August 19, 2021

Thai Enquirer Summary

COVID-19 News

 Today reported the highest ever death in a single day and 1st such death of 300+ people per day.

 Today’s numbers are as follows:

 Total New Infections = 20,902

 Community Infection = 20,754

 Prison Infection = 148

 Total positive cases (ATK/Antigen) = 2,841

 Total New Death = 301

 Total New Recovery = 22,208

 Total Infection including ATK = 23,743

 Total infections so far since outbreak = 989,959

 Total deaths so far since outbreak = 8,586

Details of data for each day can be found @ https://ddc.moph.go.th/covid19-dashboard/

 Once again, data from Ministry of Public Health, shows the number of positive cases against the number of tests undertaken

 44.67% of those tested in the last 7-days (until August 17) were testing positive  Average of 48,227 people were tested each day in 7-days until August 17.  Average infection over the same 7-days period stood at 21,542 cases

 To complicate things, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration came out to say that yesterday’s death numbers were 212 although the announced number was 312

 The difference was due to the fact that the 100 cases were number that was not accounted for since the start of the month of August.

 The CCSA announced that these numbers were from the rural areas where the deaths were not reported until yesterday.

 At the same time 2014 coup leader – Prayut Chan-o-cha came out to say on his Facebook page, that the outbreak of Covid-19 should peak until at least the end of the month then start to cool off.

 He added that if lockdown works then it should peak by the end of the month

 He also said that he felt the ‘pain’ of those dying and was working hard to control the situation.

Inoculation Drive

 The drive to inoculate the country with 100 million doses by the end of this year (December 31st) seems to be able to see some light at the end of the tunnel, as the daily inoculation has started to rise to more than 500,000 doses per day (but then during weekends it falls by 1/5 these numbers).

 The CCSA announced that 508,927 doses were administered on Tuesday

 The overall inoculation for this month are as follows.

 Private hospitals have started to ask those who have registered for alternative vaccine - Moderna, to check on their scheduled date for inoculation.

 Piyavate and Bangprakok Hospital has come out to say that people who registered with them should go to the website and check the details of their planned inoculation in Q4 2021.

 Also the CCSA has come out to say that those who are living outside and had come to the Bangsue station to get their 1st dose of AstraZeneca do not need to come back for the 2nd dose.

 The CCSA said that those who have the appointment for 2nd dose should go to the nearest hospital with that appointment 2-weeks ahead of the scheduled inoculation and get the vaccine there.

 As for the ‘Countdown’ to the opening of the country by October 14, 2021 as announced by General Prayut on television broadcast on June 16th… well there is just 55 days and 15 hours to that deadline.

Public Service Announcement

 Listed below are the numbers to call in case there is a need for those infected

Economic News

 Decha Jatuthananan, Inspector General of the Ministry of Industry as head of the Center for Crisis Management at the Ministry of Industry - Crisis Management Center, said that from the data collection from April 1 to August 17, 2021, the factory outbreak has found that out of the 749 industries, 53,135 people were infected, covering 62 provinces.

 The top 5 industries affected were food industry with 136 factories, followed by electronics industry with 103 factories impacted, then is the metal industry with 65 factories impacted. Other industries impacted are the garment industry with 64 factories infected, and plastics industry 57 factories.

 He said that currently, there are about 13 new factories infected every day, with an average of more than 800 infected people per day, or 4% of the country's daily number of new cases.

 The small & medium sized industries continued to see their confidence levels drop and has been dropping since April of this year.

 Weerapong Malai, Director of the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (OSMEP), said the Small and Medium Enterprises Confidence Index (SMEs) for July saw a drop from June at 32.6 to 30.1

 The continuous drop has been due to the impact of the pandemic which has impacted the domestic purchasing power, and some businesses had to close temporarily.

 The index decreased in all regions, in particular, Bangkok and its vicinities dropped to 26.6 from the previous month at 30.3.

 Trairat Wiriyasirikul acting Secretary-General of the Television Broadcasting Commission and the National Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) said that the NBTC meeting on August 18, 2021 resolved to cancel the auction for the license to use the satellite orbit that is scheduled.

 The auction was held on August 28, 2021 because there were applicants for permission. The only one is TC Space Connect Co Ltd., a subsidiary of Thaicom Plc. There may not be free and fair competition.

 Yesterday, the share price of THCOM dropped after The NBTC failed to bid for the satellite. Shares of THCOM opened at 11 baht, dropped to the lowest between 9.90 baht before closing at 10.10 baht, a drop of 0.80 baht or 7.34% from the previous day's closing price. Trading value was at 629.91 million baht.

