Headlines summary as of 6 June 2022

KEY ISSUES AT A GLANCE

• Budget bill passes first House test. But govt making it through the upcoming censure debate could well be a different story. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can breathe a sigh of relief for now after the government’s 2023 budget bill cleared its first reading in parliament, with some opposition MPs voting in support of the bill. However, many observers do not believe this guarantees the government will secure similar support in the upcoming no-confidence debate. The 2023 budget bill passed its first reading in the early hours of yesterday morning with 278 votes in favour and 194 against from opposition MPs. Officially the opposition has 208 MPs within its ranks, while the government can command 230-240 votes. All coalition MPs voted for the bill including those in the faction under Capt Thamanat Prompow of the Settakij Thai Party, whose support for Gen Prayut had been in doubt. Seven opposition MPs from the Pheu Thai Party and four from the Move Forward Party also voted in favour of the bill after a first reading that ran from Thursday night until around 2am on Friday morning. Source: Bangkok Post
• Chadchart backs 2am closing time. Regarding the possibility of easing the face mask-wearing mandate, Mr Chadchart said the CCSA will make a decision, but the City Hall will recommend such a move considering that the Covid-19 situation in Bangkok is starting to improve. Bangkok residents should be allowed to remove face masks in public areas and open spaces, though such an idea must be endorsed by local health and medical bodies, he said. Removal of masks will also be raised with the CCSA. A source at City Hall said the Bangkok communicable disease committee will meet tomorrow to discuss measures to be presented to the CCSA. They include removing the face mask in public areas. Source: Bangkok Post, Thai News Agency
• Businesses urge government to establish ‘soft power’’.  Businesses, academic and the private sector alike suggest the government set up the ‘Thailand team’ to move forth Thailand’s soft power under the banner 5F (Food, Fashion, Festival, Film and Fighting) as coined by the Ministry of Culture.  They pointed to the need for all the relevant stakeholders to cooperate in marketing Thailand’s soft power in the global arena rather than each group working in silo as is the case now.  They also suggested the government invest in marketing research to enable Thailand to better serve global demands, as well as to incorporate soft power into the national economic development plan to lay down concrete plans.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij printed newspaper

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Senior US defence officials to visit Thailand. Senior US defence officials will visit Thailand next week to strengthen ties with its ally in the Indo-Pacific. ADM John Aquilino, Indo-Pacific Commander, is reportedly scheduled to stopover in Bangkok from June 7th to 9th, before he attends the Shangri-La Dialogue over next weekend in Singapore. His last visit here was in October last year. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin will then also visit Bangkok, after he attends the dialogue in Singapore on June 12th and 13th, to strengthen bilateral security ties further. During a courtesy call in Washington DC, ahead of the special ASEAN-US summit last month, due to time constraints, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Austin were unable to have a substantive conversation. Subsequently, Austin said he will visit Bangkok after the defence forum in Singapore, according to informed sources. Source: Thai PBS
• Heavy rain forecast this week as monsoon intensifies in Thailand. The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of flash flooding and runoffs from Tuesday to Saturday (June 7-11), when isolated thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across the country. The severe weather warning was triggered by a monsoon trough lying across upper Laos and upper Vietnam and also strengthening of the southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf. The conditions will bring more rain to upper Thailand this week, with isolated heavy rain in the North, Northeast, Bangkok and Central region, the East and the southwest coast. Source: The Nation
• Boom time for Thai cannabis.  Cannabis is scheduled to be removed from the Category 5 narcotics list on Thursday, allowing people to grow an unlimited number of plants at home.  JSP Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Thailand), a medicine and nutritional supplements distributor said the move should kick-start the development of cannabis in a range of industries, from medicine to cosmetics and food, marking a “new era” for the plant in Thailand.  Source:  Bangkok Post

AUSTRALIA IN THE NEWS

• Australia says Indonesia trip shows importance of bilateral relationship. SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday his trip to Indonesia just over two weeks after he was elected showed the importance his new government places on ties between the two countries as it works to focus more on Southeast Asia. Albanese was due to leave on Sunday for Indonesia, and is expected to visit the capital Jakarta, where he will hold talks with President Joko Widodo, as well as Makassar, in South Sulawesi. The Australian delegation will also include Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister Don Farrell. “This early visit with a very high-level delegation from Australia indicates to our Indonesian friends the importance we place on that relationship,” Albanese told reporters in Perth. The trip comes as Australia’s new Labor government, which ended almost a decade of conservative rule in a May 21 election, puts greater focus on relations with Southeast Asia and climate change, an issue crucial to its Pacific neighbours, as it navigates ties with a more assertive China. Source: Bangkok Post

COVID

• 2, 162 new cases 4, 879 discharged from hospital Source: Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health
• 27 deaths
• 29, 509 currently in hospital 

