Thailand morning news for June 10, 2019

Majority believe PPRP-led govt won’t complete four-year term: Suan Dusit Poll
A majority of people disagree with the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties joining the government led by the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) and believe the coalition will not survive the four-year term, says Suan Dusit Poll.
— Bangkok Post

Facing headwinds in 2019, Thai economy looks better for 2020
The Thai economy is projected to grow 3.8% in 2019, slightly below last year’s 4.2%. The main reason is slower growth in the global economy. thailand-business-news.com reports that this is likely to lead to a deceleration in Thai exports and tourism, which will impact domestic consumption.
— The Thaiger

Dems to meet over post claim
All eyes are on the Democrat Party on Monday with a meeting planned which could make or break its coalition deal with the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), in the wake of reports the PPRP wants to reclaim a number of key seats in the cabinet that it had promised to its coalition partners.
— Bangkok Post

Thais make history with dramatic win
Thailand beat England in a nearest the pin play-off to win the GolfSixes Cascais and make European Tour history at Oitavos Dunes.
— Bangkok Post

Bhumjaithai rejects Palang Pracharat’s demand for return of Transport Ministry
Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnvirakul maintains that his party will not relinquish the ministerial portfolios for transport, public health or tourism and sports to the Palang Pracharat party.
— Thai PBS News

Contractors ‘to blame for floods’
Firebrand activist Srisuwan Janya is likely to lodge complaints with the police against several district chiefs, contractors hired to build dams and housing projects along the Lat Phrao Canal for causing floods on Friday.
— Bangkok Post

NESDC: Employment rises in Q1
Despite the trade war between China and the US, Thailand’s employment has risen due to the continual expansion of the public sector’s investment projects.
— NBT World (video)

Transport Ministry eyes Hopewell payment delay
The Ministry of Transport may seek Administrative Court approval to delay its compensation payment of 37 billion baht to Hopewell (Thailand), according to Worawut Mala, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).
— Bangkok Post

Government set to clampdown on overcharging in the pet medical care industry
Not content with just clamping down on some of the excesses of the Private Hospital system for humans in Thailand, the government is now planning to keep an eye on the prices of medication, medical supplies and medical services at pet clinics and pet hospitals as well.
— The Thaiger

ID predicts less rainfall this year
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) expects that the amount of rainfall this year will be less than that of last year by some three percent.
— NBT World (video)

Populism hits plan to rein in fiscal red ink
The Finance Ministry is likely to delay its balanced budget goal if the new government strictly pursues populist campaign promises, says a senior official at the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO).
— Bangkok Post

Thailand’s crude mockery of democracy means it doesn’t deserve US aid
Thailand has been a major non-NATO ally of the United States since 2013, and Pentagon planning for potential operations in Asia depends heavily on its cooperation.
— ctpost

Not negotiable. Democrats and Bhumjaithai draw a line in the Thai political sand
PHOTO: Bhumjaithai leader, Anutin Charnvirakul Bhumjaithai want to retain the Transport portfolio, as promised. The Democrats say they will not ‘return’ the Agriculture or Commerce portfolios, as it was promised.
— The Thaiger

Fisheries Dept pays compensation to boat owners
Boat owners in the country’s fisheries sector have received payments totaling more than 27 million baht from the Department of Fisheries in the first phase of the government’s scheme to better manage the fishing industry.
— Pattaya Mail

Frozen pork haul prompts swine fever concern
The seizure of 558 frozen pigs in Bangkok’s On Nut area has sparked fears of an African Swine Fever outbreak as the meat is believed to have been smuggled in from neighbouring countries.
— Bangkok Post

OIE promotes production line robots, automation implementation
As part of the industrial sector structural reform, the government is pursuing measures to encourage SMEs and farmers to implement robotic technology and automation in their businesses.
— NBT World (video)

Never-ending pavement repair irks city residents
Known for their wobbly surfaces and surplus of potholes – not to mention seemingly endless reconstruction – footpaths in Bangkok have always been on the receiving end of criticism and ridicule.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand ‘Prostituting Its Resources,’ Says Top Nature Photographer
As one of Thailand’s foremost marine conservation photographers, Sirachai “Shin” Arunrugstichai sees on a daily basis dead baby sharks discarded as trash by fishing trawlers, tourist speedboats crushing coral, and dead whales cut open and full of plastic.
— Khaosod English

SRT planning new double track route
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is planning to spend nearly 90 billion baht to upgrade the existing single-track railways leading to the deep South to double tracks to cut down travel times for passengers and promote tourism to the region.
— Bangkok Post

Fisheries Department pays 27 million baht to workers
The Department of Fisheries has paid 27 million baht in compensation to workers in the fishing sector under the first phase of the government’s compensation scheme.
— NBT World (video)

