CSI LA Facebook followers arrested in Koh Tao rape case
Police have arrested nine of 12 people wanted for publishing or sharing a CSI LA Facebook report about the alleged rape of a 19-year-old British tourist on Koh Tao.
— The Phuket News
Urgent flood meet precedes dam releases
The governors of Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Samut Songkhram attended an urgent meeting Wednesday to prepare their provinces for excess water being released from the Sri Nakharin and Vajiralongkorn dams, which could cause widespread floods in the coming days.
— Bangkok Post
‘Boss’ is off the front page of Interpol – the search for the fugitive Red Bull heir
The Interpol website’s removal of its red notice against Thai fugitive Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, involved in a 2012 hit-and-run road incident in which a Bangkok policeman died, will negatively affect an international effort to bring him to justice.
— The Thaiger/ The Nation
Elon Musk viciously attacks Chiang Rai cave diver
Elon Musk has once again attacked the British Chiang Rai resident who helped rescue the Wilk Boars boys’ football team, but this time calling him a “child rapist.”
— Bangkok Post
Banks attempt to fix mobile system ‘glitches’
Banks have agreed to double the mobile banking transaction capacity during peak periods by year-end to prevent a future system crash after last week’s so-called “technological glitch” that delayed millions of transactions.
— Bangkok Post
‘Add food security to Bangkok climate talks’
THE CLIMATE JUSTICE group has called on international delegates to add food-security assurance to the agenda in climate-change negotiations, because they say it is not just extreme weather, but also improper climate-change solutions that are jeopardising global food stocks.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
Daiwa pumping funds into two Thai joint ventures
Daiwa House Industry Co, one of Japan’s largest homebuilders, will spend US$50-100 million on residential developments in Thailand over the next 5-10 years through joint ventures with SET-listed property firm Singha Estate Plc and its subsidiary.
–Bangkok Post
Tesla bond hits record low, stock slips as investor worry deepens
Tesla’s stock and bond prices dropped on Wednesday after Chief Executive Elon Musk renewed an attack on a British caver whom he had previously insulted on social media and a day after Mercedes unveiled a challenge to the electric car maker.
— Channel NewsAsia
Rights official worried over arrest of FB users over sharing rape claim
A NATIONAL rights commissioner yesterday criticised the arrest of 10 Facebook users who shared content regarding a rape claim posted on a controversial FB page, saying the move would certainly intimidate people from expressing different views.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
Thailand Needs Criminal Law to Shield Migrant Workers from Abuse: HRW
As Thailand prepares to extend work permits for 11,000 foreign migrant workers, including many in the fishing industry, a Human Rights Watch official called on the government Tuesday to outlaw forced labor.
— Benar News
NBTC surprises with October auction
The next round of the 1800- and 900-megahertz spectrum auctions has been rescheduled to take place in October, four months before the initial projected date.
–Bangkok Post
Border-crossing rules in Mekong subregion ‘need to be standardised’
SETTING standards for the crossing of borders is an urgent requirement for logistics in the Mekong sub-region, the former chief of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Supachai Panitchpakdi, said yesterday.
— The Nation (annoying popups)
Where Is the New China-Thailand Submarine Deal Headed?
On September 4, a steel-cutting ceremony was held in China for the first submarine ordered by Thailand in a landmark, controversial deal that initially made the headlines back in mid-2015.
— The Diplomat
Exim Thailand offers support and incentives for rise in trade
THE EXPORT-IMPORT Bank of Thailand (EXIM Thailand) has expanded its scope of trade and investment insurance services while helping Thai businesses to penetrate the African markets, president Pisit Serewiwattana said yesterday.
— The Nation
Prawit says his fate tied to PM
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon hinted Wednesday he could remain in politics after the general election early next year but that his decision would likely depend on what course of action the prime minister decides to take regarding his own political career.
— Bangkok Post
SCG allocates Bt6 bn for digital shift
THE SIAM Cement Group will invest around Bt6 billion towards achieving digital transformation in the next five years.
— The Nation
GI sales estimated to reap B4bn for rural areas
Geographical indication (GI) products are expected to fetch more than 4 billion baht in sales this year, boosting income in rural communities.
–Bangkok Post
Thailand ‘best country for people’, says travel survey
Thais have been voted the best people in the world in an online survey by Conde Nast Traveller magazine, a leading US source of travel features.
