Thailand’s north still burning and choking despite PM’s vow
Chiang Mai continues to have the world’s worst air pollution today and fires still blaze across the north — far from snuffed out as promised by the prime minister.
— Coconuts (paywall)
Foreign Minister angry at foreign diplomats who attended Thanathorn’s reporting to police
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai vented his anger today at foreign diplomats who attended the reporting of Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit to police on Saturday morning in Bangkok.
— The Thaiger
Pol Lt Gen Surachate transferred to inactive post, blacklisted pending probe
Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakpan, who was ousted as immigration commissioner over the weekend, has been dealt another blow today when he was transferred to an inactive post attached to the Prime Minister’s Office in an executive order issued by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
— Thai PBS World
PM plays down calls for national govt
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has poured cold water on the idea of a national government to save the country from political deadlock.
— Bangkok Post
Aranyaprathet – Poi Pet rail line to reopen after 54 years
Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is set to reopen services on the Aranyaprathet – Poi Pet railway connecting Thailand’s and Cambodia’s rail networks.
— NNT
PM uses Article 44 powers to sack Surachate
Thai media is reporting that the PM Prayut Chan-ocha used his Article 44 powers to remove Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn from his job as Immigration chief and side-line him to office duties, pending an enquiry.
— The Thaiger
How to Check for Songkran Traffic, Real-Time
Avoid water-soaked, hellish Songkran traffic by checking in to real-time maps. The Department of Highways released on Tuesday five real-time updating maps to help travellers find the best routes exiting Bangkok to their water-splashing destinations – or to quickly rush home still dry. …
— Khaosod English
Foreign Minister Don reminds diplomats not to meddle in judicial affairs
The Thai Foreign Ministry is considering inviting representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps in Thailand to be reminded of protocols and practices that should be observed.
— Thai PBS World
Thais opt for health food over exercise
One in two Thais are overweight and aware of it, but overweight status doesn’t necessarily reflect their perception of their health, according to a study by Nielsen.
— Bangkok Post
Bangkok improves landscape for HM the King’s coronation ceremonies
Authorities are putting the final touches to improvements to the landscaping in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, and all the landscape improvements for His Majesty the King’s coronation ceremonies will be completed by the end of this month.
— NNT
Thailand in worst 14 for TB
The government and health advocates are struggling to deal with tuberculosis as Thailand still has a high global ranking among TB-plagued countries.
— Bangkok Post
Royal approval for four light-rail train projects, including Phuket
A Royal Decree has given final approval for electric light0rail train projects in Phuket, Phang Nga, Chiang Mai and Nakhon Ratchasima…
— The Thaiger
Phuket Zoo faces probe over alleged abuse of baby elephant
Phuket livestock officials are to begin their investigation today (Apr 9) into allegations of abuse of a baby elephant at Phuket Zoo.
— The Phuket News
Piyabutr faces two charges
Future Forward Party secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul says he has been summoned to hear charges of computer crime and contempt of court involving a video clip of him reading the party’s statement on the court’s decision to dissolve Thai Raksa Chart party in early March.
— Bangkok Post
Vachira Phuket Hospital to start charging ‘after-hours’ service fee
Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town, which serves as the main government hospital on the island, will start charging non-emergency patients B100 each for after-hours treatment starting May 1.
— The Phuket News
Trade war causes Chinese LCD maker to relocate
The trade war between the US and China has been a concern for many companies since last year, and it nudged Shenzhen Besser Display Equipment, a manufacturer of liquid-crystal display (LCD) products, to invest in a new facility in Thailand, marking its first overseas footprint.
— Bangkok Post
Authorities focus on cash transactions
Entrepreneurs receiving cash from business activities will be scrutinised by authorities more vigorously than those opting to register via an official online payment platform, says the Bank of Thailand.
— Bangkok Post
Goji Kitchen + Bar becomes the world’s first five-star hotel restaurant to achieve The PLEDGE on Food Waste
Goji Kitchen + Bar, the acclaimed all-day dining destination at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, has become the first five-star hotel restaurant in the world to achieve The PLEDGEâ„¢, an independently-verified standard designed to tackle the global …
— Khaosod English
Telecom firms fret over cable
The Telecommunications Association of Thailand (TCT) reports 10 telecom companies are concerned about the state’s policy to move all existing overhead telecom and broadcasting cables in Bangkok underground within two years, saying it will impose excessive costs on telecom firms.
— Bangkok Post
AoT: Northern haze no obstacle
The haze covering areas in the North will not affect air traffic at airports in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, says Airports of Thailand (AoT).
— Bangkok Post
3 Songkran music festivals in Bangkok that are worth checking out this weekend
Although popular tourist destinations like Silom and Khaosan Road will be dry during Songkran celebrations for 2019, there are still a few festive events good for revelers looking to get wet (and maybe a little wild) on the agenda this year.
— Coconuts (paywall)
NBTC flees from OTT surcharge plan
The telecom regulator has backtracked on its plan to impose a surcharge on network bandwidth usage by over-the-top (OTT) service providers such as Facebook and Line, after the proposal was widely criticised by telecom veterans and the public last week.
— Bangkok Post
One killed, another injured after train slams into upside-down van in Ayutthaya
One man is dead and another severely injured after their van hit a road barrier and flipped onto railway tracks before being hit by a train in Ayutthaya, just north of Bangkok, early today.
— The Thaiger
Hunters injured in Chiang Mai national park shoot-out
Two ethnic Lahu hunters have been injured in a clash with Sri Lanna National Park officials in Chiang Mai over the weekend.
— The Thaiger
Thai, United States navies conduct Guardian Sea 2019
The Thai and United States navies jointly conducted the Guardian Sea 2019 naval exercise for naval ships and anti-submarine aircraft. Rear Admiral Kamchorn Charoenkiat, on board the frigate HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej in Phuket, presided over the exercise which called on the skills of …
— Pattaya Mail
Starbucks mulls delivery options
Starbucks is considering the idea of offering online delivery in Thailand to capitalise on Bangkok’s drink delivery obsession and appeal to a younger generation.
— Bangkok Post
FTI uneasy over car loan measures
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) disagrees with new measures from the Bank of Thailand to control auto loans, saying they would pressure new car sales based on panic changes.
— Bangkok Post
Electricity cuts in Nai Yang
PHUKET: The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Thalang office has announced that the electricity supply will be temporarily shut off in the north of Thalang on Thursday (Apr 11) as works are carried out on high-voltage cables.
— The Phuket News
Feature photo NBT World
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges Chakri Day, April 6.
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. Due to The Nation‘s habit of hijacking urls and diverting them to promotion pages we no longer include it in our clippings.
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