News from Thailand – December 1, 2013

Read first Army enlisted to keep order on 'V-Day' for the latest news on the protests.

Photos: A crowded Rajamangala stadium last night, where the red shirts held a rally. Photo homepage: Demonstrators break through the fence of the army headquarters.

– Dissolution of the House of Representatives is held in reserve by ruling party Pheu Thai as a last resort to end political conflicts, according to 'insiders' of Pheu Thai, writes Bangkok Post. But immediately followed by elections, that does not solve the problems, because Pheu Thai will undoubtedly return to power.

Pheu Thai MP Apiwan Wiriyachai says talks are the best way to contain the crisis. Because no party is acceptable to both camps as a mediator, he sees something in the proposal of some academics to hold a referendum before dissolving parliament. The people can then decide whether to maintain the current [2007] constitution or return to the 1997 constitution.

It is no coincidence that a referendum is also the advice of the Constitutional Court, when it halted the parliamentary debate on amendment of Article 291 earlier this year. The amendment to this article involves the setting up of an assembly, which will be tasked with rewriting the constitution. Such an assembly could be formed within a month, says government whip Amnuay Khlangpha, and a new constitution would be ready after six months. After that, new elections can be held after negotiations between all parties.

Amnuay suggests that all current members of parliament and senators be banned from participating in those elections, so that the parliament will consist of an entirely new generation of leaders.

Action leader Suthep's proposal to form a 'people's council', 'people's parliament' or 'people's court' does not get support from Pheu Thai. Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanchana calls it unconstitutional.

From a poll by Nida on the six-point plan Suthep's report shows that 79 percent of the 1.234 respondents agree with the call for new elections free of vote-buying. More than two-thirds support a new 'war on corruption' with no statute of limitations on corruption cases.

– The current political impasse can only be resolved if both parties negotiate, says Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul of the Bank of Thailand. Various individuals and organizations, such as the Thai Chamber of Commerce, are willing to act as mediators. Prasarn urges both camps to avoid violence and seek compromise. According to him, the crisis has negative consequences for the economy, including domestic spending, private investment and tourism.

Capital flows are unaffected. They remain reasonably balanced. The country still has enough foreign reserves to absorb shocks. As of November 22, they totaled $168,8 billion.

The central bank will sit down with the commercial banks to evaluate the current situation. Local banks could temporarily close branches at the protest locations.

– The move of the rally 'headquarters' from Ratchadamnoen Avenue to the government complex on Chaeng Wattana road has been well received by the demonstrators. They have more space and – not unimportantly – building B where they camp has air-conditioning. The ground floor of that building is now their "bedroom." Food, whistles, earplugs, wristbands, and a few more are available outside the building. Some Democratic MPs provide free food.

The rally has now lasted for a month. It started at Samsen station on October 31 and moved to Ratchadamnoen Avenue on November 5. On Monday, the Ministry of Finance was taken over as headquarters and on Wednesday the protesters moved to Chaeng Wattana road.

– The hearings on the waterworks, for which the government has allocated 350 billion baht, are in violation of the constitution because villagers have been banned. They also did not receive sufficient information to form a well-founded opinion about the projects and the speaking time was too short.

This is the conclusion of an activist from Nakhon Pathom, who attended several sessions. He spoke about his experiences yesterday at a forum organized by the Stop Global Warming Association and the Institute of Public Policy Studies.

The hearings began in October in Lamphun and will end on Friday. They will then be held in 36 provinces, which will have to deal with the construction of waterways, water reservoirs and other hydraulic engineering works. Some hearings were aborted prematurely.

– Residents in southern Thailand, Surat Thani and neighboring provinces should expect three days of heavy rain. Tomorrow a low pressure area will arrive from the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, some provinces were also ravaged by rain and flooding yesterday. In Phatthalung, a bridge was damaged by run off of the Bantad mountain range and it also undermined channel banks after two days of heavy rain. More than XNUMX families were isolated. Flooding in plantations in Muang was expected last night.

In Trang, six tambons in Muang district are still experiencing flooding, but the water is receding. Flooded polling stations had to be moved. The population elects a chairman and councilors of tambon Nataluang.

