Legal Update Week 17 - 18 (20 April – 3 May 2020)

Thailand legal news

• 22 April 2020:
  • Due to the impact of COVID-19, Airports of Thailand Plc. (AOT) expects air traffic volume for flights and passengers in the fiscal year 2020 to decrease by 44.9% and 53.1%, respectively.
• 22 April 2020:
  • The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society in cooperation with Shopee (online shopping platform) introduced “Shopee Seller Support Package” to help SMEs. This scheme is open for registration between 23 April – 31 May 2020. Business operators will receive marketing support, e-learning for sellers, and other benefits and privileges from Shopee.
• 27 April 2020:
  • The government agreed to extend the ban for all international flights to airports in Thailand to 31 May 2020 (23.59 hrs.), unless falling into any exception, e.g. repatriation flights, transportation of goods, etc.
  • The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand imposed a social distancing measure for all flights by ordering airlines to skip the seat between two people, starting on 1 May 2020. The flight operators may charge extra fees to passengers, especially in low-cost airlines.

• 29 April 2020:
  • Nissan Motor (Thailand) has temporarily extended the suspension of the production line of the second factory (located in Samut Prakan) until 31 May 2020. For the first factory, the production plan has been adjusted to fit the current market needs.

• 1 May 2020:
  • Research of SCB Economic Intelligence Center shows that the number of job postings on the recruitment website JobsDB tends to decrease continuously. As of 24 April 2020, the number of job postings has decreased by 37.4% from 21 March 2020 (1 day before the lockdown of Bangkok and vicinity due to COVID-19).
  • The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released the annual Special 301 report on the adequacy and effectiveness of trading partners’ protection of intellectual property rights (2020). Thailand remains on the Watch List (WL) same as last year (2019).

• 3 May 2020:
  • The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand allows airports that serve only domestic flights to take-on and take-off only between 7.00 – 19.00 hrs. and prohibit international flights carrying passengers to enter the country, except state or military aircraft, emergency landing, technical landing, humanitarian aid, medical and relief flights, repatriation, cargo aircraft.
  • The State Railway of Thailand announced the suspension of fast trains (no. 135, 136), regular trains (no. 201, 202, 257, 258) and local trains (no. 415, 418, 421, 426, 439, 440, 489, 490), totaling 14 routes, to reduce people from traveling across the provinces in accordance with the regulations by virtue of Section 9 of the Emergency Decree (No.5).

21 April 2020:

• Approved Principle: Draft Act amending the Land Code Amendment Act (No.11) B.E. 2551 (No. ..) B.E. …
  • Amend Section 8 paragraph 4 regarding the power of competent officials to give opinions to the court, besides opinions of the Land Department
• Approved Draft: Draft measures to prevent and solve problems on sexual harassment in the workplace (proposed by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security)
  • Add new measures to protect complainants, witnesses and culprits
• Approved Principle: Reconsider the Cabinet’s resolution regarding income compensation to employees or other people affected by COVID-19 under the Social Security laws (second time)
  • Extend the target group to cover 14 million people in need (formerly 9 million people)
• Acknowledged: Measures to help electricity users affected by COVID-19 (residential use) for the billing cycle of March – May 2020

28 April 2020:

• Approved Principle: Draft Royal Decree issued under the Revenue Code re: tax reduction (No. ..) B.E. … (3 drafts)
  • Tax measure to support the relocation of production base to Thailand for foreign investors (Thailand Plus Package)
• Approved Principle: Draft Architects Act (No. ..) B.E. …
  • Insert additional powers and duties of the Council of Architects and Committees
• Approved Principle: Draft Administrative Procedure Act (No. ..) B.E. …
  • Add new provisions and revoke existing provisions in the Administrative Procedure Act B.E. 2539
  • Amend existing provisions to be clear, complete, and appropriate
• Approved Draft: Draft Royal Decree establishing land boundaries to be expropriated and draft Royal Decree determining land boundaries for mass transit
  • Expropriation for MRT purple line project (Tao Poon – Rat Burana) in the following districts:

1. Bangkok: Bang Sue, Dusit, Phra Nakhon, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Samphanthawong, Thonburi, Khlong San, Chom Thong, Rat Burana, Thung Khru
2. Samut Prakan: Phra Pradaeng

• Approved Principle: Draft Min. Reg. re: annual fee exemption for factory operators B.E. …
  • Waive annual fees under the Factory Act B.E. 2535 and its amendment for factory operators type 2 and 3 on any scale for 1 year
•  Approved: Remedial measures to help the disabled during COVID-19 crisis
•  Approved: Emergency decree re: COVID-19 extension: 1 – 31 May 2020

Royal Gazette Update: