Barkar Nash – Page 932

Critics fear ‘biased’ charter

On: October 26, 2023

MFP-sponsored bid fails in parliament

PUBLISHED : 27 Oct 2023 at 06:14

The Move Forward Party (MFP)-sponsored motion aimed at a charter rewrite failed to get approval from the House of Representatives because critics feared it would create a biased charter amendment, according to Nikorn Jamnong, head of a sub-panel on gathering public opinions on a referendum for a constitutional amendment.

The main opposition MFP had put forth a motion aimed at asking the cabinet to hold a public referendum for a charter rewrite. The party wanted a referendum that, if approved, would lead to unrestricted access to a charter amendment and an elected assembly of drafters.

The party had faced concerns from many quarters that the changes it advocated would go too far by touching chapters containing “non-negotiable” contents in the constitution regarding the country’s indivisibility and its royal prerogatives.

On Wednesday, the lower House 262:162 against the MFP’s motion, with six abstentions.

Yesterday, Mr Nikorn said he believes the rejection had to do with a lack of clarity in the motion on how the charter redrafting assembly would be established.

Another concern is that the motion could introduce “revised contentions of the constitution, which are biased”. He is understood to be referring to bias towards the MFP’s controversial stances, particularly those related to the monarchy.

Mr Nikorn said that even though a charter amendment is an urgent policy for the government, people’s input must be gauged to ensure that the entire referendum’s design and charter reworking processes are inclusive and participatory.

Mr Nikorn said he expects the sub-committee will wrap up its work by the middle of December before its findings are presented to the main committee studying the referendum design and proposals for a constitutional amendment, led by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai.

After that, the findings are expected to be forwarded to the cabinet before the year is out. At this point, there will be definitive answers to questions about how many referendums will need to be held and what they are about.

Mr Nikorn added that a timeline also dictates that a referendum will likely take shape in the first quarter of next year.

Between Oct 30 and Nov 14, the sub-panel will be collecting input on a charter amendment referendum from MPs, senators and members of various House committees, students, members of the public, civic groups, the media and the business sector, Mr Nikorn said.

The sub-panel also plans to visit the MFP to seek its cooperation in designing the referendum, Mr Nikorn said.

Srettha backs bills on sex work, gender

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

House deliberation to start in December

PUBLISHED : 27 Oct 2023 at 06:14

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pledged yesterday to push to pass three bills, including a draft law on “marriage equality”, which are due to be deliberated by the cabinet next Tuesday and subsequently be forwarded to parliament.

The marriage equality bill aims to amend the Civil and Commercial Code to allow anyone of a suitable age to register their marriage regardless of their gender. The current code only recognises marriage between a man and a woman.

The second bill to be examined focuses on a recognition bill and would allow transgender people to amend their gender marker in their official identity documents. The third bill would legalise prostitution by amending the 1996 Act on illegal prostitution suppression and prevention.

Mr Srettha has affirmed that the government is committed to pushing to pass all three laws and is ready to negotiate with all relevant organisations in support of them, said government spokesman Chai Wacharonke.

He was speaking after chairing a meeting on the three bills yesterday. It followed a fresh petition submitted by 36 civic groups fighting for gender equality.

The PM also promised to place these three bills high on the meeting agenda of the House, which is expected to begin deliberating them by early December, said Mr Chai.

“The PM has assured us that the government supports and will push for marriage equality and other related laws. It now looks set to negotiate with all other organisations concerned in order to [literally] tear down the wall [of inequality],” said the spokesman.

Mr Srettha also pledged to do whatever it takes to ensure these bills will sail through all the deliberations in the House and be passed into law in one go, said Mr Chai.

One concern raised by Mr Srettha at yesterday’s meeting was that the government will have to also speed up replacing conscription with voluntary recruitment so that those who change their gender marker from female to male won’t have to face forced conscription, said Mr Chai.

Mr Srettha also relayed the government’s support for a proposal that Thailand host Bangkok World Pride 2028, demonstrating to the rest of the world Thailand’s open-mindedness while stimulating the economy.

