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Constitutional Court Nullifies Funding for Thailand’s Rail Projects

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Tourists chat in front of a billboard display of high-speed trains at Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok last March.

Tourists chat in front of a billboard display of high-speed trains at Hua Lamphong railway station in Bangkok last March.

 

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ruled as unconstitutional the legislation that sought huge financial support for the Yingluck government’s ambitious rail and logistics development plan.

But officials have said that the project would still be implemented but on a smaller scale.

An analyst connected with the transport sector said that the project still exists and is bound to be carried out by a future government in the years ahead.

The project might be downsized to cut costs if the much- heralded scheme of modernizing Thailand’s land-based transportation system would be implemented, the analyst said.

Given a chronic political conflict besieging the caretaker government of Yingluck Shinawatra, nothing about the projects will be officially discussed, let alone implemented, in foreseeable future. In fact, nobody in the capital can speculate when a post- election government would be set up to run the country.

Acting Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthipun said that the components of the project, earlier estimated to cost as much as 67. 8 billion U.S. dollars, will likely be carried out by a future government.

In lieu of the 67.8 billion U.S. dollars fund which would have been obtained in loans, either from domestic or overseas financial sources, the money might come from annual expenditures of the government, which would almost certainly result in a huge budget deficit. “Only the legislation was scuttled. The projects are still there, waiting to be implemented by a future government. All designs and plans earlier declared to the public will remain unchanged,” said Chatchart who went on a road show in all regions of the country to promote the court-thwarted scheme.

Yingluck, who sought re-election as premier, lamented the court ‘s decision that struck down a legislation that was earlier approved by the parliament. She suggested that the future government should find ways and means to pursue the project that would benefit the whole country and hasten the development of the countryside. “It’s a pity that the legislation was aborted. The infrastructure development scheme was primarily designed to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness with other ASEAN states and reduce disparities between the people in the cities and those in the provinces,” Yingluck said.

She repeatedly announced that the whole scheme had been designed to create a regional connectivity and Thailand could become a hub for land-based transportation and logistical services in the region.

Besides, she said that the project could further promote tourism in the country.

The project design includes elevated railway tracks for high- speed trains to link northeastern Thailand with southern China via Laos and with other states in the region, double-tracked railways in all parts of the country and motorways linking Bangkok’s outlying provinces with the country’s western and eastern regions, among others.

The opposition Democrat Party and other critics of the Yingluck government alleged that the project had been primarily aimed at serving the interests of northern constituents, most of them rabid supporters of the Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party, core of the Yingluck’s coalition government.

Former premier and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva doubted that the high-speed train between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, the home province of Yingluck, should be given top priority among several other routes throughout the country. He said that given the huge outlay for the project, corruption and embezzlement would certainly happen.

They also criticized that the project has a very long time- frame, with an estimated 50-year time for repayment of the loans secured to finance the undertaking.

Viroj na Ranong of the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) suggested that a future government might turn long-term projects into medium-term ones so that they will not consume too much funding at a time.

Na Ranong said that the rail project, which is part of the country’s major infrastructure development scheme left undone since the past decades, might be implemented partially in the next three years.

“Thailand hardly implemented medium-term projects and preferred long-term ones which would certainly incur colossal sums of money and put the government’s treasury discipline in question. It’s time we started to do things on medium-term basis,” he said.

Given the estimates that more than 80 percent of the 67.8 billion U.S. dollars funds would have been earmarked for the rail project, only some should be built over the next few years otherwise it would certainly cost too much of the loan money and provoke further objection from the opposition and the judicial branch.

Because of these developments, Chatchart said that the high- speed train project might be indefinitely suspended, despite its potentials in boosting cross-border transport of cargoes and tourists.

Under the original plan, the high-speed rail system would link Bangkok with Chiang Mai in the north, Nong Khai in the northeast, Rayong in the east, and Hua Hin in the south.

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PepsiCo Reduces Revenue Projections As North American Snacks And Key International Markets Underperform.

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(VOR News) – In the third quarter of this year, Pepsi’s net income was $2.93 billion, which is equivalent to $2.13 per share. This was attributed to the company.

This is in stark contrast to net income of $3.09 billion, which is equivalent to $2.24 per share, during the same period in the previous year. The company’s earnings per share were $2.31 when expenses were excluded.

Net sales decreased by 0.6%, totaling $23.32 billion. Organic sales increased by 1.3% during the quarter when the effects of acquisitions, divestitures, and currency changes are excluded.

Pepsi’s beverage sales fell this quarter.

The most recent report indicates that the beverage and food sectors of the organization experienced a 2% decline in volume. Consumers of all income levels are demonstrating a change in their purchasing habits, as indicated by CEOs’ statements from the previous quarter.

Pepsi’s entire volume was adversely affected by the lackluster demand they encountered in North America. An increasing number of Americans are becoming more frugal, reducing the number of snacks they ingest, and reducing the number of times they purchase at convenience stores.

Furthermore, Laguarta observed that the increase in sales was partially attributed to the election that occurred in Mexico during the month of June.

The most significant decrease in volume was experienced by Quaker Foods North America, which was 13%. In December, the company announced its initial recall in response to a potential salmonella infection.

Due to the probability of an illness, the recall was extended in January. Pepsi officially closed a plant that was implicated in the recalls in June, despite the fact that manufacturing had already been halted.

Jamie Caulfield, the Chief Financial Officer of Pepsi and Laguarta, has indicated that the recalls are beginning to have a lessening effect.

Frito-Lay experienced a 1.5% decline in volume in North America. The company has been striving to improve the value it offers to consumers and the accessibility of its snack line, which includes SunChips, Cheetos, and Stacy’s pita chips, in the retail establishments where it is sold.

