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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024704

Top Thai court issues arrest warrant for ex-interior minister Jarupong

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2023

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Position has issued an arrest warrant for former interior minister Jarupong Ruangsuwan over a graft case dating back to 2012.

The warrant was issued because Jarupong failed to attend the first hearing on December 13, the court said. Jarupong had assigned his lawyer to represent him in court on that day.

The former minister is being sued for unlawfully taking gifts worth more than 3,000 baht from a private company twice in 2012 and 2013.

Thailand’s anti-corruption laws prohibit state officials from receiving gifts worth more than 3,000 baht from private companies.

According to the lawsuit, Jarupong flew business class on China Airlines from Bangkok to Beijing and back in 2012 and then again to Kuala Lumpur and back in 2013.

The former minister then reportedly had Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Plc reimburse him for the two round-trip tickets worth 39,000 baht and 20,000 baht, respectively. The reimbursement was allegedly sought even though Jarupong had no direct links with the company.

At that time, Jarupong was part of then-PM Yingluck Shinawatra’s Cabinet and also chaired the board of directors for the Provincial Waterworks Authority.

Yingluck’s government was ousted in a military coup led by incumbent Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha in 2014.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024670

Prayut begs coalition MPs to attend House meetings, so bills can be passed

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2023

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday that he has instructed the leaders of coalition partners to ensure their MPs attend all remaining House meetings.

The last session of the incumbent House of Representatives is due to be held on February 28, though the government will complete its four-year tenure on March 22.

In response to reporters’ questions, Prayut said he has done his duty as prime minister. Reporters also asked if he would talk to Parliament President Chuan Leekpai about measures to prevent the remaining House meetings from collapsing due to a lack of quorum.

Prayut said he did not have to meet Chuan because he personally could not issue any orders to MPs of coalition partners, as he had no post in the parties.

He said all he can do as premier is advise coalition leaders to tell their MPs to attend House meetings.

“I would like to call on all MPs to do their duty for the remaining time. Please pass what needs to be passed and enact all important bills,” Prayut said.

For the past few months, House meetings have been adjourned often due to the lack of quorum, prompting reporters on the Parliament beat to label the House as “Sam Wan Nee, See Wan Lom” – “Absent Every Three Days, Collapse Every Four”.

The repeated collapse of House meetings has put the second reading of the hemp and marijuana bill on hold. Also, the two key coalition partners – Bhumjaithai and Democrat parties – have been conflicting over the bill.

Bhumjaithai claims the Democrat Party is jealous of its success with the ganja liberalisation policy, which is why it is undermining the enactment of the bill by not letting its MPs attend meetings.

The bill is expected to lapse at the end of the last parliamentary session.

“I’ve done my part, but the differences and points it has yet to be reviewed to see which issues the coalition partners disagree on,” Prayut added.

Related story:

House lives up to its nickname, marijuana bill delayed further

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024668

‘No political party in a position to field candidates in all 77 provinces’

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2023

None of the Thai political parties is eligible to contest all 400 constituency-seats in all 77 provinces, according to the database with the Election Commission (EC), a source at the poll agency disclosed on Monday.

The source said the latest update as of February 3 showed that the parties that can contest in the highest number of constituencies can so far field candidates in only 72, not all 77 provinces.

Some of the parties can enter the fray in 71 provinces and most can field candidates in fewer than 70 provinces, the source revealed.

The amended organic laws on election require political parties to have branches or representatives in all 400 constituencies and the parties must hold primary votes among members to select candidates for constituencies where they plan to contest.

As per the latest figures on branches and representatives in constituencies, only a few parties can contest in up to 72 provinces, the source explained, without elaborating on the parties’ names or numbers.

Earlier, the EC Office released the figures of political parties’ branches and representatives, saying only a few parties had a large number of representatives. They include:

• Democrat Party – 25 branches and 315 representatives

• Pheu Thai Party – 4 branches and 311 representatives

• Bhumjaithai Party – 4 branches and 211 representatives

• Seri Ruam Thai Party – 4 branches and 288 representatives

• Move Forward Party – 8 branches and 214 representatives

• Palang Pracharath Party – 4 branches and 263 representatives.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024633

Prayut will campaign on popular subsidy programmes, aide says

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will campaign on a promise to continue his government’s popular subsidy programmes in the upcoming election, a close aide said on Sunday.

