Thai Government
- Business News
Thai Airways petitions overseas creditors not to confiscate its aircraft
Thailand’s beloved but beleaguered national carrier is appealing to creditors in Switzerland, Japan and Germany not to seize its aircraft, while a similar request is being prepared for US creditors. If each country’s court approves the petition, Thai Airways assets will be protected against seizure when they fly into their jurisdictions. In particular, the airline will not risk having its…
- Covid-19 News
Activist asks why the government wants public mobile phone data
The secretary-general of the Thai Constitution Protection Association has denounced government plans to ask phone operators for details of the public’s usage, which officials claim would only be used to prevent any resurgence of the Covid-19 virus. Srisuwan Janya plans to file a petition with the National Human Rights Commission today, calling for the Ministry of Defence and the Disease…
- Covid-19 News
Lumpini boxing stadium officials side-lined over Covid-19 cluster
A report in Nation Thailand says that Thailand’s army chief Apirat Kongsompong has ordered the transfer of all committee members at the Lumpini Boxing Stadium in Bangkok. The dressing down and side-lining of the officials comes after the committee went ahead with a boxing match at the stadium on March 6, two days after the government ordered such venues to…
- Politics News
Opposition criticises Government for unnecessary borrowing
The Pheu Thai opposition party is calling on the government to look to existing funds first before attempting to borrow a trillion baht from as-yet-unnamed sources. Opposition chief whip Suthin Klangsaeng was participating in the last day of the debate on three government decrees concerning the country’s finances. A Thai PBS World report says the government is under fire for…
- Politics News
Opposition criticises Thai government over economic toll of Covid response
Opposition party Pheu Thai has condemned the government’s management of the Covid-19 crisis, saying total shutdown has had a devastating effect on the country’s economy. In a report in Nation Thailand, Paopoom Rojanasakul, vice secretary-general of the party says the hard-hitting restrictions imposed across the country have led to high unemployment, with the International Monetary Fund saying Thailand’s economy is…
- Politics News
Government claims 2010 Bangkok protest crackdown was legal
A spokesman for Thailand’s Democrat Party, currently part of the ruling coalition, says former PM and party chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva did nothing wrong in ordering the 2010 military crackdown on protesters in Bangkok. Khaosod English reports that Ramet Rattanachaweng’s comments come as activists commemorated the 10 year anniversary of the crackdown, in which around 100 people died, by projecting an…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand cancels visas-on-arrival and some visa exemptions for 21 countries
On top of all the changes announced in the past few days for passengers arriving in Thailand, today the government has announced an additional measure. The Thai government has now cancelled the automatic granting of the visa-on-arrival for 18 countries as well as cancelling visa exemption for three other countries in additional efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.…
- Events
Thousands gather for this morning’s protest running event in Bangkok
This morning’s fun run/rally/political event/marathon/jog/protest at Suan Rot Fai park in Chatuchak, a northern Bangkok suburb, attracted thousands of runners. The run was organised as a protest against Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government. The “Run Against Dictatorship” was organised by opposition political parties and activists calling for greater political freedom. The event was held less than 10…
- Economy News
Government trying to tame strong baht, but bank says it will remain strong in 2020
The prominent rise of the Thai baht in over the past year has had wide implications and effects, and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says that state agencies have met often to come up with ways to tame the strong currency. Kasikorn Bank Research Centre has already released a report outlining reasons the baht will remain strong into 2020. The bank’s research arm…
- Economy News
Thai government introduces property stimulus package
PHOTO: homeservicerayong.com “Buyers must earn no more than 100,000 baht a month and be registered on the Revenue Department’s tax database.” Thailand’s Finance Ministry spokesman Lavaron Sangsnit says that the three major housing associations are ready to support the government’s latest stimulus measures to support home purchases. There was a meeting between Ministry officials and the Housing Business Association, Thai Real…
- Environment News
PM not bothered by threats from smaller coalition parties to remove support
The PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s not too concerned by threats from five coalition parties to withhold support unless the government provides satisfactory answers during the upcoming no-confidence grilling. Thai PBS World says the PM claims all parties are getting along fine, adding that while he can’t make any party vote in a particular way, neither can the parties force…
- Politics News
PM defends the 80 billion baht munition spend
PHOTO: The Nation Speaking to the House of Representatives’ budget debate for the 2020 financial year yesterday, PM and Minister of Defence Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha defended the expenditure for the Defence Ministry. He claimed they must reserve a budget of 70-80 billion baht for buying munitions and vehicles for defense purposes. “This money is part of the Ministry of Defense’s…
- Crime News
Convicted human traffickers ignore 99% of court orders in Thailand
Human traffickers in Thailand have ignored court orders to pay compensation to victims in more than the 99% of convicted cases in recent years. The flouting of the court orders is fuelling fears that many survivors could be victimised again. Thai courts have ordered traffickers to pay their victims more than $4.3 million for damages caused in about 1,335 cases…
- Environment News
New controls on three toxic agri-chemicals take effect on October 20
A number of ministers and officials are vowing to continue pushing for a ban on three controversial agri-chemicals – Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorpyrifos – all still widely used in Thai agriculture. Meanwhile, strict measures on using the three chemicals, announced on April 5 and set take effect on October 20, have brought cheers from consumers and NGOs but protests from…
- Environment News
Bhumjaithai ministers will quit if herbicides are not banned
Lobbying is intensifying over a final decision to ban three controversial herbicides – paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos. With farmers, agri-business interests, environmental activists and social media all putting pressure on decision-makers to sway their decision, the biggest pressure is from within the ruling Palang Pracharat government. Increasing pressure is now being applied to the National Hazardous Substances Committee after the…
- Politics News
