Thailand Focus Week of March 16th, 2015

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Royal Thai Embassy, Washington, D.C.
Week of March 16, 2015 Enter Title Here

  • Charter drafters aiming to increase the power of citizens.
  • Thailand chairing U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
  • Thailand hosts meeting on ASEAN ‘open skies’.
  • Thai company creating jobs in Indiana.
  • Searching for new habitats for growing elephant population.

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Charter drafters aiming to increase the power of citizens

The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), working on Thailand’s new Constitution, has proposed the creation of five new bodies designed to increase the power of citizens and reduce social inequality and corruption, leading drafters said last week. The five new bodies include an ethics assembly, a citizen’s council and a civic scrutiny council.  The CDC is due to present the first draft in April.  The drafting of the Constitution must by law be completed by September – paving the way for holding of elections in early 2016.  Read more

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Thailand chairing U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs

As governments and law enforcement agencies strive to keep pace with the shifting tactics of international drug trafficking syndicates, Thailand opened the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs.  The Kingdom is serving as the chair country for the central policy-making body within the U.N. dealing with illicit drugs and is the governing body for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.  Read more

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Thailand hosts meeting on ASEAN ‘open skies’

With the launch of Southeast Asia’s free-trade area just months away, Thailand hosted a meeting last week of more than 100 aviation experts to spur progress on integrating the aviation market and creating “open skies” among the 10 nations of the region.  Read more

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Thai company creating jobs in Indiana

Royal Interpack North America, a Thai company that makes food packaging from recycled materials, announced last week it will open a manufacturing plant in Indiana at a cost of over US$11 million that will create 135 new jobs for Americans by 2018 and help boost the local economy.  Read more

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Searching for new habitats for growing elephant population

Thailand’s success in protecting its elephant population has created a dilemma for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, which needs to find new habitats as the number of elephants has begun to expand.  Read more

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In this issue

Thailand at a Glance

3st Quarter 2014 Key Indicators
GDP: 0.6%
Export: $56.9 billion
Import: $52.15 billion
Export growth rate: – 1.7%
Import growth rate: – 0.78%
Current account balance: – $1.47 million
Trade surplus: $4.78 billion
Unemployment: 0.89%
Headline inflation: 2.0%
Official foreign reserves: $161.57 billion
2014
GDP: $380 billion
GDP per capita: $5,545
GDP growth: 1.5-2.0%

2013
GDP: $385 billion
GDP per capita: $5,647
GDP growth: 2.9%

2012
GDP: $366 billion
GDP per capita: $5,390
GDP growth: 6.5%

2011
GDP: $345.6 billion
GDP per capita: $5,113
GDP growth: 0.1%

Archives

March 9,2015
March 2,2015

February 23,2015
February 17,2015
February 9,2015
February 2,2015

January 26,2015
January 20,2015
January 12,2015
January 5,2015

Thailand Focus 2014
Thailand Focus 2013
Thailand Focus 2012
Thailand Focus 2011

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