October 5, 2021 Thai Enquirer Summary Political News The drug dealing convict – Thammanat Prompan, who was disgraced by 2014 coup leader – Prayut Chan-o-cha, in September when Prayut sacked Thammanat from the Cabinet post, raised the bar for the various visits that politicians are undertaking when he braved through the flood waters to give handouts to the people impacted in the Ayutthaya province. While giving envelopes to the people, the drug dealing convict in Australia said “do not throw away the envelopes, this is because it will help you remember me for a long time to come.” While all this continues the political parties around the country are already starting to announce their candidates for the Prime Ministership. Move Forward party has nominated Pita Limjaroenrat as its candidate for Prime Minister.
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October 5, 2021
Thai Enquirer Summary
Political News
The drug dealing convict – Thammanat Prompan, who was disgraced by 2014 coup
leader – Prayut Chan-o-cha, in September when Prayut sacked Thammanat from the
Cabinet post, raised the bar for the various visits that politicians are undertaking when he
braved through the flood waters to give handouts to the people impacted in the Ayutthaya
province.
While giving envelopes to the people, the drug dealing convict in Australia said
“do not throw away the envelopes, this is because it will help you remember me
for a long time to come.”
While all this continues the political parties around the country are already starting to
announce their candidates for the Prime Ministership.
Move Forward party has nominated Pita Limjaroenrat as its candidate for Prime
Minister.
The party has also come out to say that it expects to win up to 150 to 170
seats in the next general elections.
Democrat party has come out to state that it was nominating its leader – Jurin
Laksanawisit
Kla party set up by former Finance Minister under Democrat party has nominated
its leader and founder – Korn Chatikavanijm, as the candidate for the PM.
Questions have been raised on why the main opposition Pheu Thai party has not
named any candidates yet, but this is usually the case with Pheu Thai which only
announces its key PM candidate at the last minute.
Yingluck’s name was named less than 45 days away from elections
Nikorn Chamnong, a party-list MP and key leader of the Chart Thai Pattana party,
discussed the case that the Election Commission (EC) sending letter to the leaders of all
political parties to prepare for general elections that the next time that the party has
scheduled a meeting of the party executive committee on October 12, then the party's
policy committee meeting will prepare to make campaign policies that need to be clearer.
The move is to tackle the issue of the 2-ballot system and on October 30, there
will be a general meeting in Suphan Buri province.
However, Nikorn does not believe that general elections will take place later this
year because they have to wait for local elections to be completed at the end of
this year and must look at the political situation that affects the government.
Other issues that need to be looked into are the important laws on finance for
consideration and if the general election was to be held it will actually happen in
the 1st half of 2022.
Meanwhile both the powerful figures of Palang Prachat party (PPRP), the 2014 coup
leader – Prayut, and the million dollar watch borrower – Prawit Wongsuwon, came out to
say that a Cabinet reshuffle was not on the cards.
“I am not going to reshuffle the cabinet” Prayut told reporters then walked out.
The opposition has come out to say that if the parliament is dissolved the government can
call an election within a span of just 45-days although the constitution stipulates that an
election has to be called ‘within’ 90-days.
Phue Thai party’s Suthin Klangsaen says that elections can be called within 45
days after the house is dissolved
Meanwhile the opposition block of political parties has filed cases with National Anti-
Corruption Commission (NACC) against the government mismanagement of vaccine
procurement and procurement of the antigen test kits (ATK) among other things.
The cases filed were for the following
Alleging the entire cabinet of the Cabinet for procuring the wrong vaccine
for Covid-19, indicating malpractice.
Alleging the entire Cabinet in the case of procuring 8.5 million ATK test
kits.
Accuse the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Public Health, Anutin Charnvirakul, in the case of offenses against
government positions in the provision of the COVID-19 vaccine
ineffective.
Accusing the Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and
Cooperatives, Chalermchai Sri-on, and the Cabinet for issuing a cabinet
resolution that is against the law by facilitating corruption in rubber
stocks.
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office, said
the government was ready to clarify all allegations, especially General Prayut
answered all questions clearly. Hopefully the opposition will have enough
evidence as they claim. because PPRP does not want this submission to be a a
way to gain popularity contest for political gains.
