DOCSLIB.ORG

June 18, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Covid-19 News

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
June 18, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Covid-19 News June 18, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Covid-19 News Today the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) is set to make the call on the much awaited details about the ‘Phuket Sandbox’. Despite the planned opening on July 1st there is much confusion on what the details are. The CCSA will also consider the plan to open Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in Surat Thani under the “Samui sealed route”, a plan to restart international tourism from July 1 in parallel with the pilot Phuket Sandbox scheme as proposed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. In addition to discussing the Phuket Sandbox policy today, Gen Prayut will also consider easing restrictions enforced in Bangkok, including allowing people to sit and eat in restaurants as normal. After the CCSA meeting which will be chaired by 2014 coup leader – Prayut Chan-ocha, the incumbent Prime Minister is set to travel to Phuket on June 25th to see if the planned opening is still on track or not for quarantine free travel. To make matters worse, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been calling for the country to open its doors to foreign tourism, has come out to say that he feel that the country needs to get its people vaccinated before it opens its doors to foreign tourists. “How is the prime minister going to do it with his current vaccine program, it is good (to open) but as the prime minister you can't say (you will open) and then not do it,” Thaksin said during the question & answer session in a ClubHouse talk late last night. “But if he is able to do it, then I have to chom churn (applaud) him,” Thaksin added. Before the statement by Thaksin, the opposition Pheu Thai party came out to blast Gen Prayut. The party believes the reopening dilemma between saving the economy and people’s lives as it cast doubt on whether the government will get the country’s outbreak under control or will be able to 105.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine will be delivered this year as promised by the general, Pheu Thai Party spokeswoman Arunee Kasayanond said. To complicate the issue, Phuket’s own claims of vaccinated population seems to be sending confusing messages. Phuket’s readiness to welcome vaccinated foreign visitors is still in question, a report has come out that Phuket officials have claimed that about 74% of people on the island have received at least 1 vaccination injection in the mass vaccination campaign across the island. Phuket’s population figures my be tweaked to show higher vaccination figures (so claims this article - https://www.thephuketnews.com/officials-change-definition- of-population-of-phuket-claim-island-74-vaccinated-80369.php). In the article it states that On Mar 10 Phuket had about 600,000 people, comprising 417,000 people registered as permanent residents in the civil registration database, 100,000 people from other provinces, and 81,000 foreigners and migrant workers. At that point it was expected that vaccination will be administer to about 77.6% [about 465,600] of people living in Phuket, to be able to open to welcome foreign tourists. But in the latest announcement on the Public Relations Dept. website the number of residents are down by more than 133,000 to a mere 466,587 Despite all the potential concerns about the opening of the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ and the 118 days before the country’s reopening on October 14, 2021 Major companies have hailed the country’s reopening plan within 118 (from 120) days as a good sign for an economic recovery. Sansiri Plc President Srettha Thavisin hailed the Prime Minister’s reopening pledge as a good sign for the economy in parallel with the Thai public health management. He praised Gen Prayut for setting a clear goal and speeding up the country’s readiness for the reopening. This is a good sign for the private sector and small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the key driver to the country’s economic development, the Sansiri boss said. William Heinecke, chairman of Minor International Plc (MINT), issued a statement to praise and support Gen Prayut’s reopening plan within 120 days. Heinecke said Gen Prayut’s announcement echoed his strong determination in an attempt to provide remedy to the private sector and businesses affected by the outbreak. VACCINE Rollout Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has come out to say that it has received 35,000 bottles of AstraZeneca vaccines late yesterday which could help inoculate 350,000 to 420,000 people (10-12 doses per bottle). BMA said that it would inoculate those who were left behind by the Mor Prom (age group of 60+ and have pre-existing conditions) as a priority. The rest would go to the Thai Ruam Jai registrants (age group of 18-59) Another allocation of 1 million doses is expected to arrive later next week. The number of people vaccinated in the country is barely reached 7% of the total inoculation target of 100 million doses by the end of the year. At the current rate of inoculation, the country would need to inoculate close to 500,000 people per day to achieve the target. On June 16th just 222,967 doses (less than 45% of the target) were administered throughout Thailand The good news is that some areas in the country has higher inoculation than others (as of June 17, 2021) Province Total Inoculation Inoculation of People >60 Phuket 46.6% 35.3% Ranong 14.1% 18.5% Samut Sakorn 13.2% 19.8% Bangkok 12.9% 10.4% Phangna 9.7% 13.4% Tak 9.1% 9.7% Nonthaburi 8.9% 7.4% Surat Thani 6.9% 6.0% Buriram 6.6% 3.4% Samut Prakarn 6.4% 7.4% The other good news is the fact that people are lining up for vaccination and the lines seen at Bang Sue station is a testament to the need for people who are looking to get vaccinated. The bad news is that the week of the opening of schools has also seen some schools being hit by the virus. The 1st week of school term opening has seen some infections Mahasarakham sees children from kindergarten upwards infected with the virus As many as 9 kids (age 9-10) were infected. All schools in Mahasarakham have been shut or gone online Chiang Rai also children infected with the virus 18 children from the age of 9 to 17 were infected. Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a ClubHouse discussion yesterday took a shot at Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul when question was raised on what he thinks about Anutin and his mismanagement. Thaksin said “People in the ministry like him when he was deputy minister at MoPH during my time, but since he became minister, he is not the Anuthin we knew.” “He only agrees with PM and doesn't give his opinion, so there is a glitch as the people at MoPH are being underutilized.” “The vaccines program is the most ridiculous thing that has happened to Thailand.” “He (Anutin) has been promoting SinoVac to a point that he forgot Sino Thai.” FYI – Sino Thai Engineering & Construction Plc (STEC) is a company that is owned by the family of Anutin. Political News All eyes are on Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thamanat Prompow who is predicted to take over the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP)’s general secretary post at the party’s annual general assembly (AGM) in Khon Kaen today. It is said that the PPRP’s AGM will see the restructuring of the party marked by an overhaul of its executive board. According to media predictions, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan will remain as the party leader but have only 4 deputy leaders on his side. The strongest candidates are Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Santi Prompat, Wirat Rattanaseth and Paiboon Nititawan while Capt Thamanat is tipped as the party’s secretary-general, replacing Anucha Nakhasai. Meanwhile, Anucha himself came out to deny reports that he had tendered his resignation as the PPRP secretary-general. He said the report is just rampant speculation. The decision for him to keep his post resists with the party leader and members of the executive board. Anucha confirmed his plan to attend the AGM today but denied that the party’s restructuring is on top of the meeting agenda as he said there has been no sign from the party leader. Anucha’s statement contradicts Suriya’s and Somsak’s statement that the party needs restructuring. Suriya and Somsak claimed after seeking a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, as the PPRP leader, yesterday. It is speculated that Somsak will rise as the PPRP’s new strategic chairman, the post held by Gen Prawit prior to taking the party’s helm. The AGM is expected to be attended by 120 members from Nakhon Ratchasima and 250 from Khon Kaen. The Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP)’s annual general assembly scheduled today has wreaked havoc a meeting of the House’s committee vetting the budget bill yesterday since vetting panel members on the government side are said to ready themselves to attend the AGM in Khon Kaen today. The issue of attendance of members in the House’s committee vetting the budget bill for the 2022 fiscal year came into focus during the committee’s meeting yesterday after Pheu Thai members who sit on the committee witness a lack of attendance among government MPs from the PPRP. Yutthapong Jarassathian, a Pheu Thai Party MP for Mahasarakham, and Jirayu Huangsap, as members of the House committee vetting the budget bill for the next fiscal year, decried an absence of PPRP MPs, causing the meeting to be cancelled due to a lack of quorum.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Pluralistic Poverty of Phalang Pracharat
    ISSUE: 2021 No. 29 ISSN 2335-6677 RESEARCHERS AT ISEAS – YUSOF ISHAK INSTITUTE ANALYSE CURRENT EVENTS Singapore | 12 March 2021 Thailand’s Elected Junta: The Pluralistic Poverty of Phalang Pracharat Paul Chambers* Left: Deputy Prime Minister and Phalang Pracharat Party Leader General Prawit Wongsuwan Source:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prawit_Wongsuwan_Thailand%27s_Minister_of_D efense.jpg. Right: Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha Source:https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%A5%E0%B9%8C:Prayu th_2018_cropped.jpg. * Paul Chambers is Lecturer and Special Advisor for International Affairs, Center of ASEAN Community Studies, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand, and, in March-May 2021, Visiting Fellow with the Thailand Studies Programme at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. 1 ISSUE: 2021 No. 29 ISSN 2335-6677 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • Thailand’s Phalang Pracharat Party is a “junta party” established as a proxy for the 2014-2019 junta and the military, and specifically designed to sustain the power of the generals Prawit Wongsuwan, Prayut Chan-ocha and Anupong Paochinda. • Phalang Pracharat was created by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), and although it is extremely factionalized, having 20 cliques, it is nevertheless dominated by an Army faction headed by General Prawit Wongsuwan. • The party is financed by powerful corporations and by its intra-party faction leaders. • In 2021, Phalang Pracharat has become a model for other militaries in Southeast Asia intent on institutionalising their power. In Thailand itself, the party has become so well- entrenched that it will be a difficult task removing it from office. 2 ISSUE: 2021 No.
