Thailand morning news for March 17

Thailand morning news for March 17
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Thailand morning news

PM calls on everyone to help confront COVID-19 pandemic
Thailand can survive the COVID-19 pandemic, but only with the cooperation of all Thai people, by delaying all foreign travel, strictly observing the 14-day self-quarantine upon their return and heeding the advice of health officials on what to do during a health crisis, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday night.
— Thai PBS News

Songkran officially postponed
In a shock move, an urgent meeting of the Covid-19 Administration Centre, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, today approved a motion to postpone the Songkran holidays from April 13-15 to later, undisclosed dates.
— The Thaiger

33 new cases: Thailand’s biggest single day jump
Thirty-three new cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Thailand today, the nation’s biggest single day increase, bringing the total number of infections to 147 since the virus struck in January.
— The Thaiger

Thai economic outlook among Asia’s weakest
Thailand is preparing to restrict some aspects of daily life after the country’s biggest spike in coronavirus cases, further damaging one of Asia’s weakest economic outlooks.
— Bangkok Post

Trade Chief Resigns Over Mask Hoarding Scandals
The head of the Internal Trade Department resigned on Monday amid allegations that he colluded with the hoarding and profiteering of millions of sanitary masks.
— Khaosod English

Thailand prepares for widespread COVID-19 transmission
Thailand is preparing for widespread transmission of COVID-19 as the country continues to report more cases of the potentially deadly disease, according to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
— CNA

Northern Thailand chokes under shroud of smog
Chiang Mai may have fallen to third in the race for world’s worst air quality today, but northern Thailand is still choking under a blanket of toxic haze, and the Thai Meteorological Department has forecast “hot to very hot conditions” for the region.
— The Thaiger

Covid-19: Mass gatherings banned, Songkran holiday postponed
The Prayut government today announced a series of measures aimed at containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus that will include a ban on mass gatherings and the postponement of the traditional Songkran holiday.
— Thai PBS News

Bank of Thailand: Beware baht volatility
Ahead of the March 25 Monetary Policy Committee meeting, central bank governor Veerathai Santiprabhob discusses the need to “act early” with previous monetary policy easing and warns the foreign exchange rate will continue to be highly volatile against the backdrop of the Covid-19 outbreak.
— Bangkok Post

Thai government planning more economic stimulus packages
Economists have urged the government to expand the fiscal deficit to up to 600 billion baht, while more stimulus packages are hopefully on course to counter the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand.
— The Thaiger

Some Hospitals Apply ‘Farang Pricing’ for Coronavirus Testing
At least two hospitals in Bangkok are charging foreigners more for coronavirus tests, a survey found on Monday.
— Khaosod English

Recession fears spur tumble for Thai equities
Thailand’s stock exchange opened the week on a grim note as recession fears and rising local coronavirus cases outweigh the US Federal Reserve’s rate cut and quantitative easing measures.
— Bangkok Post

Officials attempt to ease concern over 67 year old Belgian man in Phetchabun who had tested positive for Covid19, had allegedly been in Pattaya area prior to diagnosis
A 67 year old Belgian man who has tested positive for the novel Coronavirus and who had arrived in Thailand on March 3rd, 2020 and is married to a Thai national had allegedly been in the Pattaya area for seven days prior to calling his Thai family to come pick him up as he was feeling ill.
— The Pattaya News

Governor of Buriram tightens protective measures in the province, will screen all visitors foreign and domestic
Provincial governor Thatchakorn Hatthathayakul has ordered tighter restrictions and measures designed to help protect the province, using the designation of Covid19 as a dangerous disease and existing laws on file to do so.
— The Pattaya News

HealthMin Reports 33 New Cases, Tells Public to Avoid Crowds
The Ministry of Health on Monday said 33 new cases of Covid-19 infection were reported in Thailand, bringing the total tally to 147 since the outbreak began.
— Khaosod English

No need to stockpile foods, say suppliers
People need not build up their stocks of food and consumer products amid the new coronavirus crisis because Thailand is a major producer of these goods, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.
— Bangkok Post

Phuket tourism heavyweights slam government handling of COVID-19, call for overhaul
Nine major Phuket tourism business associations have publicly posted a list of “suggestions” for the government to follow in its response to contain the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, including establishing a non-government command centre and having journalists releasing information to the public, not government agencies.
— The Phuket News

Mosque visitors hard to track
Health authorities have only managed to track down 54 out of the 132 Thais who attended an event in Malaysia that has been linked to scores of Covid-19 cases across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
— Bangkok Post

Covid-19 situation in Bangkok and provinces
Let’s kickstart our first segment with the coronavirus or Covid-19. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha convened a meeting with ministries and governmental units to follow up on the latest situation at the Government House.
— Newsline (video)

Buri Ram province locked down
Provincial governor Thatchakorn Hatthathayakul has ordered a lockdown of the province to combat the spread of Covid-19 disease, applying public health measures to implement the decision.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand’s economic ‘death by a thousand cuts’ sows desperation
Four Buddhist monks were chanting prayers — the funeral rites for Thee Pieanmag, a 32-year-old building contractor who had died by suicide in his home.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Army welfare chief has virus, 60 quarantined
The chief of the Army Welfare Department has caught coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 60 people in close contact with him have been quarantined at their homes, including some of the top brass.
— Bangkok Post

Fake News on Social Media Sites Leads to Empty Shelves in Thailand
Thai shoppers have left supermarkets with empty shelves across Thailand due to fake Covid-19 news being forwarded on social media sites.
— Chiang Rai Times

