The cabinet met on June 23, 2020 at the Government House. Some of the resolutions are as follows:
The cabinet approved the draft Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance, B.E. …, as proposed by Ministry of Justice, and ordered for the Ministry to take into consideration opinions of the Royal Thai Police before submitting the draft Act to coordination committee of the House of Representatives.
The draft Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance, B.E. … stipulates wrongful acts and preventive measures for torture and enforced disappearance, victim remedies, and legal prosecution, to be in accordance with the United Nations Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced disappearance.
The cabinet approved the draft Royal Decree on meeting allowance of expert committees and allowances given to individuals or institutions as assigned by expert committees, B.E. …, as proposed by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
The draft Royal Decree on meeting allowance of expert committees and allowances given to individuals or institutions as assigned by expert committees, B.E. … prescribes the definition of “expert committee”; meeting allowances of members of an expert committee on an attendance basis (@2,400 Baht/attendance); and increase of meeting allowance for chair of an expert committee by 25% of allowances of expert committee members (@3,000 Baht/attendance), among others.
The cabinet approved nomination of Doi Chiang Dao in Chiang Mai province as new biosphere reserve. The nomination will be submitted to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. This is as proposed by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific programme, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments in 3 aspects, that is, conservation, development, and logistic. At present, there are altogether 701 biosphere reserves in 124 countries across the world, 4 of which are in Thailand: 1) Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve in Nakhon Ratchasima province, 2) Mae Sa-Kog Ma Biosphere Reserve in Chiang Mai province, 3) Pasak Hauy Tak Biosphere Reserve in Lampang province, and 4) Ranong Biosphere Reserve in Ranong province.
National Man and the Biosphere Programme, in its meeting on February 16, 2016, has made a resolution for the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to identify additional area possible to be nominated as Thailand’s new biosphere reserve.
The cabinet acknowledged the voting for postponement of World Expo 2020 Dubai from October 20, 2020- April 10, 2021 to October 1, 2021- March 31, 2022. The postponement has been proposed by the Government of United Arab Emirates to Bureau International des Expositions.
Due to worldwide spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of UAE has submitted a proposal to Bureau International des Expositions to postpone organization of the World Expo 2020 Dubai from October 20, 2020- April 10, 2021 to October 1, 2021- March 31, 2022. The proposal has been endorsed by 2 out of 3 of the member states (voting via Bureau International des Expositions’ online system), including Thailand, as national organizing committee for World Expo 2020 Dubai has also met to deliberate the postponement, and approved UAE’s proposal. Title of the Expo will remain “Expo 2020 Dubai”.
The cabinet acknowledged the outcome of Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), as proposed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Outcome of Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) include cooperation guideline between ASEAN and China regarding exchange of information on prevention, treatment, lesson learned visualizing, and excellent practices in promptly and transparently responding spread of COVID-19; and adoption of the joint statement of the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The cabinet approved the drafting of an agreement on UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund (UN COVID-19 MPTF), and approved for the Thai Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative to the United Nations to sign the agreement on behalf of Thailand. Should there be an amendment in parts that are not gist, Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall proceed without having to resubmit to the cabinet.
The United Nations has established the “United Nations COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund” to support low- and middle-income countries that are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is of the view that Thailand’s financial support to UN COVID-19 MPTF would demonstrate Thailand’s standpoint in promoting SDGs without leaving anyone behind, and agreed to contribute USD100,000 for the UN COVID-19 MPTF. A written agreement between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNDP regarding the financial contribution has to be draft according to UN procedure for the sake of transparency.
Source: Cabinet Meeting (Prayut Chan-o-cha) Jun 23, 2020