French Vote Gives Leftists Most Seats Over Far Right, but Leaves Hung Parliament and Deadlock

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8 July 2024, 11:02

France Election — People gather at the Republique plaza after the second round of the legislative election, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Paris. Surprise polling projections in France say a leftist coalition that came together to try to keep the far right from power has won the most parliamentary seats in runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

PARIS (AP) — A coalition of the French left won the most seats in high-stakes legislative elections Sunday, beating back a far-right surge but failing to win a majority. The outcome left France, a pillar of the European Union and Olympic host country, facing the stunning prospect of a hung parliament and political paralysis.

The political turmoil could rattle markets and the French economy, the EU’s second-largest, and have far-ranging implications for the war in Ukraine, global diplomacy and Europe’s economic stability.

In calling the election on June 9, after the far right surged in French voting for the European Parliament, President Emmanuel Macron said turning to voters again would provide “clarification.”

On almost every level, that gamble appears to have backfired. According to the official results released early Monday, all three main blocs fell far short of the 289 seats needed to control the 577-seat National Assembly, the more powerful of France’s two legislative chambers.

The results showed just over 180 seats for the New Popular Front leftist coalition, which placed first, ahead of Macron’s centrist alliance, with more than 160 seats. Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and its allies were restricted to third place, although their more than 140 seats were still way ahead of the party’s previous best showing — 89 seats in 2022.

A hung parliament is unknown territory for modern France.

AP24189661609270 — Far-left La France Insoumise – LFI – (France Unbowed) founder Jean-Luc Melenchon delivers a speech at the party election night headquarters, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

“Our country is facing an unprecedented political situation and is preparing to welcome the world in a few weeks,” said Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who plans to offer his resignation later in the day.

With the Paris Olympics looming, Attal said he was ready to stay at his post “as long as duty demands.” Macron has three years remaining on his presidential term.

Attal made clearer than ever his disapproval of Macron’s shock decision to call the election, saying “I didn’t choose this dissolution” of the outgoing National Assembly, where the president’s centrist alliance used to be single biggest group, albeit without an absolute majority. Still, it was able to govern for two years, pulling in lawmakers from other camps to fight off efforts to bring it down.

The new legislature appears shorn of such stability. When Macron flies to Washington for a summit this week of the NATO alliance, he will leave a country with no clear idea who may be its next prime minister and facing the prospect that the president may be obliged to share power with a politician deeply opposed to his policies.

Still, many rejoiced. In Paris’ Stalingrad square, supporters on the left cheered and applauded as projections showing the alliance ahead flashed up on a giant screen. Cries of joy also rang out in Republique plaza in eastern Paris, with people spontaneously hugging strangers and several minutes of nonstop applause after the projections landed.

Marielle Castry, a medical secretary, was on the Metro in Paris when projected results were first announced.

“Everybody had their smartphones and were waiting for the results and then everybody was overjoyed,” said the 55-year-old. “I had been stressed out since June 9 and the European elections. … And now, I feel good. Relieved.”

A redrawn political map

Even before votes were cast, the election redrew France’s political map. It galvanized parties on the left to put differences aside and join together in the new leftist alliance. It pledges to roll back many of Macron’s headline reforms, embark on a massively costly program of public spending and take a far tougher line against Israel because of the war with Hamas.

AP24189461073068 — French President Emmanuel Macron makes a selfie for supporters after voting for the second round of the legislative elections in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, northern France, Sunday July 7 2024. (Mohammed Badra, Pool via AP)

Macron described the left’s coalition as “extreme” and warned that its economic program of many tens of billions of euros in public spending, partly financed by tax hikes for high earners and on wealth, could be ruinous for France, already criticized by EU watchdogs for its debt.

Yet, the New Popular Front’s leaders immediately pushed Macron to give the alliance the first chance to form a government and propose a prime minister.

The most prominent of the leftist coalition’s leaders, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, said it “is ready to govern.”

