The Cabinet met on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at Command Building I, Government House. Some of the resolutions are as follows;
The Cabinet agreed on proposals made by Ministry of Culture as follows:
1. The draft 1st National Ethics Promotion Master Plan (2016-2021) is the government's key mechanism to solve significant ethical issues in a bid to balance people's spiritual and material goals, leading to people and nation’s stability, prosperity, and sustainability.
2. Concerned agencies are to implement the Master Plan and report to the National Ethics Promotion Committee and the Cabinet later.
3. Bureau of Budget is to allocate annual budget of concerned agencies based on the Master Plan.
An action plan (2016-2021), covering 1.6 year timing of the working government, will be outlined to include 4 mobilizing strategies:
1) Laying groundwork to foster ethical culture;
2) Strengthening management system to sustain unified ethical environment;
3) Building collaboration on ethical promotion; and
4) Promote Thailand as a role model who upholds high ethical value for ASEAN and global community.
The Cabinet agreed on proposals made by Ministry of Finance as follows:
1. Agreed on tax measures to promote OTOP Extravaganza, and approved Draft Ministerial Regulation (No....) B.E. … Issued under the Revenue Code on Income Tax
2. Tourism Authority of Thailand is to promote the campaign among foreign tourists.
3. Concerned agencies are to organize OTOP exhibition in August 2016
4. The Revenue Department is to notify registered OTOP entrepreneurs that tourists can make claims of VAT Refund for Tourists (VRT) when purchasing their products.
Ministry of Finance proposed tax measures to promote OTOP products. The measures allow personal income tax deduction of up to 15,000 baht on purchases of OTOP products. The rules and regulations are as follows:
1) Must be OTOP products that are certified and registered with Community Development Department and are under value-added tax system.
2) Must be expenses from the purchase of OTOP products according to 1) with tax invoices during August 1 -31, 2016.
3) All of which are based on rules, criteria, and conditions specified by Director-General of Revenue Department
Draft Ministerial Declarations (No....) B.E. … Issued under the Revenue Code on Income Tax specified that expenses from the purchase of OTOP products from VAT-registered entrepreneurs with tax invoice during August 1 -31, 2016 will be exempted from personal income tax.
The Cabinet approved proposals made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs as follows:
1. Agreed on the development of Agreement between Thailand and the United Nations in the form of an Exchange of Letters for 2016 United Nations Regional Course in International Law to be organized during November 7 – December 2, 2016 in Bangkok
2. H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York or his representative is authorized to endorse the Exchange of Letters on behalf of Thailand. Minister of Foreign Affairs is to issue Full Powers to the signatory.
3. Should there be any amendment, if not affecting gist of the document, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to proceed without any further approval from the cabinet.
Agreement between Thailand and the United Nations in the form of an Exchange of Letters for the 2016 United Nations Regional Course in International Law to be organized during November 7 – December 2, 2016 in Bangkok is the collaboration between Thailand and the United Nations which must be proceeded in the form of an Exchange of Letters. It aims to provide trainings in the Asia-Pacific region on international law. In this regard, Thailand has a quota to send up to 5 people out of the maximum 30 participants. The draft Exchange of Letter indicated privileges and immunities, visa stamp facilitation, and security to the attendees, as well as the opportunity to continue organizing the trainings in 2017 and 2018 in Bangkok.
The Cabinet approved proposals made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs as follows:
1. Agreed on the draft Ministerial Declaration of the Group of 77 and China on the occasion of UNCTAD XIV and Pre – Conference Negotiating Text for UNCTAD XIV (a total of 2 documents). Head of Thai delegation is authorized to endorse the aforementioned documents.
2. Should there be any amendment, if not affecting gist of the document or the benefits of Thailand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to proceed without any further approval from the cabinet and notify the Cabinet afterward.
1. Draft Ministerial Declaration of the Group of 77 and China on the
Occasion of UNCTAD XIV reflects position and expectation of the Group of 77 and China on the roles and mission of UNCTAD and the meeting's outcomes.
2. Draft Pre – Conference Negotiating Text for UNCTAD XIV is the document on analysis of international economic policy and UNCTAD's expected roles on promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Declaration to support framework for disaster risk reduction, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
The Cabinet agreed and approved proposals made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs as follows:
1. Agreed in principle on 4 draft documents
1.1 The 2016-2018 Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC)
1.2 Draft joint statement of the 6th Ganga- Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers' Meeting
1.3 Draft joint statement of the 9th Lower Mekong Initiative Foreign Ministers' Meeting
1.4 Draft joint statement of the 9th Mekong – Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Should there be any amendment, if not affecting gist of the document or the benefits of Thailand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to proceed without any further approval from the cabinet.
2. Minister of Foreign Affairs or his representative is authorized as head of Thai delegation to attend Greater Mekong Subregion Ministerial Meeting (the 7th 2016-2018 Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC), the 6th Ganga- Republic of Korea Cooperation, the 9th Lower Mekong Initiative, and the 9th Mekong – Japan Cooperation), and to endorse the aforementioned draft documents.
The Cabinet agreed on proposals made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs as follows:
1. Agreed on 9 draft documents (7 draft statements and 2 draft Memorandum of Understanding). Should there be any amendment, if not affecting gist of the document or the benefits of Thailand, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to proceed without any further approval from the cabinet.
2. Minister of Foreign Affairs or his representative is authorized to endorse 7 aforementioned statements.
3. Minister of Foreign Affairs or his representative is authorized to endorse 2 draft Memorandum of Understanding. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is to issue Full Powers to the representative.
4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to assure that the draft Memorandum of Understanding go into effect in a timely manner as agreed upon by member states. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also to notify ASEAN Secretariat that Thailand has completed its internal process for the implementation of the MOUs.
1. The 49th Joint Statement of ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings
2. Draft Joint Statement of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on occasion of 40th anniversary of Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC)
3. Draft Statement of ASEAN Meeting on political and security cooperation in Asia-Pacific to promote cross-border crime management cooperation
4. Draft Statement of ASEAN Meeting on political and security cooperation in Asia-Pacific to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
5. Draft Statement of ASEAN Meeting on political and security cooperation in Asia-Pacific to promote cooperation between agencies enforcing maritime law
6. Draft Statement of Foreign Ministers' Meeting under the East Asia Summit on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and
7. Draft Joint Statement of ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers on Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)
1) Draft Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the ASEAN-China Center between ASEAN and People's Republic of China governments and
2) Draft Memorandum of Understanding on Establishing the ASEAN- India Center between ASEAN and the Republic of India governments
--Cabinet Meeting (Prayut Chan-o-cha) July 12, 2016 --