Thai government allocates THB24 billion for subsidies to boost domestic manufacture of EV batteries
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
A budget of 24 billion baht has been set aside to subsidise domestic manufacturing of battery cells for electric vehicles (EVs), Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said on Friday.
He said that the state subsidy was aimed at helping manufacturers cut their production costs, which in turn would result in cheaper prices for EVs in the domestic market.
The subsidy is part of measures agreed upon by the National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee at its first meeting of the year. Among other measures is a reduction in excise tax for EV battery-makers, from 8% to 1%.
The incentives to encourage domestic production of EV battery cells were aimed at creating a complete manufacturing base for EVs in Thailand, said Supattanapong, who also doubles as deputy prime minister.
The committee, also known as the “EV Board”, resolved to offer subsidies of 400-600 baht per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to producers of EV batteries with a capacity below 8 gigawatts-hour (GWh) and 600-800 baht per kWh to manufacturers with a capacity above 8GWh.
Due to the limited budget, subsidies will be distributed on a “first-come, first-served” basis, according to Supattanapong, who chaired the meeting as head of the EV Board.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Finance Ministry, the Board of Investment, the Transport Ministry, the Energy Ministry, and the Industry Ministry.
Supattanapong said on Friday that due to a number of positive factors, Thailand has drawn the attention of many leading battery manufacturers to set up their factories in the country. Those positive factors include a clear government policy on EVs, surging domestic demand for EVs, and massive investment by Chinese and European EV-makers.
The government has set a target of making 30% of the total car production EVs by 2030.
Inspired by their success, Bangkok group aims to host World Pride in 2027
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
Following the success of Bangkok Pride 2022, community-based organiser Bangkok Naruemit Pride has set its sights on bidding to host WorldPride in 2027.
The lofty ambition, however, faces several challenges, as Thailand has yet to meet several equality and human rights criteria.
Meanwhile, the organiser has announced June 4, 2023 as the date for the LGBTQIA parade in Bangkok with new highlights under the theme “Beyond Gender”.
WorldPride is a global event licensed by InterPride, with different host cities every 2-3 years. The first WorldPride took place in Rome in July 2000.
In 2019, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras won the bid to host WorldPride in 2023, ahead of Houston, USA and Montreal, Canada.
The event draws visitors from around the world. The social movement promoting equality and diversity has been growing strongly in many countries, impacting travel, tourism, and the economy.
Thailand plans to bid for hosting rights of WorldPride in 2027, but to qualify, the country needs a law supporting gender recognition and marriage equality.
“Currently, Thailand has only passed one act on promoting gender equality, but we need laws supporting LGBT on marriage equality and gender recognition to qualify to host WorldPride,” said Chumaporn Taengkliang, an LGBTQIA+ rights activist.
Last June’s successful Naruemit Pride parade under the concept of “Unity & Diversity” saw 13,000 people take part. The Bangkok Pride inspired other LGBTIQ+ communities and individuals to hold similar events in other provinces.
The organiser has been formed as a social enterprise to draw LGBTQIA+ groups and communities to work together.
In 2022, such gay pride-related parades and events took place 20 times in 12 different provinces with over 10,000 participants in Bangkok, and media from 15 countries covered the event.
At a press conference held at Bangkok Art & Culture Centre on Thursday to announce the 2023 event, Jarun Kongmun, a leader of Bangkok Naruemit Pride, said: “Naruemit Pride parade 2022 was a phenomenon with more than 50 global news agencies reporting and drawing the attention of online media.”
“According to ‘Think with Google research’, the search for the word ‘LGBTQ’ had increased by 110% and search for ‘marriage equality’ had increased by over 800%. With 3 million engagements for marriage equality and 500,000 engagements for Bangkok Naruemit Pride, it shows recognition for the community and spark,” said Abhisit Vongchandra, another leader of Bangkok Naruemit Pride.
This year’s concept, “Beyond Gender”, will emphasis three main points: gender recognition, marriage equality, and sex work is work.
