Parties nervous about election timeframe, ban on policy talks
The upcoming 60-day campaign for the first election in five years could pose different challenges for different people including pro-junta parties, politicians said yesterday after the government revealed the electoral timeframe earlier this week.
— The Nation
Fire hazard triggers recall of Toyota’s C-HR hybrids
Toyota Motor Thailand plans to recall C-HR hybrids delivered between March and May, as the model is included in a global recall.
— Bangkok Post
Asia Wealth stung for B5.85m fine
The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) has imposed a fine of 5.85 million baht on Asia Wealth Securities Co Ltd for naked short-selling.
— Bangkok Post
Thai shippers raise export growth forecast, see trade war opportunities
Thailand’s exports are expected to grow 9 percent this year, better than the 8 percent predicted earlier, as global demand remains strong, a group of Thai shippers said on Thursday.
— Reuters
Drug smuggling up as traffickers access ‘new chemicals’
Production of illicit drugs is increasing in neighbouring countries as producers gain access to “new chemicals” to replace precursors that have been blocked to them, and more drugs are being smuggled into Thailand, defence spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit said on Thursday.
— Bangkok Post
NLA’s Surachai Draft laws on provincial elections likely to be deliberated in 2 weeks
A vice president of the National Legislative Assembly has expected that all draft laws governing provincial and local elections will be presented to the legislature for deliberation in a few weeks’ time.
— News Today (video)
2,000 illegal containers to return home
Thailand is trying to ship more than 2,000 containers currently held at local ports back to their countries of origin after their owners were unable to claim them.
— Bangkok Post
Two private companies given green light for SEZs investment
Two private companies have been given permission to invest in special economic zones (SEZs) in Tak and Kanchanburi provinces.
— NNT
E-commerce predicted to capture 10% of Thai retail segment
The highly competitive e-commerce market in Thailand is expected to drive growth in online retail, representing a 10% share of the overall retail market in five years from only 3% today, say leading players.
— Bangkok Post
No release of polluted water found at recycling plant in Chachoengsao
Authorities in Chachoengsao province have inspected a recycling plant for plastic bottles, after residents filed complaints over its alleged dumping of polluted water into natural waterways, but no evidence of such an act was found.
— NNT
Fuel costs hike THAI ticket prices
Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) will raise the fuel surcharge rate on 58 routes starting from September 14 due to the increasing fuel prices.
— The Nation
Thailand ‘haven’ in emerging-market rout
Thailand, the birthplace of the Asian financial crisis two decades ago, has emerged as a haven from this year’s emerging-market rout.
— Bangkok Post
GMS 6 discusses reducing trade barriers
A meeting on trade value within Greater Mekong Sub region (GMS) 6, has acknowledged the need to reduce barriers to cross-border trade to pave the way for regional connections.
— NNT
‘From domestic consumption to exports expansion’: Thailand’s CP Foods eyes ASEAN market growth
Charoen Pokphands Foods (CPF) aims to focus on overseas growth and exports over the next five years, particularly in the ASEAN market, with the firm targeting 70% of all sales coming from outside of Thailand.
— Food Navigator-Asia
Thai Bankers Association explains mobile banking outage
The Thai Bankers Association (TBA) has explained that an Internet banking outage between August 31 and September 1 was due to human error, and has made known that six guidelines have been set to ensure the stability of the digital system.
— NNT
PDP with private trade planned
Power distribution among private and household producers is set to have a clear-cut plan by the end of this year, making Thailand the first country in Southeast Asia to implement this platform.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand claims victory at 12th ASEAN Skills Competition
The 12th ASEAN Skills Competition has concluded, with Thailand claiming 16 gold medals from 26 skill areas.
— NNT
Economists back Korn in row over PTT acquisition plan
INDEPENDENT economists have thrown their support behind former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij’s move to take PTT, a listed giant energy company, to the Constitution Court on grounds of violating the charter and engaging in unfair business practice.
— The Nation
BBL to boost mobile capacity
Bangkok Bank (BBL), the country’s largest commercial bank by assets, plans to more than double transaction capacity on mobile phones during peak periods by year-end to keep pace with the digital uptick…
— Bangkok Post
TNSC adjusts export growth forecast up to 9 percent this year
The Thai National Shipper’s Council (TNSC) estimats that export growth this year will be no less than 9 percent after seeing strong figures in July.
— NNT
Bodies of two missing Nan troops found
Officials on Thursday found the bodies of two of the three soldiers who went missing when their racing boat sank in the Nan River in Nan’s Muang district on Tuesday morning.
— The Nation
National police chief defends plan to bar women from police academy
The Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, Pol.Gen. Chakthip Chaijinda, defended the plan of barring women from enrolling in the Royal Police Cadet Academy.
— NNT
Planned wooden airport terminal sparks fire concerns
MASSIVE WOODEN structures featuring prominently in the winning design for Suvarnabhumi Airport’s new passenger terminal could pose a fire risk and might violate construction laws, the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) said yesterday.
— The Nation
Mae Klong Dam increases water discharge rate
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has increased the discharge rate of Mae Klong Dam in Kanchanaburi province to 1,000 cubic meters per second due to heavy rain in the upstream areas.
— NNT
ABN AMRO hints at EEC hub potential
The government aims to attract European finance companies eager to use Thailand as a springboard to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) to invest in the Eastern Economic Corridor’s (EEC’s) financial centre.
— Bangkok Post
TGO awards businesses for lower greenhouse gas emissions
The Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) is preparing to organize its sixth annual greenhouse gas reduction award ceremony to recognize businesses as role models for managing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the country.
— NNT
Weatherman warns of heavy rain from tomorrow until Monday
The Meteorological Department on Thursday issued a warning of widespread heavy rain with isolated very heavy rain from Friday until Monday in most parts of Thailand, including Bangkok Metropolis.
— Thai PBS World
True’s legal spat takes toll on stock
True Corp slid the most in about two years after a tribunal said it must pay more than 94 billion baht in a breach of contract case dating back to 2005, an order the firm said it will dispute.
— Bangkok Post
Dtac goes to court as concession set to expire
Total Access Communication (dtac) on Thursday filed suit in Central Administrative Court seeking a grace period for its customers who will lose access to the service on the 850MHz spectrum band in nine days.
— The Nation
Northern people warned of early arrival of cold and dry seasons
As several northern provinces continue to be battered with torrential rain which is expected to taper off by the end of this month, the northern meteorological centre on Wednesday issued a warning to northern farmers to conserve water, saying that cold season will come soon to be followed by dry season starting early next year.
— Thai PBS World
Central Phuket pledges to ban free plastic bags
The Central Group, Thailand’s largest retailer, has pledged to abolish the practice of giving away free plastic bags to its customers on Phuket.
— The Phuket News
Phuket whale shark fishing boats probed for human trafficking
The fishing boats Sang Samut 3 and Sang Samut 2 were seized by Royal Thai Navy officers at the Seang Arun Pier in Rassada on May 19 the day after a video showing a whale shark strung up on a the deck of the Sang Samut 3 between Koh Hei and Koh Racha, south of Phuket, went viral.
— The Phuket News
Unswayed by Protest, City Hall Vows to Evict More Street Sellers
Top city officials said they will continue to clear vendors from the capital’s sidewalks despite a groundswell of opposition from Bangkok vendors.
— Khaosod English
Siam Canadian expands into meat market
Siam Canadian, the Asian frozen seafood supplier, has expanded into the meat sector with launch of the Siam Canadian – Meat Division.
— Global Meat News
Thailand prepares for ASEAN Summit 2019
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Thailand is ready to assume the ASEAN chairmanship next year.
— NNT
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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 September 7 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