Headlines summary as of 2 November 2021

News

• The President of AstraZeneca (Thailand) has issued an open letter that the company is able to increase the capacity of the vaccine production by 20 percent from 580,000 doses per lot to 700,000 doses per lot. The open letter said that in October, the company delivered 10.5 million doses. So far, the company has managed to deliver 35.1 million doses of AZ vaccines to the Kingdom. The open letter also pledged the delivery of 60 million doses in 2022.—Khao Sod
• Thammasat University field hospital announced that they will no longer proceed their attempt to take in the Moderna vaccines doses as per donated by Poland. –Khao Sod
• The head of the National Security Council who concurrently head the Operation Centre of the CCSA said that if the businesses could abide by the regulations set by the CCSA, there will  be further ease of the restriction, but pointed out that the pubs and night clubs will remain closed for the time-being.–Matichon

Politics

• Political parties are announcing their stances on the amendment of the royal defamation laws. The report on opposition party seek to review the law is on Reuters.
  • The party leader of the main-ruling Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP) said the party will not amend article 112. General Prawit has stated that his party stance that the PPRP main ideology is to uphold and defend the three main institutions: the Nation, the Religion, and the Monarchy. Any party action must not affect the three main institutions.—Krungthep Turakij
  • The opposition whip from the main opposition Pheu Thai Party said that the party will discuss with other opposition party leaders before proposing the motion to the House for discussion.—Krungthep Turakij
  • The freshly established Kla Party led by the former Finance Minister Korn said announced that the party is against the amendment as the revision would stir conflicts within the society. The party secretary-general said that the party does not have a plan to gain popularity by creating hatred.—Krungthep Turakij
  • The spokesperson of the royalist Action Coalition of Thailand Party said that the party oppose the revision and has asked the Pheu Thai and Move Forward Party if they are sure that the Thai society will let then get away with this action.–Matichon
  • MP Rawee Machamadon from a micro party has announced that his party and the other micro parties will do anything in their powers to oppose the advocacy to amend the law.—Krungthep Turakij
  • Last night, the Thammasat University student-led protest at the Bangkok Ratchaprasong CBD ended without a clash with the police. Panusaya ‘Rung’ the group leader used a razor blade to cut her left arm as number ‘112’ before the end of the rally. Panusaya read a statement calling for the abolition of article 112.—Thai Rath
• Former Police Chief General Chakthip Chaijinda who is highly anticipated to run for the Bangkok governor seat has announced his withdrawal from the campaign.
  • He announced with his Bangkok Metropolitan Council candidate team that he will not proceed with the campaign. It is reported that the police general does not want to compete with the incumbent governor who is his police senior.—Krungthep Turakij  
  • The PPRP leader said that he does not know any information about this. The Police General did not discuss anything with him and the party does not support anyone to take the BMA seat.—Krungthep Turakij
  • The secretary-general of the Move Forward Party analysed that the withdrawal of the Police General might signify the early election of Bangkok Governor seat within this year or early next week.–Matichon
• The restructuring of the main-ruling Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP) and the ploy to drive out the party secretary-general is far from over as the freshly appointed party advisor said that his first draft of the plan for the restructuring has an initial nod from the party leader. The party advisor said that there will be a clearer distinction of labour between the party secretary-general and the party director.—Inside Thailand

Economic:

Akara Mine

• The Pheu Thai Party Leader Dr Chonlanan Srikaew accused PM Prayut of making secret exchanges with Australia’s Kingsgate Consolidated in order to allow Chatri mine in northern Thailand to resume operations.  His accusation erupted following the news that the arbitral tribunal will hold the award until 31 January 2022; a postponement from the original date of 31 October 2021 to give time for both parties to reach a formal settlement. Dr Chonlanan said the government has been hiding the truth from the people and that PM Prayut is using Thailand’ national asset to compensate for his own mistake in illicitly ordering the closure of the Chatri mine.  This has caused irreparable damage to the country.  Source:  Matichon
• Government spokesperson Thanakorn dismissed the accusation by the Pheu Thai Party Leader Dr Chonlanan that the government has been making secret exchanges with Australia’s Kingsgate Consolidated company to allow Chatri Mine to reopen.  Thanakorn said the postponement of the arbitral tribunal award is to give time for the Thai government to conclude a settlement negotiation with Kingsgate, which is a preferable option and for which the government is acting in the nation’s best interest.  Thanakorn added the current government will not cause colossal damage to the nation as the rice farming subsidy scheme did during former PM Yingluck’s regime.  In fact, the government spokesperson suggested Dr Chonlanan call the former PM back bear the consequences of her actions.  Sources:  Thai Government press release  MCOT  Krungthep Turakij

Others

• The first day of Thailand’s reopening on 1 November to fully vaccinated visitors saw 61 commercial flights land at Suvarnabhumi airport with slightly over 3,000 passengers arriving, plus 3,613 at other international airports, bringing the total to over 6,600+ arrivals.  Some 2,300 arrivals were foreign tourists, most of whom are from Europe while the rest were Thai returnees.  Transport Ministry estimated that 3,260 international flights will arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport in November, carrying 135,407 passengers.  
• Tourism Authority of Thailand now expects over 1 million tourists to come in the next 6 months, or about 300,000 per month. Those figures are about 10 percent of the numbers recorded in 2019.  Source:  Source:  Bangkok Post
• The tourism, retail, automobile, real state and event organizing sectors, which are the drivers of economic growth, are organising economic activities worth over 2 billion Baht to rev up spending and spur the Thai economy following its reopening on 1 November after 2 years of border closure.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij newspaper, 2 November 2021
• Commerce Minister Jurin met with Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Han Zhiqiang yesterday.  He asked the Chinese ambassador to convince the Chinese government to reopen the Mohan and Guan Lei checkpoints in Yunan province to facilitate cross border trade into Thailand.  The 2 cross border checkpoints have remained closed to curb COVID-19 outbreak.  Thailand and China will also collaborate on bringing RCEP into enforcement for the benefits of the 15 member countries.  Minister Jurin also asked China to speed up rice purchases through the G2G deal.  Both countries also agreed to collaborate on the construction of the high-speed rail.  Source:  Bangkok Post  Krungthep Turakij newspaper, 2 November 2021  Poojadkarn Daily 360 Degrees, 2 November 2021
• Thai Airways is planning to borrow 25 billion Baht from the private sector this year and is expected to make the first loan within January 2022.  The airline insists it will not revert back to a state own enterprise status and reiterates that it has sufficient fund to resume operations next year.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij newspaper, 2 November 2021
• Commerce Ministry is keeping a close eye on rising prices of vegetables, which had gone up by 3-4 times, as well as other consumer products, the costs of which weren driven up by floods and higher oil and raw material prices.  Commerce Ministry will continue dispatching 50 mobile grocery buses to sell vegetables and other essential items to communities throughout Bangkok and the vicinity.  Sources:  Bangkok Post The Nation TV