It would aim to raise awareness of diversity and inclusion among the public while encouraging the Thai LGBTQIA+ and diverse communities to speak up against stigmatisation and discrimination, the organisers said.
“We plan to hold an exhibition, including a collection of all Y series and Yuri series [gay and lesbian series] in Thailand, including fan meets,” said Anucha Boonyawatana, president of the Thai Film Directors Association.
Pattaya community gay pride will be held every second Saturday in June at Jomtien beach, Pattaya.
Tak province will invite the gay community from Myanmar to join and Chiang Mai plans to hold the parade finale of the year.
Sommai Aiemsaad, adviser to the Political Development Commission
“We support pride, and the BMA [Bangkok Metropolitan Administration] is the best unifier in bringing the community together. I hope that all departments in Thailand will support the community,” said Sommai Aiemsaad, adviser to the Political Development Commission.
Sanon Wangsrangboon, deputy governor of the BMA
Sanon Wangsrangboon, deputy governor of the BMA, told the press conference, “Pride is not just an event but an elevation of thought so this topic is remembered. I hope this event will bring Thailand success with WorldPride and in becoming a rainbow city in the future.”
“The city is behind you,” Sanon added.
The parade will be held on June 4, from noon to midnight, starting at Lumpini Park along Ratchadamri Road and ending at Central World. Covering 1.5km, at least 30,000 people are expected to take part.
Twenty provinces in Thailand will participate this year.
Activities will include fashion shows, mini concerts, drag shows, food, and drink booths and LGBTQIAN+ product booths.
Globally, gay pride month is observed in June, but national gay pride events can occur at different times throughout the year in other countries.
Pride parades celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer social and self-acceptance, achievements, legal rights, and pride. The events sometimes also serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage.
Thai businesses must focus on sustainability to achieve carbon neutrality: Varawut
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
Thailand was ranked 9th globally among countries that are at risk of being severely hit by climate change, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa told investors at the Investment Forum 2023 in Bangkok on Thursday.
“The business sector should adjust its operational strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change as well as promote sustainable growth, such as reducing carbon emission, which grants huge benefits from a small investment,” he said.
Varawut was speaking on the topic “Business Adaptation to Climate Change and New Environment for the Next Era” at the event hosted by One Asset Management.
Also attending was Varawut’s secretary Thanesphol Thanaboonyawat.
The minister pointed out that carbon neutrality was a goal that both the government and private sector should work towards.
One of the most effective approaches is a joint investment in implementing high technology and innovation such as green hydrogen and Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to extract CO2 directly from the atmosphere, he added.
The minister told the forum that Thailand has recently updated its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the Long-term Low Emissions and Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) proposed to the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in November last year. He urged businesses to collaborate with the government in realising these NDCs, so global communities can realise Thailand’s commitment to climate change.
Varawut also highlighted the six steps his ministry has adopted to tackle climate change, which also require continued cooperation from the private sector. They are the promotion of bio, circular and green (BCG) economic model to create a new S-curve industry under the concept of environment, social, and corporate governance (ESG); Thai Rice NAMA project that promotes low-emission rice farming; promotion of green investment through the Board of Investment; launching the country’s first clean energy and carbon-credit trading platform; reforestation projects throughout Thailand to increase greenhouse gas absorption; and the drafting of Climate Change Act.
French residents of Thailand cheer latest arrest of alleged scammer
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
A group of French residents of Thailand thanked deputy national police chief General Surachet Hakparn on Thursday after police arrested a fellow countryman they had accused of cheating them out of 100 million baht.
Herve Christian Robert Leonard, 60, was arrested earlier this week. He had been arrested a year ago but police were unable to locate him after he jumped bail.
Leonard had five arrest warrants issued by Thai courts on charges that included extortion, public cheating, and fraud.
Surachet said Leonard had been living intermittently in Thailand for the past 20 years and could speak Thai fluently.
He briefly served as a volunteer for the police in Pattaya in 2019.
Leonard allegedly swindled other French nationals in Thailand while claiming he was helping them transfer property, police said.
