Thailand English-language News for March 2

In Thailand English-language News for March 2, 2018, Newsline presenter Sandra Hanutsaha tells us about:

00:45 | King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, and Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana yesterday made merit to the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace to mark this year’s Makha Bucha Day.

The royal ceremony for Makha Bucha Day was initiated during the reign of King Rama IV as a way to acknowledge the importance of Buddhism through religious ceremonies.

02:06 | National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) spokesperson and chief of the 11th Military Circle, Major General Piyapong Klinphan, said yesterday that political activist groups can hold activities, provided they are within the legal framework and do not violate other people’s rights, including mocking the country’s leaders. He said numerous forums have been held to publicise the election timeline and create a correct understanding among citizens.

03:28 | A political party that has been dormant for more than ten years has become the first to register for next year’s general election after pre-registration was opened yesterday. Dr Rawee Machamadon, a co-founder of the party, said the New Palang Dharma Party is the resurrection of the Palang Dharma Party, a Buddhist-inspired political party founded by Major General Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the “Young Turks” military clique.

Dr Machamadon said the party was ready to continue promoting ethics, reduction of social inequality, and the prevention of corruption, adding that an online system will be introduced to enable its members to vote for election candidates.

04:31 | Acting Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Secretary-General, Lieutenant Colonel Korntip Daroj, said yesterday that a subcommittee will be set up to investigate corruption in the management of destitute funds in all 77 provinces nationwide, with 37 of them to be completed urgently. He said criminal or disciplinary action will be taken against anyone found to have acted corruptly.

05:55 | The permanent representative of Turkey to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Salhin Mutlu Sen, has complimented Thailand on its policy to develop the southern border provinces, noting that its focus on improved education is important to ensure equality in the society.

Hassan Abdien, director of the OIC Department of Communities and Minorities, told deputy minister of Education, General Surachet Chaiwong, that the OIC does not support separation, but the acceptance of difference for peaceful coexistence.

07:07 | Police Captain Sumit Boonyanit, a police officer in Kanchanaburi Province, has been placed on probation for accepting a complaint of animal cruelty against Premchai Karnasutra, ceo of Italian-Thai Development Public Company Ltd., who is alleged to have been caught poaching in a wildlife sanctuary.

10:31 | The Bank of Thailand’s (BoT) Macroeconomics Policy Office (MPO) said yesterday that the Thai economy continued to grow in January, propelled by rigorous government spending, strong export growth (16.7 per cent), private consumption, and increased tourism.

Don Nakornthap, director of the MPO said inflation in January fell by 0.1 per cent, to 0.68 per cent over the previous month, while fluctuations in the Thai baht rose from 4 per cent in January, to 6 per cent in February.

11:45 | The Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), Kritsada Boonrach, has instructed local administrative organisations across the country to implement the government’s policy of increasing domestic rubber usage in state projects.

The government hopes to reduce the national 4.5 million ton rubber stockpile to four million tons over the course of this year, and has urged agriculturists to grow other crops to raise their incomes.

13:45 | Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), Kritsada Boonrach has presided over a ceremony to mark the commencement of artificial rain-making operations for 2018 at an airport in Nakhon Sawan Province.

Initiated by the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation (DRRAA) artificial rain making operations will be conducted to tackle smog, wildfires, drought, and shortages of water for agriculture. For 2018 seven artificial-making units will be established in five regions across the country.

14:55 | The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) and the Friendly Design For All Foundation have collaborated to launch a ‘Tourism for All’ project in Pattaya aimed at developing tourist sites that are convenient and safe for all travellers regardless of age and physical ability.

16:03 | Thai Health Foundation Promotion and other groups have collaborated to organise the second annual community event aimed at promoting sustainable development.

17:27 | The Department of Land Transport (DLT) is calling for applications from transport entrepreneurs interested in providing cross-border transport services between Thailand and neighbouring countries. Applications close March 19.

19:23 | Newsline takes a look the exhibition of culture and heritage from the ten Asean member countries at the Asean Cultural Center in Bangkok, the regions first such centre.

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Newsline is a daily Thailand English-language news and current affairs programme produced by the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNBT) under the Thailand Government Public Relations Department (PRD) for *NBT World, the NNBTs 24/7 English language television service delivering Thailand government news and information to the Thai, Asean, and wider Asian communities. AEC News Today publishes Thailand English-language News M-F.