Clearer skies ahead for resilient Thai AirAsia

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Aviation was among the industries hit the hardest during the pandemic.

Best CEO in Resilient Leadership
Santisuk Klongchaiya, Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia

Driven by pent-up travel demand after Thailand reopened its borders in 2022, the carriers that rebounded quickly were able to do so by maintaining sufficient resources, including pilots and crew, as well as their fleets, as was the case with Thai AirAsia.

Santisuk Klongchaiya has been chief executive of Thai AirAsia and SET-listed Asia Aviation (AAV) since 2018, leading the airline through the toughest time in aviation history by using “resilient leadership”.

His journey with Thai AirAsia began when he met Tony Fernandes and Tassapon Bijleveld at Warner Music. Mr Fernandes and Mr Bijleveld would later resign from Warner Music, with Mr Fernandes going on to establish Air Asia and Mr Bijleveld later becoming chief executive of Thai AirAsia.

Mr Santisuk was later persuaded to join Thai AirAsia as its head of commercial operations as the airline began a new chapter in aviation history by introducing the successful low-cost model to the Thai market.

By overcoming all kinds of challenges over the past 20 years, such as the 2003 Sars epidemic, the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, and various periods of political unrest in Thailand, Mr Santisuk said he always believed those experiences would help the airline quickly rebound from the impact of Covid-19.

Unlike many other airlines during the pandemic, Thai AirAsia made a bold move by retaining its entire workforce and fleet, opting only to return aircraft when their contracts expired.

“We adopted a ‘pause and play’ strategy to continue from the same place where we stopped once we wanted to resume again, instead of starting from the beginning of the whole track that would have made us progress slower during the recovery period,” said Mr Santisuk.

He said he wanted to give credit to the chairman of Thai AirAsia’s board — Vichate Tantiwanich — who allowed the company to maintain this plan, and also give credit to his 5,000 staff, who had received a reduction in pay and participated in the company’s furlough programme.

The airline also received good cooperation from stakeholders, such as the aircraft leasing company, airports, and the provider of aeronautical radio services, for temporarily pausing service expenses and repayment.

Salaries were slashed based on the position of the employee. For example, Mr Santisuk’s salary was cut by 50%, whereas the salaries of employees earning the least would receive the smallest reduction in salary.

“Our greatest ‘lesson learned’ is to make ourselves healthy, with strong internal management, financial status and stakeholders,” he said.

Starting with two aircraft in 2004, the company is now operating a fleet of 54 aircraft. Mr Santisuk said he believes that a strong organisational mindset ensured the airline survived and it still maintains the biggest market share on domestic routes following the pandemic.

In terms of costs, he said the airline learned to streamline its operational plan with feasible and well-prepared plans, particularly in terms of fleet expansion, which is the biggest investment for airline businesses.

The key point in terms of sales and marketing is to step away from a price war as experienced in the past, he added.

Looking ahead, he said the aviation industry still has to maintain a balance between supply growth and demand over the next few years.

On the demand side, airlines must closely monitor pent-up demand and assess how long it will continue. They must monitor the progress of big markets such as China, as well as how the Russia-Ukraine war will affect the world economy and tourism.

With supply chain disruption persisting, carriers still have to wait when it comes to aircraft maintenance and face delayed aircraft deliveries.

“In the long run, I believe in sustainability for all aspects,” he said.

BANGKOK POST CEO OF THE YEAR 2023

Ministry to draw up rules on 4am limit

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 27 Oct 2023 at 06:14

An agreement has been reached in principle for the Interior Ministry to draw up a regulation that will set the criteria for nighttime entertainment venues in areas with high tourism potential to be granted extended operating hours until 4am, ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said yesterday.

Ms Traisuree said the agreement was achieved at a meeting on Wednesday chaired by deputy interior permanent secretary Chamnanwit Terat.

