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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013174

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Interior Ministry’s proposal to hold the elections for Bangkok governor and Pattaya City mayor by the end of May.

Asource said the Cabinet approved the election schedules proposed by the Interior Ministry, and it had assigned the Election Commission to set the election dates for both the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration governor and Pattaya City mayor.

On Monday, a well-connected source said the Interior Ministry has chosen Sunday, May 29 as the date for the elections.

The election for members of Bangkok Metropolitan Council and Pattaya council would also be held on the same day. Bangkokians will elect 50 council members while Pattaya residents will elect 24 council members.

Before attending the Cabinet meeting, Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda confirmed that he would ask the Cabinet to consider approving the dates of the two local elections.

Anupong said it would be up to the EC to decide whether it wanted to hold the elections on May 29.

BMA governor hopefuls have been preparing to contest the gubernatorial poll since late last year with many coming out to offer themselves as candidates.

A recent opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration found that Chadchart Sittipunt, who has announced that he will contest the poll as an independent, is the most favoured choice for Bangkok governor.

The survey polled 1,313 people from February 28 to March 2. It found that 38.01 per cent of the respondents preferred Chadchart as the next Bangkok governor. Incumbent Governor Aswin Kwanmuang was way behind in the race, getting support from only 11.73 per cent of respondents.

Published : March 08, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013099

Without naming names, former prime minister Anand Panyarachun said in an interview that the time has run out for the old generation to run the country.

The former premier, who took over after the May 1992 bloody crackdown, made this comment in an interview posted on YouTube by a group called the “Third Council”.

In the programme, the anchor asked Anand to comment on the mounting criticism against Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government and how it should respond to the younger generation’s call for a true democracy, not a half-hearted one under the controversial Constitution.

Anand replied: “The government should look to the future. An old man like me must understand that our time has run out.

“Actually people from my generation should stay outside the arena. We may express our opinions from outside the ring, but the ones who run the country should belong to the new generation.”

He added that the new generation cannot be defined by age, but by their new attitude, “because old attitudes are no longer applicable”.

The veteran statesman said that as a father and grandfather, he has realised that his children and grandchildren have developed different attitudes based on the different ways of teaching in their generation. He said the older generation cannot stop the younger generation from following their own way of thinking.

When asked to comment on the attempts of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which was created after the May 22, 2014 coup, to perpetuate its power, Anand laughed and declined to answer.

The anchor again reiterated, saying the NCPO had promised to return the power to the people soon after the coup, but instead it has been in power for eight years through its three generals – Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan and Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda. The anchor also said that despite mounting public calls for Prayut to resign, he has stayed put even though his government has failed on several fronts.

To this Anand laughingly said, “you must ask PM Prayut yourself”.

When asked to compare Prayut to military strongman Suchinda Kraprayoon, Anand replied: “Khun Suchinda is still ashamed of himself. After the May 1992 bloodshed, His Majesty King Rama IX summoned both Chamlong Srimuang and Khun Suchinda for an audience in the palace. The King then asked them to stop fighting because the people of Thailand were being affected and nobody would win if people were being killed. The King only said this without calling on anyone to resign, but both of them understood what was going on. The King did not say outright that you two should quit, he just quietly advised them to listen to their own conscience.”

General Suchinda, then Army chief, staged a coup on February 23, 1991, ousting the democratically elected government of Chatichai Choonhavan. He then took over as a non-MP prime minister in a subsequent election, prompting then-Palang Dharma Party leader Chamlong to lead street protests against him. The protests sparked a bloody crackdown in which many were killed, and hundreds injured and disappeared. Anand was then appointed prime minister of an interim government after Suchinda resigned.

When the anchor asked again what he thinks Prayut should do now that public calls for him to resign are getting louder, Anand said: “I don’t know, but in foreign countries, government leaders step down easily.”

He said outside Thailand, prime ministers or ministers hand in their resignation if they are embroiled in scandals or issues even before they are proven guilty.

Published : March 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013090

Independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt remains the strong favourite to become Bangkok’s next governor, according to a Nida (National Institute of Development Administration) poll published on Sunday.

Chadchart, a former transport minister in Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, came top with the support of 38.01 per cent of respondents.

Current governor Aswin Kwanmuang ranked third with 11.73 per cent. The ruling Palang Pracharath Party came bottom of the poll, with only 1.29 per cent of respondents saying they would vote for its candidate.

Nida’s 11th monthly poll was conducted on February 28 and March 2, ahead of an election tentatively planned for May.

