Thailand Morning News For October 10

Thailand’s junta backflips on election promise after Donald Trump joint statement
Coup leader and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has “clarified” a joint statement he made with US President Donald Trump that a long-awaited election would be held next year. It won’t.
— ABC

Aviation red flag removed against Thailand, airline shares jump
The U.N. International Civil Aviation Organization has removed a red flag against Thailand over safety concerns, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said on Monday, sending shares in Thai airlines sharply higher.
— Reuters

Customs Department explains new working plans under new Customs Act
The Customs Department has organized a forum to explain how it will operate and to hear public opinion about the new Customs Act.
— NNT

River residents warned of impending flooding
THE GOVERNMENT has warned people living along the Chao Phraya and Chi rivers of impending flooding, as 19 dams in their regions are already filled to more than 80-per-cent capacity and the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) will release more water to prepare for further rainfall.
— The Nation

CDC chief tips political ban end
The ban on political parties that has been in effect since shortly after the May 2014 coup could be lifted in a few days, according to Constitution Drafting Committee Chairman Meechai Ruchupan.
— Bangkok Post

Agriculture Ministry ready to adopt new law on palm oil industry
The Ministry of Agriculture is waiting to adopt a new law, which will put in place a system for the country to manage palm oil as well as oil palm businesses.
— NNT

Businesses conned by lure of Mon megaprojects
About 10 business operators testified to the Department of Special Investigation in Bangkok on Monday that they were conned into investing about 300 million baht in several bogus projects in the Mon State of Myanmar.
— Bangkok Post

Jail terms for three officials in Phuket land encroachment case
The Criminal Court on Monday handed down prison sentences to all three surviving offenders in the Phuket land-corruption case, while the Land Department was ordered to revoke the land deed at issue in the case.
— Phuket Gazette

PTT signs on to cooperate with Russian oil company
National oil and gas conglomerate PTT Plc has joined hands with the Russian national oil and gas firm, Gazprom Neft, to cooperate on exploration and production (E&P) of petroleum resources in Russia and other countries.
— Bangkok Post

Government refuses to lift ban on political activities
Political parties were dealt a big blow when Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan dismissed their calls for the lifting of the ban on political activities, saying that there are still several election-related bills which are yet to be enacted.
— Thai PBS

Public health ministry to consider legal action against convenience stores
The Ministry of Public Health will meet tomorrow to consider taking legal action against convenience stores for selling draft beer.
— Thai PBS

PM Prayut says Thailand can become region’s aviation hub
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed confidence that Thailand can become Southeast Asia’s aviation hub, following the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) lifting of the “red flag” status concerning the country’s aviation safety.
— NNT

First batch of Chinese engineers to work in Thailand have passed written tests
The first batch of 77 Chinese engineers who are to work in Thailand on the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project have passed the theoretical tests jointly organized by the Council of Thai Engineers and the Council of Thai Architects in Tien Jin during September 22-25.
— Thai PBS

Dress code announced for royal cremation ceremony participants
The Bureau of the Royal Household has advised the public who will participate in the Royal Cremation on October 26th to dress in black mourning attires.
— NBT World (video)

Phuket enjoys 50,000-tourist boost during Golden Week
Speaking to The Phuket News today, Uthit Limsakul, Deputy Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, declined to estimate how much revenue the Golden Week visitors generated in Phuket during the eight-day holidays
— The Phuket News

Prices rise in lower-end condo segment
The condominium units per square metre in the lower-end segment recorded the highest annual price increase in the third quarter, rising 13.7% because of limited launches in the segment.
— Bangkok Post

Thong Fah shops in all tambons to have EDC machines
The Comptroller General’s Department will send the list of Thong Fah (Blue Flag) shops to Krungthai Bank so that the bank can speed up installing electronic data capture (EDC) machines for all of them, said department director-general Suttirat Rattanachot.
— Thai PBS

Banpu acquires $210m US shale resource
Banpu Plc (Banpu), Thailand’s largest coal miner and trader, has acquired another shale gas resource in the US worth $210 million (7.01 billion baht).
— Bangkok Post

More water to be drained downstream from three major dams in central region
More water is to be released downstream from Chao Phraya, Pasak Cholasit and Ubonrat dams as the Irrigation Department is bracing for anticipated heavy rain during October 12-14 and for the arrival of a new storm.
— Thai PBS

Land, buildings tax scrutinised
Cutting the exemption ceiling for first homes to 20 million baht from 50 million will nearly triple the number of residences subject to the land and buildings tax to 30,000, says Deputy Finance Minister Wisudhi Srisuphan.
— Bangkok Post

Government affirms welfare scheme not giving benefits to big companies
The Thai government has reassured that all companies wishing to participate in the state welfare scheme for low-income earners will receive equal treatment.
— NBT World (video)

Bird’s nest export boost, after China lifts ban
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives aims to boost the export of edible bird’s nests to China, after the Chinese government lifted its five-year suspension of the import of white bird’s nest products.
— 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 October 10 added by John Le Fevre on October 10, 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.