EC announces constituency winners
The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) has announced the winners of electoral constituencies via its website. The Pheu Thai Party takes the greatest number of seats in the lower house.
— NNT
February factory output unexpectedly falls 1.6%
Thailand’s manufacturing production index (MPI) in February unexpectedly dropped 1.6% from a year earlier, led by lower production of steel, computers and rubber products, the Industry Ministry said on Tuesday.
— Bangkok Post
North blanketed in smog, authorities spray water
The North of Thailand has continued to struggle with smog, which is impacting public health and tourism.
— NBT World
Pheu Thai now claims to have the numbers to form a coalition. So does Palang Pracharat.
Pheu Thai Party, which at this stage has emerged as the winner of the most lower house seats after the general election, says they’ve gathered enough support from political allies to form a coalition government.
— The Thaiger
7 Chinese hurt in Jomtien tour bus crash
Seven Chinese tourists were hurt when they’re tour bus overturned on Sukhumvit Road in Jomtien Beach.
— Pattaya Mail
Thailand election: Thaksin alleges ‘irregularities’
In an interview with BBC Thai, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra alleges there were “a lot of irregularities” in Sunday’s election in Thailand which have left him worried.
— BBC
Thai stock market hinges on formation of new government
The Thai stock market is expected to respond positively after the general election, if a new government can be formed instantly without conflict, analysts in the Krungthep Turakij News Room daily TV programme said last week.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Transport Co checks public vehicles ahead of Songkran
The Transport Company is participating in measures to ensure road safety, ahead of the Songkran Festival.
— NBT World
SPECIAL REPORT: Phuket election results to stand, vote count confirmed manually
Technical difficulties with the report-sharing app were to blame for the late vote count in the nation election on Sunday night (Mar 24), forcing local officials to count the votes manually, the Director of the Phuket office of the Election Commission (PEC) explained to The Phuket News today (Mar 26)
— The Phuket News
Pro-regime party says it’s on verge of forming coalition
Palang Pracharath Party’s secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong on Tuesday insisted it would gather enough House seats to form a coalition government and would definitely nominate Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as the next prime minister.
— Bangkok Post
Phuket Governor ‘urges’ action to save water ‘in case of drought’
The Governor of Phuket has urged relevant agencies to find raw water reserves to supplement public water supply and to conduct public-awareness campaigns for conserving water use in order to reduce the volume of water residents are using “in case of a drought”.
— The Phuket News
Thai Airways- New Zealand ballots arrive on Saturday night
Thai Airways has confirmed the box containing ballots cast by Thai voters in New Zealand arrived in Thailand on the evening of March 23, ahead of Sunday’s election.
— NBT World
Pheu Thai to announce coalition
At least six pro-democracy parties led by Pheu Thai will hold a briefing on their intention to form the government even without Bhumjaithai or the Democrats on Wednesday morning.
— Bangkok Post
Police follow up on election related crimes
The Royal Thai Police is following up on the election related crimes.
— NBT World
Election observers say Thai vote count was flawed
A group of international observers criticized vote counting in Thailand’s first election since a 2014 military coup, saying Tuesday that the “tabulation and consolidation of ballots were deeply flawed” though it had no reason to believe the issues affected overall results.
— AP
Thailand Vote Result Delayed Until Friday
Still no clear result from Thailand’s general election over the weekend. Both major parties are claiming the right to form a government and now election authorities are facing calls to resign for repeatedly delaying the results and failing to account for mounting voting irregularities.
— Bloomberg
Monitor says Thai election campaign ‘heavily tilted’ to benefit junta
The run-up to Thailand’s weekend vote was “heavily tilted” to benefit a party close to the ruling military junta, an Asian election monitor said on Tuesday, criticizing a messy ballot-counting process that created mistrust.
— Reuters
Immigration proposing much harsher penalties for not reporting foreigners living on property, will require round trip tickets
TNA reported that Thai Immigration is proposing much stiffer penalties for failing to report foreigners staying at addresses in Thailand.
— The Pattaya News
Prayuth Tells Media to Respect People’s Voices
Junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday urged everyone to respect what people voted for, in a response from media inquiries about whether his party should form the next government.
— Khaosod English
General Elections Were Peaceful But Not Fair: Intl Observer
The only accredited international observers present at the general election said Tuesday that the polls had been peaceful but not fair, because the incumbent prime minister – who is also a candidate – will handpick all senate members.
