Thailand morning news for December 5

Thailand morning news for December 5
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Thailand morning news

MP facing arrest on sight is seen in House chamber today as part of the quorum
Palang Pracharat MP Waipote Arpornrat appears to have won a game of hide and seek with parliament police, for now. He managed to enter the House chamber unnoticed this afternoon, to help the Government secure a quorum for a vote recount in an attempt to stall an Opposition motion calling for an investigation of orders issued under the controversial “blank check” Section 44 of the interim constitution.
— Thai PBS News

Baht likely to weaken, says BoT deputy governor
The baht is likely to weaken on more foreign selling, a lower current account surplus and reduced dollar-related gold trading flows, a deputy governor of the Bank of Thailand (BoT) said on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post

Thanathorn says “a storm might be coming”
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the leader of the Future Forward Party, at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Bangkok – Khaosod English Thailand might again see street protests again, according to Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the leader of the Future Forward Party and former MP.
— The Thaiger

Opposition claims ‘inducement’ offered to lure its MPs to reach a quorum for House meeting
The Opposition’s chief whip claims there is an ongoing attempt by someone in the Government bloc to “bribe” about 20 opposition MPs with “bananas worth an eight-digit amount” to be in the House chamber this afternoon to ensure a quorum for a crucial meeting.
— Thai PBS News

Ruling coalition slammed over shark-fin soup
Environmentalists have slammed the government and coalition parties for including shark-fin soup on the menu at a get-together on Tuesday night.
— Bangkok Post

Two Navy oil recovery vessels sent to contain 4km long slick in the Gulf
The Royal Thai Navy has deployed vessels, equipped with skimmers, oil booms and dispersant, to prevent a 4km long oil slick from moving toward the eastern coast of the Gulf.
— Thai PBS News

More foreign English teachers needed to improve Thais’ English skills
It’s reported that more teaching jobs will become available for foreign English teachers from next year, as efforts are made to boost English language skills in schools across Thailand.
— The Thaiger

New Bangkok clinic dedicated to fixing surgery gone wrong
The director of Yanhee Hospital in Bangkok says 50 million baht is being invested to create a centre dedicated to fixing botched surgical procedures.
— The Thaiger

Hong Kong, Thailand to roll out two-tier tokens in digital currency prototype to speed up cross-border trade financing
The monetary authorities of Hong Kong and Thailand are poised to roll out a two-tier digital token, part of the process for creating a prototype for cross-border fund transfers between the two economies using financial technology, or fintech.
— South China Morning Post

Prime Minister not concerned at plans for a street protest as Thanathorn issues a warning
Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha this week was nonchalant about the prospect of street protests being organised by student activists to take place on January 12th next in Bangkok.
— ThaiExaminer.com

Major brands found failing to help Thai seafood sector tackle slavery
Efforts to protect Thai seafood workers from labor exploitation and modern slavery risk stalling as most international brands and retailers refuse to pay their suppliers more to comply with new anti-slavery policies, researchers said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

Thais tighten their belts as economy slows
Sitting down and playing with her smartphone, store owner Thienmanee Ngamsaptawee waited for customers to go to her aroma product shop on a Sunday afternoon at Bangkok’s once bustling Chatuchak weekend market.
— The Straits Times

Thai transport minister rolls out New Year holiday traffic measures to prevent road accidents
The Thai Transport Ministry on Wednesday has announced several road safety measures during the coming New Year holiday from December 26 to January 9.
— China.org.cn

Overseas dental graduates hit with B1m bill to qualify
Overseas dentistry graduates who return to work in Thailand are crying foul over the cost of obtaining their professional licence, which this year is nearly ten times more expensive than last at 1.1 million baht.
— Bangkok Post

Migrant children need education, legal status – Mahidol researcher
A Mahidol University researcher urged the government to improve education and legal migration measures for almost a half-million Southeast Asian children in Thailand illegally.
— Pattaya Mail

Krungsri advises stimulus for middle class
Fiscal stimulus should target the middle class and salaried workers as they are not as affected by the flagging economy and their purchasing power remains resilient, says the head of Krungsri Research.
— Bangkok Post

DTI to meet with Thai trade execs before imposing new tax measures on exports
Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Wednesday said the Philippines will first have discussions with trade representatives from Thailand before it imposes new tax measures on automotive exports from the foreign country.
— GMA News

Thailand aims to reduce rubber plantations, ramp up value of exports
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a 20-year plan to slash rubber plantations by 21% nationwide and increase the value of rubber exports by more than threefold, a government spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
— Reuters

Torrential rains, run-offs force closure of 6 waterfalls in Thai south
The strong northeast monsoon currently hitting Southern Thailand has on Wednesday forced the closure of six waterfalls in Southern Province of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
— Xinhuanet

Thailand-Turkey trade volume ‘much below the potential’
Trade between Turkey and Thailand is much below its potential, Thai envoy to Ankara said Wednesday as she highlighted progress on finalizing a free trade agreement between the two nations.
— Anadolu Agency

