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 July 2020 : Covid-19 Situation Better-Politics at Risk
Covid-19 situation is getting better On 31July, the Covid-19 Center reported 6 new confirmed cases were found in State Quarantines, making a total of 3,310 cases since the outbreak. 3,125 patients had been treated and 127 are currently hospitalized. Deceased stable at 58 cases as the previous month. There were 17,474,020 confirmed cases globally, 10,937,750 had been cured. Totaled deaths were 676,755. Since new cases went as high as more than 200,000 daily, Covid-19 is still a globally threat. Referring to the permission of 4 foreigner groups already allowed to enter the country, the Covid-19 Center said officials are ready to supervise as soon as private quarantines are ready to operate. State of Emergency extends to 31 August On 29 August, the cabinet approved the State of Emergency to be extended until 31 August 2020. However, measures on practices would be revised to suit the situations. More activities will be allowed including public gathering in accordance with the law. Baht 3,622 million allowance for public health volunteers The cabinet approved an allocation of baht 3,622 million to be the first allowance, starting from March –September 2020, for approximately 1,054,000 public health volunteers countrywide. This is a first batch of a total baht 45,000 million budget allocation to the Public Health Ministry. Human trafficking situation improves On 29 July, the Labor Ministry reported its achievement on the exercising in line with the Protection of Fishing Industry Workers B.E. 2562, conducted from 18 November 2019 to 31 May 2020, as violations had decreased within the practices: 1. Set up a working group to supervise, monitor, protect and revise to rid illegal actions. 2. Law enforcement: Monitored 37,054 fishing trips passing shoreline check points, only 9 or 0.024% violated the law. In-sea checking, 508 vessels, only 2 or 0.39%, outlaw. 3. Prevention: 160,950 workers registered and 92,233 were foreign-workers, passed medical check-up. A total of 10,202 fishing permits were granted for the 2020-2021 fishing season and only 6 are permitted as international fishing. 4. Protection and assistant: saved 3 workers from abroad. 5. Cooperation: agreements are being made with the EU and ILO. The Government made the suppression of human trafficking a national agenda since 2015 and strictly abided making Thailand delisted from the US and EU human trafficking report in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Thaksin gets 5 year jail on Shin Corp concession amended On 30 July, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Section for Political Position Holders convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to a 5-year jail term on his violation of Section 100 of the Organic Act on Anti-Corruption B.E. 2542. The case was filed to the court by the Attorney-General on 11 July 2008. The defendant, during he was in office between 9 February 2001 to 19 September 2006, used his authority for the benefit of Shin Corp Plc., which was a conflict of interest to the public, by amended the concession contract between the Excise Department and Shin Corp, a business he holds shares, in nominee’s names, resulted in the state loss of revenue baht 66 billion. The case was temporary terminated when the defendant fled the country but resumed after the law amended, in 2017, to allow prosecution to continue in absent of the defendant. The Anti-Corruption Act prohibits political position holders to hold shares of corporations doing businesses with the state. Due to his absent, the court has issued Thaksin Shinawatra an arrest warrant. Students’ mob launched anti-government protest On 18 July at 17:00 hr. two groups of students under the name “Free YOUTH” and Students Association of Thailand, gathered at the Democracy Monument on Ratchdamnern Avenue to protest the government. The protesting was observed by policemen from local police stations. The police said the demonstration was not consented according to the Demonstration Act but the police tried to keep the students within a confined area. The students broke out the retainers and walked on the street caused traffic jam. However, no one was injured. The students demanded: 1. House dissolution due to the government failure to solve economic problems. Covid-19 led to unemployment and shortage of income. 2. Stop using laws and security reason as excuses to threaten and silencing the citizens. 