• Chadchart flags changes to face mask rules. Regarding the possibility of easing the face mask-wearing mandate, Mr Chadchart said the CCSA will make a decision, but the City Hall will recommend such a move considering that the Covid-19 situation in Bangkok is starting to improve. Bangkok residents should be allowed to remove face masks in public areas and open spaces, though such an idea must be endorsed by local health and medical bodies, he said. Removal of masks will also be raised with the CCSA. A source at City Hall said the Bangkok communicable disease committee will meet tomorrow to discuss measures to be presented to the CCSA. They include removing the face mask in public areas. Source: Bangkok Post, Thai News Agency, Thai PBS

POLITICS

• Small fry may turn coat at censure meet. Rebel group weighs voting against PM. A Group of 16 MPs from small parties is undecided whether to vote against the government in the next censure debate. This is despite their being set to join the opposition in the grilling over the controversial bidding for a contract to build the main pipeline for the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), said Pichet Sathirachawal, the group’s leader. Mr Pichet said the group, which claims to have 16 MPs under its wing, will decide how to vote in the censure motion expected later this month or early next. Some of the group’s MPs have previously supported the government. Mr Pichet, who is also an MP for the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), said the group planned to zero in on the EEC transmission pipeline project worth 25 billion baht. Mr Pichet alleged the project may be fraught with irregularity. If the government keeps pushing ahead with the project, the group would sever its ties with the government, he added. Source: Bangkok Post
• People split over Prayut’s chance of serving out his 4-year term: poll. Less than half the population are certain Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha will be able to complete his full four-year term as prime minister, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll. The poll was conducted between May 30-June 1 by telephone interviews with 1,326 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country to compile their opinions. Asked whether Gen Prayut would be able to complete his four-year term ending in March 2023, less than half, or 46.23%, said “yes, definitely”; 28.81% believed he would not be able to do so; and 24.96% were not sure. Those who thought Gen Prayut would not be able to serve out his term or were still uncertain (713 of the 1,326 people polled) were then asked in what circumstances they thought Gen Prayut would leave his post prematurely. Of that number, 45.58% thought he would dissolve the House of Representatives; 32.68% believed the Constitutional Court rules would rule against him over when his tenure began when he seized power in the coup or when he was elected; and 21.74% believed he would simply resign as prime minister. Source: Bangkok Post
• Budget bill passes first House test. But govt making it through the upcoming censure debate could well be a different story. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can breathe a sigh of relief for now after the government’s 2023 budget bill cleared its first reading in parliament, with some opposition MPs voting in support of the bill. However, many observers do not believe this guarantees the government will secure similar support in the upcoming no-confidence debate. The 2023 budget bill passed its first reading in the early hours of yesterday morning with 278 votes in favour and 194 against from opposition MPs. Officially the opposition has 208 MPs within its ranks, while the government can command 230-240 votes. All coalition MPs voted for the bill including those in the faction under Capt Thamanat Prompow of the Settakij Thai Party, whose support for Gen Prayut had been in doubt. Seven opposition MPs from the Pheu Thai Party and four from the Move Forward Party also voted in favour of the bill after a first reading that ran from Thursday night until around 2am on Friday morning. Source: Bangkok Post

ECONOMICS

• Renewable energy booms in line with BCG model; garnering 200 billion Baht of investment in 5 years.  Board of Investment revealed that Thai and foreign investors have applied for 1,290 projects with investment value of 200 billion Baht related to electricity-generation from renewable energy sources.  In Q1 2022, the momentum continues to be on the upswing with applications worth 8 billion Baht coming in, supported by the high price of fossil fuel as well as Thailand’s promotion of BCG as they key to restructuring the Thai economy.  Source:  Thansettakij
• NIA unveils novel strategy.  The National Innovation Agency (NIA) is gearing up efforts to build Thailand’s position as an innovation nation through a 7-pronged strategic plan, aiming to raise the country’s ranking in the Global Innovation Index to the top 30 by 2030.  Thailand eyes becoming an innovative country in 3 areas: finance, as an aviation hub, and through the creation of innovation districts that can draw international investment.  Bangkok also has the potential to become an ASEAN powerhouse for investment in innovation.  Source:  Bangkok Post
• Culture Ministry said creative economy could generate 1.45 trillion Baht of revenue.  Culture Ministry said Thailand’s soft power has generated 1.45 trillion Baht for the Thai economy in 2021.  By year 2027, Culture Ministry aims to increase culture-related services and goods to constitute 15 percent of the nation’s GDP, given that promoting Thailand’s soft power is part of the 20-year national strategy.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij printed newspaper

OTHER

• Check out the 7 top-notch Italian favourites to join BK Restaurant Week 2022. BK Restaurant Week 2022 is just around the corner, so it’s time to take a look at what’s on the menu from this year’s Italian-inspired players. Pre-booking (a special early booking period for Citi credit card members) opens this Monday (June 6), so make sure to head over to the BK Restaurant Week website to see the full list of over 50 restaurants and check out the menus in detail. Source: Coconuts Bangkok

For further information please see the embassy’s Facebook Page ‘Australian Embassy, Thailand’ or the Ambassador’s Twitter Page https://twitter.com/AusAmbBKK