    [Show full text]
  • February 23, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News • The
    February 23, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News The aftermath of the censure debate against Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha lingers after the debate ended. Both coalition and opposition parties are seeking measures to punish rebel MPs who violate the parties’ regulations. Gen Prayut himself came out to say he doesn’t really care about the vote results on the no-confidence debate against himself and other 9 ministers. The Prime Minister seems to care more about the arrival of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine tomorrow. Gen Prayut said he is ready to be the 1st to be vaccinated with Sinovac- biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine to help boost public confidence over its safety and effectiveness. In the aftermath of the no-confidence motion, the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP)’s meeting yesterday resolved to set up a panel to investigate the conduct of 6 of its MPs from the Dao Ruek Faction led by Watanya Wongopasi for abstaining from voting in support of Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob in the censure debate against the government. Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, as the PPRP leader, is said to be irate with the 6 Dao Ruek MPs for acting in defiance of the party’s resolution. At the party’s meeting, Gen Prawit is quoted as saying, “the way they voted is unacceptable. The only way to deal with this is to kick them out. We said we would keep our words to them but we have internal problems. Such action caused damage to the party. There will be some punishment.
    [Show full text]
  • A Coup Ordained? Thailand's Prospects for Stability
    A Coup Ordained? Thailand’s Prospects for Stability Asia Report N°263 | 3 December 2014 International Crisis Group Headquarters Avenue Louise 149 1050 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 502 90 38 Fax: +32 2 502 50 38 [email protected] Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... i I. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 II. Thailand in Turmoil ......................................................................................................... 2 A. Power and Legitimacy ................................................................................................ 2 B. Contours of Conflict ................................................................................................... 4 C. Troubled State ............................................................................................................ 6 III. Path to the Coup ............................................................................................................... 9 A. Revival of Anti-Thaksin Coalition ............................................................................. 9 B. Engineering a Political Vacuum ................................................................................ 12 IV. Military in Control ............................................................................................................ 16 A. Seizing Power
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights One Year After the 2014 Coup: a Judicial Process in Camouflage Under the National Council for Peace and Order
    June 4th, 2015 Human Rights One Year After the 2014 Coup: A Judicial Process in Camouflage Under the National Council for Peace and Order THAI LAWYERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS [COMPANY NAME] Thai Lawyers for Human Rights 109 Soi Sitthichon, Suthisarnwinichai Rd., Samsennok, Huaykwang, Bangkok 10310 Thailand Tel: 096-7893172 or 096-7893173 E-mail: [email protected] Website: https://tlhr2014.wordpress.com/ 4 June 2015 Human Rights One Year After the 2014 Coup: A Judicial Process in Camouflage Under the National Council for Peace and Order The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) fomented a coup and seized the administrative power of the country on 22 May 2014. Martial Law was in force from 22 May 20141 until 1 April 2015, when it was revoked and Head of the NCPO Order No. 3/2015 regarding the maintenance of order and national security provide military officials with authority in the place of Martial Law.2 The exercise of illegitate authority, an absence of checks and balances, a lack of respect for the principles of the rule of law and international human rights law, and the violation of the basic rights and liberties of the people were manifest during the first year of rule by the NCPO. With respect to legislation, the NCPO has promulgated the 2014 Interim Constitution, 184 NCPO Orders, 122 NCPO Announcements, and 17 Head of the NCPO Orders. The NCPO established the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to examine legislation. A total of 112 laws have entered the examination process to date. This can be divided into 77 laws which have already been promulgated, 17 laws in which the NLA has approved the draft and they are in the process of being promulgated, and 18 laws which remain under examination.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Allies: Comparing US Alliances in the 21St Century