3. Rewrite a new constitution. The demonstration, the first ever organized after Covid-19 outbreak, was dissolved at midnight due to the leaders’ concern on safety. Free-People group launched anti-government campaign On 1 August, a group of people calling themselves “Free People” launched a campaign via Facebook stated it is the right time for movement. Their campaign collaborated with the Free YOUTH movement redefining themselves the People. This is coincidentally with former leader of the dissolved Future Forward Party Mr. Thanatorn Jungroungruengkit, commented on the House sub-committee on the reform. The csub-committee was appointed to re-examine and revise the laws by inviting core leaders of the Red Shirts and their associations to write reconciliation measures. He said main principle of reconciliation is to return justice to all. Without justice, there will be no peace. It is time for the army, independent organs, media and politicians to accept their mistakes and learn the lessons. On 23 July, students network in many provinces; Songkla, Pathumthani, Khon Kaen, Ayudhya, organized activities with the same tree demands. They targeted Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha to resign and stated their stance not to attend the hearing organizes by House sub-committee saying the government should come to meet them. NIDA Poll : 42% shunned conflict – unrest On 3 August, NIDA Poll revealed its study on “Attitudes Towards the Free Students Movement”, done on 1,250 samplings countrywide, conducted from 29-31 July as follow:
Towards PM Prayut reaction:
SUPER POLL: people feared students protest accelerates to unrest On 26 July, SUPER Poll revealed its field study on “ To Whom Shall I Elect if the Election is Tomorrow?”, conducted by using Mixed Method; tele-call, field survey, and Quantitative Research-Qualitative Research, from 1,319 samplings countrywide, between 20-25 July 2020, as follow:
On whom shall they elect?
SUPER Poll: students’ mobs should respect monarchy institution On 24 July, the SUPER Poll revealed another study towards the students’ mob movement on their campaign against the monarchy. The study used the Mixed Method; field survey, tele-calling, and Quantitative and Qualitative Researches, from 1,308 samplings countrywide, between20-23 July 2020, as follow:
It must be noted that there is a concern on the students’ actions towards the monarchy and:
Towards who are liable to protect and uphold the monarchy institution?
However, more than half of the samplings agreed with the students on their harsh comments towards the government performances; fighting for ministerial positions while economic problems is critical, pressing some cabinet members to resign, economic failure, and state of emergency extension. SUPER Poll: 100% Thais no-confidence on political parties On 11 July, the SUPER Poll revealed its study on “The Resignation of 4 Cabinet Members” done by Mixed Method; field survey, tele-calling, and Quantitative and Qualitative Researches, from 1,586 samplings countrywide, between 9-10 July 2020, as follow: Towards confidentiality on political parties:
280 state agencies ready for e-Service On 2 August, the cabinet acknowledged the progress on Digital Government’s e-Service scheme that 280 public agents are ready to provide the electronic services making them accessible from homes at any time from any place. They are divided in 3 major groups:
These 280 e-Service public agencies could be accessible via their webpages. Social security insurers to get baht 1,500 remediation allowance On 21 July, the cabinet endorsed to allocate baht 896.94 million as remediation allowance to social security insurers affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. They are 59,776 workers in compliance with Section 33 of the act, payment of less than 6 months within 15 months period. Under the remediation scheme, they would receive a total of baht 15,000, baht , 5,000 for three consecutive months, June-August 2020, at one installation. State welfare card-holders to get baht 3,000 remediation On 4 July, the Finance Ministry disclosed the progress on remediation allowance to 1.14 million holders of state security cards that they would receive a total of baht 3,000 allowance. However, they must not belong to any other social security scheme and did not receive any remediation allowance from the state. Cash would be transferred into their accounts during 4-9 July. Cabinet approved budget Bt.100 billion for economic-social revitalization projects On 8July, the cabinet, in regarding to the Finance Ministry loans Bt. 400 billion, approved in principle to allocate the first Bt. 100 billion, for financing the 186 projects already approved, at Bt. 92,400 million. The first 5 projects, totaled Bt. 15,520.096 million, focusing on employment, careers and providing knowledge are:
