Dems adopt primary vote in leadership race. For the first time in its history, members will choose top-seat contender. A primary voting system intended to give the public more active engagement in politics will be adopted by the Democrat Party to decide its next leader, which could set the tone for other parties under a charter designed to prevent a power monopoly by a single owner. (Bangkok Post, (10/09/18)

PPP panel gives nod to fast-track motorway project. The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee is going ahead with the Nakhon Pathom-Cha-am motorway project at a cost of Bt79.01 billion to facilitate transport to the South of Thailand, and has urged related agencies to propose projects under the fast track PPP scheme within this year. (The Nation, 11/09/18)

Parties look at excluding Senate from choosing PM. Political parties want the Senate excluded from joining in a prime minister vote if they can rustle up more than 250 MPs to form a coalition government, according to a forum conducted on Monday. (Bangkok Post, (11/09/18)

B225bn rail link to pick contractor by January. The government expects to select a consortium by January to build a 225-billion-baht high-speed rail link connecting three international airports, one of the largest transport projects in history. (Bloomberg, (11/09/18)

Energy Ministry aims to boost alternative sources of power. The Energy Ministry’s Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) aims to use alternative sources to produce 30% of total power consumed in the country by 2037 as part of its new alternative energy development plan (AEDP). (The Nation, 12/9/18)

Senate, MP organic laws published, paving way for poll. Two key organic lawS on the election of MPs and selection of senators have received royal approval and were published in the Royal Gazette, paving the way for an election to take place by May next year. (Bangkok Post, 12/09/18)

EU states spar over digital tax. Germany has called for more time to agree on a European Union tax overhaul to raise levies on large digital firms, although its finance minister says a solution is needed soon. Under a proposal made by the European Commission in March, EU states would charge a 3% levy on digital revenues of large companies like Google and Facebook that are accused of diverting their profits to low-tax states in the bloc. Apple, for example, books most of its iTunes revenue in Luxembourg. (Reuters, 08/09/18)

Chinese companies flee overseas to avoid US tariffs. A growing number of Chinese companies are adopting a crafty way to evade US President Donald Trump’s tariffs: remove the “Made in China” label by shifting production to countries such as Vietnam, Serbia and Mexico. (AFP, 11/09/18)

China seeks WTO backing for $7 billion sanctions on U.S. over dumping duties. China told the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Tuesday it wanted to impose $7 billion a year in sanctions on the United States in retaliation for Washington’s non-compliance with a ruling in a dispute over U.S. dumping duties (Reuters, 11/09/18)

Bank of England holds rates as it awaits Brexit developments. The Bank of England has kept its main interest rate on hold at 0.75% as policymakers await developments in Britain’s looming exit from the European Union. (Bangkok Post, 13/09/18)