November 2007 : Poll Campaign Aims to Prevent Vote Buying ABAC poll revealed Thai people want clean and uncorrupt prime minister. NLA passed the 2 and 3 digits lottery bill despite of opposition to be submitted filed to the Constitution Tribunal. 1 to 7 Baht rise for daily minimum wage nationwide. Ban of mobile phone using while driving. Community Forest Bill passed, allows 10 years old community to live in protected forest. Human Trafficking Bill passed with heavy penalty. Alcohol Bill withdrew for revision. Cabinet approved Nuclear Bill pave way for nuclear power plant. Bt.1.6 billion will be allocated for education development in 3 southern provinces. Tax exemption for education/research supporter. NLA approved establishment of Political Development Council. Draft Bill on gender equality got green light from cabinet. SSO agreed to increase public health expenditure from Bt. 1,495 to Bt. 1,539 per head per annual. NLA accept Draft Money Laundering Bill with principle to increase more 7 offenses. Ready for Polling ABAC poll on the upcoming general election on December 23 revealed that 85.8 per cent of the expects their next prime minister to be clean and non-corrupt while the Election Commission (EC) designated Dec. 15 and 16 for advance poll. The cabinet approved Dec 24 a national holiday so people can conveniently go back to their hometown for polling while PM Surayud Chulanont confirmed that the country should get a new prime minister on scheduled by February 2008. Voters who failed to vote without reporting cause will lost 3 rights; 1) right to run in both national and local elections, 2) right to run for Kamnan and village chief elections, and 3) rights to submit petition on election fraud. The 111 members of dissolved Thai Rak Thai were banned from involving in political parties functions. 2-3 digit lottery is now legal The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on November 28 voted 83 to 26 with 3 abstain on the third meeting to pass the Lottery Bill making 2-3 digits lottery legal. After the meeting 30 NLA members said they will file petition to the Constitutional Tribunal on grounds that the law is unconstitutional since many articles oppose the Constitution. Moreover, as the law, in relevant to national finance, should be submitted to the NLA by the prime minister upon cabinet approval. Minimum wages rose nationwide The cabinet meeting on November 27 approved to increase daily minimum wages in many provinces between Bt. 1 to Bt. 7 depends on each local current rates, economic, inflation, quality and social norms affected by the increasing cost of living due to the rising of petroleum prices. Minimum wage in Bangkok, Nakorn Pathom, Nondburi, Pathumthani, Samut Prakarn and Samut Sakorn will be Bt. 194 per day while Phuket, Chonburi, Saraburi, Chaseongsao, Nakorn Ratchasrima, Ayudhya, Rayong, Ranong, Phang-Nga, Krabi, Petchburi and Chiengmai will be Bt. 193, 175, 170, 165, 163, 162, 160 and 159 per day respectively. The new minimum wage rates shall be effective on January 1, 2008. Mobile phone ban is now effective The 57 members of the NLA voted unanimously to enact the draft bill to ban all drivers, without hand-free accessory, from using mobile phone while driving. Penalty is Bt. 400-1,000 fine. The law will be effective after 90 days published in the Royal Gazette. Community Forest Bill passed The NLA on November 21 voted 57 to 2 with 1 abstention to pass the long waiting Community Forest Bill which combines the first draft proposed by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the civic sector’s draft. The bill principle is to allow the forest communities to live in the forest while preserving and managing forest land surrounding their communities. The assembly debated for more than 7 hours on two contentious articles, 25 and 34. The first one lays down the qualifications of 9 communities to be eligible to obtain rights to manage and use protected forest, while the latter stipulates the rights of the community. However, the bill limits community rights to original forest dwellers with strict guidelines for the use of protected forest. By limiting eligibility to original dwellers- those who have lived in the forest for at least 10 years before the bill is promulgated- the law excludes about 20,000 communities scattered on the rim of protected forests countryside. The bill, one of the first submitted by the 100,000 people in regard to the 1997 Constitution, passed its first reading in the House in 2001, under the first Thaksin Administration but was objected by the senate on key provisions so it was delayed after the Senate’s term’s expired until recently reconsidered by bringing the government’s draft to be parallel read with the previous one. However, the key considerations were based on the government’s draft. Human Trafficking Bill passed The National Legislation Assembly on November 28 unanimously passed the Human Trafficking Bill with principle to penult offender who forces human prostitution, trafficking, labor force, beggar and