Exports see 2.7% annual dip
Exports last year fell by 2.7% from 2018, weighed down by global economic malaise, low oil and farm prices and weak industrial product shipments.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand leaps up global democracy rankings
Thailand was the biggest mover in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2019 Democracy Index, rising 38 places in the global rankings to become a flawed democracy rather than a hybrid regime.
— Bangkok Post
Industrial confidence index falls to 91.7 in December
The Industrial confidence index for December 2019 dropped to 91.7, from 92.3 the previous month, due to industrial operators’ concerns over domestic purchasing power and this year’s drought, which is more severe than in recent years and is expected to cause extensive damage to crops and affect farmers’ incomes.
— Thai PBS News
TOP POLLUTION OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS PM2.5 HEALTH RISKS, SAY NETIZENS STIRRING ‘DRAMA’ BANGKOK
Netizens on Wednesday are demanding that a top pollution control official resign after he accused people of overreacting to the smog crisis that reportedly sent 40,000 Bangkokians to hospital.
— Khaosod English
Headmaster arrested after jewellery store robbery that left three dead
A headmaster was arrested on Wednesday (Jan 22) as the key suspect in a shooting spree, police said, after a manhunt for the masked gunman who killed three people including a toddler in an armed robbery.
— CNA
Exports drop for fifth straight month
Exports fell for the fifth straight month in December, but eased from the 7.39% year-on-year plunge in November, resulting an a full-year contraction of 2.65% in 2019 to US$246.24 billion.
— Bangkok Post
Industrial sentiment down
The Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) for December dropped to 91.7 points from 92.3 in November, on a lower purchasing power and widespread drought affecting overall industrial and agricultural output, the Federation of Thai Industries reported.
— Bangkok Post
KBank: Baht to rise throughout 2020
The baht’s strength is expected to continue throughout this year, buoyed by Thailand’s increased surpluses in current account and trade balance coupled with flat growth in imports, says Kasikornbank (KBank).
— Bangkok Post
Thailand’s $105 billion budget faces further delay
Thailand’s 3.2 trillion baht ($105.40 billion) budget for the current fiscal year, aimed at reviving a flagging economy, faces further delay as lawmakers seek a court ruling on the validity of the parliament vote to approve it.
— Reuters
Thailand’s plastic bag ban is an overdue step towards pragmatism
Thailand recently took an important step towards environmental protection when 75 leading retailers stopped issuing plastic bags to shoppers.
— East Asia Forum
Dangers of PM2.5
The Department of Health has advised people in areas with high levels of particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter (PM2.5) to protect themselves from harmful dust particles by drinking plenty of water, avoiding outdoor activities and wearing N95 respirators.
— Newsline (video)
Thailand, India reach trade agreements worth over THB2.78 billion
Thai and Indian business operators have reached trade agreements worth over THB2.78 billion during a high-level visit led by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce JurinLaksanawisit to Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
— Pattaya Mail
DTN prepares Thai businesses for RCEP
The Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) has launched a business seminar promoting knowledge and understanding of Thailand’s next steps following the realization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal.
— Newsline (video)
Analyst expects 50bn baht cash flow this Chinese New Year
The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has forecast that about 57 billion baht will be generated during the Chinese New Year festival.
— Newsline (video)
Cabinet okays proposed B18.7bn Songkhla SEZ
The cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to establish a special development zone at Chana district in Songkhla covering 16,753 rai, with an investment of 18.7 billion baht.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand to ban personal car use to reduce air pollution
The Thai government is considering whether to impose a ban on personal car use in affected areas to cope with high levels of hazardous ultra-fine PM2.5 dust particles in the air if levels exceed 100 microgrammes per cubic metre, twice the safety level.
— Vietnamplus
Thailand needs younger leaders to move beyond coups and corruption
Five completed elections, two military coups and a series of judicial interventions amid street protests colored in yellow and red: having gone through so much tumult and turmoil over the past two decades, Thailand is poised to enter yet another round of confrontation in the prolonged reckoning over its political future.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
Thai monetary policy should be accommodative for some time: central bank
Thailand’s central bank said monetary policy should remain accommodative for some time to support economic growth and help inflation return to target.
— Reuters
Thailand Eyes as Much as $2 Billion From 5G Spectrum Auction
Thailand could receive as much as 64 billion baht ($2.1 billion) in a spectrum auction next month, a bigger sum than it earlier expected, according to the nation’s telecommunications regulator.
— Bloomberg
Cabinet approves southern development projects
A meeting of the cabinet ministers approved a project to develop Thailand’s southern border provinces as a special economic zone.
— Newsline (video)
Thailand, HK move towards digital currencies for payments
The Bank of Thailand and Hong Kong’s central bank said on Wednesday that they had moved a step closer to issuing digital currencies that could be used to make payments between the two countries far more efficiently than at present.
— Bangkok Post
Bangkok on alert for Chinese New Year fire hazards
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has urged members of the public to minimize candles, incense sticks, and firecrackers during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration this weekend, in a bid to prevent fires incidents.
— Newsline (video)
EIT introduces DIY particle counter
The Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) has developed its own fine dust particle measuring device, which can be replicated by members of the public.
