Aftermath of Podul leaves 16 dead
Sixteen people have been killed since northern Thailand began experiencing the impacts of Tropical Storm Podul, coupled with a strong southwestern monsoon, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) said yesterday.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand dengue cases top 55K, Bangkok reports 3 deaths
Health officials in Thailand reported in an update this week that through September 2, the country has seen 55,206 cases reported from all 77 provinces.
— Outbreak News Today
Find, punish Porlajee’s killers, says PM
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he has instructed investigators to ensure their probe into the death of Karen rights activist Porlajee Billy Rakchongcharoen is watertight and brings the culprits to justice, no matter who they are.
— Bangkok Post
Proposed amendment to Thailand’s Narcotics Act seeks to legalise cannabis growth at home
Thailand’s Bhumjaithai party says it will confer with key stakeholders to seek input on a proposed bill to allow people to grow their own cannabis at home.
— The Thaiger
Panel urges further baht measures
The private sector has made a renewed push for the central bank to contain the baht’s rapid gain after a recent 25-basis-point cut of the policy rate had almost no effect on the local currency relative to regional peers.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand seeks US$251m for palace budget, a 13% hike
Thailand plans to allocate more than US$251 million for monarchy security in the 2020 budget, a hike of more than 13 per cent year-on-year, according to figures confirmed by a government spokesperson on Thursday (Sep 5).
— CNA
Want to earn extra money in Thailand reporting minor offenses you see? Here you go!
The Crime Suppression Division of Thailand has announced a new campaign to help eliminate certain offences, driven by reporting to them if you see the hotline taken place.
— The Pattaya News
Ex-park chief Chaiwat says “Charge me alone”
Former chief of Kaeng Krachan national park, Mr. Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn, said today (Thursday) that he is ready to face charges from the Department of Special Investigation for alleged involvement in the disappearance of Karen activist Polajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen five years ago.
— Thai PBS News
Exclusive: Thai garment factory investigated by Starbucks after illegal wages expose
Garment factories in Thailand that supply to global brands such as coffee giant Starbucks and sports gear maker Bauer Hockey are under investigation after an expose found workers illegally underpaid in a region described as a “black hole”.
— Reuters
No more plastic containers allowed for Thai PM’s food
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ultimately ordered his men no longer to use plastic or foam containers for food for him to eat.
— Xinhuanet
ASEAN targets higher renewable energy utilisation
Energy Ministers of ASEAN gathered in Bangkok for meetings to better utilise the region’s energy as well as make ways to greater promote renewable and clean energy production.
— NBT World (video)
Commerce ministry to destroy more than 10 million illicit items
The Ministry of Commerce and its partners will organize an event to destroy intellectual property infringing goods on September 12th, with Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit officiating the event.
— NBT World (video)
A $66 Billion Investment Manager Cuts Bets on Thai Power Firms
A rally in the shares of Thai electricity generators may be outstripping their earnings outlook, according to Boston-based investment manager Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co.
— Bloomberg
Thai anti-military supporters accused of being ‘nation-haters’ as political divide widens
A new term is gaining ground in Thailand’s political vocabulary: “Chung-Chart”, which translates roughly as “nation-hater”.
— South China Morning Post
Thailand pushes energy development in ASEAN
The Energy Ministry of Thailand is ready to push forward five plans to promote energy sector in ASEAN at the 37th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) that scheduled for Sept 2-6 in Bangkok.
— Thailand Business News
Thailand supports micro SMEs with digital adoption
Thailand’s Prime Minister and Defense Minister (and the Chairman of ASEAN in 2019) told an academic forum that the country is ready to support micro-SMEs in the adoption of digital technology and sees the private sector’s participation as an important mechanism for further collaboration within the ASEAN region.
— OpenGov
PM assigns official to conduct feasibility study on building reservoirs for farming
The Prime Minister has assigned officials to conduct a feasibility study on the project to construct reservoirs for agricultural use in community areas during this week’s Cabinet meeting.
— NBT World (video)
Thailand’s 5 ex-Red Shirt members acquitted of murder attempt charges with M79 attack on anti-gov’t protesters
Thailand’s Criminal Court on Thursday acquitted five ex-Red Shirt members of murder attempt charges with an M79 grenade attack on anti-government protesters over five years ago.
— Xinhuanet
‘Safari tours’ to cut conflict with wildlife
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has unveiled plans to develop “safari tourism” on the edge of the world-heritage Huai Kha Kheng Wildlife Sanctuary to reduce growing conflict there between humans and wildlife.
— Bangkok Post
Alibaba launches digital biz training
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group is organising an intensive training programme aimed at enhancing Thai businesses’ competitiveness in the digital era.
