Thepprasit Night Bazaar ramps up with 250 shops

The new night market eventually will boast 250 shops and 10 restaurants, said project manager Paisarn Tungtong.

Thanachot Anuwan
Cultural shows depicting traditions of Thailand’s four regions highlighted the opening of the 150 million baht Thepprasit Night Bazaar.
Located on 2.5 rai of land at the intersection of Sukhumvit and Thepprasit Roads, the new night market eventually will boast 250 shops, with each shop averaging 2.4 x 2.4 meters, and 10 restaurants, said project manager Paisarn Tungtong.
Entertainment on the June 3 soft opening night consisted of four regional culture shows that attracted the attention of both Thai and foreign tourists.
The market offers traditional art pieces, handicrafts, locally made products, souvenirs, purses, clothes, decorations, gifts, furniture, instant food, fruits and beverages. Despite its name, the Night Bazaar opens daily at 11 a.m., closing at 11 p.m.
The entire market is outfitted in a traditional Thai theme featuring the country’s four regions. The goal is to enhance Pattaya’s tourist sector, offering a variety of attractions. The grand opening for the market will be held in December.

HCAT seeks support and understanding from Western Allies on Thailand’s political situation

The Honorary Consuls Association in Thailand (HCAT) on June 12, 2014 issued a statement requesting Thailand’s western allies to support the ruling National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO) efforts to improve the Thai Constitution by closing up loopholes that allowed dictatorial corruption in the form of “false” democracy and to pave way to establish a true democracy so that future elections will be free and fair.
In principle, western democratic leaders are expected to stand up and condemn any form of military coup. This is understandable.
The situation in Thailand is certainly not as bad as it is being portrayed by the international media. But understandably, the word ‘coup’ is negatively connoted by any definition. Most military coups in developing or underdeveloped countries have been bloody and caused psychological and physical damages to virtually everything in those countries. However, in the case of Thailand, it is perhaps time for the outside world to take an unbiased look at why the majority of Thai people applauded the 22nd May coup. It is a coup in which not a drop of blood was lost despite of the seizure of piles of heavy weapons - numerous enough to stage a civil war - during and shortly after the takeover.
The May 22nd coup was truly the last resort to end the destructive deadlock when the ousted government repeatedly refused to compromise or resign to give way for reconciliation and to form an impartial interim government. In fact, many experts had speculated that it would be impossible for them to step down voluntarily to submit themselves to the judicial bodies due to the preponderant allegations and outstanding ‘guilty’ verdicts on many cabinet members and civil servants. The experts also believed the plan to take the country into bloody civil unrest was perhaps the only way for the then government to survive.
The majority of the Thai people, with the exception of a few hundred hard core government supporters, showed great relief when the military took over the leadership of running the country in order to save lives and restore law and order on 22nd of May 2014. This has set in the motion the much needed reform.
Successful reform against future corruption at all levels should be completed soon to pave way for a truly free and fair election in which good, honest and competent people can be encouraged to enter the politics to take Thailand to the much higher level of political decency the country deserves. HCAT hopes that Thailand’s western allies will understand that Thailand needed this one short step back in order to leap up over the hurdle. Otherwise, the country will revert to the vicious cycle of vote buying, corruption and coup again and again.
We urge our allies, particularly in the West, to understand and appreciate that time is needed, particularly at this important juncture to improve the constitution and to form our legislative body in such a way to prevent dictatorial corruption, to establish a truly democratic government through fair and fraudulence free elections.
Dr. Virachai Techavijit
[email protected] Tel: 089-1305555
Chairman, HCAT Foreign Affairs Committee
Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on “Why Coup”
On behalf of Honorary Consuls Association (Thailand)

