Thailand Morning News For February 13

Thai central bank bans banks from cryptocurrencies
Thailand’s central bank said on Monday it had asked financial institutions not to get involved in cryptocurrency transactions for fear of possible problems from the unregulated trading.
— Reuters

Thai banks’ loans may rise 6-8 pct this year -c.bank
Thai commercial banks’ loans may increase 6-8 percent this year after rising 4.4 percent in 2017, reflecting the improving economy, a senior central bank official said on Monday.
— Reuters

Prachatai poll: a military party may not be as popular as Prayut hopes
After junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that the election may be held in November 2018, various political groups, including the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) itself, have shown their political agenda to the public.
— Prachatai English

More than 11.9 billion baht spent through state welfare cards over first 4 months
According to Thailand’s Comptroller General’s Department (CGD), more than 11.9 billion baht was spent during the first four months of the state welfare card scheme.
— NNT

PM steps up anti-protest rhetoric
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told a gathering of foreign diplomats and dignitaries on Monday that recent political activities in the country have been mired in ill intentions.
— Bangkok Post

Government on course to promote new generation farmers
The government has continued its initiative to train the new generation of farmers, who are equipped with knowledge about technology and innovations.
— News Today (video)

NLA member wants tougher wildlife law to deter poaching
A member of the National Legislative Assembly said Monday that he would like the wildlife law to be amended to increase the penalty of illegal hunting or protected or endangered species of wildlife up to 10-20 years imprisonment.
— Thai PBS

Kamala hotels threatened with temporary closure over release of untreated wastewater
Hotels in Kamala are set to face temporary closure if they are found to have been releasing untreated wastewater into the Ketnee Canal a local official government official has confirmed today.
— The Phuket News

Phuket airport on track to serve 18mn pax per year
The B5.14-billion upgrades to Phuket International Airport are on track for completion by June this year, bringing the airport’s capacity to 18 million passengers per year.
— The Phuket News

Section 44 to ease pains
The military government will soon invoke Section 44 to ease the chronic financial burdens of the existing terrestrial digital TV operators at the expense of the state.
— Bangkok Post

Commerce Min eyeing Chinese cassava market
The Ministry of Commerce is keeping a close watch on the Chinese cassava market as corn prices continue to surge.
— NNT

Farmers defy governor’s field fire ban
Tak: Authorities concerned about haze caused by slash and burn farming were hunting villagers yesterday who defied a ban on outdoor burning by setting fire to a sugar cane field.
— Bangkok Post

Chillva Market bans smoking
‘Action on Smoking and Health Foundation’ plus Phuket authorities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a smoking-free zone at Chillva Market on February 10, aiming to expand the non-smoking areas in public spaces.
— Phuket Gazette

Health officials to develop network to tackle communicable diseases between Thailand, Laos
Health officials from the northern provinces of Phayao and Chiang Mai plan to develop a network for monitoring and preventing communicable diseases between Thailand and Laos.
— NNT

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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 February 13 added by John Le Fevre on February 13, 2018
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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.