He used photos that he had taken with Thai police officers to convince other foreign nationals that had close connections to police that would allow him to solve their problems, police said, adding that he charged a fee of 7 million to 8 million baht per case.
Investigators found that he was still using the expired visa he had when he was let out on bail last year. His visa expired on September 15, 2020.
Surachet said he had asked current and former chiefs of Pattaya’s immigration police to explain why it took so long to arrest the suspect.
Surachet added that next week investigators in charge of Chinese triad cases would question another 110 immigration police officers suspected of helping foreign criminals stay in Thailand.
Agency training 25,000 Thai content creators and online influencers
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
Nongluck Ajanapanya
New online courses to create a new generation of content creators and influencers are being launched by the Digital Economy Promotion Agency in collaboration with the Thai E-commerce Association, the agency said.
The courses will provide students with the skills and knowledge required to pursue new careers as digital content creators and influencers, the agency’s president, Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, said at the launch of the project on Thursday.
The project is called Connexion.
The swift growth of Thailand’s e-commerce industry is creating lucrative opportunities for skilled content creators and influencers, Nuttapon said.
The Connexion platform will offer two courses: digital content creating and digital influencing. The courses are divided into three levels and are expected to draw about 25,000 students from across the country.
Industry experts will teach both theoretical and practical skills, and at least 200,000 stories and product reviews will be generated by the project, Nuttapon said.
Six roadshows in six regions will be held to raise awareness of the emerging sector, he said.
Students who create outstanding work will participate in the project’s exhibition phase, where they will have the opportunity to present their work to a panel of judges and possibly become a rising star online.
The project will provide opportunities for further promotion and potential collaboration with leading Thai and international companies, Nuttapon said.
Kultirat Phakawatkrailet, president of the Thai E-Commerce Association, said that content creators and influencers play a vital role in publicising and selling products and services online.
Kultirat identified the five basics that entrepreneurs need to be successful in e-commerce: 1) an online store, 2) e-marketing, 3) e-logistics, 4) e-payment, and 5) e-commerce with entertainment (live streaming with tie-ins, for example).
“Content creators and influencers are in demand in the e-commerce and entertainment sector. Their storytelling ability creates a distinct identity for a product or service, instilling desire. Consumers’ decisions today are heavily influenced by their emotions and unique experiences,” Kultirat explained.
Suwita Charanwong, CEO of Tellscore, said it was challenging for a content creator or influencer to gain hundreds of thousands of followers. It requires a wide range of skills, from digital expertise to a high level of understanding of regulations, Suwita said.
Udomphat Worachot and Apiwit Ektarawong, two well-known Thai content creators, said that being a successful content creator required sincerity, discipline, consistency, determination and the ability to constantly develop new skills.
Nuttapon said Connexion would help expand the Thai e-commerce market.
“We realised we couldn’t compete with the industry’s many large international online marketplaces. As a result, we must train our own people to reap some benefits from these marketplaces while also growing the Thai e-commerce industry,” he explained.
He also said his agency planned to build another platform – Etailligence – that would be an extension of the Connexion project. It will link domestic entrepreneurs with Thailand’s leading e-commerce platforms and have a dashboard to identify trends, analyse market gaps, and track popular products.
The platform will be built in collaboration with Etelligence Co.
Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn
Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, praised the Connexion project, saying Thailand was well-positioned to make a solid transition to the digital age.
He also said that digital platforms generate wealth, income, and stability.
Having a large number of talented Thai content creators and influencers will generate more revenue from the domestic and international markets, and spread Thailand’s soft power globally, Chaiwut said.
According to the Thai E-commerce Association, the value of Thailand’s e-commerce market was 770 billion baht in 2022, up 8% year on year. Its value is expected to reach 870 billion baht this year and 1.12 trillion baht by 2025, the association said.
Korean Cultural Centre launches auditions for new Thai stars to mark 65 years of bilateral ties
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
Well-known South Korean entertainment agencies like JYP Entertainment, Kakao Entertainment and Source Music will be in Thailand to hunt for new talent later this month.
