Electricity Billionaire Is Building the Tesla of Thailand
Energy Absolute already won over a group of five taxi unions, which ordered 3,500 cars for metropolitan Bangkok.
— Bloomberg
BMA to end city’s cable nightmare
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has kicked off a 20-billion-baht project to move all overhead telecom and broadcast cables in the capital underground in two years, with a network of pipelines to be built underneath the entire 2,450 kilometres of roads in the city.
— Bangkok Post
Notorious Militia Member Arrested in Southern Thailand
The recent arrest in Yala province of a militia member linked to numerous murders and other crimes raised hopes that the Thai government was finally getting serious about countless abuses carried out by its security forces in Thailand’s restive southern border provinces.
— Human Rights Watch
Thai medical weed ads on the way
Watch out Thailand, medical marijuana took a big step toward being marketed openly yesterday.
— Coconuts (paywall)
4,500+ Baby Turtles Seized From Smuggler Crossing Thai-Myanmar Border
Under heavy rain, police waved over Sanchai Tongkapurana’s van at a checkpoint near the Thai-Myanmar border. Inside: legal Myanmar migrants. But in the trunk: thousands of baby turtles.
— Khaosod English
Thailand’s King Power wins duty-free retailer auction for major airports
Airports of Thailand Pcl (AOT) on Wednesday approved King Power Group’s $494 million bids for duty-free retailing at its major airports over rival contenders, including a group of South Korea’s Lotte and Bangkok Airways Pcl.
— Reuters
Agriculture Ministry to tackle trawler complaints
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives on Wednesday pledged to spend one month dealing with complaints from trawler operators affected by strict government regulations, but insisted any solution must be in line with international standards.
— Bangkok Post
PPRP to ask court to not suspend MPs
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) will next week lodge a petition with the Constitutional Court asking it not to temporarily suspend its MPs accused of violating media share-holding rules.
— Bangkok Post
Thai cybersecurity ranking dips to 35th
Thailand’s ranking in cybersecurity readiness fell to 35th in 2017-18 from 20th in 2016 as other countries made better cybersecurity improvements.
— Bangkok Post
Coalition allies told cabinet lineup is final
Coalition parties have been told not to make any further changes to the names in the cabinet lineup as the list is now being checked by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, according to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand revs up for summit
With the first Asean summit of the year around the corner, Thailand as the chair of the regional bloc plans to promote sustainability and partnership amid challenges in the current state of affairs.
— Bangkok Post
Chuan says cabinet’s status sound
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai on Wednesday shot down a proposal by an opposition MP calling for a debate on the status of the cabinet after Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha received royal endorsement as the new premier on the same day.
— Bangkok Post
Court signs deal with Counter Service to pay fines at 7-11
The Court of Justice has signed a memorandum of understanding with Counter Service Co to enable certain people to pay fines at 7-Eleven around the clock.
— Bangkok Post
Muslim tourists give Thailand the thumbs up
Early this year, it was revealed that Thailand had set a new record for tourist arrivals, welcoming as many as 38.2 million tourists in 2018. For 2019, the government there hopes to bring in as many as 41 million tourists to the Land of Smiles. One sector that can help it achieve that goal is halal (permissible by Islam) tourism.
— The Asean Post
PM calls on people to pay attention to ASEAN Summit
Thailand is hosting the 34th ASEAN Summit and venues and security measures have been prepared. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called on the people to pay attention to the ASEAN Summit.
— NNT
Thailand setting up start-up ecosystem at True Digital Park
Thailand’s True Digital Park has declared its readiness to become a centre for digital innovation in Thailand – the first and largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.
— OpenGov
Cabinet approved 20 year national water resource management plan
The Cabinet this week approved the 20-year national water resource management plan.
NBT World (video)
PM satisfies with higher palm pricing after government measures
The Prime Minister is satisfied with the government’s efforts to increase prices of oil palm.
NBT World (video)
Three-Continent Law Enforcement Task Force Breaks Pedophile Ring
Law enforcement officers working together in the United States, Australia, and Thailand have rescued 50 children who were being abused by an international ring of pedophiles.
— Newsmax
ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC)
An ASEAN – Japan cyber center has been opened in Thailand to train personnel from member states to help combat cyber threats in the region.
