News from Thailand – Saturday, April 25, 2015
This page contains a selection from the Thai news. We include headlines from major news sources including: Bangkok Post, The Nation, ThaiPBS, MCOT, etc., as well as some regional newspapers such as Phuket Gazette and Pattaya One. Behind the news items is a web link, when you click on it you can read the full article at the English source.
News from Thailand, including:
– Pheu Thai does not want a postponement of the elections
– Business: elections important for Thailand's image
– THAI wants to be a safe airline
– Controversial Tiger Temple does not have to close after all
– Navy wants submarines, price tag: 36 billion baht
THE NATION
The Nation comes with the news that Pheu Thai does not want the election postponed. This suggestion was aroused, but is incorrect. Phumtham Wechayachai of Pheu Thai says that his party wants elections quickly. Yesterday, after Thursday's meeting with the National Council (NCPO), it was suggested that the opposition would agree to a longer reign of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's military junta, subject to a democratic constitution acceptable to all. Phumtham stressed that there is no consensus and they reject postponing the election: http://goo.gl/n99Z4r
BANGKOK POST
After part of the opposition reportedly agreed yesterday to postpone the elections (provided the new constitution is democratic), a postponement of two to three months is also acceptable for the business community. But if it takes longer, it will be bad for the Thai economy, writes Bangkok Post. A longer postponement of the elections would damage Thailand's image abroad. The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries let us know. The current cabinet is not yet making a statement about a possible postponement because they are afraid of criticism if they deviate from the planning: http://goo.gl/2BAoyN
OTHER NEWS
– Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) wants to be the safest airline in the region. This ambition was expressed by the boss of THAI, Charamporn Jotikasthira. The airline is working hard to improve and check its internal procedures after the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) previously reprimanded Thailand for not properly complying with the rules regarding flight safety: http://goo.gl/ECqXE1
– Should the controversial Tiger Temple close or not? According to a report in The Nation, the Tiger Temple can remain open because of a compromise. The current 146 tigers may remain with the Temple, but are now owned by the Thai government. The agreement between Wat Pa Luang Ta Maha Bua and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) stipulates that each tiger will receive an identification chip. Any descendants are also registered and may no longer be commercially exploited, they also become the property of the state. The tiger temple must apply for a license to operate a zoo and employ more caretakers: http://goo.gl/VOAS3f
– The Thai navy has a long-cherished wish: submarines. That is remarkable because experts say the waters around Thailand are too shallow for submarines. Nevertheless, they still have to get there. A marine commission is now going to see which country is allowed to build the boats. In the race are: South Korea, China, Russia, Germany and Sweden. A decision must be made within three months as to which country will receive the order. There seems to be a preference for China, but there are doubts about the reliability of Chinese submarines, but the price is attractive, only 36 billion baht: http://goo.gl/pyeh6E
– You can read more current news on the Twitter feed of Thailandblog.nl: twitter.com/thailand_blog
Submarines! Why? To curb Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam? And my father already said: cheap = expensive. Prayut raves about China. First HSL ideas and now also submarines.
All a real investment in the Thai economy. What a waste of money. The money (I thought the treasury was almost empty by the way) could be better spent.
Dear Teun,
In Thailand they have a printing press (thrown in the trash in the Netherlands) with which you can print Bhatjes, which is very handy when your treasure chest is empty.
1) You order a submarine in the Netherlands or in the USA or England …
( the snorkel of a submarine is a DUTCH invention, without this invention you would NOT have a decent submarine !!!!!!!! )
2) But these are of high quality, so they are, logically, expensive.
3) The Thai (and more Asian populations, do NOT know how hard submarine training is…
of every 1000 persons that the Netherlands trains … an average of 10 pass ( I HAVE HAD AND PASSED THESE TRAINING MYSELF ) … in Norway … in Porthmuths ( England ) … in Malta … and even more and have also sailed in a submarine …( American submarine : Hr Ms de Walrus ) ... 6 atm overpressure in your lungs ... if you don't know and train ... you will explode upon surfacing ...
I wonder how many submarines they will buy…. and how many personnel per month die in incidents…
Does the Thai know what it means if you have to escape from a submarine, for example, 60 meters underwater….
4) Indeed… wasted money…. could be better spent on Thai economy… is now A BIG MESS!
Eddie,
I don't know much about submarines. I like to believe that building good submersibles is a specialty that not many countries possess. And it seems to me that China does not directly belong to that group of specialists.
If the project does go ahead, it is expected that the home port will be near Bangkok. And since the Gulf of Thailand is only 45-80 m deep, the submarine will probably disappear straight into the mud.
Can they practice escaping right away?
All joking aside: it is indeed a completely idiotic plan that occurred to someone with a lot of sunstroke. Or someone who sees an opportunity to fund his savings account during contract negotiations….
Just a nice piece of info: China is considering ordering submarines from Russia or has already ordered. So China apparently doesn't build submarines and if they do, the Chinese navy doesn't think they're good enough.
Another possibility: Thailand will buy 1-2 cast-off vessels from the Chinese fleet. Well then it is of course completely clear: in 4-5 years after any purchase they will be rusting away or on the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand.