Reuters
Thailand aims to reduce rubber plantations, ramp up value of exports
Thailand’s cabinet has approved a 20-year plan to slash rubber plantations by 21% nationwide and increase the value of rubber exports by more than threefold, a government spokeswoman said on Wednesday.Thailand is the world’s top producer and exporter of natural rubber, accounting for up to ...
Thailand asks farmers not to grow off-season rice on drought worries
The Thai government has asked farmers in 22 provinces to not grow off-season rice, as the country braced for a dry spell amid low water levels in main reservoirs.Thailand, the world’s second-largest rice exporter after India, will not have enough water to grow the crop ...
Panarat Thepgumpanat
Chevron says no arbitration for now over Thai energy dispute
U.S. energy major Chevron Corp (CVX.N) has decided to continue negotiations with Thailand rather than seek arbitration to resolve a dispute over who should pay the bill for removing offshore oil and gas platforms, the company told Reuters on Wednesday.Keep reading ...
Patpicha Tanakasempipat
Rescued human trafficking victims in Thailand nears record high
The number of human trafficking victims rescued in Thailand is set to hit a record high this year, according to government data, with demand for cheap labour in neighbouring Malaysia causing a jump in the illegal trade.Thai police have rescued 974 trafficking victims – mostly ...
Warnings over new law to protect workers in Thai fishing industry
A new law to address abuses in Thailand’s multi-billion dollar fishing industry contains loopholes, labor rights campaigners said on Thursday, warning of difficulties in enforcement.The legislation published on Wednesday follows years of global scrutiny over abuse of Thai and migrant workers and mandates basic rights ...
Thailand says 'making progress' with high-speed Thai-Chinese railway
Thailand’s government said it is “making progress” with the much-delayed high-speed Thai-Chinese rail line that is to link Thailand, Laos and China, as the three countries prepared to ink another agreement this week at Beijing’s Belt and Road summit.Keep reading ...
Thailand ramps up fight against forced labor with stricter law
Thailand will use a newly amended law to crack down on forced labor with hefty fines and prison time, a move analysts said could help curb exploitative practices against migrant workers.The Southeast Asian nation, which has come under scrutiny for slavery and trafficking in its ...
Focus on Thai fishing distracts from worker abuse in other sectors: researchers
Millions of migrant workers in Thailand’s construction, agriculture and livestock industries suffer from exploitative practices, but a focus on the fishing sector has distracted attention from them, researchers said on Thursday.Keep reading ...
Google launches Thai AI project to screen for diabetic eye disease
Google said on Thursday (Dec,13) it had launched an artificial intelligence program in Thailand to screen for a diabetic eye disease which causes permanent blindness.The eye screening program in Thailand follows a similar Google program in India and highlights a push by big tech companies ...
Hi-tech mapping threatens land rights across the 'digital divide': experts
Countries are increasingly embracing drones and satellites to map land and minimize conflict rising from ownership disputes, but unequal access to these technologies can further endanger the rights of vulnerable people, analysts say.Keep reading ...
Rina Chandran