Thailand morning news for January 30

Thailand morning news for January 30
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Thailand morning news

Australian PM Asks Thailand to Free Detained Footballer
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged Thailand to stop the extradition to Bahrain of a detained football player who has refugee status in Australia, his office said Tuesday.
— Khaosod English

Corruption rises in Thailand, global watchdog says
Thailand dropped to 36 points, one lower than the year before, in Transparency International’s 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index for 2018 released on Tuesday. The index ranges from 100 (very clean) to 0 (very corrupt).
— Bangkok Post

Toxic smog levels soar again
Toxic smog levels soared in greater Bangkok’s stagnant air on Tuesday morning with fine dust particle readings of 50-116 microgrammes, peaking in Samut Sakhon’s Muang district.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand mulls solution in case of detained Bahraini footballer
THAILAND IS exploring solutions for the case involving a foreign footballer who faces the risk of being deported to Bahrain despite his refugee status.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Bahrain Files Extradition Request For Refugee Footballer
Bahrain filed an extradition request Tuesday for the return of a footballer with refugee status who has languished in jail for almost two months after being detained while on vacation.
— Khaosod English

Progress being made to ratify fishing convention practices
THE LABOUR MINISTER recently met with fisheries-related agencies and representatives of fishermen ahead of Thailand’s January 30 submission to become the first Asian nation to ratify the C188 Work in Fishing Convention despite protests from some in the industry.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

HRH stresses the need for coronation water to be screened for cleanliness
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has suggested that the water collected for use in the coronation in May be screened for purity as it will be used in the blessed ceremony.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital opens first pollution clinic in Thailand
Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital has opened the first pollution clinic in Thailand, piloting direct treatment of people affected by dust.
— NBT World (video)

ONCB intercepts 300m meth pills in three-month Golden Triangle operation
THE OFFICE of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) yesterday announced that it had managed to prevent 300 million methamphetamine pills from flowing into the country in the final quarter of last year.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

FPO expects 4% economic growth this year
The Fiscal Policy Office reports that last year’s economic growth could hit the 4.1% mark, expecting the Thai GDP to expand at a rate of 4% this year.
— NNT

Experts warn of loophole in NCPO’s order on cannabis
EXPERTS HAVE warned that despite the junta using special powers to unlock issues related to patent applications, Thailand still faces the risk of transnational pharmaceutical giants monopolising the cannabis medical market.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Sweet Dreams: Thai gov’t hopes spraying sugar-infused water will beat smog
Desperate to find a solution to the country’s ongoing air pollution crisis, the Thai government is implementing a novel — and some would argue questionable — new strategy: spraying sugar-infused water into the heavens.
— Coconuts (paywall)

Four ministers of Palang Pracharat party quit Cabinet 
The four cabinet ministers who are key members of the pro-Prayut Palang Pracharat party have tendered their resignation effective as of tomorrow.
— Thai PBS World

Prayut won’t step down as PM for poll
Junta leader awaiting ‘invitation’ from parties; expects to make his decision before Feb 8.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Cambodian workers ‘vulnerable’ in Thailand
The Thailand Migration Report 2019 estimates that the country currently hosts about 4.9 million non-Thai residents, with some 3.9 million being documented and undocumented workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Alibaba And WHA Corporation Plc Jointly Invest In EEC E-Commerce Project
The Thai Minister of Industry, Uttama Savanayana, stated that the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and the Thai distribution and industry company, WHA Corporation Plc, have made joint investment plans.
— Thailand Business News

Prayut says he’s still waiting for an invitation to join a party for the election
Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he won’t be reshuffling his cabinet following the resignations of four ministers who are core members of the pro-junta Palang Pracharat party. And he declared that he will seek to return to power only through election.
— The Thaiger

Haze caused by ‘local sources’, says PCD
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has debunked claims by academics that some of the PM2.5 pollutants that have shrouded Bangkok and its vicinity over the past few weeks have come from Cambodia, saying winds blow fine dust particles from the neighbouring country towards the Gulf of Thailand.
— Bangkok Post (annoying pop-ups)

Vietnam, Thailand head toward $20 billion in trade
Vietnam and Thailand have agreed to implement measures to boost economic co-operation with the aim of reaching US$20 billion in two-way trade turnover by 2020 at the meeting of their Joint Committee on Bilateral Cooperation in Thailand which wrapped up yesterday.
— Asia News Network

Juice boost: Thailand considers tax exemptions for drinks with higher fruit and veg content
The Thai Excise Department is looking at raising the required content of fruits and/or vegetables in juices to a minimum of 20% in order for products to receive an excise tax exemption.
— FoodNavigator-Asia.com

Thailand blocks foreign firms from distributing medical marijuana
Thailand on Monday effectively revoked all foreign patent requests for the use of marijuana, after fears foreign firms would dominate a market thrown open last month when the government approved the drug for medical use and research.
— South China Morning Post

Special Police Unit Rebranded as King’s Guard
A special police division set up to protect the monarchy in October was renamed Monday to serve as a personal bodyguard unit under His Majesty the King.
— Khaosod English

Authorities urge curbs on burning incense sticks, golden paper offerings for Year of the Pig
THE PUBLIC Health Ministry is calling on people to burn shorter incense sticks and avoid setting fire to paper offerings during this Chinese New Year in order to stop pollution from worsening.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Online advanced voting system now fully operational
The Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) has explained that issues with the online advanced voting system were due to miscommunications between the systems domestic and international parts, that have since been rectified.
— NNT