NBT World (video)
Thailand Cybersecurity 2019 Event support Thailand’s digital transformation
Thailand Cybersecurity 2019 Event Thailand Cybersecurity 2019 Event support Thailand’s digital transformation, particularly in dealing with current cyber threats
.NBT World (video)
Chinese businessman accused of pushing pregnant wife off cliff in Thailand to get her money
A Chinese man has been arrested in northeast Thailand on suspicion of trying to murder his pregnant wife by pushing her off a cliff, the local authorities have confirmed.
— South China Morning Post
TTC Group, Thailand’s Gulf inaugurate 2 solar power plants in Tây Ninh
To foster the rapid growth rate of Viet Nam’s economy from now through 2030 the energy sector needs to grow at 10 per cent annually to supply 500 billion kWh of commercial electricity by that year.
— Viet Nam News
Bangkok hotel fined after hundreds of condoms dumped in canal
A Bangkok hotel has been fined after hundreds of condoms bearing the hotel’s name and logo were dumped in a nearby canal.
— South China Morning Post
Tsunami evacuation drill to be held at Patong Beach
A mass tsunami-evacuation drill will be held in Patong next Tuesday (June 25), with the tsunami-warning sirens sounding the alarm at 1:30pm.
— The Phuket News
Fisheries Dept to present fishery sector’s achievements at ASEAN Summit
The Department of Fisheries will present the country’s achievements in the fishing sector at the 34th ASEAN Summit, which will be held in Bangkok from June 20 to 23, 2019.
— NNT
As World’s Trash Floods Thailand, Activists Call for Waste Import Ban
Thailand and its Southeast Asian neighbors are becoming major dumping grounds for the world’s plastic garbage and electronic waste. Environmentalists now want to see a ban on waste imports imposed across ASEAN.
— Khaosod English
In Thailand, You Can Ride an Elephant. But Should You?
More than half of Thailand’s 7,000 elephants live in captivity. It’s been that way ever since 1989, when the country suspended almost all of the commercial logging that had employed them for generations.
— New York Times (paywall)
Probe into major drug networks extended after singer Pookie’s arrest
Authorities have extended an investigation into the money trail of major networks trafficking drugs to Taiwan following the arrest of former pop singer Prissana “Pookie Praisaeng and her husband for allegedly selling 5.2kg of ketamine to a Taiwanese man.
— Bangkok Post
King Power shocks AoT with duty-free return bonanza
King Power has surprised Airports of Thailand (AoT) with an offer to pay the agency a much higher return than expected for operating duty-free shops and managing commercial areas at airports.
— Bangkok Post
Thai Army assists with removal of Cambodian border mines
The Royal Thai Army has helped its Cambodian counterparts clear landmines along the Sa Kaew border in Thailand’s east. Together they’ve cleared around 1.72 million square metres in the past financial year.
— The Thaiger
Big 3 mobile operators apply for 5G licences
The three big mobile operators on Wednesday submitted applications to buy three 700-megahertz spectrum licences, each set at 17.58 billion baht.
— Bangkok Post
Suu Kyi attending ASEAN Summit amid regional storm over Rohingya
ASEAN members will be piling pressure on Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi over the regional Rohingya crisis. Myanmar ‘State Counsellor’ Aung San Suu Kyi is heading to Bangkok to attend this weekend’s 34th Summit of the ASEAN. It’s believed the Rohingya refugee crisis will be a hot topic for …
— The Thaiger
More cross-border bus services urged
The Transport Ministry has urged bus operators to set up routes across borders from Thailand to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, known as the CLMV countries, due to their highly lucrative business potential.
— Bangkok Post
BAAC predicts Democrat farmer policy adoption
The state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) expects the new government to adopt a farmers’ minimum income guarantee as promised by the Democrat Party, which is tipped to fill the agriculture minister’s seat.
— Bangkok Post
DNP releases wildlife back to nature in Chiang Mai
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has continued to release wildlife back to nature in the forest conservation areas nationwide. In Chiang Mai, more than 600 wild animals were released to create wildlife populations and maintain ecological balance.
— NNT
Data sovereignty drives new demand for Asia Pacific
“Data is the new oil.” While that analogy may not be perfect, recent events underscore just how valuable particular types of data are in the information age.
— Thailand Business News
Thailand to fight counterfeit product sales online
Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property is cooperating with a famous online shopping website owner to resolve and prevent counterfeit product sales online.
— Thailand Business News
Giraffe-less Delhi Zoo hopes to acquire animal from Thailand
The Delhi Zoo has written to three zoos in Thailand to acquire five giraffes through an animal exchange programme.
— Business Standard
Transport Ministry eyes legalising ride-hailing services
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) is looking at legalising Grab ride-hailing services involving private cars and motorcycles.
