Thailand rebuffs Australia’s plea to free Bahraini refugee footballer
The Australian government on Tuesday urged Thailand to exercise its legal discretion to free a refugee football player who lives and plays in Australia and told a Bangkok court that he refuses to be voluntarily extradited to Bahrain.
— Bangkok Post
Australian ‘red notice’ led to arrest of Bahrain footballer: Don
IT WAS Australia’s issuance of an Interpol red notice for former Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi that led to his arrest in Thailand, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai revealed yesterday.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
600 polluting factories shut
About 600 factories have been ordered to temporarily shut while they reduce emissions of pollutants, according to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
— Bangkok Post
Australia PM ‘upset’ by footballer in shackles
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday he was “disturbed” to see Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi in shackles in Thailand and had told Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha this is a serious issue for Australians.
— Bangkok Post
6,800 MP candidates applied in first two days
Some 6,800 aspiring candidates from 61 parties applied to contest in 350 constituencies in the March 24 election in the first two days of the application, according to the Election Commission.
— Bangkok Post
PM targets diesel cars, factories
BANNING the use of diesel vehicles, promoting the use of electric cars, and suspending the operations of polluting factories were among the measures to tackle Bangkok’s dangerous air pollution that were considered by the Cabinet yesterday.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
DPM Wissanu stresses anti-corruption policy
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam remarked yesterday that anti-corruption is a major policy feature of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, the 20-year national strategy, and the national reform plan.
— NBT World (video)
Warden Defends Shackling Bahraini Footballer Hakeem
BANGKOK — It was routine procedure to shackle a prominent refugee by his ankles for a much-criticized court appearance, a prison official said Monday.
— Khaosod English
Thailand ‘top destination’ for Lunar New Year celebrations
Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said a large number of foreign tourists, including those from China and the ASEAN member countries, are highly interested in celebrating the Lunar New Year in Thailand.
— Vietnam Plus
Hakeem al-Araibi: FFA pledges money in bid for footballer’s return
Football Federation Australia (FFA) has pledged A$10,000 (£5,567) in a bid to help return jailed Bahraini refugee player Hakeem al-Araibi from Thailand.
— BBC
Araibi has new ally in Twitter
The government insisted Tuesday that the justice system must be allowed to run its course in the case involving the extradition of Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, as a social media campaign against his extradition using the hashtag #BoycottThailand gathers steam.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand in need of ‘Energy 4.0’
The transformative potential enabled by the intersection of clean energy technologies and the interconnected digital economy offers an ideal platform for powering “Thailand 4.0.”
— Modern Diplomacy
First Thai Election Since Coup Draws Record Number of Candidates
Political parties are registering a record number of candidates ahead of the first general election in Thailand since a coup in 2014.
— BloombergQuint
Polluted Bangkok’s Year of the Pig curbs on incense go up in smoke
Thais of Chinese descent largely ignored Bangkok’s call for restraint in burning of incense and ‘spirit money’ to mark the Lunar New Year as the city fights choking pollution.
— New Straits Times
Australia urges Thailand to use its powers to free Hakeem al-Araibi
The Australian government has renewed demands for the release of Hakeem al-Araibi after the Thai prosecutor publicly confirmed the government has the power to set him free, regardless of the extradition process.
— The Guardian
Satire to be tempered at football game
Security authorities have sought cooperation from those in charge of satirical displays at a traditional football match due to take place this week, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
DPM Somkid calls for clarity in Innospace Thailand project
The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs has called for detailed progress in the Innospace Thailand project so that it may serve as an incubator for startups while also encouraging support for industrial developments utilizing Artificial Intelligence.
— NNT
Solar hybrid scheme aimed for cabinet
State-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) expects to request the cabinet acknowledge and approve its massive investment plan for floating solar hybrid power generation at nine dams nationwide.
— Bangkok Post
PM declares 2019 Year of ASEAN Culture
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has declared 2019 the “Year of ASEAN Culture,” introducing the English publication of “Vivid ASEAN.”
— NNT
Thailand grants citizenship to 46 Myanmar orphans in Mae Sot
Thailand has granted citizenship to 46 of the 200 Myanmar orphans being sheltered in Mae Sot by Social Action for Children and Women, a member of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) said Monday.
— Myanmar Times
Thailand’s Chinese New Year celebrations add to smog misery
CHINESE New Year celebrations in Bangkok and surrounding provinces are pumping heavy metals and other toxins into air already registering dangerously high level of pollutants.
— Eleven
Water restrictions announced as water levels in Phuket reservoirs drop
The Phuket Waterworks Authority (PWA) has announced a date for water restrictions to start in some Phuket areas.
— The Thaiger
Thailand makes Siamese fighting fish national aquatic animal
Tiny, testy and eye-catching with a colourful fin plumage, the Siamese fighting fish was on Tuesday named Thailand’s national aquatic animal.
— Yahoo News
NBTC mulls loans for telecom firms
The telecom regulator plans to use the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund (BTRDF) to provide low-interest loans to mobile operators as an alternative source of funding to expedite 5G-related investment.