THAI board to decide on Nok share purchase
Thai Airways International’s (THAI) board of directors will ponder injecting fresh funds into budget carrier Nok Airlines at a meeting scheduled early next month.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand: 4 cabinet members step down to participate in general election
Four members of the Thai cabinet tendered have stepped on Tuesday to participate in MP seats in the March 24 general election.
— MENAFN

SET tour shows progress of EEC projects
The Stock Exchange of Thailand is conducting tours of the EEC for the media to showcase the progress of its large investment projects.
— NBT World (video)

Election Commission sets out poll TV rules
Each party will receive ten minutes’ television airtime for a campaign advertisement, while the Election Commission (EC) will also hold TV debates for them to discuss their policies.
— Bangkok Post (annoying pop-ups)

Activists Start Campaign for Thailand to Free Bahraini Soccer Player
A rights group has started a Twitter campaign to encourage people to write to the Thai junta leader on behalf of a Bahraini soccer player who is being detained in Bangkok but has refugee status in Australia.
— Bloomberg

Dept of Foreign Trade says Thai rice exports inspected
The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) has confirmed that the country’s rice exports are thoroughly examined before export and it would therefore not be possible for any rice from Vietnam to be mixed into Thai Jasmine rice.
— NNT

Tired of army rule, Thai youth a rising force in March election
Standing atop the stairs outside his university auditorium, 20-year-old activist Parit Chiwarak led a protest of hundreds of people calling for an end to Thailand’s ruling military junta.
— The Straits Times

What Thailand’s Elections Can and Can’t Do for its Democracy
While the holding of an elusive election in the Southeast Asian state would be a notable step in the restoration of democratic rule, the harder work of managing wider political divisions lies ahead.
— The Diplomat

Enthusiasm crashes Thailand election website on first day of early-voting registration
Thailand’s website for early-voting registration crashed on Monday (Jan 28) morning after a huge number of voters rushed to secure their balloting rights, leading to speculation that the upcoming election could see a high turnout.
— The Straits Times

Nearly 3 Million Meth Pills Recovered after Brief Fire Fight in Chang Saen District of Chiang Rai
Narcotics Suppression police and soldiers have recovered a total of 2,850,000 methamphetamine tablets in Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai Province.
— Chiang Rai Times

Chinese company consults locals over Mekong blasting
The red-robed monk sat impatiently at the front of the consultation meeting in Chiang Saen, northern Thailand.
— Chinadialogue

Agencies keen to produce aircraft repair experts
Four agencies are expediting the production of skilled workers with expertise in aviation mechanics.
— NNT

Bangkok School adjusts registration time so kids can avoid heavy air pollution
One Bangkok school has come up with a unique way to deal with the city’s ongoing air pollution problems, pushing the start of the school day to 9:30am so students can avoid commuting during the hours with, statistically, the worst air quality.
— Coconuts (paywall)

SET experts pick three sectors 
THE best-performing stocks this year are expected to be in the healthcare, transportation and real estate sectors with returns likely to peak in the third quarter, after uncertainties surrounding the upcoming election and global trade war subside, experts from the Siam Commercial Bank Securities Co Ltd (SCBS) and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) said yesterday.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Thailand named in top ten places in the world to retire
Thailand has again been named in the top ten retirement places in the world and Number 2 in Asia. The list is part of an annual report by International Living magazine and names Panama at the top of the list.
— The Thaiger

White chedi to serve as memorial to revered monk
A WHITE chedi in Thai-Lao architectural style and resting on an octagonal platform – signifying the much-revered Luang Phor Koon Parisuttho’s simplicity, humility, purity and graciousness – will soon be built as a memorial atop his temporary crematorium at Buddhamonton Isan in Khon Kaen’s Muang district.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

DIT buying and selling off oil palm to maintain adequate price
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) is looking to purchase 160,000 tons of oil palm within January for further sale to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) under a program aimed at cutting national oil palm stocks to only 200,000 tons.
— NBT World (video)

Ministry of Education urges universities to develop personnel skills for 21st century
Deputy Minister of Education has urged higher education institutions to develop curricula to produce personnel with the skills that meet the needs of the industrial sector and the national strategic plan.
— NBT World (video)

PM asks farmers to avoid crop burning
The Prime Minister has ordered local administrative offices to persuade farmers to cut down on field burning at this time due to the air pollution situation impacting much of the central region.
— NNT

BAAC marks 25-year anniversary
The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), celebrated its 25th anniversary on Monday, pledging to bring real reform to the agricultural sector.
— NNT

Chiang Rai holds King Mengrai Festival 2019
The northern province of Chiang Rai is organizing the King Mengrai Festival 2019 from now until February 4. The Governor of Chiang Rai, Prajon Prachsakul, presided over the opening ceremony of the festival at Old Chiang Rai Airport in Chiang Rai’s Muang District on Sunday (Jan 27).
— Pattaya Mail

Several veterans lead list for PM candidates
As of Tuesday, several heavyweight politicians were publicly named as prime ministerial candidates in the run up to the elections in March.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Where to Celebrate Chinese New Year in Bangkok
BANGKOK — Enter the Year of the Pig doing more than eating dumplings and wearing a qipao.
— Khaosod English

 

Feature photo CIAT

 

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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