Thailand morning news for January 14, 2019

Pro-Election Rallies Causing ‘Chaos,’ Army Chief Says
The nation’s army chief said protesters insisting that elections go ahead as planned next month are inciting “chaos.”
— Khaosod English

Smog serious threat to public health: experts
Air pollution blankets capital for third day in a row, with prospects of prolonged unhealthy air quality levels
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

BOI approves rail development, cruise ship port investment
The Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) has laid out strategies to boost the development of rail services and the country’s cruise tourism.
— NNT

EC ready to announce election date
The chairman of the Election Commission (EC) has given an assurance that a date for the general election can be announced within five days of the Royal Decree on the poll being published in the Royal Gazette.
— NBT World (video)

Govt takes investment roadshow to Japan
The government will hold its first roadshow in Japan’s Kansai, Osaka and Kobe from Jan 30 to Feb 2 to attract investors, according to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
— Bangkok Post

Greenpeace Thailand says Bangkok among cities with worst air quality
Bangkok is placed at the 9th spot of the world’s top 10 cities with the worst air quality, Greenpeace Thailand said today quoting US air quality index (AQI)
— Thai PBS World

Region braces for another bad air day
The poor air quality stemming mainly from a high volume of hazardous fine dust particles in Bangkok and surrounding provinces will persist Monday, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) says.
— Bangkok Post

Brazen daytime ambush leaves policeman dead
A police sergeant was killed during a bold daytime attack on Sunday at Napradu police station in tambon Thung Phala of Khok Pho district in Narathiwat.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand, Laos hold joint anti-drug meeting
Thailand and the Lao PDR have held their 17th anti-drug meeting, agreeing to apply royal teachings to agricultural production in the hope of reducing the areas of cannabis farming.
— NBT World (video)

Thailand named in top ten places in the world to retire
Thailand has again been named in the top ten retirement places in the world and Number 2 in Asia.
— The Thaiger

Opponents of poll delay warn of bigger protest if no words on election date this Friday
The activist group pushing for an early election today threatened to escalate its campaign if the Election Commission fails to announce an election date by this coming Friday.
— Thai PBS World

Myanmar-Thailand border trade hit over 900 mln USD in 1st quarter of FY 2018-19
Bilateral border trade between Myanmar and Thailand reached 937.4 million U.S. dollars in first three months of current fiscal year 2018-2019 which started in October, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Saturday.
— Brinkwire

Poll shows Gen Prayut most suitable to be next PM
More than 85 percent of the respondents to an opinion poll agreed that General Prayut Chan-o-cha is most suitable to be the next prime minister whereas the rest insisted that there are other individuals who are more suitable than him.
— Thai PBS World

Hundreds of Foreigners Rounded Up in “X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner” Sweep
Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, has told a press briefing that a total of 375 people were arrested for immigration offences in the latest “Outlaw Foreigners” raids, which targeted 239 locations across the country early Friday morning.
— Chiang Rai Times

HM the King urges Thai children to learn and seek new knowledge
His Majesty the King has urged Thai children to strive for learning and seeking new knowledge, to have discipline and to be good citizens as these will help them to be happy, prosperous and successful in their lives in the future.
— Thai PBS World

Bangkok’s air-pollution alarming, rain-making being considered
Bangkok’s air pollution has reached dangerous levels for multiple days in the past few weeks.
— The Thaiger

Thai security forces kill two linked to deadly shooting at school
Two insurgents believed to be tied to a motorcycle drive-by shooting at a school in Thailand’s south were shot dead Saturday (Jan 12), police said, as UNICEF warned of trauma for children near the scene of the lunchtime violence.
— Channel NewsAsia

Further upgrades to Thai fishing discussed now that EU yellow flag lifted
The Administrative Mobilization and Reform committee has discussed further ways to improve Thai fishing following the lifting of a yellow flag on the Kingdom by the European Union.
— NNT

Electronic Cigarettes “Vaping” Becoming Popular Among Thai Youths
Despite realizing the possible dangers of electronic cigarette (E-cigarette), as many as 14 per cent of Thai youths continue to vape.
— Chiang Rai Times

Ministry officials try to shut down no-uniform option; but rules say it is OK
After the decision by Bangkok Christian College to let students choose what to wear every Tuesday, Ministry of Education (MOE) officials have tried to halt the experiment and stop other schools from copying it even though the rules say it is OK.
— Prachatai English

ARRESTS OF VISA SCOFFLAWS GOOD FOR TOURISM: BIG JOKE
Nearly 500 foreigners were arrested this week on visa violations in the latest raid police said early Friday morning will benefit tourism.
— Khaosod English