Evacuation mulled after WWII explosives discovery
Residents living in downtown Ratchaburi may soon be ordered to evacuate their homes as authorities prepare to defuse seven World War II-era unexploded bombs found on the bed of the Mae Klong River.
— Bangkok Post

Thai publisher Matichon launches copyright action against Australian firm
Thai media company Matichon is suing an Australia media monitoring firm for alleged copyright breaches.
— Mumbrella Asia

Toyota ramps up EV deployment plans
Toyota Motor Corp aims to have half of its global sales from electrified vehicles by 2025, five years ahead of schedule, and says it will tie up with Chinese battery makers to accommodate an accelerated shift to electric power.
— Bangkok Post

China’s Siasun seeking large EEC plot for plant
China-based Siasun Robot & Automation Co hopes to invest in a manufacturing facility for systems integration and automation with the intention of entering Thailand’s flagship Eastern Economic Corridor, says Djitt Laowattana, executive adviser of the EEC policy committee.
— Bangkok Post

World Ocean Day celebrated on June 8
The United Nations has declared June 8 as World Ocean Day to raise the public awareness of the significance of seas and oceans.
— NBT World (video)

Police Region seizes 200m meth pills over seven months
The Provincial Police Region 5 has confiscated almost 200 million methamphetamine pills during the past seven months as drug traffickers changed smuggling routes to avoid authorities which have stepped up crackdowns.
— Bangkok Post

Customs urged to act on sticky rice smugglers
The Internal Trade Department is urging border security and customs officers to crack down on the smuggling of unmilled glutinous rice by traders who want to profit off the high price of the commodity in the domestic market.
— Bangkok Post

Cannabis Walk Thailand 2019 says progress made but challenges ahead
The latest progress on medical cannabis has been shared with participants in a recent seminar organised as part of the 21 day “Cannabis Walk Thailand”, which finished this weekend.
— The Thaiger

SRT eyeing B40bn budget
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will ask the cabinet to approve a 40-billion-baht budget to build an extension line for the Airport Rail Link.
— Bangkok Post

Govt to propose trio of ‘smart cities’
Thailand will propose Bangkok, Phuket and Sri Racha as smart cities at the upcoming Asean Smart Cities Network (ASCN) meeting in August.
— Bangkok Post

Water situation in Pa Sak Dam
Although it is raining in many areas, they are mostly outside the dams catchment area, so only a small amount of water has flowed into dams and some dams haven’t had any water flow into them at all.
— NNT

As More Developing Countries Reject Plastic Waste Exports, Wealthy Nations Seek Solutions at Home
Less than two years after China banned most imports of scrap material from abroad, many of its neighbors are following suit.
— International Policy Digest

Fight for a better life: The bittersweet journey of a child boxer in Thailand
A pillar of Thai culture, Muay Thai is one of the most popular contact sports in the Southeastern Asian country. Thousands of young hopefuls try their hand at the sport, many chasing prize money for their poor families.
— South China Morning Post

Commentary: PM Prayut faces huge challenges in getting Thailand’s house in order
Prayut has ruled Thailand for the past five years following a military coup he led that overthrew the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
— CNA (very annoying popups)

Illegal phayung logging in Thap Lan National Park targeted
An operation has been launched to suppress illegal felling of protected phayung trees in the Thap Lan National Park, according to a 2nd Army bulletin.
— Bangkok Post

Farmers traumatised by boar attacks on pineapples, cassava
Farmers have cried foul over wild boar raids that damaged their farms, causing at least one to switch to another crop the beasts might find less tasty.
— Bangkok Post

Lineup set for June 14-15 Pattaya Music Festival
The lineup has been set for the June 14-15 Pattaya Music Festival with three stages spread between the Dusit Thani Hotel and Jomtien Beach.
— Pattaya Mail

Bangkok hit with 100-160mm of rainfall, causing widespread flooding
Heavy rain doused Bangkok yesterday afternoon, pouring an average of 100mm of rainwater on the capital for more than two hours. The deluge caused widespread flooding and a rush hour…
— Thai PBS News

OIE promotes production line robots; automation implementation
As part of ongoing industrial sector structural reform through the implementation of technologies to reduce costs and enhance efficiency, the government is pursuing measures to encourage SMEs and farmers to implement robotic technology and automation in their businesses.
— NNT

Pattaya places barriers to prevent flooding
Pattaya officials aided victims of recent flooding on Soi Paniadchang 8 and took temporary steps to prevent more.
— Pattaya Mail

Thanathorn confirms his party’s goal remains to change Thailand for the better
The Future Forward party aims to transform Thailand into a more livable society, where its people are not divided by hate politics, the military is democratic, with a decentralized bureaucracy…
— Thai PBS News

Thai Medical Council warns local men against penis enlargement scams and bogus treatments
WARNING: This story may make men squirm and some women laugh. The Thai Medical Council on Facebook is warning Thai men to stop trying to enlarge their penises, especially with DIY treatments.
— The Thaiger