PM’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a member of the United Thai Nation Party (UTNP), said Prayut was in the process of drafting campaign policies in his capacity as a member of the party’s political strategic committee and its likely prime ministerial candidate.

Thanakorn said Prayut was drafting a platform based on the successful subsidy programmes of his government, such as the state welfare cards, which are nicknamed “Uncle Tu’s cards”, the Khon La Krueng or half-half programme, and Rao Thiew Duay Kan (“We Travel Together”).

The Khon La Krueng programme was among the most popular subsidies of the Prayut government. It subsidised half of the price of goods bought at a ceiling of subsidy of 150 baht per day.

The “We Travel Together” programme provided a life-saving boost to the tourism industry by spurring domestic tourism.

“We believe the policies will help the party win more support from the people because the Prayut administration has had tangible achievements,” Thanakorn said, adding: “We have good internal management that will ensure the party receives more support from voters.”

Thanakorn said Prayut and UTNP leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga have demonstrated integrity and the determination to tackle people’s problems.

“They have a clean image in the eyes of the public and the party’s executive board has selected capable candidates,” Thanakorn added.

He said more former MPs would join the UTNP.

Thanakorn also expressed confidence that the UTNP would win the election because Prayut would campaign personally. He did not personally campaign before the 2019 election, but he was still elected as the prime minister, Thanakorn said.

Related story:

Prayut boasts of his achievements as he starts campaigning for votes

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024630

Thaksin’s daughter wallops rivals in poll of bellwether province

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 05, 2023

The youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra emerged as the most popular choice as a candidate for prime minister – by far – among voters in the bellwether province of Korat, a survey found.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra left Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in the dust, the survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) found.

The survey was carried out from January 30 to February 3 among 1,500 eligible voters in the northeastern province, which is formally known as Nakhon Ratchasima.

Korat, with 16 constituencies, has the second highest number of MPs after Bangkok, which has 33. More importantly, voters in Korat generally indicate how other voters in the Northeast will vote.

The party that wins the Northeast usually wins the election because the region is the most populous and has more constituencies than any other region.

Paetongtarn leads the Pheu Thai’s Family Project and is the party’s tentative candidate for prime minister.

She was selected by 37.80% of respondents in the survey, more than three times the number of any other candidate.

Pita was selected by only 12.40% of respondents. Prayut, the likely prime ministerial candidate for the United Thai Nation Party, fared worse. He was selected by only 11.73% of those surveyed.

The Nida poll found that 9.27% of respondents were undecided. Six other candidates received less than 7% of the vote each:

– 6.60%: Pol Gen Seri Temeeyaves, leader of Seri Ruam Thai Party

– 5.67%: Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party

– 3.47%: Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai Party leader and Public Health Minister

– 2.67%: Korn Chatikavanij, leader of the Chart Pattanakla Party

– 2.40%: Tewan Liptapanlop, Chart Pattanakla secretary-general

– 2.33%: Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew.

Surveys by Nida last year found that Paetongtarn was the most popular choice for premier nationwide. Most regional surveys also put her on top. However, Prayut was more popular than her in a survey of voters in the South, while Pita was the top choice in a survey of Bangkok voters.

When asked which party they would vote for in constituency-based elections, voters surveyed in Korat replied:

– 48.40%: Pheu Thai

– 13.80%: Move Forward

– 8.53%: United Thai Nation

– 7.07%: Undecided

– 4.73%: Chart Pattanakla

– 4.13%: Bhumjaithai

– 3.20%: Seri Ruam Thai

– 2.93%: Thai Sang Thai

– 2.47%: Democrat

– 2.27%: Palang Pracharath

Pheu Thai also topped Korat voters’ choice for party-list voting. The top 10 choices for the party-list vote were:

– 47.60%: Pheu Thai

– 14:00%: Move Forward

– 8.67%: United Thai Nation

– 8.14%: Still undecided

– 4.14%: Chart Pattanakla

– 3.73%: Bhumjaithai

– 3.33%: Seri Ruam Thai

– 2.93%: Thai Sang Thai

– 2.73%: Democrat

– 2.33%: Palang Pracharath

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024619

‘Political games’ blocking people’s right to clean air, say Democrats

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2023

With most of Thailand covered in a fog of fine dust nowadays, key Democrat figures say political games are delaying the deliberation of its bill on clean air.