ELECTION OFFICIAL DEFENDS NEED FOR NEW CARS, INCLUDING BENZES
The Election Commission said Friday that taxpayers must foot the bill for tens of millions of baht worth of new cars needed by its directors.
— Khaosod English

Cops turn to GPS to keep eye on themselves
GPS (global positioning system) technology is being introduced to tackle cases of police officers absconding from their patrols of crime-prone areas.
— Bangkok Post

Three reasons Thailand is winning on same-sex rights in Asia
Last month, the Thai government supported a bill that would make Thailand the first Asian jurisdiction to allow same-sex civil partnerships (“Thai government approves same-sex civil unions”, December 25).
— South China Morning Post

Abhisit urges clear mandate from voters to tame senate
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday urged citizens to vote, saying a clear mandate for a party to run the country would keep the Senate at bay.
— Bangkok Post

ANALYSIS: Junta keeps the country guessing about next election
AFTER SEIZING power from an elected government in May 2014, the ruling junta led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha came up with a political âroad mapâ promising a general election in February 2016.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Teachers-to-be can graduate with poor English, panel decides
A STRONG grasp of the English language will not be required of teacher-education graduates, the committee in charge of preparing a teacher qualifications framework has decided.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Job skills for poor gets boost
The Finance Ministry aims to spend 3 billion baht more to fund a proposed extension of the government’s occupational training programme for the poor holding state welfare cards and receiving monthly living allowances.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand unveils innovative Expo 2020 pavilion design
The Kingdom of Thailand will unveil the transformation of its unique charm into the ‘smart’ country of Thailand 4.0 through its pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
— GDN Online

Reports probed of tainted rice given storm victims
A fact-finding panel has been appointed to examine rice packs set to be distributed to victims of Tropical Storm Pabuk after it was reported that several were contaminated.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

The 35 billion baht white elephant – Phuket’s light rail
Spending 35 billion baht on infrastructure that few will use, is planned on the least useful route and will cause mayhem for a 3-5 year build time is a waste of money.
— The Thaiger

Handbook of new standards coming for kindergartens and nurseries
To ensure up-to-par good quality in early childhood care and education at 53,335 kindergartens and nurseries nationwide, the Education Council is now in process of printing a handbook for distribution.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Thai Tourism chases the pink dollar as one of its “new shades”
While Thailand is waiting for a Life Partnership Bill to become law, and maybe a move towards full same-sex marriage down the track, advocates say they are encouraged by the country’s efforts in attracting LGBT tourists.
— The Thaiger

Army seeks approval for more VT4 tanks
The army is seeking the cabinet’s approval for the purchase of 14 VT-4 battle tanks from China, at a cost of more than 2.3 billion baht, said an army source.
— Bangkok Post

Latest : Runaway Saudi teen settles in Canada after being granted asylum
A “very, very happy” Saudi teenager who caused a sensation by defying her family and seeking asylum abroad was welcomed with open arms in Toronto Saturday at the end of a dramatic but exhausting international odyssey.
— The Nation (very annoying pop-ups)

Army chief claims opponents of election delay bent on creating troubles
Army Commander-in-Chief General Apirat Kongsompong today accused those campaigning against an election delay of having a “one-track mind” and bent on creating troubles.
— Thai PBS World

Sufficiency economy can sustain health security
A FORMER public health minister has recommended the sufficiency economy philosophy and friend therapy as the means to sustain the country’s health security.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Lending curbs set to hit residential sales
The Bank of Thailand’s macroprudential policy will hurt future residential sales in 20 first- and second-tier provinces, with Chon Buri continuing to see the largest number of unsold units, which last year represented more than one-third of the total.
— Bangkok Post

Still no charges over deadly collision in Chalong that killed two tourists
Police still have yet to press any charges for the deadly collision on Chao Fa West Rd, Chalong, in November that killed two tourists when the motorbike they were riding on slammed into a car making a U-turn at night.
— The Phuket News

NBT telethon rallies support for Pabuk victims
National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) have joined the Southerners Association under Royal Patronage, the Southern Development Foundation, other southern groups and village headmen from 14 southern provinces to hold a special program amassing donations for those impacted by tropical storm Pabuk.
— NBT World (video)

Fruit juice excise threshold could double
The Excise Department is set to raise the fruit and vegetable content requirement for a tax exemption for juices to at least 20% from a minimum 10% in an effort to boost local farmer income.
— Bangkok Post

