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World
Asia
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Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 1,000 as authorities grapple with relief efforts
Read more: Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 1,000 as authorities grapple with relief effortsMore than 200 people remain missing as of Saturday (Dec 13), while over 5,400 have been injured.
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Border residents return home as fragile Cambodia-Thailand peace holds
Read more: Border residents return home as fragile Cambodia-Thailand peace holdsSome Cambodian families are cautiously returning after weeks of clashes along the Thailand border, but uncertainty remains.
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Integrating Malaysia’s railway network with ‘China and beyond’ a key priority for operator KTM’s new chief
Read more: Integrating Malaysia’s railway network with ‘China and beyond’ a key priority for operator KTM’s new chiefCiting the need for Malaysia’s national rail operator to be profitable, KTM’s acting CEO tells CNA in an interview that one key revenue stream will come from reviving stalled freight services between Kuala Lumpur and Chongqing in southwestern China.
Thailand
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Tourists in Thailand plan for cuts to visa-free stays
Read more: Tourists in Thailand plan for cuts to visa-free staysThe backpackers on Khao San Road, the Bangkok thoroughfare beloved by budget travellers, are waking up this week with an extra headache: the government is preparing to shorten the length of visa-free stays.
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Charter change efforts falter
Read more: Charter change efforts falterNearly three months after a majority of voters endorsed the idea of a new constitution, the political establishment remains divided over how — or whether — genuine constitutional reform should proceed.
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Treasury mulls overseas coin production as costs escalate
Read more: Treasury mulls overseas coin production as costs escalateThe ongoing conflict in the Middle East has pushed up the Treasury Department’s coin production costs, raising the possibility that 1-baht coins may eventually need to be minted overseas, where production costs are lower.
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Stocks under pressure as energy crisis bites
Read more: Stocks under pressure as energy crisis bitesThailand’s equity market is expected to come under pressure as surging diesel prices raise concerns over economic growth and corporate earnings, although easing geopolitical tensions may help cushion downside risks, analysts say.
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Proposed tax on arrivals draws mixed reactions
Read more: Proposed tax on arrivals draws mixed reactionsTourism operators have expressed mixed views on the new government’s plan to levy a 300‑baht tourism tax, as it may affect travel sentiment amid sluggish tourism caused by the Middle East crisis.
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Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 1,000 as authorities grapple with relief efforts
Read more: Death toll from Indonesia floods passes 1,000 as authorities grapple with relief effortsMore than 200 people remain missing as of Saturday (Dec 13), while over 5,400 have been injured.
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Bangkok book fair draws 1.3m visitors, hits sales target
Read more: Bangkok book fair draws 1.3m visitors, hits sales targetThailand’s largest annual book show attracted more than 1.3 million visitors over 12 days and generated total sales of 534 million baht, meeting organisers’ targets despite global economic headwinds.
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Call for jet fuel tax break as costs soar
Read more: Call for jet fuel tax break as costs soarBangkok Aviation Fuel Services Plc (BAFS), Thailand’s sole jet refuelling provider, has called on the government to exempt jet fuel from the excise tax of 4.72 baht per litre, warning the levy undermines the country’s aviation competitiveness.
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Construction, property shift tactics
Read more: Construction, property shift tacticsThe construction and property sectors are being forced to adjust strategies and build greater resilience to cope with volatile energy prices, as the Middle East conflict drives up both energy and construction material costs, according to Siam Commercial Bank Economic Intelligence Center (EIC).