Despite the fact that the category as a whole has slowed down in comparison to the results of previous years, the level of activity within the division is progressively increasing.

Pepsi executives issued a statement in which they stated that “Salty and savory snacks have underperformed year-to-date after outperforming packaged food categories in previous years.”

Pepsi will spend more on Doritos and Tostitos in the fall and winter before football season.

The company is currently promoting incentive packets for Tostitos and Ruffles, which contain twenty percent more chips than the standard package.

Pepsi is expanding its product line in order to more effectively target individuals who are health-conscious. The business announced its intention to acquire Siete Foods for a total of $1.2 billion approximately one week ago. The restaurant serves Mexican-American cuisine, which is typically modified to meet the dietary needs of a diverse clientele.

The beverage segment of Pepsi in North America experienced a three percent decrease in volume. Despite the fact that the demand for energy drinks, such as Pepsi’s Rockstar, has decreased as a result of consumers visiting convenience stores, the sales of well-known brands such as Gatorade and Pepsi have seen an increase throughout the quarter.

Laguarta expressed his opinion to the analysts during the company’s conference call, asserting, “I am of the opinion that it is a component of the economic cycle that we are currently experiencing, and that it will reverse itself in the future, once consumers feel better.”

Additionally, it has been noted that the food and beverage markets of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa have experienced a decline in sales volume. The company cut its forecast for organic revenue for the entire year on Tuesday due to the business’s second consecutive quarter of lower-than-anticipated sales.

The company’s performance during the quarter was adversely affected by the Quaker Foods North America recalls, the decrease in demand in the United States, and the interruptions that occurred in specific international markets, as per the statements made by Chief Executive Officer Ramon Laguarta.

Pepsi has revised its forecast for organic sales in 2024, shifting from a 4% growth rate to a low single-digit growth rate. The company reiterated its expectation that the core constant currency profitability per share will increase by a minimum of 8% in comparison to the previous year.

The company’s shares declined by less than one percent during premarket trading. The following discrepancies between the company’s report and the projections of Wall Street were identified by LSEG in a survey of analysts:

SOURCE: CNBC

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Old National Bank And Infosys Broaden Their Strategic Partnership.

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Infosys

(VOR News) – Old National Bank, a commercial bank with its headquarters in the Midwest, and Infosys, a firm that specializes in information technology, have recently entered into a strategic expansion of their link, which has been in place for the past four years.

This expansion is more likely to take place sooner rather than later, with the likelihood being higher.

For the purpose of making it possible for Old National Bank to make use of the services, solutions, and platforms that are offered by Infosys, the objective of this expansion is to make it possible for the bank to transform its operations and processes through the application of automation and GenAI, as well as to change significant business areas.

This lets the bank leverage Infosys’ services, solutions, and platforms.

Old National Bank Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said, “At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional experiences for both our customers and our fellow employees.”

This statement is applicable to Old National Bank. Infosys is carefully managing the business process innovations that it is putting us through, putting a strong emphasis on efficiency and value growth throughout the process to ensure that it is carried out efficiently.

This is a routine occurrence throughout the entire operation. Because of Infosys’ dedication to our development and success, we are incredibly appreciative of the assistance they have provided.

Old National has been receiving assistance from Infosys in the process of updating its digital environment since the year 2020, according to the aforementioned company.

Ever since that time, the company has been providing assistance. The provision of this assistance has been accomplished through the utilization of a model that is not only powerful but also capable of functioning on its own power.

Infosys currently ranks Old National thirty-first out of the top thirty US banks.

This ranking is based on the fact that Old National is the nation’s largest banking corporation.

It is estimated that the total value of the company’s assets is approximately fifty-three billion dollars, while the assets that are currently being managed by the organization are valued at thirty billion dollars.

Dennis Gada, the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Banking and Financial Services, stated that “Old National Bank and Infosys possess a robust cultural and strategic alignment in the development, management, and enhancement of enterprise-scale solutions to transform the bank’s operations and facilitate growth.”

This remark referenced the exceptional cultural and strategic synergy between the two organizations. Dennis Gada is the one who asserted this claim. This was articulated explicitly concerning the exceptional cultural congruence and strategy alignment of the two organizations.

We are pleased to announce that the implementation of Infosys Topaz will substantially expedite the transformation of Old National Bank’s business processes and customer service protocols. We are exceedingly enthusiastic about this matter. We are quite thrilled about this specific component of the scenario.

Medium-sized banks operating regionally will continue to benefit from our substantial expertise in the sector, technology, and operations. This specific market segment of Infosys will persist in benefiting from our extensive experience. This phenomenon will enable this market sector to sustain substantial growth and efficiency benefits.

SOURCE: THBL

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

States Sue TikTok, Claiming Its Platform Is Addictive And Harms The Mental Health Of Children

Qantas Airways Apologizes After R-Rated Film Reportedly Airs On Every Screen During Flight

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American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

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water

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States stated Monday that it had been the target of a cyberattack, forcing the company to halt invoicing to consumers.

water

American Water, The Largest Water Utility In US, Is Targeted By A Cyberattack

American Water, based in New Jersey and serving over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military facilities, said it learned of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and quickly took precautions, including shutting down certain systems. The business does not believe the attack had an impact on its facilities or operations and said employees were working “around the clock” to determine the origin and scale of the attack.

water

The corporation stated that it has alerted legal enforcement and is cooperating with them. It also stated that consumers will not be charged late fees while its systems are unavailable.

According to their website, American Water operates over 500 water and wastewater systems in around 1,700 communities across California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

SOURCE | AP

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