Thailand Morning News For November 30

FPO official: GDP rise of 4% in reach
Thailand’s economic growth is likely to come close to 4% this year after robust momentum continued in October, despite low activity in the month as the country mourned the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, says a key finance official.
— Bangkok Post

Government promises to urgently develop southern provinces
The government has vowed to make its budget bear fruit for people within one year and expedite development in all areas.
— NBT World (video)

State firms to spend 52%more in 2018
STATE ENTERPRISES will jack up their investments for next year by 52 per cent to Bt796.34 billion.
— The Nation (annoying popup ads)

Narathiwat floods – more rain and winds predicted for Phuket Thursday
Narathiwat’s provincial administration on Wednesday declared all 13 districts of the southern border province as flood disaster zones after torrential rains continued since Tuesday.
— Phuket Gazette

Cabinet approves construction of water pipeline connected to Ko Samui
The Cabinet has given the green light to the extension of a water pipeline under the sea from the mainland to Ko Samui.
— NBT World (video)

Thailand invests in facilities to raise border trade with Myanmar
At the seventh Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference in Hong Kong last week, Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Thailand’s Minister for Transport, said that Thailand is in the process of developing a deep-sea port in Laem Chabang and that the three ports – Laem Chabang Port, Map Ta Phut Port and Sattahip Port – will be connected via railway.
— Myanmar Times

Legislators back down over publishing politicians’ complete assets
AFTER EXTENSIVE criticism, legislators have backtracked and amended the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) organic bill, stipulating that the agency publish complete information regarding the assets and liabilities of political office holders as well as high-ranking officials, including the Constitutional Court judges, said charter drafter Pattara Khampitak yesterday.
— The Nation (annoying popup ads)

New drug bill ‘discrimates against users’
Civic groups have called on the government to respect the rights of drug addicts who, despite attempts to treat them as patients, in their view still face discrimination in a bill on narcotics control.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand’s Wind Energy Holdings gets $1.14 billion financing
Thailand’s Wind Energy Holdings Co Ltd said on Wednesday it received 37 billion baht ($1.14 billion) from Siam Commercial Bank to fund five onshore wind farms with a total capacity of 450 megawatts (MW).
— Reuters

Unemployment rate rises 1.3% in October
THE NUMBER of jobless rose 1.3 per cent year on year to 481,000 in October, the National Statistics Office Thailand (NSO) reported.
— The Nation (annoying popup ads)

5G, OTT serve to wed telecom and media
As 5G and the possibility of high-quality OTT video streaming come to the fore, the links between telecom and media are set to tighten.
— Bangkok Post

Bangkok area to see condo supply growth
The Greater Bangkok residential condominium market will continue growing with strong demand in locations near mass transit lines, driving supply in Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan provinces, says property…
— Bangkok Post

TTM cries foul over unfair excise tax on local cigarettes
Thailand Tobacco Monopoly (TTM) is asking the government to revise its excise tax on local tobacco saying it could lead to the dominance of foreign brands in the local market.
— Thai PBS

New app launched to allow people to report websites
The Safe and Creative Media Development Fund (SCF) has launched the mobile application ‘Media Watch’ to allow people to report inappropriate websites to the authorities.
— NBT World (video)

Bt50 bn expected in sales at motor expo this year
A LARGE number of new models along with attractive sales promotions at this year’s Thailand International Motor Expo are expected to further drive the Thai automobile industry to a full recovery.
— The Nation (annoying popup ads)

Ban on import of cattle and goats from Myanmar to pre-empt spread of anthrax
The Livestock Department has imposed an import ban on cattle and goats as well as their meat from Myanmar after it was confirmed that a man who was admitted to the Mae Sot district hospital in Tak province for medical treatment after eating goat meat was confirmed to be infected with anthrax.
— Thai PBS

Monk faces child indecency rap
A senior monk in Phetchabun implicated in the temple fund embezzlement scandal was arrested Wednesday at his temple in Chon Daen district for alleged child indecency, according to the Crime Suppression Division (CSD).
— Bangkok Post

About 100 Cambodians arrested in two days for illegal logging
Officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation have rounded up about 100 illegal migrant workers from Cambodia allegedly hired by a Thai financier to poach the highly-priced Siamese rosewood or Payoong trees in Tap Larn national park in Korn Buri district of Nakhon Ratchasima.
— Thai PBS

Phuket lifeguard contract fails to draw any bids
The Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO, or OrBorJor) today announced via its phuketcity.org website that no bids had been received for the tender to provide essential lifeguard services on Phuket’s beaches.
— NBT World (video)

Two American tourists fined in Thailand for ‘butt selfie’ at temple
Thai authorities have fined two American tourists for public indecency for posing for a “butt selfie” in front of a famous Buddhist temple, police said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

Anthrax not spreading from person to person: DDC
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has assured that anthrax does not spread from person to person and that the disease is preventable and curable.
— NNT

Chiang Rai to host 5th Amazing 10 Tribes of Maesai event
Chiang Rai has geared up to host the 5th Amazing 10 Tribes of Maesai event this December 8 to 12.
— NNT

Royal Cremation exhibition extended to Dec 31
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun has given permission for the exhibition of the Royal Crematorium at Sanam Luang to be extended to Dec 31, according to the Prime Minister’s Office announcement.
— Thai PBS

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 November 30 added by John Le Fevre on November 30, 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.