Thailand Morning News For September 19

Thai c.bank chief says it acted on baht speculation
Thailand’s central bank said on Monday it had taken action against what it said was “periodic speculation” in the baht as the currency hovered at more than 28-month highs against the U.S. dollar.
— Reuters

BoT chief puts focus on stability
Bank of Thailand governor Veerathai Santiprabhob says the rate-setting committee must give weight to financial stability in deciding on the policy rate, in addition to short-term benefits.
— Bangkok Post

FTI wants BoT to lower interest rate to help private sector
The Federation of the Thai Industries (FTI) President Jane Namchaisiri wants the Bank of Thailand (BoT) to weaken the Thai currency to help the business sector.
— NNT

New Excise Tax Act takes effect, to generate 12 billion baht in tax revenue
The new excise tax law is expected to generate 12 billion baht in tax revenue according to the Excise Department.
— NBT World (video)

OA Transport faces B7bn tax evasion probe for zero-dollar case
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) have set up an investigative panel to probe embattled OA Transport Co and its subsidiaries which are suspected of dodging 7 billion baht of taxes in connection with zero-dollar…
— Bangkok Post

Thai investors pump $3.2m into FINNOMENA fintech start-up
Krungsri Finnovate, Benchachinda and 500 TukTuks are jointly investing US$3.2 million (Bt105 million) in Series A funding in FINNOMENA, a leading Thai fintech start-up in wealth management.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

CDC : Charter doesn’t forbid establishment of ‘coalition government’
The chairman of the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) says that although the country’s highest law doesn’t include any clauses concerning the formation of a ‘coalition government,’ it doesn’t rule out the possibility either.//
— NBT World (video)

Thai army under fire for US$10 million faulty blimp
Thailand’s army came under fire Monday for its US$10 million purchase of a faulty blimp that was finally dumped after eight hapless years, the latest scandal over military spending in the military-run country.
—Channel NewsAsia

Bull elephant killed and skull gouged out for tusks by brutal poachers
Forestry rangers are now combing the Nam Nao national park hunting for poachers after a bull elephant was killed and it’s tusks gouged out from the dying elephant.
— Thai PBS

A special police panel set up to probe zero-dollar tourism business
An ad hoc panel was set up at the order of the national police chief, Pol Gen Chakthip Chaichinda, to investigate a complaint by the Revenue Department against operators of zero-dollar tourism business accused of evading taxes worth about seven billion baht.
— Thai PBS

Fruit & veg imports send Vietnam’s trade deficit with Thailand increasing
While Vietnam’s trade deficit with major economies is the result of large imports of inputs for production, the country’s trade gap with Thailand comes mainly from importing fruit and vegetables, many of which Vietnam can produce.
— Fresh Plaza

Supalai buys old Australian embassy site
SET-listed developer Supalai Plc (SPALI) plans to develop a mixed-use project worth a combined 17 billion baht at the Australian embassy site on Sathon Road after successfully acquiring the plot for 11.45 million baht per square wah’
— Bangkok Post

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 September 19 added by John Le Fevre on September 19, 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.