Thailand Morning News For March 2

What Do Thailand’s New Economic Numbers Say About Its Political Future?
Though the neverending wait for Thailand’s return to democratic rule since the military seized power back in May 2014 shows few signs of ending anytime soon, recent figures do suggest that the country’s economy is showing indications of improving.
— The Diplomat

BoT: January economy extends growth, baht volatility increases
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has said the Thai economy continued to grow in January due to rigorous government spending, exports and tourism.
— NNT

Thailand gets first fish exported from Fukushima since 3/11
A shipment of Fukushima fish landed in Thailand this week, marking the prefecture’s first such exports since the March 2011 nuclear crisis.
— The Japan Times

Ministry of Digital Economy to transition public sector this year
The Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society is pushing for state offices to utilize Big Data and is aiming to connect all such agencies within the year.
— NNT

The U.S. Must Deepen Economic Ties with Thailand
Thailand, a longstanding ally, has been drifting away from the United States. Ever since the military coup in 2014, when the United States reduced its aid to Thailand, China’s influence in the country has grown. Increasing military and economic ties between Thailand and China are a threat to U.S. interests in Southeast Asia.
— International Policy Digest

ETDA Thailand initiates National Digital ID project to promote online transactions
Recently, the Thailand Government revealed that it is initiating a National Digital ID project to promote digital transactions for the public as well as the private sector.
— OpenGov

Thailand, Russia discuss enhancement of security cooperation
During a meeting with the Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, the Thai government expressed readiness to strengthen security cooperation with Russia in all dimensions.
— News Today (video)

Pattaya to be developed as “Tourism for All” city
Chon Buri and relevant organizations have collaborated to develop Pattaya as a city of “Tourism for All,” by constructing facilities for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
— NNT

Islamic team praises Thai approach to unrest
An Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) team has given positive feedback on how Thai authorities are addressing the unrest in the insurgency-plagued region, army chief Chalermchai Sitthisad says.
— Bangkok Post

Foreign Affairs Minister stresses Thailand’s law reform commitment at HRC-37
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Don Pramudwinai, attended the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC-37), elaborating Thailand’s legal proceedings and its development goal through legal reforms.
— NNT

Advertising in Thailand: Don’t forget the elderly – they’re the ones with ‘influence’
Brands looking to stay relevant or increase their footprint in Thailand should look to the silver-haired generation as much as Millennials, a new study has found.
— Mumbrella Asia

Thailand: Domestic demand not strong enough
Thailand’s economy saw an increase in external demand but domestic demand was not “sufficiently strong”, according to a minutes of the Bank of Thailand (BoT)’s latest policy meeting.
— VietnamPlus

Akara denies mine residue pond leaking
Akara Resources Plc, which operates the largest gold mine in the country, has disputed the findings of a report which says a mineral residue pond might be leaking.
— Bangkok Post

Sexed up allegations of Russia’s US election meddling
A Belorussian woman and nine companions from Russia and Belarus who are in jail for sex-related activity in Thailand sent a letter to the US Embassy in Bangkok pleading for asylum in exchange for alleged criminal evidence of Russians who may be linked to President Trump and US election meddling.
— AsiaTimes

Thailand’s SCG Chemicals, Polyplex announce new investments in Indonesia
SCG Performance Chemicals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCG Chemicals, has set up a joint venture with Indonesian companies to penetrate the market of high value-added products, according to a company filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
— DealStreetAsia

WP confident of boosting LPG sales
WP Energy Plc, a SET-listed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) trader, is confident that it can achieve total sales volume of 900,000 tonnes this year, a 3% rise despite the bearish outlook for the transport sector.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand-FAO tie to improve food, produces quality
The government has approved its cooperation framework with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with an aim to improve the standard of food and agricultural produces quality and eliminate poverty from the global population.
— NNT

Thai Regulators in Race With Growing Popularity of Token Sales
The Thai government is concerned with the growing number of companies in Thailand racing to launch their initial coin offerings ahead of regulations. This has prompted the country’s regulators to hurry with the regulatory framework for token sales, ahead of cryptocurrency regulations.
— Bitcoin.com

Artificial rain operations 2018 begin
Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Kritsada Boonrach has presided over an event to launch artificial rain operations for this year at an airport in Nakhon Sawan province.
— NNT

KPN Land targets condos worth Bt35 bn in joint venture
A JOINT venture between Thailand’s KPN Land Co Ltd and Singapore based Keppel Land Co Ltd plans to launch up to 14 condominium projects worth more than Bt35 billion by 2022 in a bid to achieve annual revenue growth in the double digits, KPN Land chief executive officer Rawee Tahtniyom said yesterday.
— The Nation

Chinese robots deliver files, pills in Bangkok hospital
A trio of Chinese-made robots have been alleviating a manpower shortage by dispensing pills at the busy outpatient ward of a major medical center in Bangkok, with patients amazed by the machines but nurses wondering about their job security should the management of Mongkutwattana General Hospital decide to procure more of the machines.
— AsiaTimes

Best Western plans 16 hotels by 2020
Best Western Hotels and Resorts has planned a big move to capitalise on growing tourism in the Thai market, aiming to open at least 16 hotels here by 2020.
— Bangkok Post

Thai trans fats ban Draft Notification now being finalised
The Thai Ministry of Public Health’s Draft Notification on the proposed ban of hydrogenated oils, including trans fat, has ended its public consultation period and is being finalised.
— Food Navigator-Asia

Phuket turns to technology to fix overcrowding, pollution
Phuket may be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, but the high demand for the island’s attractions comes at a high price – traffic jams, pollution and crime. Can turning Phuket into a smart city be the solution?
— Channel NewsAsia (video)

WeChat unlimited
TrueMove H, the 4G+ mobile service in Thailand, and WeChat, the leading social communications app in China from Tencent, have jointly launched “TrueMove H WeChat Go SIM,” a prepaid SIM card specifically designed for Chinese tourists.
— The Nation

Air pollution hits hazardous levels in North, Northeast
Air pollution intensified in the North and Northeast, as the level of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) was found to have reached harmful levels in many provinces.
— The Nation

Kanchanaburi police officer punished for accepting animal cruelty case filed against Ital-Thai CEO
A police officer in Kanchanaburi Province has been punished for accepting a case of cruelty to animals, filed against the CEO of Thailand’s construction giant Ital-Thai, currently at the center of public attention.
— NNT

Black wastewater threatens to destroy Patong’s restored coral reefs
Wastewater leaking into Patong Bay could kill recently restored coral reefs in front of the world famous Patong Beach, academics are warning.
— Phuket Gazette

Plans in place upgrading Talay Thai Market to global kitchen city
Companies will present a plan to upgrade Talay Thai Market as a global kitchen city during the upcoming mobile cabinet meeting.
— NNT

Record revenue helps True Corp post net profit of Bt5.4 bn for fourth quarter of last year
True Corporation recorded a net profit of Bt5.4 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, driven by record revenue and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA).
— The Nation

TTM+ 2018 in Pattaya to focus on Luxury and Romance
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a new destination of this year’s Thailand Travel Mart Plus Amazing Gateway to the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2018 to be held in Pattaya under the theme of “Million Shades of Romance”, which will be held between 13-15 June, 2018, at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club.
— TAT News

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Thailand Morning News For March 2 added by John Le Fevre on March 2, 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.