— The Nation
Samsung sets up mobile business unit for Thai enterprises
SAMSUNG in Thailand has set up a new business unit to provide mobile solutions to support the enterprise market, the IT and Mobile Communications B2B Group.
— The Nation
Teacher Humiliates Young Girls For Garland-Making
A primary school teacher apologized for shaming his students online for not weaving flower garlands to his standards.
— Khaosod English
EC ready for selection of 50 senators
The Election Commission (EC) is ready to proceed with the selection of senators, which is likely to be completed within 90 days of the process starting.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand Unsettled #1: The Military (with Puangthong Pawakapan)
In the first episode of Thailand Unsettled, Puangthong Pawakapan tackles the theme of “the military”.
— New Mandala
Prayut orders rethink of SEZ investment target
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday mandated that the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) and the Board of Investment (BoI) jointly revise the investment target for 10 special economic zones (SEZs) to make them more attractive to investors.
–Bangkok Post
B29.99 price cap on diesel effective immediately
The Energy Policy Administration Committee (Epac) is capping the retail diesel price at 29.99 baht per litre beginning Thursday on concerns over rising global oil prices in the past six months.
— Bangkok Post
All a-sparkle with Swarovski
CENTRALWORLD was crackling with excitement late last month as Swarovski officially opened its new Signature of Crystal Forest concept store, Bangkok’s first digitalised Crystal Forest and home to Thailand’s only Crystal Rock TV display, a digital panel outside the store showcasing the seasonal collections.
— The Nation
Digital tools for education reform
THE INDEPENDENT Committee for Education Reform (ICER) has decided to add “digital tools” to its blueprint on overhauling Thailand’s education sector.
— The Nation
Bangkok gala for cave rescuers
Thousands of guests were driving down to Bangkok Wednesday ahead of Thursday evening’s government-sponsored thank you dinner reception at the Royal Plaza for those involved in the daring Tham Luang cave rescue in northern Thailand in July.
— Bangkok Post
Meth pills seized in Songkhla
Police arrested two suspects and seized 216,000 methamphetamine pills at a resort in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district on Wednesday morning.
— The Nation
E-commerce bill gets second hearing
A draft bill to supervise e-commerce transaction reports is undergoing a second public hearing after the Council of State concluded the vetting process, says a source at the Revenue Department.
–Bangkok Post
Emergency meet in Bangkok to head off swine fever spread
Participants at the Bangkok meeting come from Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
— Bangkok Post
GSMA calls for Asian countries to lift barriers on data flow
THE GSM Association (GSMA) is calling on Asian countries to promote cross-border data flows, embrace Asia’s two key privacy frameworks and set up new rules and regulations on cross-border data flows.
— The Nation
New bill aims to boost R&D and incentivise researchers
Nathporn Chatusripitak, an adviser to the Prime Minister’s Office minister, said on Tuesda that once the bill comes into force, researchers who won financial support from the government’s research agencies will be eligible to own the right to transfer the research to the private sector for commercial purpposes.
— Bangkok Post
Transport dept seeks opinions on harsh new penalties
The department is inviting people to express their feelings about the proposal on its website, from now until Sept 11.
— Bangkok Post
Thai hoteliers go global
The Thai hotel industry is becoming increasingly competitive despite growth in visitor arrivals because the supply of hotels keeps increasing in Bangkok and other popular tourist destinations.
— Bangkok Post
Prawit: No more politicians will be appointed to cabinet
The government will not appoint any more politicians to the current cabinet to ensure their loyalty after the coming polls, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post
Japan railway firm JR Kyushu to develop condos in Bangkok
TOKYO: Kyushu Railway Co is entering the market for condominiums in Bangkok in response to a steady demand from middle-income earners in the suburbs.
— Bangkok Post
Thai Transport Minister joins tripartite meet in Phuket in push for ‘green transport’
Transport Minister Arkom Termpittayapaisith was in Phuket today (Sept 5) to attend an international convention on the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT).
— The Phuket News
Khao Yai torrent floods villages in Prachin Buri
A torrent of water from the Khao Yai National Park surged through canal-side villages in Prachin Buri early on Wednesday morning, with residents battling water about one-metre deep.
— Bangkok Post
Video: Seafood Restaurant in Chonburi with Go-Go style dancers threatened with shutdown by Governor
The governor of Chonburi province has ordered an inspection of a seafood restaurant in Sriracha district after a video of sexy dancers at the establishment went viral.
— The Pattaya News
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.
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