORE: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the European Union have concluded the world’s first bloc-to-bloc air transport agreement, Asean said, to allow their airlines to easier expand services to and within the respective regions. The agreement, once formalised, will mean that airlines of the combined 37 member states can fly any number of non-stop flights between countries in both regions, Asean said on Friday. Additionally, airlines will be permitted to fly up to 14 weekly passenger services with one stop within the other region to pick up passengers on the return leg. There will no limits on flights with one stop to pick up cargo. The agreement “provides essential guarantees of fair competition for our European airlines and industry, while strengthening reciprocal prospects for trade and investment”, said Adina Valean, the European Commissioner for Transport, according to the Asean statement. The Asean-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (AE Cata), as it will be known, will be submitted for review by lawyers and signed at a later date, the statement said. Brendan Sobie, a Singapore-based independent aviation analyst, said the deal was a positive step for the airlines but issues like securing slots could still be a challenge. “The general idea here is to make Asean and EU airlines more competitive compared to airlines from other regions, which have been aggressively gaining market share in the Asean-EU market,” he said. “There may be issues that prevent these kind of routes from actually operating. Slots have always been an issue in this region which can make traffic rights irrelevant.”

From Bloomberg News United Airlines Holdings Inc. is jumping into the potential market for supersonic travel with the first firm order for Boom Technology Inc.’s Overture aircraft, wagering that business flyers will pay top dollar for speedier trips across oceans. The airline will buy 15 of the supersonic jets, which are expected to carry passengers in 2029, the companies said in a statement Thursday. At $200 million a plane, the deal is valued at $3 billion at list prices and Boom doesn’t offer discounts, said Blake Scholl, the aircraft developer’s founder and chief executive officer. United also took purchase options for 35 more planes. United plans to be the debut operator of the Overture, which will be able to seat as many as 88 people. The airline’s coastal hubs in leading business-travel markets make the jet “uniquely useful” for United, said Mike Leskinen, vice president of corporate development. While supersonic flight is banned over land in the U.S., United sees three and-a-half hour jaunts to London from Newark, New Jersey, and six-hour trips to Tokyo from San Francisco. “It has a tremendous amount of value for a big chunk of our high-end business customers,” Leskinen said. “We’ve got our eyes firmly on New York to London for inaugural service and we will evaluate opportunities beyond that.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-03/united-bets-on-supersonic-future-with-3-billion-boom-jet-order

From Nikkei Asia Vietnam's 'new COVID variant' part of existing Indian strain: WHO HANOI -- As Vietnam's northern manufacturing hub fights COVID-19 variants, the World Health Organization's main representative in the country is urging authorities and companies critical to supply chains to continue containment efforts because vaccinations of factory workers are falling behind needs. Since late April, Vietnam has been struggling to contain multiple COVID-19 outbreaks at factories located in Bac Ninh and Bac Giang, two neighboring provinces near Hanoi, the capital. On Wednesday, authorities reported 241 new cases in the country, with 157 in Bac Giang and 31 in Bac Ninh. Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long shocked global investors on Saturday, hinting that a newly discovered variant could have contributed to outbreaks in the heart of the country's economic engine. Long said the government uncovered "a new COVID-19 variant" that combines characteristics of two existing variants first found in India and the U.K. "There is no new hybrid variant in Vietnam at this moment based on WHO definition," Kidong Park, the WHO representative in Vietnam, told Nikkei Asia on Wednesday in an online interview. "The variant detected is Delta variant, with additional mutations, and needs more observation. We need to monitor during next couple of weeks," he said referring to the newly labeled "delta" variant which was first detected in India and appeared in other countries. "This is within the existing [delta] variant. It is an additional mutation" Park explained, adding "as for now, there is no alarming alert from WHO. Park also stressed the delta variant is dangerous as it is highly contagious and spreads very quickly. Son Nghiem, a senior research fellow at Griffith University's Centre for Applied Health Economics in Australia, agreed there is no need for new WHO alert at this time. "To my knowledge, the Bac Giang and Bac Ninh outbreaks were mostly associated with the Indian variant," Nghiem told Nikkei Asia last week. Park said it is difficult to tell when Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, home to factories for international manufacturers including Samsung Electronics, will be able to end the outbreaks. Since late April, more than 400 companies -- with 65,000 workers -- have halted production in Bac Ninh. In Bac Giang, four out of six industrial parks were forced to shut down on May 18, affecting at least 140,000 workers. Local authorities also ordered COVID-hit factory operators to keep workers inside facilities to contain the virus. Employees were asked to eat, sleep and work in factories, with tents set up as temporary accommodations. Since vaccinations for factory workers just started this week in the two provinces, authorities and operators will have to continue stringent containment measures including testing, contact tracing and isolation "for a certain period of time," Park said. Vietnam had been one of the most successful countries in preventing the spread of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The challenge now is to accelerate vaccinations amid a shortage of doses as Asian economies rush to secure supply. https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Vietnam-s-new-COVID-variant-part-of-existing-Indian-strain-WHO ========================================== From Bloomberg News / Bangkok Post Vietnam to have 125m doses this year Vietnam’s health ministry said the country will have nearly 125 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this year after initially reporting it expects 120 million vaccine doses, according to an updated post on the government’s website. The total includes 5 million doses from Moderna Inc, 20 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine and 31 million doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, it said. Vietnam, with a popultaion of 96.5 million, will also acquire 30 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses and 38.9 million doses through the Covax initiative, the World Health Organization-backed effort to buy and distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income nations. Vietnam is nearing its goal of purchasing 150 million vaccine doses this year for 75% of the population, according to the post, which cited Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long. Vietnam continues to negotiate with vaccine manufacturers to boost vaccine supplies to reach its herd immunity target by the end of this year or early 2022, Long said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2126251/vietnam-to-have-125m-doses-this-year

