Headlines summary as of 9 February 2022

News

COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) and Department of Control 

Covid-19 situation/change regulation

• The Director of Bureau of Epidemiology, Control Disease department spoke to the media that the new covid-19 cases will surge to 30,000 per day by the end of February, because of increasing social activities, gatherings across the country. However, he pointed that it would not be severe as the death toll number is still low and pandemic is going downward globally. Mathichon

Politics

Government instability

• Reuters yesterday released the article stating that the boycott of  7 ministers in the cabinet meeting, the expelling of 21 Palangpracharat MPs, and a series of parliament meeting cancellations have increased the tension of Prime Minister Prayut to stabilize his administration amongst the rumour that parliament would be dissolved soon. Reuters
• [ANALYSIS] Cod Satrusayang,the Editor-in-Chief of Thai Enquirer, the digital outlet wrote his analysis on the decline of PPRP. Read more at Thaienquirer
• The Prime Minister insisted the proposed extension of the Green Line railway concession to BTS Group Holdings Plc (BTS) needed to be finalized at the next cabinet meeting despite the controversy that 7 ministers from Bhumjaithai party, the coalition rally boycotted the cabinet meeting yesterday to against the proposal, purposed by Interior Minister Bangkokpost
•  Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan, as the Palang Pracharat (PPRP) Party (PPRP) leader denied any fractures in the PPRP and said it is not a “spare” party as he will will stick around as the PPRP leader
• When asked if it is time to invite the Prime Minister to be the PPRP member, Gen Prawit said there is no need because Gen Prayut is the PPRP’s PM candidate. He has been supporting Gen Prayut for 50 years. 
• On reports of Thammanat’s deal to secure the interior portfolio for him, Gen Prawit also said he could not take away the post from Gen Anupong Paochinda because Gen Anupong is his brother.

       Thairath  Mathichon

Other news

• Cannabis and hemp as narcotic substances will be legal in 120 days after the Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul signed a ministerial announcement  to delisted cannabis and hemp from Category 5 of the country’s list of narcotics. The announcement will come into force in the above-mentioned period after it publishes in the Royal Gazette.  The move followed the Deputy PM’s leading party ,Bhumjaithai)’s campaign to remove these plants from the list during the 2019 election. Thairath
• Civil society and prominent human rights defenders are calling for Thailand to ratify its anti-torture and enforced disappearance bill to better protect activist and critics after it is being push back by the government for a decade. Thaienquirer

Economic news

Akara Mine

• Akara Mine employees informed the parliament’s Anti-Corruption Committee that Akara Mine operates on an international standard.  The company said only a minute amount of cyanide was detected in its pit and that none had leaked.  Akara also assured the Committee that it has established a number of funds in compliance with Thai law throughout the duration of its operation.  The Committee vows to continue its investigation, particularly to find out why the government renewed the mining leases to Akara mines when the TAFTA tribunal is still ongoing.  Source:  Manager Online

Cabinet’s Decisions, 8 February 2022 

• Approved of allocating 40.9 billion Baht to an action plan to drive BCG economic development model from 2022 – 2027.  The action plan has 4 strategies:

·      Build sustainability among natural resources (budget: 2.29 billion Baht)

·      Strengthen grassroots and creative economies through technology and innovation (budget: 1.82 billion Baht)

·      Strengthen the competitiveness of BCG by focusing on 5 sectors: farm & food; wellness and medical; energy and bioproducts; tourism; and creative and circular economy (budget: 33.3 billion Baht)

·      Strengthen HR such as through smart farming and youth startup funds, (budget:3.2 billion Baht). 

• The BCG action plan is to be directed by a management committee chaired by the PM.  The government aims to raise the revenue of the five sectors by at least 1 trillion Baht and upgrade the uptribution of the service sector to Thailand’s GDP to at least 20 percent.  Source:  Thai Rath  Bangkok Post

Others news

• The proposed 30-year extension and the maximum fare of 65 Baht of the Green Line railway concession were withdrawn from the cabinet’s agenda yesterday.  This was due to the absence of 7 ministers from the coalition Bhumjaithai Party as they have a disagreement with the Interior Ministry and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).  PM Prayut instructed cabinet members to finalise the agenda at their next meeting. The Green Line is owned by the BMA and the concessionaire, the Bangkok Mass Transit System.  Source: Bangkok Post. https://tna.mcot.net/politics-879157
• Central Retail Corporation unveiled its 5-year post-COVID strategy, the CRC Retailligence.  It plans to spend 100 billion Baht from 2022-2026 to emerge as Asia’s smart retailer while increasing its revenue by 2.5 times.  It eyes investing in technologies for its various portfolio such as food, fashion, hard line and property, as well as foraying into health and wellness sectors.  It also plans to leverage new digital experiences across all business segments for its operations in Thailand, Vietnam and Italy.  Source:  Bangkok Post Krungthep Turakij newspaper, 9 February 2022
• Finance Ministry is considering the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations’ (FETCO) proposal to extend waiving the transaction tax for stock trades, which was waived since 1991.  FETCO reasoned that imposing it can push up trading costs by 70 percent for general investors and 170 percent for foreign investors.  Moreover, it will cause a 40 percent decrease in liquidity in the Thai stock market and reduces average daily trading value to to 50 billion Baht from the current 80 billion Baht.  Source:  Bangkok Post