Hotel room occupancy in Thailand’s Chiang Mai to drop to 60 pct this year
Chiang Mai’s hotel room occupancy is likely to drop to about 60 percent throughout this year, according to a hotelier of Thailand’s northern tourist province.
— Xinhuanet

Bank of Thailand soothes jitters over baht gain
The Bank of Thailand has allayed businesses’ unease over the baht’s gain, saying the currency could reverse its trend and two-way movements vis-a-vis the dollar/baht are expected to increase next year.
— Bangkok Post

PRD chief explains annual budget proposal
The Director-General of the Public Relations Department (PRD) has defended his agency’s proposed annual budget to the House extraordinary committee for vetting spending plans for the 2020 fiscal year.
— Newsline (video)

Thailand looks to become LNG hub
The Energy Policy Administration Committee today (December 4) acknowledged the guidelines for turning Thailand into the regional trading hub of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
— ANN

Thailand launches campaign to attract more Asia-Pacific travelers
Thailand has launched a campaign to attract more travelers in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) category from the Asia-Pacific region throughout this year.
— Xinhuanet

Thai Investors Look to Bring Mass Tourism to Myanmar’s Myeik Archipelago
Business owners from Thailand have expressed interest to invest in tourism in Kawthaung and the Myeik archipelago, in Tanintharyi Region in southern Myanmar, according to Director-General U Thant Sin Lwin of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA).
— The Irrawaddy

Investor confidence index remains neutral
The Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations (FETCO) has warned investors of short-term risks associated with the volatility of the ongoing trade war between China and the United States, as the local capital market is still affected by the global economic slowdown.
— Newsline (video)

Cabinet approves income tax exemption for Chim, Shop, Chai recipients
The Cabinet has approved an income tax exemption for recipients of the 1,000-baht stipend and the cash rebate under the government’s “Taste, Shop, Spend” campaign.
— Newsline (video)

‘AP Thailand’ joins movement to drive Thai society Advocates social media for every generation
AP Thailand, a leading property developer and the leader in the creation of a blueprint of good quality.
— Bangkok Post

Park Hang-seo: “Vietnam need to focus again for Thailand clash”
Vietnam coach Park Hang-seo has asked his players to promptly forget their victory against Singapore on December 3 in order to stay optimally focused for the last group clash against archrivals Thailand.
— Nhan Dan Online

Hosts loom large over Thai ambitions
Apart from a lucky few, most of the Thai boxers at the SEA Games have been drawn to face the fighters from the Philippines before the title matches.
— Bangkok Post

Central bank seeks to ensure fairer fees
The Bank of Thailand plans to step up its effort to ensure that financial institutions charge consumers justified fees by issuing practice guidelines for charging fees based on actual costs in the first quarter next year.
— Bangkok Post

Fossils found in Sa Kaeo confirmed to be authentic
Academics from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have confirmed that the three fossils recently discovered in Sa Kaeo Province belonged to ancient Crinoids, and are believed to be 250-285 million years old.
— Newsline (video)

Senate backs Wat Phra Mahathat temple world heritage nomination
The senate’s ad-hoc committee on arts and culture has pledged support for the nomination of Phra Mahathat temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat as a world heritage site, while related agencies have already submitted supporting documents to the Fine Arts Department for consideration.
— Newsline (video)

Poor grades for Thai students in PISA tests
Thai students are consistently performing below the international average in core subjects, according to the results of the international 2018 PISA examinations.
— Bangkok Post

Bumrungrad taps spinal injuries niche
Bumrungrad International Hospital has a new addition to its health network, the Bumrungrad Spine Institute, as the group seeks to expand its services to the mid-market segment.
— Bangkok Post

PM invites residents to celebrate New Year with community-produced gift baskets
The Prime Minister is inviting the general public to celebrate this holiday season with gift baskets made by local communities.
— Newsline (video)

ICONSIAM Bangkok Countdown 2020: Celebrate New Year’s in Thailand here!
It’s without a doubt the most wonderful time of the year in Bangkok — not too hot, not too cold, and perfect for spending a beautiful night out underneath cheerful festive lights, indulging in superb food, singing your heart out to live music performances and, of course, witnessing one of the most magnificent firework shows in town at ICONSIAM’s “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2020.”
— Coconuts Bangkok

UOB (Thai) marks 20th anniversary in Thailand
United Overseas Bank (Thai) (UOB (Thai)), the only Singapore bank with full commercial bank operations in Thailand, has marked its 20th anniversary in the kingdom.
— Bangkok Post

BMA, volunteers join clean-up activity to mark King Rama IX’s birthday
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and volunteers have taken part in a clean-up activity at the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defense to mark His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s birthday on December 5th.
— Newsline (video)

The forgotten Thai comic books
The arrival of Japanese comic had replaced the one baht Thai comic book demands and caused an end to a few decades of its popularity.
— Newsline (video)

BoT: Many options to fight baht strength
The Bank of Thailand says it has many tools left to manage capital inflows and curb the local currency’s strength, which is hurting growth prospects in the Southeast Asian economy.
— Bangkok Post

Bank of Thailand soothes jitters over baht gain
The Bank of Thailand has allayed businesses’ unease over the baht’s gain, saying the currency could reverse its trend and two-way movements vis-a-vis the dollar/baht are expected to increase next year.
— Bangkok Post

