Thailand morning news for October 1

AOT asked to reconsider Suvarnabhumi Airport expansion plan
he Council of Engineers of Thailand has called on the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) to rethink its Suvarnabhumi Airport expansion plan.
— Pattaya Mail/ NNT

Four ministers from Thailand’s military government launch new party ahead of polls
Four ministers from Thailand’s military government launched a new political party on Saturday, amid speculation they will back Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to remain in power beyond a general election promised by May.
— Reuters

Poll shows over 60 % doubt they will have good MPs after election
More than 60 percent of respondents in an opinion poll are not confident that the upcoming election will produce good members of the parliament while 73.6 percent want politicians who are concerned about the well-being of the people to get elected and form the next government.
— Thai PBS World

Innovation agency plans major push for startups
THE NATIONAL Innovation Agency aims to transform Thailand into what it calls the Startup Global Platform of Asia within the next three years. The agency expects Thailand to have at least 1,000 startups and more than 5,000 high-tech experts.
— The Nation

Wissanu: No law can require Gen Prayut to resign as NCPO chief
Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs Wissanu Krea-ngam has confirmed that Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is not obligated to step down as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
— NNT

Did Prayut just checkmate the opposition?
Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha finally gave the clearest hint recently that he was eyeing a public role for himself after the election promised next year.
— The Asean Post

BOT: Thai economy performs well in August
The Bank of Thailand has issued a report on the Economic and Monetary Conditions in August 2018, saying that the Thai economy continued to gain further traction from both domestic and external demand.
— NNT

Reskilling urged to shore up jobs as AI sweeps in
INTERVENTION by the government is needed as the labour market heads toward major job losses due to recent and future waves of technological innovation, a recent seminar has heard.
— The Nation

Court orders PTTGC payout to fishermen
The Rayong provincial court on Friday ordered PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTTGC) to pay compensation of 90,000 baht each to 429 fishermen affected by an oil spill in 2013.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand Prepares to Assume the ASEAN Chairmanship
“Thailand aims to advance a truly people-centred ASEAN Community with all 10 members moving forward together and leaving no one behind,” said Busadee Santipitaks, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Premier stepping into THAI turnaround plan
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is taking part in a plan to help Thai Airways International (THAI) recover from years of losses.
— Bangkok Post

PM stresses importance of digital technology
The government has stressed the need to accelerate the use of digital technology as a major mechanism in mobilizing national development.
— NNT

DPM Prawit: TCSD’s performance shows 90% success
The Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs has said that the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) has scored a 90% success in combating cybercrime.
— News Today (video)

Govt: State welfare cards help stimulate economy
The government has declared the success of the state welfare card program following its generation of more than 100 billion baht within the economy.
— NNT

Transport ministry plans cleaner marine gas stations
The Transport Ministry plans to open liquefied natural gas (LNG) stations along the eastern seaboard for vessels using clean energy, according to Pailin Chuchottaworn, deputy transport minister.
— Bangkok Post

BOI supports two big project concession grantees
The BOI board has approved in principle two large concession projects, supporting the auction winners for the U-Tapao International Airport Project and Digital Park Project.
— NNT

Naver, Kakao and KT vie to launch cryptocurrencies
Naver’s Line messenger, which is strong in Thailand and Indonesia; Korean messenger giant Kakao and mobile carrier KT vie to launch cryptocurrencies
— The Nation

Office of National Reform, National Strategy and Harmonization established
The government has established the Office of National Reform, National Strategy and Harmonization to integrate information, and increase efficiency in government policy implementation.
— News Today (video)

Bangkok maintains position as top international destination
For the fifth time, Mastercard has named Thailand the most popular international destination in the world.
— NNT

BoT sees export peak this month, maintains forecast
The Bank of Thailand estimates that the country’s export value will peak at US$23 billion this month and help export growth reach 9% this year.
— Bangkok Post

Govt pressed for new law on marijuana and kratom
ACADEMICS and medical practitioners are pushing for swift legislative reform to legalise the medical use of marijuana and kratom, saying current laws are infringing on people’s rights.
— The Nation

Analyst: Mortgage concerns not urgent
Risks from overextended mortgage lending, which has the Bank of Thailand concerned, will not lead to the kind of systematic risk that snowballed into the Asian financial crisis in 1997, given that the majority of presales are real demand, says Kasikorn Research Center (K-Research).
— Bangkok Post

CJ Logistics plans Thai expansion
CJ LOGISTICS, the sector leader in South Korea, aims to be the leader in logistics in Thailand by 2020, the company’s managing director, Chung Chan Kyo, said.
— The Nation

Warning of Chikungunya fever risks
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has warned the general public, especially those in the southern region, to be cautious of Chikungunya fever risk during the rainy season.
— NNT

Top Democrats meet to discuss leader vote
The Democrat Party will announce its official party leader for the upcoming general election on Nov 11, after it conducts the first ever primary vote in its 72-year history next month.
— Bangkok Post

Junta reins in lese majeste
THE COUNTRY saw the most aggressive enforcement of the lese majeste law after the junta came to power in 2014, but current trends point to an unprecedented relaxation, according to iLaw.
— The Nation

BAAC positive about scheme
Even though a mere 500,000 farmers have joined the government’s three-year debt repayment extension scheme, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) believes 80-90% of the 3.81 million qualified farmers will participate by the time the registration period ends in December.
— Bangkok Post

Chinese tourist’s death at Hat Yai waterfall under murder investigation
An investigation into the mysterious death of a Chinese woman at Ton Nga Chang waterfall in Hat Yai has come under a murder investigation.
— Pattaya Mail

Police dispatch officials at Don Mueang International Airport welcoming Chinese Tourists
The Tourist Police Bureau has dispatched a team of officers to facilitate passengers at Don Mueang International Airport, as more Chinese tourist arrivals are expected.
— NNT

NIA’s 3-point plan to spark startup nation
The National Innovation Agency (NIA) has outlined three strategies to help Thailand become a startup nation by positioning it as an Asean hub for expansion.
— Bangkok Post

Government hails Thailand’s improved ranking on healthcare efficiency index
The Thai government says the country’s healthcare system has significantly improved, citing an annual Bloomberg analysis.
— News Today (video)

Director and security chief of Don Mueang airport suspended over assault against Chinese tourist
Director of Don Mueang international airport and its the director for security were on Saturday suspended from active duty for 30 days pending an investigation into an incident at the airport in which Chinese tourist was assaulted by a security guard on Thursday night.
— NNT

Chulalongkorn Hospital’s charity concert earns THB 3.9 mil.
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital has held a charity concert to raise funds for children with cancer and blood diseases.
— NNT

Feature photo mattmangum

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges World Habitat Day, October 1.

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 1 added by John Le Fevre on October 1, 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.