Thailand Morning News For June 15

World Bank may raise Thai economic growth forecast
The World Bank may boost its projection for economic growth in Thailand, where the pace of expansion hit a five-year high last quarter.
— Bangkok Post

Leading players want charter amended after next election
THE JUNTA-SPONSORED charter, which imposes curbs on politicians, remains the prime target of big political parties who aim to replace it after the election even though it was endorsed in a 2016 national referendum, judging by the comments made at a symposium attended by prominent politicians yesterday.
— The Nation

RAM Ratings reaffirms Thailand’s robust external finances
RAM Ratings has reaffirmed Thailand’s respective global and Asean-scale ratings of gBBB1(pi)/Stable and seaAA1(pi)/Stable, reflecting the country’s robust external finances, well-diversified economy and fiscal position that remains intact notwithstanding its expansionary fiscal stance.
— The Borneo Post

Bill could transform leasehold landscape
The leaseholds draft bill, which maintains maximum lease terms of 50 years for commercial purposes and 30 years for other purposes, would also allow lease rights to be transferable and inheritable, a move intended to entice lessees and give a boost to the property market.
— Bangkok Post

Govt to deploy UAV in its fight against illegal fishing
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAV) will be deployed to help combat illegal fishing activities in Thailand.
— NNT

Trade with North Korea tipped to rise
Thailand’s export prospects are forecast to improve after tensions between the US and North Korea eased.
— Bangkok Post

2019 Budget Bill to go for final reading Aug 30
The 2019 Budget Bill is expected to be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for the 2nd and 3rd readings on Aug 30, according to Gen Chat-udom Titthasiri, spokesman of the extraordinary committee scrutinising the bill.
— Thai PBS

Signature campaign for convenience stores and malls to charge for plastic bags
A campaign is being launched in the social media through change.org web page to demand major convenience stores to charge their customers for the single-use plastic bags in a bid to cut back plastic trash.
— Thai PBS

Thailand, Japan team up for robotics
Thailand and Japan have entered into a joint agreement to form a consortium for the development of robotics specialists, with the aim of producing at least 1,400 people skilled in the field within three years.
— Bangkok Post

Vietnamese firms take cautious steps towards market in Thailand
Many Vietnamese companies have been exporting products to Thailand, like Vinamit, selling dried fruits, and Bich Chi, which sells vermicelli and rice paper. But they export mostly through intermediaries.
— Fresh Plaza

Fishing restrictions imposed over Bangkok Bay
The Department of Fisheries has imposed restrictions on fishing over the Bay of Bangkok at this time of the year.
— NNT

Ministry decision on Muslim students’ dress code seen as divisive
CONCERNS ARE growing over the Education Ministry’s move to leave it up to the schools and their monastic landlords to decide on the dress code for Muslim students.
— The Nation

Govt beefs up national reforms
The Prime Minister’s Office has held a press conference to publicize the administration’s national reforms.
— NNT

Renewable energy goal raised to 30%
RENEWABLE energy will account for 30 per cent of the country’s electricity production within 15 years – with no extra cost to the people, Energy Minister Siri Jirapongphan vowed yesterday.
— The Nation

Thai melon grower makes €2,600 per 60 m2 greenhouse
Panu Taweepon grows melons in his small farm in Surat Thani province, some 500 kilometres south of Bangkok. His ‘New Farmer Farm’ is just 3,200 m2 in size, but his income from this small parcel could be much more than a rice farmer with several hectares can earn.
— Fresh Plaza

Developer taps trio for smart services push
LISTED property firm Property Perfect has teamed up with Advanced Info Service (AIS), Samsung and the operator of the world’s first bike-sharing service, Mobike, to introduce smart solutions and smart appliances to a number of its existing home and condominium projects.
— The Nation

Min of Commerce discusses key policies of the past six months
The Ministry of Commerce has reported on the results of its policies in the first half of the year, which focused on improving local livelihoods, stimulating the grassroots economy, and supporting investment.
— NNT

Customs Department ramps up inspection of shipping containers
Following the recent smuggling of hazardous waste into the country, the Customs Department is ramping up its inspection of shipping containers and rejecting items that have not been declared.
— NewsToday (video)

“Thai durians finds market in China’s third and fourth tier cities”
“Statistics show that the Thai durian production volume increased by around 20% this year. Despite this growth, the price of Thai durians on the Chinese market did not fall, but even increased by 10%.” This is according to Wen Chao, the founder of Wen Ji Durian.
— Fresh Plaza

Bidders keen on inedible rice
Twenty-two bidders have proposed buying 1.48 million tonnes of the government’s inedible-grade rice stocks for animal feed, representing 99% of the 1.49 million tonnes put up for auction by the government.
— Bangkok Post

Experts propose total ban on e-waste operations
THERE ARE no clear answers from officials about whether Thailand is changing its policy on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste under the Basel Convention, as the international agreement is seen by some officials and experts as ineffective in stopping the flow of electronic and plastic waste into the country.
— The Nation

Survey: Over 80% of Thais use online media to share negative information
More than 80 percent of Thai people use social media to share negative and inappropriate information, according to a survey conducted by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency.
— NNT

Thai Airways to end its Samui flights this September
Thai Airways is scrapping its Bangkok-Samui flights from September this year. The airline’s been flying Bangkok to Samui, return, twice a day in a Boeing 737 carrying up to 149 passengers.
— The Thaiger

500 TukTuks sets high goals for fund
THE managers of the 500 TukTuks Fund II yesterday launched the investment vehicle with the aim of backing 150 startup ventures – including one with the prized unicorn status for a valuation that grows to at least US$1 billion.
— The Nation

Thailand may avenge fruit ban
Thailand is mulling retaliatory measures against Indonesia after the latter banned imports of Thai longan and durian during harvest seasons.
— Bangkok Post

Govt allocates 20 bil baht to village funds
The Prime Minister has revealed that the government has allocated 20 billion baht to the Village and Urban Community Fund Project, in a bid to create jobs.
— NNT

City Hall seeks to revive Grey Line project
City Hall has called for a revival of the first phase of the Grey electric monorail train line project from Watcharapol to Thong Lor following its failure to gain approval from locals living along the planned route and an unsuccessful environmental impact assessment.
— Bangkok Post (annoying popups)

Siam Food aims to double sales by 2021
Siam Food Services, the importer and distributor of frozen and chilled products under Siam Makro Plc, operator of the Makro cash-and-carry store chain in Thailand, expects its sales to double to US$400 million (12.9 billion baht) in 2021.
— Bangkok Post

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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 June 15 added by John Le Fevre on June 15, 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.