Thailand Morning News For June 20

Prayut says election to be held after Coronation ceremony
The government is making preparations for the Coronation of HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the election will be held after the completion of this important ceremony, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday.
— Thai PBS

Investment drawdown estimate drops to 70%
State agencies are expected to draw down just 70% of this fiscal year’s annual investment budget, well below the target of 87%, says the head of the Comptroller-General’s Department.
— Bangkok Post

Tax measures approved to promote setting up of international firms’ headquarters in Thailand
The cabinet approved a draft decree on tax discounts and waivers to promote the establishment of international companies’ headquarters in Thailand, said Government Spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd.
— NNT

Government welcomes opinions about implementation of Thailand 4.0 policy
The government continues efforts to implement the Thailand 4.0 policy while welcoming opinions from all sides on helping to achieve its goal.
— News Today (video)

NIA seeking to add value to crops by supporting bio-refinery industry
he National Innovation Agency (NIA) has united with the Petroleum and Petrochemical College of Chulalongkorn University in an effort to find ways to advance the bio-refinery industry with a focus on sugar cane, tapioca and oil palm.
— NNT

Surapong gets two years for Thaksin passport
Former foreign minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul has been sentenced to two years in prison for issuing a passport for Thaksin Shinawatra.
— Bangkok Post

Pork leaders call for Thailand’s preferential access to U.S. markets be revoked
At a recent U.S. Trade Representative hearing, National Pork Producers Council called for Thailand’s preferential access to the U.S. market to be revoked or reduced if it does not end its unwarranted ban on U.S. pork.
— National Hog Farmer

Scholarships in Japan up for grabs
Starting from the next academic year, 80 top Thai Grade 9 graduates will be offered full scholarships to study at renowned technology colleges, known as Kosen, around Japan as part of government efforts to offset an acute shortage of highly skilled labour for the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
— Bangkok Post

Thailand selects Airbus for Theos-2 satellite, total budget $238 million
The Thai government has announced it has selected Airbus to manufacture Theos-2, an earth observation satellite that will replace Theos (also known as Thaichote), the country’s first earth observation satellite launched in 2008.
— Spacetech

Thai education flounders despite huge investment
Thailand’s revolving cadre of politicians have long-cited the education system as a necessary area for reform. The last three governments, all under opposing banners, have agreed that Thailand’s school systems need fixing with test scores lagging and an increasing deficit of a highly skilled workers.
— The Nation

Free trade on agenda as Gen Prayut visits Europe
Thailand is set to address a bilateral Thailand-Britain free trade agreement (FTA) during a six-day European trade mission led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, starting Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand forced to cancel 1800-MHz auction
Thai regulator NBTC has been forced to cancel a planned 1800-MHz spectrum auction after none of the market’s three operators registered to participate.
— telecomasia.net

NLA gets ready to host Asian Parliamentary Assembly meeting in 2019
The National Legislative Assembly is getting ready to host a meeting of the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in 2019.
— NNT

Five importers of e-waste lose licences
The Industrial Works Department has suspended the licences of five importers of scrap electronics after they allegedly hired illegal factories to recycle more than 14,000 tonnes of the hazardous garbage.
— Bangkok Post

AMLO asks police to investigate former senior official for alleged money-laundering
The Anti-Money Laundering Office has asked the Counter Corruption Division (CCD) police to investigate Putthipat Lertchaowasit, a former permanent secretary of the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, and a former female official of the ministry who was his close aide, for alleged money-laundering.
— Thai PBS

Baidu partners TCC for SMEs in China
Baidu Access, the ad management company under Chinese internet giant Baidu, has joined hands with TCC Network Technology and TCC Business Centre to help Thai entrepreneurs enter the Chinese market effectively.
— Bangkok Post

B.Grimm and Xuan Cau to develop Southeast Asia’s largest solar project
Thailand’s B.Grimm Power has signed a cooperation agreement with Vietnam’s Xuan Cau to develop the largest solar PV project in Southeast Asia, standing at 420MW capacity in Tay Ninh, southwest Vietnam.
— PVTech

BTSC keen for slice of infra work
BANGKOK Mass Transit System (BTSC) is interested in joining the bidding for showpiece rail and road infrastructure projects that will upgrade the country’s transport network, chairman Keeree Kanjanapas said yesterday.
— The Nation

DIT explains wheat import duties
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has explained measures to do with wheat imports in response to accusations the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce were being neglectful in the collection of duties, assuring the public that efforts are being taken to maintain the price of such economic crops.
— NNT

Government, private sector to buy more rice from farmers
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Tesco Lotus have continued their cooperation in buying 9,000 tons of rice from agricultural cooperatives in four northeastern provinces. The rice deal is expected to boost incomes for more than 140,000 farmers.
— News Today (video)

First roll-out for new four-car BTSC trains at Turkish plant
The first roll-out ceremony for BTSC’s 22 new four-car trains by Bangkok Mass Transit System and Siemens took place at the factory of the German firm’s partner Bozankaya in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Tuesday.
— The Nation

Maize farmers fear effects from imported barley
Maize farmers in Chiang Mai have expressed grave concern that their produce will have no buyers after they learned that about 120,000 tonnes of barley have been imported into the country as animal feed.
— Thai PBS

Labor Ministry aims to find jobs for 100,000 unemployed graduates
The Labor Minister, Pol. Gen. Adul Sangsingkeo, said the Ministry of Labor aims to find jobs for about 100,000 unemployed graduates within three months.
— NNT

42 macaques released into the wild after being neutered
Forty two macaques have been released into their natural habitat of King Kaew Mangrove Forest after they were neutered to control their population.
— NNT

TTM+ Delegates applaud new format and concept
The Thailand Travel Mart Plus ended successfully on 15 June with positive feedback for the new format launched by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to make travel trade shows more focussed and relevant in changing times.
— TAT News

Toshiba sets sights on No 3 spot in Thai appliances market
TOSHIBA Thailand yesterday announced ambitious growth targets, setting its sights on becoming the third-biggest producer in the country’s electrical appliance market within three years.
— The Nation

Feature photo John Le Fevre

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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 20 added by John Le Fevre on June 20, 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.