It asked 1,313 Bangkok voters from different educational and occupational backgrounds, “Who should be the next Bangkok governor?”.

The results were as follows:

– Chadchart Sittipunt: 38.01 per cent

– Undecided: 13.40 per cent

– Aswin Kwanmuang: 11.73 per cent

– Wirot Lakkanadisorn (Move Forward): 8.83 per cent

– Suchatvee Suwansawat (Democrat Party): 8.61 per cent

– No candidate: 5.56 per cent

– Pheu Thai Party candidate: 4.27 per cent

– Rosana Tositrakul: 3.73 per cent

– Will not cast a vote: 1.83 per cent

– Palang Pracharath Party candidate: 1.29 per cent

Meanwhile, 2.74 per cent opted for others, such as Sakoltee Phattiyakul, Prayoon Krongyos (Thai Civilised Party), and candidates from the Kla, Thai Sang Thai and Thai Pakdee parties.

Support for Aswin, Suchatvee and a Pheu Thai candidate dropped compared to last month’s poll but backing for Chadchart, Wirot and Rosana rose.

Respondents were also asked which team should work on the Bangkok Metropolitan Council.

Results were as follows:

– Chadchart’s team: 26.89 per cent

– Undecided: 15.99 per cent

– Wirot’s team: 10.44 per cent

– Suchatvee’s team: 9.14 per cent

– Independent team: 8.53 per cent

– Aswin’s team: 8.45 per cent

– Pheu Thai’s team: 6.55 per cent.

A no-vote was the choice of 4.95 per cent of respondents, followed by Rosana’s team (2.74 per cent), not voting (1.83 per cent) and the Palang Pracharath candidate’s team (1.60 per cent).

Meanwhile, 2.89 per cent said others, such as teams of Sakoltee Phattiyakul, Prayoon Krongyos (Thai Civilised Party), Kla, Thai Sang Thai and Thai Pakdee candidates.

Support for the teams of Chadchart, Suchatvee, Aswin, Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath fell compared to the results of the 10th survey. Support rose for the teams of Wirot and independents.

Published : March 06, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40013051

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower court’s decision to jail former social development and human security minister Watana Muangsook for 50 years for demanding bribe in a low-cost housing project.

The Supreme Court upheld the guilty verdict handed to Watana and eight other defendants by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.

The lower court had ruled on September 24, 2020 that Watana and eight other defendants had violated the laws by demanding a bribe of Bt82.6 million from Pastiya Thai Co Ltd in exchange for helping it win the Bt2.5-billion Eua Arthont housing project for the poor when Watana was social development and human security minister.

The bribe was demanded through President Trading Co and its employee.

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions had earlier ruled that Watana had committed 11 counts of violations of Section 148 of the Criminal Code that prohibits abuse of official positions to demand assets or any interest from others.

Watana was given nine years imprisonment for each count, totalling 99 years, but the law allows a person to be jailed for a maximum of 50 years for corruption crimes.

Watana had appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court. The defence argued that he had no relationship with Apichart Chansakulporn, better known as Sia Piang, who had demanded the bribe from the real estate developer.

Watana also argued that the Anti-Money Laundering Office had checked the transaction trail and did not find him linked to the bribe money.

But the top court ruled that all evidence pointed to wrongdoings committed by Watana, while upholding the earlier verdict of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.

The housing project for the poor was implemented by the Thaksin Shinawatra government.

Following the 2006 coup that toppled the Thaksin government, the now-defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee initiated an inquiry over irregularities in the low-cost housing project.

The case was later taken up by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which decided to sue Watana and 13 other defendants in the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions in 2017 for violating the Criminal Code.

Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court following the appeal marks the end of the legal process in the case.

The top court ordered Watana, Apichart and President Trading to return Bt82.6 million to the state.

Watana was in court to hear the verdict. Before entering the courtroom, he had told reporters that he was innocent and confident of being acquitted.

After the court spent two hours reading the verdict, the ex-minister was taken to prison by Corrections Department officials.

Published : March 04, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012997

The Royal Thai Navy will insist that China must honour the contract to acquire German diesel engines for the submarines being purchased by Thailand.

Navy chief of staff Admiral Thalerngsak Sirisawat, who is chairman of the submarine procurement committee, said the Navy has informed the Chinese manufacturer that the original contract must be honoured.

Thalerngsak was reacting to a report that the German manufacturer had refused to sell an MTU396 engine to be installed in the S26T submarine being built for the Royal Thai Navy.

