Thailand morning news for October 21

Thailand morning news for October 21
Advertisement
Online English lessons

Thailand morning news

Bangkok Airways staff ‘deport’ Kenyans from Suvarnabhumi: racial profiling claimed
A Kenyan travel agent who was unlawfully ‘deported’ from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport by Bangkok Airways staff intends to petition Kenya’s foreign ministry, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR), and Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, amongst others, over what she claims was racial profiling. A civil claim for damages is also being contemplated.
— AEC News Today

Senate passes executive decree on troop transfer to Royal Security Command
Thailand’s Senate overwhelmingly voted in favour of the executive decree to transfer some army units and budget to the Royal Security Command, which is tasked with providing security to the Royal Family.
— Thai PBS News

Bryde’s whale set free by drilling team in Gulf of Thailand
Following an offshore drilling team’s rescue of Boonrod the dog earlier this year, a drilling team working on another platform off the southern coast has saved a Bryde’s whale.
— Bangkok Post

Thai Government’s Stability No Clearer After Tight Budget Vote
Thailand’s government used its slim majority to get the annual budget bill through an initial parliamentary vote, but analysts remain divided on whether the outcome shows the coalition will survive future tests.
— BloombergQuint

Is Thailand risking another massacre?
6 October, recently, marked exactly 43 years since the Thammasat University massacre in Thailand back in 1976, an attack by state forces and far-right paramilitaries on student protesters on the campus of Thammasat University and the adjacent Sanam Luang Square in Bangkok.
— The Asean Post

Thai central bank head warns of financial system risk from ultra-low rates
Huge global capital flows and prolonged ultra-low interest rate policies of advanced nations have made it harder for emerging economies to protect their financial system, Bank of Thailand Governor Veerathai Santiprabhob said on Sunday.
— The Business Times

Police ‘ready to arrest’ Rainsy as CNRP arrive in Thailand
Police and military officials confirmed their readiness to enforce the courts’ warrants to arrest Sam Rainsy, the “acting president” of the Supreme Court-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), if he returns to the Kingdom as promised.
— The Phnom Penh Post

Plastic industry in recycling push
Thais can profit from plastic waste, as well as help the environment, by adopting a more circular economy, according to one of the world’s largest plastic producers, Indorama Ventures Plc.
— Bangkok Post

Thai Government Pledges to Protect Fisheries Reforms
Deputy Prime Minister, General Prawit Wongsuwan, has committed Thailand to protect and build on recent fisheries reforms during a meeting with the Environmental Justice Foundation’s Executive Director, Steve Trent.
— The Maritime Executive

Restrictions on three controversial farm chemicals come into force today
Restrictions on the use of paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos are now in effect, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on said today.
— Thai PBS News

Thailand turns to China for high-speed rail boost
Europe, Japan and Russia often come to mind when people think of lengthy high-speed railways (HSR). However, since 2012, the title of the country with the longest high-speed rail goes to China for its Beijing-Guangzhou route.
— Bangkok Post

Mekong water level in Nakhon Phanom drops amid drought fears
The level of water in the Mekong river in this northeastern border province is dropping rapidly, exhibiting the most unnatural phenomenon in 50 years, according to local media reports.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand has ‘good feeling’ over RCEP
Thailand has a good feeling that a China-backed free trade pact for countries with nearly half the world’s population will be agreed this year after years of delay, an senior Commerce Ministry official said on Friday.
— Bangkok Post

Thailand’s Government Slowly Moving to Stifle Free Speech
Thailand has slowly been moving to stifle free speech under Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha’s administration. Gen. Prayut was inaugurated in July following the transfer of power to a civilian government.
— Chiang Rai Times

Thailand, India begin joint naval exercise
Thailand and India on October 19 began a joint naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal that involved helicopters from ships of both nations, according to Indian defence officials.
— Vietnamplus

Elevated cycle lane floated as option
The government is being urged to consider building a 20-kilometre elevated bicycle lane beneath the Airport Rail Link, as an alternative for cyclists commuting between eastern Bangkok and the heart of the city.
— Bangkok Post

Survey – Thais not taking sides and 66% prioritise health care
The majority of respondents to a Super Poll survey, say that they are still waiting to see where they will put their future support. For now they’re saying they neither support the Government or Opposition, preferring to wait to assess their performance. Super Poll conducted the survey on 1,069 people from a wide range of […]
— The Thaiger

Defence spend eyed for chop
The opposition parties have pledged to fight to scale back the defence budget in the second reading of the 3.2-trillion-baht plan after abstaining from voting on Saturday and allowing the 2020 budget bill to pass its first reading.
— Bangkok Post

Union opposes port revamp
The Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) union has said that it is opposed to the state enterprise’s plan to develop the Klong Toey Port area, saying the authority is ill-equipped to handle the venture.
— Bangkok Post

