Thailand morning news for August 22, 2019

Thai July exports unexpectedly rise 4.28% y/y on gold boost
Thailand’s customs-cleared exports unexpectedly rose in July for the first time in five months, up 4.28% from a year earlier, as gold shipments surged, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

Thai Airways bans 2015-2017 MacBook Pros
Thai Airways International has banned passengers from taking some MacBook Pro notebooks distributed between 2015-17 on its flights.
— Bangkok Post

3kg of plastic found in dead wild deer
Ms. Chananya Kanchanasaka, a veterinarian at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, posted on her Facebook page last night (Tuesday) photos of dead wild deer with bits and pieces of plastic waste, including a plastic fork, in total weighing 3kg found in the animal’s stomach.
— Thai PBS News

Airports upgrade plan now includes minister’s home province
Airports of Thailand has changed its regional airport takeover and development plan to include the transport minister’s home province, Buriram.
— Bangkok Post

Briton who was left with horrifying injuries after a brawl in Thailand attends court to see his ‘attackers’ jailed – only to be thrown in a cell himself for ‘fighting back’
A British father-of-three left with horrifying injuries after a brawl in Thailand attended court to see his alleged attackers jailed – only to be thrown in a cell himself for ‘fighting back’.
— MailOnline

Seripisut demands the resignation of House and Senate speakers
Seri Ruam Thai party leader Seripisut Temiyavet is pressing for the resignation of House Speaker Chuan Leekpai and Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholachai, accusing both of them of allowing Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to present the government policy in the parliament despite the fact that the prime minister did not complete the oath during the swearing-in ceremony before His Majesty the King last month.
— Thai PBS News

Rice Committee endorses rice price guarantee scheme
The Rice Policy and Management Committee chaired by Prime Minister Prayut ot Chan-o-cha has approved rice price guarantee scheme for five types of rice and a parallel measure to help farmers cover their harvesting or production costs.
— Thai PBS News

Thai, Indian Firms Selected to Supply Power, Gas to Myanmar New City Near Yangon
The main developer of a controversial new city slated for construction on the western bank of the Yangon River has selected two foreign companies to supply and distribute electricity and natural to for the project.
— The Irrawaddy

PM Prayut affirms economic stimulus is not cash handout
The Cabinet this week approved an investment and spending stimulus package that is expected to generate at least 200 billion baht of cash flow, along with additional assistance for low-income earners through the state welfare card program.
— NBT World (video)

Cabinet approves drought mitigation plans
The Cabinet greenlit a central budget for tackling drought, while the Royal Irrigation Department is confident that there is enough water for the production of tap water.
— NBT World (video)

Flood, landslide alerts go out to 21 provinces
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Wednesday warned of flash floods and landslides in 21 provinces in the North, the Northeast, Central Plains and eastern regions until Thursday.
— Bangkok Post

Thai c.bank remains worried about high household debt – meeting minutes
Minutes of the latest Bank of Thailand policy meeting, where the benchmark rate was surprisingly cut, show that the central bank continues to feel financial system risks “pose vulnerabilities to financial stability”.
— Reuters

Over 1,800 foreigners nabbed for doing legally prohibited jobs in Thailand
Over 1,800 foreigners have been arrested for allegedly doing legally prohibited jobs in Thailand, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
— Xinhuanet

Thailand eyes Sabah’s potential in medical tourism
Thailand is looking to enhance its investment in Sabah, particularly in the medical tourism sector and niche tourism packages.
— The Edge Markets

Tourism boss snips 2019 foreign arrivals
The Tourism and Sports Ministry has cut its foreign arrivals forecast to 39-39.8 million this year, down from 40.2 million.
— Bangkok Post

Prawit foresees full-term government
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon is confident that the governing coalition will complete its four-year term, and sees opposition MPs’ support on key issues and ministers’ resignation as MPs — allowing other Palang Pracharath members to take their place — as key to the coalition’s success.
— Bangkok Post

Rice panel OKs B21bn for price guarantee scheme
The government has endorsed the price guarantee scheme for rice worth 21 billion baht, a move to help cushion farmers from falling rice prices.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand BOI, University Network to Spur R&D Linkage with Industry
The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) this month entered into an agreement with eight of the country’s leading universities aiming to improve linkage between the academic and manufacturing sectors in the fields of research as well as human capital development, in order to foster innovation and boost the country’s competitiveness, the BOI said.
— Yahoo Finance (media release)

