News from Thailand – November 20, 2013

Monks who have to climb over a concrete wall to make their rounds in the morning: that is of course not possible. This situation occurred at Wat Benchamabopit, which is known to tourists as the Marble Temple.

The barricades had been set up to prevent protesters from reaching nearby Government House. After complaints from the abbot and believers, the police have now agreed to move the barricades.

Since the barrier was erected, visits to the temple have declined and the monks collect less alms. The temple grounds have also been used by officers to relax and take a nap, but they also smoked and left trash. The abbot is not charmed by this 'irreverent behaviour'. A total of 500 people live in the temple, including 109 monks, novices and devotees. The temple kitchen provides meals twice a day.

– Suthep Thaugsuban, who stirs up tempers at the Democrat rally on Ratchadamnoen Avenue as a true demagogue, says the government intends to put an end to anti-government protests on November 30 with a heavy hand. But they're going to put a stop to that. On November 29, it will be over for the Yingluck government, he predicts.

According to Suthep, Prime Minister Yingluck has placed the task of ending the protest in the hands of Minister Chalerm Yubamrung (Employment, formerly Deputy Prime Minister). "Chalerm isn't brave, but he's got cops who don't shy away from kidnapping and murder."

Suporn Atthawong, deputy secretary general to the prime minister, said yesterday that armed men from the South have been recruited to reinforce Suthep's demonstration.

Paradorn Pattanatabut, secretary general of the National Security Council, showered Suthep with scorn for his claim that Sunday is "major battle day" with 1 million protesters at the Democracy Monument. According to Paradorn, the rally has drawn up to 100.000 people. That number was reached on November 11.

Paradorn accused Suthep of spreading incorrect information about the dangers he runs. Suthep says he was stopped by the police at a checkpoint on Monday evening, after which his car was searched for weapons. 'I'm not afraid of death. The day I am killed is the last day the government is in power," Suthep said.

– UDD chair Tida Tawornseth says the red shirts, who started a 2-day rally at Rajamangala stadium yesterday, will stay there and not take to the streets if the Constitutional Court today makes a decision unfavorable to the government and Pheu Thai. It is possible that the rally will be extended, but violence rules them out. "It's just going to be a platform for people to voice their opinions."

– The rice mortgage system is the worst of all the populist policies of the current government. It has resulted in a loss of 465 billion baht and another 254 billion baht can be added.

Pridiyathorn Devakula repeated it again yesterday during a discussion at Thammasat University about the abuse of a parliamentary majority. Pridiyathorn predicted that the national debt will reach 2019 trillion baht by 10,2. The former prime minister and finance minister therefore called for a constitutional amendment, limiting government spending on populist projects, so that the future of the country is not endangered. The government should be obliged to inform parliament about the financing of those projects and the consequences for other budgets.

– In a firefight with forest rangers, three Cambodians who had illegally cut wood in the Phanom Dong Rak game reserve were shot dead on Monday night. Foresters found 10 blocks of rosewood nearby, which could have fetched XNUMX million baht abroad. Eight handsaws, four axes and five main flashlights were also found.

– Residents of Muang (Uttaradit) demand the closure of a landfill after medical and infectious waste was dumped. They have long complained about the stench and toxic smoke that the landfill gives off when the waste is set on fire.

The landfill is owned by the city of Uttaradit, which dumps garden waste there. The medical waste comes from the Uttaradit hospital. The municipality has closed access to the landfill, so that no more illegal waste can be dumped.

– For the second time, the operator of the Express Passenger Boat Service on the Chao Phraya is not allowed to increase the fare. This time, the company had asked for a 2 baht increase due to increased fuel costs. The company suffered a loss of 13 million baht last year and 7 to 8 million baht so far this year. The Ministry of Transport says the company must take other measures to increase revenue.

– A paramilitary ranger was killed yesterday and his two sisters were wounded when they were shot at from a passing pickup truck while sitting in front of their home in Muang (Pattani).