PM will act on opposition’s recommendations
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Saturday that he was satisfied with the deliberations over the budget bill in the previous two days and promised to act on the constructive suggestions offered by opposition parties.
— The Thaiger

Shunned by Chinese, Thai tourism hotspot Phuket braces for rare slump
Hotels on Thailand’s most popular holiday island have been forced to slash prices with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as tourist chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht.
— CNA

CP Foods launches green packaging for meat range
Thai processor Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CP Foods) is introducing eco-friendly packaging as part of its long-term sustainability drive.
— GlobalMeat news

Hopewell agrees to talk after legal threat
The Transport Ministry on Friday decided not to ask the Administrative Court to investigate shareholdings in the Hong Kong-based Hopewell after the company made a last-minute offer to negotiate hefty financial compensation owed by the Thai government.
— Bangkok Post

PM challenges Opposition back up claims of graft in state projects
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has challenged the opposition to produce evidence of the corruption they allege is rife in Government infrastructure mega projects, such as the electric trains, assuring that his government is ready to deal harshly with any the corrupt officials and politicians.
— Thai PBS News

Radical Thai billionaire in court over alleged share holdings
The charismatic frontman of Thailand’s anti-military parliamentary bloc appeared in court Friday accused of breaching election rules by holding media shares, a case which could see him barred from politics and jailed for up to 10 years.
— CNA

Air force probes ‘servant soldier’ FB complaint
The air force is launching a probe after a private complained he had been made to work cleaning birdcages at his superior’s home, according to air force spokesman Pongsak Semachai.
— Bangkok Post

Facebook Thailand launches fake news detector
In an effort to curb fake news on social media, Facebook Thailand has launched a fake news checker function to reduce the spread of fake news and help improve the credibility of online content.
— Newsline (video)

Court to deliver ‘Thanathorn’ ruling on Nov 20
The Constitutional Court will deliver its ruling in the media shareholding case of the Future Forward Party leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, on November 20, 2019.
— Newsline (video)

As Chinese students flock to Thai universities, some are in for a hard lesson
Thailand’s higher education sector is experiencing growing demand from Chinese students, but as thousands flock to the country to study, some are leaving the Land of Smiles less than happy with their experience.
— South China Morning Post

Shunned by Chinese, Thai tourism hotspot braces for rare slump
Hotels on Thailand’s most popular holiday island have been forced to slash prices with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as tourist chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht.
— Daily Pioneer

Women aren’t allowed to be ordained as monks in Thailand
Women aren’t allowed to be ordained as monks in Thailand – but some women have instead been ordained abroad, and have returned to the country to live as female monks.
— BBC News (video)

Farmers battle over chemical ban
The proposed ban on three toxic farm chemicals has sparked a battle between farmers groups for and against removing the substances from the market.
— Bangkok Post

Thai app will ease expat immigration woes and make 90 day reporting simple
The “OSS Foreigner” app is coming, and you will be able to use it for 90 day reporting, according to the Secretary-General at the office of the PM.
— The Thaiger

Earthquake could hit Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
A magnitude 4.1 tremor shook seven districts of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai on Friday night, prompting the Department of Mineral Resources to warn that the two northern provinces could face a magnitude 5 earthquake within ten years.
— The Thaiger

Almost Half of Thailand’s Monks Overweight or Obese
Thailand’s National Health Commission Office says there are nearly 349,000 monks in Thailand, and almost half are considered overweight or obese.
— Chiang Rai Times

Banks report strong profits in the 3rd quarter pointing to a healthy underlying economy
The data from the banks and commentary back up the statement of the Bank of Thailand boss this month who said that despite the economic challenges and problems, the Thai economy is not facing a crisis and that its banking system is well managed.
— Thaiexaminer.com

Most not worried by China’s complaint about Thanathorn: poll
A majority of people are not worried by a statement issued by the Chinese embassy in Bangkok expressing concern over what it said was a show of tacit support by a Thai politician for protesters in Hong Kong, saying that Thailand and China have long enjoyed strong relations, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute for Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
— Bangkok Post

ADB Invests in Energy Absolute’s green bond for wind farm development
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will invest 3 billion Thai baht ($98.7 million) in Energy Absolute’s maiden green bond issuance, proceeds from which will help support the long-term financing of the company’s 260MW Hanuman wind farm in Thailand.
— PEI

Crystal meth worth 500 million baht seized
Acting on a tip-off, police and narcotic suppression officers in Tak province on 18 Oct seized 1.5 tons of crystal methamphetamine, better known as ice, worth more than 500 million baht, according to the Thai-language Khao Sod newspaper.
— The Thaiger

Foreigner arrested for exchange counter robbery
A foreign man was arrested after robbing a currency exchange counter in a Bangkok bank on 16 October.
— The Thaiger

