Thai GDP to outperform previous expectations
Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) this year is now expected to beat an earlier forecast of 3.6 percent growth due to positive economic indicators during the second quarter.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand ‘preparing to receive’ those fleeing Myanmar violence
Thailand is preparing to receive people fleeing fighting in Myanmar and send them back “when they are ready”, the prime minister said on Tuesday, following a series of attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents on Myanmar security forces last week.
— Reuters
Thailand Cements Status as ASEAN Regional Logistics Hub
Thailand Board of Investment’s New York office announces the country was recently ranked third in the ASEAN region on the 2016 Logistics Performance Index, the World Bank’s international ranking of trade logistics and infrastructure around the world.
— PRWeb
UNESCO to support STEM education for women
UNESCO is supporting STEM education for women, following reports of only 35 percent of women take part in STEM programs.
— NBT World (video)
Cabinet OKs welfare cards for the registered poor
The cabinet on Tuesday (Aug 29) approved the Pracharat Welfare Programme under which the country’s 11.67 million registered poor people can use their “welfare cards” issued by the government to buy goods and services at discount prices.
— Thai PBS
New tax worries private players
The private sector remains concerned about a draft bill on the land and buildings tax, particularly about a provision that lets local authorities handle price appraisals, which may result in inconsistent treatment.
— Bangkok Post
Cabinet approves more economic proposals for low-income earners, robotics research
The Cabinet has approved more economic measures to support low-income earners and businesses that invest in the development of robotics.
— NNT
Regime names experts for strategy panel
Veteran figures are strongly represented among the 12 newly-appointed experts to work with top military figures in the 34-member national strategy committee.
— Bangkok Post
PM Prayut follows up on development of Sa Kaeo’s special economic zone
The Prime Minister has been following up on progress in the development of a special economic zone in northeastern Sa Kaeo Province.
— NNT
Pattaya employees warned about corruption
Pattaya employees were warned about the consequences of corruption during a briefing by the Anti-Money Laundering Office.
— Pattaya Mail
A year after referendum, only bad news about Thailand’s constitution
In the referendum of 7 August 2016, Thais voted in favour of the junta-backed constitution draft that would later would become the 2017 Constitution. The referendum marked a victory for the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO, the official term for the junta), the generals having finally managed to convince the majority of Thais to overlook the democratic activists who opposed its “democratic” roadmap.
— New Mandala
EA to build charging stations
A SET-listed renewable energy firm, Energy Absolute Plc (EA), has announced plans to develop and operate charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) for the first time in Thailand, allotting 600 million baht to set up charging stations nationwide over the next few years.
— Bangkok Post
Personal debt still hampers spending
Even though household debt has been quite stable, massive leverage will continue to weigh on economic growth over the next few years, warns a high-ranking official at the Bank of Thailand.
— Bangkok Post
Agriculture Min stepping up aid for farmers in debt
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has resolved to step up measures to aid farmers struggling with debt after the latest figures showed as many as 460,000 are contending with the issue.
— NNT
NACC probing G2G rice and tapioca deals
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is set to file charges of graft concerning past G-2-G rice saleS and G-2-G tapioca salS.
— NNT
Social Security Office Welfare covers medical treatment for cancer patients
The Social Security Office has confirmed patients of all diseases have the right to treatment and receive medication according to medical opinions. However, the social security does not cover experimental treatments.
— NBT World (video)
Envy apples to headline at Thailand’s Elle Fashion Week 2017
Envy apples are set to headline Elle Fashion Week 2017 from 30 August to 3 September in Bangkok. Now the apple has become the official drink and snack of Elle Fashion Week.
— Fresh Plaza
Chiang Rai praised for hazardous waste management
Director-General of the Pollution Control Department Chatuphon Burutphat has commended Chiang Rai province for efficiently managing hazardous waste in communities. The province is now regarded as a model of hazardous waste management.
— NBT World (video)
Government discusses increasing export target after outperforming original goal
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has held a meeting with the Ministry of Commerce to discuss raising the country’s export target to further stimulate trade activity for Thai businesses.
— NBT World (video)
Central Lab Thai & OSMEP offer free product inspections for SMEs
Central Laboratory Thailand and the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP) have unveiled a quality inspection program for SMEs, offering 6,000 vouchers for free quality inspections.
— NBT World (video)
Army chief says Thaksin was behind Yingluck’s escape
Army Commander-in-chief Gen Chalermchai Sitthisad said Tuesday (Aug 29) that fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the escape of his younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra.
— Thai PBS
Royal Thai Police seeks help from Interpol to find former PM Yingluck
The Royal Thai Police is now seeking help from the International Police Organization or Interpol to find the whereabouts of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand’s Buddhism chief removed after pressure from religious groups
Thailand’s junta has removed the head of the national Buddhism office, the prime minister said on Tuesday, after religious groups called on the government to sack him over his plans to clean up scandal-hit monasteries.
— Reuters
Power cables on Phahonyothin road will be moved underground by Sept
A project to move power and utility cables underground on Phahonyothin road in Bangkok has progressed by more than 50%. It is expected to be completed in September this year.
— NNT
Thailand has no plan to revoke passports of former PM Yingluck, minister says
Thailand has no immediate plan to revoke the passports of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the foreign minister said on Tuesday, after she fled the country last week ahead of a court verdict in a negligence case.
— Channel NewsAsia
Finance to rescreen low income earners
The Finance Ministry will re-verify qualifications of all low-income earners registering for state welfare as 6,600 of them were found to have held higher education degrees.
— Thai PBS
Highway Dept ready to implement 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge border control facilities construction project
The Department of Highways is ready to begin constructions for the border control facilities at the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to promote the Special Economic Zone in Mae Sot district, Tak province.
— NNT
More commemorative coins in honor of late King to be minted
The Treasury Department has announced the production of additional commemorative coins marking His Majesty the late King’s cremation. The new batch will be available for reservation from September 18 onwards.
— NBT World (video)
Feature photo Asian Development Bank
Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).
Thailand morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Thailand news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.
John Le Fevre
He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.
He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.
In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.
Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.
In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.
Latest posts by John Le Fevre (see all)
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 26 — 16 mln case barrier breached, Vietnam records community transmission – July 26, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 25 — new high for daily infections, 16 mln infection barrier to break today – July 25, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020