The Cabinet met on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at Command Building I, Government House. Some of the resolutions are as follows;
Title: Draft Ministerial Regulation on Tourism Development Zones B.E....
The Cabinet approved in principle the Draft Ministerial Regulation on Tourism Development Zones B.E.... as proposed by Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and forward the draft Regulation to Office of the Council of State of Thailand for its deliberation.
Gist of the Draft Ministerial Regulation
Zoning these following provinces for tourism development:
Tourism Zones
1.Cultural world’s heritage tourism development zone
Provinces - Kamphaengphet, Tak, Sukhothai
Operation Center - Phitsanulok and Sukhothai
Tourism Zones
2.Mekong tourism zone
Provinces - Nakhon Panom, Bungkan, Mukdaharn, Loei and Nong Khai
Operation Center - Nong Khai
Tourism Zones
3.Lower Chao Phraya tourism zone
Provinces - Nontaburi, Pathum Thani, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Singburi and Angthong
Operation Center - Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Title: Request for approval for Mass Rapid Transits – Thailand Cultural Centre-Min Buri Orange line (Suwinthawong)
The Cabinet approved in principle for Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to commence the construction of mass rapid transit- Thailand Cultural Centre-Min Buri Orange line (Suwinthawong) as proposed by Ministry of Transport.
Gist of the matter
Ministry of Transport reported on the details of Thailand Cultural Centre-Min Buri Orange line (Suwinthawong) as follows.
1.Total distance of 21.2 km (9 km of elevated structure and 12.2 km of underground structure) with 17 stations (7 elevated stations and 10 underground stations)
2.The Line starts from Thailand Cultural Center Station, intersected with MRT Chaleom Ratchamongkol Line, enters Maintenance Center at MRTA head office on the Rama 9 Road, turns left onto Ramkhamhaeng Road, passing Lam Salee intersection, Kanchanapisek road intersection, and ends at Suwinthawong Station, which is near the intersection between Ramkhamhaeng Road and Suwinthawong Road.
3.Heavy Rail Transit System that has high capacity, maximum speed of 80km/h, 750 volt of traction power supply system, direct current from the third track, 16 trainsets (3 cars per trainset) will be used in the first year of operation.
Title: Request for approval on Thailand’s position paper for the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference
The Cabinet approved Thailand’s position paper for the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference to be held during December 14-18, 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya, as proposed by Ministry of Commerce.
Gist of the matter
Ministry of Commerce reported that
1.Ministerial Conference (MC) of World Trade Organization (WTO) is a high-level operating and decision making mechanism of WTO, and is held at least once every two year. MC is tasked to make decisions and determine operating directions of all WTO activities.
2.Kenya will host the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC10) during December 14-18, 2015 in Nairobi. Minister of Commerce has assigned Deputy Minister of Commerce Winitchai Chaemchaeng, to act as Thai delegate in the conference.
3.MC10 is considered an important meeting of WTO as this year marks WTO’s 20th anniversary and MC10 is unprecedentedly held in Africa. Prior to MC10, G20 Ministers Meeting and Cairms (a coalition of agricultural exporting countries, of which Thailand is a member) will be held on December 14, 2015.
4.At MC10, it is expected that a "small package" resolution can be reached for the following issues;
(1) revocation of agricultural export subsidies and implementation of regulations on related matter
(2) issue on development and concerned matters on least developed countries and
(3) transparency. Agendas on other important negotiations may be included, such as trade of industrial goods, trade in services, intellectual property and, pending matters from MC9.
5.The MC10 will conclude in a form of Summary Report or Chairman's Concluding Statement or Ministerial Declaration, which is the document without signing and is not a treaty under international law.
Title: MOU between ASEAN and China on Cooperation in the Field of Non-Traditional security Issues
The Cabinet authorized ASEAN Secretary-General or his representative to endorse the Draft MOU between ASEAN and China on “Cooperation in the Field of Non-Traditional security Issues” as proposed by the Royal Thai Police Headquarters.
The Draft MOU is aimed at developing strategies with regard to new security issues, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, arms trafficking, piracy, money laundering, cybercrimes and etc. Cooperation ranges from exchange of information and human resources as well as training, cooperation on law enforcement and joint research. The MOU will be implemented for the period of 6 years and will automatically be renewed for another 6 years. ASEAN Secretary-General will be ASEAN signatory, while Minister of State Security of China will act as signatory for China.
Title: Approval of partnership in Dawei SEZ Development Company Limited (DSEZ)
The Cabinet agreed on proposals made by Ministry of Finance as follows.
1.The Cabinet approved for Ministry of Finance, through the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (Public Organization), to enter into partnership in and co-establish an SPV “Dawei SEZ Development Company Limited (DSEZ)” with Japan and Myanmar, with up to 50% shareholding for the total budget of 100 million Baht.
2.The Cabinet approved Draft Shareholders Agreement II Relating to Dawei SEZ Development Company Limited.
3.Ministry of Finance, through Neighboring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency, is authorized to sign the aforementioned Draft Shareholders Agreement II.
4.Ministry of Finance, through Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency, is authorized to amend the Draft Shareholders Agreement II where necessary, if not affecting gist of the document without submitting to the cabinet for further consideration.
Title: Granting privileges on trading services to Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
The Cabinet agreed on proposals made by Ministry of Commerce as follows.
1.The Cabinet agreed on the list of privileges on trading services provided by Thailand to WTO’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and forward the list to Coordinating Committee of National Legislative Assembly for its review prior to National Legislative Assembly’s deliberation.
2.Ministry of Commerce is assigned to submit the list to WTO after National Legislative Assembly's approval as 1, and is authorized to amend the list, where necessary, if not affecting gist of the document, and submit to the Cabinet for acknowledgement.
--Cabinet Meeting (Prayut Chan-o-cha) December 8, 2015--