Thailand morning news for November 15

Thailand morning news for November 15
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Thailand morning newsThailand assumes Asean chairmanship
Thailand is expected to push Asean to finalise the negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the South China Sea code of conduct as it assumes the bloc’s chairmanship.
— Bangkok Post

Praram 2 Hospital ordered to close outpatient building
THE DEPARTMENT of Health Service Support (DHSS) director-general Dr Nattawut Prasertsiripong said yesterday that the department had ordered Praram 2 Hospital to close its outpatient building immediately.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Central bank holds rates again, but hike seen next month
The central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday as expected, but a widening split on the decision-making committee bolstered views that next month it could tighten policy for the first time in more than seven years.
— Bangkok Post

World’s First Blockchain Voting Held in Thailand
Thailand’s main opposition group, the Democratic Party, became the first political party in the world to use blockchain technology in a primary election. More than 120,000 voters participated in a live e-voting system. It saw former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva gain 67,505 votes to win his party nomination.
— Cryptovest

Bangkok places first on Mastercard Global Destination Index for third year in a row
Mastercard has found Bangkok to be the world’s most popular destination for a third year in a row.
— News Today (video)

IP Dept ‘sabotaging national interests’
CRITICS YESTERDAY accused the Intellectual Property Department of intentionally ignoring its legal duty in order to benefit transnational pharmaceutical conglomerates by accepting ineligible cannabinoid medicine patent registration applications for consideration.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Thailand Board of Investment’s Incentives to Boost Investment in Food Innovations
After the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) announced earlier this year a new policy to offer investment incentives to seven more “Food Innopolis” projects nationwide, Thailand’s food industry has embarked on a transformation journey.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

An Australian man and his Thai wife have been sentenced to death for trying to smuggle a half-ton of meth into Thailand
An Australian man and his Thai wife have been sentenced to death for attempting to smuggle over $216 million ($AU300 million) worth of drugs into Thailand, which imposes very strict punishments for drug-related offenses.
— Insider

TAT launches campaign to draw back Chinese tourists
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has unveiled a new campaign in response to a call by the government to urgently improve the image of Thai tourism in the eyes of Chinese travelers following a notable drop off.
— News Today (video)

Boxing age limit under review again
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has ordered a review of a draft amendment to the Boxing Act, as its new minimum age limit for young boxers has drawn both plaudits and criticism.
— Bangkok Post

New salvage team confident in raising the Phoenix
The new operators called in to salvage the sunken tour boat Phoenix are confident that their team will raise the disaster-struck boat to the surface tomorrow morning (Nov 15).
— The Phuket News

Thailand to push for bigger Asean role in Rohingya crisis
THAILAND IS ready to support a greater Asean role in resolving the Rakhine crisis, as the group prepared mechanisms to deal with the plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who face repatriation amid grave concerns about their future.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Science Ministry holding showcase of innovations from last 3 years
The Ministry of Science and Technology is showcasing Thailand 4.0 innovations collected over the past three years in an exhibition titled “Thailand 4.0 in the Making”
— News Today (video)

EGCO pushes on with Korea investment deal
ELECTRICITY Generating Public Co Ltd Group (EGCO) plans to push ahead with the purchase of a 49 per cent ownership stake in Paju Energy Service Co Ltd (Paju ES), which operates a power plant in South Korea.
— The Nation

Korat ‘Death Bus’ Driver Convicted, Gets 4 Years
A court Wednesday convicted and sentenced the driver of a tour bus that crashed and killed 18 people in Nakhon Ratchasima province earlier this year.
— Khaosod English

EC to monitor Pheu Thai, Thaksin meet
The Election Commission (EC) is keeping a close watch on Pheu Thai Party members who will reportedly meet former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Singapore, its secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma…
— Bangkok Post

Singapore-Thailand Military Ties in the Spotlight With Defense Chief Visit
Last week, Thailand’s chief of defense forces paid his introductory visit to Singapore under his current position. The trip, along with the interactions therein, once again underscored the defense ties underway between the two Southeast Asian states, amid broader domestic and regional changes.
— The Diplomat (paywall)

Thailand utility eyes 1GW of floating solar on hydro dams, pilots energy storage
State-run utility Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is planning to facilitate 1GW of hybrid floating solar-hydro projects across eight dams throughout the country.
— PVTech

Thai Michelin Stars Break Out of Bangkok
The first restaurant outside of Bangkok, the first Southern Thai cuisine restaurant and the first restaurant whose kitchen is headed by an Indian woman won Michelin stars when the awardees for the culinary guide were announced Wednesday.
— The Phuket News

