Thailand News Today | Protesters v Police, Quarantine reduction, VietJet passenger arrest | Nov 17

A busy day of news with the protests underway as we were preparing today’s program. We will keep you up to date with the latest at thethaiger.com

Police use tear gas and water cannons against protesters outside Thai parliament this afternoon

Police in riot gear and gas masks have deployed water cannons and tear gas on protesters out the front of the Thai Parliament this afternoon.

Police were directing protesters to move back from a formidable 3-layer concrete barricade along the road outside parliament.

One protester threw a blue paint bomb at the police barrage. Protesters are also complaining that the water used in the high power water cannons was again laced with a chemical irritant. Protesters are numbered around 400-500 at this stage.

“Let parliament do its job” – Speaker of the House

Another joint sitting of parliament is underway as protesters gather at the front to push their polarised agendas.

is protesters from both sides to leave the politicians alone so they can get on with their job.

Parliamentary speaker Chuan Leekpai says six proposals have been submitted by MPs. A seventh draft, proposed by Internet Law Reform Dialogue and petitioned by 100,000 people, is also being debated.

1,350 unarmed police have been deployed to keep the peace. This morning there was a gathering of around 100 members from Thai Pakdee, royalists who are opposing any changes. The Ratsadon (People’s Movement) movement is currently rallying, demanding that the discussions also involve the constitution’s relationship with the Thai monarch.

The outcomes from this 2 days of debate will decide the setting up of a Charter amendment committee and its terms of reference.

Special holiday weekend expected to generate 12.6 billion baht – TAT governor

With this Thursday and Friday deemed “special holidays” , over 3 million people are predicted to travel around Thailand and circulate over 12 billion baht in tourism revenue.

But the ever-optimistic TAT says that recent Covid-19 cases could influence travellers’ plans. 4 mystery local transmutations over the past month have put question marks over the Thai government’s narrative of containment of Covid-19 in Thailand.

Along with Covid fears, the TAT governor says the number of travellers might not be high because several private companies decided not to grant the extra holidays… The Thaiger being one of them.

According to the TAT, the most popular holiday spots for locals are Chon Buri, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya. The international favourites of Phuket, Samui and Pattaya are, generally, off most local tourism maps.

Thai VietJet passenger arrested for allegedly saying the “airline should be bombed”

We might think all sorts of things when flight delays inconvenience us. But most of us stew in the departure lounge. Mike, a Thai man, decided to vent his anger.

A Thai VietJet passenger was arrested after he allegedly muttered “I think this airline should be bombed” just as he was boarding a flight at the Phuket International Airport. 26 year old Mike Wims was arrested by airport security for allegedly violating Thailand’s Air Navigation Act which prohibits false statements that could potentially cause panic.

Mike muttered his threat, seriously or not, just as an airline employee was handing him back his ticket. The employee then asked her colleague to contact the airline’s chief as well as airport security who then detained the passenger.

Mike claims he was angry about the flight delay and the statement was a “slip of the tongue.” He faces charges under Section 22 of the Act on Certain Offenses against Air Navigation.

Thailand’s Covid-19 task force to debate quarantine reduction proposal tomorrow, again

It’s on again. After deciding in last week’s meeting to continue on with the mandatory 14 day quarantine, the issue of a reduction from 14 days to 10, is back on the table.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will meet tomorrow to discuss the proposal, again, to reduce mandatory quarantine from 14 days to 10, for arrivals from low-risk countries. But, again, a number of leading Thai medics are warning against the move, saying it could cause an uncontrollable spike in virus numbers. They are urging officials to wait until an effective vaccine is available, which it’s hoped could be within the next 6 months.

The Public Health Minister says that he understands the doctors’ concerns, but believes them to be unfounded, reminding them that the reduction would only apply to people coming from countries considered low-risk.