While the National Rally took more seats than ever, the anti-immigration party with historical links to antisemitism and racism fell far short of its hopes of securing an absolute majority that would have given France its first far-right government since World War II.

“Disappointed, disappointed,” said far-right supporter Luc Doumont, 66. “Well, happy to see our progression, because for the past few years we’ve been doing better.”

After the party finished top of the first-round vote last weekend, its rivals worked to dash its hopes of outright victory Sunday, by strategically withdrawing candidates from many districts. That left many far-right candidates in head-to-head contests against just one opponent, making it harder for them to win.

AP24189696661175 — Far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen answers a television network after the second round of the legislative election, Sunday, July 7, 2024 at the party election night headquarters in Paris. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Many voters decided that keeping the far right from power was more important to them than anything else, backing its opponents in the runoff, even if they weren’t from the political camp they usually support.

Still, National Rally leader Le Pen, expected to make a fourth run for the French presidency in 2027, said the elections laid the groundwork for “the victory of tomorrow.”

“The reality is that our victory is only deferred,” she added. But Le Pen’s older sister, Marie-Caroline, was among her party’s losers Sunday, defeated by a leftist candidate and just 225 votes in her district.

Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s 28-year-old protégé who’d been hoping to become prime minister, rued that the national outcome “throws France into the arms of the extreme left.”

A statement from Macron’s office indicated that he wouldn’t be rushed into inviting a potential prime minister to form a government. It said he was watching as results came in and would wait for the new National Assembly to take shape before taking “the necessary decisions.”

AP24189791769483 — Bicycles burn during tensions near Republique plaza following the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Unknown territory

Unlike other countries in Europe that are more accustomed to coalition governments, France doesn’t have a tradition of lawmakers from rival political camps coming together to form a majority. France is also more centralized than many other European countries, with many more decisions made in Paris.

The president was hoping that with France’s fate in their hands, voters might shift from the far right and left and return to mainstream parties closer to the center — where Macron found much of the support that won him the presidency in 2017 and again in 2022.

But rather than rally behind him, millions of voters seized on his surprise decision as an opportunity to vent their anger about inflation, crime, immigration and other grievances — including Macron’s style of government.

The sharp polarization of French politics – especially in this torrid and quick campaign – is sure to complicate any effort to form a government. Racism and antisemitism marred the electoral campaign, along with Russian disinformation campaigns, and more than 50 candidates reported being physically attacked — highly unusual for France.

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This story has been updated to remove exact seat tallies reported by French media to account for the fact that official results don’t give precise totals for each main bloc.

Thai Aviation Fuel Use Soars 17.9%, Contrast With Car Petrol Dips

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Khaosod English

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7 July 2024, 14:57

Bangkok,Thailand,/,31,Aug,2016,/,Thai,Airways,Hs-thb — Thai Airways

BANGKOK — As Thailand’s tourism has rebounded, aviation fuel use has soared 17.9%. This contrasts with car fuel consumption in the first five months, which was down.

Sarawut Kaewtatip, Director General of the Department of Energy Industry, announced on July 6 that the average fuel consumption from January to May 2024 was 157.13 million liters per day, a decrease of 0.4 percent compared to the same period last year.

This includes a 21.6 percent decrease in heating oil and a 16.6 percent decrease in compressed natural gas (NGV) for vehicles, which averages 2.91 million kilograms per day.

Petrol consumption fell by 1.0 percent and averaged 31.59 million liters per day. Specifically, the consumption of E85 petrol fell to 0.07 million liters per day, benzene to 0.42 million liters per day, E20 petrol to 5.48 million liters per day and 95 petrol to 17.46 million liters per day. Meanwhile, the consumption of gasohol 91 to 7.83 million liters per day.

In contrast, the consumption of kerosene for commercial aviation (Jet A1) rose by 17.9 percent and averaged 16.08 million liters per day. This increase is due to the recovery during the tourism season and the government’s decision to allow citizens from 93 countries to enter Thailand visa-free (for stays of up to 60 days). This measure is expected to boost international tourist flows.

The consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas, rose by 3.8 percent and averaged 18.01 million kilograms per day. This includes an increase of 9.3 percent in the petrochemical sector to 8.03 million kilograms per day, an increase of 2.8 percent in the transport sector to 2.32 million kilograms per day, while consumption in industry fell by 3.4 percent to 1.96 million kilograms per day and consumption in households fell by 0.4 percent to 5.71 million kilograms per day.

The consumption of diesel fuel at filling stations rose by 3.2 percent and averaged 69.30 million liters per day. The consumption of standard diesel fuel rose by 3.2 percent year-on-year to 69.14 million liters per day, while the consumption of B20 diesel fuel fell by 2.8 percent year-on-year to 0.15 million liters per day.

This trend is in line with the decline in fuel imports, which averaged 1.04 million barrels per day in the first five months of this year, a decrease of 3.0 percent compared to the same period last year.

The total value of imports amounted to 99.9 billion baht per month. Crude oil imports averaged 986,155 barrels per day, a decrease of 1.7 percent, with an import value of 95 billion baht per month. Exports of refined oil averaged 155,148 barrels per day in the first five months of this year, an increase of 1.3 percent, with a total export value of 16 billion baht per month.

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Opinion: Time to Raise the Retirement Age in Thailand

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Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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7 July 2024, 13:00

Social activist Sombat Boonngam-anong, founder of the Mirror Foundation, which deals with missing persons as well as helping homeless people, wrote on his Facebook page earlier this week saying he was recently approached by a 61-year-old man while he was having a meal.

The man basically asked if he could be hired to work for some of his non-profit enterprises, adding he could sing and play music, as he used to do so for a living when he was younger, and had worked looking after a building. He can do watercolor paintings and more. The man then told him the real motive – he does not want to be a financial burden to his daughter, the sole breadwinner.

Sombat said the only problem is the man has passed the Thai retirement age of 60. At his foundation, he added, they have hired many people older than 60 along with homeless people, 200 in all, but there are still many more elderly people looking for employment.

“Allow me to send a signal,” Sombat concluded, without stating whether he eventually hired the man or not.

Indeed, it is a SOS signal for help and change. It is an issue the government cannot ignore, and in fact, should pay urgent attention to as many countries have already raised the retirement age beyond 60 while according to the little heard Department of Older Persons, about 30 percent of the Thai population are already over the age of 60 – and it is growing fast.

In Japan, the retirement age is 65. In Singapore, it is 63 and will be raised to 69 in 2026, or two years from now.

In the U.K., it is 66. In France, it is 62. It is time for Thailand to consider raising the minimum retirement age of Thai workers, both in the public and private sectors.

There will be a lot of adjustments, but the government should act now before the problem’s magnitude is no longer manageable. Tax incentives can be provided to the private sector, and in fact, the government can also encourage or initiate ventures that employ people who are over 60 or even in their seventies and provide them with a level of decent income, albeit lower than those below 60 instead of having them just expecting unrealistic state subsidies in which the state could ill afford.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin himself is 62 and shows no sign of needing or wanting to resign. Former Deputy Junta leader and Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan, the current leader of Phalang Pracharath Party, is 78 and is still hoping to become PM, and ex-premier-turned-ex-convict Thaksin Shinawatra, at 74, is definitely not retiring but actively making political remarks and widely regarded as the real PM of Thailand today.

Alas, many Thais above the age of 60 find themselves no longer employable. This is not just a burden to the economy, but also a waste of experienced manpower in many sectors.

At 62, PM Srettha should know best that many people his age, or even older, do not want to simply be unemployed or dependent on their children (which is becoming less common as some have no children). The obvious solution is to start experimenting and extend retirement age and return those who are still fit and willing to work the dignity they deserve.