Taiwan and Thailand to Cooperate on Smart City Development
System Integration Promotion Alliance (SIPA), a program from Taiwan’s Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) brought innovative smart city and IoT companies to visit Bangkok and attend the Smart City Industry Forum and the Taiwan-Thailand Industrial Collaboration Summit (TTICS) among other activities.
— Yahoo Finance (media release)

Sustainable Asean
AirAsia unveils a new ‘Sustainable Asean’ livery on its newest Airbus A320 in conjunction with Asean Day celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand.
— Manilastandard.net

Exports of mangosteen from Thailand up 400% in the first six months
The Director of International Trade of Thailand revealed that with free trade agreements in place, 14 countries and regions have scrapped the tariffs for mangosteen imports from Thailand.
— Fresh Plaza

Commerce Ministry, Thammasat University to make most of dairy FTAs
The Department of Trade Negotiation (DTN) is working with Thammasart University to develop new dairy products, in order to help dairy farmers from being affected by free trade agreements (FTA) with countries that mainly export dairy products.
— NBT World (video)

Govt set to establish center to counter inaccurate news in three months
The government is planning to establish a center to counter the spread of inaccurate news within three months.
— NBT World (video)

Latest stimulus essential for growth, says UTCC
The recently approved 316-billion-baht stimulus package is deemed vital to boosting the country’s economic growth, if it can be implemented quickly, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).
— Bangkok Post

OCSC holds seminar on HR management in digital economy context
The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) has held an international seminar on the topic of human resources management in a digital economy context.
— NBT World (video)

Two stations to be added in MRT Blue Line extension public trial
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) will provide subway services at two additional stations on the Blue Line extension, which is undergoing a free public trial run.
— NBT World (video)

PM expresses care for bomb victims in Yala
The Prime Minister has expressed his concerns over the injured persons from the recent bombing incident in Yala and has instructed officials to be on alert and quickly bring the culprits to justice.
— NBT World (video)

Vendors prepare to welcome tourists during royal barge procession
Riverside vendors along the banks of the Chao Phraya river are preparing for the Royal Barge Procession, decorating their venues with His Majesty the King’s flags ahead of the event which is scheduled for October 24th.
— NBT World (video)

Nicotine from e-cigarettes destroys brain, causes cancer DDC
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has indicated that nicotine from e-cigarettes is addictive and can cause brain damage and cancer.
— NBT World (video)

PM Prayut attends conclusion of MECC maritime operations training
The Prime Minister, in his capacity as the Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center (MECC), has presided over the conclusion of a maritime operations training conducted by the center.
— NBT World (video)

Mingkwan: No renegades in New Economics Party
Leaders of the six-MP New Economics Party (NEP) on Wednesday denied that four of them planned to support the government camp even though they sit on the opposition benches.
— Bangkok Post

Digital Economy and Society Ministry outlines fake news crackdown
The Digital Economy and Society Ministry (DE) is seeking to counter fake information shared online through the Line app because urgent issues could potentially incite mass public misunderstanding.
— Bangkok Post

Property developers maintain sales targets
SET-listed residential developers Sansiri (SIRI), Property Perfect (PF) and Origin Property (ORI) are maintaining their annual presales and revenue targets as market sentiment is improving in the second half for low-rise houses.
— Bangkok Post

4am pub close time draws fire
A debate is raging over the idea floated by Tourism and Sports Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, to allow night entertainment venues to stay open for an extra two hours until 4am.
— Bangkok Post

New Economics Party remains in the Opposition, but it may take its own position on some issues
The New Economics Party is still aligned with the Opposition but it may, when necessary, take an independent position, party leader Mingkwan Sangsuwan announced on Wednesday in parliament.
— Thai PBS News

Welfare card holders flock to ATMs for their 500-baht cash handouts
Many state-run Krung Thai Bank ATMs in Thailand’s northeastern provinces ran out of 500-baht and 100-baht banknotes after Pracharat welfare card holders flocked to withdraw the first 500-baht cash handout granted by the government to help cover their cost of living expenses.
— Thai PBS News

Kenyan had 1.2kg of cocaine in his stomach
A Kenyan man has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport after trying to smuggle more than a kilogramme of cocaine inside his stomach.
— Bangkok Post