 Minor International Plc (MINT) revealed the business direction in the second half of the year, especially the European hotel business tends was witnessing an improvement. The higher vaccination rate in Europe has helped the revival of the tourism industry in Europe.

 Chaiyapat Paitoon, Chief Strategic Development Officer of MINT comes right ahead of the high season in Europe which is usually the 3rd quarter.

 While in Thailand there is a Phuket Sandbox project, and the Samui Plus project was helping foreign tourists to come back to travel in Thailand, the company has a business in Phuket and in Samui, which will benefit MINT.

 As for the investment budget in 2021, MINT has said that it has reduced it to 4 5 billion baht, about 6 billion baht in 2022 and about 8 billion baht in 2023.

 A Thai company – TPI Polene Plc (TPIPL) has come out with what is the 1st of its kind of announcement

 If a company’s employee is found to have been infected with Covid-19 due to their carelessness, then they would be

. Excluded from promotion in the company for a period of 1-year . Excluded from getting any bonus for a period of 1-year . Excluded from getting a pay hike for a period of 1-year

------

Political News

 A meeting of the House of Representatives to consider the budget bill fiscal year 2022, amounting to 3.1 trillion baht saw it passed in the 2nd reading.

 Finance Minister, Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, presented a summary report to the meeting that the Draft Budget Act with a budget of 3.1 trillion baht, the committee reduced 16.36 billion baht to increase the budget for the central

budget, the expense relief items to solve problems and heal those affected by the COVID outbreak.

 This passage comes despite calls by to trim the budget by as much as 100 billion baht.

 The passage was with 326 votes in favour out of 383 MPs present in the parliament, 51 against and 2 abstained.

 The more radical protest group – Thalu Fah, held a rally yesterday at Democracy Monument and have called for another rally today at the same venue.

 Thalu Fah to hold another protest today at Democracy Monument

 Yesterday’s protest saw a peaceful protest, but a group of the protestors went to Din Daeng last evening and clashed until curfew at 21:00 hrs.

Banner says ‘(when) government fails, people die’.

 Meanwhile the Royal Thai Police took journalists out to show how they shoot ‘tear gas’ but 2 pictures taken by Thai Enquirer show a different story.

 1st picture is of the training session shown yesterday (shoot upwards for the tear gas to fall near the protest area)  2nd picture is taken by Thai Enquirer during last week’s protest at Din Daeng intersection. (shooting directly at the protestors which has caused many injuries)

 To make matters worse for the Royal Thai Police, the officers who have been on the ground trying to control the crowd have come out to complain that the money they were promised as ‘compensation’ for their work of 200 baht per day and another 240 baht per day for food have not been paid to them.

 Pol Maj Gen Yingyot Thepchamnong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said that daily food care is transferred to the relevant agency taking care of that issue.

 As for the per diem of 200 baht, Yingyot said that it is usually transferred a few days after the duty is over (but some policemen are complaining that they have not received it for weeks yet).

 Minister of Transport, Saksiam Chidchob, who is also one of the 6 ministers targeted by the opposition to be grilled in the upcoming no-confidence debate, said that ‘he would need to look up the dictionary’ to be able to respond to the planned allegations that he was the ‘super spreader’ of the 3rd wave of the virus when he went to Krystal Club in Thonglor in March this year where he was infected and spread the virus around to many others and the 3rd wave is yet to be over.

 He asked that the issue of him being a ‘super spreader’ should not be made a political issue.

 In yet another slap on the face of 2014 coup leader, an online poll undertaken by Matichon group (which includes the mass circulating Khoa Sod newspaper, the political focused Matichon Daily and the business focused Pracharat Thurakij), said that the people of Thailand feel that they would want former Prime Minister as their leader.

 The poll showed  Prayut Chan-o-cha with just 1%  Pita Limjaroenrat (leader of Move Forward party) with 32%  Thaksin Shinawatra with 67%

 The head of a parliamentary law-and-order committee - Sira Jenjaka, an outspoken MP for the ruling and pro-military Palang Pracharath Party, said he would ask the premier himself, as head of police, to answer questions over the heavy-handed crackdown on demonstrations in residential areas this week, after being snubbed by police leaders.

 The move to summon Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha came after Police General Suwat Chaengyodsuk has failed to show up at the committee’s meeting on Wednesday, citing another meeting.