BBC Thai follows up Australian media claims about Thammanat’s imprisonment in Sydney
The BBC’s Thai affiliate has published notes of an official document obtained from a visit to an Australian court, stating that Manat Bophlom one of the former names used by the Thai Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Thammanat Prompao, had served four years in jail for on charge of conspiring to import heroin to Australia. Early in September, Australia…
- Politics News
Thanathorn dares Prawit to have a face-to-face meeting over NY protests
Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is daring Deputy PM and luxury watch enthusiast Prawit Wongsuwan to summon him for questioning, whether the party might be linked to anti-government protests in New York last week. The protesters, waving placards like “Stop the human rights abuses” and “We want fair elections”, was held out side Pm Chan-o-cha’s hotel in New York…
- Thailand News
Thai government extends free water and electricity services for another year
PHOTO: www.unsplash.com Thailand’s Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana says low-income households will continue to get free electricity and water for another year. The scheme, which assists poorer families, was due to expire at the end of this month. Under the plan, low-income households get up to 230 baht worth of electricity for free each month, along with 100 baht worth of…
- Economy News
Chim-Shop-Chai – more than a million already register for the latest Thai stimulus package
Interest in the government’s latest stimulus package has been massive with online portals being battered by people wanting to know more about how they can get their hands on the 1000 baht give-away from the Thai government. More than a million people have already registered to join the government’s Chim-Shop-Chai (Taste-Shop-Spend) program, where they will receive a 1000 baht to…
- Politics News
Future Forward secretary-general floats idea of another debate
PHOTO: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Party leader of Future Forward Party – AFP Future Forward secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul says the Opposition will consider the option of holding another parliamentary debate over the next 3 months. His statement comes after what was generally considered an unsatisfactory response from the PM and other cabinet members during Wednesday’s debate. Piyabutr is not ready to let the matter…
- Tourism News
Obligatory travel insurance for visitors to Thailand? Don’t worry about it for now, says government
Chote Trachu, representing the Thai Ministry for Tourism and Sports, says tourists visiting Thailand don’t have to worry about the mandatory requirement for travel insurance at this time. Thailand’s tourism industry is currently experiencing some challenges, explains the Ministry’s spokesperson, and for this reason, the requirement for all visitors to have travel insurance is being postponed until 2020 – or…
- Politics News
No nerves here, says Thai PM, in advance of oath grilling
PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha says he’s not at all nervous about today’s debate on his oath-taking gaffe and is well prepared for a grilling from the opposition. “I don’t feel nervous at all. I am at the stage where I no longer feel rattled.” The Bangkok Post reports that those taking part in the debate are set to include the…
- Politics News
Wissanu admits Thammanat Prompeo’s educational credentials were not checked
Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngarm admits that the Office of the Secretary-General of the Cabinet had not vetted the educational background of Captain Thammanat Prompao, before he was appointed deputy agriculture minister, because the vetting process might have delayed the appointment of the cabinet. But he says the embattled deputy agriculture minister might be replaced “if there is an ethics problem”.…
- Northern Thailand News
Thai PM insists government flood victims aren’t being ignored
PHOTO: A dog tries to keep dry on a flooded street in Thailand’s northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani – Krit Phromsakla Na Sakolnakorn – AFP Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says he attaches great importance to relief operations designed to alleviate the suffering of flood victims and the government has procedures to compensate them. A government spokeswoman Naruemol Pinyosinwat was taken aback…
- Politics News
Thai Government fails to properly address flood victims – Thanathorn
FILE PHOTO Embattled Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has slammed the government for its handling of the current flood situation in the north-east and central Thailand. Speaking in a panel debate on amendment of the Constitution at Khon Kaen University on Sunday, he said he had visited people in Yasothon and Roi Et provinces in past days. He found…
- Politics News
Thai Army chief writing a thesis about the spread of ‘fake news’
Thailand’s Army Commander-in-Chief, General Apirat Kongsompong, says he has “serious concerns” over the spread of fake news in Thailand, “some of which seems intended to discredit the government and the military”. General Apirat is also finishing a thesis about the change of political behaviour in Thailand. He said that, while he did not want to describe the use of fake news as “mind manipulation”, he had observed that some people, when repeatedly exposed to fake…
- Thailand News
“No stimulus for property sector” – Thai finance minister
The Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana told a seminar in Bangkok yesterday that the government’s stimulus packages were for the ‘grass roots economy’ and the property sector can cope on its own, without any government assistance. He was speaking at a property seminar hosted by the Krungthep Turakit newspaper yesterday. He said that that the real estate sector could readily adjust…
- Politics News
Thai coalition government may not last more than two years, experts caution
PHOTO: The Nation Economic concerns and doubts over the government’s legitimacy may mean it only maintains a grip on power for two years, according to academics. The situation is not helped by Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan being made chief strategist of the Phalang Pracharat party. According to Titipol Phakdeewanich, Dean of Ubon Ratchathani University’s Political Science faculty, this only…
- Transport News
Former finance minister says government shouldn’t bail out Thai Airways
Former Thai Finance Minister and current Democrat list MP Korn Chatikavanich is voicing his concerns over the financial crisis gripping Thai Airways and objects to any plan to use taxpayer money to rescue the ailing legacy airline. Korn says Thai Airways’ financial current troubles are similar to the situation in 2008, when the company struggled to find money to repay…
- Politics News
Government faces no-confidence vote with loss of five independent MPs
The Government was sworn in less than a month ago on July 17, but already faces the prospect of a no confidence motion on its ability to control the lower house majority after five MPs pulled out of the 19-party coalition bloc. Last week the ruling Government lost a vote on the floor over the role of the House Speaker.…
