Pheu Thai warns impact of Article 44 will be worse than martial law

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: The Pheu Thai Party yesterday tried to dissuade the government from invoking Article 44 of the interim charter, warning of an even more adverse impact than martial law on business, tourism and investment.

Pheu Thai deputy secretary-general Anuttama Amornwiwat said the government’s economic advisers must look into the possible negative impacts of the law and provide accurate information to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha because it would be harder to correct the situation, as the country’s economy is already in the doldrums.

She suspected that the PM was not being given correct information. For instance, Thai exports to the United States had increased by 3 per cent each in January and February as the US economy is doing better, while Thai exports to China had dropped during both months.

She said the Prayut government might have misunderstood some of the policies implemented by the Yingluck Shinawatra government it overthrew in a coup, such as the program under which first-car buyers got a refund of up to 100,000 baht each.

She explained that the elected government did not have to dip into state coffers to pay the car buyers but had instead used excise tax received from car sales for the refunds. The government actually gained from the scheme because not all cars received full tax-refund benefits.

She said the project was aimed at boosting Thailand as the automobile production centre of the region.

Many foreign investors, including automobile-industry operators, have relocated from Thailand to Indonesia because of political problems here. She called on the government to restore democracy quickly so that business confidence in the country could be revived.

First Army Area commander Lt Gen Kampanart Ruddit yesterday allayed fear over some radical proposals in the new constitution, saying the draft needs further debate.

“It is like when students study; they research many theories and then they must discuss to pick what’s best for the country. The dust has yet to settle. So do not worry,’ he said.

— Phuket Gazette Editors