Thailand Morning News For May 24

Charoen Pokphand Sets Aside Rp 1.1t for Capex, Acquires 7-Eleven
Charoen Pokphand Indonesia, a local unit of the Thai conglomerate, has set aside Rp 1.1 trillion — around $82.5 million — for capital expenditure this year to add production facilities and repair maintenance utilities, the company’s president director said on Tuesday (23/05).
– Jakarta Globe

Telenor’s Thai subsidiary dtac selected preferred partner on TOT’s 2300 MHz spectrum
Thailand’s state enterprise TOT has today announced that Telenor’s Thai subsidiary dtac has been selected as the preferred partner for 4G services on TOT’s 2300 MHz spectrum.
– Nasdaq/ GlobalNewswire

50,000 DEFAMATION SUITS MAY BE DROPPED WEDNESDAY
The lead author of the revised Computer Crime Act and a public prosecutor said Tuesday that the law can no longer be used as a tool for defamation lawsuits, and all those filed under it must be dismissed.
– Khaosod English

Thailand to speed investment approvals in ambitious development plan
Thailand’s junta will invoke a constitutional provision this week to help speed investment approvals in an ambitious US$44-billion effort to develop the country’s industrial east, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.
– The Edge Markets/ Reuters

Thailand tourism generates 840 billion Baht in first four months
Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has released figures showing that during the first four months of this year, 12 million visitors came to Thailand spending around 620 billion Baht, an increase of 4.71 per cent when compared with the same period in 2016.
– TAT News

3 years on, the junta is ‘stable, prosperous and sustainable’: iLaw
A government watchdog has evaluated Thailand’s junta as ‘stable, prosperous and sustainable’ on the third anniversary of the last coup, warning that elections will not be enough to dismantle the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
– Prachatai English

RID accelerates water management plan due to higher rainfall
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has indicated that while rains this year have not exceeded standard levels, they are still the highest amount seen in the past 5 years and encouraged rice farmers to quickly plant their crops so that they can be harvested ahead of the monsoon in August.
– NBT World (VDO)

Section 44 invoked to speed up EEC plan
The cabinet and the National Council for Peace and Order on Tuesday agreed to allow Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to invoke Section 44 of the interim constitution to bypass legal redtape in order to speed up the implementation of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) plan.
– Thai PBS

Treasury development projects still on schedule
The Treasury Department’s three large projects with total investment worth 33.8 billion baht remain on track, says its outgoing chief.
– Bangkok Post

One Stop Service website for doing business to be set up
The strategic governance commission has given its approval to the development of a complete business facilitation system within the next 3 months with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to devote 4 billion baht to the project.
– NBT World (VDO)

FTI, CGD agree to link websites to facilitate public procurement
An agreement has been inked between the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Comptroller General’s Department (CGD) to link their online databases as a way of helping the public sector access a wider range of products.
– NNT

Energy Absolute Plots Asian Project Rivaling Musk’s Gigafactory
A little-known company from Thailand with grand ambitions in clean energy wants to take on Tesla Inc. at its own game.
– Bloomberg

Steelworkers, machinists upset with Harley-Davidson about plans for Thailand plant
Harley-Davidson Inc.’s plans to operate a motorcycle assembly plant in Thailand are drawing strong criticism from labor unions, although Harley says the plant won’t result in any U.S. job losses
– Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel (VDO)

Fraudulent agents prompt tighter controls in Thailand
Following a recent series of travel scams and agent malpractice that made the national headlines, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) warns that it will impose further penalties on errant agents in the country.
– TTG Asia

Police spend 28 million baht to target viewers of lèse majesté content
The authorities have reportedly spent 28.4 million baht on a computer programme that targets viewers of lèse majesté content.
– Prachatai English

Thailand to boost security after hospital bombing
Thailand’s foreign ministry yesterday reassured the international community that the country would increase security at sensitive locations a day after a bomb exploded at a hospital in Bangkok, as investigators continue to search for clues to the perpetrators.
– Today

Fears for Web self-censorship aired
SELF-CENSORSHIP of social media and other online content is feared as a result of new regulations under the amended computer-related crime law, according to critics.
– The Nation

Govt will launch free accounting software for SMEs
The Ministry of Commerce and five other organizations have collaborated to develop an accounting software for SMEs in an effort to help turn them to be “Smart SMEs.”
– NNT

Dusit International pivots toward China with Dossen deal
Thai hospitality company Dusit International has inked a deal to bring its DusitPrincess brand to the China market.
– TravelMole

800 rai of park land reclaimed
Authorities have reclaimed over 800 rai of national park land allegedly encroached on by resort operators as well as seizing 184 buildings for inspection and detaining 34 suspects in a series of crackdowns over the last month.
– Bangkok Post

Chanchao shunted over to PM’s Office
Permanent secretary for justice Chanchao Chaiyanukit has been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Office amid speculation his remarks highlighting the ministry’s budget crunch, implying internal mismanagement, have upset the government.
– Bangkok Post

ITEL leans on fibre optic to hike revenue
MAI-listed Interlink Telecom (ITEL) expects revenue growth to exceed 20% in 2017 as growing fibre cable network deployment spurs local demand.
– Bangkok Post

Thailand: Army Secretly Detains 14-Year-Old
Thai authorities should immediately end the incommunicado military detention of a 14-year-old boy and three others for allegedly “insulting the monarchy,” Human Rights Watch said today. Abhisit Chailee, 14, has been detained since May 15, 2017 without any effective safeguards against abuse or mistreatment.
– Human Rights Watch

NBTC asks AIC to block illegal posts
In a renewed attempt to block posts on the social media which are deemed illegal and improper following the failure to convince Facebook to do so, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Communication has sought cooperation from Asia Internet Coalition.
– Thai PBS

Far fewer Brits, more strife
FIGURES revealed by the British government show a huge drop in the number of visitors to Thailand in recent years but a massive rise in arrests here, especially for drugs. The conclusion is clear that the criticism of Brits behaving badly in Thailand is an increasingly observable fact.
– The Nation

Central provinces below dam brace for swelling of Chao Phraya
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has warned provinces in the Lower Chao Phraya River Basin of possible runoff from upstream areas following continuous rainfall.
– NBT World (VDO)

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Thailand Morning News For May 24 added by John Le Fevre on May 24, 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.