Anupong confident flood situation manageable

 

The rice fields in Phu Kham Yao district in Phayao province have been

 under the water for more than a week and the plants are rotting,

the harvest lost. The villagers are calling for better water management.

(Photo by Saiarun Pinaduang)

The flood situation in the North and Central regions is manageable

 with a joint effort by the Interior, Agriculture and Cooperatives,

 and Natural Resources and Environment ministries, according to

 a confident Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda.

 But for many farmers it is already too late and their drowned crop

 has rotted. Gen Anupong gave his assurance on Tuesday amid reports

 of conflict between the Royal Irrigation Department and Ayutthaya

 provincial authorities over a water retention plan to ease flooding

 in the province.

He said the three ministries would integrate their water management

 efforts.

 

Update: Flooding reaches Ayutthaya industrial area

 Floods reach Bangkok: Don Muang 'may be dry' by weekend

 

 Incessant rain in the North had filled up the Ping, Wang, Yom and

 Nan rivers in the North and the flood surge as the water runs south

 to the Gulf has reached provinces in the Chao Phraya basin.

With such a large volume flowing downriver, some of the water

 must be drained to retention areas to prevent flooding. In doing so,

efforts must be made to minimise the damage to farmers and

their fields.

 In areas downstream, water must be drained from canals and fields

 in preparation to take the run-off. Near the coast, the ebb and low

 tides of the Gulf are also important factors in water management,

 he said.

 Gen Anupong said officials in charge of water management were

 now trying to divert water to be stored in kaem ling retention areas

 north of the Chao Phraya dam. The excess must be released

downstream through the dam.

 "We know that by discharging water at the rate of 1,000-1,200 cubic

 metres per second flooding will occur in the Chao Phraya basin

 from Ayutthaya province downward.

 But I still believe we will be able to keep the situation under control,"

 he added. The interior minister said during the  past month 38

 provinces were declared disaster areas. Now only nine of them --

 Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan,

 Phangnga, Uthai Thani, Phayao and Chai Nat -- are still zoned

 disaster-hit.

 As for budget funding for flood relief, each province can ask for

 more from the Central Fund if the regular allocation is not enough,

he said.

Gen Anupong said the three ministries will make their own assessment

 how much money they will need to spend within the scope of their

respective responsibilities. He believed the situation would not

 deteriorate beyond flash floods for a certain period.

 Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chatchai Sarikulya also

 expressed confidence the flood crisis of 2011 would not be repeated

 as dams in North and the Central Plains would be able to accept

 more water.

 The best way to manage the flood was to release it to the sea through

 large waterways, he said.

 Based on information from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

Department, 50,000-60,000 rai of farmland in 10 provinces had been

 inundated, Gen Chatchai said.

Despite all the present and past assurances from the government,

 villagers are now suffering from the flood.

 Techaphat Manowong, a village chief in tambon Mae Ing of Phu

 Kham Yao district in Phayao province, said more than 5,000 rai

of rice fields in Dok Kham Tai plain had been under water for

 more than a week and the young plants had already rotted,

 which meant a 100% loss for the farmers.

 Crops in another 5,000 rai of rice field in Thung Lor plan where

the rice was almost ready for harvest had also been under water for

 more than a week. He estimated the economic loss from the flood

 would reach 100 million baht. In Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam

 district, Son and Somnuek Duangtoy said they have been working

 hard to harvest as much of their drowned rice crop as they could.

They hoped they could still dry the grain and sell it at 2,000 baht

a tonne, which was well below what they had expected but still

 better than leaving it to rot under the water.

The couple planted their 12-rai field over 80 days go and had delayed

 harvesting the crop because the grain had little weight due to

the drought but now they were just hoping to at least recoup the

 40,000 baht it cost to plant and grow it.

Son Duangtoy tries to salvage as much of his drowned rice crop

 as possible. (Photo by Shinnawat Singha)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1096248/anupong-confident-flood-situation-manageable

News,General,Bangkok Post,27 September 2016.

 

This statement means to clam down the fear of the flood crisis

as in 2011.

But the fact is that now the farmers have suffered from flood

and their crops already damaged.

We should  have the sustainable plan to help the farmers solve the

 flood problem , also the drought and stop this cycle.

 

Sincerely Yours.

 

 

PromptPay 'will respect privacy'

Although citizens' ID cards will be linked with bank accounts for
 the new PromptPay service, personal privacy will be protected,
says Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong.

Signing up for PromptPay using the 13-digit number is for
 identification only and financial institutions cannot see other
information contained on the card, he said.

The ID card is the clearest way to identify a person because it will
 not duplicate others, as even name and family name can be redundant,
 Mr Apisak said.

To quell concerns, he will instruct a legal unit to reconsider the
 issue thoroughly.

