South-East Asia (Page 2,243)

The Move Forward Party has backtracked on its plan to include the Chartpattanakla Party in its coalition government, following furious opposition from party supporters.

The decision to drop the two-member Chartpattanakla was followed quickly by the exit of the one-member New Party just hours after it had applied to join. As a result, the coalition is now back to eight parties with 313 members.

That should still be sufficient to form a stable majority government in the 500-seat House in accordance with international democratic principles, party secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said on Saturday.

The drama over the planned inclusion of Chartpattanakla played out on social media on Friday night, and it took just hours for Move Forward leader and prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat to back down.

“I would like to apologise,” he wrote on Twitter. “I will keep reminding myself that the party is bigger than any individual. The people are bigger than any party.”

The party also posted a message on its Facebook page on Friday night, acknowledging that it had heard the voices of the people.

Members of the public, party staff, provincial-level executives and members all made their feelings known online that they could not accept the inclusion of Chartpattanakla. A meeting of prospective Move Forward MPs expressed the same view.

Their opposition stemmed from the involvement of its leader Korn Chatikavanij in the seven-month-long Bangkok Shutdown protests that led to the military coup that toppled the Yingluck Shinawatra government in May 2014. Mr Korn, a former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, also voted in favour of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the coup leader at the time, as prime minister.

Move Forward issued a statement on its official @MFPThailand account, saying it accepted the criticism and apologised for disappointing the public. It emphasised that the formation of the government would be based on its political stance and the policies on which it had earlier campaigned.

The party also apologised to Chartpattanakla for discontinuing the talks. Veteran politician Suwat Liptapanlop, the Chartpattanakla chairman, said he accepted the apology and had no hard feelings about the incident. (Story continues below).

Former Democrat Party member Korn Chatikavanij, front right, joins a demonstration in Bangkok against the Pheu Thai government led by Yingluck Shinawatra on Nov 29, 2013. (File photo: Apichit Jinakul)

The exit of Chartpattanakla was followed by that of the New Party, after the appearance on social media of a video featuring a party executive suggesting punishments under the lese-majeste law were not strong enough.

That runs counter to the views and policies of Move Forward, which is pushing to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code on royal defamation. The hashtag #Don’twanttheNewParty suddenly started trending on Twitter.

Kritdithat Saengthayothin, the leader of the New Party, said he decided to withdraw from the alliance as the video had made him uncomfortable. He stressed that the opinion expressed was the personal view of the executive and the party had not agreed with him. In any case, he decided it would be better for the coalition if his party bowed out.

The New Party had earlier posted on its Facebook page that its executives had resolved to join the alliance to form a new government unconditionally. Mr Kritdithat said he had held talks with a deputy MFP leader, apparently referring to Phicharn Chaowapatanawong.

Mr Phicharn was also the person who first announced the agreement of Chartpattanakla to join the coalition.

Barring any other changes, the now eight-party coalition is scheduled to gather on Monday to sign a memorandum of understanding on the formation of the new government.

The 313-member alliance will still need the support of 63 senators to secure the 376 votes necessary to endorse Mr Pita when the House and the 250-member Senate meet.

Mr Chaithawat on Saturday expressed optimism that support could be found in the Upper House, whose members were all appointed by Gen Prayut.

He said his party would continue holding talks with senators to create a better understanding in a bid to bring the country onto the democratic path, and not into a deadlock. Some senators, he said, were concerned about the party’s foreign policy and did not want the next government to create more political conflicts.

After talks and explaining the party’s stance and guidelines, the senators understood, he said.

“On May 23, the Senate will call an extraordinary meeting. After this, there may be an informal meeting of senators to discuss the voting of a prime minister,” said Mr Chaithawat.

“I do believe that when senators see the MoU to form the next government on May 22, they will have a better understanding of us and this will lead to a positive decision to push the country ahead.”

• Note: This story was updated at 16.47 to reflect the exit of the New Party and other details

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The Move Forward Party’s (MFP) decision to include the Chartpattanakla Party in its alliance, with the aim of forming a coalition government, was short-lived due to strong opposition from its supporters.

MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat posted a tweet on Friday night, apologising over the incident: “I would like to apologise. I will keep reminding myself that a party is bigger than an individual. The people are bigger than a party’.”

Bowing to mounting pressure, the MFP posted a message on on its Facebook page on Friday night, acknowledging that it had heard the voices of the people, many of whom opposed the inclusion of  Chartpattanakla in its alliance.

The move came after the MFP had held talks with Chartpattanakla regarding their support for Mr Pita’s bid to become prime minister and the formation of a planned coalition government.

The negotiations drew widespread criticism from the public, party staff, provincial-level panel members and party members. Most shared the same view that they could not accept the inclusion of Chartthaipattanakla.  A meeting of prospective Move Forward MPs also expressed the same stance.