Watanya “Madam Dear” Bunnag, who oversees the party’s working group on political innovation, blamed the delay on the frequent collapse of Parliament meetings due to a lack of quorum.

“The frequent collapses are obviously caused by politicians playing games. The Clean Air Bill is still stuck in Parliament, waiting to be tabled,” she said.

Watanya severed ties with the ruling Palang Pracharath Party on August 16 after the vote on calculating the number of party-list MPs was blocked by it. She joined the Democrat Party a month later.

On Saturday, the Democrat politician reiterated that everybody in the country has the basic right to clean air.

“The PM2.5 toxic dust is even more dangerous than a virus and has long-term impacts on your health.”

She was referring to the fine particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, which can be hazardous to people with lung and respiratory problems.

Many areas of Thailand, particularly Bangkok, have been shrouded by unhealthy levels of fine dust in recent weeks.
Watanya said many political parties and the civic sector have been supporting the Democrat Party’s Clear Air Bill.

“I call on the government and those responsible for this delay to face up to the suffering of the people,” she said.

Watanya also noted that politicians appeared to be paying more attention to campaigning ahead of the next general elections.

She made these comments while visiting residents in Bangkok’s Bang Kho Laem district along with other key Democrats.

Meanwhile, former Democrat governor candidate Suchatvee Suwansawat, who joined Watanya during the visit, said on Saturday that PM2.5 levels in Bangkok were alarming.

“Bangkok residents should not consider this normal. These levels are among the highest in the world and this toxic dust is harmful to your health,” Suchatvee said.

PM2.5 readings exceeded 100 micrograms per cubic metre of air (μg/m³) in many parts of Bangkok on Saturday, well above the government’s safe limit of 50 μg/m³. The safe level set by the World Health Organisation is 12 μg/m³ or lower.

Suchatvee, a former university rector, said that one of the Democrat Party’s policy platforms is restoring Bangkok’s environment. He explained that the Clean Air Bill was aimed at “truly changing the lives of Bangkok residents” by putting strict controls on vehicles entering the city while preventing “irresponsible construction” to curb PM2.5 dust.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024597

Govt working urgently to tackle PM2.5 crisis, says spokesman

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed his government to take urgent action to tackle the PM2.5 crisis, government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said on Friday.

The government has not been idle about the crisis and tackling PM2.5 pollution has become a national priority, Anucha said.

“The prime minister instructed all the state agencies to monitor the situation closely and continuously. He also follows up on the progress regularly to make sure that his proposed measures are taken,” he said.

The government has taken short- and long-term measures to deal with the problem, and information has been released to the public so that people can protect themselves from the health risks of PM2.5, Anucha said.

The amount of PM2.5 – fine dust – in the air is increasing in urban, farming and forested areas of the country, while the lack of airflow, as well as dry weather, are aggravating the problem, the spokesman said.
 

He urged commuters to use public transport more often to help reduce PM2.5 dust and to wear facemasks while outdoors to protect themselves.

The Public Health Ministry, Transport Ministry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives have all prescribed measures to reduce PM2.5 levels. These include banning vehicles that emit black fumes, reducing hotspots, discouraging outdoor burning, and reducing exhaust emitted by factories.

Many areas of Thailand, particularly Bangkok and the Northeast, have been shrouded by unhealthy levels of fine dust. The Pollution Control Department warned that the crisis would continue until the middle of next week.

The levels of PM2.5 in Bangkok and northeastern provinces exceeded the “safe” threshold of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m3 ) on Thursday, ranging from 62-139 μg/m3 in Bangkok and 57-158 μg/m3 in the Northeast.