— Bangkok Post
PM Prayut to visit Kuankreng forest fire to seek long term solutions
The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Khlong Cha-uad in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province this month to inspect and find solutions to a peat swamp fire that has drained the waterway and caused widespread damage.
— NBT World (video)
Bangkok Immigration boss indicates easier TM30 reporting as an option, asks for understanding
In an at-times passionate interview this week, the immigration bureau chief for division 1 in Bangkok has called for more understanding from expats and foreigners in Thailand as he seemed to indicate that some improvements are on the way to make the controversial TM30 reporting requirement easier to do.
— ThaiExaminer.com
Renewed gas field talks eyed
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to consider reopening talks on the development of the energy-rich, overlapping claims area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand claimed by both countries.
— Bangkok Post
Thailand reports two dozen Streptococcus suis deaths to date
The Thailand Department of Disease Control (DDC) has reported 265 Streptococcus suis cases this year through August 17, including 23 deaths.
— Outbreak News Today
MNRE urges department stores to stop distributing plastic next year
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) has urged department stores and convenience stores nationwide to stop distributing and selling plastic bags from January 1st, 2020.
— NBT World (video)
Energy Ministry, PTT Group deliver survival bags to Storm Podul victims
The Energy Ministry and PTT have joined hands in providing assistance to flood victims, after the nation was hit by tropical storm Podul.
— NBT World (video)
Govt holds event to encourage SME entrepreneurs to use innovation
The Department of Industrial Promotion has organized the ‘Research Connect’ activity, in order to encourage SME operators to use technology and innovations to improve their operations and increase their competitiveness.
— NBT World (video)
Industry Ministry announces measures to help flood victims
The Ministry of Industry announced measures to provide immediate assistance to entrepreneurs being affected by tropical storm Podul.
— NBT World (video)
Thai packaging, printing industries shifting away from plastic
The Thai Packaging Association recently told the media in Bangkok that Thailand’s packaging and printing industries are shifting away from plastic and utilizing more bio-flexible products in line with the government’s policy to ban plastic packaging in the future
— China.org.cn
Govt to lease illegal resorts to owners
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry is planning to seize resorts that were illegally built on Sor Por Kor land and lease them back to their owners — the profits from which will be deposited into a special fund to help poor farmers.
— Bangkok Post
Prayut urges Asean to back micro-sized businesses
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged Asean countries to support “micro-SMEs” by keeping their owners abreast of digital technological know-how and to ensure they have access to financial resources.
— Bangkok Post
Family protection petition heads to court
The opposition’s petition on the legality of the executive decree delaying the amendment bill on family protection was forwarded to the Constitutional Court on Thursday.
— Bangkok Post
SRT to open locomotive bids on Oct 16
The tender to procure 50 diesel-electric locomotives worth 6.5 billion baht will be opened on Oct 16, a source in the State Railways of Thailand (SRT) said yesterday.
— Bangkok Post
Thais kick off Qatar 2022 bid with tie
Coach Akira Nishino’s first game in charge of the Thai national team ended in a goalless draw as the War Elephants and arch foes Vietnam shared the spoils in their opening Group G match of the Asian World Cup qualifying on Thursday night.
— Bangkok Post
Dump Your Phone E-Waste at AIS Shops in Bangkok
One of Thailand’s mobile providers now offers convenient drop-off spots for phone-related e-waste. Instead of throwing away that cracked Samsung phone to be buried in landfill, consider dropping it off at one of the 37 AIS branches around Bangkok.
— Khaosod English
Yellowshirt Leader Freed From Jail Early Under Royal Pardon
A leader of the Yellowshirt movement who spent three years in prison for fraud was released Wednesday afternoon. Sondhi Limthongkul, 72, was greeted by supporters as he walked out from Bangkok Remand Prison at 3pm on Wednesday.
— Khaosod English
FPO says household debt level not yet worrisome
The Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) has rushed to soothe jitters, saying Thailand’s household debt, which reached the highest level since the first quarter of 2017, is not worrisome yet as most of the leverage is backed by collateral.
— Bangkok Post
5 red-shirt supporters acquitted of firing grenades at PDRC protesters
Five red-shirt members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), charged with firing six M79 grenades into the protest site of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee near the government complex in Chaengwattana five years ago, were today (Thursday) acquitted by the Criminal Court due to insufficient evidence.
— Thai PBS News
Forest fires in Indonesia cause haze problem in southern Thailand
People living in Thailand’s southern provinces of Songkhla and Satun provinces have been warned to protect their health by wearing face masks as the two provinces are blanketed with smoke from forest fires on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island.
