Thailand morning news for December 24

Thailand morning news for December 24
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Thailand morning newsWan Nor says he could be PM, following Mahathir’s footstep
Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, better known as Wan Nor, leader of the Prachachart Party, has said he – inspired by the success of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad – is ready for the prime minister’s post although his party only hopes to win 20 seats in the House of Representatives in the next general election.
Bangkok Post

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha Cites 2019 as an Important Year for Thailand
In addition to the Royal Coronation Ceremony and the elections, which will lead to sustainable democracy, Thailand will have an important role in driving forward the ASEAN Community.
Chiang Rai Times

Thai military govt-linked party descends on Shinawatra stronghold
A political party tied to Thailand’s military government took its message of stability and development to the backyard of the ousted Shinawatra clan Sunday (Dec 23), as leaders dash to connect with voters ahead of an election in February.
Channel News Asia

Somchai urges action on probe into banquet
Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn has urged the Election Commission (EC) to rev up moves to probe a recent fund-raising event organised by the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
Bangkok Post

Thai junta steps into unfamiliar terrain ahead of first electoral test
PM Prayuth faces challenge as voter sentiment seen leaning toward pro-democracy camp
Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Thailand deports 15 illegal Myanmar laborers
The Information and Public Relations Department declared that 15 Myanmar illegal migrant laborers have been deported by the Thai authorities as the laborers’ border passes have ended with no other official papers in possession.
MENAFN

Developer Proposes Bt40 Billion Trin Nakara Golden Triangle “The City of Harmonious Living” in Chiang Saen
Trin Innovation Group Co Ltd has announced plans to spend Bt40 billion to develop a mixed-used project on more than 3,000 rai in Chiang Rai province that chief executive Trin Nilprasert says will be transformed into “The City of Harmonious Living”.
Chiang Rai Times

Thai Raksa Chart vows to tackle low rubber prices
The Thai Raksa Chart Party has vowed to tackle the long-standing problem of low rubber prices after listening to grievances voiced at a seminar on Sunday.
Bangkok Post

25 Thai Call-Centre Gang Members Repatriated After Being Jailed In Cambodia
Cambodian authorities handed over 25 Thais to Thai police on Saturday after they had served 10 months in a Cambodian jail for working for a Taiwanese-led call centre scam gang.
The Nation

Road toll drops but still 60 deaths a day
The good news is that Thailand is no longer in the top couple of countries for road death tolls in the world. The bad news is the toll is still horrendous with an average of 60 deaths every day.
The Thaiger

PPRP says it will easily claim North
The pro-regime Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) is confident it will win two thirds of 62 constituencies in the North, the stronghold of the Pheu Thai Party, in the upcoming election.
Bangkok Post

Bangkok air foul for fourth straight day
Residents of Bangkok and vicinity continued to inhale unhealthy levels of air pollution on Sunday, the fourth consecutive day the area was shrouded in a smog of airborne particulates.
The Nation

World Health Organization Urges Thailand to Better Road Safety
As deaths from road accidents in Thailand continue to rise the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has urged Thai authorities to explore appropriate measures to create better road safety.
Chiang Rai Times

More than 300 involved in search for missing two year old
More than 300 people have been involved in a search for a missing two year old as they scoured a 200 rai plantation in Suphan Buri, north west of Bangkok. The boy has been missing since last Monday.
The Thaiger

Adhere to Thai’s new regulation on child marriage, says underage girl’s husband
A 41-year-old rubber trader who caused widespread outcry for marrying a Thai girl 30 years his junior said he has no issue with Thai religious authorities’ decision to tighten the rules on child marriage.
New Strait Times

The invisible workforce
This year saw the government achieve some success in its efforts to deal with illegal migrant workers, a problem often linked with forced labour and human trafficking.
Bangkok Post

Increasingly popular Chiang Mai gears up for changing tourism trends
The Tourism industry in Chiang Mai has seen some changes recently, especially in the type, behaviour and nationality of tourists, Pakkanan Winijchai, director of the Chiang Mai branch of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said.
The Nation

Chiang Rai Villagers Warn the Mekong River “Is Not For Sale”
The locals of Chiang Rai in northern Thailand describe their lives as “three days of fishing, two days of drying the nets”. They fish the river in the rainy season, then as the dry season approaches hang up their nets and plant crops.
Chiang Rai Times

