Myanmar-Thailand highway branded ‘ecological and social disaster’
Community and conservation groups in Myanmar have branded a planned highway linking a port project to Thailand an “ecological and social disaster”, saying it would uproot indigenous people from their homes and farms.
— Reuters
Men-only Police Academy will ‘hamper’probes into sex crime
RIGHTS advocates yesterday raised concerns over the Royal Thai Police’s new policy of banning female applicants from the police cadet academy, saying the move undermines women’s rights and affects the prosecution of sex crimes.
— The Nation
Victims of dengue already pass 50,000 this year
Thailand health officials say the number of people requiring treatment for dengue fever has already topped the 50,000 mark in the first eight months of 2018.
— The Nation
Taiwanese mull visa restriction on Thais
Taiwan is considering driving down visa-free entries for Thais from six times to twice a year after the number of Thai women discovered working in the sex trade in the territory jumped during the visa waiver programme’s introduction two years ago.
— Bangkok Post
Cambodian FB users rage over dance ownership
United Nations’ cultural agency Unesco’s Facebook page has hosted a heated debate between Cambodians and Thais over Bangkok’s proposal for the inclusion of “khon” masked dance on the agency’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
— The Nation
Provincial airports plan service charge hike
The Department of Airports plans to raise the passenger service charge (PSC) on departing travellers on international flights at its 22 airports by 50% to 600 baht.
— Bangkok Post
Thai athletes return with few golden memories to cherish from Asiad
Thailand’s pursuit for gold medal in the 18th Asian Games ended in disappointment with just 11 as the curtain came down on the sports extravaganza on Sunday.
— The Nation
Ban threat for teen in rape case
Police have vowed to blacklist a 19-year-old British girl and deny her entry to Thailand indefinitely if she fails to counter investigators’ findings that her rape claim on Koh Tao is groundless.
— Bangkok Post
New Work Permit rules confirmed by Phuket Employment Office Chief
The Chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office, Kattiya Pandech, has confirmed to The Phuket News this week that new provisions issued by Royal Decree in March are in effect, allowing foreigners with work permits to legally work in any field, anywhere in the country, for any employer as long as the work being done in not on the list of occupations prohibited to foreigners.
— The Phuket News
4 draft digtal laws ready for Cabinet as govt boosts cybersecurity
THE DIGITAL Economy and Society ministry (DE ministry) will submit four draft digital laws for Cabinet’s approval this month as a first step towards an official government announcement in the second half of next year.
— The Nation
Sinking Bangkok among cities to be hardest hit by climate change
As Bangkok prepares to host climate change talks, the Global Warming and Climate Change Conference from October 4-5, experts once again remind that unchecked urbanisation and eroding shorelines will leave the city itself and its residents in a critical situation in the not so distant future.
— Investvine
Army reshuffle sees loyalists appointed
The annual military reshuffle has seen the appointment of assistant army chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong as the new army chief — a position perceived to be critical to smoothing the way for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to reclaim his premiership and stay on in power after the next election.
— Bangkok Post
Wan chosen to lead new party Prachachat
Former House of Representative speaker Wan Muhammad Noor Matha has been elected leader of Prachachat, a new party formed by Muslim politicians of the Wadah group.
— The Nation
With rising sea levels, Bangkok struggles to stay afloat
As Bangkok prepares to host climate-change talks, the sprawling city of more than 10 million is itself under siege from the environment, with dire forecasts warning it could be partially submerged in just over a decade.
— The Nation
Rights groups alarmed over Thai detention of asylum seekers
Human rights groups expressed alarm Thursday at Thailand’s detention of more than 160 asylum seekers from hill tribe ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Cambodia, saying they face possible persecution if returned to their homelands.
— Pattaya Mail
Finance Minister maintains no SST on mobile prepaid
Mobile prepaid reload cards will not be taxed under the sales and service tax (SST), Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng maintained today.
— Yahoo News
DPM Prajin: Thailand needs to increase educational competitiveness
The Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructures has indicated that cooperation from all sectors is needed to bring the education quality and competitiveness to the international level, before announcing the establishment of a commission on educational competitiveness development.
