Airport officers transferred over bribes
A police superintendent and three deputy chief inspectors at Don Mueang airport have been transferred as they face a probe in connection with a bribery allegation made against them, said Immigration Bureau (BI) acting commisioner Surachate Hakparn.
— Bangkok Post
PM assures Abe of February poll
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has reassured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the general election will be held in February next year.
— Bangkok Post
No visa, lapsed visa means deportation within a month
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan has told the Immigration Bureau to intensify its crackdown on foreigners without visas or overstaying visas and deport those arrested within one month.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
Somkid rips Thai-Sino rail holdup
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak complained Monday that the development of the high-speed Thai-Chinese railway from Bangkok to Nong Khai is lagging behind schedule, and ordered the agency responsible to speed up the project.
— Bangkok Post
Bank of Thailand’s new rules to tighten mortgage lending are credit positive
Under the new rules, the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio will be restricted at 80% on new mortgages for homes worth more than 10 million baht.
— Thailand Business News
Poaching suspects may get off scot-free
Poaching suspects arrested and charged with illegal poaching in Sai Yok National Park on Sunday might be able to escape successful prosecution due to insufficient evidence, a source at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said.
— Bangkok Post
Japan and Thailand confirm cooperation to promote free trade
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Thai counterpart Prayuth Chan-ocha on Monday confirmed their cooperation to promote free trade as the Southeast Asian country has expressed its readiness to join a regional trade pact Japan has been involved in.
— Japan Times
Foreign sell-off runs riot
Despite upbeat final quarter projections buoyed by mutual fund investment flows, analysts say foreign investors are still put off by risks in emerging markets, including Thailand, as they want to avoid any adverse effects from the Sino-US trade now.
— Bangkok Post
US hikes antidumping duties on welded steel pipe imports from Thailand
The US Department of Commerce has hiked antidumping duties on imports of circular welded steel pipes and tubes from Thailand in an administrative review final determination for the period March 1, 2016, through February 28, 2017, which was reported in the Federal Register on Friday.
— S&P Global
Moody’s: New BoT rules rate as credit-positive
The Bank of Thailand’s new rules to tighten mortgage lending are credit-positive to reduce property speculation, says Moody’s Investors Service.
— Bangkok Post
Faster immigration clearance for Thais arriving in Singapore
Eligible Thai passport holders will soon be able to clear immigration faster when they arrive in Singapore.
— Channel news Asia
Care and feeding of a fragile economy
Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong discusses various policy positions and explains what needs to be done.
— Bangkok Post
Monitoring of dams to continue as heavy rains cause overflows
Warnings of heavy rain and runoff are being maintained in many areas, including those downstream from Kaeng Krachan Dam.
— NNT
Thai elephant tourism hides abuse
The firms, which include Virgin Holidays and Premier Holidays, offer trips to Thailand with lengthy visits to elephant “sanctuaries”.
— The Times
Unit owners at ‘temple bell’ condo face immigration fines
Police returned to the condominium complex at the centre of last week’s temple bell dispute on Monday and found tenants had rented rooms out to foreigners without informing immigration authorities.
— Bangkok Post
U.S.-Backed Thai Junta Will Dominate After Election
If Thailand’s U.S.-backed military government allows an election next year, the junta leader and his supporters are expected to dominate thanks to heavy censorship, an appointed Senate, and restricted or self-exiled opposition politicians.
— Scoop World
Conflicts of interest are eroding trust
PM Gen Prayut has not formally thrown his name into the hat yet, but it is almost a foregone conclusion that he will run as an outsider candidate for the premiership in the next election.
— Bangkok Post
Fruit juice producers to protest sugar tax
Doi Kham Food Products Co, the maker and distributor of Doi Kham fruit juice, will team with the Thai Beverage Industry Association to meet the Excise Department later this month as it aims to revise the sugar consumption tax, which it has hurt the fruit juice industry.
— Bangkok Post
One-month campaign launched to crack down on overstaying foreigners
The Ministry of Defense plans to crack down on any foreigners who might possibly stay in Thailand beyond the expiry of their visa under a one-month campaign.
— NNT
Bangkok condo prices up 11%
Condominium prices in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan provinces rose 11% year-on-year in the third quarter and 2.8% from the previous quarter on progress in the expansion of electric railway lines.
— Bangkok Post
New THAI boss envisions turnaround
Sumeth Damrongchaitham, 53, was officially appointed last month as president of Thai Airways International Plc (THAI).
— Bangkok Post
Rossi: Yamaha can’t delude itself over Thailand result
Yamaha must not think it has solved its MotoGP problems after its most competitive showing for many races in Thailand, warns Valentino Rossi.
— Motorsport.com
DPM follows up on Ministry of Transport’s infrastructure projects
A deputy prime minister held a meeting of government officials to follow up on infrastructure projects under care of the Ministry of Transport.
— NNT
Cyber army holds promise
The new military lineup that moved into formation on Oct 1 has quickly unveiled plans to reinforce Thailand’s “cyber army”. Such mentions of this opaque force in the past have usually been a warning of another tightening of Big Brother-like survelliance, accompanied by arrests.
— Bangkok Post
Traditional doctors demand fair recruitment by Public Health Min
Thailand’s Prime Minister has been asked to consider adjusting the recruitment quota of the Ministry of Public Health for Thai traditional doctors to tackle the country’s shortage of personnel in the field of traditional medicine.
— NNT
Commerce studies blockchain benefits
The Commerce Ministry has launched a feasibility study to apply public blockchain solutions to copyright management, with plans to expand to agriculture and trade finance to boost the country’s competitiveness and credibility, particularly for small business.
— Bangkok Post
Govt approves debt restructuring plan for farmers
The new Cabinet resolution to restructure non-performing loans is expected to benefit over 36,000 farmers taking part in the Farmer Rehabilitation and Development Fund.
— NNT
Skytrain Concrete Slab Slips, Falls on Road
Police said a truck driver was charged Monday with reckless driving for a large concrete barrier that fell from his vehicle last night.
— Khaosod English
Yaowarat shoppers report same prices, smaller portions during vegan festival
Vegan shoppers at Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road, are reporting that the prices of ready-made meals remain as before, but portions are smaller.
— NNT
Police follow up on shooting in Bangkok’s Pratunam
Police are investigating a recent gunfight in Bangkok that led to the death of an Indian tourist. Several bystanders were also wounded when caught in the crossfire.
— NNT
Feature photo My-Thai.org
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges World Mental Health Day October 10.
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 October 9 added by John Le Fevre on
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John Le Fevre
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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- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020