Thailand morning news for November 30

Supply chain reaction: trade war refugees race to relocate to Vietnam, Thailand
Fred Perrotta spent four years building a network of Chinese suppliers for his line of trendy backpacks, but as soon as the United States announced tariffs on almost half of its Chinese imports, he started looking for suppliers in other countries.
— Reuters

Warning sounded on growth strains
THE economic recovery of the past year is likely to run out of steam next year, with experts warning of slowing growth.
— The Nation

Collection beats target by 3.3%
The government’s revenue collection got off to a strong start in fiscal 2019, outpacing October’s target by 3.3%.
— Bangkok Post

Netizens disagree with official numbers: The miracle 20% rise in tourist numbers
A story from The Thaiger yesterday stirred up a lot of suspicion that the Ministry of Sports and Tourism are being ‘flexible’ with the truth.
— The Nation

Business sentiment takes tumble
Business confidence fell in October as executives and owners fretted about the impact of a trade war on the Thai economy, a drop in Chinese tourist arrivals and low oil palm and rubber prices.
— Bangkok Post

DSI calls for dissolution of Dhammakaya-related foundation
THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation (DSI) is calling on public prosecutors to get the court to dissolve the Khun Yay Maha Ratana Upasika Chandra Khonnokyoong Foundation – which was implicated in the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative (KCUC) embezzlement case – and prosecute members of the foundation’s committee for money laundering.
— The Nation

Future Forward Party suspends activities of youth wing accused of budget misspending
A fissure has erupted in the newly-formed Future Forward party when its executive committee on Wednesday decided to suspend the activities of its Bangkok youth wing, known as the “New Gen Network” for alleged improper budget spending.
— Thai PBS World

VOA fee waiver extension sought for Songkran
The government has been asked to extend the waiver of visa-on-arrival (VOA) fees past Jan 13 and to the end of April to lure international visitors during Songkran.
— Bangkok Post

NESDB urges childbirth incentives
The state planning unit, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), has proposed the government come up with additional measures to increase the fertility rate in the country, in part to refill the labour force.
— Bangkok Post

Siam Cement to invest $155m at Philippine packaging plant
Thai materials maker Siam Cement Group will spend 5.12 billion baht ($155 million) to increase production capacity at a packaging materials plant in the Philippines.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Unemployment dips below 1%
Thailand’s unemployment rate continued to improve in the third quarter, thanks to a growing economy and a recovering farm sector.
— Bangkok Post

Workforce view brightens on new hires
THE ranks of workers rose 1.7 per cent in the third quarter of this year, driven by a three-year high in non-farm employment and fueling expectations for further gains in the year’s final quarter, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said.
— The Nation

How Thailand is using AI for cybersecurity
As Thailand 4.0 takes on shape and form, the government is going fully digital – and it needs to be bold and innovative as cyber threats become ever more sophisticated.
— GovInsider

Thai activist sued for defamation as poultry firm vows more cases
A defamation case by a Thai poultry farm against an activist who tweeted allegations of labour abuse should be dropped, a rights group urged Wednesday, as the complainant vowed further action against “so-called human rights defenders”.
— The Asean Post

Bang Pakong power plant will use palm oil to generate power
The Bang Pakong power plant will start to use raw palm oil in its power production early next year as planned. A system test will be run in December 2018.
— News Today (video)

Shark Population Increases After Maya Bay Tourist Ban: Officials
Six months after a famous bay was declared closed to tourists, its waters have seen an increase in the population of sharks, park officials said Thursday.
— Khaosod English

Banks offer mortgages ahead of rejig
Banks are keen to offer low-rate mortgages at this year’s Money Expo, ahead of the Bank of Thailand’s tighter mortgage regulations coming into force next April.
— Bangkok Post

Technology to assist in Revenue fetching B2tn
The Revenue Department expects to reach its tax revenue collection target of 2 trillion baht this fiscal year after adopting technology that helped it surpass its October target.
— Bangkok Post

EC poll map splits views
The Election Commission’s (EC) announcement of an electoral boundary redrawing has divided opinions of politicians with some viewing it is as providing an unfair head-start to a pro-regime party contesting the next poll.
— Bangkok Post

More state university board directors quit to avoid declaring assets
It started with a trickle – at first in the Ministry of Education. Eventually, the trickle looks likely to transform into a gush that threatens to burst the floodgate and sends board members of universities and institutes of other ministries taking panicky flight to evade the legal requirement to have their wealth declared – not just to the National Anti-Corruption Commission, but also to the public.
— Thai PBS World

Foreigners to get visa text alerts
To make sure that foreigners do not overstay their visas, immigration police will send out text reminders to foreigners before their visa is due to expire.
— Bangkok Post

Taco Bell to open first store in Bangkok, additional locations coming
Taco Bell’s Thailand franchisee plans to open its first location in Bangkok by early next year, local news reports said. It is possible they could open as early as next month in time for the busy Christmas season. Plans for branches in cities such as Pattaya and Phuket are also on the table.
— The Pattaya News

Democrats seek court ruling to halt school share trading
THE DEMOCRAT Party has filed a petition with the Central Administrative Court, calling for the Thai stock market regulator to suspend the trading of shares of an international school.
— The Nation

Italthai likes chances as economy revs
Italthai Group, one of Thailand’s oldest construction and hospitality companies, is confident of achieving revenue of 30 billion baht by 2021 amid favourable Thai economic sentiment.
— Bangkok Post

“I did my best,” Thungyai chief says after being “grilled” for 3 hours by defence lawyers
Thungyai Naresuan wildlife sanctuary chief Wichien Chinnawong, a key witness in the much-publicized black panther hunting case, was “grilled” for more than three hours by the defence lawyers during cross-examination session at the Thong Pha Phum provincial court in the western province of Kanchanaburi on Wednesday.
— Thai PBS World

MCOT keen on shift to digital platform
MCOT Plc is shifting from its TV and radio business to the digital platform, with a focus on target audience groups and partners to cope with lower ad spending on traditional media.
— Bangkok Post

Malaysians arrested for operating ‘homestay’ in Hat Yai
A Malaysian couple have been arrested for illegally running a homestay business in Hat Yai district.
— Bangkok Post

Bangkok man killed when pickup truck hits wild elephant
A Bangkok driver was killed on Wednesday night when his pickup truck apparently hit a wild elephant on a dark road in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district.
— The Nation

New partnership bill ‘does not give everybody equal rights’
BOTH THE Civil Code’s marriage law and the new Life Partnership Bill are in violation of the Constitution’s gender-equality principle, gender-diversity campaigners asserted as they pressed for full marriage equality rather than a two-tier approach that continues to stigmatise minorities.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Unesco lists ‘khon’ as cultural heritage
Unesco has listed Thai khon as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage agreed to officially list Thailand’s khon masked dance drama as intangible cultural heritage on Thursday.
— Bangkok Post

In the South, four more WASTED YEARS
The military has always set the pace in the border provinces, so it’s no surprise that peace remains elusive under a military govt
— The Nation

Rubber farmers to get monetary aid
The Natural Rubber Policy Committee has approved a financial package aimed at assisting rubber farmers and stemming the tumbling price of rubber.
— Bangkok Post

New robot to assist elderly in Thailand
“Grandma, where are you going?” A voice from the latest Dinsow Mini robot is warning grandma not to leave home.
— Bangkok Post

AIS Fibre teams up with Nokia for meshed Wi-Fi
AIS Fibre, a fixed broadband operator, says it is teaming up with Nokia to provide residential customers with a new premium service that ensures a seamless Wi-Fi broadband experience reaching every corner of the home.
— The Nation

Election wild card for credit rating
Factors making up Thailand’s sovereign credit rating all show high economic stability, except for susceptibility to political risk events like the outcome of the upcoming election, according to a credit opinion report issued by Moody’s Investors Service.
— Bangkok Post

With US sales boom over, carmakers enter belt-tightening mode
Auto executives have spoken glowingly of a future with emissions-free vehicles, smart transportation systems and cars that drive themselves.
— The Nation

Feature photo John Le Fevre

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, December 2

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.

Thailand morning news for November 30 added by John Le Fevre on November 30, 2018
View all posts by John Le Fevre →

Bio
Latest Posts

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.