Universities urged to move classes online until May
The Council of University Faculty Senate of Thailand (CUFST) on Sunday asked all universities to move their courses online in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19.
— Bangkok Post

Private sector guarantees enough consumer products in Thailand during COVID-19 panic
The Federation of Thai Industries has assured that there were enough consumer products and people did not need to stockpile them.
— Pattaya Mail

KMUTNB, Thai army develop bomb disposal robot
King Mongkut’s University of Technology, North Bangkok and the Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department have developed a bomb disposal robot, Dyna-T, which can help minimize loss of life and damage to property.
— Newsline (video)

Thailand prepares for summer storms during March 15-17
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, has coordinated with every province in preparing staff and machines to deal with thunderstorms and wind gusts expected from 15th-17th March.
— Pattaya Mail

Thailand’s Ayutthaya Historical Park temple conservation 40% complete, USD 1.1 mil. funded
The Embassy of the United States in Bangkok, together with the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture and the World Monuments Fund (WMF), have reiterated their support for renovation work to conserve Chaiwatthanaram temple in Ayutthaya Historical Park with a visit, observing that the efforts have progressed by 40 percent.
— Pattaya Mail

Thailand’s rush to cut emissions leaves automakers in the dust
Thailand’s move to adopt stringent international emissions standards in just two years is causing consternation among automakers in Southeast Asia’s largest vehicle manufacturing hub.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Dome of Mahabodhi temple could not be cleaned due to coronavirus
The dread of the dreaded coronavirus infection is now being seen in religious places and world heritage sites.
— News Track

Nexif Energy secures funding for 92MW co-generation power project in Thailand
Nexif Energy, the Singapore-headquartered Asian and Australian power firm, announced that it had secured debt facility and partnership agreements for a 92-MW gas-fired co-generation project in Thailand, the company’s first investment in the country.
— Deal Street Asia

Coronavirus-induced hiatus could help Thai foobtallers
These are depressing times for everyone.
— The Phuket News

Thai social experiment urges public to report on domestic abuse
Thailand’s Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation (WMP) has launched its campaign titled “The Daily Fight”.
— Marketing

Night Wish Group speaks to local media about the potential of temporary entertainment business closures in Pattaya due to Covid-19
A representative from the Night Wish Group, Saifon Khanan, 40, spoke with several local news media including the Pattaya News this afternoon following an interview with the secretary of the Walking Street Nightlife Association the prior day about the effects of a potential forced entertainment closure on the group and Pattaya in general due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus.
— The Pattaya News

HealthMin Deletes Sexual Assault Advisory After Backlash
The Ministry of Public Health on Monday removed its online post that suggested it was women’s responsibility to avoid sexual assaults.
— Khaosod English

Ex-Airport Worker Steals From German Tourist at Suvarnabhumi
A former employee of Suvarnabhumi Airport was charged with theft Monday for allegedly stealing money and travel documents from a German tourist at the airport.
— Khaosod English

Pattaya venues “willing to close” if ordered
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha said yesterday that, for the time being at least, he is not ordering a shutdown of the country’s massive nightlife industry.
— The Thaiger

Airlines cut flights, face ruin as central banks take action: Virus update
Asian stocks and US stock futures tumbled as central banks took sweeping action to blunt the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
— Bangkok Post

Hundreds linked to boxing stadium positive Covid-19 test
TV celebrity and boxing camp manager Matthew Deane, who tested positive for Covid-19 on March 6, was together with many others who were at the Lumpini boxing stadium in Ramintra Bangkok, north east of the city centre.
— The Thaiger

Thundershowers, more hot weather for the North
Thailand’s Meteorological Department predicted today that a thermal low covering the North will bring “hot to very hot weather” to the region. Thundershowers are forecast in the North, the Northeast, the Central and the East.
— The Thaiger

Home alone. Phuket hotels hit a speed bump.
Singapore’s move to impose a stay-home policy or self-isolation for travellers within ASEAN, has hit the industry hard. Here in Phuket, hotels are winding down their traditional snowbird European business which for the most part was booked well in advance.
— The Thaiger

Singer Lydia Sarunrat reveals that she has COVID-19
Well known singer Lydia Sarunrat announced via Instagram today that she has contracted COVID-19 from her husband, TV celebrity Matthew Deane.
— Thai PBS News

Thammanat Placed in Quarantine as Infection Surges to 114
Several high-ranking officials were placed in quarantine on Monday, including a Cabinet member.
— Khaosod English

Thai Rice Exports Get Boost From Global Virus Fear
The global COVID-19 scare has unexpectedly boosted Thai rice exports, said Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association.
— Khaosod English

Tussle over Chiang Mai’s tramway
Businesses say the planned 27-billion-baht tramway project will help stimulate the local economy, which is experiencing a downturn as a result of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
— Bangkok Post

Second protest at Khon Kaen University calls for elections and a new constitution
Amid calls for snap elections and the drafting of a new constitution, protesters gathered at Khon Kaen University (KKU) on Saturday evening.
— Isaan Record

2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO RWD: Thai pricing and specs
Italian supercar loses a drive shaft, 30hp of power and five million baht off the price tag.
— Bangkok Post

BoT not reacting to Fed rate cut
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has no plan to call an emergency meeting following the US Federal Reserve’s weekend decision to cut its policy rate to zero.
— Bangkok Post

 

Feature photo John Le Fevre

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on World Water Day, March 22.

 

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).

 

 

About Thailand morning news.

Thailand morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Thailand English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Thailand English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Thailand daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Thailand news headlines and first paragraphs before 7.15am Bangkok time.

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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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