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June 10, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News • Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha Has Dismissed Speculation About a Loomin

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June 10, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News • Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha Has Dismissed Speculation About a Loomin June 10, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has dismissed speculation about a looming cabinet reshuffle, saying that he has not thought about it and asked the media to stop reporting on the issue which he likened to a soap opera. He insisted that changing cabinet ministers is his exclusive decision. “I know when and how, but not at this moment,” he said, adding that he has many other things to do. “Do not ask me when I will change the Cabinet. I will tell you myself when there is to be a reshuffle. Or I may not tell you, as I may go ahead and do it myself, because it is at the sole decision of the Prime Minister,” he said, adding that there is already a quota system for the coalition parties. When asked about the prospect that Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan may become the new leader of the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP), Gen Prayut retorted: “Why not? If he accepts the position, it is his own business”. The Prime Minister also brushed aside speculation that 3 economic ministers including Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana, Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong and Minister of University, Science, Research and Innovations Suvit Maesinsee who are close associates of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, may quit. Gen Prayut only said he had instructed them to do their jobs the best they can. Opposition MPs walked out of parliament chamber yesterday (June 9) in protest against a lack of details in the government’ plan to reallocate 88 billion baht to a central fund to fight Covid-19 and rehabilitate the economy. Worawat Ua-apinyakul, deputy chairman of the ad-hoc committee vetting a draft bill on the budget transfer who led the walkout, said he noted that the government’s transfer draft bill lacked elaborate details. Without the details the panel cannot make thorough examinations. He said large amounts of the central fund were earmarked to solve drought problems, not help fight the outbreak. Mr Worawat voiced frustration at the Defence Ministry for hampering the panel’s work, noting ministry representatives submitted a document marked as classified to the committee for consideration but retracted it shortly after. The document is believed to be the government’s plan to reallocate money to the central fund. He slammed the chairman of his ad-hoc committee for refusing to call for the return of the document from the ministry. Benja Saengchan, a committee member from Kao Klai Party, said the defence [ministry] is untouchable. The ministry claimed that the document was classified and took it back immediately, preventing the panel from thoroughly examining the document. Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana, as the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) leader, is under pressure to call a general assembly to elect a new executive board. Deputy party leader Paiboon Nititawan said after a meeting of executive committee members yesterday (June 9) that Mr Uttama must schedule the general assembly for June 19-21, warning that if Mr Uttama fails to do so, rebel MPs from other factions inside the PPRP will mobilize more than half of the party’s MPs to petition the Election Commission (EC) to call the general assembly. It is also speculated that the rebel MPs’ rebellion is intended to necessitate a cabinet reshuffle, to unseat the economic team, led by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid. There are a few new developments on the case of missing pro-democracy activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit who reportedly went missing in Phnom Penh last week. Cambodia’s national police force is reported to launch an investigation into the alleged abduction of Mr Chalearm despite earlier calling his disappearance “fake news,” prompting frustration over delays from a rights group that demanded an independent and transparent probe. Amid mounting calls for an investigation, including a request via a diplomatic note from the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, National Police Commission spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun confirmed yesterday (June 9) that a probe into Wanchalearm’s disappearance is underway. Chhay Kim Khoeun denied allegations by Mr Wanchalearm’s supporters in Thailand that authorities in Phnom Penh had carried out the alleged abduction at Bangkok’s behest. Chhay Kim Khoeun said according to official records, Mr Wanchalearm wasn’t even living in Cambodia at the time of his alleged kidnapping. “According to our investigation, Satsakit disappeared from Cambodia in 2017,” he said. There is also a report that Mr Chalearm’s visa which allowed him to stay in Cambodia for 2 years has expired since December 31, 2017. Cambodian authorities found no evidence that Mr Chalearm applied to renew his visa. Following a weekly cabinet meeting yesterday (June 10) Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told reporters he had asked Thai security officials about MR Wanchalearm’s reported abduction and indicated that his government would cooperate with authorities from a foreign country in investigating the case. He also made clear that Thailand would not “interfere in another country’s authority” as part of any investigation. “I’ve nothing to do [with this issue] and I seek fairness for Thai officials,” Gen Prayut added. Regarding reports of the Ministry of Defence’s move to request private mobile phone information from mobile network operators as revealed through the ministry’s letter to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), political activist Srisuwan Janya announced that he will today petition the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to look into the matter. Meanwhile, secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said the NBTC has been requested by the Defence Ministry and the Department of Disease Control to track locations of 140 mobile phone subscribers, who are COVID-19 patients who are deemed to be in a high risk group. Mr Takorn insisted that the NBTC cannot access personal data of these mobile phone users. It can merely retrieve information about facilities where these patients received treatments in a 7-day period. In a separate development, the Office of the Ombudsman decided to accept political activist Srisuwan Janya’s petition asking it to seek the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the nomination of Suchart Trakulkasemsuk as to whether he is eligible to become a new member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), announced Ombudsman secretary-general Raksagecha Chaechai. Mr Srisuwan claimed that the nomination of Mr Suchart was decided by the NACC selection committee tasked with selecting a new member may be unconstitutional as Mr Suchart has not left the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) at least 10 years as required under Section 11 (18) of the anti-corruption law. Economic News Analysts feel that wiith the prospect of lifting the ban on inbound passenger flights (even if selective) is a sign of some light at the end of the tunnel. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has reported that Japanese investors/businessmen (likely via Jetro) have asked for a daily quota of business travelers so they can complete investment negotiations and fill in senior vacant positions. This, analysts say, is very encouraging. Production is set to return to normal. Also perhaps finally some of the ongoing industrial land purchase negotiation at WHA and AMATA can be concluded. The influx Japanese executives would also be positive for familiar hotel operators that have strong brand and can be "relied" with regard to safety. Among the top would be the Bangkok and eastern region properties of MINT, ERW, CENTEL and the Centrepoints. This move prompted the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) plans to call a meeting with airlines next week to discuss whether they will be allowed to resume international routes expected on July 1. CAAT director Chula Sukmanop said the meeting will focus on airlines’ readiness to resume overseas services, details of airlines’ preferred international routes and CAAT travel regulations. Mr Chula said he could not answer whether the CAAT will extend its inbound flight ban further. He said he is awaiting a signal from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA). Mr Chula expects the situation to become clear in the next 1-2 weeks. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the government is considering to reopen the country’s borders, with priority to COVID-19-free countries, in the 3rd or final quarter of this year. He said relaxation of inbound travel restrictions will boost the tourism industry, which has suffered heavily in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The Cabinet has approved the exemption of hotel operating fees, worth 40 baht per room, for 1 year (from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021), Government spokesperson Naruemon Pinyosinwat announced after a weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday (June 9). The exemption of the fee on 783,855 rooms would help hotels while the government is expected to lose 31.35 billion baht in revenue. The tourism ministry is planning to roll out programs worth 8-12 billion baht to stimulate domestic tourism. There is hope that the program will work. Domestic tourism was about 6.4% of nominal GDP in 2019, based on estimates by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), which could mean that there could be some boon for the tourism sector. The Cabinet also approved a 10-billion-baht budget for its sugarcane farmers, whose output has been hit by drought. The government expects that around 300,000 sugarcane farmers would receive the financial aid, said Ratchada Thanadirek, a deputy government spokeswoman. Thailand’s cane production next season is expected to further decline by around 20%, the Office of the Cane and Sugar Fund has forecast, as drought continued while farmers planted new crops in April and early May, and as the coronavirus pandemic hits the global economy and reduces demand for sugar.
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