October 2, 2020 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News Security agencies said they are keeping a close watch on a major student rally scheduled during October 4-6 organised by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, led by pro-democracy student Panasaya “Rung” Sitthijirawattanakul. A Thammasat University committee organising activities to mark 44 years of the October 6, 1976, massacre yesterday (October 1) held an exhibition to commemorate the October 6 massacre at Thammasat University’s Tha Phrachan Campus and Sanam Luang field from October 1 to 11. The event will be highlighted with a seminar, a concert, the screening of important historical events during October 4-6. Panasaya, student activists Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, human rights lawyer Anon Nampa, key leaders of the Free People Movement leader and the ‘Bad Student’ movement will be joining the event. The United Front of Student Mahasarakham University for Democracy is set to hold a major rally at the university campus from October 4.
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October 2, 2020
Thai Enquirer Summary
Political News
Security agencies said they are keeping a close watch on a major student rally scheduled
during October 4-6 organised by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, led
by pro-democracy student Panasaya “Rung” Sitthijirawattanakul.
A Thammasat University committee organising activities to mark 44 years of the
October 6, 1976, massacre yesterday (October 1) held an exhibition to
commemorate the October 6 massacre at Thammasat University’s Tha Phrachan
Campus and Sanam Luang field from October 1 to 11.
The event will be highlighted with a seminar, a concert, the screening of
important historical events during October 4-6. Panasaya, student activists Parit
“Penguin” Chiwarak, human rights lawyer Anon Nampa, key leaders of the Free
People Movement leader and the ‘Bad Student’ movement will be joining the
event.
The United Front of Student Mahasarakham University for Democracy is set to
hold a major rally at the university campus from October 4.
Still with the protest news. As the “Bad Student” Movement is set to stage a rally in front
of the Ministry of Education late today (October 2) to protest against Education Minister
Nattapol Teepsuwan for failing to solve problems of alleged harassment of students at
schools and beatings of kindergarten children. The rally is set to begin from 13.00 hrs at
Samsenwittayalai School.
Nattapol has come out to say that the ministry is ready to listen to students and let
them express their views. However, he has assigned Amporn Pinasa, acting
Secretary-General of the Office of the Basic Education Commission to receive
students.
Additional charges have been filed against 7 leading anti-dictatorship protest figures for
staging a protest against the arrest of Anon Nampa, a human rights lawyer and monarchy
reform critic, in front of Bangkhen Police Station on 7 August without informing the
police.
The 7 were charged with staging a public gathering without informing the police,
unauthorized use of sound amplifiers and blocking traffic. All denied the charges
and said they would testify later. Lawyers from Thai Lawyers for Human Rights
(TLHR) were present to represent them.
Parit ‘Penguin’ Chiwarak, a student activist who was among those summoned,
said the summonses were political prosecution to harass those that oppose the
government.
Parit then burned his summons as an act of defiance toward the Thai judicial
system. The other 6 followed suit.
Deputy Interior Minister Niphon Boonyamanee has been found guilty of negligence of
duty by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in failing to pay a
maintenance cost of 50,850,000 baht to Ponlavit Tech Plus Company Limited when he
served as chief executive of Songkhla Provincial Administration Organization (PAO).
The anti-graft agency found Niphon at fault after he broke a contract made
between Songkhla PAO and Ponlavit Tech Plus on May 31, 2013. Niphon
defended his action by saying that complaints were made against the company for
price collusion.
However, the Administrative Court in Songkhla ruled on November 7, 2017
against the Songkhla PAO, ordering it to pay a fine of 52 million baht for
breaching the contract with Ponlavit Tech Plus.
The NACC is set to hold a press briefing to elaborate on its guilty verdict against
Niphon soon.
Former finance minister Uttama Savanayana and spouse possessed 230.823 million baht
in assets and no liabilities between them after Uttama left his post Minister of Finance
earlier this year.
