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August 6, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News • There August 6, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News There was a very strong statement made by Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong, who lectured army cadets yesterday (August 5), that COVID-19 is curable, but hating your own country is an incurable disease. Gen Apirat, known as an arch royalist, made his remarks on the 133rd founding anniversary of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in Muang district of Nakhon Nayok. During the event, Gen Apirat asked new cadets if they were afraid of being infected by the virus while they were training in Hawaii. The army chief took the chance to slam anti-government protesters and refer to them as those “who hate the nation” as many of them often speak ill of the country most of the time. The army chief said “Covid-19 can be cured but the disease that is incurable is the hatred of the nation”. Asked by reporters about how the “disease of hate” could be cured, Gen Apirat said that there is no vaccine for it and the only remedy is to instil, in the minds of young Thai people, a sense of unity and patriotism. In a related development, the army chief insisted that there is a need for Thai troops to continue joint military drills with US troops amid fears over the spread of COVID-19. He said the army has already postponed or downsized the joint exercises. Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, core leader of the Free Youth Group that organised nationwide anti-government rallies during the past week, came out to slam army chief Gen Apirat’s remarks branding student protesters as “those who hate the nation”. Tattep said the key reason behind student rallies to demand the government to address problems of the country is because of their “love for the country”, not their hatred. He said those who try to brand others as those who hate their own nation are often the elites who oversee a network of economic and political monopolies to benefit their own associates. Tattep said Gen Apirat’s threat would yield no results like in the past decade. His group will continue its push to set up the “Free People Movement”. The group will hold a press conference to introduce the movement on August 7 at the Democracy Monument followed by a major rally which to be confirmed later. Police has summoned organisers of student-led protests against the government, saying they had violated a coronavirus emergency decree that forbids large gatherings. Among those summoned by police for questioning was human rights lawyer Anon Nampa who demanded reforms of the monarchy during a “Harry Potter- theme” protest at the Democracy Monument on Monday (August 3). Police though said Anon, who was a key speaker, was being summoned over an earlier protest in July outside the army headquarters. The five organisers were “summoned for questioning and to hear the charge of breaching the emergency decree,” Pol Lt Col Athich Donnanchai, deputy director of Nanglerng police. Six protest leaders or political activists in 2 different provinces were summoned last month for breaching the emergency decree, among other alleged offenses. On the constitutional amendment push, there are reports that the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) has given the cold shoulder to the call for the setting up of a constitution drafting assembly (CDC). Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, as Phalang Pracharat Party leader, said a meeting of the PPRP and the coalition parties could not agree on charter amendment proposals in regards to the call for a new CDC to be formed. The PPRP has made clear to the coalition parties that it did not want to touch the controversial provision that permits senators to join the House of Representatives in voting for a prime minister. Reports said the government side would likely wait until the House committee studying constitutional amendments headed by PM’s adviser Pirapan Salirathavibhaga submit its findings to the House expected to be around early September before drawing a resolution on the charter amendment issue. Opposition chief whip Sutin Klungsang said the opposition camp decided that it would submit proposals to pursue the amendment after postponing the submission from July 5. Sutin said this is because the opposition members have changed qualifications of those who can take part in the new drafting assembly to include those aged below 25 to be in line with the age of eligible voters. Sutin said he has been informed by government chief whip Wirat Rattanaset that the coalition parties and senators agreed with the push for charter amendments. Sutin expects to submit the amendment proposals by August 15. Atavit Suwannapakdee, secretary-general of the Kla (Brave) Party, said not only Section 256 is the key to the amendment but Section 272 is also important. Amending Section 272 which empowered senators to join the House of Representatives in voting for a prime minister will help Thailand achieve true democracy. On the superstitious side, celebrity fortune teller Sorajja Nualyoo, who earned the nickname, “Thailand’s Nostradamus”, warned of bad luck for the national leader. He said this is because the influence of Saturn and Jupiter have bad impact on the national leader, causing him to misjudge and mishandle the country’s problems. The Thailand Nostradamus also warned of a major change around the end of August after a reshuffle of the cabinet line-up which he said will lead to major political upheavals. Moreover, Thailand’s economy will see the worst recession in the history in which he compared it to a “holocaust”. Sorajja further warned of rising conflict in the coalition government as a result of squabbles over the allocation of cabinet seats, the country’s rising debt owed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which will lead to a major overhaul, anti- government demonstrations that will turn larger in 2021, the vast number of unemployed and rampant corruption. Yesterday (August 5), rumours swirled that Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit who disappeared in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 4, 2020, has passed away. However, Wanchalearm’s sister Sitanan Satsaksit came out to say there is no evidence pointing to Wanchalearm’s death. The rumour was spread based on various forms of evidence that sparked speculation on her brother’s death. Sitanan said she plans to travel to Cambodia once the Thai government eases lockdown measures under the state of emergency. The issue of the casino in Soi Rama 3 (66) seems to continue to create waves as new evidence emerges that the close circuit TV cameras were being removed. To make matters worse, video clips with pictures of people’s faces are emerging to show the removal of the CCTV but the Royal Thai Police continue to say that they have to ‘determine if that place was a casino or not’. This issue was raised in the parliament in October 2019 by the opposition but Prime Minister Prayut had brushed it away saying that these are allegations being made by the opposition with ‘no proof’ Now the opposition is considering filing a case of ‘dereliction of duty’ by Gen. Prayut. The other big issue remains on the case of Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya’s hit-and-run case that killed of a policeman. The case continues to be in the limelight with details still sketchy on what the next step is going to be Economic News The Bank of Thailand (BOT) voted unanimously to keep its policy rate at 0.5 per cent yesterday (August 5) after 3 rate cuts earlier this year. The Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held its benchmark interest rate at an all-time low and said it was prepared to use “additional appropriate monetary policy tools” to support an economy suffering the biggest blow in Asia from the coronavirus pandemic. Thailand’s economy is forecast to contract 8.1 per cent this year, the most on record, with BOT Assistant Governor Titanun Mallikamas saying a recovery would take at least 2 years. Titanun said Thailand’s economy is “gradually recovering” as movement restrictions against the pandemic are eased, but warned of the risk of a second wave of infections. The economic damage could reach as much as 3 trillion baht because of the hit to tourism and exports, Thailand’s key growth drivers. With the policy rate close to zero, the central bank is running out of conventional monetary policy space to spur the economy and boost prices as deflation sets in. The bank has said it is studying options like large-scale asset purchases and some form of yield-curve control. Government measures going forward should focus on jobs, economic restructuring and recovery, Titanun said. He urged banks to step up lending and accelerate debt restructuring for households and businesses. Headline inflation will be negative this year, returning to the target in 2021; and financial stability is “more vulnerable”, given the economic outlook, the BoT said in its statement. All tourism-related private associations proposed the government to set up a 100-billion- baht relief fund to look after the Thai tourism industry, especially 13 professional branches in the hospitality business that need urgent financial support as COVID-19 batters the industry, Thai Hotels Association (THA) president Supawan Tanomkieatipume revealed after a meeting of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the private sector chaired by minister the Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. The meeting approved in principle for the private sector’s call. The Tourism and Sports Minister said he would present the proposal to the Cabinet. Supawan voiced grave concern over the unemployment in the hotel industry which currently sees more than 30-40 per cent of workers being laid off.
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