The meeting was attended by representatives from concerned agencies, including the Tourism and Sports, Transport, Finance, Social Development and Human Security, Public Health, Labour and Justice ministries, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), the Royal Thai Police, the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

This initiative followed a cabinet resolution on Oct 13 directing the Interior Ministry to work with relevant agencies to explore ways of extending the operating hours of entertainment venues in certain tourist areas to spur tourism and spending during the high seasons.

The meeting agreed in principle for the Interior Ministry to formulate a ministerial regulation outlining criteria for local administrations in areas with tourism potential. The administrations can then submit requests for permission to allow entertainment venues to stay open until 4am.

The Interior Ministry will consider the requests and grant permits based on the set criteria for each area, Ms Traisuree said.

She said Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had acknowledged the agreement and had instructed concerned offices to draft the ministerial regulation.

Aussie, EU flights ‘full’ in Q4: THAI

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 27 Oct 2023 at 05:00

Thai Airways International (THAI) says bookings are full on its European and Australian routes in the fourth quarter of this year, but Chinese demand remains sluggish, possibly for reasons related to the country’s economy as well as security concerns regarding Thailand.

The Israel-Hamas war and a global economic slowdown appear to have had no immediate impact on travellers so far, judging by the heavy bookings from Europe and Australia, THAI president Chai Eamsiri said yesterday.

However, the Chinese market has not yet recovered substantially, possibly because of domestic economic problems and the impact of the Siam Paragon shooting on traveller confidence.

Bookings from the Chinese market remained at only 60% of capacity on average, Mr Chai said.

A Chinese mother of twins was among three people killed, and another Chinese tourist was injured in the Oct 3 shooting at Siam Paragon, which revived concerns among some Chinese travellers about the safety of visiting the kingdom.

Mr Chai also reiterated that the national carrier should be able to exit its rehabilitation plan late next year as the improvements in its financial performance have exceeded expectations.

The company’s cash flow currently amounts to about 51 billion baht, he added.

THAI is due to report its third-quarter earnings by mid-November. Second-quarter revenue totalled 37.3 billion baht, up 73.7% from the same period last year, as travel demand continued to improve.

Net profit for the quarter was 2.26 billion baht, compared with a net loss of 3.2 billion a year earlier.

Srettha backs gender equality, sex worker bills

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Prime minister also pledges to push for passage of marriage equality law

PUBLISHED : 26 Oct 2023 at 18:38

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to push for the passage of three bills, including a draft law on “marriage equality”, says a government spokesman.

The bills are due to be deliberated by the cabinet on Tuesday and will subsequently be forwarded to parliament.

The second bill would allow transgender people to amend their gender marker in their official identity documents.

The third bill would legalise prostitution by amending the 1996 Act on illegal prostitution suppression and prevention.

Mr Srettha has affirmed that the government is committed to pushing to pass all three laws and is ready to negotiate with all relevant organisations in support of them, government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said on Thursday.

Mr Srettha chaired a meeting on the bills on Thursday, held in response to a new petition by a group of 36 civic organisations fighting for gender equality.

The premier also promised to place the three bills high on the meeting agenda of the House of Representatives, which is expected to begin deliberating them by early December, said Mr Chai.

“The PM has assured us that the government supports and will push for marriage equality and other related laws,” said the spokesman. “It now looks set to negotiate with all other organisations concerned in order to [literally] tear down the wall [of inequality].”

One concern raised by Mr Srettha at Thursday’s meeting was that the government would have to also speed up replacing military conscription with voluntary recruitment so that those who change their gender marker from female to male won’t have to face forced conscription, said Mr Chai.

PM to attend âNaga Fireâ event in Nong Khai

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Northeastern province expects 200,000 visitors at colourful annual celebration

PM to attend ‘Naga Fire’ event in Nong Khai — “Naga fireballs” are seen in the sky above the Mekong River in Nong Khai. (Photo: J.A. Forbes via Wikimedia Commons)

Prime Minster Srettha Thavisin will attend the opening ceremony of “Naga Fire: Miracle of Faith 2023” in Phon Phisai district of Nong Khai on Sunday, according to government spokesman Chai Wacharonke.

