Thailand Morning News For September 26

Thailand fetches third place in world tourism revenue
Thailand has attained third place in terms of tourism revenue according to 2016-2017 statistics released by the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
— NBT World (video)

Fitch: Thailand’s New Beverage Excise Tax to Hit Beer Harder
Thailand’s new Excise Tax Act will have a greater impact on local beer producers than domestic spirits producers as the beer market is more competitive and demand is sensitive to prices, says Fitch Ratings.
— Reuters

Central bank probes alleged malpractice by some commercial banks
The Bank of Thailand is investigating to find out whether some commercial banks or their staff are engaged in a malpractice of advising their customers with big cash deposits to avoid paying income tax on bank interests which exceed 40,000 baht.
— Thai PBS

Bangkok-Khorat high speed rail project to break ground in November
The Ministry of Transport expects the construction of the first stretch of the Bangkok – Nakhon Ratchasima high speed rail project to commence in November.
— NNT

BoT steps in on withholding tax
The Bank of Thailand has coordinated with the Finance Ministry on probing a commercial bank that reportedly helps customers avoid paying the compulsory 15% withholding tax deducted from deposit interest income.
— Bangkok Post

Thai budget carrier Nok Air needs to fly leaner fleet
Budget carrier, Nok Airlines Pcl (NOK.BK), part of Thai Airways’ (THAI.BK) low-cost strategy, needs to work on cutting costs and trimming its fleet size as it tries to turn around operations to reach profitability, Vice Chairman Patee Sarasin said on Monday.
— Reuters

National reform process gets started with new regulations
A national reform process has officially commenced with new regulations for all reform commissions to comply to the established guidelines.
— NNT

Siemens touts biomass for Thai climate change goals
GERMAN ENGINEERING giant Siemens will help Thailand attain its renewable energy goals in turning biomass to fuels to comply with the reduction of carbon emissions under the Paris Accord, said Willi Meixner, CEO of its Power and Gas Division.
— The Nation

Heavy rain still grips many provinces
Heavy rains that have caused damage in several provinces will continue in numerous regions of Thailand, according to the Meteorological Department.
— NBT World (video)

Government to help small exporters hurt by baht appreciation
The government has earmarked Bt1.5 billion to help small businesses adversely affected by the baht’s appreciation and to support upgrades to their production facilities.
— The Nation

Government & private agencies jointly hold Myanmar Insight 2017
The Royal Thai Embassy in Yangon and the Thai Business Association of Myanmar (TBAM) have recently co-organized a business seminar in Bangkok to update Thai investors on the new economic policy of Myanmar.
— NBT World (video)

MOPH launches “RDU medicine knowledge” application
Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayathorn witnesses the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a project designed for mobile application development called “RDU medicine knowledge.”
— NBT World (video)

Over 3,000 prison inmates found to have TB
In an examination of inmates at 143 prisons nationwide, carried out jointly by the Disease Control Department and the Corrections Department this year, 3,368 inmates were found to have contracted tuberculosis (TB).
— Thai PBS

DTAC deflects Line Mobile licence criticism
Total Access Communication (DTAC) is shrugging off criticism of its Line Mobile service, saying all of the service’s revenue will be channelled to the company and subject to the same regulatory fees as revenue from its traditional services.
— Bangkok Post

Tak ready for special economic zone
Tak Governor Charoenrit Sa-nguansat has expressed his confidence that bidding in the Tak special economic zone will take place this year.
— NNT

Shareholder lodges complaint with DSI over CTH shutdown
A MINOR shareholder of CTH yesterday filed a complaint with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for the company to be investigated in the wake of a June ruling by the Central Bankruptcy Court that rejected a rehabilitation plan for the cable TV operator and ordered it to enter bankruptcy.
— The Nation

Southern provinces brace for floods from expected heavy rains this week
Several provinces in the South are bracing for floods after the Meteorological Department warned of heavy monsoon rains this week in the southern region.
— Thai PBS

Quality produce will be sold at PTT gas stations nationwide
PTT Public Company Limited and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) have collaborated to sell produce and processed agricultural products at PTT gas and service stations nationwide.
— NNT

Phuket expecting 5 – 7 percent increase in high-season tourists
The Phuket Hotels Association is expecting the number of international direct passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport for the high season of 2017 to 2018 to increase by between 5 per cent and 7 per cent year year-on-year. This, according to Association President Anthony Lark.
— Phuket Gazette

Index keen to reel in Tomorrowland festival
Thailand still has a chance to hold the first Tomorrowland in Asia, though the music festival’s owners earlier denied that the event was coming.
— Bangkok Post

Royal Irrigation Department managing water for farming in dry season
The Royal Irrigation Department is using natural “Monkey’s Cheek” water catchment areas in the Chao Phraya river basin to store water during this rainy period. The water will be discharged for agricultural activities in the coming dry season.
— NBT World (video)

Fire jellyfish washing up on Koh Phi Phi beaches
The chief of Hat Noppharat Thara–Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park warns for swimmers to be aware of the jelly fish around Phi Phi after a lot of them were found washed up on the beaches.
— Phuket Gazette

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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 September 26 added by John Le Fevre on September 26, 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.