Thread: Thailand and the new coalition government

• PM Srettha warns Bangkok Port relocation plan could hit exports

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Friday poured cold water on plans to relocate Bangkok Port out of the city, warning of disruption to exports.

Asked about the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s proposal to move the port, Srettha told reporters covering his visit to City Hall that relevant agencies should carefully consider all the factors. He also remarked that Thailand’s biggest port, Laem Chabang in Chonburi province, is currently being expanded.

Srettha, who is also the finance minister, was speaking at a press conference after meeting with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt to discuss city development.

Chadchart suggested last year that Bangkok Port be moved from Khlong Toei to Laem Chabang. The move would reduce freight-truck trips at Bangkok Port by at least 1 million per year, cutting traffic congestion and easing PM2.5 air pollution in the city, the governor said. It would also mean container ships no longer had to use the Chao Phraya River, clearing the way for the BMA’s planned flood-prevention project, he added.

Laem Chabang Port handles over 10 million cargo containers every year, compared with just 1 million at Bangkok Port. Laem Chabang is considered an environmentally friendly port with a railway connection to the Inland Container Depot in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district.

However, the Transport Ministry, which oversees the Port Authority of Thailand, says it has no plans to relocate Bangkok Port.

Chadchart has also complained that despite being included in the national action plan, the plan to move Bangkok Port has not been adopted by any state agency.

According to Transport Ministry sources, Bangkok Port is responsible for important cargo goods and functions as a distribution centre. They said that any relocation would affect the country’s import and export businesses and economy.

• PM visits Thaksin at home in his Ban Chan Song La residence

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin paid a private visit to former prime minister and prison parolee Thaksin Shinawatra at his Ban Chan Song La residence in Thonburi on Saturday morning.

He was seen arriving in a brand new “sonic titanium” Lexus LM350H Executive 4-seater prime ministerial staff car. He lowered the window to “wai” reporters and photographers gathered in front of the residence, without giving an interview.

He is the first high-ranking Thai government official to visit Thaksin since he was released on parole from the Police General Hospital on February 18th. The first VIP to visit Thaksin was former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen.

The prime minister said that Thaksin offered him moral support and asked him to look after his health, adding that they did not discuss politics but that he would welcome Thaksin’s recommendations or opinions.

He praised Thaksin as Thailand’s most popular prime minister and for being very resourceful.

Thaksin’s health, he said, appears to be improving, though he stills looks tired but is cheerful, perhaps because he is now home after 17 years of living in exile.

• Srettha vows to improve the residential quarters of military officers

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Saturday promised to improve the residences of military officers to raise their quality of life.

He was speaking after a survey of Royal Thai Army flats in Bangkok's Kiakkai neighbourhood to see how military officers lived there and to hear their demands.

He proposed setting up more facilities, such as co-working space, Wi-Fi internet network, parking lots, gyms and electric vehicle chargers.

"Initially, I think a 45-square-metre room is alright, but it needs more built-in furniture, as well as co-working space, gym, charging station for EV users and waste sorting point for maintaining the environment," he said on his Facebook post.

"We have voluntary conscription, so we have to start by offering welfare and good quality of life to the soldiers."

The PM also planned to visit other residences of the Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Thai Armed Forces on Monday.

• Srettha disappointed after unannounced check at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin made an unannounced check of operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday and found the arrival and departure passenger procedures were still disappointing.

Srettha announced on his X account on Saturday night that he had made another surprise inspection at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday evening to follow up on his first unannounced inspection on February 5 in the morning.

“I came to check the service systems at Suvarnabhumi Airport without informing the airport in advance after I made a similar check in the morning. So, today I came to check in the evening and there were plenty of passengers,” Srettha posted on his X page.

The prime minister said he found that both the arrival and departure procedures were too long.

Srettha announced on his X account on Saturday night that he had made another surprise inspection at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday evening to follow up on his first unannounced inspection on February 5 in the morning.

“I came to check the service systems at Suvarnabhumi Airport without informing the airport in advance after I made a similar check in the morning. So, today I came to check in the evening and there were plenty of passengers,” Srettha posted on his X page.

The prime minister said he found that both the arrival and departure procedures were too long.

“I counted the time since a passenger got off a vehicle and entered the check-in system and passed through the security system to reach his terminal to wait for boarding.

“And for arrivals, I counted from passengers' exiting their plane and coming to the immigration counters. I checked all the procedures in detail and found that they took a long time.”

Srettha said that he had asked the officials in charge if they could reduce the time taken. “The answer was that the processing time was uncertain,” Srettha said.

“This has to be improved urgently,” the prime minister added.

• Sort out unending construction projects on Rama II, Srettha tells Transport Ministry

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has instructed the Transport Ministry to improve the condition of Rama II highway, so people travelling during the long Songkran holidays do not get caught in traffic bottlenecks.

Srettha highlighted his instructions in a comment on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. He was responding to a post on the travel page, Paksabuy, which said that Hua Hin was unusually quiet these days because Bangkokians did not want to deal with the notorious traffic congestion on Rama II. The popular seaside town is about 200 kilometres south of Bangkok.

In his post, the premier said the Transport Ministry should strictly monitor and control large construction projects to ensure they are built well and fast. He said his government has been monitoring large construction projects, whose delays have affected motorists and tourists as well as businesses of shops along the roads.

“As for the delayed construction project on Rama II, which is a key reason why fewer people are going to Hua Hin, the Transport Ministry said it will rush to tackle the issue so motorists find it easier to travel before Songkran,” Srettha said in his X post.

“I’ll monitor the issue to ease the grievances of the people as soon as possible. I’ll also supervise procurement and mete out penalties against contractors who abandon their work.”