Massive interest in low-interest home purchase loans
Hundreds of people queued at Government Housing Bank (GHB) headquarters in Bangkok early Sunday morning to apply for loans to buy houses designed for low-income earners and priced under Bt1 million.
The Nation

Thailand now in world’s top 100 most expensive places to live for expats
Singapore and Thailand are among the fastest risers in a survey of most expensive locations in the world for expats. Asian Correspondent is reporting that multinational human resource consultants ECA International, in its recent Cost of Living survey, revealed that Thailand rose 32 places this year to enter the top 100 most expensive locations in the world.
The Thaiger

Ministry aims for double-track rail link from Nakhon Ratchasima to Laos
The Transport Ministry plans to develop a double-track railway project linking Nakhon Ratchasima and Laos’ Pakse, minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith says.
Bangkok Post

Bangkok world’s 2nd most visited city, above London and Paris
Southeast Asian cities are among the most visited by international visitors in the world, with Thai cities performing especially well, according to a recent study.
Digital Globalist

Bhumjaithai Party unveils Korat election candidates
The Bhumjaithai Party on Sunday unveiled its candidates to run in all 14 constituencies of this northeastern province in the Feb 24, 2019 election.
Bangkok Post

Over 30,000 tourists flock to Ko Phangan for Full Moon Party
Over 30,000 foreign tourists flocked to Hat Rin beach on Ko Phangan island of this southern province on Saturday night for this year’s last Full Moon Party amid tight security.
Bangkok Post

Cabinet endorses PTTEP’s two petroleum concessions in Gulf of Thailand
The Thai Cabinet has endorsed the two petroleum concessions held by PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited in the Gulf of Thailand.
Pattaya Mail

Most over-40s expect better economy after election: Nida Poll
A majority of people aged 40 and over expect to see improvement in the economy after the next election tentatively scheduled for Feb 24, 2019, according to an opinion survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
Bangkok Post

AOT gives green light to new Suvarnabhumi terminal
Following a few hiccups, the board of the AOT has now given the green light for the construction of the second passenger terminal at Suvarnabhumi international Airport. In past months there have been demands from leading architects and engineers for the project to be scrapped.
The Thaiger

Thailand: Cybersecurity Bill Revised and Reissued in November 2018
Following our updates on the Thai Cybersecurity Bill in October 2018, the Bill was revised by experts from the National Cybersecurity Preparation Committee on 15 November 2018 and again on 30 November 2018.
Global Compliance News

Utility wires burn in South Pattaya fire
Electric and utility wires behind The Avenue galleria caught fire, but caused no injuries.
Pattaya Mail

GoAir offers 50 pc discount on Phuket flights for Thailand Yacht Show
No-frills airline GoAir is offering 50 per cent discount on tickets for its flights to Phuket for individuals going to attend the Thailand Yacht Show next month.
The Economic Times

A damning verdict on business as usual under the junta
“Will elected politicians stick to the ‘25 watches’ corruption standard?”, Have Your Say, December 20.
The Nation

Thailand marathon honors victims of 2004 tsunami
A marathon aimed at raising tsunami awareness was held in Thailand on Sunday, three days before the 14th anniversary of the quake-triggered disaster that hit Indian Ocean countries.
NHK World

High-value residential to be main driver of 2019 realty growth
Challenges await property developers next year with the Bank of Thailand (BOT) poised to implement a more restrictive regime on mortgage loans starting April 1, along with the recent with a rise in the policy rate, and an expected slowdown of the country’s economic growth, according to realty experts.
The Nation

Another year of military dictatorship in Thailand
Monarchy, military and preparations for an election dominated Thailand’s politics this year, as they have since the 2014 coup. General Prayuth Chan-ocha and his junta continued to repress their political opponents, while making the military’s intention to dominate Thailand’s future politics more obvious.
Financial Headlines

Locals key to dealing with issue
Up to 1.8 million people still do not have nationality; volunteers seen playing critical role
The Nation

Sold out: GHB home loans snatched up
GOVERNMENT Housing Bank (GHB) will budget another Bt50 billion to help low-income earners buy homes after the entire budget for the programme was booked on the same day it was introduced.
The Nation

Fortune Magazine Sold For $150M To Thai Businessman
Publishing giant Meredith has finalized the sale of Fortune Magazine for $150 million to Thai businessman Chatchaval Jiaravanon.
Deadline

 

Feature photo John Le Fevre

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges the volunteers and paid professionals wo participated in the rescue of the Wild Boar football team in July

 

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.

 

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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.

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