In Thailand English-language News for August 16, 2017, Newsline presenter Sandra Hanutsaha tells us about:
00:42 |Â Thais from across the country continue to visit the Grand Palace to pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
01:39 | Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday that the government will not prevent the public from attending the reading of the verdict in the malfeasance case against former prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra on August 25 by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, but advised people to come of their own volition, not because they are hired to attend.
Meanwhile, deputy prime minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said no military personnel will be deployed at the court on the day of the ruling, while the secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), General Thawip Netniyom, said that its intelligence unit is monitoring the movements of supporters of the former prime minister.
03:20 | Foreign Minister, Don Pramudwinai, said on Tuesday that Prime Minister General Prayut-Chan-ocha will visit the United States in October to discuss the promotion of bilateral trade – which currently stands at US$18 billion – and security issues in Southeast Asia with US President Donald Trump. He also added that the the Royal Thai Consulate in California is working to retrieve the bodies of two Thai students trapped in their car after it plunged into Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park on July 26, adding that the salvage operation must be carried out with great care, given the location of the wreckage.
04:36 | Spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, Lieutenant General Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, said on Tuesday that the Cabinet has approved the selection of 120 members of 11 national reform committees as stipulated by the National Reform Plan, with 45 more to be appointed. Committee members will convene meetings to draft their respective reform plans, which will later be combined into a national reform plan that is expected to be ready no later than April 2018.
The Cabinet has also approved the appointment of Vinaroj Supsongsuk as secretary-general of the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Napa Setthakorn as the director general of the Department of Social Development and Welfare (DSDW), Somkid Somsri as the director general of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), and Thanaporn Promsuwan as the director general of the Department of Older Persons (DOP).
06:10 | Chairman of the Constitutional Drafting Commission (CDC), Meechai Ruchuphan, said on Tuesday that the decision of the special committee on the new draft National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) act to not end the term of existing commissioners after the new law comes into effect is only an opinion of the  the committee and has yet to be deliberated by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
09:30 | The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has issued a weather warning for flood-prone areas in the eastern provinces of Chanthaburi and Trat for the next one week. The department has also instructed provincial irrigation departments in the southern regions to urgently drain flooded areas in anticipation of further floods. Floods are expected to subside in the next 4-5 days.
12:15 | In its continuing effort to promote Thailand as a gem and jewellery hub the Ministry of Commerce  (MoC) will host the 60th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair between September 6-10 in the Challenger Hall of IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani. More than 1,000 companies will participate in the event with more than 2,500 exhibits from selected domestic and overseas exhibitors being showcased. More than 20,000 jewellery enthusiasts are expected to attend the event.
15:13 | The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and Summit Auto Body Industry (SABI) are working together to research and produce lighter and stronger automobile parts to meet the demands of international car-makers for increased fuel-efficiency. The NSTDA is also calling for businesses to pitch their ideas as the Agency is also working towards developing other automobile-related products such as photo fuel cells and energy recycling systems. Companies with innovative ideas who wish to develop them through research are eligible for tax deductions of up to 300 per cent.
18:52 | Community tourism representatives from ten Asean countries have participated in the International Community Tourism (ICT) Conference in Phuket to exchange knowledge and bolster cooperation among each nations. The conference aimed to develop sustainable community tourism, as well as to promote Phuket as a tourist destination.
20:00 | A team of students and faculty from Siam Technology College (STC) is preparing to enter their solar power car projects in the World Solar Challenge 2017 in Australia, in line with their agenda to support practical learning outside of the classroom, and the government’s ‘Thailand 4.0’ development policy. The challenge starts in Darwin and finishes in the southern city of Adelaide 3,220km (about 2,000 miles) away.
• and more.
Note:Â YouTube deleted the video originally associated with this post as part of its ongoing program of censoring the internet and cleansing history.
Newsline is a daily Thailand English-language news and current affairs programme produced by the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNBT) under the Thailand Government Public Relations Department (PRD) for *NBT World, the NNBTs 24/7 English language television service delivering Thailand government news and information to the Thai, Asean, and wider Asian communities via cable and satellite. It is also available via android and iOS apps. AEC News Today publishes Thailand English-language News M-F. Â