The auditions are being organised by the Korean Cultural Centre on February 11 to 18 as part of moves to mark the 65th anniversary of bilateral ties.
Kakao Entertainment will audition potential stars from noon on February 11, while More Vision will launch auditions on February 18. Meanwhile, JYP is heading to Buri Ram to look for another Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban on February 14, while Source Music and GGA Entertainment will hunt for their star on February 15.
Moon Seung-hyun, the Korean Ambassador to Thailand, will also visit the audition venue on the 14th to cheer participants and reward outstanding performances.
Cho Jae Il, the director of the centre said, “We hope that this audition will be strong motivation for Lisa’s junior in Thailand. Audition opportunities will be given to young talented teenagers in the whole of Thailand from these auditions in Bangkok and the Northeast region. The centre also will contribute to Thai soft power by the exchange of various fields including K-pop, Art, Korean traditional music and dance.”
In November 2021, The Center and KOFICE (Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange) opened a multicultural hall and multimedia room at Nonsuwan Pittayakhom school, the audition venue on the 14th and 15th. Since then, the school has continually educated K-pop dance students. At that time, the centre donated educational goods such as Hanbok (Korean traditional costumes) and books and promised to support students’ education.
Regarding details of auditions, the notice has been posted on the centre’s homepage(thailand.korean-culture.org) and facebook(@koreanculturalcenterTH).
* Kakao Entertainment: One of the biggest entertainment agencies managing many stars such as IU, Yoo Jae-suk, IVE and Monsta X
* Source Music: Agency under HYBE (BTS’s agency) managing girl group ‘LE SSERAFIM’
Bangkok’s New Chinatown bustling again as Chinese tourists return
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2023
Eateries, shops and street stalls in Bangkok’s New Chinatown area are once again bustling with customers after having been quiet for two years due to the pandemic.
The New Chinatown (not to be confused with the original Chinatown in Yaowarat area) stretches from Huai Khwang intersection to Pracha Uthit Road.
Most of the people spotted in the area this past week were Chinese nationals who had arrived to mark the Lunar New Year and decided to extend their vacation.
Chinese tourists have started returning to Thailand after Beijing lifted its stringent Covid-related travel restrictions on January 8. Thanks to this, the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects some 300,000 arrivals from China in the first quarter and at least 5 million for the whole year. This should push up the number of arrivals this year to at least 25 million.
Scholar Chada Triamvithaya, who has studied the settlement of modern Chinese in Thailand, believes that New Chinatown is mostly populated by immigrants from China’s Guangxi and Yunnan provinces, in the far south and southwest of the mainland, respectively.
According to Chada, Chinese nationals living in New Chinatown are temporary settlers, who are in Thailand for travel or education purposes. She said they prefer to stay in this neighbourhood because of the authentic cuisine on offer at eateries run by people from their country.
New Chinatown is also a haven for shoppers, and the most popular products among Chinese tourists are dried fruit, milk tablets, herbal liniments, honey and rubber pillows.
Bangkokians awoke to a shroud of fine dust this week with over 70 areas reporting levels of PM2.5 had breached 90 micrograms per cubic metre of air (μg/m3).
Thailand’s safety limit is 50 μg/m3. High levels of PM2.5 pose health risks, especially for people with chronic lung disease.
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) forecasts levels of PM2.5 – particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter – will rise across much of Thailand through Friday as the fine-dust pollution accumulates in stagnant air.
The government has advised people to wear face masks outdoors and consider working from home on Thursday and Friday.
Website iqair.com reported Bangkok’s air quality index (AQI) at 198 as of 9am on Thursday, making it the third-most polluted city in the world.
The Thai capital is behind only Mumbai in India (AQI 207) and Pakistan’s Lahore (202).
The smog eased on Friday, with iqair.com registering an air quality index of 102 for Bangkok as of 9am.
The TMD forecasts air pollution in the capital will reduce on Saturday with the arrival of stronger winds to disperse the smog.
