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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021463

PM pledges to get ‘all things done’ for a prosperous Thailand

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022

Nongluck Ajanapanya

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-Ocha on Thursday vowed to complete his mission and make the country prosperous and sustainable.

He was speaking at the “Bangkok Post Forum 2022: Accelerating Thailand”, which was hosted by the Bangkok Post newspaper on Thursday.

“I will get all things done”, said Prayut.

He clarified that one of his current key responsibilities is to restore the nation’s economy using a three-pillar strategy.

The first pillar is to improve the country’s basic infrastructure with the goal of creating a comprehensive logistics network.

The second pillar is to accelerate electric vehicle and smart agriculture industries so that Thailand can become a technology hub for the region and sustain growth for the next several decades. 

Meanwhile, smart farming technologies enable all Thai farmers to generate long-term income.

The final pillar is mutual wealth distribution, which is accomplished by reforming the financial and banking sectors so that people have access to funding resources. 

Prayut said access to funding is an important foundation of fair access to equality and opportunities.

Prayut mentioned a number of ongoing government projects, including the digital transformation of the Laem Chabang port, the seamless connection of the airport, seaport, and railway, and big foreign names investing in Thailand’s EV industries.

He insisted that as the country’s leader, he has no ill will towards anyone and is only concerned with ensuring a better future for the country. He hoped that everyone would recognise his good intentions.

“I can be patient and tolerant at times, but I can also be hot-headed. This is my management style. People have the right to criticise their government at any time. But let us not lose sight of the big picture,” Prayut stated.

He thanked all parties, including the private sector and the Thai people, for working with his government. He admired everyone’s spirit to work together for the nation’s prosperity.

Nongluck Ajanapanya

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021438

Prayut ends conflict between energy minister, PTT board chairman

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022

The chairman of PTT’s board of directors on Thursday agreed to withdraw his resignation after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stepped in to mediate in a conflict between him and the energy minister.

A well-informed Government House source said Prayut summoned Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Ministry Supattanapong Punmeechaow and PTT board chairman Tossaporn Sirisamphan to a meeting at Government House on Thursday morning.

Prayut called in the two for discussions following reports that Tossaporn had submitted his resignation as PTT chairman last week out of dissatisfaction over Supattanapong’s alleged interference in PTT’s operations.

It has been reported that Tossaporn was highly dissatisfied over Supattanapong’s alleged interference in the appointments of top executives of PTT’s subsidiaries.

“The prime minister asked the two to work together and to not start a conflict again,” the source said.

With Prayut’s mediation, Tossaporn agreed to stay on and no change would be made to the PTT board, according to the source.

After Prayut’s mediation, the two sides agree to have Bandhit Thamprajamjit, senior vice president of PTT subsidiary Thai Oil, to be promoted to the post of Thai Oil CEO, the source added.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021414

Law against enforced disappearance, torture published in Royal Gazette, takes effect after 120 days

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022

Thailand’s first act to outlaw torture and enforced disappearance has been published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect after 120 days.

The Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday, more than a year after the House of Representatives passed the first reading of the bill on September 16 last year.

The act was signed by His Majesty the King on Monday and was countersigned by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

It was stated in the principle of the act that it was enacted in accordance with Section 26 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Section 26 of the charter reads: “The enactment of a law resulting in the restriction of rights or liberties of a person shall be in accordance with the conditions provided by the Constitution. In a case where the Constitution does not provide the conditions thereon, such law shall not be contrary to the rule of law, shall not unreasonably impose a burden on or restrict the rights or liberties of a person and shall not affect the human dignity of a person, and the justification and necessity for the restriction of the rights and liberties shall also be specified.”

Among other sections, Section 5 of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act states that if state officials carry out physical and mental torture, they will be deemed as committing a crime. Torture for the following purposes will be considered a crime:

– To obtain information or confessions from tortured persons or third-party persons

– To punish the tortured persons because of their own acts or third-party persons’s acts

– To intimidate the tortured persons or third-party persons

– To discriminate against tortured persons.

