News
U.S. urges Thai junta to cede power to civilian government soon
Speaking at a press briefing, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau also raised concern about the drafting process of the proposed constitution, saying it was “not inclusive” and lacked “open debate” before it was adopted. The United States urged Thailand’s ruling junta on August 8 to return the ...
Outlook bright for Thai products in CLMV markets
Thai products enjoy competitive advantages and high opportunities in CLMV markets owing to consumer trust in good image and high quality. The rapidly growing consumer markets of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam – or CLMV – are becoming important places for exporters to pilot products ...
Thai rice faces global price war
Thailand’s rice market is expected to face a price war next year as a result of oversupply that will lower prices in both domestic and export markets, while the stronger baht could hurt the competitiveness of rice shipments, exporters warn. Charoen Laothammatas, president of the Thai ...
MEA to bury 127km of power lines by 2020
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority says it will continue putting power lines underground, expecting to bury another 127 kilometres by 2020. The agency plans several other power line projects in addition to those already initiated, said MEA governor Somchai Roadrungwasinkul. The first phase of the plan, ...
Foreign direct investment collapses
Foreign direct investment in Thailand in the first half of the year fell by more than 90% in value to the lowest mark in over a decade at US$347 million, reports the Bank of Thailand. The report said FDI declined from $4.2 billion in the same ...
US clean coal technology power plant's failures bode ill for NCPO
The largest environmental story to break this month has been The New York Times‘ exposé of the Mississippi-based Kemper Project’s mismanagement, delays, inflated costs, and alleged fraud, making a mockery of the NCPO’s plans to convert Thailand from natural gas to ‘clean coal’. The Thailand Power ...
Department draws up IP roadmap, targets red zones
An intellectual property reform roadmap featuring an action plan for the short, medium and long terms is set to go before Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha later this month. Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, director-general of the Intellectual Property Department, said the department has completed the reform roadmap, which will ...
Farmers choose solar farm over endangered bird
When given a choice between renewable energy and wildlife conservation, people in Samut Sakhon have opted for a solar farm for financial reasons. Tractors and trucks loaded with soil were seen busily working in a field yesterday to fill a salt pan in Ban Khok ...
SEZs lure 39 projects worth B7bn
Investment is starting to flow into the government’s planned special economic zones with 39 projects worth 7.2 billion baht applying for promotional privileges from the Board of Investment. The Special Economic Zone Policy Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, on 27 July acknowledged the investment ...
Closed Mae Sot zinc mine to become forest
Padaeng Industry closed its zinc mine in Mae Sot last month because of the depletion of ore reserves. Managing director Francis Vanbellen said on 27 July that PDI’s mine concluded its 32 years of sustainable operations after producing its last 140,000 tonnes of zinc-silicate ore this ...
