The Cabinet met on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at Command Building I, Government House. Some of the resolutions are as follows;
The Cabinet approved proposals made by Ministry of Tourism and Sports as follows:
1. Approved to drafing and signing of the JOINT ACTION PROGRAM for the period 2016 – 2018 for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism between the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Should there be any amendment on the Joint Action Program prior to the signing, if not affecting gist of the document, Ministry of Tourism and Sports is authorized to proceed on behalf of the Cabinet without any further approval.
2. High-level representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assigned by Foreign Affairs Minister, is authorized as Thai signatory on the draft document during the official visit to Sri Lanka of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on March 9-12, 2016.
3. Minister of Foreign Affairs is to issue the Full Powers to the aforementioned signatory.
Joint Action Program in the field of tourism between Thailand and Sri Lanka for the period 2016-2018 is an implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism between Thailand and Sri Lanka. The objective is to reinforce relations and friendly cooperation between two nations in the field of tourism. Implementation under the MOU includes collaboration in such key areas as exchanges on tourism (boosting flow of tourists between two countries), tourism development at a national level (providing support on organizing familiarization trips (FAM Trip) for tourism experts and press, and exchanging statistical data and tourism-related information, including details on tourism infrastructure development), and tourism education and training (exchange of information and experts between tourism agencies for enhancing knowledge and upgrading skills of tourism-related personnel).
The Cabinet agreed on the 2-year Homeless Life Quality Development Project (2016-2017) as proposed by Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
Ministry of Social Development and Human Security reported that
1. Homeless Group is the organization for the homeless, founded in 2001. Its objective is to provide support to homeless people and provide them with the access to governmental services, leading to self-improvement. The group is also one of the mechanisms to advocate government's policies.
2. Operational guideline of the 2-year Homeless Life Quality Development Project is as follows:
2.1 To set up "Committee on Integrative Development of Homeless Life Quality" under Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. The committee consists of governmental agencies, civil society, academicians, and Homeless Network, aiming to set development guideline, conduct survey for development approaches, and set related policies, measures, and plans.
2.2 To coordinate with concerned agencies in running joint operations and programs, such as enhancing homeless people's capacity, career development, income, well-being, database development, and education.
2.3 To construct homeless shelters in 3 major cities (Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai), in collaboration with local administrations.
2.4 To provide support to the homeless who have encountered problems in civil registration (not authorizing civil status), enabling them to gain access to health care, education and others.
2.5 To enhance capacity development and operating system of the Homeless Network
2.6 To conduct survey on the homeless nationwide in a bid to establish a single database for Homeless Network, government agencies and civil society, and to be the primary data in determining solutions for homelessness.
2.7 To develop and lay out programs for the development of homeless life quality to address structural problems of the homeless.
2.8 To match the homeless with concerned organizations in the government sector, local administrations, private sector, and civil society in terms of health, society, career and community development, etc., in a bid to systematize assistance and support provided to homeless people, such as provision of mobile health care units at homeless shelters.
2.9 To launch “Homeless Housing” development as sustainable solution to homeless problem
2.10 To develop “Social Enterprise of Homeless Network”.
Title: Operational binding on ITA Expansion
The Cabinet agreed with the proposals made by Ministry of Commerce as follows:
1.Agreed upon negotiation outcome of Thailand’s ITA Expansion and its operational binding.
2.Agreed to the modification of Thailand’s Schedule of Tariff Concessions under WTO. Ministry of Commerce is ordered to notify modification of the aforementioned Schedule of Tariff Concessions to WTO.
3.Ministry of Finance is ordered to proceed with related operations according to the binding, to go into effect on July 1, 2016.
Ministry of Commerce reported that
1.Negotiations outcome of ITA Expansion deliberated at the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference on December 16, 2015, which Thailand attended, consists of Thailand's ITA Expansion on Schedule of Tariff Concessions, a total of 524 items. These items are divided into 435 normal products and 88 sensitive products.
2.The Schedule of Tariff Concessions for ITA Expansion will benefit overall development of information technology production industry by decreasing production cost and enhancing competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs in IT production market, as well as attracting foreign investors. In addition, the plan aims to promote mobilization of 10 targeted industrial clusters according to the Cabinet's resolution on November 17, 2015.
3.Member states of ITA Expansion has agreed to proceed with its domestic procedure to modify Schedule of Tariff Concessions under WTO in a bid to put forward the implementation by July 1, 2016
The Cabinet approved the proposals made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting to review the Cabinet's resolution on November 24, 2015 to allow "Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, Australia to replace Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand on consular jurisdiction over the Kingdom of Tonga". The modified details will be "Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, Australia to replace Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand on consular jurisdiction over the Kingdom of Tonga, which will go into effect after assumption of duty of the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to New Zealand". The modification was made because current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to New Zealand Maris Sangiampongsa, had already presented the letter of credence to the King of Tonga as Thai Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tonga on November 25, 2015.
--Cabinet Meeting (Prayut Chan-o-cha) March 8, 2016 --