Headlines summary as of 8 November 2021

News

• It is expected that the PM will meet with Deputy PM and Energy Minister Supattanapong, Interior Minister Anupong, Finance Minister Arkhom and the Director-general of the Custom Department to discuss the Long Term Resident issue in Thailand.—Krungthep Turakij
• The government spokesperson said that Thailand has inoculated 80 million doses of covid prevention vaccines and expected that within a month, 75 percent of the Thai population will receive the first dose.—Prachachat Turakij

Politics

• On Friday, there was a bit of turbulence on the political affiliation of partner to Captain Thammanat (Palang Pracharat Party’s secretary-general) when the leader of micro New Democracy Party said the party is ready to welcome her to be the party’s Chief Strategist.—Krungthep Turakij
  • Later, Captain Thammanat denies the reports saying that his partner is eyeing to move to other parties and affirming that she is still the PPRP member.—Krungthep Turakij
• It is the strongest signal from the PPRP leader on accepting former Interior permanent-secretary Chatchai and former Police Chief Chakthip joing the party. General Prawit said that if they want to join the party, I will welcome them.—Thai Rath
• After being appointed as government whip by the PM, PPRP Nirote Suntornlekha will host the first government whip meeting at the Government House.—Krungthep Turakij
• Signals on election are approaching as junta-appointed Senators resigned from position. It is expected that one of the senators will join the PPRP leader in the campaign in the South.—Krungthep Turakij
• After two days of launching, the campaign for the abolition of royal defamation laws has almost 200,000 signatures. The Progressive Movement, campaign organiser, boasted that the campaign could secure more than 100,000 signatures within the first 24 hours. The campaigner said that though the signature is way above the minimum requirement to propose new laws to the Parliament, but the campaign will be on going as it is reflective of what people is thinking.—Thai Rath
• Nida Poll released its latest results on the Bangkok governor popularity, the results show that former Transport Minister Chatchart remains top of the league, following by the incumbent governor Pol Gen Asawin.—Nida Poll

Analysis/ opinion

• It is reported that after Pheu Thai chief strategist issued a statement calling for the revision of royal defamation laws, sedition laws, computer crime acts and other related to the Emergency Decree, ousted and self-exiled former PM Thaksin Shinawatra made a call to the party executives questioning who issued the statement. It is reported that though there was no one step forward in admitting to be the lead in making the statement, the CARE group under the party director has been spearheading the progressive agenda in a bid to win more votes from the ever growing young voters.—Krungthep Turakij

Economic:

Electric Vehicles (EV)

• Japanese carmakers are objecting against Finance Ministry’s plan to overhaul the excise tax system to promote the use as well as domestic manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (EV).  Spearheading this effort is Toyota Motors, whose executives convened a video conference with Finance Minister Arkhom.  Toyota asked MoF to ensure the transition of the tax structure to promote EVs is slow and to think of the existing manufacturers of internal combustion engine-powered cars that have an established supply chain in Thailand.  This is because Toyota has only one brand of EV, the Lexus, and needed time to transition into EV production, otherwise it fears losing out to competing Chinese imports. 
• Finance Ministry revealed that by 2022, it will roll out a package that promotes the import of CBU EVs, which will benefit Chinese carmakers most as they are already paying zero tariff under Thailand and Chinese trade agreement.  By 2026, MoF will launch a new structure wherein excise tax will be raised for eco-cars, hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars.  As such, carmakers are concerned about the rising costs of manufacturing the abovementioned cars in Thailand going forward.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij newspaper, 8 November 2021
• Finance Ministry affirms it will maintain a balance between supporting existing manufacturers of internal combustion engine-powered cars and promoting electric vehicles (EVs) in its restructuring of the vehicle excise tax system, said a ministry source who requested anonymity.  Source:  Bangkok Post
• DPM Supattanapong reiterates that a new package to promote EV will be submitted to the cabinet in December.  As part of the package, an EV fund will be set up to subsidise 20 percent of the cost of buying an EV car in a bid to boost domestic demand.  Source:  Krungthep Turakij newspaper, 8 November 2021

RCEP

• Ministry of Commerce confirms RCEP will enter into force on 1 January 2022 after 6 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and 4 non-ASEAN countries (Australia, China, Japan and New Zealand) have submitted ratification for the trade pact.  MoC is working with relevant agencies to set up an RCEP centre to provide details of the trade pact.  MoC is also developing a Trade Monitoring System to track irregular trade movement to give Thailand time to implement the necessary trade measures.  Source:  Department of Trade Negotiations press release
• Commerce Ministry is educating farmers nationwide on the benefits of RCEP.  For example, South Korea is reducing tariff on Durians from 4.5 percent to 0 percent in 10 years, while China is reducing tariff on processed fruits to zero percent in 20 years.  Source:  Manager Online

Others

• From 1- 6 November, the number of arrivals into Thailand totalled 12,978 under the Test & Go scheme; the sandbox scheme; 7-day quarantine and 10-day quarantine.  The total number of infected people is 5 percent, which is 0.04 percent of total arrivals.  Source:  Thansettakij
• Inflation in October increased by 2.38 percent YoY in a second consecutive month of growth and also rising at the fastest pace since May.  The increase is attributable to the easing of the lockdown, the surge in gasoline price and the rise in the prices of food such as vegetables and eggs as a result of the flooding in several provinces.  Inflation from January – October 2021 increased by 0.99 percent YoY.  Commerce Ministry does not anticipate inflation in November and December to rise as much as in October as the government is expected to subsidise oil prices.  Sources:  Bangkok Post  Ministry of Commerce Press Release  Krungthep Turakij