Thailand English-language News for January 31, 2017

In the January 31, 2017 edition of Newsline, 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 NBTWorld*, presenter Dhra Dhirakaosal tells us about:

• Thailand’s armed forces are ordered to provide “extensive and continuous aid” to inhabitants of seven flooded Southern Thailand provinces.

• The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) denies the draft Media Regulation law will be used to restrict or limit media freedom in Thailand.

• Thailand’s transport minister vows to crackdown especially hard on public transport vehicles such as Thailand inter-city vans, buses, and microbuses, as well as their drivers, ahead of the 2017 Songkran holidays in April following an appalling New Year holiday period which saw 478 people killed in seven days on Thailand roads (See:Thailand Roads: Perhaps Some People Were Never Meant to Drive).

• The Thailand government claims its new ePayment service, PromptPay, is being received well as the country moves towards a digital economy.

• Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism plans a roadshow to promote Thailand as a tourist destination in China, England, France, Iran, the USA, targeting “luxury travellers”.

• Krungthai Bank reported an increase in 2016 profits of 13.28 per cent.

• Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is to revamp healthcare regulations after finding that the 1.5 million migrant and immigrant workers from Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Cambodia that it currently serves is far below the number in the country.

• and much more.

*NBT World is the NNBTs 24/7 English language television service delivering Thailand government news and information to the Thai, Asean and wider Asian communities broadcast Internationally via cable and satellite. It is also available via android and iOS apps.