Thailand Development plan for 18 provincial groups

According to a recent meeting of provincial governors and various governmental agencies in Thailand, a revised plan for development (B.E. 2557-2560 or 2014-2017) uses strategic grouping of provinces into 18 local clusters, each with its own emphasis. The Prime Minister asked each provincial group to compile data and sent them over to NESDB to consider and coordinate among various ministries

Ref :- Prachachat business

3 projects at Thailand-Malaysia border to be developed.

Governor of Takbai District, Narathiwas province, revealed 3 projects in preparation of AEC (Asean Economics Community), namely (1) a bridge across Su-ngai Kolok river bordering Thailand and Malaysia, (2) a 500 m long 6 traffic lane tunnel under the Su-ngai Kolok river linking the Thai and Malaysian customs stations, (3) a container yard in a special industrial zone (of 1,200 Rais, or 480 acres) in Takbai district.

Ref: Prachachat Business

Powerful influence of ex-PM on current Thai government

Foreign news agency reported that a former PM of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, directed various key policies through his direct contacts to individual ministers of his party.

Ref : New York Time.

A group of Thais to protest EU over interfering with Thailand sovereignty

A group of Thais called "(Monarchy) Institution Protection Network" would organize a protest in front of the EU office in Thailand on charge of "interfering with Thailand's sovereignty". Thailand 's judicial power is regarded as one of the triad of the governing powers of the state as specified by the constitution.  Their planned action is in response to "an over-step beyond impolite", referring to a recent announcement by the office and its diplomats in Thailand expressing their uneasy feeling over the jail term given by a court to a man who was convicted of intentionally falsifying stories and insulting the King in his works in a pro-Thaksin magazine.

Ref: Manager news

Thailand plans for 1 trillion Baht food export target

Thailand's National Food Institute revealed that it emphasizes on 3 missions, food safety, value creation, environmental issues.  For food safety, it hopes that more food processing factories would pass HACCP. For value creation, new products will be developed. For environmental issues, carbon footprint and water footprint, as well as energy savings would be addressed. Those measures aim to target the 1 trillion Baht food export target in the near future.

Ref :- manager online

Thailand opens new astronomical observatory

A new astronomical observatory, with a 2.4 meter diameter telescope locating at Doi Inthanon (the tallest peak in Thailand), Chiang Mai, has been inaugurated on January 22, 2013.

Reference :- manager news

Thailand high-speed train to bid in September 2013

Director of the Office for Transportation and Traffic Planning revealed that 3 routes for the high-speed train have been evaluated by consultants, namely the Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima, and Bangkok-Hua Hin routes. 

The Chiang Mai route would be build between Bangkok and Pitsanulok first (382 km). 

They hope details for all routes would be finalized in May, and environmental impact assessment would be conducted. It is hope that the bidding for the electric train system would be help in September 2013, while bidding for civil engineering structures would be called later.  The budget for the first phase investment wass projected to be  around 327 billion Baht, already covered within the framework of the 2.2 trillion Baht Fiscal Loan Act.

Ref :- Prachachat Business news