Thailand morning news for January 30, 2020

Thailand to charter commercial flight to evacuate Thai people from Wuhan
The Thai government has decided to charter an aircraft from a commercial airline, rather than a military transport plane, to evacuate Thai people trapped in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said today (Wednesday).
— Thai PBS News

Coronavirus outbreak possible in major tourist centres
The Public Health Ministry has warned of possible coronavirus outbreaks in areas with many Chinese visitors – such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket – after local transmission was confirmed in Japan.
— Bangkok Post

Fiscal Policy Office trims outlook for 2019-20
The Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) has downgraded Thailand’s economic outlook to 2.8% this year and 2.5% last year after taking into account the impact of the deadly virus epidemic and the further delay in the annual budget bill for fiscal 2020.
— Bangkok Post

Thai police scrutinised over record number of dismissed human trafficking cases
Thailand is home to about 610,000 modern-day slaves, or about one in 113 of its population of 69 million, according to the Global Slavery Index by the Walk Free Foundation.
— The Thaiger

Factory Where Workers Used Mouths to Strip Chicken Feet Won’t Be Prosecuted
While fears of animal-borne illnesses sweep the globe, one chicken processing plant in the northeast was caught gnawing chicken bones out of chicken feet – it’s faster than using tools, the factory owner said.
— Khaosod English

Thai Dec factory output falls 4.35%, better than forecast
Thailand’s manufacturing production index (MPI) contracted for an eighth straight month in December, down 4.35% from a year earlier, hit by lower production of industrial goods, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

Every Province in Thailand on maximum alert for the Chinese novel Coronavirus
Thailand is at maximum alert level to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the country. All provinces are now following disease control protocols, especially at border crossings where many Chinese visitors continue to arrive, such as at the Thailand-Laos Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai.
— The Pattaya News

Smog creeps back in Bangkok, worst in North
Fine dust levels were rising again in greater Bangkok but still on the safe side on Wednesday, but people in the northern provinces were still smogged-in.
— Bangkok Post

Many Pattaya Bay businesses express concern over Chinese tourist group ban and some may have to close for at least thirty days
Many businesses in Pattaya, Thailand that primarily rely on Chinese tourist groups have expressed their concerns to the media this week as China has banned outward bound Chinese tour groups due to the novel Coronavirus found in Wuhan.
— The Pattaya News

Thais stuck in Wuhan to be flown home by February 4
Thai citizens, including students, stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of novel coronavirus outbreak, will be flown back to Thailand by February 4th, Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutacha told members of the House of Representatives today.
— Thai PBS News

Dried-up Mekong forces boats to reroute
NAKHON PHANOM: The Mekong River has almost dried up in That Phanom district, forcing boats that transport goods and passengers across the Thai-Lao border to find other routes.
— Bangkok Post

‘Local transmission is possible’: Thai government prepares for further spread of Wuhan virus
The Wuhan virus, which has spread from China to other parts of the world, has triggered public concern in Thailand.
— CNA

Thailand can still control the Coronavirus infection situation
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says that Thailand can still control the coronavirus infection situation.
— Pattaya Mail

Headwinds push growth below 2.5%, says UTCC
Widespread drought, a strong baht, disarray over the annual budget, toxic dust and the latest deadly virus outbreak may bludgeon Thailand’s economic growth to below 2.5% this year, says the Thai Chamber of Commerce.
— Bangkok Post

Results of the Meeting of the Rapid Response Center on Coronavirus
Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Tana Weskosith on 27 January 2020 chaired a Rapid Response Center (RRC) meeting, attended by concerned agencies, to evaluate the situation in Wuhan of China’s Hubei province, in preparation for emergency plans to assist and evacuate Thai nationals residing in the city and other affected areas in China.
— Newsline (video)

Thai court to rule on validity of delayed $104 billion budget bill
Thailand’s Constitutional Court agreed on Wednesday to rule on the validity of a $104 billion budget bill for the fiscal year that began in October, suggesting a further delay to spending plans aimed at reviving the struggling economy.
— Reuters

Bats face checks over virus fears
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation plans to screen cave bats amid health concerns after the creatures might be linked to the outbreak of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus in China.
— Bangkok Post

Waste plastic imports ‘to be banned’
Authorities plan to ban the import of all electronic and plastic waste next year, in a move to improve garbage management.
— Bangkok Post

Deploying flimsy masks against virus
As fears of a deadly virus sweep the globe, panicked members of the public are depending on a flimsy first line of defence – surgical masks that are coveted, but in short supply and of limited use.
— The Asean Post

EIT now teaches how to make a DIY air particle counter
The Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) has launched free workshops for those interested in making their own air pollution measuring device.
— Newsline (video)

Cross-border commerce falls short
Cross-border trade fell by 3.4% in 2019, weighed down by the strong baht, volatile foreign exchange and the prolonged trade war.
— Bangkok Post

GrabFood riders block app in row over B10 fee increase
GrabFood riders in Phuket yesterday blocked the app they relied on to take orders to demand a 10-baht increase to their base fee.
— Bangkok Post

Demand for Face Masks Soars Over Pollution and Coronavirus
Panic and PM2.5 dust particles has drive the market for protective face masks to a booming business in Thailand and Asia.
— Chiang Rai Times

Cabinet approves railway western Orange Line project
The Cabinet has approved the construction of the 13.4-kilometer western section of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)’s Orange Line, connecting Bang Khun Non and Min Buri.
— Newsline (video)

Thailand to screen tour guides for coronavirus
Thai health officials said on Wednesday they will start screening tourist sector workers for coronavirus as part of measures to control the spread of the new disease that has killed 132 people in China.
— Reuters

Thailand calls for information on industry use of four POPs
Thailand’s government is asking companies to supply information on how they produce, use, import and export four persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
— Chemical Watch

Bangkok residents exercise precautions as coronavirus cases rise
Many residents of Bangkok are now wearing respirator masks when going outside, including people in the Huai Khwang neighborhood, which is much frequented by Chinese tourists. Some visitors are reported to have bought sanitary masks here, to take in large quantities back to their own country.
— Newsline (video)

Another year of subdued growth forecast
Thailand is expected to record subdued economic growth again this year, clouded by external uncertainties, with the 2020 budget debacle having the most negative effect, says Talis Asset Management.
— Bangkok Post

Department of Cultural Promotion holds international art exhibition
The Department of Cultural Promotion is holding the “International Art Exchange Show Thailand-USA 2020”, bringing together over 40 pieces of art created by both Thai and international artists, offering an opportunity for students, teachers and other interested parties, to expand their knowledge of art.
— Newsline (video)

Secretary of Pattaya Tourism Association says Entertainment venues revenue down 60 percent year over year since the Chinese Coronavirus
Pattaya entertainment venues revenue has decreased 60 percent year over year after the Chinese Coronavirus outbreak according to the Secretary of the Pattaya Tourism Association.
— The Pattaya News

U-Tapao, AIS collaborate on smart terminal
U-Tapao Rayong Pattaya International Airport and AIS, Thailand’s largest GSM mobile phone operator, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to turn the airport’s Passenger Terminal 2 into a “smart terminal.”
— The Thaiger

Deputy transport minister says Thai Airways must increase revenue, cut costs
Thai Airways International is in the process of slashing costs and restructuring. Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam discussed Thailand’s open sky policy and stressed the importance of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure to turn the airline around and make it sustainable.
— The Thaiger

Health Official Says All Passengers are Screened For Virus at BKK
Officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport said all passengers arriving from China were screened for the new strain of coronavirus, refuting rumors on social media that a Thai border is laid open to the epidemic.
— Khaosod English

Haze and coronavirus killing tourism in northern Thailand
It’s the smoke and Wuhan effect. Haze and the Novel Coronavirus are having a brutal effect on northern Thailand tourism.
— The Thaiger

Pheu Thai urges government to punish MPs for proxy voting
Pheu Thai party secretary-general Anudit Nakhontap has blamed proxy voting by Government MPs for the delay in the disbursement of the national budget for 2020 fiscal year, and has urged the Government to take punitive action against the perpetrators.
— Thai PBS News

Opposition Predicts ‘Mortal Blow’ in Censure Debate; Prayut Unfazed
Leader of the opposition faction said Tuesday that status quo is about to change when the public hears its case in the upcoming no-confidence motion – the first in nearly seven years.
— Khaosod English

Honda expects slow drive of motocycle sales again
AP Honda, the local distributor arm of Japanese motorcycles, expects Thailand’s motorcycle market to drop 2.3% in 2020 to 1.7 million units, citing unfavourable risks in bearish GDP growth and low crop pricing.
— Bangkok Post

Gov’t Proposes Railway Linking Gulf of Thailand With Andaman Sea
Thailand is putting forward a southern land bridge project to link two seas and promote rail transports, confirmed Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob on Monday.
— Khaosod English

‘Blind’ beggar caught driving SUV, fined B1,000
An addicted gambler who masqueraded as a blind beggar to pay his debts has told police it was his daughter’s fault – she was working overseas and refused to send him the money.
— Bangkok Post

Japanese long-stayers in Chiang Mai
Many retirees around the world dream about living their life in other countries, and Thailand is one of the best destinations. In Chiang Mai, there is a group of Japanese retirees who have come to stay for life, and they have established a club called “Chiang Mai Long Stay Life Club”.
— Thai PBS News

The rise of the e-bicycle in Thailand, a bit of motorised assistance
Cycling tours offer a unique way to explore Thailand. Faster than walking but slower than driving, cycling tours cover plenty of ground while allowing cyclists to immerse themselves in the sights, smells, and culture of Thailand without the boundary of a car window.
— The Thaiger

Feature photo Koh Samui Sunset

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on raptors of Asean, here the White-bellied sea Eagle.

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 30 added by John Le Fevre on January 30, 2020
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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.