    GLOBAL ALLIES COMPARING US ALLIANCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY GLOBAL ALLIES COMPARING US ALLIANCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY EDITED BY MICHAEL WESLEY Published by ANU Press The Australian National University Acton ACT 2601, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at press.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Title: Global allies : comparing US alliances in the 21st century / Michael Wesley (editor). ISBN: 9781760461171 (paperback) 9781760461188 (ebook) Subjects: Balance of power. Alliances. United States--Foreign relations--Asia. United States--Foreign relations--Europe. United States--Politics and government--21st century. Other Creators/Contributors: Wesley, Michael, 1968- editor. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design and layout by ANU Press This edition © 2017 ANU Press Contents List of Acronyms . vii 1 . Global Allies in a Changing World . 1 Michael Wesley 2 . Japan: From Passive Partner to Active Ally . 15 HDP Envall 3 . Germany: A Lynchpin Ally? . 31 Markus Kaim 4 . Continuity Amidst Change: The Korea – United States Alliance . 45 Youngshik Bong 5 . Denmark’s Fight Against Irrelevance, or the Alliance Politics of ‘Punching Above Your Weight’ . 59 Kristian Søby Kristensen & Kristian Knus Larsen 6 . Crusaders and Pragmatists: Australia Debates the American Alliance . 77 Brendan Taylor & William T Tow 7 . The Challenges and Dynamics of Alliance Policies: Norway, NATO and the High North . 91 Wrenn Yennie Lindgren & Nina Græger 8 . An Ally at the Crossroads: Thailand in the US Alliance System .
    [Show full text]
  • June 29, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News • After the Weekend Changes at the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) That
    June 29, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News After the weekend changes at the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) that saw the expected appointment of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan as the party’s new leader and the old guard being literally kicked out of the party’s executive committee, the latest report coming out is that one of the key members to kick out the old guard - Naruemon Pinyosinwat, the incumbent spokesperson for the government of Prayut Chan-o-cha, is set to be the leader of the economic team. The decision to possibly have Naruemon as the new head of the economic team has prompted a backlash among the public as the need of the moment is for an expert who can rescue the country’s fragile economy rather than try new hand such as Naruemon. Thanit Sorat, a shipping magnate and also the vice chairman of the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry, came out to say The problem is that we have time to try someone from scratch and what is needed is that the person should be a person with the experience and image. We do have time because we are in the operating room and operation needs to be undertaken by someone who is an expert, businessmen say. Former Supreme Court judge Chuchart Srisaeng took to his Facebook page to question the ability of the PPRP’s new economic team rumoured to be led by Naruemon, with a number of prominent figures and business leaders as new members whom have yet to be revealed.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Registration Statements 2018 for the Year Ended 31 December 2018