– The court has confirmed the deportation to Australia of two former Thai students. They must be tried there for stabbing an Australian to death. The plea of ​​the men's lawyers that they would not receive a fair trial in Melbourne failed to impress the court. One of the two had appealed, the other has previously announced that it will contest the charges in Australia.

– Five foreigners suspected of drug trafficking were deported to the US yesterday. It concerns two Britons, a Slovak, a man from the Philippines and a Taiwanese. The five are considered aides to former US soldier Manuel Hunter, who was arrested in Phuket in September and was also deported after his arrest.

– Victims of the uprising on October 14, 1973 will receive 7.000 baht per month in compensation, but they must sign an agreement that they waive further claims.

Political news

– Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont of the House of Representatives gives opposition party Democrats until tomorrow to better motivate why they want a censor debate has requested. The Democrats have targeted Prime Minister Yingluck and two ministers. They want to submit a motion of no confidence against Yingluck and one minister, and against Yingluck and two ministers a motion that should lead to impeachment proceedings.

If Somsak has not received anything by tomorrow afternoon, the party will not take place during the current term of office. The House will go into recess on November 28. Somsak says he needs further details to be able to assess whether a debate is relevant. He denies trying to block the debate to protect Yingluck.

– The planned cabinet meeting on November 29 and 30 in the southern province of Songkhla (a stronghold of opposition party Democrats) will go ahead, says Prime Minister Yingluck. "We're going to do useful things for the people," she said when asked if she wasn't afraid she'd be treated to a flute concert.

Police in Songkhla are taking maximum security measures to protect the Prime Minister and her cabinet so that the meeting cannot be disrupted. Paradorn Pattanatabut, secretary-general of the National Security Council, will update the prime minister on the situation ahead of her visit so that she can decide whether the visit can go ahead.

Economic news

– Despite the populist showers sprinkled over the population, the income gap between rich and poor is widening. In contrast, it is decreasing in comparable economies such as Colombia, Brazil and Malaysia. Compared to those countries, the gap is the largest in Thailand.

Somchai Jitsuchon, director of research for inclusive development at the Thailand Development Institute (TDRI), says that the revision of the income brackets in the income tax is not helping. He calls the idea that all farmers are poor a misconception. As a result, the policy is aimed at the wrong people.

Research by the TDRI has shown that only 7,7 million of the 17,6 million farmers can be called poor. Of the money spent in the rice mortgage system, 35 billion went to poor farmers and 85 billion baht to millers, exporters, politicians and large farms. "So the idea that the poor benefit from policies aimed at helping farmers and reducing income inequality is an illusion," says Somchai.

Somcha thinks that the money should go better to poor students, the elderly, children and can be spent on improving the expertise of employees and better social services. The TDRI proposes a new economic model based on innovation, improved technology, education and craftsmanship.

– Thailand's technical recession in the middle of this year ended in the third quarter. Gross domestic product increased by 1,3 percent against 0 percent in the second and 1,6 percent negative in the first quarter. In the third quarter, growth in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors slowed down. Catering, transport and telecommunications experienced stronger growth. Compared to the same period last year, GDP rose by 3,7 percent in the first nine months. The National Economic and Social Development Board has lowered its growth forecast for this year from 3,8 to 4 percent in August to 3 percent.

– The government of Myanmar has no plans to terminate the concession of Italian-Thai Development Plc for the development of Dawei. However, work has been halted to allow international investors to participate. The denial follows a statement by Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, who had said so. He leads a task force tasked with pulling the project loose after years of delays. In Dawei in Eastern Myanmar, Thailand and Myanmar are jointly developing a deep-sea port and economic zone.

– Although the number of NPLs (non-performing loans) increased in the third quarter, the bad-loan ratio equal because the total amount of loans increases. According to Anupap Kuvinichkul, director of the Financial Institutions Strategy Department, NPLs are therefore not a problem; moreover, the banks have tightened their acceptances.

The amount of NPLs now stands at 266,3 billion baht. In addition, there are the so-called special mentoring loans (30 to 90 days in arrears) ad 269,1 billion baht.

www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post

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