Section 6 of the act states that if state officials commit acts apart from what is stated in Section 5 and if the acts are cruel and inhumane and harm the human dignity, the offiicials will be deemed to be committing cruel and inhuman actions and abusing human dignity.

Section 7 states that if state officials kidnap anyone or carry out enforced disappearance, the officials will be regarded as committing the crime continually from the disappearance date until the fate of the victims are known.

The act states in Section 35 that violators of Section 5 will be subject to a fine between 100,000 to 300,000 baht and a jail term between 5 to 15 years if the victims are not severely injured or killed.

If the victims are severely injured, violators of Section 5 will be liable to a fine between 200,000 to 500,000 and a jail term from 10 to 25 years.

If the victims are killed, violators of Section 5 will be subject to 15 to 30 years imprisonment and a fine of 300,000 to one million baht.

Section 36 of the act states that violators of Section 6 will be subject to a maximum jail term of three years and or a fine of 60,000.

Section 37 of the act states that violators of Section 7 would be subject to 5 to 15 years imprisonment and a fine of between 100,000 to 300,000 baht.

If the victims are severely injured, the jail term would be increased to 10 to 15 years and fine to 200,000 to 500,000 baht.

But if the victims are killed, the jail term would be raised to 15 to 30 years and fine to 300,000 to one million baht.

Torture and enforced disappearance have long been problems in Thailand. Most of the reported cases have not been resolved, and hardly anyone has been punished, Human Rights Watch has said.

Since 1980, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has recorded 82 cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand, including the prominent Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit in March 2004. The actual number could be higher, as some families of victims and witnesses have remained silent, fearing reprisals if they speak, Human Rights Watch added.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021338

Flood victims welcome Prayut in Singburi, Thaksin’s daughter in Ubon Ratchathani

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2022

Though Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha received a warm welcome when he visited Singburi, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter was met with effusive cheers in the Northeast province of Ubon Ratchathani.

The leaders of the two opposite sides of government were meeting flood victims in their strongholds on Monday.

Prayut flew to Singburi in a helicopter with Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin and Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn.

Landing at the provincial stadium in Muang district, Prayut was welcomed by Palang Pracharath Party MP Chotwut Thanakhamanusorn and several locals, some of whom held up placards reading “Uncle Tu fighting” and “We Love Uncle Tu”. The premier’s nickname is Tu.

After receiving a briefing on the situation from Chotwut, Prayut’s entourage then travelled by car to Moo 3 village in Muang’s Bang Krabu sub-district, where they took boats to visit flooded areas near the banks of the Chao Phraya. The river broke its banks and submerged the area for more than a month now.

Before boarding the boat, Prayut met villagers and told them he had come to give them moral support. He even hugged and agreed to pose for selfies with them.

Upon arriving in the inundated area, the premier said he had come to see what can be done to ease the situation and on his way back he told the locals that he had instructed officials to deploy water pumps to drain the floods. He promised that the floods should be cleared in a few days.

Prayut then checked out flooding in the Tha Chang district’s Wat Phikulthong area before flying back to Bangkok.

Northeast visit

Meanwhile, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who oversees the Pheu Thai Family Project, headed to Ubon Ratchathani in the Northeast on Monday. She was accompanied by Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew and several core party members including secretary-general Prasert Chanruangthong and spokesperson Theerarat Samretwanich.

Her entourage was met at Ubon Ratchathani airport by hundreds of supporters dressed in red, many of whom handed her red roses and tied pha khao ma cloth to her waist.

The group also shouted slogans like “Pheu Thai Family Fighting, Ung Ing fighting”, referring to Paetongtarn by her nickname.

The group first headed to the mitigation centre in Ubon Ratchathani’s Muang district to check on the progress made in registering complaints and helping flood victims.

Ubon Ratchathani has been hit hard by massive runoffs from upstream provinces bombarded by heavy downpours.

Paetongtarn’s entourage then visited the flood shelter in Warin Chamrap district where some 1,000 villagers are being housed after they were evacuated from Bung Mai sub-district.

