Thailand English-language News For May 23, 2017

In Thailand English-language News for May 23, 2017, Newsline presenter Dhra Dhirakaosal tells us about:

• Thailand Prime Minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, has ordered the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (RTA) to thoroughly investigate a bomb explosion at Phramongkutklao Hospital on Monday which injured 24 people.(Ed: No people were killed despite what Newsline states)

• The Strategic Governance Commission (SGC) has given its approval to the establishment of a complete online business facilitation system within the next three months. The One Stop Service website will include a complete form and digital ID service and cost Bt4 billion (about US$116.380 million). The system will be paid for by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

• Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, Dr Wissanu Krea-ngam, said the Prime Minister will today provide details of the work of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) over the last three years. Dr Krea-ngam said that while the PM won’t discuss the government’s performance, as “that should be what the public perceive and judge”, he said that the government intends to enact additional laws relating to the ease of doing business in order to attract additional foreign investment.

• A probe by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) into the purchase of three Chinese-built submarines at a cost of Bt36 billion ($1.046 billion) for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has found no irregularities in the purchasing decision. OAG Governor, Pisit Leelavachiropas, said the OAG will liaise with its Chinese counterparts to continue vetting the purchase process.

• More than 700 ‘mum-and-pop’ grocery stores nationwide are participating in a Department of Internal Trade (DIT) Blue Flag promotion offering 48 every-day consumer items at up to 20 per cent below standard price.

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MAC) is preparing a range of activities to coincide with World Milk Day on June 1, with the aim of increasing Thai milk consumption from an average of 14 litres (3.7 US gallons) per person per year to 20 litres (5.28 US gallons) per person per year over the next ten years.

• The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has reported that rainfall in May was the most for the month in the past five years and have urged farmers to quickly plant rice so that it can be harvested before the monsoon season in August when flooding is expected. To assist farmers the RID will commence increased water distribution to farmers in the upper Chao Phraya River to assist in achieving the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MAC) rice planting programme goal, which aims for 15.95 million rai (2.552 million hectare/ 6.306 million acre) of rice being planted.

• Continuous rainfall over recent weeks has seen the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) warn business operators, residents, and farmers along the lower Chao Phraya River to prepare for a water run off surge which will likely result in flooding.

• The Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) has hosted a delegation from Lao PDR led by Deputy Minister for Defense, Major General Suwon Luangbunmi, during which discussions were held on a range of topics including education, training and development of joint border measures, and military cooperation.

• Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization (CPAO) and local Pattaya administrative organization say they are prepared to host the Asean International Fleet Review 2017 between November 13 and 22 in Pattaya as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

• Thailand’s Ministry of Energy (MoE) is to participate in Astana Expo 2017 in the Republic of Kazakhstan between June 10 and September 10 this year. Dedicated to the topic of ‘future energy’, the MoE plans to promote Thaland as the land of energy crops for developing bio energy products. More than five million people are expected to attend Astana Expo 2017, with the Thailand pavilion expecting some 500,000 visitors.

• and 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. AEC News Today publishes Thailand English-language News M-F.