    Form 56-1 Annual Registration Statements 2018 For the Year Ended 31 December 2018 Minor International Public Company Limited Contents Page No. Part 1 Business 1. Business overview 1 2. Nature of business 7 3. Risk factors 66 4. Assets used in operations 72 5. Legal disputes 84 6. General information and other related information 85 Part 2 Management and corporate governance 7. Securities information 91 8. Management structure 95 9. Corporate governance 102 10. Social Responsibility 110 11. Internal control, Risk management, 121 12. Related party transactions 122 Part 3 Financial position and operating performance 13. Financial highlights 143 14. Management discussion and analysis 147 Certification of correctness of information Attachments Attachment 1: Information of directors, management, controlling person, CFO, Chief Accountant, Company Secretary Attachment 2: Information of directors of MINT’ subsidiaries, affiliates and related companies Attachment 3: Information of Head of Internal Audit Attachment 4: Report of the Board of Directors‘ responsibilities for financial statements Report of the Audit Committee Report of the Compensation Committee Report of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Attachment 5: Assessment Form of Sufficiency of Internal Control Minor International Public Company Limited Part 1 Business Overview 1. Policy and Business Overview 1.1 Vision, Objective, Target or Operation Strategy To be a leader in delivering exceptional experiences that anticipate and satisfy customers’ aspirations and positively impact stakeholders. 1.2 Major Events 2018 is the celebration of Minor Group’s 50th anniversary and the Company’s 40th year of operations. From a single hotel and one restaurant in Pattaya, the Company has expanded the businesses and today has a portfolio of more than 510 hotels, 2,200 restaurants and 490 retail outlets across multiple brands in more than 60 countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Publication
    No. 52 Working Papers Working Thailand’s Security Sector “Deform” and “Reform” Paul Chambers and Napisa Waitoolkiat February 2021 1 Thailand’s Security Sector “Deform” and “Reform” Paul Chambers and Napisa Waitoolkiat ABSTRACT Despite a 2019 election, Thailand remains dominated by the military and monarchy. The state implemented security sector reforms at the national level and the Deep South regional level, before and after a 2014 military coup, which overthrew the country’s frail democracy. Thailand offers an impressive example of pitfalls and contradictory practices in security sector reform (SSR) because the country’s military junta supported globally transferred notions of SSR but applied them distinctively at different regional levels. Nationally, the military utilized universalist SSR notions to rationalize its prolongation and even expansion of autocracy. But regarding the Deep South insurgency, the junta applied a more progressive version of SSR, continuing negotiations with insurgents while reducing military abuses in the Deep South region. This study analyzes Thailand’s simultaneous “deform and reform” dynamics in the field of security sector governance. The authors examine why national SSR has been such a deform of more sincere SSR efforts in Thailand’s South. INTRODUCTION 2021 finds Thailand in a crisis of intensifying political pandemonium. But in a country which has experienced different levels of political turmoil over the last decade, it has not been uncommon. What is new this year is the almost daily demonstrations by large numbers of youth-led protestors who are boldly calling for military and monarchical reform, as well as their demand that the current Prime Minister resigns.
    [Show full text]
  • Maj Gen Apirak Returns to Phuket
    Volume 15 Issue 24 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555June 14 - 20, 2008 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Tsunami Maj Gen Apirak drill set for IN THIS ISSUE returns to Phuket NEWS: 1,500 ya bah pills By Janyaporn Morel seized; Still no site for new Bang Tao aquarium; Navy service- PHUKET: Phuket Provincial woman plunges to her death. Police on June 8 held a ceremony By Sompratch Saowakhon Pages 2 & 3 bidding farewell to Pol Maj Gen Decha Budnampeth on his last PHUKET CITY: A tsunami INSIDE STORY: Ao Phuket day of duty as Phuket Provincial evacuation drill will be held at project under the spotlight. Police Commander and welcom- Bang Tao Beach on June 17, Pages 4 & 5 ing back his replacement, Pol Maj Chotenarin Kerdsom, chief of AROUND THE NATION: Anger Apirak Hongthong. the Phuket office of the Depart- as ‘killer wife’ released on bail. Gen Decha has been pro- ment of Disaster Prevention Page 7 moted to commander of general and Mitigation (DDPM), has an- staff at Police Region 8 head- nounced. AROUND THE REGION: Samui quarters in Surat Thani. “All the commanding offic- sea life under threat. Page 8 Among those attending the ers involved in the drill will meet AROUND THE SOUTH: Search ceremony were Phuket Gover- at Laguna Beach Resort on June on for Red Cross Fair bomb- nor Niran Kalayanamit, Vice- 16,” K. Chotenarin told the Ga- ers. Page 9 Governor Worapoj Ratthasima, zette. Phuket Provincial Chief Admin- “Then, from 9 am to mid- CHEAP EATS: Back to basics istrative Officer (Palad) Piya day on June 17, we will have a with Vietnamese noodles.
