The cabinet meeting on Tuesday 24, August 2010 has come to the following decision:
The cabinet endorsed the draft of the Ministry of the Office of the Prime Minister’s Ministerial Regulation on Creative Economy Year..., which was already scrutinised and approved to proceed by the second committee on draft of bill and supplementary laws scrutiny.
Synopsis of the Draft
1. The Creative Economy Policy Committee has been designed to comprise 29 committee members and 3 Prime Minister-appointed honourary members (No.4 on the draft).
2. The authority, roles, and quorum of the Creative Economy Policy Committee have been defined (No. 8-9 on the draft).
3. The Office of Creative Economy has been assigned to serve the Office of the Secretary General to the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office, and it is to be headed by a Civil Servant appointed by the Prime Minister (No.10 on the draft).
4. The administrative committee of the Office of Creative Economy has been set up (No.11 on the draft).
5. The roles and authority of the administrative committee of the Office of Creative Economy and the Office of Creative Economy have been defined (No.12-13 on the draft).
6. Expenses for meeting, compensations and benefits of the Committee on Creative Economy Policy, the administrative committee of the Office of Creative Economy, and the Office of Creative Economy are to be funded by the budget of the Office of the Secretary General to the Prim Minister (No.16 on the draft).
7. The Prime Minister is obligated by the ministerial regulation (No.17 on the draft).
The cabinet approved in principle two tax refund measures and four other tax incentives , proposed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The Ministry of Finance has been assigned to consider the directives for quick value-added tax refund to foreign production company and tax exemption for foreign actors and actresses. The Ministry of Finance has been given one month to complete the directives for the following incentives.
1. Two Tax Refund Measures
1.1. 100% Value-added Tax rebate for foreign film productions.
1.2. 15-20% of other taxes, excluding value-added tax (depending on the conditions), will be refunded. The calculation will base on tax credit on all the expenses paid by foreign production company.
2. Four Other Tax Incentives
2.1. Exemption of withheld tax for foreign actors and actresses.
2.2. Amendment to the Ministry of Labour’s Department of Employment’s notice requesting temporary employment for foreigners has been made in order to reflect the reality of foreign film industry in Thailand.
2.3. Reduction of tariff imposed on film-making and production equipments.
2.4. Express immigration queue at all international airports in Thailand for actors, actresses, and production crew of foreign production filming in Thailand for 15 days or more, on the condition that they have been granted Non-immigration visa from the Royal Thai Embassy in their country of origin.
The cabinet approved in principle the Airports od Thailand Public Limited Company’s Suvarnabhumi Airport Development Plan (Fiscal Year 2011-2016), which has earlier been approved by the Board of Airports of Thailand PLC, as proposed by the Ministry of Transportation. The opinion of the National Economic and Social Development Board that asked the Ministry of Transportation to quickly conduct feasibility study on the options for Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueng Airport development, on October 14, 2009, was acknowledged. The proposal needs to be forwarded to the Economic Cabinet for further consideration of the use of both airports.
Th cabinet approved the Department of Local Administration, the Ministry of Interior, to disburse additional 75,246,00 Baht to fund the welfare programme for 25,082 of those with disability. The additional budget would first come from the reserved budget under the regulation related to budget disbursement, for, the result of the GFMIS system’s budget disbursement analysis has shown that, as of July 31, 2010, the Department of Local Administration has a reserve of 1,453.388 million Baht that can be used for this purpose. Alternatively, the disbursement plan for Fiscal Year 2010 can be altered in order to improve the efficiency of the budget disbursement, in accordance with the Budget Bureau.
The cabinet acknowledged and endorsed the following proposals from Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organisation) (TCEB).
1. The cabinet acknowledged and endorsed the study on the selection of theme for Thailand’s World Expo 2020 Candidacy, in accordance with the cabinet resolution on April 20, 2010.
2. TCEB has been assigned to conduct Detail Project Feasibility Study in three provinces, which are Ayudhaya Province, Chonburi Province, and Chiang Mai Province, within 120 days. The study will lead to the decision making in the future which will correspond with the theme, investment plan, mass transit system plan, infrastructure investment plan, and initial estimate of the cost at each stage.
3. TCEB has been assigned to publicise the progress of the announcement of Thailand’s World Expo 2020 Candidacy so that the Thai public can be enthusiastic and cooperate with the attempt to be selected as the host for World Expo 2020.
--Cabinet Meeting (Abhisit Vejjajiva) August 24, 2010--