Senior Myanmar military official turns up for repatriation of illegal immigrants from Ranong
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023
Senior Myanmar officials made a rare appearance on Thursday at a ceremony in Thailand to send back around 670 illegal Myanmar immigrants who were detained at the Immigration Detention Centre in Ranong province.
Myanmar Navy’s Tanintharyi regional commander Commodore Thein Htoo, and the Myanmar ambassador to Thailand were among the most senior officials from the neighbouring country to join the repatriation ceremony held at the Ranong Customs House’s Lighthouse Pier.
Rear Admiral Suchart Thammapitakvej, deputy commander of Third Naval Area, and Ranong’s Immigration Police chief Colonel Pissanu Sithitoon were among Thai officials attending the event.
Pissanu said on Thursday that these Myanmar migrant workers had staged protests at the detention centre in late January, demanding to return to their country. They had served their term for illegal entry into Thailand but their detention continued as the migrants’ return was awaiting approval from Myanmar authorities.
He said that following the protests, Thai authorities had asked their Myanmar counterparts to expedite the process to take back the detained migrants.
Their return on Thursday came only after approval from high-level Myanmar authorities, according to the Ranong immigration chief.
A source from Ranong’s security circles said on Thursday that this was the first time that senior Myanmar officials, including the regional naval commander and ambassador, had attended a ceremony in the southern province to receive illegal migrants from their country.
According to the source, the approval took a long time because Myanmar authorities had to carefully check the migrants’ records for their possible involvement in the resistance movement in Myanmar.
Citing the Myanmar embassy in Thailand, Myanmar media reported on Wednesday that the detained migrants would return to Myanmar in three batches starting Thursday.
“They will be sent back on February 2, 8 and 15. There has been a few months’ delay because of the outbreak of Covid-19,” an official at the Myanmar embassy was quoted as saying.
The Myanmar migrants, who crossed the border illegally into Thailand, were waiting to be extradited to Kawthaung, the Myanmar town opposite Ranong.
All 6 officers accused of shaking down actress insist they are innocent
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2023
The six police officers accused of taking a bribe from a Taiwanese actress and her friends while they were visiting Bangkok early last month claimed they are innocent before being jailed on Thursday.
All six say they are innocent of the charges, the commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Investigation Division, Maj-General Teeradej Thumsutee, said.
The officers were seen being taken to the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Bangkok’s Taling Chan district.
Each one was accompanied by two officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
While in their vehicle, the six officers were asked by reporters if they were guilty and whether they had a strong case against their accusers.
The stone-faced officers simply looked downward.
They face life in prison after being charged with dereliction of duty and taking bribes.
The lawyer for one of the accused, who declined to be identified, said the officer was distressed by the criminal charges.
The police requested that the court not only jail the accused but also opposed any bail applications because the offences carry severe penalties and the officers could interfere with evidence and witnesses if released, Teeradej said.
Teeradej said that despite the officers’ claims of innocence, investigators had compelling evidence to prove they accepted bribes.
The bribe-taking charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to 400,000 baht.
Initially, the six policemen were charged with dereliction of duty for failing to take legal action against a group of tourists from Taiwan and Singapore who were found to be carrying vaping devices, which are illegal in Thailand.
The policemen intercepted Taiwanese actress Charlene An’s group at a checkpoint on Ratchadaphisek Road in the early hours of January 5.
The actress subsequently sparked an international uproar with social-media posts accusing Thai police of planting a vaping device on her and demanding 27,000 baht in exchange for her freedom.
Her allegations caught the attention of netizens in Taiwan and Thailand, prompting the Metropolitan Police Bureau to issue an order on January 26 to set up a fact-finding committee.
The bribery charges were filed after a Singaporean man in An’s group told reporters on Wednesday that he paid 27,000 baht to the officers to let the group go free.
Sommai Aiemsaad, adviser to the Political Development Commission
Sanon Wangsrangboon, deputy governor of the BMA
Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn
SootinClaimon.Com 