PM shuns media amidst Facebook kerfuffle
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha abruptly cancelled a press interview session at Government House Thursday, leaving the media confounded as to why the regime said it would host CEO Mark Zuckerberg in Bangkok on Oct 30.
— Bangkok Post
BOI to revise EEC incentives to encourage more investment
The Board of Investment (BOI) is now in the process of revising its investment incentives for the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), as the country continues to see recovery in trade and investment
— NBT World (video)
September exports roar to record high
Exports rose for a seventh straight month in September, surging 12.2% year-on-year to a record-high US$21.8 billion (722.4 trillion baht), as demand increased in all traditional and emerging markets, says Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn.
— Bangkok Post
People living around dams and reservoirs asked to watch out for dam cave-ins or leaks
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has sought help from people living around dams and reservoirs in the Northeast to keep a close watch on them in case some of them may burst or leak due to increasing water pressure.
— Thai PBS
Sukhothai on edge as water breaches bank
Residents in Sukhothai’s Si Satchanalai district are encountering a threat of severe flooding after a massive amount of water burst out of an earthen crest of the Mae Tha Phae reservoir.
— Bangkok Post
Victims of floods can sue, say academics
AUTHORITIES ARE violating their own rules and could be sued for not maintaining irrigation facilities properly and failing to implement a disaster-prevention plan and warning system, academics said.
— The Nation
Salary deductions to begin for student loans
Officials of the Student Loan Fund (SLF) will between November and January show 1,000 employers across the country how to deduct payments for their employees’ school loans.
— The Nation
MOPH warns residents of flood related diseases
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has urged people in flooded areas to take protective measures against flood related diseases, particularly leptospirosis and conjunctivitis.
— NNT
Military prosecutor frees former political prisoner
A prosecutor of the military court has dismissed political charges against a former lèse majesté convict accused of defying the junta’s order.
— Prachatai English
ING optimistic on cross-border activity
Low cost of funds, favourable demographics and growing consumption trends across the region are factors that will continue to boost cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the region, says Michael Niederberger, head of corporate finance and M&A for ING in Asia.
— Bangkok Post
Police charge drone pilot for photographing Air Force airport
A shopping mall’s mechanic accused of flying a drone in the vicinity of the Air Force airport in Bangkok’s Don Muang district and publishing the footage on social media, claimed he merely wanted to record the view – not the airport.
— The Nation
TDRI wants better screening process for social welfare programs
The Thailand Development Research Institute Foundation (TDRI) says social welfare programs need a better screening process to prevent unqualified persons from taking advantage of the government’s assistance.
— NNT
Thailand’s Buddhist monks order reforms ahead of royal transition
Under growing pressure from Thailand’s military government, and their own religious bodies, Buddhist monks have launched a fresh round of reforms in recent weeks to clean up temples and overhaul a religion stalked by scandal.
— Channel NewsAsia / Reuters
Appeals Court sentences Benja Louischaroen to 3 years in jail
The Appeals Court today (Oct 19) upheld a three-year imprisonment sentence on former deputy finance minister Benja Louischaroen for helping Thaksin Shinawatra’s children to evade tax.
— Thai PBS
Police heighten security for flood affected people
Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police Pol.Gen.Sriwarah Rangsipramkul has visited the flood-affected people in Ayutthaya province and instructed the local police officers to provide assistance for all of them.
— NBT World (video)
Commerce Ministry finds low-income earners spending directly aided by welfare cards
A study by the Ministry of Commerce of the purchasing habits of low-income earners has found most of their expenses are related to food and beverage, confirming that the government’s welfare card scheme addresses their needs directly.
— NNT
Government claims flooding not as severe as in 2011
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has affirmed that the currently flooding situation will not be as severe as in 2011 and expects water levels to normalize in a month’s time.
— NBT World (video)
Army defends 15-million-baht toilets and stores at Rajabhakti Park
The army chief has defended the 15-million baht plus spending for the construction of toilets and stores at the Rajabhakti Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district as justified, appropriate and transparent.
— Thai PBS
DSI claim ‘powerful people’ interfering in Krabi land-deed corruption case
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has said local powerful people are behind a delay in revoking an illegal land deed involving forest lands in Krabi.
— Phuket Gazette
Phuket land owners’ refusal to sell stalls U-Turn flyover projects
The construction of two U-turn flyovers on Highway 402 (Thepkrasattri Rd) have halted due to the refusal of land owners to sell 10 meters of land on either side of the road required for the projects.
— The Phuket News
Schedule for the Royal Cremation Ceremony
The Royal Cremation of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is scheduled for 25-29 October 2017.
— Prachatai English
Govt terminates free bus and train rides end of this month
The government will terminate the free bus and train ride scheme end of this month after having been introduced for almost a decade.
— Thai PBS
King maps out funeral etiquette
His Majesty the King has advised volunteers to be polite and exercise restraint in dealing with people who will participate in the royal cremation ceremony next week, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.
— Bangkok Post
Statues of deities at Wat Khao Daeng destroyed
The destruction of statues of various deities has continued at Wat Khao Daeng temple in Muang district of Nakhon Nayok province after a group of people have exploited the people’s belief in sacred objects for personal gains.
— Thai PBS
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.
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John Le Fevre
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.
Latest posts by John Le Fevre (see all)
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 26 — 16 mln case barrier breached, Vietnam records community transmission – July 26, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 25 — new high for daily infections, 16 mln infection barrier to break today – July 25, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020