The rest, 181 projects, would be succeddingly submitted to the cabinet’s approval. 2021 Fiscal Budget Bill passed first reading On 1 July, the House of Reps convened to read the 2021 Fiscal Budget Bill for the first time and passed it on 3 July with 273 to 200 votes and 3 abstentions. A 72-member reading committee was appointed to read the draft bill. Move Forward Party nominated Mr. Thanatotn Joogruengruaengkit to the committee. National Saving Fund easier to access On 18 July, the deputy spokesperson Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, announced members of the National Saving Fund for Freelancers can now apply and pay in at 13,000 counter service nationwide. This is a progress from previously they have to do transaction at state banks, only. The Fund currently has 2.357 million members, exceeding the target 1 million. Thais between 15-60 years of age, excludes state officials and social security insurers, can apply for membership. Minimum monthly saving is Bt. 50 and maximum is Bt. 13,200 per annual. The state will add 50% of the saving, but not exceed than Bt. 600 per annual, to the account. This additional will increase accordingly to conditions. Savers will get their monthly pensions when reaching 60 years old. Chula’s Pharmaceutical Dean: joining CPTPP will increase drugs cost On 17 July, Chulalongkorn University Pharmaceutical Faculty dean Dr. Rungpetch Sakulbamrungsilp, disclosed a primary research on CPTPP Impact on Access to Medicines, submitted to the sub-committee, on 14 July 2020, on studying the impact of CPTPP on medical and healthcare system on “Patent Linkage and Government Procurement” on how the joining will affect medicines cost, market shares between domestic pharmaceutical industry and importers, and market growth rates in 30 years. In principle, joining CPTPP will make expenditures on medicines costlier, more dependent on import drugs, and decreases of domestic market value. Concerning the Patent Linkage, pharmaceutical industry on general medicines will be retarded and any non-patent medicine will be unable to produce. The patent Linkage will make it more difficult for pharmaceutical business to pre-apply for patent. In case of law-suiting, the production would be prolonged than normally 2 years after patent applied. In the case of settlement completed. There will be high competition in the market, making medicine cost lessen, but this will take a long time more than presently. On the Government Procurement, it will affect the Public Pharmaceutical Organization (PPO), currently having privileges in selling to public hospitals. In 2019, Thailand spent a total of Bt. 196,899 million on medicine and 71% was imported. Domestic share value was only Bt. 69,326 million and Bt. 6,904 million went to PPO. If the Business as usual for another 30 years, expense on medicine will be Bt. 980,637 million, import medicines share is 76%, domestic producers share will be Bt. 285,454 million, and Bt. 24,089 million goes to PPO. Myanmar media: Arms found Thai border belongs to Karen On 16 July, Myanmar’s The Irrawaddy presented a special report “Weapons Seized in Mae Sot Destined for Myanmar’s Rakhine State: Intelligence Sources” Cited the seizure of weapons in Mae Sot District, Tak Province on 23 June 2020 in which Thai police chief Pol. Gen. Chakthip Chaijinda said it could relate to political movement in Thailand, the intelligence sources both Myanmar and Thai has agreed the weapons belonged to Karen group BKDN, destined to the terrorist groups, Arakan Army and Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, locating in Rakai State on the Bangladesh border. There were clashes between Myanmar militants and Arakan Army and it was speculated Arakan had successfully sent weapons from Mae Sot to Rakai State many times. Two men were captured, one is former militant and another half Thai-Karen. Uttama’s 4-Kuman (Boys) Gang resigned On 16 July, former Palang Pracharat party leader Uttama Saowanayon Finance Minister, Sondhirat Sondhijirawong Energy Minister, Suwit Maesinsee Higher Education Minister and Korbsak Putrakoon deputy secretary-general to the prime minister for political issue, aka 4 Kuman (Boys) group, submitted their resignation to the Secretariat to the Prime Minister, Disthat Hotrakit. Administrative Court prosecution views via VDO conference On 9 July, the Supreme Administrative Court launched an activity “The Administrative Court’s learning program for citizens” to promote understanding on administrative laws and the court’s prosecution through electronic system. Attendants can use QR Code to view 12 processes, from filing complaints, to the court prosecution, submitting e-complaint, to mediate disputes. The Administrative Court is ready to become an e-Court accessible to everyone. Cabinet endorsed same-sex marriage bill On 8 July, the cabinet endorsed a draft bill on same sex marriage with principles of permitting partnership registration of same-sex unions, along with legal amendments to ensure they have most, if not all, the same rights as married couples. The bill was proposed by Justice Ministry with principles:
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