    [Show full text]
  • Thai General Election 2019: Regime Change Or Consolidation?
    www.rsis.edu.sg No. 085 – 21 May 2018 RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due recognition to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Mr Yang Razali Kassim, Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected]. Thai General Election 2019: Regime Change or Consolidation? By Antonio L Rappa Synopsis Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha has announced that the general election will be held by February 2019 if three conditions are met. Why is Prayut demanding three conditions and to what extent will the GE result in political change or consolidation for the incumbent Thai junta? Commentary THE ROYAL Thai Armed Forces has played a central role in all previous general elections (GEs) since the 1932 coup. RTAF Supreme Commander Thanchaiyan Srisuwan reiterated the central role of the army and continues to support the political consolidation and public policies under Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha. While the self-appointed prime minister announced that he is not interested in retaining his position, the new pro-military Constitution virtually guarantees that he will be re- elected PM as long as 376 out of 750 Members of Parliament (MP) vote for him in the lower house election slated for early 2019. Prayut already controls the upper house given the fact that 200 senators had to be pre-approved by the junta.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparing the Economic Challenges to Democratic Consolidation In
    “Isn’t it pretty to think so?” —Ernest Hemingway Table of Contents Abstract iii Chapter I: Introduction 1 Chapter II: Research Design 13 Chapter III: Background 19 A. Regional Context 19 B. A Brief History of Democracy in the Philippines 21 C. A Brief History of Democracy in Thailand 25 Chapter IV: Case Study: Philippines 29 A. Elite Democracy and Corruption 29 B. Inequality Despite Growth 33 C. A Mild Crisis 35 D. The Effects of Closer Ties with a Rising China 36 Chapter V: Case Study: Thailand 40 A. Network Monarchy, The Parallel State, and Elite Competition 40 B. The Hypocrisy of Corruption 45 C. Inequality During Growth and Recovery 47 D. Crisis and Contagion 48 E. Alternate Foreign Policy Options between China and the U.S. 50 Chapter VI: Analysis 54 Chapter VII: Conclusion 58 Bibliography 61 ii Abstract In the late 1980s and early 1990s in the Philippines and Thailand, democratic elections replaced a dictatorship and a military junta respectively. These were moments of great political promise set against a similar context of increasing (or potential) economic growth. By 2018, Thailand has again undergone social unrest and military coups by a junta that is still in power, while the Philippines has elected a president that applauds extrajudicial killings, the harassment of journalists, and other human rights abuses. In endeavoring to answer the fundamental question of “why,” this thesis identifies the following five factors that have played a critical part in the failure of democracy—in a maximalist sense of the term—in both of these countries to consolidate: 1) political systems based on economic patronage, 2) ensuing widespread corruption that undermines state legitimacy and the democratic process, 3) unequal distribution of wealth despite rapid economic growth, 4) the vulnerability of these countries to external economic shocks, and 5) the regional dynamic of a rising China that has reduced reliance on the United States and its associated valued-based contingencies.
    [Show full text]
  • July 22, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News
    July 22, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News Thais will soon learn if the country will see another extension of the state of emergency for another month. The prospect arose after the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s subcommittee tasked with considering the easing of lockdown restrictions agreed at a meeting yesterday (July 21) to propose extending the state of emergency until the end of August. The CCSA subcommittee’s decision will be proposed to the CCSA’s meeting today (July 22). Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha who chairs the CCSA came out to defend the proposed extension of the state of emergency as he said an extension has nothing to do with anti-government protests that has gained momentum in the past few days. He insisted that the state of emergency was still necessary because the existing laws do not cover some aspects relating to controlling the COVID-10 pandemic, and assured that it is not related to anti-government protests which can be dealt with under public assembly laws. Separately, Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha came out to confirm that the line-up of new ministers for the upcoming cabinet reshuffle has been completed. Gen Prayut insisted that there is no conflict between him and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, also Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) leader, over the potential list of new ministers. However, when asked by reporters if he made the decision about the new ministers by himself, Gen Prayut insisted that the choices were not based on a party quota system.
    [Show full text]