— Khaosod English
US sees ‘positive signs’ in Thai election
The United States said on Tuesday (Mar 26) that it saw “positive signs” of a return to democracy in Thailand but urged a transparent probe of allegedly widespread irregularities.
— Channel NewsAsia
Thailand’s puzzling election results explained
Thailand’s 2014 coup leader and junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha is one step closer to power after a shock election Sunday that lifted his party ahead in the popular vote.
— Coconuts (paywall)
Thailand’s murky election aftermath poses risk to cooling economy
Delays in final results from Thailand’s first election in five years have added to uncertainties facing the slowing economy, raising the risk of political gridlock that could disrupt government spending and keep foreign investors away.
— Reuters
Phuket police seize 13kg of ‘parcel delivery’ marijuana
A series of tip-offs have seen police in Phuket seize 13 kilogrammes of marijuana packed in parcels for delivery, with 12 one-kilo bars in parcels seized at Rawai Post Office yesterday (Mar 25).
— The Phuket News
Prosecutors Postpone Future Forward’s Cybercrime Case
Prosecutors on Tuesday postponed the decision on whether to indict Future Forward Party leaders involved in a cybercrime case.
— Khaosod English
EU, UK Urge Thailand to Resolve ‘Election Irregularities’
The United Kingdom and the European Union on Tuesday called on Thai authorities to look into reports of irregularities related to the March 24 general election.
— Khaosod English
Phuket election results to stand, vote count confirmed manually
Technical difficulties with the report-sharing app were to blame for the late vote count in the nation election on Sunday night (Mar 24), forcing local officials to count the votes manually, the Director of the Phuket office of the Election Commission (PEC) explained to The Phuket News today (Mar 26)
— The Phuket News
Petition aims to impeach Election Commissioners
More than 670,000 people have signed a petition at the change.org website calling for the Election Commission’s five commissioners to be ‘stood aside’ pending an investigation in the aftermath of the March 24 …
— The Thaiger
Baht strengthens despite SET index dip
Thailand’s benchmark index closed at 1,625.91 points, down 20.38 points or 1.24%, in turnover worth 47 billion baht.
— Bangkok Post
Sudarat Slams Phalang Pracharath’s Claim of Victory
Pheu Thai leader Sudarat Keyuraphan on Tuesday lashed out at her rival for claiming a right to form the government despite coming in second place at the polls.
— Khaosod English
Shares linked to Bhumjaithai’s Anutin jump on poll results
Shares of companies linked to billionaire politician Anutin Charnvirakul, who campaigned in Thailand’s election on a pledge to legalise marijuana, leapt on Monday after partial results suggested his party could be a key part of a coalition government.
— Bangkok Post
FFP demands EC release all electoral data to prevent fraud
Future Forward Party representatives went to he Election Commission Office on Tuesday and demanded it disclose all constituency-based data, to prevent poll fraud.
— Bangkok Post
Why you should visit Thailand’s Chiang Mai
The unofficial second city of Thailand, chilled out Chiang Mai stands in stark contrast to the busting highways and glittering skyscrapers of Bangkok. Nestled among lush hills, Chiang Mai does taking it easy better than any other city in the region, with first-rate street food, cool bars and hotels that offer luxury accommodation without the price tag.
— CNN
Voters reject Itthiphol, Poramet MP bids
Pattaya-area voters rejected the city’s former mayor and deputy mayor in Sunday’s lower-house election, choosing instead candidates from the upstart Future Forward Party.
— Pattaya Mail
Emergency crews participate in fire drill at Phuket airport
PHOTOS: The Phuket International Airport Phuket International Airport emergency crews battled fake fires near the main runway today.
— The Thaiger
Commissioners Confirm Voiding of All NZ Ballots
The Election Commission confirmed Tuesday that all ballots from New Zealand would be voided because they were delivered too late.
— Khaosod English
Video of Black Cat Crossing Prayuth’s Path Amuses Thainet
The internet was laughing Tuesday morning as a universal sign of bad luck scurried across the path of junta leader Gen.
— Khaosod English
Air Asia apologises for its “Get off in Thailand” promotion
AirAsia has now apologised following an advertising campaign using the phrase “Get off in Thailand” was posted around the city of Brisbane to promote the airline’s direct route to Bangkok.
— The Thaiger
Feature photo John Le Fevre
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.
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