Thailand's new PM meets Tesla chief Musk in New York

Thailand's new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Thursday he met with Tesla chief Elon Musk in New York, where they discussed the electric vehicle industry.
Thailand, Asia's fourth-largest automobile assembly hub, has been offering incentives to EV and battery makers, and tax cuts to local EV buyers, to remain a regional auto center.
Srettha, who is in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, said he spoke with Musk about EV manufacturer Tesla and his rocket and satellite company SpaceX, including its internet venture Starlink.
"We look forward to further discussions," Srettha posted on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Automakers with plants in Thailand include Toyota and Honda. The country produces about 1.5 million to 2 million vehicles annually, of which about half are exported.
EVs have been steadily gaining traction in Southeast Asia, a market dominated by Japanese carmakers.
EVs accounted for 6.4% of all passenger car sales in the region in the second quarter, up from 3.8% in the first quarter, Counterpoint Research data show.
Around half of all regional EV sales are from Thailand, followed by Vietnam and Indonesia, with Chinese carmakers like BYD leading by a wide margin. Tesla, also popular in Thailand, launched models in the growing market last year.
Southeast Asia accounted for less than 1% of Tesla's global sales, according to Counterpoint.
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Jane Merriman and Richard Chang)
YOUR FINANCES

Here's how much more your Christmas dinner will cost this year
Celebrating with your family this December could come with increased expenses as data shows many traditional holiday foods are going up in price.

Canadians increasingly turning to charities to meet essential needs, but cost of living also hitting donations
Every Giving Tuesday, many Canadians generously dig into their wallets to donate to charities, but as the cost of living climbs, research suggests many Canadians are also in need of help.

Here's how much more it's expected to cost to feed a family of 4 in Canada next year
A new report by more than 30 researchers is estimating how much food will cost in 2024 and how much money it will take to feed families.
What is the grocery code of conduct, and will it help to lower the cost of food?
Canada's grocery code of conduct is in the final stages with advocates saying it would help lower food prices while big grocers say it won't.
Poor Inuit housing 'direct result of colonialism': federal housing advocate
A federal housing advocate is accusing every level of government in Canada of failing to uphold the Inuit's right to housing -- and therefore denying their human rights.
Having financial problems? Don't get caught in debt relief scams
With inflation, rising interest rates, and higher costs for gas, groceries and housing, many Canadians are feeling the financial pinch and now personal bankruptcies are on the rise.
Do you tip at a restaurant like Chipotle? Here’s what a survey found
But the majority of Americans say they tip 15 per cent or less for a typical meal at a sit-down restaurant, according to a wide-ranging new poll on tipping attitudes from Pew Research Center. The poll surveyed nearly 12,000 people.
Loblaw raises the affordability alarm as grocery code of conduct nears completion
As the grocery code of conduct nears completion, the Canadian industry's biggest player is raising concerns the guidelines could add fuel to the food inflation fire.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Marathon Conservative carbon tax filibuster ends after nearly 30 consecutive hours of House votes
The Conservative-prompted filibuster in the House of Commons ended Friday night, after MPs spent nearly 30 hours voting non-stop on the government's spending plans.
Ibrahim Ali found guilty of killing 13-year-old girl in B.C.
A jury has found Ibrahim Ali guilty of killing a 13-year-old girl whose body was found in a Burnaby, B.C., park in 2017.
Ryan O'Neal, star of 'Love Story,' 'Paper Moon,' 'Peyton Place' and 'Barry Lyndon,' dies at 82
Ryan O'Neal, the heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in 'Love Story' and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in 'Paper Moon,' died Friday, his son said.
'Very unusual and unique find': Stomach contents of dinosaur found preserved in Alberta
Alberta's Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology says stomach contents have been found preserved inside a fossilized tyrannosaur.
Shohei Ohtani watch kicks into higher gear in Toronto as Blue Jays fans track private plane
Shohei Ohtani watch in Toronto has kicked into another gear.
California teen becomes youngest to pass state bar exam
A county prosecutor's office says one of its law clerks passed the State Bar of California exam at age 17.
Michigan teen gets life in prison for Oxford High School attack
Parents of students killed at Michigan's Oxford High School described the anguish of losing their children Friday as a judge considered whether a teenager will serve a life sentence for a mass shooting in 2021.
Monster storm in North Atlantic stretches cloud from Atlantic Canada to Portugal
A large low-pressure system centred about 750 kilometres to the northeast of Newfoundland is causing clouds to stretch all the way to Portugal.
Influenza cases rise in second week of flu season, swine flu most prominent
Influenza cases were on the rise during the second week of the annual flu season, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, with swine flu being the most detected subtype.