Majority of people not yet siding with Government or Opposition – Super Poll
The majority of respondents to an opinion survey, conducted by Super Poll, say that they neither support the Government nor the Opposition, preferring to wait to before assessing their performance.
— Thai PBS News

Opinion: The Real Message in Army Chief’s Tirade
Was it a pep talk, a military psy-op, a lecture, or a paranoid rant on an epic scale that we witnessed from army chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong last Friday?
— Khaosod English

The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners
4,000 runners from Thailand and overseas took part in the 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2019 yesterday, starting from the Phuket Gateway.
— The Thaiger

‘Phang Nga Bay and Beyond’ exhibition by Marilyn Band at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery Kitchen in November
The Art exhibition “Phang Nga Bay and Beyond” by Marilyn Band is being held at Mom Tri’s WOK Gallery Kitchen, Chalong, Kata Hill, Phuket from November 30, 2019 – January 31, 2020.
— The Thaiger

Plastic industry in recycling push
Thais can profit from plastic waste, as well as help the environment, by adopting a more circular economy, according to one of the world’s largest plastic producers, Indorama Ventures Plc.
— Bangkok Post

Thai government survives key test with budget vote
Thailand’s coalition government, led by a former military government leader, survived a key parliamentary challenge on Saturday (Oct 19) after opponents abstained to let the first reading of its draft 2020 budget Bill through.
— CNA

Opposition abstained in budget vote so important spending is not delayed – Suthin
The Government’s 3.2 trillion baht budget bill for 2020 fiscal year passed the first reading in the House of Representatives Saturday night, after three days of debate, with 251 MPs voting for and all 234 Opposition MPs abstaining.
— Thai PBS News

Aid package for property under way
An aid package for the property sector that includes a temporary cut of mortgage and transfer fees to a single rate of 0.01% for homes priced at up to 3 million baht will seek cabinet approval this month.
— Bangkok Post

Thanathorn apologizes his remark about Thaksin
Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has offered an apology for invoking the name of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his defence in the media ownership case before the Constitutional Court today (Friday), blaming the atmosphere in the courtroom for his “miscommunication”.
— Thai PBS News

Thai MPs told not to discard garbage in the parliament chamber
Members of parliament have been reminded of the dignity and status of the parliament chamber, and the need to maintain cleanliness, after it was discovered that the chamber was littered with trash, food scraps and food containers following the first day of the marathon debate on the budget bill yesterday.
— Thai PBS News

Calvin Harris, Zedd, and Skrillex To Lead This Year’s 808 Fest
Big-name DJs like Calvin Harris, Zedd, and Skrillex are coming to drop lots of beats for EDM fans at an annual music festival this Dec. Returning for its seventh year, the 808 Festival can still keep its excitement as it announced Wednesday the first lineup that includes Scottish DJ-producer Calvin Harris, who will […]
— Khaosod English

Royal Barge Rehearsal Was a Truly Majestic Exercise
BANGKOK — As one spectator put it: You can watch it on your 50-inch TV screen but nothing beats watching the Royal Barge rehearsal in person.
— Khaosod English

Ministry of Commerce holds STYLE Bangkok fair
The Ministry of Commerce is holding STYLE Bangkok fair which is expected to earn no less than two billion baht in sales at BITEC Bang Na from October 17 to October 21.
— Newsline (video)

Culture Ministry to open exhibition on barge procession
The Ministry of Culture is slated to hold an exhibition to educate the public about the upcoming royal barge procession.
— Newsline (video)

Seven Thousand of Thailand’s Elderly Population are Over 100 years old
In Thailand, more people are living longer than ever before with an elderly population of 10.8 million.
— Chiang Rai Times

A new service aims to reduce Thailand’s trash by helping people profit from recycling
Southeast Asia has a waste problem: plastic waste imports to the region have spiked since China banned most plastic recycling imports in 2017 and governments across the region are struggling to get a handle on their domestic waste management.
— Asean Today

 

Feature photo John Le Fevre

This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on United Nations Day, October 24.

 

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).

 

 

About Thailand morning news.

Thailand morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Thailand English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Thailand English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Thailand daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Thailand news headlines and first paragraphs before 7.15am Bangkok time.

We clearly identify the source of all the Thailand news headlines, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the news site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you too. If a website uses particularly invasive pop-up adverts, we’ll tell you.

This enables you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original Thailand news article, or keep on reading the remaining Thailand daily news headlines.

Click here to get your Thailand English language news today by email before 8am Bangkok time daily. Remember to watch out for the confirmation email from us to confirm your subscription. Check your trash folder if you do not see it.

For more immediate updates download the AEC News Today Mobile App from the Apple or Google stores, or follow us on Twitter.

 

#Independentmedia

Governance, not government; policies not politics.

 

The following two tabs change content below.

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.

Support independent media by sharing using these tools. Do not steal our content

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published.