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Tourist Hotspot Yaowarat Hit by Major Fire, Possible Electrical Cause

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Khaosod English

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7 July 2024, 11:48

yaowarat fire9 — A forensic official photographs the fire-damaged area of the Trok Pho community in Yaowarat on July 7, 2024.

BANGKOK — The fire incident in the Trok Pho community of Yaowarat occurred on Saturday evening, at a time when Yaowarat was being promoted for tourism and culture, having recently appeared as a backdrop in the music video for “ROCKSTAR,” a solo work by Lisa Manoban, a Thai K-pop superstar.

A house fire broke out in the Trok Pho community on Yaowarat Road, Bangkok, at 8:40 p.m. on July 6. The police have temporarily closed off traffic from Chalerm Buri Intersection to the Odeon Circle. It then took over three hours to control the fire, with no fatalities reported.

Initially, fire trucks from the Bang Rak Fire and Rescue Station could not access the area due to the narrow alley. They then coordinated with disaster relief units from neighboring areas to help contain the incident using smaller water trucks and by walking in while dragging water hoses instead.

The fire spread to the rear of commercial buildings facing Yaowarat Road, including the New Empire Hotel. At 9:40 p.m., officials successfully evacuated those trapped inside the New Empire Hotel.

yaoearat fire6 — A combination of images of the fire incident site in the Trok Pho community of Yaowarat on Saturday night, July 6, showing the damage and the charred condition on July 7, 2024.

At 10:30 p.m., officials managed to contain the fire within a limited area. The flames were now confined to the Trok Pho community area only. Officials continued to use water to prevent the fire from spreading further.

At 11:30 p.m., officials had managed to contain the fire within a limited area. They needed to continue spraying water throughout the night.

On Sunday morning, the government spokesperson revealed that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had been closely monitoring the situation and had ordered fire extinguishing efforts, assistance for those stranded, and directed all relevant agencies to help those affected. Once the fire was under control, he ordered an assessment of the needs of the local people and continuous care for the health and safety of those injured and in the affected area.

Officials reported that approximately 50 households in the community were being thoroughly checked and registered with Samphanthawong district officers. Initially, 245 people had registered as affected, while two injured firefighters were now safe, with one who had suffered an electric shock being kept for more one night observation.

The damage to buildings and property was still being assessed and evaluated. Forensic officers were examining the scene to gather evidence to determine the cause of the fire.

According to the testimony of Phaisan Charoen Bun-ma, a municipal officer from Samphanthawong District Office and the first eyewitness, he heard loud “boom boom boom” sounds similar to electrical transformer explosions coming from the incident site.

The houses in the Trok Pho community are constructed of semi-wooden concrete, with only two entrances and exits, surrounded by hotels and tall buildings. This community covers an area of approximately 1.8 rai (about 0.7 acres) and has about 63 households. Approximately 60-70% of the houses were damaged by this fire. Among the residents in this area, 90% are tenants, and 10% are homeowners.

yaowarat fire8 — The damage of the Trok Pho community in Yaowarat on July 7, 2024, after a major fire on Saturday night.

Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphan, Commander of the Office of Legal Affairs and Litigation of the Royal Thai Police, revealed after inspecting the fire scene at Trok Pho community, Yaowarat Road, Samphanthawong District, Bangkok, for more than an hour: The investigation team has narrowed down their speculation and scope of the fire’s origin. They have also interviewed witnesses, including tourists who captured video clips.

The area in question is where the fire was most intense, with the most damage. However, due to the weak structure and a large amount of debris, further inspection is needed.

“At this point, we cannot determine whether it was an accident or negligence, as we are still speculating about the fire’s origin. We need to wait for further inspection because there are still 3-5 houses that we cannot access. Today, we have only managed to narrow down the area of the fire’s origin,” said Police Lieutenant General Trairong.

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Cannabis and Beer Blamed for Chinese Tourists’ Lewd Act in Chiang Mai University

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Khaosod English

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7 July 2024, 03:11

lewd act chiangmai — Police officers take the Chinese and Hong Kong couple to Maharaj Hospital for treatment.