Rescued baby dugong “Marium” misses mom, says veterinarian
“Marium”, a six-month-old baby dugong, a species of the same order as the manatee, was accidentally separated from and now misses her mom. She clings to an orange canoe with…
— Thai PBS News

Passengers to Canada arrested because of documents
The Immigration Police have arrested foreign nationals travelling from Thailand to Canada carrying suspect documents. The documents, required to enter their final destination, are believed to be fake; authorities are set to expose and prosecute the agencies involved.
— NNT

Governor’s apology over floods in Bangkok
Following last week’s floods in several parts of Bangkok, the city’s Governor, Pol. Gen. Aswin Kwanmuang, posted a message on his Facebook account to apologise to the general public about the floodwater situation and the recurrent flooding of the Rama IX route.
— NNT

DE Ministry signs 5G testing agreement in EEC
The Ministry of a Digital Economy and Society (DE) signed an agreement on 5G use-case testing with 40 alliances from the public and private sectors. The testing center will take place at the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
— NNT

Bonding in Bangkok: our writer and her fiancé attend a new love workshop
Naked gazing, hypnotherapy, pillow-talk tutorials — but will it help Hannah Summers’s relationship go the distance?
— The Times

How to Buy Crypto in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Europe, Singapore, India
Investing in cryptocurrencies comes with risk, but it also comes with the potential for a higher payoff.
— Altcoin Buzz

Thailand’s modest house price rises
Nationwide house prices rose by 2.3% during the year to Q1 2019, down from y-o-y rises of 3.58% in Q4 2018, 5.13% in Q3, 5.01% in Q2 and 6.1% in Q1.
— Global Property Guide

Russian who corrected his visa with pen detained in Thailand
Thai Border Service has detained a 32-year-old Russian Dmitry Ignatov, who tried to enter the country without relevant documents. His visa expired a few days before arrival, after which Ignatov decided to correct the date with a ballpoint pen.
— Crime Russia

US, Royal Thai Navy Conclude CARAT Thailand 2019
The 25th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand concluded during a ceremony aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided missile destroyer USS Antietam (CG 54) at Sattahip Naval Base June 8.
— dvids

We cast our eyes into Thailand’s political crystal ball
The new Thai government, still being legoed together after more than two months since the election, is fragile at best, terminal at worst.
— The Thaiger

Little Marium growing up in a Dugong Thai nursery
Marium, an orphaned baby dugong found along the Krabi shore two months ago, will remain in the care of a dugong nursery on Koh Libong in Trang for at least six more months.
— The Thaiger

Nida and Suan Dusit polls give conflicting results on the government’s life span
A Dusit poll indicates that 73.65% those surveyed believe that a Palang Pracharat-led coalition government will last no more than a year, whereas 44.11% of respondents to a Nida Poll…
— Thai PBS News

3rd Road sidewalk repaired
Pattaya repaired a damaged sidewalk on Third Road following complaints. The footpath close to the Sophon Market had subsided due to chronic floods that washed away its foundation as well as leaking pipes.
— Pattaya Mail

Innovative farm products showcased at Central Festival event
The Department of Foreign Trade is showcasing innovative agricultural-product development at a June 5-11 event at Central Festival Pattaya Beach.
— Pattaya Mail

Khon Kaen Zoo welcomes new members
The latest addition to Khon Kaen Zoo is a baby gemsbok or oryx, which is a mammal in the same family as deer and recognized from its curved, long, and narrow horns.
— Pattaya Mail

A majestic occasion
Loudspeakers blared luk thung music. The continuous beats of bass and drum vibrated the ground. People danced with the tune while elephants walked majestically in front of the parade, carrying monks-to-be on its back.
— Bangkok Post travel

Two US tourists fined and awaiting deportation for graffiti
The two Americans, who had been arrested in Pattaya after spray painting a pick-up and walls in Sampeng, Bangkok, have been fined and are awaiting deportation.
— The Thaiger

A Quick Guide to Renewing Your Thai Driving License in Bangkok
This is my experience of renewing my five year Thai driving license. It doesn’t matter which office you go to.
— Richard Barrow in Thailand

A Quick Guide to Renewing Your British Passport in Bangkok
I had to renew my British passport in Bangkok this week. As it was different from my last time, I
— Richard Barrow in Thailand

Police Rush to Disarm Gecko’s Blockade
The bravery of Thai police was put to the test once again on Thursday night – but this time the fugitive was a 10-inch long gecko.
— Khaosod English

TAT targets Eastern European market in bid to boost yacht tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to increase yacht tourism from Europe, especially from landlocked Eastern European countries.
— Bangkok Post travel

Feature photo Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges World Blood Donor Day, June 14

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 June 10 added by John Le Fevre on June 10, 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.