The villagers, who have been there for two months now, were delighted to see the politicians and greeted them with offerings of the traditional pha khao ma loincloths.

Paetongtarn and the Pheu Thai leaders also stopped at a tent to speak to an 82-year-old woman, who said she wanted to go home.

People at the centre said the floods this year were worse than in 2019, but they had received little help from the government or the private sector. The villagers were also very understanding when the party told them they could not offer support because it would break Election Commission (EC) regulations.

Speaking to reporters later, Paetongtarn said she and her party members were very sad they could not offer even basic necessities due to the election rules.

The EC has set May 7 as a tentative election date and declared that any handouts given to potential voters within 180 days of the poll will be seen as vote-buying.

Cholnan said that with the opposition’s hands tied, the government should accelerate help provided to flood victims.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021311

Prayut preferred as next PM by southern voters: survey

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2022

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha tops the list of choices for next PM among voters in the South, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida Poll).

Meanwhile, the Democrats scored highest among choices of parties to vote for at the next election, indicating they have maintained their traditional stronghold in the South.

The telephone survey was conducted among 2,001 eligible voters from different educational backgrounds, income levels and professions between October 17 and 20.

Asked whom they would support as next prime minister if a general election was held now, the respondents replied as follows:

– 23.94 per cent said Prayut, because he was honest, decisive, brave and had brought peace to the nation.

– 13.24 per cent said Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, citing her Pheu Thai Party’s policies, the Shinawatra family’s achievements and her status as a new-generation politician.

– 11.24 per cent said Pita Limjaroenrat, Move Forward Party leader.

– 6.14 per cent said Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, leader of Seri Ruam Thai (Thai Liberal) Party

– 5.95 per cent said Jurin Laksanawisit, Democrat leader

– 5.30 per cent said Korn Chatikavanij, Chart Pattana Kla Party leader

– 5.10 per cent said Sudarat Keyuraphan, Thai Sang Thai Party leader

– 4 per cent said Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai Party leader

– 2.90 per cent said Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, Prachachart Party leader

– 2.40 per cent said Somkid Jatusripitak, economic tsar of the Sang Anakot Thai Party

– 1.50 per cent said Cholnan Srikaew, Pheu Thai leader

– 1.10 per cent said Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok governor

– 4.40 per cent said Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, Kanchana Silapa-archa, former Chart Thai Pattana leader, Parliament President Chuan Leekpai, or did not express a preference.

Asked which party they would vote for in the constituency election:

– 27.49 per cent said the Democrats

– 14.94 per cent said Pheu Thai

– 12.09 per cent said Palang Pracharath

– Still undecided (12.09%)

– 11.84 per cent said Move Forward

– 7.45 per cent said Bhumjaithai

– 3.60 said Prachachart

– 3.10 per cent said Seri Ruam Thai

– 1.50 per cent said Chart Pattana Kla

– 1.50 per cent said Thai Sang Thai

– 1.05 per cent said Kla Party

– 1 per cent said Sang Anakot Thai

– 2.35 per cent said Thai Phakdee, Thai Sang Chart or did not have a preference.

Asked which party they would vote for in the party-list election:

– 27.64 per cent said the Democrats

– 15.54 per cent said Pheu Thai

– 12.54 per cent were still undecided

– 12.49 per cent said Move Forward

– 11.89 per cent said Palang Pracharath

– 6.95 per cent said Bhumjaithai

– 3.15 per cent said Seri Ruam Thai

– 2.75 per cent said Prachachart

– 1.40 per cent said Chart Pattana Kla

– 1.40 per cent said Thai Sang Thai

– 1.05 per cent said Kla Party

– 1.05 per cent said Sang Anakot Thai

– 2.15 per cent said Thai Phakdee, Thai Sang Chart or did not express a preference.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021226

Vocal critic of new Parliament complex construction denies seeking to undermine Sino-Thai’s business

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022

Former Democrat MP Watchara Phetthong, who has launched a crusade against what he called a long list of defective construction work at the new Parliament compound, denied on Thursday that he was doing it to undermine the business of the construction contractor.

