Barkar Nash (Page 1,090)

Party will endure because it was ‘built by people’ and not big donors, says campaign adviser

The Move Forward Party is ready to be the core party in forming a government and its increasing popularity is not just a passing fad, says campaign adviser Pannika Wanich.

“People often say that everything ends up the same, no matter who or what political party they vote for or how many rounds of elections are held. Their living conditions are not changed. The Move Forward Party also shares the same view,” Ms Pannika said on Saturday in Chiang Rai.

“But Move Forward dreams of changes for people. Political parties that are elected often care for their political donors, their supporters and generals, but not for the people who voted for them to sit in Government House. They rely on money, power and charisma.”

She made the comments during a campaign stop at the Muang Daeng market in Mae Sai district of the northern province, where she was joined by party secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon and deputy spokesman Karunaphon Thiensuwan. Two party candidates for constituencies 2 and 6 also took to the stage.

Unlike other parties that obtain most of their money from big political donors, Move Forward was built by people, Ms Pannika said.

The party is backed by members of the public through grass-roots fundraising. It has a firm stand that it would not accept financial support from political donors.

Recent opinion polls put the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties far ahead of other contenders in the May 14 election. Some commentators say Pheu Thai’s large lead has been eroded because some voters are not convinced by its insistence that it won’t team up with any military-backed parties after May 14.

Move Forward has made its position clear — “If there are uncles, there is no us”, a reference to Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who are both seeking to remain in government nearly nine years after the coup staged by Gen Prayut. 

Recent campaign rallies by Move Forward have drawn thousands of people, matching or even exceeding the crowds drawn by Pheu Thai.

Ms Pannika said Move Forward was ready to be the core party to form the next government. She also shrugged off talk about attempts by conservative forces to have the party dissolved.

“Previously, efforts have been made to dissolve the party, but Move Forward belongs to the people. If it’s dissolved, a new party will be born,” she said. “Many critics view that Move Forward’s popularity is a just a passing fever. But now, the party is ready to be the core to form the next government.

“Our campaign rallies in all provinces have been overwhelming. This shows that Move Forward has the highest number of natural voters — far higher than the now-dissolved Future Forward Party.”

Future Forward shocked everyone in the 2019 general election by getting 6.3 million votes to become the country’s third-biggest party with 81 seats. But the Constitutional Court dissolved the party after ruling that a loan made to it by co-founder Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit violated election rules.

The party was quickly reborn as Move Forward but its representation in the House dwindled to 51 MPs, mostly because of defections to other parties shortly after the Future Forward dissolution in 2019.

On Saturday, Move Forward kicked off five campaign caravan tours that will visit all regions of the country before converging on Bangkok for a huge final rally on May 12.

Each campaign caravan is being led by party heavyweights who will be stressing the importance of supporters showing up at the polls to cast their votes on May 14.

Move Forward Party campaign adviser Pannika Wanich (third from right) joins colleagues and candidates at a campaign stop in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai non Saturday. (Photo: Julalack Khansutham Facebook page)

The Move Forward Party kicked off campaign caravan tours on five routes covering all regions of the country on Saturday. (Photo: Move Forward Party)

Numbers only a fraction of potential infections and death rates have plunged

HONG KONG: The number of fatal and severe Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong last week was almost double the tally recorded in the previous seven days, health authorities have said.

But experts on Friday highlighted the death rate was small compared to the potential daily number of infections.

The news came as it was announced a 13-year-old girl who was in critical condition after she was infected with the flu had died — the second teenager to fall victim to the virus inside a month.

The Centre for Health Protection said in its weekly report there were 119 Covid-19 cases that caused death or severe symptoms between April 23 and 29, compared with 63 in the previous week.

It added the number of severe or fatal infections recorded in the first four days of this week had already reached 69.

But respiratory medicine expert Dr Leung Chi-chiu said the number of Covid-19 deaths or severe cases was small given that 20,000 people could potentially be infected every day and that there was no cause for concern.

He explained that his calculation was based on a University of Hong Kong study where 10,000 people took rapid antigen tests a week.

The estimated daily rate of positive results had been about two in recent times.

“The overall death rate is far lower than the past. If you look at the data around the world, the death rate has dropped by 95% since January,” Leung said.

“Why there seems to be a high number of severe and death cases now is because the frequency of testing has greatly dropped and only cases with serious symptoms are discovered.”

A total of 2,400 coronavirus infections were detected through polymerase chain reaction tests last week, up from 1,615 in the previous seven days.

