KEY ISSUES AT A GLANCE
- Four injured by smoke, 30 houses in Bangkok’s Bon Kai community razed by fire Four people suffered the effects of smoke inhalation and about 30, mostly dilapidated houses in the Bon Kai crowded community on Rama 4 Road in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district were burned down in a two-hour blaze, which broke out at about 1.30pm this today (Tuesday). Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said that it was fortunate that the nearest fire station is only about 600 metres away and firemen were able to reach the scene of the fire quickly. He admitted, however, that the narrow roads and lanes in the community made it difficult for fire trucks to get close to the scene and the nearest fire hydrant is on the main Rama 4 Road, which is some distance away. Nonetheless, the fire was extinguished in under two hours. Source: Thai PBS World, Matichon
- Prawit counts on ‘minnows’ to back him Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has expressed confidence that small political parties will support the government in the upcoming no-confidence debate. Quizzed on which way they would sway in terms of supporting other cabinet ministers targeted in the censure motion, Gen Prawit, who also serves as leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), said: “They are on the government’s side. There is no problem with that.” And when grilled on whether the Setthakij Thai Party would protect him against attacks from the opposition, the deputy PM said the party is still a member of the coalition and would not turn against censured ministers. Source: Bangkok Post, Krungthep Turakij
- Analysts sound alarm on baht depreciation. Economists are warning the baht will weaken further throughout this month because of higher volatility in money and capital markets worldwide after the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish benchmark interest rate hike. Krungthai Compass, a research house under Krungthai Bank, forecasts the baht will dip to high-34 to mid-35 against the US dollar by the end of this month. The baht depreciation is attributed to higher volatility of the global equity markets and digital assets, said Phacharaphot Nuntramas, chief economist of the research centre. Source: Bangkok Post
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Four injured by smoke, 30 houses in Bangkok’s Bon Kai community razed by fire Four people suffered the effects of smoke inhalation and about 30, mostly dilapidated houses in the Bon Kai crowded community on Rama 4 Road in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district were burned down in a two-hour blaze, which broke out at about 1.30pm this today (Tuesday). Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said that it was fortunate that the nearest fire station is only about 600 metres away and firemen were able to reach the scene of the fire quickly. He admitted, however, that the narrow roads and lanes in the community made it difficult for fire trucks to get close to the scene and the nearest fire hydrant is on the main Rama 4 Road, which is some distance away. Nonetheless, the fire was extinguished in under two hours. Source: Thai PBS World, Matichon
- Foreign actors to be exempt from paying income tax in Thailand The Thai government has decided to waive personal income tax collection from foreign actors when working on films shot in Thailand in the next five years, in a fresh bid to attract foreign crews to the country and the associated revenue. Deputy Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said today (Tuesday) that the tax incentive is part of the government’s efforts to develop the country’s soft power. Thailand earned an average of 3.5 billion baht a year from foreign film crews from 2017 to 2021, with the revenue increasing to 5 billion baht last year. Source: Thai PBS World, Bangkok Post
AUSTRALIA IN THE NEWS
- No reporting found
COVID
- 2,387 new cases and 19 deaths Source: Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health
- More contagious subvariants on radar Thailand has recorded 49 new cases of the two new Omicron subvariants — BA.4 and BA.5 — which are considered more contagious and can potentially bypass immunity, according to the Centre for Medical Genomics of Ramathibodi Hospital. Wasun Chantratita, who heads the centre, said 26 cases of BA.5, 23 cases of BA.4 and 18 cases of BA.2.12.1 have been detected in the kingdom since April. Dr Wasun said the figure was based on random tests so the true number of infections could be considerably higher. The patients were admitted to hospital and their condition described as manageable. Source: Bangkok Post, Krungthep Turakij & PPTVHD36
- Monkeypox jab options calculated Vaccine preparations are needed to deal with monkeypox but there’s no need yet for any mass vaccination, said Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Emerging Diseases Science Centre at Chulalongkorn University. Even though there is no direct monkeypox vaccine, studies have found that smallpox vaccines are effective in both preventing and reducing monkeypox infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of June 15, a cumulative total of 2,103 laboratory-confirmed cases and one death have been reported to the WHO from 42 countries. Source: Bangkok Post
POLITICS
- Prawit counts on ‘minnows’ to back him. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has expressed confidence that small political parties will support the government in the upcoming no-confidence debate. Quizzed on which way they would sway in terms of supporting other cabinet misters targeted in the censure motion, Gen Prawit, who also serves as leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), said: “They are on the government’s side. There is no problem with that.” And when grilled on whether the Setthakij Thai Party would protect him against attacks from the opposition, the deputy PM said the party is still a member of the coalition and would not turn against censured ministers. Source: Bangkok Post
- Chadchart ‘too old’ for PM. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt yesterday hinted that he harbours no prime ministerial ambitions, saying he was too old for the job. The 56-year-old governor was reacting to a question raised at the “Thai Startup x Chadchart” forum organised by the Thai Startup Association and City Hall on Monday. During his lecture, one participant suggested that he quit the governorship and vie to become prime minister when the next election comes. In response, Mr Chadchart said he wants to focus on the task at hand while stressing that a prime minister should be someone from a younger generation. He insisted he was too old to aspire for the post. Source: Bangkok Post, Daily News
- Capital to tackle PM 2.5 dust. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has unveiled a plan to improve the city’s ability to cope with hazardous ultra-fine dust particles (PM2.5), saying open and more accurate data about sources of dust is the key to success. BMA is working with universities to analyse and pinpoint where the PM 2.5 is coming from, he said. Source: Bangkok Post Print Edition
ECONOMICS
- Cabinet approves 8 moves to ease living cost crisis from fuel price. The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new round of eight measures to soften the impact of rising fuel prices on people’s cost of living from July to September. Existing measures scheduled to expire on June 30 will be extended and new ones added, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Prayut said the government was doing its best to relieve hardship, especially for poor people and businesses, adding that he did not expect the fuel-price crisis to end soon. Source: The Nation & Thai Enquirer
- Thai soldiers can shop on Lazada again as ban over tactless ad lifted. The Royal Thai Army has revoked its order prohibiting all military units from shopping on Lazada and keeping Lazada delivery trucks out of military complexes, deputy spokesman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said. he said Army chief General Narongpan Jitkaewtha had announced at a top brass meeting on Monday that the ban on Lazada will be revoked immediately now that it is facing legal procedure over inappropriate advertising. The Army had boycotted the online shopping platform on May 9 in response to a controversial TikTok ad posted a week earlier to promote Lazada’s 5.5 sales campaign. Source: The Nation & Prachachart
- Analysts sound alarm on baht depreciation. Economists are warning the baht will weaken further throughout this month because of higher volatility in money and capital markets worldwide after the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish benchmark interest rate hike. Krungthai Compass, a research house under Krungthai Bank, forecasts the baht will dip to high-34 to mid-35 against the US dollar by the end of this month. The baht depreciation is attributed to higher volatility of the global equity markets and digital assets, said Phacharaphot Nuntramas, chief economist of the research centre. Source: Bangkok Post
OTHER
- 6 microbreweries in Bangkok to visit for crisp, cold beers. Source: Coconuts Bangkok
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