EC to publish new electoral boundaries
The Election Commission (EC) has finalised the demarcation of constituencies, which will be published in the Royal Gazette in a few days, according to chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong.
— Bangkok Post

Ripple CEO Reports the Platform is Legal and Endorsed in Thailand
Despite the current legal issues developer Ripple Labs is suffering through LINK, CEO Brad Garlinghouse took time to speak at a FinTech festival in Singapore to comment on the future of Ripple and cryptocurrency as a whole.
— Inside Bitcoins

Industrial promotion department to inject THB800 million to help SMEs
The Department of Industrial Promotion has prepared budget totaling 800 million baht to assist and develop SMEs in the hope of increasing their competitiveness.
— News Today (video)

Michelin Guide stars Phuket, Phangnga
The second edition of the Michelin Guide is expected to boost the number of foreign and domestic tourists in Phuket and Phangnga, two popular resort provinces in the South.
— Bangkok Post

Energy-hungry Thailand eyeing Russian LNG imports
Russian companies are interested in supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Thai market, according to the Russian Energy Ministry. Moscow and Bangkok have a long track record of energy cooperation.
— RTA

BMA says it’s time to sort out Bangkok’s soi dogs
Bangkok’s governor says the time is up for the capital’s stray dogs. He says ‘enough is enough’ and that too many people are being bitten and harassed.
— The Thaiger

Course scammer flees to HK
A private university lecturer accused of duping 30 students into paying money for a non-existent summer language course in England has fled the country.
— Bangkok Post

IBM Thailand Promotes AI, Blockchain in Order to Create Regional Sales Hub
The Thai branch of U.S. global IT company IBM will promote blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) in order to turn the country into a major sales hub in the surrounding region, English-language daily news outlet The Bangkok Post reports Wednesday, Nov. 14.
— CoinTelegraph

Chiang Mai banner-protester house raid
Police this morning searched the house of a leading protester against the controversial housing estate for appeal court officials at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain in Chiang Mai, looking for evidence of last week’s banners.
— The Thaiger

Pressure to redevelop condos calls for law reforms
Next year marks the 40th year anniversary of the 1979 Condominium Act, allowing the sale of “strata title” condominiums in Thailand, and now there are over 700,000 completed condominium units in Bangkok and its vicinities.
— Bangkok Post

GPSC to learn soon of fate of appeal over blocked Glow deal
THE board of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is expected to rule on November 21 on whether to accept an appeal lodged by Global Power Synergy (GPSC) against the regulator’s decision in October to block the company’s plan to take over fellow power producer Glow Energy.
— The Nation

Phuket Immigration to launch ‘Drive Thru’ service
Phuket Immigration is adding a ‘Drive Thru’ lane at its main office in Phuket Town in the hopes of making it quicker and easier for foreigners to complete simple procedures, including completing the mandatory 90-day reporting required of all foreigners staying on long-term visas.
— The Phuket News

Kathu Police top brass transferred immediately over gambling den raid
Five officers from the Kathu Police, including three of the police station’s top-ranking officers, have been transferred immediately to Phuket Provincial Police Station following a raid on a gambling den in Kathu that netted 56 suspects.
— The Phuket News

Past Explorers’ Exploits Key to Tham Luang Rescue Maps
The rescue operation to bring back to the surface the 12 Wild Boars and their football coach in July was a story of divers, brave rescuers, self-sacrificing Navy SEALs and related experts.
— Khaosod English

Minor Intl reports increase in Q3 net profit
Minor International (“MINT”) announced a 10 per cent increase in 3Q18 net profit from existing operations (excluding revenues and expenses related to NH Hotel Group) to Bt1.26 billion from Bt1.14 billion net profit in 3Q17, which was attributable to the exceptional performance of Minor Hotels.
— The Nation

The 30 Parks in Bangkok to Float Your Krathong
After festivities were canceled in 2016 and remained low-key for 2017, the Loy Krathong festival returns later this month with dozens of venues to celebrate in the capital.
— Khaosod English

Swamp park near Tham Luang cave reopens Thursday
Park and swamp land damaged during the Tham Luang cave rescue operation four months ago will reopen to visitors on Thursday after being rehabilitated and landscaped.
— Bangkok Post

Court Acquits Redshirt Ex-Con of 112
The court on Wednesday cleared a man convicted in a bomb plot of defaming the royal family, citing insufficient evidence.
— Khaosod English

Sukhothai expecting Bt500 million from Loy Krathong festival
Sukhothai Governor Maitree Traitilanan said his province was expecting 300,000 tourists for Loy Krathong from November 16 to 25 and Bt500 million in revenue.
— The Nation

 

Feature photo John Le Fevre

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges World Diabetes Day, November 14.

 

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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