Headlines summary as of 14 January 2022

News

• The Chinese Embassy’s political officers brought 2,000 survival packs values more than 1 million THB to people in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima affected by the pandemic. 
• Dialogue between the government and Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the main rebel group fighting an insurgency in Thailand’s Muslim deep south, have resumed. The discussion between the two parties took place on Monday and Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the first contact since the process was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dialogue restarted in 2019, leading to formal peace talks brokered by Malaysia in early 2020, but those were derailed by the pandemic.–Reuters
  • The deputy government spokesperson said that the Prime Minister is pleased with the results of the discussion which would lead to the peace of the areas.–Krungthep Turakij

Politics

• The Chinese Embassy’s political officers brought 2,000 survival packs values more than 1 million THB to people in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasrima affected by the pandemic. The Deputy head of the main-ruling Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP) said that the Chinese Communist Party would like to give assistance to the Thai people via PPRP. The hand-over was conducted at the Parliament.–Matichon
• The alliance which brought about the current administration are showing signs of crumbles in the by-elections:
  • Thaworn Senniam, former Deputy Transport Minister and main figure of the PDRC, gave an interview expressing his strategic ambiguity on whether to throw his support behind the Democrat or PPRP candidate. The political gain in the South was stripped of his MP status due to the PDRC protest-related case verdict and have left the Democrat Party since.–Inside Thailand
  • Hyper-royalist military doctor Rienthong Nanna voiced his dissonance against the PPRP in the by-election in Bangkok. The doctor threw his support behind a freshly-established royalist Thai Pakdi (Loyal Thai) Party and said that PPRP has been protecting corrupted politicians in the party. The staunch supporter of the government was in a quarrel with the incumbent PPRP MP in the constituency whose court verdict led to the by-election.–Matichon
• The highly-anticipated PPRP candidate for the Bangkok Metropolitan Governor denied the reports that she will run for the gubernatorial seat. Nualphan Lamsam said that she has no interest in running for the next election, but did not decline she has an interest in politics. The Thai football national team manager said that if opportunity emerges, it might be the divine sign and she might take it.–Matichon
• Panusaya ‘Rung’, student-led protest leader, has been granted a longer temporary bail term until mid-June with conditions of not participating in any protest and not doing anything which will affect the monarchy reputation.–Krungthep Turakij

Economic

• Japan’s JETRO signed 2 MoUs with Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor Office and Board of Investment to boost Japanese investment and develop resilient supply chains in various industries, including through BCG activities.  DPM Supattanapong convened a meeting with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda, discussing about potential cooperation on sustainable development by synergising Japan’s green growth strategy and Thailand’s BCG economic model.  Japan reiterated it wants to maintain Thailand as its key production hub.  Sources:  Bangkok PostKhao Sod
• The Thai Chamber of Commerce presented 6 opportunities and challenges that Thai entrepreneurs must adapt to after RCEP comes into effect on 1 January.  TCC also continued to express its support for Thailand to join CPTPP to keep abreast with modern trade rules and regulations.  Source:  Thai Rath
• Commerce Ministry (MoC) and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba launched The Pandemic Recovery Support Program.  The program aims for hundreds of Thai SMEs to undergo training on B2B e-commerce via the ‘Alibaba.com Seller Training E-Course’ (ASTE), which is free for new suppliers of Alibaba.com.  MoC expects the program to promote Thai exports by capacitating Thai entrepreneurs to tap into the global B2B market worth USD23.9 trillion and rebound from the pandemic.  Source:  Bangkok PostPositioning Magazine
• DPM Anutin chaired the first meeting of a sub-committee on Thai – Laos – Chinese railway yesterday.  The goal of the meeting is to design a logistics plan to increase trade through the railway, given that border trade from China through to Nongkhai province has increased from 116,552 to 304,119 tonnes since the railway became operational on 2 December 2021.  The railway also shortened the logistic time to 1 day and reduces cost by 25 percent.  Source:  Manager Online
• The government is mulling a faster rollout of the 4^th phase of the “Khon La Khrueng” co-payment subsidy scheme to stimulate spending. DPM Supattanapong also said he will keep an eye on the issue of inflation.  Source:  Bangkok Post
• The Automotive Institution of Thailand signed a letter of intent with Japan’s JETRO, outlining a 1-year cooperation (2022-2023) to promote cooperation in developing modern­ automotive as well as to lay the foundation for the manufacturing of Electric Vehicle components in Thailand.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij