KEY ISSUES AT A GLANCE
- Anti-government protests continue in Bangkok. Anti-government protesters gathered at Bangkok’s Victory Monument at around 5:15pm today (Sunday), before marching to the Din Daeng area. Crowd control police are also on the move, to maintain order in the area, and are asking the protesters to stay on the footpaths. The Din Daeng intersection was closed to traffic for 10 minutes, but has been reopened as the situation is peaceful. Source: Thai PBS
- Thailand Pass, Covid insurance to end July1. Thailand Pass registration and compulsory Covid-19 insurance will be lifted for all people arriving in Thailand from July 1, a senior government spokesman said on Friday. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said these decisions were made at a meeting of the CCSA on Friday. Arrivals will need only show their vaccination certificates or Covid-19 test results if asked via random inspection. Without such proof, arrivals will be given random, professional antigen tests at permanent border entry points. Random testing would continue until the government lifts all state-of-emergency measures to deal with Covid-19. The Thailand Pass registration system will remain in place but be used only for travellers to report suspected symptoms of dangerous and other communicable diseases, as determined by the Public Health Ministry, Dr Taweesilp said. Foreign nationals will not have to be insured for Covid-19, and thermal scanning will end at border checkpoints, he said. Source: Bangkok Post
- Food crisis to hit nations in second half. Thai exporters will benefit, says FTI. A global food shortage is expected to intensify during the third and fourth quarters this year, with the scarcity likely to benefit Thai food exporters, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Many countries are expected to endure food shortages because nations such as India, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Egypt have restricted their exports, including wheat, said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the FTI. Stockpiling of food appears to be unavoidable, following lower crop yields as a result of a shortage of fertiliser and animal feed amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Source: Bangkok Post
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- No significant announcements
AUSTRALIA IN THE NEWS
- Canberra eyes a strategic reboot. New Albanese government seen as moderating Australia’s China policy while improving ties with ASEAN countries. The outspoken Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad once dared Australia to decide “whether it’s an Asian country or a Western country.” By all indications, the new Labor government in Canberra seems to want it both ways. Newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has underscored that while his government welcomes de-escalation of bilateral tensions with Beijing, it remains committed to expanding strategic ties with fellow Quadrilateral Security Dialogue partners. Attending the Quad Summit in Tokyo last month, just days after winning the parliamentary elections, the new Australian leader vowed to pursue foreign policy focused on “friendships and long-time alliances.” Scott Morrison’s administration, however, largely dispensed with his predecessor’s Asia policy in favour of fortifying Australia’s defence ties with not only the Quad, but also the AUKUS (Australia-UK-US) alliance in the Indo-Pacific region – which received mixed, and often even negative, reception in Southeast Asia. Matters took a more troubling turn when the conservative government in Australia adopted regressive policies on climate change, along with an increasingly confrontational policy toward China. All of a sudden, Australia once again resembled “America’s deputy sheriff” in the eyes of many Southeast Asian states. The Albanese government, however, seems committed to recalibrating Australia’s foreign policy. Source: Asia Times
- Aboriginal fag to fly on famed bridge. SYDNEY: The Aboriginal flag will fly permanently on the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of a ‘healing process’ and reconciliation efforts with Australia’s indigenous community, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said yesterday. The distinctive black, red and yellow flag will fly alongside the Australian flag and New South Wales state flag at the top of the landmark bridge. The Aboriginal flag, recognised as an official flag of Australia since 1995 is flown from government buildings and embraced by sporting clubs and athletes of Aboriginal heritage. Source: Bangkok Post print edition
- Top Aussie envoy visits Solomon Islands. SYDNEY, June 17 (Reuters) – Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited a riot-hit community in the Solomon Islands on Friday to highlight the capabilities of Australian police, amid regional concern over the Pacific nation’s security pact with China. Wong held “constructive” talks with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, she said, during the first visit to Honiara by an official of Australia’s new government. Her visit spotlighted education and health aid and the efforts of Australian police to restore stability by working with disadvantaged youth following deadly riots in November. “Australia’s view does remain that the Pacific family should be responsible for our security,” Wong said on Friday. Source: Bangkok Post print edition
COVID
- 1, 784 new cases and 18 deaths Source: Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health
- Thailand Pass, Covid insurance to end July1. Thailand Pass registration and compulsory Covid-19 insurance will be lifted for all people arriving in Thailand from July 1, a senior government spokesman said on Friday. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said these decisions were made at a meeting of the CCSA on Friday. Arrivals will need only show their vaccination certificates or Covid-19 test results if asked via random inspection. Without such proof, arrivals will be given random, professional antigen tests at permanent border entry points. Random testing would continue until the government lifts all state-of-emergency measures to deal with Covid-19. The Thailand Pass registration system will remain in place but be used only for travellers to report suspected symptoms of dangerous and other communicable diseases, as determined by the Public Health Ministry, Dr Taweesilp said. Foreign nationals will not have to be insured for Covid-19, and thermal scanning will end at border checkpoints, he said. Source: Bangkok Post
- US approves Covid vaccines for youngest kids. US health authorities on Saturday cleared the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for children aged five and younger, in a move President Joe Biden greeted as a “monumental step” in the fight against the virus. The United States thus became the first country to approve use of the so-called mRNA vaccines for children as young as six months. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had on Friday authorized their emergency use for young children — who previously had to be at least five to receive the vaccine. Source: Thai PBS
- Thai gov to remove mask mandates for outdoors, scrap Thailand Pass in July. According to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday, Thailand Pass will be cancelled, face masks will be “recommended” for closed and crowded areas, and entertainment venues will be able to operate normally starting on July 1. Face masks will be “recommended” for closed and crowded areas only, said Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, the spokesman of the CCSA. Temperature checkpoints for buildings or stores will no longer be mandatory. Social distancing will only be a recommendation. Source: Thai Enquirer
POLITICS
- Anti-government protests continue in Bangkok. Anti-government protesters gathered at Bangkok’s Victory Monument at around 5:15pm today (Sunday), before marching to the Din Daeng area. Crowd control police are also on the move, to maintain order in the area, and are asking the protesters to stay on the footpaths. The Din Daeng intersection was closed to traffic for 10 minutes, but has been reopened as the situation is peaceful. Source: Thai PBS
- Governor visits Khlong Toei in first inspection tour of Bangkok’s 50 districts. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt launched his mobile meetings with district officials today (Sunday) and visited local people as part of his pro-active and people-centric approach to solving problems, with Khlong Toei district being the first on the inspection tour. The governor plans to visit at least one of Bangkok’s 50 districts every Sunday. He told the media today that he chose Sunday because most working people are at home, so he would be able to see them during his visit to their communities and listen to their problems and grievances, while not interrupting district officials while they work on normal days. Source: Thai PBS
- Pheu Thai plan to censure Labour Minister ‘lawful’. The main opposition Pheu Thai Party has defended naming Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin on a list of cabinet ministers targeted for a no-confidence vote. Mr Suchart recently accused the party of submitting a no-confidence motion without the consent of MPs. He said that originally, his name was not among a list of cabinet ministers targeted for the censure debate. His name was added at the last minute without the knowledge of opposition MPs who supported the motion, he said, arguing the motion was therefore illegal. Currently, the opposition lists 10 names of targeted cabinet members. Those named include Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob
ECONOMICS
- Food crisis to hit nations in second half. Thai exporters will benefit, says FTI. A global food shortage is expected to intensify during the third and fourth quarters this year, with the scarcity likely to benefit Thai food exporters, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Many countries are expected to endure food shortages because nations such as India, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Egypt have restricted their exports, including wheat, said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the FTI. Stockpiling of food appears to be unavoidable, following lower crop yields as a result of a shortage of fertiliser and animal feed amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Source: Bangkok Post
- Importance of EVs touted by minister. Electric vehicles (EV) are expected to transform Thailand’s automotive industry in five years and are instrumental in driving Thailand to become an EV hub in Asia during that period, says Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow. “EVs will completely change the local manufacturing sector over the next five years, while helping to support Thailand to achieve its ambitious plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,” said Mr Supattanapong at an EV forum. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declared at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that Thailand wants to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065 as part of the country’s long-term ambition on climate action. Source: Bangkok Post
- Firms cheer easing of tourism rules. End of Thailand Pass system and mask requirement in public elicits smiles. After more than two years of severe hardships brought about by Covid-19 outbreaks, tourism-related businesses are seeing a glimpse of hope after the government agreed on Friday to abandon the pre-registration process for foreign visitors and the requirement for face masks to be worn in public. Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said businesses are likely to breathe a sigh of relief as they can resume normal operations after the government announced the relaxations. The government’s decision to declare the whole country a “green zone”, allowing all business activities to resume, will speed up efforts to restore the Thai economy to the level before the pandemic, though soaring inflation remains a worry, said the Employers’ Confederation of Thai Trade and Industry (EconThai). Source: Bangkok Post
OTHER
- Traverse the flavours of Europe and the Mediterranean at these 6 BK Restaurant Week venues. Source: Coconuts Bangkok
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