Most of the 15 commercial and four state-owned banks have opened
 pre-registration for PromptPay, a money transfer and payment service
 under the national e-payment scheme.

 Official registration begins on July 15.

 Under PromptPay, people can easily and rapidly transfer money
 online to recipients who hold accounts at different banks, or even
 the same banks in cross-clearing zones, free of charge, but they are
required to sign up to link their ID card or mobile phone number to
bank accounts at participating banks.

One registered PromptPay account can be linked to a maximum of
four numbers -- one ID card and three mobile phone numbers -- and
 these numbers must not be linked to any other account.

All transfers up to 5,000 baht are free; transfers of 5,000 to 30,000
 baht are charged a fee of no more than 2 baht; transfers of 30,000
 to100,000 baht cost no more than 5 baht; and transfers exceeding
100,000 baht are charged no more than 10 baht.

The e-payment scheme aims to transform Thailand into a cashless
 society. The service will be extended to electronic payments and
 receiving personal income tax rebates, living allowances for
elderly people and other state welfare. Moreover, the system will
 allow the Revenue Department to plug all e-payment transactions
 into its data system to boost tax-collecting efficiency.

However, worries over security and personal privacy are
 discouraging people from PromptPay registration.

 Mr Apisak said the Bank of Thailand and banks will take charge
of security and the system will involve technology already in place
 for mobile and internet banking systems.

News,General,Bangkok Post, 12 July 2016.

 

PromptPay offer lower  transferring rate so it’s  sound good for people.

As people still worry about security and personal privacy because it

links to ID Cards so the service should depend on people satisfaction,
not regulation for everyone to use it.

 

Sincerely Yours.

 

 

Released students vow to continue anti-charter fight

Seven student activists, released from detention at the Bangkok

 Remand Prison Wednesday for campaigning against the draft

 charter ahead of the Aug 7 referendum, have vowed to press on

with their campaign.

 

Six students walked out of the prison Wednesday morning to the
 cheers and hugs of smiling friends and family. Mr Rangsiman
 said the Aug 7 referendum is not only about a vote for or
against the draft charter,

but also the people's choice between democracy and dictatorship.
 Nanthapong Panmat, a Ramkhamhaeng University political
 science master's student, thanked prison officials for taking care
 of the detained students but said the harsh conditions inside the jail
 had worsened their health.

 "We've agreed to continue our campaign against the problematic

draft constitution as this is about our own future. We just can't let

 it pass," said Mr Nanthapong.

 Appalling sight: Students in shackles Yuthana Dasri, another

 Ramkhamhaeng University student released from the prison,

 said prison officials had pleaded with them to leave the premises

 after the court order to release them.

A seventh activist, Korakot Saengyenphan, a graduate from

Kasetsart University, was also released in the evening.

However, officers at Thon Buri police station sought to detain him

further as he is among 11 activists wanted for rallying against the

 Rajabhakti Park project in defiance of the National Council for

 Peace and Order's order banning political rallies.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Administrative Court will rule on Monday

 on the petition filed by 12 scholars and activists seeking to annul

 the Election Commission's announcement of the regulations

which petitioners insist restrict freedom of expression in

 the referendum.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has issued the transcript of a

 June 29 meeting between Jan Eliasson, the UN deputy

secretary-general, and Virasakdi Futrakul, vice-minister for

 foreign affairs, in New York to clarify media reports quoting

Constitution Drafting Committee spokesman Norachit Sinhaseni

 saying that the UN was not bothered by the Public Referendum Act.

"The deputy secretary-general expressed concerns about the

recent reports of restrictions on the freedoms of expression and

assembly ahead of the referendum on the draft constitution,"

said the text published on the UN website.

Also Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister

 Prawit Wongsuwon said it was probably inappropriate to shackle

the young activists during detention.

Personally, he thought rules pertaining to such practices could

 possibly be adjusted for student detainees.

Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya, however, said the shackle

issue should not be judged harshly by the human rights defenders

as the corrections officials had to do their job.

"If those officials fail to strictly follow the shackling rule and

 detainees escape, it will be they who will face legal action or

 even get fired, not those human rights activists. Above all,

it's a rule," he said.

Gen Prawit downplayed concerns raised by the likelihood that

 the movement spearheaded by student activists at various

universities would escalate, saying the students participating in

 the political movement were only a tiny portion of the entire

university student population.

 These students are actually allowed to express their political

opinions at their own educational institutions, he said.

 

News,Politics,Bangkok Post, 7 July 2016.

 

These student were only charged for campaigning against the

 draft charter ,they are not criminals but as they were shackled,

it made bad image for the government.

In my opinion,if they want to do it let them do,don’t give credit

 to them because if they are not in the news no one even interest

 in their activity.

 

Sincerely Yours.

