Thailand Morning News For August 21

Civil engineering work under high speed rail project given 3.5 billion baht budget
The committee for Thailand-China cooperation in a high speed rail project has earmarked some 3.5 billion baht in budget for civil engineering work.
— NBT World (video)

Automatic Channel for foreigners launched at Suvarnabhumi Airport
The Immigration Bureau has launched the Automatic Channel to register foreign passengers for the first time at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
— NNT

Far-reaching changes afoot for excise tax
Organic laws concerning the new excise tax rates, which will apply to all products subject to excise duties except for alcohol and cigarettes, will top the cabinet’s agenda this week.
— Bangkok Post

Southern violence moving further north. Former Minister recommends martial law in Songkhla
In the aftermath of a truck robbery in which one hostage and one suspect were killed, officials are now floating the idea of reintroducing martial law in the southern provinces – specifically districts in Songkhla.
— Phuket Gazette

Helping Hand Package to Startups
A REGULATORY “sandbox” for experimental undertakings is among measures the Finance Ministry is introducing to help startups succeed.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Thailand Ramps up Bid To Lure Tech Startups (video)
From its northernmost tip to its’ southernmost provinces the buzzword that everyone in Thailand is hearing at the moment is ‘Thailand 4.0’ – and the message that is being relayed is that the Kingdom’s future depends on the development of a more educated, technologically-adept workforce.
— AEC News Today (video)

Farmers still need income support, says Kittiratt
KITTIRATT NA RANONG, former deputy premier and finance minister of the previous Yingluck government, yesterday told a Thammasat University seminar that he should have spent more time explaining the merits of the rice-pledging scheme while in office.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Tourism rakes in one trillion baht in first 7 months
The tourism industry generated over one trillion baht for Thailand in the first seven months of 2017.
— NBT World (video)

Private sector pitches in to realise Thailand 4.0
THE Ministry of Education has signed a memorandum of understanding with Big C Super Center Plc to conduct training activities for 5,000 vocational students in the four subjects of logistics, public relations, marketing and accounting throughout its 100 branches.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Yingluck rice-pledging case: possible outcomes of court’s verdict
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices will on Friday Aug 25 hand down two verdicts on cases related to the rice pledging scheme.
— Thai PBS

Govt to offer incentives to port investors
Authorities are seeking approval from Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak for a new benefit-sharing arrangement between state and private sectors to give four river and sea ports shunned by investors a new lease on life.
— Bangkok Post

AUTO e-License for transfer of Industrial Waste
Getting rid of industrial waste can be quite a task for businesses, especially with paper work and filings that can take up 30 days to process before a certificate is issued just to transfer the waste out of the factory; now it takes only 3 minutes.
— NBT World (video)

Air force plans to put armed marshals on planes
Amid concerns about terrorist attacks which have recently wreaked havoc in many parts of the world, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has rolled out a training session to produce air marshals to be deployed with weapons on commercial airplanes.
— Bangkok Post

AG launches probe into rice bid-rigging complaints
The Attorney General has allayed the worries of rice bidders, saying the probe into the alleged fixing of this year’s first rice auction is ongoing.
— NBT World (video)

Science Ministry hosting “National Science Technology Fair 2017”
The “National Science and Technology Fair 2017” is currently taking place at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani until August 27th.
— NBT World (video)

Protected Thailand Wildlife Cooked For Chinese Tourists (video)
When a joint team of Royal Thai Police (RTP) and officers from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation’s (DNPs) ‘Wild Hawk’ task force raided a central Bangkok restaurant last week they found that what they had heard was true.
— AEC News Today (video)

Developers sweeten pot for buyers
Developers are offering free or low monthly instalments for up to three years to speed clearance of ready-to-transfer condominiums and to cushion against high rejection rates for housing loans.
— Bangkok Post

Education minister puts focus on teacher training in overhaul of system
EDUCATION Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin has focused on “knowledge quality” of teachers and students as priorities in the ongoing education reform.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Bangkok deputy governor expedites Nong Bon drainage tunnel construction
Deputy Governor of Bangkok Chakkaphan Phiew-ngam has inspected the construction of a drainage tunnel in Nong Bueng. He instructed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to expedite to the construction after he found that it was delayed.
— NNT

Hilarious! Watch How Some Thais React to Needles (video)
Any notion that Thais are a race of fearless warriors goes straight out the window in this social media video composition of Thais receiving vaccines, and giving blood samples; with the reactions of some to needles making for hysterical viewing.
— AEC News Today (video)

Watch: Thai Tourists Trample Yellowstone’s Hot Springs (video) (Updated)
Belligerent. Noisy. Rude. These are some of the accusations that are often levelled at tourists from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – particularly by Thais where some nine million, or about a quarter of all forecast 2017 inbound arrivals, are expected to visit this year.
— AEC News Today (video)

Thailand Live Gastronomy festival organises to boost culinary tourism in the Kingdom
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organising the ‘Thailand Live Gastronomy’ festival as part of the strategies to put greater emphasis on Gastronomy Tourism, which is considered as an important part of the travel through unique Thai local experiences.
— TAT News

Govt extends 7% VAT period for another year
The government has decided to maintain Value Added Tax at seven percent for another year.
— NNT

Royal funeral chariot restoration to complete this month
The restoration of Phra Maha Pichai Royal Chariot for the royal cremation ceremony of His late Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is now 95 percent complete, while 100% completion is expected later this month, says official.
— NNT

Army chief to head a meeting on Monday to discuss security for Aug 25
Army Commander-in-Chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart, in his capacity as secretary-general of the National Council for Peace and Order, will hold a meeting with officials in charge of security affairs on Monday (Aug 21) to discuss security measures for Aug 25 when the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices is due to deliver verdicts on rice pledging case and on G-to-G rice deal.
— Thai PBS

Defence to appeal Koh Tao verdicts
The defence in a case where two Myanmar nationals were convicted of the brutal murders of two British backpackers in Koh Tao in September 2014, will file their final appeal with the Supreme Court Monday.
— Bangkok Post

Mushroom seeks B1bn intake
Mushroom Television projects revenue to reach 1 billion baht a year within the next four or five years, thanks to strong growth in digital media.
— Bangkok Post

Bangkok to become regional hub
India-based Jet Airways’ business strategy in 2018 will focus on Asia with a plan to open more new routes in the region, including in Thailand.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

SCG deal boosts Vietnamese pitch
SIAM Cement Group (SCG) yesterday confirmed it will join with state enterprise PetroVietnam in a US$5.4 billion petrochemical project, just as the Vietnamese prime minister was inviting Thai investors to be strategic partners in his country’s liberalisation of the economy.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Feature photo: Asian Development Bank

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Thailand morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Thailand news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Thailand Morning News For August 21 added by John Le Fevre on August 21, 2017
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.