— Bangkok Post
KTC confident of reaching personal loan target
Krungthai Card Plc (KTC) will reach its target of a 10% increase in personal credit card loans by the end of the year, a bank executive has said.
— Bangkok Post
Tesco looks to open 750 new convenience stores in Thailand
Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, has announced that it could grow its business in Thailand by opening 750 new convenience-style stores.
— The Thaiger
Unmanned ICC store ready
In keeping with rapid change in the fashion business and digital technology, ICC International Plc, the marketing arm for fashion and cosmetics under Saha Group, plans to open its first experimental unmanned store this month.
— Bangkok Post
Traveloka adds to travel apps
Traveloka, the Indonesia-based travel booking site, has launched the Traveloka Xperience in Thailand, the first country in Southeast Asia to receive the new service.
— Bangkok Post travel
A Sad World Refuge Day for Uyghurs in Thailand
Despite international protests, Thailand keeps Uyghur refugees in overcrowded detention camps and threatens to send them back to China.
— Bitter Winter
LGBT campaigners call for rights panel
LGBT rights campaigners and activists have petitioned a House committee to usher in a panel that monitors gender protections.
— Bangkok Post
Nattaporn needs you help – nine year old Thai amputee wants a prosthetic leg
The mother of a young amputee in Phichit, who lost her left leg two years ago because of cancer, is asking for help to get her daughter a prosthetic leg for better mobility. The mother, Plubpueng Butrnoi, says doctors had to amputate the left leg of her 9 year old daughter Nattaporn two years ago […]
— The Thaiger
GRAPEVINE Grapevine – June 19, 2019
Hi Tech Immigration They finally did it! The latest computers at the immigration bureau – in operation at all airports and border posts – use facial technology to identify entrants.
— Pattaya Mail
BTS wants to keep base fare under common ticketing
The operator of the BTS Skytrain network has proposed fare reductions of 10%-15% instead of waiving the common ticketing base fare, says a source at the Transport Ministry.
— Bangkok Post
Khon Kaen upgrades local restaurants with “Thai SELECT” symbol
To realize the government’s goal of promoting Thai food to the world, the Ministry of Commerce has launched a campaign to improve standards and promote awareness and acceptance of Thai food flavours with Thai SELECT symbol, given to certified Thai restaurants in Thailand and abroad.
— NNT
Ten students injured when crane collapses in Bangkok
Ten female students of Assumption Convent School in Bangkok have sustained injuries after a crane collapsed on a building site adjacent to the school this morning. Ejan reports that Bangrak Police were notified of the incident at 10am this morning. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a crane crashed on …
— The Thaiger
LET Thailand Championship this week
The Ladies European Tour Thailand Championship is currently taking place at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya from June 20-23.
— Pattaya Mail
PM cannot legally attend cabinet meetings or ASEAN Summit – Future Forward
…but we bet he will. Future Forward’s secretary-general says the PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has violated the Constitution by chairing cabinet meetings both last week and yesterday.
— The Thaiger
Malaysia’s mass graves probe faced Thai hiccups: Chief
The probe into mass graves along the Malaysia-Thailand border did not receive “best cooperation” from Thailand, head of Malaysia’s inquiry commission said.
— AA
The Special Lecture by Experts River City Bangkok in collaboration with European Union in Thailand
In purpose of entertainment and education, River City Bangkok in association with the international organization, European Union in Thailand, has selected Thai and foreign experts to lecture about art and related subjects.
— Bangkok Post
Medical Fair Thailand 2019
Medical Fair Thailand has announced plans to move to a new and larger venue for its event which will take place from 11th to 13th September this year.
— Medical Plastics News
Special seminar discusses state welfare projects after Election
State welfare projects, designed to upgrade people’s quality of life and strengthen economic foundations, are continuing even though a new government has not taken office as yet.
— NNT
Pa Khlok, Cape Yamu to be hit with power outage
The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) has announced that the electricity supply will be temporarily shut off in parts of Pa Khlok, and including all of Cape Yamu, on Thursday (June 20) as work is carried out on installing new high-voltage cables.
— The Phuket News
Exhibition Explores What It Means to Be ‘Very Thai’ and ‘Very German’
If you’re Thai, it might be a graduation photo hanging in your living room. If you’re German, it might be an Aldi shopping bag.
— Khaosod English
Feature photo Burma Link
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges World Refugee Day, June 20.
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 20 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