140 foreign e-service providers pay up to THB600 million VAT per month
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2022
Around 140 foreign e-service platforms and service providers registered to pay value-added tax (VAT) totalling 500 million-600 million baht per month, the Revenue Department said on Thursday.
Deputy director Vinit Visessuvanapoom said the number has increased from around 90, so it is a welcome trend that operators have properly registered.
The VAT for Electronic Service has been enforced on foreign platforms and service providers from September 1, 2021.
These operators include foreign online advertising, e-commerce, subscription, peer-to-peer platforms, and online travel agency operators.
Vinit explained that e-service tax is not new but it is actually VAT collected from foreign platforms and operators with services in the country because digital technology allows users to use the services easily and quickly without borders.
In the past, the law required users to pay tax when using services by foreign service providers, but the general public, who were not considered operators, usually did not pay.
This caused unfairness in the collection of e-service VAT between domestic and foreign service providers as only Thai operators shouldered additional costs.
The e-service law was introduced to solve this problem, requiring foreign e-service operators to register and pay the tax.
Cannabis buds cannot be sold to anyone under 20, pregnant or nursing women
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2022
Cannabis buds are now a “controlled herb” and cannot be sold to anyone under 20 years old, according to a Public Health Ministry announcement published on the Royal Gazette website on Wednesday.
The announcement, signed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, revised the rules for cannabis, which carries the scientific name of Cannabis sativa L in the Cannabaceae family, to cut down on recreational use of the plant, which had earlier been removed from the Category 5 narcotics list.
The revised rules take effect the day after being published in the Royal Gazette.
The ministry’s classifying of cannabis buds – flowers that contain the main concentrations of cannabinoid drugs – as a controlled herb means that the sale to anyone under 20, pregnant or nursing women is banned.
Furthermore, this specific part of the plant cannot be sold via vending machines, electronic transaction or online, and cannot be advertised for commercial purposes.
Selling of cannabis buds at schools, temples or religious establishments, dormitories, public parks, zoos or theme parks is also prohibited.
Those who wish to import, export, sell, stock or use cannabis buds for research purposes must notify the authorities and provide details of controlled herb stocks they hold, sourcing and use.
Revising the cannabis rules is an attempt by Anutin to reduce pressure from opposition MPs and other parties, which are seeking to nullify the Public Health Ministry’s directive that decriminalises cannabis, following concerns of abuse and recreational use.
On November 10, Smith Srisont, a member of the Medical Council and president of the Forensic Physician Association of Thailand, filed a lawsuit naming Anutin and the Narcotics Control Board as co-defendants.
The lawsuit asked the Central Administrative Court to nullify the Public Health Ministry’s directive dated February 8, 2022, that removes cannabis from the list of Category 5 narcotics.
Manufacturers will be held responsible for defective goods under new law
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
A cabinet meeting on Tuesday approved in principle a draft of the Product Liability Act, which mandates manufacturers to take responsibility for defective products for up to two years after delivery.
The approved draft covers three types of products: electrical appliances, electronic equipment and cars and motorcycles. More products can be included later by royal decree, said deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul.
The draft stipulates that manufacturers must take responsibility for defective products that have caused them to lose fair value or functionality within two years of the delivery date.
If the defect is found within a year of delivery, it can be assumed the product was defective at the time of delivery, Traisulee said.
Manufacturers must also take responsibility for any defect in their products caused by installation if they install the product for the customer, or even if the customer installs the product according to the manual provided by the manufacturer.
Under the act, customers can demand that the manufacturer repair or replace the defective product, reduce the price or terminate the contract, without affecting the right to demand other compensation.
However, manufacturers will not be liable for defective products in the following cases: if customers buy the product knowing it is defective; unauthorised modification to the product; if customers ignore instructions and warnings stipulated in the product manual.
The Product Liability Act will not cover the sale and rental contract of used products, goods that are sold or rented as is, or products sold via auction.