Political News Headlines in Thai Media

 The head of a parliamentary law-and-order committee said Wednesday he would ask the premier himself, as head of police, to answer questions over the heavy-handed crackdown on demonstrations in residential areas this week, after being snubbed by police leaders.

o Link- https://www.thaienquirer.com/31448/committee-leader-to-question-premier- over-din-daeng-police-crackdown/

 Officials inside the Ministry of Public Health are petitioning the Prayut Chan-ocha administration and the Minister of Public Health to invest in second-generation vaccines for 2022.

o Link- https://www.thaienquirer.com/31405/government-must-invest-in-second- generation-vaccines-or-fall-behind-again-official-says/

 The last time I used the phrase “live round” to report on a protest in Thailand was back during the Red Shirts protests in 2010.

o Link- https://www.thaienquirer.com/31393/opinion-life-firing-zone/

 The Move Forward Party said they will block the government’s attempts to sneak in an amnesty clause into existing law and that the government’s moves show they know they are ultimately responsible for the country’s disastrous Covid-19 response.

o Link- https://www.thaienquirer.com/31477/government-attempts-to-sneak-in- amnesty-clauses-shows-they-are-culpable-for-covid-disaster/

 The prime minister has also urged all Thais to strictly follow universal prevention guidelines against Covid-19, as a more efficient lockdown will help reduce new cases and Covid deaths faster.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167407/fewer-curbs-soon- says-pm

 The Public Health Ministry and its state enterprise, the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO), now have to terminate their plan to procure 8.5 million sets of the Covid-19 Lepu antigen test kit, according to the Rural Doctor Society (RDS).

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167387/govt-must-axe-plan- to-buy-8-5m-test-kits

 The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) is going after the culprits who shot and injured two people during Monday's clashes between anti-government protesters and the police.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167503/police-searching-for- culprits-who-shot-protesters

 The US military has slammed as fake news online rumours that its medical mission in Thailand leaked the virus that triggered the Covid-19 pandemic.

o Link- https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004878

 PM Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday announced Covid-19 restrictions could be eased next month amid signs the infection rate is slowing. However, tighter Covid-19 safety measures were needed to combat the outbreak of Delta variant, he said via Facebook.

o Link- https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004867

 Opposition parties are seeking to slash the government’s 3.1 trillion baht spending in the 2022 fiscal year, by 100-300 billion baht, on the first day of the three-day budget bill debate in the bill’s second and final readings in parliament.

o Link- https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-opposition-seeks-to-trim-government- spending-substantially-at-budget-bill-debate/

 Vocational student leaders on Wednesday denied they were behind clashes in Bangkok's Din Daeng area and called on protesters to end violent tactics.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2167351/vocational-student- leaders-deny-link-with-din-daeng-clashes

 Three anti-government protest leaders who tested positive for Covid-19 during their detention remain in "good condition", according to the Corrections Department. o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/2167339/infected-rally-leaders- in-good-condition-says-prison-boss

 Disciplinary action has been taken against an air force officer for posting social media comments about police actions to disperse demonstrators at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok, an air force source said.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167331/air-force-officer- disciplined-for-offending-police

 The House committee on law, justice and human rights said on Wednesday it would summon Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to explain the police crackdown on anti- government protests at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok.

o Link- https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004860

 Pro-democracy activists headed to the district court in Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani on Wednesday morning to submit bail requests for Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak and other Ratsadon members who have picked up Covid-19 in jail.

o Link- https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40004853

Economic News Headlines in Thai Media

 The economy will face even greater risk if the government refuses the latest request by the private sector to help supply vaccines and medicine to help fight the pandemic, an industrial leader told Thai Enquirer Wednesday.

o Link- https://www.thaienquirer.com/31467/private-sector-help-urgently-needed-with- vaccines-antivirals/  A major Thai asphalt company has been implicated for money laundering in a criminal complaint against a Miami businessman accused of violating U.S. sanctions for doing maintenance work on Venezuela’s fleet of Russian fighter jets.

o Link- https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2021/08/18/thai- asphalt-giant-implicated-in-venezuela-sanctions-case/

 Consulting firms are carrying out a feasibility study on a light-rail link between Bang Na intersection and Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration intends to build and operate under a public-private partnership model.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167687/study-begins-on-rail- line-along-bang-na-trat-road

 The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has instructed business operators to prepare for company isolation rules for close contacts of positive coronavirus cases and speed up using antigen test kits (ATKs) for their staff members.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167395/firms-told-to-prepare- for-isolation

 Phuket province is preparing to temporarily close the Phuket Fishing Port of the Fish Marketing Organisation (FMO) for Covid-19 containment, after a trawler's 95 crew members were found to have contracted the disease.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167459/phuket-port-to-close- due-to-infections-on-trawler