PM2.5 can be hazardous to people with lung and respiratory problems.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024589

Provinces given 10 days to draw constituency boundaries for general election

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023

The Election Commission (EC) on Friday instructed its provincial offices across the country to designate their constituency boundaries within 10 days.

The move comes after the revised electoral law was enacted with royal endorsement.

The number of constituencies at the next general election, tentatively scheduled for May 7, will rise from 350 to 400.

In provinces with more than one constituency, the provincial electoral director must prepare at least three options for new boundaries, the EC said in its statement on Friday. The options must cover an unbroken area and contain a similar number of residents.

The proposed constituency boundaries will be put to a public hearing of local residents and political parties, with provincial electoral officials announcing the chosen options within 10 days.

Each constituency proposal must name the districts and sub-districts included, the number of residents, and how that population compares with the average number of residents per member of Parliament. Each of the 400 constituencies should deviate no more than 10% from the average of 165,226 residents, based on Thailand’s population of 66,090,475 as of December 31, 2022. Exceptions will be made in cases where adjacent communities must be included in the same constituency to facilitate voters.

Provincial electoral authorities must announce details of the final constituency boundaries at their local offices, as well as the Provincial Hall, City Hall, district offices, and local administrative offices.

This also applies to provinces where constituency boundaries remain unchanged from the 2019 election and provinces with only one constituency.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024567

Pheu Thai campaign office rocked by ‘ping-pong bomb’

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023

The opposition Pheu Thai Party alerted police on Thursday after a small handmade bomb was thrown at a campaign billboard erected outside its office in Bangkok’s Don Mueang district.

Suthanapoj Kijthanapitak, who is tipped to be Pheu Thai’s election candidate for the Don Mueang constituency, said that a pillion rider on a motorcycle threw a “ping-pong bomb” at the signboard outside his campaign office in the morning.

“Luckily, nobody was hurt,” he said, adding that the billboard was just erected on Wednesday.

The large signboard appeared to be undamaged by the explosion.

The politician said that he was concerned about the people living in the neighbourhood. He asked police and community leaders to increase safety measures for residents.

Suthanapoj is expected to contest the next general election under Pheu Thai’s banner, replacing its former MP Karun Hosakul, who left the core opposition party to join the newly formed Thai Sang Thai Party.

In the afternoon, Puangpet Chunlaiad, the Pheu Thai member in charge of the party’s campaign in Bangkok, visited the Don Mueang office to inspect the damage.

She said that Pheu Thai filed a police complaint about the incident, adding that an investigation was underway to find the culprit.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40024565

Supreme Court issues arrest warrant for former DSI chief

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Tarit Pengdit, a former Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general, after he failed to attend the reading of a verdict in a criminal case against him.

Tarit requested seven postponements of the court’s reading of the verdict over the past year.

In April last year, the Supreme Court granted his request for postponement after he informed the court that he was being treated for Covid-19.

In his latest request submitted on Wednesday, Tarit said he needed three more months for treatment of kidney disease.

His lawyer informed the court that Tarit underwent an operation at Siriraj Hospital on January 29 and needed time for recovery and medical monitoring.

Tarit and three other DSI officers are accused of abuse of power and malfeasance by former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy premier Suthep Thaugsuban for filing murder charges against them over the crackdown on red-shirt protests in 2012.

In March 2020, the Appeals Court overturned the Criminal Court’s acquittal of Tarit and sentenced him to two years in prison. The three other DSI officers were also found guilty of malfeasance and given two-year terms.

The court found them guilty of abuse of authority in favour of the Yingluck Shinawatra government, which succeeded Abhisit’s Democrat-led administration.

After considering the documents submitted by the defendant, the Supreme Court on Thursday found that his doctor’s letter did not state that Tarit’s condition was so serious that he could not attend the court hearing on Thursday.

The court said the defendant had made multiple requests for postponement over the past year. This could be considered a delaying tactic to allow the defendant time to escape, so the court issued a warrant for Tarit’s arrest to force him to attend the verdict reading.

The Supreme Court scheduled March 24 for its reading of the verdict in Tarit’s case. His surety of 300,000 baht was seized and the court ordered his guarantor to pay a fine within 15 days.

The three other defendants showed up for the court’s hearing on Thursday.