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. Chuchart said he noticed Naruemon’s performance as government spokesperson during the past 1 year in office in which he put it as, “there is no difference having Naruemon or having no government spokesman”. Anucha Nakasai, coming PPRP secretary-general came out to deny reports that Naruemon is tipped as leader of the government’s new economic team as widely criticised. He said Naruemon will oversee the overall picture of the PPRP’s economic policies due to her academic background. Meanwhile Matichon Daily came out to an instant online survey of people of what they think about Naruemon leading the economic team and the result was only 5% of the people viewed her to be fit for the job. In a related development on the prospect of a reshuffle of the government’s economic team, a Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) source said several economic experts approached by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan have decline Gen Prawit’s offer to join a new economic team after what happened to the outgoing government economic team under Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. This prospect fuelled speculation that only Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Suvit Maesincee will be ousted from post while Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana and Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong may be kept in place and likely serve the same cabinet posts. Several PPRP MPs noted that Sontirat kept saying that nothing would change. He would be kept in the same place. As widely anticipated, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was elected as the new leader of the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) in a unanimous vote at the party’s general meeting on June 27. The meeting has resolved to pick Anucha Nakasai as party secretary-general, Naruemon Pinyosinwat as party treasurer; Boonsing Warinrak as party registrar, while the “4 super kids”, namely, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana, Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Suvit Maesincee were excluded from the list of the new executive board. Another interesting point of the meeting is a change of a new logo for the 3rd time. It shows the party name completely inside a circle instead of extending beyond it, reportedly to reflect unity and conformity. The list of new executive board comprising 23 members as follows: 1) Santi Prompat (Deputy Finance Minister); 2) Nataphol Teepsuwan (Education Minister); 3) Suriya Jungrungreangkit (Industry Minister); 4) Somsak Thepsutin (Justice Minister); 5) Buddhipongse Punnakanta (Digital Economy and Society Minister); 6) Capt Thammanat Prompa (Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister); 7) Virat Ratanasate (list MP and government chief whip); 8) Paiboon Nititawan (list MP); 9) Suchart Chomklin (Chonburi MP and chief of MPs); 10) Itthipol Kunplome (Culture Minister); 11) Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn; 12) Supol Fongngam; 13) Pongkawin Jungrungreangkij; 14) Chanwit Wiphusiri; 15) Sorawut Ngeungchamnong; 16) Nirote Soonthornleka; 17) Pai Likhl; 18) Samphan Mayusoh; 19) Samrit Thansap; 20) Sorrachart Sribussakorn; 21) Niphan Sirithorn; 22) Prapaporn Asavahame 23) Sakonthi Pattiyakul (Bangkok deputy governor) Lt Gen Paradon Pattanatabut, secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party’s committee on special affairs, warned that 150 deadly days arrive earlier than expected. Referring back to newly formed non-political group Care (Creative, Action, Revival, and People Empowerment)’s talks on the topic of “150 deadly days”, Lt Gen Paradon said bad news arrived faster than expected, citing the shutdown of NokScoot, which is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) Scoot and Thailand’s Nok Air, foreign investors’ move to sell off their condo units and the government’s plans to extend the state of emergency for another month. The former National Security Council (NSC) chief went on to attack the government for its tough action against academic freedom while the core coalition Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) hurried to overhaul its structure as its rank and f file members to jockeying for cabinet positions. Lt Gen Paradon further pointed that the PPRP’s push to change election law and method of calculating party list seats is a sign that the government has come to a dead-end. He told the public to brace for political turmoil around mid-July. He foresees a new wave of “flash mob” protests to oust the Prayut Chan-o-cha government. Consequently, a new country leader will be installed and the military-installed Senate will be abolished. The proposed extension of the state of emergency will be decided at the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s meeting today (June 29). The National Security Council’s (NSC) Secretary General Gen Somsak Rungsita, as chairman of a special committee on COVID-19 restrictions, backed the proposed extension of the state of emergency for another months until the end of July. If approved, the proposed extension will then go before the cabinet for approval tomorrow (June 30). A majority of people don’t see anyone suitable as their choice to be Thailand’s next Prime Minister while some chose General Prayut Chan-o-cha as their most preferred choice, citing his honesty, his several years of experience in national governance and his quality of being a straightforward person, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute Development Administration (NIDA) to gauge opinions of 2,517 people from various occupations and of various educational levels, on June 22-24. When asked about their preferred choice for prime minister, 44.06% don’t see anyone good enough to be the Prime Minister of Thailand; 25.47% vouched for incumbent Prayut, claiming he is honest, straightforward, and able to restore and maintain peace and order and 8.07% preferred Khuying Sudarat Keyuraphan. The same poll shows that the opposition Pheu Thai party is more popular than the ruling Palang Pracharat party, and the popularity of government coalition parties, Palang Pracharat, Democrat, Bhumjaithai, New Economics and Prachachart, is declining. The Progressive Movement looks set to compete upcoming local elections. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, core leader of the Progressive Movement, came out to unveil the movement’s campaign for local polls across 7,000 poll units nationwide at the same time. He said the campaign is unprecedented. Thanathorn cautioned that this campaign may take the movement to experiment with 2-3 local elections before it can field candidates for all areas. In the next local election, the movement will field candidates to compete in all levels of elections---the sub-district (or tambon), municipal and provincial. Thanathorn, however, refused to go into the details of his plans for special administrative areas like Bangkok and Pattaya but added that he plans to send candidates to compete in 4,000 units across the country. The Supreme Court has upheld the 2 years and 8 months jail sentences for 5 core leaders of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) movement who led a protest outside the house of the late Privy Council president in 2007 demanding that he resign. The Court ruled that they caused serious violence and public disorder. The Supreme Court upheld the verdict of the Court of Appeal against 4 defendants over a violent protest outside the Si Sao Thewes residence of Prem Tinsulanonda, the late Privy Council President, in 2007. The defendants include Veerakarn Musikapong, Nattawut Saikuar, Vipoothalaeng Pattanapoomthai and Weng Tojirakarn, and Nopparut Worachitwutthikul, leader of the 2006 White Pigeon group, were each sentenced to 2 years and 8 months in prison for mobilizing more than 10 people to cause violence and public disorder. The defendants were sent to the Bangkok Remand Prison without suspension. Economic News Reports are coming out that out of the 400 billion baht, about 140 billion baht for Ministry of Transport for building new roads/highways and fixing the roads The president of Thai Banker’s Association – Predee Daochai, has reportedly declined the offer from Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, to be the new head of the economic team that is to possibly replace incumbent Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. Mr. Predee is not alone, there have been various other names that have come out but most have declined including the likes of Prasarn Trairatvorakul the former governor of Bank of Thailand.