Thailand plans ‘Trans-Asean’ bullet train linking China, Laos and even Singapore
Bangkok residents may find it hard to imagine that their next trip to Beijing could begin in Bang Sue.
— Today Online
Thailand Needs To Secure EU Deal Soon For Economic Boost
Economic experts have been lowering their expectations on Thailand’s expansion this year and concerns about how the country could overcome the decline of its economy are on the rise.
— Business Times
Opposition to intensify campaign for constitutional amendments
The seven-party opposition coalition has stepped its campaign to solicit public support for its attempt to amend the Constitution and to educate the people about the Constitution.
— Thai PBS News
Real estate developers’ confidence falls substantially in Q2 2019
The confidence index of real estate developers for the second quarter of this year has dropped to 42.2 points from 50.4 points for the first quarter.
— Thai PBS News
Post-election uncertainties see World Bank downgrade GDP further
Thai GDP growth is projected to fall from 4.1% last year to 3.5% in 2019, according to a World Bank report out today. The Thailand Economic Monitor noted that exports contracted by 4% in the first quarter of 2019 – the first quarterly contraction in three years.
— The Thaiger
Future Forward wants Charter Court to lift Thanathorn’s suspension order
The Future Forward party has asked the Constitutional Court to rescind its order suspending its leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, from performing his duty as an MP and that the court proceedings on Thanathorn’s media ownership case be held openly.
— Thai PBS News
Fears of Future Assaults Force Activists to Seek Police Protection
Three pro-democracy campaigners assaulted by men they believe to be acting on the junta’s orders said Monday they have sought police protection.
— Khaosod English
Nationwide probe into school lunch fraud ordered
The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) has ordered educational service area offices nationwide to review free lunch programmes for kindergarten and primary students at schools under their responsibility after allegations of corruption re-surfaced.
— Bangkok Post
FFP team submits share saga ‘proof’
Future Forward Party’s (FFP) legal team on Monday submitted clarification to the Constitutional Court defending party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit in his controversial media-shareholding case.
— Bangkok Post
China Sets up Freeze-Dried Durian Joint Venture in Thai Deep South
Chinese investors and their Thai partners have inaugurated a durian processing factory in the insurgency-stricken Deep South, in a joint venture where hundreds of residents could reap jobs from the tasty fruit known for its spiny husk and stinky aroma, agriculture officials said.
— Benar News
Govt revives old plan to irrigate Isan
The Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR) has vowed to complete the Huai Luang Water Development project, a scheme to use the Mekong River to irrigate farmland in northeastern provinces.
— Bangkok Post
Thammanat axed in rejig
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has made a last-minute change to the cabinet line-up, dropping controversial figure Capt Thammanat Prompao who was tipped to be labour minister from the list and giving the portfolio to another heavyweight in the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
— Bangkok Post
Grisada plots immediate paraquat ban
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach yesterday expressed his desire to leave a legacy before leaving office by imposing an immediate ban on three toxic farm chemicals, namely paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos.
— Bangkok Post
Thai central bank has no need to quickly adjust policy: Governor
Thailand’s central bank sees no need to quickly adjust its monetary policy, despite expecting lower economic growth this year, the governor said on Monday (Jul 8).
— CNA
Police deny posh plane just for Prawit
The Royal Thai Police yesterday denied that a 1.1-billion-baht plane purchased recently would only serve the needs of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon as critics have alleged.
— Bangkok Post
Sources deny Thaksin to ‘wash hands’ of politics
A source close to fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has quashed rumours that the ex-premier is washing his hands of politics, saying he is only waiting for the right time to step back into the political sphere.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand given 3 years to resolve 3 issues before resubmitting KKFC proposal
Former Thai ambassador to France, and head of the Thai delegation at the World Heritage Committee meeting (WHC), Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, reported today (July 8th) that the UNESCO WHC has asked Thailand to work on three main issues before it resubmits the proposal for Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex to be listed as a natural world heritage site.