Border trade, tourism seen as fuel for 2020 growth
Business operators are optimistic about the economic outlook recovering for 2020, driven by the government’s budget disbursement and stimulus measures to beef up investment and consumption.
— Bangkok Post

Crucial House meeting today
All government MPs have been instructed to attend the House meeting today, to make sure that there is a quorum for the meeting to hold a vote recount on the opposition motion proposing the setting up of an ad hoc panel to investigate the impacts of the junta’s pre-election orders and executive orders issued under Section 44 of the interim constitution.
— Thai PBS News

Industry Minister says he’ll countersue over farm-chemical ban U-turn
A war of words and threatened litigation has broken out over the reversal of the ban on agri-chemicals glyphosate, paraquat and chlorpyrifos.
— The Thaiger

Gov’t To Hold Father’s Day Event at Sanam Luang
Take your dad to the Grand Palace fair, a flower festival at the park, or even to Bangkok’s highest skyscraper to show your love for the old man for Father’s Day.
— Khaosod English

Elon Musk testifies his ‘pedo guy’ tweet not meant to be taken literally
High-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk testified at his defamation trial on Tuesday that his “pedo guy” Twitter message at the center of the case was not meant to be taken literally and was sent in response to an “unprovoked” insult he received from the man now suing him.
— Reuters

Cabinet agrees to slash rubber plantations, ramp up value of exports
The cabinet has approved a 20-year plan to slash rubber plantations by 21% nationwide and increase the value of rubber exports by more than threefold, a government spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
— Bangkok Post

Environment group up in arms over shark’s fin soup served at Government party
The get-together for pro-government parties, held at a Bangkok hotel on Tuesday night, has come under heavy criticism from conservation groups and academics after it was discovered that shark’s fin soup had been served.
— Thai PBS News

Stock Exchange of Thailand sees more listings of foreign securities
Thailand expects more companies from neighbouring countries to raise funds on the local exchange through real estate investment trusts as authorities aim to expand investment alternatives for locals and foreigners.
— Bangkok Post

Orchids Bloom on Google To Celebrate Famed Thai Botanist
Thai orchids are blooming on the homepage of the world’s largest search engine to celebrate a horticulturist who pioneered commercial orchid cultivation in Thailand.
— Khaosod English

Thai Women’s Badminton Wins Four Consecutive Golds at SEA Games
Thailand’s cinched its badminton women’s team gold for the fourth consecutive win Tuesday at the SEA Games.
— Khaosod English

Cooler temperatures forecast until next Tuesday
Temperatures across Thailand, except in the south, will continue to fall until next Tuesday due to an intense cold front from China, according to the Meteorological Department’s forecast this morning.
— Thai PBS News

New “Super Fund” to help Thais save gets green light from Government
The Super Savings Fund (SSF) introduced by the Finance Ministry has been given the go-ahead by Cabinet and is set to replace the older Long-Term Equity Fund.
— The Thaiger

TMB rakes in B38bn through exercising TMB-T1
TMB Bank has raised 38 billion baht through its shareholders’ exercise of transferable subscription rights (TMB-T1) for newly issued shares as part of its planned acquisition of Thanachart Bank (TBank), worth 167 billion baht.
— Bangkok Post

Fetco head presses for LTF stability
Thailand’s capital market structure needs to increase the number of long-term investors to offset stock market volatility, with long-term equity fund (LTF) investment incentives remaining vital to attract long-term investors, says an industry veteran.
— Bangkok Post

Southern and Under the Radar
There are theories about the eateries of the Thai South. The elongated strip of land that is known as the ‘axe-handle’ of Siam is flanked with two seas – the Andaman Sea in the western side, and the Gulf of Thailand in the east.
— Thai PBS News

Government extends time for payouts to storm victims
People affected by tropical storms ‘Podul’ or ‘Kajiki’ are now eligible to receive compensation up to March 31 next year, an extension from the original deadline of November 25.
— The Thaiger

2 Elderly Men Die from Cold Weather
At least two deaths has been attributed to plunging rural temperatures after two elderly men died as of Wednesday.
— Khaosod English

American on Phuket Fined for Fighting With Burmese Waiters Over Seafood Order (Video)
Police on Wednesday said an American was arrested and fined for allegedly starting a brawl with Burmese waiters over a seafood order mishap.
— Khaosod English

 

Photo: World Soil Day วันดินโลก

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on World Soil Day and the birth of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, after whom it is dedicated, December 5.

 

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).

 

 

About Thailand morning news.

Thailand morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Thailand English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Thailand English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Thailand daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Thailand news headlines and first paragraphs before 7.15am Bangkok time.

We clearly identify the source of all the Thailand news headlines, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the news site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you too. If a website uses particularly invasive pop-up adverts, we’ll tell you.

This enables you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original Thailand news article, or keep on reading the remaining Thailand daily news headlines.

Click here to get your Thailand English language news today by email before 8am Bangkok time daily. Remember to watch out for the confirmation email from us to confirm your subscription. Check your trash folder if you do not see it.

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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.

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