Watchara on Thursday held a press conference to respond to an allegation by Pakpoom Srichamni, the president of Sino-Thai Engineering & Construction Plc.

On Monday, Pakpoom held a press conference with some Sino-Thai executives that a group of politicians had been attacking the company via the media ceaselessly and caused damage to the company.

Pakpoom insisted that Sino-Thai has been building the Parliament Complex in line with the contract and since it was a mega-project, it was impossible for the company to hand over the completed jobs in one go.

Pakpoom said Sino-Thai had to gradually hand over the completed jobs, and defects could occur later after usage of some parts of the project.

Without mentioning Watchara’s name directly, Pakpoom said it was not fair to the company for someone to try to block the job handling-over process.

Watchara said he did not seek to block the completion of the project and he would not have had to come out to expose alleged wrongdoings had the company strictly complied with the contract and the construction blueprint.

Watchara noted that Sino-Thai tried to hand over the complete project to the inspection committee headed by Sathit Prasertsak, deputy secretary-general of the House Secretariat, on July 4 but the committee voted to reject the work, deeming them incomplete.

Watchara alleged that Sino-Thai had failed to follow the contract and blueprint for several items. For example, he alleged, the walls of meeting rooms of parliamentary panels did not meet the blueprint specifications, and the company had failed to follow the blueprint regarding underground power cables and it allegedly failed to install soundproof doors for the meeting rooms of the parliamentary panels.

Watchara said Sino-Thai had signed a contract to build the Parliament complex for 12.28 billion baht in 900 days. The company has withdrawn all the money but the project has not been completed even after 3,400 days.

Watchara has repeatedly criticised leaks from the ceiling and said that rainwater had got into the building during heavy rains.

For example, he said on October 2 rainwater had leaked from the rooftop of the new parliamentary building down the fire exits to enter all rooms on the fifth floor.

He said rainwater used to leak into the library on the ninth floor and had caused the library ceiling to collapse.

On October 11, Watchara alleged that Sino-Thai had failed to meet the requirements regarding trees that it had to relocate to be planted inside the complex, causing at least 54 trees to die.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021145

PTT chairman resigns ‘due to political pressure’

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

The chairman of PTT’s board of directors, Thosaporn Sirisumphand, has stepped down due to political pressure, a source from Government House said on Tuesday.

The source made the remark after Thosaporn, who was also an independent director, sent in his resignation letter with effect from October 15, seven months after his appointment on April 8 this year.

The source said Thosaporn faced difficulties in his work as he stood against government officials who hold political power.

“Thosaporn had a severe conflict with the government working teams,” the source said, adding that he was pressured to resign from many positions that he holds.

The source added that Thosaporn plans to resign from all positions in the government. He is currently also the chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Thosaporn is considered an adviser trusted by Prayut. He had been appointed as National Economic and Social Development Council’s secretary-general instead of Porametee Vimolsiri, who became permanent secretary at the Social Development and Human Security Ministry.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021108

Pheu Thai leads call for Bhumjaithai’s dissolution over liberal cannabis policy

MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022

Opposition parties led by Pheu Thai say they will push for the dissolution of coalition partner Bhumjaithai Party because its policy to decriminalise cannabis is unlawful and is causing problems.

Opposition leader Chonlanan Srikaew said on Monday that the legalisation of cannabis violates Section 92 of the organic law on political parties and had been designed to win votes.

“The party will file a petition with the Election Commission,” he said.

He added that the opposition parties are studying the petition details closely and expect to have clarity by November 1.

Chonlanan said the opposition is against the legalisation of cannabis because it is having an adverse impact on society.

Removing cannabis and hemp from the category 5 narcotics list was one of the policies put forward by Bhumjaithai as it was campaigning for votes in 2019.