— Thai PBS News
No need to quickly adjust policy, says BoT chief
Thailand’s central bank sees no need to quickly adjust its monetary policy, despite expecting lower economic growth this year, the governor said on Monday.
— Bangkok Post
MRT Blue Line extension to test run late July
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) is set to test run the MRT Blue Line Thaphra extension late this month.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand leads ASEAN into a secure digital future
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs envisions ASEAN as ‘seamlessly connected’ and cybersecurity will contribute to that vision.
— SecurityBrief Asia
Thailand’s faux democracy shouldn’t be treated like a real one
I saw the best and the worst of Thailand during a visit to Bangkok last month.
— Human Rights Watch
Phuket hosts IDMEx 2019 tsunami drill
Government agencies, volunteers, and private companies in Phuket province are joining an emergency response drill taking place until July 8.
— NBT World (video)
Thai pilgrims arrive in Medina
A group of Thai pilgrims arrived in the city of Medina, Saudi Arabia, to perform the Islamic tradition of Hajj.
— NBT World (video)
Thai parliament addresses low prices for farm produce
The new parliament has considered urgent motions on the low prices of farm goods and resolved to set up a 39 member extraordinary House committee to look into the the matter.
— The Thaiger
The prevention of the outbreak of African Swine Fever
Thailand is working with other ASEAN countries in the prevention of the outbreak of African Swine Fever
— NBT World (video)
Southern fishermen call for ban on young aquatic catches
The Federation of Southern Fishermen has issued a statement calling for the government to prohibit the catching of young aquatic creatures in the sea, beginning with infant mackerel and blue crabs.
— Pattaya Mail
New traffic tunnel opens in Phuket
A 546-million-baht traffic tunnel at a busy intersection in the resort island has been opened.
— Bangkok Post
Politics key threat to Thai outlook, World Bank warns
Prolonged political uncertainty is a key risk for Thailand’s economic outlook, according to the World Bank’s Thailand Economic Monitor.
— Bangkok Post
UDD leader suggests Thaksin should end his political life at the age of 70
Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan has suggested fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra should wash his hands of politics when he turns 70 on July 26th and urged the Pheu Thai party to stand on its own feet.
— Thai PBS News
Bangkok’s MRT to start passenger free ‘test drive’ on Blue Line extension this month
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority is poised to open the MRT Blue Line Thaphra extension for passenger test runs later this month.
— The Thaiger
SCB wields inorganic growth
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) is concentrating on inorganic growth in a bid to not only survive but also expand amid disruptive forces changing the global banking landscape.
— Bangkok Post
PTT has big ambitions for EECI project
PTT Plc is set to launch its Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovation (EECI) project in Rayong with the ambitious goal to raise the research and development centre to technology readiness level soon.
— Bangkok Post
Two Chinese tourists and four security guards fined, apologize for Walking Street brawl
As we posted on our social media feeds yesterday, two young Chinese Tourists got into a drunken brawl with four security from a local nightclub on Walking Street early Sunday Morning.
— The Pattaya News
Thai Justice officials push for action against parents of teenage biker in Chiang Mai
The Thai Justice Ministry is urging police to take action against the parents of a 13 year old boy whose foot was torn off in a crash on a 1000cc Kawasaki motorcycle they bought him.
— The Thaiger
‘Tesla of Thailand’ powers vision of electric paradise
Thailand could be on the verge of an electric vehicle (EV) revolution. After decades of promising ubiquitous plug-in stations and quiet roads full of whirring, non-petrol-powered cars, the futuristic fantasy could soon be a reality.
— Bangkok Post
Feature photo A birder’s blog
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on Asean’s endangered species, here, the banteng (Bos sauveli)
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. Due to The Nation‘s habit of hijacking urls and diverting them to promotion pages we no longer include it in our clippings.
Thailand morning news for July 9 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