The World is One: Thailand Says Thank you from the heart
Thailand’s heartfelt gratitude to the international effort that led to the rescue of 12 Thai teenage football players and their coach from a flooded cave in northern Thailand is reflected in the speed with which it has rushed into distribution a heart-felt ‘thank you’ video message to the world.
— AEC News Today (video)
‘Positive signal’ from European Parliament about Thailand’s IUU status: deputy PM
The European Parliament has sent a positive signal about the European Union upgrading Thailand’s status in regard to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing from the current ‘yellow card’ slapped on the country by the EU in 2015, Deputy Prime Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said on Monday.
— The Nation
Strategy plans ‘ready in 60 days’
The six master plans to accompany the 20-year national strategy will be discussed and fleshed out in the next two months, according to a government source.
— Bangkok Post
Chinese Ambassador to Thailand expresses gratitude to Thai government, all staff involved in boat rescue efforts
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom Thailand, Lyu Jian, expressed his gratitude to the Thai government, rescue workers, and support teams for their collaborative efforts to search for missing passengers, mostly Chinese tourists, from two sunken tour boats off Phuket province on July 5th, 2018.
— NNT
PM thanks rescuers for rescue mission on Phuket boat accident
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha thanked all personnel involved in the rescue operations in Phuket’s boat accident and stressed on the assistance and compensation pays for victims.
— NNT
Tourism and Sports Minister: Phuket boat accident marginally affects tourism
The Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat, admitted that the tour boat that capsized off the coast of Phuket province on July 5th, resulting in the deaths of 47 Chinese tourists, has caused some people to cancel their tour packages to Thailand.
— NNT
Thailand gave diplomatic immunity to Australian medical team in cave rescue
Thailand gave diplomatic immunity to three Australians who helped a boys’ soccer team escape from a flooded cave, in case “something went wrong”, its foreign minister said on Monday.
— Reuters
Thai students take gold at 59th Mathematical Olympiad
Thai students have taken gold at the 59th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), which took place in Romania.
— NNT
Every Phuket tour boat is being checked
Deputy Commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, Maj Gen Surachet Hakparn, with the help of the Marine Department, are checking about 400 tour boats in Phuket. Any boat found not fully compliant to leave port with all its safety equipment in working order, will remain at port.
— The Thaiger
Tesla shares fall after CEO Musk abuses British diver
A number of analysts and investors, requesting anonymity, told Reuters that Musk’s comments are adding to their concerns that his public statements are distracting him from Tesla’s main business of producing electric cars. The stock sell-off knocked almost $2 billion off the company’s market value.
— Reuters
Trans fats ban could burn small businesses: expert
THAILAND’S BAN on trans fats is being applauded by consumer protection activists and nutritionists but a food-industry expert says the government action could lead to chaos in small bakeries and dairy beverage businesses.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
28 provinces on alert for deluge
The country is on alert this week as heavy rains are forecast and possibly flash floods that could cause havoc including overflows and rough seas.
— Bangkok Post
British diver may sue Musk for calling him “pedo”
British caver Vernon Unsworth who helped rescue the Wild Boars soccer team from Tham Luang cave said today he may take legal action against Elon Musk after the Tesla CEO called him a “pedo”.
— Thai PBS
Tham Luang forest closed indefinitely due to heavy damage
Tham Luang Nang-Khun Nam Nang Non forest park has been closed indefinitely due to extensive damages caused to the park’s environment during the recent dramatic rescue operations. Forestry officials said the forest requires massive rehabilitation and restoration.
— Thai PBS
CAT unites for Google Station
CAT Telecom is teaming up with Google Thailand to roll out Google Station service, modernising CAT’s WiFi hotspots in public areas.
— Bangkok Post
Prayers in honor of Royal Family due on 21 July 2018
The government is encouraging the general public to attend prayers on 21 July 2018 at Royal Plaza in remembrance of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and in honor of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, and celebrate the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Rama X’s birthda
— NNT
Rubber farm cut aimed to buoy price
The government plans to reduce rubber plantation area this year as a continuation of its efforts to raise domestic rubber prices.
— Bangkok Post
NBT switches to digital-only services
The National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) has terminated its analog broadcasting services and switched to a digital-only operation. The move, which is accompanied by investment in modern equipment, vastly improves the station’s broadcast quality.
— NNT
PTTEP sells off Montara oil field
PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) has announced divestment of its 100-per-cent stake in the Montara oil field as part of its strategy to focus on operations and projects in strategic locations.
— The Nation
Death sentence handed down on Muslim militant
A Muslim militant has been sentenced to death for his parts in three violent incidents in Pattani province in which seven people were killed and eight others injured, said Col Thanawee Suwannarat, deputy spokesman of the Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command forward headquarters at Sirindhorn Military camp in Pattani’s Yarang district.
— Thai PBS
AIS and DTAC collect bid papers for spectrum auctions
ADVANCED Info Service (AIS) group and Total Access Communication (DTAC) group yesterday picked up the applications to contest auctions for licences to offer services on the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectra.
— The Nation
Chinese companies sign deal to purchase Kor Koh 43 Rice from Thailand
The government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Medifood Co. and Zhejiang Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Co., two of China’s largest rice importers, for the purchase of Kor Koh 43 Rice.
— NNT
Smart kiosks give students easier way to check loans
THE Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) has joined with the Student Loans Fund office (SLF) to allow its borrowers to check their loan status via 56 so-called smart kiosks set up by the government nationwide.
— The Nation
Vans migrate to new Bangkok terminal
All public vans at Bangkok’s northern bus terminal will be transferred to a new terminal nearby from Aug 1, Transport Co, Ltd president Jirasak Yaovatsakul said Monday.
— 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.
Thailand morning news for July 17 added by John Le Fevre on
View all posts by John Le Fevre →
John Le Fevre
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.
Latest posts by John Le Fevre (see all)
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 26 — 16 mln case barrier breached, Vietnam records community transmission – July 26, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 25 — new high for daily infections, 16 mln infection barrier to break today – July 25, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020