News
ASEAN summit to discuss South China Sea rows
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will attend the ASEAN summit in Manila on April 29 to discuss community building as well as regional and global issues, the Foreign Ministry said on April 12. Various regional security matters, including the contentious South China Sea disputes, and the ...
'Shogun' arrested over alleged Japan trip scam
Police on April 12 arrested Pasit Ariyalapit, known as “Shogun”, the founder and chief executive of food supplement firm WealthEver, which has been accused of cheating more than 1,000 people who were promised a three-day Songkran trip to Japan but were left stranded at Suvarnabhumi ...
Donors embrace hospital's 'green' bag campaign
More than 100,000 cloth bags have been donated to Wat Bot district Hospital in response its request for environmentally friendly bags to replace plastic ones previously used for prescribed medication. The management of the public hospital stopped distributing medication in plastic bags this year as ...
Small retailers to get govt aid
Traditional retail businesses will get help from the government to enable them to compete better with modern operators and stimulate the domestic economy. The Commerce Ministry says it aims to boost the number of what it calls strong enterprises to more than 25,000 this year ...
Local polls could be held before the general election, says CDC
The Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) has confirmed that local elections could be staged before the next general election while calling on the government to revise laws related to the local polls. CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan said the constitution allows the government to organise municipal elections ...
Livelihoods for elderly now a top priority
With most elderly Thais having no or hardly any savings, Thailand has an acute need to keep people in work as long as possible. Creating job opportunities for the country’s greying population is now top of the agenda at various organisations, both in the government and ...
Lower Klity Creek villagers: Living with lead poisoning
Over the past five decades, a lead-processing mine and factory in Kanchanaburi province has released toxic waste including lead into the rivers and creeks of the Lower Klity creek, home to about 400 ethnic Karen people. The factory operation began in the mid-1960s and, though ...
Legal experts warn Article 44 remains major impediment
Unless the absolute power of Article 44 and existing National Council for Peace and Order’s orders are revoked, citizens will still face a struggle to protect the environment and their rights, legal experts say. As the new constitution came into effect yesterday, legal experts who ...
King signs new Constitution
His Majesty the King on April 6 signed the country’s new constitution – the 20th – giving it royal endorsement and setting in motion a process for the next general election, which is expected late next year. Through a court secretary, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn proclaimed ...
Diplomats and businesses mix hope with caution on return of democracy
The International community on April 6 expressed hope that the promulgation of a new Constitution would pave the way for Thailand’s return to full democracy although some concerns remained because of restrictions on political rights and activities imposed by the junta. The private sector had mixed ...