Thailand Morning News For March 27

Rabies vaccine supplies run low as infections creep up
More cases of rabies infections in dogs have been found in Buri Ram and Nakhon Ratchasima, while vaccine supplies are reportedly running low.
— Bangkok Post

Merger of Grab and Uber drive monopoly, pricing concerns
The merger between Grab and Uber is driving market concentration to monopoly levels, underlying the urgency of regulations that legalise and keep in check ride-sharing service in Thailand, say industry and research analysts.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand to consider opening some service businesses to more foreign investment: Report
Thailand is considering opening some businesses in the service industry to more foreign investment, the Bangkok Post reported on Monday (March 26).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

PM expresses concern over current situation
The Prime Minister has given his personal affirmation that the government and the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) wish to see the nation transition to democratic government, asking Thai society do what is needed towards achieving the goal.
— NNT

General election could be invalidated, predicts former election commissioner
The recently-dismissed election commissioner has said that the upcoming general election might be invalidated due to legal ambiguity and conflicts of authority between the junta the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT).
— Prachatai English

Ministry of Labor opens online registration for migrant workers
BANGKOK, 26th March 2018 (NNT) – The Ministry of Labor has opened an online channel for migrant workers in Thailand to register via the Department of Employment’s website at www.doe.go.th.
— NNT

Thailand likely to see full 5G within 4 years, Huawei says
THAILAND is expected to see a full commercial 5G wireless broadband service in place within the next four years, by which time the ecosystem is expected to have been put in place, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) managing director Qiang Hua said yesterday.
— The Nation

Lawsuits sought against 25 people for alleged share-price manipulation
THE SECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has asked the public prosecutor to file lawsuits against 25 people accused of manipulating the share prices of six listed securities, and demanded that the wrongdoers pay fines totalling Bt890.8 million.
— The Nation

Contract with Thailand on Oplot tanks supply completed – Ukroboronprom director general
The contract for supplying Oplot-T tanks to the Kingdom of Thailand has been successfully completed, Ukroboronprom Director General Pavlo Bukin has said.
— Interfax – Ukraine

Motorbike CO2 tax ‘not aimed at profit’
The planned tax on motorcycles and oil that is to be based on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions exceeding the maximum threshold is not aimed at making profits, but rather for environmental purposes, purposes, says the Excise Department.
— Bangkok Post

All migrant workers registration centers to be closed after 31 March 2018
One Stop Service (OSS) centers for the registration of migrant workers are operating on the final week for some 800,000 workers so far, said Labor Minister Adul Saengsingkaew.
— NNT

Thailand confirms cooperation with Indonesia to fight illegal fishing
The Thai Prime Minister and Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs have met to discuss bilateral cooperation in various areas, including the suppression of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
— NNT

Thailand Number 14 in road accident ratings. Which is the most dangerous country on the roads?
Compiling data from the World Health Organisation, World Bank and UNESCO, here is the latest ranking for road deaths around the world. Of course the situation changes every day but Thailand is in very poor company indeed with countries having a rate of more than 30 deaths per 100,000 people from road accidents.
— The Thaiger

Thailand can ignore the Rohingya crisis no longer
With no current movement on any level, the country closest to Myanmar should be taking the lead
— The Nation

Premchai protest march likely
Renowned conservationist Sasin Chalermlarp, chairman of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation, is organising a march for people for people to urge the judicial system to act without bias when dealing with the poaching allegations against Premchai Karnasuta.
— Bangkok Post

Wildlife damage in Premchai case ‘worth Bt12.75m’
THE NATIONAL Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has assessed the damage allegedly caused by construction magnate Premchai Karnasuta and three other suspects to the ecology of Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary to be worth Bt12.75 million, a source said yesterday.
— The Nation

Civic groups to demand further suspension of housing project for judges in Chiang Mai
Representatives of 15 civic groups in Chiang Mai will meet with commander of the 33rd army circle Maj-Gen Sathit Srisuwan tomorrow (Tuesday) asking him to extend the suspension of construction of the housing project for judges at the foot of Doi Suthep mountain.
— Thai PBS

All eyes on Big C pickups
Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong says authorities have been monitoring Big C’s mobile grocery stores and the government looks set to exercise two laws to ensure fair trade.
— Bangkok Post

Groups want heads of all EC members
Political groups want all four remaining election commissioners to quit.
— BangkokPost

Thai woman rescued from forced prostitution in Bahrain
A THAI WOMAN has been rescued from forced prostitution in Bahrain, a deputy chief of the police’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division said yesterday.
— The Nation

Thai court orders Andy Hall to pay damages to fruit company
A Bangkok court has ordered a British labour activist to pay damages to a Finnish fruit company. The verdict has sabotaged attempts to expose human rights violations in Thailand, said a human rights organisation.
— Prachatai English

Anti-graft organization demands updated reports on Gen Prawit’s wristwatches and Pol Gen Somyot’s 300 million baht “borrowed” money
The Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand on Monday submitted an open letter to the chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) chairman Pol Gen Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit asking for a progress report about the investigation into two controversial cases concerning Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and former national police chief, Pol Gen Somyot Poompunmuang.
— Thai PBS

Gas-fuelled buses ready to roll on five Bangkok routes
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) will begin using 100 natural gas for vehicle (NGV) buses Tuesday on five routes in the capital, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith says.
— Bangkok Post
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1435566/gas-fuelled-buses-ready-to-roll-on-five-bangkok-routes

Thailand’s Red Bull rival Carabao slumps weighed down by overseas expansion
The onetime top soft-drink stock in the world is now the industry’s worst-performing equity.
— DealStreetAsia

Mrs Rojana Sinthee to face money laundering charge
Money laundering charge will be brought against Mrs Rojana Sinthee, a C8-level education official, accused of allegedly embezzling over 88 million baht from Sema Pattana Chewit Fund for poor students.
— Thai PBS

DLT steps up measures against taxi drivers with out-dated vehicles
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has stepped up measures against taxi drivers using vehicles more than nine years old, after it found that more than 360 drivers have been violating the code in this manner.
— NNT

Unionists to report labour dispute with General Motors to UN
The General Motors Thailand has allegedly violated labour rights by pressuring its unwanted workers to resign, said a labour activist.
— Prachatai English

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 March 27 added by John Le Fevre on March 27, 2018
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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.