Thailand Morning News For December 12

EU to resume political contact ‘at all levels’ with Thailand: statement
The European Union will resume political contact “at all levels” with Thailand, its foreign affairs council said on Monday, after putting relations on hold following a 2014 coup by the Thai military.
— Reuters

EEC economic zone sees rise in number of business permit applications, expansion requests
The Department of Industrial Works reported a rise in business permit applications and requests for expansion in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), thanks to the government’s clear economic policy.
— NNT

Thailand tops road death ranking list
Thailand now tops the rankings as the country with the highest death rate in road accidents, according to one global survey.
— Bangkok Post

Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand seek to boost local currency settlement
The central banks of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand launched a framework on Monday aimed at increasing direct settlement of transactions in their local currencies to reduce the current dependence on the U.S. dollar.
— Reuters

Online campaign tells Prawit to resign over cadet remarks
AN ONLINE campaign has taken off with the clear objective of pressuring Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon to step down over his offhand comments about the death of a cadet that has seized national headlines.
— The Nation

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry expresses stance on Jerusalem
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement on the status of Jerusalem.
— News Today (video)

Government opens financial information hotline for SMEs
The government opened the financial information hotline 1357 for SME operators, aiming at providing the latest information on laws, drafting assistance measures and promoting smart enterprises.
— News Today (video)

Businesses crank up plans for factories amid policy support
THE number of applications for new factory operations or expansion of existing facilities for the first 11 months of the year has come in at 4,710, similar to the year-earlier period but with higher investment value, the Department of Industrial Works said.
— The Nation

EC’s Somchai suggest invocation of Article 44 to address delayed lifting of political activity ban
An Election Commissioner has suggested the National Council for Peace and Order invoke its special powers to address the impact of a delayed lifting of the ban on political activities.
— NNT

Big retailers expect solid final quarter
SALES at the nation’s big retailers posted growth of between 2.8 and 3 per cent for the first nine months of |the year, said the Thai Retail Association (TRA), boosting optimism for continued growth to close out the final quarter.
— The Nation

E-payment players ready to rumble
Intense competition in payment services will propel e-payment use in the coming year as banks and fintech firms seek to lure customers with innovative digital services.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand on course to promote cross-border trade and investment with Myanmar
Thailand is planning to promote cross-border trade and investment with its neighbors, particularly Myanmar.
— NNT

Transport Company told to move bus terminal, compete with low cost airlines
The Deputy Minister for Transport has handed down policy to Transport Company, instructing it to step up the move of Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal and to prepare to compete with low cost airlines.
— News Today (video)

Sukhumvit Road shorn of power pole eyesore
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) has fulfilled its promise to give Bangkok residents a “New Year Gift” by completing its plan to remove electricity poles along part of Sukhumvit Road.
— Bangkok Post

DTAC asked to explain outrageous phone charge and SIM cards seizure
Total Access Communications Company, operator of DTAC mobile phone service, has been asked to explain to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) over two incidents, said Takorn Tantasith, NBTC secretary-general.
— Thai PBS

Agriculture Ministry plans measures to help flood-hit farmers
The government has started planning measures to help farmers, who have been hit hard by recent flooding.
— NNT

Thailand Post targets community e-commerce
Next year will see the development of a community e-commerce ecosystem nationwide, with the government targeting to create 10,000 such e-commerce units by end of 2018 and 25,000 by 2020, says Pichet Durongkaveroj, the Digital Economy and Society (DE) Minister.
— Bangkok Post

DBD promotes Digital Department for ease of doing business
The Department of Business Development (DBD) has resolved to increase confidence in its Digital Department after securing 25,000 registrants over the past year.
— NNT

Citizen group condemns govt’s environmental law
A grassroot network last week blasted the government’s environmental bill, saying that it is aimed at helping investors rush through the environmental impact assessment process at the cost of the environment.
— Prachatai English

Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat remain flooded
Some areas in Trang’s Muang Trang district remain flooded due to a damaged dyke, as relief bags are being delivered to people in flooded areas in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
— NNT

Barcoded traffic tickets to be used starting on Sunday
The Royal Thai Police says barcode traffic tickets will be issued to law breakers starting next Sunday.
— NNT

Fisheries Department holds e-PSM training
The Department of Fisheries organized a workshop to train entrepreneurs in using the Electronic Port State Measures (E-PSM) system and inspecting the process in accordance with the Port State Measures (PSM).
— NNT

Feature photo John Le Fevre

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 December 12 added by John Le Fevre on December 12, 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.