News from Thailand – April 30, 2014
The fatal fall of two police cadets during parachute training in Phetchaburi at the end of March was due to the negligence of the company that had made repairs to the staticline. The Royal Thai Police has concluded this from an investigation into the tragic incident. The name of the company has not been disclosed.
The father of one of the two is going to take legal action against the company. He says he heard from police adviser Jarumporn Suramanee (pictured) that the cable should have been replaced instead of repaired. Jarumporn has advised him and the family of the other cadet to file a joint report.
Reports are circulating that Thai Airways International has been asked to carry out the repair and that it would have outsourced the job. The police inspector who was in charge of the investigation does not want to confirm those reports. In the meantime, the defective parts have been replaced and the equipment has undergone a safety test.
– Because it is not getting along with the establishment of an independent consumer organization, the People's Committee on Consumer Protection now wants to set up organizations at national and provincial level. That plan was discussed yesterday at a meeting with XNUMX representatives of consumer networks from across the country.
The networks are disappointed that the long-awaited consumer protection law, which they have been pushing for for sixteen years, has still not been passed by government and parliament. Last year, the Senate gave the green light to a proposal they made, but it was sent back to the House of Representatives, where it has been gathering dust ever since.
The body to be established by law must deal with consumer rights in areas such as housing, public services, health care, finance and banking, medicines and health products.
– Tomorrow is International Labor Day. In an open letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Labor Department, trade unions and lawyers are urging measures to curb the rise in alcohol consumption by workers, particularly in the construction and informal sectors.
According to Jadet Chaowilai, director of the Friends of Women Foundation, a quarter of workers spend more than 1.000 baht a month on liquor. He is concerned about the increase in domestic violence and work-related stress that is driving workers to the bottle.
Jadet also urges the creation of a channel where female employees can express their concerns, exchange opinions and participate in activities, so that their stress is reduced.
– Thawil Pliensri has resumed his work as Secretary General of the National Security Council (NSC). He is back with the NSC, which he was forced to leave in 2011 when Prime Minister Yingluck transferred him to a post as its adviser. Thanks to the administrative judge who called the transfer unlawful and ordered the government to reinstate him, he can once again focus on national security issues, such as the violence in the South.
Thaiwil says she is committed to resuming peace talks with southern resistance groups. They have been silent since Ramadan. He urges the government not to harbor suspicions against him. [Thawil was appointed by the Abhisit government at the time.] He says that the Capo (the body that oversees the enforcement of the emergency law in Bangkok) and the government must decide whether he can attend their meetings.
He is not worried about the subpoena from the Department of Special Investigation (the Thai FBI) for his speeches on the podium of the protest movement. "I didn't break the law."
On Tuesday, Thawil must appear before the Constitutional Court, which has been asked to rule whether his transfer was unconstitutional. That case could lead to the fall of the cabinet.
Incidentally, Thawil only has five months to go, because then he will retire.
– Army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha is concerned about the proposal of Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, adviser to the Capo, to reduce the number of soldiers stationed in various places in Bangkok. Prayuth doubts whether the police are able to intervene independently in the event of possible confrontations between pro- and anti-government groups.
Surapong points out that incidents of violence hardly occur in the capital. Given the current circumstances, there is no need to apply the emergency ordinance. [Which, for example, prohibits gatherings.] Yingluck is concerned, he says; the soldiers, she says, are tired and need rest. According to Surapong, the soldiers could be replaced by armed officers. The minister denies making the proposal because the government does not trust the army.
Today the protest movement announces what 'decisive actions' it has in store. Capo director Chalerm Yubamrung says police officers will be mobilized, but they will not disperse protesters.
The army is keeping a close eye on rival groups, especially one in Nakhon Ratchasima. He would be trained by the former commander-in-chief of the armed forces and adviser to the prime minister. Prayuth says many new groups have formed. He is concerned that local leaders and some department heads are seeking support for the use of strength [?] that can provoke violence.
– A group of ultra-royalist senators with a very long name wants to use social networks to protect the monarchy. Yesterday they held a closed-door seminar at Government House to brainstorm their strategy. Journalists were only allowed to attend the opening speech, after which they had to pack their bags. They got one handouts about the group and its objectives. The group aims to support the monarchy by spreading positive information and filing complaints against those who offend the institution.
– The new exam for students at bachelor's, master's and doctoral level will get a cautious start this year with one of the four components. Students are tested on their command of the English language. Participation in the exam is not compulsory; it has no consequences for their grades and that should reassure the students who have taken to Facebook strongly against the increase in their workload.
Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng (Education) says that the exam is an additional tool to determine the quality of universities. Immediately after the students have taken the exam, they receive the results. The minister hopes that many students will participate. Hopefully they understand that the exam can help improve education.
Political news
– The government played it smart: postpone a KB (Royal Decree) to save the skin of Senate President Nikhom Wairatpanich (Pheu Thai). Second Senate President Surachai Liangboonlertchai, who observes Nikhom, points the finger of blame at the government and the Council of State.
Pay attention, dear readers and dear readers, it seems complicated, but that is not so bad, although it is all legal. What is it about?
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has nominated Nikhom for impeachment because he prematurely cut short parliamentary consideration of the amendment to change the Senate (no more appointed senators, but only elected ones) last year, preventing opposition members from speaking.
The Senate decides on the impeachment, but an extraordinary meeting had to be convened. The question by whom: government (through a Royal Decree) or Senate, has been squabbled for some time, with the Council of State also contributing. In the end, the government drew up that Royal Decree on Monday. Too late, because that should have happened by April 16 at the latest.
Long story short, the extraordinary meeting, which lasts nine days and starts Friday, cannot deal with the impeachment, but only deals with the appointment of an administrative judge and a new member of the NACC.
The nine-day meeting deadline seems to be a second cleverness of the government. According to Surachai, it is too short to examine the credentials of the candidates. Normally that takes two weeks. Senate staff will now have to surrender days off to avoid legal trouble.
The hot topic is the appointment of the NACC member. The NACC has nominated Supa Piyawitti, permanent assistant secretary of the Ministry of Finance [the second most senior civil servant]. Last year he opened a book about the corruption in the mortgage system for rice, about which the government was of course 'not amused'.
For more background information, see: Bangkost Post: Government is trying to prevent the impeachment of chamber presidents. NB I miss the impeachment of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, also recommended by the NACC, in the article, but that may be another story.
– Party leader Abhisit (Democrats), who is trying to break the political deadlock through a series of talks, asks the government to postpone the adoption of a KB with the date of the new elections until attempts to review the voting procedure have been completed. Abhisit said this yesterday after he had spoken with the Electoral Council (photo, Abhisit on the right in the photo in shirt).
According to Abhisit, setting that date will not help the country out of the political crisis unless a favorable climate is created in which all parties agree on new elections. Without such a climate, new elections end up being part of the problem and not the answer to it.
Abhisit has submitted an eight-point plan to the Electoral Council with proposed amendments for the elections. He believes that the Electoral Council should be given the power to punish political parties that fail to fulfill their election promises by excluding them from elections. During the conversation, Abhisit did not say anything about the desired date of the elections. For the time being, the Electoral Council has a preference for 2 July.
This weekend, Electoral Council Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn met with staff charged with organizing the elections. This has resulted in proposals to guarantee undisturbed elections and to gain the confidence of the population, so that voters feel safe enough to cast their vote.
Economic news
– Nearly one hundred thousand small and medium-sized companies may have to close their doors within six months if the government does not help them with their cash flow problems, warns the Federation of Thai Industries.
The ongoing political turmoil has led to slower spending, while the cost of living is rising. These factors have a major impact on SMEs, which make up a significant part of the industrial sector.
The FTI's Industries Sentiment Index plunged to a 57-month low of 84,7 percent in March. “The index shows that SMEs are currently in crisis,” said the federation's new president, Suphan Mongkulsuthee. "As the political problems drag on, their cash flow problems will get worse and around 100.000 will be forced to close, especially those in retail."
The FTI, meanwhile, is not standing idly by. Low-interest loans that SMEs can use as working capital have already been negotiated with the government and financial institutions. The banks have been asked to extend the repayment period for another three to six months, such as for the interest as the principal.
When the Electoral Council and the government have agreed on the election date, the FTI expects the political battle to subside. Negotiations between the parties will then pave the way for political stability and restore private sector confidence, Suphan said.
– The goal of having a balanced budget in 2017 will probably not be achieved, says Krisada Chinavicharana, financial policy advisor. This is because the proposed infrastructure works must be financed from the budget.
Initially, the government wanted to borrow the amount of 2,2 trillion baht outside the budget, but the Constitutional Court put a stop to this. The 2017 deadline will come under further pressure as the government introduces fiscal stimulus measures to revive the ailing economy.
Thailand has had a budget deficit since 1999 with the exception of the financial year 2005/2006 (the Thai financial year runs from October 1 to September 30).
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post