Thailand Morning News For September 25

Industry Minister: EEC crucial to transitioning to Thailand 4.0 agenda
According to the Industry Minister, one of the key Special Economic Zones, the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), is crucial in transitioning from the current economic model to Thailand 4.0.
— NBT World (video)

Thai junta leader, backers fuel suspicions of plans to stay in power
In his dark suit, Thai junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha cut an incongruous figure guiding a rice tractor across a muddy paddy field in front of cameras and watching villagers.
— Reuters

Finance may scrap 15% tax exemption on bank savings of rich people
The Finance Ministry may scrap tax exemption on interest income of up to 20,000 baht a year after finding small banks advised savers to evade taxes.
— Thai PBS

FPO asks BoT to drop interest rate
The Finance Ministry has urged the Bank of Thailand to slash the policy rate by 50 basis points to help stimulate the economy and curb speculative inflows.
— Bangkok Post

Thai education needs ‘long-term vision’
Thailand needs a long-term vision for its education system that has continuity and avoids unnecessary changes in direction when a new government takes office, an education expert has said.
— Bangkok Post

Education seminar kicks off, targets EEC development
The Ministry of Education holds a seminar on education guideline in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) special economic zone, allowing local units to participate in determining an education program to support local economic development.
— NNT

TCC Land to invest B50bn in retail growth
TCC Land Asset World Co, the retail firm of billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, plans to spend about 50 billion baht to add malls into its various retail formats over the next decade.
— Bangkok Post

JD.com’s CEO: We will make Thailand Asean’s hub
RICHARD LIU, the billionaire founder of JD.com, says he has set his sights on making Thailand a major hub for his e-commerce expansion plan in Southeast Asia.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

CIB tackles illegal drone flight threat
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) is stepping up its suppression of illegal drone activities, saying many drone enthusiasts don’t realise they are required by law to seek permission before flying…
— Bangkok Post

NRCT showcases innovations and research findings
The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) is hosting an event to showcase its innovations and research findings, in accordance with the Thailand 4.0 agenda.
— NNT

Ministry says record good on trafficking
The Labour Ministry has defended its handling of human trafficking and forced labour cases in the fisheries industry following a report that more than a third of migrant fishermen in Thailand have been clear victims of trafficking in the last five years.
— Bangkok Post

Fishing fleet fights for survival amid EU pressure
NEW TECHNOLOGY and other improvements have been introduced in the Thai fishing fleet in an effort to get the nation removed from the European Union’s “watch list” for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Heavy rains trigger floods in southern region
Ten southern provinces are battling severe floods triggered by heavy thundershowers.
— NNT

New payment systems could replace cash
Transforming Thailand into a cashless society requires not only the political will of visionary policymakers, but also a secure electronic system and digital literacy. The country is gradually moving in that direction with an integrated e-payment system and quick response (QR) code payment, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
— Bangkok Post

Labor Minister: Thailand shows significant advancement in effort to eliminate worst forms of child labor
The Minister of Labor discloses that Thailand has shown “significant advancement” in its effort to eliminate the worst forms of child labor in 2016, according to the United States Department of Labor.
— NNT

Yingluck escape panel faces flak on first day
The police panel set up to probe into the police officers who allegedly helped former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s escape a Supreme Court ruling is coming under criticism for its trustworthiness.
— Bangkok Post

DSD targets 200,000 new workers development in 2018
The Department of Skill Development (DSD) aims to provide training to 200,000 existing workers, while preparing 10,000 new workers to enter the workforce and enhancing worker skills in 2018.
— NNT

Government determined to keep on fighting corruption
The government has pledged its determination to continue fighting corruption in Thailand.
— NNT

MOL confirms no migrant child laborers under 15 employed
The Labor Minister has confirmed that no migrant children under 15 are employed as laborers, and no migrant children under 18 from Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar are allowed to work overtime, engage in dangerous work, or be employed in entertainment venues.
— NNT

Ex-PAD leaders advised to seek help from LED to mediate compensation payment
The 13 former core leaders of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have been advised to approach the Legal Execution Department to help mediate with the Airports of Thailand Public Company (AOT) regarding the 522 million baht in compensation they were ordered to pay the company.
— Thai PBS

XDR-TB declared dangerous communicable disease
Very serious drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has been declared dangerous communicable disease by the Ministry of Public Health.
— Thai PBS

Man arrested with 26 iPhone smart phones at airport
An Australian man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi international airport on Sunday as he tried to smuggle 26 iPhone X smart phones worth an estimated one million baht into the country.
— Thai PBS

Three Vietnamese arrested with 15 million baht worth of rhino horns
Three Vietnamese were arrested at Suvarnabhumi international airport early Sunday morning (Sept 24) after Customs officials found 15 rhino horns worth about 15 million baht hidden in their three luggage.
— Thai PBS

Govt rolls out welfare card readers at shops, buses
The government is rolling out welfare card readers in 5,000 shops and 800 buses, aiming to evaluate the campaign every month to improve the livelihood of low-income earners.
— NNT

Feature photo joeclub_ake

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 September 25 added by John Le Fevre on September 25, 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.