Govt plans more relief for low-income earners as power bills expected to rise
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2022
The government is considering additional measures to subsidise power bills for low income earners as adjustment of the fuel tariff (FT) in January is expected to make electricity more expensive, Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said on Tuesday.
The FT is adjusted every January, May and September to reflect the uncontrolled cost of electricity generation.
Supattanapong said the government currently offers a subsidy of 0.92 baht per unit for households using less than 300 units of electricity per month. Those who use 301-500 units per month receive 15 to 75 per cent subsidy on their bills.
These subsidies, which run from September to December, are estimated to cost the government 6.8 billion baht in a bid to help alleviate people’s financial burden.
“Power bills are likely to rise even further after the January adjustment, therefore more measures will be rolled out to help people, especially low-income households,” said Supattanapong.
The Energy Regulatory Commission is accepting opinions from the public, entrepreneurs and related agencies to draft the measures, which are expected to become clear early in December, he said.
Supattanapong, who doubles as a deputy prime minister, said recent reports that the gross domestic product in the first three quarters expanded 4.5 per cent is a positive sign the economy is recovering.
In the last month of 2022 and early next year the government would focus on promoting tourism, which will be a major contributor to the economy, he said.
Thailand expects to welcome its 10th million foreign tourist this year – around mid-December – and the achievement will be celebrated, Supattanapong added.
US VP Harris promises $20m for Mekong clean energy partnership
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2022
Stephanie Adair
Before heading to the Philippines, US Vice President Kamala Harris met environmental activists and clean energy leaders to discuss the climate crisis in the Mekong region.
She also announced that the US will provide $20 million (717.66 million baht) to clean energy projects in the Mekong region as part of the Japan-US-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP).
The vice president noted that Thailand suffers from severe drought, floods, and extreme heat due to uncontrolled development upstream of the river. She said bold action is not only necessary to protect the people on this planet and its natural resources, it is also a powerful driver of economic growth.
“In addition to the $20 million investment the US is making for clean energy in the Mekong region, we anticipate to also discuss the importance of environmental protection, natural resource governance, youth empowerment, and civic engagement,” she said.
“We will also discuss opportunities for economic development, entrepreneurship and innovation in the clean energy future.”
Ratsadon protesters fume over arrest of leader after being blocked from marching to QSNCC
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022
The Ratsadon Yoot Apec (People Stop Apec) group, which has gathered in Bangkok to protest against the Thai government, on Friday defied security restrictions and marched towards Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) in Bangkok, the venue of the Apec Summit.
They were intercepted by riot police and one of their leaders, Worawan “Pa Pao” Sae-aung, was arrested.
The arrest enraged protesters who shouted at the police to release her. A monk tried to push into the police shield but he was pushed back.
The protest leaders told their guards to gather at the front of the parade.
They also gave the police 20 minutes to respond to their demands, which included:
Immediate withdrawal of police from the area.
Police must allow them to walk safely to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre
Police must prostrate themselves at the feet of the protesters
The clashes gradually aggravated as the protesters tried to push into the line of riot police stopping them.
Police reportedly fired one rubber bullet at the protesters while five protesters were caught and pulled along the ground.
Medical visa fees for foreign patients to be reduced
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2022
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a move to reduce medical treatment visa fees for foreigners from 6,000 baht to 5,000 baht to promote the country as an international medical hub in the region.
Deputy government spokesperson Tipanan Sirichana said the move to reduce the visa fee, proposed by the Public Health Ministry, will be applicable to the 1-year medical treatment visa, which allows holders to enter Thailand multiple times for treatment at a maximum 90 days per entry.
It is estimated the new fee will come into effect on January 1, 2023, she said.
Holders of this visa must report to officials every 90 days of their stay in Thailand and present a confirmation letter issued by a medical facility and evidence of finance of at least 800,000 baht covering medical expenses.
To be eligible for the visa, foreigners must seek 90 days of treatment (evidence required) for an illness or health condition.