Thalerngsak said the issue would be dealt with by taking into account the interest of the country and the Navy.

Late last month, Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Yutthapong Charasathian cried foul that the Navy had already purchased the first submarine for Bt13.5 billion but Germany’s MTU had refused to sell its diesel engines to the Chinese submarine manufacturer, China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC).

When asked what would be the solution if the CSOC failed to obtain the MTU engine, Yutthapong said he had made it clear to the CSOC that the engine had to be the MTU 396 model as stated in the contract.

He said the Navy would refuse to accept compatible diesel engines made in China.

The Navy chief denied a report that the CSOC had assigned a Chinese language teacher to oversee the construction of a submarine base. Yutthapong said the construction is being supervised by Lang Qingxu, the project manager of CSOC, with a Thai engineer, Chakkrapong Wongthanapakorn, as the project’s engineer.

Yutthapong said the delivery of the first submarine has been postponed for six months to May 2024 because of the Covid-19 situation in Wuhan.

Asked about the possibility of the project to procure three submarines from China being eventually cancelled, Yutthapong said such a decision would have to be in the future.

“But the Thai and Chinese sides must first hold talks on how to solve the problems,” Yutthapong said.

“The Navy wants to purchase submarines 100 per cent, but we want the submarines that are stated in the contract.”

Published : March 03, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012996

The Parliament complex was partly flooded earlier this week after water gushed out of a large leaking tap-water pipe, causing “what looked like a big waterfall”, former MP Watchara Petthong from the coalition Democrat Party said on Thursday.

He said this was not the first time such an embarrassing incident took place inside the huge complex, which required 12.2 billion baht in taxpayers’ money to build.

The politician blamed the leaks and the resulting flooding on construction defects caused by insufficient quality control by the many subcontractors, substandard materials and poor specifications.

He claimed to have received two video clips showing the latest incident, which took place at about 5am on March 1.

A large tap-water pipe on the eighth floor of the complex broke, causing leaks that looked like a big waterfall in the rooms of advisory teams and the House of Representatives deputy secretary-general, according to Watchara.

“Some rooms were flooded as high as the anklebone. Many official documents were damaged,” he said.

The leaked water cascaded down three elevator shafts from the eighth floor to the basement, causing the elevator service to be suspended.

Watchara revealed that the Building Inspectors Association had found a “high level of unsafeness” in the complex.

He added that last year rainwater had leaked into several areas of the building, including the Suriyan Hall where MPs convene their meetings, and the office of Parliament President Chuan Leekpai. The leaks took place in September and October 2021.

The politician claimed there were a series of other similar incidents that were unreported due to cover-ups by Parliament’s permanent officials. “They did not want to lose face. This Parliament complex was built with 12.28 billion baht of taxpayer money, but the construction was not up to the standard. Water leaks occur every so often,” he said.

Watchara also noted that the building’s construction has not yet been totally completed even to this day.

Published : March 03, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012902

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra went on Facebook Live for the first time ever on Monday to air her concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on her fellow citizens.

She said she misses her friends and relatives in Thailand and has been closely monitoring the country’s situation, especially its economy and the rising cost of living.

Yingluck has been on self-exile overseas for more than four years.

The former PM also called on the Thai public to overcome the situation and urged the government to take care of them.

“The government should ensure people are making enough to live on,” she said. “It should see how it can boost wages in line with the rising cost of living.”

Yingluck explained that this was now the era of a new generation of people who have expertise in various fields and it is up to them to choose the right premier to manage the country.

“Whatever position I take, I want to help people as Thailand is my homeland,” she said.

She added that being the prime minister of a country is tough, as the premier has to manage conflicts, inequality between the rich and poor and economic issues.

However, she said, the new generation keeps tabs on politics and wants to see the country’s leaders move in the right direction.

Yingluck also advised older people to pay heed to the new generation’s ideas for the future.

“I and [her brother] former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra are concerned about the people of Thailand,” she concluded.

Before this Facebook Live session, Yingluck had posted a video clip on social media featuring images of her time as Thailand’s first female prime minister. She was prime minister from August 5, 2011, to May 7, 2014, when she was ousted by a Constitutional Court ruling.

Published : March 01, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012872

Veteran politician, Bhichai Rattakul, who was former Democrat Party leader and ex-Parliament president, succumbed to lung cancer on Monday. He was 95.

