In Thailand English-language News for March 29, 2017, Newsline presenter Cholaphansa Narula tells us about:

• The Thailand Cabinet has endorsed the current concessionaire of the MRT Blue Line to implement the MRT Blue Line extension projects covering from Hua Lamphong to Bang Khae and from Bang Sue to Tha Phra on a net cost Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. Both the original and extended Blue Line concessions will run through until 2050 with fares ranging from Bt16 to Bt42 (US$0.46-$1.22) per trip.

• According to deputy government spokesperson Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak the weekly Cabinet has passed new regulations governing the certification of driving schools and new regulations relating to blood alcohol content while in charge of a motor vehicle. For the the former the Cabinet ruled that driving schools must comply with standards set by the Department of Land Transport (DLT), while the blood alcohol content for those aged over 20 is set at a maximum level of 0.5 mg of alcohol per one litre of blood, while drivers below 20 or only in possession of a temporary permit are restricted to no more than 0.2 mg. The government has also set up of Provincial Emergency Operation Centres (PEOCs) to help mitigate the effects of the looming drought.

• The sub-committee tasked with receiving input on national reconciliation has invited 11 civil groups including the media and public health groups to submit their opinions and suggestions on national reconciliation.

• The Minister of Social Development and Human Security (SDHS), Police General Adul Saengsingkaew has met with relevant authorities in preparation for the removal of some 2800 houses built along the construction site for a 31.9km long metal dyke at the Bang Sue andLat Phrao canals. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has set a target to complete pile work for the project by December 2017. Temporary housing will be provided who consent to the removal.

• With the aim of preventing traffic congestion during the ‘7 most dangerous days’ annual Songkran holiday,

The Department of Highways has erected concrete barriers, painted traffic lines along sharp curves, closed 132 U-turn breaks, installed warning signs, and conducted road repairs in preparation for the Songkran holiday next month. In addition 43 temporary traffic lanes have been prepared to help improve the flow of traffic while two mobile apps, Thailand Highway Traffic, and M Traffic, enable motorists to monitor the congestion level on Thailand roads.

• In a bid to lower the number of people borrowing money from ‘loan sharks’ the government has collaborated with the Government Savings Bank (GSB), the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), and the Legal Execution Department (LED) to provide consultation services and loans for people with informal debt of less than Bt50,000.

• The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) in collaboration with the office of the Public Sector Development Commission (PSDC) and the World Bank has hosted a seminar to inform business owners of Thailand’s progress in the 2018 World Bank Ease of Doing Business ranking, along with the assessment methods and procedures.  It expects a new online business registration service to be introduced on April 18 will propel Thailand into the top 30 countries globally for the ease of doing business from its current ranking of 78.

• The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has issued regulations on the information to be provided to bank customers in order to ensure greater transparency, with the central bank saying the majority of complaints filed with it against commercial banks is related to insurance policies.

• NBTC takes an indepth look at the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau’s (TCEB) third ‘Asean Rising Trade Show’ exhibition.

• and more.

Note: YouTube deleted the video originally associated with this post as part of its ongoing program of censoring the internet and cleansing history.

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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.