The opposition to Chartpattanakla stemmed from its leader Korn Chatikavanij, who had participated in the seven-month-long Bangkok Shutdown and anti-Yingluck Shinawatra protests that led to the military coup that toppled her administration in May 22, 2014. Mr Korn, a former deputy leader of the Democrat Party, also voted in favour of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the coup leader at the time, as prime minister.

Former Democrat Party member Korn Chatikavanij, front right, joins an anti-government demonstration in Bangkok on Nov 29, 2013. (File photo: Apichit Jinakul)

The MFP, after winning the most House seats in the May 14 general election, said the party would proceed with talks and work towards a better understanding to gain more support from senators to secure enough votes to back its leader as prime minister, allowing it to form a government as soon as possible.

The MFP accepted criticism and apologised for disappointing the public. The party emphasised that the formation of the MFP-led government would be based on its political stance and policies it had earlier campaigned.

The MFP also apologised to Chartthaipattanakla for discontinuing the talks.

On Friday, the one-member New Party accepted the invitation to join the alliance, becoming the ninth party to do so. This would give the MFP-led bloc 314 House seats.

On Friday evening, Move Forward deputy leader Phicharn Chaowapatanawong, said the Chartpattanakla Party, with two House seats, had also agreed to join the coalition. This drew criticism from MFP supporters.

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Public prosecutors have decided to indict Senator Upakit Pachirirangkun with money laundering and a related criminal charge, Kosolwat Inthuchanyong, spokesman of the Office of the Attorney-General, said on Friday.

The decision was made based on an investigation conducted by police investigators who earlier probed Sen Upakit over money laundering and involvement in a transnational criminal organisation.

The senator denies the charges.

On March 17, Sen Upakit, 61, held a press conference to counter allegations made by Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome, who linked him to Myanmar national Tun Min Latt, arrested for drug trafficking last year.

He claimed Mr Rangsiman and some media outlets had come to their own conclusion without backing up their claim. Sen Upakit also denied allegations that he had laundered money from the drug trade through an electricity supply business operating on the Thai-Myanmar border.

Mr Kosolwat said Sen Upakit’s case had been handed over to prosecutors. The attorney-general will decide whether to endorse the decision to indict him on July 26.

Under Section 8 of the Prevention and Suppression of Involvement in a Transnational Criminal Organisation Act 2013, any person serving as a member of the House of Representatives, a senator, a local councillor, a civil servant, a state employee, a board member, an executive or manager of a state enterprise, or any person responsible for the operation of a financial institution, or any organisation under the constitution, who commits an offence under this section is liable for twice the normal penalty prescribed for the offence, a source said.

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Chuvit Kamolvisit, a former massage parlour mogul and staunch critic of cannabis legalisation, has urged the new government to relist cannabis as a narcotic amid concerns over weed sales near schools.

Chuvit, also a former politician, posted on Facebook that he had seen a cannabis dispensary, dubbed a “weed cafe”, operating in Silom district.

The dispensary is less than 50 metres from the well-known all-girls St Joseph Convent School, which has about 5,000 students.

Mr Chuvit stated many parents had expressed concern about the weed cafe’s proximity to their children’s school.

“Even convenience stores within a 500-metre radius of a school are prohibited from selling alcoholic drinks and cigarettes. Clubs and bars are now allowed to locate next to schools and universities. But [a cannabis dispensary] can open next to an all-girls school,” he wrote.

Mr Chuvit said the Pheu Thai Party and the Move Forward Party have proposed to relist cannabis as a narcotic drug to put an end to the legalisation of weed dispensaries and the issue of recreational weed use.

On Friday, reporters talked to food vendors near the school who said the dispensary has been open for under six months, with working hours from late morning to late at night. The vendors said that even though the students walk past the shop each day, they had not seen any entering it, with many assuming that the owner followed the law prohibiting cannabis sales to anyone under 20 years old.

A mother of two daughters attending the school said she was concerned about cannabis dispensaries opening nearby. She understood that they aim to attract foreign tourists but wished that public agencies would regulate weed cafes more strictly.

A Public Health Ministry source said the ministerial announcement states that weed dispensaries can locate near schools. However, it is against the law to sell weed products to people under 20 years old and pregnant women. A violation is punishable by imprisonment of less than one year and a 20,000-baht fine. The public health ministerial announcement also prohibits smoking weed in public, including schools.

Officials have visited the dispensary and found it only sells cannabis buds and extract oils. There are no cannabis-based food products available. The cafe has a licence under the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medical Knowledge Act.

The draft Cannabis-Hemp Act is still pending in parliament. However, there is no regulation on the proximity of cannabis dispensaries to educational institutes.

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The rainy season will officially start on Monday with less rain forecast this year due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, the Meteorological Department announced on Friday.

TMD director-general Chomparee Chompurat said the seasonal climatic change would also see a shift in general wind direction.