Special Report: Foreign investors expect economic recovery in Thailand

The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) have agreed that the business ambiance in Thailand has not changed significantly since the establishment of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).
At a press conference on “Confidence in Thailand” at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, JFCCT revealed opinions of the foreign business community in Thailand on trade and investment in the country during the current situation.
The speakers included Stanley Kang, Advisor of the Board of Trade of Thailand and Chairman of JFCCT, Brian Sinclair-Thompson, Vice Chairman of JFCCT, Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag Conselvan, President of the Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, and Yeap Swee Chuan, President of the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce.
Attending the conference were representatives from various chambers of commerce in Thailand such as those of India, Russia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and the Republic of Korea.
Sinclair-Thompson said that any negative effect on the economy has resulted from conflicts originated years ago. However, the focus is now shifting towards recovery and it is expected that business will pick up in the months to come. This is chiefly because the Thai economy is resilient to crises and Thailand has strong fundamentals to continue to facilitate business operations. In addition, Chuan of the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce asserted that Thailand still provides a safe environment for business to continue as usual.
As for ways to regain confidence from the international community, Sinclair-Thompson suggested that Thailand must step up its efforts to invite tourists and business individuals to come and see the situation first-hand. Infrastructure development, such as that concerning airport and transportation facilities, is also needed to meet the growing demand.
Mrs. Conselvan from Norway stressed that it is essential for Thailand to encourage proper understanding of the current situation among foreigners and companies currently doing businesses in the country, as they can play a key role in communicating with prospective foreign investors.
The forum also agreed that the current development has only little impact on business dealings in Thailand, and they are looking forward to strong recovery as the situation has now been stabilized.
JFCCT also urged Thai people to come together with foreign businesses in Thailand and work as a team in pushing forward the recovery Thailand deserves. (NNT)

Infrastructure investment rises to Bt3 trillion

The Transport Ministry this week proposed to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) an implementation plan on basic mega-infrastructure development projects valued at Bt3 trillion, up from the Bt2.2 trillion calculated by the previous government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
Permanent Secretary for Transport Somchai Siriwatanachoke said the ministry had prepared strategic plans to improve basic infrastructure programs on transportation and were submitted to Air Force chief ACM Prachin Chantong, head of NCPO’s economic affairs, for his consideration during a meeting Thursday.
Somchai said most programs remained unchanged from what the previous government had mapped out and would be implemented between 2015 and 2022.
But visible changes in the total investment rise to Bt3 trillion from the Bt2.2 trillion calculated by the former government.
Somchai said the increase is due to an aerial development project which has been added in the latest program.
However, fresh talks on where the investment money would come from will have to be discussed with the Finance Ministry and the Budget Bureau, he said, noting that the investment will be spent on five major strategic plans.
The plans involved urgent construction of five dual railway tracks and three new routes, improvement of public transportation in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, constructing roads which would link provinces and the motorways, building harbors and dykes, and expanding Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport. (MCOT)

BOI explains its position to the AFG

Chokedee Kaerwsang, the Deputy Secretary General of the Office of the Board of Investment.

Dr. Iain Corness
The President of the Automotive Focus Group (AFG) Frank Holzer welcomed Chokedee Kaerwsang, the Deputy Secretary General of the Office of the Board of Investment (BOI) to the meeting of the AFG members.
It was a packed house at the Nova Platinum, showing the interest that the AFG has in all aspects of the Automotive industry.
Chokedee began his most informative talk, admitting that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) had gone down significantly over the last five months, however, for the BOI, the Automotive sector was still number 1.
He also said that currently there were 800 investment projects (equivalent of 800 million THB) waiting ratification. There was, however, a huge stumbling block in the fact that the old board has been dispensed with, following the coup and the new board, able to make decisions, was only appointed on June 7, 2014.
However, at question time, Chokedee indicated he was very hopeful that the backlog could be cleared within three months.
Much importance regarding the FDI was coming from the Phase 2 ECO car development. There were 10 applications for ECO Car 2, with production to start by 2019. Seven of these applications were from Japan, two from the USA and one from China. 50 percent of the production will be destined for export.
Some factors being taken into consideration by the BOI are that they want to promote the development of competitiveness, Green industries and regional clusters. Chokedee also mentioned that insufficient infrastructure holds investment back in Thailand.
Other factors which came as a surprise for many people were the stress on technology, decentralization and R&D. The BOI thinking was that infrastructure up-date should be close to the Thai borders to be able to cheaply get components made in the bordering countries, and have them assembled in Thailand. This is looking forward to the AEC at the end of next year, when cross-border traffic is to be freed up. Currently the GDP of ASEAN is 2.3 trillion USD, and it is projected that this will double by 2020.
The evening finished around the buffet tables at Nova Platinum, and the next meeting will be July 25 which will incorporate a plant tour of the ZF factory. Further details can be obtained via email [email protected].