Thailand morning news for July 26, 2019

DOA sets up war room to deal with drought
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DOA) has instructed its provincial and district offices to carry out operations to cope with water shortages and drought-related damages.
— NBT World (video)

Southern army go on offensive in hunt for separatist insurgents
The Fourth Army Region has decided to embed about 10,000 men in 735 special mobile units in 188 villages known to be used as safe havens for separatist insurgents.
— Thai PBS News

‘We Are the Last Targets’: Thai Dissident Band in Laos Fear Death
Taking turns to keep watch at their hideout in Laos, the four members of the self-exiled Thai activist folk band “Faiyen” believe they are on a hit-list like eight fellow dissidents who have already disappeared.
— Coconuts Bangkok

Prayuth Struggles to Keep His Cool as He Defends Gov’t Policies
The opposition accuse Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s government policies of being too vague, and without any viable strategy to make them a reality.
— Khaosod English

Water levels under pressure as drought heats up
One of the province’s main cassava producing areas is under threat from worsening drought conditions as water levels in two reservoirs in tambon Lam Piak are running critically low and could dry up in the days ahead, warned the Khon Buri district office.
— Bangkok Post

Mum wants school investigated after daughter ‘raped’
The mother of a girl allegedly raped by a senior high school student has demanded that the school be investigated for its failure to inform her or take any action.
— Bangkok Post

Dawei SEZ stands better chance with Japanese participation, officials say
The governments of Myanmar, Japan and Thailand will be meeting over the troubled Dawei special economic zone (SEZ) project that has stalled since 2013 for lack of funding. Ministers will form a Joint Cooperation Committee to discuss how Japan can be more involved in developing the SEZ.
— Myanmar Times

Tobacco giant lobbies Thai government to reverse vaping laws
Leading Thai cigarette importer Philip Morris Trading wants the new government and policymakers to start talking with the tobacco industry to find constructive solutions to reducing harm caused by smoking.
— The Thaiger

DEPA proposes tax cut for Digital-Aided Investments
The Digital Economic Promotion Agency will propose an extension of the 200% tax cut policy for entrepreneurs who invested in software technology and will increase the maximum sum for a tax exemption to 200,000 baht.
— NBT World (video)

Demolition orders issued
Eleven resorts, including the controversial 88 Garmonte, have been served with demolition orders after they were found to have been built illegally on a nature reserve.
— Bangkok Post

Health Ministry set to delist hemp
The Public Health Ministry announced amendments on Thursday to two ministry statements to delist hemp as a controlled substance from category 5 under the Narcotics Act.
— Bangkok Post

Why Thailand can’t grow unicorns
Thailand’s start-up scene is vibrant and youthful, full of energy and new ideas on how to develop the country using new technology.
— Asia Times

Fiery start to House meet
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha engaged in a toe-to-toe face-off with the opposition in a fiery parliamentary debate on the government’s policy manifesto on Thursday.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand set to be turned into developed country in 21st century: gov’t policy
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday pledged to turn Thailand into a developed country in the 21st century.
— Xinhuanet

Proposal to cut electric train fare to 15-baht flat rate is nothing new
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob’s proposal to cut electric train fares to a 15 baht flat rate is just old wine in a new bottle to woo Bangkok voters.
— Thai PBS News

Suvit to create startup fund, roll out key laws
Suvit Maesincee, the higher education, science, research and innovation minister, has vowed to establish a Young Startup fund and roll out three new regulations to strengthen startups to spur the innovation-driven economy.
— Bangkok Post

Finance Minister to sue for alleged slander relating to Krung Thai loan controversy
Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana has instructed his legal advisors to take action against five individuals for allegedly discrediting him in connection with the state-run Krung Thai Bank’s controversial loan granted to the Krisda Mahanakorn Group over a decade ago, said Palang Pracharat deputy spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana on Thursday.
— Thai PBS News

Future Forward wants to allow exiled Thais to come home for sake of reconciliation
Future Forward secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul has proposed that the government allow exiled Thais living abroad to return home with guarantees that the charges against them will be treated as political.
— Thai PBS News

THAI cabin crew reminded not to engage in smuggling
Thai Airways International has reminded its flight attendants to refrain from engaging in smuggling activities or they face dismissal if caught.
— Thai PBS News

Opposition leader says he does not trust prime minister or his government
Pheu Thai party leader Sompong Amornvivat said in parliament today (Thursday) that he does not trust Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his old economic team to solve the country’s pressing problems because they have failed to do so over the past five years.
— Thai PBS News

Phuket police crackdown nets over 20,000 meth pills and weapons
Police have nabbed drug dealers in Phuket with more than 20,000 methamphetamine pills plus other drugs and weapons.
— The Thaiger

Khaosod Signs Partnership With China’s Xinhua
Khaosod and two other publications under Matichon Group announced a groundbreaking partnership with China’s Xinhua News Agency on Thursday.
— Khaosod English

