Senators crucial factor in constitutional change : The coup-installed 250 senators will be a decisive factor in constitutional amendments pushed by several parties and it remains to be seen whether the Senate’s role in charter change can help defuse political tensions stemming from student protesters who are also demanding charter revisions. Bangkok Post
Govt plans B100bn canal splurge to prevent floods : The government is planning to spend a massive 100 billion baht to develop a 240-kilometre canal running from Chai Nat province to the Gulf of Thailand to prevent flooding in the kingdom’s central region, according to the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR). Bangkok Post
Pattaya launches B160m facelift to boost tourism : Pattaya will spend 160 million baht to improve the city’s beach landscape in a bid to attract local tourists. The landscape redevelopment on a 4-kilometre stretch of Pattaya Beach will start in October and is expected to be finished by the end of the year, Sonthaya Kunplome, mayor of the City of Pattaya, said yesterday. Bangkok Post:
NESDC slashes forecast : Agency sees economy shrink by up to 7.8%. The government’s planning unit yesterday downgraded the economic outlook for the whole year to a 7.3%-7.8% contraction from an earlier forecast of 5%-6%, after it reported the economy contracted the most in 22 years in the second quarter. Bangkok Post
SME soft loan conditions may be relaxed for better access : The new economic team is preparing to amend the soft loan conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enable greater loan access and sustain jobs. Bangkok Post
Govt U-turns on submitting own charter change bill : The government has decided not to present its own version of a charter amendment bill, prompting speculation that it was a ploy to buy time over the contentious issue. Bangkok Post
Nate won’t face ‘Boss’ case probe : The Public Prosecutor Commission yesterday decided not to set up a panel to investigate Deputy Attorney-General Nate Naksuk over his decision to drop Red Bull scion Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya’s reckless driving causing death charge in the 2012 hit-and-run case. Bangkok Post
Hotels want expats to get stimulus perks : The newly elected president of the Thai Hotels Association has asked the government to include expatriates in the second phase of tourism stimulus, saying those who pay tax should receive equal rights. Bangkok Pos
Spending headed to 20-year low : Media spending plummeted 20.9% in the first seven months this year because of the pandemic and is expected to fall to a two-decade low of almost 72 billion baht this year, according to Media Intelligence (MI), a media planning and creative agency. Bangkok Post
PDMO: Cabinet-endorsed credit line for potential public debt : The cabinet’s recent endorsement to approve an additional loan of 214 billion baht to compensate for the budget deficit is intended as a credit line in case public expenses exceed revenue, says the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO). Bangkok Post
