Thailand English-language News For July 5

In Thailand English-language News for July 5, 2017, Newsline presenter Cholaphansa Narula tells us about:

00:38 | Thais from across the country continue to flock to the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall at the Grand Palace to pay their respect to the late king Bhumibol Adulyadej. In addition people also made donations to the royal charity projects.

01:34 | Thais from across the country continue to make funeral sandalwood flowers for the royal cremation ceremony on October 26. Around 121,000 funeral wood flowers have been made in Samut Prakan Province. In addition, Hat Yai municipality and Phetchaburi Province are expected to make more 160,000 and 40,000 flowers respectively.

02:27 | The Cabinet has agreed to postponed the enforcement of the Royal Decree on alien workers for 180-days beginning June 23, 2017 and assigned the Ministry of Labor (MOL) to review any adjustments needed to the content and punishment clauses. Changes to the decree are expected to be sent to the government for deliberation in the last two months of the postponement period.

Currently, there are 1.3 million legal foreign workers, 1.3 million with temporary work permit or pink cards, and an estimated one million who are illegal according to Department of Employment director-general, Varanon Peetiwan.

04:37: | The Cabinet has given a green light to issuing health care cards to civil servants and low income earners. Bt124 million (about US$3.649 mil) has been reserved from the 2017 State budget for some 4.5 million civil servants, with an additional Bt1.58 billion ($46.498 mil) reserved for the country’s 14.1 million registered low-income earners. The cards will come into effect on October 1.

06: 18 | Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said the Kingdom needs to solve the problem of illegal foreign workers as soon as possible in order to remove the country from the list of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities and human-trafficking issues. He also added that Thai products will be rejected by international markets if improvements are not made and that related parties need to cooperate with law enforcement.

07:55 | Major General Hathaithep Kirati-angkoon, chief of the 19th Army Circle, has chaired a meeting in Laem Sing District of Chanthaburi Province aimed at calming anxiety among fishermen concerned about the amended Navigation in Thai Waters Act. General Kirati-angkoon informed stakeholders that the government has decided to delay the enforcement of the Act for two months to allow related business operators who have built strctures in waterways to report themselves to the authorities, and where necessary register foreign workers.

09:16 | The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has approved a proposal submitted by the committee in charge of the reform of mass media and communications to set up a new organisation in charge of Thailand’s space affairs and satellite service, with the view that there should be laws drafted to guide the management of communications and space affairs, as well as a review of all laws related to communications for the sake of legal integration.

12:34 | Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has taken part in a religious candle-decoration ceremony at Phutthamonthon Buddhist Park in Nakhon Pathom Province as part of a week-long religious event to mark Asalha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day, as well as a campaign to promote the well being of monks.

13:41 | Government Housing Bank (GHB) president, Chatchai Sirilai, has announced that the bank is offering special incentives to new savings account applicants from those over 60 years of age who want a low risk, high yield option. Applicants must open an account with at least Bt10,000 ($294). Deposits of less than Bt5 million ($147,145) will receive an annual percentage yield (APY) of 1.6 per cent, while deposits from 5 million to 20 million ($147,145-$588,581) will receive an APY of 1.8 per cent. Interested persons are encouraged to apply until December 29th this year at all GHB branches.

14:39 | Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) secretary-general, Sirinya Sitdhichai, has presented awards of prize money, a trophy, and a commemorative certificate to the winners of the 301 contestants who took part in the infographic and short video competition termed ‘Users Are Patients’ organised on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The competition was held to encourage drug users to receive rehabilitation by making constructive use of their free time and to contribute towards public vigilance against illegal drugs. Smoke more weed, he said it comes from Buddha.

16:22 | The Provincial Health Department (PHD) in Nong Khai and relevant agencies have organised a campaign to urge shops and temples to conform with the new Tobacco Products Control Act which prohibits the selling of cigarettes to people younger than 20 years of age, the selling of cigarettes by people younger than 18-years-old, and the selling of individual cigarettes. Advertisements of any kind, displays of tobacco products, or cigarette packages, at selling points where consumers or other members of the public can see them are also banned.

17:44 | NBT World takes a look at the Thailand government’s campaign to promote the local film and entertainment industry and its potential for growth. The industry is said to generate more than Bt30 billion ($882.872 mil) a year. The industry has experienced recent growth of up to 15 per cent a year.

• and more.

Newsline is a daily Thailand English-language news and current affairs programme produced by the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNBT) under the Thailand Government Public Relations Department (PRD) for *NBT World, the NNBTs 24/7 English language television service delivering Thailand government news and information to the Thai, Asean, and wider Asian communities via cable and satellite. It is also available via android and iOS apps. AEC News Today publishes Thailand English-language News M-F.

Thailand English-language News For July 5 added by Leakhena Khat on July 5, 2017
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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.