KEY ISSUES AT A GLANCE
- Court to rule on election law. A ruling on Wednesday from the Constitutional Court on the party-list election system is expected to set an important course for Thai politics. The court was petitioned to look into the validity of the bill on the election of MPs, which governs the new party-list system, by Dr Rawee Matchamadol, leader of the New Palang Dharma Party (NPDP). The bill seeks to introduce a divisor of 100 to calculate the number of list MPs in the next election. Small parties, including the NPDP, will have a harder time garnering enough votes to win a list seat under this method, however. Source: Bangkok Post Print Edition
AUSTRALIA IN THE NEWS
- Australia falls short in Great Barrier Reef efforts: experts. Despite warnings, Australia’s efforts to save the Great Barrier Reef still fall short of protecting the world’s largest coral reef system from pollution and climate change, experts said Monday. Australia had taken unprecedented steps towards the protection of the Great Barrier Reef, which the United Nations has designated a world heritage site, but more was needed to avoid the site being declared “in danger” by Unesco. Such a designation puts a government on notice that a site could be removed from the World Heritage list altogether, a very rare event. Source: Bangkok Post
GENERAL
- Meteorological Dept Forecasts Strong Cold Winds from Dec 2. The director-general of the Meteorological Department said that from Dec 2 cold winds would be strong and temperatures will drop by 1-5 degrees Celsius. From Nov 30 to Dec 1, cold air would cover the North and the upper Northeast. Rains will decline but continue in some areas. The sky will be cloudy. From Dec 2, temperatures will fall by 1-5 degrees Celsius. There will be heavy rains in the South, especially in the central South from Dec 2 to 5 because of high cold winds and a strong low-pressure system that will enter the Gulf of Thailand from the lower South China Sea on Dec 3-5. Source: Thai News Agency
- Luxury homes raided in triad probe. Police raided 11 locations across Greater Bangkok on Tuesday, including a luxury housing project in the Lasalle area of Samut Prakan, where most units were found to have been purchased through a nominee with suspected links to a Chinese crime syndicate under investigation, according to a police source. The operation was carried out as officers expand their probe into the criminal network believed to be tied to Chinese businessman Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant, who turned himself in last week after Bangkok South Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest over his alleged involvement in the drug trade. Source: Bangkok Post Print Edition, Thairath
POLITICS
- Thai PM says cabinet reshuffle before New Year. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has indicated that he might order a minor cabinet reshuffle before the New Year. The prime minister was challenged by a group of reporters at Impact Muang Thong Thani yesterday (Monday) who asked him when he will respond to the Democrat Party’s nomination, about 7 weeks ago, of Naris Khamnurak, MP forPhatthalung Province, as deputy interior minister, to succeed Nipon Boonyamanee. Nipon left the cabinet in September to face trial on a charge of malfeasance, for allegedly refusing to pay 51 million baht for the purchase of two multi-purpose trucks by the Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organisation back in 2013. Source: Thai PBS World
- Progressive movement hopes for endorsement of Bill to decentralise power. Thailand’s Progressive Movement has expressed hope that its draft Bill, to amend Section 147 of the Constitution and decentralise local administration, will pass its first reading inthe joint session of parliament. The joint session is expected to consider the Bill, co-signed by 765,591 people and submitted by the Progressive Movement, this late afternoon (Tuesday) or tomorrow. Key members of the movement, led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, gave a press conference about the Bill at parliament this morning. Thanathorn explained that the Bill seeks a 50:50 allocation of taxes collected locally, so local administrative bodies can have sufficient funds for local development and the ability to manage local affairs, without the need to seek funding from provincial governors or their MP. Source: Thai PBS World, Thairath, Thaipost, Khaosod
- Court to rule on election law. A ruling on Wednesday from the Constitutional Court on the party-list election system is expected to set an important course for Thai politics. The court was petitioned to look into the validity of the bill on the election of MPs, which governs the new party-list system, by Dr Rawee Matchamadol, leader of the New Palang Dharma Party (NPDP). The bill seeks to introduce a divisor of 100 to calculate the number of list MPs in the next election. Small parties, including the NPDP, will have a harder time garnering enough votes to win a list seat under this method, however. Source: Bangkok Post Print Edition
ECONOMICS
- JKN gets Miss Universe brand ready for listing on NYSE in 2025. After acquiring Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) in October, Thailand’s JKN Global Group Plc (JKN) is now getting ready to have it listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) by 2025. MUO has the potential to grow, JKN’s chief executive Jakkaphong “Anne” Jakrajutatip said recently after meeting with business leaders in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors to build potential alliances and partnerships. She said the beauty pageant business, especially the Miss Universe brand, has the potential to generate stable revenue, especially in the health and beauty market. Plus, she said, with 70 years in the beauty pageantry business under its belt, MUO is a well-established global brand. This, she said, gives it a significant advantage in getting listed on the NYSE by 2025, under its new company JKN-Metaverse. Source: The Nation
For further information please see the embassy’s Facebook Page ‘Australian Embassy, Thailand’ or the Ambassador’s Twitter Page https://twitter.com/AusAmbBKK