The premier will stay overnight in Udon Thani before departing for Laos on Monday for his first official trip to the neighbouring country since taking office.

A collaboration between the government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), “Naga Fire” is being staged to mark the end of this year’s Buddhist Lent.

Nong Khai governor Rachan Chunhua and San Sunthornthanakul, the mayor of Tambon Phon Phisai municipality, have affirmed their readiness to welcome visitors. They are expecting at least 200,000 tourists to show up this year.

The annual festival brings in billions of baht to the province while providing visitors, both Thai and from overseas, with a warm welcome, said Mr Rachan.

Related events are also being held from Oct 21 through Nov 6 in six of the province’s districts near the Mekong River: Muang Nong Khai, Phon Phisai, Ratana Wapi, Sangkhom, Sri Chiang Mai and Tha Bo.

According to Mr Chai, 80.2% of visitors to last year’s “Naga Fire” festival expressed their satisfaction with the event. Of those, 59.6% said they had attended it more than once, while the rest were first-time visitors.

According to statistics gathered by the province, a total of 260 fireballs shot into the air last year: 20 in Phon Phisai district and 240 in Ratana Wapi.

The Naga Fireballs are an annual phenomenon that occurs at the end of the Buddhist rains retreat. The fireballs, a rosy pink colour, emerge from the Mekong River in and around Nong Khai and shoot into the sky before disappearing.

The fireballs are said to be the work of the mythical Phayanak serpent that lives below the surface of the Mekong. No plausible scientific explanation has been put forward for the phenomenon.

In past years, some devotees on the Thai side of the river have accused their Lao counterparts of faking fireballs by setting off flares.

Bodies of 7 Thais arrive home from Israel

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

24 of 33 Thai victims of Hamas killings now identified, with 15 bodies repatriated

PUBLISHED : 26 Oct 2023 at 16:46

The bodies of seven more Thai workers killed in Israel arrived on Thursday morning aboard an El Al Flight at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Thai and Israeli officials attended a ceremony at a cargo terminal at the airport to receive the bodies after El Al Flight LY083 touched down at 10.35am.

Those present and laying wreaths included Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee; Israeli ambassador to Thailand Orna Sagiv; Wannarat Srisuksai, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labour; and Aree Krainara, secretary to Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan.

The seven bodies whose identities have been verified by the Israel authorities were Teerapong Klangsuwan, Pirun Thanonphim and Saksit Kotemee from Udon Thani; Sakda Surakhai from Nong Khai; Apichart Kusaram from Khon Kaen; Srithat Kawao from Kamphaeng Phet; and Nitikorn Sae Wang from Chiang Rai.

No relatives were at the airport as the bodies were to be transported directly to their home communities by a funeral service company.

A ceremony to send the bodies off from Israel was also held on Wednesday afternoon local time at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv.

Thai officials who attended included Pannabha Chandraramya, the Thai ambassador to Israel; Naruchai Ninnart, deputy director-general of the Consular Affairs Department; Sakdinart Sonthisakyothin, an inspector with the Social Security Office; and Kitthana Srisuriya, a Thai labour attache.

The Israeli officials present included Eliyahu Revivo, an Israeli parliament member and chairman of the committee on foreign labour affairs; and Michael Ronen, director-general of the Department of Asia and the Pacific.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday that the number of Thai workers confirmed killed in Israel had risen from 31 to 33. Of the total, 24 bodies have been verified by Israeli authorities. Of those identified, 15 have been flown home on two flights so far.

Anti-graft body to look at digital wallet loopholes

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

NACC seeks to ensure that cash handout won’t give rise to corruption

PUBLISHED : 26 Oct 2023 at 16:42

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has resolved to look into possible loopholes in the government’s digital wallet programme that could lead to corruption costing taxpayers hundreds of billions of baht.

The anti-graft body plans to set up a committee with public and private-sector representatives to study the digital money handout and sound out opinions about it, according to a source at the Office of the NACC.

