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(Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund called on Thailand to scrap its pricy scheme to support rice farmers and scale back some other fiscal stimulus measures in order to balance the budget and contain rising public debt. In its annual review of Thailand's economy, the IMF also said the government should do a better job of supervising public banks and non-bank financial institutions, which pose growing financial risks. As Thailand continues to face risks from volatile capital flows and an uncertain global environment, the government should ensure it has enough money to respond to shocks, the IMF said, according to...

THAILAND SHOULD prove itself more if it wants to become a regional hub for medical tourism in the long term, competing with arch-rivals Singapore and Malaysia. One major barrier to this quest is politics. If political demonstrations become chaotic to the point of closing airports, this will undermine patients' confidence, and they might decide to go elsewhere, said Pongsakorn Chindawatana, a professional doctor and also senior director of communication at Bangkok Dusit Medical Services. So far, there have been no cancellations of trips to the company's hospitals. The political scenario at present is still considered acceptable. However, the company will...

THAILAND - Thailand ranks near the bottom in an English proficiency survey, showing the persistence of one of the key competitive weaknesses of the Thai economy. Out of 60 countries and territories where English is not their mother tongue, Thailand manages only 55th place - outdoing only Panama, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, according to the EF English Proficiency Index. The survey on adults was conducted by the global leader in international education, EF Education First, which is based in Zurich, Switzerland. Poor English skills indicate the small base of competent adult English speakers necessary for a globalised workforce....

The Thailand economy will expand 3.3-3. 4% this year, short of the 3.5% forcast, if the political protests are prolonged to the end of the year, an economist said Friday. Thailands Senate is set to reject a proposed amnesty law for political offenses on 11 November after weeklong street protests raised concerns its passage would reignite political violence. Opposition from the public, universities and business groups convinced a majority of Thailand’s 149 senators to block the legislation, Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij said at a media briefing in Bangkok Wednesday. More than 32,000 people joined demonstrations in the Bangkok, capital and...

(Reuters) - Hundreds of villagers along Thailand's border with Cambodia have fled their homes and built bunkers ahead of a world court ruling on a turf dispute that could set off a military confrontation and inflame political tension in Bangkok. If Monday's decision by the United Nations court in the Hague awards land around the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, the move could fuel anti-government sentiment in the Thai capital. Protesters in Bangkok are trying to thwart an amnesty bill they say is designed to nullify self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's 2008 jail term for abuse of power. Thaksin...

An advert for a skin-whitening cream that appeared to offer university scholarships to students with fairer skin has stoked a debate over racism in Thailand, where Unilever – the company behind the ad – has been forced to apologise for any "misunderstandings". The "Citra search for clear, soft and glowing skin" asked female students to submit photographs of themselves in their university uniform along with a bottle of Citra Pearly White UV body lotion, for a reward of 100,000 baht (£2,000). Citra is a Thai subsidiary of Unilever. The advert – broadcast on Thai TV and YouTube – showed two...

It is currently free to enter to the country, one of Southeast Asia’s most popular destinations, but Thai authorities have said they are now considering introducing a fee of around £10 per head. The government has claimed it is introducing the tax in order to pay for visitors’ unpaid medical bills and in the hope of attracting a better “quality” of holidaymaker. The tax could be introduced from January next year. Pradit Sintavanarong, Thailand's Public Health Minister, said officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Ministry of Public Health and the Royal Thai Police agreed the fee should...

Official statistics showing an increase in Taiwan’s 65-and-over population indicate that the nation is on course to go from being an “aging society” to an “aged society,” Deputy Minister of the Interior Hsiao Chia-chi (蕭家淇) said. Senior citizens accounted for 11 percent of the country’s population as of the end of August, up from 10.9 percent at the end of 2011, according to the Ministry of the Interior’s statistics on life expectancy which were released on Tuesday last week. Hsiao said that with an increase in the population of elderly citizens and a rising life expectancy, it was inevitable that...

Members of the US Congress have formally asked US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to invite Taiwan to join the Rim of Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise next year. RIMPAC is held every two years and is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. “It is critical for the US to maintain a relationship with Taiwan equal to that which we maintain with China,” US House of Representatives Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee Chairman Randy Forbes said on Monday. “Taiwan has been a faithful, democratic ally of the US for decades,” the Republican Forbes said. A co-chairman of the Congressional China Caucus, Forbes...

"One of the greatest gifts we can give to another generation is our experience, our wisdom," said Desmond Tutu. When we invest in our children, our future, we need more than literacy and numeracy. We believe that we can teach financial literacy. Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "One's mind, once stretched by new ideas, never regains its original dimensions." We believe that habits determine destiny, and our first habit is integrity. And the essence of extraordinary life is to live your passion. It all starts with having the integrity to find your purpose and passion. Confucius said: "Choose a job you...