Those approved by the Public Health Ministry include cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disease, dentistry, cancer, treatment using assisted-reproductive technology, plastic surgery, organ transplant, chronic non-communicable diseases, alternative medicine, anti-aging and regenerative treatment.
Foreign patients with other illnesses that require continued treatment can also apply and will be approved on a case-by-case basis.
Every human has the right to good healthcare: ICFP
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022
Since 2009, the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) has convened the globally developed community around a shared vision of universal access to family planning.
ICFP has evolved into something much more than a conference. It is now a platform, a movement and a community.
In March 2022, Thailand’s National Steering Committee (NSC) set up and hosted the International Conference on Family Planning Secretariat at the Public Health Ministry to kick off discussions and planning for ICFP2022 to be staged in Pattaya City in November 2022.
Flying to Bangkok to join the one-day meeting was Kellie Welborn, senior program officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population & Reproductive Health.
She said: “Thailand has a record of impressive achievements in Family Planning and reproductive health. Since Thailand’s population policy was announced on March 17, 1970, the country has achieved great success in Family Planning programs, through collaboration with the government and non-government sectors and international organisations which work on Family Planning. Such efforts and accomplishments have finally come to fruition.”
The ICFP2022 is being held from November 14 to 17 at the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall in Royal Cliff Hotel.
The conference, which will be a strategic benchmark as the community prepares to recommit to a goal of universal access by 2030, is in hybrid format (in-person or virtually) www.icfp2022.org.
Satit Pitutecha, Deputy Minister of Public Health, presided at the opening ceremony of The International Conference on Family Planning 2022 (ICFP2022), the world’s largest scientific conference on family planning (FP) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), on Monday.
ICFP2022 brings together more than 3,500 global policymakers, researchers, activists, and advocates from over 125 countries to Pattaya.
The conference’s co-hosts are Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health; the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RTCOG); Population and Community Development Association (PDA); and the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population & Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (USA).
ICFP2022’s theme this year, “Family Planning & Universal Health Coverage: Innovate. Collaborate. Accelerate,” examines the important ways that family planning supports and intersects with universal health coverage. The conference comes at a critical crossroads in global public health, and will provide a platform for leaders to define their FP2030 milestones and commitments against the backdrop of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Nation team spoke to Jose ‘Oying’ Rimon II, Director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health.
What are the current risks and challenges to family planning?
Mr. Oying said, “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, at least half of the world’s population could not obtain essential health services, including family planning services. An estimated 23 million adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries were not able to meet their needs for contraception before the pandemic.
Health care funding has since largely been diverted to respond to COVID-19 and other global crises, leaving family planning even less accessible. In 2021, it was estimated that 12 million women experienced disruptions to their family planning services during the pandemic, resulting in 1.4 million unintended pregnancies. Globally, we are also seeing threats to sexual and reproductive health and rights from conservative political pushback.
Inequality is also a considerable factor. We know that coverage of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health interventions varies substantially both within and across countries, with coverage skewing to the most advantaged groups, such as the richest, most educated, or those living in urban areas. These inequalities can be twice as large in low-income countries as in middle-income countries.
As we move forward, it is time to incorporate our many learnings during the pandemic as well as reinstate services where disruption occurred.” “This year’s International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) comes at an urgent moment to convene diverse stakeholders to address these issues and renew our dedication to achieving universal access to family planning by 2030. There has actually been a lot of resilience, innovation and leadership among the reproductive health community during the pandemic too. This year’s conference will have many scientific sessions documenting this resilience and the actions our community took to help mitigate the impact of service disruption,” added Mr. Oying.
What is the Gates Institute’s direction in developing and supporting family planning, including in Thailand?
The Gates Institute supports and accelerates groundbreaking research, advocacy and programmatic work that make positive changes in reproductive health across the globe.
One way we do this is by hosting the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP), the world’s largest scientific conference on family planning and and sexual and reproductive health and rights, every two and a half years. This year’s conference will be the first opportunity for the global family planning community to convene in person since the onset of COVID-19.
The Gates Institute also focuses on identifying, developing and preparing a new generation of young leaders in reproductive health worldwide. We have built the capacities of at least 10 southern-based Centers of Excellence in reproductive health, with three of them becoming full-blown schools of public health in training a new generation of leaders in their own countries.
We launched and completed the identification of 120Under40 leaders worldwide who are making a difference in their communities through their passion, innovation and leadership. We have supported the establishment of an international youth alliance in family planning, which is now active in more than 100 countries. In the drumbeat toward this conference, this alliance has supported young people from many different organizations worldwide in developing and creating their global program of action that will launch at the youth plenary on the final day of ICFP.
The other areas that the Institute is prioritizing are the creation of platforms on digital health, given how the world has changed since the pandemic, as well as cutting-edge research on actionable innovations in measurement. This includes new ways of measuring progress in real-time using health management information systems; rapid survey techniques using mobile phone technology; and more.
Part of the reason we opted to host ICFP2022 in Thailand is because it allows us to learn from Thailand’s successful family planning and reproductive health programs, which showcase what is possible when government, public health groups, and civil society organizations work together and invest in family planning.
Our theme this year — “Family Planning + Universal Health Coverage: Innovate, Collaborate, Accelerate” — highlights the key role that family planning plays in achieving universal health coverage. Not only is access to family planning and reproductive health services a pillar of good personal and community health, it is also a critical component of a thriving country’s economic health.
Rice price subsidy slashed by THB80bn as market price rises
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022
The government will slash the budget for next year’s rice price scheme from 150 billion baht to 66 billion baht in line with rising market prices, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.
BangkokBiz reported on Monday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met with Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit to seek solutions for the fourth year of the price-guarantee scheme, which will go before the Cabinet for approval tomorrow.
The source said the Finance and Commerce ministries have agreed to reduce the budget by around 80 billion baht.
The source said the budget cut would not affect the amount of money received by farmers as the market price of rice has risen.
The budget will be adjusted if the rice price rises significantly and even less subsidy is needed.
The source said the rice price guarantee budget will be reduced from 86.740 billion baht to 18 billion baht in line with the current price of rice.
Moreover, the budget for cost reduction and rice management for farmers at 1,000 baht per rai will be reduced from 55.364 billion baht to 40 billion baht.
The missing 15 billion baht will come from the Rice Department.
The budget changes will be proposed to the Cabinet for approval on Tuesday, the source said.
Thailand to rethink ‘must have’ rule after World Cup broadcast chaos
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) plans to review its “must have” rule after approving a budget of 600 million baht to purchase rights to broadcast the 2022 Fifa World Cup.
The “must have” rule, which dictates that World Cup matches must be broadcast for free across all platforms in Thailand, deterred private broadcasters from buying the rights.
With less than two weeks to go before the tournament kicks off on November 20, the NBTC finally stepped in on Wednesday to secure the broadcast rights with 600 million baht.
However, Fifa is demanding 1.6 billion baht for the broadcast rights, leaving the Sports Authority of Thailandscrambling to find the extra money before the opening match in eight days. Thai advertisers are also delaying their plans for the World Cup as they wait to see the outcome of negotiations for the rights.
Trairat Viriyasirikul, acting NBTC secretary-general, admitted on Friday that the “must have” rule will have to be revised as it is disrupting business operations.
He said it was not the NBTC’s duty to purchase World Cup rights every four years, adding that the problematic rule should be amended to reflect the proliferation of broadcast platforms in Thailand.
Trairat explained the National Sports Development Fund was authorised to buy broadcast rights for events at which Thai athletes compete, such as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Southeast Asian Games, Asean Para Games, Asian Games and Asian Para Games.
However, the “must have” rule should not apply to the Fifa World Cup unless the Thailand national team is competing, he said.
The NBTC will sign over the 600 million baht to the Sports Authority of Thailand to purchase the World Cup rights on Monday.
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