TCEB to upgrade Thailand’s incentive travel tourism market to international level
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recently revealed a plan to upgrade the Kingdom’s incentive travel tourism market to the international level.
— NBT World (video)

Kids flock to Government House and Don Mueang – Children’s Day 2019
An 11 year old girl from the St Francis Xavier School in Nonthaburi was the first student to sit on the prime minister’s seat at Government House on National Children’s Day.
— The Thaiger

Thailand Tourism Festival 2019 to take place from Jan 23-27
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will host Thailand Tourism Festival 2019 from January 23 to 27 at Lumpini Park, Bangkok.
— Saigon Giai Phong

Policeman’s murder in Pattani possibly revenge
A POLICEMAN was shot dead yesterday outside his precinct station in Pattani’s Khok Pho district, in posible retaliation for the deaths of two suspected insurgents the day before.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

PTTGC studying biodegradable polyester for line-up
PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTTGC), Thailand’s largest petrochemical maker, is conducting R&D to produce bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA) to add new commercial products to its roster soon.
— Bangkok Post

The hunt for pink dollars
While marriage equality is yet to clear the legislative thicket, advocates are encouraged by the country’s efforts to woo more LGBTQ tourists
— Thai PBS World

Panel on peace in South open to idea of special status
General Udomchai Thammasaroraj said on Friday the committee he chairs on the peace dialogue in the southern border provinces would take into consideration the Malaysian prime minister’s suggestion that the area be designated a “special administrative region”.
— The Nation (very annoying pop-ups)

Thai cabinet extends visa-fee-waiver until after Songkran
Tourists from over 21 countries will continue to benefit from an extension to the visa fee waiver introduced in November last year.
— The Thaiger

Thailand & Australia sign MOU on cyber security
Thailand and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cyber security, focusing on an information exchange and supporting innovative research to cope with cyber threats.
— NBT World (video)

Rail work puts squeeze on city
While the rail system for public transport is under construction around the country, traffic chaos can be expected throughout this year in Bangkok, particularly in the north, as several projects gather steam.
— Bangkok Post

Businesses can apply for 5% VAT refunds
The Comptroller General’s Department (CGD) is now launching an application for business operators interested in joining a VAT refund scheme over the Chinese New Year.
— NBT World (video)

Chinese, Taiwanese, Lao involved in making fake credit cards – Pattaya
Pattaya police and immigration officials have arrested a Chinese and Taiwanese man over allegations of making fake credit cards with stolen information for an accomplice in Laos.
— The Thaiger

BMA campaigns against spread of mosquito-transmitted viruses
Heavy rainfall in many areas has resulted in the rapid spread of mosquitoes, and with them, the spread of mosquito-transmitted viruses, which have infected over 85,000 people in the Bangkok area last year.
— NBT World (video)

Phuket residents vote against U-turn flyover
Local residents have voted not to have a U-turn flyover built over Thepkrasattri Rd in Koh Kaew. The feedback was gained at a public meeting held at Phuket Rajabhat University on Friday (Jan 11).
— The Phuket News

Commerce Ministry considering requests for marijuana patents
The Ministry of Commerce is considering 13 applications for the patenting of marijuana extracts.
— NBT World (video)

Ministry of Labor to maintain standards in fishing industry
Following the EU’s lifting of the illegal fishing yellow card on Thailand, the Ministry of Labor has vowed to work with all sectors to ensure the long-term enforcement of fishing regulations.
— NBT World (video)

Chinese cities open direct flights to Thailand, Myanmar
Two major cities in southwest China opened direct passenger flights to Thailand and Myanmar respectively on Friday to boost bilateral exchanges.
— The Nation Pakistan

How Much Time Asians Spend Helping Their Child With Education?
According to the report published by Varkey Foundation, parents in lower income and emerging economies are more likely to spend significant amounts of time helping their children outside the classroom than those in established economies.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

Property developers anxious about year ahead
Property developers should be more cautious about financial liquidity and new supply launches because residential presales and transfers are unlikely to be as robust as previously expected this year.
— The Phuket News

Ministry of Interior launches waste separation campaign
The Ministry of Interior has kicked off a waste separation campaign nationwide on January 9th, 2019.
— NNT

Kalasin villagers wage battle with supernatural after three ‘mysterious’ deaths
Residents of two villages in Kalasin held rituals yesterday in a bid to ward off an evil spirit believed responsible for the sudden deaths of three local men.
— The Nation (very annoying popups)

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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 January 14 added by John Le Fevre on January 14, 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.