The distribution of 10,000 baht in digital cash to every Thai over age 16 is the centrepiece of the Pheu Thai Party’s economic revival plan. Originally expected to cost as much as 560 billion baht, it now appears likely to be scaled back substantially and could also be delayed.

Amid growing uncertainty about how the scheme will be financed, authorities are now considering limiting the handout to poor people.

According to the NACC source who asked not to be named, the new investigative committee will be headed by commissioner Supa Piyajitti. During her former tenure as a deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Ms Supa was known for her investigation of the corruption-plagued rice-pledging programme of the Pheu Thai-led government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Other members of the committee will come from the State Audit Office, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Council of State, the Election Commission, the Bank of Thailand, the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade, and the economics deans of Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Kasetsart universities.

The committee will recommend ways to prevent and solve possible corruption in the digital wallet policy and present its findings to the NACC.

Former senator Rosana Rositrakul last week filed a petition with the State Audit Office, asking it to scrutinise and suspend the digital wallet scheme, saying it is potentially damaging.

The digital wallet is not a new idea, noted Sirikanya Tansakun, deputy leader of the Move Forward Party. She said a very similar programme was tried in Japan in 1999, and may have been the inspiration for the Pheu Thai policy.

Noting that a follow-up study showed the Japanese programme had little impact, she has also urged the government to reassess the project.

Two more Thai workers die in Israel, increasing death toll to 33

By: Barkar Nash

On: October 26, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 26 Oct 2023 at 14:46

Two more Thai workers were reported killed in Israel, raising the Thai death toll in the Middle Eastern country from 31 on Wednesday to 33, Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara said on Thursday.

According to the ministry, 18 Thais have been injured in the fighting and the number of those known to have been taken hostage by Hamas fighters has dropped from 19 to 18.

Mr Parnpree, citing the Israeli authorities, said the identities of 24 of those reported killed have been confirmed.

The foreign minister said the government has continued to bring back Thais who have registered for repatriation, while negotiation teams have been dispatched to seek the release of more Thai hostages, with support from some countries acting as coordinators.

According to the Foreign Ministry, a total of 547 Thais were scheduled to be flown home from Israel on Thursday. They comprised 268 on El Al flight LY085 to Suvarnabhumi airport at 10.20 am, 145 on a Royal Thai Air Force aircraft arriving at Don Mueang airport at 11.50 am, and 134 on Lion Air flight SL7005 landing at Don Mueang airport at 2.50 pm.

The bodies of another seven Thais who died in Israel were to be repatriated on El Al flight LY083, scheduled to arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport at 10.35am.

Pairoj Chotikasathien, the labour permanent secretary, said so far 4,531 Thais have been repatriated from Israel on 27 flights.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin also confirmed two more Thai casualties and ongoing negotiations for the release of those taken hostage by Hamas militants.

Addressing the House of Representatives on Thursday, Mr Srettha responded to inquiries about the government’s actions to help Thai workers after the Israel-Hamas war broke out on Oct 7.

He said that out of about 8,000 Thais who registered for repatriation, more than half have been brought home, with some 4,000 awaiting evacuating flights.

The prime minister also acknowledged challenges in the past four to five days, as Israeli employers offered higher salaries as an incentive for Thai workers to remain in the war-torn country. To cope with this problem, the government is working on measures to help returned workers while contacting some countries that are willing to import Thai workers, offering a competitive pay, he said.

He said the labour minister has made a proposal for the workers who are still in debt from having to pay for brokerage fees to get a bank loan of about 150,000 baht each.

The government will ask the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) to extend loans to the workers with debt problems, with a repayment period of 30 years and an interest of 0.1% per year, he said.

“The government is doing its best to bring the workers home as soon as possible,” said the prime minister. “We don’t want them to think more about money than their own lives and the risks they have to take.

“What the government will have to do is to lift the standard of life of all Thai people to a higher level.”

Barkar Nash (Page 932)