Thailand morning news for May 13

Thailand morning news for May 13
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Thailand morning newsOpinion: How the Junta Rigged, Tweaked and Stole the Election
The Election Commission has finally announced the 2019 election’s official results, more than a month after voting day. Now, we should ask whether the election was free and fair.
— Khaosod English

Latest salvo in US-China trade spat threatens Thai exports
Thailand’s fragile export view and the overall economy are expected to face a double whammy after the US administration raised duties on US$200 billion worth of Chinese products to 25% from 10% yesterday morning, with Beijing vowing to immediately retaliate.
— Bangkok Post

Most poll respondents oppose ministers and junta members joining the Senate
A majority of the respondents to a Suan Dusit Poll disagree with cabinet ministers and members of the military junta resigning their current positions to assume new roles in the Senate.
— Thai PBS News

Anutin eyed for PM role
The idea of setting up a “third” alliance is gathering steam with Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul touted as a surprise contender to become prime minister.
— Bangkok Post

The Thaiger roars into an online-only future
The Thaiger is the bearer of sad news today as we announce the closure of our provincial Phuket FM radio station. Bad news for the island’s dedicated listeners but good news for The Thaiger. The station will play its final song over Phuket’s airwaves on June 30, 2019.
— The Thaiger

Terminal 2 to be ‘fully integrated’
The new design of Suvarnabhumi airport’s Terminal 2 will have its luggage conveyor belt system and automated passenger transport linked with the first terminal, Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) says.
— Bangkok Post

Tesla CEO Elon Musk faces trial for ‘pedo’ insult of diver
Tesla CEO Elon Musk will have to go to trial to defend himself for mocking a British diver as a pedophile in a verbal sparring match that unfolded last summer after the underwater rescue of youth soccer players trapped in a Thailand cave.
— AP

A clear path to cleaner air?
Upgrading European emission standards is high on the agenda for policymakers amid hazardous dust pollution and PM2.5 particles in the northern, northeastern and central regions.
— Bangkok Post

Thai customs seize medical cannabis oil at Laos border
by Kamthon Kongsombat Nong Khai customs officers have charged a Lao citizen with trying to smuggle medical cannabis oil into Thailand via the First Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.
— The Thaiger

Four killed, 340kg ketamine seized in Chiang Rai
CHIANG RAI: Four drug suspects were killed and about 340 kilogrammes of ketamine seized following a clash between a group of about 30 drug couriers and a Thai government force near the border with Myanmar in Mae Sai district late on Saturday night, according to a local media report.
— Bangkok Post

A shaky foundation
Two tax measures were recently approved to resuscitate the housing sector, but they are unlikely to have much effect as mortgage rejections remain a major problem, say local developers.
— Bangkok Post

Public & Private sectors urge public to use B20 diesel
In cooperation with private palm oil traders, the Ministry of Energy is eagerly promoting the use of B20 diesel, while Toyota and Isuzu pick-up manufacturers have already manufactured 120 classes of B20 diesel-fueled vehicles with ECO stickers.
— NBT World (video)

Majority disagree with party-list MP formula: Suan Dusit Poll
A large majority of people disagree with the Election Commission (EC)’s endorsement of 149 party-list MPs, reasoning that the calculation method used by the EC was unfair and did not give importance to the voice of the majority, according to the result of an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
— Bangkok Post

Biometrics ID System being tested at Phuket Airport
A new Biometrics System is currently being installed and tested at the Phuket International Airport before going live this July.
— The Thaiger

7 digital TV channels to exit
Seven digital TV channels have submitted letters of intent to return their licences and exit the business, leaving only 15 channels on the air.
— Bangkok Post

MOPH discusses ambulance standards with government, private agencies
The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), this week held discussions with government and private agencies to jointly determine ambulance standards during the transfer of patients, to create a safety system in terms of the ambulance structure, drivers, medical personnel, the investigation and response system after an accident.
— NBT World (video)

Post-election overview: shaky status quo
With the pro-military faction all but guaranteed (in our view) to maintain control of the government now that the election results are official, we expect the market to shift its focus towards the first-quarter earnings announcements of non-bank companies.
— Bangkok Post

Tourist numbers rise in ‘second-tier’ spots
The government’s initiative to promote tourism in second-tier Thai provinces has boosted the number of visitors by more than 10%, an inter-provincial bus company executive said.
— Bangkok Post

Thousands register for amnesty
Almost 10,000 people have registered with public health agencies to be eligible for the amnesty over marijuana possession, says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
— Bangkok Post

Countdown to rainy season
The country is saying goodbye to the summer heat as weather forecasters plan to announce the start of the rainy season.
— Bangkok Post

Army scales back direct role in Phuket beach management, public transport
As the Thai military scales back its direct role in local administration within the province, Lt Gen Pornsak Poonsawat, Commander of the Army Region 4, yesterday announced that responsibility for several issues in Phuket overseen by the Army will be handed over to the Phuket branch of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) before the end of May.
— The Phuket News

Surin Islands national park closes early due to weather
Chief Puttapot noted in his order that the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts thundershowers and isolated heavy rain across 60-70% of the park area from May 10-13.
— The Phuket News

Hefty fines for vans older than 10 years running passenger services
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has warned passenger van operators that any deployment of vans over 10 years old in service will result in 50,000 – 200,000 baht fines.
— Pattaya Mail

Seven digital TV licensees return licenses
NBTC Secretary General Takorn Tantasith said seven digital TV channels have offered to return their licenses to the NBTC, including Bright TV (Channel 20), Voice TV (Channel 21), MCOT Family (Channel 14), Spring News (Channel 19), Spring 26 or NOW 26 (Channel 26), Channel 3 Family (Channel 13) and Channel 3 SD (Channel 28).
— Pattaya Mail

Hat Yai’s annual balloon festival bursts into the skies above Songkhla
The International Balloon Festival at Hat Yai 2019 is on again this weekend as Songkhla’s provincial capital bursts into colour with larger-than-life characters.
— The Thaiger

Farm bank sets sights on extending B770bn
The state-controlled Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) aims to lend 770 billion baht in its 2019-20 financial year, up 95 billion from the previous year.
— Bangkok Post

AIS posts Q1 net profit of B7.61bn, stays on top
Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS) reported a net profit of 7.61 billion baht in the first quarter of 2019 and maintained its lead in the telecom service sector, with revenue accounting for 48% of overall market share.
— Bangkok Post

Ancient wall damaged by fallen tamarind tree
KANCHANABURI: An ancient wall – a tourist attraction in this storied western town – was partly damaged after a large tamarind tree more than 100 years old, crashed down on it early Sunday.
— Bangkok Post

Blackout to leave Kamala without mains water supply
A scheduled power outage will result in the mains water supply being shut off in Kamala this Thursday (May 16), the Phuket Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) has announced.
— The Phuket News

Marines seize meth pills, weapons in Narathiwat
NARATHIWAT: A marine task force seized 6,197 methamphetamine pills and a number of military-grade weapons in a search of a house of a major drug suspect in Bacho district of this southern border province on Sunday.
— Bangkok Post

Deja vu: Dirty, smelly, blackwater flows into the Andaman Sea, again
Phuket’s Governor has given an urgent order to solve the problem of wastewater flowing into Bang Tao Beach yesterday after the issue went viral in social media.
— The Thaiger

“Don’t you know who I am”? Southern judge ridiculed.
Judge Krairat Veerapattanasuwan refuses to show his driving license The police chief of Nakhon Si Thammarat says he has set up a panel to investigate an incident where a man, identified as a local judge, refused to show his driving licence to a policeman when asked, saying he was a friend of the policeman’s boss.
— The Thaiger

Prayut sacks the Lottery board and chief, Army Commander-in-Chief Apirat Kongsompong
Thailand’s Government Lottery Office board has been removed by an executive order issued by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha.
— The Thaiger

Interior Ministry says ‘Nong Ploy; can apply for Thai citizenship
There has been a development in the case of Yonruedee “Ploy” Piyathat, a student of Satri Ranong School who is to participate in the Genius Olympiad in the United States but is faced with a problem concerning leaving the Kingdom temporarily, due to being a stateless person.
— Pattaya Mail

Private hospitals ordered to display medicine prices
The Deputy Minister of Commerce Chutima Bunyapraphasara revealed that the central committee on pricing of goods and services’ meeting has agreed to authorize the Department of Internal Trade to implement control measures for pricing of medicine, medical supplies and medical services.
— Pattaya Mail

High-rises skirt law to spring up in narrow sois
Due to unscrupulous state officials and greedy real estate developers exploiting legal loopholes, many high-rises manage to spring up in narrow sois in Bangkok, posing environmental problems and safety concerns.
— Bangkok Post

Analysts predict brief windfall
Although the cancellation of digital TV licences will help lower operators’ costs, the benefits will be short-lived because the outlook for the media sector remains bleak in the long run, with advertisers continuing to shun traditional channels for digital platforms, securities analysts say.
— Bangkok Post

Ratch gets 1,400MW licence
The Energy Policy Administration Committee (Epac) has granted a licence for SET-listed Ratch Group Plc to develop and operate two units of a 1,400-megawatt gas-fired power plant in Ratchaburi province.
— Bangkok Post

Polls show political discontent amongst youth
Most people are blaming the current political situation for destroying their everyday happiness as disagreements over debatable election results and the resignation of cabinet ministers mounts, polls show.
— Bangkok Post

Government urged to implement new economic stimulus measures
After the United States recently raised a 10% levy on Chinese exports to the US to 25%, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has reported that the export sector and the tourism industry of Thailand would be affected by the ongoing US – China trade dispute and has urged the incoming government to promptly implement new economic stimulus measures.
— NNT

Govt issues tax deduction measure for educational, sports spending
The government has issued a tax deduction measure for people who buy products for education and sports including books and eBooks.
— NNT

Waiting Room: Chalong Hospital delayed as last-minute changes stall
The long-awaited Chalong Hospital will not be likely to open until at least the end of the year, the hospital’s director has confirmed. The news comes as the promise of the hospital opening in April flew by last month, a promise made as recently as October.
— The Phuket News

Top Ten things to know about the Bangkok Skytrain (BTS)
Bangkok Transit System, better known by locals and tourists as the ‘Skytrain’, is as ubiquitous in Bangkok as good street food and fake Viagra.
— The Thaiger

Family-friendly things to do along Pattaya Beach Road (2019)
Drive out of Suvarnabhumi Airport and turn right, instead of left and going to Bangkok. And in an easy two hour drive you’ll arrive in the seaside resort of Pattaya, one of the worlds most famous, or infamous, playgrounds. Gone are the days where Pattaya is the one-dimensional resort town.
— The Thaiger

 

Feature photo Thailand government PRD

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo acknowledges Visakha Bucha, May 18.

 

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.

 

 

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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.

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