 The Bank of Thailand is concerned about business closures and layoffs attributed to the prolonged Covid-19 outbreak, which is adding significant downside risks to the economy.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167499/mpc-raises-alarm-on- headwinds

 Cryptocurrency trading value in Thailand spiked to 700-800 billion baht during the past 10 months and is expected to reach 1 trillion baht by the end of this year, according to Zipmex Thailand chief executive Akalarp Yimwilai at PostToday's Cryptocurrency Forum 2021 on Wednesday.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167455/experts-warn-of- cryptocurrency-risks

 With the high season less than two months away, Chiang Mai is poised to reopen to international tourists in October but is taking a different approach to the Phuket sandbox, with tourists required to travel through sealed routes via package tours.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167571/chiang-mais-best-laid- reopening-plans

 BG Container Glass (BGC), Thailand's largest glass container manufacturer by capacity, plans to spend 2.7 billion baht expanding its production capacity in the expectation that its glass and non-glass businesses will increase revenue to offset a 6% drop in pandemic- hit sales.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167515/bgc-allots-b2-7bn-to-ramp- up-production-capacity

 Despite the prolonged Covid-19 outbreak, SET-listed RS is remaining positive about business growth this year, albeit at a slow pace.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167419/rs-upbeat-on-slow-growth- this-year

 IRPC Plc, the petrochemical arm of PTT Group, is poised to become a key manufacturer of speciality polymers in the post-pandemic period to avoid tougher competition in the commodity-grade polymer market.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167431/irpc-targets-special-polymers

 The use of free trade agreement (FTA) privileges and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) by Thai exporters surged by 34.3% in the first half of the year to US$40.2 billion, boosted largely by a recovery in global demand.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167491/privilege-usage-surges- among-exporters-in-h1

 Bank Indonesia and the Bank of Thailand launched a cross-border QR payment linkage on Tuesday, under which consumers and merchants in both Indonesia and Thailand can make and accept instant cross-border QR payments for goods and services.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167495/qr-payment-with-indonesia- finalised

 Laos has asked Thailand to facilitate the return of Lao workers to their country to escape the Covid-19 outbreak that left many jobless and destitute.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167315/laos-asks-thailand-to- help-repatriate-workers-idled-by-covid

 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking legal action against Pimradaporn Benjawattanapat, an online trader better known as "Pimrypie", for offering a set of antigen test kits (ATK) as a free gift to purchasers of her mineral water.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2167271/online-seller-pimrypie- in-hot-water-over-covid-test-kits

 The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has decided to cancel a satellite orbital slot auction slated for Aug 28 after only one contender was left in the contest.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167347/auction-for-satellite-orbital- slot-cancelled-again

 Two members of Thailand's monetary policy committee who pushed unsuccessfully for a rate cut earlier this month argued preemptive action was needed because of the risks of an economic slowdown in the period ahead, minutes of the meeting showed.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167243/some-at-bank-of-thailand- pushed-for-rate-cut-%E2%80%93-minutes

 China allowed 56 longan packaging companies to resume exporting Thai longan to China on Aug 17, reversing a ban imposed on Aug 13, according to the Commerce Ministry.

o Link- https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167239/longan-exports-to-china- resume  The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index closed at 1,551.87 on Wednesday, up 7.65 points or 0.50 per cent. Transactions totalled THB81.90 billion with an index high of 1,557.08 and a low of 1,545.33.

o Link- https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40004868

Issues to be watched out for

 August, 2021 – A 3.1-trillion-baht budget spending bill for the fiscal year 2022 will be tabled for 2nd and 3rd readings.

 August 28, 2021 – The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has rescheduled the auction of four satellite orbital slot packages.

 August 31 to September 3 – The parliament is set to debate the no-confidence motion filed by the opposition against the government of General Prayut and their management of the Covid-19 situation.

 September 1, 2021 – The government will collect value-added tax from Netflix, Youtube, Google, Facebook as well as other e-commerce services.

 September 18, 2021 – Parliament goes into recess.

 October, 2021 – Bangkok governor election is set to be held.

 October – December, 2021 – The 2nd doses of AstraZeneca would be administered.

 October 1, 2021 – Hua Hin’s reopening to vaccinated foreign visitors.