There were 56 outbreaks in schools or residential care homes last week which affected 306 people, as opposed to 28 outbreaks in the previous week.

The government said on its “Tamar Talk” Facebook page that 224 coronavirus-related deaths and 16,101 cases had been recorded since isolation orders were abandoned on January 30.

The numbers exceeded the figures reported between the city’s first and fourth waves of the pandemic, where there were 213 coronavirus-related deaths and 12,631 Covid-19 infections.

More than 2.86 million coronavirus infections were reported in the fifth wave of the pandemic, with 13,120 related deaths.

The World Health Organization on Friday announced that the Covid-19 pandemic was no longer a “public health emergency of international concern”.

Government pandemic adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung said he was pleased the city had reached this “milestone”, but warned that residents must remain vigilant as there could be another pandemic.

“Hong Kong people have fought a good fight,” he said. “Another pandemic will most certainly return to haunt us. Current research shows that it will come from animal hosts. We must protect the natural habitats and ban the sale of wild animals.”

The Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin said the 13-year-old girl who died had developed sepsis after she was infected with the influenza A virus.

The girl, who had not had the seasonal influenza vaccine, had visited mainland China during the incubation period of the disease and was sent to hospital on May 3 after she suffered a fever and vomiting.

A 17-year-old boy who contracted the flu died in early April. He also had not been inoculated.

Leung said it was “rare” to develop such complications from flu infections, but that people should get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“In the three years of the pandemic, the influenza transmission had remained at a low level,” he said. “Children had very limited exposure to influenza and the last exposure may be a long time ago, resulting in a very low level of immunity.”

Numbers only a fraction of potential infections and death rates have plunged

HONG KONG: The number of fatal and severe Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong last week was almost double the tally recorded in the previous seven days, health authorities have said.

But experts on Friday highlighted the death rate was small compared to the potential daily number of infections.

The news came as it was announced a 13-year-old girl who was in critical condition after she was infected with the flu had died — the second teenager to fall victim to the virus inside a month.

The Centre for Health Protection said in its weekly report there were 119 Covid-19 cases that caused death or severe symptoms between April 23 and 29, compared with 63 in the previous week.

It added the number of severe or fatal infections recorded in the first four days of this week had already reached 69.

But respiratory medicine expert Dr Leung Chi-chiu said the number of Covid-19 deaths or severe cases was small given that 20,000 people could potentially be infected every day and that there was no cause for concern.

He explained that his calculation was based on a University of Hong Kong study where 10,000 people took rapid antigen tests a week.

The estimated daily rate of positive results had been about two in recent times.

“The overall death rate is far lower than the past. If you look at the data around the world, the death rate has dropped by 95% since January,” Leung said.

“Why there seems to be a high number of severe and death cases now is because the frequency of testing has greatly dropped and only cases with serious symptoms are discovered.”

A total of 2,400 coronavirus infections were detected through polymerase chain reaction tests last week, up from 1,615 in the previous seven days.

There were 56 outbreaks in schools or residential care homes last week which affected 306 people, as opposed to 28 outbreaks in the previous week.

The government said on its “Tamar Talk” Facebook page that 224 coronavirus-related deaths and 16,101 cases had been recorded since isolation orders were abandoned on January 30.

The numbers exceeded the figures reported between the city’s first and fourth waves of the pandemic, where there were 213 coronavirus-related deaths and 12,631 Covid-19 infections.

More than 2.86 million coronavirus infections were reported in the fifth wave of the pandemic, with 13,120 related deaths.

The World Health Organization on Friday announced that the Covid-19 pandemic was no longer a “public health emergency of international concern”.

Government pandemic adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung said he was pleased the city had reached this “milestone”, but warned that residents must remain vigilant as there could be another pandemic.

“Hong Kong people have fought a good fight,” he said. “Another pandemic will most certainly return to haunt us. Current research shows that it will come from animal hosts. We must protect the natural habitats and ban the sale of wild animals.”

The Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin said the 13-year-old girl who died had developed sepsis after she was infected with the influenza A virus.

The girl, who had not had the seasonal influenza vaccine, had visited mainland China during the incubation period of the disease and was sent to hospital on May 3 after she suffered a fever and vomiting.

A 17-year-old boy who contracted the flu died in early April. He also had not been inoculated.

Leung said it was “rare” to develop such complications from flu infections, but that people should get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“In the three years of the pandemic, the influenza transmission had remained at a low level,” he said. “Children had very limited exposure to influenza and the last exposure may be a long time ago, resulting in a very low level of immunity.”

