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A guide to the 7 charter motions before Parliament this week

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

Parliament will begin voting on seven charter-change motions on Tuesday as Thailand reaches a crossroads in its escalating political crisis.

Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva predicted last week that only some of the seven drafts would be okayed by lawmakers.

However, Parit Wacharasindhu, a former Democrat MP candidate, said Parliament could only resolve the political unrest by accepting all the draft amendments.

The first draft, proposed by the ruling parties, requires a committee of both elected and appointed members to write a new charter within 120 days, leaving Chapters 1 and 2 concerning the monarchy untouched.

The second draft, proposed by the opposition, requires an elected drafting committee to write a new charter within 240 days, leaving Chapters 1 and 2 untouched.

The third, proposed by the opposition, changes Section 270 and 271 to remove the power of senators to reform laws.

The fourth, proposed by the opposition, changes Section 272 to remove the power of senators to elect the prime minister and allow a non-MP to be a prime minister.

The fifth, proposed by the opposition, changes Section 279 to revoke the national security orders of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

The sixth, proposed by the opposition, restores the electoral system to a two-ballot vote in line with the 1997 Constitution (the so-called People’s Constitution).

The seventh draft, written by human rights watchdog iLaw and proposed by the people, contains 10 requirements:

Allow amendment of the Constitution to be more accessible via Parliament.

Allow amendment of any chapter/section.

Cancel the national strategies to reform the country ordered by the NCPO.

Cancel non-elected local administration organisations.

Prohibit a non-MP from becoming prime minister.

Prohibit an amnesty for NCPO members.

Remove the power of senators to reform the laws.

Remove the power of senators to elect the prime minister.

Rewrite the Constitution with a fully elected drafting committee.

Seek new members for independent bodies and the Constitutional Court.

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Stringent checks at Thai-Malaysian border to curb Covid

NationalNov 16. 2020Photos by Charoon Thongnual 

By The Nation

Tight controls have been put in place at the Sadao border checkpoint in Songkhla province to curb the spread of Covid-19, especially since Malaysia has been recording up to 1,000 new cases daily.

Sadao district chief Chavakit Suwankhiri said all cargo trucks will be disinfected as soon as they arrive at the border and local drivers will replace Malaysian ones.

As for Thai nationals wanting to return from Malaysia, they will only be allowed to enter the country on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and will be required to complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

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PM okays guidelines for community-based power plants

NationalNov 16. 2020Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha 

By The Nation

Guidelines for community-based power plants were approved by a meeting of the National Energy Policy Committee (NEPC) chaired by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday.

The scheme aims to boost the grassroots economy by promoting plants powered by biomass, refuse-derived fuels and solar panels under joint investment by community enterprises and private investors.

Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow announced the NEPC had okayed guidelines for the pilot project targeting capacity of 150 megawatts, half generated from biomass and half from biogas. Each biomass plant will generate no more than 6MW and each biogas plant no more than 3MW, with commercial operation starting no more than 36 months after signing the agreement.

The government will purchase the electricity via Feed-in Tariff (FiT). Project proposals by private companies must incorporate benefit-sharing, such as a 10 per cent stake for community enterprises that grow energy crops for power plants. The operator and the community have to reach an agreement to benefit community development and social welfare such as public health, utilities, education, etc.

The NEPC also approved guidelines for spending the Bt6.5-billion Energy Conservation Promotion Fund (ENCON Fund) in 2021, in line with an October 30 resolution by the Fund Committee for Promotion of Energy Conservation. The fund committee shall have the power to improve guidelines, criteria, conditions, and allocation of funds.

Bt2.2 billion of the Bt6.5-billion budget will be spent on projects to conserve energy in SMEs, buildings, homes, transport sectors, farm business, and modern agriculture. Bt2.4 billion will go to the Energy Conservation Promotion and Renewable Energy Foundation.

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Supreme Court upholds 50-year jail sentence for ex-TAT governor, 40 years for daughter

NationalNov 16. 2020Juthamas The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the jail sentences handed to the former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Juthamas Siriwan, and her daughter Jittisopha, while ruling on their appeal.

Juthamas had been sentenced to 50 years in jail by the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases back in March 2017 for accepting US$1.8 million (Bt62 million) in bribes from an American couple seeking the rights to host a Bangkok film festival during 2002 to 2007. Jittisopha had been sentenced to 44 years in jail for helping hide the ill-gotten cash in overseas bank accounts. The court had also ordered that the money they had deposited in overseas banks, as well as the profit generated, totalling Bt62,724,776 be confiscated as state asset.

In May 2019, the Appeal Court upheld Juthamas’s jail sentence but reduced Jittisopha’s to 40 years. The court also revoked the order for confiscation of the money in overseas bank accounts, citing that the prosecutor had not asked for the confiscation of money or offered any evidence in their lawsuit.