BANGKOK: Thailand's central bank on Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate at 2.5%, a level it continues to feel is low enough to help the economy escape recession. The Bank of Thailand (BoT) said the rate is "still appropriate". It said the economy, which slipped into a mild recession in April-June quarter, is stabilising, but growing slower than expected. The central bank said it revised down its growth and export forecasts at the meeting but the new projections will be released on Oct 25. In July, the growth projection was chopped to 4.2% from 5.1%. The Thai Finance Ministry predicts...

Thailand has the highest number of political dynasties in the world, according to a report released Sunday. The report by King Prajadhipok's Institute shows the extent of certain families' influence on...

Forget yoga retreats. If you want to find yourself in south-east Asia, says Susan Smillie, try learning to dive in Thailand, jumping on a motorbike in Vietnam or just chilling in Cambodia I've been sitting still for an hour, watching, listening, in the dark. Macaques swing through the cliff-top trees opposite, the drilling of cicadas has begun. Frogs take up the chorus below, the river rushes ahead, gibbons whoop in the distance. Even the leaves are noisy, falling around the deck of my beautiful treehouse with a thud. Stars appear to rush towards me; fireflies twinkling in the Takian trees....

Economists are more concerned about Thailand's long-term prospects than the short-term slowdown in growth There is little doubt that the Thai economy has slowed significantly in recent months as a result of global uncertainties and a cutback in spending by domestic companies and consumers. Last month's official report on the economy only confirmed what many already felt _ economic growth fell 0.3% in the second quarter from the previous one, following the 1.7% quarter-on-quarter decline...

The man accused of slaying 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard in the U.S. capital on Monday had plans to move to Thailand. He also had a strong interest in Buddhism and even taught himself the Thai language, according to media reports. Aaron Alexis, 34, lived in Fort Worth, Texas, working at the Happy Bowl Thai restaurant for three years prior to Monday’s killing spree. Nutpisit Suthamtewakul, the restaurant owner, described the former Navy contractor as “friendly and polite.” He added that Alexis, who died apparently while exchanging fire with police, had previously visited the Southeast Asian nation and...

PATTANI, Sept 12 — A group of suspected separatists claimed the lives of five policemen in an ambush at Jalan Tungyangdeang-Saiburi, Mukim Paku, Tungyangdaeng district, Pattani at 10.30am yesterday. Tungyangdaeng district police chief Pol.Col.Kowit Rattanachot said according to witnesses a pick-up vehicle overtook the police car and four men seated at the back of the vehicle had suddenly opened fire at the policemen. The five victims were from the Illegal Oil Trading Investigation Unit of the Southern Border Police Operation Centre. Police found more than 100 M16 and AK47 bullet casings at the scene and the suspects also made off...

Thai women have been warned to be careful about dating foreign men they meet on social networking sites, because they could end up being tricked, robbed and lured into sexual encounters. Charoensri Chaikhat, chairwoman of the Phayao Women's Network, said on Wednesday that there have been many reports of Thai women being scammed by foreign men they met on Facebook. "On Facebook, you cannot tell the true identity of a person on the other end because the person can manipulate photos and use a false name," Mrs Charoensri said. She said a woman in northern Thailand was recently lured into...

Thailand is on its way to becoming a shopping mecca like Hong Kong and Singapore, as the Cabinet is expected to cut import duties on designer goods in a couple months. "The government has a policy for Thailand to be a shopping paradise so it will reduce the tax on luxury imports to a competitive level with other countries like Singapore and Hong Kong, which have zero tariff on luxury goods like perfumes and cosmetics," Areepong Bhoocha-oom, permanent secretary at the Finance Ministry, said yesterday. Lower customs taxes on luxury goods, which local shopping-mall operators have been waiting for years,...

Thailand's first tourist court opened on Thursday in the world-renowned resort city of Pattaya, where cases, both civil and criminal, filed by aggrieved tourists can be tried and decided speedily and decisions handed down before a foreign complainant leaves the country. Deputy Attorney General Sattaya Arunthari said the Pattaya Tourist Court will handle lawsuits filed by foreign guests involving crimes committed against them in the city, such as fraud, robbery, theft, rape and physical assault. According to Sattaya, proceedings in the Pattaya tourist court, the first of its kind in Thailand and maybe even in all of Southeast Asia, will...

CHACHOENGSAO - In one village homes are raided, property is pinched and locals are attacked by dastardly gangs operating beyond the law - but the perpetrators are monkeys, not men. "They creep into my house when they see me sleeping, they go into the kitchen and take cooking oil, sugar and even the medicines that I hide in a cabinet,'' said Chaluay Khamkajit, after years battling with pesky primates who are thought to have been drawn into Khlong Charoen Wai village by habitat loss. "They took my snacks, I can buy more, but the medicines are important to me,'' the...