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also Bhumjaithai leader, issued a ministerial edict declaring cannabis and hemp legal on June 9 this year, which allowed the public to grow the plants commercially.

Chonlanan said the opposition parties will also ask the Administrative Court to overturn the edict, as it leads to the misconception that cannabis is safe to use and has medical benefits.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021076

Korn promises to make Thais wealthy as new leader of Chart Pattana Kla Party

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2022

Former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij who left Kla Party to join Chart Pattana last month was named leader of the new Chart Pattana Kla Party.

Tewan Liptapanlop, former Chart Pattana leader, was named secretary-general at the party caucus on Sunday.

Suwat Liptapanlop, the powerhouse of Chart Pattana who announced the tie-up with Korn early last month, remained as party chairman.

Chart Pattana Kla Party’s first general assembly began on Sunday with Korn unveiling the blue-gold logo that forms the Thai alphabet “chor chang” – the party’s first initial.

Korn said the new logo signifies the party’s bright future, while the blue rising line represents the “strong bow that will shoot the party to its goal”.

He added that the blue in the logo also signifies the party’s firm steps towards its political goal, while the gold represents encouragement, confidence and courage.

“The Chart Pattana Kla’s logo represents Thailand’s courage in developing the bright flame of prosperity that will never die,” he said, referring to the word “Kla”, which stands for courage in Thai.

After Korn unveiled the new logo, Tewan announced his resignation as party leader and named the former finance minister as his successor. Korn, who was the only candidate for the job, won all 304 votes.

The party caucus also elected 29 other executives, including Tewan as secretary-general and Attawit Suwanpakdee and Worawut Oonjai as deputy leaders.

Erawan Thapplee was named secretary-general,

Kobsak Sabhavasu chief economic strategist and chief party election campaign strategist, while Wannarat Charnnukul was named the party’s election director.

After the party’s election results were announced, Korn said the Chart Pattana Kla Party’s aim was to make Thais wealthy and improve the country’s economy.

“The country will only develop when we dare to change,” he said, adding that it was time for Thais to rise up and change the country’s entire economic structure.

“We must dare to think what others have never thought of. We must create more than a million new jobs, including positions in the creative economy, that will help boost people’s earnings.”

He said his party will also open online channels for Thais to sell their products overseas among other things.

The Chart Pattana Kla Party will also make the government easily accessible to the population via a mobile app, so they can have it working for them 24/7.

Korn quit the Democrat Party in 2020 to co-found Kla Party which was registered on Valentine’s Day the same year. However, early last month Korn announced plans to politically cooperate with Suwat.

Then on September 26, Chart Pattana Party held a general assembly and changed the party’s name to Chart Pattana Kla to signify the link up.

Separately, the remaining members of Kla Party had met five days earlier to elect a new executive board and elected Jirayut Veerapong as the new leader.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40021067

Thaksin shows up in Bangkok online to sign copies of new book

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2022

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra showed up online at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok on Saturday to sign autographs for fans.

The ex-PM appeared via weblink at the Thaicom Foundation booth to launch his new book “Thaksin Shinawatra Theory and Thought” at the Book Expo Thailand 2022.

The book was published by Thaksin’s three children, Paethongtarn, Panthongtae and Pintongta.

People formed a long queue at the booth from 4pm, two hours before autograph-signing began.

Thaksin told his fans before the signing that he only recently realised the book was being published, during an interview in Singapore.

He thanked his family members and acquaintances for giving interviews for the book, especially his ex-wife Potjaman Na Pombejra.

He said readers should find the contents of the book interesting and beneficial.

“Of course, it is up to your heart. If you do not give up, you can overcome all situations,” the deposed PM told listeners.

Thaksin was ousted as prime minister by a military coup in 2006 before fleeing Thailand two years later to escape a corruption ruling. He has lived in self-imposed exile ever since.

A controversial 2013 amnesty bill that would have paved the way for his return instead triggered street protests which culminated in the 2014 coup against the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra, his sister.

The QSNCC will next month host world leaders attending the Apec summit.