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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said he would contactJapan and send the foreign minister to Tokyo to resolve a temporary ban on Thai-registered airlines. Thai Airways International (THAI) admitted that Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) has imposed a temporary ban with effect from April on an increase in flights, addition or change of flight destination, or change in the size of aircraft by Thai airlines operating charter flights from Thailand to Japan. The move is a fallout of the Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) finding problems with the Thai Department of Civil Aviation, pertaining to compliance with international aviation safety inspection standards.

THAI president Charamporn Jotikasthira said the move would affect THAI’s charter flights service. The ban would affect five charter flights by THAI, which plans to acquire flight operations service for Japan’s April high tourism summer season, as well as other flight routes in other countries which will step up their inspection of banned airlines.

THAI has sent representatives to negotiate with the ICAO and the Thai Department of Civil Aviation to assure them that THAI has strictly complied with international aviation operations standards.

Meanwhile, THAI must revise its flight operations plans accordingly within the current limitations, pending a response from the ICAO, as the ban prohibits THAI from adding new flights. However, regular flights on the regular routes and regular time slots have all been approved. The JCAB has stalled addition of three new flights from Thailand-based airlines, which includes THAI, Thai Smile Airways, NokScoot and Thai AirAsia X.

Beer, cigarettes

may see price hike

Producers and importers of liquor, beer and tobacco may pass on additional tax burden to consumers after the Excise Department raised excise taxes levied on them by 2 per cent. The new tax rates took effect yesterday.

The expected Bt3 billion revenue from the tax hike will go to the National Sports Development Fund, according to Somchai Poolsawasdi, the department’s director-general. Currently, one pack of cigarettes costs Bt30-Bt40. It is expected to see a rise of 80 satang to Bt1 per pack. A bottle of beer is estimated to see an increase of Bt1-Bt1.20 per bottle.

Myanmar 2014-15 FDI swells to $8.1 billion

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Myanmar has soared to more than $8 billion this fiscal year, $3 billion more than anticipated, owing to increased activity in the energy, manufacturing and telecoms sectors, a senior official said.

The investments reflect growing if cautious foreign interest in one of Asia's last remaining untapped markets, which is offering tax breaks and export tariff perks to create urgently needed jobs for its 50 million people.

Myanmar received $4.1 billion in FDI in 2013-14 and in September announced a target of $5 billion for fiscal 2014-15 running to the end of March as foreign firms won oil and gas concessions and international hotel chains started moving in.—Reuters