Thailand morning news for August 9

Thailand morning news for August 9
Advertisement
Online English lessons

Thailand morning newsMonetary Policy Committee maintains benchmark rate at 1.5 percent
Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee has resolved to maintain the policy interest rate at 1.5% a year to support Thailand’s economic growth.
— NNT

Candle Parade disruption! Netizens peeved at funky temple dance (video)
Thai netizens are up in arms over a video showing what appears to be Thai university students performing a mock Buddhist Lent (Khao Phansa) Candle Parade ceremony inside the grounds of a Buddhist temple.
— AEC News Today (video)

Industrial estates confident repeat of 2011 flooding won’t take place this year
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) estimates that flooding this year won’t match the magnitude of 2011 but has nonetheless urged that measures be taken to protect industrial estates such as those in Ayuthaya province.
— NNT

NCPO warns Suthep not to meet fans
Former protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban should stay put and not try to meet supporters at this time, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has warned.
— Bangkok Post

Booming tourism and exports sectors lift SME performance
Thailand’s booming tourism and export sector has boosted competitiveness among SMEs, with the services and trades industries seeing the highest growth.
— NNT

Armed Forces mobilize to handle flood situation in Phetchaburi
The Royal Thai Armed Forces are ready to mobilize troops and equipment to help people in flood-prone areas of Phetchaburi province.
— Chiang Mai Mail

Latest NLA push ‘could delay poll’
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is considering asking the outgoing Election Commission (EC) to delay appointing poll inspectors and let the new commissioners who are pending royal endorsement take take over the selection process.
— Bangkok Post

Rice exports to eclipse forecast
Thai Rice Exporters Association has raised its export forecast to 11 million tonnes this year, citing continuously robust purchase demand, the weakening baht and natural disasters that will dampen rice supply.
— Bangkok Post

More demand for organic products in Thailand and Cambodia, but production costs remain high
The demand for organic food is growing in Thailand and Cambodia, but production costs have yet to come down.
— Food Navigator-Asia

Fund to focus on ‘very poor’ students
THE EQUITABLE Education Fund (EEF) is trying to boost financial aid for more than 600,000 students who fall in the category of “very poor” or have just Bt42.7 in their pockets per day on average.
— The Nation

Motor, personal accidents drive up non-life premiums by 4%
Thailand’s total non-life insurance premiums grew by 4% in the first quarter of 2018, propelled by the motor and personal accident segments, says Fitch Ratings.
— Bangkok Post

Low-lying areas of Phetchaburi face flooding this Sunday
Water in the Phetchaburi river is anticipated to rise to its highest level this Sunday and to start swamping low-lying areas of the Muang district of Phetchaburi between 30-50 cm under water, said Agriculture Minister Grisda Boonrach on Wednesday after an inspection trip to the province by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
— Thai PBS

Thailand’s AIS, DTAC to compete in $3.4 billion spectrum auction
Thailand’s largest mobile operator Advanced Info Service Pcl (ADVANC.BK) and third-ranked Total Access Communication Pcl (DTAC) (DTAC.BK) said on Wednesday they would participate in the network spectrum auction later this month.
— Reuters

China: Piles of unsold Thai durians – but prices remain high
According to Thai media reports, a routine quality check at a local market found stalls piled high with unsold durians. It is understood that this year, China’s Alibaba Group purchased a large number of durians in Thailand for sale online.
— Fresh Plaza

UTCC poll: SMEs upbeat on 2019 business conditions
Overall conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are expected to improve by the middle of next year after the Thai economy returns to fulfilling its growth potential.
— Bangkok Post

New initiative against single-use plastics at Thailand’s national parks welcomed by TAT
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has welcomed the latest initiative by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to fight against plastic pollution. Starting from 12 August 2018, the DNP will encourage visitors to reduce consumption of single-use plastics at all 154 national parks in Thailand.
— TAT News

Ministry of Transport applying Japan’s road safety measures to reduce accidents
The Ministry of Transport has started to implement some of Japan’s road safety measures in Thailand in an effort to reduce accidents.
— NNT