The late politician’s son, Bhichit Rattakul, said his father had passed away at Siriraj Hospital, two weeks after he was admitted to receive treatment.

Before taking his last breath, Bhichai managed to convey his wishes to every member of his family, Bhichit said.

The Democrat Party also posted a message of condolence on its website for the passing of its fourth leader.

Bhichai, a veteran politician, who was an MP several times, also held many key government positions, including deputy PM, Parliament president, House speaker and foreign minister.

Born on September 16, 1926, to Bhisal and Wilai Rattakul, Bhichai had nine siblings. He completed his secondary education at Bangkok Christian College before furthering his studies at Hong Kong’s Saint Stephen’s College.

He began his political career by joining the Democrat Party in 1958 under the leadership of Khuang Aphaiwong and was elected as Bangkok MP in 1969.

In 1975, Bhichai became foreign minister under the government of MR Seni Pramoj and in 1982 became the fourth leader of the Democrat Party. He led the party until 1991.

The late politician then became deputy PM from 1983 until 1990 and again from 1997 to 2000 in Chuan Leekpai’s second term.

Royally-sponsored bathing rites will be held at 5.30pm in Wat Thepsirin’s Kawee Niramitr Pavilion on Tuesday.

Published : February 28, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012837

Opposition Pheu Thai Party brought up the issue of Thailand’s acquisition of submarines from China again on Sunday by claiming it was suspicious and lacked transparency.

The party’s deputy leader Yuttapong Charasathien said the first submarine acquired for 12.42 billion baht was already facing problems with its engine and that the China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC) was allegedly acquiring a new engine from other Chinese companies. CSOC claims to have been authorised by the Chinese government to do this.

Yuttapong pointed out that China does not produce submarine engines, while German engine manufacturer MTU Friedrichshafen had rejected CSOC’s request.

“Hence, I will write to the PM and Navy chief to not change the engine as it will put the users in danger,” he said.

Yuttapong also said that CSOC is not a representative of the Chinese government, but is actually a brokerage company. He also clamed that the project manager and three CSOC executives who had shown up to oversee the construction of the submarine wharf were questionable because they had arrived in Thailand as Chinese-language teachers. He backed this claim with information from the Department of Employment.

“Also, there is no progress on the construction even though they have received 15 per cent of the budget,” he said, urging the premier and Navy chief to look into this issue.

He added that Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan should be held responsible for this issue because CSOC had connections with Anat Amnueypol from Nutpol Co Ltd. The company had donated 2 million baht to Prawit’s Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation.

“Meanwhile, Anat’s son, Vorapote Amnueypol, also donated 5 million baht to the ruling Palang Pracharath Party,” he added.

Published : February 27, 2022

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40012751

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked citizens to keep faith with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s measures to contain virus infections, adding that the crisis will be over soon.

In a Thursday Facebook post, he said the global Covid-19 situation needed to be monitored, adding that Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, India and Singapore will likely experience rising infections.

He also confirmed that Omicron was less severe than Delta, pointing out that the number of patients suffering moderate to severe symptoms as of February 22 was below 20 per cent.

“The majority of Covid-19 patients developed mild symptoms and were able to receive treatment under home or community isolation schemes,” he said.

Prayut said the CCSA has been able to reduce treatment expenses thanks to Omicron’s lower severity and cheaper medical supplies.

He added that 92 per cent of Covid-19 patients in Thailand have recovered, higher than the global average of 83 per cent.

“Also, Thailand is among the countries that have successfully reopened under Covid-19 prevention measures in line with the global situation, drawing foreign tourists worldwide,” he said.

“Moreover, Bangkok was ranked sixth among global convention cities in 2021.”

He confirmed that Covid-19 patients can still receive free treatment under the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) scheme, adding that government and private hospitals cannot deny free treatment.

Meanwhile, the National Health Security Office had increased its number of hotlines to 3,000 lines and added the Line account @NHSO to support the rising number of Covid-19 cases, he said.

“Also, provincial government agencies have been told to ready expansion of field hospitals, prepare emergency plans and ensure there are no gatherings that violate Covid-19 prevention measures.”

He also confirmed that adjustment of CCSA measures was based on medical advice, scientific studies and recommendations based on the Covid-19 situation, Thai social context, and public safety balanced with the economy.

“I am convinced that medical potential and citizens’ cooperation will enable Thailand to overcome this Covid-19 crisis, which will be ended soon,” he concluded.

Published : February 25, 2022

By : THE NATION