June 2017 : NRSC Endorsed Political Culture Bill National Reform Steering Council endorsed Political Culture Bill Bangkok Tower to bypass bidding regulations NLA passed Strategy and Reform Bills 600 MB allocated to southernmost projects NLA endorsed 7 members ethics EC Bill enforcement will terminate current members NESDB approved BMA-Korat high speed train project NCPO used Section 44 to unlock high speed train project 2018 Budget Bill passed first NLA 1,841 MB allocated to pledge 2017 year crop rice 32 public agencies endorsed 3 revised A new fishing law for sustainable fishery NRSC endorsed Political Culture Bill On 12 June, the National Reform Steering Council (NRSC) voted 150 to 5 and 9 abstained to endorse the Political Culture Bill before forwarded to the Cabinet. The Bill’s principle is to prepare and develop human resource to become citizens through various activities; education, promotion, participation, public relation. Bangkok Tower Project to bypass bidding regulations On 27 June, the Cabinet resolved the co-investment of the Bangkok Tower Project on a public land no.3275 in Klong San District to be excluded from the normal bidding process due to it complies with the government policy Thailand 4.0 to promote tourism through this significant Bangkok land mark. The 7,621 million baht co-invested tower will be equipped with intelligent technology and management and it will be a study center for students since they can come to learn those new information technology from its construction period. NLA passed Strategic and Reform Bills On 22 June, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) unanimously passed the National Strategic Bill with 218 to 3 abstained. The Principle is to set up a National Strategic Committee to prepare national strategies to be considered by the cabinet, NLA and other responsible agencies. Their authority includes monitoring and supervision in regards to those strategies. The NLA also passed the National Reform Strategic Plan Bill with 216 votes and 4 abstained. Principles are to set up 11 reform councils; politics, public administration, laws, justice, education, economic, natural resources and environment, public health, mass communication and information technology, social and other as described by the cabinet. Each shall have maximum members of 13 and office term is 5 years. They shall be appointed from experts or experienced people from public, private and societal sectors. 600 BM for southernmost projects On 20 June, the Cabinet resolved to allocate 599,911,071 baht from the 2017 central budget to be used in 9 development projects in the southernmost provinces. NLA endorsed 7 members ethics On 16 June, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) considered the study report, done by the NLA Ethical Committee, on 7 members failed to attend the minimum number of meeting as required by the assembling regulations. The Committee concluded those absented had submitted their leave notes and attended their regular functions. The NLA acknowledged the study and unanimously voted to endorse the seven members’ ethics. NLA voted to set zero EC members On 9 June, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) voted on Article 70 of the Election Commission Organic Bill and endorsed it with 161 to 15 and 12 abstained. The Article was mostly controversial since it will terminate, or set zero, the current EC members upon its enforcement. The Bill will be forwarded to the Constitution Drafting Committee and the Election Commission on its constitutionality. Opposition must be returned within 10 days and if any, a joint committee will be appointed to re-read the Bill. NESDB endorsed BMA-Korat high speed train project The National Economic and Social Development Board endorsed the high speed train project between Bangkok and Nakorn Ratchasima (Korat) is compliance with the state mega project regulations and forwarded for Cabinet approval. The project cost is 179 billion baht and total distance is 253 km. Section 44 unlocked BMA-Korat high speed train project On 15 June, the 30/2560 NCPO’s order was published in the Royal Gazette with principles to accelerate and promote efficiency in the implementation of the BMA-Nakorn Ratchasima (Korat) high speed train project, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is authorized to sign contract with Republic of China’s representative within 120 days. The Transport Ministry shall oversee training courses providing for local personals by Thai Engineers and Architects Councils. The high speed train project was dead locked due to regulations required state mega project procurement to be done through bidding and to be participated by local professional personals; engineers and architects. However, the draft contract must be approved by the Cabinet before signing. NLA first read 2018 Budget Bill On 8 June, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) passed its first reading of the 2018 Budget Bill with 216 and 3 abstained. A 50-member extraordinary committee was appointed to consider the Bill within 90 days. 1,841 MB for 2017 year crop rice pledging On 27 June, the Cabinet resolved to allocate a 1,841 million baht to the 2017 rice pledging program. The program covers 20-30 million rai of year-crop farms country wide. Farmers can insure their production, at a premium 90 baht per rai, against damages from flood, heavy rains, drought, rain storm, frost, hail and fire. They will receive compensation 1,260 baht per rai from those losses and 630 baht per rai from losses due to pest and pestilence. While the 2017 premium is lower than 2016, the compensations are increased. Farmers in central, north and northeast regions can buy policies from 31 August while in south, 15 December due to late cultivation. Cabinet endorsed public agencies revision plan On 20 June, the Cabinet resolved to retain statuses of 32 public agencies and to revise another 3 to the ministerial agents. The three are; Office of National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (NESQA) to under the Education Ministry, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) to under the Prime Minister’s Office, and International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD) to under the Commerce Ministry. Moreover, another 2 public agencies are to be improved under the same authority; Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) should reduce administration cost, and Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD) to reduce its missions into two; Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park) and National Discovery Museum Institute (NDMI) and upgrade Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC) to a public agency. A new fishing law for sustainable fishery On 6 June, the Cabinet approved a new fishing enactment with principles to solve illegal fishing in Thailand. Revisions are to redefine and reclassify fishing boats; the local boat fishing along shore line and commercially bigger ones. There are restricted zones that completely bar commercial fishing and vis versa, shore line fishing boats must acquires permits if they want to fish in the commercial zones. The European Union’s fishery council IUU is coming to assess illegal fishing in Thailand soon.