From The Thaiger / Bangkok Post The operator of the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores has confirmed it will open another 700 shops in the Kingdom this year. According to a Bangkok Post report this morning, CP All plans to spend between 11.5 and 12 billion baht on expansion in 2021. The company has opened 155 new 7-Eleven stores so far this year, meaning there were 12,587 CP All-operated stores by the end of the first quarter of 2021. Chief Financial Officer Kriengchai Boonboapichart says around 4 billion baht will be invested in new projects, subsidiaries, and distribution centres. Between 3.8 and 4 billion will be spent on store expansion, around 2.5 billion on renovating existing 7-Eleven stores, and around 1.4 billion on IT systems and fixed assets. 2020 total reported revenue for CP All was 547 billion baht, down 4.3% from 2019, and net profit was down by 27.9% at 16.1 billion baht. During the first quarter of 2021, total revenue has dropped by 8.5% year-on-year, with net profit dropping by 54%. The fall is largely attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to decreased consumption and purchasing power, as well as the drop in tourism. Customers habits are also shifting to favour online shopping, and CP All is continuing to focus on offerings such as 7-Eleven Delivery, All Online, and 24Shopping. https://thethaiger.com/news/business/another-700-7-eleven-stores-to-open-across-thailand

From Bangkok Post Some foreigners get jab next week The government has assured that all foreign nationals living in the kingdom who have registered for vaccination will start receiving the Covid-19 vaccine from next Monday. Sophon Iamsirithaworn, Disease Control Department deputy director general, said on Wednesday that vaccination for all foreign diplomats in the country would be carried out the same day as the government's mass vaccination programme, based upon an advanced reservation system. "Currently, we have started vaccinating diplomats and their families, and international organisations -- such as UN staff, in which they have registered in advance to get a vaccine from designated hospitals," Dr Sophon said. According to Dr Sophon, all diplomatic staff, consular representatives and staff from international organisations in Thailand were required to register from June 1–6 via www.ThailandIntervac.com/diplomats. "For general foreigners, they can get the jab on the same day as Thais," Dr Sophon told an online forum titled "Briefing for Thailand Journalists on the National Vaccine Rollout". "Emphasis should be given to the elderly and those who have seven underlying diseases." The forum was co-hosted by the Public Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) to equip the media with vaccine scheme information so they work in sync with the government. Dr Sophon went on to say that foreigners who want to get vaccinated are also required to register via www.ThailandIntervac.com. Those who have booked via the Mor Prom Application would get an AstraZeneca jab. Dr Sophon said there would be more vaccines assigned to Bangkok than other provinces as the population in the capital is dense and the spread of Covid-19 still relatively high. "There will be almost one million doses of AstraZeneca and Sinovac altogether assigned to Bangkok," Dr Sophon said. "In the first two weeks, around five hundred thousand doses should be administered. The government expects 61 million doses from AstraZeneca and around 10–15 million dozes from Sinovac. The department is also negotiating with Pfizer to supply another 20 million doses and Johnson & Johnson for 5 million dozes of their vaccine, he said. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2125855/foreigners-get-jab-next-week ================================ Americans plead for jabs A group of prominent US citizens in Thailand has submitted an open letter to visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman asking their government to arrange Covid-19 vaccinations for its expatriate citizens. "Don't abandon us!" was the plea. "The US continues to have a growing vaccine surplus, yet many Americans abroad are still without access to vaccines and their lives are at risk," said the letter, written by Democrats Abroad Thailand chairman Paul Risley, Republicans Overseas Asia VP Tony Rodriguez, Veterans of Foreign Wars commander Carl Manchester and American Women's Club of Thailand president Ambreen Miraly. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2125903/americans-plead-for-jabs ======================================= From Tourism Authority of Thailand

Apologies for an error in my previous post. The fourth paragraph should read: "Even many of those who stand to benefit from victory appear undecided on the cure. The same percentage (about one third) of the population in both the US and Thailand are reluctant to receive a vaccine."