Thai Airways attendant allegedly smuggled e-cigarettes
The management of Thai Airways International (THAI) is investigating a flight attendant suspected of smuggling in e-cigarettes and e-cigarette cartridges aboard a flight from Japan.
— Bangkok Post

Four well known PDRC protesters acquitted by the Criminal Court
Four well known members of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), which engineered the mass protests against the government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, were this morning acquitted of multiple charges ranging from insurrection, criminal association and illegal assembly to trespass and incitement of work stoppages.
— Thai PBS News

PM told to read out of the text of policy statement verbatim
Instead of issuing or barking orders in a manner familiar to him during his military career and as head of the military junta and its government, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha found himself having to take instructions from other people when he delivered the government’s policy statement in parliament this morning.
— Thai PBS News

Facing Harassment, State Enterprise Unions Call for Right to Strike
An international alliance of 217 trade unions has lambasted the judicial harassment of unionists employed in Thai state enterprises, calling on the Thai government to fully recognize the rights of workers to unionize and strike.
— Khaosod English

Thai PC and notebook sales set to increase 5% in second half of year
The market for personal computers and notebook computer will grow around 4.7% in the second half of this year, as students, gaming and e-sports continue to drive growth.
— The Thaiger

Activists call for student loan reform
Student activist group Dome Revolution Party called for reform of the current Student Loan Fund Act in a petition submitted on Thursday to Parliament President and House Speaker Chuan Leekpai.
— Bangkok Post

Builders of Laos dam say they’re not responsible for lack of flow in Mekong River
Both the government of Laos and the builders of the Xayaburi dam are dismissing allegations that damming of the Mekong River, for the trial run of electricity generators, is one of the reasons for the sharp drop of water levels in the downstream stretches of the Mekong River.
— The Thaiger

Firms that evade SSO contributions to be sued
Companies will face legal action and have their assets seized if they fail to make the mandatory contributions to the Social Security and Workmen’s Compensation funds, the Social Security Office has warned.
— Bangkok Post

Police receive reports of Ponzi scene affecting 200 on Koh Samui
200 Thai wives of foreigners have reportedly lost up to 120 million baht in a Ponze scheme on Koh Samui.
— The Thaiger

The ‘Sabai Sabai’ Way to Go Zero Waste in Thailand
Battling frowny kao gaeng vendors. Adamantly refusing durian cellophane-wrapped to a styrofoam dish and double-bagged. These are just some of the unique hurdles for Thais starting out on zero-waste lifestyles.
— Khaosod English

Security tight for the first day of the new Thai parliament
Security is tight around Bangkok’s TOT building for today’s first sitting of the new Thai parliament.
— The Thaiger

People in Thailand’s Nan province warned of flesh-eating disease
People in the northern province of Nan have been warned to be aware of a flesh-eating disease, which usually spreads during the wet season, after 25 people were treated for the infection at the provincial hospital in July, with one case being admitted to intensive care unit.
— Thai PBS News

Agencies to propose ways to lower public transport fares
The heads of public transport agencies are expected to meet on July 30 to propose several measures to support the government’s plan to cut public transport fares.
— Bangkok Post

Pattaya officials tell Bali Hai Pier vans, taxis and baht bus drivers to clean up their act
Pattaya officials have now banned passenger vans from parking at Bali Hai Pier and discussing the situation with baht bus operators. Ronakit Ekasingh, Pattaya’s deputy mayor held a meeting on Monday about the traffic problems and chaos that was overwhelming the busy tourist pier.
— The Thaiger

Fees temporarily cut at 2 expressway ramps
The Expressway Authority of Thailand will cut fees at two expressway ramps by five baht during morning rush hours for two months to promote more use of its Easy Pass card, which can help ease traffic jams in the areas.
— Bangkok Post

Ready, set, Dragonboats are GO! World Champs come to Pattaya in August
The 14th World Dragon Boat Racing Championships are being held in August at the Map Prachan Reservoir in Banglamung, in Chon Buri.
— The Thaiger

Foreign couple charged for filing false reports
A Russian man and his Kazakhstani wife have been arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport for filing false reports that they forgot their passports so they could avoid being caught for overstaying.
— Bangkok Post

Nissan labour unions unfazed by jobs cut
Nissan’s two labour unions in Thailand are not worried about Nissan Motor Corporation’s announcement to cut 12,500 jobs worldwide, saying two car plants in Samut Prakan have high use rates and sell to both local and overseas markets.
— Bangkok Post

Microsoft touts trust in SEC case
Microsoft Corporation says it is continuing to improve trust between its customers and partners, in response to the charges issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
— Bangkok Post

NBTC: New ratings system costly
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has conceded the inclusion of online platforms in the new system for TV viewership ratings would be expensive to survey.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand Has a Developing Economy and a Big First World Problem
Getting old can be hard under any circumstances, and harder still when you’re poor. That’s the predicament for Thailand, the developing country first in line to face the consequences of a first-world-style baby bust.
— Bloomberg