Thailand to discuss cooperation on migrant workers employment with neighboring countries
Labor Minister AdulSaengsingkaew(อดุลย์ แสงสิงแก้ว) plans to invite officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam to discuss cooperation on migrant workers employment in order to deal with the shortages of labor in Thailand’s fishing industry.
— News Today (video)

Four of the Mu Pa 13 become Thai citizens
Good news for four of the stateless Mu Pa Academy footballers. During their time in the cave it was revealed that four of the team were officially stateless – unable to get a bank account, get legally married, start a business, etc.
— The Thaiger/ The Nation

Sectors show signs of improvement in 3rd quarter
BUSINESS sentiment has further improved in the third quarter from the second quarter, but low farm product prices and threat of flooding have impacted on consumption, according to the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Sentiment Index released yesterday.
— The Nation

Report rules for holders expanded
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday announced new regulatory reporting requirements for holders of securities and derivatives, expanding the scope of the reporting and securities categories.
— Bangkok Post

DPM Wissanu sees no conflict in selection of election inspectors
The deputy prime minister in charge of legal affairs has assured the public that the legislature’s plan to amend the election commission law is not causing any conflict among relevant groups.
— NNT

TPIPP plans B25bn debenture issuance
SET-listed TPI Polene Power Plc (TPIPP), a waste-to-energy power plant operator with the largest capacity in the Thai market, plans to issue debentures worth 25 billion baht to support new investments in power plants both domestically and abroad.
— Bangkok Post

Cabinet approves Higher Education Act
The Education Minister, Clin. Prof. Udom Kachintorn, said the approval of the Higher Education Act would lead to the establishment of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
— NNT

Alibaba scouting firms to feed apps
Alibaba Group is aggressively luring Thai brands and travel operators to its digital platform.
— Bangkok Post

Kaeng Krachan’s spillway spillover first time in 15 years
The spillover of water at the spillway of Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi today is the first time ever in 15 years of the history of the dam mainly due to a huge water mass, estimated at 160 milllion cubic metres, that poured into the dam on one single day on July 19 as a result of Sin Tinh storm and southwestern monsoon.
— Thai PBS

Marine Dept. enforces boat safety over holiday
Speedboat operators said the Marine Department strictly enforced safety standards over the holiday weekend to prevent another disaster like the one that killed 47 people in Phuket last month.
— NNT

Against The Elements
When 13 people became trapped in a flooded cave in northern Thailand, the nation launched one of the biggest rescue operations involving 10,000 people. We bring you an exclusive documentary that unpacks how events unfolded over 17 dramatic days.
— Channel NewsAsia (video)

Army Chief confident army can handle water situation
The Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army is confident that the Army can handle the ongoing flood crisis.
— NNT

Export drive for gems and jewellery
THE GOVERNMENT yesterday announced its strategy for the gem and jewellery sector aimed at boosting exports. Under the plan, Thailand will be promoted as the new international hub for gem and jewellery trade, according to the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP).
— The Nation

Libong bird’s nest collectors awarded for contributions to Tham Luang Cave 13 rescue operation
The Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICT) has presented a group of bird’s nest collectors with a plaque of honor in recognition of their efforts to save the 13 members of Moo Pa Academy youth football team who were trapped in Tham Luang Cave throughout the month of July.
— NNT

ICO licences drawing interest
About 50 initial coin offering (ICO) projects have shown interest in applying for licences to operate after the Finance Ministry’s announcement on approving digital asset licensing took effect llate last month, says the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
— Bangkok Post

GISDA reassures public of transparency in purchase of THEOS 2 satellite
Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISDA) has reassured the public of the transparency in the purchase of the THEOS 2 Satellite, rebuffing a rumor of irregularities in the 7.8-billion-baht deal.
— NNT

Dusit Zoo to shut for good at month’s end
The end is nigh for Bangkok’s famous Dusit Zoo, which will close its gates for good at the end of this month before relocating to its new home in Pathum Thani.
— Bangkok Post

 

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.

 

The following two tabs change content below.

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.

Support independent media by sharing using these tools. Do not steal our content

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published.