Thailand Morning News For November 21

Thai economy records best growth of junta rule
Thailand on Monday (Nov 20) posted its fastest quarter of economic growth in three years of junta rule, a boost for a country that was once Southeast Asia’s economic dynamo but has laboured under years of political upheaval.
— Channel NewsAsia/ AFP/zl

Thailand’s Oct tourist arrivals surge 20.92 pct y/y – ministry
International tourist arrivals in Thailand surged 20.92 percent in October from a year ago, underpinned by visitors from East Asia, the government said on Monday.
— Reuters

For The King: How King Bhumibol’s Cremation Ceremony Attained Perfection (video)
Channel NewsAsia was able to obtain unprecedented access to some of the key people involved in the royal cremation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Take a peak behind the scenes as those involved give their all For The King
— AEC News Today

Business operators confirm Phuket police taking bribes
Business operators in Phuket have gone public to confirm that several businesses have to pay bribes to local police and officials from other agencies to keep their businesses running smoothly.
— The Phuket News

Distressed residents blame govt for flood-retention areas
PEOPLE LIVING in the flood-retention fields of the Chao Phraya River Basin have been trying to carry on with their lives in waters up to four metres deep and have yet to receive compensation while living on handouts for four months.
— The Nation

More rubber farmers detained by military
The military has summoned two key leaders of a rubber farmers association in southern Thailand to a military base.
— Prachatai English

October revenue beats collection goal by B9.2bn
The government got off to a flying start for fiscal 2018, with revenue collection exceeding the target by nearly 10 billion baht in October.
— Bangkok Post

Ex-deputy interior minister Sombat declared unusually rich
Former deputy interior minister Sombat Uthaisang has been declared unusually rich by the National Anti-Corruption Commission after he failed to explain how he amassed 91 million baht worth of his assets.
— Thai PBS

Hotel chains are following the swarm of tourists
Strong tourism growth is boosting foreign and local hotel chains as they expand their portfolios to capitalise on greater numbers of international visitors, giving Thailand some of the highest hotel investment in Asia-Pacific during the first nine months of 2017.
— Bangkok Post

Tourists generate 2.1 trillion baht during first 10 months
The Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports, Pongpanu Svetarundra, said arrivals to Thailand generated tourism revenue of more than 2.1 trillion baht during the first 10 months of 2017.
— NNT

GSB offers occupation loans
The state-owned Government Savings Bank (GSB) is set to offer 10 billion baht in loans, aimed at encouraging the state welfare scheme’s recipients to get jobs and escape poverty.
— Bangkok Post

Labor Ministry to speed up nationality verification service for migrant workers
The Ministry of Labour has ordered its provincial offices to set up nationality verification centers to speed up the service for migrant workers.
— NNT

Fitch Affirms Five Thai State Policy Banks
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings of the following policy banks in Thailand: – Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), – Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM), – Government Housing Bank (GH BANK), – Islamic Bank of Thailand (IBANK), and – Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME BANK).
— Reuters

Fitch Affirms CP ALL’s Ratings at ‘A(tha)’ with Stable Outlook
Fitch Ratings (Thailand) Limited has affirmed retailer CP ALL Public Company Limited’s (CP ALL) National Long-Term Rating at ‘A(tha)’ with a Stable Outlook.
— Reuters

Fitch Affirms Makro’s Rating at ‘A(tha)’; Outlook Stable
Fitch Ratings (Thailand) Limited has affirmed Siam Makro Public Company Limited’s National Long-Term Rating at ‘A(tha)’ with Stable Outlook and National Short-term Rating at ‘F1(tha)’.
— Reuters

Twenty Chinese Uighurs use blankets to escape Thai cell
Twenty ethnic Uighur Muslims from China broke out of a detention center near the Thai-Malaysia border, Thai officials said on Monday, after digging holes in the wall and using blankets as ladders.
— Reuters

20 inmates selected for weapons production training program
Thailand’s Department of Corrections has chosen 20 inmates to take part in its weapons production training program, designed to give them a chance of employment and public service once they complete their sentences.
— NNT

Feature photo John Le Fevre
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.

Thailand Morning News For November 21 added by John Le Fevre on November 21, 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.