Dissolution call vexes established parties

 

A proposal to get all parties "back to square one" by abolishing them

 as they stand and forcing them to re-register is getting on the nerves

of politicians again.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, a core member of the Pheu Thai Party,

 brought up the proposal at a recent forum.

 She said new legislation to be issued as an organic law under the

constitution, assuming it passes the referendum next month, would

 make the proposal possible, though it is no means welcome news

 to the established parties.

Since the coup over two years ago, speculation about the

"back-to-square-one" scenario has emerged as it reflects the 2014

coup-maker's agenda to wipe out the current parties and reset the

 political landscape.

If the draft charter is endorsed, the military-appointed Constitution

 Drafting Committee (CDC) will remain in office to draft 10

organic laws.

Politicians and academics believe one of the new laws, a political

party act, may stipulate the dissolution of all parties and require the

 setting up of new ones. This will serve the agenda of the

 coup-makers, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO),

to break the circuit of red-yellow shirt conflicts of the past, and

could challenge the dominamce of the traditional parties.

Some say dissolving the parties would create equality among the

various contenders, which may help reduce conflicts.

 Under such circumstances, the government also hopes it can

 prevent the country slipping back into the same old divides

 of the past. However, neither the government nor the CDC has

 made it clear whether they will opt for the move.

Meechai Ruchupan, who leads the CDC, brushed aside the topic

 in recent interviews, saying there have been no particular talks on

 the issue. He insisted the priority is the Aug 7 referendum on the draft

 charter. If it is endorsed, Mr Meechai said his panel will draft 

 the 10 organic laws, and four of them will be related to elections:

 a general election law, a political party law, an Election Commission

 law and a law governing the selection of senators.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also head of the

NCPO, has not completely ruled out the possibility of taking all

politicians back to square one. "I've never said it is possible,

nor have I said it's not possible. Just don't quote me as saying it,"

 he told reporters recently.

 Such a lack of a clear direction from both the CDC and the NCPO

 has worried the parties as it means they cannot plan their future.

 Politicians are united in their calls for a clear stance on the issue

from the NCPO and the CDC, and will do whatever they can to

 stop party dissolution happening.

Mr Meechai said the move could be an indirect means to challenge

 the draft charter in the lead-up to the referendum.

"They've tried every way to slam the draft charter, and whenever

 they couldn't locate a flaw in the draft,they usually made up one,"

said the CDC chairman. "Our priority is to inform the public this

 has nothing to do with the draft charter," he said.

What concerns the parties most is the new political party act could

open the chance for politicians to move to other parties or even form

new ones. This will affect the viability of the established parties and

 their power bases.

For the Pheu Thai Party, this is an effort to clip its wings and

prevent it from winning a majority in the House and taking a lead

 in forming a government.

The Democrat Party also fears this scenario could threaten its

 long established identity. Party deputy leader Ong-art Klampaibul

 has spoken out against the plan. "Any effort to register new parties

 will make it burdensome for both the existing parties and

 millions of their members who will have to undergo a new process

 which could be lengthy.

 It will not benefit anyone," he said.

If the CDC drafted such a rule, it could be seen as an effort trying

 to weaken existing parties and support new ones that have

 connections with the powers-that-be such as the military, which

would not be good for the government's road map to democracy,

said Mr Ong-art.

 Many have raised fears dissolution of the parties will open the

door for the NCPO to prolong its power. Under the current political

 climate, parties are more vulnerable to interference.

The draft constitution, with its special provision allowing the

 Senate to join in a vote to select the prime minister, can make it

worse for them.

Given these concerns, the parties have made their points known

 to the public in the hope the idea will not become a reality.

 

News,Politics,Bangkok Post,6 July 2016.

 

In my viewpoint,it is no benefit to make all parties back

to square one because same old politicians will form

 the party again,like in the past.

If the referendum on Aug.7 is endorsed ,the written organic law

should lead to how to make the election transparent including

 how to stop buying and selling rights.

For two years from the coup,it seems all politicians still think for

themselves not for the country,that is sad to know.

 

Sincerely Yours.

Heed result of referendum, says Somchai

 

With 33 days to go before the planned referendum, the Election
 Commission has finally begun to move on sending millions of
 information booklets on the draft constitution to Thailand Post
for mailing. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

The referendum and its outcome must be respected, Election
Commission member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn has warned,
urging all parties to accept the result whether they are satisfied
 with it or not.

The charter referendum process -- which has been criticised by
 rights advocates for its lack of public participation and free debate
 as well as the tight restrictions on freedom of expression –
should not follow Britain's example, Mr Somchai said.

 In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, many Britons were displeased
with the majority's decision to leave the European Union, which
 has sparked protests and calls for another referendum to be
 organised.

 "That is not how referendums should function," he said,
 urging all political factions to put an end to their campaigning
once voters have gone to the polling stations and cast their
 referendum votes on Aug 7.