CHIANG MAI — Regarding the scandalous incident in a Chiang Mai University parking lot, where a Chinese tourist couple engaged in inappropriate sexual activity in broad daylight in full view of the public, police officers stated that alcohol and drugs were blamed as the cause of their act.

On July 6, Tourist Police officer Lt. Col. Awirut Sukyam and his team investigated the two young tourists, identifying them as a 27-year-old Chinese man and a 22-year-old Hong Kong woman who are in a relationship.

The male tourist stated that before the incident, around noon on July 4, he and his girlfriend had smoked cannabis and consumed a large amount of beer. This caused his girlfriend to become intoxicated and unable to control herself.

She then removed his shirt and all of her own clothes. He claimed he tried to stop her before security guards and police arrived to take them to Maharaj Hospital for treatment and blood tests, which detected alcohol in their system.

chiangmai — The scandalous incident where a Chinese tourist couple engaged in inappropriate sexual activity in broad daylight occurred in a Chiang Mai University parking lot on July 4, 2024.

The police revealed that since the university, which owns the property, did not file a complaint against the two tourists, the Tourist Police would keep their information on record as persons of interest before releasing them.

A food vendor near the incident site said that around 5 PM on July 4, the two Chinese tourists ordered food and ate under a tree near the parking lot. Then, for unknown reasons, they moved near a pile of dirt where the woman removed all her clothes and attempted to remove the man’s clothes, leaving him in just shorts.

The woman then had the man lie down and she sat on top of him, all in full view of passersby and students. This led people to alert security guards and police. Afterwards, cloths and umbrellas were used to cover them, they were given clothes to wear, and then taken to the hospital.

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Escaped Foreign Patient Steals Van, Causes Crash and Phuket Traffic Chaos

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Khaosod English

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7 July 2024, 01:14

patong mad1 — The scene where the van stolen by a foreigner crashed into another van in Patong, Phuket, on July 6, 2024.

PHUKET — A van driver parked to buy durian by the roadside when a foreign man who had escaped from a hospital stole the van and drove it to Patong Beach, crashing into another van. This caused traffic congestion throughout Saturday evening.

Patong Police Station was notified of the accident at 8:19 p.m. on July 6. Two vans had collided on Patong Hill, Kathu District, about 100 meters past Pho Suea Shrine. Two people were injured in the two vans.

In the first van, a white one with Songkhla license plates, a foreign tourist was trapped inside. Rescue workers from Kusoltham Phuket Foundation had to cut open the wreckage to extract him before sending him to Patong Hospital.

The other injured person was in a black van with Phuket license plates. He was a Thai man named Sompong who suffered leg injuries.

Thiwa Santichatisak, the driver of the white van, said that before the incident, he had parked to buy durian in front of a gas station on the way up Patong Hill. He left the engine running. Suddenly, a foreign man hijacked his van and drove towards Patong Beach.

When Thiwa followed in another vehicle to find his van, he discovered that it had collided with another van, damaging both vehicles. The foreign man was sent to the hospital.

phuket mad2 — The foreign man was sent to the hospital.

This accident caused severe traffic congestion in both directions. Officials had to urgently manage traffic flow before investigating the foreign tourist and contacting the embassy.

According to information from Chalermpong Saengdee, a Member of Parliament for Phuket, this foreigner had a history of assaulting Myanmar workers and was previously sent to the hospital. His involvement in this incident was due to his escape from the hospital.

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Tailor Admits to Slapping British Customer in Phuket Suit Shop

By

Khaosod English

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6 July 2024, 19:47

PHUKET — On July 6, police at Cherng Talay Police Station in Phuket revealed progress on the case where a British female English teacher reported being slapped in the face by the owner of a famous suit shop in Phuket in front of her children, and she insisted on not settling the case.

The police disclosed that Mr. Daeng Phanupong, the tailor and the shop’s owner who is being sued, met with the investigating officers and the prosecutor on July 5 to acknowledge the charges.