— Newsline (video)
“Price of Thai coconuts is rising”
Coconuts are an important product in the Chinese market. Even when the weather is gradually growing colder, Chinese consumers still show a strong demand for coconuts.
— Fresh Plaza
Friendship bridges that are not friendly
Four ‘Friendship Bridges’ span the wide majestic Mekong River as it creates a meandering borderline between Thailand and Laos but just how friendly are these border bridges?
— TTR Weekly
Palm oil still at price ceiling
The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has indicated that the high prices of palm oil are results of previous price control measures such as the promotion of diesel B10 and B20 and the use of crude palm oil usage in electricity generation.
— Newsline (video)
GH Bank to comply with BOT’s new regulations to help home buyers
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has implemented the policy to ease mortgage lending rules to help first-hand and used home buyers seek more loans.
— Newsline (video)
Plants urged to cut output, clear dust
The Industry Ministry has asked for cooperation from 68,757 factories nationwide to reduce their production capacity temporarily in order to tackle the ultra-fine dust causing widespread air pollution.
— Bangkok Post
State braced for budget bill delay
The government is preparing a Plan B to brace for the possibility of a further delay in the 3.2-trillion-baht budget bill for fiscal 2020 after some members of parliament indicated they would vote in favour of the bill without being present in the chamber.
— Bangkok Post
90 Government MPs seek Constitutional Court ruling on legality of budget bill
Ninety government MPs have signed a letter, addressed to parliament president Chuan Leekpai, requesting that the Constitutional Court rule on the legality of the budget bill for the 2020 fiscal year, after at least 2 proxy were cast on the budget bill.
— Thai PBS News
Australia urges tourists not to cancel holidays
Australian tourism operators have one message for visitors — we are a massive country and we are open for business.
— Bangkok Post
Electric vehicle registrations in Thailand rose 380% in 2019
Electic cars (EVs) are on the rise in Thailand. The Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT) reports a sharp increase in the number of electric vehicles registered in 2019.
— The Thaiger
Monetary policy should be accommodative for some time: BoT
The Bank of Thailand said monetary policy should remain accommodative for some time to support economic growth and help inflation return to target.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand’s PM2.5 micron elephant in the room – OPINION
It’s cars, it’s the polluting buses, it’s people burning too many incense sticks. Every year it’s the same culprits in Bangkok, people driving their cars too much, polluting factories and old buses belching black smoke.
— The Thaiger
Car production down in 2019
Car production fell 7.1% year-on-year in 2019 to 2.014 million units on contractions of both local sales and exports, the Federation of Thai Industries reported on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post
Police swoop on pyramid scam suspect
Authorities have raided a Ratchaburi house belonging to a key recruiter for the Mae Manee Ponzi scheme network.
— Bangkok Post
Man survives drive by shooting and crash into power pole in Pattaya, says his Buddhist amulet saved his life
A thirty year old man survived a presumed attempt on his life early this morning in Pattaya after his vehicle was shot at nine times, causing it to crash into a power pole.
— The Pattaya News
Bangkok Government asks residents to limit burning of items for Chinese New Year to reduce air pollution, on alert for fire hazards
Thai-Chinese communities in Thailand will be celebrating the Chinese New Year this weekend, during which many candles and much incense will be lit, along with the ritual burning of gold and silver paper, any of which could pose a fire hazard and a source of air pollution.
— The Pattaya News
Nearly 300,000 Bangkok school students stay at home today as a measure to reduce air pollution
Nearly 300,000 students from 437 schools around Bangkok are having the day off after the Bangkok governor announced they could stay home and avoid the city’s smog. Ironically, today’s city air pollution has reduced to its lowest level in a week.
— The Thaiger
LINE partners HappyFresh to give Thai users grocery delivery service on its messaging app
Messaging app LINE has announced a partnership with Indonesia-based online grocery platform HappyFresh, called LINEMAN to provide users with a grocery delivery service on its messaging platform in Thailand today, according to a press statement.
— e27
Survey shows that Thais feel “less safe”
A recent survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, the Suan Dusit Poll, shows that Thais are more concerned about their safety than ever before, citing the country’s economic woes as the reason.
— The Thaiger
Sorrayuth ‘adjusting’ to life in jail
Former TV news anchor Sorrayuth Suthassanachinda ate and slept well on his first night behind bars after losing his Supreme Court appeal and being sent to jail on Tuesday for embezzlement of MCOT advertising revenue.
— Bangkok Post
Two key drug suspects arrested
A man and a woman linked to a major drug bust in the northern province of Phayao in 2018 have been arrested, Office of the Narcotics Suppression Board (ONCB) secretary-general Niyom Termsrisuk said on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post
Arrested Lop Buri murder suspect was a provincial headmaster
The director (headmaster) of a Sing Buri school is now in police custody as a suspect in the case of the lone of being the lone gunman in a gold shop robbery at the Robinson’s Shopping Centre in Lop Buri province on January 9.
— The Thaiger
Feature photo extra normalÂ
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on the Lisu (Lunar) New Year, Jan 25.
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).
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Thailand morning news for January 23 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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- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020