According to Ms Chomparee, the El Nino weather phenomenon could mean a dry spell from mid-June to mid-July, leading to water shortages in several agricultural areas.

Rainfall is expected to peak in August and September with one or two tropical storms moving across the North and the Northeast, bringing heavy rain and triggering flash floods, she said.

According to the TMD chief, the rainy season is due to end in the middle of October but rainfall is expected to continue in the southern region, especially on the eastern side, until January next year.

Meanwhile, the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation said it is preparing for droughts. Department chief Supit Pitaktham said the country has experienced little rain since January, and about 116 million rai of farmland outside the irrigation system faces water shortages.

From May 1-14, there were 1,387 requests for rain-making operations from 459 districts in 64 provinces, including those from the Royal Irrigation Department, to increase water reserves in 70 reservoirs.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said City Hall had drawn a map of flood-prone areas and is well-equipped to handle any flooding.

He expressed concern about possible drought affecting several large public parks under its care, including Benjakitti Park, which requires a particularly large amount of water to maintain.

Mr Chadchart said waste management also needs to be addressed, especially in the outer districts of Sai Mai, Min Buri and Nong Chok, where populations have increased.

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The Pheu Thai Party on Friday urged the Move Forward Party (MFP) to rethink its intention to include a proposal amending the lese majeste law in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that the MFP is asking prospective coalition partners to sign before they proceed with forming a new government.

Deputy Pheu Thai leader, Chusak Sirinil, said he understood that the matter of the lese majeste law would be discussed further between the MFP and potential coalition partners before the MoU is signed.

But because the matter is likely to lead to a major conflict in society, Pheu Thai would like the MFP to revise its plan to include the proposal to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code in the MoU, he said.

Personally, the MoU should include broad principles on which all prospective coalition partners can agree so they can work together as a government. After signing the MoU, the coalition will then work together to incorporate its key policies into the government’s policies, which can then be declared in parliament, he said.

All the other details, including the fair allocation of cabinet portfolios, should then follow afterwards, he said.

At this point, the MFP and all its prospective coalition partners should, under the MoU, agree to begin their cooperation by discussing how all sides can work together to improve the country’s economic situation instead of paying too much attention to their own policies at the beginning, said Mr Chusak.

MFP secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said the party has already sent a copy of the MoU to all ten political parties who have agreed to be in the coalition and is expecting feedback by tomorrow.

A discussion will then be organised for all these parties to go into the details of the agreement, finalising it before the final version of the MoU is made public by Monday, as planned, he said.

Mr Chaithawat declined to discuss the details of the tentative version of the MoU, saying that the MFP still has to discuss many other details with the eight parties, including what should and should not be prioritised. The MoU acts as a guideline for all the coalition partners, not just the MFP alone, he said.

As for the Section 112 issue, he said, the MFP has to admit that the matter is likely to lead to societal conflict and should therefore be dealt with in parliament at a later stage, meaning that the details of the MFP’s proposed amendment to the lese majeste law should not appear in the MoU at all.

An informed source who has read a copy of the MoU sent by the MFP to Pheu Thai, however, said the MoU deals with the MFP’s core policies, including ensuring justice for all people affected by past military coups and pushing for an amnesty law for convicts in political cases — something which most prospective coalition partners could not agree, particularly Pheu Thai.

Pheu Thai doesn’t support the plan to push for an amnesty law as it is concerned the matter could be interpreted by the public as the party’s own bid to help former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra return home, said the source. However, if the MFP later proposes the draft amnesty law on its own, Pheu Thai wouldn’t oppose that, said the source.

The MFP’s intention to liberalise the liquor industry and pass a marriage equality law is opposed by the Prachachat Party, which tends to regard these issues as being against Islamic principles.

The New Party on Friday announced its decision to join the MFP, bringing the number of MPs who will vote for MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat to become Thailand’s next PM to 316.

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The number of flights between China and Thailand continues to increase but remains below the pre-pandemic level, according to Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) Co Ltd president Nopasit Chakpitak.

From October 2022 to April 2023, a total of 12,805 flights operated between the countries, representing a 98% rise compared to the same period the year before, Mr Nopasit said yesterday.

An upward trend is expected, as efforts are being made to manage air traffic and ensure smooth operations, he said.

He attributed the rise in flights to China’s early reopening, which prompted many Chinese airlines to operate additional flights and increase their frequency. There were 1,063 flights from China in January, 1,747 in February, 3,082 in March and 4,240 in April.

An estimated 5,330 flights are expected from China in May, followed by 6,090 in June, 7,150 in July, 7,460 in August and 7,340 in September.

The total number between last October and this September is projected to reach 46,175, according to the Aerothai president.

Despite the optimistic outlook, he noted the projected figure is still 66% lower than the same period in 2019.

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