Headlines summary as of 1 July 2020

News

• Updates related to COVID-19:
  • Today Thailand reports two newly confirmed cases, a total of 3,173 cases. Out of the total number, 3,059 have been discharged from hospital (or at 96.41%); 56 are being hospitalised. The death toll is still at 58. The new cases arrived from Kuwait and have been in state quarantine. This is the 36th consecutive days that there is no local transmission in Thailand.
  • The cabinet has sealed off the extension of the emergency decree to be until the end of July in a bid to avoid the second wave of transmission of the COVID-19. The government spokesperson told the media in a briefing that The cabinet approved the extension because the global pandemic is still ongoing.
  • With the recent lock-downs in the past two-three months, the food and online delivery services surged, but as some customers complained about the skyrocketing prices, Thai cabinet approved measures to regulate food and online delivery services. The price control comes into force on July 4 and will be reviewed again in one year. The control list aims to prevent operators from setting unfair prices and other conditions.–Reuters
  • CCSA welcomes the European Union decision to reopen its borders to travellers from 14 countries, including Thailand.
• Today marks the 45^th anniversary of Thai-PRC diplomatic relations, Chargé d’affaires published its Op-Ed on “Weathering the storm and advancing development towards a greater future of Chinese-Thai relations”.—Manager, Matichon, Krungthep Turakij

Politics

• Media reports that the newly appointed leader of the main ruling Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP) Deputy PM Prawit told the media prior to attending the cabinet meeting yesterday that he already picked 9 deputy party leaders. DPM Prawit said the new economic direction of the party is in drafting process, but will be focusing on the grassroots.—all media outlet
• A source said about the prospective cabinet reshuffle that the reshuffle will be discussed in late July at the earliest. Now the ministers are stepping up its performance to exhibit to the PM that they are worthy of the portfolio.—Krunghtep Turakij
• The Supreme Court has ordered a new election re-run in Constituency 5 of Samut Prakan province an MP of the PPRP was given a yellow card for vote-buying. The Move Forward Party has announced that it is ready to field a candidate to contest the re-election.—all media outlet
• The House is debating the budget bill for the 2021 fiscal year in the first reading. Opposition MPs set to grill the budget bill, targeting the Ministry of Defence expenditure.
• At 3 pm today, the Constitutional Court is set to give its verdict on the case of PPRP MP Sira Jenjaka for scolding and abuse of power at a police officer in Phuket when he was seen scolding at the police officer.

Business:

CPTPP

• The Parliament’s CPTPP Committee will ask for a 60-day extension on the deadline for their studies to fully explore the myriad of controversial issues.  The committee also advised that the government should take its time to examine the pros and cons of CPTPP accession, even if it means being unable to join the 5^th August CPTPP negotiation.  Currently several countries have announced their interest to join CPTPP, but none has sought accession, much like Thailand.   Source:  https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/news/detail/887362

Cabinet’s decisions, 30 June 2020

• approved two domestic tourism stimulus packages (22.4 billion Baht), which will run until October 31.  ‘We Travel Together’ package (20 billion Baht) will see the government providing partial subsidies for hotels, air tickets and other services. ‘Moral Support’ package (2.4 billion Baht) provides 2,000 Baht subsidy per person for 1.2 million health volunteers and sub-district hospital officials.  Registration starts on the website www.เราเที่ยวด้วยกัน.com from 15 July.  Source:  https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1943560/govt-bets-on-local-tourism
• acknowledged the Energy Ministry’s plan to increase investment in energy projects worth over 200 billion Baht this year to revitalise the economy.  This includes revving up spending on petroleum, LNG and gas production.  It will also support farmer assistance program and community-based businesses.  Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1943680/cabinet-accepts-b200bn-in-energy-schemes

PPE

• Thailand’s medical hub committee on Tuesday unveiled guidelines for medical tourism. The first policy is related to quarantine process for travellers; the second policy revealed the campaign to establish Thailand as the world’s healthcare capital; and the third is the promotion of locally-manufactured PPE, Covid19 test kits, disinfectant and treatment equipment.  Source:  https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1943644/committee-issues-new-rules-governing-medical-tourism  https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390538

Tourism

• Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) said that in Q2, some 65% of tourism businesses were closed with 2.6 million employees furloughed.  Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) said that although the country is set to open to six selected groups of foreigners, they make up only 5 percent of the overall inbound market.  If the industry remains deprived of international tourists, operators will have to exit the market in 6 months especially since they have no income and cannot access soft loans.  Source:  https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1943656/confidence-index-plummets-jobs-lost

Others

• World Bank forecasts that the Thai economy could contract by 5 percent and could take two years for it to rebound to pre-Covid 19 level.  In the process, Thailand’s unemployment number could reach 8.3 million, while those with no economic stability who earn less than 176 Baht (5.5 USD) has doubled from 4.7 million in Q1 to 9.7 million in Q2 this year.  Source: https://inews.bangkokbiznews.com/read/406789
• While Industry Ministry’s Department of Industrial Works (DIW) gauged that the Covid19 impact will not be evident until Q2 or Q3 of 2020, it reported a 10.2 percent YoY increase in applications for the expansion and setting up of new factories from Jan-June 2020.  These factories will generate 123,794 new jobs, with the highest number of employments created by the electrical appliances & equipment, machine manufacturing, metal and plastic products.  Nonetheless, 16,680 factory workers also lost their jobs within the same period through the closures of 404 factories.  Sources: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1943672/crisis-shutters-404-factories  https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30390539
• Despite the increase in non-performing loans, the Bank of Thailand is confident that commercial banks’ capital buffer is strong enough to weather the turbulence, unlike in 1997.  BOT is more concerned about unemployment number, which was 330,000 in May as reported by Social Security Fund.  Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1943652/central-bank-allays-npl-concerns

Australia

• A local media quoted Bloomberg about the increase of defence budget in the next 10 years after the situation surrounding South China Sea shows sign of conflict.—Work Point Today