trading of human organs. Penalty also includes person who receive money and benefit or allow other to benefit from such crimes. The law not only prevents crimes against women and children but to every human being- male and female equally. Imprisonment is from 4 to 12 years and fine of Bt. 80,000 to 300,000 depends on the age of the victim and penalty is liable to 2 times multiple if the offender is a member of the parliament, senator, local administrator, civic officer, state enterprise officer or board member, and 3 times multiple if being a Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Committee. The law also protects individual rights against publication of name and other personal records on any media. Penalty is 6-month maximum imprisonment or Bt. 60,000 fine, or both, but exceptional is when the victim is consent. Alcohol Bill withdrew for revision The vetting committee on the Draft Alcohol Bill withdrew the bill for revision in according to the National Legislative Assembly member, Somkiat On-Wimon, deliberation. The revised bill would allow freely advertising of alcohol drinks on 24-hour. Cabinet approved nuclear energy plant The cabinet meeting on November 20 approved on the amendment of B.E. 2504 Nuclear Energy Act, proposed by the Science and Technology Ministry on reason that the revision is complied with current circumstances and added definitions on “ nuclear substances, nuclear re-actor, public disaster and nuclear waste” to the law. Moreover, there shall be a nuclear committee, chairs by the prime minister, to designate criteria on the nuclear energy provider, permits and revocation. Bt. 1.6 billion for southern development The cabinet meeting on November 27 agreed on the principle to designate the 3 southern provinces, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, as the Special Education Development Zone with Bt. 1.6 billion budget allocation between 2008 to 2011. However, the plan is only a framework with no commitment since the Budget Bureau and the Finance Ministry remarked that the budget allocation is in advance, so it should be approved by the incoming government administration. Six strategic plans; 1) education for security, 2) education quality, 3) religious education, 4) education opportunity and life-long education, 5) education promotion for job opportunity and employment, and 6) education administration, are going to be developed in regards to the master plan. Tax exemption for research The cabinet meeting on November 20 approved on principle of the draft regulation to excuse tax for beneficial of educational research as proposed by the Finance Ministry. Tax exemption will be on income tax, value added tax, business tax and excise stamp for those who support education, research and development, invention and education training in regards to the criteria, means and conditions designated by the Revenue Bureau. It is anticipated that the tax excuse will promote more private sector support in education and training and the relieve amount will not affect the national revenue collection. Political Development Council The National Legislation Assembly on November 14 voted 65 to 3 to read the Draft Bill on Political Development Council and appointed a 23-member committee to deliberate the bill within 7 days. The bill principally is to establish a council, comprises of civil sector agencies and experts from various sectors and allocation of fund to develop political participation among general public. Legislation reform committee The cabinet meeting on November 13 approved the Study Committee on Law Reform proposal to establish a Legislation Reform Committee, to be chaired by former General Attorney Kanit Na nakorn, with authorities to study and make recommendation on laws reform in regards to the 2007 Constitution. The task should be completed within 1 year. Gender equality The cabinet meeting on November 13 approved the draft bill on Gender Equality with principle on 1) to prohibit sex discrimination and give equal rights and privileges to all genders, 2) to establish a committee to promote equality among genders, 3) to establish an office of Feminine and Family Affairs, 4) to investigate into petition on sex discrimination, and 5) to establish a fund to promote gender equality. Public health expenditure per head increased. The Board member of the Social Security Office approved to raise the annual public health expenditure from Bt. 1,495 to Bt. 1,539 per head. The new rate shall be submitted to the Medical Council before return to be finalized by the SSO. However, if the new rate can not be agreed, the SSO will temporally use the current one. Draft Money laundering Bill The National Legislation Assembly meeting on November 14 voted 66 to 3 to read the Draft Money laundering Bill, submitted by the cabinet and appointed a vetting panel to deliberate the bill within 7 days. However, the assembly agreed to allow the vetting committee to revise the bill, as proposed by NLA member Bovornsak U-wanno, to add more 7 crimes on money laundering.