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February 8, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News • on The February 8, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News On the political front, the government and the opposition are now ready for censure debate after MPs from both reached an agreement on Friday that the censure debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and 9 cabinet ministers will take 4 days from February 16 to 19, with opposition parties having 42 hours of speaking time. Upon this agreement, the coalition government is facing challenges as rumours after rumours of in-fighting among the coalition parties. Apart from continuous rows between the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) and the Democrat Party caused by a by-election in the Constituency 3 of Nakhon Si Thammarat province as well as the issue of the PPRP deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan’s attempt to seek a blockade to the charter amendment process. Rumours also swirled some Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) core leaders have ordered around 30 PPRP MPs to vote against some of the cabinet ministers who will be grilled during the 4-day debate. In response to this rumour, government chief whip Wirat Rattanaset came out to deny that this scenario will definitely not happen as he reassured that the coalition parties must iron out their problems and work in unity. As for the PPRP, he will make sure that all PPRP MPs must vote in line with the party’s resolution. Talks are that incumbent education minister - Nataphon Teepsuwan, is the targeted person who is likely to members of his PPRP vote against and that he may be among the 1st to be kicked out of the position after the no- confidence debate. The opposition Pheu Thai Party is planning to file lawsuits against 4 cabinet ministers after the censure debate, says the party’s secretary-general Prasert Chanthararuangthong. Prasert said the party’s legal team is currently compiling evidence to support lawsuits against 4 ministers to be filed with the Constitutional Court, the Criminal Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC). The government has shrugged off the planned censure debate as it believed that the opposition does not have sufficient and clear evidence to grill its ministers. The Phalang Pracharat Party (PPPR) is hoping that the Senate would lend support for its attempt to seek a blockade of the proposed amendment to seek changes to Section 256 of the constitution to pave the way for the setting up of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA). A joint sitting of parliament will be held tomorrow to deliberate an urgent motion asking parliament to review whether amendment bills---which seek to pave the way for the drafting of a new charter---may be unconstitutional. The motion was submitted by PPRP deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan and Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn. Paiboon has his high hopes for senators to vote in support of the PPRP’s request for a constitutional court ruling to block an amendment to Section 256. The opposition Pheu Thai Party launched a project called the ‘Change Maker’ to recruit as many as 100 new-generation politicians into its fold. Pheu Thai secretary-general Prasert Chanthararuangthong said the Change Maker project is poised to bring a major overhaul to the party to enlist people with extensive political experience and some new-generation politicians to find solutions for society and bring hopes for Thai people via a political platform. Pheu Thai pinned its hope on this project to bring about new members and drive political development policies for the benefit of the people. Khanapoj Joemrith, a close friend of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has been appointed as director of the Change Maker project. He is joined by key members of Pheu Thai like Preechaphol Pongpanich, former leader of the now-dissolved Thai Raksa Chart (TRC) Party and a number of former TRC executive committee members and former MP candidates; most of whom are new-generation politicians. Former key members of the now-dissolved Thai Raksa Chart (TRC) Party were among top donors to the opposition Pheu Thai Party. The Election Commission (EC) reported that Pheu Thai received donations of a combined 23 million baht in November 2020 from various groups of donors. Among its donors are Pheu Thai Party member and former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan who made a donation of 3 million baht; his son Pachara Naripthaphan and other Pheu Thai MPs 4 million baht; Pongsak Ruktapongpisal 2 million baht; former TRC members Warawut Yancharoe, 1 million baht, and Chutarat Maenasawet, 3 million baht. Former TRC key member Puangpetch Chunla-iad 1 million baht. Economic News Reports have come out that Itthipat Peeradechapan, CEO and major shareholder of SET- listed Taokaenoi Food & Marketing Plc (TKN), has reached an agreement with a US snack manufacturer and distributor to sell a 32.74 per cent stake in his and the Peeradechapan family’s holding at the price of 14 baht per share following negotiations which started at the end of last year. Itthipat said he would announce the deal to a shareholders’ meeting to be held mid-February. The Peeradechapan group has sold 11.75 million TKN shares, worth a combined 138 million baht, during January 20-22. A US snack maker and distributor is expected to take over all stake from the Peeradechapan group expected with around 32 per cent remaining at 14 baht apiece, higher than the closing price on February 5, worth a total of more than 6 billion baht. This rumor of possible takeover by a US snack maker has been ongoing for a while and this has prompted the stock to continue to remain actively traded and has helped keep the price of the shares of TKN at relatively high level despite being tagged with ‘Cash Balance’ meaning investors will need to fork out cash and cannot trade it on margin for more than 2-weeks now. Tourism operators will learn this week if they will receive financial aid they asked for from the government that could help safeguard jobs in the tourism industry and maintain purchasing power to support the economy. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the proposed soft loan scheme for tourism operators will be tabled before the cabinet at its weekly meeting tomorrow in a bid to alleviate tourism operators confronting the resurgence of the pandemic. Other tourism stimulus measures are not in the cabinet’s agenda, the TAT governor said. The Thai Restaurants Association is pushing for the Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to consider restrictions on businesses to be relaxed to allow customers to dining in eateries like before without limitation of sit-in patrons as well as allow alcoholic drinks to be sold, says president Thaniwan Kulmongkol. Thaniwan said after the CCSA allowed an opening hours extension to 23.00 hrs, from 21.00 hrs for more than 1 week, services at restaurants rose by 10-15 per cent, which is considered slightly. Around 9.54 million people have registered for the government’s cash handout campaign known as “Rao Chana” (We win) during January 29-February 5, according to deputy government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek. The number of registrants is expected to reach 10 million on the last day of the registration on February 12. The Ministry of Finance is set to reassess handout eligibility for the unemployed. The Finance Ministry said it plans to make a 2,000-baht transfer of money to recipients via the “Pao Tang” app from February 18. More payments will be made until it provides a total of 7,000 baht per person at the end of March. The ministry plans to reconsider the eligibility criteria for jobless individuals for receiving financial aid under the Rao Chana scheme, according to a source with the ministry. The ministry will reconsider people laid off from their jobs last year because of the 1st wave of the pandemic might not be able to receive the We Win assistance because their taxable incomes filed in 2019 may exceed 300,000 baht per year. The ministry will allow these unemployed individuals to submit their annual income review through www.เราชนะ.com starting on February 8. Meanwhile Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin said the registration dates for employees of private firms to get their slice of a new 4,000-baht financial relief package have been postponed for about a week. He said he had received confirmation from the Finance Ministry and Krungthai Bank about the timing and procedures. The registration at www.ม33เรารักกัน.com will instead be held on Feb 21–March 7. The bank will verify applicants between March 8–14 and the approved applicants must confirm via the "Pao Tang" app between March 15–21. They will get 1,000 baht weekly from March 22-April 12 and will be able to spend the money until the end of May. On Friday, he announced the registration would be held from Feb 16–28. With the coming of the Chinese New Year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) joined hands with various tourism associations to give away “Ung-Pao” (money- envelopes) worth 500 baht as monetary gifts to lure local tourists to Pattaya. Ekasit Ngampichet, president of the Pattaya Business & Tourism Association, said the association is planning many activities to draw tourists into the area during the upcoming Chinese New Year with the help of the TAT. A 500-baht Ung-Pao voucher allows visitors to Pattaya to book and stay in Pattaya hotels and participating restaurants during the Chinese New Year starting from February 10. The new Saint Louis sky train station on the Green Line BTS train route will start service from today.
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