Party vows to enact ‘immediate change’

The Pheu Thai Party on Friday ramped up its election campaign in a last-ditch attempt to convince the nation it will be able to bring immediate change to the country after the May 14 vote if it is trusted by the electorate to form the new government.

Led by party secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong, the party called a press conference to unveil a fine-tuned, final election slogan encouraging the people to “Choose Pheu Thai, make it a landslide victory, and Thailand will change immediately”.

“With polling just nine days away, the party’s candidates will step up their visits to constituents in all parts of the country and make sure everyone is well informed about our policies,” said Mr Prasert.

Online election campaigning via social media will also be accelerated in parallel to these door-to-door visits, he said. All three Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidates have changed their social media profile pictures in line with the adjusted election campaigning theme, he said.

“Pheu Thai has dedicated time researching and creating these 70 policies with a great determination to spare all Thai people from the pain that has existed for more than nine years,” Mr Prasert said.

The 70 policies are designed to bring about changes to Thailand in seven areas, namely investment, digital economy, education and labour, transport, tourism, agriculture and equality, said deputy party secretary-general Paopoom Rojanasakul.

Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai, meanwhile, expressed his approval of Srettha Thavisin, one of the party’s three prime ministerial candidates, saying Mr Srettha has proven himself as a career politician now.

The real estate businessman-turned-politician is the party’s pride, said Mr Phumtham in a Facebook post.

Mr Srettha reminded him of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who also left his business legacy behind and volunteered to steer Thailand in the right direction, said Mr Phumtham.

“I strongly believe Mr Srettha will become a good leader who will pioneer change for the betterment of the country and its people,” said Mr Phumtham.

In a new Facebook post of his own, Mr Srettha stressed the need for Thailand to keep competing in the global arena, saying every minute counts in the competition to make the country grow, and Thailand has lagged far behind many other nations during the past eight years.

“Is it time to change the player who has been leading Thailand for the past eight years and put him away?” asked Mr Srettha in the same post.

Thais and foreign residents would pay 1,000 baht to leave the country via air under surprise levy

Thai outbound travellers and foreign permanent residents in Thailand have been asked for their opinion on a government departure tax of 1,000 baht in an attempt to prevent locals from spending excessively abroad, with the Revenue Department announcing online public hearings this week.

The department posted the public hearing questionnaire on its website, saying it wants to listen to public opinion about an emergency decree on a departure levy, based on a law passed in 1983, in order to assess its impact.

The hearings have been scheduled for May 3-17.

According to the questionnaire, Thai citizens and foreign permanent residents would be required to pay a departure tax of 1,000 baht for air travel and 500 baht for land and sea travel.

The information attached to the poll said the tax aimed to generate revenue for the government and prevent Thais from excessive overseas spending, with a focus on reducing the trade deficit.

Charoen Wangananont, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), said the questionnaire came as a surprise when it was posted earlier this week, even though the public hearing process meant it was supposed to be shared as widely as possible to assess the impact on local residents and tour operators.

“The principle and the levy rate make no sense at all, as Thailand has never had a problem related to a trade deficit in tourism, with inbound income making up 70% of the total, compared with 30% outbound expenditure. In addition, 1,000 baht is too expensive amid current economic conditions,” said Mr Charoen.

He said the levy collection should not happen and is unrealistic. If the government wanted to propose such a tax, it should carefully assess the consequences because it could have a major effect on tourism, exceeding whatever revenue the state estimates it could earn, said Mr Charoen.

“We thought this was fake news the first time we saw the poll because it is not the right time to do such a move. If the government really thinks it needs to collect a departure tax, it should have done so before the pandemic, when the tourism industry was on an upward trend. The levy rate should also be more appropriate,” he said.

Chotechuang Soorangura, vice-president of TTAA, said a development plan should be included with any departure tax so the people who pay it are aware of how the government will spend the revenue.

He said while some countries apply a departure tax, such as Japan, the price is only ¥1,000 per person, or around 250 baht.

“In addition to being a very expensive tax rate, there is a lack of transparency as the government could not clarify how it will use that money, which would help prevent corruption. Another concern is the 300-baht tourist tax expected to be charged to foreigners in the near future,” said Mr Chotechuang.

He said if this levy is implemented, the tourism industry would be affected as a number of outbound tourists would refrain from travel, resulting in imbalanced flows of people, causing difficulties for airlines planning flights to Thailand.