 October 1, 2021 – The quarantine measure will be lifted in Krabi, Phang Nga, Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

 November 15, 2021 – The National Economic & Social Development Council (NESDC) announces the GDP data of Q3 2021

Key Data

SET Index 1,551.87 +7.65

Link - https://www.set.or.th/en/company/ipo/upcoming_ipo_set.html

Global Commodities

Metal -Link http://www.bloomberg.com/markets/commodities/futures/metals/

Energy -Link - http://www.bloomberg.com/energy/

Baltic Dry Index (BDI)-Link - http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/BDIY:IND

Global Equity Market’s Movements

Link - http://www.bloomberg.com/markets/stocks/world-indexes/asia-pacific/

Asian Equity Markets Movement

Link - http://www.bloomberg.com/markets/stocks/world-indexes/

Information on August 18, 2021

Buying, Selling or Transfer of shares by Owners/Management

Stock Code Volume Value Action

ALL 3,003,900 2.88 Purchase APP 8,200 3.04 Purchase APP 184,300 3.06 Purchase APP 86,500 3.08 Purchase APP 1,000 3.1 Purchase ADB 100,000 2.2 Purchase DRT 26,400 7.2 Purchase EP 400 5.35 Sale EP 300,000 5.17 Purchase EE 2,000,000 1.48 Sale KCE 34,900 85 Sale MJD 170,000 1.78 Purchase MJD 134,000 1.79 Purchase MICRO 60,000 7.65 Purchase MTC 100,000 55.88 Purchase NRF 170,000 8.1 Purchase PIMO 200,000 1.75 Sale RPH 26,500 6 Purchase RPH 9,100 6.35 Purchase RT 125,000 2.1 Sale SKN 100,000 6.5 Sale SABUY 11,700,000 8.53 Purchase COLOR 70,000 2.18 Purchase COLOR 30,000 2.14 Purchase COLOR 20,000 2 Purchase COLOR 40,000 2.04 Purchase COLOR 100,000 2.04 Purchase COLOR 20,000 2 Purchase

COLOR 20,000 2.02 Purchase SDC 3,489,500 0.5 Sale SFT 54,500 7.45 Sale SICT 20,000 4.72 Sale SITHAI 133,900 1.16 Purchase SFLEX 300,000 5.95 Sale SUSCO 150,000 2.99 Purchase TSTE 500 6.9 Purchase TASCO 10,000 19.3 Purchase TNITY 10,000 6.98 Purchase UTP 20,000 17.95 Purchase UVAN 40,000 6.9 Sale

XD, XE or XM or other notifications

For list of Companies that have dividend payment and AGM meeting schedules click on http://www.set.or.th/set/calendarofevents.do

Trading Breakdown on the Stock Exchange of Thailand

Daily as of 18 Aug 2021 Unit: M.Baht Investor Type Buy Sell Net Value % Value % Value % Local Institutions 7,418.38 9.06 5,882.02 7.18 1,536.36 - Proprietary 8,091.91 9.88 8,311.39 10.15 -219.48 - Trading Foreign Investors 35,130.91 42.89 36,005.97 43.96 -875.06 - Local Individuals 31,260.44 38.17 31,702.26 38.71 -441.82 - Monthly Cumulative between 1 - 18 Aug 2021 Unit: M.Baht Investor Type Buy Sell Net Value % Value % Value %

Local Institutions 68,304.24 7.25 57,900.30 6.14 10,403.94 - Proprietary 91,976.89 9.76 92,721.43 9.84 -744.55 - Trading Foreign Investors 390,405.99 41.42 402,275.94 42.68 -11,869.95 - Local Individuals 391,766.40 41.57 389,555.85 41.33 2,210.56 - Yearly Cumulative since 1 Jan - 18 Aug 2021 Unit: M.Baht Investor Type Buy Sell Net Value % Value % Value % Local Institutions 961,872.38 7.09 995,816.03 7.34 -33,943.65 - Proprietary 1,345,934.47 9.93 1,337,218.11 9.86 8,716.36 - Trading Foreign Investors 5,040,541.12 37.17 5,145,693.33 37.95 - - 105,152.21 Local Individuals 6,212,089.78 45.81 6,081,710.27 44.85 130,379.51 -

Total Trading Value 81,901.65 Million Baht

Background Information –

The strength of each party in the Thai Parliament as of May 8, 2019 as per the report by the Election Commission of Thailand. Elections took place on March 24, 2019

 https://www.ect.go.th/ect_th/news_all.php?cid=24

 List of MPs - https://www.ect.go.th/ect_th/download/article/article_20190508184334.pdf

Information provided here is copyright of ThaiNews Corp and no part maybe reproduced in any form without the prior written permission. The opinions expressed are only those of the writer’s and is analysed based on the situation.