Thailand hosts ICAO Global Aviation Cooperation Symposium 2019
Thailand has hosted the 3rd International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Global Aviation Cooperation Symposium 2019 where aviation experts from around the world have gathered to discuss problems and opportunities to strengthen the aviation industry.
— NBT World (video)

Rainmaking operations held at key reservoirs
The government is implementing drought mitigating measures in many areas, including cloud seeding operations to supply water to key reservoirs.
— NBT World (video)

Thai students win medals in 30th International Biology Olympiad
Thai students have won several awards from the 30th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Hungary.
— NBT World (video)

FFP denies ‘Illuminati’ links
Alleged links to the Illuminati secret society are being used as a reason to push for the dissolution of the Future Forward Party (FFP) in a petition submitted to the Constitutional Court.
— Bangkok Post

Repairs being rushed for collapsed riverside cycling path
Repair work is being accelerated for the cycling path along the Mekong riverbank in Muang district that collapsed early this month after being undermined by water erosion.
— Bangkok Post

Chinese man gets 25½ years for murder
A young Chinese man has been sentenced to 25 years and six months in prison for the murder of a 70-year-old Thai garment vendor who was strangled in a Bangkok condominium in February this year.
— Bangkok Post

Facebook removes fake accounts
Facebook Inc said on Thursday it had erased over 1,800 accounts and pages from Thailand, Russia, Ukraine and Honduras, its latest move to counter deceptive political propaganda and other abuses of its service.
— Bangkok Post

Parked minivans banned from Bali Hai as traffic crackdown begins
Pattaya has banned public-transport vans from parking at Bali Hai Pier and is talking to baht bus operators about changes affecting them.
— Pattaya Mail

Lovesick bull gets stuck in wall chasing cow
A bull chasing a cow got stuck in a wall in Nongprue. Animal-control officers were called to the farm on Soi Pobsuk July 20 where the bull’s hind quarters bacame stuck between pieces of a wall.
— Pattaya Mail

World’s best-performing restaurant stock is Thai dessert shop
The world’s best-performing restaurant stock this year comes from the home of “tom yum goong” soup and pad thai.
— Aljazeera

American dies after being knocked over by motorbike north of Bangkok
An American pedestrian has died after being run over on Klong 1 Road leading to the Lumpini Township condominium, north of the Capital.
— The Thaiger

First-time contestant wins Miss Tiffany Universe
A liberal arts student grabbed the crown in Pattaya’s Miss Tiffany Universe transgender pageant. Ruethaipreeya “Dear” Nuanglee, 27, triumphed over 27 other contestants, fulfilling a dream she said she’s had since childhood.
— Pattaya Mail

Police tell shoppers to lock motorbikes
Pattaya police have urged motorcyclists to use steering and wheel locks to prevent motorbike theft.
— Pattaya Mail

TAT turns to bloggers to lure young
Some 44 bloggers from 17 countries are vying for a chance to promote Thailand as a preferred destination to millennial tourists worldwide.
— Bangkok Post

Here’s The Only Place to see ‘Tolkien’ On the Big Screen in Thailand
A biopic about the father of modern fantasy will hit the silver screen this August exclusively at Bangkok Screening Room, tracing the younger years of the man who wrote “The Lord of the Rings.”
— Khaosod English

Alleged Thief taught an important lesson by a well known local sauna owner (video)
On Wednesday afternoon, July 24th, 2019, an alleged thief who was accused of breaking open multiple lockers over a period of two months and stealing cash from customers at the Jomtien Sauna was caught by the owner of the sauna, Mr. Andrea Sinyorini.
— The Pattaya News

Police arrest Nigerian over Phuket-based ‘Nigerian Romance Scam’
A 38 year old Nigerian alleged ‘romance scammer’ has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly operating bank accounts and arranging money transactions.
— The Thaiger

Thai or S’Pore Salted Egg Potato Chips?: Our Verdict
Salted egg, the porridge-enriching stable of our grandmothers’ kitchens for generations, has been revitalized over the past year into a variety of trendy snacks.
— Khaosod English

Khaosod English Visits ‘Demolished’ Vimanmek Palace
Palace officials on Thursday said a historic teakwood mansion will be fully rebuilt after repair works are completed, though no time-frame was given.
— Khaosod English

Feature photo Thai PBS

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on air quality throughout Asean.

Find our previous Thailand 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.

For more immediate updates download the AEC News Today Mobile App from the Apple or Google stores, or follow us on Twitter.

Note: Due to The Nation‘s habit of hijacking urls and diverting them to promotion pages we no longer include it in our clippings.

#Independentmedia

Governance, not government; policies not politics.

—

About Thailand morning news.

For more immediate updates download the AEC News Today Mobile App from the Apple or Google stores, or follow us on Twitter.

#Independentmedia

Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Thailand morning news for July 26 added by John Le Fevre on July 26, 2019
View all posts by John Le Fevre →

Bio
Latest Posts

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.