Thailand Morning News For March 13

Thailand Morning News For March 13
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Thailand morning newsGovt confirms commitment to resolving IUU fishing
The Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs has confirmed that efforts to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Thailand’s waters are ongoing, as the government remains committed to raising the standards of Thai fishing operations.
— NNT

Thai Feb tourist arrivals jump 20 pct y/y – ministry
Thailand saw a 20 percent increase in foreign tourists in February from a year earlier, led by visitors from China, the government said on Monday.
— Reuters

500kg of garbage washed onto national park beach every day
From 400 to 500 kilograms of garbage had been washed by waves onto a beach on Koh Rung in the Mu Koh Chang National Park in Trat each morning during the past week, the park chief said today (Monday).
–Phuket Gazette

Thai-EU FTA talks to resume this year
Thai-EU free trade agreement (FTA) talks are expected to resume by the middle of this year, after the bloc late last year agreed to resume political contact “at all levels”, more than three years after suspending them to protest the 2014 military coup.
— Bangkok Post

Thai trade strong with ASEAN in 2017
Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has reported Thai farm goods enjoyed a trade balance advantage in ASEAN of 200 billion baht in 2017, which should continue if the sector maintains its quality and trustworthiness this year.
— NNT

Bank helps connect Chinese with EEC
SINGAPORE-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) is drumming up interest among Chinese investors to seize opportunities in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and expects more and more Chinese companies to set up in the country’s flagship economic zone.
— The Nation

10% crypto levy mulled
A possible 10% capital gains tax on investment gains in cryptocurrencies will seek cabinet approval today, says a source at the Finance Ministry.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand to host ASEAN Summits next year
The Thai government has held a meeting to prepare for the hosting of two ASEAN Summits next year.
— NNT

Building for green growth in Thailand
Thailand seems likely to emerge as a model of green building in Asia, a region that is urbanizing more rapidly than any other in the world. Last month, the country took a significant step by submitting two Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: greening Thailand’s low- and middle-income housing, and greening the country’s government buildings.
— UN Environment

Government to promote tourism for the elderly
The government is planning to promote a new segment of tourism aimed at engaging the elderly, with a focus on secondary tourist destinations.
— News Today (video)

80% of welfare funds ‘plagued by graft’
Irregularities have been found in the distribution of welfare allowances for the poor in 44 provinces, representing 80%, or 97 million baht, of the national budget for the purpose, as the probe continues in the remaining 32 provinces.
— Bangkok Post

Bridging the digital divide in rural Thailand
A new satellite-based service will enable rural communities in Thailand to enjoy reliable broadband services.
— Developing Telecoms

EU businesses voice support for renewal of FTAs with Thailand
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has revealed European Union (EU) businesses have shown interest in supporting renewed Free Trade Agreements between Thailand and the bloc.
–NNT

DFT anticipates 9.5 million tons of rice exported throughout this year
The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) has expected some 9.5 million tons of rice to be exported to the world markets throughout this year.
— NNT

Thailand to auction remaining state stockpiles of rice
Thailand plans to offer for sale 2 million tonnes of rice still remaining in state stockpiles next month or in May, the country’s commerce ministry said on Monday.
— Business Recorder

BoT chides fee violators after guidelines flouted
The Bank of Thailand has warned banks and non-bank financial institutions under its supervision to comply with its ceiling interest rate, fees and penalty rates for personal loans and credit cards.
— Bangkok Post

DPM Wissanu admits Thai laws obsolete
The Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs has conceded that many laws enforced in Thailand are outmoded.
— News Today

Thailand dart board ban goes NATIONWIDE – bars urged to get registered
Thailand’s ban on bars and entertainment venues allowing punters to play darts is now in affect nationwide.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

CardLab Partnership Brings Biometrics to Thailand-made Smart Cards
CardLab has secured an agreement with Thai British Secure Printing that will see biometric technologies from Fingerprint Cards and Precise Biometrics integrated into TBSP card products.
— Mobile ID World

Thailand and Japan sign deal to promote yen and baht in direct trade
On March 9th 2018, Mrs. Chantavarn Sucharitakul, Assistant Governor, Corporate Strategy and Relations Group, Bank of Thailand announced that The Ministry of Finance of Japan and the Bank of Thailand signed the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) for the Establishment of a Framework for Cooperation to Promote the Use of Local Currencies.
— Thailand Business News

Gen Prawit says issues related to ICAO handled effectively
The national administration reform steering committee has highlighted Thailand’s progress in addressing aviation safety issues.
— NNT

Migrant workers’ iris biometrics scanning to get completed within this month
The Ministry of Labor has set a deadline for the scanning of iris biometrics of all migrant workers by the end of this month.
— NNT

Bangkok PM2.5 levels worse than in North
AIR POLLUTION in Bangkok was worse than in any northern province yesterday, as the level of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in the capital and nearby provinces rebounded to a harmful level.
— The Nation (annoying popup video ads)

Singha Corp launches $25m VC fund to invest in series A rounds
Singha Corporation, the Thai conglomerate which owns Singha Beer, has rolled out a venture capital arm.
— DealStreetAsia

Zero tenants: Thailand’s Minor Hotels takes over entire Melbourne skyscraper
A Melbourne skyscraper, which received planning approval almost three years ago on the basis that it would provide much-needed housing to the city’s booming inner-city population, won’t house any long-term tenants.
— The Australian Financial Review

Patong Municipality found guilty over illegal hotel construction
Patong Municipality has confirmed that it has not fulfilled a court order to issue a notice for the Andakira Hotel to remove all structures that exceed the original building permit issued seven years ago despite a court ruling that has found Patong Municipality and the Office of the Patong Mayor guilty of failing to perform their duties in ensuring that the original building permit was adhered to.
— The Phuket News

Universities agree on joint research for sustainable development
Eight of the country’s top universities have signed a memorandum agreeing to collaborate on research for sustainable development.
— NNT

Labour voices hotline assures CP Foods moving towards international labour standard
Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) has affirmed its move towards international labour standard in the whole supply chain by banking on Labour Right Promotion Network Foundation’s contribution through “Labour Voices by LPN”, the hotline channel, according to its press release.
— The Nation

Thailand’s Singha invests in Temasek’s Vertex, Kejora’s venture capital funds
Thailand’s new venture capital firm Singha Ventures said it had invested a total of $25 million in Vertex Ventures, the VC arm of Temasek Holdings, and Indonesia’s Kejora Ventures.
— DealStreetAsia

Drafters slam watered-down bill banning torture and enforced disappearances
LEGAL LOOPHOLES and flaws in the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Bill may prevent proper law enforcement, experts have warned.
— The Nation

Thai, Cambodian police arrest call center gang members
Thai and Cambodian police jointly arrested a call center gang, targeting Thai people. The joint operation is a major step in strengthening security cooperation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
— NNT

Phuket’s new Environmental Rules hit island development
A new set of guidelines that quietly come into law late last year are set to alter the state of real estate and hotel development in Phuket.
— Phuket Gazette

Half-sunken garbage barge threatens Phi Phi beaches
The owner of a sinking garbage boat near Koh Phi Phi in Krabi has been told by harbour officials today (Monday) to fix it as quickly as possible amid fears it would pollute the water.
— Phuket Gazette

 

Feature photo Max Pixel

 

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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