Thailand morning news for October 23

Almost 11,000 killed on roads so far this year
A MEDICAL student and a 10-year-old girl are among the latest victims of Thailand’s notorious roads after their cars crashed head-on in Si Sa Ket province yesterday morning.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Southeast Asia Has an Investment Boom, Thanks to the Trade War
Southeast Asia is seeing a boom in foreign direct investment as the intensying trade war between the U.S. and China prompts companies to shift production to the region.
— Bloomberg

Somkid unfazed by export snag
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said yesterday he still believes Thailand’s exports will meet the target if the country can earn more than US$20 billion (655 trillion baht) a month in the final three months of they year.
— Bangkok Post

Troubled Thai Airways pursues a perilous expansion
Struggling national carrier Thai Airways International is set to invest 100 billion baht ($3.06 billion) to buy 23 passenger planes, embarking on a risky expansion as it continues to search for a successful reconstructing strategy.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Army at the centre of our vicious circle
What is the point of holding a general election when a military coup is lurking just around the corner?
— Bangkok Post

Govt urged to seriously look into microplastics
The study published in Environmental Science & Technology journal analysed 39 salt brands from 21 countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
— The Star Online

Nation to commemorate Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
Government offices and many businesses will be closed this Tuesday (Oct 23) as the nationa commemorates Chulalongkorn Memorial Day in honour of King Chulalongkorn, also often reffered to as Rama 5.
— The Phuket News

THAI president and two pilots must be sacked
Thai Airways International president Sumet Damrongchaitham has apologised for the behaviour of two THAI pilots who refused take off from Zurich to Bangkok until two first-class passengers were ejected so that off-duty pilots could take their place.
— The Nation

Female DJ accused of dark web cat killing
Animal rights groups are pursuing legal action against a female club DJ who they accuse of brutally killing an adopted kitten for bitcoins.
— The Phuket News

Prawit calls for Thaksin sway probe
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Monday urged the Election Commission (EC) to look into whether fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has control over the affairs of the Pheu Thai Party from abroad, which could result in the party’s dissolution for violating the law on political parties.
— Bangkok Post

Panama backs Kra Canal as right move for Thai growth
BUILDING a channel linking two major seas would boost Thailand’s role in global connectivity, said Panama’s Vice President Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado, whose country has played a similar role for over a century since it opened the Panama Isthmus in 1914.
— The Nation (annoying popups)

Tourism operators press for policy salve
A proposal was floated to exempt visa-on-arrival fees for visitors from 21 countries, including China, as well as offering multiple-entry visas to Chinese travellers to Thailand, but government tourism officials did not see it as an option.
— Bangkok Post

Maya Beach is closed, but stunning views of the Bay can still be enjoyed
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to clarify that while the world famous Maya Beach is closed, stunning views of the Bay can still be enjoyed.
— AEC News Today/PR Newswire (media release)

Phuket lifeguard corruption probe ‘to take six months’
The investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) into alleged corruption in the hiring of a company to provide lifeguards on Phuket’s beaches will take at least 180 days, The Phuket News was told today (Oct 22).
— The Phuket News

Small investors own half of B45bn Thailand Future Fund
The 44.7-billion-baht Thailand Future Fund (TFFIF), an infrastructure fund launched by the government, has drawn overwhelming interest from the public, according to the Finance Ministry.
— Bangkok Post

MUFG, Bank of Ayudhya to offer QR code payment service in Japan
According to the Thai lender, it will connect its existing QR code system to Japan in December to accommodate the growing number of visitors from Thailand, allowing users to scan Thai QR codes with any mobile banking applications at major shopping malls and stores.
— Bangkok Post

Sept exports fall 5.2% y-o-y, first decline in 19 months
That resulted in a trade surplus of 16 billion baht in September, compared with a forecast 53 billion baht surplus, and against August’s 19 billion baht deficit.
— Bangkok Post

THAI union leader slams pilots’ lack of ‘the right spirit’
Thai Airways International labour union president Damrong Waiyakanee has criticised the pilots involved in the controversy over seating entitlements on a Zurich-Bangkok flight, and urged the airline to to use the opportunity to overhaul its operation.
— Bangkok Post

Local gaming venture also satisfies players’ sweet tooth
Thai businessmen, including an heir of the Maleenonts, the major shareholders of Channel 3, have joined with a Japanese businessman to set up a digital entertainment firm to capitalise on the growing gaming market in Thailand.
— Bangkok Post

Aimspire plays bridge role in corporates’ digital shift via tech startups
Tech startups have emerged as a new source of innovation for established enterprises in Thailand when the latters search for new business models and products, according to Orapim Luangon, managing partner of Aimspire Co Ltd.
— The Nation

Developers in final push
Property developers are stepping up their launch schedules in the final quarter of the year with a slew of residential projects worth Bt187.71 billion, ahead of the Bank of Thailand’s (BOT) expected measures to rein in mortgage loan approvals by commercial banks, according to a survey by The Nation.
— The Nation

Minor woos tech disruptors of food
The move is part of Minor Group’s efforts to pave the way for it to scale new heights of success in the next 50 years, with a vision to transform the food retail service in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
— The Nation

The cybersecurity balancing act
The draft cybersecurity bill, which is yet to be completed, is being promoted as an attempt to expand Thailand’s cybersecurity infrastructure, protect national security interests and crack down on cybercrime.
— Bangkok Post

Is Thailand a manipulator?
The Thai economy dodged a bullet last week, and not many people noticed.
— Bangkok Post

Phalang Pracharat and Democrat parties continue activity as Thai Citizen Power Party announces “Female for Bangkok” slogan
The Thai Citizen Power Party has held a major meeting, selecting eight additional party board members and 11 candidate selection committee members.
— NNT

TII aims to build regional operations of Thai firms
Thailand Insurance Institute (TII) plans to help pioneer insurance businesses in neighbouring countries to expand future business opportunities for local insurance companies.
— Bangkok Post

Banks ride on robust export growth
Ten commercial banks last week reported a combined net profit of Bt163.61 billion for the first nine months, representing a 11.44-percent growth from the same period last year, due mainly to the country’s robust export performance and buoyant domestic demand.
— The Nation

PM says World Economic Forum improves Thailand’s standing in competitiveness index
The Prime Minister has expressed satisfaction over Thailand’s improved standing on the World Economic Forum’s 4.0 competitiveness index for 2018, saying the results are a reflection of Thailand’s approach to the 4.0 era.
— NNT

Stormy weather still wreaking havoc across the nation
Heavy rain has continued to cause damage and loss of life in Thailand, with a major landslide reported in Betong, in Yala province.
— NNT

Businesses rip North border crossing rule
Representatives of Chiang Rai’s business community plan to ask the government to ease cross-border travel regulations at a planned mobile cabinet meeting next Monday and Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post

Feature photo John Le Fevre

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges World Development Information Day October 24.

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 23 added by John Le Fevre on October 23, 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.