Thailand Morning News For July 12

Thailand approves S$7.2b for delayed China rail project
Thailand’s military government on Tuesday (July 11) approved 179 billion baht (S$7.2 billion) to build the first stretch of a high-speed railway that will ultimately link Bangkok to southern China, a massive joint infrastructure project with Beijing that has been dogged by delays.
— The Straits Times

GOVT APPROVES 8.8 BILLION BAHT COMBAT JET DEAL
The military government Tuesday greenlit a plan to buy eight combat aircrafts from South Korea at the price of 8.8 billion baht for training purposes.
— Khaosod English

Thai, Singapore central banks ink fintech cooperation agreement, update MoU on banking supervision
The Bank of Thailand and the Monetary Authority of Singapore on Tuesday signed a FinTech Cooperation Agreement and updated a Memorandum of Understanding on Banking Supervision, according to their joint statement.
— The Nation

Chinese interested in EEC link
China is considering an investment to link Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and Kunming’s special economic zone (SEZ) as the mainland looks to build a consolidated supply chain.
— Bangkok Post

74.2% of budget for fiscal 2017 dished out
State agencies doled out 74.2% of the budget for fiscal 2017 during the nine months to June, adding to signs that the disbursement target of 87% of the 2.73-trillion-baht budget will be achieved.
— Bangkok Post

NATIONAL STRATEGY PLAN WILL RESTRICT ELECTED GOVT, POLITICOS SAY
Politicians from two major parties believe the National Strategy Bill adopted by the junta-appointed parliament on June 22 is a key element in ensuring the military junta will maintain control on major policies over elected governments for the next 20 years.
— Khaosod English

Supachai urges year-end goal on free trade
SUPACHAI PANITCHPAKDI, former director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has called for Asian free-trade negotiations under the so-called Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to be wrapped up by the end of the year – and strike a blow for global trade amid rising protectionism fuelled by isolationist US policies.
— The Nation

FM insists Trump keen on Prayut visit
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai says US President Donald Trump wants to meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, although the meeting date has yet to be set pending preparations from both sides.
— Bangkok Post

CDC confident NLA to accept amended organic law on political parties
The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) has expressed confidence that the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will pass its organic law on political parties after it amended the contentious portion on the primary vote system.
— NNT

TAT eyes B3.1tn in revenue for 2018
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to log 3.1 trillion baht in tourism revenue in 2018 by attracting tourists from second-tier Chinese and European cities and focusing on tourist quality, says governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
— Bangkok Post

Thai seafood giant commits to major fishing reforms
Thai Union, one of the world’s largest seafood conglomerates, said Tuesday it will overhaul its fishing practices to protect against labour abuses and unsustainable trawling, a move hailed by Greenpeace as “huge progress”.
— The Nation

BoT: Baht a lesser influence on exports
The purchasing power of major trade partners and production restructuring to keep up with demand are having larger effects on exports than the baht’s movement, says a senior official at the Bank of Thailand.
— Bangkok Post

BOI confirms more private investment made to meet Thailand 4.0 goal
The Board of Investment of Thailand has confirmed the private sector has been investing more to prepare for the government’s Thailand 4.0 goal.
— NBT World (video)

Deputy city governor inspects construction site of Bangkok Observation Tower
Deputy Bangkok Governor Chakkraphan Phiew-ngarm on Sunday led concerned city officials to inspect a land plot of the Treasury Department in Soi Charoen Nakorn 7 which was designated as the construction site of Bangkok Observation Tower.
— Thai PBS

Bangkok No 1 in Asia for launching a startup: survey
Bangkok is the best city in Asia to launch a startup and No 7 in the world, according to a new survey by PeoplePerHour that took into account the cost of living, rent, monthly salary and general ease or difficulty of starting a new business.
— Bangkok Post

Customs Department tightens checks on oil tanker trucks heading to Laos
The Customs Department has ordered more stringent examinations of oil tanker trucks at the Thai-Lao border after an operator was found attempting to export diesel to Laos instead of benzene as declared.
— NBT World (video)

GHB holding contest to design homes for the elderly
The Government Housing Bank (GHB) has organized a contest to design homes for the elderly to encourage students to design practical homes for that purpose, with prizes consisting of academic scholarships.
— NBT World (video)

Feature photo John Le Fevre
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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.

Thailand Morning News For July 12 added by John Le Fevre on July 12, 2017
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

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.