— Thai PBS News
Thailand to unveil ‘relocation package’ to woo firms hurt by trade war
Thailand is planning a relocation package of incentives to attract foreign companies looking to move production from China, officials said, seeking to compete with Vietnam to woo manufacturers looking to steer clear of the Sino-US trade war.
— CNA
Magnetic card cancellation delay planned
The Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) plans to seek the central bank’s approval to put off the regulator’s deadline to cancel the use of magnetic-stripe ATM and debit cards until early next year from the end of this year.
— Bangkok Post
Police continue to crackdown on illegal tours and tour guides in Pattaya
Police continue to crackdown on illegal tours and tour guides in Pattaya Pattaya -The Pattaya Tourist Police have continued to crackdown on illegal tours and tour guides today, September 5th, 2019, by conducting numerous random inspections of tour guides in the Pattaya Beach area.
— The Pattaya News
Opinion: Thailand’s Burnt Drum Killings, Then and Now
Not being well-versed in murder techniques, I asked one question twice to the chief of the Department of Special Investigation on Tuesday during the press conference announcing the discovery of skull fragments belonging to the missing activist Porlajee “Billy” Rakchongcharoen.
— Khaosod English
Wife of Dead Insurgent Suspect Alleges Torture, Shows Photos
The wife of a suspected insurgent who died after falling unconscious while in military custody has revealed photos suggesting he might have been tortured.
— Khaosod English
Police warn about the dangers of visiting Thailand, directly contradicting Tourism Minister
Following the claim of Thailand’s Tourism Minister earlier this week that Thailand is “a completely safe environment”, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Police appears to have directly contradicted that statement.
— The Thaiger
Bangkok tops Paris, London as world’s most-visited city: MasterCard
(Reuters) – Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, edged out Paris and London as the world’s most popular city to visit, according to a survey released on Wednesday, welcome news for Thailand after worries over a drop in foreign arrivals.
— Thai PBS News
Parliament urged to ratify UN Convention against enforced disappearance
A former national human rights commissioner has urged the Thai parliament to ratify the United Nations’ Convention against Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance after the now defunct National Legislative Assembly (NLA) failed to endorse the bill.
— Thai PBS News
Production moves away from plastic
Thailand’s packaging and printing industries are shifting to produce bio-flexible packaging products in line with the government’s policy to ban plastic packaging in the future, says the Thai Packaging Association.
— Bangkok Post
Exhibitions sector on track to buck sluggish economy
Despite a slowing economy, Thailand’s exhibitions industry is expected to grow by more than 10% this year as political stability under the new government restores confidence among foreigners.
— Bangkok Post
Government spokeswoman apologizes to PM for showing him eating from a plastic container
Government spokeswoman Mrs. Narumon Pinysinwat has apologized to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha for posting an image on social media showing him eating fast food from a plastic container, which drew criticism from many netizens.
— Thai PBS News
Pattaya Police calls for donations for North East Thailand flood victims
Pattaya Police calls for donations for North East Thailand flood victims Pattaya -The collection donation for flood victims in northeast of Thailand is underway, with donations accepted at a market in front of Chai Mongkon Temple in South Pattaya today.
— The Pattaya News
Pattaya police chase and open fire during a wild high speed pursuit after a vehicle breaks through a check point
The Pattaya Police chased and opened fire after a car broke through a checkpoint last night around Midnight.
— The Pattaya News
Chiang Mai police release Singaporean accused of attacking Thai wife with a scythe
Police have released a Singaporean man accused of using a scythe to attack his Thai wife in a Chiang Mai street.
— The Thaiger
Sawang Boriboon sets collection points for northern flood victims
The Sawangboriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation has set up three collection spots for people to donate necessaries, rice, dried foods, and money for flood victims in the northeast.
— Pattaya Mail
Well-behaved prisoners brought out to clean sewers
An undisclosed number of well-behaved prisoners were brought out Sept. 2, and put to work cleaning out sewers in Jomtien.
— Pattaya Mail
National Telecom targets Q2 2020
The new company formed by the merger of TOT Plc and CAT Telecom is expected to start operating by the second quarter of next year, says the Digital Economy and Society (DE) Ministry.
— Bangkok Post
Ventures tout potential of cannabis tech
As Thailand’s cannabis market starts to take off, the biggest opportunities for entrepreneurs may be in technology and services surrounding cannabis, as opposed to cultivating the plant itself.
— Bangkok Post
Feature photo Central Thailand Mission
This week’s Thailand morning news feature photo focuses on International Day of Charity, September 5.
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).
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About Thailand morning news.
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#Independentmedia
Governance, not government; policies not politics.
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