Duangrit Benjathikul Chairungruang, Secretary to the Minister and a spokesman for the
Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (TSU) said that if there
is news, Thammasat University will propose a matter to consider in the case of students
requesting to use the space to organize activities on October 6 that they have not seen the
matter.
Any such request must be proposed to Anek Laothamatas, the Minister of Higher
Education, Science, Research and Innovation, should first consider the
appropriateness. Regarding measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Economic News
Thailand decided to peg the diesel price yesterday at 30 baht a litre but in the process also
lowered the prices effective today by 1-bath a litre.
Part of the move is also to lower the marketing margin for the oil retailers by 0.40
baht from 1.80 to 1.40 baht a litre.
This will last until the end of the month.
1. Reduce the marketing cost of diesel B10 and B7 from an average of
1.80 baht per liter to 1.40 baht, effective October 5 - October 31, 2021.
2. Reduce the collection of B7 money into the fund from 1.00 baht per liter
to 0.01 baht per liter, effective from 11 Oct.-31 Oct. 2021
3. Reduce biodiesel blending from B10 and B7 to B6, effective from 11
Oct.-31 Oct. 2021 by using subsidies from the Initial Fuel Fund of 3,000 million
baht.
As for the fuel fund position as of October 3, 2021, it was at 10,970 million baht,
divided into oil accounts plus 28,732 million baht and LPG accounts negative
17,762 million baht
On the other hand, the opposition Phue Thai came out to say that it can lower the price by
up to 5-baht a litre against the 1-baht proposed by this government.
Social media was buzzing with how the government of Prayut has raised the oil
prices by nearly 10 baht but lowered the price by a mere 1-baht.
They have been comparing the oil prices year-on-year (Oct 4, 2020 vs Oct 4,
2021) which has risen by 9.30 baht for benzene, gasohol 95 and E20. While diesel
has risen by 10.02-baht YoY.
Meanwhile global oil prices continue to rise which could put pressure on domestic oil
prices.
US oil prices rose to the highest level in 7-years after Opec and its allies declined
to accelerate plans to increase crude production, snubbing calls from the White
House to help tackle a growing global energy crunch.
US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate jumped by 3% after the meeting to
more than $78 a barrel for the first time since 2014, while Brent crude, the
international marker, rose to $82 a barrel for the first time in 3-years.
Meanwhile the government, despite its lack of funds to keep subsidizing, has come out to
say that it will continue to subsidize liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) until January 2022.
The government has said that 15-kg tanks for cooking gas LPG would be
subsidized up to 318 baht per tank until January 2022.
A source from the Ministry of Finance revealed that The Ministry of Finance is
considering measures to stimulate real estate.
The issue of extending the period of tax reduction measures on transfers and
mortgages at 0.01% from the end of the measures on December 31, 2021, as well
as expanding the ceiling on real estate eligible for the right previously, only
housing valued at no more than 3 million baht were in the category.
Property developers have called for the measures to cover 80% of the real
estate sector to boost wider scale, which the Ministry of Finance accepts
may increase the ceiling for housing worth not more than 5 million baht.
Soraphong Chaktheerangkoon, senior director of Kasikorn Securities, said that if
the government increases the price ceiling on real estate that is eligible to reduce
transfer tax - mortgage to 0.01% to a price level of 5 million baht, it will cover
more than 60% of the market and is expected that the government will have a
resolution within Q4/21 to take effect in 2022.
At the same time, state banks will have special promotions for loans,
special interest rates.
If the house price ceiling is increased to 5 million baht, receive tax benefits, this
will benefit strong low rise housing developers such as AP, LH, and SPALI.
General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister and Minister of Defense revealed after the
chairing the meeting of the Eastern Special Development Zone Policy Committee or the
EEC board that it agreed to adjust the EEC investment plan of 2.2 trillion baht in 5 years.
The meeting revealed that an investment of 1.7 trillion baht, consisting of 3 parts:
Expanding infrastructure of 200 billion baht from the Eastern Aviation
City and develop the area around the main high-speed train station
Attracting target industries at 400 billion baht per year
Upgrading communities and people.
The meeting felt that it was confident that the new investment plan will drive the
Thai economy to grow 4.5-5% per year to alleviate the impact of COVID-19. As a
result, Thailand is out of the middle-income trap and move to being a developed