The Cabinet met on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at the Government House. Some of the resolutions are as follows:
The cabinet acknowledged and approved the following porposals made by Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives:
1. Acknowledged Report on promotion of public sector’s rubber utilization (2018)
2. Approved for concerned agencies to proceed as follows:
a. Ministries of Transport, Agriculture and Cooperative, Defense, Interior, Education, Natural Resources and Environment, Tourism and Sports, Public Health, Social Development and Human Security, Justice, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) are to adjust their work plan and budget for FY2019 to increase utilization of rubber materials, equipment, and durable products, e.g., outdoor rubber pavers (for footpath, playground), natural rubber modified asphalt concrete roads, etc.
b. Ministries of Public Health, Education, Social Development and Human Security, Justice, and BMA are to consider using rubber products, i.e., outdoor rubber pavers (for footpath, playground), rubber pavers for futsal court flooring, and coordinate with Rubber Authority of Thailand on the matter.
c. Ministries of Public Health, Education, Social Development and Human Security, Defense, and Agriculture and Cooperative are ordered to procure rubber bedding products, through Rubber Authority of Thailand’s acquiry, for use in their operations.
The cabinet approved 4 additional measures to assist low income earners through state welfare card scheme, as proposed by Ministry of Finance:
1. Burden alleviation on public utilities fees: Electricity cost will be subsidized for up to 230 Baht/month/household, and water utility, for up to 100 Baht/month/household. Low income earners are required to present state welfare card when paying for public utilities. Subsidies will be credited to their state welfare card the following month.
2. Year-end funding: State welfare cardholders will received a one-time extra amount of 500 Baht credited to their cards in December 2018 to enhance their purchasing power, and alleviate financial burden during the yearend.
3. Travel expenses to receive medical services for elderly state welfare cardholders aged 65 and above: a one-time fee of 1,000 Baht credited to their cards.
4. Housing rental fee for elderly state welfare cardholders aged 65 and above: an amount of 400 Baht/person/month will be credited to their cards during December 2018- September 2019.
The cabinet approved the following resolutions of concerned agency on visa rules for tourism (Visa on Arrival and 30-day visa exemption), as proposed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
1. Approved visa on arrival to citizens of Mexico, Vanuatu, Nauru, and Georgia.
2. Approved 30-day visa exemption to citizens of Latvia, Lithuania, Andorra, San Marino, Ukraine, Maldives, and Mauritius.
3. Approved the list of additional countries that receive visa privileges (Visa on Arrival and 30-day visa exemption) based on the reciprocity principle, that is, Nauru, Latvia, Andorra, San Marino, Ukraine, and Mexico.
4. Revoked ‘Visa on Arrival’ privilege to citizens of Oman, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, San Marino, Andorra, Ukraine, Maldives, and Mauritius as these countries have been eligible for the better privilege (30-day visa exemption)
5. Approved for Ministry of Interior to issue a ministerial announcement on updated list of countries eligible for Visa on Arrival and 30-day visa exemption to be published on the Royal Gazette later.
The cabinet approved draft MOU on consultation and cooperation between Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and Republic of Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and for Minister of Foreign Affairs or a representative to sign the draft MOU.
Should there be an amendment in parts that are not gist nor against the country’s interests, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to proceed without having to resubmit to the cabinet for its consideration.
The draft MOU on consultation and cooperation between Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and Republic of Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is aimed to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries on issues of mutual interest.
The cabinet approved the following proposals made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
1. Approved draft Global Compact on Refugees (GCR), and Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). Should there be an amendment in parts that are not gist nor against the country’s interests, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to proceed without having to resubmit to the cabinet for its consideration.
2. Approved for the Thai delegation to endorse GCR at the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly held in New York in November.
3. Approved for the Thai delegation to endorse GCM during the the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration to be held on December 10-11, 2018 in Marakesh, Kingdom of Morocco.
The cabinet approved 3 outcome documents of the 6th round of Colombo Process Labor Ministerial meeting:
1) Colombo Process Ministerial Declaration,
2) Concept note on formation of a CP Coordination Committee (CP CC), and
3) Essential elements for a bilateral labour agreement. Minister of Labor or a representative is also approved to endorse the documents.
Should there be an amendment in parts that are not gist nor against the country’s interests, Ministry of Labor is authorized to proceed without having to resubmit to the cabinet for its consideration.
--Cabinet Meeting (Prayut Chan-o-cha) November 20, 2018--