The Nation
Prayut rejects elections campaigns in current environment, leaving door open to delay
While not ruling out a postponement of the general election until next year, after a member of the National Legislative Assembly raised doubts about the issue, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said on January 4 the current atmosphere was not suitable for election campaigns. “As you ...
Illegal wildlife trade remains serious threat as demand for rare-animal pets increases
Illegal trade in wildlife was the most serious threat that rare animals in Thailand faced this year and the issue is expected to remain a major concern in the upcoming year, the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department and experts have said. News about ...
Hemp growing initially to be limited to govt
Only government agencies will be able to seek permission to grow, sell and possess hemp – which is now classified as a type of narcotic – during the first phase of an initiative to legalise cultivation of the plant. Individuals and private entities will be ...
Digital TV operators welcome govt help
PM uses Article 44 to change repayments, state agencies’ return of spectra to NBTC. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on December 20 invoked the special power under Article 44 of the Interim Charter to issue relief measures for digital-TV operators, who have faced business difficulties for problems ...
Co-founders of 500 TukTuks shine
The Nation is this year naming not one, but two individuals as its “Businessman of the Year” – Natavudh “Moo” Pungcharoenpong and Ruangroj “Krating” Poonpoa, the co-managers of 500 TukTuks, the most active venture-capital fund investing in start-ups in Thailand. This is in recognition of ...
Gold mine ban ‘not final’
Experts believe junta order allows room for amendment later; Akara Resources says 1,000 workers will lose jobs. Environmental experts believe that the junta’s order on Tuesday to suspend gold mining operations is not final and there is room to reverse the decision or amend the ...
Ministry promotes quartz industry
The Industry Ministry is pushing for the development of quartz mining, as this mineral is an important raw material for the production of solar panels. According to the ministry’s Department of Primary Industries and Mines, the Kingdom has reserves of 25 million tonnes of high-quality ...
Thai banks bullish on Vietnam even if Trump scraps TPP
Thai banks in Vietnam believe a large labour force and low wages will still be magnets for trade and foreign direct investment in that country even if the Trans-Pacific Partnership is scrapped in line with US President-elect Donald Trump’s policy. Vietnam is among the 12 Pacific ...
Bank Negara Malaysia dealing with short-term volatility of the ringgit
A slew of measures undertaken by Bank Negara Malaysia are expected to help enhance a continuous supply of foreign currency. To discourage the trading of non-deliverable forwards offshore, the central bank has announced several initiatives to liberalise and deregulate the onshore ringgit-hedging market. They include providing ...
The Philippines to buy rice from Myanmar
Myanmar’s Ministry of Commerce revealed that the Philippines has offered to ink a government-to-government treaty to buy rice from its fellow ASEAN country. “The Philippines has offered to buy rice. More detailed discussions are needed [for the treaty]. Currently, it imports rice mainly from Vietnam. ...
