The cost of corruption: Bt100 billion
CORRUPTION in the bureaucracy will cost the country up to Bt100 billion this fiscal year, an expert on graft revealed yesterday.
— The Nation
Prayut dithers over political ambitions
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha remained non-committal about his political future Tuesday despite a pledge to make his stance clear this month.
— Bangkok Post
Asean office space Q2 2018: Manila rallies, Bangkok balloons, Phnom Penh flat, KL in the red
Amidst the slow growth of property markets across the Asia-Pacific region the Philippine capital of Manila leads recording the strongest growth in the second quarter of this year (Q2 2018).
— AEC News Today
Three massive busts net B2bn worth of drugs
Thirteen drug suspects have been detained and drugs with a combined street value of over 2 billion baht seized in three crackdowns carried out this month, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) revealed Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
Seven civil servants probed on oil tax corruption
The anti-corruption police are gathering evidence to take legal action against at least seven civil servants of the Excise Department and Customs Department for alleged oil tax corruption.
— NNT
Thai court dismisses case against Airports of Thailand, King Power
A Thai court on Tuesday dismissed a 14 billion baht ($430 million) graft case against Airports of Thailand and duty-free retailer King Power, owner of the English Premier League club Leicester City.
— Reuters
Exporters urged to cash in on Afta
THE Department of Foreign Trade aims to increase the percentage of Thai businesses cashing in on tax incentives under the Asean Free Trade Agreement (Afta) to 70 per cent this year, up from 63.04 per cent in 2017.
— The Nation
Junta critics taken off Voice TV
JUNTA CRITICS Sirote Klampaiboon and Virot Ali were removed from a Voice TV news show yesterday for allegedly being sarcastic and biased against the military-led government.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
7 missing in Mae Hong Son floods, camps at risk
A search was intensifying at a refugee camp in Ban Mae La Oon in Mae Hong Son’s Sob Moei district Tuesday to locate and rescue seven people, including five children, declared missing after the area was hit by a mudslide on Sunday evening.
— Bangkok Post
Toppled PM Thaksin blames Thai military government for making country worse
Billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday (Sep 18) hit out at Thailand’s ruling government, saying coups targeting his family have made the country worse off over the past 12 years.
— Channel NewsAsia
Hitachi opens IoT centre in EEC estate
Hitachi Ltd, the Japan-based technology solutions provider, has opened its Lumada Center Southeast Asia in Thailand to become a test bed for Internet of Things (IoT) technology and capitalise on the country’s planned digital transformation and the upcoming Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
— Bangkok Post
Major ‘ice’ haul intercepted in the South
An enormous haul of 280 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice”, was found hidden in a pickup truck that was spotted abandoned in an oil palm plantation in Satun’s Manang district.
— The Thaiger/ The Nation
Electric vehicles on the fast track in Thailand
EXPERTS see bright prospects for electric vehicles (EV) in Thailand with all concerned agencies pursuing the government’s goal of getting 1.2 million units on the road by 2036.
— The Nation
Business confidence up as tourism, services shine
Business confidence continued to rise in August, boosted by the growing tourism and service sectors.
— Bangkok Post
Ireland’s corporate tax rate hurting emerging economies – Oxfam
It points to the 8 per cent profit recorded by J&J subsidiaries in Thailand while the group’s Irish subsidiaries reported profit of 38 per cent between 2013 and 2015.
— Irish Times
Future Park reveals progress on ‘Future City’
Future Park recently revealed its progress on Future City together with its long-term marketing plans for the fourth quarter.
— The Nation
Indonesian B2B marketplace Ralali raises US$7M for Thailand expansion
Ralali, an online B2B marketplace in Indonesia announced today it has secured US$7 million from a host of investors, including Japan’s SBI Group; AddVentures, the corporate VC arm of Thailand’s SCG (Siam Cement Group); and Digital Garage, a global digital innovator/incubator.
— Yahoo News
Thai national fined $6,000 for defaulting on Singapore NS obligations
A 24-year-old Thai national who defaulted on his national service (NS) obligations in Singapore was fined $6,000 at the State Courts on Tuesday (18 September).
— Yahoo News
Blood tests conducted on farmers shows contamination with toxic farm chemicals
TRACES OF toxic chemicals have been found in the blood of five out of every 100 farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Bua Yai district, if results from tests across 132 villages are used as an indicator.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
Thailand Lab International Becomes a Dominant Force in South East Asia
Thailand Lab International 2018 welcomed 9,109 trade visitors from 43 countries.
— Labmate Online
Name of dead girl’s doctor concealed for staff morale
The management of Jainad Narendra Hospital insisted on concealing the name of a doctor whose 11-year-old girl patient died suspiciously to protect the morale of hospital staff.
— Bangkok Post
Man shot dead after breaking through checkpoint, threatening to shoot at police
A Phuket man, who had broken through a Phuket City police checkpoint, was shot dead after threatening to open fire on police in Cherng Talay very early Tuesday morning.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
Thai Police Can Hold Chinese Dissident Couple For 12 More Days, Court Rules
A Bangkok district court ruled on Monday that police could hold two political refugees from China for an additional 12 days to complete an investigation of their case, a court official said.