On Wednesday, Paksabuy posted a photo of an empty Hua Hin beach, saying the seaside town now has far fewer Thai tourists and suggested that the notorious Rama II congestion might be the reason.

The post was picked up and highlighted by some online websites over the weekend, leading to the perception that Hua Hin had become a ghost town during the long weekend.

However, on Sunday, many local residents posted on their community group, “If anything happens in Hua Hin, update it here”, that many tourists were still visiting Hua Hin and the post on Paksabuy was made by someone who did not visit the town.

Rama II is the main gateway linking Bangkok to the South and is infamous for what is often called by Thai motorists “seven generations of construction”. Worse yet, the area is known for accidents with debris falling on passing vehicles.

The latest reason for the congestion is the construction of an elevated expressway in the middle of Rama II, which is supposed to ease congestion.

• PM aims to promote tourism in deep south

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is in the southernmost province of Yala today, to promote tourism and economic development in the region.

He is expected to meet with local residents and authorities to listen to their needs and problems. He also plans to visit various tourist attractions, as part of his first official visit to the region since taking office.

Srettha began his three-day official visit in Pattani province yesterday, home to the Krue Se mosque, the site of a massacre in 2004 in which 32 people were killed by Thai security forces following a day-long siege.

Security has been tightened and Srettha reportedly travelled in Pattani in a bulletproof vehicle. During his visit, he toured the Pattani Central Mosque and participated in religious activities.

Srettha wrote on his X post that he is amazed by the beauty of the mosque, “…apart from its magnificence and religious significance, the architecture is so beautiful that it is dubbed the Taj Mahal of Thailand”.

Srettha told reporters that his focus during the visit to the provinces is on creating opportunities to stimulate the economy and enhance tourism.

Tomorrow, he is scheduled to visit Narathiwat province.

He pointed out that the three restive provinces in the south boast numerous tourist attractions, which he referred to as ‘hidden gems’ awaiting visitors. The government aims to develop these provinces into tourism centres. Currently, the region attracts approximately 1.68 million tourists annually, with only 15% of them being foreigners.

The region offers many internationally familiar products, such as Halal food and batik clothing, which will be promoted to increase investment. Additionally, a one-stop-service centre has been established at the Betong customs house in Yala to facilitate business.

Furthermore, the government intends to promote cultures, religion, traditions and knowledge among the people, to foster greater understanding and peaceful coexistence. “Peace is crucial for the prosperity of both the country and its citizens,” said Srettha.

• Yala airport key to govt’s plan to boost tourism in Thailand’s South

Much to the joy of Yala residents, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Wednesday that the plan to build an airport in the province is already in the pipeline and will be implemented “soon”.

The closest airport to Yala, Thailand’s southernmost province, is in Narathiwat.

Srettha, who also doubles as finance minister, is on a three-day trip to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat to promote tourism and related industries in southern border provinces.

On Tuesday, the premier visited Pattani’s tourist attractions, including the Pattani Central Mosque. He also chatted with locals and members of the Pattani Islamic Council about the government’s plan to establish a National Halal Industry Commission and Thai Halal Industry Centre to promote local food producers in the South.

On Wednesday morning, Srettha and his delegation paid respects at the city shrine in Yala’s Muang district, before receiving and wearing traditional mud-dyed shirts called “simaya” made by locals from Na Tham subdistrict.

The PM’s party then visited Yala’s TK (Thailand Knowledge) Park in Muang district to watch local students making handicrafts. Speaking to the students, Srettha said everybody in the deep South will be granted equal opportunities in terms of education, economy and transport infrastructure.

He also said the government was already planning to build an airport in Yala, adding that he believes the province will soon become another tourism hub in the South.

The premier and his delegation are scheduled to observe the operations of the Betong customs checkpoint and visit the Betong Winter Flowers Garden, Betong Mongkhonrit Tunnel (the first mountain tunnel in Thailand), and AyerRweng Skywalk.

Yala has set a target of welcoming 2 million Thai and foreign visitors this year and securing tourism revenue of 7 billion baht.

• Ministry preparing to submit national costume to Unesco for listing

The formal Thai national costume is on the way to being proposed for inclusion on Unesco’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, as the Culture Ministry first asks for approval by the Cabinet.

Culture Minister Sermsak Pongpanich said a formal submission about the costume’s knowledge, craftsmanship and practices has already been prepared, but it should receive approval from the Cabinet first.

“Once receiving Cabinet's approval, the Department of Cultural Promotion will submit information to Unesco in March this year,” he said, adding that Unesco will also be considering submissions proposed by other countries.

Sermsak added that Thailand’s Tom Yum Kung (spicy shrimp soup) and kebaya, the traditional costume in Southern Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, will be considered later this year.

These items will be follow by the formal Thai national costume, Muay Thai and Loy Krathong respectively, he added.

Meanwhile, Department of Cultural Promotion director-general Kowit Pakamart said the formal Thai national costume proves the country’s identity, which has been preserved for more than 1,400 years harking back to the Dvaravati era.

“A significant development in the formal Thai national costume took place in 1960 when Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother graciously called for a study of the evolution of the Thai women’s costume and created eight types of costumes for people to wear on various specific occasions,” Kowit explained.

“Nowadays, Thai people continue to wear the eight types of formal Thai national costumes as part of their daily lives, such as attending state and religious ceremonies.”

Apart from making people proud of Thai craftmanship and tradition, Kowit said the formal Thai national costume is an example of the country’s soft power that creates jobs, generates income and stimulates the economy.

It also inspires new generations to further develop Thai fabrics into traditional or creative costumes, he added.