– President Thein Sein of Myanmar has been awarded two honorary doctorates: one in political science from Naresuan University and one in public administration from Mae Fah Luang University. The corresponding decorations were presented Friday at his palace in Nay Pyi Taw.

Naresuan University Council Chairman Krasae Chanawongse says Sein is receiving the award because he is the first civilian president after 49 years. Thein Sein has led reforms, involving the opposition, and has opened negotiations with minority ethnic groups, Krasae said. Furthermore, he supports the reduction of restrictions on media and he establishes international relations.

President Vanchai Sirichana of the other university calls Sein a man of vision, resourcefulness, progressiveness, modesty and he is a 'leader of the highest caliber'.

– Suvarnabhumi airport suffers from stray dogs. So far, 120 have been captured and taken to Ban Kuengwithi Animal Shelter. The airport pays 974.000 baht to feed the animals.

– Four women, who were on their way to a funeral, died when their car was hit by a truck in Uthai (Ayutthaya). Both cars came to a stop against a shop building, which caught fire as a result. The driver of the truck was unharmed.

According to police, the man drove too fast, causing him to lose control of the wheel, shoot through the median and drag the other car across three lanes.

– A prison warden of the Lampang Central Prison has been caught in possession of methamphetamine tablets. He said they were for personal use. A year earlier, the man had already been transferred from the prison in Chiang Mai to Lampang because of his involvement with drugs. The police suspect that he sold drugs to detainees.

– Compared to last year, the number of bomb attacks and other incidents in the south of Thailand has decreased, says the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc). So far this year has had 160 days without violence. There have also been fewer car bomb attacks in shopping areas. According to Isoc, this is due to stricter security measures. Agents and soldiers remain the main target; the number of casualties among teachers and civilians has decreased.

Sports news

– Thidapa Sunawannapura has won the Hero Women's Indian Open golf tournament. She finished three points ahead of France's Valentine Derrey. It was the fourth time that a Thai won the tournament. Pornapong Phatlum preceded her with three victories.

Thidapa opened with 66 strokes in the first round and held her lead for the remainder of the tournament. Her final score was 8 under par. Thidapa is in her second season on the LPGA Tour; she is ranked 194th on the Rolex Women's World ratings.

Economic news

– Good example leads to good follow. Siam Commercial Bank cut its interest rates after the Bank of Thailand's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Wednesday policy rate by 0,25 percentage point and now interest rates at Bangkok Bank and Kasikornbank are also going down. The MPC decided on the cut to boost Thailand's struggling economy and reduce costs for consumers.

– This month the baht had its biggest monthly drop since May. In November, the baht fell by 3 percent and last week by 0,9 percent to 32,106 against the US dollar. On Friday, it added 0,1 percent and the baht stood at 32,228, the lowest level since September 9.

The SET index lost 5 percent this month.

“While economic conditions don't look too bright, the social unrest has heightened investor concerns,” said Yuji Kameoka, currency strategist at Tokyo-based Daiwa Securities. “There is speculation about an additional rate cut as the latest cut [of the policy rate, see above] would not be enough to boost growth. And we don't know how the protests will end either.'

– The price of diesel and NGV (natural gas for vehicles, natural gas) will go up next year. State oil company PTT Plc has been commissioned by the Ministry of Energy to conduct a price structure study with a view to the start of the Asean Economic Community at the end of 2015. Diesel currently costs 30 baht per liter and NGV 10,5 baht per kilo.

Critics point out that Thailand's fixed price encourages smuggling of fuel to neighboring countries, where fuel is more expensive. Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal (Energy) says price increases are inevitable, but "we will take measures to minimize the impact on the cost of living, including taxi fares and other transportation costs."

The ministry has already discussed the price increases with the transport sector. Taxis receive a discount and PTT provides support for the conversion of trucks to LNG (liquefied natural gas).

– From December 25 to January 8, six power plants will close because the supply of gas is interrupted due to maintenance work on Myanmar's Yetagun gas field. The consequences for electricity supplies are minimal because consumption is low during that period. The ministry is more concerned about a 28-day closure in June and July. Electricity consumption in the South is then very high. The Chana power plant in Songkhla will then have to close. A backup plan is being worked on.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post

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