The tailor gave a statement that before the incident, the British woman brought a suit to the shop for alterations, for which he charged 200 baht. She then expressed interest in ordering another suit, for which he quoted 5,000 baht. The British woman tried to negotiate the price down to 4,000 baht. He agreed but asked for a 2,000 baht deposit.

british tailor — The British woman shows the red mark on her left cheek where she was allegedly slapped.

He claimed that she was then dissatisfied, used her phone to take photos inside the shop, and threatened to post them on social media. She also verbally abused the accused him severely, which angered him, leading him to slap her face.

The investigating officers also revealed that they requested the prosecutor to take advance witness testimony, as Mrs. Bed will be traveling back to her country. Additionally, the investigating officers are waiting for the medical certificate, which is an important document in determining the charges.

Thai law regarding assault is specified in Section 391, which states that whoever uses force to assault another person, without causing danger to the body or mind, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine not exceeding 10,000 baht, or both.

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Famous Russian DJ Arrested on Koh Phangan for 2023 Car Accident

By

Khaosod English

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6 July 2024, 17:04

Screenshot — DJ Vigen, a 36-year-old Russian national is arrested at his home in Moo 6, Ban Tai Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province, on July 5, 2024.

KOH PHAGNAN — The famous Russian DJ chuckled slightly when tourist police appeared at his house to arrest him. He asked what he had done wrong before being told it was a criminal offense related to a car accident last year.

On July 5, Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am, Commander of the Tourist Police, ordered Phangan Tourist Police officers to arrest Mr. Vigen, a 36-year-old Russian national, at his home in Moo 6, Ban Tai Subdistrict, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province.

Officials charged him with “driving negligently causing serious injury to others and damage to others’ property” according to an arrest warrant from the Koh Samui Provincial Court.

russian dj2 — DJ Vigen is charged with “driving negligently causing serious injury to others and damage to others’ property.

Background checks revealed that DJ Vigen is famous among Russians. He has traveled throughout Thailand and regularly returns to work in the country. His Instagram shows him visiting many provinces. This time, he had been back on Koh Phangan for four days to DJ at a party.

The case for which the court issued an arrest warrant on July 30, 2023, states that Mr. Vigen was driving a white Toyota Fortuner when he lost control and collided with an oncoming black and red Honda Click motorcycle, causing serious injuries and damage to both vehicles.

When officers moved to handcuff him, the Russian DJ said it wasn’t necessary as he would go with the police anyway. However, the police insisted it was standard procedure. They then handcuffed him and took him to the Koh Phangan Tourist Police Service Unit to record the arrest and transfer the suspect to Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal proceedings.

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Thai Real Estate Sees Surge in Myanmar Investment Amid 2021 Coup

By

Khaosod English

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6 July 2024, 13:41

THAILAND-HEALTH-VIRUS — An aerial photo shows the main beach in Pattaya on June 1, 2020. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP)

BANGKOK — Since the coup in Myanmar in February 2021, wealthy Myanmar citizens have poured a significant amount of their money into buying property in Thailand. This surge has prompted Myanmar’s military government to crack down on such purchases to prevent an outflow of capital and financial collapse.

Updated figures from the first quarter of 2024 have been shown in a report on foreign property transfers compiled by the Government Housing Bank’s Real Estate Information Center (REIC).

In the first quarter of 2024, Myanmar nationals were second only to the Chinese in purchasing condominiums in Thailand, both in terms of number of units and value. Myanmar nationals accounted for 10.0 percent of all foreign property transfers and 12.3 percent of the total value of foreign property transfers.

