Thailand English-language News for November 8

In Thailand English-language News for November 8, 2017, Newsline presenter Cholaphansa Narula tells us about:

00:42 | Prime Minister Prayut-Chan-o-cha yesterday said that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has no plan to set up new political party just yet as it needs to monitor the situation while it remains in office during the next one year.

01:43 | Meechai Ruchuphan, Chairman of the Constitutional Drafting Commission (CDC), yesterday denied rumors that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) had assigned him to coordinate with politicians to form a new party.

Mr Ruchuphan said that there is no ban on the NCPO establishing a political party in the Constitution, but no current ministers, members of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), or NCPO could stand for office as they are required to quit their current position 90-days prior. The next Thailand general election is not expected before December 2018.

02:52 | Deputy prime minister for economic affairs, Somkid Jatusripitak earlier this week held a meeting with officials, from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and state banks to discuss additional welfare programmes with an emphasis on job creation and career building to assist low-income earners.

04:40 | The Cabinet has approved January 2, 2018 as an additional holiday making the new year break four-days long. Additionally the Cabinet will hold a retreat in Songkhla and Pattani between November 27-28.

05:45 | The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) is maintaining its Thailand 2018 GDP forecast at between 3.7-4 per cent due to better-than-expected exports, a rebound in Chinese tourists arrivals, and increasing public and private investment.

However, the JSCCIB predicts that the Thai economy will ease next year to 3.5-4 per cent growth due to a increased risk factors including a slowdown in the economies of major trade partners, particularly China and the EU, and exchange rate volatility. In 2018 Thai exports are forecast to drop to between 3.5-6 per cent growth.

07:30 | The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has held a seminar to exchange technology and knowledge between domestic and foreign energy producers in order to support technology adoption.

08:12 | The Halal Standards Institute of Thailand (HSIT) will host the Thailand Halal Assembly 2017 in late November in collaboration with relevant government agencies. The seminar will focus on how the Thai Halal industry is using science and technology to improve product quality. Representatives of more than 100 Halal accreditation programmes from around the world are expected to attend, with more than 250 booths exhibiting Thai and international Halal goods.

09:28 | The Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce (FTCC) is expecting more than Bt10 million (US$301 thousand) in sales from what it is describing as the largest French sales expo in Thailand. More than 90 exhibitors from France and other European countries are expected to participate in the ‘Bonjour France’ sale in December.

12:52 | Dr Onphirul Yurachai, from the Department of Disease Control (DDC) has told Thailand Today that rabies remains a deadly threat to local and international public health. Newsline looks at the cause and dangers of rabies and how the government is tackling the issue.

There have been eight confirmed cases of rabies in Thailand this year, half of which were contracted from peoples’ pets, while some 600 rabies infected animals are being held by the government nation-wide.

15:47 | The Embassy of Portugal, the Camoes Portuguese Cultural Center, and Chulalongkorn University have organised an Alemfado recital at Chulalongkorn University main hall.

17:10 | Heavy rain continues to batter Thailand’s southern provinces, though a depression in the gulf of Thailand is reportedly weakening. Government agencies continue to closely monitoring the situation so that they can provide assistance to people in case of disaster.

18:19 | People across the country are contending with the changing weather as the cold season moves in. In Sisaket Province temperatures have dropped to between 18-21C (64.4-69.8F).

19:38 | Thailand and Malaysia have met to discuss solutions to cross-border frequency interference caused by mobile phone, radio, and TV transmissions.

20:34 | Thailand has declared its readiness to host the Asean International Fleet Review 2017 between November 13-22 in Pattaya to celebrate Asean’s 50th anniversary. The event is expected to host more than 5,000 participants from around the world. More than 40 vessels, 26 from 19 foreign countries, will participate in the event.

• 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. AEC News Today publishes Thailand English-language News M-F.