— Bangkok Post (annoying pop-ups)
Postman says drunk cop shot him, then pressed false charges
A postman has sought help from Crime Suppression Division police, accusing a Kanchanaburi policeman of drunkenly firing shots at him, and then bringing a charge of attempted murder against him.
— Bangkok Post
Government petitioned for safeguard extension
Seven steel-related associations filed a petition with the government Monday asking for an extension of safeguard measures on imported hot-rolled steel alloy sheets for another three years.
— Bangkok Post
HRH Princess Chulabhorn undergoing treatment
The Bureau of the Royal Household has issued a statement disclosing that Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn has entered Ramathibodi Hospital for medical treatment.
— NNT
ELECTION GETS EPIC WITH CINEMATIC CAMPAIGN POSTERS
A chiseled singer and drag queen pose dramatically against “Inception”-like backgrounds of the city skyline. One man reaches his hand out to harness a ball of mystic power a la “Doctor Strange.”
— Khaosod English
Facemasks on sacred statues gets BKK photographer into hot water
Thai photographer Chub Nokkaew is in trouble for defacing Wat Arun’s iconic statues with face masks.
— The Thaiger
Chulalongkorn University to test 5G technology
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and Chulalongkorn University have established a center to test the 5th generation (5G) cellular network.
— NBT World (video)
DPM Somkid outlines various tasks still left to handle
The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs has stated he will not be ceasing his activities during the political transition and is to follow up on work by the Ministry of Industry.
— NBT World (video)
Tourists flock to Nan to see Thai sakura in full bloom
Tourists are flocking to Nan province to witness the beauty of wild Himalayan cherry tree blossoms, widely known as “Thai sakura”, at Tonnam Kunsatan research station in Nanoi district.
— NNT
MARA Pattani suspends peace talks, finds Thai negotiator’s attitude objectionable
DAILY VIOLENCE continues in the deep South as moves to establish peace talks failed yet again after MARA Patani insurgents said they wanted to suspend negotiations until an elected government takes office in Thailand.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Phuket major water rations rolled out as reservoirs run low
The Phuket Provincial Water Authority office (PWA) announced today (Feb 5) that water rations will be brought into effect in Rawai, Koh Kaew and areas throughout Rassada, in addition to the water rationing already in effect in Bang Tao, on Phuket’s tourist-popular west coast.
— The Phuket News
Myanmar illegal migrants, their guide caught near border
Sixteen illegal migrants and their paid guide were arrested near a natural border crossing to Myanmar in Bang Saphan district on Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
Khunying Sudarat vows to lead Pheu Thai party to election victory
Pheu Thai party’s election strategy chief Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan vowed on Tuesday to lead the party to election victory to replace the “military government” with a “government which is specialized in economics” to bring a better life to the Thai people.
— Thai PBS World
Bangkok governor warns misplaced campaign posters will be removed
Election candidates are warned to install their campaign posters at locations designated by the Election Commission, otherwise they may be removed and the candidates may face investigation by election officials.
— Thai PBS World
Making Demerit: Amazonian Predator Fish Freed by Karma-Seekers
LAMPANG — A large fish released into a public park by temple-goers turned out to be the predatorial Amazonian arapaima, officials said Monday.
— Khaosod English
Devastation can ‘mean a new beginning’ for the Moken tribe
THE DEVASTATION of Moken village on Phang Nga’s Surin island can possibly be used as an opportunity to restore the traditional way of life for the sea gypsies, academics said after a blaze on Sunday burned down 61 houses and left 237 people homeless.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Deluge of candidates for poll
JUST TWO DAYS after the Election Commission (EC) began accepting applications, a record-breaking 6,400 candidates from 60 parties have registered in the run-up to the long-awaited national polls.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)
Regulations on smoke-free areas now in effect
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) has launched the Public Health Ministry’s regulations on smoke-free areas which came into effect from February 3, 2019.
— Pattaya Mail
“Red buses are a rip-off. We’d rather use Grab or Uber” – Chiang Mai
A poll among Thai tourists in Chiang Mai is giving a big preference to local Uber and Grab services and the thumbs down to the northern city’s notorious ‘Rot Daeng’ or red buses.
— The Thaiger
Iranian family of thieves touring Thailand to steal from stores and Thais caught
Police in Southern Thailand has made an arrest of four Iranians who were touring around Thailand stealing from shops. The thieves included a father and daughter who did the thefts and friends who were the driver and lookout man.
— The Pattaya News
Nakhon Phanom Rings in Cross-Border Chinese New Year
Thais of Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry joined Laotians to offer alms to monks to celebrate Chinese New Year on Tuesday in the border city of Nakhon Phanom.
— Khaosod English
Chiang Mai Zoo celebrates Chinese New Year
The Director of Chiang Mai Zoo, Wuthichai Muangman, said many areas of the zoo are now decorated with red lanterns on this occasion.
— Pattaya Mail
Feature photo John Le Fevre
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges Chinese New Year, 2019.
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 February 6 added by John Le Fevre on
View all posts by John Le Fevre →
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