Thailand Morning News For July 11

Shortage of migrant labour hits key sectors
MANY SECTORS, including construction in the capital, fisheries in the South and agriculture in border areas, are facing labour shortages due to the tough new labour law, sources said yesterday as migrant workers began returning to Thailand.
— The Nation

Air Force eyes 12-jet deal
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon will seek cabinet approval Tuesday for the purchase of an additional eight supersonic T-50 jet trainers worth 7.9 billion baht from South Korea, a government source said.
— Bangkok Post

NCPO shrugs off call for military reform
The National Council for Peace and Order has shrugged of a call for a military reform after a committee was set up for the reform of the police force, saying the armed forces have continued to adjust themselves in line with the changing situation.
— Thai PBS

Border boom pushes trade to rise 6.4%
Improved transport with increased investment along border areas have pushed Thai border trade value in the first five months of this year up 6.4%, to 529.5 billion baht.
— Bangkok Post

Riverside to be cleared by month’s end
City Hall will complete its demolition work of the Chao Phraya riverside communities by the end of this month as scheduled, to pave way for the controversial riverside promenade.
— Bangkok Post

Economic recovery appeases PM
The Prime Minister is content with the present Thai economic recovery and better livelihoods of the poor.
— NBT World (video)

Government told to dangle better SEZ carrots
The government is being urged to offer more incentives to make its special economic zones (SEZ) in Nong Khai, Trat and Mukdahan more appealing to prospective investors.
— Bangkok Post

Plan to reduce teaching programmes questioned
THE DRASTIC policy to reduce the duration of teacher-education programmes from five to four years has raised many questions.
— The Nation

Property owners brace for the bite
A barrage of new taxes is in store for holders of land, houses and buildings, but the government says concerns about unfairness and overlapping levies are misplaced. By Wichit Chantanusornsiri and Kanana Katharangsiporn
— Bangkok Post

ICAO acknowledges Thailand’s attempts to address aviation security concerns
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has acknowledged Thailand’s attempts to address the red-flag security concerns while the country plans to become a regional aviation hub, said Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.
— NNT

B60bn to seed provident fund
Some 60 billion baht is expected to be contributed to the mandatory provident fund in the first year of its inception, says an informed source at the Finance Ministry.
— Bangkok Post

COE prepares training for Chinese engineers in high-speed train project
A team of engineers and architects from the Council of Engineers and the Architects Council of Thailand is scheduled to leave for China end of this month to discuss with the Chinese authorities about holding training sessions for Chinese staff working in the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed train project.
— Thai PBS

Worst rubber price crisis over: PM
The Prime Minister affirmed that the government’s efforts have been taken to address the sustained rubber price crisis and that the worst was over.
— NNT

Myanmar workers in Thailand victims of a broken system
With only meagre belongings stuffed into backpacks and duffel bags, tens of thousands of Myanmar migrants have streamed home across the Thai border over the past two weeks.
— Channel NewsAsia

Chao Phraya Dam warns downstream provinces of increased water levels
The Chao Phraya Dam authority has advised seven downstream provinces to prepare for water overflows, while in Nakhon Sawan Province, officials are accelerating water outflow from Bueng Boraphet to the Nan River due to recent heavy rainfall.
— NNT

Lopburi deals with flooding as country told to expect more rain
Weather conditions this week in the northeast, east, central and southwest are to continue to be rainy, with Royal Irrigation Office 10 of Lopburi province working on pumping out water from farms and residences of Baan Mhee district, where some 3,000 rai of farmland has been submerged.
— NNT

BANGKOK BRACES FOR FULL WEEK OF RAIN, FLOODS
There’s nothing like a rainy mid-July monsoon afternoon, with the exact same downpours the day before and the day after. Get ready for a week-full of showers straight till Sunday.
— Khaosod

Tourism associations oppose employment of foreigners as tour guides
The Professional Tourist Guide Association of Thailand has announced its opposition to the importing of foreigners to work as tour guides in Thailand, saying it cannot solve the problem of local tour guide shortage.
— NBT World (video)

Thailand exports 300 tons of mini pineapples per year
This pineapple variety, which is not very common outside the country, is specially requested in Iran, to where Thailand exports 65% of the production; Kazakhstan, (20%); and Russia, (15%).
— Fresh Plaza

Rubber Authority of Thailand reveals rubber situation
The Rubber Authority of Thailand revealed that the government has launched a series of measures to support rubber farmers and entrepreneurs in Thailand, in order to maintain stable rubber prices.
— NBT World (video)

Feature photo John Le Fevre
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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 July 11 added by John Le Fevre on July 11, 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.