July 23, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan o-cha yesterday (July 22) approved an extension of the state of emergency for Thailand, for the 4th time, by 1 month until the end of August. National Security Council Secretary-General, Somsak Roongsita, stressed that the state of emergency is still necessary to effectively control the virus in Thailand reopens its door to selected groups of travellers to help revive the economy. “The extension of the state of emergency is only to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. It has nothing to do with political rallies,” he said. The government has extended its state of emergency 4 times so far with the first from March 26 to April 30, then to May 31, and then to June 30 to combat COVID-19 before extending it again. The decision to extend the State of Emergency was criticized by opposition political parties, while critics said the emergency law was meant to curb large anti-government protests, National Security Council Secretary-General, Somsak said the latest extension won’t include a rule prohibiting them. The decision will be presented to the Cabinet next week on July 29. In the light of the CCSA’s decision to extend the state of emergency until August 31, opposition Pheu Thai Party chief strategist Sudarat Keyuraphan lashed out at the government calling it to scrap the emergency law immediately. In her Facebook post, Sudarat questioned the need to extend the state of emergency, citing 2 reasons. Thailand has reported zero local COVID-19 transmission for 2 months. This means there is no trace of the virus in the country. The government has a job to tighten control over the spread of the virus from imported cases, rather than extending the state of emergency. Given severe economic impacts from COVID-19 on Thai people across the country, what Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha can do is to restore confidence to the general public and foreign investors that the govt. has the ability to effectively control the pandemic, rather than using emergency measures to curb the pandemic which can erode people’s confidence and obstruct people’s livelihoods. Sudarat called on the Prime Minister to scrap the extension of the emergency law immediately to allow all businesses to reopen and speed up measures to rehabilitate the economy. The flash mob seems likely to be now in full swing once again as more students are set to join anti-government flash-mob style protests. It is not just universities but schools have also started to join the movement University students and the general public have mapped out flash-mob rallies in various spots across the country to ratchet up pressure on the government to resignation. The Free Youth Group announced to stage rallies in Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya and Rayong today (July 23), followed by Patthalung, Lamphun and Udon Thani from 17:00 hrs tomorrow (July 24). The Coalition of Salaya Students is set to hold a rally at 11.00 hrs in front of Government House tomorrow (July 24). Rallies organised by the Free Youth Group are set to continue throughout the rest of this month and early next month in provinces like Samut Prakan, Nakhon Sawan, Ratchaburi and Roi Et. The list of venues where the protest is set to be held until August 2, 2020 The Free Youth group’s protest set to be held from 17.00 hrs yesterday (July 22) had to be scrapped after the management of Mahasarakham University issued a letter banning the group from using its Hexagon Field as the rally venue on fears over virus transmission and the need to comply with the state of emergency. Students at the Prince of Songkla University Pattani Campus vowed to go ahead with their planned rally set from 16.00 hours today (July 23) despite the university management’s order to ban students from holding protests on the campus site. Students now take aim at both the university rector and the government, calling for their resignation. On the same day, the “nolongerslavesth” Group led more than 500 students and members of the general public to rally in the Laem Thaen multi-purpose ground in Tambon Saen Suk, Mueang District of Chon Buri. Protestors, most of whom donned black, put up signs calling for a dissolution of the House, an end to harassment of the opposition and a new constitution. The rally went on for 1 hour amid tight security of around 100 police officers. In what is spreading like a wildfire on social media, a young university student in Phrae province took to Facebook live to go alone to a police station to ask the police on why 4 police officers had gone to his house and threatened his mother not to allow him to go to last evening’s protest in the province. Political commentators are saying that such a move could instigate the students to be bolder and braver to stand up to intimidation by authorities. Media outlets are covering this bold student named ‘Nueng’ Link to Story - https://www.khaosod.co.th/politics/news_4556244 Link to VDO – https://www.facebook.com/100011111164289/videos/1135580000155695/ A parliamentary session chaired by House Speaker Chuan Leekpai was held yesterday (July 22) to discuss 6 urgent issues which include a motion to allow student protesters to have their political opinions heard through parliament. The motion was submitted by Phalang Pracharath Party MP for Bangkok Chakkrapan Pornnimit. Similar motions were also filed by other parties, namely the Move Forward Party, Pheu Thai Party, Democrat Party and Bhumjai Thai Party. Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, also deputy leader of the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP), came out to warn that Phalang Pracharat which means “People’s State Power” may lose its power if his Saam Mitr faction’s demand for cabinet posts were not met. Somsak’s comment came following strong speculation that 2 leaders of the Saam Mitr Group inside the Phalang Pracharat Party (PPRP) Suriya Jungrungreangkij, the incumbent industry minister, and Anucha Nakhasai, the PPRP secretary- general, will not be given cabinet seats that they want. On a separate issue, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)’ set up a subcommittee to probe into Anongwan Thepsuthin relating to alleged irregularities in a soil and forest resource project worth 770 million baht when serving as natural resources and environment minister. The NACC’s subcommittee found sufficient grounds to bring charges against Anongwan which will be presented to the NACC main committee. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) identified 75% out of 928 local communities as risk areas for corruption across the country. According to its latest data from its Corruption Risk Mapping Project, the NACC said it found graft in projects which have nothing to do with Covid-19 transmission. The data shows corruption engaging in various forms such as procurement of equipment for use in battling virus transmission, hoarding of medical supplies, price-gouging, misuse of relief funds and donations. Former prime minister Yingluck, her former PM’s Office Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisarn and Suranand Vejjajiva, former Secretary-General to the Prime Minister, have been found guilty by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday (July 22) of malfeasance in office relating to a 240-million-baht roadshow campaign to publicise her government’s infrastructure development projects in 2013 under the so-called “Thailand 2020” roadshow project. Yingluck, Suranand and Niwatthamrong stand accused of violating 2 laws — Section 151 and Section 157 of the Criminal Code and Section 12 and Section 13 of the law on offences relating to the submission of contract bids to state agencies, NACC spokesman Niwatchai Kasemmongkol announced. The NACC said the 240 million baht spent on the “Building Future of Thailand 2020” project at Yingluck’s instruction as prime minister was a complete waste, causing damage to the state. Previously in 2014, the Constitutional Court ruled the bill sponsored by the Yingluck government to authorise the Finance Ministry to seek 2 trillion baht in loans for infrastructure development projects was unconstitutional. Therefore, events held under the roadshow campaign were effectively rendered null and void, and the 240-million budget already spent on the campaign was wasted, causing damage to the state. The NACC also concluded that 2 media companies---Matichon Plc and Siam Sport Syndicate Plc---hired to run the roadshow were allegedly complicit in supporting the offences by state authorities in violation of the Criminal Code, the anti-corruption law and the law on offences relating to the submission of contract bids to state agencies. In his own defence, Suranand wrote on his Facebook page he had performed his duty honestly and carefully in the state and public interest, insisting that all procurement processes were made in line with state regulations. Sira Jenjakha, as the chairman of the House committee on law, justice and human rights, threatened to dismiss Pannika Wanich, a leading figure in the Progressive Movement and former Future Forward Party spokeswoman, from the committee’s advisory panel due to her inappropriate behaviour and impolite manners. Sira said Pannika acted inappropriately and impolitely when she requested the police to clarify to the committee about the arrest of 2 political activists who put up signs criticising the government in Rayong. Sira said he had informed Pannika about the matter and asked her to resign. He plans to seek a vote at the committee’s meeting if Pannika refused to resign. The ongoing cabinet reshuffle is still there somewhere but this saga is likely to continue until mid-August when the actual swearing in may happen.