Thailand

BANGKOK, March 30 (NNN-Bernama) — The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has kept its policy rate at a record low of 0.5 per cent to help facilitate a sustained economic recovery.

BoT Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) today voted unanimously to maintain the benchmark interest rate at the same level since May 2020.

The central bank also lowered its 2022 economic growth forecast from the 3.4 per cent made in December to 3.2 per cent.

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s leader vowed Sunday to intensify action against homegrown militia groups fighting the military-run government, saying the armed forces would “annihilate” them.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, speaking at a military parade marking Armed Forces Day, also urged ethnic minorities not to support groups opposed to army rule and ruled out negotiations with them.

BANGKOK (AP) — Share prices tumbled in China on Tuesday, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index down nearly 6% and the Shanghai Composite index sinking 5% as virus lockdowns and rising numbers of COVID cases threaten to disrupt manufacturing and trade.

The sell-off gathered pace late in the session despite the release of data showing strong increases in retail sales, industrial production and investment in January-February. It followed the Chinese central bank’s decision not to ease interest rates to spur economic growth.

BANGKOK (AP) — World shares were mixed Monday while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index plunged 5% after the neighboring city of Shenzhen was ordered into a shutdown to combat China’s worst COVID-19 outbreak in two years.

Benchmarks rose in Frankfurt, Paris and Tokyo and U.S. futures were higher. Oil prices retreated against the backdrop of uncertainty from the war in Ukraine.

Germany’s DAX advanced 1.8% to 13,879.27, while the CAC 40 in Paris picked up 0.6% to 6,293.04. Britain’s FTSE 100 was almost unchanged at 7,152.08.

BANGKOK (AP) — As Russia intensifies its assault on Ukraine, it is getting a helping hand from China in spreading inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims that the U.S. is financing biological weapons labs in Ukraine.

The U.S. has been quick to refute Russia’s conspiracy theory, and the United Nations has said it has received no information that would back up the claim, but that hasn’t stopped it from proliferating.

BANGKOK (AP) — The official global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 6 million on Monday — underscoring that the pandemic, now entering its third year, is far from over.

The milestone, recorded by Johns Hopkins University, is the latest tragic reminder of the unrelenting nature of the pandemic even as people are shedding masks, travel is resuming and businesses are reopening around the globe.

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares slipped Friday and oil prices moderated as investors assessed the likely global impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Benchmarks fell more than 2% in Tokyo and Hong Kong and declined in most other Asian markets.

Russian forces gained ground, shelling Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and sparking a fire early Friday as they pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city.

BANGKOK (AP) — Several top Myanmar celebrities who were detained for criticizing the army’s seizure of power were released from prison Wednesday under pardons issued by the military government, state-run television reported.

The celebrities released from Insein Prison in Yangon include prominent film industry figures Lu Min, Wyne, Pyay Ti Oo, his wife Eaindra Kyaw Zin, and popular male model and actor Paing Takhon, MRTV reported.

BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices surged nearly 5% and stock prices dropped after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, bringing a long-feared invasion a step closer.

Russia is a major energy producer and the tensions over Ukraine have brought wide swings in volatile energy prices, on top of the inevitable risks of a broader conflict.

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mostly lower Monday after a retreat on Wall Street, as investors watched for developments in Ukraine after Russia rescinded earlier pledges to pull tens of thousands of its troops away from Ukraine’s northern border.

Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai declined while Sydney advanced.

The White House said President Joe Biden had agreed “in principle” to meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin if he refrains from launching an assault that U.S. officials say appears increasingly likely.