Thailand Morning News For September 28

E-commerce market heading for Bt2.8 trillion this year
THAILAND’S e-commerce market is on track to reach Bt2.8 trillion by the end of this year, a gain of almost 10 per cent from the previous year, according to a government agency monitoring the sector.
— The Nation

ADB forecasts strong economic growth in Asian region
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has forecast that Thailand’s gross domestic product (GDP) will expand by 3.5% this year on the back of strong export figures, while government investment policies are expected to lead to 3.6% GDP growth next year.
— NBT World (video)

Thailand to Kick Start $45 Billion Economic Revamp Before Polls
Thailand’s military government is looking to start construction of projects under a 1.5 trillion baht ($45 billion) investment plan before the country’s possible return to democracy late next year.
— Bloomberg

Benchmark interest rate kept at 1.5 percent for the 19th time
The Bank of Thailand’s Monetary Policy Committee on Wednesday unanimously decided to retain the benchmark interest rate at 1.5 percent.
— Thai PBS

Mekong clearance will destroy ‘a few islets’
A Chinese firm commissioned to conduct a survey of the Mekong River has insisted only a few islets and reefs in international waters will be blasted so large cargo ships can navigate their way through in the dry season.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand urged to help Rohingya and avert new wave of boatpeople
Thailand faced mounting calls on Thursday to stop pushing migrants back out to sea amid fears an exodus of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar could spark a new wave of boatpeople.
— Reuters

Land seizures set for train projects ease
The cabinet has approved in principle six draft announcements by the Prime Minister’s Office concerning expropriation of land for three electric train projects.
— Bangkok Post

Thai former PM Yingluck gets five-year jail term for negligence
Thailand’s ousted former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was handed a five-year prison sentence on Wednesday after the country’s highest court found her guilty of negligence in the management of a rice subsidy scheme.
— Reuters

Macau company in tie-up with Thai firm on $300 mln initial coin offering
A Macau company and Thailand-based firm are looking to raise more than $300 million through what would be the world’s largest initial coin offering (ICO), according to a document reviewed by Reuters, to fund the construction of a floating casino hotel.
— Reuters

Finance to locate Yingluck’s hidden assets
The Finance Ministry will continue to locate the remaining hidden properties of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and submit its findings to the Legal Execution Department to carry out the seizure.
— Thai PBS

Officials look to future after slight rise in competitiveness
Thailand is hopeful of securing a higher world competitiveness ranking next year after rising two spots in this year’s listing by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
— Thai PBS

Apple starts recruiting staff for Bangkok shop
Apple Thailand on Wednesday started recruitment for 13 positions at the first Apple Store in the country, which will open in Bangkok soon.
— The Nation

Big banks unfazed by new capital rules
THE COUNTRY’S big commercial banks say they are confident the Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) new capital requirements will not affect their operations.
— The Nation

BoT launches measure to regulate 5 major banks
The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has issued a measure to increase the tier 1 capital ratio of five commercial banks. The BoT confirmed these banks are not high-risk financial institutions.
— NBT World (video)

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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 28 added by John Le Fevre on September 28, 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.