Phuket Governor and Vice Governor deny million baht bribe accusation
Recently, an audio clip went viral, claiming to have recorded a conversation between an anonymous man and an employee from a project accused of having encroached on Sirinat National Park (in Phuket’s north west).
— The Thaiger

African Drug Mule Busted After 1.2 Kg of Cocaine Found in His Stomach – Chiang Rai Times
African Drug Mule Busted After 1.2 Kg of Cocaine Found in His Stomach Chiang Rai TimesCTN News – Some of the 68 small packages containing 1.2kg of cocaine, detected in the Kenyan man’s stomach, and later recovered.
— Chiang Rai Times

Lamphun monks use portable kitchen cabinets for alms to reduce plastic bags
About 20 years ago, long before plastic waste became recognized as a global problem, monks at Wat Pa Book, in the Pa Sang district of Thailand’s northern province of Lamphun, were at the forefront of the campaign to stop the use of single-use plastic bags by using a portable kitchen cabinet to receive alms from Buddhist disciples.
— Thai PBS News

Thailand and South Korea partner on development of electric buses
The electric bus is a joint project between Korea and Thailand, led mainly by Korean automaker Edison Motors, which currently provides public transport services with eco-friendly buses at Namsan in Seoul and on Jeju Island.
— The Thaiger

Tourism Ministry says Pattaya is part of the consideration of 4 AM legal closing times, local business owners ecstatic
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has confirmed that although Pattaya was left out of the text of the original announcement yesterday by New Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn and TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, Pattaya is indeed included in the consideration for legal closing times of 4 AM for bars and nightlife.
— The Pattaya News

Thailand’s Cold War Immigration Tactics Unnerve Long-Term Foreigners – Chiang Rai Times
Thailand’s Cold War Immigration Tactics Unnerve Long-Term Foreigners Chiang Rai TimesCTN News – Thailand’s Immigration Bureau is sending a chill through the foreign business community, long-term expatriates.
— Chiang Rai Times

Bang Saen set for major make-over to become a town for the elderly
Thailand’s Bang Saen seaside town, on the eastern coast near Bangkok, will undergo a major make-over to accommodate an aging society in the future.
— Thai PBS News

Preparations in Place for Pope’s Visit to Thailand: Vatican Source
Arrangements are being prepared in expectation of an official visit to Thailand by Pope Francis this November, according to a Vatican source.
— Khaosod English

Saving Thai Airways
Whilst it’s always a generally pleasant experience flying Thai Airways, the airline, in a business sense, is a basket case racking up nearly a decade of losses, first under the Yingluck Shinawatra Government and then the military government of the NCPO.
— The Thaiger

Gold lifts exports to unexpected growth in July
Customs-cleared exports rose in July for the first time in five months, up 4.28% from a year earlier, as gold shipments surged, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand Prime Minister rejects calls to ban plastic bags
In what some may see as a baffling contradiction, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha promised to protect marine life, while simultaneously rejecting an increasing number of calls for a ban on single-use plastic bags.
— The Thaiger

Two British men arrested for dealing drugs in Thailand
On August 20, more than 20 police officers used a warrant to search a home in Chonburi, eastern Thailand, seizing nearly 5 grams of cocaine.
— The Thaiger

13 rescued Great Danes now under royal care of His Majesty the King
His Majesty the King sent a royal aide to collect 13 rescued Great Dane dogs from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) and deliver them for further treatment to Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital today (Wednesday).
— Thai PBS News

Motorbike driver’s neck seriously injured from hanging cables in Naklua
A motorbike driver has sustained serious neck injuries from hanging cables while he was driving his motorbike in Naklua last weekend.
— The Pattaya News

Prime minister visits Surin, Buri Ram, follows up on drought situation
Thailand’s Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha visited Surin and Buri Ram to follow up on the drought situation.
— Pattaya Mail

TAT and Shopee spreading e-commerce locally
Local tourism operators have teamed up with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Shopee to use e-commerce to expand group travel, especially among younger segments.
— Bangkok Post

Smart cities option to deal with glut
Thailand risks being overwhelmed by tourism within the next decade as the Thailand Towards 2030: Future of Travel & Tourism report indicated the capacity of airports and the transport system have not caught up with the pace of tourism growth.
— Bangkok Post travel

Feature photo NNT/ Siam Actu

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on World Humanitarian Day August 19

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).

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Thailand morning news for August 22 added by John Le Fevre on August 22, 2019
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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.