REIC’s continuous data collection over the years shows a remarkable increase in property transfers by Myanmar nationals as follows:

In 2021 (the year of the coup), there were 30 property transfers (25th place).
In 2022, there were 349 property transfers (rank 6), an increase of 1,063.3 percent compared to 2021.
In 2023, there were 564 transfers of ownership (rank 4), an increase of 61.6 percent compared to 2022.
In Q1 2024, there were 392 transfers of ownership (rank 2), an increase of 415.8 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

In terms of value, the total value of property transfers by Myanmar nationals reached 2.2 billion baht (12.3 percent of the total) in the first quarter of 2024 alone, an increase of 344.1 percent compared to the first quarter of 2023, when 76 transfers worth 497 million baht took place.

The five provinces with the highest number of property transfers to foreigners are Chonburi, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Samut Prakan.

The majority are in the first two provinces: Chonburi with 1,521 transfers (38.6 percent of the total) and Bangkok with 1,498 transfers (38.0 percent of the total). Together, these two provinces account for 76.6 percent of the national total.

In terms of value, the top five provinces are Bangkok, Chonburi, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Samut Prakan. Here too, the first two provinces account for the majority: Bangkok with a value of 10.6 billion baht (59.4 percent of the total value) and Chonburi with a value of 4.1 billion baht (23.1 percent of the total value). Together, these two provinces account for 82.5 percent of the national total value.

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Thai Cabinet to Consider Revised Controversial Submarine Deal with China

By

Khaosod English

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6 July 2024, 03:15

BANGKOK — The long-troubled procurement of Chinese submarines, stemming from a G2G contract during Thailand’s military government, has reached a conclusion and is being presented to the current elected government’s cabinet meeting.

It seems Thailand has limited options, as the key issue of desiring German-made engines, which became prohibited in 2020 due to EU sanctions on China, was actually a weakness in the contract from the beginning.

Admiral Cholathit Navanugraha, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy and Chairman of the Submarine Procurement Committee, explained that since the Navy signed the contract in 2017, it specified the procurement of MTU 396 diesel engines to power the submarines’ generators. The contract with China only specified the engine code, not that it must be purchased from Germany.

A file photo of a China's People's Liberation Army Navy submarine. — A file photo of a China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy submarine.

In 2021, China notified that they couldn’t procure engines with this code and would use CHD 620 instead. The Navy has been trying to resolve this issue since then, including sending a 23-person team to test the Chinese engines, which were confirmed to meet the original specifications.

Admiral Cholathit stated that the Navy has considered this professionally and carefully, as they will be using the submarine for at least 40 years. They’ve accepted time extensions and negotiated compensation to appropriate levels, believing this is the best way to continue the project.

Regarding why they don’t cancel the contract since China breached it, he explained that this involves international cooperation and relations. When China couldn’t procure the equipment, both sides negotiated to find a solution together.

“It’s like building a house and not getting the roof we wanted. We don’t stop building; we just consider if the new roof is reasonable. So the narrative that China is at fault and we should cancel isn’t accurate. If the replacement engine truly wasn’t suitable, we wouldn’t accept it,” the Assistant Commander said.

Currently, Thailand has paid China 10 out of 18 installments, or 60%, amounting to 7,700 million baht, with 40% or 5,500 million baht remaining.

The submarine construction in China for the Thai Navy is 64% complete. Thai Navy officials inspect in China after each work phase and pay accordingly. The submarine is expected to arrive in Thailand around January 2028. Guarantee period for the engines will be extended from 2 to 8 years.

“The Navy confirms that submarines are necessary to maintain maritime sovereignty and protect marine resources worth 24 trillion baht, as well as sea transportation routes,” Admiral Cholathit stated.

Therefore, the document signed by Defense Minister Sutin Klungsang proposing to the cabinet has two main points:

The Navy requests to amend the agreement by changing the diesel engine from the German-made MTU 396 to the Chinese-made CHD620.
They request an extension of 1,217 days for submarine delivery and authorization for the Navy to make future changes and for the Navy Commander to sign the amended agreement.

When asked about news that China would stop selling submarines to Thailand and sell to Indonesia instead, Admiral Cholathit confirmed this was untrue, having verified with CSOC, the Chinese government representative.

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A redrawn political map

Unknown territory

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