 In the weeks leading up to the Brexit vote, false information was

spread to the public with some participants framing their arguments

 with hate speech,Mr Somchai said.

 The EC is doing its best under the Referendum Act to curtail the s

pread of misinformation, he said. (In a separate development,

members of the military-appointed National Reform Steering

 Assembly (NRSA) took their deputy chairman and former

 Democrat Party MP Alongkorn Ponlaboot to task for what they

 called secret meetings with politicians.)

 Ex-politician rapped: Alongkorn 'a loose cannon'

See also: Academics demand release of activists

Any conflict from a campaign to mislead people would leave society

divided in the wake of the referendum, Mr Somchai said.

The public must rally behind the result of the Aug 7 vote so as to

 avoid any splits, he said. If the draft charter presented by the

 military-appointed Constitution Drafting Committee does not pass

 the referendum, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)

 will have to set up a new drafting team, to create a new draft in the

 following three months.

 However, there will be no time to hold another referendum and the

next draft will have to be submitted to the King for endorsement and

 adopted soon after, allowing a general election to take place as

expected next year, if the NCPO intends to stick to its roadmap.

Time is running out fast, Mr Somchai added, adding the military

 should not further deviate from the roadmap, as it has repeatedly

 promised the people an election next year.

However, a rejected draft charter would present a political scenario

 which is worrying for the country, according to academics and

 politicians who debated Thailand's political future at a seminar at the

Thai Public Broadcasting (Thai PBS) Monday.

The path ahead will lack clarity if the draft charter is rejected in

 the referendum, said Ekkachai Chainuvati, a law professor at

 Siam University.

Thana Cheeravinij, a former Democrat Party MP, said: "Thais know

 the consequences of the choice they are bound to make, if they vote

 to accept the draft. However, they don't know what lies ahead if

they reject it.''

This is far from being an ideal situation for people only a month away

 from the vote, he said. Peace academic Gothom Arya, also a former

director of Mahidol University's Institute for Human Rights and

Peace Studies, said he was worried that if the charter is rejected,

another draft would be written and adopted with no public

 participation or endorsement.

He suggested the regime should instead come up with a new charter,

based on either the 1997 or the 2007 charter, to be adopted over the

 next four years until a new election.

 During that time, a charter  drafting committee, supported by the

public, should be up and running, to write a new draft constitution

that truly caters to citizens' needs and demands, Mr Gothom argued.

News,Politics,Bangkok Post,5 July 2016.

 

In my believe if Thai people know the core value of the draft charter

which mean to make rules to stop corruption,they will accept

 the referendum.

So it depends on how the government authorities help them to understand

as we all know that they read very little and sometimes lead by the false

information.

If the draft charter has been rejected,it’s in the power of the government

to revise old version of the charter that proper to the country and the

new election should be held on the roadmap.

 

Sincerely Yours.

Department wants VAT kept at 7% for another year

The Revenue Department plans to propose that the Finance

 Ministry maintains value-added tax (VAT) at 7% for another year.

This would help boost consumer confidence as the economy is

picking up, said Prasong Poontaneat, director-general of the department.

The 7% VAT rate is due to expire at the end of September. Without

 the 7% VAT renewal, the tax will be imposed at 10% of product and

 service value.

VAT's contribution to government coffers is increasing, but the full-year

 amount is expected to fall short of the target by 100 billion baht due

 largely to the decline in VAT on imported goods, oil in particular,

 said Mr Prasong.

The department has set the VAT target at 700-800 billion baht for

 this fiscal year, ending Sept 30.

The largest tax revenue contributor also estimated that its tax revenue

 will miss the target by more than 100 billion baht, but it tried to cap

 the shortfall to below 150 billion baht, he said.

"In May, tax collection showed better signs. The tax revenue exceeded

 the same period last year by 40 billion baht or 6%, but it was still

lower than the target by 30 billion baht. The tax items that were lower

 than targeted are beyond our control -- chiefly VAT on imported oil,"

he said.

Tax incentives to comply with the government's recent policy also

hurt the department's revenue stream, said Mr Prasong, adding that

they are the income tax reduction for the single financial account

 scheme and holiday tax breaks.

The Revenue Department is set to garner 1.90 trillion baht in tax revenue

for fiscal 2016, assuming that the oil price averages US$60 a barrel.

Due to the single financial account scheme, a set of tax perks offered

to attract small and medium-sized enterprises to pay tax correctly,

 sales revenue reportedly rose by 6-10%, he said.

News,General,Bangkok Post,4 July 2016.

 

At 7% VAT rate some customers do not want Tax Invoice so if 

VAT rate increase  to  10% there will more procedure to avoid the

 tax system,and will be lower the amount of tax receive.

At this point cost of living is high so as we want to picking up the

economy and boost consumer confidence,to remain VAT rate at 7 %

will help all the system and people.

Sincerely Yours.