Thailand English-language News For March 16, 2017

In the March 16, 2017 edition of Newsline, presenter Sandra Hanutsaha tells us about:

• The Commander In Chief of the Royal Thai Army, General Chalermchai Sitthisart, has presided over the first meeting of the government appointed subcommittee for compiling suggestions on building national reconciliation. The committee will consider the suggestions made by 46 Thai political parties that have been met individually over the last several weeks.

• A meeting of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has acknowledged the report by Transparency International on the state of corruption in Thailand, which is claimed to show a significant improvement over 2013. General Chan-o-cha told the meeting that the government needs to be careful with its anti-corruption work and prevent distortion of facts. The administration should create understanding in society in order to prevent conflict, he said.

• Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda has called for parents to act as good role models for children while presiding over the opening of the 60th Rak Pong Prai Youth Camp, a collaboration between the public and private sectors aimed at enhancing the potential of Thai youth.

• Thailand aims to be producing 1.2 million electric cars by 2036 as part of its Energy 4.0 strategy, and will establish 150 charging stations for electric cars over the next two years, a seminar in Bangkok has been told.

• Thailand Minister of Labour General Sirichai Distakul has said Thailand must adjust its labour development strategy to coincide with the governments 20-year strategic national plan. The Department of Skills Development has established 12 centres nationwide to act as role models for advanced skills development.

• A conference by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has been told that guidelines to prepare entrepreneurs for the Thailand 4.0 era should focus on the development of IT and technology infrastructure.

• Thailand is likely to have the largest ageing population in the region within the next 15 years, in addition to the largest population living with non-communicable disease in Asean, the launch of joint venture between pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the Keenan Institute Asia has been told. Currently the number of people in Thailand aged 60 or over accounts for 14.9 per cent of the population and this is forecast to mushroom to about 30 per cent over the next 15 years.

• The Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BTSC) has commenced trials on a newly opened piece of the BTS Skytrain Green Line between Bearing and Samrong Station station. The section will open for passenger service after April 2, with fares waived for the remainder of the month.

• The benchmark interest rate adjustment by the US Federal Reserve is expected to prove beneficial for Thai exporters, with a Kassikorn Bank analyst predicting Thailand 2017 GDP growth of 3.3 per cent. The Thai baht, he predicted, will average Bt35.7 to the US dollar over the course of the year which will “spur exports”.

• Thailand Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the 46 member team in Geneva appearing in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) must use their full endeavours to clearly explain the Kingdom’s approach to tackling national issues, particularly with regard to human rights.

• and much more.

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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.