As per the rules each politician has to send in his/her asset declaration before and
after taking the office to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
Uttama reported assets worth 117.163 million baht while his spouse had
assets worth 113.660 million baht, most of which were investments
totalling 44 lists including Bualuang Long-Term Equity Fund; Bualuang
Thossaphol open-ended fund; debentures of Siam Cement Group (SCG);
debentures of True Move H Universal Communication and debentures of
several listed firms like Berli Jucker Plc; Thai Beverage Plc and Sansiri
Plc.
Their other assets include land plots in Lan Luang, Sukhumvit, Cha-am
district worth a combined 44 million baht; 25 savings accounts worth
24.263 million baht; 6 vehicles worth 20.1 million baht. Interestingly, one
of the vehicles obtained on July 25, 2014 is worth 10 million baht.
As expected, Sompong Amornwiwat was re-elected as leader of the opposition Pheu Thai
Party at the party’s general assembly yesterday (October 2) which also sees 24 new
executive members being elected.
The meeting elected 10 deputy leaders, a secretary-general, 5 deputies and 4
executive committee members. Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, former strategic
chief of the party, and close aides were not elected to the party’s new structure,
except Anudit Nakorntab who was among 10 new deputy leaders.
Other deputy leaders are
Kittirat na Ranong
Chusak Sirinil
Kriang Kaltinant
Yutthapong Charassathien
Pichai Naripthapant
Suthin Klangsaeng
Chaiya Promma
Pol Gen Somsak Chathanping
Anusorn Iamsa-ard
The new secretary-general is Nakhon Ratchasima MP Prasert Jantararuangtong
who is recognised for coordinating factions of northeastern MPs.
Former Thai Raksa Chart candidates Arunee Kasayanon became party
spokeswoman.
Sompong spelled out 4 priorities, with the restoration of true democracy in
Thailand and to join with all political groups to amend the Constitution being his
1st priority.
The 2nd
priority is to alleviate the hardships of the people, especially those of low-
income earners and the unemployed, affected by the deepening economic crisis,
Sompong said.
The 3rd
priority the Pheu Thai Party will do is to mobilize all the resources, both
within and outside the party, to implement its policies.
The last on his list is to promote the use of technology as a tool to enhance
communication between the party’s MPs and their constituents and to support the
learning process of the people so they can solve their own problems.
Sompong dismissed the speculation that Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, ex-
wife of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be controlling the
party closely. He also said there is no indicator that her son-in-law Nuttaphong
Kunakornwong would join the party.
However, several newly elected executives are close to Thaksin and his sisters
Yingluck Shinawatra and Yaowapha Wongsawat.
Graft buster Vicha Mahakun submitted his proposals for a revamp of the justice system
after his review of the hit-and-run case involving the Red Bull scion.
Vicha made recommendations in a 4-page report containing observations that
police probes lack independence and are prone to graft, while evidence can be
tampered with and facts can be distorted.
On the charter amendment issue, Kao Klai (Move Forward) Party list MP
Rangsiman Rome came out to turn down Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit
Wongsuwan’s invitation to the Opposition camp to join the House panel assigned
to study 6 charter amendment drafts before the panel accept the charter
amendment bills.
Rangsiman perceived Gen Prawit’s offer an attempt to buy time, saying that more
talks are necessary.
A report said the panel resolved to appoint a sub-panel to consider legal issues
regarding charter amendments. The panel has invited Pheu Thai key figures
Chaikasem Nitisiri and Chusak Sirinil to join the sub-panel. However, both
figures have reportedly turned down the invitation.
The government’s royal gazette yesterday (October 1) announced the revocation of the
police ranks and royal decorations of 10 police officers including Pol Lt Chaowarin
Latthasaksiri.
Chaowarin was stripped of his police rank and royal decorations for embezzling.
Chawarin served as an advisor to former deputy prime minister Kowit Wattana.
He is a former Pheu Thai MP and ex-deputy education minister. He also served
as a senator in Ratchaburi.
Shopee, an online sales platform like Lazada or Amazon has come out to bank the sale of
political party’s goodies.
The ban was implemented against the brand ‘DemocStore’ an online sales
platform of the ‘Progressive Movement’ of the now defunct Future Forward Party
lead by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.
