Thai Examiner - Thailand's news for foreigners

Thai Examiner - Thailand's news for foreigners

por Thai Examiner
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MP seeks probe into Thursday’s NBTC decision not to block the $7.5 billion DTAC True merger

The decision on Thursday by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) not to block the huge merger between two key players in the Thai telecommunications market has sparked the ire of activists, the public and opposition MPs. Calls are being made for the general public to join a legal action being planned, including an application for an injunction before the Administrative Court in Bangkok, to oppose the move. People can do so by producing their receipts to show standing. A report by independent international consultants on the merger concluded the likely outcome of the move would be more negative than positive for Thai consumers and the economy going forward based on global economic models. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/22/mp-seeks-probe-into-nbtc-merger-decision/ Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.

Police chief vows swift action against Provincial Police chief suspected of assisting drug gangs

General Damrongsak Kittiprapaton, on Thursday, removed the police chief in the southern province under Section 63 of the new National Police Act. The allegations against Police Major General Waesamae Salae are that not only was he working to assist drug trafficking gangs in investigations but that some were also directly under his command. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/21/narathiwat-police-chief-linked-to-drug-gangs/ Carla Boonkong reports from Narathiwat and Bangkok.

Passengers to finally get refunds from high-flying Thai Airways still facing financial turbulence

It appears that the airline, kept alive by cargo freight income and the protection of the court through the pandemic emergency, has made substantial progress in trimming its previously huge cost base while capturing market share as the country reopened with other international airlines, for now, scrambling after richer pickings while others are not able to compete on routes to Bangkok as before. However, Bangkok Bank, a key dissenting creditor in a submission to the Central Bankruptcy Court has expressed its doubts about the firm’s high-flying plans to find further credit which includes an expressed intention to relaunch itself on the stock market by 2025. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/21/flyers-to-finally-receive-refunds-from-thai-airways/ James Morris reports from Bangkok.

New Zealand Drug lord arrested and whisked out of Thailand to face racketeering charges in the US

Police believe that the New Zealand man had become aware that a warrant for his arrest had landed in Thailand, and in recent times, had moved again from Phuket to live in an apartment in Samut Prakan near Bangkok. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/20/new-zealand-drug-lord-shane-ngakuru-nabbed-whisked-to-united-states/ Carla Boonkong reports from Bangkok.

Travel to Thailand rebounding despite inflation and higher fares, now nearly 2 million a month

An 80% rise in energy costs in the United Kingdom and similar rises in Europe with inflation at a 40-year high may well be good reasons this year for holidaymakers in western countries to fly off on an extended vacation to Thailand, the ultimate warm weather destination, despite higher airfares. With foreign arrivals now moving up towards 2 million a month, there is room for hope among Thailand’s economic planners that the country’s very valuable and critical foreign tourism industry may be finally on the rebound with one London-based think tank focused on international travel predicting the industry will be employing over 3 million more people by the end of 2025. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/20/travel-to-thailand-now-rebounding-strongly/ James Morris reports from Bangkok

Amazon becomes a key investor in Thailand as cloud computer firm AWS sets up shop in Bangkok

There is no doubt that the US firm’s investment in Thailand through a new subsidiary firm is good news which will see Thailand become a hub for cloud-based internet services throughout Southeast Asia while also improving the digital infrastructure for local internet firms and digital startups. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/19/amazon-becomes-a-key-investor-in-thailand/ Carla Boonkong reports from Bangkok.

Manhunt: Renegade drug dealing soldier has broken out of a military prison in Lampang

The soldier has a history of illegal activity, being arrested on October 6th last year and was the subject of a military arrest warrant when local police nabbed him for dealing in methamphetamine pills in public in a sting operation. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/19/manhunt-for-renegade-drug-dealing-soldier-kwan-supawut-supapaeng/ James Morris reports from Lampang.

Bad news from Beijing with Xi’s rise, the prospect of war and a divided world have greatly grown

Xi Jinping has presided since 2013 over a period of declining growth rates and the emergence of several great crises which have completely undermined confidence in China outside the Communist Country and fed a growing nationalist beast within. His regime, like that in Moscow, is becoming increasingly odious to western countries who feel it is one that they can no longer do business with in good faith. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/18/bad-news-from-beijing-with-xi-jingping-rise/ Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.

French tourists held in Ko Samui cells after vicious assault left Thai man needing brain surgery

It is not clear how this case will proceed as the victim is not yet out of danger and still unconscious while the two French nationals appear to be negotiating with the man’s wife through the police in Bophut to reach a resolution to prevent very serious charges being prosecuted against them before Ko Samui Provincial Court. This appears to be a case of road rage with the gratuitous violence of the French men shocking local people. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/18/french-tourists-held-in-ko-samui-cells-vincent-bugeya-julien-vincent/ James Morris reports from Ko Samui.

Somkid: scrap submarines budget and spend less on flagship projects to boost grassroots economy

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s Office welcomed last week’s report from the International Monetary Fund on the Thai economy which confirmed projected growth of 2.8% for this year and 4% for next year. This contrasted sharply with the fears expressed by former Economic Czar Somkid Jatusripitak who called on the government to cut back on key flagship infrastructure projects and to prepare a fund of ฿200 to ฿300 billion to assist the less well-off through the banking system in 2023 when an economic storm is expected. https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/10/17/somkid-scrap-submarine-budget-for-economy/ Joseph O' Connor reports from Bangkok.
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