KEY ISSUES AT A GLANCE
- Government and opposition Thai MPs gear up for another censure debate. Government and opposition MPs are preparing their cases for the next censure debate, tentatively scheduled for July 18th through 22nd, during which Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and ten ministers will be grilled by the opposition. This will be the fourth censure debate against Prayut and his cabinet since assuming office in mid-2019. All the ministers targeted survived all the previous no confidence motions. Opposition chief whip Sutin Klungsang said today (Wednesday) that six opposition parties reconfirmed their censure motion yesterday, as requested by House Speaker Chuan Leekpai. The Thai Civilised party leader Mongkolkit Suksintharanon is, however, yet to sign the reconfirmation. Source: Thai PBS World
- One in 10 Aussies trust China’s government – survey. Just over one in 10 Australians have faith in the Chinese government to act responsibly in international affairs, according to a new survey, amid attempts to resume diplomatic links between the nations under the country’s new Labor leadership. An annual poll by the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based foreign policy think tank, found just 12% of Australians said they trusted China as an international player. The result was sharply down from four years ago in 2018 when the think tank found about 52% of Australians had a positive view of the country. Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Lowy’s Executive Director Michael Fullilove said the result was “no cause for celebration.” “It is in our interest that relations between Canberra and Beijing are stable,” he said. “This is in China’s interest too.” Source: Bangkok Post
- Covid-19 strains spur fears. Sub-variants ‘have spread from Europe’. The government is monitoring two new Omicron subvariants in Europe as Thailand prepares for an influx of international arrivals from next month when entry rules are eased further. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Wednesday Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed the Public Health Ministry to monitor the Covid-19 situation in Europe after cases of the two subvariants — BA.4 and BA.5 — were detected in countries such as Portugal, the UK, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Germany. Wasun Chantratita, who heads the centre, previously said 26 cases of BA.5, 23 cases of BA.4 and 18 cases of BA.2.12.1 had been detected in the kingdom since April. Source: Bangkok Post Online & Print Edition
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Anutin maps out strategy in Geneva against HIV. Education, universal healthcare are key. HIV/AIDS education, discrimination prevention and universal healthcare are key factors in lowering HIV infection rates, Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said. Mr Anutin said Thailand has been trying to raise awareness about how HIV remains a threat to global public health. In addressing the threat, Thailand said it is important for teenagers to learn about safe sex and how to protect themselves from sexually transmissible infections such as HIV. Source: Bangkok Post
AUSTRALIA IN THE NEWS
- One in 10 Aussies trust China’s government – survey. Just over one in 10 Australians have faith in the Chinese government to act responsibly in international affairs, according to a new survey, amid attempts to resume diplomatic links between the nations under the country’s new Labor leadership. An annual poll by the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based foreign policy think tank, found just 12% of Australians said they trusted China as an international player. The result was sharply down from four years ago in 2018 when the think tank found about 52% of Australians had a positive view of the country. Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Lowy’s Executive Director Michael Fullilove said the result was “no cause for celebration.” “It is in our interest that relations between Canberra and Beijing are stable,” he said. “This is in China’s interest too.” Source: Bangkok Post
- Australia to lift electricity market suspension as prices ease. Australia’s energy market operator says it will lift its suspension of the country’s main wholesale electricity market as its power crisis eases. The restrictions will be temporarily lifted on Thursday before a final decision is made. In an unprecedented move last week it suspended trading on the platform following a surge in prices. Officials also urged people in the state of New South Wales to conserve power over concerns about shortages. Source: The Standard
COVID
- 2,299 new cases and 18 deaths Source: Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health
- Covid-19 strains spur fears. Sub-variants ‘have spread from Europe’. The government is monitoring two new Omicron subvariants in Europe as Thailand prepares for an influx of international arrivals from next month when entry rules are eased further. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Wednesday Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed the Public Health Ministry to monitor the Covid-19 situation in Europe after cases of the two subvariants — BA.4 and BA.5 — were detected in countries such as Portugal, the UK, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Germany. Wasun Chantratita, who heads the centre, previously said 26 cases of BA.5, 23 cases of BA.4 and 18 cases of BA.2.12.1 had been detected in the kingdom since April. Source: Bangkok Post Online & Print Edition
- Unmasking changes to Covid restrictions With the virus set to become classified as endemic in 9 days, some national rules are easing. Find out more in the full article. Source: Bangkok Post
POLITICS
- Government and opposition Thai MPs gear up for another censure debate. Government and opposition MPs are preparing their cases for the next censure debate, tentatively scheduled for July 18th through 22nd, during which Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and ten ministers will be grilled by the opposition. This will be the fourth censure debate against Prayut and his cabinet since assuming office in mid-2019. All the ministers targeted survived all the previous no confidence motions. Opposition chief whip Sutin Klungsang said today (Wednesday) that six opposition parties reconfirmed their censure motion yesterday, as requested by House Speaker Chuan Leekpai. The Thai Civilised party leader Mongkolkit Suksintharanon is, however, yet to sign the reconfirmation. Source: Thai PBS World
- Akkaradej offers censure ammunition. Akkaradej Wongpitakroj, a Democrat MP for Ratchaburi, said he is ready to supply information to the opposition if it wants to target Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow over runaway fuel prices in the upcoming no-confidence debate. Mr Akkaradej earlier urged opposition lawmakers to use the debate to grill Mr Supattanapong over the crisis. He said several coalition MPs were unhappy with the government’s handling of the issue and hoped the opposition would consider adding the minister to its list of targets. “I have information ready to give if the opposition wants to use it as material for censuring [the minister],” Mr Akkaradej said. Source: Bangkok Post Online & Print Edition
- Prawit thanks Cambodia for crime-busting support Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has conveyed his thanks to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and National Defence Minister Tea Banh for his cooperation in suppressing transnational call-centre scam gangs, Defence Ministry spokesman Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich said on Wednesday. Gen Prawit and Deputy Defence Minister Chaichan Changmongkol attended the 16th Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Phnom Penh, where Gen Prawit met Gen Tea Banh to discuss ways to strengthen the security of both countries and forge closer ties within Asean. Source: Bangkok Post, The Nation
ECONOMICS
- Thailand, UK agree to boost trade back to $7-billion level. Thailand and the United Kingdom have agreed to cooperate on six aspects to boost trade between the two countries, bringing it back to the US$7 billion [247 billion baht] level, Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said on Tuesday. His remark came after a Joint Economic and Trade Committee ministerial meeting at Central Hall Westminster, London. Jurin said he and UK Minister of State for Trade Policy Penny Mordaunt agreed to promote cooperation between the two countries in agriculture, digital technology, foods and beverages, investment, commerce and finance. “Currently, the UK is Thailand’s 22nd biggest trade partner globally and 4th in Europe, so we have to boost the trade value between the two countries back to $7 billion as soon as possible,” Jurin noted. Source: The Nation
- Ministry to ink climate pact with Swiss under Paris Agreement. Carbon credits for new tech, funding. Thailand and Switzerland are set to become the first two countries in the world to seal a deal under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, which creates a basis for trading in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions or mitigation outcomes between nations, says Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa. He was referring to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) he plans to sign with his Swiss counterparts during his trip to Europe, which kicked off yesterday and will wrap up on July 1 after he has also visited Portugal. Source: Bangkok Post Online & Print Edition
OTHER
- Eat all the chocolate you can at this new Bangkok rooftop bar. Source: Coconuts Bangkok
For further information please see the embassy’s Facebook Page ‘Australian Embassy, Thailand’ or the Ambassador’s Twitter Page https://twitter.com/AusAmbBKK