The Supreme Court heard their appeal and decided to uphold the verdict of the Appeal Court, who had found the former TAT governor guilty of committing malfeasance by accepting bribes, which was an abuse of her power.

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ATTA urges govt to consider Chinese tourists or risk 2 million people being left jobless

NationalNov 16. 2020

By THE NATION

The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) believes some 2 million people in the tourism industry will end up being unemployed if foreign tourists do not return to Thailand in huge numbers.

ATTA president Wichit Prakobkosol submitted a petition with the Tourism and Sports Ministry, asking for the government to allow the entry of travellers from 22 provinces in China that are safe from Covid-19.

The provinces eyed by ATTA include Zhejiang, Anhui, Chongqing, Hebei, Hubei, Hunan, and Fujian.

Wichit added that once the government opens borders, these 22 provinces alone will provide 300,000 tourists monthly, who should generate more than Bt15 billion revenue per month, he added.

He said 150,000 workers in tour businesses have been laid off by more than 10,000 firms. However, this job loss is temporary for 90 per cent of workers, while the remaining 10 per cent have lost their jobs permanently. He also said tour business operators should be given access to soft loans.

Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn was scheduled to meet 15 hotel operators on Monday. He said these operators wanted to know what kind of assistance they can expect from the government.

Separately, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will meet next Tuesday to come up with a tourism recovery plan for 2021 and 2022, which will then be proposed to the Cabinet for approval.

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Power banks now a controlled product, require TISI stamp

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) announced on Monday that it was making power banks a regulated product for the sake of people’s safety.

Manufacturers or importers of power banks are now required to get a TISI stamp on their products, and face punishment if they fail to do so.

Those producing or importing power banks illegally can face up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to Bt2 million. Sellers of non-standard products can face up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to Bt500,000.

TISI said there are more than 100 producers and importers of power banks, but so far only five local manufacturers and 27 importers have applied for certification.

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Surat Thani man launches hunt for owner of mysterious macaque

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

A Surat Thani-native is calling on the media to help find the owner of a macaque that has been living on his roof for two months now.

Aphichet Srisombat, 32, made this announcement in a Facebook post, which caught the attention of reporters, who visited the man’s home in Phunphin district to see the monkey for themselves.

Aphichet said he was certain the monkey has an owner because the primate wears a collar and appears to be tame. In fact, he said, the monkey has been seen playing with a dog nearby, and that he occasionally feeds it.

However, Aphichet said, he is shifting and is worried the animal may starve to death if nobody feeds it. Hence, he said, he wants the owner to come and take his pet.

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Third alleged co-conspirator in murder of New Zealand businessman arrested 14 years after crime

NationalNov 16. 2020

By THE NATION

Third alleged co-conspirator in murder of New Zealand businessman arrested 14 years after crime

The Crime Suppression Division on Monday arrested the alleged killer of a foreign businessman, nearly 14 years after the murder.

The suspect Yiamwut, 40, was arrested in Phetchabun province’s Khao Kho district. He was arrested under an arrest warrant issued by Pattaya Provincial Court on April 22, 2006.

The man was charged with collaborating with others for murder, illegal possession of a gun and carrying the weapon in public spaces. The suspect however has denied all these charges.

According to the police, the suspect and another man were hired by a Thai woman to kill her boyfriend, a New Zealand businessman, 40.

The murder was committed on April 20, 2006, in Pattaya. The motivation for the crime was the woman’s resentment towards the businessman, as he allegedly always attacked her.

The woman and another man had already been arrested, but suspect Yiamwut reportedly had eluded police.

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National park official still missing after boat flips in reservoir

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

As of press time, rescuers were still hunting for a Kaeng Krachan National Park official who went missing while heading home on a boat after visiting his ill mother on November 13.

Attapol Suksai, 42, had gone to visit his mother who required some medical help and then headed to meet his wife by taking a boat down the Kaeng Krachan Dam in Phetchburi province.

Strong currents in the dam, however, flipped the boat over and dragged the official under the surface.

Local rescue teams have found the boat but there is still no sign of Attapol, though they believe he may still be alive as he knows about the strong currents and may have taken refuge on a small islet in the reservoir.

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Monk killed in road accident involving teen biker in Chonburi

NationalNov 16. 2020

By The Nation

A speeding motorcycle reportedly killed a 64-year-old monk who was walking on the route to receive food offerings in Chonburi province on Monday morning.

The bike was allegedly ridden by a 16-year-old who was on his way to bring his mother back from work.

The teenager reportedly could not stop the speeding vehicle when he saw the monk in his way.

The monk from Nong Prue temple was immediately killed while the biker’s left ribs were broken. He was later sent to Laem Chabang Hospital.

Police have ordered the detention of the suspect for prosecution in the case after his treatment.