— News Today (video)
Making transparent concessions
September marks a series of seismic auctions that will determine whether Thailand’s business realm will continue to be dominated by the same old oligarchs or if newcomers with big bucks could shake up the monopolistic arena.
— Bangkok Post
Deputy PM holds meeting on labor shortage in fishing industry
Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, has met with the policy committee on the management of foreign workers and combating human trafficking to find solutions to the current labor shortage in the fisheries sector.
— NNT
AMLO sounds alarm over cryptocurrency-fuelled scams
THE MONEY laundering watchdog is considering creating its own digital wallet to tackle cybercrime related to cryptocurrencies, an Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) official said at a Bangkok seminar last week.
— The Nation
Local travel agency in Thailand for trade meet
REPRESENTATIVES of Grace Travel Agency are currently in Bangkok, Thailand for the Health and Wellness Trade Meet, held from August 29 to September 3, hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
— Borneo Bulletin
Rattanakosin plan poses threat
In a quiet, hush-hush move, the authorities have dusted off the Rattanakosin conservation and development master plan to turn Bangkok’s inner, old town quarters into Thailand’s own Champs-Elysee.
— Bangkok Post
The 26th Food & Hotel Thailand Returns
This 5 to 8 September, Food & Hotel Thailand (FHT) 2018 will return for its 26th edition as the region’s leading premier international food and hospitality trade event. This year’s exhibition will feature a new layout combining together 3 exhibition halls and delivering a 20% bigger show, with premium products and services from more than 400 exhibitors, as well as new workshops and activities for visitors and businesses.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)
Swamps hide ecological merit in their murky waters
State annexation of part of the wetlands in Uttaradit has provoked outcry from locals who claim flood protection is diminished and farmers are suffering.
— Bangkok Post
Future Fund edges closer with filing
THE long-delayed Thailand Future Fund (TFF) has taken a step closer to launch with a regulatory filing for an initial public offering (IPO) of units in the infrastructure fund.
— The Nation
Govt teams up to combat wildlife trafficking threat
Thailand has joined hands with southern African nations and South Asian countries to combat wildlife trafficking under an initiative called “South-to-South Community”.
— Bangkok Post
That Phanom town flooded after heavy rain
Two hours of heavy rain caused flooding in That Phanom district town, home to the Phra That Phanom Pagoda on the Mekong River bordering Laos, on Sunday morning.
— Bangkok Post
Police to end female admissions to cadet school
After preventing female police officers from becoming inquiry officers, the males-only policy of the Royal Thai Police Office (RTPO) is to be expanded to newcomers.
— Bangkok Post
Phuket Tasty Fest underway
The Phuket Tasty Fest is underway at Queen Sirikit Park on Thalang Rd in Phuket Town to promote the unique cuisine of Phuket and other regions in Southern Thailand.
— The Phuket News
Resurgence seen in emerging-market inflow
Fund flows are expected to move into emerging-market equities in the second half as consumer demand and investment opportunities in these economies continue to entice investor appetite, says Credit Suisse.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand and Japan to play Ryder Cup-style tournament in Chon Buri in December
A new Ryder Cup-style event featuring the top male and female professional and amateur players of Thailand and Japan will be held in December, organisers said.
— The Nation
Locals spooked by plan to transfer zoo
A Chiang Mai-based animal feed network is demanding the government hold a public hearing on its controversial plan to transfer Chiang Mai Night Safari to the Zoological Park Organisation, a move it claims…
— Bangkok Post
Thailand, Nepal to jointly promote trade, investment, tourism in Asia
According to a Thai government spokesperson, Thailand and Nepal are planning to jointly promote trade, investment and Buddhism-related tourism in Asia.
— News Today (video)
Ministers from 10 ASEAN countries observe agricultural activities
Ministers from 10 ASEAN countries have arrived in Chonburi to observe activities concerning agriculture and forestry in order to apply the knowledge to agricultural work.
— News Today (video)
Feature photo John Le Fevre
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 3 added by John Le Fevre on
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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