— Benar News
Decision on CPTPP by year-end
THAILAND will decide by the end of the year its readiness to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP).
— The Nation
Thailand – Buriram Sugar profits fall sharply in H1
SET-listed sugar miller Buriram Sugar is downbeat on its 2018 revenue as the global sugar price is expected to drop for the second consecutive year.
— AgraNet
Rangsit seeks partners for Future City scheme
Rangsit Plaza Co, the operator of Future Park Rangsit, is seeking partners to help fulfil the development of its ambitious Future City scheme, worth 100 billion baht, over the next decade.
— Bangkok Post
US premium-outlet giant looks to Southeast Asia for future expansion
Thailand is the second Southeast Asian market the company will be entering after Malaysia. Its first premium outlets will officially open in Bangkok by the end of next year in a joint venture with Siam Piwat, the Kingdom’s leading property developer and retailer.
— Inquirer.Net
Hitachi debuts Thai center for ‘internet of things’ services
Hitachi opened a center in Thailand on Monday to provide “internet of things” solutions for the country’s manufacturers with an eye toward expanding the service to neighboring nations like Vietnam and Indonesia.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)
SCB eyes B8bn in SME loan scheme
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) wants its small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loans outstanding under the Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) single financial account scheme to reach 8 billion baht by year-end.
— Bangkok Post
Daimler launches latest model of the Actros truck
Daimler, the German auto-manufacturing giant, on Tuesday launched the group’s new Actros heavy-duty truck at the “International Commercial Vehicle Show” in Hannover.
— The Nation
Thailand’s central bank can afford to wait before hiking rates
Thailand is likely to keep benchmark interest rates on hold this week, according to the consensus view of strategists contacted by CNBC.
— CNBC
GPSC keeps working on Glow deal
SET-listed Global Power Synergy Plc (GPSC), a power business arm of PTT Plc, is standing firm on its takeover attempt of SET-listed Glow Energy Plc, saying all processes comply with Thailand’s constitution and related laws and the firm will not monopolise electricity in the Map Ta Phut industrial estate.
— Bangkok Post
Vietnam, China, Thailand in line for FSIS approval on inspection equivalence for pangasius
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture will declare the fish inspection systems for siluriformes in Vietnam, China, Thailand are equivalent to U.S. standards.
— SeafoodSource
Waldorf Astoria hotel – Bangkok, Thailand
It’s been a long time coming, but the Waldorf Astoria group has finally landed in South East Asia. It’s location, in Bangkok’s downtown Ratchaprasong intersection, pays off visually with spectacular views over the Royal Bangkok Sports Club against the city’s looming skyscrapers.
— Wallpaper
GSB widens coverage with CP All deal
The state-owned Government Savings Bank (GSB) is expanding its network coverage by appointing Counter Service Co, a payment service provider wholly owned by CP All Plc, as its agent to take deposits and handle cash withdrawals.
— Bangkok Post
Coach Piyapong hails future Thailand stars after Japan triumph
THE FUTURE looks bright for Thai football after its young stars conquered seven teams without conceding a single goal to successfully defend their title in the Toyota International Junior Cup.
— The Nation
Thailand | New party leaders report to police over online charge
Leaders of a new Thai political party that strongly opposes military rule appeared before police yesterday to hear charges over a Facebook video broadcast that authorities allege violated the law.
— Macau Daily Times
Govt to splash B151mn to prevent Phuket road flooding
The Department of Highways will spend B151 million on projects to prevent major Phuket roads from flash flooding during heavy downpours, the Phuket Governor announced today (Sept 18).
— The Phuket News
Statistics office hopes for digital surveys by 2023
The National Statistical Office (NSO) wants to provide fully digital surveys by 2023 to improve efficiency for survey procedures and capitalise on the government’s big data analytics ecosystem.
— Bangkok Post
Township of convenience takes hold
Development of large residential communities with lifestyle convenience is trending among property players, in response to homebuyers’ preference for having various facilities in close proximity, experts say.
— The Nation
Credit Suisse eager for Thai wealth pool
Credit Suisse Securities Thailand aims to continue focusing its business strategy towards wealth management to capture ample growth opportunities in the local market, which has a wealth valuation of 16.7 trillion baht.
— Bangkok Post
Phuket beach-touring croc a ‘saltie’, DNA tests confirm
The crocodile caught at Layan Beach in July has been confirmed by DNA tests to be a saltwater species, Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong announced today (Sept 18).
— The Phuket News
Routes Asia 2020 heads back to Thailand
After 14 years, the Routes Asia event will be held in Thailand.
— Travel Daily Media
Sea turtles killed from plastic wraps in Thailand
Thai authorities have said that in less than two months, more than 20 sea turtles had been killed from plastic or fish net wraps.
— Business Standard
Feature photo The Road Less Travelled
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 September 19 added by John Le Fevre on
View all posts by John Le Fevre →
John Le Fevre
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.
Latest posts by John Le Fevre (see all)
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 26 — 16 mln case barrier breached, Vietnam records community transmission – July 26, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 25 — new high for daily infections, 16 mln infection barrier to break today – July 25, 2020
- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020