Pannika Wanich, the spokeswomen of the ‘Progressive Movement’ came out to
say that this was not the 1st time that their online has been disrupted because the
online platform ‘Shopee’ has been making up excuses to put out their planned
sales of goodies.
Pannika said that there was a need for ‘Progressive Movement’ to raise
funds and by selling goodies online is one of the fastest ways although she
added that the group was looking to set up a new platform to sell its goods
without having to rely on the likes of ‘Shopee’.
Economic News
New Bank of Thailand governor Setthaput Suthiwart-Narueput officially took office
yesterday (October 1), succeeding Veerathai Santiprabhob, whose 5-year term expired at
the end of last month.
Setthaput is Thailand’s 21st central bank governor.
Finance Ministry permanent secretary Krisda Chinavicharana said he will deliver
his policies to high-ranking ministry executives today (October 2). Krisda said the
ministry had witnessed improvement in many economic indicators.
The ministry will also examine each business sector, one by one, as part of its
efforts to tailor relief measures to their specific needs.
Veerathai Santiprabhob (now former BoT governor) handing over the
mantle to Setthaput Suthiwart-Narueput (the new BoT governor)
Still with the Ministry of Finance, Finance Ministry permanent secretary Krisda
Chinavicharana said the ministry is considering more stimulus packages to support the
property sector and increase consumption.
Krisda said in his first day in office yesterday (October 1) he would meet with
senior officials to discuss ways to help the economy recover from the COVID-19
impact in the short and medium term.
The ministry will look into:
Which businesses or groups of people require more support after the
government has been implementing Covid-19 relief packages, assisting
small businesses and low-income groups.
Which real estate segments need helps, especially high-rise or
condominium developers who are facing difficulty due to oversupply of
residential units and a decrease in people’s purchasing power.
Whether to resume the shopping package, known as “Eat, Shop and
Spend”, which subsidised people shopping for goods, travel and dinning
at restaurants.
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said it is monitoring 3 factors that can pose risks
to the Thai economy in the last quarter of this year.
Kriangkrai Tiannukul, FTI vice-chairman, identified 3 factors that could cause
further damage to the Thai economy as:
The risk of a 2nd wave of the outbreak once the reopening of the country
for tourism to welcome long-stay tourists.
Political rallies that are set to escalate in October unless rallies do not
spiral out of control and are carried out under the rule of law.
The person who will become a new finance minister. Credibility of a new
finance minister will help boost public trusts and confidence among
business sectors.
The public debt level rose to 47.90 per cent of GDP to 7.66 trillion baht in August 2020,
up 1 per cent or 100 billion baht from July, according to latest date from the Public Debt
Management Office (PDMO).
The office expects the public debt level at the end of the fiscal year 2020 or the
end of September to rise to 8 trillion baht or more than 50 per cent of GDP,
against the value of GDP expected to fall below 16 trillion baht.
The government took in 2.15 trillion baht in the first 11 months of the fiscal year
2020 (October 2019-August 2020), below the target by 293 billion baht or 12 per
cent due to shortfalls in revenue contributions from state agencies.
The Ministry of Finance already informed the cabinet that the government’s net
revenue collection for the fiscal 2020 will fall below target by 390 billion baht.
Eight hundred workers at Panasonic Corp in Thailand have been laid off since September
30 as the Japanese appliance-maker Panasonic Corp plans to move its Thai-based
production of refrigerators and washing machines to Vietnam in March next year.
Panasonic Management Thailand said it had informed workers in advance since
April this year and that the company prepared to pay compensation to laid-off
employees as required by law and other remediation payments.
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) has set up a bank in Myanmar after receiving a subsidiary
business licence from the Central Bank of Myanmar, aiming to expand in the
neighbouring market via offline and online platforms.
SCB, the country's fourth-largest commercial lender by assets, notified the Stock
Exchange of Thailand on Thursday that it had registered a company under the law
of Myanmar under the name Siam Commercial Bank Myanmar Ltd (SCBM).
SCB will hold a 100% stake in SCBM's total issued and paid-up capital, with
registered capital of US$150 million (4.73 billion baht).